Solo /Business / Feb 27, 2026 · 42 min
Saleem Mustafa
Show notes
Saleem is our #1 Agent from 2025 and he has raised the standards in our organization by breaking every single record in Arias Organization’s Agent categories.
Transcript
Count money, man.
Money, man.
Stacked riches.
I'm trying to told him I'm a beast.
I was up game.
Welcome back to another episode of The Grindcast.
Get ready.
It's a new day.
We got a special guest in the house.
For you all, we have Selene.
I call it Selene.
The dream.
Mustafa in the house.
Selene has been in the business now for about two years.
Started out January, 2024.
He holds all-time, areas, records in pretty much every agent category.
Most amount of production in a week, a month, a year, January, broke the all-time record
in a week, 57,000 in sales, and one week, January, most amount of sales in a month, over
$157,000 in ALP in a month in January, and then annually.
Last year, $517,000 in production, breaking our all-time record for the most amount of
production in one calendar year.
I knew he was going to be special.
We were talking a little bit offline on how I first got introduced and met Selene.
He was working at this place called the Lake Club, which is this place that I joined
outside of my hometown, a youngstown Ohio.
They got a beautiful pool, a couple of different pools and restaurants and a place to smoke cigars,
great golf course right on the lake.
It's nice.
I remember meeting Selene, and I knew after watching him, just something was different, something
was special about him.
We started to interact, and I remember giving him some books that I think he could read
while he was in school and giving him my card and thinking and hoping.
I hope one day this comes full circle because I knew that you would be good.
I thought you would be good at what we did, but you were in school and I didn't want to
over push you and I would see you there.
The rest is history.
He could tell you how he ended up actually coming into the business and what happened from
there.
I think maybe Selene, if you could open up and give some of our listeners and people
around the organization, a little bit of a snapshot of who you are, where your family's
from, where you're from, you're upbringing a little bit and then how you ended up coming
into the organization.
All right, appreciate you coach.
Appreciate you having me.
It's the blessing to be on here.
Say too proud of you.
Appreciate it.
Just again, it started.
So, yeah, so I'll tell them a little bit about me.
So I came into the business guys about two years ago.
So I grew up actually an actor in Ohio.
Both my family, both my parents are from the Middle East.
They came here for school because obviously the land opportunities of the United States for
anyone else that's come from anywhere else.
Because we have the most opportunities and most blessings here and freedom.
And my parents came here.
So I grew up in Akron, Ohio.
After school, I went to college at Kent State University.
I grew up with a big family.
I have three siblings, a lot of cousins, a lot of siblings, a lot of everything.
And you know, the way I was raised, it was family first.
Family is everything to me.
And it was just that's the culture.
Our culture was very, very strict, very tight knit and it was a blessing, honestly.
And that was probably one of the hardest things making that transition.
But so I was going to school, went to Kent State.
I was studying finance to become a financial advisor.
And I went there for two years and my father actually used to drop the Pittsburgh for work.
So he used to drive two hours there and two hours back every single day.
You know, just to make sure bills are paid.
Think about that work ethic.
Crazy, crazy.
That's where I get it from.
You know, and that's the thing too.
When you're growing up, you know, why is he so strict?
Why is he so hard on me?
Why is he holding me to a high standard?
You know, but I'm forever blessed and loyal and grateful.
I love him for doing what they did, raising us the way they did.
You know, because that's where I got my work ethic from.
Hands down, both my parents, you know, both, both hustlers, both put in the work,
sacrifice everything for us.
And that's obviously, you know, just, I feel like that's just, it's not just a part of my nature, you know, just in the blood, I guess.
But yes, I was in Kent State and then my family actually moved to a young town area
because I had family out there, relative to a couple of cousins.
And it was halfway, it was kind of like halfway between Kent and Pittsburgh.
So we moved to, moved to a young town.
I ended up transferring to a young town state university to finish up school and was the plan.
You know, I was looking for a job.
First place that took me was at Country Club, Lake Club.
First place got back to me and my, oh, yeah, Sam, yeah, I'm ready to start tomorrow.
You know, and obviously that's how I met you, Sam.
And I was there just networking, you know, just trying to pay bills, make money just to get by.
And I realized everyone there was very, very successful.
It's not easy just to be a member there.
And so, you know, really the first time I served you, I remember it's crazy looking back at it.
You know, I never really thought much of it.
I'm just there just to work clocking in, clocking out, you know, day by day.
You know, I was just in a normal job just getting by, just paying bills.
And what can really brought me, you caught my eye.
Was first time I served you, you were with this young kid, you know, never thought anything over.
Two years later, you came back with the same kid, but I like the kid was a grown man now, right?
And like completely changed full circle.
And I was like, holy crap, it's the same guy.
You know, he's got to custom suit now.
He's mature.
You were mentoring him at the time, you know, little did I know.
And that's when I started asking questions.
