Hey, Gulfconn Giant Nation. Welcome to another episode of the Gulfconn Giant's podcast. Today's guest, Venus Quates, is a woman veteran from the Air Force. She specializes in IT. She's got HUBZone 8A. But more importantly, she knows her business and what she does well and what she doesn't do well. So she's focused down on three distinct industries and we're gonna discuss all that in today's upcoming episode.  She was on the Ink 2021, Ink 5000 list ranked number 66 for a whopping 5,600% growth rate over three years. If that's not enough reason for you to tune in today and listen and pay attention and take a whole bunch of notes, I don't know what else is. So thank you for tuning in. Thank you for sticking around.   So thank you so much for tuning in. Enjoy this upcoming episode 108 of Gulfconn Giant's podcast. My name is Venus Quates. I'm president and CEO of LaunchTech where we're solving the present and launching the future. We are a systems integrator with a core focus on modernizing technology, architecture and infrastructure. And that's through product support, process transformation and another sweet spot is mission support as well. We do that for customers in the space sector and the financial services, healthcare sectors and public sector as well. You know, it's interesting. Even though I'm an engineer, I'm not a techie. I don't consider myself a techie. So you set up mouthful for me. And I was looking up on your profile, you were a senior enterprise storage engineer. What does that mean? Is it storage like cloud based storage? Is that similar? It wasn't then. So it was when you walk into the data center and you see silos of these big refrigerator skies. Yeah. So towers and towers full of small drives put in, you know. Oh, okay, okay. So back then. So not so much cloud back then in the early 2000s or et cetera. Okay, okay. So it was the actual physical storage. That's where I started. Okay. But today now the stuff that you do. Hybrid. So cloud, physical, et cetera. And not just in from a disaster recovery. So I would say September 11th was that bright or that kickoff time where people knew they couldn't have a single point of failure. So when there was companies that had all their data stored on servers or would have you storage devices in one location and, you know, that one location was no longer. So if you can imagine that taking something so tragic, but imagine that just having one single point of failure when your data should be somewhere else. So in two seconds, you can rent right back up and be, you know, be right back to work. So I would say that the career feel got hot after that time. That makes sense. Actually, no, like right now we're having a natural disaster take place as we speak. So I could imagine if you have your data stored somewhere. Right. Right?  Right. So it could be in another state or somewhere else. It should be somewhere off the grid, somewhere else. All right. So now IT modernization. Explain that for us normal people. IT modernization. Can you imagine an environment? There's a lot in the public sector and kind of why I left the government. I was a government contractor for a while, started in the Air Force and I was a government contractor for a number of years after that. And I was getting all these certifications and these fancy technologies and things like that. But unfortunately the government was super risk averse and they didn't want to adopt anything. So my 20-something year old brain at the time made a conscious decision, I might have been in my 30s then, but made a conscious decision to go to commercial where I knew they were implementing everything.  And it's not just the abrupt. It's holding your hand through that process helping you with the now, but taking a clear and concise view of your people, your processes and technologies and preparing you to get you to the new and the next. Yeah, I can see the government not wanting to do that. I mean, it's different. I don't think most people understand how it can affect your workforce. No, I don't think so. Can you share with us? And a lot of other things. Share with us, can you share with us some of that? Sure, so one of the things if you're attracting a younger talent pool, they know all the new, they know all the shiny things. They are up to speed on the new technology, but if you have a legacy environment where there's things that you've had in there for years that nobody knows except your current talent who are about to retire, if I can recall in the military, you get past a certain rate, you just coast it until you retire and get out. All the young people doing this stuff and you just wanna relax, you know? But it's the same too. You implement that new technology and happy your current workforce is like, I'm out, I'm retiring, you know? But you don't attract new ones, you know what I mean? So it's kind of a happy medium. So you wanna continue to keep that lifecycle going in your environment. So piggybacking on what you just said, actually what I've read, because I do a lot of reading, the government's trying to attract new talent people into the IT space. So that actually, that makes a lot of sense.  You know, so who knew that that part of my life was preparing me for such a time as this? The great thing about it is a lot of government contractors, they come out of the government seat and build these companies. So, you know, they already have the network, either, you know, a lot of them who are smart, they may have their first couple of contracts where they came, they know the customer, they know the environment, they have their relationships. After that grace period, they're in. I was on commercial for a while. So as I didn't wanna kind of go through my Rolodex, I think that is government contractor 101 on most people's book. Oh, reach out to your network. Yeah, act to the people that you're in. Right, so I'm looking on LinkedIn, like, what was their name? Like, you know, like, who was, but I mean, I had been around and I didn't know I was gonna start this company. So an advantage for me is that I knew financial services sector, I knew healthcare and I knew all these things because I had been on, in state, because I had been on the commercial side. So while I was building those organic relationships to, I know where the money is though, government contracting. So while I was building the relationships there, I already had the opportunities coming from commercials. So is that multiple streams of income walking in the door and then here we are. Okay, nice, nice. No, I love it. I actually, and you're right, when I see that you work at GDIT, do they, looking back here, I'm looking at, you know, senior enterprise storage in there, instructor consultant, eye brand, consultant, GDIT, which one of those positions do you think prepared you the most for what you're doing today? All of them. It's something that I can, I was always that inquisitive person that wanted to know how much I cost it.  I wanted to know. Just always wanted to know that extra step, not just the technology behind it, but the business too. And I think just kind of having that extra layer. I wanted to know who we serve, why we did it. Like all these other things that most people didn't, they wanted to come in, do their job, get that check and go home. So I can draw something from every single situation I've been in, prior businesses I've owned, learning lessons that I won't repeat again, or that helped me, you know, and I could leverage that information and that experience in this company. So every single thing I would say, I can't pinpoint one time in my life that didn't prepare me for right now. Well, I'm thinking if I'm that guy or girl sitting here at my government job, and I'm listening to this, and I'm saying myself, okay, so she's saying I shouldn't reach back in my handbook. Should I go out to the commercial sector first? You get me, people always like, they can try to think one, or like what should they be their next step for them? You know, I would say prepare. So I was in a situation where how I started this company was pretty insane. I've had other businesses before. I just got to the point in my career where, you know, I'll be honest, I realized I was the only minority and the only woman, and I'm pretty sure I had been throughout my whole career except for the military, but, you know, I never paid attention to it because it wasn't an issue for me, you know, but the last place I work, it seemed to be an issue for others. And I had to make a decision, you know, was I going to take a leap of faith and I wasn't scared because I owned businesses before, but never, and it wasn't that they weren't successful, I just wouldn't leave them for what I did for a living.  They weren't tech associated at all. So this was the first time I was starting a company doing what I did for a living and that it was a little tend to fear in that. And it was no, I would say the first, I incorporated in 2016 February and that first year was just learning and really figuring out, okay, are you gonna do this? This is what it's gonna take, you know, finding a mentor somewhere cause I didn't have anybody within reach. And I would say prepare well, you know what I mean? Reach out to those people, ask them what they did right, ask them what they did wrong, you know what I mean? And get as much information as you can before you take that leap of faith. No, that's good. That's good. Now you said that your way you start was crazy. What do you mean by that? I don't think if I had thought about it too long then do you have to be slightly, slightly crazy to start a business and government contracts it, just a little thing. It was slightly crazy to start a business. Of insane, you know? It's not for the faint of heart. This is the most difficult thing that we do, you know? Out of everything in all the sectors we play in government contracting is just quite just insane. And I didn't, I just woke up one day and I was like, oh, let me start a government. It literally was probably that crazy. Like, was it? You know, I planned as I went, but the initial thought is it was what it was. Again, I, you know, I've had people that started their businesses during recessions. A lot of people started their business during COVID, right? While other people were closing, people were opening their doors. You're still fairly new in this particular company, 2016. Very new. I would say I started, I started during my own pandemic.   They don't know that part. So I think it's probably the people that are the most determined and the most, I don't know, unlike that are, you never know the story behind the scenes. No, I would agree with you. Yeah, no, I, you know, we have to put on our face regardless, you know. So, yeah, I know, I agree 2000.  And then when you're finished and you can go back and deal with whatever is affecting you.  How would you compare formal education versus self-education? Oh, well, I don't have a degree. Oh, I didn't, none. Okay. So there you go. Oh, yes. Don't have a degree. I know a lot of my, I went to a college prep high school and we got to senior year and I was like, well, I haven't applied for anything. Let's go to the military. And I remember going to the recruiting office.  