Interview with Robin Salzer

In this episode, Hardin interviews successful restauranteur, Robin Salzar.

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Transcript

Jason Hardin  0:00  
Thank you so much. And it is an absolute pleasure to be here. As always, I'm excited to, you know, share another wonderful episode, we have a very special episode today because we have a very special guest. Somebody, I admire somebody, I respect, somebody that, you know, you don't always have the same views. But I think in the end, we have the same goals and the same visions. And that's just to see other people succeed. And to see other people make it, you know what I'm saying? That's what the point of the show is. And this gentleman is a serial business owner, but he's in the restaurant industry, been in the restaurant industry for 40 years plus so many awards, the Humanitarian Award, Golden plate award. So many business awards, and he's just an all around great guy and a community man, you know, he's very involved in a community very involved in a neighborhood. I am fortunate to call him a neighbor, because he does live in my city of Pasadena, California, very influential city. So you can just see him imagine what he's into and what he has going on. And that gentleman's name is Robin Salzer, how you doing,

Robin Salzer  1:12  
Robin Salzer? I'm fine. And thank you very much for inviting me to your show.

Jason Hardin  1:19  
Well, I am lucky to have you because I know you're busy. Man. I know you're recently retired. So you're probably more busy. I know when you're working, you might be a little more closer to home, but but retired, you could be anywhere in the world. So thank you for being on the show today.

Robin Salzer  1:36  
Absolutely. My pleasure. Oh, my

Jason Hardin  1:38  
honor. No, no problem at all. And today, like I said, you're on the show, because you are a boss, in my perspective in my eyes, and that's on the outside looking in, I see, I see a gentleman that does a lot for his community very out there very active, very vocal, you know, very, very open about his views and opinions, and he doesn't back down for anybody, and he steps up when other people don't. And that's what I appreciate more than anything, because a lot of people have a lot of opinions. But there are a few folks putting in that work. And you put in that work, my brother, so first of all, thank you for that.

Robin Salzer  2:15  
Oh, you're welcome. And, again, Pasadena has been wonderful to me. And it's always, you know, you don't even think about it, you know, your work in unison, and people have supported me from the community. And it's just like, it's just like a natural extension of support anybody and everybody that needs a helping hand, too.

Jason Hardin  2:33  
Mm hmm. I tell a lot of folks that, uh, who who don't really know Pasadena, it's, it's much like a family. You know, people think Pasadena is this huge city, because they see it on TV all over the world every year, but it's really a 23 square mile city. And you can literally walk from one end to the other end in maybe a couple hours, you know, so. So it's really a small neighborhood feel. And it's really a family, you know, and that's why, like, that's how even how I know you. Because once you're involved in the community, you meet everybody who was involved in the community. And that's how we cross paths. And that's how I got to, you know, really know of your work and what you do. And, and I knew of your work before that, but knowing that you were the one behind it, once I knew you, you know, because like I said, when you really do things in a community, and just in business or anything to a major level, your reputation kind of precedes you, you know, so your reputation was out there before I even knew you the things you were doing. Were in my community and I was a part of and, and going to your meals program and things like that, and didn't know it was your hot meals program. You know what I'm saying? So that's why, like, that's why you're on the show to me, you know, you've done so many things you made so many things happen to a lot of other people as well as yourself. And that's success to me, and you do it because this is what you love to do. It looks like your definition of success. And that's what I guess my first question is, what is your definition of success? Robin? And let's start there?

