WEBVTT
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Tell us a little bit about yourself and what Avendo actually is.
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Originally, I was born and raised in former Yugoslavia.
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So late 90s, I moved to Florida and ended up getting a degree from Embrae Riddle Aeronautical University in aviation field.
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So yeah, today I'm a co-founder and president of Avendo.
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It's a fintech SaaS company.
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It lets Kerry Cat processors compete in real time for each transaction that the merchants process on their end.
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What was it like leaving a war-torn country and going to Hungary?
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And then what was it like leaving Hungary and then coming to the US?
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You know, Alex Ramosi talks about this all the time.
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He says the hardest decision he has ever made, you know, up to 300 million and all these things he's ever done has been simply him having to leave corporate and go be an entrepreneur because it's so scary and it's so difficult and you get so comfortable.
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So maybe in some ways that that worked to your advantage.
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If you want to share, is you built a business from scratch, you had some issues with, you know, Google, you sold it, your you bought out your partner, then you sold your share.
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I'm just curious if you can just kind of walk us through some of those highlights.
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I would say as far as starting the business, and it would be kind of I think nice for your audience to hear, is that things don't go as planned usually when you start a business.
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And you know, you may have a product, you may have, you may think you have a the customer and you may develop a marketing, but that may all just fall through because it's not gonna go according to that plan.
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Okay, so I'm here with Victor Popovics.
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He's the founder and president of Avendo, a fintech SAS company that lets carb processors complete a transaction level, like in real time.
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So this is what was really interesting to me.
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Um basically allowing online merchants to get competitive pricing rates in real time for each transaction.
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So that was probably me hacking up.
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But Victor, why don't you tell us a little bit about yourself and what Avendo actually is?
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Sure.
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Yeah, uh thank you for having me uh at your show.
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This is great.
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I appreciate you uh letting me share the the story and a little bit of uh what I've done.
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Yeah, originally I was born and raised in in former Yugoslavia.
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When the Civil War uh war broke out uh in early 90s, I didn't want to take part in that war, so I decided to uh leave for a neighboring country, Hungary.
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Initially, I uh took the status of a refugee because that was the only uh option at the time.
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Ended up staying and living in and building life in Hungary for about four and a half years, and then the opportunity presented itself to come to US and uh study here, which which I was very happy about.
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So late 90s, I moved to Florida and um ended up getting uh a degree from Embrae Riddle Aeronautical University in in aviation field.
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And after 9-11, that was kind of uh tough times for aviation industry, uh very difficult times to find a job.
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And I would say I was uh fortunate one to uh to be in the right place at the right time.
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A friend of mine uh came to me and and asked me if I wanted to start a business.
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And without hesitation, I said yes, without asking any questions, what are we doing, who's doing what?
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What are we what are we gonna do?
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It's just like, yeah, I'm ready.
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So the original.
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How old you were at that time?
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I was 23, okay, so 24 uh 27.
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Sounds about right.
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Yeah.
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And so you know, with with no prior uh uh a business owner type uh experience, it's really it's sometimes you do that in life when you were like just like you're desperate, like, yeah, no problem, right?
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So we ended up uh, you know, I don't know how much details you want me to share, but uh instead of going into aviation field, which was the original idea, we decided to, after my friend ran the keyword analysis, now we're talking about 2003, very uh very uh early stages of e-commerce.
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He ran a keyword analysis and determined that anything with with word pressure had a very high number of searches in search engines and very few websites were competing.
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Because one of the one of the tools that I came up with on this list of 40 products was pressure surface cleaners for cleaning uh hangar floors at at airports.
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And that's that's where this came from.
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So he says, why don't we focus on pressure washers, pressure cleaners, pressure sprayers?
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And if it doesn't work out, we'll go back to the original idea.
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Well, it worked out.
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Fast forward 2017.
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Uh my partner wanted to uh exit, so I I bought him out.
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And during that time, Ultimate Washer is the name name of the business.
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We we really struggled because uh Google changed the algorithm a big time, and the famous penguin update that really caused a lot of our rankings to just drop.
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It would literally disappear from the map.
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And so I had to pivot, go shift a lot of my focus and get on Amazon, get on Walmart.
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And we ended up uh getting a really good uh uh reputation with trademark protection and all that on on Amazon.
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Fast forward a few years, 2024, I said, I think I'm I'm good after 21 years, time to sell it, give it to somebody younger, has fresh legs, and and they can make it take it to the next level.
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And so that's what happened.
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I I exited and then uh I didn't think I was gonna was gonna get into the the next business that quickly, but I did.
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So yeah, today I'm uh I'm a co-founder and president of Avendo.
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It's a fintech SaaS company.
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Like you said, it lets Craig our comp Krakar processors compete in real time for really uh for each transaction that the merchants process on their end.
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So basically we orchestrate a route of transactions to the best available price real time for the merchants.
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I know it was a little bit longer, but that's that's my that's my story in a nutshell.
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I I love it.
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It actually gives me so much content to break down.
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So I'm gonna rewind and go through a few things that I think the audience would love to hear and I want to hear about, and then we'll jump into a vendo because I think that's kind of the meat of this this uh talk.
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And I would just say that number one is what was it like leaving a war-torn country and going to Hungary?
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And then what was it like leaving Hungary and then coming to the US?
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I mean, those are all I mean, Hungary might be very close, but it's still a different country, a different language, a different way of thinking, and then another country, another language, a different way of thinking.
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I'm an immigrant myself in this moment, and it's it's challenging.
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You know, you you you don't realize that growing up in the United States because everyone's kind of an immigrant, and you know, I I love the Ronald Reagan speech where he's like, you know, you go to Turkey, you're not Turkish, you go to Germany, you're not German, but you come to America, you're an American.
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So I'm just curious on how all that worked for you.
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It it was a culture shock.
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You know, it's uh you know, in European countries, they're obviously they're a lot smaller and they're very protective of their cultures.
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So it's it's not easy to integrate.
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It's not as as and you and you're right, you know, as as as Reagan said, you come to America and you you can become an American because people are very welcoming.
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It's it's unlike in Europe.
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We're more standoffish and we we don't trust as as much or as quickly as as as Americans do.
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And that was a challenge.
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Uh, you know, you don't you don't you don't have any friends, you don't have any family members, you don't know the system, uh, you don't know the language, and you have to figure it all all out because you know, I I always say, you know, my wife and I, you know, we we we immigrated really together.
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We were just dating at the time, just uh from high school.
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We met, we were 17.
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But when we re rewind and we'll look back and say, we never really sat down and told each other, like, you know what, this is too hard, this is too difficult, let's just go back.
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And I think some of it comes from we we were at zero in in Yugoslavia, didn't have anything, went to Hungary, we were still at basically zero, didn't didn't really gain anything, you know, other than work experience, and then coming to US, and as much as as as as difficult as it was for us to keep the status legal and and be you know going through student visa and a working visa and all that, it was never like uh this is so hard, let's go back.
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It just it's it's a it's a grind, and you you s you stick to a plan and you you you change at times if you need to.
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You know, you do two, three jobs, or whatever it takes.
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But I think uh if if one wants to get it done, there's always a way.
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You know, there's always an an opportunity somewhere.
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And uh I think we we we're we're one of those like yes men, like the the yes movie where it's like if if we if we get asked a question or you want to do this, we were like, yes, we're gonna do it.
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I think that's kind of our our uh uh genetics that way.
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But yeah, and then coming to US, the same same thing, you know, learning the language.
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Um you don't have family member.
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Like a lot of times, you know, you you're you're in your native country and you if you're struggling, let's say, to uh find a job, you know, there's always a relative or friend somebody can recommend someone in the network, you know somebody else, they can kind of suggest something else.
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But when you are by yourself in in a new country, you know, you got one hand and and two arms, and that's it.
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You gotta you gotta figure it out.
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You know, it's funny because I was just listening to you and I wrote down resilience is number one.
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A friend of mine, Jera, she has something called the logos examination uh assessment, and it's the most diverse assessment I've ever seen for humans, and I use it with all my founders.
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And resilience is the number one indicator of high-level success in entrepreneurship.
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It's the number one out of everything.
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And it's just funny because that's what you were developing.
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And it was funny you mentioned something too.
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I got some Serbian friends, and it's they're very driven and they do say yes to everything.
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And I was thinking about that that Eastern European kind of mindset.
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And Richard Branson had a great saying, and he said, if someone gives you an opportunity, you don't know how to do it, but it's an awesome opportunity, say yes and go figure out how.
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And I think that is part of that drive and that spirit that you had.
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And I even thought of something else that was interesting for me is leaving something that is like what we call in my industry the golden handcuffs when I was in food and beverage.
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You know, you're making, I don't know,$3,000 cash a week and you work 30 hours a week and you take off as much time as you want.
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It was, you know, the restaurant industry in Vegas is very golden handcuffs.
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You not having something to go back to that was just your golden handcuffs was probably a blessing.
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And I would say, you know, Alex Ramosi talks about this all the time.
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He says the hardest decision he has ever made, you know, up to 300 million and all these things he's ever done has been simply him having to leave corporate and go be an entrepreneur because it's so scary and it's so difficult and you get so comfortable.
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So maybe in some ways that that worked to your advantage, you know?
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Yeah, I mean, the the first time when we when we left, really we we were we were forced to leave Yugoslavia and and you know, part of Serbia that I'm from.
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But the second one was a decision, you know.
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The second time when we went from Hungary to US, it wasn't easy.
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I mean, I remember I I worked for uh Delta Airlines and uh they decided to uh shut down the the flight that was that was flying in from Frankfurt to to Budapest and basically close the station.
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And I think not having that cushion, and my wife always wanted to go to US, and she was kind of the I would say in this case, credit to her, the driving force behind like yes, we we can we can do it.
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We did it once.
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Let's go, let's go.
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And not having maybe that job that was that that safety net combination of all of those things is is and then an opportunity to study, like I said.
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I think it was uh a good mix of of of positive elements, I I guess, for the move.
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And that's how that happened for us in this case.
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Yeah, I think too, it's you know, I don't want to ruffle any feathers here in the on the podcast, but you know, they're they they say they don't make them like they used to.
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And I feel like, you know, I'm sure men and women both, but you know, obviously I don't date date men, so it's uh women just had a different drive.
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I think an Eastern European woman, a woman of that caliber, of that age group, I mean, being the driving force like that, I mean, a beautiful woman who's got your back and is pushing is such a powerful tool as an entrepreneur.
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And, you know, it's it it seems to be something that a lot of the men that I speak with are like, hey, you find a good one and it's it's really been the key to my success.
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And I I'm curious if you agree with that.
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I like a million percent.
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You know, we we you know, we we she we had moments, you know, we were in Hungary.
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I mean, I can give you many examples, but the way I I was lucky that that she she never left me because being as as as poor and rock bottom with nothing, it's like like why did you stay with me?
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Like, why?
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Like, what was it?
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Did you ever ask her, Victor?
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Did you ever ask her?
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She says I never she she says the money was never a problem.
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She even though we like I remember we were in the US already, I'm like, honey, we got only$200 in the bank lap.
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That's it.
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And and as an integral, we couldn't get, you know, like credit cards, we couldn't get debt, we couldn't pile up debt.
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And like, this is it.
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Like, if if we don't do something here, like I don't even know.
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Are we gonna sleep under the bridge?
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And you know, especially when you come from from Eastern Europe and you come to US and South Florida, where it's everything is lush, you know, convertible cars and you know, beautiful homes.
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And you know, I was like, you know, I don't know how she never left me.
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So I was lucky that way that she her her you know thinking wasn't, you know, I'd say as it is mostly today, I guess, amongst the the younger generation, you know, with social media, everything is just every everybody wants to get it, get it uh ease easier than than than harder.
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But yeah, I mean just uh remember we were, you know, our our night out in Budapest would be we would go to McDonald's and we would buy a hamburger, not a meal, not a cheeseburger, one hamburger.
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We would cut that in half, we would split it, so we would share that, and then after that, we would use coupons to buy movies tickets because we couldn't afford a full price.
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So we would always look for for for discounted tickets, and that was that would be our night out.
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Like we went out, and somehow we were still happy.
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I mean, let me ask you a question because I have had the biggest ups and downs, and I've realized like the people that haven't had that, I know this is gonna sound crazy.
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I don't want to give myself a another down.
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But if you haven't had that, I don't think you've really had an opportunity to experience life.
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And I think I look back on those moments and I'm like, oh, like I I had to change, you know, all these pennies and dollars or quarters just to get some money to do this.
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Or I remember I was in Costa Rica, and I'm not this is a true story.
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I had$16 in my bank account and I didn't know what I was gonna do, and we're building this brand new business, and I made$60,000 the next week.
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And those moments, they teach you something about life that if you never had those, you just wouldn't be the person you are today.
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And I'm curious your thoughts on that, because I have friends that are trust fund kids, and you can see I would say almost the insecurity because they never really had to earn it like you did, you know?
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Yes.