I have cousin, one cousin went in a year before I did. And he was much older than I was. And then my grandfather, he was a retired major in the army, uncles were army. So I, I didn't, but that wasn't around the time I was like during my youth, I wasn't a like army or military brat or anything else. But I knew that was, I had an aunt, her husband was in the army and they were overseas. And then she was in technology. And I know I was a nerd. I was breaking things around the house, putting it back together. Okay. My mother hated it, but that's who I was, you know? And I went, literally went to the recruiting office and I signed up and I told my mother after the fact. So of course she was pretty upset, but it was too late. I like, you know, I like those. Those to me are already leadership traits. Those are entrepreneurship traits. Listen, I knew something had to be done. I wasn't going to sit there and do nothing, you know? I know it wasn't time for me to go to college. I'm a, I don't have the Sesame Street attention span, but kind of the, you know, I want to get the information I need to get right now.  But I do, let me stop there. Everybody's not built like that. You know, sometimes we need some formal education and formal training. I think it's super important. I will say that as I grew older, adult learning with a lot of universities, super beneficial. I've been to more than I can put on my resume. Any type of college, university, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, like all these places have adult learning education where you can just grasp all the information that you need. You know, if you don't want to make the investment into a four year program, two year masters or what have you. So I think it's super beneficial. As I've grown and in the last few years, I've probably consumed so much information that I'm not really sure how my brain can handle anymore. But you talked about Tuck. That was by chance, I literally was sitting at the VA. My phone was going off like crazy. I was in DC at a program that they have for women, veterans and business. And sitting amongst my peers and my phone was just going crazy. It was my operations assistant. And she was like, Hey, there's a call from someone at Tuck. They're trying to give you a scholarship to come to Dartmouth. And I'm like, okay, I recall that signed up for something, but I, you know, I forgot. And that was it. And that started the chain of events that had me in a scholarship for UCLA's Education School at Anderson. You know, there was another one, VIP Veteran Institute of Procurement, which was excellent by the way. And I think those are super valuable. Is that cut and dry information you need it when you need it? Right. No, I agree with you. I actually, it's fun as I, I do have a four degree, but I will say that it's been the continuing education afterwards that has benefited me the most. It served me the most. So yes, and all of my licenses, certificates, everything comes from, like you said, the adult education programs at like community colleges and colleges, that's an extension of them. So, you know, I would agree. What's one thing that was hard when you started business that's still hard today? That's interesting. I would say it's always enough talk to a few other entrepreneurs that will have the same sentiments and it's building that right team. I mean, early on it was you had to hire who you could afford. And then, you know, it's your baby, you build the foundation, the core values were birth from your lips, you know, and unfortunately, everybody doesn't echo the same when they come in the door. Some people just want to dive and they're just waiting for their check. You know, so as you grow, that has evolved for me. And I, I'm honest. I sell our story. I sell, you know, a lot of other things. I think there's a preconceived notion. Obviously, when you walk in the door, where we sit now, where our headquarters sit, it's not too many people that look like me. I'm one of two actually women, brown women that own technology companies here. So the questions I've been asked during an interview are some that you would probably not think that you'd ever be asked. So that was a bit difficult early on, just like being frustrated, like, you know, your determination, but just trying to sell that same thing to somebody else. Like, what do you mean if I wake up one day and decide I want to go out of business? Like, no, like it's not a thing, you know? But it's completely better now because I know what angle. I just sell our honesty. The same thing we do for our customers. We're committed. I am a big component of growing people. And just taking, I have people walking the door and give us 30, 90, 30, 60, 90, you know, where do you want to be as a person or as a, you know, and also how can we help you grow personally and professionally and things like that too? So investing in your people and encouraging them to invest themselves as well. No, that's true. I like that. No, right now I actually tweeted something and I said, I'm thankful for anyone who shows up at the work these days. I just went, I went real basic. I was like, look, listen, I now give all my Uber drivers tips.  It's, you know, everything closes early. Everything closes because, you know, there's not food service workers. So I'm just, I'm grateful for everyone that come to work. I am too. Grocery store. Grocery store. Right. I waited in line. I was in Huntsville. Been in Huntsville for the last few weeks.  It's like, okay, I'll get french fries. I waited 40 minutes for a small fry. No, no, I know. I was, this is my parents of the day. It was 9 a.m. Every place I went to, there's lines around the corner. I said, okay, let me go to Burger King. There's nobody. Well, there's a guy standing there and said, we're closed. I said, it's 9 a.m. They were closed. They were closing. I guess they didn't have enough people showed up to work. You know what? I think it's a wake up call though, for some people to do better, increase your wages, treat people better. You know, I think that's what it is. Even no matter what level you're in, not everybody is just out for the money. I had somebody that we literally just hired and I read her the recap she had with the recruiter and we do real in-depth conversation. By the time it gets to me, I want to know you. I want to know who you are. But the note she left was, she wants to be a part of a family environment where people actually care that she comes to work and care about her contributions to the company. And I'm looking at that and looking at other people that we're interviewing too and they all said kind of the same thing. So it wasn't about the money. It was about how they were treated. So I think this is really a wake up call for a lot of other business owners, et cetera, to just check how you're treating the people that mean the most to you and are the most valuable and that is your people. Yeah, I think that's very well said. I find that a lot of the people that work for big companies, it's very easy to pull them away because that's what they want. They're looking for that. They're tired of being treated as a number or as the slogan of the company. Or that means nothing to anyone or a color that the uniforms that they wear. So at least in my industry, they can come and work at shorts or flip flops and they still get their job done, they're happy. That appeals to a lot of folks. We'll see about that. I think it comes to your construction site. Your construction jobs and shorts and flip flops. They don't go to the jobs of office people. Okay. No, not their jobs. No, not here to go to jobs. Office people, office staff. No, the guys who go to jobs, they actually love. I had a guy that told me, he liked using porta-johns.   I'm like... And that's why he showed off. He wanted to be outside.  So no, I was simply talking about into where people, but the people on the outside, they love being outside with the guys and things like that. And they love being in the trenches. So they like their boots. I don't like boots. I don't like jeans. So they like boots and jeans. But no, I had another check coming to that interview that they all wear hoodies at work. So you could do it. You can, I'm not a, you know, listen, around the way girl probably still have my bamboo earrings with my name in them. I do. From the 80s, I absolutely still have them with my name. So I don't know. We have bun in the hair, bun up weekends, where is those we have work to do? We might show up in the office on a Saturday. All of us are looking like, who done it and why, but we have work to do. You know, we have... That's good, there you go. So I'm not so rigid in that at all, you know, but I just want us to obviously be focused on a mission and whatever we have on. No, I agree. I love it. I love it. So now you said, again, you want to find out more about the people. Tell us about yourself. What was, so I know high school, like you said, you didn't graduate, but you went to the army. When you were younger, what other, I know you said you were really smart, but like, did you have any other signs or indications of being an entrepreneur when you were younger? Always been. I used to, I'm the kid that asked my mother for supplies so I could make something to sell. I remember asking her for the rolls of tickets, you know, like when you go to a amusement park or something, they break off one of the tickets and give you one. I asked her for a roll of raffle tickets and I will sell them to the old people at church to just thought my cheeks were cute, you know, and we'll sell them to them and go make something at home. And that's what they were winning. So I would do the whole raffle and they will win like some art or something I made at home. So I was always like this.  I used to, my grandmother was like one of my first formal customers. I should charge her, ask for a word processor one year and that's to charge her to create documents. She was a president of a women's club. And I used to type them up, but I absolutely sent her an invoice too. So, always, it's not for, anybody that knows me at any point in my life, they know this part, military, same thing. I realized that you couldn't get certain products overseas. So I used to get the products from the States and have a whole sell them out my room. I'm sorry to military. I'm not sure if I should have been doing that, but I did. Oh, I'm sorry. I'm sorry. You know, same way back in return, you know, it was a lot of other things, just shipping things back and forth. So I was international trading and things. I was into that, you know? So I don't know. I've always been like, I've always been like this. I love it. So then 2016, I know you said it was a crazy started. You just said, let me start and do it. So actually incorporated two businesses on the same day. One was called Happy Chicks Rock and somewhere in, see, it's crazy person that starts. All entrepreneurs are crazy. So same to nine, 2016, I incorporated what is now launch tech was called something else at the time. And thankfully I changed the name because it was my married name. It was not a laughter. But and then I started this Happy Chicks Rock. So that was a women's empowerment or deal, just showing people that it doesn't matter what you've been through, you use your past to propel you forward. So and then you could be happy, you know what I mean? Not that quintessential happy with everybody else that Instagram happy, all that kind of stuff. But really your own kind of happy, you know? So I had a few events, mind you, I had just come back up North maybe a couple of years before that I didn't have any friends here. I didn't have anything, no female relationships. But I wanted to start a women's empowerment group and event, like who does that? No female friends, but I'm a master at in the beast at branding and marketing. So that's all that took, my first event was sold out. The second one was also people came, Canada, Georgia, Cali, they came from New York City here. They came up and down the East coast to- What do you say here, referring to Huntsville? So I'm in Buffalo, no, I'm actually in Buffalo. In Buffalo. So in Buffalo, New York, right? So- I know you have three offices, Huntsville. I do, I do. In Buffalo? Okay, all right. So that was what I started first. And it wasn't that I didn't think that would be successful because it was, it was just, I knew it was a time to step out of where I was. I already had the goods. I think that particular run was to pull me out from being an introvert into the limelight because I have to do this now. You know what I mean? I'm literally an introvert. If I'm extrovert because I own a company, but otherwise I'm in my house, do not call my phone.  