Robin Salzer  4:03  
Well, I, I think that, you know, I'll give you a six word formula for success to think things through and then follow through. You can have any poor aspiration, but if you don't have a plan, if you don't, if you're not the architect of your own plan, you know that success is going to be fleeting. So you have to think things through first, and then you have to follow through. And I think that regardless of whatever business or civic endeavor, you start, you know, we're judged by what we finish not. There's a lot, there's a lot of, you know, false starts and they never go anywhere. So I think that you have to, you have to follow through you have to think it out. You have to finish whatever you start. I think a lot of people who shun from complaints, you know, you know, we criticize, you know, you've been in the political realm you've gotten criticized You know, and, and the majority of things that we all get criticized are baseless, it's just, you know, people's insecurities. And they don't know. And I mean, I looked at a complaint, you know, a complaint is not a complaint, it's, it's an opportunity to show the customer or your colleague or city resident that you really care and you do give a damn about a situation, rather than run from the situation you deal with it. So I think that I think more important than, you know, you know, what are the stepping stones for success? I think, you know, what are the, you know, the failures for success, and I think, you know, you can put that on, on, you know, nine or 10 of your fingers. Failure to anticipate failure to communicate, you know, with your team and, and with people, failure to collaborate and bring other people in, like you and I are doing tonight elaborating ideas. Failure to innovate, and think, think on your feet, rather than copy and rehash the same old things, you have to be innovative, failure to pre solve problems, I mean, you have to think about what's going to happen, if this doesn't work, what's going to happen, if that doesn't work, you have to have a plan in place, an exit strategy, strategy, something happened, a failure to differentiate yourself. I mean, when you're you were running for mayor, and you needed to differentiate yourself from the other candidates I ran for office, I had to, it was easy for me to differentiate myself because I look differently than most of the people who are running for that office. But in the business realm, in the restaurant business, I have to differentiate myself from the other businesses to do inspire and inspire customers to come into my front doors. There are a lot of people fail, because they're they failed to motivate their staff. You know, to be responsive, be friendly, be communicative, to be clean, and, and to give that extra extra step for for good service. A lot of people fail because they're, they forget, protect their assets, they, you know, they think that, you know, every dollar that comes into the cash registers is theirs. Yeah, they forget, taxes do and there's vendors that are due, and there's payrolls that are is due. And, you know, in the restaurant business, you know, the average margin, people think you make millions and millions of dollars, but the average margin is anywhere between five and 6% of a bottom line, and that is low. Extremely. Low. And why is it because it's a very labor intensive business, you have employees, and you had a game, high payroll, and that's your largest bill. And then, you know, all of that, if you don't follow, follow the Golden Road to Success, you're gonna, you're gonna fail. So I think that, you know, you need to, to have a game plan in place. And I think a lot of you have to market your competition, the same thing you did when you were a candidate, too. You have to be, you have to be ubiquitous, you have to be everywhere. You know, you're on Facebook and your apparel, and you have your podcast. Everybody knows Jason Hardin. And if they, if they don't know, Jason Hardin, you know, they're in Siberia, involved with the community, the community support you, they're going to be your customer, they're going to be your lifeline. So, you know, it behooves you to reinvest into the communities that is investing into you. They're investing their their money, they're investing their children, though, to work for you. and word of mouth is priceless. So you know, all these things add up to success. And I think that

Robin Salzer  8:56  
the one thing that at the end of the day, regardless of whether you have a Wharton School, a business degree, or you went to PCC, or you just got a doctorate in the school of hard knocks, you have to have a heart of ethics. You need to you need to be able to work and you need to be able to, to sacrifice holidays, and, and basketball games and, and nights out. Because sometimes you just have to work. And at the end of the day, you're the one who's going to be judged. You're the one who has to make the payroll, you're the one that generally has your name on the front door and you're the one that they're gonna complain to, if there's a problem. You need to you need to step up for that.

Jason Hardin  9:39  
Okay, one thing I like is that you answered a lot of questions Robin, you answered several questions, and I like that because there's a lot of information there and I know that like I said, I want to get the information out of you. So all that is gold. And but one of the first things you said was planning, you know, and I I wanted to ask you, first of all, for the folks that don't know, Robin, owned first franchise restaurant at the age of 23. Am I correct.

