Learnings and Missteps

First-Generation Grit: Building a Career Against the Odds with Yuri Salgado

• Kaelalosey • Season 3

Share episode

In this episode of the Learnings and Missteps podcast, Jesse interviews Uri Salgado, a bilingual business development executive at Detritus. Yuri shares her remarkable journey from helping her mother with translation in her childhood to achieving a milestone of 10 years at her previous company. She discusses the influence of her multicultural background, the importance of empathy in her career, and how divine timing has played a significant role in her professional growth. Yuri also talks about her transition to Detritus, the supportive company culture, and her future aspirations to mentor others.
00:00 Introduction and Guest Overview
01:09 Meet Miss Uri Salgado
03:19 Understanding Divine Timing
07:13 Early Life and Career Beginnings
10:00 Lessons from Childhood
14:16 Career Transitions and Challenges
21:28 Joining Detritus
28:50 Impact and Legacy
31:37 Support Systems and Challenges
32:48 Industry Competition and Personal Growth
36:53 Balancing Work and Life
48:31 Empathy and Client Relations
59:46 The Importance of the Journey


Set the stage for an amazing new year with the Self First Framework.

https://calendly.com/jesse04/self-first-webinar

Download a PDF copy of Becoming the Promise You are Intended to Be
https://www.depthbuilder.com/books

SPEAKER_03:

I wanted to be the first indigenous last name on that wall to represent the culture of the company. That it does not matter your background, you are capable of anything and everything.

SPEAKER_00:

What is going on, LM family? Back again with a super awesome person. I y'all probably are already picking up on this. I'm starting to get to a point where I'm getting to interview, like these interviews are the first time I've ever had a conversation with these people, which is super, super exciting because today we have an executive in business development for Detritus. Did I say that right?

SPEAKER_03:

Very close. You were very close. Detritus.

SPEAKER_00:

Detritus. All right. Executive in business development at Detritus. She is a bilingual baller who knows that success, like true success, isn't measured in timelines or titles. So we're going to get all into the goodness because y'all already know that is my love language. Her name is Miss Yuri Salgado, and she's kind of going to walk us. I don't know if she knows this, but I'm going to do my best to have her walk us through her path that's been guided by intuition, hard work, and faith in divine timing, which is ultra, ultra interesting to me. But before we do that, and if this is your first time here, you are listening to the Learnings and Missteps podcast, where you get to hear directly from amazing people, just like you, how they're carving out an amazing life by sharing their gifts and talents to leave this world better than they found it. I'm Jesse, your selfish servant, and we're about to get to know Miss Yudie. Miss Yudie, how are you, my sister?

SPEAKER_03:

It's great. It's Friday. We made it. It is Friday. There's still a little bit of the rope left, but you know, we're getting there. It's been a week and it felt like a Monday every day, but it's an amazing one. I love Mondays because it's like a whole new day, a whole new week. So that's one of my prices I use every day. It feels like a Monday, even though it's Thursday. Sometimes it gets confusing.

SPEAKER_00:

But I'll tell you a secret, and some people think I'm crazy. Mondays are my favorite day. And people have, what the hell's wrong? Because most people like don't like Mondays. I said, Well, I used to hate Mondays, but when I did like a self-analysis, it was because there was a lot of unfinished things that I like loose ends. I didn't close on Thursday or Friday, which made Monday horrible because I had to catch up and then I had everything else coming up. Right. So when I started taking care of business on Thursdays and Fridays, Mondays were awesome all of a sudden. And because everybody else hates Mondays, Mondays are nicer to me because I love them. Is that a cheap code or what?

SPEAKER_03:

Monday, yes. I mean, that's basically where you set all of your agenda for what's going to happen and make it happen.

SPEAKER_00:

So yeah, that's the key point, making it happen. So I have a real softball, simple question, Yuri. May I ask it, ask you?

SPEAKER_03:

Sure.

SPEAKER_00:

Absolutely. What is divine timing?

SPEAKER_03:

Oh gosh. Okay. There's so much to it where it's okay. Do I start over here or over here? I guess to simplify divine timing would be where you put out their returns to you. So if you're putting in the work, if you're going out there and connecting with people, if you're out there reaching out, even if you can't connect with them face to face, and you're sending an email, sending a text, leaving a voicemail, everything that you're setting, the foundation you're setting for your career will eventually start growing its steps, right? Those stairs to the top of whatever mountain you're trying to reach. If it's, I don't know, the pyramids over there in Mexico, Teotihuacan. I mean, it's really up to you what level of height are you trying to reach? So divine timing to me is just putting in the work, and then the universe is going to send that your way. And if you believe in God, obviously God is sending that your way. I think that's where the divine timing fits into how I treat my career and my success.

SPEAKER_00:

Oh my goodness I love that a hundred percent. Now, I didn't like I didn't see things that way early in my career. Now it's straight up. I'd never used that language, but I love it because I mean kind of what you described is like laying the like I gotta do the work, I gotta send the text, I gotta do the emails, I gotta make the calls, I gotta post the cut, all of we gotta put in the work, whatever that is. Yes. And as long as I keep putting in the work, the reward is going to come at the appropriate time. And more important, but what do you think about this? When I look at my career, like the life I have right now is I have my own business, right? I'm I have the worst boss in the world, and that is me. So, but that means I have like complete autonomy. I make all my own decisions, all my it's all with it's all up to me. But if I had the same conditions that I'm living in now 20 years ago, I would have I wasn't ready for it. I didn't know how to like manage myself and do the things, nurture, cultivate relationships, serve in a really deep degree or in a really deep manner. I was very selfish. Yeah, and so I was but I was putting in work back then, and it's like these things, these opportunities, this evolution came when I was ready for it because I did the work. What do you think about that?

