New Format And What’s Ahead

Roger Magalhaes 0:00

If this is your first time here, welcome to the show. You pick a great episode to start. Now, if you have been here before, you're already noticing something different. I never opened the show with a teaser. No intro, no preview, just right into it. And that was the old format. This is 3.0 and with a new season comes a few new things. So bear with me here. I think you're going to like it. So today's show I am going to tell you why I left Boston, how writing a book taught me more about my 20 years in business than I ever thought about it. Why I was dead against partnerships and why I changed my mind about that. And who are the most important people in regards to running a business? I'll share some of that story with you and one experience at IWC two weeks ago that made me think that everything I'm doing is working. All coming up after this.

SPEAKER_00 1:31

Welcome to No Strings Attached, the place where we untangle honest conversations about business reinvention and the pursuit of the American dream. Hosted by Roger McGallas, Brazilian-born, Boston bred, Florida-based. He is an entrepreneur, speaker, and storyteller with 20 years of real stories, laughs, and screw-ups. This show is for anyone still searching for their place under the sun. So pull up the chair. The show is about to start. Here's Roger with no strings attached.

Writing A Book That Rewrote Me

Learning To Trust Partnerships

Sponsor Break And Sharing Request

Building Your Business Power Team

IWCE Proof Consistency Compounds

Five Takeaways And Final Ask

Roger Magalhaes 2:14

So you may have heard this before, but in case you are new to the show, I want to share why I left Boston and moved to Florida. So the whole thing was working pretty much 24-7, building a business, building a home, building a life up in Boston. Life was good. One day in January, coming back from vacation in Brazil, we got back to cold Boston, and I was like, damn man, I'm kind of sick and tired of these. And then a week later, my wife got a call from a friend that her husband came home and dropped dead on the floor. He was 34 years old. That shook my wife big time. Two weeks after that, she got another call from another friend that her husband had a really close call. Ended up on ER, overstressed, overworked, yada yada yada. My wife came to me and said, you know what? If you want to move to someplace warmer, I'm good with that. I don't want to be the third on this whole situation here. And I think it's time for us to make a change. So we did come to Boston, and I'm not gonna get into details about the whole transition of it. It was pretty much on a three-month period from this conversation to getting the keys for the new place in Florida. And that was it. That quick without really thinking much about it. But what changed was when I came to Tampa, Florida, the goal was to relax, to smell the roses, to work less, enjoy life a little bit more. I'm already over 50, I was close to get to 50 at that time, 49 and a half. And that was the plan. So basically, because I was working less, I had time to enjoy things that I never did before. Writing is actually one thing that I truly enjoy doing it. For some reason, stories just flow, ideas just get in line out of thin air, it just works well for me. And then I started devoting more time writing my newsletters, and I started getting more feedback that I should write a book about it. And that story, that you know, idea stuck to my mind. And then without really thinking much, I realized that I was going to turn 20 years in business in 2026. And I said, wow, that is a big, big mark, it's a big milestone. And if you follow business a little bit, you understand that the first five years is the hottest years for anyone in business. That 80% of the business die before they get to year five. And out of the business that survived the first five years, most of it died between the 10th year in business. So 20 year in business is a huge, huge mark. And I really wanted to celebrate it. So I start putting together some of the newsletters that was really popular throughout my entire career. But I didn't want to do just copy and paste and pretty much slap on pages. I wanted to go deeper to be more meaningful for everyone, including myself. So going through this whole process, I picked 20 newsletter newsletters from different venues that I wrote. I did Blind's Audacity, I did Trading Secrets, I did buy weekly blind date. So there's a lot of history from different times in my life that I put together and deep dive into meaningful things, why I wrote it, comments from my readers, and this whole thing really opened up something that I had no clue, which was going back in time and assessing everything that I'd gone through, all the struggles, all the things that went right, and it was a phenomenal experience. It helped me learn so much more about me personally, about my business, about goals, things that I wanted to do, things I thought I was right, and also helped me change a few things, a completely different mindset from when I started. For instance, well, I grew up in a household with my father loving partnerships, but not the partnerships that everyone works. My father was a phenomenal salesman and he made a ton of money in commissions selling whatever they threw at him. He was really good making connections, telling stories. I actually think I got some of that from him, but beyond that, he had all this money and he had great ideas, so he will find a partner, a working partner, quote unquote, to pretty much take on the business, and he was going to be the seed money from his commissions. The problem was my father never really participated