What do you guys do?
How do you do it?
How long have you been doing it?
You know, trying to get some gain.
You know, because I've always known I wanted to be successful.
I just had no idea when, where, how I had no idea what was going to happen.
Right. I feel like that's a lot of people, you know, especially at a younger age coming out of high school,
going into college, even in college, you know, they make you pick a major.
It's hard to like just decide what you want to do the rest of your life.
Right.
Not really thinking too much of it.
Never experienced any of it.
And but long story short, I start following you guys on Instagram, people in the business,
you know, come on, it's following them for another two, three years.
You know, the first time I met you, I have your, you gave me a business card for the grind cast.
So it's completely, you can't full circle now.
So to be on here, you know, shoot with you.
I mean, this is the same privilege and honor.
And I don't take it for granted, you know, I remember even when I was in school,
you gave me the card, it wasn't in the business.
I was still watching the grind cast on my way to school and the way back.
You know, at night, just pouring into myself.
You gave me a bunch of books to read.
You know, you told me you were asking, what are you doing on the school?
You're like, all right, awesome.
Just grind through it, get it done.
Here's some books along the way, help me in business.
My mind set developed me.
And that's what I did.
I mean, I read the books.
I bought the books.
You gave me because at the time, I mean, you're very successful.
And a lot of people look up to you and then, you know, I was known like,
if he's going to tell me to do something and I would trade places with him,
I should probably just do it.
You know, I didn't ask many questions.
But I remember I ordered those books, read them,
was the plan was to finish up school.
And then I was actually going to, I was committed in my head and my gut.
Just tell me, someone's telling me to do it.
Just do it.
Just give it a shot, right?
Because I'm following all the people in the business around my age.
They're living the lifestyle I want to live.
They're making the money I want to make.
And I used to always sit there.
I always kept it to myself, but I would just be watching, watching on the outside.
You know, then I remember, you know, I actually filled one of my finals for school
to graduate.
I'm one class away from graduating.
I ended up dropping out three credits away from getting my finance degree.
And to my family, like, that's a big deal.
You know, both my parents came here for education for school.
You know, that was a dream life.
You know, get a nine to five, get a degree weekends off to your 65, 70, like you've made
it.
You know, so that was, it was hard, you know, having that conversation with them.
I had to build with you.
Oh man.
We're not even going to get into the details.
You know, but it was, it was a hard conversation.
And at the time, you know, it was uncomfortable.
But it was probably the best thing I've ever done.
You know, it's having to sit them down, having that conversation, just letting them
know, like, listen, these are the pros, you know, the cons.
I've been thinking about it for years.
I've broken it down.
I got notes on the pros, cons.
I've done my research.
I'm sitting here like they could do it.
Like, I know I'm going to figure it out.
You know, and in the beginning, you know, it was tough for them to hear that.
But, you know, two years later, they're proud of me.
And, you know, happy, you know, that I did take that risk.
And that was one thing I feel like a lot of people struggle with is just like, just
why it seems too good to be true.
You know, I think the same thing.
I said, look on the outside of me.
There's no way.
Like this sums of fishy is no way these people are, these kids are making this type
of money.
You know, but then you, you know, I went to the office and I'm meeting the people.
I'm all great people.
And I'm seeing the type of their character, their principles, like what they're preaching,
holding each other to a standard.
And that's what I was attracted to.
I was like, this culture is amazing.
Like, there's nowhere else better to work.
And that's just because like the environment, like, that's what I fell in love with really
was just the culture.
Just people just pushing each other to be better all around mentally, physically, spiritually.
And then on the way, on the journey of becoming the man a woman, you know, God blesses you
with the money.
Right.
And all the team is all the time.
It's like imagine if, when I first started not getting into all my past, but just, no,
I wasn't, you know, doing the right things.
It wasn't studying the right things.
I was wasting a lot of time hanging with the wrong people.
And I wasted a lot of time, you know, and when I looked back at it, you know, everything
happens for a reason.
You know, I'm always saying, like, what if I joined seven years ago, eight years ago?
You know, by, you know, the thing that's God's plan, everything's already written.
And it's, I'm super blessed because if you look at just the transformation, just the journey,
and itself, like the man not become on the way so far, the wisdom of gained, you know,
the leadership attributes of gained, you know, it's, it's not, it's not.
Tell me this.
So what, what ways do you think you've been impacted outside of money, you know, the money
that you've made?
What, how do you think you've grown or been helped, you know, maybe in this business different
than if you would have went and worked at the bank as a financial advisor?
You know, what do you think the differences are and how have you been impacted outside of
the amount of money that you've made?
Yeah, that's a good question.
So, I mean, I can say it all day and give you a whole list of things, but I think it all
came down to just the development, right?
Like, when I was, before this business, I've never developed myself, you know, like I've
never, like, put, like really what people don't realize is like, it's, it's not how it's
who, right?