SPEAKER_03:

I love it. You know how I said there's so many parts to it. Yeah, that's right. If you really want to get to the tip of it, there's that you have to. I always say sacrifice, I had to sacrifice this, I had to sacrifice that. A lot of people don't like that term, but to me, that's just how I felt fit my career into my success. I have to sacrifice this right now because I know later on it's going to pay off. I must do this, you know. I'm planting seeds here and there. I'm also a huge nature lover. I'm a tree hugger, so I will you know, I'm planting my seed here and over here. And I know at some point something is going to grow out of that, and that's just how it is in the career industry or any industry really that you're in, even when you're in school, if you're you know starting a marriage or having kids, it's just it all connects.

SPEAKER_00:

So wondering like, okay, where you are today, you're the account manager, you're the executive for Detritis, you have a lot of responsibility, you have a lot in terms of growing and sustaining that business, building client base and all that. Um, and maybe I'm oversimplifying, so feel free to slap me. But so here's my question in terms of the planting seeds, when you're in middle school, did you know, okay, I'm gonna be an executive account manager, and this is what I'm gonna do. And in order to do that, I'm gonna do all of these things.

SPEAKER_03:

No, I did not. I am in the completely total opposite field of what I wanted to do. Yes, really, very different. I actually wanted to be a doctor and okay, a nurse, so I wanted to be in the taking care of humans, the world in any way I can and heal them and cure them and do what I can, you know.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_03:

I never saw myself in cells, but listen to this as well. I grew up in a household of first generation of being here in the United States. Yeah, my family is from Mexico City, so first generation, we're establishing our foundation. So I grew up around cleaning houses. So I think that's why because my mom was the one who did the cleaning houses, and so she would take me to do the translation when she was negotiating with trying to get the jobs or trying to establish a relationship, partnership with the client, whatever it may be. And I was there as the middleman helping my mom out to translate and just get it going for her. Anytime she needed any help, it was me. And I am talking about eight, nine years old helping her with this. So I believe that's where the divine timing came at such a young age as well. So, yeah, oh my god, it's completely different to what I wanted to actually do, what I was doing in the transition of going into school, and then what happened after graduating.

SPEAKER_00:

Oh my goodness. Okay, so there's an important piece there that I think a lot of people really have no idea. Being the translator for your mom. Now, that this isn't just translating to order breakfast, right? You're translating in a negotiation, like in a business negotiation between your mom and the client. Yes, you're an eight-year-old, and so there's something that happens in our head when we're that young, because there's a lot, there's some people that know that life, but there's a lot of people that don't know that life.

SPEAKER_03:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00:

So in your head, were you aware? Do you remember if you how aware you were of the brevity of the situation? Like you're talking money here. We're talking about food on the table, roof over our head conversation. I'm an eight-year-old. Was that in your realm of awareness, or were you just translating word for word?

SPEAKER_03:

That's a great question. No, I was not aware of what I was actually bringing into the world of my mother at the time. I just thought this is what I have to do. And if I don't do it, I'm getting in trouble. My mom is going to tell me, what am I doing? You know? So I have to make sure I'm available when she needs it. And it wasn't until maybe I got to middle school that I started understanding how important it was, not just to me and her or her and me, but just our family and also anyone within that industry, be able to communicate, to be able to speak the same language and there not be a barrier. And just how these people were so open to negotiate with an eight, nine-year-old, you know, it's like they took me serious. Obviously, my mom was there the entire time, or if it was over the phone, but they actually spoke to me like I was an adult when I was only eight or nine.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah, yeah. So okay, so two questions on that because it is amazing. The first question I have is you were translating, didn't really understand like the seriousness of it, but were you able, like looking back, did you pick up any techniques? So did you ever get to a point where you're like, dang, mom was a baller, man. She didn't play, like she negotiated hard. I want to do the LM family member shout-out. And this one goes to Miss Megan. Miss Megan left a review and she shared this with me. She said, I used to jump to whatever popped in my head. Now I have a system that gives me strategy instead of just reaction. And her comment was in response to being a part of the self first framework, the workshop. So, folks, if you want to get some of that goodness, I've got a batch of workshops coming up in December. There'll be a link in the thing, do the link, do the clicking, it'll be awesome. But more importantly, I love getting reviews, I love getting feedback and requests. So, folks, if you're out there, leave me a comment. It gives me a really great excuse to shout you out in the future.

SPEAKER_03:

Yeah. So if I learn how to be a hard worker, it's from my mom. And I wear that as if it was a tattoo all over me. You know, it's like I am a hard worker because of my mother. I learned through her so many techniques that till this day I just can't believe. And then some of them I forget, they come up later. Oh my gosh, this is what I had to do in the cleaning industry. How I do it in the construction industry or facility management, whatever it may be, an event. So yeah, it's there's so much to it. I wish we had hours and hours to this, but it definitely taught me a lot. I think one of them was just the negotiation skills.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03:

And mostly trying to find a solution to the problem they were having. My house is too dirty, my floors get really dusty after two days. What can I do? You know, and so me being the middleman there trying to problem solve as well, because mostly that's what it narrowed down to. If I pay you, how clean is my house going to stay? How often do I need it? What type of cleaning do I need? Before it used to be very basic the cleaning, today's very different.

SPEAKER_02:

Oh, yeah.

