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Persistence, Construction & Land Surveying with Sevika + TND Geomatics · Somos La Chamba-Stories of our Community

• 0:18
  SPEAKER_03: The Fort Worth Hispanic Chamber of Commerce has created opportunities for entrepreneurs, contractors, young professionals, and many business leaders across Fort Worth.
• 0:28
  SPEAKER_03: I'm Evelyn Valez, your host, and today I'm with real people who will be sharing their stories firsthand.
• 0:34
  SPEAKER_00: We have Jessica Millo, one of the co-founders of Civica.
• 0:37
  SPEAKER_00: We're a Fort Worth-based commercial general contractor here.
• 0:41
  SPEAKER_02: My name is Linda Lopez, CEO of TND Geomatics, professional land surveying firm right here in Fort Worth.
• 0:48
  SPEAKER_01: I'm Joe Cortez, president of TND Geomatics, and we're here in Fort Worth looking to serve the community.
• 0:54
  SPEAKER_03: Awesome.
• 0:55
  SPEAKER_03: So for listeners who don't know, what is TND Geomatics?
• 0:59
  SPEAKER_02: Well, TND Geomatics is, like I said, a professional land surveying firm.
• 1:03
  SPEAKER_02: And before any project starts, it has to start with a survey.
• 1:10
  SPEAKER_01: TND actually stands for True North Data.
• 1:13
  SPEAKER_01: I actually had this company many years before, and we were actually got to the point where we wanted to take it a little further, and then we opened up TND Geomatics, and it's been uh a journey that uh been really great.
• 1:28
  SPEAKER_03: Awesome.
• 1:28
  SPEAKER_03: And I want to piggyback off that.
• 1:30
  SPEAKER_03: How did TND Geomatics get us started?
• 1:33
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
• 1:33
  SPEAKER_02: Well, um during COVID, Joe and I were working, both working from home.
• 1:38
  SPEAKER_02: And um before Joe worked all over the country doing all kinds of different uh land surveying projects for different companies.
• 1:48
  SPEAKER_02: And uh I worked at TCU for many years in development.
• 1:54
  SPEAKER_02: And you know, during COVID, not much going on in development.
• 1:58
  SPEAKER_02: Um so Joe said, why don't we start a land surveying firm?
• 2:03
  SPEAKER_02: I'm tired of traveling, so we did, and we here we are five years later.
• 2:07
  SPEAKER_03: That's exciting.
• 2:09
  SPEAKER_03: And Jesse, tell me a little bit about your like start with your company.
• 2:12
  SPEAKER_00: So uh it was uh really a truck uh ride to a project we had at uh you know previous uh life previous uh job.
• 2:21
  SPEAKER_00: Uh me and my partner you know really clicked.
• 2:24
  SPEAKER_00: We had a same vision, we had the same uh goals, so you know, we united forces and took the leap of faith and now we're getting it.
• 2:30
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah, sweet.
• 2:31
  SPEAKER_03: Linda, let me ask you this, because you know, being a woman in this male-dominated space, how have you been able to navigate that, you know, and has partnering with the Fort Worth Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, you know, facilitated any of that?
• 2:46
  SPEAKER_03: Or you know, tell us about that connection.
• 2:48
  SPEAKER_02: Yes, when we when when we first started, I had always been involved with the with the chamber, with TCO and the chamber.
• 2:56
  SPEAKER_02: Um, but starting your own business, it's like a completely different thing, and especially like a male-dominated um service.
• 3:04
  SPEAKER_02: So yeah, it was difficult at first, but once you get comfortable with the space, and I was on the fast track to land surveying.
• 3:16
  SPEAKER_02: And uh and now I can walk in anywhere and thanks to the chamber that I had the opportunities to network and learn how to network with all the different classes they provide and and all of that.
• 3:30
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, um all of that kind of of support.
• 3:34
  SPEAKER_02: Absolutely.
• 3:35
  SPEAKER_01: She also went out in the field, so I took her out to to learn surveying firsthand, and she was out there with her hard hat and learned how to use the equipment and uh get the fundamentals of surveying down.
