Marisa Simonetti

[00:00:00] Speaker A: Foreign. Welcome, everyone, to the Tron podcast. This is your host, Rashad Woods. Today I have a very special guest from the lovely state of Minnesota, a graduate of the University of Minnesota, Ms. Maria Simonetti. Thank you very much. [00:00:31] Speaker B: Yeah, thanks for having me. And it's Marissa Simonetti. [00:00:34] Speaker A: Oh, did I say this not like. [00:00:37] Speaker B: The Mother Mary, the Catholic Maria? [00:00:38] Speaker A: I said Marissa, didn't I? [00:00:40] Speaker B: Yeah, maybe you did. Maybe I misheard you. [00:00:42] Speaker A: Yeah, I thought I said Miss. Right. My wife's name is Marissa, so I, you know, it's two S's, though. That's the only difference. Yeah. So, you know, I certainly, I don't think I butchered that. Maybe When I said Ms. And Marissa together, it kind of sounded kind of one wordish. So my apologies. [00:00:55] Speaker B: We're going to get along great then. [00:00:58] Speaker A: So, first of all, how is the weather doing up in lovely Minnesota? [00:01:01] Speaker B: You know, this is the first we've had where it's not freezing cold and it's really nice. The snow is finally starting to melt. My son and I got out and threw some snowballs and we got in trouble yesterday. [00:01:13] Speaker A: Did you really? [00:01:14] Speaker B: I got a disorderly conduct for throwing snowballs with my son. [00:01:18] Speaker A: Seriously? [00:01:19] Speaker B: Yeah, we'll get into that later. But, yeah. [00:01:21] Speaker A: Wow. Talk about a national pastime. That's terrible. [00:01:24] Speaker B: That's like snowballs. [00:01:26] Speaker A: That's so. So you seem to. Obviously you're. You're heavily involved in politics. I saw that as well, too. But, you know, first of all, I want to find out, how did you go from graduating from University of Minnesota? What made you go into politics? [00:01:38] Speaker B: So my plan when I went back to finish my degree, I'm 31, I'll be 32 this year, was to go to law school. So I took the lsat, started applying to law schools. And around March of last, around this time last year, the conversation I had with a friend and there was a special election for Hennepin county commissioner. And you ever know, like, in your spirit where you're like, I don't know what the heck this is, but I'm supposed to go this way. Have you ever had that? Yeah. [00:02:04] Speaker A: 100. [00:02:05] Speaker B: Yeah. And you just trust your intuition and you go. So it was one of those things. And I filed one day before the deadline jumped in. And that was my first experience ever actually in politics. [00:02:14] Speaker A: Okay. [00:02:15] Speaker B: So regardless of who won that race, I would have had to run again in November. [00:02:19] Speaker A: Right. [00:02:19] Speaker B: And I did very well. There were six candidates I placed top two for the final runoff, and then I only lost by a thousand votes. [00:02:28] Speaker A: Okay. [00:02:28] Speaker B: Against a Current state rep with name recognition. So I was like, I think I can do this. [00:02:32] Speaker A: Right. [00:02:33] Speaker B: And that's. That's how I got jumped in. [00:02:35] Speaker A: So how big is the community that you're in? To lose by a thousand is like, obviously, you know, for your first time, really, like, unprepared. You know, I don't say unprepared, but just kind of spur of the moment, more or less. Like, was it a large county where you sit back and say, that's only a certain amount of percentage. What was the size of community you were in? [00:02:49] Speaker B: So Hennepin county has seven different districts. Mine was the sixth. There were 128,000 registered voters in the special election. Only about. And this is sad, only about. I think 15,000 people showed up. Yeah. Because we were the only two on the ballot. So what it really came down to was good marketing and name recognition. And she had name recognition. And I. It was a nonpartisan race, but, you know, kind of people kind of choose sides regardless, for sure. I learned a lot about different parties, marketing effectiveness, and ability to outreach to voters during that time. [00:03:23] Speaker A: Right. Do you find it? You know, so obviously I saw you really big on social media. Right. So that's. That gets crazy. So I was like, okay, yeah, she's really active, you know, and it's. It's. Do you find yourself more effective reaching constituents, you know, grassrooting it, or going through actually social media, kind of where people have been fed information for the last really, like five, ten years? [00:03:43] Speaker B: Yeah, I did a combination of things because it was people who are really into politics who showed up for the special election. I just jumped in and I was speaking at BPO use, local senate district events, congressional district events. I was given a lot of opportunities where you got to just jump and take it. Right. You can't second guess yourself. You can't be scared. You got to do it. And I think it's a combination of both. But with my social media, a lot of stuff is just contentious and arguing. I've shifted my focus to just try and being a little more light and having fun. That's more fun to me. I kind of want to have fun and be silly and throw some snowballs and like. Like, I can get the job done. Like, I can figure things out. I have business experience, but, like, let's have fun doing it. [00:04:24] Speaker A: Well, you know, that's one of the reasons why I created the Tron podcast, because everybody has an interesting story to tell and. And a walk of life that was kind of on the road, less traveled Right. Like that old. That old quote, you