SPEAKER_03:

Back in the day I'm talking about 15 years ago, everything was included in the cleaning. It was one price, and this is what you're getting. It's all broken down. It's so funny. It's like when you're setting up a job site and they need a portable restroom, fencing, storage container, it's all broken down in the cleaning industry.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah. Oh my goodness. I've come to believe that we all have a different definition of negotiate, of what negotiating is or what a negotiation should be. Like in the simplest term, in the eight-year-old Yuri definition, how would you define or describe what a negotiation should feel like and accomplish?

SPEAKER_03:

Well, that's a really good question. I just knew that five dollars was a lot of money.

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03:

My mom left me to do that negotiation. She would have fired me a long time ago. So definitely picked up a lot on what is the value that you're bringing in. That is going to give you the negotiation that you can bring in. So find out what separates you from the rest, what you're able to provide, what you're able to give, before you start looking into the negotiation and pricing sector, right? So with me, for instance, in my mom's case, if you couldn't communicate with my mom, you were going to communicate with me. So there's no language barrier there. I got you covered. If there was ever any situation where the customer wasn't happy because they had to speak to a little child, it was very rare for them to come at me in a very aggressive way.

SPEAKER_00:

Ah, so that was a secret advantage.

SPEAKER_03:

That was because then I learned later on, now in the industry that I'm in, to listen to what the customer is bringing or the client, and not just, well, this is what you're getting, this is what you're paying for, and that's all you're getting. No, yeah, that's not how it works. So I learned that at a very young age.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah. Oh, I love that. I and I mean I'm a little jealous because you had like early training, right? But I've gotten some feedback from clients of why they picked me because I'm not the cheapest, right? And I'm a little crazy. Like you if you're putting me in front of your people, you got some courage. But, anyways, and uh, but I asked like, so what helped you pick me, right? Because I want to know, I mean, there's a lot of things that I do on purpose, and it's kind of like my system, right? Of whatever, my process. But I also know there's a lot of things that I'm not that I do that I'm not aware of. And the feedback was like, I'm like, oh my God, I gotta start doing that on purpose. They're like, no, just what helped us pick you, you listened to what we needed, you ask questions to figure out how like what it was gonna be, what we've dealt with, what do we really want? Where do we want to focus? How fast do we want to go? The other people told us, this is what it's going to be, this is how it's going to look like, and this is the price. And I'm like, oh, so yeah, you ask questions and you listen. I'm like, shoo, oh, I gotta, I'm gonna do that for sure all the time, every time going forward. Which again, kind of back to the point of the question. In my brain, I think I'm aligned with you, Yuri, in that a negotiation is about let's get clear on what the hell you want and if I'm even the best person to give it to you.

SPEAKER_03:

If I'm the right, yeah.

SPEAKER_00:

What do you want? Am I the best option? Do I believe I'm the best option? Because if I'm not, I'm gonna refer you to somebody else. What do you think about that?

SPEAKER_03:

That's it, that's the key. That's it. I actually you win a prize. It's so funny you mentioned that I was on a business trip in California, San Diego. Shout out to San Diego. Oh my goodness.

SPEAKER_01:

Oh, yeah.

SPEAKER_03:

I was out there and I had to Uber everywhere. So I was the princess when I was out there, and I met this guy who was a DJ. And he just did Uber for the airport. And he was just telling me how dangerous it is if he were to do it at night. So then he asked, What is it that you do? Why are you in San Diego? You know, the typical questions when you're in an Uber. And I let him know why I was in town. I was there for a visit, a client visit. It was like, okay, so what is it that you do? So I told him what I did, and he told me, you know, there's this energy you have that I don't get often with people I give rights to to the airport. And I absolutely love hearing that because I'm a huge believer of energies. I even feel the room when someone walks in there. So, anywho, to get back into the topic, he was telling me that he was never really in his business as a DJ, he never really thought about Google reviews or feedback from clients. He just went gave pricing, and if you want it, take it, and if not, don't, you know.

unknown:

Right, right.

SPEAKER_03:

But it wasn't until he started to talk to the bride, because most of the callers are brides, and started healing them and started then figuring out how to make their event beautiful, because that's like the day that is very important to every princess out there, you know. So it wasn't until then that he realized I'm doing this all wrong, I'm doing it based on me only, right? Yep, but on my prices mostly, not what I can offer, which is what you just explained, how you sell yourself, you have to sell yourself, and it's so much selling is more am I the right fit for you? And if them let's go to the next step, and if not, I think I have someone else for you that can be better for what you're looking for, and that's how he learned I need to actually start hearing them so then I can paint the picture of how the winning event is going to be so great if they go with me. And yeah, when he started doing that, he was just knocking out contract after contract.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah, it's magical. Now, the hard part, and like you're I mean, you're in business development, so I imagine there's some kind of metrics tied to what you're supposed to be producing in your time and your efforts, and that adds pressure, right? And so I want to ask you about that, but first, I think part of where we get the used car salesman, right? Because people, yes, right, people have told me, Jesse, and for years, for I'm gonna say 15 years, people are like, Man, you'd be a great salesman. I'd be like, hell with you, man. How dare you tell me that? I didn't understand, like my initial observation was I'm not one of those used car salesmen. Fast forward to now, I'm like, oh, now I understand why they were telling me that. Like, I am good at it. Um, now I'm in a situation currently, and I hope it stays that way, where I don't have pressure to close a deal, to get revenue, right? To I have a backup plan, Yudi. You want to know what my backup plan is if my business fails?

SPEAKER_03:

Yeah, what is it?

SPEAKER_00:

Table dancing. I'm gonna dance for money. That's the backup plan.

SPEAKER_03:

So funny you say that. One of my coworkers said, I'm just going to sell my feet. And I'm just like, please stop. You're not doing that.