Robin Salzer  10:09  
As I was the youngest franchise owner, still might be an International House of Pancakes pancakes franchise in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. I started off at 16 as a dishwasher, and worked my way up. And when I turned 23, I bought the franchise. My parents weren't wealthy franchises weren't cheap. But I worked a job. I worked laundry I was, you know, people see me as a successful restaurant owner, but I was a proud card carrying picket walking, union member of UAW local 467. I was a strike organizer, I, I walked the picket line, I read people, and I've been blessed to be on both sides of the coin. So yeah, I started off at a very young age, and I matured at a very young age, because at 23. You know, the upside is, is incredible. But the downside is scary.

Jason Hardin  11:04  
I can imagine, and you don't have a lot of experience to dwell on at. 23 you know, I'm pretty sure that you starting an IHOP right now would probably be something that you could do you know what your eyes closed and you know, the business but at 23 That's actually an amazing thing to own an IHOP at 23 years old, and that's incredible. And to not come from a wealthy family. See, a lot of people might not know that you're a self made man. You know what I'm saying, and I've always respected that you're not with a with a say, a trust fund baby. And I don't know if you are. I'm just assuming now but because if you're not, well, they usually don't have that trust fund. But you started literally from the bottom, like you said, from a dishwasher. You know, you didn't you didn't you didn't get gifted an IHOP and and so So my next question would be is the dishwashing job that very first job did that form your definition of success in regards to wanting to get into the restaurant business because your absolute success in the restaurant business you know, if you have you last five years, you you're considered a successful business but but to last 41 years, and not just with the eye but but to come to the west coast and start another business in restaurant in a in a in a very competitive city and in a big city. But compared to probably where you were at so so what what shaped that goal? What did you always see restaurants Did somebody say, man, you're a great cook. Did you? Did you make barbecue back in the days when you were in your teens? What was it that made you choose that? Was it the job? Or was it all the opportunities you saw while working there?

Robin Salzer  12:41  
You know what it was on Sunday afternoons after the church rush are bought at the I have Mr. Hedrick really would bring his Cadillac around to the back. And he'd say, boys, lunch is over. It's time to clean my car and wash my car. And he said in a real positive way. And we were thrilled to watch football. And you got a new one every year. And I loved washing his car. And he had to thick wide white walls and and he said, Whoever cleaned the windows the best, I'm gonna give you a ride around the block in it. And I mean. And so I, you know, something was ingrained in me and I said, You know what, I want to own a Cadillac and be able to get a Cadillac is I got to own an IHOP, I have to buy a restaurant. And so I coordinate some athletics. I worked in a foundry, like I said, I was, I worked at Masterlock I was in the union. I bartend at at night, I could get the I house on weekends and save money for four years. And I saved up as much money as I could. And I was able to buy that franchise and I begged them, I would call the headquarters in Bensenville Illinois, almost, almost daily thing, you know, and I knew my boss was he was helping me, you know, facilitated, but I had to I had to sell him on. Yeah, me. I wasn't, you know, when he's old, you know, rich franchise owners, and they took a chance on me. Yeah, and I remember because people

Jason Hardin  14:13  
don't realize that a franchise it's not really your whole organization, you know, your meaning they, they can say no, even if you have the money. You know what I'm saying people but other people can can can stop that. So so they had to take a chance on a 23 year old running with their name. And and obviously you made that happen.

Robin Salzer  14:33  
Oh, and I learned I mean, I learned the hard way. I mean, it definitely was the school of hard knocks. I mean, you know, I transitioned from an employee on Sunday night to the owner on Monday, all my friends that were working there, oh my

Jason Hardin  14:49  
god. You were the boss

Robin Salzer  14:53  
all of a sudden I'm the boss. Oh, robins not gonna care if I come in late or I'm gonna take the day off. I mean, I was cooking shifts Wow.