know, they, they. They took the road less traveled. So that's why I wanted to sit back and say, okay, who's more? Some very interesting people. And then your profile, you know, I was glad that you messaged me because I was like, I seen really, this before, you know, as far as this perspective, point of view. And then when I. When you said that you ran for congressional districts and running for seats, I expected. When I checked your social media profile to see, like, traditional, like, politician stuff. And then I'm like, she's handing out pizzas. She's at the gym. I'm like, this was. This was totally 180 of what I thought I was gonna see, which was like, kind of. Which was really cool, because then you're not. You know, it's like, okay, this person's a person. Right? [00:05:10] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:05:10] Speaker A: You know, and they're. They're having fun, they're laughing, they're joking, they're helping the homeless. And I thought that was very interesting. [00:05:14] Speaker B: Yeah. So when we handed out pizzas to the homeless, my friend owns, that's called Og Zaza, and he owns the local pizza restaurant, a couple of them, such good pizza. And he randomly texted me the one day. He was like, hey, we're going out to feed the homeless. You want to come along? And I was like, yeah, I've got an afternoon. That'll be fun. Connect with your friends and, like, do some good. Let's go. [00:05:34] Speaker A: Of course. [00:05:34] Speaker B: And so Josh, the other Josh, I didn't even. I didn't know him yet. And he has a huge social media media following, I think 9 million on TikTok, 4.4 million on Instagram. And we were. That's what he does. He goes. And he, like, goes to restaurants and collaborates with them and hands out food regularly to the homeless or flowers to elderly. And so then when my video dropped, that's when my. I had no idea, but I started, you know, just skyrocketing. [00:06:02] Speaker A: Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. [00:06:04] Speaker B: I didn't even know. I didn't even go check his channel after the fact. I'm like, we're just doing nice things. [00:06:08] Speaker A: Yeah, yeah, yeah. And then lo and behold, right? And that's what. You know, because it was the first thing that pulled up. And, like, it's funny because I was watching, I was like, okay, because you're kind of waiting for, like, a catch. Every video, you're thinking there's. But no, that was ultimately it. And I was like, well, that's really, really sweet, you know, And I was like that. It was touching, you know, and good deeds, you know, are very well done. I'm sure he does a lot of good things. And, you know, I'm sure that inspired you in a way. Like, you know, that's, that's a really, like, to have 9 million followers, that's incredible. And the work that he does to help homeless and older people. [00:06:36] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:06:37] Speaker A: Who are in tough times, that's, that's invaluable things to do. [00:06:40] Speaker B: It speaks to, like, what people really want, I think is like, more kindness. It's like the world. I feel like I was talking with somebody recently. You don't know how, like, if you just smile at somebody or do like, one little thing to be kind, you change their day. But on a funny note, did you read any of the comments on that video? [00:06:57] Speaker A: You know, I just, I didn't see that specifically. I watched it a couple days ago, so I didn't see the comments. No. [00:07:02] Speaker B: Okay. I'm cute, so you can imagine. I think the top most like comment was. I usually skip this part. [00:07:11] Speaker A: Oh, my goodness. [00:07:13] Speaker B: You gotta have fun, right? I love joking. I don't take offense. I have a thing for sure. And like, a lot of social media is about being silly and like, I notice a competition to have the funniest comment. Right. People have the funniest comment the most likes. And I like that kind of fun, playful competition. Like, bring it on. [00:07:31] Speaker A: I think, I think what it's given a lot of voices to people who normally didn't have it. It's allowed people to connect to people and it's, it's allowed more similar, interested people to connect in real time than it ever has been before. You know, I would have never have talked to you prior to this podcast simply because of time, distance. And you do your thing and I'm doing my thing. So I, I, I found it very fascinating to be able to talk to you. So I got a couple questions that I have for you. Number one, have you always lived in Minnesota? Like, have you always. Minnesota born and raised. [00:07:58] Speaker B: So I've been in Minnesota since 2013, up in Pennsylvania. [00:08:03] Speaker A: Okay, okay. Okay. Any particular reason to move? Just move with parents and things like that, or just personal move? [00:08:09] Speaker B: Well, you know, it was another one of the things, just like running for county commissioner, where my dad's job got, I could have stayed, but, you know, again, that feeling in your heart where you're supposed to go. [00:08:18] Speaker A: Yeah, yeah, yeah. [00:08:19] Speaker B: No logical reasons. I said I'm supposed to go to Minnesota and I went and haven't looked. [00:08:22] Speaker A: Back and see, the thing is about it, too, what's interesting about that is that a lot of people hesitate and then they get in their own head. Right. And you're just like, I'm just gonna go ahead and let the chips fall where they may. And you seem like the type of personality that, you know, when you've made up your mind that you want to do something, you go ahead and you do