• 3:48
  SPEAKER_01: That's it.
• 3:50
  SPEAKER_01: So when she goes into these spaces, she has some experience, some understanding of the uh survey field, and and it it's they've been very receptive to her as well.
• 4:01
  SPEAKER_01: You know, so that's a good thing, you know, everywhere she goes.
• 4:03
  SPEAKER_01: And then, of course, finding organizations that are women-based uh in construction and real estate, and these spaces also help her to land uh new context and build relationships.
• 4:16
  SPEAKER_03: That's a lot.
• 4:16
  SPEAKER_03: That's what it's about connections, context.
• 4:18
  SPEAKER_00: I did a little bit of ceremony back in the day, so profit to you for going out there.
• 4:21
  SPEAKER_00: It's a lot of a lot of hard work.
• 4:22
  SPEAKER_00: It's a lot.
• 4:23
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, I've been in the bushes and um I'm like, what are we doing out here again?
• 4:30
  SPEAKER_02: Um we actually did a project for Doc Presscott out in um in East Texas, and it was very heavily wooded for me.
• 4:40
  SPEAKER_02: So uh yeah, very interesting.
• 4:43
  SPEAKER_03: Also, that being said, what makes uh you know a great survey crew member, you know, isn't it?
• 4:48
  SPEAKER_01: Well, to know the first of all, have somebody with experience, right, and know the equipment.
• 4:53
  SPEAKER_01: Um we use uh Trimble, a lot of Trimble equipment and a lot of state-of-the-art equipment.
• 4:59
  SPEAKER_01: And so uh the formats that we use, everybody that we have does their part and produces uh accuracy and great product uh that our clients uh can use to design and build.
• 5:11
  SPEAKER_03: Nice.
• 5:11
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
• 5:12
  SPEAKER_03: Let's see, what else?
• 5:13
  SPEAKER_03: Anything else you want to share on the survey side?
• 5:16
  SPEAKER_03: Because I imagine, like you know, you mentioned, you know, everything starts with it, so you know the survey can really impact construction.
• 5:22
  SPEAKER_01: Absolutely.
• 5:22
  SPEAKER_01: You have to have great control, uh, right, solid control and um boundary analysis and and make sure that uh the topographic survey is right so that the engineers can then design and come up with their grading and drainage plans.
• 5:36
  SPEAKER_01: And then from there uh we can also do the construction staking and do the as built.
• 5:41
  SPEAKER_01: So from you know, from the inception, right, the pre-development, doing the survey to construction staking to as built once it's complete.
• 5:51
  SPEAKER_01: Right.
• 5:51
  SPEAKER_01: So we are in all parts of the uh construction phase of it.
• 5:56
  SPEAKER_00: And construction really can't happen without them.
• 5:58
  SPEAKER_00: These guys are like appointing after they go, um, you know, the the land gets developed, then we come in and we can build up.
• 6:04
  SPEAKER_03: Gotcha.
• 6:04
  SPEAKER_03: So you guys work, you know, we have hand and hand.
• 6:07
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, we work hand in hand.
• 6:08
  SPEAKER_00: We're trying to work together, but the opportunity hasn't come up.
• 6:10
  SPEAKER_00: So it's the chamber.
• 6:13
  SPEAKER_02: Exactly.
• 6:14
  SPEAKER_02: Yes.
• 6:15
  SPEAKER_02: Yes, we met Jesse uh a while back, and uh you know, we team up every once in a while just to talk about different projects and and that sort of thing.
• 6:24
  SPEAKER_02: But um but uh like I said, the uh I have we have made so many contacts through the chamber.
• 6:30
  SPEAKER_02: It's been amazing for us, for our business.
• 6:33
  SPEAKER_03: For sure.
• 6:33
  SPEAKER_03: And Jesse, what about you?
• 6:34
  SPEAKER_03: Like what's your experience, you know, with the chamber and your business?
• 6:37
  SPEAKER_03: You know, tell us a little bit about you know what goes on in your life.