And I think that's so powerful because when you look at all the successful people in any
business, not just our industry, but I tell my people, this, my team, my family, this
whole time, it's, it's who, right?
So what I mean by that is the way I've been impacted that relates to everything else,
it's, it's the foundation of just pouring the wisdom in yourself, like mentally, I'm
way, mentally stronger than I was back in the day because I've been intentional about it.
Physically, I've been challenging myself physically, getting myself in the gym, eating good,
sleeping good, you know, focusing on things that I never worried about back then, you know,
back then I'd sleep 2 a.m., 3 a.m., wake up 12 11, whatever I wake up, no alarm, no schedule,
just kind of going through the motions, you know, then the days, like there's no intention
behind my days.
And I think really that the development of myself mentally, physically and spiritually, that
relates and like the internal developments will bring all the external results, right?
I tell them on everyone that's my family, my friends, it's the sacrifices it takes to
be successful at the highest level, right?
Whether you're in the music industry, whether you're in a car or a dealer, whether you're
in financial services.
Well, speaking of sacrifices, what sacrifices, you know, first of all, how much money did
you make your first full calendar year?
My first year in this business, I made 135,000 in income with no sales experience, no
nothing.
I didn't even know what life insurance was which is insane to think about.
Awesome.
Yeah.
I think that's the second year.
Second year, I made 550,000 in income, over half a million dollars.
And what sacrifices would you say that you've had to make, you know, to smash it, you
know, your first year and even more, take a big jump in that second year?
Yeah.
I think sacrifice is one of my favorite words.
And like I tell everybody the sacrifices you make, you know, it's all temporary, right?
So for me, like the type of sacrifices, I'm very competitive and I hate to lose.
And I'm on a mission, like I'm here, I'm trying to retire my mother.
I have a lot of siblings that I want to be able to take care of.
I want to be able to provide for my future family, my wife, my future kids, right?
So the sacrifice that I have to make, I mean, anything you could think of that didn't have
to do with getting me to where I want to go in the business, I sacrifice.
So that includes old circles, family, friends, relatives, I used to see every other day.
You know, I had to cut them off.
You know, it wasn't anything against them, right?
But it's more about like, I don't want to say selfish, but it's on the way up.
I mean, you got to, it's like you're trying to climb a mountain with like three, three people
on your back, right?
It's like I needed to like elevate, separate myself just to get up there and then it's
going to be a lot easier now once I'm here to throw a rope down and get them all up, right?
So and I understood that and it wasn't easy because I didn't want to give up my life
in the beginning and that helped me back.
You know, and then I understood that I can't have both lots, right?
If I want my new life, this is really my dream, my vision, I got to give up my old life,
right?
So whether that's going out, whether that's hanging out with girls, whether that's playing
video games, whether that was doing all those things I shouldn't have been doing, you
know, at the time I sacrificed, even time with family, you know, like now I barely see
my family as much as I want to, but I know it's temporary.
I'm doing, I'm paying the price now so I can play later, right?
And I think that's where a lot of people struggle is like just zooming out and looking
long term and every day is not promised.
You know, you want to enjoy it a little bit, you know, the future of labor and the work
and the people around you, but that's why people ask me all the time.
It's like why do you work seven days a week?
That's how I get to work seven days a week.
I make my own schedule.
I choose to work seven days a week, right?
My family ain't going to be here forever.
So every day like it's a, it's a purpose.
So I sacrifice anything you could think of, like literally anything.
My best friends haven't hung out with them in a long time.
My cousins I used to be with all time family friends and it's, I love them all, you know
me, but I tell them, listen, like I want to, I'm going to chase my dreams.
I love you guys.
I ain't non-personal.
I'm not handing you up to hang out to go get food or go to a concert or to go this to
go there.
You know, I sacrifice everything.
Even my family, my birthdays, weddings, funerals, like things I wanted to go to, but I
knew if I wanted to be number one, if I wanted to produce, if I want to lead
at the highest level, this is a price I got to pay.
I got to sacrifice more than everybody else, you know.
What would you say or, you know, some of the traits of the people that you've seen
now after being in the business over 24 months, people that are successful, you know, in the
business.
What traits are those people?
Would you say stand out?
So people that are successful in the business, this is actually an awesome question because
this is what I paid attention to when I first started, right?
So I would look up, there's people I always looked up to, you know, in the business, whether
that's production, leadership, everything.
And I would try to like pay attention to the traits or character of the principles,
where they walk, the confidence, right?
So if I had to narrow it down to give people some advice, like, really, I would say the
first thing was being coachable, right?
I think the most successful people...
people in the business, the best leaders are always the best followers.
And there's never any questions the coach tells you do this.
This is the play call.
There's no questions.
Why is this that it's executed done?
Right.
So being coachable, work ethic, I think work ethic is something that people
don't understand that could like hard work works.