it. [00:08:36] Speaker B: Yeah. I think God also, like, speaks to us super gently. [00:08:40] Speaker A: Yeah, yeah. Right, right, right. But, yeah, that's. That's amazing. I was like, I didn't see anything that indicated that you had lived out of state before. Have you written, like, any. Any books about, you know, what you. What you bought, your life and the things that you do, you know? Like, have you ever thought about kind of like, serializing that or anything like that? [00:08:56] Speaker B: I haven't thought about writing any books. I really have fun including people in real time in the story. On social media, I'm gonna be shifting to, like, a little bit more maybe silly, playful light, just. [00:09:07] Speaker A: Yeah, yeah. [00:09:08] Speaker B: Like, flowing with my personality. Yeah, I haven't considered that. [00:09:12] Speaker A: Okay, okay. No, I thought that was kind of, you know, because it seems like you have so much material that I thought that that would be the next logical, you know, at least from the outside looking in. [00:09:20] Speaker B: I'm flattered. That's really sweet. Yeah. I haven't thought about it. [00:09:23] Speaker A: Yeah, you're really active on social media. So tell me a little bit about. You know, you're in real estate too, as well, right? [00:09:27] Speaker B: Yeah. So my background, when I. Before I went back to finish my degree at the U, I graduated last year. Throughout my 20s, I worked in social media, content creation, and then just leverage that income to purchase property. So that was my vision. I wanted freedom of my time. I'm a single mom and needed to be able to create a lifestyle that worked. [00:09:49] Speaker A: Right, right, right. [00:09:50] Speaker B: So that's what I did. I've gotten rental property throughout my 20s. [00:09:54] Speaker A: So I was always curious about this because, you know, when it comes to, you know, the, you know, is there. Is there a conflict of interest when. When a politician has business interest in a particular field and not just yours, respectively, but if, like, just in general, like, if they own party stores, if they own real estate, if they. I mean, a lot of politicians come from business backgrounds, but is there anything that that kind of can conflict with the job titles and descriptions that somebody could hold an office? [00:10:20] Speaker B: Yeah, you know, that's interesting. We're seeing, like, when they're going and Cleaning everything out. People have salaries of like 200 and some thousand, but they're worth like, what gate? 138 million. How does that happen? So somebody's got conflict of interest. And even the job I ran for, one of the people I beat out in the primary, I spent less than 750. He spent $71,000 to lose on a job. To lose on a job that pays $120,000 a year. So, you know. Yeah. You're laughing because there's some secret benefit that they're getting. [00:10:53] Speaker A: Right, Right, right, right. Yeah. Like you would. That would be the worst losing hand in Vegas. Right? [00:10:58] Speaker B: Yes, yes. I have my stop loss point. I'm like, I'm not, you know, in my heart, I can't. People ask people to invest more than X amount. Right. I gotta have X results, more business mindset. [00:11:09] Speaker A: Sure. [00:11:09] Speaker B: So we're required to file a statement of economic interest which outlines our assets. But yeah, I mean, everybody. You just look at some of these bills and stuff that snuck in that there's tons of hokey pokes going on. [00:11:23] Speaker A: And that's not just Minnesota thing. Right. That's. That's obviously irrespective across the board. Because I was just curious, you know, because then, you know, they all. They always make. There's disclosure forms, there's all sorts of things like that. And again, that wasn't. That's not per se that I'm asking about you specifically, but just the system as a whole. [00:11:40] Speaker B: Yeah. Yep, yep. Tons of hokey pokes. [00:11:43] Speaker A: So what else do you do outside of politics and social media? [00:11:46] Speaker B: Yeah, so I'm a mom. I do politics. I've had my only fans page. And this is the one thing that kind of got me in a little bit of trouble throughout the campaign and caused me to shift my marketing and branding. But there's more and more people who are involved in only fans or content creation. And I think just because two things haven't been seen together before doesn't mean that they can't be done or someone can't be involved in their community. So, yeah, I hate seeing people who have any sort of past or whatever, like just written off for their future in any capacity. Like you feel you're supposed to go do something, believe in yourself. Go do it. Yeah. [00:12:26] Speaker A: Do you find it more of a generational thing when it comes to having something like that, where maybe people of a certain age or, you know, I don't want to say just in general background, are less accepting of something of, you know, of that than they would Say the newer, younger voters that are like, hey, man, it doesn't. No skin off my back. Easy peasy. Keep it moving. I care about what person does for me while they're in the job. [00:12:45] Speaker B: Yeah, people do exactly what you said. People who can focus on what the job actually impacts and the real issues, like, county commissioner was purely a financial job. I have business background. I'm good at that kind of thing. But everybody's chasing the red herring. That has nothing to do with it. But that's a lot of politics is just like, rage baiting, emotion baiting. And that's why I'm just having fun, because that. That will suck your soul so badly. Like, do