Don't Give Up Before the Miracle with Alberto Sardinas

Welcome to True Grit and Grace, a podcast designed to empower you to claim your resilience and thrive through life's challenges. I am Amberly Lago, a mindset coach, fitness expert, and bestselling author. Each week, I'll dive deep with the world's brightest thought leaders and elite performers to share tangible tools and practical advice to inspire you to keep your eyes on the prize and forge ahead. So get ready to conquer your fears, heal any trauma, lead with your heart, and elevate your life with grit and grace. Hi, and welcome back to True Grit and Grace. Today I have such a treat for y'. All. I have Alberto Sardines here with us. He's a nationally syndicated radio and TV personality. I think you're a superstar author and podcaster. He has built a massive brand for himself over the years and has dedicated his career to listening to inspiring personal stories and looking for the great lessons that help everyone live their best life. And today, I'm so excited to share his story. One of the many reasons I wanted to bring him on the show today is because I think now more than ever, we are having to pivot our businesses. We are having to brand or even rebrand ourselves, dig deep to find resilience and also get creative in how we continue to pursue our goals and our dreams. So. So I'm so excited to have you here. Welcome to the show, Alberto.

Thank you so much, Amberly, for having me. It's a privilege to be here with you and congratulations for everything you're doing. I really feel you're making an impact with your podcast.

Oh, thank you so much. Well, I have to say, I'm so excited to have you here and to get to interview someone who has interviewed someone, some of the top thought leaders, speakers, authors in the world. I feel so honored. First of all, can you tell us a little bit about you? I know that you grew up in Venezuela, but you moved to Miami, where we were talking a little bit before the podcast, and half my family lives there, so I get to go out there and visit a lot. But can you just tell us a little bit about how you grew up and then your venture out to Miami?

Absolutely. So I grew up in. I was born and raised in Caracas, Venezuela. And, you know, I come from a very mixed and interesting family background. You know, my dad is Cuban, and he left Cuba to go to Venezuela. He came to college to Miami. And then my mom was born in Chicago, raised in Colombia and South America. My mom was Jewish, my dad is Catholic, so it was like a whole mix of interesting people, cultural, religions and everything. And so I studied communications in Caracas. And once I was towards the end of my college years, I really wanted to pursue an mba and I kind of like wanted to have the experience of being in the US and learning something different, having different perspectives. So I ventured out with the help of my family and their support and moved to Miami immediately after college and went to the University of Miami for my mba. So I was the only MBA students that would go into the placement center trying to find a radio job. Like, nobody ever got that because I had done radio for many years in Venezuela. I studied communications, but I just wanted to have that business side. And then I would walk into the placement center where people will be looking for jobs in banking, finance, business. I'm like, hey, can you help me find a radio job? That's what I'm looking for. Come on, you're spending all this money on an MBA and you want to do radio? But that's what I wanted to do. Wow.

Well, you know what? I think that it probably helps to have both, you know, the business and. Because when you're an entrepreneur, you definitely need to know how to run a business. And how old were you when you got into radio?

I got into radio when I was 17. I had just started college. Only a few months had gone by since I started the first semester of college, and I really wanted to do radio. So I spoke with someone who gave me an opportunity through a friend. And basically I could not believe that I was allowed into one of, like, the hottest radio stations in Caracas to participate in a small evening show at 10 o' clock at night, where once a week I would go in and talk about what was happening in colleges around town. I would say, you know, in such college, there's a festival, there's a party, there's this, there's that. And I would talk about everything that was happening. And the funny thing is that, you know, driver's license back then would only be good if you were a minor until 8 o' clock at night. So I'm like, how do I get to the radio station if I can only drive? My driving permit was only allowing me to drive until 8 o' clock at night. So I asked my dad to start taking me to the radio station. So he would wait outside, listen to me in the car while I was going on the air. And then he took me every Monday evening to the radio station until I was old enough to actually drive whatever time I wanted. So then I started. But the funny thing is, I Was so young that I couldn't even drive myself to the radio station to do my segment on a weekly basis.

Wow, that took such courage and determination to do that. And so were you ever nervous about doing radio? Because I remember the first time I did a radio show. It's so different when you get there and there's nothing but a mic in front of you. Were you nervous at all to start that?