You know, and this is something I think people always try to work smart,
but not hard, you know, or vice versa.
They try to work smart before they can they put into equity,
the sweat equity that's required.
And I think work ethic is huge.
You need to have a great work ethic.
And that's a price you just got to be willing to pay.
You have to be coachable, right?
To your coach because obviously they want the best for you.
So they're never going to tell you something that's not going to help you without
asking questions, talking back, just execute and then also making
sacrifices and then just being an optimistic person.
I think I think discipline, consistency, energy.
I mean, I guess the list goes on and on, but if I to narrow down a few,
I think the people that come in with the best energy, the best mindset,
the best attitude with a great work ethic and their 100% coachable will kill it in this
business easily.
Every single one of them I've seen that is successful or is on their way there.
Right now those are those are the common traits I've noticed.
And I would add to that, you know, just being all in.
Right?
You know, there's, there's people that come in and you know,
they kind of put their foot in the water and you could tell they're like testing it out
to see, but they're not fully committed, you know, all in.
They still are doing, you know, something on the weekend or they're bartending
or they're doing like they're not all completely committed and all in.
And it's difficult to really get the results without going all in in my experience.
So I would, I would add to that, you know, just yeah, that's you.
I think that's not the same one.
That's a big one.
And I remember because when I first started, I remember I told my leader,
my mentor, I said, you know, I'm going to work five days here, two days there.
And on Joe's asking me, he's like, why, why do you want to do that?
And I'm saying the thing, I'm like, it's good money pays the bills.
You know, I got bills to pay.
Where was the two days there?
You was thinking about working the weekends.
Where?
It's Wednesdays, the burger joint.
Swence ends.
Yeah, it's like, yeah,
and boy, they knew when they just opened it up.
Yeah, yeah, they opened one in Bourbon and the home base is an accurate.
Yep, yep.
That's how it all started to go there every week.
Swence is two days a week for the weekends.
Celine, let's go.
And it's crazy to think about it too, because like this is when I first realized my
mindset, like I don't know how to think the right way.
I'm thinking too small, right?
Because it's your environment.
Like I grew up like thinking two, three hundred bucks a day.
Like that's great money.
You know, for some people it is, I'm not knocking on the money, but, you know,
that when he asked me, he's like, why?
You know, and I'm sitting on my gloves.
These money pays the bills.
He's like, what's decent money to you?
You know, I'm sitting at two, three hundred, four hundred dollars cash, you know,
every day, not realizing I'm spending eight hours running around,
sprinting around a parking lot, serving burgers and the rain and the snow and the sun.
It don't matter.
I'm out of running certain food, you know, for a couple hundred dollars.
And he's like, and I remember Joe's like, a couple hundred dollars.
Like that's good decent money.
And I'm sitting there like, oh man, I'm thinking way too small.
You know, I just want somebody to make that and not even an hour.
And I'm out here.
And that's when I realized I'm okay.
Yeah, he's right.
And then I pretty much, you know, reflect it on it because, you know, at the time,
it's I don't know how to say I didn't know this opportunity exists.
You know, that's why I love anytime I go anywhere.
I'm always, you know, extending out the opportunity because that was me.
I was the kid that didn't even know there was a place like this where you could just come in
and put all your work ethic, put all your energy into one place and you get paid 150% of your worth.
And so, right?
But yeah, I think that's huge because and whatever, what are you saying?
I said, when I reflect as to why I thought that way, just like, you got like people that want
to go part time or half in, half out, they want to test it out.
You know, it's one of those things where it's like, I look at it.
It's like, you don't believe in yourself, right?
Like if all these people could do it, there's no way you can't figure it out.
Right?
So after that, I'm like, you right, you know what?
I quit that job, you know, my own land on sales and it's the best thing I've ever done.
But you know, it's the belief.
Speaking of the, you know, just to trade off instead of working at Swenson's, you know,
for those couple of days, you know, making a couple hundred dollars, you know, over the
course of those days, you know, now we got months where you're making six figures in
a month.
How do you, how have you stayed humble, making that type of money at your age, you know,
because I've watched you keep it together.
Now people may think from the outside looking in, all he bought a really, you know, expensive
watch.
So how could you say he's humble?
You know, in my opinion, it's not that you can't dress nice or you can't have nice
things.
It's how you treat other people and how you act and walk and feel and think.
And I've watched you walk with, you know, humility.
So what have you done?
How have you stayed humble, making that much money, you know, at your age?
Yeah, I think one thing that helped me along the way was just looking up to you guys,
right?
Like, for example, you sign in Joey Cerville, my mentor is like, you guys never treated
anybody different.
It just comes back to you.
You just can't forget where you came from.
And, you know, I remember, I always remember I'm full of gratitude and so blessed, you know,
and I look back and grateful for everything.
When I was broke, I was grateful for what I had, you know, and it's one of those things
where it's, that was me at one point.