But, you know, I think that was partly for me. And like you mentioned earlier, what part in your life prepared you for this? It's all these little things along the way that I think you can draw from that you're not sure why you have to do it, but you're feeling that tug in your spirit that you have to. And you're not sure that it can prepare you for this. I probably wouldn't be ready for this if I hadn't done that, you know, if I hadn't spoke in front of hundreds and done this and done that, I'm not sure I'll be ready here. You know what I mean? Yeah, yeah, yeah, that makes sense. No, and that's great that you can actually, you know, say, hey, my time spent here was well spent and these are the things that I took from it. So, you know, that's great. And it seems to me and looking at your backstory is that you didn't choose these positions based on money. It looks like you choose them based on learning, experiences and other things like that. As I grew in my career, probably became about experiences, but early on, absolutely all about the money. Just to be honest, I was in my 20s, I got off the military, I had a security clearance. I know early on, you know, I had a great run. I was in the military in Korea and Italy. And I got off the military and went to work for General Dynamics in England. And I probably, I loved England. I loved, actually it was overseas for six years. So I just loved the whole experience. I think I had a reverse culture shock when I came back to the States. You know, I actually preferred, yes, being overseas, but every job along the way, I mean, people with top secret clearances doing what I did and technology and the space I did, it was the same recruiters calling you for the same job. So I was like, wait a minute, am I hot commodity? You know, it was before I knew better, but I literally can admit that I was just jumping ship, you know, for that next 10,000, the next 20,000, I think people that knew how the industry was in the early 2000s, they would probably have, they probably wouldn't admit to it and they'd be lying, but it would be the same thing. But yeah, early on, but I think later I knew better, you know, I knew about not burning bridges and, you know, I was focused on being a professional in my career and just gathering all the skill sets and not wanting to be in an environment where I didn't have any room to grow. So I chose the position so I could have, I'll always talk about diversifying your portfolio in every area. I believe in your career and your personal finances and your business, things like that. And that's just making sure you're not a one-trick pony, making sure you know the ins and outs of your job who's connected to who you may have to pass your customers. I wanted to know everything. And I think you'll find that in my background. Well, no, that's pretty, that's intense.  Who did I work with first? As a business, wanna start at the business? As your business, yeah, your business. Lunchtime. Actually, it wasn't federal. So we got a state contract in 2018, pretty nice size state contract. And they had a big push to subcontract the work to minority owned companies. So I know I'm a big proponent of making sure you use those certifications because they're valuable, not using them as the first thing. Obviously know how to communicate your value proposition and things like that first, but they're definitely cool to get your foot in the door. And that's how we won, to be honest. We didn't have too much competition when it came to diverse companies and we won. It started off really small. The statement of work was really small, but it was the state of New York, Empire State Development. Okay, and then on the federal side? From the federal side, we did an installation as a subcontract, like a third tier with NASA. We actually did a few DOD Army. We did another opportunity with Air National Guard. And it just kind of continued from there. Okay, all right. All right. Do you find there are any differences for you working at the state versus the federal? Yes, I think state, federal and commercial completely different beast. Early on, I was hiring for people who knew in general the job. However, as we progressed, they needed to know the hardest thing that we did. And that was federal contracting. They needed to know the jargon and things like that because the learning curve for somebody that has never been in that environment is too great. They might be proficient even down to the HR person. She knows federal contracting first. You know what I mean?  You know, it is like that if you don't know. So, you know, it's easier to me to grasp commercial, easier to me to grasp state. Again, government is probably the most difficult thing that we do with the legalities behind it, policies and things like that too. Oh, that's good. Now, you said commercial. Commercial is like, I don't know, give me an example of commercial client, like Walgreen. Sure, no. So they only plan those two spaces or three spaces, the space sector, financial services and healthcare. So we don't have commercial. Actually, we have one wild card. They called me during the pandemic as an SOS. And I said, okay. And they're actually now our largest commercial customer and that's Robert Haff international. M&T Bank is also a customer of ours. We've actually been in talks with US Bank and P&T Bank as well. We have healthcare conglomerates that are customers of ours and we've done, we actually, we just won two awards for IT modernization effort that's gonna be starting here shortly. And that's for a trauma center and healthcare conglomerate as well. So, you know, we stay in our lane. It's not, it might sound like we're doing a lot as a small, but we literally do the same thing in each of those sectors. We just speak their language, you know. That's brilliant. Is that something to recommend to a fellow small business entrepreneur coming up? Absolutely. In the beginning, you know how it is. My capability statement when we started we had about, we had 2,763 things that we did. You know what I mean? Okay. We can't do that. Can you? Yeah. How many, how many 2,000, how many 2,000 you said? You can't even say can you? Yes. You know, we did everything. It is so silly. Half the time you spend it trying to figure out what it is. But it's okay. I understand. You're trying to get the work, you know. But as you go, don't, unless you're doing this major thing that only you can do and it's going to be plentiful work and plentiful opportunities. I want to say hone in so small that, you know, you only have two customers to work from and you're competing it with 10,000 other businesses on those two customers. Don't do that. But, you know, make sure you narrow it down enough that you can speak to every last thing that's on your capability statement. If you ask me one thing on, I can speak to anything. I think it helps that I've learned and I didn't realize this that a lot of tech company owners have not been in tech before.  So I realized for my customers that it's a breath of fresh air that I can actually speak to the stakeholders as well being at that to my background, you know. And so that's refreshing. It's definitely that you know your stuff.  So narrow down your focus to digestible bits, you know what I mean? So you can actually communicate that with your customers. How long did it take you to get that? Not that long. Okay. It's taking me off. I was just like, how many people were questioning, like, who do all of this? Like, you know, like three people in your company. Like, so. I, as you can imagine, people send me those kind of capability statements. And I just have a hard time. I mean, obviously I can say it very easily but I have a hard time convincing. I'm not convincing enough. So I need people like you to help convince folks of this because they're like, yeah, but yeah, but yeah, but. No, you don't do that. You don't do, you can't do that. Not saying you can. You could, but you don't. But just narrow that down. So start with, you know, I don't know five things but not 35, if that's too much, you know? So you can narrow it down quite a bit. How did you choose the ones that you narrowed it down? Maybe that's a good question to ask. So I think it's important to pay attention to the details. So the first thing I did was narrow down my customer segments, not trying to pitch to any and everybody. And even when I mentioned financial services and public sector, it's not everybody in financial services specific, you know? It may be banks over 10,000, like early or on in the game. I think when you are small, you think you need to work with small entities too. But I didn't, that wasn't my career. I've only dealt with enterprise customers. So why in the world would I go and work with small businesses?  But the smalls working with another small business they want the most for $2.50. They want to pay you $2.50 an hour or for the entire project to do the most. And I was like, okay. So I narrowed down our customer base, only enterprise customers. We are not, people call all the time, oh, can you do this for my business? No, we only work with financial services, public sector space, you know, healthcare. And not even that. Like again, we have that. We have that wildcard in Robert Hath and others but it's not taking us away from, or into a different capability. Like we still do the same thing we do for Robert Hath. We do that for all our customers. And it made sense for us, you know, it made complete sense for us. But I think narrow your customer segments and then figure out what they need for the government, for the federal government. It's in the congressional submissions. It's in the news. Figure out what that particular army needs. Even drawn a little deeper. Navy, NAV, or a space war. Like where do you want to work? And, you know, what need, what are their pain points? Draw a little bit deeper. I think it's not those 10 things. It's probably two of those things. Focus on that for that customer. And then find other customers that need that exact thing. And I think that's how you build that out. Okay. How did you find that in the commercial sector? So for commercial, I took what I knew.  I work for Citi. I work for M&T Bank. So I had the experience there. I knew what their infrastructure was like because I worked there. You know what I mean? I communicated with all their teams. I was on projects from state side and international. So, you know, and then those were the inquisitive points where I was, had an inkling somewhere in my mind that it was gonna get to a point where I would own my own.  