you see that? Like, you see these just hate posts, and you're like, you don't even want to participate. [00:13:13] Speaker A: Well, you know, and the thing is about it, like, you know, obviously this is about you, not me. But one of the reasons I created the Tron podcast is because I'm not a political show. I have zero interest. Like, and this is just. This is. I have zero interest in debating what. What God somebody worships. I have zero interest in debating what somebody's, you know, preference, you know, sexually wise, is. I have zero interest in finding out, hey, what's this speech that just got gave today? Let's dissect this. Like, that's a very, very want to say flashpoint late way to live. And you're. Check. You're chasing clickbaits. Right. You're chasing clickbaits. It's like. Right. It really is. And so. But there's no substance to it. And so you're being your authentic self. You're telling me about your journey, how you became who you are. This is. I know it sounds like a cliche. It's literally the safe space to just talk about what you've accomplished and how you became you. And that's what I care about on this show. You know, I'm a big fan of Discovery, big standard fan of History Channel. This is just that medium where it's like, curiosity crosses all boundaries. [00:14:13] Speaker B: Yes. Yeah. [00:14:14] Speaker A: So that's what my focus is. So did you have. Did you run in any age. Ism issues when you were running for political office? Because, you know, there's a certain age that you're supposed to. [00:14:24] Speaker B: Yeah, I definitely don't look like the typical candidate. There are a couple attractive ones, I think, like, what is it? Anna Paulina Luna, aoc Like, let's get some. Let's get some hot, hot girls. [00:14:37] Speaker A: So, you know, because. Right. Because I'm Just curious, like, because like, unfortunately people have preconceived notions that they may not take you seriously based upon who you know, you're not supposed to be here or you're supposed to be here when you're, when you've done everything else in life and you know, kids are grown and then you're supposed to run for political office. Right? [00:14:57] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:14:58] Speaker A: So. [00:14:59] Speaker B: So I guess maybe that question I don't totally comprehend because here's how I think. I know I have the ability. I have solved some huge problems in my life and I have the ability to figure. You can throw me in the middle of anywhere and I can figure anything out. [00:15:12] Speaker A: That's kind of the lines I was getting. [00:15:13] Speaker B: Yeah, yeah. So I know that and I know that I carry that energy. So whatever excuses like maybe other people may have, I just like, doesn't even resonate with me. I'm like, okay, well have a good one. Right? I can do it. And you just carry on. [00:15:28] Speaker A: What's the size of a team that you need when you run a congression, when you run first for, for office? Like, how many people does, does a candidate need? [00:15:35] Speaker B: There are. I had a lot of people who supported me in a lot of ways. Sometimes it's just somebody who, rather than an official team. Like when I got started, the one guy who was running for CD3, he had a 20 minute phone call with me. He had been county commissioner before and he sat down and he ran through all the issues with me and that's when I started wrapping my head around everything and I literally just took notes on everything he said for 20 minutes. And it's that little generosity of pointing you in the right direction. I had someone who helped me out with my signs, someone who, people gave me opportunities to speak at events, who put me up on stage. Like it's. Yeah, it's little kindnesses that like, I think and I appreciate and I know who those people are and I feel thankful. [00:16:23] Speaker A: Yeah, I know it's a mixture of staff and volunteers and everything like that. And I'm sure a lot of people are very honored just to get involved, you know, just to be able to hear their name called. And ultimately it affects their lifestyle, you know, and where they live at. [00:16:35] Speaker B: Yeah, yeah. A lot of people help putting signs out, doing all kinds of things and yeah, people love to be a contribution and get behind feeling like they're making a difference, so. But I'm just a person. Yeah. [00:16:49] Speaker A: Yeah. Right. So what are, what are the pressing like your community? I've never been to it so what, what exactly are the, are the, are the businesses around like that? What's the, what's the needs of this. Constituents that you service around there or we're trying to service. When you ran for office and you're ultimately going to do. [00:17:02] Speaker B: Yeah, so I'm going to run for a different position in 2026. I'm going to do something statewide and I'm not telling anyone what it is, but I know what I'm doing. [00:17:10] Speaker A: Right, right, right, right. [00:17:11] Speaker B: When I, when I did Hennepin District six, what that job does is they, they finance the sheriff's department, justice system, county corrections, libraries, things like that. So yeah, people just want things run efficiently. But the biggest, most pressing thing was dealing with crime. Like people feel some of that stuff has gotten out of control and there's some really good community based groups that get, I think more to the root cause in a gentler way. [00:17:38] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:17:40] Speaker B: That I really, really liked and resonated with. [00:17:42] Speaker A: That's awesome. That's awesome. You know, because