When I look at someone that's new into business or someone that it's not as successful, you
know, I just think of myself like that was me two years ago.
You know, so it's easy for me to just look at someone and, you know, it's easy to judge
nowadays.
And, but if you just remember like you, you got to start somewhere, you know, and that
was me and I've ever since I've came into business, all the bad habits, all the bad traits
I had, you know, everyone gave me grace, treated me like a business partner, you know, poured
into me day in and day out.
And I was nowhere near perfect, never will be, you know, but I think that's one thing
to help to just looking up to you guys who treated everyone the same, leading from the
front and also just remembering like that was me.
You know, there's always a bigger dog than me, you know, so even with all the results,
the production, you know, records, it's like I always challenge myself.
It's like, okay, what's next?
You know, I mean, there's always somebody out there that's doing more, doing bigger, you
know, so be grateful, but at the same time, you know, compete, you know, so I always do
that.
And that's just helped me, you know, to keep it short and sweet, you know, how I remain
humble, treat everyone with respect.
How have you, you know, you've had, we talked today actually, you know, about how, you know,
even in that record month, you had four days where you blanked out, meaning that you
tried hard and made no sales, right?
I watched that, you know, one or two days blanking out and like, runes, the person's
whole week, you know, they stopped believing in themselves, they get down.
What mindset tips would you give to people, you know, on, you know, because people could
look at you and think you never have a bad day, you never have a hard time selling,
you never have rough days?
What mindset tips do you have to come back the next day and keep up the energy?
Yeah, so I think one huge thing about me coming into the business was everyone I looked
up to would always talk about my body spirit, my body spirit, pouring into your mind, right?
And I realized real quick, this game was a mental battle more than anything, right?
Like, I'm one of the smallest dudes out here, you know, but I protect the most families
and it just being able to take your emotions out of it and just knowing like the confidence
and the belief and the faith and all that comes before the results.
And I think that's where people go wrong is they, they go close a deal or they'll protect
the family, they get, make a little bit of money and then open now they start believing
now they're positive, now they got good energy.
You know, when for me it was more of like, I need to take my emotions out of the game.
Okay.
And it's easy to get caught up, you know, just, just always going to be bad days, good
days, without the bad days are no good days, right?
So it's just being even cute.
And I honestly, like, I have to learn through failure, you know, in the beginning I was very
emotional, I'd work beat myself up mentally, get down on myself, you know, because it's not
easy, entrepreneurship in general, no matter what industry is not going to be easy.
But it's just understanding that every day is a chance to chase your dreams, right?
So no matter what happened the day before, like, I owe that to my people, I owe the 100%
of my energy, my focus, my intentionality, my coaching to my people and then also to
the families we serve, right?
It's not right for you to have a bad day and then come in here all negative, all sad, depressed,
ungrateful, you know, for the next family that's depending on you to protect them, right?
So it's just like, I got very good at like just putting the pressure on the system on
the numbers and zooming out and just knowing that it ain't going to be sunshine or rainbows
every day.
All right, like adversity is a good thing.
My perspective, my relationship with failure, with adversity, it grew really quick because
of my mentors, you know, because growing up, people think failure is a bad thing.
Right?
You feel a test, people are, oh man, like, you know, they put you down for it.
And in this business, you know, I noticed one thing, the people at the top failed the fastest,
failed the most and just kept going, kept going, kept going because they know what's
going to come.
Right?
Every time you feel it's not failing and you're learning a lesson, guys trying to teach
you something.
And that was one of the biggest things for me is like just reflecting on the day, why did
I have a bad day?
You know, I mean, well, it's not even a bad day.
You just think it's a bad day, you know, whether it's about the sales, whether it's about,
it's just your perspective.
Right?
There's always somebody out there that wish they could be in your position.
And that's one thing I always, always, always, you know, humble myself and I always look
back and I remind myself is, you know, the blessing that you can walk up today, you
can open up your eyes as a blessing in itself.
It's a great day that you can even open your eyes, you know, versus it's always, it comes
down to your perspective and relationship, you know, with failure.
And just I just detached my emotions and just showed up every day.
Be the most coachable, work the hardest, be the most focused and then everything else
has killed a couple of people.
You're going to tell yourself in your mind, you know, you talked about disconnecting from
friends and not going to some birthdays and, you know, stuff like that.
I'm sure you heard some flak, you know, about it.
What do you, what would your advice be to tell somebody listening out there that struggles,
you know, with those things, you know, of making those sacrifices or disconnecting or
doing the things that you're talking about, doing to lock in?
Yeah.
I think that's you.
I think a lot of people, whenever they're about to take the risk or they want to just,
whatever industry it is, you want to bet on yourself, you want to take it, you know,
you want to jump.
I think a lot of people deal with this.
And one thing I've like noticed when I studied the greats, when I pouring them myself
and I studied the Hall of Famers, I used to watch a lot of sports.