SPEAKER_00:

You know, I think the more I share my backup plan, people are motivated to help me get business so they don't see me on a table. So it's kind of some reverse technology there. Now, back to you. So, like, when did it become clear to you that man, I'm I can build a career in sales? Was it like an aha moment, or it just kind of happened?

SPEAKER_03:

It honestly just happened. So before I started at my previous company, I was in procurement. I was even in sales, I was actually in the quilting department for a huge broker in the oil field industry. Okay, I was just gathering the quilts and sending them off to the purchaser to then or her utilize whichever quote they wanted to use to turn in their bid, or if they were already one, then who to give the order to? So that's where I started. That company unfortunately went bankruptcy. So after nine years of working there, had to look for a job. Yeah, just had a baby, my second baby. So I had yeah, I had an one-year-old and a half. I'm sorry, one and a half, and then my daughter was eight months, I believe, at the time.

SPEAKER_00:

Wow, they were baby.

SPEAKER_03:

Very small. I was starting, and I just remember like my whole world, just what am I going to do? I went from the cleaning industry to starting my career at eight years old to the procurement, and now I don't have a job. I mean, right away I got a job as I graduated because I was cleaning with my mom. So people knew me, and as soon as they knew I had graduated, they were offering me jobs, and this was the one that I took because it was good pay. So I lose that job. I am basically in this depressed stage. Oh no what to do. What am I going to do? And then one of my friends reaches out, she's in the porta potty fancying dumpster stores, one stop shop industry. Yeah, and she's hey, we need people, would you like to work here? Heck yeah, but I don't know anything about that in this. I mean, I don't mind, I'll learn, I will learn. And this is when YouTube started, sort of watching videos, but there wasn't much about it. I was just reading, I love to read. I started doing a lot of research on what the industry was like, so I could prepare for the interview, and yeah, sure enough, I did my interview a month later, I was hired to work there. So that's how I started. It wasn't planned, it wasn't it landed, it was just it was meant to be, and that's when I started working at that company. Wow, yeah, well, almost 10 years, yeah. So I worked at the company for 10 years.

SPEAKER_00:

So, and I one LM family, if you didn't catch it, you invested some time, you did the work of doing the research, and like this is a whole new thing because most people like for real, most people would say, No, I don't know anything about it, there's no way I can do it. You said let me go learn about it. Yes, and I think that's a key point that I want the listeners out there to latch on to is the one, like you you gotta put in like it doesn't matter, man, if you've never done it before, you can learn enough to get started. Now, because I believe there's a fact that we all we're blind to it, I think as individuals, I can't see all the transferable skills I have. Like, I'm I just you know, I've been, yeah, I was a plumber, I did installation. If you would have asked me when I was a plumber or a foreman or a superintendent, hey man, do you think you could start a business? I would say, hell no, I don't know nothing about that. But looking back, there's a lot of skills that I built as an installer and a foreman that were absolutely transferable and necessary for me to start and operate my own business. Or how start a stupid podcast, right? Same skill set, but I didn't understand, I thought it was a whole different skill. But my point is we build this armory of skill sets, but we can't see how they transfer to the next phase of our life. And what you're what I'm hearing from you is cleaning industry, helping mom, negotiating with mom, which I think is old. I wish there were like video of that. That would be so awesome. Then you went into oil and gas and the procurement, and then you went into to with detritus, a whole different industry. Now you're in construction, so but you were able to bring some skills with you.

SPEAKER_03:

Yeah, so it wasn't with Detritus, it was a different company. Oh I did my tenure there. Ah, I love where this is going. I think I know where this is going because that's when detritus comes into the picture. And I'm just I can tell you I'm on cloud nine being at the Tritus right now. I cannot believe it. I mean, coming from you know, first generation of being born here, cleaning service, which was the normal for anyone that just arrived here, you just never imagine the place that you would be in. So yes, okay. So I left my previous company to come at the Tritus after yes, I left it because the Tritus reached out. They were looking for people with experience in the same industry, competitors. Let's just say they're competitors, right? Okay, okay, and they were looking for people who knew the industry who could pass on the tools, the skills, the wisdom, the I mean the everything of how can we make the Tridents even more successful. We want people like you, and that's when I came into the picture. So I was, in a sense, already kind of ready to get out of where I was at previously. I had already hit the wall of where I wanted to be there, and I was looking for something more challenging. I wanted to do more, and it was the traveling, meeting customers more. The other company was more of a call center, so I really was more transactional versus you know, the in person. But when they tried us reached out and they had a talk with me and just basically painted the picture of what they were looking for, yeah. Divine timing again. My divine timing knew that I was ready, that it was time. I had been manifesting this for the past two years. Once I did my 10 years, I'm out, I have to find something else. I think I I'm ready for something else. And so two weeks prior to my 10 years, they reached out. And it's so it's wild because I waited exactly 10 years because I wanted the 10 year, right? The 10 year, but not only that, at this company they give you a jersey with your last name on it representing the 10 years that you've been there. So I don't have the year that you started. So 15, I started in 15, and it'll have my last name on top.

unknown:

Wow.

SPEAKER_03:

I stay that long because I wanted to be the first indigenous last name on that wall to represent the culture of the company. That it does not matter your background, you are capable of anything and everything. And I was training sales in that company from 60 account managers, so it was a huge accomplishment to me.