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There there is there is a clear line when you go through those struggles, and especially if you're able to lift yourself up to whatever level you are you are achieving.
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It doesn't have to be, you know, uh you're a a millionaire or billionaire.
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You're your comfort level.
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You I think you start to appreciate that that part of life better.
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I think that's what I've been most, I guess, if the right word is proud of.
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You know, we just uh my wife and I usually get three months out of year, summer we're in Europe, you know, we'll be in Spain or Italy, or we we we just uh on a trip, three-week trip in in Greece.
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And I think you learn to truly appreciate the fruits.
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Like if you're in a nice hotel, if you are at the right nice bar, you you you really you become more observant, you obs you you observe things better, you you you feel more accomplished, but not in a stuck up way, but more in a like, you know, we we made it.
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Like we we made it.
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Like this is and I I always say, you know, people people you know come from from all kinds of parts of the world and come to US and you know, most people appreciate the the country, but then you always meet you know a couple of those that that underappreciate uh what the America can can provide.
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And and I never understood that because I always say my country would have never been able to provide this.
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Right.
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And it wasn't handed to me, it wasn't given to me, but even just the opportunities that presenting themselves along the way and saying yeses and working hard at these things, building ourselves up and and falling down and dusting off, for getting up again, we would have never gotten this, I don't think anywhere in the world.
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So we were very appreciative.
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We we love this country and it's it's it's our hope for forever.
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You know, it's funny you mentioned that because I talked to so many people outside of the US, and I get the exact opposite response in the US is outside.
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Everyone that's from the outside is like, America's amazing, the US is amazing.
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And I think the people inside, they lack perspective.
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You know, I wrote I wrote I wrote down co contrast and perspective, and I think what splitting a burger at McDonald's and then finding some coupons for a theater gives you is perspective.
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Like I'm a bougie person.
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I grew up in Las Vegas, I had to earn everything I have, but I still was around opulence all the time.
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And you get perspective by having to earn it and then be around opulence.
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And I think it's a really beautiful thing, and I wouldn't ever want to go back to, or sorry, I wouldn't ever want to take it back, is what I'm saying, because it really gives you the richness of life.
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Because I definitely would prefer to stay at the four seasons, but I can totally be comfortable in a little playboard out here in a food truck or a food cart, just you know, it's it's it's a beautiful thing in life.
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So I appreciate you sharing that because I think the audience needs to hear that.
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And one thing too for the audience that you know you embody so well is, you know, you you you worked, Victor.
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Like you had an opportunity to work, not an opportunity to hang out and get hand fed.
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And I think that's what separates things.
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And as I move into this, uh as we go deeper along this journey, I'm sure Ultimate Washer was one hell of a uh a grind for 21 years.
00:17:26.240 --> 00:17:38.240
And I think the parts that I'm most curious about, if you want to share, is you built a business from scratch, you had some issues with, you know, Google, you sold it, your you bought out your partner, then you sold your shares.
00:17:38.319 --> 00:17:40.160
You kind of did the whole gamut, right?
00:17:40.319 --> 00:17:41.759
Like that's a really interesting thing.
00:17:41.839 --> 00:17:44.799
Like, bought out my partner, then I sold my shares, and I got out.
00:17:44.960 --> 00:17:48.240
Like, I'm just curious if you can just kind of walk us through some of those highlights.
00:17:48.480 --> 00:17:49.519
Yeah, absolutely.
00:17:49.759 --> 00:18:01.519
I would say as far as starting the business, and and it would be kind of, I think, nice for your audience to hear, is that things don't go as planned usually when you start a business.
00:18:01.680 --> 00:18:12.400
And you you know, you may you may have a product, you may have, you may think you have a the customer and you may develop a marketing, but that may all just fall through because it's not gonna go according to that plan.
00:18:12.640 --> 00:18:15.200
You know, I remember starting Ultimate Washer.
00:18:15.440 --> 00:18:24.720
Um, again, I have to remind everybody that this was back in 2003 when when internet and e-commerce was in its very infancy, very beginning stages.
00:18:24.880 --> 00:18:35.440
It took us six months to really convince first vendor or manufacturer, pressure washer manufacturer, that we could sell pressure washers online.
00:18:35.680 --> 00:18:36.799
Because it was unheard of.
00:18:37.039 --> 00:18:49.839
The way they used to sell them is they would have regional reps, and these reps would load the equipment in the morning into a van, then they would drive around the van and they would make stops at certain shops.
00:18:50.000 --> 00:18:53.759
They would pull out the pressure washer, hook up the garden hose, and then demo it.
00:18:53.920 --> 00:18:55.200
That's how you used to sell them.
00:18:55.359 --> 00:18:58.480
So we came and we started getting, hey, we want to sell your product.
00:18:58.559 --> 00:18:59.839
Okay, you know, what we're doing here.
00:19:00.079 --> 00:19:01.519
Well, we want to sell online.
00:19:01.839 --> 00:19:05.440
And so it was unthinkable for for for them.
00:19:05.680 --> 00:19:20.880
And uh first company was out of out of Iowa, uh Camspray, which they they became uh, you know, really a family and and and and and long-term friends, uh the ownership, you know, the management and and everybody else in the company.
00:19:21.200 --> 00:19:26.240
And so, yeah, fast forward a little bit, uh yeah, ups and downs constantly.
00:19:26.400 --> 00:19:35.680
You know, you the the the the biggest uh challenge I think along the way was really losing the traffic because we optimized our pages really well for for many years.
00:19:36.000 --> 00:19:42.400
We uh enjoyed the free organic traffic from Google to our website, and we never had to advertise.
00:19:42.799 --> 00:19:49.920
As weird as it sounds, but we really never spent any money on Google Ads because we were always on the organic page one top question.
00:19:50.480 --> 00:19:50.960
Yeah.
00:19:51.200 --> 00:19:59.839
So after Google did this uh a penguin update, you couldn't find us page two, three, four, we never even existed in some cases.
00:20:00.000 --> 00:20:10.480
And so uh yeah, of course, you still have the employees, you have warehouse, you have the bills to pay, and you know, the the you hit the panic button and it doesn't do anything.
00:20:10.559 --> 00:20:11.920
Like there's the backup plan.
00:20:12.079 --> 00:20:14.400
Why is nothing happening automatically, right?
00:20:14.720 --> 00:20:15.119
Totally.
00:20:15.759 --> 00:20:18.400
Yeah, you haven't built the the the backup plan.
00:20:18.480 --> 00:20:21.599
That's the problem, you know, when you put all the eggs in one basket.
00:20:21.839 --> 00:20:28.880
So yeah, I had to, you know, again, it just it just like when it goes bad, it's gonna go about bad, you know, thoroughly.
00:20:29.119 --> 00:20:36.160
So my my partner, not due to that reason, but because he had another business and he sold that one and now he, you know, wanted to really retire.
00:20:36.319 --> 00:20:39.759
And uh he says, you know, I I you know I would like to exit.
00:20:39.920 --> 00:20:43.119
And I think, you know, do I sell my share as well?
00:20:43.200 --> 00:20:46.079
And we sell the whole company, but then what am I gonna do?
00:20:46.160 --> 00:20:49.920
I'm still like, I think I was probably 45, maybe 44.
00:20:50.000 --> 00:20:51.279
I'm like, I don't know.
00:20:52.079 --> 00:21:03.680
I mean, it was a good business for all this time, and and I'm again my wife, you know, she's like, no, you can rebuild it, you can do it, because we had and I had to put more money back into the business and pivot and decision.
00:21:04.000 --> 00:21:06.559
I was just gonna ask how much of the influence was the wife.
00:21:07.440 --> 00:21:22.000
No, and it's it's not like it's like she would make the decision for you, but it's important that you get that support and say just a little nudge, like you're kind of in between, you know, maybe 50-50, and then she gives you that 1% like, okay, yeah, we're gonna we're gonna do it, you know?
00:21:23.359 --> 00:21:26.400
Women don't understand how powerful they are and how much we need that then.
00:21:26.640 --> 00:21:27.680
Yeah, yeah.
00:21:27.920 --> 00:21:40.480
And I I needed in this case, I truly needed her to be on board because I had to put a lot of money back into the business, because now we had to get a lot bigger, three times as as big of a warehouse.
00:21:40.640 --> 00:21:52.079
Now we went from 50,000 in inventory to 500,000 in inventory, because you're becoming an Amazon distributor, uh, it's all about inventory, how much inventory you have and how much you can turn.
00:21:52.240 --> 00:21:55.359
So a lot of cash had to be spent for that.
00:21:55.519 --> 00:21:59.759
And and I hired a consultant because I I I didn't know anything about Amazon or Sales.
00:22:00.079 --> 00:22:01.359
Sales on Amazon or how that works.
00:22:01.519 --> 00:22:24.880
And so uh we spent a couple of hundred thousand on on on on on a consulting for over like a year, a year and a half, and they built all the SOPs and processes and completely changed the mentality on on how how to do business because selling on your website is one thing, but now you're working for Amazon because you have to be in compliance with all their rules and and regulations and protocols.
00:22:25.039 --> 00:22:29.680
And and then we really became uh a seller authority in our in our category.
00:22:29.839 --> 00:22:38.480
And uh yeah, later on I remember uh different factories and vendors coming and wanting us to sell their product on Amazon.
00:22:38.720 --> 00:22:45.119
So uh it was it was a you know lucky, but as well, you know, we worked hard at it to to turn it around and and make it happen.
00:22:45.279 --> 00:22:50.720
And then yeah, as well as you know, just happening at the same time, I didn't want to sell my share.
00:22:50.799 --> 00:22:52.480
I said, okay, I'll I'll buy you out.
00:22:52.559 --> 00:22:55.920
And uh we we agreed very quickly on on that price.
00:22:56.000 --> 00:23:03.839
And and then yeah, I ran it for another seven years and then came 2024, and I think you know, I I it was just it was time for me.
00:23:04.000 --> 00:23:16.880
I think I I realized that if something else was to happen with either Walmart or Amazon, these channels that we've had, that I may not have the the brains to to maybe figure out what else to do.
00:23:17.039 --> 00:23:18.160
And I said, you know what?
00:23:18.319 --> 00:23:20.480
I think I gave it my all for 21 years.
00:23:20.559 --> 00:23:22.640
I think at least time to let go.
00:23:22.799 --> 00:23:23.200
I love that.
00:23:23.359 --> 00:23:28.960
I mean, when you think about it, you know, you I think you get to a point sometimes where it's just time, like you said, right?
00:23:29.119 --> 00:23:42.960
Like you kind of just know, you're like, do I really want to put but I just want to point out something that I was thinking about, just kind of uh turn it back a little bit, is you did have the wisdom before to seek out consulting and to say, hey, I I'm not 100% sure I've got this.
00:23:43.119 --> 00:23:46.720
I'm curious, did you not want to do that again and try to grow it even bigger?
00:23:46.880 --> 00:23:49.519
Or was it just an internal desire saying, hey, you know what?
00:23:49.599 --> 00:23:50.480
I think I'm just done.
00:23:50.559 --> 00:23:57.440
I'm just curious that pivot, like what was the because I work with a lot of founders, and the reason I'm asking is do I exit or do I stay?
00:23:57.599 --> 00:24:00.880
Do I sell or do and and they're like what was that point for you?
00:24:00.960 --> 00:24:04.559
Because you already, you know, you seeked out hundreds of thousands in consulting before.
00:24:04.720 --> 00:24:07.599
You took this thing, it sounds like you'd maybe maybe even 10x it.
00:24:07.680 --> 00:24:09.119
You definitely 10x your inventory.
00:24:09.359 --> 00:24:10.880
What was that pivotal point right there?
00:24:11.039 --> 00:24:13.920
Like, what what was that about that made you say, you know what, this is time?
00:24:14.079 --> 00:24:17.440
I think it's it's probably a combination of little things.
00:24:17.599 --> 00:24:28.480
You know, one one thing was was definitely I felt that I was more and more working on Amazon and building Amazon sort of empire.
00:24:29.119 --> 00:24:43.680
Because you know, all the API connections and inventory updates, and how do we, you know, like I remember my my developers, they would write different apps for, for instance, for returns.
00:24:43.839 --> 00:24:48.240
Because the more volume you have, logically, you're gonna have more returns, right?
00:24:49.599 --> 00:24:54.000
So we had to automate things more and more.
00:24:54.160 --> 00:25:04.480
And I've I've I've caught myself saying, it's like this is almost not my business because I'm always solving problems to accommodate Amazon.
00:25:04.720 --> 00:25:07.759
And I think that was one of the things that really pressured me.
00:25:07.839 --> 00:25:09.519
I said, I want to be more independent.
00:25:09.599 --> 00:25:13.359
I I dependent on on Google, not in a sense that I had to build anything.
00:25:13.519 --> 00:25:18.000
We wrote pages in the content and videos and you know, SEO backlink.
00:25:18.240 --> 00:25:22.880
So, in a way, it was similar, but in a lot smaller scale, right?
00:25:22.960 --> 00:25:26.160
And I saw that collapse, and then Amazon came in.