I was nervous. Now what was really interesting is that I got really nervous, you know, the days leading into this first segment. But for some reason, the moment I went on the air, Emily, I like, it all disappeared. I felt like in this zone where I was just doing the right thing, where I was doing what felt right for me. And that's why I think I clicked so much with radio. And I've been doing it ever since.

Yeah, you've been doing it for years. And I was saying before the show that my sister in law is just gonna be dying when she gets to see and hear you on the show because she is a big fan of yours. You know, my husband's Cuban. My family, half my family's over in Miami. And she's listened to your show for years because, I mean, you've got, I mean, 2.7 million followers on Facebook alone, and you've got such a huge brand in the Spanish speaking networks on tv, radio, and now you're branching out more into English speaking. What motivated you to kind of branch out more into the English speaking?

You know, I've always been, you know, a big fan of challenges. I've never been accustomed to staying in any type of comfort zone. So I like to challenge myself. And I've really done a lot of different things. You know, I'm blessed with, you know, hosting two different radio shows, A local show in Miami and the syndicated show on weekends. I'm blessed to do a television show every day for a whole hour, live tv. I mean, it's something that I've been doing for a few years now, but I was trying to think of, you know, what could I do that in terms of creating content, in terms of inspiring audiences that would reach new audiences, but that would also challenge me in terms of expanding the things that I'm comfortable with, starting with the language. You know, I mean, English is not my native language. So, you know, how do I, you know, how do I overcome the limitations and think about being too conscious over my accent or using the right words and blah, blah, blah. So I decided to just go for it. And a year ago, a little over a Year ago, I said, I'm just gonna come out with a podcast. And we've been tweaking it, and we've been doing great interviews, and I've been learning, and it's felt right because it's felt like the right expansion for my brand and for my goal and what I believe to be my mission in life, but also has made me uncomfortable enough where I feel like I'm challenging myself. And it's pretty cool.

Yeah. And I. You know that saying, the magic happens when you jump out of your comfort zone. That's where all the endless possibilities are, and you really go for it. I mean, I've listened to your podcast, and you have some big names, I think I listened. The last one I listened to was with Rachel Hollis, and I was like, oh, my gosh, he got Rachel Hollis on his show because she doesn't do a lot of interviews. I mean, she's actually even made a joke. She made the joke saying, I am not gonna speak on anyone else's stage except for Oprah. When Oprah calls, I will speak on her stage. I'm only gonna be on my own stages. And I was like, oh, my gosh. And I love your style. It's very comfortable and easy to listen to, and you really get the best tips out of the people that you're interviewing. I do a lot of coaching, and a lot of my clients right now, they're trying to figure out new things to do. And I just have one of my clients who she's starting a podcast, and there is a light that went off and in her because I think purpose is something that we all need, and it really gives us a reason to get up every day and keep. Keep moving forward. And it's. But it's not easy starting a podcast, and it's really not easy to get big thought leaders on your show. What would you suggest to some people who are listening today that might be thinking about doing a podcast or. Or maybe doing a blog? How to get those people that they really admire or look up to on their show?

You know, I think that it all starts with, you know, having the clarity in terms of your mission and the goal of what you're doing, you know? You know, a lot of people tend to love the concept of creating content, of doing something with their brands. I mean, these days, we're all creating content. I mean, you can be an engineer and you can be creating that blog about engineering or podcast about it. I mean, it doesn't really matter what your background is, what you do for A living, there's always an opportunity to market yourself by creating good content. And I really feel that one of the things that will drive that content and make it better and make it impactful is by making sure that you have clarity of purpose, because you need to understand what your message is going to be. And that has really to come. It really has to come from your passion, from the things that you love, and from the things that you care about. Those things that you could be having a conversation about for a long time, feel like it's more of a game than a job, you know. So as long as you're having those conversations and the conversations are meaningful, and then the next thing is, as long as you're really willing to learn from others, everything else will just fall into place. Because if you have the idea, the purpose, and you say, okay, you know, I want to impact people in the world of adopting pets, you know, in the world of anything of sports or whatever it is that you love, because

there's so many things, there's something right?