SPEAKER_00:

Oh, so I applaud you first, sister. I didn't know that. I'm not surprised, but it's amazing, just another testament to the caliber of individual you are, because what I'm to like you're about lasting impact, not let me make a little like more money and get another title. It's about lasting impact. So your tenure there at the previous company is a message to all the generations that are out there, the people that are doing it now, and the people that are to come, which LM family, if you ain't rolling that way, get your stuff in gear and stand for something. Because I believe not just from your testimony. Testimonial, but from also my experience, when I shifted my thinking about having an impact for more people, not just me, yes, doors opened up. Like kind of like you're saying, right? Like you at 10 years, you had it in your head, and then all of a sudden, guess what? In 10 years, this opportunity comes. I don't think that happens as effortlessly.

unknown:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00:

If we're not focused on a greater impact. If I'm only focused, or rather, I'll say it this way: when I was like totally focused on me and getting the title and getting the raise and getting the high profile project, yeah. Man, I had to work my butt off for that. And it was hard. And then when I started, you know what? Let me maybe make an impact for the little Nestules from San Antonio. Let me go serve them. Let me see what I can do to help the guys go from installer to foreman. Let me start serving them. All of a sudden, the doors kicked wide open.

SPEAKER_03:

I am telling you, that right there should be on a shirt, on a hoodie, on a hat. You know, that is exactly it. That's it. That's another key. This year, I call every year, it has its own name, and this year has been the year of leap of faith. It has because you know, from being at a company 10 years and then restarting in a sense, not really restarting, but you're having to put yourself out there again in a whole new company, and so it has been like that. So when this door opened, I just knew it was time for that leap of faith here, and that's what it's been. It's been a lot of leap of faith this year, and I'm so grateful for my husband that supports it, or else, you know, and my kids.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah, so that brings up a freaking super, super important point is like the people you have in your life can make that a beautiful experience or a painful experience. How thinking about I'm thinking about your mom, right? Because it like you said, it coming up first generation and your mom doing cleaning, and maybe even your family and friends, people that you grew up with. For a lot of us, that's what life is, like all the way. But then you start taking these crazy stuff. I'm assuming that they're like, Miha, what are you doing? You're like, chill out, like you're good, like just don't make waves. What was it like when you were making these big shifts? Okay, I'm gonna get in this industry and I'm gonna go do this thing now. Were there people in your life that were concerned and worried and saying, wait a minute, maybe you shouldn't do that? And how did you deal with it?

SPEAKER_03:

So it's a little bit of a controversy there. It wasn't really blood, I could say family, it was more people within the industry and the company I was working at. When you become a competition to them, and it's a company that is very family oriented, and it's all about family and closest friends, and you're not within that category. Oh my gosh, it's been more challenging. Yeah, but Yuri being Yuri, she loves challenges, she grew up full of challenges. Yeah, I can definitely maneuver myself through any challenge that arises. Now, can I knock them down all the time? No, I'm human, it's not possible. There's certain situations that I just couldn't knock over, but whatever I was not able to knock over, the trident brought it in and a thousand percent better. It's just amazing how what is not meant to happen in that moment. I promise you, it will happen later, as long as you continue doing what is right and what needs to be done, and don't take the easy route. You keep doing what you're doing, yeah. Preached to that preach. Yeah, like you said, it wasn't until I started to want to pass on my wisdom, my my knowledge, my tools, my skills, that these doors started to open, and the ones needed to close. I mean, they closed, they closed there's no you try not to burn bridges in certain certain areas, but there's some that you just cannot avoid, and it that's what happened. So, but I'm not I don't regret any of it. I don't regret it because I would not be this career woman that I am today if it wouldn't have been for every single step that I've been able to climb from when my mom started that foundation as a young kid. Another funny part thing about that too, I also grew up around the construction industry because my stepfather was in construction, so it was just meant to be that I would end up helping people who needed to set up their construction job sites, or sometimes even translate, or sometimes I'll get calls from people where they're like, I lost my job, I don't know what to do. Who can do you recommend anyone in the I don't know, LA area? And we have a what is that called a we have a system where we can pull all of our vendors in that area, and yeah, no worries. Let me see who's out there. Do you know how to do this? Do you know how to clean porta potties? Do you know how to deliver a dumpster? Yes, yes, I can do all of that. Okay, well, here you go. Here's four people that you can reach out to, and one of them has had to have an opportunity because it's very weird when it comes to drivers for porter potties and dumpsters, they're not very reliable, so there's always that opportunity there.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah, so there's an opening coming, just stick in there, do good, and you'll be all right. Yes, okay. So I really want to help the listeners get a glimpse into your thinking. So you mentioned that you had you knew that at 10 years you wanted to do something else. There was you were gonna need to do something else, which I'm with you 100%. When people ask me, like, what's your five-year plan? I'm like, bro, I'll give you my five-year plan, but I'll tell you right now, it's gonna be small compared to what it actually ends up being. Yes. Uh, but you knew that at some point there was gonna be this leap or catalyst or just reason for something else. Where did that come from? Did you read it in a book? Did your mom tell you? Where did that thinking come from? Okay, I'm gonna give this much time, and at the end of this time, I'm going to make a shift.

SPEAKER_03:

I think it happened about two years ago when I was trying to do the whole life and work balance.

SPEAKER_00:

Ah, okay.

SPEAKER_03:

That's where it really hit me the hardest. I was actually at a retreat, a company retreat, because at the previous company, anyone who hit the Millionaire Club, they were taken to a mini retreat.

unknown:

Okay.

SPEAKER_01:

Right.

