The Epic Story Of Kym Nonstop

spk_0:   0:00
All right. All right, I'll ride. How's everyone doing? My name's Brock. Thank you so much for tuning in to back your story. It's a podcast about real people and real stories. This is story number 18 today we have on a special guest. She goes by the name of Kim nonstop. She's the chief fitness officer for Drift, which is the world's first mobile fitness studio, a founding instructor for Soulcycle. And she's a cyclist that supported by lift cycling and zip speed weaponry. Weaponry. Yeah, um, she's also contestant on the Amazing Race, and she has a massive YouTube and Instagram follow in. This podcast really was frickin awesome to do. And I'm so excited to share this with all of you And without further ado, this is the story of Kim nonstop from the land of mystery. With dreams become reality. Always listening to stories from the past, the present and the future. This is back. So how you doing? I like your glasses. Well, thank you so much. Very cool. They're Tom Ford. Shout out to Tom Ford. Um, the wifey bottom for me for Christmas. She's got good taste. Yeah, she does. Well, I told her. I know she has really good taste actually.

spk_1:   1:33
Feel like if people are listening, just they have to go watch it now. Because talking about things you can't see their

spk_0:   1:42
bad ass bitch of any time that I start these podcasts, I always get a little excited.

spk_1:   1:48
You're so excited. You're like a little kid.

spk_0:   1:50
I fucking love this shit. You know, I've been getting to talk to cool, like amazing people getting to hear their story. It Ah, it fascinates me. You know, I don't It's just ever since I was a little kid, that's what I did. I would have asked people like, What's your story? What? Your story with your story. And then eventually it turned into back to your story. So that's kind of that's kind of where we're at today s o for the people listening. I would like for you to introduce yourself kind of started off there.

spk_1:   2:17
Please allow me to introduce Must. So my name is Kim Nonstop. Good. Thank you. Yes, I can probably rattle off the lyrics to any nineties hip hop song that ever existed. There's that I'm a fitness professional with a very long resume. I was a founding Soulcycle instructor there in the beginning of time. Um, I've also done a host of insane things in my life. Such a cZ worked as a bike messenger in New York City race every alley cat in New York's wait, raced and won every alley cat in New York City, which, for most people the same probably don't know what that is. It's an illegal street race that love that, uh, every ste have along cycling, career racing. And I don't know, I've done a lot of other things. Crazy things. I have a YouTube channel.

spk_0:   3:07
There would go, I love it. I mean,

spk_1:   3:09
and I create fitness programming for bodybuilding dot com NordicTrack shape. So I guess I would say I'm best known for my fitness, but I'm also very cycling famous. Like if I go toe by grace, I think I feel like that's where people stop me the most. And I was on the Amazing Race. Gangster Gangster s 0 20 year season 20

spk_0:   3:31
five season 25 whole season. I didn't even know that had 25 seasons. They think

spk_1:   3:37
they have, like, 30 now around

spk_0:   3:39
it. Seriously, has I, um you know, for you. Your your resume definitely is massive. Um, when we first were talking, though, off the podcast you said that. What did you say? What did you say? You're like, I've never had. Ah ah, normal job. What

spk_1:   3:56
does had to wear business, Kat? I've never had to wear business clothes.

spk_0:   3:59
They're going. I find that amazing, you know, because what that says about you is that you've been able to shape your life on your own terms. You know, getting to do what you have best. You

spk_1:   4:10
could say that. Or you could also say I just wasn't ever employed.

spk_0:   4:13
I was gonna get to that. I was going to get to that. But But I think it's the latter. I definitely think it's the other way around. I

spk_1:   4:21
didn't I definitely didn't pine for a cubicle or an office

spk_0:   4:25
s. Oh, I love that. I love that. So where does your story start? Um, where did Kim grow up? Do

spk_1:   4:31
you always want to start with with the growing up?

spk_0:   4:34
Okay. It's back to your story. We'll get to the good stuff.

spk_1:   4:37
Um, okay. I grew up in a lot of places. My folks, um, were younger, not as young as your buddy who is on earlier scene is crazy. It's amazing. That's amazing. But I agree with him that, like when you have younger parents, there is like a real benefit, I think, to them figuring their lives out as you're growing up because, you see, so you learn so much from that and my folks where your mom was 21 when she had me so pretty young. But they were married and they figuring their life out. And so we moved a lot. Um, I was the first child, so we moved a lot. Um, I just remember living and New York, New York City, Upstate Syracuse, way upstate like Watertown, Watertown Water count, Um, and then PG can't Prince George's County D. C. Baltimore. I lived in Philly for a little bit after college, So, um, I usually say I'm from New York because that's where I've lived most of my adult years. But I went to high school in middle school in the Baltimore area, so I I kind of say, like I grew up in boat. I don't know. It depends on who it's like. It doesn't matter

spk_0:   5:46
how well you know I mean, I guess maybe to the person asking you

spk_1:   5:49
at some point I'm gonna have to pin down my story. So maybe this is the beginning of me doing this.

spk_0:   5:53
Yes. It's the beginning of you locking down your story.

spk_1:   5:56
Do you want to write a book at some point? So I gotta I gotta solidify the story.

spk_0:   5:59
I love that. I love that. I love that, Um, when people want to write a book, write a book about their story, who they are and where they came from,

spk_1:   6:06
So I feel like we're workshopping it.

spk_0:   6:07
Yes. We're just kind of working through the eye. If

spk_1:   6:09
only we had a live audience. I know what was what was worthwhile with that laugh here. Definitely keeping

spk_0:   6:18
where we see she. She's crying. Keep it. Keep it.

spk_1:   6:22
It's a keeper

spk_0:   6:23
keeper. Um, okay, so New York, Baltimore, all of that shit. I'm growing up in New York. What? What is that like? Because for me, I grew up in Los Angeles and the weather is warm. Yes. What does that mean?

spk_1:   6:37
I just feel like if you grew up in L. A. You don't get out of growing up in l a without being covered in tastic. That's my perception.

spk_0:   6:43
I don't know. You might be right. You might be right. I guess for me, I never thought that I was even gonna be able to get tattoos. But then I Then I just ended up getting tattoos, and my job allowed me to get tattoos. Um,

spk_1:   6:56
I have to say, from listening to your pockets, I did not picture you two look this way. Really? What does that mean? No, ese, No. I think you've done a really good job of, um, being what? What you're trying to achieve your you're listening to people and like doing a really good job interviewing and like, listen to what we know as, like, late night TV show hosts and interview people. We see him on the news and we see, like, you know, even like the comedians are all, like, very straight laced. So I guess that picture do you and I knew that you worked, like, you know, in businesses. And, like, I don't know, I just like I pictured you feel more straight laced. Just like you come out now, Mrs. Like no one's listening to those knows what you look like a jury misfits T shirt And you're covered in tattoos covered in tattoos. And the good tattoos or not. I mean, some of them are city, but there is a Mickey Mouse on his left hand. So there's that. But, um e

spk_0:   7:52
love it. I love that. I love that,

spk_1:   7:54
you know?

spk_0:   7:55
But I get it, I get it. I get one, actually, don't get it. But I understand. And, um, I guess I appreciate that.

spk_1:   8:01
Yeah. I don't know if that was like that wasn't racist, but be like that, Like that would be like, you know, when people call Barack Obama like, he's very articulate. Like, I wonder if that's what I just did to you.

spk_0:   8:10
Okay, maybe maybe, um, but I appreciate that, you know, because, uh, you know, for me, it's, um I don't know. It's just who I am. And if you pictured me differently Well, fuck. You know, I'm just looking

spk_1:   8:23
for the record, people. I have orange hair, and I have tattoos, so fine. Yeah, just yeah,

spk_0:   8:27
but no respect. Respect, respect. He's so well spoken. Um, we're gonna bring back your story. So growing up in New York, New York city are now?

spk_1:   8:37
No, um, we're here. I I mean, I moved to New York City when I was 21. So before that, my mom is in New Yorker. She was born, She was born and raised in the Bronx. So my mom's very Bronx and my dad was upstate. So, um, I didn't live in New York City except for when I was really young. So it's really my information in New York is mostly isn't a young adult nice? And but I've spent a long time. The majority of my life has been spent in New York City.

spk_0:   9:11
So, uh, definitely way different than California, That is for sure. It is. I I

spk_1:   9:15
appreciate what it gave me. I think it gave me like, a super strong hustle, like I'm sure we'll get to this later. But the nickname Nonstop is like I never stopped. I was just, like, go time all the time, you know? And that that is New York's. If I had grown up in L. A, I don't think I would have had this. I wouldn't be the person I am now.

spk_0:   9:36
Of course not. You know, I can always talk about this people that grew up on the East Coast, New York Um, you know Baltimore, You know, wherever it's very cold, six months out of the year, it's a different type of animal. You're different type of person because me grew up in L. A. I'm kind of, you know, lax and chill. Uh, but environment, weather place such a big role. And so when you go to New York, these people that are on their grind, their highland, they're pushing. I think it's a direct correlation of many things, but also the weather. The weather plays a huge role.

spk_1:   10:12
You know, I never thought of that that the weather was part of it, but I think about okay. In the summertime, people are way more lazy, but like we're way more like Let's party in the summer in New York. But there's also something else I create. Created the culture in New York. Definitely, it's and it's not the weather because there's other cold places, places that are cold year round and they don't grind like that. Sometimes you just hibernate. And so New Yorkers do not hibernating. I think it's a combination of like the environment to like you're living on top of people, people surrounding us. The uber driver was telling me that he went to the club in New York City. Hey, arrived there at 10 p.m. He was like one of the only people there, and he was just like, Oh, man, a really great place, you know? And then he said, as he was at the party, they're like, not owning things. Just pop off later as these other party, it starts snowing and he's like, coming from He's an Angeleno and he's like, Well, shit, no one's coming out tonight like this is gonna be a dead party. It's snowing. It starts hailing. It's coming down by midnight. The club is packed and people are just in there and they're not gonna leave until, like for two days. That's not true. That's New York. No one wants to be snowed in in their house like we don't have space. We don't have yards, we don't have comfort like New York is an uncomfortable place. And I think that's why people grind so hard.

spk_0:   11:31
I get that, Yeah, that definitely makes a lot of sense living on top of one another. All of these different things definitely play into who you are as an individual s o, you know, growing up for you having young parents looking back at it now, Did you appreciate that? Did you look at it any differently? You know, for me, I looked at my parents, is being old when I was younger. And, I don't know, maybe that's just me, but ah, you know, your mom being 21 years old, that's definitely ah, little bit younger than you know. I guess the average for today's standards

spk_1:   12:09
I don't think I appreciated at the time because my folks were very like on the career path. Um, and I didn't appreciate it until later when I was looking at old family videos and I saw Oh, my God, I saw my poor young mom sitting on the floor of the like It's a Christmas video. We're like unwrapping presents much of obnoxious young kids. My brother and I, and my mom's like, barely staying awake because she worked nights at the hospital, you know, and I was just like that, So ha,

spk_0:   12:37
yeah, it definitely is, I mean, and that's the grind that your mom that your parents went through to be Oh, yeah, Shout out to Mama Dukes, like, straight up. And so I always I do talk about this a lot on the podcast that growing up Ah, your direct kind of image. A lot of the times of your environment, you know? So if you grow up in a household of people grind in your mom, you know, grinding to put food on the table, all of that shit. Well, what are you going to turn out to be if your parents, um, you know, are drug addicts and they do it? What's probably what? What are you going to be? So, um, if you go back to it, you're back to your story, right? Um, that's probably where it all started.

spk_1:   13:22
My parents were definitely heading incredible work ethic and me, my mom was working at the hospital and then she also went back to school to get her graduate degrees so that she could level up and be a nurse practitioner. She eventually surpassed my dad. I think in salary, they took a long time. I mean, especially in the medical field. It's so fucked up. But they don't give women, you know, the same kind of respect is like the male doctors and like so, But my dad always encouraged that he was encouraged education. And I think I mean, like, I just knew. And I also they always told us they were like, you know, when you're 18 year outhouse, right? Like, you know, there's, like, living here after 18 on, like they told us. They told me and my brother that, you know, eh? So we knew we were like, we were you know, we're not getting a free ride like they're like, you got to go to college. But we're not paying for it because we don't have the money. So figure it out. Like, you know, they weren't that. It sounds super. No, it doesn't. It's not like this. This is probably gonna freak. Some people probably come back to this to my brother had cancer. Um, and they he moved back in during the time he had cancer. And they charge my dad s So there's like a good there's an idea. Like my folks. I get it. Yes, yes. Yeah. You're living with us. I don't care for your cancer favorite.

spk_0:   14:50
Um, put once again, that's kind of a direct correlation of who you are. You know, that nonstop mentality? Uh, that is your folks And stealing that into you. We'll definitely get back to the cancer thing, because, actually, let's just kind of touch on it right now. What kind of cancer did your brother have, uh, lymphoma on.