other than putting money in. So for that reason, I saw business upon business upon business crumbled because it was never structured to be a partnership. So I grew up totally against partnerships. I didn't think it was a good idea. I saw how much stress, how much tension created at my house, fights between my father and my mom. So I was totally against it. Until to a point that I never wanted to go into business with anyone, even I had a couple, you know, people calling, suggesting, or at least inviting me over partnerships, and I said, no, this is not for me. But then one thing, one day, thinking about it, and listening to a lawyer talking, listening to contracts and things and agreements and how things protect, I felt like actually there are companies that are very successful because they are partners, because they are more than one person handling it. Just one great fantastic example is Apple. It was Steve Jobs and Steve Waniak. Waniak, I don't even know how pronouncing his last name. So Jobs was the brain, plus, he was the marketing person for the company, and Steve Wozniak was the engineer behind the whole thing. So it worked. We see everybody knows Apple, and that was one of the things that made me start thinking differently. So I started to open my mind a little bit more to a point that I made my first partnership with my really good friend. By I explained all the details. I said we can go into business together, but we cannot let our friendships get on the way. We cannot let our uh spouses get on the way. This is between you and me, not because we are friends that we're going to do everything by words, everything has to be on paper, we have to agree on everything. And that was the first time I did something like that. Keep in mind, it's not it doesn't really work 50-50. You know, you gotta do 50%, I gotta do 50%. Sometimes it's a little different. Sometimes you do a little bit more in order to make the business to go forward. Sometimes you do a little less, and your partner picks up the slack, but it does work. And then after I have moved to Florida, I wrote a nice newsletter for my wife's birthday, and next thing I know, I got a reply. And this guy says something in the lines of been following you for the longest time, you have no clue who I am, but I believe I have something of interest to you. So because I'm always open, because I'm uh open-minded, I say, sure, let's talk, let's see what you have. And worst case scenario, it's gonna be a no-go. Next thing I know, I'm learning about this business, and he had a partner, they did well for over 20 years, but the partner was ready to retire, and he was looking for a replacement. So the more we talked, the more I felt interested. And then we just discussed and more discussion and numbers and everything else lined up. And I said, I just have a lot on my plate with my own businesses, I'll be happy to step in, but there's boundaries here. I can only do this much, you do this much, and so far, so good. We've been together for almost a year now. It's actually in May. That was when I first got his initial email, so about a year now from this whole partnership, and it has been very successful because both partners respect each other's space, respect each other's rules. And if you've been thinking about it, a partnership with family, friends, or a totally strange, I'll tell you from personal experience, it is possible, it's just a matter of not letting the emotions get on the way. Sometimes you do a little bit more than you were supposed to do, sometimes your partner is gonna do a little bit more than what he or she is supposed to do, and that's how things move forward. So if you think about it, I'll be happy to discuss with you in private. I'll share my experience, but you need to open mind about it, and it is a great way to expand your business, your reach, or anything else that you have in mind. So, this is a new show, as I said, a different format. Now we are going to have a little break for i sponsor, and I'll come back with two more things that I think you're gonna like it. I'll see you soon. Hey there, Roger here. Just a quick note this episode is brought to you by blindzonlines.com. If you've been thinking about new window treatments, I want you to check them out. I am a partner there, and I can tell you firsthand, the quality, the selection, and the service are the real deal. Listen, over 5,000 five-star reviews, don't lie. Whether you are a homeowner or a trade professional, blindsonlines.com has you covered. Easy process and affordable prices. And because you are supporting the show here, I want to support you as well. Use coupon code podcast at the checkout, and you get 10% off of your order. There's a link in the show notes. And by the way, if you're getting value from the show, do me a big favor and share these with someone who needs to hear. Word of mouth is everything to me, and you know it, and I really appreciate your support. Now, back to the show. Now, speaking of partnerships, let's talk about the power team. And power team is something that every small business owner should have. So I consider a power team a group of professionals to help you run your business with the best possible mindset. Think of a power team as your board of directors. So to me, a power team should have a lawyer to protect your interests, a CPA to keep your numbers in check, a banker that can give you funds when you need it, a bookkeeper that's going to oversee every day's operations. Also, you will need a graphic designer in your team, especially for your marketing ideas, an insurance agency because no business survive without insurance. I know everybody hates insurance, but I actually think insurance is