So if you have that intention, you will definitely do well. And then the next thing is you have to care about those that can teach you other things, that can share their lessons, that can share their stories. Because we live in a world emerily, and I'm sure you're going to agree with me that, you know, we all want to be heard, but there's only a few of us that are willing to listen. And, you know, if you're one of those that is willing to listen, the magic will happen. The magic will happen. I'm telling you, we are a very small podcast compared to the thousands of other podcasts that are doing that have a lot more listeners that have been out there for longer, that have been hosted by people that are bigger names that what you could compare me with. But I just feel that when I get into my podcast and I have someone and I'm ready to ask those questions, I want to care, like the way you care about me as a guest, like the time you just put in, you know, to look at my profile, at what I do, and you become familiar. So as long as the good intention is there, people will be successful.

I love all that you just said, especially the part about. I mean, I was taking notes here. First of all, it's so important to always have good content, to keep delivering good content. And I think that goes, whether it's a podcast or a post on social media or a blog or whatever you're doing, is to continue to provide good content. And I have people that ask me all the time, even really successful entrepreneurs, they're like, how did you build your brand? And I said, honestly, I did not know what I was doing. I still don't really, I'm trying, but I just tried to, to continually give and provide useful tips that helped me and that was what inspired me to do the show. So I love that you said good content. It's clarity of your purpose and really asking yourself, what is it that you want to provide? And then also passion. I think that passion really drives us. And I love that you're so passionate about what you do. And I also love that you are so humble with all your huge accomplishments. You can tell in your interviews that you genuinely care about the people that you're talking with. And so I think that people can feel that and they can feel that authenticity about you, and I think that's beautiful. What are your biggest dreams? As far as, I mean, you're doing so many huge things. What are your biggest dreams? I just always like to ask that because when someone has reached such a level of success, you think, well, well, that's it, I've made it. But you continue to just keep growing and jumping out of your comfort zone. What is your biggest dream?

You know, we have a mission and a vision also for the podcast, which is, you know, becoming the leading podcast in terms of story based interviews and finding lessons. That's exactly, you know, what we're doing now and what we look forward to expanding our footage on. So my vision in terms of the future is to be able to continue doing more things and bigger things that promote conversations in our society, that promote listening to each other in our society, that promote understanding the other person before we judge, before we criticize, before we try to believe that we're better than the other person. So I think that anything that drives that goal as humanity in general is something that I'll always be very attracted to and I will always try to pursue.

Oh, I love that. Well, with everything that you've done, what has been your biggest challenge and what did you do to get through those challenges?

Well, there was a time in my life that was a really dark moment, and I call it the most difficult period in my life. And it's something that occurred within 90 days. It's a whole bunch of different situations that happened pretty much within 90 days. You know, I had just started working for the company that I actually work for right now. So this was a while back, I had been sort of like stolen from the competition. One of Those career moves where you go, okay, you know, there's a better opportunity here. I'm gonna go there, et cetera. So I had just started a new radio show as a co host and producer. And for many reasons that escaped. Lot of people's, a lot of different people's control. Like, it was one of those things that could not be avoided. My show got canceled within about three months of having started that job. So I was looking forward so much to that. I was blessed with a boss that said, don't worry, you know, we'll find something for you. We're not letting you go. But unfortunately, what you came here for did not work out because of reasons that have nothing to do with you. But, you know, your show is getting canceled. I'm like, well, we've only been on the air for 10, 12 weeks, and, you know, that happened. So I was left there as a producer. At the same time, I was in a relationship that lasted probably about three years. And unfortunately, breakup came about, things were not working out, so I saw the show canceled. I went through this breakup within weeks of that. And the biggest blow and the biggest situation that I went through within those same 90 days is that I lost my mother to breast cancer.

Oh, I'm so sorry.

Yeah. Thank you. So it was a really tough time where I was like, what else could happen to me? You know, what else could happen to me? I'm going through the breakup, I'm going through the cancellation of the show. And now the biggest thing, it was losing my mother. I mean, she lived, you know, she had been diagnosed about 10 years before that, and she lived a great life. But the last two years were just very difficult. And I'm sure anybody who has been through cancer or who knows someone or has a relative that has been through cancer.

My mother in law is a breast cancer survivor, but she still has a lot of fear in her because I think once you've had cancer, you're like, is it gonna come back? Is it gonna come back? So how old were you when you were going through this?

I was going through this. And I was 20, 25, 26.

You were so young to lose your mom.