SPEAKER_03:

And so I was at a retreat that I was supposed to be enjoying, and I was not able to enjoy it a hundred percent because I had a big job that I was setting up for cruise the self-driven vehicles. So I spent about three days of the four-day retreat coordinating logistics and just getting everything set up because it was, you know, when you set up a big job, you try for something not to go wrong. I mean, you try everything, but then there's always that one thing. In this case, if you didn't deliver the Krug, I think it's pronounced Krug, right? The coffee pot. Yeah, yeah. The lady was so upset because it wasn't delivered. And so it was us trying to hunt down where is that coffee pot? We need to find it. And if you don't deliver it, then we're gonna go buy one and we're going to deliver it to her. But besides that, there was just so much other things happening that I was not able to enjoy my retreat that I had earned and deserved. That's when it hit me. If I'm not getting the help when I need it, then it is time for me to. I think I've grown way too much where it's maybe not within the company's capabilities of help me. So it's not like it was entirely on them. I just don't think they saw that growth happening. Yeah. And so whenever it did happen, they tried to assist, but at the same time, the assistance wasn't fully there just because most of my jobs are very complex. So right, and I would always offer to train and help and pass on what I knew, but not everybody was open to that because that's where this industry, if it's not my client, I don't treat it like my client.

SPEAKER_00:

You're on your own. Yes, yeah. No, that's weak sauce. How a lot of people function. That's how a lot of people function. Oh, that's not on if it's not on my my job description. I don't have to do it. You can play that game, but you can stay right where you're at forever.

SPEAKER_03:

Yeah, that's why I said it was controversial because it's just, you know, it was tough. That's when I knew, well, you know what? I think it's time. And the next one that I go to, I need to teach everybody what I know, what is needed, we know what is needed to be known. That way, when Yuri goes on vacation or Yuri decides to flee the country, just kidding. They know what to do, you know. You don't have to you don't have to create a clone of Yuri. I will train them and they will give they'll understand.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah. Wow. Okay, so what was it? I mean, it sounds like the Tritis was like, oh, this is a not just an opportunity for you to grow, but also an opportunity for you to create the conditions for other people to grow. What was it at the like on those first first dates, right? Because I know how this works, right? They meet you, they talk to you, then you breakfast, then lunch, and then eventually you're like, Oh, I'm in love with you. Let I'm gonna leave. What was it about them, about the organization that signaled to you like I can really create what I believe would be an amazing experience and have lasting impact? Because it sounds like they're facilitating that, yeah.

SPEAKER_03:

Yes, what I love about the Tritus that everyone who's in leadership does not act like they're in leadership. Oh, yeah. Okay, they're another Yuri, they're another Gary, they're another Keith. They basically treat you like a human being and not a number, you know, and that's the part that I absolutely love about the Triders. I mean, I can render is amazing. David, who is our he's the mastermind behind creating our system. There's Zach, there's Garrett. Oh my goodness, all of those guys. I know that I can reach out, and they've got my back.

SPEAKER_01:

Wow, yeah.

SPEAKER_03:

I've had one of my co-workers who takes off pretty not pretty often, but she's going through some stuff, correct? So she will pass on. She has a lot of big accounts, and so she will reach out to my manager, Garrett, or Keith, and they'll take care of it themselves. They don't off to another salesperson that's on the floor, they take care of it, and that I didn't see at the other company really stands out just the way whenever we were talking. Honestly, when I went in for my interview, it felt like I was going into a lounge and just hanging out.

SPEAKER_00:

Ah, okay.

SPEAKER_03:

Interview. It didn't feel like an interview at all. Everybody was just so amazing. So I mean, they I can't say enough. I think they're just so good at what they do and they know it. Yeah, they also allow us to grow within some of that leadership as well, even though we are not leadership. So that's one of the number one things I like about the Trivis.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah, that's amazing. It sounds like an amazing environment, and it's rare, I'm sure you know. Oh, yeah. Um, for all my managers out there, I have friends that are like, no, my job is to like to delegate and give everybody else work. That's a way that I like it works, it's not exciting, but it works. But when you're leading and you take on responsibility for a period of time, right? When somebody on the team is struggling, that speaks volumes. And then I think you again, like the recurring thing that comes up is like just listening. They're listening to your ideas, they're open to support. Like that creates, I'll say it this way. I believe that's what creates the conditions for people to thrive and grow and share great ideas and innovate and contribute to the overall business, not just do the stupid tasks that are on the job description. And furthermore, I'll add like in our in the construction industry, down at the project level, I've seen it all over the place where the leaders that like demonstrate interest in their people, and I don't mean let them get away with sucking, I just mean treating them like a human being. They have dramatically different outcomes, and they don't struggle with finding and keeping people, but they're the smaller percentage. The majority are like just do your job, leave your personal life at home. And like they're very and guess what? They struggle keeping people, they struggle attracting people. People don't grow. That's a complete, in my opinion, that's a complete failure in leadership, and that's why they struggle getting people. The people that help develop their individuals, their team, they're gonna win, period. Clearly, they won with you, yeah.

SPEAKER_03:

Yes, I mean to everything, and then on top of that, they like to point fingers. Oh, we have to find who cost this, and it's no, there's a variation of things that could have cost this. Let's focus on how we're going to fix it. Next time it I always say it's a good problem to have because we learn from it. If we didn't have problems, we wouldn't learn from it. So let's look for who did what, why didn't they do this, the pointing fingers? Let's look into what we could have done different.

SPEAKER_00:

Yes, yes, man.