Right. Wow, that margin is nice. You know what I mean? It's picking up on those like little things, but infrastructure wise, I know it. You know, not too many banking customers or financial services customers do things completely different. They kind of use the same software and hardware. You know what I mean? It's a repeatable knowledge that you can take from customer to customer. But you know them intimately. You followed, you know who their CEOs were. You follow the news. You know, I have alerts that come for every single customer and target that we have, you know, the customers that we want. So if I ever have a conversation, I can mention some really intimate things about your company, your infrastructure that you may not, small businesses don't come to the table with, you know, so. That's nice. I like that one. I like that. Interesting. That's good. No, and you know, how do you, I'm looking at, like you said, space, sector, financial services, health care. You touched on some really good points which were small businesses think we have to work with other small businesses and I'll say with the start small, like those are those common myths that people talk about. How do you combat that? Help me out. So I didn't really have a model. Like I didn't, I wasn't around anybody who had done this before. I knew of government contractors because I worked for them. I worked for them before. And you know, I know some things that they did completely wrong. Like I never knew who my CEOs were, who appointed contacts that the company was. I knew the person that paid me and that's about it. You know, who I serve was a customer. So it's certain things like that that I've done differently within my own company. But in terms of modeling a business, I am that person who will be at an event. I always traveled to DC to wherever there was a government function, you know, so much so that people thought I lived in other states cause I would always be there. And I would see a CEO given his, this is how we grew or were fantastic on stage and not saying I was stalking anybody cause that is not cool and that is illegal. I wouldn't do that. But I may have sent you nice message on LinkedIn like, can I buy five minutes of your time? I walk with you to the airport, you know what I mean? And just ask people what they did wrong. You know, what are some of the things they would change? And that's how I grew. You know, I made up mentors. I didn't have people again to model or to map this company out. But as we went along, I think you'll know, give yourself enough time for those things to work. You know, whether it's a quarter, two quarters, if it's not working and switch and do something else, you know what I'm saying? So I think you'll know, be intuitive as a business owner and know what's working and what's not working.  A couple of things, pay your people handsomely. And those are the ones that will kind of stick with you. But I've added to that, you know, knowing that not everybody comes for a check. They come with how they're valued and, you know, just seeing inspiration and you always pour into people. That's my personality, you know?  So, you know, it's like all those, I don't think it's just about the money, but that's one thing, pay the people handsomely to get them in the door. But also I think that's paying people in your kindness, in your, you know, leadership and all those things too, that it's not just monetary. But that's probably one of the things and definitely being yourself. Okay. I think we get into this mode sometimes with dimming your light. And I've definitely, you know, I can definitely see that I've done that sometimes just dimming my light to make other people feel comfortable.  I'm unapologetically myself, you know? Always professional, you know, that's just in my DNA, but I want to show up as myself so we can let other people behind us know that it's okay. You can look like me or you can, I'm in heels during the week, but definitely have my Jordans and my sweatpants on on the way in here in the ponytail on the weekend. That's just how I roll. Tim's and some cargo pants. That's me on a Saturday, you know? No, no, I like that, I like that. I mean, that one, even for me being my authentic self, that one's hard. And I think it's hard for a lot of us that, like you said, you're coming to a world where you're the only one or the only person. So, yeah, that's good. Did you start doing that when you start the business or was that something you started doing in your job? Or, cause I know you said you had some issues at one of your jobs before with you being the only person that looked like you? Yeah, and not that they didn't know, I was actually fluent for interviews so they knew, definitely knew what I looked like, but I may have been the first to hold that position. And I don't think that is a badge of honor being the first person of color and the first woman. I think that's ridiculous, especially we're in 2021. And it's like, most of the time I'm like, serious, you know, why am I the first? But now I take that badge, cause I know I can't be the last. So I have to do my due diligence to make sure that's it. So I think I've, I probably started that early in my career cause you can be too much for people when you're being yourself, you know, and you think you're quieting yourself down but you're still too much. And I'm like, oh, like it's so cool. It's a lot to just, you know what I mean? It's so freeing to just be you. I think just as long as I know I'm 100% prepared, I know my stuff, you might judge me from the door but as soon as I open my mouth and I know the subject matter like the back of my hand and, you know, I'm personable, I'm giving you the confidence that if you hire launch tech, you will be good to go. You know, all these other things, I think that's dispelling any preconceived notions. That's, you know what I mean?  I think that's important.  Well, I love that you said you come prepared, right? So it's like, hey, I know this thing in and out, right? Better than, and it's funny cause I remember telling people things like that. So I love that statement that you come prepared. And that, I find that most of the time when people are not confident because they're not prepared. It's not always because we're black or always because we're women. It's not, sometimes you came and you didn't have yourself to get there, period. That's why.  That's what it is, you know? And let's be honest with ourselves and just that's not always the ordeal.  It's, you know, but know that if you come and show up as your best self. And sometimes I just had a conversation with one of my team members this morning. Sometimes the project or the opportunity requires us to show up as better and more than our best selves, you know what I mean? So you have to be ready to pivot too, but, you know, it's not always what we think it is. Oh, I agree. I slap a thousand percent sign on the window, I would. Any, again, I know you have a lot of coursework that you took, but outside of the actual coursework, any books that you recommend to people that you give to folks out there? None. I am a Googler. I Google everything. I love Google is like my best friend. I have stock in Google. You know, that is what I did. If I didn't know the answer or if I couldn't, I didn't have a friend to phone, you know, so couldn't do the phone friend thing. But that's how I did it. It was that piece of information that I read. I do, I guess everybody consumes information differently. And I'm the one that likes to listen and or just put images around me because you don't even realize you're manifesting these things. I have, you know what I mean? I have that. Yeah, tell me what you got. What do you have around you? What's funny? I have a NASA logo. That's my target. My name is Venus. Why not? You know, we need to be. That's why we have space as a target. It's not that simple and not that crazy, but a little different. No, it's true. But I do have a sign that says she confidently trusts the Lord to take care of her. And that is something that's reassuring to me. I am probably more spiritual person, my mother's a minister. And I always make sure that there's never a doubt. I've never had a fear that we weren't going to be successful. I always have that confidence in the morning that it's not just me. It's the little girl behind me that needs to see me in this position so she can, you know, carry out her destiny. It's always other things. So I have little reminders around me that this is what I need to be doing every day and always show up as your best. I have the Inc. 5000 logo that I took 2020 off from last year. And I put 2021 because I knew we were going to be on the list this year. And lo and behold, we were on the list this year. I have Dave Stewart, who is the president of WWT on my list because that sites on. I mean, I have a real mentor, but I do have some around me. People who I kind of follow and they've done it. You know, I follow their information and their teachers, what they did wrong, what they did right. You know what I mean? Like I think some people think that because they don't have a live and direct mentor or they don't have like all these things that people think you need in business, go find one on the internet. They don't, you know what I mean? Just listen to their interviews or whatever else and draw inspiration from it. It may not be one on one, but, you know, that's close enough. So just little bits and pieces around me. No, you can learn a lot from that. And you started talking about manifesting. I love that. I totally believe in that. And I believe in a spiritual world. And, you know, I say it to people and I share with people. And one example is like, you know, I've written a couple of books and when I'm working on my third book, I've surrounded myself with books, right? Books that I have read and books that I was from the experiences of the authors, how they wrote it, the way that, you know, so that you hit a hot button of mine, which is great. I like that. Listen, I don't, I mentioned this a lot that I didn't. Some people won't start because they don't have that support system around them. And that wasn't a barrier for me. I knew, when I tell you I knew in my gut and every day I know this is something I'm destined to do. There was never a question, never did, even as hard as it got, never did I want to quit doing this because I know it's something that I'm supposed to be doing. I will always, you know, hustle so hard for lunch tech and, you know, our customers and things like that just because I know I'm supposed to be here.  Half of my vision board manifested this year, the Army contract, the Air National Guard, the Air Force, like all of these things came to pass. And, you know, I think it's just, if you put it out there, you start to believe that it's yours, it's real, you know? And something that sounds silly to others, but I know it works for me, so I'm gonna continue to do it. Oh, it works for everyone that I've known that's done it.   Everywhere, right. They were always there the whole time. You just didn't have that thought leading your mind. So I agree with that. That was good. Anything else, we kind of got into the vision board haphazardly. You know, what else other kind of tricks, things that you're doing? I don't want to say trick, but just things that you do that, you find works for you. Similar to the vision board. What other things have you done? That's a big thing for me. So much so that I've turned somebody that was completely against them and thought it was hilarious into a believer. He started talking to his child about them and I don't know, they're going to do one together or something. But, you know, because they've seen it come to pass, I've sent a picture to them. I don't normally share it with people because I think those are your personal intimate things. And you don't want anybody's negativity or their, you know, small beliefs on what you can do.  But, you know, I think you can't deny that. Like I literally put these things into the atmosphere and they came and that's not just because they came out of the atmosphere, but I worked too. You know, I worked while I waited. And I think that's important. What other things do I do?  