In this episode Amadeo Abrogena joins me and we talk about what it was like for him to start a business and the importance of being able to communicate and connect with his niche. We also talk about how he overcame failure, specifically failure in university, and how he stayed motivated despite of all the noise that was distracting him from achieving the goals that he had set for himself. His resiliency is ultimately what allowed him to study overseas on scholarship and to become a business owner.
If you’re finding it hard to persist with your education, whether it be formal or through the school of hardknocks, if you’ve ever thought about starting your own business, if you’re worried about what all the naysayers are thinking, I hope you find value in this episode because Amadeo definitely gave me something valuable to reflect upon.
In this episode Amadeo Abrogena joins me and we talk about what it was like for him to start a business and the importance of being able to communicate and connect with his niche. We also talk about how he overcame failure, specifically failure in university, and how he stayed motivated despite of all the noise that was distracting him from achieving the goals that he had set for himself. His resiliency is ultimately what allowed him to study overseas on scholarship and to become a business owner.
If you’re finding it hard to persist with your education, whether it be formal or through the school of hardknocks, if you’ve ever thought about starting your own business, if you’re worried about what all the naysayers are thinking, I hope you find value in this episode because Amadeo definitely gave me something valuable to reflect upon.
spk_1: 0:00
Amadeo Albertina joins me on to Passion Project, and we talk about what it was like for him to start a business and the importance of being able to communicate and connect with his niche. Way. Also talk about how he overcame failure, specifically failure in university and how he stayed motivated the spite of all the noise that was distracting him from achieving the goals that he had set for himself. His resiliency is ultimately what allowed us to study overseas on scholarship and become a business owner If you're finding it hard to persist with your education, whether it be formal or through the school of hard knocks, if you've ever thought about starting your own business or if you're worried about what all the naysayers are thinking, I hope you find value in this episode because Amadeo he definitely gave me something valuable. Thio reflect upon You're a Farmer to Makoto Car Talk. My name is his Ron Alban and welcome to To Passion Project. It's a passion project as a podcast aimed at those people who are wanting to take that first step towards making it heaven. Thank you so much for tuning in, and I hope you enjoy the show. Coleman. Whoa. Thanks so much for taking the time out of your data. Join me on a passion project. Of course. Thank you for having me. My man. My man. So you and I borrow. We've We've known each other for a while, but full of the people who are tuning in, we don't know who you are. That's real briefly. But who is Amadeu? Sabrina.
spk_0: 1:33
So for people who don't really know me, um, born and raised TV, Philip, you know, here in New Zealand, um, parents both from the Philippines, They met in New Zealand and Ah, yeah, known his own for very much majority of my life since I guess. Early high school.
spk_1: 1:57
Not very much more.
spk_0: 1:59
Oh, yes. All right. My bed. We went to each other's, like, primary school birthdays, right? Yeah. Yeah. So, way back. Um, yeah. And here we are.
spk_1: 2:09
Yeah. Here we are, Indeed were. So we have had the privilege to actually witness each other, grow up in all that comfortable primary high school uni and allow that sort of stuff. Both, Um, what I wanted to talk to you about today. What is You've actually started something. That's that's quite interesting. Um, you Ah, now on, entrepreneur. I guess I would you give yourself
spk_0: 2:34
that title? Well, um, if you search my name of Wikipedia, that wouldn't come up, but, ah, I guess you
spk_1: 2:40
could say that. So I'm in terms of your ah business. Probably spoke so I can see that you've started something called cleaner. Sneaker one. Tell us little bit about that.
spk_0: 2:51
Yes. So, um just to clarify, clean a sneaker one. It's just the instagram handle because someone had to clean a sneaker. Ready? I think, Um, but clean a sneaker. Ah. Started with the idea that I'm just kind of reflecting on what I really valued when I was a kid. And I guess just that feeling that I guess people in the audience would relate to is that confidence you get when you open a fresh pair of sneakers or just something they love. That's brand new. I'm just that sense of feeling of something new fresh has come into my life that I can take pride in. So I really wanted to recreate that experience that people have. And when they have that self confidence when they have something that they can wear and that could become a part of them. But without the price tag, because you know me like I don't come from like a rich background. I couldn't buy sneakers whenever I wanted, so I had to learn from a young age how to take care of what I had wanted cared about. And I don't know where I learned from a young age. I was just that idea that if the sneakers you know, a tidy or if the sneakers are fresh, then the Alfred will follow. And so I've always kind of valued taking care of the sneakers or having a sense of pride with sneakers because, like the foundation of the outfit from the, I would always build from the bottom up my outfits. So it's just I wanted to create and experience that people can have that recreate that feeling of a brand new sneak in the confidence without paying the price tag because not everyone has the money like I did when I was younger. But even deeper than that. Instill that idea that you don't have to by something you or throw away, which have, like you have what you need to be confident, but just seeing it in a different light. So, um, I guess like on the face value, we are service by deeper than that. I want to be a channel or a tool, too. Help people love themselves more and what they had.