spk_1:   15:11
And hey, was 25 and maybe younger. Actually, he might have been younger. We were just kids. I mean, I was I had moved to New York after college, and I was coming home on the bus, Um, my brother going back a little bit since my story. Um, growing up, my brother was always the athlete, and I was always, like, terrible at sports. And, um, he I always, like, admired him. Wanted to be like him. I mean, I get it his tan. He's like, fucking great with a ball, you know, he can He would crush the soccer game. You would crush baseball game. He played hockey. We wanted we'd ride bikes. We've lived at the bottom of those big hill. Go up to the top of the hill, ride these bikes down the hill, Maryland. One day, we're, like, really get a bike gang. And, uh, if you want to get into the biking, you have to ride down the hill with your hands in the air. It's terribly dangerous. You just like 80 slight pebble could just send you crashing to the asphalt and cheese grater your entire body. But you're just like, you know, kids like and I was actually really scared to do it. I was not a fearless human, like most people think I am, the persona that I have versus the reality. And I was I was just like, what? I really want to win this bike. So I did it, you know? It took a few tries. I finally did it. Come on, the bike egg and then all the boys and they go on Any girls in the grill boys in their words, wickets. No girls allowed. So I got kicked out of my gay. No, but and then we were, like both on swim team in Maryland. We're living in Maryland time. Maryland Michael Phelps. Like it's It's like a swimming mecca, and they divide the the end of the year into two groups. There, like all Stars Summer Classic, basically the dumb ass is You can't swim like the UN Not dumb. But you know, like the unfit I'm being a bad example. You're not right now. You know, the kids that were slow and that was me. It's true. So every year he goto all stars. I got some classics like you just like he was like the specimen of, like, fitness. And I was just like, Well, I suck and it's fine. I'm good at the art So I went to art school and then I went toe, you know, I went to New York to be an actor, and I'm coming home on the bus for, like, Thanksgiving one year. And my brother was like, he picks me up from the bus station and he goes, So Kim, I got something to tell you. But don't freak out. Um, I got cancer and I was just like and I mean, here is, but I got the cancer lottery causes like the best cancer Thio winner. I know, like go my brother, like I'm so impressed with him that he had such a positive attitude in that moment because I think I would have lost it or somebody my brother was a convincing all to me, you know, like he's just He was such an incredible person that could do anything. And I was just like, What do you mean? You know, I was blown away by it, and so I knew he was starting chemo area hit a long road ahead of him. So I started coming home more often and, um, sitting with him during chemotherapy. And, you know, we're nineties like nineties kids and like we had, like, you know, but all Iraq music that we liked So I would make mix tapes

spk_0:   18:36
and good old

spk_1:   18:38
and we had, you know, the headphones, we'd split them, I put one in his ear and he would be in the chair. And I knew that chemo was pretty uncomfortable, really uncomfortable for him. Like Painful, probably. And he would put his hood over his face. I'm just, like, sit there and, like, try to, like, just bear it. My role is so strong, and, um and I would sit next to him, and like every once in a while, I'd get a reaction like we just listen. Just listen to access and he wouldn't talk and everyone's well, he'd be like you know, not his head or start playing air drums for, like, two seconds, and then you go back to being still sells like cool. Um, and it was just like it was really hard to watch him go through it. And he, uh he eventually did radiation. He did everything a while he lost his hair. He was super fit, you know, like like when I say my brother is like an athlete. He was He also looked the part like tan rippled muscles, Italian stallion. You like just everything you would expect. And he turned into what he called fat powder, you know, like he was bald and white and fat, like all his muscle just turned to like Pudge because he was ripped. But then it just, you know, he wasn't skinny, so it just turned in a and, like, is so hard to see because how, man he like, he didn't want to eat anything. And then we'd be like, Come on, you gotta eat something human. Every once in a while, you try to easily It was just like I was so hard to watch. And then ah, I was like, he eventually okay, spoiler. He actually kicked it. Yes, yes, yes, yes, My brother is now. I think he's seven years cancer free, which is amazing. 66 or seven years. Cancer free. And he eventually got back. Thio. He's a bodybuilder. He's in the bodybuilding. Now. Go back to being the Italian side. He's chiselled. Yes, it's hand. And I think watching that my brother take that like, super huge like, I don't want to call it a fall from Grace because it was in an involuntary. But like, you know, he went from this epitome of an athlete to lake just a sludge on the ground. Right. And as he was coming back, he was asking me, like, What do you eat? Like, how do you and I'm literally just working a gym to pay the fucking bills? Because I'm I want to be an actor, but I'm horrible. Waitress, that's all. Another story, its socket waitressing. Um, and so I'm working in this gym because I just, like, let me pay the rent. And my brother is like, What do you do to Sarah? And I was like, This is when I finally started. Really sweet. I'm actually you consider me fit like I'm fit. I'm the fit one. I was like, Well, I got the jeans. Okay, so maybe All right. And then the wheels start turning is, like, I really credit that whole like moment in time to really kind of him gifting that to me, giving me that ability to see myself as an athlete. And, you know, I was like, Well, shit, if my brother can come back from being fat powder, I can pull myself together and start to be, you know, the athlete that everyone has the potential to be. But I just never gave myself that credit. Yeah, so that was like a big moment for me.

spk_0:   21:48
That's huge. That's huge. You know, uh, having to witness that. And someone that is your hero. Your rock. You're freaking brother. Who you looked up to to see. No one wants

spk_1:   22:00
to know, but he was kind of me here.

spk_0:   22:02
No, I mean, I can see the reaction on your face and the way you light up when you talk about him, it's, um it's huge. It's huge. And it's another part of your story. Uh, that is that nonstop mentality, right? It's just that another check in that box that pushes you harder and harder. Um, we're gonna We're gonna dial it back. But I do want to say that it's amazing that your brother fought it like a rock star. You eat it. And 6 to 7 years on not having it. So shut up.

spk_1:   22:35
He's a dad. He's had two kids and the shootist in things you've ever seen, One of whom is just like me. Sorry, John. You're fucked. But I

spk_0:   22:45
Yeah, I love that Love that. All right, all right, all right. So we're gonna go back to your story. Um, okay, So at that point, um, when you found out that your brother had cancer before that had you ever in your life, Uh, were you very athletic your entire life? You know, I

spk_1:   23:04
was horrible. Everything. Like, I like the only thing I did growing up was like, I remember when we moved, um, to Columbia, Maryland. At some point when I was older, a little bit older and, ah, I had a tape recorder and, like the place where we lived was still under construction. There was just, like, rocks and gravel on like clay in the ground like, and I just go out to these like construction sites, like in the neighborhood. And just like singing the tape where, you know, like dress. I wasn't cool. I was nerdy. I was kind of dorky and not know I wasn't good at sports.

spk_0:   23:39
Little? No, not at all. Not at all. But there definitely was something that flipped over E. I love that. So at what point in your life did this all start to change? Was it when your brother said that Because you were already working in the gym. But before that, what got you to even work in the gym

spk_1:   24:05
in college? I just was, I think stressed out I didn't love the college. I went to University Maryland, because sorry, you're You're a great school, I guess. But you're like a jock school, and I was still very much like an arts kid. And I was like, I'm just here because I have a full ride. Scholarship is why I was there. Um, And like I said,

spk_0:   24:25
my parents were like, You have to go to college. But we're

spk_1:   24:26
not favorite. And I landed myself a full ride scholarship as a theater major um, but I was still I was double majoring. I was trying to do a lot of things and definitely took on a lot. And so at some point, I was just stressed. And I was like, How? You don't feel stressed, like, feel like pent up. I don't sit like I think a d d is definitely a thing for me. I never was diagnosed, but, like, I'm just, like, have this energy all the time. So go to the day of this really nice fitness facility. And I'd like, ride a bike or walk on a treadmill or something while I was studying so that I could, you know, keep my focus. Um, and then my probably also a part of this. My mom used to teach step aerobics back in the daily. Okay, back in the day, I think it was just like I knew what to do in a gym. Like I was like, Excuse me and Burt. It's okay. Do your thing. I knew what I had. I knew what vaguely what to do in a gym. But like Esso, I would go to them. And then when uh, I got out of college, I got it. I got into dance. I was really into dance. I had double majored in dance and French in theater Overachiever. Yes. Um, and there is this guy. I was dating this guy Rick Dance in this company called Rennie Harris. Pure movement is a hip hop company, and I get really in a house, music and house dancing. And I was auditioning for music news, and I was booking some, and I was like, Do you know the answer thing? And then I made it. I made to Philly and was doing that for, like, a summer or year. I don't remember. Sure. Um, and whatever on your right, We I got a job waitressing because that's what you do when you're an artist. You waitress and I got fired from that job. Why? And I don't think I ever got fired from a job before. I would just suck that it was not good at it. Like I'm not a stoner, but I have always had, like, a stoner brain, like I'm I don't My my therapist says it's executive functioning and I suck it exactly. She's like you socket event shoot. Those are her words, but

spk_0:   26:26
I get it.

spk_1:   26:26
Those are my words, um and I do executive executive functioning, and I do a lot. I have a lot of systems now in place so that I could be like, you know, the boss human that I am now. But then I didn't know.

spk_0:   26:42
It was

spk_1:   26:42
like I couldn't remember anything. Mess up all the orders, forget everything. I was just stressed about it.

spk_0:   26:48
You got systems, you know, two things I don't want to point out. Uh, what what you just said A d d. And therapy? I am. Exactly. It really is. I'm a huge proponent for it. I mean one on a tedious fuck. Always have been overs will be. Most people think that most people know that, but also therapy. You know, I'm manic, bipolar, like I just that's that's who I am. I wear it like a fucking badge of honor that you have to You have to. I mean more people need to be talking about these things. Yeah, and it's really important for me one to talk about it. But when people come on and they speak about it, it means a lot because these different types of mental things that we all have right on, some more, some less needs to be spoken about because it's been pushed under the covers for so long and more. People like yourself, me, the people that I bring on when they talk about it starts to shed light on it and so shout out to you for even just talking about it casually. So respect. Thank you.

spk_1:   27:56
Also shadow to you for admitting man a butthole. No, there was a time in my life arrived, um, it like, if someone told me that I'd be like only should steer clear from this person, they're gonna give me a lot of drama. But like you've created a life for yourself that works really well. You have, like, a great job. You have a wife who is beautiful as a beautiful house. And like you have this podcast like you've obviously created systems, I think, Yes, I think people are really scared, um, of other people who suffer from, like, schizophrenia, manic. I put all these, um you know, uh, conditions that if they don't know and they don't, they haven't experienced or they haven't related to them. Or maybe they have like, for instance, I had an ex boyfriend who is bipolar, and he dragged me through the mud. It was horrible. It was a horrible experience. So from that reason, I'd also be like, Well, shit, I'm never touching another human being, even as a friend who's bipolar. But now that I know that you can, it's not that you want to steer clear of. Everyone who has a condition is that you want. Oh, you want to give them a chance. Like do they or steer clear of people who have a condition who haven't learned how to deal with it? Exactly. You know, maybe it's huge or, like, you know, help them learn if they're if they're family member, help them learn systems. Um, how to deal with it? So that's like, I mean, that's their systems that can be put into place for everything. Um, o c d. Ally polar, manic schizophrenia. Others. They're I mean, they're systems. There's behavior learned behaviors, habits like if all else fails medication.

spk_0:   29:33
Yeah, and And for me, I'm not a proponent of magic medication before me. Now, I'm not saying for anyone else, right? Yeah. If all else falls fails, but it is the system, right? It is creating structure in your life. And sometimes those structures, you know, the the borders will break right. But it then it's just rebuilding. And it's, Ah, having a strong supporting team, right? My wife. Huge, huge, strong, strong supporting team member in my life on Dad and my cousin. The people around me that oh, that always around me because, um, if I don't have that, then all my ship fails because I can be the strongest person in my life. But if I don't have people helping to build me up through my week times, then it's just kind of like a spiral into snowball that gets bigger and bigger and bigger and bigger. And I think I talked about this on a podcast, you know, a couple days ago. But two weeks ago, a week ago, I got into a really dark hole, and I just at this point on my my wife and the people around me, no hate. Just leave Brock alone and work through it when he comes out of his room, helped build him up,

spk_1:   30:43
and some people listening to this could think like, well, he's lucky He has a beautiful wife, a home to help him. Sure, I don't have that. I want to just bring up the story of the woman who started trouble coffee in San Francisco. She was, um she had a lot of mental disorders. And what she did, I totally forgetting her name right now. Juliet, I think, is her name. First name. She's Jonah, This American Life by cast. But she her story Ah, she was a mess, but she created habits where she would do She would walk on the same way every single day. It's the same people would see her. So it's like, Yeah, she didn't have a beautiful wife and home Her husband, like you know, she she created habits. So it's not always like I know some people could listen. It would be like, Well, I don't have that. I don't have a supporting family. I understand life is hard and we don't always have the same. Like, you know, we don't always get the same luck of the draw, but there are learned behaviors and habits that can be done to help, you know, just people out there listening to this just to think about other ways to manage your illness

spk_0:   31:44
or conditions? Absolutely. Absolutely. And you're absolutely right. You know what? Uh, for me, it's It's not the practice. The thing is, I know this is what it is. I am fortunate enough to have these people in my life. But not everyone has that right. But that does not mean to give up and just let it fall by the wayside. Because, um, if there's a will, there's a way, you know, it's It's so freaking true. All right, So thank you very much for talking about that. Uh, let's bring it back to your story. Uh um uh, So I heard you say something just a little bit ago, and it was that you got a scholarship for you in college. What the heck was that all about? I think he had a scholarship.

spk_1:   32:29
Well, I went to Baltimore school for the arts so shattered to that school, cause natural that school is emilio.