I can't think of anything else other than this company. I do have a balance for sure. I'm a caretaker of my dad. You know, my mom is here as well. And I think you have these triumphs and these trials and tribulations all at the same time, you don't know whether to be happy or sad or all these other things. But it's just being committed to what you set out to do in the first place. That's a huge thing for me. That's one of our core values in our company and my own personal core value as well is that commitment part. And whatever helps you to be committed is stay committed to what you've destined to do in the mission and your customers and all that thing. I think it's different for everybody. I can tell you what worked for me. That's why I don't get into reading a ton of books anymore because that's what worked for them. You know what I mean? Everybody doesn't have the same environment, the same foundation, the same, a lot of other things. So, you know, I chew the meat and spit out the fat, you know, and kind of use what works for me in this place that I'm in right now. And that's what I do. So I love it. I've never heard of David Stewart before. Dave Stewart? I've never heard of David Stewart. Google, pretty smart guy. He owns Worldwide Technology. He is a billionaire. The company is a multi-billion dollar entity. But I think he's also a person of faith and does great work in his community and things like that too. And WWT is actually a partner of ours. We do work with them on the state side of the house and indirectly through another entity that they own. We've just formed a partnership through one of our partners, Verizon as well. So we've worked with them on several areas. I don't know the CEO, but he's literally been on my vision board forever. And then now, this year, we became a partner of theirs. So it's things like that. You know what I mean? You don't know what way it's coming in my mind. It was gonna be something else, but it came in form of a partnership and we were introduced by somebody I just met this year. And then again, introduced by a partner of ours that vetted us, which is Verizon. So we had Google him. A brilliant, brilliant man for sure. I'll Google. Sounds like things are coming together for you. They are. I'm a kid from a crazy little city and where not many people had high expectations of us for me. I was raised by a single mother who always, she didn't realize she was pouring into me and encouraging me to affirm certain things early on. And I don't think that's how she was even raised. But she would tell me, always tell me, you can be anything you wanna be. Don't ever let them see you sweat. Like things that I remember as a child, don't just give your worst, give your best. Like all these things she repetitively said to me as a young kid.  So I don't know. Does she say you have ADHD? My family tells me that all the time, but to me. No, she's never surprised at what I've accomplished cause she saw it in me when I was young. So, you know. Yeah, no, I would imagine hearing the stories about you sending your grandma invoices. Absolutely. Grandma got the bill. Did grandma pay? Grandma paid the bill. Grandma got the bill and paid the bill. My grandfather, he knows. I used to watch him. He was, again, I told you was a major, retired major in the army from there. He retired like several times. He retired from the hospital. He was a drug and alcohol counselor at somewhere else. He retired from there, retired like a hundred times. And then after all of that service, he yet still created a nonprofit that taught inner city kids how to play golf. And I was actually one of the first, you know, kids in the class. So that's where I got my golf talent from. But I used to watch him. We hours of the night, he was writing grants for, you know what I mean? Just doing all these things. So, you're talking about, he's no longer here. He passed away in 2013.  That's the first number I go to almost text or almost call, you know what I mean? But think of those things and remembering that foundation that you came upon, even if your life wasn't the best, you know? I didn't have much growing up. It never felt, I didn't know I didn't have much, but for some reason it always felt like enough. But it's drawn into those things and that made you into the person you are today, you know? I didn't know you played golf. I do. I didn't find that anywhere. You didn't find that anywhere? I did a poor job. Well, great thing. I guess this is a shame and spot for them. We just sponsored women in defense golf tournament that's coming up Tennessee Valley. And I was happy to do that. We're the golf, golf ball sponsor of that. But I love to tie those two worlds together just because of the foundation for my grandfather.  Definitely, you know, learn well or we don't. That's good. What's a recent purchase you made off of Amazon that made you happy? A recent purchase. I just bought some gift cards for my team. That's what I've done this week. Other than that, I bought some house freshener, limoncello that they discontinued. They didn't discontinue, but it was out of stock on Bath & Body Works. So that made me happy because I like my surroundings to smell good. That's interesting. We have a lot of convenient connection. Do you have plants? Any surroundings? Any plants? I have Bob. Bob was in my office. And I'm surprised Bob is still alive. Bob is like about three and a half years old now. And Bob is still alive and kicking for some reason. There were, during the pandemic, I like most people went to Lowe's and Home Depot and bought all these plants because I didn't want to be here by myself. But they're all dead, but Bob's still here. So I... What's your for Bob? I tried to be a plant person. It didn't work out. I'm not sure what happened, but... We cheer for Bob. All right. Let people know how they can reach you. What's the best way to reach out? I'm most active on LinkedIn and my name, Venus Quates, V-E-N-U-S-Q-U-A-T-E-S. Also, company website, welaunchtech.com. The company name is LaunchTech, but we LaunchTech is our position statement. We do launch technology. And that's where you can find us. And some last parting thoughts? I will always tell everyone to be prepared. And though it's not a requirement when you start a business, take five minutes out of your time and bless somebody else. Pay it forward. Give two seconds, five minutes of your time, just to respond to someone else and encourage them along the way. Because be what you needed when you were going and starting your business. Just think about that. Thank you so much. No problem, thank you for having me. All right, see you.


Putin says the U.S. has long been involved in the Ukraine conflict. Russian President Vladimir Putin has said that Washington has long been involved in the Ukraine conflict, as well as in the processes in the entire post-Soviet region. Putin made remarks on Thursday, while responding to the reporter's question on whether the U.S. fully participates in the war in Ukraine. The U.S. has long been doing this. They have long been involved in the processes taking place in the Soviet and post-Soviet region. During Soviet times, entire institutions were working on Ukraine. Since the Soviet times, they have been laying the groundwork, Putin said. He blamed the U.S. for the war in Ukraine, saying Russia had no other choice but started its military operation in late February. He went on saying that the U.S. encouraged this unity between Russia and Ukraine that have shared roots and culture. In this sense, we have suffered fiasco, Putin said. If they had been leading us toward these events, then it can be said that they have succeeded. He stressed. Speaking about the U.S. supply of patriots to Ukraine, Putin said that this air defense system is quite old and does not work like Russia's S-300 system.


at the Zopo headquarters here in Shenzhen, so who are you? Well, hey, I'm Charles Bird, brand manager here at Zopo Mobile. And you're just about to launch the Speed 8. Exactly. So Speed 8's our flagship world's first DECA core. The first 10 core smartphone in the world. Exactly. With the MediaTek X20. So you're still the first company to be able to ship this one, right? Right, exactly. So it's on pre-sale right now for $279. And yeah, it will be shipping end of April or early May. Got the fingerprint on the back here. Dual LED flash. USB type C with four gigabytes of RAM. That's awesome. Stock Android. So one of the great feature now is we have stock Android, as you can see here. Fully stock. This is Marshmallow. Marshmallow, yeah, 6.0, definitely. So stable. Yes, very stable here. We can just bring you up right here. Just to prove to you here. That's awesome. And a nice display. Right, exactly. 5.5 inch IPS. And so this is going to be an affordable 10 core smartphone. Dual SIM. Dual SIM, exactly. 60, excuse me, 32 gigabytes of on-board storage. And you have two different colors, right? Exactly. You got the white one right here. That's awesome. Cool, so people can pre-order, and they can buy it, and they can use it everywhere. Exactly, yeah. It's on sale worldwide, globally right now. You can just check out our website, Zofumobile.com. You can get all the details. And the other recent stuff that's going on with Zopo is this series right here. So we have the color series here. So we have the S5.5 and the color S5, so 5 inch screen and the 5.5 inch screen. And what's really cool about these ones here is that we're going to have 6.0 Android on here. This is not 6.0 right yet, but by the end of the month or next month, May, we're going to have Android 6.0, the same exact style as we have on the Speed 8. So it's going to be stock Android. And yeah, so because we talked to a lot of our users and talked to some media, including yourself. And we learned that users want to have the stock Android experience. And I mean, skins are nice sometimes. But if they're over-skinned and sometimes there's a lot of bloatware, it's not the right way. So once we listen to the consumers, and yeah, so we're giving you the stock Android experience. I actually think skins are never nice. I'm just joking, but it's true. So this is awesome. So you have stock and you have a very nice display for 5 inch. And what's the price in the 5 inch, 5.5? So the 5 inch is going to be 1 to 9 euros in store. So we have them in store all around all across Europe. And for the 5.5, 1 to 9 euros.  Exactly, yeah. So we have the white, the sort of the arctic blue, if you will. And we have the gray, too. All right, so what's Zopo, what's the latest with Zopo? Where can people find Zopo mostly right now? Yeah, so we have our main markets in Europe right now with our sort of the big base in Spain. Let's see what our brand ambassador, Jorge Lorenzo, he's MotoGP World Champion for 2015. So you're very famous in Spain? Very famous in Spain and across Europe. And outside of Europe, we're in Southeast Asia and India. We're looking into getting into the Middle East very soon as well as South America. All right, are you considering the US or the US is a different thing? Well, the US, we first have to get a little bit more established in some other parts first and then the US is a very, it's a very hard market to tackle. Even Xiaomi, imagine, they still haven't even wanted to go in there yet. So we gotta have all our ducks in the row first and then we're gonna look into the US. Nice, it's a very interesting market. Maybe two billion phones or something sold every year. It's huge. So there's a lot of work to do. You can get to all these people with the cool hardware at a decent price. It's the whole story of Zopo for the last two, three, four years. Exactly, that is correct. So with a faster fingerprint scanner? Yeah, lightning fast fingerprint scanner here. Yeah, I mean, actually didn't actually set it up for you, but I can promise you it is very, very quick. I've tested it out myself. Cool.