Yeah. And she was only 52 years old, and it was very, very difficult. Now, what's really interesting, Amberly, is that, you know, I was going through this very dark period. I was just sort of like dragging myself to work, and I was just doing the best I could so I could just keep the job. I mean, I was so excited. And now it was just like, you know, God knows what's gonna happen now. What's really interesting is that one day my boss calls me to his office and he starts talking to me about a project, a radio show that he wanted to put together. And he described it as an evening radio show where, between songs, the host of the show would open the lines and listen to people's stories. And when asked, the host of the show would actually give some type of advice or opinion about what they were going through. So as he's describing this to me, and in this production mode, not very creative at the time, and I said, okay, so who are we doing the casting with? Are we calling a psychologist? Let me give you a couple of coaches and psychologists that can do this. And like, no, no, no, no, no, no. I want you to host a show. I'm like, what? I said, listen, we've only been working together for, like, five months. But are you out of your mind? Are you asking the most depressed person in this building to actually open the lines to try to uplift others? When I'm going through what I'm going through, I need to be calling a show like that. I need to go vent with someone. I'm not ready to listen. And you know what he said? He said, I think you are the person for this, and I believe that you have the Depth is the word he used. I believe you have the depth to be able to do this at a young age.

You had the depth and wisdom to do that. That's amazing.

I had no clue. So I'm not even looking forward to this. I'm not planning this in my life. And suddenly, fast forward a year later, I was hosting this very successful show. I was being invited to network television to talk about inspirational topics. I started traveling as a speaker, as a motivational speaker. I signed the book deal. And all of these things happen right after the darkest moment when somebody said, hey, would you do this? And I said, okay, I'll go ahead and do it.

Yeah.

Can you believe it?

Yeah. That's such a beautiful story. You know, I mean, and I think that shows just don't give up before the miracle. I mean, I believe in miracles, and I believe that there is just light around every corner. There's, you know, that there is definitely a way to turn tragedy into triumph. And, you know, you going through those experiences, but also you starting to work at such a young age and having the experience of being on the radio for so long and being comfortable with it, that really, I think, enabled you to do such an incredible job. And, you know, What I think that people want to. I would rather learn from someone who's actually been through an experience, forget about all the degrees and, you know, everything. I would rather learn from someone who has been through something like me and overcome it. And it gives me hope. When I see that somebody has gotten through something, I think, well, if they did it, then I can too. And there's a lot of people right now that are hanging on by a thread because of what is going on with so many uncertainties and I don't know how it. Well, I think that Miami is a pretty hot, we're a hot spot and I think Miami has been a hot spot for, for a while and it's just kind of crazy what's going on. And I think that what helps me stay grounded is gratitude. I think that shifting my perspective when I start spiraling down into those dark times. But what helps me most of all is connection and community because I don't think that we're meant to do it alone. And so I think anybody listening just hearing your story, who's going through a dark time will go, oh my gosh, maybe I can do this too. I just need to say yes. I just need to keep moving forward. How is it in Miami right now? You know, my brother in law lives there and he's, he's actually a cop there. And it's been, it's been a hard time with, you know, the defunding of police and, and things like that. We had our gyms closed back down. Our hair salons as you can see, closed back down. Are gyms open there?

Actually they've been backtracking a few things. So we still got gyms open but they are more strict in terms of having to wear the mask inside the gym, et cetera for those who actually feel comfortable going to the gym. So they've taken some additional precautions with backtracked a lot. We have a curfew again in place. So different cities.

Oh you do?

Yeah. So Miami Dade county is sort of like the main county, but that we have, you know, over a dozen city cities within Miami Dade county and they're all, you know, going into the curfew. Some of them have make that even stricter. For example, south beach, like the city of Miami beach. Although we have a 10pm curfew in Miami Dade County, City of Miami beach in the south beach district, there's like, like 8 o', clock, everybody home. They don't want the parties, they don't want to get togethers, which makes a lot of sense. Of course.

Or the beaches.

The beaches are open. Yeah, they have a little bit of regulation, but they are open. And I think that actually to us, I mean, we have a seven year old, Sophia, and it's been really a place to find peace and quiet and to sort of like recharge. We actually had not gone to the beach for a while and we just went this past week and it was like life changing, was like, wow, it just feels so normal for a moment. Right? So blessed that we can just be here for a little bit, spend an hour, although you have to walk in and you know, keep your mask on, whatever, and then you settle and as long as there's enough room around, you take off your mask, go in the water. But I mean, it's just little things as you said. But being grateful, as you well said, is definitely a key in the process. I've been saying this on the radio and on TV every, every single day. Let's just remember that we have so many more blessings than worries. And I'm just encouraging people to remember that we have so many things to be grateful for and that is what is going to take us through this process.