spk_1: 5:06
That's pretty deep, man. And that'll stand for I'm just wanting to clean shoes. Yeah, that's what. Sorry. I mean, all of that stemmed to cleaning shoes
spk_0: 5:14
yet, so it's because, like, I just like you can relate as well, like after you need, Like, you know, we both worked at a safe, comfortable, well paid, decent paid environment job, or like a job out of uni where, like no Filipino parents would be, you know, happy about. And it just came from. They're just being bored at the workplace like I just feel so safe, like everything. Just nothing. Push me toe, think out of my comfort zone. And that something was hungry for after unique. So, you know, for the people who don't know, um, it's like the biggest step out of my comfort zone was chasing a scholarship in the United States of America. So I chased that and That's what told me how to break out of my comfort zone and find the joint inspiring others. So after graduating, I at a lack of not a leko, but, um, I just got too comfortable in the position I was, and I wanted to have a live a life that was driven by goals again. So starting a business was always something in the far future I thought on. But you know, the generation we're living in now and incidents open up more possibilities. Then we thought of, I guess, while we were in uni, So I just wanted to take that into action and start something that a few people I thought would just really value. But it's grown to beam or more than it, like more of, ah, platform for people to build relationships with myself and also value what I have cause. The conversations I have with these people, um, deeper than sneakers becomes really natural because they're willing to open up about. They're so willing to tell me about how the snake has gone to the condition that they gave it to me. What doesn't really normal, you know, like
spk_1: 7:21
I've seen some of the sneakers that your hands have come across bar and some of them look like absolute. Yeah, like the words that Aiken Yeah, we can use here, but pretty
spk_0: 7:32
sure. Yeah, yeah, yeah, Exactly. So, like, um, for people who don't really put an image in their mind, just imagine your typical Kiwi going to Ah, I envy or bay dreams
spk_1: 7:46
8500 and
spk_0: 7:47
85 tomorrow face and just getting smashed and then coming up be like, Well, what can you do? Yeah, exactly. My sneakers I thrashed as well. I can't really. I guess it's like if you want to put in that perspective like the shoes are just straight had have been there, had a hangover, and there's no way to cook cure it. So that's where I come in and try and, um no, just restore what the sneakers looked like before they went to have that party.
spk_1: 8:21
When when you first launched your business partner like one of the first things that came into my mind, Was she my guys making moves? Yeah. Another thing that sort of came up was Have you seen fire stump? Yeah. And you know how he's wearing those like real iconic Cortez courses. Yeah, of course. Yeah, but seeing a team. So she and fast. So just do. It was, um, looking at clean a sneaker, the reason why I pictured the movie fire stump in his shoes. But it was because, like, his shoes carried him through so many different points in his life. And not just physically, not just physically. Of course, when he first received When you first receives the sneakers, like you said, at the very beginning you open up a fresh box, You know, you haven't You didn't really grow up having much like this. Dude didn't have much either. And he opens up this fresh box of brick and that Cortez is. And by the end of the movie, after all, his journey, after all, is, um, trials and triumphs By the end of the movie, Has the sneakers looked pretty trashes Well, so they sort of took him along his journey. And you alluded to this a little bit a cz Well, about your exchange in America. So you are Ah, Butler University. So, no.
spk_0: 9:42
And yet it's so quick. Quick, snapshot off. Um, how I got there was the M 80 it's offers this great opportunity for select few students to be selected by partner universities around the world to be selected as their scholarship recipient. It was specifically the International exchange business scholarship, and you pretty much get interviewed. You have to the application process. And, um, I applied for one to go to Butler University, which is a private university in Indianapolis state. In the end, the city and yes, which is like East Ah, East Coast, I guess the East Coast of the United States. Um, yeah, it's a pretty like, if you can imagine how big the United States is in terms of colleges. It's a private school that felt almost as small as 80. So to feel yeah to get there was like, uh, it was a massive, triumphant part of my life. So, yeah, it's that, Ah, small school, but big scale, because you're in a big country that makes sense.
spk_1: 10:58
And was that your first ever time sort of being away from your family for an extended period of time? Yeah, it was. How long were you there for?
spk_0: 11:08
And I was there almost over half a year. That's one of 50. Yeah, Yeah, it was. It was more than a semester. So, um, it was my last official, like, full semester in terms of four papers. So finishing off my my business degree, I want you did marketing management. And, um, during that time it was I can see why they were a partner of 80 because they also believed in that I'm their philosophy, that a good education is combination off theory and practical work. So a lot of the time, I was fortunate enough to do, like, real work experience the university. I'm living on campus. So yeah, I was there for a long time. And then for like, about a whole month, I was fortunate to like, see family that I have never met before. Majority off and my relatives live in the United States of America. So being for the first time was like a real blessing and just really opened my eyes to when I'm capable of
spk_1: 12:11
And that's a pretty buzzy feeling. I'd imagine, like, you know, getting to meet some of your family for the first time. Like even though you're related by blood and, you know, not growing up around them, not knowing who they are. That would mean that would have given you at least some sort of comfort while you overseas away from your direct family here in New Zealand.
spk_0: 12:28
Exactly. Um, it was if I'm looking back it in that perspective, it definitely was like that. Like, I guess that's it. Although, on paper it sounds weird because, you know, like, we're middle aged already, like young adults, and I've never met them before, But because we're family and we were so happy to see each other, it actually felt like we were just really good mates that haven't seen each other in a long time. So, like, you know, me like, Aiken. I can get along well with pretty much anyone. Yeah. So it didn't you? Yeah. So it's It didn't feel awkward, like it just felt like I was just like, someone that had toe somehow live on the other side of the world for the majority of their life. And then I was just having a reunion with him, So yeah, like I'm just in general, not even just my Berrick family, but in the United States, I just felt really welcomed then and loved because they just love foreigners and specifically New Zealand. We have, like a good reputation, so got on New Zealand for praying that brand for ourselves overseas.
spk_1: 13:37
Such a little country with such a massive success is
spk_0: 13:40
exactly so. You know, it's it's I didn't hear anything. They get about New Zealand. When I was there, they were just really interested to hear about our country.
spk_1: 13:49
We've got a lot of friends who are who have either studied or who are studying, and, you know, would you? What would you say to the to the kid who's sort of tossing between our damn door go in exchange is going to be sort of a distraction for my studies. It's too expensive, like, obviously, for you, you found it an invaluable experience. So how would you sort of encourage the guy or the girl who is sort of considering to include in exchange as part of their part of their education?