SPEAKER_03:

Guilt trip people all the time because that's where people end up just they grow this. I don't know what the word is, kind of like a dislike for the job. They'll continue doing what they have to do, right? Yep, but they end up not liking, they start picking on everything. Oh my god, now they're doing this, now they're doing that. Oh god, did you see that message? You know, and we want to avoid doing any of that and understand to get to fixing it if it happens again, and if it happens again, maybe what we thought was going to work didn't work. Let's see what else we can do. Because this industry, I always say it's like the medical field, always changing, it's always changing. It's it's I I see how the waste industry used to be 10 years ago, where you can take a dumpster to the nearest landfill and they would take it, you can disposable. No, because we're getting crowded with so much junk. Yeah, cycle, recycle. If you have clothes that doesn't fit or you don't want it, take it to your nearest you know, donation center, don't throw it away. We're clogging our landfills. So now that C and D dumpster that used to be a landfill 15 miles from here is now 40 miles, and prices are skyrocketing because and so it's shrinky out there right now.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah, no, I what I love is like thinking of evaluate the system. It's easy to blame people, but that's not gonna fix the problem because I believe 100%, and my pansa is proof of that. Our system, like the experience that I'm having, the results that I live are a product of a system that is perfectly designed to produce that result. Meaning, I got some extra insulation around my waist because my system of exercise, nutrition, and rest is designed to produce exactly what's happening. I could blame it on the Daco lady, I could blame it on the guy that gave me my order at Whataburger, but it's not their fault. It's my system of overeating, not exercising, and not resting. And so, same thing at work. When there's a negative outcome, sure, everybody wants like everybody, it's natural, it's instinctual. Who did it? No, the system was designed to allow that to happen. Let's fix the system so that it doesn't happen to anybody in the future. Yes, and that takes massive discipline. So, props to you, girl.

SPEAKER_03:

Yeah, it's it's it's the 10 years.

SPEAKER_00:

You that's it, and it's the 10. It's it goes all the way back to when you were all right. So what is your like? I mean, you really you touched on this earlier when you talked about getting their name on the wall so that you know people with from our background can say, oh, look, we're represented there too. What would you say how your multicultural background has helped you in business, like in in the role that you play now, and just in your career in general?

SPEAKER_03:

How has it helped me? That's another great question. I think it has really helped me to have more empathy, more understanding, more feeling. As a woman, we're full of emotions that you cannot deny. And in industry, it's very hard to separate emotion from logic or emotion with logic. It's like, when do I do that and when do I not do that? So I think it's the empathy part where I gained that that skill really well to be able to connect with the correct person that reaches out to me and be a good fit for them. Yeah, really what it is, the empathy part, because every single person that is reaching out, even if they're just reaching out for a porter potty, I need a porter potty at my job. Sorry, that's a problem. And I want this is what I can do for you. Let's figure this out, you know, and just treating them like not the GM or the GC or the PM. I want to know a little bit more. Some of them don't enjoy small talk though. Uh I tend to do a lot, but yeah, I think it's just the empathy part and just getting them set up. I mean, it's amazing how important a restroom is needed at a job site.

SPEAKER_00:

Oh, yes.

SPEAKER_03:

It's just, and I just wish our restroom vendors would change the way they treat this. And I understand they have routes and they have ways of setting up their business, but man, I just wish they could just get an ETA when they reach out and not have to, yeah, it's gonna be there, but it might not be there until five in the afternoon. Sorry, that's just the reality, you know. And if you put it there by a certain time, there's a time constraint fee. I wish that wasn't a thing because it's the importance of having that unit there. But I also need our vendors, so it's a lot of empathy. We I me personally like to treat my clients and my providers the same. My providers are like my clients without them. I'm nothing.

SPEAKER_00:

So yes, yeah, yeah, I love that. You know, my I've made my career exclusive until now, until I started my business. I was always heavily focused on our internal customers, right? So I worked for TD Industries for 17 years, I worked for a few other companies. I was always kind of put, you should be the project a project manager, and you should get into sale, you could do, you could be a project executive, you could be a national blah, blah, blah. And like, I don't want to do that. And like, why not? I said, because all of those roles require a greater focus on the external customer. And I'm not saying we don't need them and that they're not valuable, but we're not doing enough for our internal customers. I want to be that person, and so the fact that you're like focused on both ends, I think is that's the game, and like now I understand. Okay, I gotta do external, and then I got internal that I need to take care of and value equally. Um, otherwise, it becomes like I think, like you said earlier, like it people just get resentment about the work and about the experience because they're not being there's no appreciation demonstrated for them.

SPEAKER_03:

That's it. In their mind, they're the only ones. There's no other, you know, there's no Jesse, there's no so-and-so, it's just me. They're not wrong, right? They're not wrong, they're reaching out for a reason and they want to be treated like that, and that's how they should be treated. But absolutely with some realistic expectations there, like 12, you know, it's I can't, I have two kids, and as much as I want to treat them the same, they're not the same, right? Right to figure out which one requires more of the hugs and kisses versus the can I do? Are you okay if I touch you?

SPEAKER_01:

Right.

SPEAKER_03:

I already know which one doesn't like the small talk. I'm calling, I need the setup, I'm gonna send you the PO, get it out there. If you can today, if not tomorrow, awesome, I got you. And then we have others who call and they're like, Hey, how are you? How's it been? I need a crapper on site. How soon do you think you can get it? And they literally stay on the line until you figure it out for them.

SPEAKER_01:

Wow, yeah, yeah. So yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_03:

It's a little bit of everything in the industry, and absolutely love it. I can't imagine myself doing anything else right now because that's amazing.

SPEAKER_00:

You're loving it, yeah, yeah, you're loving it. You're and back to the empathy, right? Being able to adjust to what they respond to. That's huge. I know a lot of people say, Oh, I'm empathetic. What makes you think that? Because you're not adjusting your behavior at all, man. You're the same fool all the time every time. Like that, that's not to me an indication of empathy. Yeah, tell me how you really feel.