And I know it's hard sometimes to be grateful, but when we put our focus on the blessings in our life and take our focus off of our worries or what we don't have or what we can't do, it really does shift your perspective. What are some of the other things that you're doing to get you through these times? Because are you doing your show at home? Are you allowed to go to the studio for your weekly TV show or that's daily.

Daily, yeah. So daily. And for the past four months, I've been doing both radio and TV from home with this exact same background that I'm speaking to you from right now. We set it up with some lights and, you know, enough equipment so that can work out. It's not ideal, of course, but it's definitely been, you know, a blessing to be able to stay home and continue doing, you know, what I do for a living and continue informing the audiences. Because this is when it becomes even more of a mission. You know, we are informing the community. We're letting people know about places where they can find, you know, food from feeding South Florida. We're letting people know where they can find jobs, we're announcing job opportunities. We're really trying to take care of our people by just being a way to connect information. But in general, and to answer your question, it's been hard. It's been Very rough on me and my wife and our daughter, I mean, who's been homeschooled like every single child almost around the world now. No summer camps, still not knowing if they're gonna go back to school, which I think she's gonna go virtual. I don't think that.

At least in August, they just announced Sunday that we are going virtual. So I tell you, I am not a good math teacher. I am terrible. So the end of the year was tough. I am really bracing myself for this school year and I think that what we all need to do is just give ourselves as much grace as we can during this time and when school starts to just do the best that we can and set that example for our children of resilience instead of frustration and panic. But yes, I've been working from home, too. My office is. They shut down. I have an office space at a big facility and the office building was shut down. So I moved everything home. And luckily my family has been very patient with me when I'm telling them that I'm recording and stuff. It's just sometimes I have to be careful. Careful with the gardener that, thank God we've got a gardener. Right? It could be so different. So going to the beach makes you feel like you have a little bit of normalcy, gives you that breath. Being grateful really helps and you share that a lot. Is there anything else that you're doing during this time to keep your sanity?

Absolutely. Couple of things we are trying to do. Our family walks as early as we can. So for most part, I finished doing live TV at 8 o' clock in the morning. So if I don't have a recording, which, you know, there's a little extended schedule a couple of times a week, but as long as I can be done at 8. And right before I go into radio, Sophia grabs her bike. We grab Paco, who's our, you know, rescue dog. That's amazing and a big blessing in our lives as well. And we just walk around, you know, a mile or two, depending on how long time we have, depending if it's too hot or not. But that's sort of like our family walk in the morning. So that has been a big thing. And you know what's really interesting, Emily? That when the year started, without knowing that we were going to go through all of these things, I was either listening or reading a book and I picked up a phrase and I wish I could tell you where I got it from, but I can't remember. But there was a recommendation from someone that said Focus on positive outcomes. And I wrote that down and I placed that as a daily reminder on my phone. And this is before the pandemic, before all the tragedies that unfortunately have occurred during 2020. And I have stayed very focused on positive outcomes. Now that's not just only a quote, but it's also something that I'm doing. So every morning as I wake up, as I start preparing, take a shower and get ready for TV, etc. I try to take a minute or two. If I can do it any longer, great. But I just take a minute or two to imagine the positive outcomes of the things that I'm trying to do, the things that I'm working on, the things that I want to accomplish. Whether that has to do with my health, with my job, with the podcast, with my family, I just really take a moment to put the worries aside and consciously focus on positive outcomes. And it really helps set up my day for a way more positive vibe.

Oh, I think that's so important. And you know, it's so easy to. When you wake up, a lot of people will. First thing they do is grab their phone and start scrolling. And I do not allow myself to do that because if I do, if I pick up the phone and start, you know, scrolling through social media or checking my email, feel so just scattered and distracted. But if I start my day, even if I'm running late, because today I actually slept in and sleeping in is like 6am for me, I feel like, oh my God, I slept in. But if I start my day with writing in my journal, I read every morning, even just a short passage, I set time to, you know, really focus on, like you said, a positive outcome and what my intentions are. I think it's so important to focus on what your intentions are and how can you make them the most positive that you can make them. And it really does make a difference in your day. Now is your. So you're home, you've got your, your one daughter and the cute rescue dog and your wife. Does your wife work from home as well?