00:25:26.240 --> 00:25:38.160
I'm like, we're growing and growing and growing, but I said everything is to Amazon, and if they just decide which they did, what a month ago, they decide to to weigh now how they're going to rank.
00:25:38.319 --> 00:25:39.680
So everything, same thing.
00:25:39.839 --> 00:25:44.240
We built content on Amazon based on their algorithm at a time.
00:25:44.400 --> 00:25:47.920
So imagine now two months ago, they changed the algorithm.
00:25:48.160 --> 00:25:50.799
It's it's different factors are taken in.
00:25:50.960 --> 00:25:54.799
I probably would have crashed just about now if I would have kept it the business.
00:25:54.880 --> 00:25:56.960
So, you know, wisdom, brother, wisdom.
00:25:57.119 --> 00:25:59.279
I'm like, yeah, I'm glad we sold it.
00:25:59.440 --> 00:26:00.240
Or I sold it.
00:26:00.400 --> 00:26:02.400
I mean, to me, this brings us right into a vendo.
00:26:02.559 --> 00:26:06.240
And what I want to bring up with that is what I'm gathering from your you know perspective.
00:26:06.319 --> 00:26:09.839
If if if I'm correct, let me know, is ownership is important to you.
00:26:10.079 --> 00:26:15.279
And to me, based on what I've learned from you, a vendo kind of equals sovereignty a bit, right?
00:26:15.359 --> 00:26:24.000
Like you have a little bit of ownership of which which gets what, and and you're not just kind of tied to this one thing where you know with Amazon, you're tied to this one thing and you got to accommodate.
00:26:24.319 --> 00:26:30.079
I don't know if that's the right, you know, description of why you did this, but I was just kind of putting two to two together.
00:26:30.160 --> 00:26:32.319
I'm like, oh, this this gentleman really likes ownership.
00:26:32.400 --> 00:26:36.559
He likes to own what's going on and he likes he likes options, he likes sovereignty, he likes control.
00:26:36.799 --> 00:26:37.440
Yeah, yeah.
00:26:37.599 --> 00:26:44.480
Being being uh independent of outside uh elements, I think is is evident for me.
00:26:44.559 --> 00:26:52.400
And maybe because of the pains that we've gone through, um, you know, you don't you don't think about it until it happens to you.
00:26:52.559 --> 00:26:53.440
But you're right.
00:26:53.599 --> 00:27:09.680
The the a vendor is really sitting right between the merchants and payment processors, and even though it's a platform that needs both in order for the system to work, we don't really rely on single merchant, or we don't rely really on one single processor.
00:27:09.759 --> 00:27:16.240
So if tomorrow one processor drops out, whatever they got acquired, and they don't want to you know do this anymore.
00:27:16.400 --> 00:27:17.519
We have alternatives, right?
00:27:17.599 --> 00:27:18.480
We have other partners.
00:27:18.720 --> 00:27:34.640
So in that sense, uh yeah, that being independent of of or minimizing then external kind of uh possibility of of you losing what you have is is becoming, I think, more important than than uh in the past.
00:27:34.799 --> 00:27:46.720
I mean, I know a lot of businesses are getting intertwined and and linked, and there's a lot of dependencies, but I think uh building a business that's less dependent on other parties is is uh definitely, in my opinion, a way to go.
00:27:46.960 --> 00:27:52.319
Yeah, it's uh it's scary because you know, I'm in my space, you know, a lot of people are in the the Instagram space and the TikTok space.
00:27:52.640 --> 00:27:53.920
You can get you just get shut down.
00:27:54.079 --> 00:27:57.920
The algorithm could change and your content doesn't get seen, or you are really at the mercy.
00:27:58.000 --> 00:28:03.359
I mean, advertising has always been at the mercy of money, but man, it are we at the mercy of the algorithm now?
00:28:03.519 --> 00:28:07.039
And if that algorithm doesn't like you, you can throw all the money you want on it, it'll just shut you off.
00:28:07.119 --> 00:28:10.079
And you know, I'm curious, this is where my brain goes to tell me.
00:28:10.160 --> 00:28:14.000
I just see like a like like 20 different stock tickers, and it's like that one.
00:28:14.079 --> 00:28:15.759
Like, how does this work on the back end?
00:28:15.839 --> 00:28:29.279
Or like, or or even my question is do some you know, credit card processing services like the do they do they always come in lower, or is it kind of just a thing where it's like it's just in real time, this one is the lowest, bam, we're gonna snatch it.
00:28:29.440 --> 00:28:31.680
And then why are they constantly fluctuating?
00:28:31.759 --> 00:28:35.119
So maybe I I don't know if those questions are are relevant or if they make sense.
00:28:35.279 --> 00:28:38.240
I'm trying to understand this, you know, as best I can from my background.
00:28:38.480 --> 00:28:39.279
Yeah, yeah, absolutely.
00:28:39.359 --> 00:28:41.200
Yeah, and I'll I'll try to simplify it.
00:28:41.279 --> 00:28:47.839
So there's uh around 200 different cards out there in the in in the US.
00:28:48.000 --> 00:28:53.599
I would I would I'm gonna limit, not not go to the to the world side, but so there's different types of cards.
00:28:53.680 --> 00:28:58.240
You have um you know commercial cards, you have consumer cards, you have gift cards, rewards cards.
00:28:58.319 --> 00:28:59.920
There's so many different variables.
00:29:00.160 --> 00:29:08.319
And when it comes to processors underwriting, they look at different risk levels that the merch presents.
00:29:08.480 --> 00:29:12.880
And this can be anywhere from uh the product category they're in.
00:29:13.279 --> 00:29:26.400
Typically, you know, let's say gaming websites or cannabis uh websites, uh, they will be considered high risk because uh they have a greater amount of chargebacks.
00:29:26.640 --> 00:29:26.880
Yep.
00:29:27.039 --> 00:29:27.279
Right?
00:29:27.440 --> 00:29:45.680
So that's a risk for the bank because even though they have the ability to simply just go into your business account and and take that money or have a hold of the money that hasn't been deposited to your account, uh they have they have tools, but still it's a risk for them because they may end up uh losing that money.
00:29:45.839 --> 00:30:01.440
So there's different factors that we as a company are able to get when the consumer enters the card, let's say it's an online transaction, anywhere from, like I said, it could be a commercial, it would be a credit card, it could be a debit card, the amount, the amount itself.
00:30:07.920 --> 00:30:16.240
Whether it's an international card and the consumer wants to use uh pay in different currency, right?
00:30:16.400 --> 00:30:24.480
So all of these are are factors that we're able to get at the time of a transaction, and the payment processors get that information from us.
00:30:24.640 --> 00:30:39.359
So based on that real-time data, they're able to determine the risk factor real time and say, okay, based on this and this, we're putting this transaction in this tier, and then provide the pricing response to us.
00:30:39.519 --> 00:30:41.839
Again, this happens in seconds and milliseconds.
00:30:41.920 --> 00:30:48.960
It's it's in the back end where consumer doesn't even see any difference from how they're transacting typically today.
00:30:49.119 --> 00:31:02.000
And so once we once we get uh the information back from multiple processors, we we evaluate that and then make the decision where to route the transaction, which will be the best available processor at that moment.
00:31:02.160 --> 00:31:09.039
And in that particular time, then the selected processor will complete the transaction from end to end.
00:31:09.200 --> 00:31:15.680
But again, this is all like I'm speaking in like five minutes, but this happens all real time quickly in the back end.
00:31:16.000 --> 00:31:31.200
You know, I'm just thinking, you know, say a fractional CFO is listening to us right now, or there's like a merchant, you know, and they want to really understand what real payment transparency could mean for their margins, you know, what's thing you would want, what's something you'd want them to walk away with, you know, just by listening to this conversation?
00:31:31.279 --> 00:31:32.480
Like, like why use you?
00:31:32.640 --> 00:31:33.920
Like, what could you really do for them?
00:31:34.160 --> 00:31:40.480
Yeah, I my my legal department will strangle me if if I make a promise and guarantee I can't.
00:31:40.880 --> 00:31:43.279
Yeah, no, I'm just curious, like right.
00:31:43.440 --> 00:31:44.000
No, no, no.
00:31:44.079 --> 00:31:44.240
Yeah.
00:31:44.400 --> 00:31:49.519
I'm I'm I just want to say because you know, I can't say we're gonna send you at least one percent because they're gonna be like, You can't say that.
00:31:49.759 --> 00:31:50.559
I'll tell you this.
00:31:50.799 --> 00:31:53.759
Last week I was talking to uh a PR software company.
00:31:53.920 --> 00:31:59.759
I was talking to the owner, and uh we were just chatting just like this, just like you and I now and on a video call.
00:31:59.920 --> 00:32:02.720
And uh and he had this credit card statement.
00:32:02.799 --> 00:32:09.119
Uh I mean the uh the monthly uh statement from the from the processor in front of him, and he was using, if I can say it, Stripe.
00:32:09.359 --> 00:32:11.200
And I said, Oh, by the way, what are you paying?
00:32:11.359 --> 00:32:17.599
And he didn't know, and I and I kind of knew that he wouldn't, because I remember me for 21 years, I never knew what my rate was.
00:32:17.759 --> 00:32:19.119
Because that's not what we focus as business.
00:32:19.519 --> 00:32:24.319
We don't go at the end of the month like, oh my god, I paid uh 2.9%, or probably 3.6%.
00:32:24.720 --> 00:32:33.599
Like we just look at it, it has like million lines, fees, different kinds of um you just hand it over to your bookkeeper or your accountant, and they they log in and that's it.
00:32:33.680 --> 00:32:34.799
You've you know, you move on.
00:32:34.960 --> 00:32:38.319
Like you just you just as an owner, yeah, you you don't you don't deal with that, right?
00:32:38.480 --> 00:32:43.039
And so I was talking to me and and he quickly calculated it and it says 4.2 percent.
00:32:43.119 --> 00:32:45.200
And I said exactly correct, by the way.
00:32:45.359 --> 00:32:47.200
Yeah, I mean like that's high.
00:32:47.279 --> 00:32:48.480
I mean super high.
00:32:48.720 --> 00:32:58.000
Because they advertise, you know, Stripe does 3.3 for car not present, and I'm like, yeah, we can definitely, definitely save you there.
00:32:58.240 --> 00:33:15.359
So again, a lot of uh you know, CFOs and and business decision uh makers we we're not aware of these fees, but just the sheer uh competition amongst processors drives that price down.
00:33:15.519 --> 00:33:42.319
And you know, one one other thing is I just want to mention as well, you know, there's many different agencies from from when you start from the issuing bank, you have network, you know, issuing bank fee, you have network fees like V Semester, Cardbank Express, they have acquiring bank, which is now on the PSP side processor side, then you have the processor themselves, then you have uh ISOs, independent organizations, ISO agents, and then your referral partners.
00:33:42.559 --> 00:33:44.559
All of these are making money, believe it or not.
00:33:44.720 --> 00:33:46.319
Everybody makes a little tiny bit.
00:33:46.480 --> 00:33:56.960
So now the fact that we're going direct to processors and the choirs, we're really cutting off three layers out of six or seven layers that that exist in this channel.
00:33:57.039 --> 00:34:02.799
So just by the virtual of that, our customers are able to save a tremendous amount of of money.
00:34:02.960 --> 00:34:09.519
And again, I can't say the percentages, but if if they sign up and and and try us out, they'll they'll be definitely happy.
00:34:09.760 --> 00:34:10.159
I love that.
00:34:10.239 --> 00:34:14.000
Well, we'll have all that in the show notes for sure, and we'll push as much as we can to you.
00:34:14.159 --> 00:34:22.960
You know, when I owned a brew pub, we were doing hundreds, if not thousands, of transactions a day, and you're doing millions of dollars over periods of time, and you you it really does make a tremendous difference.
00:34:23.039 --> 00:34:27.440
If someone tells you, hey, I'm just gonna give you 20, 30, 40, 50, 100k this year, like, yeah, I'll take it.
00:34:27.519 --> 00:34:29.679
You know, and it's go please.
00:34:29.920 --> 00:34:36.800
Yeah, and and let's not forget, you know, we we we we always s sort of stop at that at that point of what did I save?
00:34:36.960 --> 00:34:40.480
Oh, I save uh twenty thousand dollars this year in credit card fees.
00:34:40.639 --> 00:34:45.280
But for those businesses that plan on exiting, or exiting, yeah.
00:34:45.440 --> 00:34:46.880
You know, now you have a multiple.
00:34:47.039 --> 00:34:48.239
It depends on the industry.
00:34:48.320 --> 00:34:54.719
There could be three, four, maybe if you're if you're uh a SaaS company, could that be a multiple of 10 or 12?
00:34:54.880 --> 00:35:01.519
Now you're talking about serious cash that you could be now adding to the bottom line when you sell sell the company.
00:35:01.679 --> 00:35:05.280
So it's it's it really doesn't stop with just one year or two years.