So for me, when I pouring them myself, I just looked at the greats and I studied them
to work.
I think they're sacrificed their mindset, the way they think, the way they move, the way
they work, you know, and how they separated themselves, like the Kobe Bryant, the Tom Brady,
the LeBron James, you know, in any industry.
But one thing that helped me was, you know, I noticed every successful person, they didn't
care, you know, what people said, what people thought, you know, and it was one of those things
where growing up, you know, I think I had a young age.
I've always had the confidence and I always, even in school, like at sports, everything,
like I was the smallest kid on the field, had to earn my playing time, had to work the
hardest.
You know, so when it came to the business, I just related it to the sport, understood
that this isn't normal, this isn't average, but I'm not trying to be average.
So when all the average people in my life, you know, whether it's family, friends, I love
them to death, you know, but when the results, they get the lifestyle that they're living,
the money that they make, what they're able to provide for their family, isn't where
I wanted to be.
It didn't really matter what their opinion was because I knew I was willing to, I want to
do it, you know, and I sat them down and I said, listen, even with my parents, my family,
my friends, siblings, cousins, I mean, you name it.
People just, oh, he don't mess with us anymore, you know, they just want to talk bad, you
know, about the opportunity or about whatever I was, you're about to do, you know, but I
just understood that all successful people, they're not here to make everybody happy, right?
Like you guys tell us all the time, you want to make everybody happy, you should go so
ice cream.
And those.
Yeah, exactly.
You go get some hand with ice cream.
You know, and it's one of those things where it's, you're supposed to like, if you do 99
percent of what people do, you're going to get the same results 99 percent of people
get, right?
And I've always known I wanted, I was willing to pay the price to be the one percent, the
top point zero, zero, one percent of people my age, people my, you know, in their 20s,
30s, you know, doing the things we're doing, being able to provide, the things we provide
for our families, you know, it's not all just about the money, but I've always wanted
my vision is big, like my vision is, it's very, very big.
And I know that if I want to get, I remember I tried GBT it.
I tried GBT amount of money I wanted to make and how many people my age make that type
of money.
And it was, it was less than like, it was like point zero, zero, zero, two percent or
one percent of people my age make the money I'm trying to make.
And the way I tell myself my mind is just like, okay, well, if you really want to make
this type of money, you got to give up 99.99 percent of things people ain't want to
give up, right?
Or I got a sacrifice or I got a work harder than 99.99 percent of people in order to get
that.
And it was, I had, you know, it's really that self talk.
It's like, okay, what do you really want?
You know, what do you really want?
Because the price of the price and you just got to pay it.
And I think a lot of people like it sounds good.
You know, everyone said they want a million dollars, but when you break it down, like this
is what it looks like, this is the work is going to look, this is a sacrifice it's going
to take.
You might have to miss this.
Birthdays, weddings, hanging out, dinners, you know, vacations, traveling.
You know, like my family went on a family trip, you know, we always try to do one a year.
And I've sacrificed them.
You know, even free trips I went and I tried to sacrifice them.
I don't want to go.
You know, it's not on a disrespect, but it's more like the things that got me to where
I'm at now, I never want to stop doing.
And because that's what I noticed in this business, in any business, in life in general, people
will get to where they want to go.
They'll make progress, they get some success.
And then they stop doing the things that got them there.
Right.
Right.
So I can get there faster and not having to do it the hard way.
You know, that's the whole point of a mentor.
That's the whole point of a coach.
You know, you guys went through it.
It's OK, well, if you went through it, this is how to avoid it.
Well, I'm going to do it.
You better, you better believe it.
You know, and that's one of those things where, you know, it was just something I was going
to pay.
And the price, that's, I'm still going to pay it.
You know, we're just getting started.
We're young.
Just getting started.
Speaking of just getting started, you already smashed the agent record, you know, in all
those categories, we got people chasing.
Thank you for raising the lid.
We got people coming for it.
Yeah.
What are your.
goals for this year. Yeah, so this year. So at first off, I want to say thank you guys, Simon,
you and all the founders, the OGs, you know, because without you guys, you know, I wouldn't even have
an opportunity like this, you know, all those hard times you have to go through long drives, you know,
all the adversity. I know a lot, it's easy. It's easy to give up, you know, and I was reflect on that
too. You've been here, what, 20 years now. So it's like imagine one of those five years in
10 years and even 15 years and you know, if you guys would have gave up, people like me, myself,
my people, my team, you know, and people out there that we're going to continue to bless and change
your life. Like we weren't having a place like this. You know, I don't even know what I would be doing.
You know, I always think about that all the time. It's like, it's guys playing. I'm forever blessing
grateful. I want to say thank you guys for laying the foundation for us because none of those records,
none of that would be possible without you guys sending the bar. So plans for 2026 goals.