She is actually a full time mom now, so we're. Goodness, that has been unbelievable. But I will tell you it's been very hard for her as well because for years she's been used to handling her own schedule. She's one of those that is constantly volunteering for school, for different things in the community. She keeps very busy. And now, I mean, she had to put aside anything that she's been wanting to do to prioritize the things that we have to do. I mean, it sounds, you know, some people, whoever doesn't have kids, may think, okay, I mean, just put them on Zoom and they'll be, you know, going to school by just being in front of the computer. But it's not like.

It's not like that at all.

There's so much to organize. There's so many materials. There's printouts, there's the art supplies, there's the. I mean, I mean, it's really intense. Like, sometimes she'll leave the house and I'll be doing radio and Sophia's taking a class and she's like, listen, I'll be back in half an hour. I'll be back in an hour. And Sophia can knock five times. And poor thing, she's seven years old, she needs some help and she can't find this or she can't find that or the Zoom went out, or she has to be logged in again. I mean, it's little things that make it a lot more complicated. And if you add to that just the sense of this loss of freedom, which we have to remember, it's temporary, it's not forever, but it's still a big change in terms of how we interact with people. It's been rough for everybody.

Yeah, yeah, for sure. And I think being a mom is the most rewarding, but it can also be the most challenging job that there is. And when we were trying to figure out the homeschooling, I mean, Ruby, my youngest daughter, and I were both in tears. And then we had to hire a tutor to help her with algebra and figuring out how to do that. I mean, we had the tutor on Zoom, but the tutor's audio wasn't working, so we would have to call. So we were using like two computers, two phones, but we somehow made it work, you know, and I think that's it. There's always a. It's. I think Marie Forleo says everything is, is figureoutable. And it's true. If one way doesn't work, let's just see how something else works. And so thank you so much for giving us so much wisdom. And I know your schedule is so busy. I just have a couple more questions for you.

Absolutely, absolutely. I'm here for you.

I just, I wanted to know what you've interviewed so many amazing people, who has been the most inspiring person that you've interviewed and why.

You know, it's interesting. I've had the opportunity through my full time job and through the podcast as well, to interview very interesting people. I mean, we Range from, you know, someone like Rachel Hollis to someone like Brian Lima, which is one of the most important and renowned heart transplant surgeons in the country, for example. So these are people from all walks of life, right? But then through my job in radio and television, I've had the opportunity to interview a lot of celebrities, a lot of high profile personalities, and, you know, being in front of people like, you know, Jennifer Lopez or, I mean, so many, so many others. Now I remember a moment which was so eye opening. I'll share with you two moments that I think were really interesting and that were very unexpected from the two people that I was about to interview. And they happened probably a couple years apart from each other. But I was interviewing Shakira once, right? Superstar, global star, someone who, you know, who's super well known. And she was going through this great moment, new album, etc. So we're sitting down, this was a TV interview and we had a very nice conversation. Nothing was off limits, very cool, you know, very easy going. So that was good. But what really caught my attention, and this is for anyone who has the vein of entrepreneurship, for anyone who's considering, like you mentioned, starting a podcast, starting a project, cameras go off, we're finishing the interview. And the last thing I get to hear from her as I'm walking out because they were about to bring somebody else in. It was like a junket. So different people from different media were sitting down with her and she was staying in the same, same place was that she was talking about an issue with distribution of her album in Brazil. So think about it for a moment. This is a global superstar, a staff of a thousand people, God knows, you know, record label and management and blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. And all I heard from her was that she was worried that she was about to go into press mode with Brazilian journalists. And they realized this is back then when CDs were a big deal and they realized that her CD was not everywhere in Brazil. And she had an issue with that. And I respected that so much. Why? Because it shows you that success doesn't come unplanned. And I'll tell you, this doesn't stay if unplanned because you may get this like you may get hit with some big success, that it's absolutely random. But if you want to have continuous success, continued success is only going to come if you're a planner. And it just strike me for that moment when I'm like, I'm walking out from this, you know, super fun. My music is great and I'm glad you liked it. And I produce it with such and such. And there she is at the moment she wraps up an interview. She is taking care of a business problem right then and there because she is running her business. So I thought that was a, you know, a powerful message and a powerful lesson for anyone who's trying to do better in this world in terms of being more productive, making more money, being more successful. And you can see why she does so well. So it's just not only the dancing and the singing, you know?