• 6:40
  SPEAKER_00: So the chambers actually helped me out quite a bit.
• 6:42
  SPEAKER_00: I want to say I've been active for since August probably when I left uh my W-2 job.
• 6:49
  SPEAKER_00: Um they actually helped me put an event together, what was it like two or three weeks ago?
• 6:53
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
• 6:54
  SPEAKER_00: We had over 100 people uh show up.
• 6:56
  SPEAKER_00: I actually just posted a video uh to recap the video.
• 6:59
  SPEAKER_03: That's amazing.
• 7:00
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah, first event.
• 7:01
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
• 7:01
  SPEAKER_00: Things to to that.
• 7:02
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah, yeah.
• 7:03
  SPEAKER_02: And so we also did our ribbon cutting and we had, gosh, I don't even know how many people we had, but over 200 people with band and food, and uh it turned out it turned out great.
• 7:15
  SPEAKER_02: So I mean that's just that's just what you get out of the chamber because um you want your company to be noticed.
• 7:22
  SPEAKER_02: For sure.
• 7:23
  SPEAKER_02: And and it does.
• 7:25
  SPEAKER_02: I mean, in if you're if you go out, if you network, if you do um that's what that I mean, that's what you have to do in order to get going for sure.
• 7:34
  SPEAKER_02: Yep.
• 7:35
  SPEAKER_03: No, I agree with that.
• 7:36
  SPEAKER_03: Any business, you know, whether you have experience or not, you can't do anything alone, you know, definitely not.
• 7:43
  SPEAKER_03: So any advice you would give to any other, you know, entrepreneurs or someone who's trying to build from the ground up, you know, because we've all been there.
• 7:52
  SPEAKER_03: So what was the hardest things?
• 7:53
  SPEAKER_03: Like what were the biggest challenges for you guys, you know, starting up a lot of people?
• 7:59
  SPEAKER_01: So you can get the financing that you need, uh, you know, setting up um the LLCs and getting all the uh you know the documents right and uh finding the right bank, partnering with the right bank because they're gonna be a big part of the business growth.
• 8:12
  SPEAKER_01: Uh and at the same time uh going out and and uh meeting other people that are in the industry.
• 8:18
  SPEAKER_01: And if you know what you want to do, right, uh then don't be afraid to make mistakes.
• 8:23
  SPEAKER_01: Uh and get with the chamber, because the chamber will give you uh good direction uh to pursue uh your goals and your business, whatever that may be.
• 8:34
  SPEAKER_01: And uh I I recommend uh anybody in construction to look up Jessie because this young man is very ambitious and he can get the work done.
• 8:41
  SPEAKER_01: So look him up for sure at Civica.
• 8:44
  SPEAKER_00: For me, um I'm a big believer that your network is your net worth.
• 8:48
  SPEAKER_00: Um we really like to I guess to kind of found and kind of think back, the reason that we're here is because of all the people that I've met along the journey uh here at the Ford Chamber, at those organizations that me and Linda are actually a part of.
• 9:01
  SPEAKER_00: That has been an amazing, amazing journey, amazing opportunities uh everywhere.
• 9:05
  SPEAKER_02: And I can give you an example.
• 9:06
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 9:07
  SPEAKER_02: So last year at Build Fort Worth, I met, you know, I went around, networked, talked to everybody at the different booths and everything.
• 9:17
  SPEAKER_02: Uh I stopped by Race Construction, and I met I met a young lady named Claudia, and uh we exchanged cards, we chatted for a while.
• 9:28
  SPEAKER_02: Um and so I got back to my office and I emailed her and and we communicated.
• 9:34
  SPEAKER_02: But after that, I didn't hear anything for about nine months.
• 9:38
  SPEAKER_02: And then she called and she's like, hey, we need survey.
• 9:40
  SPEAKER_02: We're on a dark project and we need you guys.
• 9:43
  SPEAKER_02: So so it was a I mean, we went out there, we helped them out, uh, and then they said, you know what, we have a project, a small project at DFW Airport.
• 9:53
  SPEAKER_02: So we were doing a project for them at DFW Airport.