So in regards to business standpoint, I'm going to try to do something that I know was ever done,
which is be the number one veteran producer and also the number one rookie MGA and kill it in
all categories. But my main focus is I want to pour all the knowledge, all the wisdom, all the
development, all the training I've done for myself, skillset development, and to other people.
You know, and I think that's one of those biggest things where it's like they always say you want to
go far, go alone. Or if you want to go fast, I'm sorry, if you want to go fast, go alone, but if you
want to go far, go with others, you know, and I'm really at the point now where it's, you know, I hate
to lose. So I'm still I'm still going to give everything I got, but priority wise, I want to duplicate.
I want to change lives. I want to pour into my people find more people out there that are looking
for this opportunity that just need a place, you know, that will be coachable and change their
life, their family's life forever. And that's what it's about for me, like being able to bring in my
cousin, you know, it was 20 years old, you know, didn't have the best, you know, lifestyle growing up,
coming in here. He's only he's only 20. He just turned 21 a couple of months ago.
You got him on beast mode. Proud of you. And everyone. Look at him go now. Yeah, that got
that got to feel good. It was amazing. You know, it feels amazing. And that's one thing I've realized.
It's like, it's not about really meeting more. You know, even the work I put in all the results,
like, like, it's it's not for me. It's for my family. It's for my future family. I'm representing
my team. I'm representing my coaches, my hometown, my city, my last name. That's right. You know,
and I take your personal, you know, I take I'm very extreme, but it's it's just a standard,
you know, I was really thinking to get extreme results. Yeah, no, that's true. That's true.
What advice would you have for, you know, other young people, you know, in the business already
or wanting to be successful in the business or even just listening to young people in general
that aren't in the business, just advice overall for, you know, young folks trying to be successful.
So people outside of the business are thinking about, you know, your future or starting up
a business or taking that risk, taking that leap of faith. My biggest advice would be do it. Take
that risk, right? No matter what it is, I think that that's one thing, you know, we're so,
I feel like our society nowadays, they're against it. You know, I think that's one of the older,
like I would say risk takers and money makers, right? Like, what's the worst thing that can happen?
And when you weigh out everything you got to lose a lot of time, it's not bad at all. You got
nothing to lose. Take the risk. Worst thing that happens is the business don't work out. That
business you started up, it fails. Okay, well, you're good. Well, you're only 28. You're only third.
You know, it doesn't even matter what age, but take the risk because I think that's what pays out,
pays back. It gives back full, like, I guess the most. Now people as far as people in the business.
Or risk no SVJ. Yeah, facts. Exactly. Now people in the business, my biggest advice if you don't
give up on yourself, I think when I reflect these past two years, you see a lot of people in,
out and out. It all comes down to, they don't give themselves enough time to develop and learn,
you know, the way they need to become the person they need to become before the money is going to
start rolling in. Right? I think people are so attached to results, whether it's in sales,
whether it's the basic off income. You know, I used to tell myself all the time when I was,
I had no money. I remember I had 27 and some change, $28 in my bank account.
And those one point me and Andrew, my business part, we had no money. You know, we'd share it
last couple of bucks. You know, we were, I remember there was a week straight. We had no money to eat.
We were ordering points off every app we had, you know, Chick-fil-A sandwich will split it.
We'll get McDonald's free french fries. You know, we, we couldn't eat good at the time,
but we didn't eat something. Unbelievable. Crazy. Like, we're so blessed, you know, looking back.
But I remember these days and I have memories and it's like, I'll never forget that. You know,
we used to be, we have a week, we used to put our whole team in a two bedroom apartment. We had 10
people in there. Some people on our team, some people not on our team, they just wanted to take the risk.
We're like, you guys can stay with us. Grab an air match, we'll find a spot, you know.
And all 10 of us combined, we couldn't come up with two, three grand for rent.
You know, we were struggled to come up with two grand for a couple of months.
You know, but also it's, it's not, and this one, I say this, not to, you know, to brag or show people,
like it's really just to, like to show you guys the vision. It's like, don't give up on yourself.
Like, me and Angel always knew, you know, what's going to happen as long as we just do the right things.
You know, just be the most coachable, the hardest working, like, there was no doubt, you know,
that we were going to make it. Right. I think. And in the process, you develop yourself,
you pouring yourself mentally, you know, like, like the best thing I've ever done in my life,
not even including the business, just in general, was just pouring into my mindset.
Right. Again, in the beginning, I poured into myself two, three times a day,
you know, trying to just teach my brain how to think I couldn't, I didn't control my brain,
my mindset in the beginning. Like it was just controlling my subconscious. I think it's...
Nobody does, right? Nobody does.
Think about all the people walking around that don't pour into their mind and how their thinking is.
Left to yourself, right? Left to your own thoughts. You got to pour into it.
The one thing I think that helped me the most understand that is, I can't remember if you,
I think both you said, I think it was you and Joey, but you guys both said it
where it was like, at the end of the day, there's always going to be aversity that's life, right?