Yes. And you know what? Things most certainly don't always go as planned, you know, as we're all experiencing right now. You know, it's just things just don't go as planned. Wow, that is an amazing. I'm sure you've heard many amazing lessons, but I'm dying to know what was the other one that really stands out.

The second one I'll share with you. It also has to do with the entertainment world. Right. So I get flown many years ago to la to where you live, and I am in the Beverly Hills Hotel, and I'm waiting to interview Celine Dion. So global superstar. She had just announced that she was going into her Las Vegas show for the first time. So this was way, you know.

Okay. I have to ask you, though. Okay, so one, I think it was like my third time to interview someone for the podcast, and it was at the Beverly Hills Hotel. And I get there. I took an Uber and to get there so I could really, like, focus on preparing in the car on the way and just, you know, be fresh when I got there. And I got there really early, so I'm preparing. I was so nervous, worried my equipment wouldn't work. I was like, I had to, like, shift my mindset and go, stop focusing on worry. Start focusing on what you're grateful for. Like, it was a constant. Like, I had to snap myself, shake myself, and say, stop, you're not focusing on the right thing now. And that interview was with Heather Monahan, who's amazing. She's got a best.

Who's been on my show as well. She's amazing.

Oh, I know. I haven't heard the episode with. I've got to listen to that one. Yes.

She lives in Miami.

She's amazing. Yes, she's amazing. But Celine Dion, Come on. Were you nervous?

I was nervous. Now, here's what happened. That I think was a very magic moment to me, and it impacted my career and the way I did things in terms of interviewing and having conversations with people on and off the air. The whole schedule was super delayed. You know, I mean, she was doing many things. God knows what happened. She had a ton of journalists that she wanted to talk to, etc. And so finally, she makes it to the suite where the whole thing is already set up. No technical worries, right? The lights, the camera, and everything else. And I'm sitting there, she sits down, shake hands. So great to meet you. And I noticed that she's a little, you know, stressed out. She's sort of, like, trying to get into her zone to be able to, you know, focus on the interview. And. And I asked her, and I said, well, before we start recording, how are you? Are you okay? And she said, well, it was a little bit of a delayed day, but I'm doing good. But you know what? Hold on. Let's not talk about me. Let's talk about you, Alberto. So she not only uses my name, but she's ready to speak to me, and she's ready to tell me that that moment, she wants to give me everything she can give me for me to have a great interview.

Wow.

He turned it around in a way, because I really cared, you know, about having someone who was comfortable. I said, you know, how are you doing? She's like, well, it was a really rough day. And then she calls me by my name. I mean, she's seen a whole bunch of people, but she knew at least who she was walking in to see. And she says, but, Alberto, let's talk about you. How are you doing? You're doing okay? Sorry for the delay. Let's do this. What do you need from me? What can I do for you? It was so eye opening for me, Amberly, because I realized that caring about others genuinely just gives you so much satisfaction. And you know what? Success comes with that. It's just part of it. It's about caring for others. It's about being of service to others. And I learned that through someone, you know, who's a global celebrity.

Wow. And, you know, kindness goes so far. Just someone being kind can totally change your day. Last night, my family, we went out to get frozen yogurt for a treat. And when we get inside the shop, there's this little boy. It was the first time I thought about this. There was this little boy there. There were three, you know, three. Two sisters and a little brother. And the little boy didn't have his mask on. He was 2 years old. And I was smiling, but of course I had my mask on. And I think he could tell I was smiling through my eyes because he looked up and smiled back. But I thought, I wonder how all of this is impacting our children and if we can be kind to others right now, especially our kids. I think they need that so much. You know, all these lessons that we learn. And I think that by Celine Dion, just sitting there and being kind and saying your name, you're like, oh my gosh, she's with me. We're a team and I think we need to feel like a team right now, you know, more than ever. And, you know, I love that you have created this following where you make people feel a part of a team. It's obvious with everything that you do and through your Facebook and your Instagram, you've got like, I don't know, close to a hundred thousand or more followers there on Instagram. And I always say, my Instagram is not my, it's not my following. They're my family because they really pick me up on days where I feel like it's hard to keep moving forward. I know that you have created something special just for the listeners today on True Grit and Grace to help them because there's a lot of people who are reinventing themselves at this time. Like I said, so many people that are starting podcasts. I think podcasting is one of the ways of the future. There are so many up and coming new podcasts. What is it that you have created for everyone? Because I think it's really going to help them.