Jason Hardin  15:02  
So it was a double edged sword. It was like, Okay, I accomplished this. At such a young age, I'm growing. I'm up there. I'm the boss, but then other people look at you like your 23 year old, your the homie, your the friend, you got hit by you. Cool. So those are the challenges that I'm sure a lot of people didn't see, but didn't understand. Until you

Robin Salzer  15:20  
know, but but I did I understood, actually live with it. And so I mean, I ended up letting everybody go within a year except for one. One guy, Jr. Dixon, who I was a busboy with and he always he just wanted to be a busboy and dishwasher and me and Jr. Were the only ones left standing and we hired new people. I hired new people and, and it, it just worked. But I I succeeded on on on fright. Because I remember the second day I was there, the HVAC guy who I knew for years and working in and repair refrigeration, I overheard him talking to one of the company reps that was there training, he said, I give this guy six months and he's gonna be gone. You know, I didn't get angry. But I was scared. And I said, I can't let this happen. This is my golden opportunity. This is my one. You know, to get that Cadillac but to be successful. And, and I was so proud Jason when they gave me my class, my franchise class. I have number 1243. I hung it at Robins for 38 years. And it made me feel so good because when I wanted these IHOPs the franchise name or owner's name on the plaque. And so that scared me. And I think it scared me in such a way that I wasn't going to let anything get me down if I had to work from six in the morning till 10 At night 11 At night, I was single I was young. I did I lived in that business. I took the sales, there are eight I hopped in City of Milwaukee at that time, I took the lowest volume IHOP to the second busiest

Jason Hardin  16:59  
Okay, another question. Oh, you're 23 years old? You know, your own this? IHOP? Where did all that, that game come from? Because like I said, so there wasn't much experience. I mean, you were a dishwasher. So you probably got a little bit of the restaurant business going. But where is that? Is that that? I guess that knowledge or that wisdom coming from is to to really run their business at 23 Because you know, a lot of kids are polluting at 23 they're in college at 23 they have no responsibilities at 23 in you with the restaurant and not just with the restaurant and had it for a couple years and ran into the ground but with the restaurant and had the the the maturity to fire people, you know had the maturity to let people go that you are working with had that you know what I'm saying that that takes maturity. It doesn't take just being mean, it doesn't take being nice. It takes maturity and that decision making who gave you that? Or where did you develop that? Because that obviously was in you. Before you own the restaurant. Like I always say successes on lifestyle. The day you got that restaurant wasn't the day you became successful. It was whatever led up to that every day after that, that was just a moment in your success. So where did that success start? That's what I want to know what was your boss in that looking at that Cadillac that door? And was he your mentor? What was it?

Robin Salzer  18:22  
Well, I think that that was the motivating goal to start with. And I think then the employees who didn't respect me and looked at me as a peer rather than their block and would, you know would kill I can plan today because I you know, I've grown immensely from that to watch over me. Can't you know, I didn't you know, I didn't own it, to be perfectly honest with you. I, I may have financially owned that restaurant, but they own that restaurant because they weren't following the guidelines. They took advantage of me they would come in when they wanted they, they me there. But laksa days ago, you

Jason Hardin  18:59  
were paying for it, but everybody else act like they own the place.

Robin Salzer  19:03  
Nobody was stealing or anything like Yeah. And so I think as I changed things, and as they brought in new people, but as also my work ethic, and I was there I wasn't at the golf course and I wasn't you know, leading up to I was there all the time. So I had you know, I saw everything I worked hard and as I was bringing in new people, and they saw my work ethic they bought into it. Did you

Jason Hardin  19:31  
Did you always love it? It because he obviously like I said it seemed like something you had a lot of fun with. You know, cuz you look like a person that doesn't do what he doesn't enjoy too long. You're very outspoken. You're very, you're very yourself, you know, so So what was it something from that early age, you know, as the dishwasher as the busboy? Was this something that you really enjoyed from jump, you know, like, did you know that that was gonna be the business you were gonna be in for so long and to pretty much make you Your fortune and your life that you live now?

Robin Salzer  20:03  
Well, you know, you really don't know what is going to be out ahead of you. But you laid this down. And first and foremost, before you do anything, you have to love what you're doing. And I love the restaurant business. I would read all the restaurant magazines that would come in, I would go to all the seminars, all the restaurants, conventions, and trade shows,

Jason Hardin  20:25  
it was fun. It was fun.