Like someone, all the materialistic stuff that you see, the car, the watches,
there's like none of that matters because that, it's all, like it's all going to be going.
Someone could come and take that tomorrow, right? Like someone could go hack my bank account,
take all your money. Someone could go kill your whole family, blow up your family,
they could go steal your car, right? Like so that's why like detaching for the materialistic,
like the one thing no one can ever take away from you is your mindset.
You know, and that when I thought about that, I reflected on it. You know, it was,
it was one of those things where it kind of like hit me. He's like, like even on your worst days,
you know, you got to be able to control your mind and trick your mind, you know, into thinking
that this is a good thing, you know, if the worst thing happened, you know, I tell myself,
this is my fault. God wants it, like this is God's plan is the great thing he just happens,
I'm about to learn, you know, he wants it this way, you know, so it's one of those things where
I remember I heard that, it's like I think the second time I heard it, it just stuck with me and I was
like, okay, like that was powerful. You know, and like everything can be taken but your mindset.
So that was one thing I prioritize, you know, and I am perfect, you know, I wasn't in the gym
in the beginning, I didn't care about it. Yeah, I didn't take care of my health to a T like I
needed to, you know, but it's one of the things where you fail, you learn, you fail, you learn,
but my mindset, I never miss, never miss any time I catch myself slipping, boom, I stop whatever
I'm doing, go pouring in my mindset. So if I, if I, you know, if you say, hey, what's the top four,
five things you're looking for a person and you say, man, if I had these things in a person,
I know I can make them successful. What traits would some of those people have? Like if you could
narrow it down to like three or four, you give me somebody, they got these four traits, I know I'll
make them successful. What would they be? I think the first one is has a great work, I think
the second one I would say, what you do? How do you describe that? Like if people think they have a
good work ethic, what do you mean by that? So what I mean by that is, you know, it doesn't matter what
work we got to do until the job's done, right? So I think a lot of times people think they have
yeah, I think people a lot of times people think they have good work ethic and work hard, work a lot,
but I always ask them compared to who, right? And that's one thing I've always done on my,
on my business journey and just developed me on the on the process. I would always think of like, okay,
I work hard, but compared to who Elon Musk got working me right now. Tom Brady was out working me,
and those are people I want to be compared with. So I got a work hard compared to them.
And that's one of those things where I would, and when you break it down and you look at their work,
I think they're sacrificed or like it wasn't like, oh, I've worked in six hours today,
off Saturdays, like it was, no, we work until we get the job done, you know, and that's that's one thing
that's what else work ethic, 100% coachability, coachability, you know, listen to the play call
without asking questions, just run the play, execute next one, I would say,
willing to go all in, right? Sacrifice whatever we got to sacrifice if it takes us a year or two
years to get where you want to go, you need to go all in, and then consistency and discipline.
And I would say actually competitive, I gotta add competitive in there because that's one thing I
think is huge, it's just being competitive because that's what gets me to do all, do the work,
gets me to compete, gets me to push myself. And then some of that wants to change your life,
you know, has a big purpose, you know, not just here to make money.
If I got somebody out there that's listening and they're like, man, I'm competitive, I got a good work
ethic. I ain't afraid to make sacrifices to change my life. I'm coachable, I've always
listened to coaches and as an athlete or whatever, you feel you can make that person successful?
100%
So then I would say, you know, two things as we close out, you know, Selene, but first of all,
just want to reiterate how proud of you that I am, not just, you know, you say, not just what,
but who, right, or not just even how, but who I'm just so proud of you, you know, for not only
what you've accomplished, but the way that you've gone about it and you've become somebody that
people can admire and look up to, you know, in the organization and people look up to the way
that you carry yourself and I'm grateful to have somebody, you know, like you that's doing well,
that remembers where they came from, shows humility, good teammate, willing to pour into other people,
you know, and that really helps develop, you know, the right things in the culture, so I'm proud of
you. If there's anybody out there, you know, that that is like, man, I'm listening to this thing,
and I'd like to be mentored, you know, by Selene, DM, DM, either Selene or myself, and we'll see
if we can connect you and see if you got those traits, then there's really no reason why you
shouldn't be successful. So pass this along with somebody or if somebody, you know, if it's not even
specific to this business, if you think this message, somebody needed to hear that would add value
to their life, you know, we asked that you share this message, you know, with somebody that we can
impact and help, and stay tuned, because we know Selene's going to continue to raise the bar and
break more records, and the next time you hear from him on the grind casters, going to be new bars,
set new records, broken new things, set as you continue to climb in the organization only two
years in the game. It's crazy to see what you've already accomplished, man. So super proud of you.
Grateful for you. Grateful for all the people out there that that joined us today to listen to
to the grind casters we're looking forward to talking to you soon. Get ready. It's a new day.
It's a new day. Let's go. Appreciate you.