Absolutely. Well, thank you for the opportunity of mentioning that. I'm very excited because one of the next steps that I'm working on is I am on this mission to allow people to just grab whatever they can from the experience that I've gathered through my career in interviewing others, to promote the ability to create memorable interviews, to create the best interview possible, and to inform, to entertain, to find lessons through these conversations. So I'm getting into, you know, into this wonderful project that I'm very excited about in which at different levels I will start, you know, coaching people, of course, offering courses and doing different things that allow others to master the skills of interviewing and creating memorable interviews. So the first thing that we're doing now, and this is just a very preliminary step, is that we publish and make public the complete pre interview questionnaire for your podcast or show. So this is basically what we send our guests that are about to come on the Passion Accomplished podcast that helps to me prepare so I can have a memorable interview, whatever that goal is and whatever the narrative of the show is. And this is good for video shows, for people that have public pages on Facebook, etc. So people can now actually download the complete pre interview questionnaire that we use on our show. And that's something that they can access by visiting my pre interview.com mypreeinterview.com they'll be able to download it right then and there. And that way they can start the process of, you know, figuring out what works for them. But I will be sharing a lot of what works for me in terms of creating memorable interviews on your show or podcast.

Yeah. And if you're listening, if you're driving or you're at the, you know, running on the track or at the park or at the beach and you're listening to the show right now, those that link will be in the show notes. So you can find it in the show notes along with all of your social media, Facebook, Instagram, everything, so people can find out more about you and connect with you. And I think that that's not just for people who want to do a podcast. I think it's really important because for people who are reaching out and connecting with others right now, so many people are doing lives on Instagram and lives on Facebook where it's so important to have a guide to help you ask those right questions. So thank you for. For creating that. And like I said, I've downloaded it and I haven't checked my email yet, but I've already signed it and ready to download it. And we'll just finish up with one question I like to ask everyone, and I think we especially need it right now more than ever is resilience. And I would love to know what is your definition of resilience and what are some of the things, a couple of things that you do to be more resilient every day.

You know, I think that the key to being resilient is being yourself. You won't be resilient if you are not in touch with who you are, what drives you, what defines you, what you're passionate about. So I don't think there's any type of resilience in someone who's trying to be somebody else, who's trying to please somebody else, who's trying to do the right thing, because somebody else said that that was the right thing. So the more we get in touch with who we are and the more honest we are with ourselves in terms of who we are and who we want to become, then we're going to be resilient, because there's no alternative to it. There's no alternative to being yourself. And there will never be any type of alternative in terms of a project, a vision, a mission. If you are being yourself and if you're being true to yourself.

Oh, I think that's beautiful. And I couldn't agree more. In fact, my post yesterday was about stopping to ask yourself, who are you? You know, ask yourself, who are you? Where do you want to go? What are your options? And I think that by getting in touch with, you know, and a lot of people right now have had time to actually think about those things, whereas they're not on that hamster wheel of life because some people aren't working right now. And so I think that's really important and such a beautiful thing. I just loved being able to talk to you and appreciate having you on the show. Y' all please check out his amazing podcast, his connect with him on social media. You are such a light in this world. Thank you so much for sharing your story and your words of wisdom with us. I just appreciate you so much.

Well, Kimberly, I'm very grateful. I can't believe you know, how things just happen. I mean, somebody recommended your podcast, I started listening and the idea that we have connected, that I've had the honor of being on your show, is just amazing and I really appreciate it. Thanks for your time. Thank you everyone for your attention. I hope you can check out the Passion Accomplished podcast where we are on a very similar mission of just, you know, supporting each other, learning from each other, sharing each other's stories, and being just very, very much certain that this is a great world to live in with great people. Thank you so much. I really appreciate it.

Thank you. Thanks Foreign. Thanks so much for joining us this week on True Britain Grace Podcast. If you like it, please rate it or share it with your friends. That would help too. If you're not yet on the newsletter list, come over to Amberly Lago.com and jump on it. While you're there, you can grab a free downloadable gratitude journal. And you may might just want to check out my book or even check out my monthly motivational membership. Thanks again for tuning in and we'll see you next week.