It's Just Business

Classic | No Luck All Hustle Part One with Ashon Avent

May 31, 2023 Dana Dowdell and Russ Harlow
It's Just Business
Classic | No Luck All Hustle Part One with Ashon Avent
Show Notes Transcript

We all face challenges and obstacles.  Business owners, by nature, face even more.  How do we overcome adversity?  How can we use the challenges we face to grow and learn?  Why does greatness always blossom out of adversity?
This episode of part one of a two-part series with Ashon Avent, owner of Main Avent Apparel. Ashon engages in some incredibly authentic conversations about the challenges of owning a business and his personal journey to success.

To find Ashon Avent visit www.mainaventgroup.com or on the social channels @mainavent

Follow the podcast at @itsjustbusinesspodcast on all the major podcasting platforms.

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www.itsjustbusinesspodcast.com

You can find Russ @reliable.remediation
Russ HarlowReliable Remediation – Disaster Restoration
Google: https://g.page/r/CXogeisZHEjMEBA

You can find Dana @adashofboss, @dana.dowdell and @hrfanatic
 Dana DowdellBoss Consulting – HR Consulting
Google -  https://tinyurl.com/y4wxnavx


Dana Dowdell  00:06

I'm Dana,

 

Russ Harlow  00:07

and this is Russ.

 

Dana Dowdell  00:08

and you're listening to It's Just Business.

 

Russ Harlow  00:11

We're a couple of small business owners who are trying to figure it out as we go. And as we grow our businesses, we want to help you grow yours. If we've learned anything, it's not personal. It's just business.

 

Dana Dowdell  00:25

Happy New Year.

 

Russ Harlow  00:26

Happy New Year. Dana, how are you? I'm doing fantastic.

 

Dana Dowdell  00:29

Good, good, good. Good. We have another fantastic guest with us today on the It's Just Business Podcast. Today, we have a Ashon Avent who is incredibly inspiring, just being in the same room as him. But he is a mentor. He's a business owner. And I feel like you would probably do a better job telling us about yourself. So, Ashon, do you want to tell us a little bit about yourself?

 

Ashon Avent  01:00

Sure. Sure. Well, thank you for having me on the show. Just business is just business. I like that. The intro was pretty cool. So

 

Dana Dowdell  01:07

I think I came up with it. Oh, yeah, that's awesome.

 

Ashon Avent  01:10

Well, my name was Ashon Avent. Some people call me chewy. Some people call me the main event. Nice, which is the name of my business as a play on words, actually. So anymore business called Main Event group. And I came about when I was in grad school, and I had to do a business project. So, I took five businesses and put them together, I took video photography, graphic design, social media management. And I'm and I'm probably voiceovers, and I put them together and I went to go see clients, and I said, hey, this is what we can do for you just cut us one check. So, I know how much you may you may you may you may. And now ask the business owner. Okay, give me $2,000. And we'll do all this for you. And I will pay everybody and what was ever leftover. That's what it was. So, it was a collection of businesses. That's how we came up with the main event group. And then I started making uniforms for inner city kids, too, that can look good and play good for different sports. And then I turned it into a main event sports.

 

Dana Dowdell  02:06

I didn't realize it was from a college project. Yeah.

 

Ashon Avent  02:09

For my grad school project. Yeah, it was actually the video part went very viral. Because I was like, way ahead of my time. I like interviewing like celebrities and party. I was a professional party, believe it or not. You were Yeah, I got paid to go to parties and host. Literally, the owners of the clubs, or the owners of the parties will pay me, and our video crew will come in with our photographers and we will make it like the ESPN and the parties. Alright. Alright, let's,

 

Russ Harlow  02:34

let's back this up just a minute. Because we started halfway through this story. And I feel like I've missed a step. Can we go back just a little bit before that? You know, where’d you grow up? How'd you How'd you even? Did you always want to be in business? Just kind of turned into a hustle. I mean, what happened?

 

Ashon Avent  02:51

I love it. Ross. Yeah. So, I come from Hartford. I grew up in the inner city. I was a teenage father. Early on in life. So, I learned responsibility. So, I was kind of forced to make money early. You know, when you're that young, you can't really get a job right. Right away, you know, you're making money. So, I turned to the streets a little bit. And I got involved in some illegal activities. I won't say I was a drug kingpin. I won't I won't say that. But you know, it's a normal way of life. You know, you've kind of learned to try to make a few dollars. But you know, it's not a successful plan. And I could have probably went to jail more times than I can imagine. So, I worked my first job at metals, music theater. And in Hartford, it was the XFINITY theater at the time. And the hustle started at that point actually. Did concert How much do you pay for beer when you get to a concert?

 

Dana Dowdell  03:41

 million dollars in dollars? 

 

Ashon Avent  03:42

Alright, so a lot of people come to the gate with beers, right? And they got to dump them in the garbage can. So, I paid the lady in the front. I gave her $20 Okay? $20 And I said, let me just take the garbage cans. She's like, okay, so there's, you know, this weed marijuana kind, but all everything inside the garbage can so me and my friends are doing on gloves and when dumpster diving, and we're putting out all types of things. So, we're reselling them back to people. Hey, two people up there. So. Oh, yeah, absolutely. I was making $5 an hour. Russ. Okay. I made more money selling beer than I did the whole week on the concert, especially at night like Jimmy Buffett or like, or like Dave Matthews Band, oh, my goodness gracious. Me and my guys, but we were good. So, what

 

Dana Dowdell  04:25

does that say about the listeners of Jimmy Buffett? And Dave?

 

Russ Harlow  04:29

What we're saying is I mean; you had an entrepreneurial spirit. Yes. Yes. It's been redirected. 

 

Ashon Avent  04:38

Absolutely. But I'm a basketball player too. So, I play college athletics, you know, so I'm competitive but I'm not a sore loser. But I've learned that and that's how I got out of my situation and, and in Hartford, you know, to sports and some good people that just kind of helped me along the way when I was lost, and that's how I ended up at Eastern Connecticut. And their story kind of goes from there. I was in real estate for a while when I first got out, actually not take it out. So, credit card machines, my first job out of college, tough job, but it taught me everything I needed to know. My manager would just circle the territory. He's like, oh, you're going to Hadley mass. And I was like, wait a minute, somebody was just there yesterday, you know what he told me? He said, the turf is not worked until you work the turf. And when it did something to me, and he was like, did you go out there yesterday? I was like, no, did he make money yesterday? No, go make some money. Then I was like, Okay. And then from that point on, you know, I got into like different careers. I worked in target as a logistics manager. I was a store manager at Walgreens. I worked at Verizon Wireless and tech support. And I did real estate. So, I was chief operating officer for a mortgage company did like

 

Russ Harlow  05:49

the Swiss Army knife. Yeah.