spk_0: 14:22
Okay, so I can answer that in two ways is one. I can explain where I was in my mind set and why wins like in terms of my background and then I can also explain it in the sense of but some advice. I could give someone generically to apply and see what they can take away. So I'm a little back story as to why I was so driven to chase the scholarship and go overseas Was in my first year of you. Needed as every business student would have done, was economics as, like a court paper? No, you can't go past to the second, Eunice. You do it. I failed that paper by there goes, um, 1% like, literally it was 1%. And I don't know at that point, when I saw that I had this this gut feeling off This is a culmination of all the 50% half ass jobs I've done throughout high school and university to this point, even those 1%. And it may not look like a big margin. It was a big margin and sense off when I was lacking in my attitude. So that was I think they just change of off like, frame of mind to this point. Because of that, I just realised straightaway like, although it was just a number, it just stood for everything that I kind of was lacking at that point in my life, which was sense of Dr or Pride in what I do. So after that, you know, I wasn't proud of myself at all. Um, because I knew I was a lot better than that. And, you know, I was ashamed of myself, So I decided, you know, I gotto I could have proved to myself that I'm not defined by this 1% that says I'm a failure. So I was so, you know, so angry and, you know, disappointed myself that I was like, No, I'm gonna I'm gonna set a goal so high because I want to prove that I'm so much more capable than this grade. So, um, after that semester, I was like, I want to get my mind off exam. So random stories, I end up going to Queen Street. The cinemas at the bottom was like, I just can't get my mind off things like, even just just watch a random movie that's there. And the one that I decided to watch was the internship, which is the one with insulin, their phone, and I'm on. Almost no one will say
spk_1: 17:02
they're in turning out like Google
spk_0: 17:03
Internet guru and and I really think that was God's plan, that that movie was showing at that time and that that place because this is the first time I was like, I independent decided I'm gonna watch a movie by myself like I don't care what anyone thinks I just because I need to do it and actually learned a lot about the movie. Although it's comedic and it's it's humorous, like the lessons I learned from watching that film is called me off guard and it was something I just couldn't imagine. Like if I explain this now, it's kind of sounds weird, but this is how it happened was I walked in expecting just to kind of take my mind off studying and and where I was going to go after that semester because obviously was the end of the year, but actually gave me more clarity because I talk like Owen Wilson. If people haven't seen the film
spk_1: 17:54
Spoiler alert
spk_0: 17:55
in Switzerland, like five years later, pencil in there like they're full grown adults like their life in their late thirties or forties and they get, you know, they get taken out of there safe sales job and they're like, What are we gonna do? And you would just think like people at that age. You know, you just stick with what they're comfortable with, like that mind set off. Just do what you know. It was best, but instead they broke out of their comfort zone by trying to Internet Google, like Google's,
spk_1: 18:25
like one of the frickin, hardest, exactly places
spk_0: 18:28
you could imagine. Like it's like Apple. Or like Microsoft. It's not some people like sacrifice all their like childhood to try and study and build up to this. But here there are like this, too random old people that are just giving it a shot because they have nothing to lose because they've lost what they had and I kind of I adapted on. Then what happened was, yeah, they join these fresh out off Ivy League like college students, top of the class students. And, you know, what do you know, like later on? Actually, I'm get accepted into the program. So I just told me in that film that just because society or numbers or figures may tell us that, you know, we're only limited to success in this kind of lane or this industry or this place because of a stage of life. I learned that I should not allow anyone or any part of society to find where I want to go. And even though, like because that told me like even though my grades in the past that said that, you know, I'm only gonna be an average student. It told me right there and then that if I put my mind to it and I believe in myself that I can, I can achieve a lot more than people think I can
spk_1: 19:44
Like, I think that's what people these days need to hear is that you can't be defined or put in a box or anything like that, as just because of the fact that you know you aren't like book smart because we're like you tell you tell someone like yourself that you know the system says now you can't achieve this because off X, y and Z in terms of your grades. But that could have easily discouraged someone from say, for example, giving birth to something like cleaner sneaker. You know, like what if someone had that idea in their mind to do this for the world Clean people's shoes into donate to charities because you don't get a certain amount of your exactly, um, you're your earnings to charity. So, um, $5 to be specific. Yeah, five bucks. And that's barely anything. But, you know, that's that's still giving back.
spk_0: 20:39
Yeah, it's, um when I told my parents specifically about that, they're like, isn't that too much? And I told myself No, like that $5 is what makes me different. And it tells everyone that comes into see what cleaner stickers about tells them a lot about the brand and that we're a community that cares about more than just making money
spk_1: 21:03
straight up, man. And I and I think that's so important for businesses to do. I do think that they have a responsibility to sort of give back to the community that has given them so much, because if it weren't for this community in the first place, he wouldn't even be in. Doesn't exactly,
spk_0: 21:17
exactly. It's just coming from that humble background of Hey, I'm Yes, I may be running this business. I may know a few things more than others, but in a day I'm still someone learning, and I'm still and I still never put myself on a pedestal above anyone else. Yeah, so with that perspective of being humble because I came from like, I guess nothing in terms of my background, the grades, I understand what it feels like to feel like nothing. And I've never in my mind taking that away in my mind set off. I'm anything. I'm better than anyone else. So it only feels natural when I I want to give back or like a lot of the time, people who I talked with through through clean a sneak on the page. It's like a really deep conversation about themselves. It's not really about the stickers, and that's what I want. I want clean a sneaker to be a discussion starter, like a platform of people to feel comfortable open up to me because for people don't know me, I'm like a big advocate about mental health,
spk_1: 22:28
with it being mental Health Awareness Week and using a mental
spk_0: 22:31
Health awareness week exactly self development like self love and also sustainability and environment, because these are things that I'm really passionate about that I know a lot of other people are passionate about as well, and that's why It's very natural for people to connect with the brand because they can see themselves and what I'm trying to market to society. And I
spk_1: 22:54
think that's really cool, bro, that you're reaching out to your customers like all the time. You know, you're always busting up the instagram questions, you know, on your stories and things like that in you. You respond quite frequently. It's of the people that you are following your page
spk_0: 23:08
exactly, because at the end of the day, like I mentioned before, I don't feel like a business owner. I don't feel like I'm superior to anyone when I speak or see these people, even one person reply. Um, I treat them like my best friend because from all these experiences in America, um, you know, just life in general, I've learned now that I'm, um, I they're gonna give him do anything with 100% of my heart or none, because that would be a disservice to myself and disrespectful to the people that wanna have a chance as well, like communicate with me. So that's why, even if it's one out of a couple 100 people that follow me, I still treat them as a You know, they're the only one that that follows the brand because I don't see any type of difference between the kind of people. I treat everyone equally.
