Highlighting and sharing the stories of the people making a positive impact in the #915!!
Episodes
Wednesday Oct 25, 2023
Wednesday Oct 25, 2023
Ruben is the founder of The Marketing Hunters, specializing in branding and market positioning.
Originally from California, Ruben migrated to El Paso to contribute to its growth. Through initiatives like Thrive In Your City, The Moment Conference, etc., he unifies the El Paso business community.
During this episode we talked about:
And much more…
This was a great conversation. Check it out!
Monday Feb 06, 2023
Monday Feb 06, 2023
This time we had the great pleasure to chat with local travel hacker/influencer Miguel, aka Travel Sergeant.
Miguel is a travel hacker with over 150K followers on social media.
After living in Germany for 3 years and seeing how accessible visiting other countries was, he quickly became a travel addict. Once he came back to El Paso, he looked for creative ways to finance his travel lifestyle and that’s when he learned about travel hacking.
As of today, Miguel has traveled to 37 countries spending a fraction of the cost using his credit card points! He now uses his social media to show people how to travel using credit card points and how to find the best travel deals.
During this episode we talked about getting started in travel hacking, first class mindset and the importance of financial discipline when using credit cards.
We also talked about his personal journey as a travel influencer and what his goals are long term in the travel space.
This was a great conversation. Enjoy!
Monday Sep 12, 2022
Monday Sep 12, 2022
This time we talked to Erik Carrasco, an alcoholic who is working through sobriety in hopes of helping others in the community facing similar adversity.
Erik is a father of 3, who worked in the customer service/business field for over 20 years.
Raised in Canutillo TX, Erik wants to share his story about hope and the way a positive mindset can help you overcome many things in life.
Erik was a recipient of an organ donation in 2021 and has been sober for over a year.
Even after a successful transplant, Erik still struggles with the residual impacts of drinking for over 18 years.
He plans to use this podcast, his story, and his education to work with programs like Alcoholic Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous, Al-Anon, and other local programs to spread the message around the dangers of addiction.
During this podcast we discussed his relationship with alcohol, his liver transplant due to cirrhosis. In addition, we discuss his upbringing and the impacts this may have had on his mental health.
We also discussed the importance of mindset. Erik tells a story about the way foolish pride helped in his recovery and overcoming relationships.
You don’t want to miss the episode!
Monday Mar 28, 2022
Monday Mar 28, 2022
Episode 28/52 is out now! This time we had the great pleasure to chat with local icon, Johnny Kage.
Johnny is a DJ, entrepreneur, radio personality for 104.3 Hit FM, and resident DJ for SiriusXM.
Born and raised in El Paso TX, Johnny is a prime example of how hard work coupled with the right mindset pays off!
From a young age, Johnny’s passion for music and lessons from his grandparents allowed him to face life’s obstacles head on.
Even after a successful career, Johnny remains passionate about his craft while staying humble and spreading positivity as much as possible. He proudly represents the El Paso, Juarez, and Las Cruces region everywhere he goes and is an active advocate for our community.
During this episode we talked about his upbringing, how his passion for music started and the challenges he faced working in the Juarez night scene at a young age.
We also talked about how to stand out from the crowd, the existing stereotypes in our city, why people judge others, the positive side of failing, “outgrowing” toxic people, and many more great topics.
This was a great conversation. Enjoy!
Sunday Feb 27, 2022
Sunday Feb 27, 2022
Cynthia R. Lopez is a native El Pasoan who grew up in the area and graduated from Hanks High School. She is a licensed attorney in immigration removal defense and family-based petitions. Cynthia is the Co-Founder and President of the El Paso Queer Bar Association, an organization that serves as a legal resource for El Paso’s LGBTQ+ community. In 2020, in the midst of a pandemic, Cynthia acquired The Johnny Cash Bar and restaurant.
Cynthia is someone who consistently strives to make positive contributions to our borderland!
During this conversation we talked about Cynthia’s path to immigration law, immigration cases in El Paso, challenges of owning a bar, and how supportive El Paso is of the LGBTQ+ community. We also talked about dealing with ADHD and anxiety as well as having friends supporting your journey.
You don’t want to miss this episode! Enjoy.
Tuesday Jan 25, 2022
Tuesday Jan 25, 2022
This is a very special episode! This time we talked to El Paso Children’s Hospital Director of Infection Prevention, Jose Luis Salas and Pediatric ICU Manager, Kristine Tejeda.
The ongoing pandemic is far from over and there’s still plenty of questions and misconceptions out there.