 

Ashon Avent  05:53

Yeah, that's cool. That's cool. That was good. I gotta give you some time on that. Yeah. Yeah. So that's where I kind of hone my skills when I was Chief Operating Officer, a mortgage company, and I would do some really untactile things for marketing. We'll talk about that. Oh, really? Yeah, that's good. Yeah. So, I would make these signs out. So, you see the political signs out now. Right? So, I had a sign that just says no downpayment. What my phone number, that's all it said. And I created a shpiel so when people call, they will hear me so we're like, hello, no downpayment and Ashon speaking how can I help you? Yeah, I saw one of your signs on the side row. Oh, which one did you see? Oh, the one that's on North Main and Westerly. Alright, great. No problem. Tell me a little bit about the program. Well, you know, you qualify for no downpayment mortgage that you working for two years I will qualified and right over the phone. Yes. I've been in my job for 30. Do you have your two years tax returns? Sure. Do you have a bank? We have a little money invest in it? Sure. Well, let's set up a time to talk and I would set it up and my partners and my team will call him and follow up with them we'll get them pre-qualified with their my two hours. And then a real attorney sitting right next to me so already asked him pre-loaded questions already. What type of property are you looking for? Where areas are you looking for? And we got a list of properties already on email. So I send a pre-approval letter in and a property's within about five hours. And then, and then I would get up at 2:30 in the morning. No lie with a black hoodie on and I will go into every apartment complex with a stack of flyers, right like you know, have you ever been to a party before you come out? There's flyers on your car? Well, that's what I would do but in an apartment building an apartment building so the property owners a call me please get the property. You got you crazy. So that will do it at 2:30 No, never see me and always had the hoodie on because you'll never catch me on the cameras. I know. But it didn't.

 

Russ Harlow  07:45

That was training from earlier.

 

Ashon Avent  07:48

To see you understand how this all comes inside Russ. So, he asked what I would do. So, I will say the flyer said, why pay rent when you can have a mortgage facility so that's how it started. And then you know, we may you know, we made some good fun of it, you know, but it taught me a lot. They'll tell me how to get after it taught me some entrepreneurial skills and then also taught me how to hustle.

 

Russ Harlow  08:11

What made you want to leave like kind of regular jobs and create your own hustle?

 

Ashon Avent  08:16

Oh, when I was working at Walgreens, the store never closes. So, for the holidays, I always had to work the holiday either in the morning or at night. There was when your manager you don't have a choice. Walgreens is open 365 Seven. Right and target I worked from 2:30 in the morning to 11 and I had to manage 40 people we had to unload trucks during the holiday time right now be horrendous two trucks a day. That's a lot you know, and I gotta push the employees I go Dana, you're not Rican. Let's freakin go to stores about the open people are here to store open at eight o'clock. People want this stuff. And I you know, I'm a jerk sometimes, but not all the time. You know, it's hard to motivate people when they're not making a lot of money. You know, sometimes, you know, $8 $9 $10 and I was in a lot some time. So, to be always on because the district man is always on me. You know, it's like, so Verizon was great, though. Great company. Don't they pay for me to go to grad school? You know? So yeah, I was in a leadership program. And I was going to come a supervisor and I had to work at night, though. Three to 1130. So, my life was always interrupted when I became a leader I always had these aren't used to seniority things just kind of like, ah, come in, detract me for now. I felt like my life was unbalanced because of that. So, I tried to find balance in it by creating my own schedule.

 

Russ Harlow  09:27

So, tell me about that life. I mean, you said you had a child early on. I mean, so what else were you missing out on? 

 

Ashon Avent  09:34

Yeah, well, I got five kids. Ross. Yeah. So, I got a 24 year old to 18 year old to three and a two year old. So, I've been married twice. So, the first time I think I ruined my marriage because I was just chasing money the whole entire time. And because of that I missed out on a lot of home life, you know, and with that, I just felt like you got to have some balance like the nine to five, I never could find the perfect nine to five even working travelers actually. Insurance. Yeah, I was a claims adjuster. And when I was a claims adjuster, and it was great, but I was sitting at my desk, like all day long, you know, I felt like at 8-430 was the longest day ever. And I probably made amazing money, you know, for the average person would probably great but just sitting there all day on I never forget, I went to this Prime America conference one time and this guy gets up there. And he says, when you're looking for a job in a career, there are three freedoms. Okay, freedom with time, freedom on money and freedom of growth. Which one do you want two out of the three freedoms? Well, time is very important to me because I want to spend it however I want to spend it. I'm like the job. Like, I don't care how much work is get done. But I want to work as much as I want to work. And when I don't want to work. I don't want to work. In at Verizon sitting at the desk, there was something called a heritance. Right? We had to adhere to your schedule, literally. So, they tell you when to take a break. They tell you when you got to go to lunch. And my schedule was always off because I would drink coffee. I gotta go to the bathroom. And then I like to socialize. Sometimes I'm at other people's desks. So, I was never in adherence. Right? But I realize you're saying you got fired from Verizon. Oh, no, no, no. Oh, no. Oh, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, you don't get fired from that company. If you don't if you don't want to get fired, actually is an amazing place to work for the party all the time. Oh, good to hear celebrations. They treat their employees really right. I'm not gonna lie to you. And they give out a big bonus every single year. Nice. Just if you perform and you stay close to your schedule, and you stay within your adherence and a certain amount. You know, my Harris is always like 88. But my goal for the year always was.

 

Russ Harlow  11:44

 B plus. 

 

Ashon Avent  11:45

Yeah, solid. Yeah, it was, you know, you know, my mother, my supervisor always wanted me at a 95 she said I'll need you to work on 95 I was like he noticed not happening. We're gonna try. And yeah, so they give you about 15 to $20,000 Bonus every February's literally football for me for the year. So how could you mess that up?

 

Dana Dowdell  12:03

There are I'm sure there are people that do too. Yeah, whatever else I wouldn't I wouldn't have a career if they didn't true. Yeah. Um, you worked a lot of, you know, traditional, like corporate jobs, Target, Verizon, do you think working in those places and experiencing the traditional idea of work was essential for your ability to be an entrepreneur? 