spk_1: 24:07
I've never actually heard that before about how you know, treating your customer like they're the only customer. I've actually never heard that before. Oh, yeah, that's That's pretty profound, I think.
spk_0: 24:16
Yeah, because I'm like, I just kind of think of it as you know, people. Really. I always keep it frame of mind that people really work hard or have to do a lot to make money. It's It's not easy, like to get it, first of all, to get a job in this day and age, even with a degree, Even with the connections, with all the skill set, it's hard to get into a job. And I know that first time that I'm sure people can relate as well. And I know that you know, people make sacrifices every day to work, and for me to be charging people for their hard earned money, I have to respect that. I have to respect that. People have chosen to take the time and use their money that they've worked hard for just to be. It almost feels more of a privilege to me to be serving them through clean a sneaker more than that, their customer of mine. And that's why every single customer or person that reaches out to me, I want to make sure that they feel valued. And they are yet that they're valued by the
spk_1: 25:28
bread. Your instagram page by her looks pretty clean, and I think the way you present your brand in the way that you present your your service. I think that's sort of reflects a lot of what you've said because like like it's so clean. Yeah, exactly like it looks, um, it looks like a luxurious sort of service burning. And, you know, people would trust this sort of send there their shoes to you because, you know, sometimes one of your customers might have like a what? Then stop whatever you know
spk_0: 26:01
exactly. So So in terms of you born of a big thing is the trust aspect of the business. And that's why I say we are community because toe build a community he needed have relations and to build relationships, driving relationships, deep relationships you need have trust. And that's why I'm very transparent and open to communication. Because without that, I can't build that trust with the community, the people that reach out to me. In that way I can build a thriving community. So the trust aspect is what is what is. I need to, uh, build with everyone that communicates with me, because the trust that they have with me is a difference between them. Cut reaching out to me or not, because a lot of time people are handing over to me something that really, really value. Like like you said, since there could be sentimental gifts that you can't replace, even if it's the same sneaker. Well, tell me it's a gift from a loved one or I had this since this time it's really important to me lore. You come by the sneaker because obviously I know that, for example, like the first official sneaker clean is the Air Jordan off whites collaborations and anyone that kind of knows a bit about those sneakers knows that they're like 7 8000 U. S. Dollars worth in value, so you can't exactly just go down to Queen Street and buy a pair of those again. And even if it was, I'm sure know everyone could afford that. So when you look at what you're paying for in my in my service, compared to what you're receiving, I always want people to feel they've got 1000 more times value by trusting and clean a sneaker than I'll do it myself or I'll just throw it away. What a waste.
spk_1: 28:05
So just speaking on the whole, like trust aspect off the business pro like you mentioned something you mentioned about how important it is for your customers to sort of trust in you and in the service that you provide. How about trusting yourself? Where because, like for me, starting up the spot cost, then pursuing the stream of going to the Philippines for, like, I've had some pretty intense like doubts. But like just last night men, um, I had Ah, I had a nightmare. I'd call it a night because I work up getting freaked out like anxious. Yeah, but it wasn't an anxiety attack or anything. It was just like a real bad dream. So that what happened was how you feeling? Hey, how are
spk_0: 28:48
you feeling? Remember how you felt.
spk_1: 28:50
I thought I remember exactly how I felt. I was freaked, freaked out for like what happened was I had landed in the Philippines, you know, do what I'm there to do. But I I lost my wallet, lost my passport, lost my phone, had zero cash on me, And I felt like I was drowning. Bow like I felt so overwhelmed that I work with. It's just the spring, Jr. Yeah, Jenna Dream. And then I woke up thinking like them like, Am I ready for this? Like, do I have enough faith and trust in my own like abilities that I'm able to go out there and do this? So what I wanna know about it is like, how do you keep yourself from from doubting? You know what I mean? How do you keep yourself from, um, being discouraged? Because it'll be so easy for me to be like, You know what? Screw it. I'm not gonna go to the Philippines anymore. It's easy for you to say. You know what? Screw it. I don't want to clean these sneakers anymore, because the minute someone gives me a 10,000 pair of sneakers, you know, I might damage it on my
spk_0: 29:57
screwed up a lot of
spk_1: 29:58
about, so, yeah, How do you know? Keep yourself motivated and encouraged the just do it.
spk_0: 30:06
Do it. Okay, well, so does I. Can dive a lot into this question. So this is different angles. Aiken picking pick apart to make an answer to this question. Because if there's anything that I hope anyone listens or his attention to, I hope it's this this the segment because what you've asked me is metaphorically. When you've hit a psychological brick wall. How are you gonna go past it? How you gonna do the Harry Porter styles and just get to it? How are you going to just do it
spk_1: 30:45
like the nine and 3/4? A How do you go to the final 1/4? Take a 10 out of
spk_0: 30:49
exactly, because I mean, just in that, in that image that I was trying to portray is the whole world sees is a brick wall. Literally. The whole world is seen as a brick wall. But you literally have to believe so much in yourself or trust yourself so much, you're gonna make it through that brick wall that No one's gonna believe you till you do it and what I've learned through everything I've gone through in my life and tried to pursue specifically related to going to America. It's almost stripping down to what do I have to lose because no one believes me anyway, because whether you make it or not, people are not gonna clap you on anyway, so I owe myself to try it. I I'm not gonna lie and say I don't feel anxious. I don't feel uncertain because right now, even after everything I've been through, there's parts of me that still feel uncertain. There's parts of me that feel insecure about it, about taking the risk, but that's being comfortable in discomfort. That allows me to keep going, because what I've learned is putting myself in uncomfortable situations is where I thrive because being in the safe environments, which you can relate to jobs, people, minds, it environments. I feel uncomfortable in the situations more so than pursuing. Scared Corner got scary goals because just being in those environments, I can have a gut feeling that even though it's not scary, I'm scared. Being here for good is comfortable. I'm scared of the idea that I'm looking back in my life and saying and I just took it the safe route. That's scarier to me. Then the feeling I have off. What if I don't make it?