Robin Salzer  20:29  
And you learn and I had fun every day. I love talking with customers, I would be in the kitchen cooking, helping the cook talking to customers as they came in. I think because of my young age people they respected me the customers like wow, go getter. You know, even though my some of my staff thought I was, you know, I was just one of theirs, and then they can get away with things. But I, I love the business. And I think if you have a passion for whatever you're doing, like you will not be successful. If you don't love it. Go through the motions, you can, you know, have that fake smile, and you can give, give that firm handshake. And then and then and then just, you know, roll your eyes as you walk away from that person. That that that stays with you. And I think people see through that. I loved it about a breakfast restaurant, I love the crackling of the bacon in the morning. Smell of it, I would go home and smell like bacon, but I loved hearing it on the grill. I love flipping a egg. With barbecue. I mean, I'd come home at night. And you know, my wife would say take a shower, you know, you smell like a rib. I love the smell of it. And, and just working with people. But the most important thing outside of any monetary games and, and and advantages that you got, the most important thing to me was people said, Man, that was a good meal we really loved you know, my daughter, we brought our daughter in here when she was two years old. Now she's bringing in her kids, we're bringing our grandkids and they're there, they've been coming in there for 30 years, when people say really love the restaurant. And when your name was on the restaurant, they love you too. Yeah. And that motivated me to handle every obstacle that that was set before me. And believe me when you're self employed for 40, some years, you see it all and you experience it all and some people buckle under from it. And some people, again, they pre solve these problems, or at least they have a game plan and they don't have a game plan because it's the problem that they're not accustomed to. They have the Moxie and the wherewithal when not monetarily but the guts and strength the inner core strength, the will themselves through it through hard sheer work and motivation. And and and building a team around you that will help support you and build

Jason Hardin  22:57  
one thing that I wanted to ask you and always wanted to ask, you know, and I can I can, I can guess the answer. But I'd like to get it from you. Um, you have a very diverse circle of friends, let's let's put it that way, you know that you, you live in one part of town, and you support, you know, certain candidates and things like that. But you but you also have, you know, a great attachment to neighborhoods in which where I live, you know, and people that don't know, Pasadena is a very diverse place. But but it's like the Tale of Two Cities out here. You have you have uptown, you have downtown. Yeah, but the other side of the freeway and this side of the freeway. And the thing about that is like, you work with everybody, you know, and I guess I wanted to kind of really, and I get it now now that you've told me your story and more in depth about how you started. It's like what, what was that? What were those relationships built? Or what were the experiences that allowed you to, to interact with people on such a such a diverse level? Because for those that don't know, you sat on the board of the NAACP, in Pasadena, you you've been awarded awards from the NAACP, you don't say and not just me, but the Latino heritage, you know, so So you work with a lot of different groups, you know what I'm saying? So it's not like you're successful by shutting a bunch of people out you and you just live in this bubble where you just trade stocks or do it with those diabolical folks, no, you know, let's say that you are really a part of the community. And I wonder, and I always wondered where that came from, but listening to your story about, you know, the diverse background of employees that you work with an employee that you've had in the restaurant because there's there's few things more diverse than a restaurant business. You know, to be honest, everybody has to eat. So so you're gonna even if there's only one kind of people working there, you're dealing with customers. So yeah, is that what you got?  your love for people, because you love people, I can say that, you know, I can see that. So is that where you got your love from people from the restaurant business and why you're so successful in engaging and creating these relationships and making these connections with, with the community and folks from different neighborhoods.