 

Ashon Avent  12:24

Absolutely. Yeah. Because also worked in nonprofit too. I was a district executive for the Boy Scouts. So, I used to sell scouting, right. And at the time, it was unpopular, because, you know, some of the new litigations that they were going through, you know, allegedly, for some people, and, you know, it was tough. And then secondly, you know, being a minority talking about Scouting is like, you know, literally like No, literally, it's not, it's not for inner city kids. You know, I'm from the inner city. But I was involved in Boy Scout stuff, my mom kind of put me there, and it changed my life. The first time I went to go, sleep in the woods, was the most terrifying thing ever. No, literally, the wind was blowing the tent way and stay down, and it was raining, crazily, you know, and, but it changed my life. And it made me realize there's more to the world than that. And I ended up that was my first professional job out of college. Besides a credit card machine, the Boy Scouts called me, I went there, I worked there for two years. And I learned how to fundraise. I learned how to connect, and learn how to go to black tie affairs and you know, ask people for money. They know, hey, we need to support the scouts this year, we need to check for $5,000 and I had to be I couldn't be afraid to ask for money. And I think sometimes as an entrepreneur, people are afraid to ask for money. Sometimes you feel like you're being too greedy. Right? You feel like someone's watching your pockets. But you understand what I'm saying to you got to ask for the money. If not, then you're not gonna get it. And that's what it taught me. So all these jobs did prepare me for that, you know, in a way, you know, helped shake me up, I should say.

 

Dana Dowdell  13:48

One thing that I admire about you is you are so incredibly disciplined. Or you appear to be so incredibly disciplined. Yeah, how did you Was that something that you always had or something that you grew into? Or

 

Ashon Avent  14:03

I kind of grew into it, but you know, I was a father of 16. So, you know, you got to find a way to do something, you know, and, and if you don't, then you fall by the wayside. But I think the basketball is really what taught me you know, getting up training. I used to get up at five in the morning and open the gym and get in there workout every single morning. That was the thing, you know, you had to learn how to and then I met some professional athletes like Ray Allen, he showed me a different level of discipline. I thought I was doing okay till I met him. I was like, I was amazed. He's like a robot and a machine, but he's like, a tactician, and that made me realize that whatever you want in life, you have to put the work in without that work. You're not gonna get it I'm sorry. And that kind of changed my life. Actually, my mindset shifted after I worked out with him one time when I realized I wasn't that good. And I was never gone to the NBA.

 

Russ Harlow  14:51

So was it just a guy like Ray or did you also have some coaches along the way, who helped kind of show you what needed to be done?

 

Ashon Avent  14:59

now? wasn't the coaches. I mean, there were some coaches that gave me the mentality, you know, to give it your all. And I had a female coach, right? And she's about her name is Jackie Bethesda. And she's about six feet. And she's, yeah, she's six feet. And she's more, you know, it's kind of built, you know. And she was my first basketball coach, and I never forget, I was getting out rebounded on all work by somebody. And she called the timeout. And she was like, Are you kidding me? You couldn't let this guy out work you. You plan, like a game that allow it echoed in the gym. And I felt like, wow, this, she just called me to be word. Like, I'm like, really like stunned. She just called me to be wearing in front of everybody. And that changed. The second thing that changed my life, you know, because she was I wasn't given 100%. And you need to give more even when you think to give enough you need to give more. And that kind of taught me some things, you know, and helped me become disciplined. So, there are some coaches that poured into me and made me the lunatic that I am.

 

Russ Harlow  16:00

Well, how much time did you spend with Ray? I mean, was it just a couple of workout sessions? 

 

Ashon Avent  16:03

A couple of workout sessions? Yeah, yeah, it was at University of Hartford, one of my other friends. His name was Mike Williams. He's probably one of the greatest players that come out of our high school. And he was trying out for some teams. And he could have went to the NBA, but made some poor choices along the way, or some things happened to him. And he never quite made it when he was a man. He was just on the same level as REALLA, you know, just as good, just as talented. And those two guys worked out together. And I worked out with him. I was like, the third wheel, and I couldn't keep up. So I had to sit on the sidelines. And watching them was like, Oh, wow, I was like an amazement. And I realized that there are levels to things in life, you know, and you have to work at that level. I'm never the greatest player. I just got a lot of this. I said, that's all I got a lot of heart. So that's all I got.

 

Russ Harlow  16:47

Yeah, you know, it's interesting, because I saw thing, documentary, and Wayne Gretzky was on there. Jerry Rice also. And so these guys we think of as really great. And they are they're amazing. And they've got a mind for the game. They've got a passion. No, but nobody. Nobody worked harder. Yes. And those guys 

 

Ashon Avent  17:11

Yeah, absolutely. 

 

Russ Harlow  17:12

And so that's just it. It's not talent, talent gets you so far

 

Ashon Avent  17:15

through your work history. 

 

Russ Harlow  17:17

You've got to put in the work. 

 

Ashon Avent  17:19

That's true. Yes. So, I take that discipline and bring it to business. No one is gonna, you might be more talented to me, your family might come from more than me, but no one's gonna outwork me, that's just not gonna happen. Like, it just it won't. I won't lose something because I wasn't prepared to outwork. That's just one thing. That's not gonna happen. Maybe you might not like me personally, or, you know, you might not like me physically, or whatever the case wouldn't want me because of work ethic. Not that. So that's what it does come through, you know, a lot of it. You know, it's kind of where I come from. And that's why I kind of came up with the slogan, no luck or hustle.

 

Dana Dowdell  17:52

And you turn that into a business. Yeah.

 

Ashon Avent  17:55

You know, I was kind of my mantra. Actually, it happened last year, I was looking at my Facebook timeline. And then I said, well, share with me your mantra for the year. I'll start with my no luck or hustle. And then I had everybody post theirs, you know, and I'm looking at people's like, oh, okay, that's pretty cool. Okay, that's pretty cool. So, this year, I'm gonna turn them into T shirts, because a year has gone by, and I haven't seen anybody post on it, and they haven't capitalized on it. So, I'm like, okay, well, I'm gonna take some of the mantras and turn them into t-shirts. And that's kind of what I did. And that's how to know like, all hustle came on. 

 

Dana Dowdell  18:25

We are parents, business owners at all. 