spk_0:   32:34
You like that's going

spk_1:   32:35
like, Yeah, sorry. Sorry. You never listen. I'm sure you know, using really is a great school. I just My experience there was, you know, it's like the frat boys and football players and it's just not the scene

spk_0:   32:48
from here we're gonna

spk_1:   32:49
assign me, but, um ah, we lived in this neighborhood where the high school that was in my district was had no windows. It was designed after a prison. And I thought, you know what? Like this is, you know, thinking, Magnus, I'm just thinking of us now. Give myself some credit. I took the initiative, I looked at that school and I was like, I'm not going there. My parents didn't encourage this at all. I just told my parents I was like, I'm not going there. I'm gonna find another school to go to. And I, like, started applying to all these, um, private high schools and like magnet schools. And, like, literally anything, I could freak Indio to not go to that school. And one of my friends was like, There's a school in Baltimore which was 30 minutes away from I lived and she was like, It's an art school. You have to audition. She was like, What? I'm gonna audition. You want to come? And I was like, Yes, and I auditioned. You could audition in, like, up to two. I think I was like you let me give it a shot or anything I could juggle like I'll tap dance like, What do I gotta do? You know? So, um, I understand in theater and auditioned in music, and I played the oboe at the time.

spk_0:   33:58
The oboe. What the heck is that

spk_1:   34:00
exactly? It's just musicians would know what an oboe is like. Classical musicians would know what that is. Um, rock musicians wouldn't like. You know, it's like it's the dorky like bassoon oboe, double Reed. You have to make this face like to play it like the weirdest face ever loved. You also have to learn how to whittle. You have to whittle your own reads like You can't just buy one, because it's like the sound the reed makes us. So you like a tune to your amateur and everything's that's That's a whole nerd like chasm I fell into, but I didn't I wasn't fully in it. I was just playing the oboe because, like I said, my parents moved on, and by the time we got to this one school, they were like all the insurance had taken. Here's no Bo, and I was like candy of it you know, they're like, but if you learn how to play it, you'll get a scholarship. When I said I was, like, noted check. So I was like, I'm gonna learn this hobo because God knows how's college figure this out. So I was always just very resourceful. Learned that album a distant in music and theatre. I really, really want to do theater. Um, and they took me music. The school's hard core. You spend four hours a day in your major and then four hours a day doing academics. So the academic side would have been a little light. Yes. I think I made it to like geometry. I don't even know what algebra is. Your idea I

spk_0:   35:25
don't even know. Geometry is I

spk_1:   35:26
mean, do you even use a little unless you're you

spk_0:   35:29
know, you're an engineer like everything else. Yeah. What? That's another

spk_1:   35:34
topic. But so they let me in for music. And I was like, I learned how to whittle. I learned all this. Say I learned, you know, all these, like symphony I like with solo. I was doing I was on the track to like I did the Peabody Prep, which is Peabody orchestra in Baltimore and did all that. And the next year came around. They were like, I knew another girl who re auditioned. You can re audition, too, if you want to change majors. But you have to start over. And I was like, I'm gonna try and gain because I'm just persistent, Bill. Yeah. So I got back into theater after that. So I did theater, and then I got a scholarship to university and later sounds kind of man.

spk_0:   36:14
I love that. I love it. I love that I love that. And how old were you when you, uh, were given the opportunity to play the oboe?

spk_1:   36:21
Um, I was How old are you in seventh grade?

spk_0:   36:24
Shit. That's how young you were. Yeah, well, yeah, that

spk_1:   36:28
How old are you Left? 13 for whatever. Yeah, Yeah, but I wanted to play instruments. I've always loved music. Um, and I had, like, an upright bass. At one point when I was 10 I was playing upright bass. Yes, which, like, I'm short, So that was a reach. Um, And then when we change schools again, I couldn't. There was no operate base for me to play, and he's just like loaned out public school instruments. So, yeah. Um, I was like, Fine, I'll play this thing.

spk_0:   36:54
Yeah, but I helped you get the collar. Yeah, it's huge. You know, one thing that I keep on hearing you say, is like when I changed schools again when I changed schools get so many. I went to a lot of schools, but that's because I was kicked out of every single one. Yeah, that's a whole nother story is not my story. It's your story. Uh,

spk_1:   37:13
so I'm going to pry it out of

spk_0:   37:15
you. People keep on asking me to do it. I will. I will, eventually. But what was that? Like growing up? You would get comfortable in school, and then you have to leave your comfortable in school. You have to leave.

spk_1:   37:26
You know, there's there's a memoir by the actor fully spacing his name. Hate my alzheimer brain sometimes. Um, probably smoked too much. Weed is a hey, school kid.

spk_0:   37:38
Um, I smoke so much weed in high school. I

spk_1:   37:41
mean, I went to

spk_0:   37:41
an art school. Yes, way we all did. But you and I bought it.

spk_1:   37:46
Um oh, you know what? What? Your friend said something really interesting. And I keep forgetting his name. Tyler Tyler Tyler was like, I think in the future so much that I forget things in the past and I was like, That's a great way to spin it. Let's be honest. I think he just probably has a shitty memory like me. But that is a great, great, such a future thinker than I forget the pain

spk_0:   38:14
shot at the time. You know, it's, uh yeah. I mean, our brains definitely suck. Regard this, uh, you know what? You do what you don't do? It's not like it's a computer. Were members, you know, everything. So I sometimes wish that did. But then I'm actually happy that it did not remember everything. Um okay, so but getting back you change schools was that hard?

spk_1:   38:34
Hang on, hang on. Hang on hand. I'm gonna be an asshole and look up. The actor. Really?

spk_0:   38:39
I wish I had Jamie like Joe Rogan. Frickin Jamie would be looking it up right now. Really? Exactly. Do that. Do do. Okay. And he wants to get to where the actors why

spk_1:   38:51
aren't they showing me the actors showing me the writers John Lithgow Thank you. Okay. Okay. That was gonna drive me crazy. So, John, let's go Wrote a memoir and I'd like I wish I read more. And every once in a while I feel like I read a book and I'm always just like I am. So somebody handed me. I think my dad handed it to me and I read it. But his whole story, he moved a ton and he credits that toe Why? He became an actor. And I was like, I relate so much because it's like the tap dance. You do. You know the tap dance. I do like the like, the whole act that you do when you go to a new school, you go to a new place and you're like time to make new friends. Think this is me. I'm gonna make new friends, and I think that's how I'm like. Mind you, my career. I know you're listening. You guys might be confused. I know I'm not an actor you like, but you didn't make it is active, right? But what I do is still in front of a camera like I am very much a public facing person, and I have to make people like me to appoint. So, um, yeah, I credit that my parents moving a lot, you know,

spk_0:   39:54
but going through it, Was it hard?

spk_1:   39:56
I mean, I'm sure it waas I don't It doesn't keep you up. And I, um I definitely remember it. And I always mention it when I talk about my life story. So I'm sure at some point it was, like, pretty hard. Yeah, definitely. But it's just a part of way of now. Of

spk_0:   40:11
course. All those little bits and pieces build up the person that you are today, right? Cool. Cool. Cool. Cool. All right, so let's let's jump a little bit forward. Right? So you eventually not. Eventually, you get into the college, you go. Um, you know, from years ago, she got good the college do it because, yes, I'm going through school going through college, right? Were you working out where you give? Yeah. Were you riding bikes? Were you

spk_1:   40:40
know, I, like, rode a bike around campus just because it's like a mode of transportation. Um, no, I wasn't. I still wasn't athletic. Um, but isn't that crazy dance? Okay, so I danced. Um, you know, my I minored in dance, okay? And so dance was my athletic outlet. Um, and I always had more of a gymnast type body than I did a dance or body, OK? And just maybe that's genetics or whatever. So, um, kind of square and short

spk_0:   41:12
genetics definitely play a huge role into your body, Right? Um, like my wife And you know, her brother and all of them, they're like all you know, fit. And they all lived to their nineties and hundreds. And, you know, it's like my family. They all frickin died when they're, like, 60 years old and they'll have autoimmune disorders. And, you know, it is what it is, right? It's the car that you were cancer and check. I don't mean to feel having about that. I'm so sorry, bro, but he made it so that zest important. Okay, so you go through college that

spk_1:   41:46
way. I mean, one of them died of cancer. The other one died. Ah, Parkinson's brutal one to watch. So anyway, go.

spk_0:   41:56
Okay, Let's look, But all

spk_1:   41:59
right. P grandma's. Yes,

spk_0:   42:00
Yes, yes, yes. All right. So going to college, all that stuff. What happened after you were getting time

spk_1:   42:05
schooling straight to New York.

spk_0:   42:07
New York. What was your plan

spk_1:   42:08
to New York like immediately? Um, I Okay, so I had my sad card already, because I because of school for the arts, Um, any time they needed local talent, like young talent for a TV show or something, they'd hit up the school for the arts because they knew that, like, vintage right there. So the kids were usually very talented. Most of the kids out of that school, a lot of them went into, like, a professional career very soon after. Like, most kids didn't even go to college. You know, they would just go straight, like professional. Um, so I was on homicide, life on the streets, and then I was on the wire. And so I had my sad card from that. And then So I moved to New York, feeling like I might have been hot shit at that point.

spk_0:   42:50
I'm sure you did. Uh,

spk_1:   42:52
that's what I thought. But it did not play out in my favor, I think. And I blamed a little bit on you know, I always one of my parents be more of a stage parents. They weren't. They were like career energy, you know, like, get get your go, go get your degree. And I think Had I left high school and gone to New York, I might have had a slightly different um Well, yeah, but had a hugely different experience. Just because I would have been what, 17. 18. And the pool of actors you have to choose from professional actors at the age of 17 is probably smaller than the pool of actress. You have to choose from a 22 right? Absolutely. Um, so I get there 22 there's already all these kids that caught up to me. They went toe like, you know, Yale, they went to, you know, n y u. And so at that point, my edge was gone. And I mean, I can't blame it all on that. I wasn't 100% the most attractive human being. I was not ugly, but I wasn't like I was a gorgeous and I wasn't tall. And I was like, I think I was very in between as far as casting wise, this one, you know, I had an agent. She put me in the ethnically ambiguous file. What this'll is also, like in the nineties. Er, 2000 early 2000 Office. Very. Yeah, like still not super PC. Um, and I had dark hair was curly, Um, and I looked kind of Puerto Rican. I guess so. She sent me on a lot of Puerto Rican rolls. Like like, be the cop, Be the tough girl, be this, you know. But there was always someone tougher and more Puerto Rican and yeah, have not Puerto Rico. There's that, um it just wasn't the you know what it is now, and ah, and so I wasn't very successful. I had a few rules. I had a few things here. Like a lawn order. I did like a thing here. Um, and then I remember. I like to say I had the Dave Chappelle moment before. Dave spell, I I had a date. Well, moment, um, I was at a kn audition. And what? I don't know if this is the moment dish fellows, I just know the outcome was a Dave Chappelle mocha, but the moment that spawned it was I was at a callback for, like, I think was a Wells Fargo commercial, and I'm there and I'm standing there in the room and I was like, I call back It's a national commercial. This is like a bank. This money absolutely stoked and I'm standing there and I do. I read my part and then they And then there was a pause in the room and they start talking amongst themselves in front of me and they're like, You know what? She's a little too pretty for the young mom role, But she's, like, not pretty enough for, like, the young chloral. So we don't really know, like I'm not really sure where she fits. And like, had I been a more seasoned actor, Maybe at that moment in time, I would have thought, Oh, cool. They think I'm a good actor, like they want you. They want to use me. But my look isn't right. Yeah, but at the moment, and I was still sensitive and younger, and I was like, I literally was like, table flip, I'm out

spk_0:   45:42
shut. Uh,

spk_1:   45:43
I put my shit in storage. I left the country and I went to South Africa and I volunteered and orphanage and I was just like, This is my life now. That's why you should Yeah. Like getting

spk_0:   45:57
Oh,

spk_1:   45:58
forget it. Like why? Like you don't talk about me in front of me like I'm a horse or like, you know, just like, really,

spk_0:   46:04
I don't get that, like, I just don't get that. I don't get that.

spk_1:   46:08
I just I was I had done so many auditions at that point. I just, like, was so over it

spk_0:   46:13
would be so defeating for sure.

spk_1:   46:15
Yeah, You're just always tryingto you're always trying. I I mean, of course I was probably going about it the wrong way. I'm sure successful actors would say, Just be yourself. But I was always trying to, like, figure out What do they want me to be? What do they want me to be? And then, obviously, my success came after I decided to just be myself. You know, here's the understory.

spk_0:   46:34
You know what that is? The moral of the story, right? Your cell, right. That is, uh, one of the reasons that started the podcast. It was to be myself because I've lived my whole life is two people people that you know, that perceived me on the outside of the person on the inside, right? And so when we can kind of let go and become who we truly are. Um, good things come hopefully right. But that the whole thing, flip the table right, and then go to South Africa. Then what was the time span from the flip the table? South Africa.