• 9:58
  SPEAKER_02: They connected us to a big company in Chicago.
• 10:02
  SPEAKER_02: So now we're getting a contract with them, and it's like a five over 500-acre project.
• 10:09
  SPEAKER_02: That's at DFW Airport.
• 10:11
  SPEAKER_03: Congratulations.
• 10:13
  SPEAKER_03: Yes, one of applause.
• 10:15
  SPEAKER_03: I love that.
• 10:16
  SPEAKER_01: So the growth is there, right?
• 10:17
  SPEAKER_01: You know, and when you're when you're starting up your business, you you know, you're gonna have to wear all the hats.
• 10:22
  SPEAKER_01: You're gonna have to um stay focused.
• 10:25
  SPEAKER_01: And it's easy to get discouraged.
• 10:28
  SPEAKER_01: And uh we come up with this word we call ants.
• 10:32
  SPEAKER_01: Automatic negative thoughts that come into your mind and they can really bring you down.
• 10:36
  SPEAKER_01: Just ignore those and just keep going forward.
• 10:39
  SPEAKER_01: Surround yourself with a team who's gonna build you up, right, who's gonna encourage you, because the challenges are there, the mistakes are gonna happen, the growing pains are gonna be there.
• 10:48
  SPEAKER_01: But at the end of the day, you're gonna be grateful for where you're at and where you're going because you're gonna see the growth, and nobody else can can do that but you, whoever is actually taking the risk, right?
• 11:01
  SPEAKER_01: Business leaders are risk takers, uh, but a good plan, a good uh business plan, and follow through and learn from it, and just keep growing, and you'll see the opportunities open up.
• 11:11
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah, yeah, that's right.
• 11:14
  SPEAKER_03: Do you want to add anything, Jesse?
• 11:16
  SPEAKER_00: Um for what again?
• 11:19
  SPEAKER_03: Anything, anything.
• 11:20
  SPEAKER_03: I know we're talking about you know, opportunities.
• 11:22
  SPEAKER_03: You also, I heard, just landed a huge opportunity as well.
• 11:26
  SPEAKER_00: Yes, we could talk about that one.
• 11:27
  SPEAKER_00: I also have a couple others, just like uh Linda.
• 11:29
  SPEAKER_00: We met at a networking event, let's say at the end of last year, and three weeks ago I got a phone call and then a follow-up email saying if I wanted to be a part of a project.
• 11:38
  SPEAKER_00: So we bid a project and we actually find out if we won the project or not tomorrow.
• 11:42
  SPEAKER_03: Oh wow.
• 11:42
  SPEAKER_00: So it's just a lot of uh you know, waiting and having courage, having you know, uh animal.
• 11:48
  SPEAKER_00: How do you say animal?
• 11:49
  SPEAKER_00: Uh animal.
• 11:50
  SPEAKER_03: Like um the will.
• 11:52
  SPEAKER_00: The will to keep going and to not give up.
• 11:54
  SPEAKER_02: That's right.
• 11:54
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, for sure.
• 11:55
  SPEAKER_02: Right.
• 11:55
  SPEAKER_02: Uh I mean, and a lot of businesses fail because they give up too soon.
• 12:00
  SPEAKER_02: Because it's hard.
• 12:01
  SPEAKER_02: Okay.
• 12:01
  SPEAKER_02: I mean, there's been a lot of times when we're like, oh my gosh, how we're gonna make payroll out or you know, but but if if you keep pushing through, I mean it will happen.
• 12:10
  SPEAKER_02: And and you just keep moving forward, keep encouraging um each other, and and I mean, that's all you can do.
• 12:18
  SPEAKER_02: Right.
• 12:18
  SPEAKER_02: And then once you're so far away, then you can't turn back because you gotta now we have employees that depend on us.
• 12:26
  SPEAKER_02: So feed.
• 12:28
  SPEAKER_02: Yes, exactly.
• 12:29
  SPEAKER_02: We have a lot of families that are depending on us.
• 12:31
  SPEAKER_02: So yeah, you just have to keep moving forward.