spk_1: 33:11
I think, um, when you get to the point where the pain off, not doing something and just thinking What if when you get to the point where that pain is greater than the pain of taking that risk and actually like failing, I think that's, you know, that tips the scales towards you know, you actually going out there and, um, you know, picking, picking it up and and doing it I think I think when you're in like, survival mode and you know you need toe, you know, hunt and gather and and find shelter in order to survive. That's a whole different story. If you're like, closeted and like in a bubble yet, and I think that was essentially the intention of this podcast was for people who listened to be motivated and inspired enough to actually go out there and and, you know, chase there, chase their dreams and chase their passions. You seen that image more of like the dude, he's like climbing the mountain and he's scaled it. He's standing at the top is like triumphant as and in the people at the bottom. I looking at looking up at him and saying That's easy But then, like on the other side of the mountain, are like all these broken like shards of glass and you can see that I think, is an animation, Yeah, but it's just like a little cartoon bar like
spk_0: 34:43
so, pretty much as it's like these people don't see what you had to go through to get.
spk_1: 34:47
Yeah, they only see the result. There you see the end result and be like, yeah, that look pretty easy. I think that's what I think for me. I'm that guy at the bottom of the mountain looking up in saying I reckon I could d'oh
spk_0: 35:04
and and that's that's that's a normal bookers. We would only know what really set the real sacrifice that need to be made unless you try. And I know from a lot of research and just having conversations with a lot of people, no people, well, often their life people still lost. Everyone has that psychological barrier off man. I feel a bit scared because what if people think this is me and I took a lot of time just to reflect on that idea? Why am I scared to do that? Is it because I don't believe that I can do it or because people are gonna think I'm a failure because I'm trying to do it, and what I realize was it's just the idea that people are gonna label me as a failure. But when I look at all the people they look up to of where I want to be, they don't care what people think, because they had no. At the end of the day, whether they make it or not, they're going to still have that low minds mentality anyway, So they've just said if it I'm gonna do it because they're not gonna change, like I'm the only one who's gonna decide where I'm going to go from here.
spk_1: 36:20
Straight up, man. It's sort of like that feeling when you're at the gym and you're working out and you feel so conscious of what other people are like thinking of you and you're thinking crap. Is someone watching me? Is someone watching my form. But you know, when you're like, so focused on your own workout that you don't even notice that guy over there with the bad form. With a good former, anything like zoned out, you're just completely in the zone. And so tunnel vision towards your goal off completing this workout, we're for whatever reason, it may be that you don't even notice the outside like stimulus anymore. Exactly. I think that's what a lot of me personally, I think that's what I lacked in terms of the goals that I had. Like I was like You said I was too worried about what people might think like is that goal that I've set for myself, too out of reach, our people only. Telling me that you have, for that seems like an interesting the interesting thing that you're doing because they're being nice.
spk_0: 37:19
Yes, and that's also one thing that I can specifically means. That's why I'll never forget is after that movie. I told my parents and I told a few of my uni mates like Hey, like there's an idea. I have like, I literally like a like when I found out that a duty as a scholarship like I'm gonna do it like I really want to go to the state. And I remember my parents and also my close uni mates. They're just being nice. They're like, Okay, like if you're serious about it, like, show us. But I knew that from the way that they and not to blame them, because I understand where they're coming from. If I was to look at myself and and myself in the past, told me that I would reply the same without that much enthusiasm because my habits weren't built for the goal that I wanted to had set for myself. But that's where the beginning was to change. My habits change my mind set so that I could go into the pot. But if I was to care so much about what these few people that I opened up to, which is dangerous, dangerous mentally for a lot of people, because it's scary, like you said, like a lot of people, miss Day and age really, really care about others opinions and their validation because their social media it's so easy to and dive into comparison. So people just value a lot about what people think But luckily I wasn't too far into Instagram at the time. It wasn't at peak, so I wasn't to focus on what people thought of me at the time. But if I did, cares so much for what they thought of me and men my parents on too motivated didn't think I could really do it cause a great Sunday good I needed. I needed to be at least a minus distinction average I was averaging like a C plus, so I could understand that. Oh yeah, my grades. Aren't they good mates? Think told me. There's only, like, usually one or two, which was true. Only one or two people, you get selected. That's a very, very slim chance for someone that doesn't really have the tools or the You know the background, too. To feel like this is something I can achieve. But if I was to to care so much about what they thought, I can confidently tell you now I wouldn't have had that experience and I wouldn't be having clean a sneaker or have this mentality or even this attitude for life, because I would have just settled for all you know, that they're right what they're saying is true. I should just kind of focus and just make sure I get good grades and be a good student and just go with the flow. But in my heart, looking back now, even high school to even university, I didn't really get along with people that were in my same phase of life. I usually was getting along with people that are about to graduate or people who are already working. This is always looking for where do I want to be? Not really. This is just where I am and this is where I'm going to go with the flow. I never was settled with the status quo and that's why you can really with this podcast and the goals we have is we realize we don't We don't find value and just being we're told we're supposed to do because it's such a shame to be in New Zealand, which is is a beautiful country too, You know, have a foundation for where you want to go in life because you can try different things and it's not in the world, but because we're battling with people of generations where what they start with in there post education, life, YSL. They do for the rest of life to be safe because they're competing compared to here, where it's located the world, it's always going to clash. And when I start to realize when I reflect on this is that we can't control we were never going to be in control of what people believe. But we can control what we think. And it's just taking out that idea that I need everyone's approval. I need everyone's validation, to be honest, if everyone told me, even clear my loved ones, that my goal is stupid. That's fine because I'm used to it. I'm immune to people's opinion out because I've channeled out the same way that you said I'm so focused on my goal at the gym. Like literally. I'm literally like that because I need to be at the gym all the time and when I'm at the gym like you said, you just you're just so focused on trying to do the best you can. And when you get inhabit off that that mind set off, I just need to do what I know is gonna lead me to where I need to be. It comes outside of the gym as well. In your life, people are saying you can't do it. That's fine. Do not understand and just get to the point where you might hear them in the background or they can say whatever. But you're so confident and focused on what where you want to go. That doesn't matter what the doctors say. So it's almost just building that, that self confidence. It's not something that will happen overnight. It's not something that I could be like meant. I'm gonna wake up, and I must be self confident. But the self confident confidence I was built by being in this uncomfortable situation that told you before, if I was in a comfortable situation for the whole my whole life, why what reason would I have to feel any difference? Anyone else?