Guys, what's up on sportsman like conduct? We made it All season. We made it through another season of the NFL and we are here to talk about The great game that we all watched what a fish to see them to be honest man. I I don't even know where to where to begin. There's The game was chaotic. Yeah From every which way something was just a mess Literally if we want to talk about the field like a mess The field was a disaster which I I don't understand. That's the I think the craziest Thing to me out of every single thing that happened This is the biggest game in this league's entire year This is what everybody obviously looks forward to from the moment the league year begins year in and year out and The reason why it's what you have a team right exactly and the reason why these places get picked to host the stadiums get picked to host is because The league is expecting them to be the proper facilities and have all the best of the best The you know only the best for the Super Bowl That field like we are genuinely so lucky that nobody got seriously injured the way they were slipping and sliding out there I like I don't know close a couple of times Yeah, pretty close couple times. So you have the best quarterback in the NFL Falling around limping off the field. I know Zane was already heard to begin with that's just not a good look It's a whole thing bad The whole thing was bad and then when you Think about to like how high tech that stadium is where they can literally roll out the field to get sunshine and whatever And then roll it back in It's I don't know crazy That's definitely gonna be something that I think they pay a hell of a lot more attention to next year in Vegas because The it should be good the field there looks okay for now. Yeah but for like the majority of the Second half the beginning of the second half I would say probably three quarters of the third quarter the only thing people were talking about on Twitter was how bad the field is and how Nobody can believe it. This is actually what's going on But there was Did we just not know the field was gonna be that bad cuz no one wanted to watch a Cardinals home game all season. Well, yeah, I mean, they yeah Do we have an argument for Kyler Murray now besides like Cardinals diehards actually watched those games that year like They didn't They didn't have a home win, right? Like that's not I'm not making that up So one not a single one. So I guess I Don't know. Maybe maybe a new field is what they need. I don't know. I thought there was a lot of chaos There's chaos going on right now. I don't even know. Where do you want to start? Where do you want to begin? I know we start with the field but like which part do we start with because Let's just talk about let's talk about the game itself first and then we can pick a part and get into Yeah, the nitty gritty of it overall Like awesome. Yeah, awesome game 10 out of 10. Like it was it lived up to the hype especially that first half Both teams played great. Yeah, well, I mean the Eagles defense man. I don't know That's about as what? Catastrophic of a collapse that you could have it's It's not, you know falcons esk, but like it's it's close. It's pretty close um But you also got to figure, you know, you're playing against Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid's offense and if you are able to Stop them and you're not safe at any point in time. Yeah, right Again, like especially Andy Reid's life safe. He he kind of And I'm you know, you guys all know I'm not gonna go out there and say anybody's a better coach than Bill Belichick because that's you know That would be like sacrilegious but Andy Reid when it comes to calling offense and being an offensive minded coach like he's top-notch like I and I think a lot of this has to do with the fact that the Eagles kind of collapsed and the defense got You know faked out on everything and whatever but for Andy Reid to Call that first Touchdown where he was wide open like the defense bit on the fake and everything wide open for him to go back And do it again and say oh you didn't learn the first time I'm gonna get you with it the second time. Well, you didn't learn the third time because that was the third time They've seen that play this season shout out to Peterson. He's a mad man.  He took that Super Bowl away from them Andy Reid said My little coaching tree. I will steal that play and I will use it and if you mess up We will use it again. It's three times They saw that three times and did the same thing every single time and it was awesome poetic too because Peterson actually won the Eagles a Super Bowl, so What else what I I have kind of a hot take But I don't I don't mean it in like a negative way I think the chiefs as a whole Top-to-bottom coaching offense defense special teams like the team as a whole is The reason why they won that game like if you want to talk about a perfectly executed team win This is it because you look at the stat sheet. It wasn't like up to You know, but but also let's let's think about how he he had the ball 12 less minutes and right no no Whole quarter less. Yeah, so everybody else that was doing things to get them there I agree with what you're saying awesome, but at the same time like he barely had the ball say they were in great field position He didn't have to do much. He did exactly what he Had to do. Yeah.  He did it again This is one of those rare occasions where it's it's yeah, he contributed and yeah, he is a obviously he's a quarterback He's the most important player on the field. He's a major major part as to why they won but everybody stepped up everybody did to quote Bill Belichick everybody did their job and you know dragged their asses back and Got them to another Super Bowl victory Officiating be damned like what you guys can say what you want about that. I have opinions about that We all have opinions about it, but like just overall so solid of a team win in Like every every guy has team ready on every yeah every phase of the game is team is ready for anything Yep, that's how you're gonna win. That's can't say the same for the Eagles I mean Jalen Hurts had a phenomenal game. I mean, I don't think I've gotten any better. Yeah fumble Even still though like besides the fumble three touchdowns and however many yards crazy like Mm-hmm.  It's a really shitty feeling but I think now everybody is kind of They understand that Jalen Hurts is not just like a flash in the pan kind of guy, which I feel like this year Yeah, so he's a top five quarterback I would say this year quarterback this year I think people kind of just this season as a whole people kind of started to realize that but last year and Including me the beginning of last year. I was like, oh, I don't know about this guy and that was a little rocky Yeah, yeah as the season progressed. I was like, okay, maybe and then I mean If it makes them feel any better. He won me a championship this Oh, yeah, I'm sure I'm sure they'll see that and be like, yeah, it was all worth it But I uh, I don't I don't think the Eagles are going to be going away anytime soon even Losing the see that's my next question. Yeah, that was my next question. I was gonna ask you Do you think that the Eagles can get back to what they did? This season Um, I Don't know I don't know what their free agency roster looks like like how many guys they're playing They're expecting to lose and who's gonna be available what their money looks like, but if They're able to keep that offense together For the most part like Sanders is most likely gone, right? No, I would assume so AJ AJ's there for he signed an extension after he got traded So that's fine. Smith is on a rookie deal So like that right there is fine It all kind of depends on what happens with that offensive line who retires who's whatever does whatever the retirees but I'm not gonna count them out. Yeah, I just I'm not gonna count them out, but I'm not gonna count them in the Super Bowl, right Yeah, I don't think I'm comfortable with saying that they're gonna, you know, end up right back in the Super Bowl next year But there's still a playoff team even if for sure like they're good Win their division. Yeah, they probably will they should they should win their division. Well, they shouldn't unless the Cowboys somehow figured it out in Even if they won't matter anyways, I Don't know. I don't know. But yeah, I uh if I was an Eagles fan I It still would be hard It's still would sting it would take me a long time to get over this one But I would still be optimistic because this team should be good for a while All things considered you talk about their fans for a second. Let's talk about them Let's talk about I fear a Philly Fear a Philly fan What like what's up with you guys? What's the deal because I think you guys have a lot of karma And it's biting you in the ass really hard this year So I'm you better be hoping for James Harden and and bead to do something because if they get to the finals, I wouldn't even show up I wouldn't even watch I turn the TV off. I I would be if I was a Sixers fan right now I would be praying for the quintessential second-round exit because I wouldn't be able to deal with that again For in the span of like six months. Absolutely not like they are a It's a world record 99 days three championships lost I Would be I would turn into the Joker like that would be my origin story if if my teams did that I would not be able to like step outside my apartment for however long so funny But if there's a fan base that deserves it's it's them Yeah, I mean if there's one it's it's them there for all the things that they've done over the years They're not great They're not great. We've tried to give them the benefit of the doubt before but like that's so hard to do I Have respect for them. I do. Yeah, if you're gonna hate that hard for that long I respect you, but I won't feel bad for you right when exactly that things happen, but I respect it Like throwing eggs at the wives There's so messed up, but let's talk about the thing that everybody's talking about The holding call at the end of the game Can I just add one thing before we continue? Yeah, good Has there ever been a game? Where and everybody has been happy with all the calls. No, like in a big game like this.    