• 12:35
  SPEAKER_03: Persistency is what it sounds like.
• 12:37
  SPEAKER_03: Jesse, you're in a leadership program.
• 12:39
  SPEAKER_03: Tell me about that.
• 12:40
  SPEAKER_03: What does that look like?
• 12:41
  SPEAKER_00: So, okay, yeah.
• 12:42
  SPEAKER_00: So the reason I joined that leadership program is um I noticed that uh a lot of companies they they struggle if their their leaders aren't getting their herd right.
• 12:52
  SPEAKER_00: So I was like, I need to start working on the fundamentals of my business to make sure that uh grow growing and going forward, um, everything is aligned, everything is where I want it to be.
• 13:01
  SPEAKER_00: So before the Hispanic Chamber put on an event, I put on a program where we're getting microcredentials from both Texas Tech and Hard mentorship program.
• 13:09
  SPEAKER_00: So that's an amazing, amazing opportunity.
• 13:10
  SPEAKER_00: I'm so grateful to be a part of.
• 13:12
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, that's exciting.
• 13:13
  SPEAKER_02: And uh our business was just a couple of days ago, we were accepted into the United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.
• 13:23
  SPEAKER_02: Um Avanzar and Blue Wave.
• 13:27
  SPEAKER_02: So Yeah, we were so excited to get awarded that because there was uh thousands of people that applied for that in teaching.
• 13:37
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, yes.
• 13:38
  SPEAKER_03: You know, and I think that just kind of you know adds to the importance of just staying relevant, you know, staying involved, you know, connected for sure.
• 13:47
  SPEAKER_00: I'm gonna hang out around you more.
• 13:49
  SPEAKER_01: You know, in land surveying, there's a shortage of land surveyors.
• 13:53
  SPEAKER_01: There's only 2,500 registered surveyors in Texas, 60,000 civil engineers in Texas.
• 13:59
  SPEAKER_01: And so there's a lot of them retiring surveyors retiring.
• 14:02
  SPEAKER_01: And so if anybody is young people are interested in a career, land surveying is an excellent career.
• 14:09
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, and it's a it's a growing, there's a growing need.
• 14:12
  SPEAKER_01: Uh right now we had um last year we had an intern.
• 14:16
  SPEAKER_01: He's going for engineering uh mechanical, I believe, or something, but he asked if he can come be an intern again this year.
• 14:22
  SPEAKER_01: I said, sure.
• 14:23
  SPEAKER_01: I said, but what have you done?
• 14:24
  SPEAKER_01: He said, I took a couple of survey classes.
• 14:26
  SPEAKER_03: So so you know, he's a true thing.
• 14:30
  SPEAKER_01: So we have two interns coming in, and I believe that um there's a lot of room, a lot of growth, uh opportunity for surveyors, right, to come in.
• 14:40
  SPEAKER_01: And it's a small group of uh organization.
• 14:44
  SPEAKER_01: A lot of people don't know about it.
• 14:45
  SPEAKER_01: Uh I do know that the Latino community, when we go and do surveys, uh the non-English speaking Latinos, they appreciate that our guys are bilingual.
• 14:55
  SPEAKER_01: And so we need a lot more bilingual surveyors out in the field in construction staking, uh in every aspect of surveying, right?
• 15:02
  SPEAKER_01: And so I know that um I just spoke with someone from Lulac, and he said that they need more uh Latino speaking uh surveyors because where they have the work, the owners, the property owners, they speak Spanish.
• 15:16
  SPEAKER_01: So uh I said, Well, call us up.
• 15:18
  SPEAKER_01: We're ready, right?
• 15:19
  SPEAKER_01: And so there's opportunity there for Latinos to actually grow in land surveying and make a a strong impact locally and statewide.
• 15:28
  SPEAKER_01: For sure.
• 15:28
  SPEAKER_01: Absolutely.
• 15:29
  SPEAKER_00: Talk about the median age.
• 15:31
  SPEAKER_01: I know the median age of surveyors is like, yes, the median age right now is over fifty.