spk_1: 42:46
You're hot birth like, um, cause because we know each other quite well when you were talking that little that little piece just there, like I did, actually, I could picture, um, the amount of years that it took for you specifically to get from a to B, and like you said, it's you know it's not an overnight process like I remember you going through this and it's what was the process of years, bro. And I think that's what a lot of people forget or fail to realize is that we live in an age where I G stands for, You know, I geez, no Instagram. It's like instant gratification. Do you know what I mean? Like it's
spk_0: 43:26
a gratification, instant validation in Hun opportunity to compare
spk_1: 43:31
it. HUD and I think that sort of were so bean, so tuned into receiving that praise straightaway is that we are no longer willing or we are no longer brave enough to actually put in the hard work and be patient and trust in the process. Toe preach that end goal like I like it. It's just hard, right
spk_0: 43:59
working. It's definitely like even now, like even as you said like that, I've grown in it. In a way, it's still something we work on, like like what I always look, try and remind people whenever they ask me something or like, How do you get to do that? Like, how did I become more like you? And how do I do this or just questions in general? always remind him like we're on the same journey like I'm not. I'm not any better than you. I'm not, Um I'm the advance to like, I don't have anything out of the ordinary that makes me who I am, but it's just that understanding that takes time like and I'm like People may not believe it because a lot of manure, like quite patient with people self, but that only came about because I was forced to be patient in the end. The goals I want
spk_1: 44:47
to amongst all the noise and b s that you that was thrown at you during these
spk_0: 44:52
and it's and it's not me saying all men like that was one of the goals of this year was I want to a B b, a more patient person with others and myself and the most importance to start with myself and it's to work. And it's through frustrations off chasing the skull off, not getting what I want straight away of, of not seeing the results. I want to see straight away when I think I think I should get because society says I should get best by this age or if you trained this much, you should get this result. And it's through these setbacks that have actually built the patients with myself and with others. And that's why although it's a great feeling and I understand what people come from that enduring the habit off, seeing instant gratification, validation online because that's what it's teaching us through habit is that we should get great things instantly. That's not the reality when you step out of the frame of the off the iPhone or the Android phone reality outside of the phone is that really things take a lot of time value. And even though I know this, it's still a challenge. Like he said, like, I'm still in the journey of understanding that it takes a lot of time and it takes a lot of battling back and forth like it's never you just decided. And from then on, it's just the straight path to IAB. I'm getting going toward my goals because I got to be patient or I just got a I don't know that all these lessons that you learned it's not like a I know the stuff, so I'm just gonna go on walk through, walk through the garden and just I'm going to get all the fruits that I want.
spk_1: 46:38
I love what you said about your sneakers being the foundation of your outfit. You know, Chris sneakers, you know, leads to a BOPE outfit and what you said just there. I think you know, that really translates. Well, it's ah, having you know, a clear and focused mindset will set the foundation for the rest of where your life will lead. Because sometimes, um, you know, when you're getting dressed in the mirror and you're like, Ah, man, I'm not feeling this outfit. So you take it off and you put on another outfit. You try different combos and stuff. I think we also need to be reminded that we can do this with life as well. You know, if you're not liking where things are at the moment, you know, you could just yet take the time and identify which parts of your life aren't adding any value to you and which parts of your life needs to be, you know, left behind because you know they're hindering you from from from growth and from proceeding. And so I just you know what? What do you think about that about, you know, just stripping things back. And
spk_0: 47:34
so I'll put my m my fashionista Kaplan
spk_1: 47:39
a zero pretty fashionable dude. But
spk_0: 47:41
I think thank you. Um, I was actually I was I was actually want to ask you as well, because I'm like this. This is a debate of it having my mind. I kind of, um for the viewers like that know me like personally, it'll be very easy for you to say that man, there's a people's person and he loves being with people. And, man, it's so easy for him to get along with people. Or I guess if people won't listen to this, they might think that I'm a very people's person. And I am like, I'm not going to deny it the night that that's That's the foundation of everything that I've loved in my life. Like positive growth has become because of my relations of people. And but in reality, I've actually realized the reason I'm so energetic around people. It's because I put as much effort into time with myself. So it's always that balance off. Hey, um, yes, I do love people, but I need to love myself just as much because I need that wrist like like psychologically, mentally, like mentally as much as anything. Just as much as I guess people who go to the gym self relate with physical risk and how important that is to recover your muscles from the tears or from the joints just as much as you make an effort to risk to recover, to train hard the next day. I need that mental space and to recover my mind so that I can take on another day was full of energy with people because I don't want to give 80% today. So I say this because a lot of the things are learning. I've learned that I've mentioned in this podcast is has been learned from self reflection. So if someone has gone to this point and is wondering how can actually apply whatever days or I'm a day was saying, Take time, take time to just get a notebook or on your notes, or like diem yourself on Facebook. That's something like or or Instagram is something you can do just little reminders of reflections so that you can look back at your thread and be like Oh, hey, this is actually stuff that I enjoy. So the reason I bring that up is because I was reflecting and this idea came in mind toe ask you and other people who have a sense of style the idea, never the idea that because someone has style doesn't necessarily automatically mean that they're fresh. So it's like me saying, Oh, yeah, like I'm going to instagram like, Easier You think anyone can do is like, go through like a fashion person's account or like someone you think is like style. You're sti Z and I look it and I'm like, Okay, like that person's stylish because I see the style they're trying to do. But does that necessarily mean that person behind wearing the clothes is fresh? And it's kind of a debate of a heavy one mind because me with clean a sneaker, the most important thing for me is for people to feel more confident in himself, not because of what they're wearing, but because they have that sense off something new on themselves. So I'd like to ask you that as well as like, just because someone as style and you see a lot of people replicate similar styles. Like I know maybe someone dresses like a K pop star or like a European hipster. Or like a footballer. Do you think that just because someone has a style automatically means they looked the most fresh because of that style? Or because of how someone
spk_1: 51:41
perceives them to be?