a great thing, is a great tool if you know how to use it. And obviously because we are in 2026, you need an IT person that can figure out things when you can't. Now, the way I think a power team should work is not someone that you go after when something breaks. You don't go hire a lawyer after being sued. You don't go find a CPA after you get a letter from the IRS. You don't get an insurance agent after you get involved in a car accident. So these are folks that should be part of your operation on a day-to-day basis. So I have my team and I always discuss things with them. I always nurture the relationship. Oh, but those things cost money, Roger. Actually, they do, but they cost a lot less because you have the right advice than trying to correct things later. So for example, I have a phenomenal bookkeeper, she looks over my numbers. I do understand how my books work, but instead of me spending time putting things in, reconciling everything, I rather pay someone with a fresh set of eyes, with a fresh mind to do my books, plus put them on the position and everything goes wrong, they are the ones responsible for it. So my bookkeeper sees my numbers and she says, Roger, you got this much money here. We need to do something with it, and that opened the door to create a line of credit with my banker. Well, Roger, but you don't need a line of credit, and that is exactly the point. Banks not gonna give you money when you need it. They actually is kind of intuitive, but it is the real truth. They are only going to give you money, give you a line of credit if you don't need it. If I didn't have the bookkeeper on my side thinking about those things, I would never think of having a line of credit as a backup. And guess what? Came 2020, COVID pandemic, the world stopped, and I had a great relationship with my banker. He was able to work SBA long with backup funds and all the lingo that I not even understand to help me out at that time, and that only happened because I already had my power team in place. So think about that. If you have it, kudos to you. You're doing great. If you don't, start thinking about it because it is a true necessity. Also, a great agent will tell you exactly the amount of coverage you need. Need and what you don't need. Florida is a terrible state for insurance. They are super super expensive. If you have someone on your side, they're not just going to simply renew your policies, they are going to keep shopping for the best rates for the best carriers every time. And they are going to tell you you need more coverage here, you don't need coverage here. So don't see insurance as your enemy. They are on your side if you have the right partnerships. And finally, what I wanted to share with you about my experience at IWCE two weeks ago was mind-blowing. So I share a lot on social media. I share my journey, I share my book, I share my newsletters, and I create a ton of friendships, a ton of connections, a ton of opportunities, a ton of potential business. So as I walk the show, I see a lot of friendly faces. The good, the bad, and the worse. So this show changed a little bit in format because I want to reach out to more people. For that reason, we are going to have interviews in the show, but not just people from our industry. I want to have people with different backgrounds, other small business owners in different trades, because the struggle is real, no matter what industry you belong. Small business, tough clients, marketing, getting to the end of the month, taxes, all of those things are common regardless what you do for a living. And for that reason, I really appreciate all the support I get for everyone, for everyone to listen to the show. And if you don't know this, I use the platform Buzzsprout to podcast to a stream my show all over. And I can see through the stats. My show has been downloaded in over a hundred different countries. Think about that for a second. A hundred different countries. But still, I got people in a hundred different countries listen to this. So I'm really humbled and I really appreciate all that support. So just to close the show, five takeaways that I want to leave there with you. When you pause, it's not a failure. See what's working, see what needs to change. Reflection is actually a business strategy. You stop, you think about it, see what's working, see what you like, change what needs to change, keep what you want to keep. Your past experience will help you propel and move forward. Also, things like partnerships that you didn't believe in the past could change the trajectory of your future. So be open-minded that something that didn't work before may work now. Think about that, and consistency actually builds a room bigger than you know it. So I'm saying that about IWCE experience. I just keep posting, keep connecting without really thinking much about it. And next thing I know, I hear people say, Oh, you grew really big from the first days I met you. So people are watching. Keep running it, keep doing it. Eventually, we are gonna get there where we wanna be. Thanks for listening. I really appreciate it. And let me know in the comments, send me a DM on Instagram or Facebook or email. I have all my messages linked to the show note. Let me know what you think about the new format. Thanks for listening, and I'll see you next time. Take care.

SPEAKER_00 29:55

And that's a wrap for today. Hope you're leaving with something that sticks. If this episode resonated, please share it with someone who needs to hear it. For more information, follow Roger at RogerMegallus.com and find the link in the show notes for a free chapter of his book, Nobody Told Me That. We'll see you next Sunday with no strings attached.