Someone's gonna be unhappy Yeah, it's uh, it's just the perfect way for this season to end just because of the officiating that we saw all year And then for good Dell to come out and say last week that that it's never been better. Look, are you kidding?  You can't you have to stick that though You can't boldface lie to us like that saying it's never been better. He he can and he will Oh, I know he will. He's so good at it. He will But what are your thoughts on see speak of him when Chris Jones picked him up and started spinning around. I loved that video That was awesome. I thought that was the funniest part of the entire game. I I have a little bit of beef with Chris Jones and I needed Chris Jones to have two or more sacks and I needed Jerick McKinnon to score a touchdown You know what he did? He slid on the one-yard line and I know I know that that was the smart football play Keep the clock running absolutely brilliant situational football.  I scored a touchdown in the super bowl before but now He did the smart thing I did the smart thing in the super bowl. I made sure my team won and I got man Everybody that we were with he's a great player. I feel like he's I love him. I love him He's so underrated. I was watching a tiktok today of him blocking and hitting guys.  He's hit hard They were coming in like bats out of hell sometimes too and he just Jammed him and and it was awesome. It was awesome to watch. So I'm very glad he brought that up But that touchdown man, I would have won like 300 bucks Um, I I had a good parlay. I had a parlay. I did the exact same thing that I did in the game before I needed my homes That's the most passing yards that got me. I need Travis Kelsey touchdown the chiefs to win by one and a half. Um I needed him to throw two Touchdown passes and I needed him to throw and I went I took the yards down because I'm like he always It's passing yards and super will haven't been that great. So I went for 270 We didn't even hit 200 didn't even hit 200 boys. So it was looking it was looking good at first. I said, oh, no Yeah, we did I did win some money on pacheco And for the chiefs to win. I didn't those are my only bets the only chief's bets I did was that Kelsey touchdown in that parlay and I did I put like three bucks on Kelsey to win MVP just as like a long shot. I don't know. Let's get that's kind of thing um, but then we split one where it was Kelsey anytime touchdown the chiefs to win the first quarter or It was like chiefs plus one and a half. I think and then Eagle's money line and it looked so good for so long We had it and we did one with the with the chief's money line, but like Ah, man That's so many so many things so many. Oh and last one I did the uh one of the super bowl specials that we had going It was AJ Brown and Devonte Smith total receiving yards combined. They needed 200 or more.  So That was a good time There's always next year Man, that's the worst phrase I've ever that's the worst phrase I can ever hear. There's always next year. That's been my life forever Oh Should we talk about tweets? Uh, oh, I was gonna say halftime show, but yeah, let's talk about the tweets. Those are a little bit more fun Juju Smith Schuster, if you guys didn't see he posted a valentine's day meme um I'm sorry. I just look at it and I start laughing It is funny. Like I know people are pissed about it, but I think it's like very funny. Is it bad? Yeah, should he kind of lame probably not But i'm laughing at it. It's funny. I needed that entertainment today.  He did what he needs to do. He got a million dollar bonus And now he posted this Stay meme Which I think I think it's funny. It is bad. You probably should not have done it But I am thankful that he did it so we can talk about it and I can laugh at it Well, that's yeah, it's like It's funny. Don't get me wrong. I think it's so lame though. Like you're such a dork. Why are you doing this?  You know what I mean? Yeah, he probably feels Annoyed. I don't know if that's the best way to fix that feeling But he definitely thinks it's funny. He's laughing at all the replies aj brown coming in and calling him tiktok boy though like That Cackled To Tiktok boy was funny But I will say telling him that he was a year out of the way out of the league. That's not true Like he's had a he's had a fine career I just I Do you think juicer was juicer was on his way out of the league? I don't think he was on his way out I think he was on his way to be like a wider see for three four though, which is what he ended up being Just in a perfect situation Say he said to the league. No, I mean he's never had a bad year. I don't think he's ever really had a bad season I I don't know. The rest was funny. The rest was about juju though that like I I think it's I still picture him as a stealer and like I hated him on the stealers. I was grossing him on twitter when he was on the stealers Well, and I mean all the dances and stuff. I don't really blame you. Yeah on the logo. That was bad Yeah But but I think he's grown up a little bit I mean that part. No, but the rest of it. Yeah. Yeah, you kind of have to I mean it's Like I said, he ended up in the perfect situation For somebody who's just on a one-year prove-it-deal type thing to get Back to where he once was Um, I do think the majority or a lot of touchdowns I think the majority of where he once was was more about Antonio Brown than it was about him Because everybody was more focused on Antonio Brown and then that left juju open Yeah, well, look at him. Look at him here though. Yeah, it's a lot of options too I just think the chiefs have way too many weapons for any one person to be involved besides travis calcy Unless you're travis calcy, like it is yeah, you're Reliant everybody on games or like few and far in between like you're lucky If you get the ball. Yeah So he had a five. He almost had what a thousand yard season Yes, something like that And he missed a few games too I saw somebody tweet that they had like the same amount of yards and I was like, there's no way that that's true AJ and juju Maybe career, but yeah, I don't know I don't know career, but I uh It's funny seeing these guys go back and forth with each other like Yeah, now, you know who's being involved in it that just probably shouldn't I can only I've got a few people in my head kill Tyra kill Tyra kills involved in it. He's like siding so he's gone all this week saying oh my god I'm happy for my boys. I hope the chiefs win inside. I know it's killing him like inside It's hurting really bad and he is salty, but he's been hyping him up all week So he saw the tweet he quoted it and put like a couple of the chiefs The eagles guys ads on twitter and then let me tell you Let me tell you exactly what he said This is about juju juju quoted AJ brown and said glad you're finally able to get that off your chest after all these years Good game, bro with the ring emoji. Mm-hmm. Fine.  I'm logging off here today. You are not involved You are not on the team. He has a ring just like you do and they did it without you I don't know why you're piping up right now This has nothing to do with who is he saying played the victim juju juju I don't think he never played. I don't understand. I don't even understand that He's not playing the victim. He's going all in. He got dunked on and like I don't know. I don't know how he could have come back At AJ after he called him tick tock boy, but like he He's not I have a ring. That's it. That's all you guys. Yeah, he's not playing the victim though. Got a ring Oh, Tyra. He's just salty. He's just salty that You know what? You wanted your 25 million dollars however much it was. Is that how much it was? I don't know. You want to go play for the Miami? Which is awesome. I would want that kind of money too But you can't be mad at some guy that's in your space doing something that you could have been doing But you decided to not to for like 99% less Money too. Yeah Oh, I don't know They're all kind of lame Here we go. Okay, so AJ has 500 more yards This year though, but he's been in the league Right. Okay. I mean, I don't even know why I don't even know why they even care that much, you know They both have had decent growth at no point is juju close to being out of the league Like that that's the worst part of the comeback, but the rest was funny But at the same time like Go on vacation go somewhere Right get off the twitter I love when they argue and then you had then you had Micah Parsons tweeting.  He said if you're not a good player, you can't tweet like you're one juju is not bad guys like I don't know why He didn't say it to him, but he's talking about him. I do not know why they're cloning him like he hasn't Been in the league He wasn't a pro bowler. I mean like what? That part i'm confused about I don't know seems like not a lot of people like them I don't know or whatever they are they're all in their own way like the biggest babies possible so No, that's right I will say though I will say though I when I was at radio row this weekend this week. I um I usually wide receiver scare me and they're not very nice They just intimidated me. I don't know. It's just the personality. They all have like the same personality Alan Lazard is the nicest Wide receiver I've ever met is he he seems like a little cutie He was he was awesome. He was very very very very nice That's good to give you any hints about where he's gonna end up next year No, no hints when you say that any inside information about Aaron Rodgers Well, I said what about the darkness retreat and he goes. Yeah, that's that's a wild one But I mean, I think we all agree that that's wild. He's insane.  He's not gonna go hang out with Rodgers He's not going to the dark cave.  Otherwise other places not there. Can't blame.  