spk_0: 51:43
Yeah, like, did they like So, like, for me, like I could just pull off an outfit and because I know how things can put you put together. But if I'm not true to that outfit or I'm not confident in what I'm wearing like it's not a true reflection of my identity. Am I really called for enough to feel fresh and carry myself? So if you were to decide off, I'd rather have. I prefer looking fresh and confident myself or being stylish.
spk_1: 52:13
I remember growing up or like I used to be very conscious in terms off what I was wearing like I wouldn't want. Ah, now you don't else you
spk_0: 52:22
sell that like I'm
spk_1: 52:23
not for sure, but I'm I'll speak to my own experience to that question because I don't know what anyone else is going through When it comes, It is a question. Make it
spk_0: 52:32
a situation makes sense.
spk_1: 52:33
Yeah, I think I think I sort of get it for me by, um, the reason why I take pride in the way that I dress and a lot of people sort of misinterpret that as vanity and materialism. But the reason why it takes so much pride in that is if I look clean on the outside that will, that means that I have to also be clean on the inside like my mind in my heart because, you know, relating it's a diet. If you're feeding yourself, which you're gonna look like a swell both. So be like, yeah, If you've got a clean mind set, then, of course, that clean mindset will, um will manifest that itself. You know, in your outward appearance that you're looking clean as well. Four for
spk_0: 53:25
you. It's more of a personal message to yourself to to integrate that's psychological frame of mind that hey, I should because I'm looking and looking confident. I should also adapt that confidence into my mind. Is that what you're saying? Like it's more? Yeah. I want to actually be living this outfit like I should be like a five. I'm looking clean. I should, like, live a clean life. Or if I look good and I should I feel good and do good like, Is that what you mean? Like
spk_1: 53:59
yeah. Yeah. So, like I with the things in my wardrobe, I can pretty much good dressing the because, like, you said, like, everything sort of coordinates with each other. And it was a matter off, you know, time that my tastes have developed in the items of clothing that I have have accumulated through trial and area through trial and error. Of course, because you ever dress up one day and you're feeling, you know, I look so fly today, but then you look at that photo of that outfit, you know, five years down the track, in your thinking what the hit was like wearing, like, I've got plenty of, like, facebook tagged photos. And I remember these events that I attended, like thinking I look hot as but then looking back at it like, what was I wearing?
spk_0: 54:48
But you can see the importance And that though when you look back, you remember the confidence he had more than the outfit and that's That's exactly the foundation off Clean a sneaker, allowing that confidence to thrive the matter. What sneaker? No matter what it's been through, you can walk into clean a sneak and walk out on me like I feel the confidence of that 10 year old at the social I felt fly with his hot wheel shoes.
spk_1: 55:12
And I think I think I think we need a short of shift the mentality from them. What was I wearing back then? Two like them. Look at how much I've grown from Vince in L. And I think that's such a month. That's a much more sort of positive outlook on on that. And
spk_0: 55:33
you can also tell yourself like that's what contributed to wear now. Like like literally like That's how I've develop your own style and your own conferences that you've tried different things and that's that's the greatest thing. Is building the self confidence to try and you think because if you haven't 100% tried and been confident trying that outfit, you kind of look, there's nothing to look back on if you don't try and be like, Oh, now actually didn't suit me because and that's that's kind of the trouble with, I guess that you would really like shopping online. Everything looks great online. Everything looks great on a model that looks of super SCox. But not everyone is that Super Scott's model. So it's hard to kind of envision that when you try to buy online because you don't know what it feels like in store. So I recommend if anyone's kind of trying to identify what style they have or what, like suits them best just message me off. I'll give you more in depth stuff. But yeah,
spk_1: 56:37
I reckon this thing would be a pretty good mental, not only for your sense of style but just, you know, life in general. Because, as you've heard, like your motivations bar and you know these or the caca in your life that has formed you to where you are today. But I think people can really take away from that and hopefully learn. Do you know what I mean?