• 15:36
  SPEAKER_01: Right.
• 15:36
  SPEAKER_01: And half of those are over sixty-five.
• 15:39
  SPEAKER_01: So just last year I know at least half a dozen surveyors retired or closed their doors, right?
• 15:44
  SPEAKER_01: So I knew that there was a a need, and so that was another reason for us to open up our company, and it's at the perfect time uh because right now is a time where uh we can grow this into something great, uh building a legacy.
• 16:00
  SPEAKER_01: Uh my brothers are in it.
• 16:02
  SPEAKER_01: Um I have uh nephews working with us, I have a grandson working with us, and so there is a lot of uh opportunity there.
• 16:10
  SPEAKER_01: And if you just want to learn either in the field, working in the field with equipment or working in the office with civil 3D RCAS to make the map.
• 16:19
  SPEAKER_01: So there's there's lots of areas.
• 16:21
  SPEAKER_01: The technology is changing, there's a lot more uh 3D scanning, uh handheld um drones with LIDAR.
• 16:29
  SPEAKER_01: Uh so we've got all this new technology and we've got to keep up with it, and we're also uh letting the Latino community know that we can uh give them these services that they don't know exist.
• 16:40
  SPEAKER_01: And can help them with their projects move forward, right?
• 16:43
  SPEAKER_01: With accurate accurate data questions.
• 16:46
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 16:47
  SPEAKER_00: How much has uh AI affected you guys?
• 16:49
  SPEAKER_01: AI has helped us with um there's a thing, there's a what's it called?
• 16:55
  SPEAKER_01: It's called um AI deed or something like that.
• 16:58
  SPEAKER_01: What it does, it plots the deeds out for us and then makes us a map and it gives us everything that we need to know for that property so we can go out and search.
• 17:07
  SPEAKER_01: Because the corners on the deeds they call either iron rod or a wheel spindle or a tree, whatever it is.
• 17:13
  SPEAKER_01: So we have a a mosaic deed plot, and that can help the field crews.
• 17:17
  SPEAKER_01: Instead of us spending multiple hours reading, a lot of these uh deeds, these old deeds, are written in hand and cursive, and so it can be a little challenging with some of the younger, younger uh guys, but with this deep plotter, it plots it out.
• 17:31
  SPEAKER_01: We also trained AI to check our work, right?
• 17:35
  SPEAKER_01: So we'll put in it already knows it's got a checklist, already knows what it what what to look for, we'll put in our complete uh our deliverable to give it one more go-through, and then we'll we'll make those edits there.
• 17:46
  SPEAKER_01: And also AI is also uh integrated in Sybil 3D with a 2026 model.
• 17:52
  SPEAKER_01: Uh and it also AI is also being included in what's called L O Q Look.
• 17:58
  SPEAKER_01: It's a handheld uh LIDAR that's AI generated that you can also directly uh send it to your PC and start working with it.
• 18:06
  SPEAKER_02: And it it can also help with estimating too.
• 18:09
  SPEAKER_02: Not completely, but at least, you know, it kind of gives you an idea of where of where you need to be.
• 18:15
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, you know, so so that's so yeah, it's and there's a lot of companies that don't use it, right?
• 18:20
  SPEAKER_01: And so again, we're a younger company and we want to keep up with the technology.
• 18:24
  SPEAKER_01: So that thank you for that question, Jesse.
• 18:25
  SPEAKER_01: Absolutely.
• 18:26
  SPEAKER_01: AI has been a great impact, a positive impact for our company.
• 18:30
  SPEAKER_03: That's fascinating.
• 18:30
  SPEAKER_03: And I mean it helps not only, you know, the people doing the work, but probably the people expecting the work.
• 18:37
  SPEAKER_03: It just helps things, you know, flow around.
• 18:39
  SPEAKER_02: And and uh TNT Geomatics, I mean, we we love serving the community, so we've also taken an initiative to uh to go out and teach young students about land surveying.
• 18:52
  SPEAKER_02: And it's they're they're so excited and interested in it because it is uh it's it's it's a a dying industry that people don't really know about.