 

Ashon Avent  18:27

My mom, I grew up without my dad. I didn't meet my dad. So, I was 27. And my stepfather was on drugs. So, they really didn't show me a lot when it came to like anything really, honestly. On it, not that they're bad people. It's just, you know, the way things worked out. And my mom does she used to sell, you know, how Spiegel was popular back in the days? Or Spiegel or popular club? Or like our Fingerhut? Come on? No. Are you serious, like the ultimate hustle? Oh my god. So, my mom used to deliver these magazines to people, and they go through and they pick what they want. They ordered from her and they make a payment plan for it. So, she's used to sell popular club plans.

 

Dana Dowdell  19:08

So it's like, early days QVC. 

 

Ashon Avent  19:10

Yes. In the magazine though. My mom was the ultimate she's so sweet. My mother is only like five, three, maybe. And she's not a socialite at all. She's like more of an anti socialist. And, and she has she worked in the hospital and she had a whole bunch of clients. You know, looking back when I didn't realize what she was doing really. And she had a little hustle. That was her hustle. Yeah, that was a side hustle when she saw pocketbooks, you know, on as a side for a little bit, not for a long period of time, but she tried. And I admired that. I Oh, okay. That was pretty cool. So, I picked up maybe that and I also realized that she was a morning person. I used to hear her working out in the morning doing Tae Bo and yeah, hi,

 

Russ Harlow  19:48

Billy blade.

 

Dana Dowdell  19:50

Morning. Yeah, that's a throwback.

 

Ashon Avent  19:54

Yeah, well, I'm 41 So I'm not a spring chicken. So, with that, like she cheers still some work ethic me and not directly, you know, I'm always kind of let me grow up, you know, and kind of kind of do what I want to do when I want to do it type of kid. You know, if I'm tired, I go to sleep, if I want to stay up, stay up, I'm responsible, but just come and did what I wanted to do. And she let me do it. And she let me fail a lot of times, actually, who was

 

Russ Harlow  20:17

your biggest mentor kind of coming through the whole process as he started to dive into business?

 

Ashon Avent  20:23

This guy named Walter Diaz, he's the vice president of student affairs at Eastern Connecticut. And he would hone these skills like he understood, like I was kind of rough around the edges, you know, and he would hold him up. And he would talk to me, just saying, you got to conform to something in life. If you don't, then you won't succeed. So, I remember one time, I was going to interview with enterprise rent a car, and at the time, they didn't allow facial hair. And I was going to get a haircut at night, you know, I had my beard wasn't like this. It was more connected, but it wasn't bushy. And he says, If you don't shave it, I'm not sending you to the interview on Monday was stupid. Like, I'm not conforming to it. I'm not shaving it. And, you know, just so happened that time, the barber asked me, hey, what are we doing with this? You cut my hair a million times? Why would you ask me? What am I doing with this? I was like, what? And he was like, yeah, what are you doing with this and I was like it bring it down. And so he shaved that are pertinent to a goatee. And Walter said, I want to see before you go to your interview. So, I had to go to his office. And he saw me so he taught me something as far as you know, business and networking. And he taught me how to network and networking with the key. And now he told me how to get in front of people and get 10 to 15 minutes of their time to live it to be able to connect. So, he had a very specific technique. He never asked anybody for job. He just asked him for career advice, because people love to talk about themselves.

 

Dana Dowdell  21:50

Informational interviews. Yeah, they. That's how I landed my first HR job, an informational interview. Yeah.

 

Ashon Avent  21:56

So he taught me. He says, Okay, sit well, Russ, you want to learn how to restore and clean homes? Sure. So, we're Russ column. A Russ, how are you? I'm Ashon, I got referred to you by Dana. I wanted to get some career advice on restoring homes. I was thinking about, you know, maybe getting into that area of field. Can I get 10 to 15 minutes at a time? Can I get you a cup of coffee? Just want to get some career advice? And Russell say hell yeah, sure. I love to give advice, right? Yeah, I got 10 to 15 minutes of time, right. And then next thing you know, it turns into a full hour. Oh, you know, I'm getting an interview. You're asking you questions, but what do you like great about your job? What do you like worst? What do you hate? And then you would tell me and I'm like, That's not for me. I'm good. Thanks, Russ. For your time.

 

Dana Dowdell  22:34

However, Russ, establish that connection. Yeah, but

 

Ashon Avent  22:37

Russ, you know what? Who else can you think can help me out? Give me some career advice? Give me five people right now. I want you to write their names down in numbers. Anyway, sure. Yeah. I got Dana. I got Molly. I got Bradford. I got Robert bout. Alright, do me a favor. Now Russ, I want you to send them an email or call them and let them know that I'm gonna reach out to them.

 

Russ Harlow  22:56

Sure, hold on. Now that cold call is all warm.

 

Ashon Avent  22:59

Yeah, you got you understand what I'm saying? He taught me that. And I didn't realize that until later on in life, how valuable that was, and how to network and go on people and how to take business cards and go into a room with people and see who's who and, and watch people. I'm very analytical. I watch people's behaviors. I watch how they breathe. I was there. Our contact is all unintentional.

 

Russ Harlow  23:17

I'm not playing poker we well.

 

Ashon Avent  23:23

I have a high level of emotional intelligence Russ, you know, where I really able to read because it's kept me alive. It kept me safe my entire life. So, I read that. And if I don't feels good, then no, I don't do I don't do the connection. I don't care what their business is. If it doesn't feel good, I don't do it.

 

Dana Dowdell  23:38

So you're really into listening to your intuition. My gut

 

Ashon Avent  23:41

feeling absolutely keeps you alive. And then secondly is the biggest part of your body. So, if you don't listen to it, then you're screwed.

 

Russ Harlow  23:48

How do you develop that? I mean, because it can be developed. Right?

 

Ashon Avent  23:52

Yeah, it can be you have to get in tune with yourself, right? You got to spend some time with yourself, or you got to get to know yourself. And some of it is, you know, practicing, right? Being quiet. And being intentional to you know, some of it is food, right? eating clean. So, if you kept a record, a journal of what you ate every single day for a week or two weeks, and your stomach and you realize like your stomach is not acting right, you'll be able to pinpoint and find out you'll know, when I ate that the other day, that didn't work, right or a death for breakfast, stomach, you know, you start to figure it out. And once you start to eat clean, and you start to like, get into it, then you'll know exactly what you had that will destroy your stomach and how you feel and everything is, you know, unfortunately goes through your intestines. So, you'll know through your bowel movements, you'll know that made me go that made me loose that made me constipated. You know, you'll know and you'll start to get into it because my other businesses a health coach. I used to be 400 pounds. I stopped playing basketball on Yeah, no lie.