spk_1:   47:08
It was pretty fast, but I was with a group of friends at the time. Um, I was in this acting class. I think a lot of actors, you know, like, they just go to class a lot when they're, you know, trying to do something with their life. Of course, Um and I had a good group in this class. Actually, I'm still friends with a lot of them. Um and I wrote I started. I know at one point I was like, class is really expensive. I'm gonna take a month off. So I you know, I took a month off, but I also told my friends, Hey, I'm gonna host writing at my house so we can meet on Mondays the classes on Wednesday. So it's like we could you know, money isn't work on writing her own material. And then eventually it was like and this material is getting really good. I was like, Let's do a show, a show case And then I approached the acting school was like, Hey, can we use your theater? And they were like, Yeah, and so we did a week of shows and like it was all sold out. It was actually really like for a long time. That was one of my greatest achievements in life was like I produced a play in like Off Broadway in New York, and it was, like, really successful. And then I left him in Southern. Um, so that was all going on. And then one of the people in that group of friends not in acting class, but he was like tertiary here, like he was in the group of friends. He was a model. We had, like, a little flaying, and he is right here in this South African and terrible Sorry. His grandmother was like, brutally murdered in her home. And then so he like, he goes home like he forfeits his visa and goes home. And he's like, but you should come visit me like all this stuff is having concurrently. And I was like, Fine, I'm going to South Africa by e. Yes. Wow. And I showed up in South Africa, and I was like, Hey, to you, boy. And he was like, I'm kind of over it. And I was like, Oh, that hurts. Uh, and then I got, like, you know, I met somebody else who was, like, cuter, and I was like, Like, and I ended up staying longer than expected, so everything was fine. Everything worked out, you know? It's just interesting.

spk_0:   49:01
That is definitely fucking great

spk_1:   49:03
time in life.

spk_0:   49:03
That is definitely crazy. That's what you

spk_1:   49:05
do in your twenties? Absolutely. You figure it out,

spk_0:   49:08
you have to figure it out. Those are the times to figure it out. You still learning while you're going? How long were you in South Africa for?

spk_1:   49:15
I think six months total.

spk_0:   49:16
Okay, so then you're out there for six months. Um, when you came back, did you have any plans?

spk_1:   49:22
No. My stuff was still in storage. My friend had just gotten an artist residency at its on Franklin Street. It's like the school of the arts or something very nondescript like that. And, um, he invited me to see his studio. I think I landed and went to his studio and the studio had a shower, and I think I I slept in his art studio for like a week because they didn't have a house and a place to live. So I was like sleeping in his art studio. And I remember when I saw his life because he was a mess. When I left, he was like, borderline alcoholic. And then when I got there and I saw this like, great fortune that had befallen him, and he's very talented and I was just like I, like was moved to tears is amazing. So inspiration and, you know, nowhere to live and living in a studio like I don't remember what happened after that. Honestly, it's like a blur, I guess. I got my life together, got a new apartment. Oh, I certain running. I always rode a bike around New York City, but I didn't ride it as frequently. And then I had met somebody. This guy Austin horse. He's like my brother now. He's amazing. He's so he's been in my life for a really long time, and he was like I was writing this shitty bike around and it got stolen. He was like, let me get you another bite And then I start writing this other baking so much lighter. And it was a muse amusing. And so I'm flying. I'm goingto past is and somebody was like, I don't remember who someone wasn't your kind of fast like you should do a race and I was, like, half a haha like, you have no idea I'm terrible sports and they're like No, no, no. Like, comes of this like it's for charity. They do this thing every year called cranks giving. Okay, It's an alley cat race, which is an illegal street race, if you remember, um, quiz. And that's what we're attacking. That quiz, um, illegal street race with checkpoints. What's it like a message or sell race. So you route yourself, you're riding in live traffic, and it'll be like, you know, the checkpoints air like there's someone waiting at those checkpoints to, like, give you an item or to give you a stamp or something. So it would be like Union Square, Columbus Circle, um, Avenue A and and third or something, and then you have to go to the finish line or something. So the first person to complete that little maze through the city. Usually it's like everyone puts in, like, five or 10 bucks, and then winner takes all is usually how those races go company people. Whoever says that like

spk_0:   51:45
100 people 20 people,

spk_1:   51:47
sometimes, yeah, sometimes they're huge sometimes. Like if it's like a lesser known one, like someone just decide. Sometimes someone will be like on a Friday. If it's an instant message or things like on the radio back in the day, they'd be like almost a race, you know? So, yeah, some of them are like riel institutions, like they've been going on like monster checks been going on for, like 22 years now, anyway, cranks giving us a long running one. It's a little different because it's a charity race and it's good. Oh, it's so fun because it happens around no in November and you're what you're doing. You're checkpoints. Instead of being people giving a stamp, it's, um, supermarkets all around the city, and you have to buy an item on and put it in your bag and carry it with you two next year to keep the receipt to prove that you went to that store. So that's how you prove you were there. And at the end, it's like a whole shopping list at the end. You we ended a food bank and you donate all the food. Ah, it's super fun. And, like literally, every city kind of should hold. Every city should hold one. Ellie does. I know that New York does a lot of city like Chicago. Even Brooklyn started doing like her own separate one because it was so popular. And so it's like a great way to get people and, like, people just show up who don't like that aren't by grace. You know, you don't have to be a bike messenger. You don't have to get a bike racer. You could literally do it on a trike. You could do it on a skateboard. You know, you could do a running race like this, and it's so fun, cause you remember like I don't remember supermarket sweep. But when you say it, I'm like, Oh, yeah, you just, like, run like a crazy person through the supermarket. Yes, and you like you like running. You're like there's all these people with like it's so hilarious because the supermarket workers were like would like It's like 10 people run in same time with, like, helmets. And they're like, Where's the crabbers? Us suggesting that the governor has eyes like fighting their way through the line. It's like I love That's really funny. Um, that will usually do like prizes for, you know, first place, but also the new price for, like, most generous. So people that like Carrie, I remember one time when guy got like, a cargo bike and he bought, like, 20 turkeys, frozen turkeys or something. So, like, you know, most cool, best costume people dress up like turkey is. People dress up like native Americans like it's just like a crazy It's a crazy freefall fund. So that was my first experience in a bike race. So obviously I was hooked.

spk_0:   54:07
Yeah, definitely. That sounds like an amazing way. Wanted to have a great time to toe. Also give back, uh, hit so many levels. It does not matter. Ah, your expertise, your level, any of that. But there was definitely something in there that lit the fire up your ass,

spk_1:   54:24
right? S o Because I want it. Yeah. So

spk_0:   54:28
shut the fuck up. first time.

spk_1:   54:30
Yeah,

spk_0:   54:31
you're not athletic. I can't ride a bike.

spk_1:   54:33
Okay, but here's the thing. I thought I was hatchet, but, like, now that knowing what I know about cranks giving like, uh, it's not a competitive eso I was kind of an asshole

spk_0:   54:46
like your dick. Just like question. Everyone

spk_1:   54:50
out. There's always somebody. So there's always someone that wins it. And I was the one that we're here because I was just like I did this. We discovered about myself, since it's like I never I was like Oh, no competitive like I don't do sports No, I'm competitive. It's the reason why I didn't do sports because I wasn't good at him. So if I wasn't good at it, I didn't want to do it cause I wanted the best. Yeah, of course I get that 16 my lane. I'm good at our course.

spk_0:   55:14
It's cool. It's cool. It's so crazy to think that something like that is what changed the whole course of your entire life. That moment in time literally changed the whole course of your life.

spk_1:   55:29
Suddenly, like the following 15 years. Yeah, who knows what's coming in?

spk_0:   55:33
The absolute Nobody is so true. It's like what would have happened if you would have stayed this way, right? But you just were like, No, fuck that I'm going this way So after that race, what was next because you were still in New York?

spk_1:   55:45
Yes, Zone York. That's kind of weird. Like the alley cat culture thrives because New York is just like one of the best cities toe have illegal street race that, um and so I mean you can just There's this thing called the Green Wave. I'm sure anyone who pays attention to anything cycling related in New York City alone, that's probably me. Okay, but there's this thing called the Green Wave, and it's like when you catch the green wave, it's the lights. All the lights turn green. And if you go in a certain pace, like in San Francisco, Valenti streets 13 miles per hour, boring. In New York, it's like if you could rail it at like 20 miles per hour down First Avenue, you will catch the green wave, and you were just like, you know, it's like it's so fine, Um, and you get such a rush is adrenaline rush, you know? And so I was doing Alec Kerry saying, And then my friend is like, Oh, our messenger company needs somebody for the winter, and I'm so, so naive. But I was like, Cheryl did, cause I thought mess Injuring was cool. Yeah, the winter in New York City Suit count When you're a professional bike messenger, Not like a seasonal, like, do you remember? What was that MTV Israel world,

spk_0:   56:57
Of course. Or season breaking kitty Season one? Yeah. Huck? Yes. What the fuck? Man

spk_1:   57:04
way? Fairweather messenger. Not a professional. Okay, E, I think he worked a summer and called himself a bike messenger. We're just gonna be like Harry is your summer job, you

spk_0:   57:15
know? Looks like 60. Now,

spk_1:   57:19
you were influential to us, but yeah, Job is a messenger in the dead of winter in New York City. Who does that?

spk_0:   57:27
No, I I

spk_1:   57:27
don't know. And then I worked. I think five or six winters I lost count at this point, but I remember being like, I'm good like you. You learn. And it was crazy. I learned so much during that time I had a friend that I would text with tone, stone tone, and, uh, and when I moved to Brooke cause I used to live in lorry side. And when I moved to Brooklyn, I was like it was winter and the bridge would be ice sometimes. And I was like, We're not getting over the bridge today. Like, I guess we got a call into work and tell him would be like five bucks says, We get over the bridge and I'm like and he's like, I'll see you there in 10 minutes and I'm like So I get to the bridge and I'm like, Man are skinny like skinny, smooth tires actually made it over the bridge, which I was shocked because, like, you know, people that race bikes and do cyclocross like they know all the stuff but like, I didn't know when I was learning. You know, Dixie's fixes men here, but they can do a lot

spk_0:   58:22
of those bikes are freaking crazy.

spk_1:   58:23
That's all I ever knew. I only knew a fixed gear bike my whole life until, like I don't know, my thirties, and then California inhales.

spk_0:   58:33
I was like three piece cranks all the way and never fix E by any means of ever, ever, ever, ever even when I got a one. Now it's still uncomfortable to me. I mean, I can write it, but it just I don't like it. But you never get a good

spk_1:   58:50
theme for life

spk_0:   58:51
for people. Just go quick batter listening like what the hell's fixed gear, right? Don't you think? It's

spk_1:   58:56
like a direct a direct drive? Your cog is attached, fixed to the wheels so the bike only goes this faster. A slow is your legs move, and there's only one gear, so you don't have multiple years and you can pedal backwards. If you pedal backwards, you don't stop. That's a coaster break. If you pedal backwards, you actually go backwards. So, yeah, it's like really a lot of if you get a lot of the mo mentum, it's very hard to control. It's kind of like a bucking horse, but your legs get really strong if you can manage to learn and tame that

spk_0:   59:28
beast. Goshen. So that's what you wrote all over New York. Yeah,

spk_1:   59:32
yeah, And Monster Check is like the legendary Ali Cat race That's break lys, Um, and full of toxic masculinity. L that stuff, you know, racing break loose through city and just go my way. We're so cool. But, you know, it's like it's one of the mainstays of alley cat culture. And it was one of the races I had never done because for multiple reasons takes what's in February. So, like, I would like, get off work and be like, why would I race in the snow on a Saturday screw? That s o a long time. I was just, like, not interested. And then after a while is like, not interested in doing a break. Last, I was just like, uh and then me to l. A. And was like, Why would he go for February? Finally, I was just like, You know what? I've never won monster truck and Ovaries Monster truck. I'm gonna go Ma Jack, Win it. And then that's gonna be my might drop. I'm gonna retire from alley cats. Mission

spk_0:   1:0:28
accomplished. You did it. Yeah, you are. Yeah, that's Gangsters. Fuck

spk_1:   1:0:34
it is. I told you. My

spk_0:   1:0:35
gosh, it's so cool. I have to say, if I had to ride bikes around New York City, I'd get an electric bike and yeah, that's about that. So, uh, thanks. They're cool. I had one for one family

spk_1:   1:0:50
after I ruptured my A c l e bike was like the jam for me

spk_0:   1:0:53
when I was recovering. Okay, We're gonna get to the A C l story, That is for sure. My brother just fucked his up. Really? But okay. All right. So after winning that race, what came next to you?

spk_1:   1:1:11
I mean, I was already living in l. A.

spk_0:   1:1:13
So you were already in L A.

spk_1:   1:1:14
Later. That was the end of my

spk_0:   1:1:16
career. Okay. All right. All right. So we're gonna go back to your story that, uh Okay, so at what point were you like, right? Fuck it. I'm getting out of here.