every, you know, they all say that these things are very local. Right. So that, you know, here you are, you're, you're a resident of the community, trying to help the best people best in the position of your community that you're in right now. So best of wishes to you for when you decide to have further aspirations as well too. So when you got into real estate, like, and was that before you were pursuing law or what, how did that timeframe all work itself up? [00:18:05] Speaker B: Yeah, so that was in my early 20s. I read the book Rich Dad, Poor dad by Robert Kiyosaki and that changed my mindset. My, my mom's a, was a stay at home mom, she homeschooled all of us. And my dad's a mechanical engineer. So I had the mindset of go to school, get a good job. And that opened up my mind to doing something a little different. And you know, you bumble along, you're young, you make some mistakes, you figure things out. But I knew that that was always going to be a part of things. And I going back to finish my degree was again kind of one of those promptings that I felt. And I, at the time last May, I had to decide am I going to go to law school, I've been accepted, or am I going to run for county commissioner? Because as a single mom who works like I knew just being in finishing my bachelor's degree, how time intensive that was. I was like, I can't do everything. [00:18:57] Speaker A: Sure. [00:18:58] Speaker B: So I have to pick, I have to pick which way I'm gonna go. And you can always go back to law school. If I can get accepted once, get accepted again. You got your LSAT score, but you, you like, you believe in yourself, right? You're like, this is the way I'm gonna go and I'm gonna jump and I'm gonna make it work. [00:19:11] Speaker A: Yeah. So, you know. Yeah. My, My brother actually, you know, he's a, He's a licensed attorney. You know, there's nothing that can convince me to take the lsat. Right. You know, it. Pursue that because the studying he had to put himself through, I. Yeah, it's a beast. It's an absolute monster. [00:19:26] Speaker B: Yep. [00:19:27] Speaker A: So when you're posting on social media, right, and you're, you're like I said, I was going through all your clips. You are active. Right. And a lot of it is a lot of funny stuff. Like, you know, you're. You, you say very inspiring words, too. You're at the gym, you say, make sure that you surround yourself with people that are pulling you forward, that are kind of showing you the light. It's very inspirational items. Where did that attitude and mindset come from? From you? [00:19:49] Speaker B: I. Yeah, I try and be a positive person. I'm like anybody else. Sometimes you get down on yourself and feeling like a sad sack, but you got to always reorient. So, yeah, stuff's going to happen, like in life, but you just keep it moving. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Find fun, find the happy, the positive. [00:20:06] Speaker A: Right. And I'm sure that. I'm sure the realm of politics is probably one of the reasons why you make sure to keep a very positive attitude. Because, again, you know, there's lots of things that. That'll. That'll. That can drag you down, you know, in life and in society as well, too. And it was not the typical quote, unquote politician profile that I was. That I saw when I clicked on some of your items as well, too. So I was seeing you interactive and doing the things that you were doing. I thought that was a lot of, A lot of fun as well, too. [00:20:30] Speaker B: Yeah. Yeah. [00:20:32] Speaker A: When you did, you got into real estate. Right. What were. What's the learning curve that you had to learn to get into real estate? [00:20:38] Speaker B: I think the most challenging thing with anything is like, marketing and finding the right type of people. So I'm not a licensed agent. I have rental property. I don't want to get my real estate license. That's. I don't see myself going down that path. [00:20:50] Speaker A: Right. [00:20:50] Speaker B: But the biggest challenge, you know, ultimately I wanted to own Apartment buildings. And one, there's a huge financial barrier to entry. You got to have, let's say if it's just a million dollars, you got to have 200,000. I was like, okay, well, I don't have that. And then you got to be able to find the property. You got to know how to manage it so you don't run it into the ground. There's so many things. And what I've learned is to connect with good people who already know how to do. And then they have X and I have. And you just systematically build up the pieces and create a win win. [00:21:22] Speaker A: And you mail it together. [00:21:23] Speaker B: Yeah, yeah. That took some time. [00:21:26] Speaker A: So when people have. When people do have those barriers of entry and, you know, it could discourage a lot of people who wanted to get into it. For example, they could sit back and say, well, I would always like to do that, but financially that's out of my reach. You know, they've already quote, unquote, given before they've started. What do you tell people who are trying to make an entryway into it? Ultimately, it is lucrative, but it has a lot of upfront cost involved with it. [00:21:46] Speaker B: Yeah, I mean, so my first, like, actual investment was 2019, and I had made a business mistake, a bad business partnership in 2017, and lost a lot of money. And so I had to restart from scratch. Right. In my 20s, I had just found out I was pregnant. Found out. I'm like, negative dollars. I'm like, man, this sucks. So I considered. I was like, what am I. What am I going to do differently here? And even though I still, like, I paid