 

Russ Harlow  24:48

Yeah, was it just because you stopped working out? You were I was working in

 

Dana Dowdell  24:52

professional partier. Yeah,

 

Ashon Avent  24:53

professional cardio. Yeah. So, I would give bottles of liquor every single weekend for free like and we would drink and it was on camera like it really Have you played on my life played out on camera a lot? A little bit. And plus I worked in a call center too. So, I'm just sitting down and Verizon is coming down with cakes and donuts I said it was a party place right and then they got the got a freaking like, fried dough truck outside. You know, go everyone gets a fried dough. Like you had like two coupons to get to Fried doughs those like who's not going to do that? Right? Did you get deliveries coming? Hey, I'm ordering pizza. Okay, cool. Pizza wings, grinders. And now you know, and I'm just sitting here all day, not exercising, I'm working the worst hours in the world, I think three to 11:30 or six to 230. So sometimes when I'm done party and I gotta go in a parking lot, and I'll take a nap. I'll get there on 3:30 in the morning. We go okay, it's fine. There. Anytime you go to work, you know, dargo myself, I'll wash myself up. You know, I probably got a hangover from party. And so sometimes I'm on the phone talking to a customer I'll push to mute. Literally, yeah, you know, and I got like, to kill it coming out my pores. And my supervisors looking at me last night. Yeah, still do my job go. Never miss a day of called out because of that Russ? Never. I'm not missing my bonus, you know,

 

Russ Harlow  26:09

you know, rookie, you know, amateur?

 

Ashon Avent  26:11

No, not at all. So, yeah. So, you know, the point was that, you know, you got to do what you got to do to do what you got to do, you know, it's kind of attitude that develop,

 

Dana Dowdell  26:20

what is your first year in business look like as like a, you know, as a true established business.

 

Ashon Avent  26:29

As good. The first year of business, it was a little rough, because I had to kind of find my niche kind of find my way, I didn't know what I was good at, and just not wanting to do business, right, and you just want to do it. And at first, it was a little rough. You know, I didn't really know what I had really, I didn't really know that I was an international player. Like I got to manufacturing plants overseas, that we do a lot of business way. I didn't realize people don't do that. I'm just thinking that's common. Everyone does that. No, we don't do that. And sort of first year was a little, little rough because term times and, and, and, and getting through customs, I had to learn some very hard lessons, you know, that, you know, I say two weeks, probably should be more like two and a half weeks, you know, so learn how to nail that down and get a real firm handle on the just in time. Inventory concept was really tough. The struggle full of it, you know, till I figured it out. You know what, it's gonna take 30 days to get it to you. If you don't plan for 30 days. It's not my problem. You know, it's not my fault. So, I had to kind of learn to say, put my foot down. You know, so yeah, I don't think I can do it. And not say yes. So that was the hardest part is not to say yes all the time and be like, No, I can't do it.

 

Russ Harlow  27:38

Well, it goes with under promise and over deliver. Right, say 30 days you come in and two and a half year a hero. Yeah. Right. But if it goes the full 30 You still met your deadline? Yeah,

 

Dana Dowdell  27:47

I think that's a common problem, though. Where we become when we're in business, we want to be asked people we want to serve. And with serving we communicate unrealistic expectations, because we want a Yes, 

 

Ashon Avent  28:02

That's part of my elevator pitch where you actually when I do I make shit happen. I do. Like, that's how I feel like I'll make it happen. And what that when I say I make it happen, I take on that type of unknown arrogance, I guess, you know, so yeah, I can make happen. Sure. Even if I couldn't probably go home and sweat and probably throw up. And you know, my palms would be all greasy later on, because I just said, Yes, this huge deal. And I don't even know if I can fulfill it. But, you know, I tried to get away from that part, you know, early on. But you know, part of that is I make things happen. And when people when you say that, that people become a treat. You know, I think

 

Russ Harlow  28:37

what's interesting is, I mean, you have to win the job. Yeah. And then sometimes you got to figure out how to do it. That's true. Yeah. I mean, that's because if you figured it out, somebody else already sold as true. You already lost. Yeah. So, I mean, you got to believe in yourself. Yes. Sell the job. Figure out how to do it later. Make it happen. Yes.

 

Ashon Avent  28:54

There you go. Yeah. And this is self belief part that I really, like, you know, I know, it sounds crazy. But you know, do to the many jobs that I've had, I feel like I can almost do anything. I probably should have been an engineer, because I've figured the way things out how they work sometimes, you know, like, I'm watching the podcast. Oh, that's pretty cool. Like, I'll probably go home and watch like multiple podcasts on how to do one. And I'll probably end up doing a podcast one day, right? Just because I thought it was cool. And we're talking I'm like, well, wait a minute. I used to do this all the time. But I think it's fun, though. You know, so it's just kind of, in my mind is how my mind works. You know, I feel like I do anything, right, that I really put my mind and dedicate to and really, you know, be disciplined about it?

 

Russ Harlow  29:30

How much do you have to rein in that kind of spirit? Because if you try to do too much, then you don't do anything.

 

Ashon Avent  29:37

It's just true. Yes. So, I didn't want to be a jack of all trades. I learned that like a while ago, like you're trying to do everything like you're trying to make a million dollars and that's all I would think about is money, money, money, money. Well, how can I do this, do this do this and then I realized as I became a health coach, and I became a trainer because I lost weight. I lost 20 pounds with no surgery and people started gravitating to as me, and I might, well, I got to bring this in what am I really good at? And I think it was a part of the self discovery part where I started to listen to myself, What are you really good at? Well, you're really good at coaching people teaching people, you know, and working with them and building them up. That's a skill that you have. Then the other part is execution. Like, how do you execute on what you have. And that's how I learned to become a little bit more better at the execution part, you know, and deliver when I say I could, so that's how I kind of arranged and then I kind of narrowed it down, you know, and that's how I really got into the parallel me got much better at it. From that and those learning mishaps and I try to stay away from the get rich type of schemes and you know, being involved with everybody and kind of slowing it down and reining in it.

 

Russ Harlow  30:41

People that want to get into business kind of get caught up in those sometimes. Quick, you know, the, there's a Ivan Meisner, he's at a BNI he says that he says, you know, the secret to success without hard work is still a secret. Like, there's just no shortcuts. You know, oh, look how look how much he has, yeah. 20 years built in here.

 

Dana Dowdell  31:02

Also, I think being a business owner or being entrepreneur right now is a little bit trendy. Yeah. Like there's like a mystique around it. And it's I get students all the time. They're like, I want to be a business owner. You want to be a business owner. Why do you want to be a business owner? Because I wonder so because I want to do what I want to do. And I'm like, okay, but you're gonna be working your balls off.