spk_1:   1:1:23
Uh, out of New York. Um, a terrible relationship ended in complete fireworks. Blow everything up. Um, I souls. Okay, so I had been working for soulcycle since 2006 and at this point, we're fast forward to 2014. And I had helped Soulcycle open all their studios at this point that were in existence. Um, so I flew out to L. A. When we opened we ho, I flew out to L. A. When we opened Sin Monica, I flew out to L. A when we opened was the next one Malibu or Culver? I can't remember Beverly Hills. I forget the order. You know, I taught in Miami. I did south by Southwest pop up in in Austin, Texas. I did Aspen pop up in Aspen like it was just I was doing all that. I was like, I'm your traveling girl because I was just, like, young and hungry. Love to travel. Um, and and finally I kept telling them, I think I want to go teach in L. A. I don't think I want to stay in New York because the weather is just amazing and I don't have any friends or family here, but that's that's never stopped me. I mean, my parents, Like I said, we moved everywhere. So you just do your tap dance, make some friends, and, um and I so got my relationship blew up horribly. Um, I had been This is where the nonstop gnomic er no, gnomic. Am I saying that right figure said All right. You know when you know a word and then you say it or you, like, write it out on you like that? Of course. Right. Anyway, whatever became real like I was, I was I was teaching a spin classes in the like and the bike messenger ring I started my own messenger company called with a group of people. It was a cooperative and that was teaching a soulcycle. And then I was in a band and I would go to band practice and then we play shows, and then I'd sleep like, two hours and I get up and do it all over again. And this is like, day after day after day Was my life a tedious? Oh, yeah, pretty, like, thrived in it Or she was grabbed for me. I get it, you know, And our band, like my band, um, was like, we're booking that we had the same booking agent as my boyfriend's band. And then we'd play with life Drummers sometimes cause we're needy. AM band. We play with Live driver sometimes, and he is a drummer. So he would like play Sometimes us. It was a so twisted, like half the songs were about our fucked up relationship, and he'd like be playing drums behind. Well, unlike screaming about this thing is like, you know so typical. Um so it blows up in a blaze of glory and I'm just like it's time I'm going and I go to L. A. Um yeah, And we find out right around that time, my friend and I that worry we got onto the amazing race. Holy shit. And so it was this whole, like time to just like, let's just try this. And that's because my brother is a little touchy o c. D. And he He was obsessed with Survivor and he thought he had cracked the code and he could win it. Okay, so he kept applying for survivor, like, year after year to year after year. He gets cancer, survives cancer, and he's like Now I'm really gonna get on the show. I'm a I'm a shoo in. Yes, it doesn't fucking work. He doesn't get Oh, here's another crazy thing. Even Jeff probes The host of Survivor is in a soulcycle class with me. He I was like, Yeah, you know, I talked to him. I was like, You know, my brother's obsessed to show your love like he's been trying to get out of her years, Still doesn't get on it. Jeffs like, what are you doing later we beat up. I go on a date with Jeff. Probst still doesn't get a survivor Shadow to Jeff troves. He was a total gentleman. We had a great night. We didn't have nothing like it was just like we actually just shared stories of, like, traveling the world. And then, like I sent him a mix tape, it was hilarious. It was, like, a great time. Oh, and then later I was stranded in Cuba and I was sending an email to my friends. He was on that list, and I was like, Ella, Well, I'm stranded in Cuba, and he was like, you know, I know people, right? So, Jeff, perhaps also shut up for thanks for getting me out of Cuba. Um, so what? It's not important, Okay? We've already fast forwarded it. Um,

spk_0:   1:5:23
I'm gonna bring it back through another question, but we confess for that one.

spk_1:   1:5:26
So, uh, so one of the the same casting agent that does Survivor days, Lynn Spellman. She also does the amazing race. So I get a phone call, my brother, I get a phone call from my brother. My brother goes Kim, you're my ticket. And they're like they're doing blood and water and which is like the sibling rivalry or anything. And then they saw you in one of videos because I helped him with one of them. And who knew this? They keep all of the audition video because they're like all we like this person, but like, they don't fit for this cast. So we're gonna put him over here in this pile as in, like, promising person, but doesn't fit, so keep them all. And my brother was in the palace ago, John, you made it that far. But like, you know, they were like, Oh, and he's got a sister noted. And so they called him up. He hadn't even applied that year, I think. And he was blown away. He was like, You're my tickets, a survivor. And so I reapply the whole thing all over again, and then they call me. I'm coming out of band practice and they call me and they're like, Hey, we think you'd be great for the Amazing race. And I was like, Awesome. I think my brother research on that. They're like, Oh, about that. We really want you to be part of an all female team. Do you have a friend? And I just stopped dead in my tracks. And this just brought me back to that table. Flip moment. Yeah, because I was like, This is my brother's fucking dream like, and he's everything to me. And I was like, Did you guys call him yet? And they really know. And I said, I gotta call you back. And I hung up on Lynn Spellman. I was, like, just hung up. There was like, No, I didn't do all this for myself. I did this for him. Like this isn't cool. Expect So I'm standing in the cold outside of the in Harlem, at the metro station. I call my brother and my John. Have you talked to anybody? And he's like, No, and hands like, just

spk_0:   1:7:08
like, Why do I have to be the one? So I

spk_1:   1:7:11
told him and he doesn't say anything. He just goes, you have to do it. Yeah, that's all he says, Good brother. And I was like, man, but this is your dream. Like I don't like I felt so bad, right? And he just said it again because you have to do it. It's like twist. My arm will go to the O. Took one for the tea. Yes, I know, but So, um So we go on the amazing race and we do a lap of the globe. My friend Allie and I, we do the lap of the globe in one month. Was starting in New York all the way around the world, back in New York. And like it was wild. We went New York to the Virgin Islands, Virgin Islands, the London London to like somewhere outside of in, like the English countryside. English countryside. Scotland's got into the Shetland Islands, Shetland Islands, too Malta and then Malta to Morocco. Morocco till the Atlas Mountains outside of Morocco is still in Morocco. Um, and then Morocco, too, I think from Morocco. We should. We jumped all the way to, uh, Singapore in Singapore. Pretty sure I'm not forgetting. Oh, we also went to Copenhagen. Copenhagen was in there, and then Singapore. Uh uh. We were crushing. It were like doing first place finishes. Second place finish is doing really good job. And then I got cocky. Like I must say this like we got this, you know, Fast forward Challenge offered to us. We didn't need to take it, but I was like we've been crushing it like fast forward just means you go straight to the finish line, but you have to do a challenge before that. But you don't know what it is. And I was like, we we did our research. My room in my room, it at the time. Allie and I, we had done our research. We moved to L. A. We didn't know anything about L. A. We through literally our smartphones, like we're like, no more GPS because you don't have any smartphones on this show. So we're like, now on we use maps and we, like, got around L A for like, six months with like, maps were, like, so ready for this show. And I was like, You know, it's always an eating challenge, like, I'll lead anything for this like, I mean, I was a vegetarian, but I was like, scary, like, whatever. Make me go balls. It's fine. Um, and we get there surfing. No high pressure, wave like man made wave like, you know, like a water park or something on this league board that's like the size of a frickin skateboard and we had to stay up on the way for two minutes simultaneously. Two of us simultaneously stay on that wave. Every like what? So But I mean, we didn't have that mentality. We were the only ones there. So and you just get to keep trying indefinitely. So we're like, All right, let's just get at it like falling down like fantastical, just spilling just just just eating shit out over and over And like, of course, run TV. So we're like wearing makeup and, like, miscarriage, blunt like dramatic mascara. Find artificially. Well, we're screwing it up, just like, you know, wedgies and bikini mishaps and all the things happening. But we're like, we're getting closer getting closer. And then the next team shows up when we have to share now because, like now you take turns the first team to get it. That's it. There is no second team to get it. If another team gets it, you're going back. And, um, who shows up? Bethany Hamilton. Bethany Hamilton. Do you know where that is?

spk_0:   1:10:47
I do. I do.

spk_1:   1:10:49
Shark accident. Do professional surfer, of course, with the community. And like people watching it that loved us. We're like it was rigged and it's like it's not rig. It's just the way it happened. That is honestly crazy. It was a poor choice for us because, like, we were in the front and we could have just continued and made it probably first or second in that leg. But Bethany was in the last shoes and last place, so she had everything to lose. So of course she was gonna take the challenge. So, like, logically, it didn't make sense for us to do it. And I just got cocky and so like, lesson learned. We got eliminated no $1,000,000. But we did manage to win like money along the way. And we want a car. Each of us and I gave that car to my brother. Show how John started his like family. His first kid, he had a car like good. Everything worked

spk_0:   1:11:41
out. It was an amazing experience.

spk_1:   1:11:43
Humility. I learned a big lesson. You know, my old roommate still hates me. It's fine. We're good.

spk_0:   1:11:51
That that moment would you said back in the cave, I was like, Goodbye about how long did it take for her toe

spk_1:   1:12:00
to try to because her husband, she got it. But her husband was eating shit. So but she just, like, whispered into his ear. And then they got the job done. And I was like, I don't know what she said, but it was like, the magic word. Yeah, whatever. It's life was

spk_0:   1:12:18
at that moment, though. A bust of sucked,

spk_1:   1:12:21
I honestly, I was bummed, but like, I think Ali took it way harder. She was pretty boned, like we're

spk_0:   1:12:28
Has she got over?

spk_1:   1:12:30
I mean, I think so.

spk_0:   1:12:31
Oh, I think so.

spk_1:   1:12:33
We're not like the EPA, but like, I think she's forgiven me.

spk_0:   1:12:38
Yeah, well, why would he be forgiven? You didn't happen. But,

spk_1:   1:12:42
I mean, I know So, yes, he could have said I was very Alfa in our relationship at the time. She has now blossomed into this. I'm Ali. Don't take that as kind of sending things. She was like she was like, eight years younger than me. Um, so hee when she has really come into her own now. But I think at that time she was still finding herself. And now she's like doing Iron, Iron Woman, Iron Man's and like she's crushing it a life, and she's doing all these things. So like, But at the time, you know, we had moved to L. A at the same time. And she was she had gone from working at Lulu Lemon. It's like being on the amazing race. So it was like, Yeah, you know, she didn't have time to do a lot of other things, too. Like, learn and fail and fall on her face like she didn't stand up to me When I said something, she kind of let me run it. And so I was kind of rampant at the time. So Holy shit. I've learned a lot more about listening and learning since

spk_0:   1:13:34
then. That's good. That's good. You know what? Take every experience as it comes, and if you can learn from it, that's the most important thing, right? Uh, and I want to ask you questions after that, but I do want to dial it back. Oh, quick. Uh, you were talking about soul cycle, right? How the heck did that all come about?

spk_1:   1:13:55
I mean, I was message bike messenger ring, And, um, like I said, I was working in a gym. I had, like, you know, my friends were like the old in living color joke. You're Jamaican, you know, like 20 jobs, 20 jobs. And then one day, the spinning surgeon did and show up, and I was like, I can do this. I ride a bike and jumped in was like, I can teach spin. And I'm sure it was an awful class. But like, New York Sports Club didn't care, and they were, like, come audition. So I did. And they're like, Davis certification. I was like, Yeah, totally like lying. Yes. You know, like making us. So you make it s o. I did like, you know, two minutes of research on the Internet was like heart read zones. Got it. Okay. You know, and, uh and then they let me teach. And I had wait lists like I was crushing it, like, you know, I just how he's had an ear for music and, like, should have been a deejay. Whatever. Like I had, I had wait lists in all these studios. And Julie Rice and, um, Elizabeth Cutler were savvy business women. Although this was their first business, they didn't know what they were doing, but they did it right, You guys, You and Julie was coming from L. A talent management. So she was just like scouting. She was. I think she was probably one of the first people ever apply that to fitness. And that's kind of how Soulcycle like burst superstars boutique fitness, like Soul Cycle was really at the forefront of that. And that's because a large in large part Julie Rice topped You treated it like I'm casting, you know, she's like, I she had the soulful one, you know, the grounded like Ruth Zuckerman. Very grounded, very like Mama Earth. Like I'm teaching a class. And then she had, like, like, sort of like the cocky about ass like Hot Laurie Cole. And then she had the the like fiery, uh, lesbian spit fire, like just like like, I will inspire you and turn your world upside down and make you think you also want to have an affair with me. See Griffith And then and then she was just like, what else am I missing, you know, And then she's like, I need younger rebellion. That's what I did. And she, like, finds that she's like, you know, this girl was working for her. Heather and Heather knew me through the bike. Messenger was she was like, you know, my friends back Muslims should she teaches fan and she's like, interesting. Tell me more, you know, And then they were like, bugging me to come. And I was like, Upper West Side, that's, like, really far. I live in Brooklyn. That's like, Why're you gonna make me do that? And I was, like, basic? No. And they kept asking me to come. Finally, I came in there like, this is what we'll pay you. And I was like, Okay, you're like, Yes, you know, because Julie Rice was very much like, What is it gonna take? And she's like, money talks here. You got like and she was like, I need, like, a rebellious young thing in here. And I'd like have shaved head and tattoos and like like, this is what she needed to like, kind of complete that little tableau. And yeah, and so that's she was very smart. And that's how she got me in there. And that was I think it's still on my bio at Soulcycle. For a while, there was, like, you know, it was like Ruth brings her nurturing soul. It was like Laurie brings her sassy soul and they would always started with that sentence. And it was Kim brings

spk_0:   1:17:07
her rebel soul badass boot table Flip, this is going on here. Damn so that I Do you think for you at that moment it started Thio kind of then also reshaped. You know who you were because where you're at now, right? You go through that amazing race and obviously probably steps in between. But the soul cycle job was that kind of like a huge springboard for you.