• 19:01
  SPEAKER_02: They're like, What what is it again?
• 19:03
  SPEAKER_02: And no project can move forward without land survey.
• 19:07
  SPEAKER_01: So it's affecting every aspect of the construction industry with superintendents, uh, you know, with uh people with trades.
• 19:15
  SPEAKER_01: Uh so it's affecting so many industries.
• 19:18
  SPEAKER_01: Uh but I do know because we have a passion for survey, that it is really affecting us and we want to see how we can give back.
• 19:26
  SPEAKER_01: And again, we're we're getting these younger guys uh they're in school.
• 19:29
  SPEAKER_01: Like if there's there's kids that are going to school for engineering, civil engineering, and and they graduate with their bachelor's instead of going for their master's, take some survey courses and then go get your license, and now you got a engineering surveying double uh license and you become that much more of an asset.
• 19:47
  SPEAKER_01: Right?
• 19:48
  SPEAKER_01: So much more of an asset for forever you're whatever company you go work for.
• 19:51
  SPEAKER_03: I love this.
• 19:52
  SPEAKER_03: I love this because I mean you don't you only know what you know.
• 19:56
  SPEAKER_03: You know, so being, you know, you said to yourself, like, I need to hang out with them more often.
• 19:59
  SPEAKER_03: I mean, I think it it's it's just so cool.
• 20:01
  SPEAKER_03: And I that's what you know, the events that the chamber put together, you know, bring to the table, you know, like we're able to have these conversations, we're able to, you know, see what opportunities are out there because we all know someone who, I don't know, can be a good fit or you know, is interested or whatever the case.
• 20:17
  SPEAKER_02: I mean, and and that's one of the things that the chamber has is uh I mean they have so many opportunities for different classes that you can take, different training.
• 20:27
  SPEAKER_02: And that's I mean, I we have taken all different kinds, whether it's like finance or how to get the financing or um how to get your certifications, that kind of thing.
• 20:38
  SPEAKER_02: I mean, we all need that because we don't know.
• 20:41
  SPEAKER_02: So yeah, it's been uh the the chamber has been really great to us right in in that aspect, yes.
• 20:48
  SPEAKER_03: What about for someone, and I'll ask you since you're you know newer to the chamber, someone who's newer or who's intimidated by networking events, you know, because we mentioned how that's so important.
• 20:58
  SPEAKER_03: What do you think is something that has helped you, or what would you, you know, share with people that are thinking of attending events but feel like maybe they don't get nothing out of it or they're too shy or whatever the case, you know?
• 21:11
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, so honestly for me, uh going to the event.
• 21:14
  SPEAKER_00: Well, the first I guess not working on that, but I went to your information with the chamber.
• 21:19
  SPEAKER_00: And they're the people that wrote the ice for me.
• 21:22
  SPEAKER_00: So because I knew a person at the chamber, that person would uh you know saw me and that they just started taking me everywhere.
• 21:28
  SPEAKER_00: So for me, that was just a big ice break.
• 21:30
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 21:31
  SPEAKER_00: So honestly, like thanks to them, I you know, I broke myself a person, so everyone dropped the charge.
• 21:36
  SPEAKER_02: Another thing that the chamber has implemented too is if you go to one of the networking events, it you get a different color bad uh you know badge.
• 21:44
  SPEAKER_02: So then people know that you're new, so they will go up to and talk to you and break the ice that way.
• 21:50
  SPEAKER_02: And I mean, when I first started networking, believe me, it was not easy.
• 21:54
  SPEAKER_02: It was uh that I would force myself to go because I wanted to learn.
• 21:58
  SPEAKER_02: Uh and now it's like oof, you go and you just you already you already know you have you have to drill down.
• 22:04
  SPEAKER_02: Uh you go and and somebody will talk to you.
• 22:07
  SPEAKER_00: Well at this point, I think you're a celebrity when you go somebody's networking.
• 22:16
  SPEAKER_03: I don't know, from my experience, it's just show up with curiosity, you know, like everyone probably feels the same way as we do we did the first time we were there.