back, you know, the things that I had incurred, but as part of that Robert Kiyosaki talks about, this is paying yourself first. And I always put aside a certain percentage off the top every single month, and based on what I could do. And I, like, pay really close attention to it. And that is how I was able to from 2017 from, like, starting from rock bottom to then November 2019, I did my first little thing is part of my restarting phase. And then once you do the first one, you go like, you just got to do the first one. Yeah. Like, get that thing started. Believe in yourself. Like, it's going to suck and you're going to. It's going to feel like super disappointing, but just get the first one. [00:22:52] Speaker A: Yeah. It's kind of like the whole mindset of martial arts. I don't, you know, I have no idea if you take it or not, but I did martial arts. Right. And the slogan for martial arts is embrace the suck. Right. Because the reality about it is, is that somebody standing there with a, with a high ranking, you know, whether it's first on or black belt that they call it. [00:23:09] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:23:09] Speaker A: They didn't just bring it. They didn't just buy it off a shelf. Right. Like, it took a lot of disappointment, a lot of sacrifice and a lot of things that you had to work for. So that's great that you've applied that really to looks like, to all avenues of your life as well too. So. Yeah. How do you, like. I know you work out. I know you do. Is there anything like outside of that that you're just like, I'm just gonna have fun, let my hair down and be me like my own self? [00:23:33] Speaker B: Yeah. Last weekend I went Latin dancing. [00:23:36] Speaker A: Really? How was that the first time you did it? [00:23:38] Speaker B: No, I've danced. I learned to dance when I moved here in Minnesota. Salsa, bachata, merengue, kumbaya, kizomba, all of it. [00:23:44] Speaker A: Oh, my goodness. [00:23:45] Speaker B: And that when you're out on the dance floor. [00:23:47] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:23:48] Speaker B: There was a live band. [00:23:49] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:23:50] Speaker B: It's a positive, wholesome environment. It's not like, kind of like it's not clubbing, right? [00:23:56] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:23:57] Speaker B: Yes. And it's just such a beautiful thing. And even just going out, like my son and I, we went and we. Which probably shouldn't have done this, but we were throwing snowballs, little snowballs at cars and some people were cheering, right? [00:24:09] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:24:11] Speaker B: He had his big truck and you see him inside, he's like, yeah. [00:24:13] Speaker A: Because kids don't play outside anymore, right? They don't do that anymore. [00:24:16] Speaker B: Snow. And you know it's half melted, right. There's no ice chunks. We're just. Some people laughed. One lady called the cops on us. I got a disorderly conduct ticket. I was just filming and laughing. [00:24:28] Speaker A: I had. [00:24:28] Speaker B: My 7 year old was throwing snowballs and I got a disorderly conduct ticket for laughing. We got it. We got this lady on camera. The snowball just rolled down her window to yell at my son Chuck. And it flies in and you see your hair in the camera go, well. [00:24:43] Speaker A: First of all, I'm glad she didn't crash her car or anything like that. But, you know, she stopped. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. [00:24:51] Speaker B: I'm a silly goose. [00:24:52] Speaker A: Yeah, yeah. You know that. You know, that's a testament to long life because you're probably going to live very long because you're sensitive sense of humor and your ability to just joke and laugh and have a good time. Because you know, ultimately that's what this life is all about, you know, and as long as you don't take yourself too seriously, life can be very grand. Right. You know what I mean? [00:25:09] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:25:10] Speaker A: And so, you know, it's. I'm trying to find the proper words to say this. This Tron podcast has allowed me to talk to people from all walks of life. You know, their. Their success, their trajectory, even the in between, the silly little stories that may seem trivial. You throwing your snowball with your son is one of the most. Like, that is something that I wouldn't have got a chance to hear even an hour ago. Right. Like a politician from Minnesota, real estate, you know, single mom, graduate, overcome very hard life obstacles, and it's. It's an honor to be able to have you on the show. Do you have any questions for me? [00:25:45] Speaker B: What got you into martial arts? [00:25:47] Speaker A: Yeah, well, this is. This is kind of funny. So I'll. I'll backtrack a little bit. I'll. I'll date myself. I'm 42, right. So no shame in that. We all want to get older. So when I was like, seven years old, like, I played basketball, and so my brother was in to taekwondo, and so I did that a little bit on the side, like. Right. But I wasn't passionate about it, but I did it. Like, I just kind of went through the motions because, you know, your parents are trying to put you in activities, but I was focusing on basketball. Well, flash forward, I peak at 5, 8, right? So basketball at 16, 17, is not happening. I go to college, and then I get bored my first semester in college, right? Like, you're just like, I'm going to class. I mean, you went to college, right. Like, it gets very redundant. And then you find yourself when you're doing halfway