spk_1:   1:17:38
I wasn't I wasn't aware of it. I don't think I was. I should have been more aware of my what was happening as it was happening. Um, I've always been kind of aloof about celebrities, and I've always been kind of, um just do my own thing. Like I always have been more attracted to, like, subcultures, bike messengers, bands, clubs, DJs. And so, you know, Soulcycle in the beginning was a very much like Upper West Side Upper East Side clientele. And I was just like, I have nothing in common with these people. Let me play Saul Williams. I used to hum a pillow at night because, like, I'm like, I'm like, playing some crazy music in here. Um, sassy a one point. I was like, I'm gonna open with your rich girl and you're going to and I'm like, it's upper East Side eyeing You love this song like I was just I was kind of a cunt.

spk_0:   1:18:29
I love that word.

spk_1:   1:18:31
I should have been more like the business person that I am now. Okay, I was I was still very much the 80 de artist, so I didn't have any systems in place. I wasn't I wasn't eye on the prize. Like now I'm very much more a career woman businesswoman, like, if I was in that role now, I would have been getting a client list. I would have been doing, like, you know, keeping a catalogue of everyone who came in the door and like knowing that when I'm ready to start my own thing, I know who to call it, you know, just rubbing elbows. And, like, I've never been someone to be friends with somebody or to spend time with someone just because I wanted to pick their brain or or get closer to what they were doing. I never sought out mentors, which you know, to my detriment. I should have. But I also saw a lot of that is like, Oh, that's gross. Um, you know, So it took me longer.

spk_0:   1:19:22
What you trying to say? I

spk_1:   1:19:26
know what you're getting at us. It was, like, just a great strain. Yes. No, uh, they're all on YouTube. I have a

spk_0:   1:19:37
shot. Okay, um, I want to kind of just then pivot after the being

spk_1:   1:19:44
t interrupt. You asked me what? I got it. But what I got out there is, like, came much much later when I started to get scouted by other companies to do a larger role than just instruct. And so that's when, like, I was like, Oh, people view me for this experience that I didn't value it all. So I like I wasn't really I didn't see my value until other people kind of showed it to me. Therapy a minute. Now

spk_0:   1:20:12
respect. I love it. It's good

spk_1:   1:20:15
learning yourself where

spk_0:   1:20:16
it is for

spk_1:   1:20:17
other people. Show you.

spk_0:   1:20:18
Yeah, well, that's hard for a lot of people. You know, it's

spk_1:   1:20:21
hard, and in my business, I feel like it's especially hard for women and, like, I don't know,

spk_0:   1:20:27
it's true, though it's true. I don't. We just live in this culture. We have for a long time where you know women have got the short side of stick. You know, it thinks we're changing so slowly. But surely things change. And, uh, it's important to talk about it. You know? I keep on here and you say it over and over again because it means a lot to you. But it also is true it's Max. At the end of the day, it's facts. That's the first time I said that at the end of the day, I say that shit'll law is that it is a thing. It's the only thing that I was working on, right? And it's the first time. Shut out, Tyler. Uh, whoever the fuck else called me out on it. Oh, Steven Gizzi, my editor respect one time one time. All the ice

spk_1:   1:21:06
I Do you ever edit yourself?

spk_0:   1:21:08
I don't I don't. Well, I do like the videos.

spk_1:   1:21:10
No, I mean, do you edit your podcasts? You edit the videos

spk_0:   1:21:13
like very little. Very, very. What? You watch it. I've listened to some of that, but it's hard. Okay, well, it's stored. I

spk_1:   1:21:22
feel like I learned some of the most important life lessons about, like, most important things about myself from editing myself, All my YouTube channels, it taught me so much about you know, not someone else. Haven't you told me? You say this a lot. I see it. I'm like, Oh, I say l'm a water e. Get

spk_0:   1:21:39
that. I get that. I got that. The videos I'm editing. You're actually the second video to go live on the podcast.

spk_1:   1:21:44
So glad I did my hair. Yes, shot out here, but I didn't do it.

spk_0:   1:21:49
Okay, so we were talking earlier about ah, the amazing race. And after that, because you now move to Los Angeles. Uh, when you got back from the amazing race, what happened next to you?

spk_1:   1:22:04
Um, a flurry of red carpets and PR events and stuff like that. So it was very like, you know, l a l a for me, and I just moved to yourselves lying how? Here's l. A. And I was a crazy loved and hated it because I never felt comfortable on a red carpet ever. I'm not one of those people who were, like, stand there in post. I would, um, awkward, uh, and somebody hit me up, remember who now was like, there's a bike team assembling. Um, do you still race? And I was like, Well, I mean, I haven't been really concerned this TV thing and they're like, I mean, they're gonna They're doing races in ah, London, Barcelona. Malign it. Are you interested? And I was like, I mean, sure, even my name, you know, And it's so crazy because it was the Red Hook crit which got started in Red Hook, Brooklyn, by a guy that I was good friends. And so he started. He started this by Grace that turned into, like, a phenomenon. I got sponsored by Rock Star Gate. And then he, um I think he came from a family who did cycling and cycling events. So he had, like, sort of his footing in that, um and then So he produced in London, Barcelona in Milan. It got so popular in Europe because Europeans actually value cycling. They love it. Um, so is this big thing and brands were starting to be like like cycling brands and We're starting to assemble like teams because they're there's really it was being televised like Red Bull are. I don't remember it was being televised was a big deal. So, you know, teams were getting a summer because these brands were like, We want to be seen. And so I just happened to fall into this because this coach was looking for someone who causes a fix. I left out of important part. It's a fixed gear brake lis fixed gear. That's okay, which so he couldn't just pull from like professional cyclists because there are no this didn't exist yet is a new form. Um, so you know, it's like it's like when Red Bull Rampage is happening. You can't just grab any mountain biker you have to grab like the one that's willing to like who's also done trials. And also you just need a mixed bag of skills. So this guy, um, Sean Burke, he was my cycling coach at the time. He was assembling a mixed bag of talent of like professional road racers, um, one tri athlete who's just like, strong as hell and then, like he was like, let me find someone who has raced fixed gear before. He's like, got my name from someone. He's like, Oh, she's been a messenger Great. She'll be able to get through a pack like like he just He had a real knack for same way Julia Rice kind of cast it. You know, teachers. He had a really hey, had a real good knack it assembling his team. And he is the event in factory team. I'm still still race event on bikes or ride event in bikes. And, um and and we dominated for four years. We like one the Siri's for four years. It was like all of a sudden I'm being considered a professional cyclist like that happened overnight like,

spk_0:   1:25:06
Oh, my gosh,

spk_1:   1:25:08
Yeah, that happened, like overnight, like big shadow to my teammates, because they're kind of what I feel like. I mean, here I am also, like, just downplaying. Maybe I'm sure I was a strong member of the team. Yes, but my teammates were like fire. So I just was in amazing company, right? Like and I brought like, you know, the people knew me from the street world, So there were a lot of followers of this race who weren't like they weren't from the professional cycling world there from the street world. So, like when we go to these races, Kim knows I was the celebrity. And meanwhile, you had, like a world champ racing on our team and no one, like people, are just like, I mean, not that they would get no love, but I would always get the most floors off, which was wild. Why am I getting the most love, right? I was never an athlete. So all of a sudden, all of a sudden I'm a professional athlete under Armour sponsoring me Rubble Fuck Red Bull sponsoring me like I'm like, what? Who am like I didn't even it didn't even make any sense, you know, it was wild. It was It was fast and furious. I got to say, it was like I think it was really like, four hot years. And then, um and then it fizzled because Theseus race, Siri's Dave got burned out, and he had been doing it for, I think, nine years. And so he was just like, we're gonna take a hiatus. And he his race had spawned all these other like, you know, spinoffs and so, but one by one, I think a lot of them kind of fizzled. It was like the whole sport, really, like burned really brightly and then kind of fizzled. It still exists. There's still fixed gear racing, fixed your criterium racing. But it's just not as this fire. And it's definitely said great more into gravel racing now, which is what I do now. But, um, you know, it's just Ah, it's is this crazy superstar athlete life that I just never thought I would be.

spk_0:   1:27:04
If you look at that, investors

spk_1:   1:27:06
happens, OK? And meanwhile, I was still teaching spin classes and like doing fitness seriously, So yeah,

spk_0:   1:27:13
Damn, damn. So that's just, like literally nonstop.

spk_1:   1:27:18
It's on brands e.

spk_0:   1:27:19
It literally is. I mean, when people listen to this, their balance, they're gonna be on the floor, especially you. Like you're

spk_1:   1:27:25
following me, maybe,

spk_0:   1:27:25
but no, like, straight up. How the fuck do you move to Los Angeles like the amazing race? All that, then all of a sudden. Now your professional bike racer? Yeah. I mean, like, you didn't train for, you know, your whole entire life, right? You did the messenger now? Well, I guess Actually, you did, But you didn't know you

spk_1:   1:27:42
didn't know I was training for you.

spk_0:   1:27:43
Crazy, right? And some that you've been able to build your life around all of this and build a persona held an online personality. And when you go to these events, people, you know, look atyou is someone special, and that's really fucking cool. And how does that feel, though, when all of this started happening, right? Ah, this celebrity status. Was it hard for you to grip with e

spk_1:   1:28:09
thing like it was like a real, like people stopping me in the stroke? Oh, no, no, no, no. But when you

spk_0:   1:28:14
go to these events

spk_1:   1:28:15
yeah, um, well, the E d d brain has, like, I have a challenge with, like, being surrounded by that many people in people talking to me. Um, you know, it's just like it's like overload. And it's kind of anxiety inducing s. So I don't think people pick up on it because I'm always I have my switch that goes, Hey. Yeah. You wanna sure we'll have a photo? Yeah. What's your name? Oh, have agreed. Like, good luck or have fun today. It was really nice meeting you and then, like two seconds later, I have no idea what happened or what I was doing or what's next on to the next week. It's just like it's really insane. Um, but other than that, like a soon as it's over, Um, I'm just like, OK, decompress, you know, And you know that it was it didn't affect me in any negative way or like give me a big head or anything like that because I was always very acutely aware of how much more talented my teammates were. Then I That's good. I mean, here's the thing. When you're on a team, everyone has a role, right? And I found my role was more as, ah, domestic in cycling is like the person on the team that does a lot of work but doesn't win. We're not. The winners were not the people that cross the line first. We're the ones that, like fuck up the pellets on I hesitated. Thio we fuck up the Palestine like we get in there were like, I'm gonna attack, I'm gonna block. I'm gonna do this. I must set you up into, like you know, that's we're chest pieces s Oh, that's what we d'oh! And that's where I found my my spot. Um, David Santos really helped me with that. He was like, you know, you have a lot of endurance. Like it was from spin teaching spin for some of years, you know, like, don't teach three spin classes in a day and then I'll go on a training ride, and eventually my coach was like, You're doing too much like you're gonna be faster if you rest. Did not know that light bulb like I was like, You're lying. But actually, once I started resting, I was like, Holy shit, I'm so much faster. All these things I just, like, didn't know had to learn my mid thirties. Like, who would have told if you had told me at any point in my life that at 35 years old, I was gonna get a professional like I was gonna sponsored as it as an athlete, I would have, like, just snort it in your eyes. Yeah, you're all like you're on. Something like that was such a crazy,

spk_0:   1:30:30
especially for your life, because it was like, you know, people trained for this your whole life. Yeah, and yeah, you might have been training for it, not knowing that you're trading for it. But, uh, then all of a sudden this shit starts to happen and it's, Ah, one. It's exciting, but to just kind of looking from the outset it it's fucking crazy, so it's

spk_1:   1:30:51
kind of thing, but it's amazing. I feel like it's like hitting a viral video. You know, you're like, like, if there's a like like let's say you're really good, you know? Okay, you remember when you're in school and there was like, that one kid that could do the running man really good and all of us and everyone knew that kid's name, right? So it's like I could ride a fixed gear bike really well, and I could go fast, and I had, like, no fear because I was like, This is second nature. To me, it's just, like kind of, ah, not useful skill until it was, and it burned really great. You know, here's my useless skill. Let me bring you, bring other people

spk_0:   1:31:24
happiness. So you enjoy, you know, and help other people.

spk_1:   1:31:27
Yeah, and I started a women's team, so I have, like a women from Trans team called Team Nuts Up and I. It was a devoted team development team, and I got racers like, you know, covered their expenses, got them into racing, got them bikes on. That's something I'm still continuing to do. And it's like a mission of mine to get more women. Uh, fam trans POC is like opportunities in bike racing because it is. I mean, we're very I think the cycling world is very aware of this. May be the outside world isn't but it's a very white man sport. And, ah, you know, it takes money. You need two people afford the fancy bikes you need to like also, like, who goes out on these like bike rides. It's like the people who have, you know, the money for the bikes and the culture. And like there's a lot of mean women are not encouraged to just, like go out on bike rides. There's always someone to be like. Aren't you scared of cars? Or, like, aren't you scared to go out on your own? Or like what? If you could have flat tire like it was always someone to dissuade us? Yes, and like people of color. There's a cultural divide a lot of times with like, you know, riding a bike for transportation is seen as your poor. Yeah, because a lot of Third World countries air like that's what you do if you're poor. So, um, you know, there's like, you know, why would I write a bike when I could have an escalated like wine? You know, of course, you should drive the Escalade. It's a status symbol. And, you know, if you're African American in this country and you're riding a bike, people might just assume you're poor. So which sex, right, Like like that's so messed up. Pretty. He's so messed up, So shadowed. So, like, you know, Um, you sure? McGowan, Justin Williams. They're doing a lot. See, like grease awareness. For like, I mean, Justin Williams was like the national Champ National champ, and he's from L. A. So actually, you should interview.