spk_0: 56:58
Like if if if I could, I I'm I'm honored that you say that I genuinely am honored, that you would say that because like you mentioned when people have those really lows in their life and you know what I'm talking about When the whole world or even your mind like the reason why I'm actually a big ticket for my mental health is because I've I've struggled with that before. You know, everyone that's normal for people to go through these things, especially at a young age, and I just wanted to live. I want to live a life that when I'm not here anymore, or if someone doesn't personally know me but has heard about me, they could walk away, say, like, man like I want to try become a better person like I want to be a bit original myself because I heard this guy's going through this and he's come out like this. I want people. I want to help people just to be happier, like to with themselves, like not happier about what they have or what they're doing but just put themselves like as people. I
spk_1: 57:57
think every day when you're when you bump across into when you bump across your colleague or your friend or whatever just on the street, I think the best way for me is the best way to answer the question. How are you? Is I'm doing better than yesterday. Yeah, I'm trying. Yeah, well, I'm trying to be better than yesterday, vet, mate. That my that may come off as a very diplomatic on, say, but, um
spk_0: 58:29
Well, what the heck?
spk_1: 58:30
Yeah, but I think it's a simple questioning, but I think the more often you repeat that to yourself that Okay, I'm gonna be better than I was yesterday, whether it's 0.5% or 50% or 150% better than the day before,
spk_0: 58:49
even nothing but trying Yeah, like that's important. That's very important.
spk_1: 58:53
It's very important. And I think that encourages, you know, an environment for positivity and for for growth. And for just all around well being
spk_0: 59:06
for sure. Like it's I haven't said it much like even just looking at now, but it comes to mind like it's just those habits of trying.
spk_1: 59:16
Yeah, because then what the hell was the point of the last two weeks? If you're not better than you were a fortnight ago or
spk_0: 59:21
trying to be at least like because we can't, it's hard to be happy with our efforts. If we're putting, um, the timeline of society puts upon us off, then everyone else is completing this by this time or I got on there nothing. Nothing wrong with that. Nothing bad about that. It's just to understand the understanding that someone's journey is always gonna be different to yours. But it's just, um, incorporating those traits or those habits of trying will make the difference for you. It might take a bit longer. Might be sooner. Might take way longer than you expected. Like long story short for me like people don't know. Like I'm very passionate about football like soccer and I'm left handed, but I'm weirdly right footed. So, like I write with my left hand, which is not common and what's even more in common list coming that is being right footed. But like it's taken me years just to feel confidence in kicking with my weak foot, my left foot, like literally today when I was able to strike the ball like three times in a row with confidence with my weak. But I was like man, like I didn't expect I was trying so for so long that I almost was like Man, I don't maybe I just have to accept that it's not going to come through, but because I've been training so hard the whole year, just trying to get it to improve literally after the season. That's when I started. I get the results and that's I think people should remind themselves, like even if things aren't going exactly how you planned it all panned out to be doesn't mean it's not gonna happen. But you are 100% certain it's not gonna happen if you stop trying.
spk_1: 1:1:16
What's important in that case is passion and persistency like, because you'd be because what I You striker?
spk_0: 1:1:25
Yeah, Um, yeah, pretty much like in between a wingman striking about attacking
spk_1: 1:1:30
And you know, if you've got the ability to strike with by feet, that just makes you, you know, doubly dangerous.
spk_0: 1:1:39
Exactly. It's it's, I guess, for a lot of people who play basketball or know about basketball. You have an advantage when you can shoot with the left hand. Because most defenders out of habit, are used to defending right handed shooters, so they were trying to push them to the left side, force him left. But if they're left hand the strong, you have to try and adapt to make them go in the right head, which is awkward, because that's not where you're usedto putting them through. So in a sense of, imagine that. Imagine stiff and curry. Pretty sure Kobe LeBron and Michael Jordan. I think they all can shoot with both hands. But imagine Stephan Curry like the best shooter in the whole of our school in history. Shooting with both pens literally means he's unstoppable. Booker's no matter what side of the court he's in, what angle he can use both hands, and it's That's why it's like it's something every every footballer knows is really important because, like, you never know what position I'm gonna be in. But everyone knows it's really hard to pull off because naturally, only gifted to be excellent and one strong foot. So one thing I did want to mention that it's also shatter to come here. Cabella, the singer. She's got something on Instagram that really stuck in my mind is the world perceives her to be. I relate us like the world perceives her to be this whole confident entertainer that just, you know, so called for herself. But she mentioned that she's actually not that inside her personality. She actually isn't that person. He's actually very nervous and self conscious and has insecurities just like anyone else. But what you told herself and getting to the point of a career that she is, she told herself. Just because I'm not equipped with skills are not born to be ready. Does it mean I can't work towards that? And that shouldn't litter? Let just stop from trying. And that's something that's really stuck with me. Is that just because I don't feel like it just because people around me don't believe in me Just because it's not going my way doesn't mean I should stop, because we aren't born naturally excellent and everything. But the people that have done well have. Just as you said, we're passionate about something and just persisted in trying, and it's just like, Well, like that's to hear that from the words of someone that you would just think like Oh, they gotta roll like they got the money, fame, the looks like, Why would they feel insecure? It'll be humble enough to say, Hey, actually struggle with this really opened my eyes to see that we're not so much different in these people that excellent. They just really were persistent and passionate about what they're doing and loved it so much to pursue their dreams, their goals, that it'll society tell them what
spk_1: 1:4:31
to do. That's so powerful. Bar, that's this mad. Careful with that. You know, I just like to thank you once again for taking the time out of your your data to join us on to passion project, to talk about a little bit a little bit about your journey, Bo and all that sort of stuff. So I really appreciate him in. And I'm sure that this someone out there, you know, take something away from you. Of course. Thank you so much alike. I feel honored to be part of this, and you can always reach out to me like, uh, Amadeo Barbara Hannah on instagram Or
spk_0: 1:5:08
clean a sneaker. Reach out to me anytime I'm open ears. Anyone that just wants to reach out have ah conversation about anything. It doesn't have to be related to sneakers. It could just be a question about anything. Sneakers, style or just mindset. Anything at all, I'm open to help people and yeah, I hope you enjoyed today's show and alerts took something away that you know,
spk_1: 1:5:30
I can help you become the version
spk_0: 1:5:32
that you want to become of yourself.