decent classes, you have a lot of free time on your hands. So I was like, I'm gonna go back into martial arts. So then I got back into martial arts in college. Did four years to take one, though. I did some tournaments all around the state of Michigan as well, too, which is really cool. I won a gold medal at one of our regional tournaments in Lansing, which is the capital. Was really cool. [00:26:42] Speaker B: Congratulations. [00:26:43] Speaker A: Yeah, it's a lot of fun. So then flash forward, you know, then life happens, you know, you start realizing the stomach's going out a little bit more rather than staying, you know, flat, and you're like, yeah, man. I kind of let myself go, like, 10, 12 years later. I'll summarize this really quick. Got back into it. Tang Soo do, which is similar to taekwondo Both South Korean. Ended up getting my black belt about three and a half, about three years ago. And now I've also started Brazilian jiu jitsu. I do Muay Thai as well, too. So it's a love of labor. And you meet great people. [00:27:12] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:27:13] Speaker A: The people that you get a chance to meet, probably similar to people that are wearing your salsa and dancing glasses and stuff like that. People who just want to have fun and be better of themselves. [00:27:21] Speaker B: Yes. [00:27:22] Speaker A: So, yeah, I love it. I absolutely love martial arts. [00:27:25] Speaker B: That's a lot of discipline to be that consistent. [00:27:29] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:27:29] Speaker B: To win a gold. I mean, that doesn't happen by accident. [00:27:32] Speaker A: Well, I want to be. Let's. Let's compartmentalize the tournament that I win for anybody, for people who are listed. I didn't win no Junior Olympic. I didn't win no, you know, Olympic. But it was a tournament, you know, at a regional level for people, you know, you know, from various different schools that all came to Michigan. So it was, you know, it was cool because I won my. I won my weight class. You know, the trophy's still in my house. And, you know, every once in a while, you'd be like, yeah, man, I can kind of kick a little bit of butt, man. You know, you kind of give yourself that little tap on the shoulder. So, you know, nothing like running for state office, though, you know? [00:28:02] Speaker B: Well, here's a question I have. How many fights do you think you've avoided? Because you know how to fight? [00:28:06] Speaker A: Quite a bit. Because everybody has a gun, you know. [00:28:08] Speaker B: Like, have a gun in Michigan. [00:28:10] Speaker A: Well, just in general and as a whole. Right. Like, you know, like, you know, there's a lot of gun owners in Michigan. But then, you know, second of all, first of all, the key with martial arts is, is that about avoiding confrontation. [00:28:20] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:28:20] Speaker A: Because the second thing that goes in your mind is you can usually. Usually the loudest person is usually the person that can't fight. Right. It's the quiet person. Right. And I'm sure you've ran into that in life. And then the second thing about it is, too, is, you know, no, nobody wants to. You know, this is the YouTube era. You don't want to get beat up in this. It's all over here. I'm just keeping it real. Like, you know, I don't want to get beat up. And then my, you know, like, oh, yeah, that's me getting, you know, getting served again, you know, so. And then, like, honestly. And this is the God's honest truth, like, when you train enough, the most nondescript Individual is a very good martial artist. I'm talking. There's guys who look like accountants, guys who look like bookkeepers, women who, you know, are 5 foot nothing and weigh 125 nothing. I mean, I'll tell you a funny story. When I was in college, I was doing taekwondo and I did the judo club for like a semester right before I graduated. And I'm not sure if you're familiar with judo. It's where they. Right. So it's, it's, it's a very, very, it's the, it's the father of Brazilian jiu jitsu. So, like Ronda Rousey did judo, where they arm bar you, they throw you all that stuff, right? So, like, I never did that style before. So I was like, okay, I'm gonna do this just to get uncomfortable. So I did a semester, right? And I'll never forget, like, my second or third day, like, there's a guy, right, looked like 150 pounds soaking wet. Puts on, turns around, puts on his brown belt. He's like one two belts away from a black belt. And I'm going, I'm like, no. And I'm like, bigger than this guy. And I mean, I got tossed like a rag doll, like, just got absolutely crushed. [00:29:52] Speaker B: Did it hurt? [00:29:53] Speaker A: Physically, I was tore up apart because he's just picking me up. I mean, just throwing me across arm barring me, right. I'd never done judo. So word to the wise to anybody who trained, never judge a book by its cover. [00:30:04] Speaker B: Yeah, some of these, they're sleepers. Some of these guys are sleepers. [00:30:07] Speaker A: Oh, yeah. I've, you know, I've trained with people who, you know, I don't know how they put what they did to me. And that's the reality about martial arts is anybody who says they never got their bell rung, anybody who says they've never been choked out, anybody who says they've never been cracked, is lying to you. They're completely lying to you. They or they didn't train hard. It's just the fact of the matter. You're going to get hit or you're going to get put. Put the sleeve and you better learn to do. You better bring that ego down a few notches. Leave it at the door and get