spk_0:   1:33:17
I would love nothing. You better set that up.

spk_1:   1:33:19
He's amazing grafter, and you should, too, but she's in. Uh, she's in Atlanta. So hostile heart anyway. Uh, yeah.

spk_0:   1:33:27
No, that's That's amazing. The

spk_1:   1:33:29
sport is getting

spk_0:   1:33:29
shook it. No, it's it's It's

spk_1:   1:33:31
really needs to

spk_0:   1:33:32
be. You said something really important. You're like when you know, you see African American black person riding a bike. Um, people think that they're poor. They might. They know that they fucking dio like, let's just be honest.

spk_1:   1:33:48
Like I'm just a white woman running a Blake. But, like with orange hair, you might just think I'm a you know,

spk_0:   1:33:53
your hips trim, Billy, you're Bush's quarters. Yeah, there's a bartender. Yeah, well, for sure, right. Um, it's so crazy. I'm just gonna be fucking really like I always am when I got my brand new Lexus, right, Um, and I would pull up, and it was like the f sport was fucking all decked out, right? There's a feeling that I felt inside because people how that fucking car score, right? There's cool. People reacted material, right? And so if I pulled up in a beat up Honda Civic, what do people think?

spk_1:   1:34:21
Or if you pulled up on a huffy are like, even coffee bad? Yeah, hold up. If you pulled up on a fix E, though no. Even if you pulled up on, like, a $5000 bike in l. A nobody knows what $5000 L A needs to get off their car culture. Like people say, All this is a week. I'm gonna go on a soapbox for a second. People were like, You need a car in L A. Bullshit. I moved here when I didn't have a car for two years. After that, I shared a car with my roommate. Not because I needed to for money. I am really good with money. If there's one thing I'm good at, is freaking managing my money. I could always afford a car. I just didn't want to have a car because the weather is beautiful every single day. And if I make it so easy for myself to just happen occurrence, sit in traffic, like of course, I'm gonna do that like No, I wanted to ride my bike places. I wanted to encourage myself to ride my bike places. And it's so stupid the way people look at me when I'm riding a bike, I'm like, You don't know me. You like

spk_0:   1:35:17
it so far greater

spk_1:   1:35:19
L. A. Is so done there. Nine. You need a car. You don't need a car. It never rains like there's miles of bike path that are completely separate from the cars like people are like, Oh, there's no bypass. That's cause you drive You don't know there's the Biota Creek by Pat that's like eight miles completely separate from cars. There's Ah, the L A river by path that's like 12 miles completely separate from cars. Maybe more. You can ride so early completely through L. A for, like, 50 something miles down to Manhattan Beach, doesn't it? And never even see a

spk_0:   1:35:50
car. It's so true. What's so fun? I want to point out two things

spk_1:   1:35:53
and you'll get there faster.

spk_0:   1:35:55
You will. You will you will be. But But But what? We talked you were gonna come on the podcast. We're going to take the train, right? And I was like, No, but to send you a car. But I was, like, damn fucking she's gonna take the train. That's so weird, right? Like I don't know. I never thought that it was I don't think you're a poor. I didn't think anything of that because I don't think that way. Right. Uh, but I was like, Fuck, that's awesome, you know, because I s 01 thing that I always like to do, You know, my wife, and I'll drag her along with me. Whatever. We go to different cities states when we travel ball throughout Europe for our honeymoon, we rode bikes everywhere. Yeah, I refuse it here right now. I'm a fucking bike fanatic. I want to ride bikes everywhere because the difference of hopping in a car or a train compared to writing a bike for me, especially when you're going somewhere new as you get to see everything, experience things on such a different level. And you're right. You can't ride bikes everywhere. You know, I'm pretty much everywhere, right? But most people are not going to and and it is what it is as we move forward in the future and cars drive themselves and all of this shit, that's a whole different story, right? Uh, but I kind of want to just dial back and bring it back to your story. Right. Uh, you're going through all of this, Uh, the amazing race that the four years traveling all over At what point did social media and YouTube But all of this start to really take off. And our how did even work.

spk_1:   1:37:24
That's a good question. I don't I like No, I started my INSTAGRAM account when I was still in my band. And I, like, had that, you know, boyfriend, that we're, like, fighting all the time. Um, because like some of my first post, I never take him down because I think it's like it's like tattoos. I don't cover up tattoos. Don't know. Even

spk_0:   1:37:40
though I've got it, I've got some. Sure.

spk_1:   1:37:42
Got some bad tattoos. Thio probably cover, But I have known just like that's who I was at the time. It's kind of like a scrapbook. Get it? So, um I mean, I'm sure if I had something, really, if I had something offensive, I would cover it up. But, like, I don't know, I was never a Nazi, so I'm go on that front.

spk_0:   1:38:00
So seriously, you

spk_1:   1:38:01
know, I wasn't, um, but sound bite. Never Nazis

spk_0:   1:38:07
or darn, that's that's gonna be the sound bite of this clip you should hear the woman for Well, I had Billy Bob Thornton. I put it out today. The sound quit. I'm sure he hates me right now, but I love you, dude. I

spk_1:   1:38:20
saw it come out. It's

spk_0:   1:38:22
fucking good talk a lot about that oil like that.

spk_1:   1:38:25
But, like, I mean, I started Instagram just casually like anybody else. Um, and I don't know what point it started to blow up. I think that was, like, just super grand organic, gradual growth, I think. I guess I was an early adopter, Um, and then with YouTube. Same thing I got in before the flood, and I wasn't making terrible content, was making pretty good content. And it was It was very authentic. It was like there was no filter. Um, and so that was I remember because I started my channel with six well produced videos with lighting and someone else shooting it in editing for me because I didn't really know does doing. But then I was like, Hey, dude, I'm not going to afford this. Him and his wife, um, we're helping me. And I was like, I'm not gonna be able for this neat Melissa, like, teach me how to do this. I'll pay you for a day to just teach me. And so they did. And then, of course, it was like crap at first. But like my first crappy video had the most views? Yes. And I think because people were like, Oh, she's doing this. It's not like a brand or a commercial. So yeah, and then that just, you know, that that just kept going. I was consistent. I think people ask me, like, How do you become? Thanks. Fastball. Um, I was consistent. I've put out a video every single week. Religiously, Uh, I posted consistently. I was always consistently myself, Um, honest and succinct. I didn't go on forever. I'm like this. Somebody's gonna listen to this. Who wants it? My mom.

spk_0:   1:39:53
There's a lot of people that will listen to it.

spk_1:   1:39:55
Ah, but yeah, it's just Ah, that's That's what I did. And it just worked for me

spk_0:   1:40:01
for sure. No, I get it. Absolutely. I want to bring back so that you just said it goes on forever, right? Yeah, you're right. Thes podcast could be 45 minutes long, and maybe you would blow up a lot faster, right? But it wouldn't be true to the story. It wouldn't be true to my story static. And it would be true to your story, because if we're going to tell, you know, bits and pieces of your story and 45 minutes compared to ours is a huge fucking difference, right? And, you know, it's it's really organic. And that's what made you, uh, likable and, uh, you know, it's it's true, you know? I mean, because those six, you know, fucking awesomely edited ones and lights and all that shit compared to the one that he did that was really it's important. What role has social media played for you in your life?

spk_1:   1:40:49
I'm It's definitely love. Hate. Um, I struggled with it for, like, recently in the last couple years. I struggled with it a lot at cause I was like, I don't like when people are on their phones all the time. Yeah. I mean, we're doing a podcast right now, and there is a camera on, But when I'm talking to somebody face to face, this is how it goes. I do not pick up my phone. My phone is always face down. Do not just serve mode, because I really value human interaction. And I do see it disappearing in our culture. Um, not completely. But you know, in a lot of instances and especially in the younger generation, it's it's scary And I'm like, how am I contributing to this? Also, materialism. We talked about that a bit. I was like, I don't wanna promote anything that isn't, um, gonna make this world like, am I working? Making this world a better place at the end of the day? And I asked myself that so much while I was doing it because, um, there was a point where after my injury, I was literally living off of my influence or freelance work like I was a full time influencer. Yes. Which the word makes me gag. And I go and I heard your friend Tyler column educators. And I was like, Oh, that's so

spk_0:   1:42:07
precious. Well, it just depends. There's different. They're definitely with hair industry. There are definitely educator influencers. I

spk_1:   1:42:14
mean, I love the word

spk_0:   1:42:15
and cater later. Okay, Well, they're fucking influence or sure, because social media. But, you know, I think there's a

spk_1:   1:42:21
call me an educator. That's good. Like if my I mean, I've seen youtubers that, like, make, like math, used you. But I'm like, that's really what? You're an educator. The lake minds, like I do, educate you unlike how to like fix your bike and how to do this. And what is that? It's an educator. Yeah, but that's not every video and some videos. Just like there's a bakery.

spk_0:   1:42:41
I got it. I get it. It's entertainment. Sure, whatever. He likes to spend big started ways to make it sound like,

spk_1:   1:42:47
you know, like, just go.

spk_0:   1:42:49
Yeah, I know. That's why he's become so successful. Okay,

spk_1:   1:42:57
he's my next mentor. I got this.

spk_0:   1:42:58
Yes, yes. Yeah, he's, uh, he's He's an awesome dude. He's really freaking great, dude. Toe toe, learn from together. Just push forward, All right?

spk_1:   1:43:08
Actually, a total dick and really, you

spk_0:   1:43:09
know, he really is a dick. He's a total dick. But he's the guy. Says he's like, the best dick that I know, because Israel as they come, and, uh, I like that, like that person. All right, Buck, you doubt? Let's move on. All right. So, going through all of this right here, your four years of traveling around where what comes next? Where are you now? With everything social media. You know, I just all of this. What? What came next?

spk_1:   1:43:40
Um so bike racing like the height of the bike racing, I would say probably like, took a pretty hard halt with my injury. My knee injury? Yeah. Um, I did Leadville, which is the hardest mountain bakeries in the country? No, I mean, I didn't win it, but like I did it, it's one of those races where it's like I finished, which is a huge feet, right, like and finished on the first try. So cool. Also, there's like thousands of racers registered. There were only 100 women, which is like calm Aline realize that. And I think there were two people of color. Why, again? By grazing very white sport. Um, but also Leadville is an extremely challenging race. They have very strict time cut offs and they don't have a by category. They don't have him by age group, so it's like, very discouraging, I think. I mean, it's kind of like you either run it with, like, all the white men were you. You're you're done, you're out. So, like there's I mean, there's no like for sure there's no categories, so it's not an inclusive race. Um, and I've criticized them about this before, and I think they're trying. But anyway, it did that I got the middle and go home. I have, like, a little bit of rest. I go back to work. I'm teaching a soulcycle half off the podium. I jump in the class, I'm stoked. I'm like, jump, I land Weird. Something goes pop. I don't know what I was like, huh? My knee feels funny. Feels wobbly, Feels kind of fat. Next thing you know, get back on the I get back on the bike. I'm like, it's not working like what's going on? I'm very confused. Pretty sure did something, but maybe I just need ice know fully Fucking blew up my a c l like of my a c l. So now I'm facing, like, the worst injury I've ever had. I don't know what to dio Wish I had broken a bone like most cycles break their collarbone like I popped my a c l like just like that, You

spk_0:   1:45:40
know, old.