 

Ashon Avent  31:21

We're more now than I've ever worked. Yeah.

 

Dana Dowdell  31:23

I know. You say you don't work. You know, you worked holidays when you work for somebody else. We still work holidays. Yeah, it

 

Russ Harlow  31:29

was pumping out a basement over Christmas.

 

Ashon Avent  31:31

Yeah, I worked yesterday. I worked a full day yesterday. Like I didn't leave the office till seven o'clock yesterday. Literally, my nephew's came down. And he wanted to make some T shirts. And I'm like, oh, geez, man. And you know, I ended up leaving at seven o'clock yesterday on a New Year's like, I don't even get any. Like, there's a traditional thing and like black communities like you have to have black eye peas, collard greens and cornbread. Oh, you don't have good luck. Don't even get any that yesterday, but I don't believe in luck. Oh.

 

Dana Dowdell  32:02

Yeah. I feel like all I feel is all the ways that you make money or it's built out of passion, like all your you know, all your different revenue streams are built out of passions that you have. Do you have any passions? And that you don't make money off of? Yeah,

 

Ashon Avent  32:19

of course. Yes. And that's where I level up Leadership Academy kind of comes in, you know, where I just want to help people grow. You know, I don't really coach people for money. Like, I'm not like a certified coach online, like, hey, come see me. I'll show you how to grow your life and things like that. I just kind of, I feel a vibe. And if I like you and want, you know, let me take you under the wing. You know, and that's kind of how I got to one of my business partners. Now the guy rich, you know, I liked his heart. You know, he has something I was like, Come on, man. You know, he's new. He's green. I'm grilling them. You know, when I first meet people, sometimes not really always friendly. No, he's not. Yeah, he's already got a straight face. Because I'm reading you, right? Am I am I opening up or I'm not just a 32nd conversation with 30 minutes, I need to know. So, I'm kind of quiet sometimes, you know, even though I'm talkative, but when I want to be a well, and if I like it, then I take people under the wing, and let's talk, let's build something, let's go for it. So there are a lot, a lot of volunteer a lot, I give a lot of my time. You know, I don't put it on Facebook, I don't need to take pictures on Instagram and say, Hey, I'm doing this for doing that. I mean, it's good for publicity, but I don't do that probably helped more people than I probably can never account, you know, doing things without asking for anything in return.

 

Russ Harlow  33:25

How important is that to you just in your own life? I mean, I've got to think that that helps fill your cup. And does

 

Ashon Avent  33:31

it doesn't mean because I come from a land of, you know, not a lot of people reach out, why not say yes to somebody and help them out? You know? Like, why not be the person that says yes, to do that. I try not to say over commit myself and over extended. But if I can say yes. And it's within my realm of scope, I mean, Roma services, or in my wheelhouse is they will say, Yeah, I'm gonna say yes, yeah, let's do it. You take one step, I'll take 10. But if you don't take one, I'm gonna take it anything. I'm not gonna do it for you. And then sometimes, you know, I'll teach you how to do it. I'll teach you what to do. But you got to pay for the house. I'll tell you what to do. You got to pay for the house, though. Because if we're going to require some time, yeah, you got to pay for that. You know, that's what my coach tells me. I'll tell you to what you got paid for how

 

Russ Harlow  34:19

I like it. Yeah.

 

Dana Dowdell  34:22

What do you have coming in? 2021?

 

Ashon Avent  34:26

That's a good question. What's on your vision board and the vision board? Yeah. So, the vision board is really to grow, you know, the business and via full scale manufacturing, you know, opportunity here where it's this thing called Cut and Sew where you can make anything custom right on the spot. Right? We don't have one in Connecticut. And I want to be the first person in Connecticut to be able to have that, you know, where we can make the custom products and bring basically my overseas factory right here in the US. So right now we're working on getting the visa set up and what type of visas we need to have for about, you know, I worked about four or five workers to come here and then working on you know, with other partners along the way, like NCDC and see what we can do to get this manufacturing thing, make it real. And really bring it here and to the area. So that's part of the vision is to get that really here. So I don't have to deal with customers or if the president decides we're not important anything. I'm not stuck because they hit me hard that China thing hit me hard. Actually, I'm just a small person. But the China thing hit me hard. Because their uniforms that come from China is like a machine. No, literally, they're like a machine. Oh, yeah, like, and when I say I want something done, it's done. And it's there on time. And it's professionally and it's quality. And there's one time this shipment came in, and they asked me for tariffs, I had to pay a tariff tax because it was valued over a certain amount. And DHL wouldn't release it until I pay several $100. And these kids have a game the next day, and DHL was holding it. So, we got to pay several $100 guess what I had to eat the cost to make sure that those kids had when I said I was gonna have for them. And I hit me, I was like, wow, I guess I am like, this is a tinnitus for real here. You know, it's not a game, you know? And that's when I kind of realized like, Ah, I gotta pay attention what's going on in the world? Because it affects me. So I've How can I do that and avoid that? Need to get it here? So that's part of it. It's easy to

 

Russ Harlow  36:13

overlook. You're operating locally, you're selling locally, but yeah, you're ordering something so far? Right?

 

Ashon Avent  36:18

Yeah, absolutely. Yeah. Then we have our in house. Right. So, some things we do in house, you know, for people like Dana like you, we could do that? Yes. Do it. Yeah. Right. And then. So that's part of growing that part, you know, is building and building up the employee team, but then also increasing their online presence, you know, with the brand, you know, I came up with some really cool stuff. Like legends don't sleep, they hustle. Right. And that's kind of one of the slogans that I got, you know, that I didn't release yet. And then there's a new one is called Beat. Okay. So, most people will see that it's like almost black. What's really nice. It's like Be Legendary and knowledgeable. Nice. So that's our new line that's coming out. So, you're the first person to hit breaking news, breaking news. Yeah, absolutely. Well, by the time this comes out, it'll probably sold at least 100 T shirts, at least. So with that, so that's new for 2021.

 

Dana Dowdell  37:07

I wanted to ask, I feel like you have done a very good job. Surrounding yourself with people who are incredibly talented. Yes. And you know, picking your team within, you know, CGD. And what do you where do you find people? What do you look for?