00:35:05.440 --> 00:35:09.920
It could be uh really exponential earnings uh or payouts down the road.
00:35:10.159 --> 00:35:13.840
Well, if you've never sold anything, people don't realize how those little details matter.
00:35:14.000 --> 00:35:22.559
You know, when you go in and you're like, my company's worth 4 million, and then the and then the bean counters come in and start cutting little piece by piece, and all of a sudden you're like, oh, here's 2.4, and you're like, what?
00:35:22.719 --> 00:35:28.639
Well, I mean, look at your multiples, look at what you're running on the back end, what you're epitheta, like all that stuff matters, especially with exits.
00:35:28.800 --> 00:35:29.039
Yep.
00:35:29.360 --> 00:35:30.159
100% right.
00:35:30.239 --> 00:35:39.519
Yeah, once you you have a number when you when you as a business owner, you go and like, yeah, this is probably worth this, and then you know, you talk to your broker, and it's like, well, maybe not this, maybe that.
00:35:39.599 --> 00:35:45.440
And then yeah, you the buyer comes and they'll like, well, I don't like this, and I don't like that, and they start subscribing off.
00:35:45.840 --> 00:35:51.519
And it's just a subtract, subtract, subtract, subtract, and then you're at this number, and then you kind of negotiate from that number.
00:35:51.679 --> 00:35:51.920
Yeah.
00:35:52.079 --> 00:35:58.559
And I think when people see that, it it's you know, we're you know, we're we're all green in some area of our life, whatever it is, you know.
00:35:58.719 --> 00:36:00.480
And so, yeah, it's interesting.
00:36:00.639 --> 00:36:02.239
I I just love this model.
00:36:02.320 --> 00:36:08.559
Uh, that's why I wanted to talk with you on the show, and I just I think it's so cool because it's it it just gives us options.
00:36:08.639 --> 00:36:19.360
And what I've noticed the most about this generation is we just have so many options we didn't have before, and that drives capitalism, it drives prices down, and options are great.
00:36:19.440 --> 00:36:24.000
You know, it's like even when I'm here in Columbia, I have like three options like DD, Uber, Endriver.
00:36:24.079 --> 00:36:25.039
I'm like, which one's out?
00:36:25.199 --> 00:36:27.760
Damn, you know, and and it forces us to compete.
00:36:27.840 --> 00:36:35.360
And I think with competition, it takes away the well, you come from a communist country, you know what that's like when there's no competition, you know?
00:36:35.760 --> 00:36:43.840
Everybody's wearing one type of shoes, everybody's has one one toothpaste type, you know, brand, and it's like everybody, everybody stands the same.
00:36:44.480 --> 00:36:46.880
Very homogenous, yeah, super homogenous.
00:36:47.199 --> 00:36:50.800
Yeah, and you're you're 100% right with with with options, you know.
00:36:50.880 --> 00:37:04.559
I I like to kind of compare it to to again Ultimate Washer, uh, and I think this is one of the the things why this this idea was was born, is you know, if I wanted to uh buy a hose, right?
00:37:04.719 --> 00:37:14.800
And obviously you you go in with a number and say, okay, I I want to buy five five thousand of this 50-foot blue hose, and then you'll go to one supplier, second supplier, third supplier.
00:37:15.039 --> 00:37:19.199
So besides the quality and the shipping cost, you're looking at the cost of the item.
00:37:19.360 --> 00:37:23.679
And so I've always had those options choosing from different vendors.
00:37:23.760 --> 00:37:29.599
You know, sometimes they have specials, sometimes these guys, sometimes they'll want to get the sales so that it doesn't go to a competitor.
00:37:29.679 --> 00:37:32.239
And that's all part of the, like you said, capitalism.
00:37:32.400 --> 00:37:37.760
And so, you know, what what kind of got me thinking into this credit card processing is was exactly this.
00:37:38.000 --> 00:37:39.360
And we don't have choices here.
00:37:39.519 --> 00:37:49.840
Like you you can you can go and do shopping and you you you check this process or that credit card process, that they're like, okay, I think uh this one, right?
00:37:49.920 --> 00:37:56.320
And you you take that one, you you sign the agreement, and then you hope that you're gonna have good rates for the rest of the time.
00:37:56.400 --> 00:37:58.400
And that might not always be the case.
00:37:58.480 --> 00:38:02.239
You're just trusting that you're getting, but you don't really have a way of of comparing.
00:38:02.400 --> 00:38:07.840
And so that's where a vendor comes in that we always, you know, we keep it level field.
00:38:07.920 --> 00:38:20.239
It's it's we want to make sure that everybody is fair to the game and and that we want them to to give you the best price available on the on the card that's being transacted, and then just round it up because they can, right?
00:39:20.400 --> 00:39:22.559
Yeah, no, you you described this, you know.
00:39:22.639 --> 00:39:29.199
My my wife bought a bought a really a big poster picture that she framed, and I had it in the office for years.
00:39:29.280 --> 00:39:34.320
It's a big, big male lion, just dark man and just like you know, powerful sitting there.
00:39:34.400 --> 00:39:39.280
It's and and and when she brought it for the first time, uh and I'm like, where am I gonna put this?
00:39:39.360 --> 00:39:43.440
This this this looks like you know, I'm gonna scare my employees with this.
00:39:43.519 --> 00:39:46.000
Like I can't put it behind my you know, dad.
00:39:46.320 --> 00:39:47.519
It's gonna be like somewhere.
00:39:49.760 --> 00:39:54.000
This this lion like right over him, like, no, let's put it on this side.
00:39:54.079 --> 00:39:55.119
It's I like it, you know.
00:39:55.199 --> 00:39:57.519
So it was it was kind of on the sidewall.
00:39:57.679 --> 00:39:59.840
But yeah, no, I he yes, absolutely.
00:40:00.000 --> 00:40:09.039
I've I probably watched uh not I don't say every documentary, but uh you name it, YouTube or or any video, and multiple times.
00:40:09.119 --> 00:40:27.920
I'm just just uh the the the family unity, the the hierarchy, the the the marking of the territories, you know, the the the fight of the May Alliance for the territory and then you know coming into uh pride and uh taking over the pride, that whole it's just it's you know then hunting.
00:40:28.079 --> 00:40:30.800
I I don't know, it's just something that fascinates me.
00:40:30.880 --> 00:40:51.760
And you know, I say if if at some point when I when I have available resources and more time, I would really take like to take part of really taking care of these in in sanctuaries and organizations that that that nurture these uh big cats in in Africa and just kind of uh educate people more about the life and and wilderness and all that.
00:40:51.840 --> 00:41:00.559
That's it's a big passion of mine, and hopefully one day I get to uh you know, I don't think I'm gonna own own a big cat like that because that's a little scary because I know too much.
00:41:00.960 --> 00:41:02.320
But you never say no, right?
00:41:02.400 --> 00:41:03.360
One day maybe, who knows?
00:41:03.519 --> 00:41:06.000
But yeah, I it's uh a big big uh big cat lover.
00:41:06.159 --> 00:41:07.199
Big cats, yes.
00:41:20.960 --> 00:41:21.760
Yeah, you're right.
00:41:22.000 --> 00:41:24.880
We we when we think about something, we saw it's like it's not the right time.
00:41:24.960 --> 00:41:25.920
Well, I'm not ready, right?
00:41:26.079 --> 00:41:32.559
But it's it's just really a matter of starting it, initiating it, and then it just the the things will take its own course.
00:41:34.079 --> 00:41:36.159
Yeah, yeah, I I feel that.
00:41:39.519 --> 00:41:41.039
Let's go, yeah, let's do this.
00:41:41.119 --> 00:41:42.320
Let's time, yeah.
00:41:42.639 --> 00:41:43.199
Cool.
00:41:48.159 --> 00:41:51.840
Yeah, uh Vendo.tech is is the website.
00:41:51.920 --> 00:41:54.559
Um they can always reach out to me on LinkedIn.
00:41:54.639 --> 00:41:55.840
I'm I'm fully available.
00:41:55.920 --> 00:41:57.920
You know, people come to me ask me questions.
00:41:58.000 --> 00:42:01.440
If if I know the answer, I'll I'll I'll I'll share it with you.
00:42:01.519 --> 00:42:04.800
If I don't, a lot of times I'll find the answers uh for people.
00:42:04.880 --> 00:42:05.760
I'm I'm like that.
00:42:05.840 --> 00:42:07.679
I I I just like to help.
00:42:07.760 --> 00:42:12.079
And so yeah, LinkedIn and and the website are the two best ways to find us.
00:42:28.880 --> 00:42:43.920
Thank you, I appreciate the time, and yes, a hundred percent I've I've been fortunate enough to have great great coaches and mentors in my life, and it's I feel it it's just it's generally coming from the inside, and it's like it's time for me to share that love and that help.
00:42:51.039 --> 00:42:52.400
Let it gr let it grow.
00:42:52.639 --> 00:42:54.320
Thank you so much, I appreciate you.
00:00:00.080 --> 00:00:02.319
Tell us a little bit about yourself and what Avendo actually is.
00:00:02.560 --> 00:00:05.200
Originally, I was born and raised in former Yugoslavia.
00:00:05.360 --> 00:00:13.759
So late 90s, I moved to Florida and ended up getting a degree from Embrae Riddle Aeronautical University in aviation field.
00:00:14.000 --> 00:00:16.800
So yeah, today I'm a co-founder and president of Avendo.
00:00:17.039 --> 00:00:18.399
It's a fintech SaaS company.
00:00:18.480 --> 00:00:24.320
It lets Kerry Cat processors compete in real time for each transaction that the merchants process on their end.
00:00:24.480 --> 00:00:27.760
What was it like leaving a war-torn country and going to Hungary?
00:00:27.839 --> 00:00:30.320
And then what was it like leaving Hungary and then coming to the US?
00:00:30.559 --> 00:00:32.399
You know, Alex Ramosi talks about this all the time.
00:00:32.560 --> 00:00:44.799
He says the hardest decision he has ever made, you know, up to 300 million and all these things he's ever done has been simply him having to leave corporate and go be an entrepreneur because it's so scary and it's so difficult and you get so comfortable.
00:00:44.960 --> 00:00:47.439
So maybe in some ways that that worked to your advantage.
00:00:47.520 --> 00:00:57.600
If you want to share, is you built a business from scratch, you had some issues with, you know, Google, you sold it, your you bought out your partner, then you sold your share.
00:00:57.759 --> 00:01:00.479
I'm just curious if you can just kind of walk us through some of those highlights.
00:01:00.719 --> 00:01:12.239
I would say as far as starting the business, and it would be kind of I think nice for your audience to hear, is that things don't go as planned usually when you start a business.
00:01:12.319 --> 00:01:22.640
And you know, you may have a product, you may have, you may think you have a the customer and you may develop a marketing, but that may all just fall through because it's not gonna go according to that plan.
00:01:23.519 --> 00:01:25.439
Okay, so I'm here with Victor Popovics.
00:01:25.519 --> 00:01:33.120
He's the founder and president of Avendo, a fintech SAS company that lets carb processors complete a transaction level, like in real time.
00:01:33.200 --> 00:01:34.719
So this is what was really interesting to me.
00:01:34.799 --> 00:01:39.920
Um basically allowing online merchants to get competitive pricing rates in real time for each transaction.
00:01:40.079 --> 00:01:41.920
So that was probably me hacking up.
00:01:42.000 --> 00:01:45.120
But Victor, why don't you tell us a little bit about yourself and what Avendo actually is?
00:01:45.439 --> 00:01:45.680
Sure.
00:01:45.760 --> 00:01:48.560
Yeah, uh thank you for having me uh at your show.
00:01:48.719 --> 00:01:49.200
This is great.
00:01:49.280 --> 00:01:53.680
I appreciate you uh letting me share the the story and a little bit of uh what I've done.
00:01:53.840 --> 00:01:57.280
Yeah, originally I was born and raised in in former Yugoslavia.
00:01:57.439 --> 00:02:07.439
When the Civil War uh war broke out uh in early 90s, I didn't want to take part in that war, so I decided to uh leave for a neighboring country, Hungary.
00:02:07.599 --> 00:02:11.759
Initially, I uh took the status of a refugee because that was the only uh option at the time.
00:02:12.000 --> 00:02:22.479
Ended up staying and living in and building life in Hungary for about four and a half years, and then the opportunity presented itself to come to US and uh study here, which which I was very happy about.
00:02:22.639 --> 00:02:31.280
So late 90s, I moved to Florida and um ended up getting uh a degree from Embrae Riddle Aeronautical University in in aviation field.
00:02:31.439 --> 00:02:37.759
And after 9-11, that was kind of uh tough times for aviation industry, uh very difficult times to find a job.
00:02:37.919 --> 00:02:43.039
And I would say I was uh fortunate one to uh to be in the right place at the right time.
00:02:43.199 --> 00:02:48.159
A friend of mine uh came to me and and asked me if I wanted to start a business.
00:02:48.319 --> 00:02:54.240
And without hesitation, I said yes, without asking any questions, what are we doing, who's doing what?