Robin Salzer  25:19  
Why I've always had just, you know, going back to playing basketball and, and playing, you know, living in the South side of Milwaukee, but playing at the downtown YMCA, and you and at a very young age, I met people that didn't look like me, but their people and their friends, and they would come over to my house and on the south side of Milwuakee you sometimes the first time people ever, you know, I brought anybody of color, or, you know, to my neighborhood. And my parents were, you know, very accepting, because my friend, and I may have had neighbors that might look cross eyed. But that was their problem. Yeah. And, and, you know, when you own a restaurant, it's like a barbershop. You know, in the community, everybody comes out, everybody hangs out. In our, you know, our late, wonderful beloved friend, well, Jackson used to sit at the counter, at Robin's and the counter 99 and talk to everybody in anybody who walked in there, and people would come in and say, Robin, who you voting for Robin, what do you think of Lakers So Robin, you know, taxes, this, you know, Robin, this, Robin that and you over decades, not weeks,  decades? You know, it was a spot for people to come in, hang out. So when people when I ran for city council, and that was probably, you know, I've always liked people. And I've always believed, you know, treat people the way I was treated. And when somebody would mistreat me, I didn't mistreat them back. I just didn't have time for them. Yeah, there were too many people out there, and I'm not going to extend that negative energy. On being bad, I just just cut them out and had more time to spend with really good people who want to rent. And, you know, I would be invited, you know, a lot of, again, when you're in the restaurant business, people know, you and I people that would know me from the restaurant, you know, in in Northwest Pasadena, and they invite me into their kitchen for water or lemonade. They've opened up their kitchens, to me and the refrigerators and they're empty. And I, you know, I said to myself, and I said the wall and I said, you know, we got to do something about this, because I mean, these people don't have anything here. And I think that's where the, you know, where the hot meal program came from. But to answer your question, you know, about people. I think that if people were just kind I mean, you know, I, I think that the, you talk about, you know, random acts of kindness. And occasionally you'll hear that once a year, it's time to say, I think there should be every day acts of kindness, respecting people, respecting your elders, opening the door for people, you know, you know, I think it's wonderful that when you're walking down through the community, or walking through old Pasadena, you don't have to, you don't have to say hello to anybody, but you know, the nod their head, that goes a long way, that's acceptance, a lot of people don't understand that. That's like, cool, I'm cool. And life goes on. I think that if everybody was just nicer, if everybody you know, exercise a, an everyday act of kindness, that they taught their children that if they respected their life, and they respected the people around them, we would have a much better society. Unfortunately, it's not that way. But for me, I treat people the way I'm treated. And, and, and thank God and, and, and I've been blessed. I've been you know, I have a wonderful group of friends. And I, I don't, I don't have a, like a litmus test, or I don't have a quota system. I mean, you know, I get what you say, Oh, who's gonna show up and everybody's welcome within, you know, that, you know, that, you know, we all you know, get along with Rodney King said something, you know, you know, famous Rodney King, who was a customer of mine at Robins, by the way. And, you know, his most prolific Sabourin was, can't we all just get along? And, and he said that under duress, and that is a very important statement. And regardless of what political persuasion, sexual persuasion, gender, religious persuasion, we need to get along and if you get along with people, you're going to be successful. I don't think anybody can go into any business today of any sort, whether it's a carwash or restaurant and apparel business, a law business and dental practice, store if you do not like people, then you should. You should be a telemarketer behind the phone. Yeah, we're Nobody gets to you.

Jason Hardin  30:03  
And nobody has to know you.

Robin Salzer  30:06  
Nobody has to know you. But when you're in the city, like you said, it's 23 miles in, in, in diameter. It's a big city and everybody knows you.

Jason Hardin  30:15  
Yeah, yeah. One question. I guess, you know, we're gonna wrap it up. But one thing I'm very curious to say and or to ask you, is you got you had it together, let's just say like you really had it together to be 23 years old and enter the discipline of saving money. I mean, you weren't buying bubble gum and candy, you weren't buying video games, or whatever else, you went by the little cars in between the cadillac, you know, you were focused, you know, you, you didn't buy a bunch of Mustangs on the ways of Cadillac. But I want to know that if you can go back in time, having had all that sense, and all that knowledge and just that intuition, at such a young age, if you can go back in time now, what would you tell yourself that you didn't have like, like, what was that one thing that you think you didn't have? That if you had that chance to go back and tell yourself now, what would that be? Because you because you had everything together? You know, so So what was missing? What What? What advice? Would you give that 23 year old, even though that 23 year old, still succeeded, still did everything that he accomplished? What would you tell him still?