 

Ashon Avent  37:24

That's gonna question. Some of it is organic. You know, even Heather when I first met Heather, I don't think I said one word to her. You know, she comes in with blue hair, green hair on my sheet. And the way I know and that's okay, I'm gonna talk about it. Because, you know, we've, we've constantly what our story. And so, Jason Vinson says, Yeah, I got somebody who does logos and graphic design. I'm like, Who? Right? And so here comes Heather. Will blue here. Green here the term like? All right, cool. All right. Are you guys talk to her, I'm busy. In my moment, I'm gonna I got a lot of thing. I got to put out some fires someone's deliveries, and I hear like, I'm up against a deadline. I don't have time to talk to her. If you if you think she's okay, then I think she's okay. Right. So, I was hi, how are you? And then I kind of tipped off, and then they came back. So, I was like, Oh, guys, what do you think? Because I want to give him power and trust into the people that are with me, like, you have to empower them. If you need a leader all the time. And that I don't want people to, like, look up to me and serve me, I want to serve with you, like I'm on the ground level with you. And if you don't know how to serve with anybody, then you're never going to be a good leader. You know, leadership is one of the things that I understand very well. And I used to be a gang leader too. Like, I didn't tell you that, you know, but so what, so I understand leadership very clearly. But as I matured in my life, you know, I realized that leadership is done a different way. So, they said, Oh, we like her. So, then I said, Alright, then let me ask her a few questions. And then at that point, I was like, Oh, she's good. Just good. And she didn't think I liked her at first. But as a way you got to feel.

 

Dana Dowdell  38:55

I don't think I thought you liked me at first, either. Yes. Trudeau Ross.

 

Ashon Avent  38:59

Russ, a little different. When I saw Russ on the video, when he said the hustle muscle, I was like, Oh, that's my type of guy. Right? Yeah, you know what I mean? Like, automatically, I felt his energy, you know, from what he opened up to. So, you know, with that, I think I look for people who have that work ethic. If you don't have the work ethic, then we can't Hank, really, you can't put in half two hours of work, didn't expect a big return. Like I'll put in a lot of results. A lot of hours and I know respect to big return. Eventually I feel like it'll pay off. So, if you don't have that type of work ethic, then I think you really can't hang really, you know, and I can't You can't be on the same team with me because then I'm questioning you how you work in and that's a problem. Like, you know, like I told you rushing not gonna outwork me and it's not a competition thing. But if you're not putting in the hours, they say how many hours does it take for you to become a professional to you know, know, all of them zillion you know, it's 10,000 hours in order for you to master something. Kobe Bryant talks about this. It takes 10,000 hours in order for you to become a professional. So, if you're not putting 10,000 hours into something then you're not really going to be a professional either. It takes time. It doesn't come overnight, you got to learn. But if you don't put any work in it, so those are the type of things I look for. And if I don't if I don't see those immediately, there's no way in the world we're gonna work together.

 

Russ Harlow  40:11

You need to be willing to learn. Yes, you need to have that hustle muscle. You need to be attacking it. Yeah. You

 

Dana Dowdell  40:18

open to feedback open.

 

Ashon Avent  40:20

Absolutely, absolutely. Like that 

 

Dana Dowdell  40:21

self-reflective component. Absolutely essential.

 

Ashon Avent  40:24

That's yeah. It's true, though. Like a lot of people have the inability to self assess. Yeah, they think there's doesn't state Yeah, absolutely. And that's why I kind of regroup. You know, I'm basketball player. So I'm coachable. You told me. It's not working. Are you? Right? Hold on. Let me go back to the drawing board. Right. And some of it too, is I kind of do a personality assessment on people. I asked him a lot of questions. I asked a lot of questions. What do you like to do? We do for fun. We like to eat? What should we, you know, X i X, I peel back the layers? Because once we get past this, I peel back the layers. Who are you really besides the advanced clean? Who's Ross? Really? That's what I want to know, type of characters.

 

Dana Dowdell  41:01

Do you really want to know? Yeah,

 

Ashon Avent  41:03

I don't know. Maybe? He's kind of scary. Yeah. Oh,

 

Russ Harlow  41:12

dear, what I think there's a lot to take out of your story for people who are wanting to get into business. One, it's not trendy to be an entrepreneur. It's hard. You have such a passion for what you do. I mean, my whatever your why is. Why where's your passion? Why are you doing what you're doing? There's a lot that goes into it. And it's lifelong learning. There's a, you know,

 

Ashon Avent  41:41

no luck. No, hustle.

 

Russ Harlow  41:42

No, you make your own

 

Dana Dowdell  41:44

luck. Yep. Your current state is not your forever state. It's true.

 

Russ Harlow  41:47

You know, sweat equity. Yeah, sweat equity. We call them business. If you don't have the capital, put it into it, then you just got to put the work in. Yeah. That's it. I mean, and that's what people have to. I think there's a lot of inspiration there to take out of your story because it can be done and it wasn't easy. Oh, no, you have a master's degree. You worked a ton of different jobs. You learned a lot of different things.

 

Ashon Avent  42:08

That's only half the jobs. I didn't tell you when I was in college, I did seven internships. Okay, no lie.

 

Russ Harlow  42:16

This guy, I'm gonna tell

 

Ashon Avent  42:17

you, I'll tell you really quickly. I worked for Eversource, which is Eversource. Now, I worked in the wholesale marketing and trading department. So, I worked on it with a shared energy and a treated I work for the Town of Salem and Economic Development Commission. So here I am. Well, my nice chocolate self and Salem, Connecticut, going around a different businesses, right. Let's think about this. From the inner city still like and I'm going to Salem asking people to go in their business like, hey, what's going on? I wrote stories on a lot of businesses there. Then I work for travelers. Then I work for the City of Hartford. I worked in a graveyard, I worked for the library, a City, Hartford, and I worked in a mall doing surveys. So, I used to have a clipboard, right? And you asked me what the emotional intelligence comes from. So the survey was say I'm looking for a mom, that's from the ages of 21 to 35. So here, I am scared. I'm in the middle of the mall of Buckland Hills Mall, watching people watching for moms are watching for people, you know, whatever the criteria was for the survey, so I used to approach them. At first. Hey, would you like to take a survey? Now? I don't have time. I'm busy. Saturday morning. All right. Let me change the approach. Excuse me. Would you be interested in giving your opinion today? Yeah, sure. Yeah, I'll get you get paid for your opinion today. Oh, really? Sure. Come follow me. And I was in his little back room and it dark in the back. And they started to follow me. So, you got I think I'm six to like automatic trust. It was, you know, going into the backswing. And then some people will start, hey, where are we going? Oh, sorry. Hold on one second. There's a sign here that says, you know, this is what we have. So, with that, I learned how to read people very easily. You know, I won't say that. I read people all the time. Because then you know, it's not good, because then you cast judgment on people. So just certain qualities I've tried to read.