00:02:54.479 --> 00:02:56.000
What are we what are we gonna do?
00:02:56.080 --> 00:02:57.520
It's just like, yeah, I'm ready.
00:02:57.680 --> 00:02:58.319
So the original.
00:02:58.960 --> 00:02:59.919
How old you were at that time?
00:03:00.159 --> 00:03:05.280
I was 23, okay, so 24 uh 27.
00:03:05.919 --> 00:03:06.719
Sounds about right.
00:03:07.520 --> 00:03:07.840
Yeah.
00:03:08.080 --> 00:03:20.319
And so you know, with with no prior uh uh a business owner type uh experience, it's really it's sometimes you do that in life when you were like just like you're desperate, like, yeah, no problem, right?
00:03:20.479 --> 00:03:36.639
So we ended up uh, you know, I don't know how much details you want me to share, but uh instead of going into aviation field, which was the original idea, we decided to, after my friend ran the keyword analysis, now we're talking about 2003, very uh very uh early stages of e-commerce.
00:03:36.719 --> 00:03:44.960
He ran a keyword analysis and determined that anything with with word pressure had a very high number of searches in search engines and very few websites were competing.
00:03:45.120 --> 00:03:54.560
Because one of the one of the tools that I came up with on this list of 40 products was pressure surface cleaners for cleaning uh hangar floors at at airports.
00:03:54.719 --> 00:03:56.319
And that's that's where this came from.
00:03:56.479 --> 00:04:01.599
So he says, why don't we focus on pressure washers, pressure cleaners, pressure sprayers?
00:04:01.680 --> 00:04:05.039
And if it doesn't work out, we'll go back to the original idea.
00:04:05.199 --> 00:04:06.000
Well, it worked out.
00:04:06.240 --> 00:04:08.159
Fast forward 2017.
00:04:08.240 --> 00:04:11.759
Uh my partner wanted to uh exit, so I I bought him out.
00:04:11.840 --> 00:04:15.280
And during that time, Ultimate Washer is the name name of the business.
00:04:15.439 --> 00:04:25.360
We we really struggled because uh Google changed the algorithm a big time, and the famous penguin update that really caused a lot of our rankings to just drop.
00:04:25.439 --> 00:04:27.600
It would literally disappear from the map.
00:04:27.759 --> 00:04:33.120
And so I had to pivot, go shift a lot of my focus and get on Amazon, get on Walmart.
00:04:33.199 --> 00:04:39.199
And we ended up uh getting a really good uh uh reputation with trademark protection and all that on on Amazon.
00:04:39.360 --> 00:04:51.839
Fast forward a few years, 2024, I said, I think I'm I'm good after 21 years, time to sell it, give it to somebody younger, has fresh legs, and and they can make it take it to the next level.
00:04:52.000 --> 00:04:53.120
And so that's what happened.
00:04:53.279 --> 00:05:00.160
I I exited and then uh I didn't think I was gonna was gonna get into the the next business that quickly, but I did.
00:05:00.399 --> 00:05:03.680
So yeah, today I'm uh I'm a co-founder and president of Avendo.
00:05:04.000 --> 00:05:05.439
It's a fintech SaaS company.
00:05:05.600 --> 00:05:14.160
Like you said, it lets Craig our comp Krakar processors compete in real time for really uh for each transaction that the merchants process on their end.
00:05:14.319 --> 00:05:20.639
So basically we orchestrate a route of transactions to the best available price real time for the merchants.
00:05:20.800 --> 00:05:25.120
I know it was a little bit longer, but that's that's my that's my story in a nutshell.
00:05:25.360 --> 00:05:25.920
I I love it.
00:05:26.000 --> 00:05:27.920
It actually gives me so much content to break down.
00:05:28.079 --> 00:05:36.800
So I'm gonna rewind and go through a few things that I think the audience would love to hear and I want to hear about, and then we'll jump into a vendo because I think that's kind of the meat of this this uh talk.
00:05:36.879 --> 00:05:42.319
And I would just say that number one is what was it like leaving a war-torn country and going to Hungary?
00:05:42.480 --> 00:05:45.040
And then what was it like leaving Hungary and then coming to the US?
00:05:45.199 --> 00:05:54.480
I mean, those are all I mean, Hungary might be very close, but it's still a different country, a different language, a different way of thinking, and then another country, another language, a different way of thinking.
00:05:54.639 --> 00:05:57.839
I'm an immigrant myself in this moment, and it's it's challenging.
00:05:58.000 --> 00:06:09.279
You know, you you you don't realize that growing up in the United States because everyone's kind of an immigrant, and you know, I I love the Ronald Reagan speech where he's like, you know, you go to Turkey, you're not Turkish, you go to Germany, you're not German, but you come to America, you're an American.
00:06:09.439 --> 00:06:11.839
So I'm just curious on how all that worked for you.
00:06:12.160 --> 00:06:13.920
It it was a culture shock.
00:06:14.079 --> 00:06:21.279
You know, it's uh you know, in European countries, they're obviously they're a lot smaller and they're very protective of their cultures.
00:06:21.519 --> 00:06:24.639
So it's it's not easy to integrate.
00:06:24.800 --> 00:06:32.000
It's not as as and you and you're right, you know, as as as Reagan said, you come to America and you you can become an American because people are very welcoming.
00:06:32.079 --> 00:06:33.519
It's it's unlike in Europe.
00:06:33.759 --> 00:06:40.399
We're more standoffish and we we don't trust as as much or as quickly as as as Americans do.
00:06:40.560 --> 00:06:41.680
And that was a challenge.
00:06:41.759 --> 00:06:56.879
Uh, you know, you don't you don't you don't have any friends, you don't have any family members, you don't know the system, uh, you don't know the language, and you have to figure it all all out because you know, I I always say, you know, my wife and I, you know, we we we immigrated really together.
00:06:56.959 --> 00:06:59.600
We were just dating at the time, just uh from high school.
00:06:59.680 --> 00:07:01.120
We met, we were 17.
00:07:01.360 --> 00:07:11.680
But when we re rewind and we'll look back and say, we never really sat down and told each other, like, you know what, this is too hard, this is too difficult, let's just go back.
00:07:11.920 --> 00:07:38.560
And I think some of it comes from we we were at zero in in Yugoslavia, didn't have anything, went to Hungary, we were still at basically zero, didn't didn't really gain anything, you know, other than work experience, and then coming to US, and as much as as as as difficult as it was for us to keep the status legal and and be you know going through student visa and a working visa and all that, it was never like uh this is so hard, let's go back.
00:07:38.639 --> 00:07:44.879
It just it's it's a it's a grind, and you you s you stick to a plan and you you you change at times if you need to.
00:07:45.120 --> 00:07:48.240
You know, you do two, three jobs, or whatever it takes.
00:07:48.399 --> 00:07:53.040
But I think uh if if one wants to get it done, there's always a way.
00:07:53.199 --> 00:07:56.079
You know, there's always an an opportunity somewhere.
00:07:56.240 --> 00:08:06.800
And uh I think we we we're we're one of those like yes men, like the the yes movie where it's like if if we if we get asked a question or you want to do this, we were like, yes, we're gonna do it.
00:08:06.959 --> 00:08:10.160
I think that's kind of our our uh uh genetics that way.
00:08:10.399 --> 00:08:14.160
But yeah, and then coming to US, the same same thing, you know, learning the language.
00:08:14.240 --> 00:08:15.839
Um you don't have family member.
00:08:15.920 --> 00:08:30.959
Like a lot of times, you know, you you're you're in your native country and you if you're struggling, let's say, to uh find a job, you know, there's always a relative or friend somebody can recommend someone in the network, you know somebody else, they can kind of suggest something else.
00:08:31.120 --> 00:08:37.440
But when you are by yourself in in a new country, you know, you got one hand and and two arms, and that's it.
00:08:37.519 --> 00:08:39.360
You gotta you gotta figure it out.
00:08:39.600 --> 00:08:42.879
You know, it's funny because I was just listening to you and I wrote down resilience is number one.
00:08:43.039 --> 00:08:51.440
A friend of mine, Jera, she has something called the logos examination uh assessment, and it's the most diverse assessment I've ever seen for humans, and I use it with all my founders.
00:08:51.600 --> 00:08:55.519
And resilience is the number one indicator of high-level success in entrepreneurship.
00:08:55.600 --> 00:08:57.039
It's the number one out of everything.
00:08:57.200 --> 00:08:58.960
And it's just funny because that's what you were developing.
00:08:59.200 --> 00:09:00.480
And it was funny you mentioned something too.
00:09:00.559 --> 00:09:05.759
I got some Serbian friends, and it's they're very driven and they do say yes to everything.
00:09:05.840 --> 00:09:09.120
And I was thinking about that that Eastern European kind of mindset.
00:09:09.279 --> 00:09:17.039
And Richard Branson had a great saying, and he said, if someone gives you an opportunity, you don't know how to do it, but it's an awesome opportunity, say yes and go figure out how.
00:09:17.279 --> 00:09:20.480
And I think that is part of that drive and that spirit that you had.
00:09:20.559 --> 00:09:29.360
And I even thought of something else that was interesting for me is leaving something that is like what we call in my industry the golden handcuffs when I was in food and beverage.
00:09:29.440 --> 00:09:35.919
You know, you're making, I don't know,$3,000 cash a week and you work 30 hours a week and you take off as much time as you want.
00:09:36.000 --> 00:09:38.799
It was, you know, the restaurant industry in Vegas is very golden handcuffs.
00:09:38.960 --> 00:09:43.200
You not having something to go back to that was just your golden handcuffs was probably a blessing.
00:09:43.360 --> 00:09:45.919
And I would say, you know, Alex Ramosi talks about this all the time.
00:09:46.080 --> 00:09:58.399
He says the hardest decision he has ever made, you know, up to 300 million and all these things he's ever done has been simply him having to leave corporate and go be an entrepreneur because it's so scary and it's so difficult and you get so comfortable.
00:09:58.559 --> 00:10:01.360
So maybe in some ways that that worked to your advantage, you know?
00:10:01.600 --> 00:10:12.960
Yeah, I mean, the the first time when we when we left, really we we were we were forced to leave Yugoslavia and and you know, part of Serbia that I'm from.
00:10:13.200 --> 00:10:15.120
But the second one was a decision, you know.
00:10:15.200 --> 00:10:18.320
The second time when we went from Hungary to US, it wasn't easy.
00:10:18.480 --> 00:10:30.000
I mean, I remember I I worked for uh Delta Airlines and uh they decided to uh shut down the the flight that was that was flying in from Frankfurt to to Budapest and basically close the station.
00:10:30.159 --> 00:10:43.279
And I think not having that cushion, and my wife always wanted to go to US, and she was kind of the I would say in this case, credit to her, the driving force behind like yes, we we can we can do it.
00:10:43.360 --> 00:10:44.080
We did it once.
00:10:44.159 --> 00:10:45.039
Let's go, let's go.
00:10:45.200 --> 00:10:54.399
And not having maybe that job that was that that safety net combination of all of those things is is and then an opportunity to study, like I said.
00:10:54.559 --> 00:10:59.919
I think it was uh a good mix of of of positive elements, I I guess, for the move.
00:11:00.080 --> 00:11:02.000
And that's how that happened for us in this case.
00:11:02.240 --> 00:11:08.240
Yeah, I think too, it's you know, I don't want to ruffle any feathers here in the on the podcast, but you know, they're they they say they don't make them like they used to.
00:11:08.320 --> 00:11:15.600
And I feel like, you know, I'm sure men and women both, but you know, obviously I don't date date men, so it's uh women just had a different drive.
00:11:15.679 --> 00:11:25.840
I think an Eastern European woman, a woman of that caliber, of that age group, I mean, being the driving force like that, I mean, a beautiful woman who's got your back and is pushing is such a powerful tool as an entrepreneur.
00:11:26.000 --> 00:11:33.519
And, you know, it's it it seems to be something that a lot of the men that I speak with are like, hey, you find a good one and it's it's really been the key to my success.
00:11:33.600 --> 00:11:35.279
And I I'm curious if you agree with that.
00:11:35.519 --> 00:11:37.120
I like a million percent.
00:11:37.279 --> 00:11:43.200
You know, we we you know, we we she we had moments, you know, we were in Hungary.
00:11:43.279 --> 00:11:58.639
I mean, I can give you many examples, but the way I I was lucky that that she she never left me because being as as as poor and rock bottom with nothing, it's like like why did you stay with me?
00:11:58.799 --> 00:11:59.440
Like, why?
00:11:59.519 --> 00:12:00.159
Like, what was it?
00:12:00.320 --> 00:12:01.600
Did you ever ask her, Victor?
00:12:01.759 --> 00:12:02.639
Did you ever ask her?
00:12:02.879 --> 00:12:06.720
She says I never she she says the money was never a problem.
00:12:06.879 --> 00:12:13.039
She even though we like I remember we were in the US already, I'm like, honey, we got only$200 in the bank lap.