One of the goals for this episode is to help alleviate some of the stress and confusion circulating in our community.
Another main objective for this episode is to highlight and share the stories of the great people in our city battling this pandemic first hand. It’s hard to imagine what most healthcare workers have gone through, hopefully this episode gives some insight to what it’s like to walk in their shoes.
During the episode we talked about the most current situation regarding the spread of the virus and some of the current misconceptions being spread on social media.
We discussed vaccines, if they are safe for our children, if the boosters are necessary and how the community has overall handled this world health crisis.
We spent time discussing the mental toll this pandemic has taken on healthcare workers as well as their family’s.
Other topics covered:
- Spikes
- Masks
- Variants
- Community crisis approach
- Getting the hospital ready for crisis
Enjoy!
Thursday Dec 02, 2021
Thursday Dec 02, 2021
We had the great pleasure to chat with Josh Stokes. Born and raised in El Paso, TX, Josh is the co-owner of Grown Together, a Vegan restaurant and meal prep company that has been officially operating since August of 2018. Chef by trade, Josh is someone passionate about creating positive impact every day. Josh is generous, personable, caring and always looking for ways to grow, he finds value developing others as well. In this episode, we talk about his start in entrepreneurship, his transition to a vegan lifestyle and the importance of personal development among other great things. Don’t want to miss this episode! Enjoy.
Monday Oct 25, 2021
Monday Oct 25, 2021
We had the great pleasure to chat with Chelsie Evaldi.
Born in El Paso, TX, Chelsie grew up in Cd. Juarez and received her degree in Business Marketing from McMurry University (Abilene, TX). After living in Austin, Spain, Ireland and many other places, she came home determined to highlight and promote her beloved city. In 2014, with the help of her husband, Chelsie purchased a novelty store which later became Chuco Relic.
What started as a small storefront in El Paso’s downtown, is now a three location company loved by many in this city. Chelsie constantly partners with local artists and organizations to showcase their work and for El Pasoans and outside visitors to discover the “Chuco” flavor.
Chelsie is passionate, determined and someone who’s willing to learn and grow. Her positivity, can-do attitude as well as her love for El Paso, makes her unstoppable!!
In this episode, we talk about starting from scratch when relocating to El Paso, taking the leap and purchasing a small novelty store, the importance of having a supportive spouse as well as the mindset required to stay in business.
Another important topic we discussed was the process of creating a personal brand and dealing with imposter syndrome among other great topics.
You don’t want to miss this episode! Enjoy.
Tuesday Sep 28, 2021
Tuesday Sep 28, 2021
Justin Castillo is a mental health advocate who has battled with depression for a long time.
Justin is now on a mission to positively impact others by sharing his story to bring awareness to mental health and suicide prevention in our community.
After his fourth suicide attempt, Justin decided to change his life around and share his experience in dealing with major depressive disorder as a way to help others know they are not alone.
During this conversation Justin talks about the events that led him to attempt to take his life, the early signs of depression, as well as how he used alcohol abuse as a coping mechanism.
We also discuss some of the steps people can take to take control of their depression, the best way someone can support someone in need, and how sharing his story helps him through his own journey. Enjoy.
Wednesday Sep 08, 2021
Wednesday Sep 08, 2021
Episode 22/52 is out now.
This time we had the great pleasure to chat with El Paso County Judge, Ricardo Samaniego.
Born and raised in El Paso, Judge Samaniego is a proud graduate from Jefferson High School. Before taking public office, Judge Samaniego worked in various fields in both the private and public sector. His professional background is all-encompassing as he worked as an El Paso County Juvenile Probation Officer, an Interim Director for the El Paso County Housing Authority, Human Resources Director for Rio Grande Workforce Solutions, and as an Operations Director for SERCO of Texas.
Judge Samaniego is passionate about positively impacting our community and definitely someone not afraid to stand up for what he believes is right.
During this episode we chat about his past work experience and the reason why he became County Judge. We talked about his experience handling this pandemic, the contributing factors that led him to issue a shutdown order which went against Gov. Greg Abbott’s executive orders as well as the phone conversations he had with the governor during that time. Judge Samaniego also talks about the importance of being an advocate for health care workers and the overall impact this pandemic has had on our community.
Judge Samaniego also shares what goes through his mind when people question his intent and motives as well as the process of questioning his own decisions at times.
This is a great conversation you don’t want to miss!
Other topics covered:
- Masks in school
- Mental health
- Opening international bridges
- El Paso Healing Garden