 

Russ Harlow  43:56

Let, there are definitely barriers. Yeah, I mean, you're a big guy. You could be scary. It's true. You're dealing with a lot of folks. I mean, let's just deal with the reality. Right. That's the elephant in the room. Yeah. You know, you overcame those challenges, like people use those excuses. Oh, I can't go to Salem. Yeah, you know, I'm just, uh, you know, six to black there. Ain't nobody gonna listen to yours. Trudeau only know what No, yeah, I can do it. And here's why. So, there's a lot of people making excuses. And I just don't have time for that. Yeah. Right. Tell me about how you overcome some of those barriers. I mean, other than just being you and gregarious, you know, you know, knowing how to talk to people how to read people, there's got to be something else there.

 

Ashon Avent  44:42

Yes, true. Ross. That's a that's a good point. Um, I think when I fit when people say they can't do it, I think that's when something kicks in to me. Like how are we here? We can do it. You know, we mean you can't do it like this. It has to be a way you can do it. And some of it I guess, is you call intestinal fortitude. You know, just growing Not in places where you just don't think you're gonna make it, you know, where you're not afraid like

 

Ashon Avent  45:11

I probably could have lost my life, at least 10 times Russ, I've been shot at, I've been stabbed, right. And there's opportunities where, you know, I've been beat up by a whole group of people just by being on the wrong side of town. And I'm not proud of it. But I think that kind of builds you up to say, you know, if I could go to that and make it, then I can almost do anything. You know, and it's touchy, because, you know, it's like, you don't really realize what you've been through until you take a step back, like, wow, I, you know, I've been through some stuff, you know, and I didn't make an excuse from it, you still gotta find a way to function, you still got to find a way to do it. I got kids looking up to me, right, I coach basketball for a long period of time. And, you know, I got other young men that I take under my wing, they're watching me, I went through this, it's no excuses, you got to do it. Even if you're afraid you still got to do it. You know, and I think that's part of my motto for this year is having the uncomfortable conversation. Even if it makes your lip quiver? Well, even if it makes your stomach hurt, I'm starting to get to that point, you know, where it's okay. You know, and not be afraid. So, you're right. You know, there are things that I realized I recognize that but I don't shrink down like, Okay, I'm six, two, and I'm coming into a room and I'm not going to shrink down, but I know how to approach things, you know, this might not be the time to be super aggressive, this might be a time to just listen, and wait for your opportunity. Or you have to know when to take your opportunity. Hey, how are you? My name is Ashon, you know, and so forth and so on. So, they know some of it is just knowing when to just speak and when not to speak, you know, and kind of wait and sometimes and then sometimes you just got to show up to though that's half the battle. I think you just got to show up, no doubt, you know, and be there. You know, you got to be there. You know, like today, like it's raining. I want to get up this morning, I have a thing to do. Hey, you know what, I'm gonna be here, you know, because I told him I was gonna be used. I'm here. Right. And I think that's part of it. Ross, if you asked me what it was, it's just showing up, even when you're uncomfortable.

 

Russ Harlow  47:13

So, being self aware, I mean, that whole idea, and then that which doesn't kill us makes us stronger? Absolutely. You have to? You have to take that though. You have to make it make you stronger. Yes. So, people could get swallowed up by the drive. Yep. And they are not going to use that to get better and level up or make an excuse. Yes. And so you got to find a way to turn that around may help you level up. Yep. make you stronger. Be self aware. Know yourself. Know yourself. If you've got a weakness, find somebody that can help you either guard off that weakness or help you strengthen that area. Your lie? Yes, it's true to figure it out.

 

Ashon Avent  47:45

Yeah, another place, you know, you know, I kind of talked about the four Ps of business, right? And you're right, some of us have weaknesses. So got weakness. So, I surround myself with people who have better weaknesses than me. Right? Like they're better at their weaknesses than I am, you know, so, you know, and I talked about this last time on someone else's show, I said, the four P's of business, you need somebody to push you, right? You need somebody to pull you. It needs somebody to prepare you a mentor, a guru, right? And then you need somebody you need people to promote you to say Ross and Dana, the best people ever. If they can't do it, Ross can do it can't be done. And you know, you got to find you got to believe in people. Right? And people gotta believe in you. And as you know, and then you got people that pull you say, Dana, you know, you're way out there with these ideas. You know, there's no anywhere we can do a podcast. Right? And then Russ says, Hey, let's go. Let's make happen, right? And so those are the four Ps you need those people in your life. So, when you surround yourself with those people, they make you feel like you can do almost anything, because they keep you equally balanced. You don't go too far you don't go to life, you kind of stay suddenly grounded. And that's kind of how I kind of find that balance. You know,

 

Russ Harlow  48:49

sometimes where the well almost all the time where the some of the people we surround ourselves and it's true.

 

Ashon Avent  48:53

No and they say your net worth is your network.

 

Dana Dowdell  48:58

Oh,

 

Russ Harlow  49:00

I like that. That's a t shirt. Yeah, yeah.

 

Ashon Avent  49:07

Oh, hang around your merch. It's all about the merch, though. I'm learning that

 

Dana Dowdell  49:12

I'm speaking of Merch. Where can people find you and connect with you?

 

Ashon Avent  49:17

Yeah, Main Avent. MAINAVENT main event on Instagram or Main Avent sports on Instagram, or Facebook or Ashan event? or our website, www.main aventgroup.com.

 

Dana Dowdell  49:34

You've been fantastic. Thank you so much for chatting with us today. And I feel like we could probably have a 13 hour podcast. Just talking to you.

 

Ashon Avent  49:44

Yeah, absolutely. You know what, we got to do a part two, I think because I think we were I think we ran over time. We can do that. I mean, so we want to keep talking. We keep talking and then we just keep going. We just make it two parts if you want. It's up to you.

 

Russ Harlow  49:54

So, I hope I earned the right to call you chewy today. Absolutely right. I want to thank you for being with no problem. I want to thank everybody out there who was listening. If you are looking into business and you are looking for a passion, and you need some inspiration, I think you can find it today. And if you don't then you might know somebody who can be inspired by chewy story. And if you do, I want you to go out I want you to like it. Find us on all the spots in it's just business podcast, and like us, share, subscribe, leave us a review. And remember, it's just business.