00:12:13.120 --> 00:12:13.360
That's it.
00:12:13.440 --> 00:12:19.440
And and as an integral, we couldn't get, you know, like credit cards, we couldn't get debt, we couldn't pile up debt.
00:12:19.519 --> 00:12:20.399
And like, this is it.
00:12:20.480 --> 00:12:23.279
Like, if if we don't do something here, like I don't even know.
00:12:23.440 --> 00:12:24.720
Are we gonna sleep under the bridge?
00:12:24.960 --> 00:12:35.519
And you know, especially when you come from from Eastern Europe and you come to US and South Florida, where it's everything is lush, you know, convertible cars and you know, beautiful homes.
00:12:35.679 --> 00:12:40.320
And you know, I was like, you know, I don't know how she never left me.
00:12:40.639 --> 00:12:57.440
So I was lucky that way that she her her you know thinking wasn't, you know, I'd say as it is mostly today, I guess, amongst the the younger generation, you know, with social media, everything is just every everybody wants to get it, get it uh ease easier than than than harder.
00:12:57.600 --> 00:13:08.639
But yeah, I mean just uh remember we were, you know, our our night out in Budapest would be we would go to McDonald's and we would buy a hamburger, not a meal, not a cheeseburger, one hamburger.
00:13:08.799 --> 00:13:18.559
We would cut that in half, we would split it, so we would share that, and then after that, we would use coupons to buy movies tickets because we couldn't afford a full price.
00:13:18.639 --> 00:13:23.200
So we would always look for for for discounted tickets, and that was that would be our night out.
00:13:23.440 --> 00:13:25.919
Like we went out, and somehow we were still happy.
00:13:26.080 --> 00:13:34.480
I mean, let me ask you a question because I have had the biggest ups and downs, and I've realized like the people that haven't had that, I know this is gonna sound crazy.
00:13:34.559 --> 00:13:37.200
I don't want to give myself a another down.
00:13:37.440 --> 00:13:41.519
But if you haven't had that, I don't think you've really had an opportunity to experience life.
00:13:41.679 --> 00:13:49.840
And I think I look back on those moments and I'm like, oh, like I I had to change, you know, all these pennies and dollars or quarters just to get some money to do this.
00:13:50.000 --> 00:13:52.559
Or I remember I was in Costa Rica, and I'm not this is a true story.
00:13:52.639 --> 00:13:58.639
I had$16 in my bank account and I didn't know what I was gonna do, and we're building this brand new business, and I made$60,000 the next week.
00:13:58.879 --> 00:14:05.840
And those moments, they teach you something about life that if you never had those, you just wouldn't be the person you are today.
00:14:05.919 --> 00:14:15.840
And I'm curious your thoughts on that, because I have friends that are trust fund kids, and you can see I would say almost the insecurity because they never really had to earn it like you did, you know?
00:14:16.159 --> 00:14:16.639
Yes.
00:14:16.879 --> 00:14:29.360
There there is there is a clear line when you go through those struggles, and especially if you're able to lift yourself up to whatever level you are you are achieving.
00:14:29.519 --> 00:14:35.120
It doesn't have to be, you know, uh you're a a millionaire or billionaire.
00:14:35.600 --> 00:14:37.039
You're your comfort level.
00:14:37.279 --> 00:14:42.559
You I think you start to appreciate that that part of life better.
00:14:42.720 --> 00:14:47.120
I think that's what I've been most, I guess, if the right word is proud of.
00:14:47.279 --> 00:14:58.639
You know, we just uh my wife and I usually get three months out of year, summer we're in Europe, you know, we'll be in Spain or Italy, or we we we just uh on a trip, three-week trip in in Greece.
00:14:58.879 --> 00:15:03.600
And I think you learn to truly appreciate the fruits.
00:15:03.759 --> 00:15:20.399
Like if you're in a nice hotel, if you are at the right nice bar, you you you really you become more observant, you obs you you observe things better, you you you feel more accomplished, but not in a stuck up way, but more in a like, you know, we we made it.
00:15:20.480 --> 00:15:22.000
Like we we made it.
00:15:22.240 --> 00:15:38.720
Like this is and I I always say, you know, people people you know come from from all kinds of parts of the world and come to US and you know, most people appreciate the the country, but then you always meet you know a couple of those that that underappreciate uh what the America can can provide.
00:15:38.799 --> 00:15:45.519
And and I never understood that because I always say my country would have never been able to provide this.
00:15:45.759 --> 00:15:46.000
Right.
00:15:46.080 --> 00:16:04.720
And it wasn't handed to me, it wasn't given to me, but even just the opportunities that presenting themselves along the way and saying yeses and working hard at these things, building ourselves up and and falling down and dusting off, for getting up again, we would have never gotten this, I don't think anywhere in the world.
00:16:04.879 --> 00:16:06.559
So we were very appreciative.
00:16:06.720 --> 00:16:10.559
We we love this country and it's it's it's our hope for forever.
00:16:10.799 --> 00:16:17.279
You know, it's funny you mentioned that because I talked to so many people outside of the US, and I get the exact opposite response in the US is outside.
00:16:17.360 --> 00:16:20.720
Everyone that's from the outside is like, America's amazing, the US is amazing.
00:16:20.879 --> 00:16:23.279
And I think the people inside, they lack perspective.
00:16:23.440 --> 00:16:32.320
You know, I wrote I wrote I wrote down co contrast and perspective, and I think what splitting a burger at McDonald's and then finding some coupons for a theater gives you is perspective.
00:16:32.399 --> 00:16:33.519
Like I'm a bougie person.
00:16:33.600 --> 00:16:39.279
I grew up in Las Vegas, I had to earn everything I have, but I still was around opulence all the time.
00:16:39.360 --> 00:16:42.480
And you get perspective by having to earn it and then be around opulence.
00:16:42.559 --> 00:16:50.799
And I think it's a really beautiful thing, and I wouldn't ever want to go back to, or sorry, I wouldn't ever want to take it back, is what I'm saying, because it really gives you the richness of life.
00:16:50.879 --> 00:17:01.840
Because I definitely would prefer to stay at the four seasons, but I can totally be comfortable in a little playboard out here in a food truck or a food cart, just you know, it's it's it's a beautiful thing in life.
00:17:01.919 --> 00:17:04.400
So I appreciate you sharing that because I think the audience needs to hear that.
00:17:04.480 --> 00:17:10.640
And one thing too for the audience that you know you embody so well is, you know, you you you worked, Victor.
00:17:10.799 --> 00:17:16.079
Like you had an opportunity to work, not an opportunity to hang out and get hand fed.
00:17:16.160 --> 00:17:17.920
And I think that's what separates things.
00:17:18.000 --> 00:17:26.160
And as I move into this, uh as we go deeper along this journey, I'm sure Ultimate Washer was one hell of a uh a grind for 21 years.
00:17:26.240 --> 00:17:38.240
And I think the parts that I'm most curious about, if you want to share, is you built a business from scratch, you had some issues with, you know, Google, you sold it, your you bought out your partner, then you sold your shares.
00:17:38.319 --> 00:17:40.160
You kind of did the whole gamut, right?
00:17:40.319 --> 00:17:41.759
Like that's a really interesting thing.
00:17:41.839 --> 00:17:44.799
Like, bought out my partner, then I sold my shares, and I got out.
00:17:44.960 --> 00:17:48.240
Like, I'm just curious if you can just kind of walk us through some of those highlights.
00:17:48.480 --> 00:17:49.519
Yeah, absolutely.
00:17:49.759 --> 00:18:01.519
I would say as far as starting the business, and and it would be kind of, I think, nice for your audience to hear, is that things don't go as planned usually when you start a business.
00:18:01.680 --> 00:18:12.400
And you you know, you may you may have a product, you may have, you may think you have a the customer and you may develop a marketing, but that may all just fall through because it's not gonna go according to that plan.
00:18:12.640 --> 00:18:15.200
You know, I remember starting Ultimate Washer.
00:18:15.440 --> 00:18:24.720
Um, again, I have to remind everybody that this was back in 2003 when when internet and e-commerce was in its very infancy, very beginning stages.
00:18:24.880 --> 00:18:35.440
It took us six months to really convince first vendor or manufacturer, pressure washer manufacturer, that we could sell pressure washers online.
00:18:35.680 --> 00:18:36.799
Because it was unheard of.
00:18:37.039 --> 00:18:49.839
The way they used to sell them is they would have regional reps, and these reps would load the equipment in the morning into a van, then they would drive around the van and they would make stops at certain shops.
00:18:50.000 --> 00:18:53.759
They would pull out the pressure washer, hook up the garden hose, and then demo it.
00:18:53.920 --> 00:18:55.200
That's how you used to sell them.
00:18:55.359 --> 00:18:58.480
So we came and we started getting, hey, we want to sell your product.
00:18:58.559 --> 00:18:59.839
Okay, you know, what we're doing here.
00:19:00.079 --> 00:19:01.519
Well, we want to sell online.
00:19:01.839 --> 00:19:05.440
And so it was unthinkable for for for them.
00:19:05.680 --> 00:19:20.880
And uh first company was out of out of Iowa, uh Camspray, which they they became uh, you know, really a family and and and and and long-term friends, uh the ownership, you know, the management and and everybody else in the company.
00:19:21.200 --> 00:19:26.240
And so, yeah, fast forward a little bit, uh yeah, ups and downs constantly.
00:19:26.400 --> 00:19:35.680
You know, you the the the the biggest uh challenge I think along the way was really losing the traffic because we optimized our pages really well for for many years.
00:19:36.000 --> 00:19:42.400
We uh enjoyed the free organic traffic from Google to our website, and we never had to advertise.
00:19:42.799 --> 00:19:49.920
As weird as it sounds, but we really never spent any money on Google Ads because we were always on the organic page one top question.
00:19:50.480 --> 00:19:50.960
Yeah.
00:19:51.200 --> 00:19:59.839
So after Google did this uh a penguin update, you couldn't find us page two, three, four, we never even existed in some cases.
00:20:00.000 --> 00:20:10.480
And so uh yeah, of course, you still have the employees, you have warehouse, you have the bills to pay, and you know, the the you hit the panic button and it doesn't do anything.
00:20:10.559 --> 00:20:11.920
Like there's the backup plan.
00:20:12.079 --> 00:20:14.400
Why is nothing happening automatically, right?
00:20:14.720 --> 00:20:15.119
Totally.
00:20:15.759 --> 00:20:18.400
Yeah, you haven't built the the the backup plan.
00:20:18.480 --> 00:20:21.599
That's the problem, you know, when you put all the eggs in one basket.
00:20:21.839 --> 00:20:28.880
So yeah, I had to, you know, again, it just it just like when it goes bad, it's gonna go about bad, you know, thoroughly.
00:20:29.119 --> 00:20:36.160
So my my partner, not due to that reason, but because he had another business and he sold that one and now he, you know, wanted to really retire.
00:20:36.319 --> 00:20:39.759
And uh he says, you know, I I you know I would like to exit.
00:20:39.920 --> 00:20:43.119
And I think, you know, do I sell my share as well?
00:20:43.200 --> 00:20:46.079
And we sell the whole company, but then what am I gonna do?
00:20:46.160 --> 00:20:49.920
I'm still like, I think I was probably 45, maybe 44.
00:20:50.000 --> 00:20:51.279
I'm like, I don't know.
00:20:52.079 --> 00:21:03.680
I mean, it was a good business for all this time, and and I'm again my wife, you know, she's like, no, you can rebuild it, you can do it, because we had and I had to put more money back into the business and pivot and decision.
00:21:04.000 --> 00:21:06.559
I was just gonna ask how much of the influence was the wife.
00:21:07.440 --> 00:21:22.000
No, and it's it's not like it's like she would make the decision for you, but it's important that you get that support and say just a little nudge, like you're kind of in between, you know, maybe 50-50, and then she gives you that 1% like, okay, yeah, we're gonna we're gonna do it, you know?
00:21:23.359 --> 00:21:26.400
Women don't understand how powerful they are and how much we need that then.
00:21:26.640 --> 00:21:27.680
Yeah, yeah.
00:21:27.920 --> 00:21:40.480
And I I needed in this case, I truly needed her to be on board because I had to put a lot of money back into the business, because now we had to get a lot bigger, three times as as big of a warehouse.
00:21:40.640 --> 00:21:52.079
Now we went from 50,000 in inventory to 500,000 in inventory, because you're becoming an Amazon distributor, uh, it's all about inventory, how much inventory you have and how much you can turn.
00:21:52.240 --> 00:21:55.359
So a lot of cash had to be spent for that.
00:21:55.519 --> 00:21:59.759
And and I hired a consultant because I I I didn't know anything about Amazon or Sales.
00:22:00.079 --> 00:22:01.359
Sales on Amazon or how that works.
00:22:01.519 --> 00:22:24.880
And so uh we spent a couple of hundred thousand on on on on on a consulting for over like a year, a year and a half, and they built all the SOPs and processes and completely changed the mentality on on how how to do business because selling on your website is one thing, but now you're working for Amazon because you have to be in compliance with all their rules and and regulations and protocols.