Robin Salzer  30:18  
I would tell him and I look at, you know, this in a very serious way, I would tell him to learn as much as you can. And if I have any regrets, and I have very few regrets, but is not going to college. And it's not that if I had gone to college, would I have been more successful? No. But just there's something about the college experience. I see. I took two classes before COVID. And haven't been back, but I do plan on going back maybe in June. And, you know, I felt like Rodney Dangerfield in going, going back to school. My backpack, I would go into class, I would sit in the lecture halls, I would be taking notes. And everybody else is fooling around on their iPads and their phones. And I'm sitting there like, you know, right page after page after page. I'm up till two in the morning trying to study for, for for a paper I asked my wife, I said, Can you help me with the paper? And she said, No, you need to do it. And I think that that would be the only thing is just, I missed the college experience. And you know, going there going to college in my 60s. I love it. It's a shot of adrenaline. I feel good. People look at me like here's the old guy on campus. But you know, he's pretty cool. Yeah.

Jason Hardin  32:48  
Embrace all of it. Yeah.

Robin Salzer  32:51  
And I love it. And I think that would be the only thing. I think that every day you need to learn something new. Whether it's about your, whether it's about your craft, whether it's about your neighbor, or whether it's about you know spirituality, you need to learn something else. Because if you don't learn if there's that one day, you don't learn something you're going to regret. And then what once that regression starts, it's a runaway train. Because after we slow and and so I think the college experience, not that you everybody has to go to college, like I said, there's vocational training and things like that. But just for me personally, if this was a question tailored for me, I went to college, and I loved it. And even at my age, I mean, one of my goals, and I like to, you know, finish what I started is probably one of the oldest people I kind of finish it I'll probably be too old, but I'll still be able to I want to get my college degree my two years college degree at PCC,

Jason Hardin  33:50  
what a what degree? If I could ask.

Robin Salzer  33:54  
I'm not sure. I mean, I I took Spanish I took business there. I took a business entrepreneurial class, which was was an incredible class and we took the class size, we took the project, you know, the entrepreneurial and it was pretty cool. And I you know, we opened up a pizza restaurant and you know, it helped when I brought my financials and everything we laid it out and we blew away our professor, he knew it was me. And then we all came with time. And that's the one thing too every time you know, you need to dress for success. You need to you know, you need

Jason Hardin  34:31  
to look

Robin Salzer  34:34  
better than anybody but anytime I go to city council, I wear a suit. But when put our presentation on and kids are in shorts, all six of us, we wore suits, we got up there and it kind of freaks people out. You know, the teacher was thrilled and you know what? That was 50% of the of the score. Yeah, because you know when a presentation

Jason Hardin  34:54  
and your presentation.

Robin Salzer  34:58  
Oh schooling is very important. If That's what, you know what, what really motivates you. And that's what kind of motivates me. And that's, that's one of my goals there. And again, but I, I read as much as I can, I try to learn as much as I can I have young children, they look up to me, I have to, they keep me young, because you know, I, there's so much stuff going on today that I mean, you know, if it wasn't for them, I'd be in the stone age's and a lot of things. But, you know, we're all blessed to have a lot in life we have, the end of the day is if we, whatever walk of life, you you challenge, or is challenged to you, whatever walk of life is left out there for you there to proceed on. If you leave it, the place you started from better than it was before you got there. You can have peace with yourself, you know, your communities that are you know, you're better, you're a better person for it. And, and hopefully that will inspire others to follow when you're gone. And I hope my children do the same thing.

Jason Hardin  35:58  
Well, I appreciate that. Because I can tell you right now you have done that, you know, whenever you leave Pasadena, if you should ever leave Pasadena, you definitely left this place better. And I can attest to that, because I've experienced some of the things you brought to this community. And I appreciate it. Any last words, Robin, that was a great interview. And I appreciate everything you said anything you want to leave with the audience before you go?