ready to, you know, to feel a little bit of pain, maybe even discomfort. But I wouldn't trade it for the world. [00:30:38] Speaker B: Yeah, it seems. Do you have, I, you know, do you have some business. It seems like from reading between the lines, you have some business experience, you. [00:30:46] Speaker A: Know, not, not Exclusively. Right. I got a really good friend who's a very successful entrepreneur. But, you know, this is. This podcast is about growth, and. And, you know, ultimately, when you see people across the. Your. Your world can't just be your zip code. Your world can't just be your county. It can't even be just your state line. There are so many stories that are so intricately told that if you can put yourself in a position, I believe. You know, I'm not here to judge. I'm not here to critique. I'm here to listen and learn and ultimately bring this podcast up to where I hope it will be in the process. Process. [00:31:21] Speaker B: You've got a vision, and you're consistently working it. [00:31:24] Speaker A: Yeah. You know, because it. Let's. I'm just, you know, and this is more about you than me, but since we're, you know, we're just chatting here, I think that there's enough BS to get yourself into that. This podcast is trying to avoid that because, like, if people want to, you know, throw pies at each other for two hours, then go turn to that channel. Go turn to that channel. Don't come here. [00:31:43] Speaker B: I just want to know, if I. If I and a cute little boy threw a snowball at you, would you. [00:31:48] Speaker A: No, no, no, no. Not at all. Just like, don't hit my kids. Right. You know what I'm saying? Like, I'm just keeping it. Like, let's keep it. Let's keep it copacetic. Like, if I see a little kid throwing a snowball, like, what am I gonna say? Like, right? Like, if he starts putting rocks into it or if he's starting, like, maliciously hitting me in the face, then you. Like, Then I would be like, ma'am, can you tell your son not to crack me in the face with a stone? But, like, come on, man. Like. Like, let's. Let's. Let's tone it down a bit. Like, there's like, the kid. Call the kid. You call the cops. And the kid with the lemonade stand. Like, really, you have nothing else better to do than to go viral calling the cops on a kid at a lemonade stand? Like, what. What world are we living in right now that that's, like, even something. You don't do that. [00:32:27] Speaker B: Do you are scared of people who have fun? [00:32:30] Speaker A: I think. Well, I'll put it this way. I think that I was talking to another. Another podcast guest, and they said, you know, because she was really big on positivity. She sells worms. She was from Canada. She is from Canada. She's still, you know, with us. And she said she makes a pos. Makes things to be positive. And she's like, you'd be surprised how many people think there's something wrong with her when she's smiling. Right. Because people expect the stoic. You know, you go through the grocery store, like, people wave to people say, hi people. Like, what's wrong with you? Why are you waving at. You're like, yo. Like, dang, my bad. To your point, happiness has become, like, toxic. [00:33:06] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:33:08] Speaker A: It really is, you know, because negativity sells, you know, and, you know, more importantly, like, I. I would not ask you as a guest or any guest on this show because I felt like letting off life grievances or wanting to listen to yours about how you've been wrong, if that's unfair to your time and my time. [00:33:28] Speaker B: Yep. [00:33:28] Speaker A: Growth. Whatever you believe in, whatever way you want to move, you know, this is all about how you made something special happen for yourself. [00:33:35] Speaker B: And we're still making it happen. The adventure is unfolding. [00:33:38] Speaker A: Yes, yes. [00:33:39] Speaker B: And that's the fun of it. The bumps, the ups, the downs, and then the little wins holding onto those little wins. And, like, really, you did that? [00:33:48] Speaker A: You talk to enough people in this world, they'll tell you a story that'll make you cry. So everybody. [00:33:52] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:33:53] Speaker A: You know what I'm saying? So, like, you talk to enough people, you know, so it's important, you know, to find those happy moments in life, cherish them, and really just cultivate it. And I want every guest to feel as welcome as I hope that you felt here. You know, I'd love to have a follow up with you about that, because again, this is what the Shrine podcast is all about. You do great things. I want to follow back up with you. [00:34:12] Speaker B: Yeah. Well, this has been fun. Thanks for having me. And hopefully next time I get to learn a little more about you, too. I love it. Yeah. [00:34:20] Speaker A: Hey, listen, you know, I'll tell you one thing. It's the shortest book you'll ever read, right? [00:34:25] Speaker B: Don't say yourself. Right. [00:34:26] Speaker A: Chapter one, chapter two, end. Right. Like, it's so unwritten. [00:34:31] Speaker B: What's that Natasha Bedingfield song, Unwritten. [00:34:34] Speaker A: Right, right, right. No, it's. I'm a living. I'm. Hey, listen, I'm a living, breathing document. I had a Scarface poster once that said, every day above ground is a good day. That's just the truth, you know, so. But, Marissa Simonetti, I am so grateful for your time. You have been a blast. Keep throwing those snowballs with your son and best of wishes on your future endeavors. Okay? [00:34:54] Speaker B: Thanks, Rashad. [00:34:55] Speaker A: Anytime, Sa.