00:22:25.039 --> 00:22:29.680
And and then we really became uh a seller authority in our in our category.
00:22:29.839 --> 00:22:38.480
And uh yeah, later on I remember uh different factories and vendors coming and wanting us to sell their product on Amazon.
00:22:38.720 --> 00:22:45.119
So uh it was it was a you know lucky, but as well, you know, we worked hard at it to to turn it around and and make it happen.
00:22:45.279 --> 00:22:50.720
And then yeah, as well as you know, just happening at the same time, I didn't want to sell my share.
00:22:50.799 --> 00:22:52.480
I said, okay, I'll I'll buy you out.
00:22:52.559 --> 00:22:55.920
And uh we we agreed very quickly on on that price.
00:22:56.000 --> 00:23:03.839
And and then yeah, I ran it for another seven years and then came 2024, and I think you know, I I it was just it was time for me.
00:23:04.000 --> 00:23:16.880
I think I I realized that if something else was to happen with either Walmart or Amazon, these channels that we've had, that I may not have the the brains to to maybe figure out what else to do.
00:23:17.039 --> 00:23:18.160
And I said, you know what?
00:23:18.319 --> 00:23:20.480
I think I gave it my all for 21 years.
00:23:20.559 --> 00:23:22.640
I think at least time to let go.
00:23:22.799 --> 00:23:23.200
I love that.
00:23:23.359 --> 00:23:28.960
I mean, when you think about it, you know, you I think you get to a point sometimes where it's just time, like you said, right?
00:23:29.119 --> 00:23:42.960
Like you kind of just know, you're like, do I really want to put but I just want to point out something that I was thinking about, just kind of uh turn it back a little bit, is you did have the wisdom before to seek out consulting and to say, hey, I I'm not 100% sure I've got this.
00:23:43.119 --> 00:23:46.720
I'm curious, did you not want to do that again and try to grow it even bigger?
00:23:46.880 --> 00:23:49.519
Or was it just an internal desire saying, hey, you know what?
00:23:49.599 --> 00:23:50.480
I think I'm just done.
00:23:50.559 --> 00:23:57.440
I'm just curious that pivot, like what was the because I work with a lot of founders, and the reason I'm asking is do I exit or do I stay?
00:23:57.599 --> 00:24:00.880
Do I sell or do and and they're like what was that point for you?
00:24:00.960 --> 00:24:04.559
Because you already, you know, you seeked out hundreds of thousands in consulting before.
00:24:04.720 --> 00:24:07.599
You took this thing, it sounds like you'd maybe maybe even 10x it.
00:24:07.680 --> 00:24:09.119
You definitely 10x your inventory.
00:24:09.359 --> 00:24:10.880
What was that pivotal point right there?
00:24:11.039 --> 00:24:13.920
Like, what what was that about that made you say, you know what, this is time?
00:24:14.079 --> 00:24:17.440
I think it's it's probably a combination of little things.
00:24:17.599 --> 00:24:28.480
You know, one one thing was was definitely I felt that I was more and more working on Amazon and building Amazon sort of empire.
00:24:29.119 --> 00:24:43.680
Because you know, all the API connections and inventory updates, and how do we, you know, like I remember my my developers, they would write different apps for, for instance, for returns.
00:24:43.839 --> 00:24:48.240
Because the more volume you have, logically, you're gonna have more returns, right?
00:24:49.599 --> 00:24:54.000
So we had to automate things more and more.
00:24:54.160 --> 00:25:04.480
And I've I've I've caught myself saying, it's like this is almost not my business because I'm always solving problems to accommodate Amazon.
00:25:04.720 --> 00:25:07.759
And I think that was one of the things that really pressured me.
00:25:07.839 --> 00:25:09.519
I said, I want to be more independent.
00:25:09.599 --> 00:25:13.359
I I dependent on on Google, not in a sense that I had to build anything.
00:25:13.519 --> 00:25:18.000
We wrote pages in the content and videos and you know, SEO backlink.
00:25:18.240 --> 00:25:22.880
So, in a way, it was similar, but in a lot smaller scale, right?
00:25:22.960 --> 00:25:26.160
And I saw that collapse, and then Amazon came in.
00:25:26.240 --> 00:25:38.160
I'm like, we're growing and growing and growing, but I said everything is to Amazon, and if they just decide which they did, what a month ago, they decide to to weigh now how they're going to rank.
00:25:38.319 --> 00:25:39.680
So everything, same thing.
00:25:39.839 --> 00:25:44.240
We built content on Amazon based on their algorithm at a time.
00:25:44.400 --> 00:25:47.920
So imagine now two months ago, they changed the algorithm.
00:25:48.160 --> 00:25:50.799
It's it's different factors are taken in.
00:25:50.960 --> 00:25:54.799
I probably would have crashed just about now if I would have kept it the business.
00:25:54.880 --> 00:25:56.960
So, you know, wisdom, brother, wisdom.
00:25:57.119 --> 00:25:59.279
I'm like, yeah, I'm glad we sold it.
00:25:59.440 --> 00:26:00.240
Or I sold it.
00:26:00.400 --> 00:26:02.400
I mean, to me, this brings us right into a vendo.
00:26:02.559 --> 00:26:06.240
And what I want to bring up with that is what I'm gathering from your you know perspective.
00:26:06.319 --> 00:26:09.839
If if if I'm correct, let me know, is ownership is important to you.
00:26:10.079 --> 00:26:15.279
And to me, based on what I've learned from you, a vendo kind of equals sovereignty a bit, right?
00:26:15.359 --> 00:26:24.000
Like you have a little bit of ownership of which which gets what, and and you're not just kind of tied to this one thing where you know with Amazon, you're tied to this one thing and you got to accommodate.
00:26:24.319 --> 00:26:30.079
I don't know if that's the right, you know, description of why you did this, but I was just kind of putting two to two together.
00:26:30.160 --> 00:26:32.319
I'm like, oh, this this gentleman really likes ownership.
00:26:32.400 --> 00:26:36.559
He likes to own what's going on and he likes he likes options, he likes sovereignty, he likes control.
00:26:36.799 --> 00:26:37.440
Yeah, yeah.
00:26:37.599 --> 00:26:44.480
Being being uh independent of outside uh elements, I think is is evident for me.
00:26:44.559 --> 00:26:52.400
And maybe because of the pains that we've gone through, um, you know, you don't you don't think about it until it happens to you.
00:26:52.559 --> 00:26:53.440
But you're right.
00:26:53.599 --> 00:27:09.680
The the a vendor is really sitting right between the merchants and payment processors, and even though it's a platform that needs both in order for the system to work, we don't really rely on single merchant, or we don't rely really on one single processor.
00:27:09.759 --> 00:27:16.240
So if tomorrow one processor drops out, whatever they got acquired, and they don't want to you know do this anymore.
00:27:16.400 --> 00:27:17.519
We have alternatives, right?
00:27:17.599 --> 00:27:18.480
We have other partners.
00:27:18.720 --> 00:27:34.640
So in that sense, uh yeah, that being independent of of or minimizing then external kind of uh possibility of of you losing what you have is is becoming, I think, more important than than uh in the past.
00:27:34.799 --> 00:27:46.720
I mean, I know a lot of businesses are getting intertwined and and linked, and there's a lot of dependencies, but I think uh building a business that's less dependent on other parties is is uh definitely, in my opinion, a way to go.
00:27:46.960 --> 00:27:52.319
Yeah, it's uh it's scary because you know, I'm in my space, you know, a lot of people are in the the Instagram space and the TikTok space.
00:27:52.640 --> 00:27:53.920
You can get you just get shut down.
00:27:54.079 --> 00:27:57.920
The algorithm could change and your content doesn't get seen, or you are really at the mercy.
00:27:58.000 --> 00:28:03.359
I mean, advertising has always been at the mercy of money, but man, it are we at the mercy of the algorithm now?
00:28:03.519 --> 00:28:07.039
And if that algorithm doesn't like you, you can throw all the money you want on it, it'll just shut you off.
00:28:07.119 --> 00:28:10.079
And you know, I'm curious, this is where my brain goes to tell me.
00:28:10.160 --> 00:28:14.000
I just see like a like like 20 different stock tickers, and it's like that one.
00:28:14.079 --> 00:28:15.759
Like, how does this work on the back end?
00:28:15.839 --> 00:28:29.279
Or like, or or even my question is do some you know, credit card processing services like the do they do they always come in lower, or is it kind of just a thing where it's like it's just in real time, this one is the lowest, bam, we're gonna snatch it.
00:28:29.440 --> 00:28:31.680
And then why are they constantly fluctuating?
00:28:31.759 --> 00:28:35.119
So maybe I I don't know if those questions are are relevant or if they make sense.
00:28:35.279 --> 00:28:38.240
I'm trying to understand this, you know, as best I can from my background.
00:28:38.480 --> 00:28:39.279
Yeah, yeah, absolutely.
00:28:39.359 --> 00:28:41.200
Yeah, and I'll I'll try to simplify it.
00:28:41.279 --> 00:28:47.839
So there's uh around 200 different cards out there in the in in the US.
00:28:48.000 --> 00:28:53.599
I would I would I'm gonna limit, not not go to the to the world side, but so there's different types of cards.
00:28:53.680 --> 00:28:58.240
You have um you know commercial cards, you have consumer cards, you have gift cards, rewards cards.
00:28:58.319 --> 00:28:59.920
There's so many different variables.
00:29:00.160 --> 00:29:08.319
And when it comes to processors underwriting, they look at different risk levels that the merch presents.
00:29:08.480 --> 00:29:12.880
And this can be anywhere from uh the product category they're in.
00:29:13.279 --> 00:29:26.400
Typically, you know, let's say gaming websites or cannabis uh websites, uh, they will be considered high risk because uh they have a greater amount of chargebacks.
00:29:26.640 --> 00:29:26.880
Yep.
00:29:27.039 --> 00:29:27.279
Right?
00:29:27.440 --> 00:29:45.680
So that's a risk for the bank because even though they have the ability to simply just go into your business account and and take that money or have a hold of the money that hasn't been deposited to your account, uh they have they have tools, but still it's a risk for them because they may end up uh losing that money.
00:29:45.839 --> 00:30:01.440
So there's different factors that we as a company are able to get when the consumer enters the card, let's say it's an online transaction, anywhere from, like I said, it could be a commercial, it would be a credit card, it could be a debit card, the amount, the amount itself.
00:30:07.920 --> 00:30:16.240
Whether it's an international card and the consumer wants to use uh pay in different currency, right?
00:30:16.400 --> 00:30:24.480
So all of these are are factors that we're able to get at the time of a transaction, and the payment processors get that information from us.
00:30:24.640 --> 00:30:39.359
So based on that real-time data, they're able to determine the risk factor real time and say, okay, based on this and this, we're putting this transaction in this tier, and then provide the pricing response to us.
00:30:39.519 --> 00:30:41.839
Again, this happens in seconds and milliseconds.
00:30:41.920 --> 00:30:48.960
It's it's in the back end where consumer doesn't even see any difference from how they're transacting typically today.
00:30:49.119 --> 00:31:02.000
And so once we once we get uh the information back from multiple processors, we we evaluate that and then make the decision where to route the transaction, which will be the best available processor at that moment.
00:31:02.160 --> 00:31:09.039
And in that particular time, then the selected processor will complete the transaction from end to end.
00:31:09.200 --> 00:31:15.680
But again, this is all like I'm speaking in like five minutes, but this happens all real time quickly in the back end.
00:31:16.000 --> 00:31:31.200
You know, I'm just thinking, you know, say a fractional CFO is listening to us right now, or there's like a merchant, you know, and they want to really understand what real payment transparency could mean for their margins, you know, what's thing you would want, what's something you'd want them to walk away with, you know, just by listening to this conversation?
00:31:31.279 --> 00:31:32.480
Like, like why use you?
00:31:32.640 --> 00:31:33.920
Like, what could you really do for them?
00:31:34.160 --> 00:31:40.480
Yeah, I my my legal department will strangle me if if I make a promise and guarantee I can't.
00:31:40.880 --> 00:31:43.279
Yeah, no, I'm just curious, like right.
00:31:43.440 --> 00:31:44.000
No, no, no.
00:31:44.079 --> 00:31:44.240
Yeah.
00:31:44.400 --> 00:31:49.519
I'm I'm I just want to say because you know, I can't say we're gonna send you at least one percent because they're gonna be like, You can't say that.
00:31:49.759 --> 00:31:50.559
I'll tell you this.
00:31:50.799 --> 00:31:53.759
Last week I was talking to uh a PR software company.
00:31:53.920 --> 00:31:59.759
I was talking to the owner, and uh we were just chatting just like this, just like you and I now and on a video call.
00:31:59.920 --> 00:32:02.720
And uh and he had this credit card statement.
00:32:02.799 --> 00:32:09.119
Uh I mean the uh the monthly uh statement from the from the processor in front of him, and he was using, if I can say it, Stripe.