• 22:24
  SPEAKER_03: So it's like, um, I don't know, for example, you guys, you know, Joe, you mentioned, you know, there's uh short of uh surveyors, a shortage of surveyors, or even like uh Spanish-speaking surveyors, you know, like that's a problem.
• 22:37
  SPEAKER_03: You know the problem that the public might need.
• 22:39
  SPEAKER_03: So it's just like you have information that you can share with people.
• 22:43
  SPEAKER_01: Yes.
• 22:43
  SPEAKER_03: So you know, prepping ahead.
• 22:45
  SPEAKER_01: And the chamber, you know, is great, it's for connection, support, visibility, and community growth.
• 22:51
  SPEAKER_01: And so, you know, we love that because and we're part of that, and we're glad to be a part of that.
• 22:56
  SPEAKER_01: And I didn't realize how much the chamber really does care for the small businesses and builds us and gives us doors to go through, opens up.
• 23:06
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, opens up connections, uh, could gets us with connections that could take us to that next level, right?
• 23:11
  SPEAKER_01: And will take you to the next level.
• 23:13
  SPEAKER_01: And all you have to do is walk through it, right?
• 23:16
  SPEAKER_01: Exactly.
• 23:16
  SPEAKER_01: So everyone who wants to start their business, come on to the chamber.
• 23:21
  SPEAKER_01: They'll help you out.
• 23:22
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah, definitely.
• 23:24
  SPEAKER_03: We love it.
• 23:25
  SPEAKER_03: Well, I think that's it.
• 23:26
  SPEAKER_03: Unless y'all want to share anything else.
• 23:28
  SPEAKER_02: Nope, I think we get to go.
• 23:31
  SPEAKER_03: Well, thank y'all for joining us in today's episode.
• 23:33
  SPEAKER_03: Thank y'all for your time and sharing everything.
• 23:36
  SPEAKER_03: Um, real quick, you mentioned build Fort Worth or build.
• 23:39
  SPEAKER_03: That's coming up.
• 23:40
  SPEAKER_03: When is that?
• 23:41
  SPEAKER_00: August.
• 23:41
  SPEAKER_02: First week of August?
• 23:42
  SPEAKER_02: It's the first week of August.
• 23:44
  SPEAKER_03: Both of y'all will be there.
• 23:45
  SPEAKER_02: Yes.
• 23:46
  SPEAKER_02: We will be gonna have to.
• 23:47
  SPEAKER_02: August 6th.
• 23:48
  SPEAKER_02: August 6th, yes.
• 23:49
  SPEAKER_02: August 6th.
• 23:49
  SPEAKER_03: Okay.
• 23:50
  SPEAKER_03: Is it too late to register as a content guru?
• 23:53
  SPEAKER_03: Do we want to share anything about that?
• 23:54
  SPEAKER_02: Um, you can register, you can uh go as as just somebody that wants to go and talk to everybody, or you can get a booth.
• 24:02
  SPEAKER_01: So, what is your website?
• 24:03
  SPEAKER_01: Is it just Bill Fort Worth or who's just Bill Fort Worth?
• 24:06
  SPEAKER_03: We'll have it in the link below.
• 24:07
  SPEAKER_03: Oh, right.
• 24:09
  SPEAKER_03: No, it sounds good.
• 24:11
  SPEAKER_03: Great conversation.
• 24:12
  SPEAKER_03: I learned a lot, and yeah.
• 24:13
  SPEAKER_01: Thank you, Edelyn.
• 24:14
  SPEAKER_01: Thank you all, of course.
• 24:16
  SPEAKER_01: Yes.
• 24:16
  SPEAKER_01: Thank you, Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.
• 24:18
  SPEAKER_03: We should do a little cheers at that.
• 24:20
  SPEAKER_01: All right.
• 24:20
  SPEAKER_03: Cheers!
• 24:21
  SPEAKER_01: Fort Hispanic Chamber of Commons.
• 24:26
  SPEAKER_02: Cheers.
• 24:27
  SPEAKER_01: Cheers.