Robin Salzer  36:20  
You know, I think that I want to tell your audience that you can do anything you want. You can you know, somebody says you can't do it, you can do it. If your heart's in it, you can do it. When people when people say you can't do it, that that motivates you to step up and do it. And nobody, nobody, absolutely nobody will hold you back except yourself. It is limitless, your future is limitless, only you know, bridled by yourself. Yeah, hold the reins, success. So, I would like to say you know, your listeners, if anybody ever needs any help, if anybody needs any guidance, any, you know, just wants to run some questions past me, I would love you know, please feel free to give them my number, you can find me probably on the internet on Facebook, and I'd be happy to talk to you, I think that the more we prepare people for the future, the better our future and the better our children's future will be. So I think that's all part of the package, Jason and I look forward to collaborating with you and others, you know, on the project that we talked about earlier, you know, what our schools and I think that we can all make a difference and I'll tell you one thing, you do not have to sit in that swivel chair to make a difference. In fact, you make more of a difference doing it in the street and actually getting something done and then talking about it,

Jason Hardin  37:44  
you know, I both know you and I both know but um, those are great words wise words and I would hope more people can live by them because like I said, I live by them you live by them and and and you're like I said your mentor You're definitely a role model and and I only have people that that reflect the values that I hope to have still because because in chasing success you can lose your value you can lose who you are and I only respect people who still have kept and retain their heart their passions their original self you know and you are you're you're very authentic, you don't change in different in different environments. You know, your tone doesn't change the stuff you say doesn't change whether it be inappropriate or what by whose definition it's always authentic you and I appreciate that and that's why I believe what you say you know, all the stuff that you have spoken on this show today is absolutely true. You know and and I respect that and I've seen it in action in you so I appreciate everything you do I thank you so much for being on the show and sharing so much game with my audience and and I appreciate you leaving your your line of communication open for those because it really is about how many people we can help an impact because in a selfish reason that helps us that helps our family to help the next generation that helps our community so if there's no other reason to help somebody else is to help yourself and I'm just gonna put it out there like that

Robin Salzer  39:16  
yeah but but you know the the peripheral everybody benefits from it? Yeah. And I really think you know my I guess my my my last words and that would be you know, I mean you know successful people. People like you like me and many other successful people are always looking for opportunities to help others be unsuccessful up they're the ones that are always making excuses are always asking what's in it for me. And when you when you when you pay it forward, it comes back when you least expect and you don't expect it at all. But you know the the unsuccessful people are always making the excuses all you know I got a bad day That's or you know, this was wrong or that was wrong. Yeah, successful people they don't make excuses. They help people. And they motivate people, and they inspire people to be just as successful. So saying that I will always be available to help anybody who has has any type of need. I'm there for them.

Jason Hardin  40:20  
And I can vouch for that. Well, thank you again, Robin. And I will be circling back with you on all the ideas we discussed. And  definitely want to have you back on our shell sometime.

Robin Salzer  40:30  
I would love to be on and I look forward to Part Part Two.

Jason Hardin  40:35  
Thank you think you were gonna need one, maybe even a part three, because you got to say my brother.

Robin Salzer  40:41  
Hey, my. Absolutely. My pleasure, my honor. To stay healthy, stay safe, stay blessed. And we'll talk soon.

Jason Hardin  40:50  
Thank you. Well, everybody that was interview with Robert Saler, a very good brother, and like I said, I think the greatest takeaway is, he keeps an open mind and he loves to learn if you didn't learn nothing else from that interview. That's what I got out of it. Man. The brother keeps an open mind and he loves to learn and you don't stop learning never stop learning. Anyway, I love you guys. Man. Keep checking in lifeofaboss.net Man check Robin Salzer out on Facebook. He actually uses his real name on Facebook, you can just Facebook Robin Salzer and send them a friend request and he'll probably accept you and he does social media a lot. And I appreciate folks that are up there using social media. I love it. But anyway, love you guys, man. Keep tuning back and Yeah, remember success is a lifestyle life of a boss, peace.