spk_1:   1:45:42
I mean, actually, some of it There's a theory like my quads were probably burnt out from doing Leadville and your quads, and you're answering system like, support your knee. So I didn't have a lot of support cause I was just exhausted. So I think I just didn't I probably didn't rest enough anyway, what's ago? So I'm out for a year and 1/2 like that. Just puts a nail in my racing career. Um, you can bounce back a little faster, especially if you're cyclists. But I had, like, health insurance. I couldn't get the surgery right away. So, like things just weird tied up. And Ah, so during that time, I was doing the influencer, like just trying to, like, hustles and closer. And, um, this guy need Jule connects with me, and he's like, I want to start a fitness studio. What are you doing? And I was like, Oh, I'm influencing obviously. And I was like, I'm recovering from knee surgery. I think I was just getting me surgery when he hit me up. And I was like, Talk to me in a month and he is I cool. I'm launching a mobile fitness studio. It's gonna be the first in the world. It's never been done before. Do you want to create the workout for it and and recruit the trainers and make this thing reality Shit. Um, and I was like, uh, do I like can I and this is what goes back to the hole. Like knowing you're worth. But like someone else has to validate it. And this I was like, I was like, I don't know if I can do that. I've never done that before, But then I, like my friends, were like, Kim, you've created workouts for you created a whole program for bodybuilding dot com. You created workouts for shape. You created work. It's for you to show every single day shows that you've been there since, you know, I do have a mentor, but she was like, You've been there even a soulcycle since day one. You know so much about how the business works. You you have You're an O. G, like, of course you're qualified. And I was like, huh? Overly, You're right. I am qualified. And so I was like, Okay, I'll do it. Yes, I take this out. It's never worked for Start up. It's a start up like we have, you know, seed money. And there's all this stuff. And then, like all of a sudden, I'm just like, whoa, nose to the grindstone. Never been in this culture before. Like, I don't really know. I'm totally overwhelmed like what's going on? I'm working so much, I never get to work out anymore. What's happening to me like a lot? This stuff, you know, like I'm the pure manager. I'm I'm the trainer minute something that literally doing all the jobs that need. It wasn't doing and he was doing a lot of jobs, but there were a lot of jobs to be done. Um, and we ended up by we launched in tune, which is crazy. Six months later, we had this thing built the world's first mobile studio. And when I say this like you guys, if you haven't seen it, just look up. Drift its drift with the why. Because Kim with the wide uh, But he already had the name before he got. I just like to say that drift with a Y d r. Why, Ft. Um, and it's let's drift dot com is Wednesday, But just like go look up the instagram, Let's drift. Uh, it will blow your mind. It is not just like a van with some tear expands. It's not what you're thinking. Everyone thinks everyone this season person is like, Whoa, wait. Holy shit. You're like they're always like. It's that it's that it's that crazy. It's definitely it was named Most Instagram Herbal studio by class pass in all of the country. A lot of the country. I mean, it's beautiful. It's amazing. It's gorgeous. The sound system's incredible. The trainers air amazing, like I can't say enough good stuff about this. And I guess I had a handed it. So, like, obviously did that. Yeah, it's it's really great. And it's, um told amounts like we can't do cycling cause I still was employed with Soulcycle. Um, currently, as of now, I'm no longer with Soulcycle. Very recent, I was just like, it's time to cut the court like the umbilical cord. You know, Um, but we couldn't do cycling because I can't I can't compete with them, but we're like I was like, you know, rowing coming back from my a c L. Injury. Rowing was one of the first things I could do, and it makes your joint stronger, not weaker. It's like a really great exercise for your whole entire body, and it's hard as hell. Like rowing is hard. Uh, but there's a way to make it fun. I was like I was like, Listen this hard, but I could make this fund Soulcycle Mead Stationary cycling fund like I can do this. And so we do some choreography. We'll have the music. It's taught your intervals of time to the music like you are in. It's, you know, it's like very much like the best way describe it is like Barry's bootcamp, but with rowers. Okay, so because you do have the floor is strength and like, you know, we called the deck because you're outside. So it's like the deck and the crew, and that's the two sections of the room and it's just 40 people in the space. And then it's open air, so you can have, like, you have the view of, like, the Water and Alcatraz. It's in San Francisco, and so you know that's the flagship is in San Francisco, and you have the Golden Gate Bridge. It's amazing. It's really mind blowing. It's a very unique experience that so, um, it's expanding its happening.

spk_0:   1:50:48
I love that

spk_1:   1:50:49
things were going

spk_0:   1:50:50
If you're still with us. Yeah, that's that's cool. How long? How long? Good years launch June So literally this past June. Yeah, a baby that is so

spk_1:   1:51:00
fucked we didn't become. We didn't have a regular spot until September. So I think we've only been like doing the thing in its actual form for a few months. And we just had our biggest month yet as faras turnout or referrals or 40% referral rate. It's he's really it's a really great, and we don't have any, like major money backing like, I mean, we had some seed money. But Lake, um, you know, it wasn't like it's not like the way rumble goes out way we don't have equal next behind us. Um, it's very it's kind of grassroots right now, which is what I loved about soul cycle In the beginning. I love like this

spk_0:   1:51:39
start Yes, things I could tell. I could see the way that you're talking about the way that way

spk_1:   1:51:44
when everybody wears so many different hats and everybody is chipping in and everybody's a part of it. Like every trainer that works a drifter now is, is that we call him founding instructors, and they're all like they all of equity. It's kind of like almost feels like a little bit like a cooperative, you know, It's like everyone is pitching in and it's beautiful.

spk_0:   1:52:02
That's huge, though. You know what? You just have equity, right? They feel like they have given us. It's so big, it's so important, and it makes the individual work harder. One thing I want to dial back on is I told you that we would talk about your A c l the podcast. I told you we'd get that.

spk_1:   1:52:18
It's not that interesting.

spk_0:   1:52:19
That was Ah, but but that it led to something special, right of all all of these things. So Ah, what's next for you? What is next? Is there anything

spk_1:   1:52:30
I'm gonna get married and have some babies, Really? I mean, that's, like, kind of something that I'm like. I did. All these things are shifting. The systems are in place for me to finally realize, like, Okay, it's okay. It's not like it's not like, uh, the feminist in me is like, It's not a trap. It's okay. You can have a kid to like, I think I think I needed to become the boss of something. So in order to allow myself, I had to be the boss first. Now. Okay, now I could have a kid. So, like, that's kind of like on the horizon dreaming about that where that's gonna go, Um, you know, just I want I want to own a house. I don't own a house yet, Like, I kind of I kind of feel like success has not fully reached me, but not reached it until I own the house. And, like, I mean, I've been investing. I'm doing like, the money. I feel like I'm good with money. I could be better. But I'm like, starting to really put my energy and understanding and, like, wealth management and talked to my girlfriends about, like, this is the salary Aaron like like, you know, just understanding. Like talking about money and salary. And, you know, what is your household making like, Do you earn more than your husband? Or like, all these dynamics of things that we haven't been talking about? And now I'm listening to money podcasts.

spk_0:   1:53:45
You. That's

spk_1:   1:53:45
what's next for me is to like, Okay, calm a boss. But like, I really want to be a balls.

spk_0:   1:53:50
Yeah. Yeah, it's important. I had Paul Nelson on. Um and I have someone coming up a cz. Well, uh, rather than Boston, owns a very successful like wealth management company, but really is focused on the educate focusing on the education Bart and then Paul Nelson as well. I brought the motto Really speak about this right? Because it's It's not only just for women, but as a whole as a nation, right? Especially the younger generation. When you're going to school, you're the high score.

spk_1:   1:54:21
Why isn't this eyes this not taught? It was algebra do for

spk_0:   1:54:25
theology. But young Jack, most people are not going to use that most right. Uh, but understanding about debt and understanding about just I mean, all of the things that we need to use for our day to day life and set people up is now all they're going to help these individuals better will help the nation as a way and for you speaking with your girlfriends about it, it's so fucking important,

spk_1:   1:54:50
like, here's the thing. I didn't know this, but I had enough money to buy a house. And when I was like in my twenties, I I didn't know, though, that it was even a possibility because I didn't know, like what it took, and I was just like, Oh, that's something that and lived growing up in New York too. And like living in New York City, I didn't know anyone else that owned a house, her own properties, or why would I like it would just wasn't. It's like it goes like also to like female athletes like you can't be. What you can't see is like a a thing that people say like visionaries are. That's why visionaries were so amazing. You know, um, Trailblazers people that are the first to do it. But like for women, a lot of times, like, you know, you're growing up and you're like, Ah, you know, I don't see myself being the first human to trek Antarctica because no human scent and also women are always the second. And I, um you know, ah ah, guy growing up in the inner city who is black might be like I'm not gonna be the lead singer of a punk band even though I'd love to, but I've never seen it s so the more you see having so the more appears I have that like own property and the more people I know that are like running businesses it becomes easier and more accessible. And I have people I can ask questions, too. Um, but yeah, like, I didn't even know that I could buy house back then. And I still can. I just, like, haven't found something or like, it's just the logistics at this point. Um, but like, you know, God, I could have played him in the housing crisis. Like I didn't know that most

spk_0:   1:56:23
people don't know most. Most, most people did not know, right? Yeah. So now you're at this really pivotal time of your life. So sorry it's her up. Help you

spk_1:   1:56:32
sing about your friends, That air wealth management stuff in their men. No offense not. I'm sure they're amazing. But like guys I noticed, when they talk about money and this is also cultural like you're, you're it's ingrained for men to sound like they know what they're doing. It's attractive. Women want to know that when I want a guy that knows what he's doing with it feels confident in control confidence. So when men talk about money, I've I've learned this. Actually, when I started talking money to my guy friends, I'm really men. They sound like they really know what they're talking about. And then I hear where their personal finances are. Not like your mess. Yeah, You have your shit together. I am doing so much better than you. And you sound like you're doing a Millie. You sound like you own everything. I sound like I'm not doing anything. And I roll up to a place on a bicycle. Everybody thinks I'm poor, but I'm like, Yeah, I've got money. That's like So I'm trying to own that a little bit more like I am successful. Like it is in every respect, but

spk_0:   1:57:32
also does something to make a rebuttal to it. I'll never bring anyone I'd like to talk about. Well, that is a fucking body. Like I I just

spk_1:   1:57:40
and Loki, I do want to talk to because I want

spk_0:   1:57:41
to be Oh, but I also bring on a woman I don't give a shit. Like if it's a guy, girl, lady, round of a buck, right? I just want educated people talking about it that know their shit that actually could back up their shit, right? And

spk_1:   1:57:55
even more so, like, have you brought a woman on? I'd be more I would listen to that podcast first. Yeah, in regards to financial cause. I want to hear it from a woman's mouth.

spk_0:   1:58:02
Absolutely. The number one podcast I have is from a woman, so yeah, so shout out to that. Right. All right. So

spk_1:   1:58:10
was that the tale of two titties?

spk_0:   1:58:11
Yeah, that is the tail T o. Okay. The first lady would diver

spk_1:   1:58:15
eight minutes of that or gold. I didn't make it through the rest. Only because someone inspect six hours long. Know some someone interrupted me. But that's why, but her holding up a mirror,

spk_0:   1:58:24
your parents It's amazing, guys, you got smart. She is a very smart, warm bed. Right? But, you know, as as you wrap this up, I really you want to thank you for coming on and sharing your story? You are very intelligent, right? And we didn't even really know each other and elope. Elope connected us, right? She's like, here are five people that you need to talk to you, right? And three of them said yes to come on. Anyone had one of them is you right? And ah, and I appreciate that from the bottom of my heart because I do believe after listening to your story or is very inspirational.

spk_1:   1:59:07
This has been super fun. So you and I don't like talking like and it feels a little bit like we're at a bar, so it's okay. I think that's the point. But like if there were people here, I would never have let this go on getting a bit like because don't want to hear all this so literally having out there at home, they can compress possible. I think your long form is It's good. It challenges me. It's Ah, it's It's

spk_0:   1:59:31
interesting. You did good. You did really, really Well, it did. Well, there's one more question I want to ask you, though.

spk_1:   1:59:36
I mean,

spk_0:   1:59:37
why why? Why is feminism so strong? Why? Why is that lady I hear you keep on talking about it, right? Because it's the only way I can say I had a disadvantage because I'm a woman. I,

spk_1:   1:59:53
um And I'm short. Yes. Um, uh I mean, I think my mom is pretty pretty feminist, like she retired a few years earlier than she expected to just now, like this year. Uh, table flipping. Yeah, because the

spk_0:   2:0:12
you fuck you, you're

spk_1:   2:0:13
up because the doctor was like, you know, you, like, was totally condescending her And she was just like, You know what? My husband and I had some finance talk last night, and we're good. So bye bye and ah, she she's always been like that growing up, I think she's always just like showing me, like, go your own way. And she's a fiery person. She's an Italian woman. So yes, I get that from here. But I also get it from being in sports and, um, and not being in sports and not fitting in and just all that stuff, I think, um, little things along the way. I've just learned, like, what got me to race a bike was one person encouraging me And like culture, I just You can see the patterns culturally. People don't tell little girls, you're so strong. You're so athletic. You're so fast, my friends, some some of my friends disagree with me on this, but I very much agree. I very much believe that cultural, social like socialization shapes who we become. And we have to be careful. I mean, who would disagree with that? But sorry, some of my friends are like a true. But whatever

spk_0:   2:1:24
your surrounding the base, well, I don't mean to cut you off, but he ever hear that saying you are like the five people you surround yourself with? Yeah, right. Like what the fuck? So I

spk_1:   2:1:33
had to really change. The people are saying Yeah,

spk_0:   2:1:35
yeah, it's so true. I

spk_1:   2:1:38
don't like your cool like

spk_0:   2:1:40
No, but go back to

spk_1:   2:1:42
stars. I mean, it's I mean, it's just even I catch me. It's so dumb. But I catch myself doing my cats. I have a male cat in the female cat and the fuel cats a little return and like, she's fluffy. And I'm like, You're so pretty and I'd say him he jumps around. He's very like he's like Tigger and like you're so I'd like Yes, it is like if these were my Children, which they are at the moment, but like, um, it's okay, Thio to say those things is that that is their characteristics right now, but it's also encouraging and reinforcing those characters. So, as parent as a parent, I hope I hope that if I have a girl that I'm not always saying you're so pretty Leg, I really hope that I can just temper that a little and also view like, Hey, that was really smart. What? You just said it. That's really clever. Look, you're so strong, like I just I want to encourage those parts

spk_0:   2:2:35
Badass bitch, you know? But I get that I get that I get that. And as a society way,

spk_1:   2:2:43
we've come so far

spk_0:   2:2:44
so far. That was The point is that we have come so far. We have we have ways to go, right? But we are moving in the right direction, right? Once again. Thank you. Thank you for coming on and sharing your story. And, uh, yeah, fuck, Yes. Fuck, yes. Give your sister I hit you hard with my rings. Have a good night. Peace out. Thank you so much for listening to the podcast. I want to thank him for sharing her story. And he's like the podcast. Please review it on apple podcast. Spotify stitcher. Whatever platform you're using, it really helped the podcast grow in a major way. And if you want to hear more stories, visit our website back to your story dot com And remember new stories here every Friday at 7 p.m. Smooches