00:32:09.359 --> 00:32:11.200
And I said, Oh, by the way, what are you paying?
00:32:11.359 --> 00:32:17.599
And he didn't know, and I and I kind of knew that he wouldn't, because I remember me for 21 years, I never knew what my rate was.
00:32:17.759 --> 00:32:19.119
Because that's not what we focus as business.
00:32:19.519 --> 00:32:24.319
We don't go at the end of the month like, oh my god, I paid uh 2.9%, or probably 3.6%.
00:32:24.720 --> 00:32:33.599
Like we just look at it, it has like million lines, fees, different kinds of um you just hand it over to your bookkeeper or your accountant, and they they log in and that's it.
00:32:33.680 --> 00:32:34.799
You've you know, you move on.
00:32:34.960 --> 00:32:38.319
Like you just you just as an owner, yeah, you you don't you don't deal with that, right?
00:32:38.480 --> 00:32:43.039
And so I was talking to me and and he quickly calculated it and it says 4.2 percent.
00:32:43.119 --> 00:32:45.200
And I said exactly correct, by the way.
00:32:45.359 --> 00:32:47.200
Yeah, I mean like that's high.
00:32:47.279 --> 00:32:48.480
I mean super high.
00:32:48.720 --> 00:32:58.000
Because they advertise, you know, Stripe does 3.3 for car not present, and I'm like, yeah, we can definitely, definitely save you there.
00:32:58.240 --> 00:33:15.359
So again, a lot of uh you know, CFOs and and business decision uh makers we we're not aware of these fees, but just the sheer uh competition amongst processors drives that price down.
00:33:15.519 --> 00:33:42.319
And you know, one one other thing is I just want to mention as well, you know, there's many different agencies from from when you start from the issuing bank, you have network, you know, issuing bank fee, you have network fees like V Semester, Cardbank Express, they have acquiring bank, which is now on the PSP side processor side, then you have the processor themselves, then you have uh ISOs, independent organizations, ISO agents, and then your referral partners.
00:33:42.559 --> 00:33:44.559
All of these are making money, believe it or not.
00:33:44.720 --> 00:33:46.319
Everybody makes a little tiny bit.
00:33:46.480 --> 00:33:56.960
So now the fact that we're going direct to processors and the choirs, we're really cutting off three layers out of six or seven layers that that exist in this channel.
00:33:57.039 --> 00:34:02.799
So just by the virtual of that, our customers are able to save a tremendous amount of of money.
00:34:02.960 --> 00:34:09.519
And again, I can't say the percentages, but if if they sign up and and and try us out, they'll they'll be definitely happy.
00:34:09.760 --> 00:34:10.159
I love that.
00:34:10.239 --> 00:34:14.000
Well, we'll have all that in the show notes for sure, and we'll push as much as we can to you.
00:34:14.159 --> 00:34:22.960
You know, when I owned a brew pub, we were doing hundreds, if not thousands, of transactions a day, and you're doing millions of dollars over periods of time, and you you it really does make a tremendous difference.
00:34:23.039 --> 00:34:27.440
If someone tells you, hey, I'm just gonna give you 20, 30, 40, 50, 100k this year, like, yeah, I'll take it.
00:34:27.519 --> 00:34:29.679
You know, and it's go please.
00:34:29.920 --> 00:34:36.800
Yeah, and and let's not forget, you know, we we we we always s sort of stop at that at that point of what did I save?
00:34:36.960 --> 00:34:40.480
Oh, I save uh twenty thousand dollars this year in credit card fees.
00:34:40.639 --> 00:34:45.280
But for those businesses that plan on exiting, or exiting, yeah.
00:34:45.440 --> 00:34:46.880
You know, now you have a multiple.
00:34:47.039 --> 00:34:48.239
It depends on the industry.
00:34:48.320 --> 00:34:54.719
There could be three, four, maybe if you're if you're uh a SaaS company, could that be a multiple of 10 or 12?
00:34:54.880 --> 00:35:01.519
Now you're talking about serious cash that you could be now adding to the bottom line when you sell sell the company.
00:35:01.679 --> 00:35:05.280
So it's it's it really doesn't stop with just one year or two years.
00:35:05.440 --> 00:35:09.920
It could be uh really exponential earnings uh or payouts down the road.
00:35:10.159 --> 00:35:13.840
Well, if you've never sold anything, people don't realize how those little details matter.
00:35:14.000 --> 00:35:22.559
You know, when you go in and you're like, my company's worth 4 million, and then the and then the bean counters come in and start cutting little piece by piece, and all of a sudden you're like, oh, here's 2.4, and you're like, what?
00:35:22.719 --> 00:35:28.639
Well, I mean, look at your multiples, look at what you're running on the back end, what you're epitheta, like all that stuff matters, especially with exits.
00:35:28.800 --> 00:35:29.039
Yep.
00:35:29.360 --> 00:35:30.159
100% right.
00:35:30.239 --> 00:35:39.519
Yeah, once you you have a number when you when you as a business owner, you go and like, yeah, this is probably worth this, and then you know, you talk to your broker, and it's like, well, maybe not this, maybe that.
00:35:39.599 --> 00:35:45.440
And then yeah, you the buyer comes and they'll like, well, I don't like this, and I don't like that, and they start subscribing off.
00:35:45.840 --> 00:35:51.519
And it's just a subtract, subtract, subtract, subtract, and then you're at this number, and then you kind of negotiate from that number.
00:35:51.679 --> 00:35:51.920
Yeah.
00:35:52.079 --> 00:35:58.559
And I think when people see that, it it's you know, we're you know, we're we're all green in some area of our life, whatever it is, you know.
00:35:58.719 --> 00:36:00.480
And so, yeah, it's interesting.
00:36:00.639 --> 00:36:02.239
I I just love this model.
00:36:02.320 --> 00:36:08.559
Uh, that's why I wanted to talk with you on the show, and I just I think it's so cool because it's it it just gives us options.
00:36:08.639 --> 00:36:19.360
And what I've noticed the most about this generation is we just have so many options we didn't have before, and that drives capitalism, it drives prices down, and options are great.
00:36:19.440 --> 00:36:24.000
You know, it's like even when I'm here in Columbia, I have like three options like DD, Uber, Endriver.
00:36:24.079 --> 00:36:25.039
I'm like, which one's out?
00:36:25.199 --> 00:36:27.760
Damn, you know, and and it forces us to compete.
00:36:27.840 --> 00:36:35.360
And I think with competition, it takes away the well, you come from a communist country, you know what that's like when there's no competition, you know?
00:36:35.760 --> 00:36:43.840
Everybody's wearing one type of shoes, everybody's has one one toothpaste type, you know, brand, and it's like everybody, everybody stands the same.
00:36:44.480 --> 00:36:46.880
Very homogenous, yeah, super homogenous.
00:36:47.199 --> 00:36:50.800
Yeah, and you're you're 100% right with with with options, you know.
00:36:50.880 --> 00:37:04.559
I I like to kind of compare it to to again Ultimate Washer, uh, and I think this is one of the the things why this this idea was was born, is you know, if I wanted to uh buy a hose, right?
00:37:04.719 --> 00:37:14.800
And obviously you you go in with a number and say, okay, I I want to buy five five thousand of this 50-foot blue hose, and then you'll go to one supplier, second supplier, third supplier.
00:37:15.039 --> 00:37:19.199
So besides the quality and the shipping cost, you're looking at the cost of the item.
00:37:19.360 --> 00:37:23.679
And so I've always had those options choosing from different vendors.
00:37:23.760 --> 00:37:29.599
You know, sometimes they have specials, sometimes these guys, sometimes they'll want to get the sales so that it doesn't go to a competitor.
00:37:29.679 --> 00:37:32.239
And that's all part of the, like you said, capitalism.
00:37:32.400 --> 00:37:37.760
And so, you know, what what kind of got me thinking into this credit card processing is was exactly this.
00:37:38.000 --> 00:37:39.360
And we don't have choices here.
00:37:39.519 --> 00:37:49.840
Like you you can you can go and do shopping and you you you check this process or that credit card process, that they're like, okay, I think uh this one, right?
00:37:49.920 --> 00:37:56.320
And you you take that one, you you sign the agreement, and then you hope that you're gonna have good rates for the rest of the time.
00:37:56.400 --> 00:37:58.400
And that might not always be the case.
00:37:58.480 --> 00:38:02.239
You're just trusting that you're getting, but you don't really have a way of of comparing.
00:38:02.400 --> 00:38:07.840
And so that's where a vendor comes in that we always, you know, we keep it level field.
00:38:07.920 --> 00:38:20.239
It's it's we want to make sure that everybody is fair to the game and and that we want them to to give you the best price available on the on the card that's being transacted, and then just round it up because they can, right?
00:39:20.400 --> 00:39:22.559
Yeah, no, you you described this, you know.
00:39:22.639 --> 00:39:29.199
My my wife bought a bought a really a big poster picture that she framed, and I had it in the office for years.
00:39:29.280 --> 00:39:34.320
It's a big, big male lion, just dark man and just like you know, powerful sitting there.
00:39:34.400 --> 00:39:39.280
It's and and and when she brought it for the first time, uh and I'm like, where am I gonna put this?
00:39:39.360 --> 00:39:43.440
This this this looks like you know, I'm gonna scare my employees with this.
00:39:43.519 --> 00:39:46.000
Like I can't put it behind my you know, dad.
00:39:46.320 --> 00:39:47.519
It's gonna be like somewhere.
00:39:49.760 --> 00:39:54.000
This this lion like right over him, like, no, let's put it on this side.
00:39:54.079 --> 00:39:55.119
It's I like it, you know.
00:39:55.199 --> 00:39:57.519
So it was it was kind of on the sidewall.
00:39:57.679 --> 00:39:59.840
But yeah, no, I he yes, absolutely.
00:40:00.000 --> 00:40:09.039
I've I probably watched uh not I don't say every documentary, but uh you name it, YouTube or or any video, and multiple times.
00:40:09.119 --> 00:40:27.920
I'm just just uh the the the family unity, the the hierarchy, the the the marking of the territories, you know, the the the fight of the May Alliance for the territory and then you know coming into uh pride and uh taking over the pride, that whole it's just it's you know then hunting.
00:40:28.079 --> 00:40:30.800
I I don't know, it's just something that fascinates me.
00:40:30.880 --> 00:40:51.760
And you know, I say if if at some point when I when I have available resources and more time, I would really take like to take part of really taking care of these in in sanctuaries and organizations that that that nurture these uh big cats in in Africa and just kind of uh educate people more about the life and and wilderness and all that.
00:40:51.840 --> 00:41:00.559
That's it's a big passion of mine, and hopefully one day I get to uh you know, I don't think I'm gonna own own a big cat like that because that's a little scary because I know too much.
00:41:00.960 --> 00:41:02.320
But you never say no, right?
00:41:02.400 --> 00:41:03.360
One day maybe, who knows?
00:41:03.519 --> 00:41:06.000
But yeah, I it's uh a big big uh big cat lover.
00:41:06.159 --> 00:41:07.199
Big cats, yes.
00:41:20.960 --> 00:41:21.760
Yeah, you're right.
00:41:22.000 --> 00:41:24.880
We we when we think about something, we saw it's like it's not the right time.
00:41:24.960 --> 00:41:25.920
Well, I'm not ready, right?
00:41:26.079 --> 00:41:32.559
But it's it's just really a matter of starting it, initiating it, and then it just the the things will take its own course.
00:41:34.079 --> 00:41:36.159
Yeah, yeah, I I feel that.
00:41:39.519 --> 00:41:41.039
Let's go, yeah, let's do this.
00:41:41.119 --> 00:41:42.320
Let's time, yeah.
00:41:42.639 --> 00:41:43.199
Cool.
00:41:48.159 --> 00:41:51.840
Yeah, uh Vendo.tech is is the website.
00:41:51.920 --> 00:41:54.559
Um they can always reach out to me on LinkedIn.
00:41:54.639 --> 00:41:55.840
I'm I'm fully available.
00:41:55.920 --> 00:41:57.920
You know, people come to me ask me questions.
00:41:58.000 --> 00:42:01.440
If if I know the answer, I'll I'll I'll I'll share it with you.
00:42:01.519 --> 00:42:04.800
If I don't, a lot of times I'll find the answers uh for people.
00:42:04.880 --> 00:42:05.760
I'm I'm like that.
00:42:05.840 --> 00:42:07.679
I I I just like to help.
00:42:07.760 --> 00:42:12.079
And so yeah, LinkedIn and and the website are the two best ways to find us.
00:42:28.880 --> 00:42:43.920
Thank you, I appreciate the time, and yes, a hundred percent I've I've been fortunate enough to have great great coaches and mentors in my life, and it's I feel it it's just it's generally coming from the inside, and it's like it's time for me to share that love and that help.
00:42:51.039 --> 00:42:52.400
Let it gr let it grow.
00:42:52.639 --> 00:42:54.320
Thank you so much, I appreciate you.