SPEAKER_03:

What happened to you? I want to hear your story, right? Right, totally. Turn that way. Yeah, it's I feel like this industry, or just maybe any industry as well. It's kind of like when you're playing Tetris, you have to be very careful where you land your piece. That's really how it is. That's how I was a pro a Tetris, let me tell you. Every time I'm working, I see it like that, like the pieces, the pieces, the pieces.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah, or they move around, very careful. Yeah, yeah. Oh, I love that. Okay, I'm about to ask you the grand slam closing question, but before, if people want to reach out to you for like your wisdom or connect with you, they need some services from Detritus. Where should we send them?

SPEAKER_03:

Thank you for asking that. So they can reach me on my LinkedIn, which I think you're going to be putting down there or up there or to the side. One of those, you can reach me there, or you can also go to our website, which is detritus.us, and that is going to be D S and Delta, E as in Edward, T as in Tom, Mars and Randy, I's in India, T as in Tom, US. And I mean, there's many people there who can reach you can reach and help you. But if you prefer to speak to me, I'm Yuri Salgado. And I think you're going to put my email there too, and my directory.

SPEAKER_02:

Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_03:

At that yeah, but LinkedIn, and then my email, my my phone, always reachable.

SPEAKER_00:

Beautiful. Well, we'll make sure people have access to that because in my head, there's it's duh. People are gonna reach out. I'm hoping that people reach out for mentoring and like, hey girl, I'm at this thing right now. I don't know what to do because you have massive experience. You're a mother, two kids, different industries, big jumps. There's so much you have to offer the world, and I'm grateful that yeah, I'm here.

SPEAKER_03:

I thank you for that. Thank you. That is one of my goals now that I've entered my 40s. This year I turned the big four. Oh, I feel like about that. And I that's one of my, I guess you could say, hobbies that I want to do and just be a mentor to those who need it, or a public speaker at some point. I want to be able to go to TED Talk and get to talk, you know, hear my story. So I'm here if you need it.

SPEAKER_00:

TED Talks, here's Yuri, hit her up, she's ready. All right, are you ready for the Grand Slam question?

SPEAKER_03:

Yes, I'm ready.

SPEAKER_00:

Okay, and I'm excited because you've had you have massive life experience from being the translator for your mom is eight years old, changing directions or coming to terms with a different path from wanting to be in the medical field to now you're in construction and you're in sales, and it's it's a beautiful, amazing path. And so what I I'm interested, I'm eager to hear the answer. So here's the question: What is the promise you are intended to be?

SPEAKER_03:

I love that question. I the promise that I intend to be is being able to be an example to everyone out there, starting with my kids, because they're seeing all of this, they're unfolding and going with me. And they, when mommy goes on business trips, good luck today. Good luck with your first podcast. Same thing with the world out there. I mean, I went into this podcast not prepared, and it just feels so natural, so like it was just meant to happen at the right time. So that's really what it is. Just be of help to whoever needs it out there, with whether it's with mom parenting, with just being a woman, with being even a kid who's having to help their parents, you know, and in the industry that I'm in or procurement, whatever it may be, marriage, I'm here and I will talk to you. I did three years of therapy. Okay, because I, you know, there are so many tools that I was still missing that I wasn't taught when I was growing up, and so I did three years of therapy, and now I'm not saying I'm perfect, but I can definitely understand the human brain and heart and just the body a little bit more. It's like I can read you a little bit better, and when if I see that you're stressed out, I can read that too, and I'll be there to give you that support that you need. It's just more of the support. I want to be that if you're in that day you woke up and the uh the chair is missing, that little roll thing. I'll be there, I'll be that little chair, that that little wheel for you. I got your back, you know, that's amazing.

SPEAKER_00:

Oh my god, I love beautiful answer. Thank you, Yudi. Did you have fun?

SPEAKER_03:

I had a lot of fun. We can do this again. Yes, I'm gonna be as a number one there. It's amazing, and what you do is amazing too. So I do have a question for you, please. Yeah, plot twist. If you could choose from when you were 20 to 30 to now, right? Yep, if you could choose a journey or final destination, which one would you choose?

SPEAKER_00:

It's the journey all day, every day. In my 20s, I was focused on a destination. In my 30s, I was still focused on a destination, but I don't this doesn't feel right. And then I finally got to what's the direction? What's the journey? What's the path? And if I just stay on the path, my life is way more fulfilling and way more amazing. The destination is it's never big enough, it's never deep and meaningful enough as the path or the journey.

SPEAKER_03:

Love it. Love it. I'm there with you.

SPEAKER_00:

That's a pretty awesome question. I'll steal it from you.

SPEAKER_03:

It was an absolute pleasure. And I hope we get to do this again. Like I said, I'm at your service. If we ever need anything else, let me know. If there's anyone that might be shy to reach out to me and they reach out to you, tell them not to be shy, just to reach out. I'm here. I'm here to read. If they rather just message me, they want to get on a call, if they want to get on a video call. I am all of that and ready for that.

SPEAKER_00:

We will make it happen, my sister. Thank you for sticking it out all the way to the end. I know you got a whole lot of stuff going on. And in appreciation for the gift of time that you have given this episode, I want to offer you a free PDF of my book, Becoming the Promise You're Intended to Be. The link for that bad boy is down in the show notes. Hit it. You don't even have to give me your email address. There's a link in there. You just click that and you can download the PDF. And if you share it with somebody that you know who might feel stuck or be caught up in self-destructive behaviors, that would be the ultimate. You sharing that increases the likelihood that it's going to help one more person. And if it does help one more person, then you're contributing to me becoming the promise I am intended to be. Be kind to yourself, be cool, and we'll talk at you next time.