BTU #332 - Following Your Gut (Rich Cardona)
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Why Listen:
Rich left what many would consider a dream job in order to pursue his own company. Even if you are not an aspiring entrepreneur, this is an exceptional and motivational interview. Rich talks about following his gut - again and again in his own career journey. He talks about not being afraid to leave a job - to be committed to finding the right opportunity for you and your family. We talk about taking risks in networking and giving to others, and how that has paid off in spades for Rich. I loved talking to Rich and I think you’ll really enjoy his perspective and advice.
About Rich:
Rich Cardona is the Founder of Rich Cardona Media, which takes the stress out of social media by creating first class video content for you and your brand. He started out in the Marine Corps, where he served for 17 years, most recently as the Director of Marine Aircraft Group 39 Legal Office. His post-military career includes work as a Regional Consultant at Victory Media, a Pathways Operation Manager for Robotic Storage Platforms at Amazon, and an MBA from USC’s Marshall School of Business.
Our Sponsor:
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Partners:
Have you ever wondered how you could become a more effective and balanced leader? Or how to find a team with a high degree of trust that performs at a level you’re accustomed to? Check out The Leadership Podcast where they study what makes the best leaders tick - including many who have moved "beyond the uniform" to reach new levels of success and fulfillment.
Selected Resources:
Transcript & Time Stamps:
2:55
Joining me today from Washington, DC is Rich Cardona. He’s the Founder of Rich Cardona Media, which takes the stress out of social media by creating first class video content for you and your brand. He started out in the Marine Corps, where he served for 17 years, most recently as the Director of Marine Aircraft Group 39 Legal Office. His post-military career includes work as a Regional Consultant at Victory Media, a Pathways Operation Manager for Robotic Storage Platforms at Amazon, and an MBA from USC’s Marshall School of Business.
4:40
How would you explain what you do for a living?
I help people deliver their value through visibility. I want to highlight individuals have value to offer in the world. I do this through a podcast and video content creation.
6:20
Can you walk up through your decision to leave the Marine Corps after 17 years?
I feel like sometimes when you’re in you can’t to get out but once you get out, you really miss parts of being in. I was offered early retirement at 17 years and I decided it was the right time to transition out.
A year before I retired, I had a seizure while running a half marathon. The only thing I remember about it was waking up in an ambulance afterwards. After that, I knew that I was never going to be able to fly again. I ended up in an administrative position in a Marine legal office which I loved. But I still knew it was time for me to get out.
I just had a gut feeling that I was ready for a new chapter in my life. I’m a very instinctual person and I just went with that feeling.
11:05
Can you describe your first job after the military?
I thought I was completely ready for the transition. I was working really hard to make it a smooth transition. But when I got out, I felt like nobody wanted me. I was applying for all kinds of things but all I was getting offered was entry level positions. So I ended up taking the job with Victory Media mostly because it was what was available to me. In that job, I worked really hard but I felt like I wasn’t getting much out of it.
14:20
How can veterans find the right fit during the job search process?
I believe we all think we want to be with established, big brand companies. I think this can often be a mistake, though. I encourage veterans to give consideration to smaller, up and coming companies that are doing really exciting things. The potential to get really valuable experience can often be much higher with smaller, less established companies.
Salary shouldn’t always be the driving factor in your job decision. You also need to factor in what kinds of jobs you like and where you’ll be a good fit.
17:05
What was it like working at Amazon?
After I graduated with my MBA from USC, I got an offer from Amazon that I ultimately turned down. There was something about it that just didn’t feel right to me.
A few months later, my wife found out she was pregnant so there was a little bit more pressure to find a good paying job. So I reached back out to Amazon and I ended up getting placed in a position out of an Amazon facility in Austin, TX.
From Day 1, I knew that it wasn’t for me. It was very blue collar which I loved but I realized that I had underestimated how much time I would be spending at work. I also didn’t feel like I was surrounded by very good leaders. I started looking at other jobs within the company but that didn’t look great for me because people perceived that as me wanting out.
20:40
If someone finds themselves in a similar position, what would you advise them to do?
It really comes down to what you want out of a particular job. If you have other sources of income, money might not be the answer. But if you are looking to the job to provide financial security, you might need to make a different decision. You have to be crystal clear about what you want from the job that you’re in.
If you’re in a job that you’re not crazy about, I would advise you to quietly seek other options. Don’t be as vocal as I was because in my case, my colleague started to question my motives.
I also don’t think that job jumping has the stigma that it once did. If anything, I think people start to question if you’ve been in a role too long. So if you’re really not happy in a job, you should start seeking other opportunities that may be available to you.
23:55
So what lead you to leaving Amazon?
The workers on my team were always top performers. So despite the fact that I really didn’t like the job, my team was performing at a very high level. But I was working extremely long hours. At home, I was distant from my life and absent in my daughter’s life. I was also drinking heavily. Eventually, I started cutting corners at work. Ultimately, it came to a point where my wife confronted me and together we decided that it was time to leave Amazon. So I left that position and we moved in to my in-laws’ house to save money.
After that, I got much closer to my daughter which was amazing. It was another big transition in my life but it was completely needed.
I started thinking about what I wanted to do next. I started doing video journalism for some local businesses. I started developing the skill of telling stories through videos.I had a mentor at VaynerMedia - Claude Silver - that was incredibly helpful to me during that time. After I left Amazon, I went to visit her in person. We had an amazing meeting and I started doing a lot of filming for her. Seeing behind the curtain of C-level executives that are so talented but also incredibly human was transformative for me. So that’s how I came up with my business. I wanted to bring the knowledge and talent people have and share that with others.
33:00
How did you initially get connected to her?
I reached out to her on LinkedIn and our communication just went from there. As time went on, I realized that the people and mentors I wanted in my life were out there but I had to put in the effort to find them.
37:30
I love how open you are about both successes and failures in your life.
I feel like failure allows for so much learning. If you’re not afraid of failing, that opens up so many possibilities in your life.
39:30
Why did you eventually make the decision to start your own business?
Through my work with Claude, I did work with a lot of her colleagues as well. They really liked what I was able to create. Often times I did that work for free but it allowed me to get my content out to people. That free work allowed me to open to door to getting paid for the work in the future. This past March, I got my first full-time client. Before that I was doing a lot of gig work.
I’m reading a book right now called Stories that Stick by Kendra Hall. She offers some really interesting ideas about how companies can differentiate themselves from competition. That’s what I like to create with my clients - help them share ideas that they have in a way that makes them stand out.
46:00
What is your day-to-day like?
I now have three videographers and an assistant on board. Because I brought on the help, I’m now able to do so much more.
For other entrepreneurs, I advise that you take any early profits you get and immediately invest them into hiring people to join your team. This will allow you to multiply your potential and impact.
48:20
What resources do you recommend?
I just hired a business coach. His name is Craig Valentine and he has probably doubled my business in the past four weeks. Since March, we’ve grown our business by seven times.
I encourage you to to hire a coach. I believe it’s absolutely critical. A coach will give it to you raw.
Another resource I recommend is LinkedIn. I live on that platform. I get tons of leads and work from LinkedIn.
51:35
Is there anything else you’d like to share?
Entrepreneurship cannot be Option B. I love going all in because the risk is not scary enough to allow me to do otherwise.
In my career, there’s been so many times that I’ve jumped off a bridge without a parachute and everything turned out OK. So you can have a side hustle and make it work for a time. But eventually you just have to go all in.