It's giving like warriors grizzlies vibes Right now. Yeah, and everyone's gonna be so I feel like the chiefs are getting in the range of how the patriots were, you know I agree you can you probably feel this way about the chiefs and how People are like looking at them now. People are gonna start to hate them. I mean they already do I mean it comes with the territory. It's yeah, they went in there good and yeah Like I I hate the conversation about the dynasty and stuff, but if they went next year too, which Isn't out of the realm of possibility because they're basically retaining that entire team If they win next year they go back to back then we can have the dynasty conversation Then I am more than willing to to I'll even agree because that's what I've always Yeah, yeah three and five three and five is is What it is Um, and even if they don't win next year, I don't I don't really care no matter what they do what they've done This year has been pretty impressive That's like it's all around kind of I have a little bit of an issue with Travis Kelsey though, and I know he was like riding the high of everything but like Yeah, the underdog mentality thing. I agree with him. I agree with that team in the league all year long All year long. I agree with them though. I agree with them though I agree with leading up to it. Everyone's like eagles eagles eagles eagles all the money's on the eagles Everybody's picking the eagles. Everyone's going the eagles and then if you take it back During the season. Yeah, everyone's like, okay, it's password humps. They're still good But before the season started everyone's like they're not gonna win. They're gonna maybe win 10 games They're never yeah, and I'm like Like what are you guys saying? What do you guys see in here? They're like, oh Russell Wilson's about to step up maybe the Raiders I'm sorry. The best chance you had was the Chargers and that didn't even sell I and yeah, everyone that I get it even when I was there Bill's train everyone's like it's the bill's year. Yeah, which guess what they did I get it but like you're still the chiefs. You're still not an underdog. Yeah, they're still Really really really good in that game. They were though Yeah, what was the line end of being final one and a half? Is that did it say it at that? Yeah, I think it was one and a half But they did get a little bit of I don't know but yeah, I guess he was just excited The videos of him and his mom after awesome. Yeah, she had a she had an emotional week. I'm glad that She got the flowers she did this week Did Jason's wife have the baby did because that would have been like I don't think yeah, I don't think we had the baby But we did have a sewer ball, baby We had a couple it looks like Somebody's a chiefs like lineman's wife gave birth to twin. Oh, there was a lineman. I saw um, michael hardman's girlfriend hardman. Yeah, yeah Super Bowl babies everywhere So maybe I mean last year with van jefferson's Wife she had the baby they won this year the chiefs babies were born the chiefs one Maybe this is the key fellas. Maybe you gotta have a baby You gotta start having some kids if you want to win the super bowl Hello, uh Anybody on the patriots who is in a position to have a child? Hello. Let's let's get going. Let's start working on this Talk to your ladies. Say babe. If you love me and you want me to win a super bowl. We're having a baby Yeah, um think about it at the beginning of the summer and if you guys want a super bowl start there Yeah, I mean do the math and whatever figure it out and Best of luck. I mean three months from Um today Good luck. Okay. Cool. That's the numbers, right? Yeah. Yeah, something like that um Let's do let's do half time. What do you think about rihanna? Did you like it? Did you not like it? Love her? I will never I will never complain about anything that she does. Yep. I agree. I was thankful that we got that and I didn't see a lot of people complaining like usual. I just like boomers and stuff I am screw them I loved it. I loved it. It was her first time performing in like 10 years something ridiculous like that all hits every single song absolute banger and to do that while pregnant and Floating however far in the air and whatnot Like I saw a couple people complaining that it was like kind of boring not a lot of dancing and stuff But like what did you want her to do? Like before we even knew she was pregnant Like you could kind of figure that she was pregnant. It's been a year Since almost a year since her first child was born and like When you retain baby weight, it's not in the form of a pregnant belly um, so like just you know Common sense dumbest thing it's the dumbest thing when people comment about women in their bodies And if she's pregnant or if she's not pregnant, it doesn't matter if she doesn't want to dance around She doesn't have to dance around and then I saw I saw this from a couple of accounts where I wasn't surprised with who it came from Um, but saying that like she looked like she was dressed in like pajamas and a giant overcoat.   It was so fun.  I was um Drunk during it.  Yeah. Oh, I saw I saw how the hell did that night end up the way that it did Is what I want to know that can be told another time, but I I would like to let's just say ladies and gentlemen I had one of the craziest nights of my entire life I was I started at like 1 p.m. And I ended at like 4 a.m. Yeah And just to sum it up I took shots with some champions. Is there what we have to say? Oh man, what is wrong, you know But it was like it's just it's the cleveland connections, you know, yeah Because a lot of cleveland going on Um, but there was a lot of cleveland going on both sides of the ball Yeah, if that tells you anything you need to know, I'll tell you everything you need to know Makes sense with your life sister All right Football is over. We got no more football to talk about And we got a couple weeks Until a free agency opens up. We got about a month two months till the draft so I guess basketball for the next couple of weeks. We got the all-star game this weekend and stuff Last-star game we do Like I You're real quick. What are your what are your thoughts on this one? Because this is a basketball one We'll just go right into basketball Kevin Durant Oh Kevin Durant. Oh, yeah. Oh my god. Hello. We haven't Had a show since they just wanted to take away from the Super Bowl spotlight. I get it Like I like Kevin Durant as a player and I can't deny like Kevin Durant He's one of the best players in the league But I'm starting to get really fed up about of his need to Be surrounded by a super team Yeah, so what like even just outside of Kevin Durant.  You guys were playing really good basketball The Nets were playing really good basketball. They were like what a four or five seed? I don't know something like that. They were playing good basketball They lose to the Celtics by 105 40p by the Celtics and it all falls apart And they said no, we don't want to be here anymore. Let's all leave. It's not. I mean, it's not surprising It's not surprising given Who is involved in these situations and stuff, but I want to say it's not surprising But I kind of am surprised I'm just what I'm surprised about is the way It fell apart and they found new homes so quickly And that we didn't get any background on why I want to know why I don't know I'm sure I mean if anybody's gonna if anybody's gonna open their mouth about it It's gonna be Kyrie. So we kind of just have to wait for I don't know They seem they seem like they were buddy buddies a couple months ago when they were playing in Cleveland So well, I mean over the summer one wanted out and then the other wanted out like it's just like The definition of a toxic relationship Like they honestly were playing really well. They could have done something, you know Yeah, it's I don't I don't because I want to say a couple weeks ago They were even as sitting as high as like maybe the third seed maybe a half game out in the fourth or something so Maybe one got fed up with how often the other is injured or the other got fed up with Just the other as a whole like I don't know I don't I don't I will say I haven't watched a Kyrie luga game yet. I've been a little too busy So I don't know how that's been going apparently the other night. It went pretty well But I didn't watch I would assume so for now. I'm just gonna start off. Well, yeah Well, that's I mean they all have started off. Well, it's how it ends up and let's I I'm gonna give it I'm gonna give it a month Let's get into the final playoff push and then we can Go back to this and see if the honeymoon phase is over in Dallas So can Kevin Durant take the sons of the finals? I mean if he can't I don't know what else What else he's got to do because you've that team is stacked to begin with even without him Now you add him and like they there's no reason why they can't Win the West and everything Yeah, they they should win But again, like I wonder if one of the jaw feels about that, you know Oh, yeah, they're fine in the West. They're fine in the West Oh, I just don't I just don't I don't know if he can't do this In Phoenix with Booker with chris paul with eight and I'm surprised that they didn't even have to give up eight And to get katie in the first place But if he can't do that like I don't know It's gonna be interesting to see what the conversation around kevin durant's name is going to be because You had to run to the warriors to win and that was great As a basketball fan like it was awesome to see that super team and everything but It's super team after super team manager. They're super team at this point and like I don't know and like I it's not just katie because that's kind of the state of the nba and it's been like that Everybody said everybody wants to super team because you have to everybody's got you don't everybody's got a big three and stuff but like Just to run from one to the other to the other When you're supposed to be One of if not the greatest player in the league Depending on who you talk to like, I don't know It's gonna be interesting. Yeah But Oh, here we go. We got the bucks fan in the comments. The bucks are winning the championship. Please relax Please relax. If you think getting jay crowder is what's gonna push you over the edge Jay Crowder, please Not a fan. Um, let's see if they can beat the hospital Celtics tonight first And then we can we can talk future The Celtics man.  I don't know.  I got marcus mark cereal His new oh, I saw those I saw those because dairies garland the people that did his chips Do the cereal? Well, I got them and What are they called? Wicked smarts Yeah, you know, that's it because they put little valentine's cards about them today I got them and While they are just Lucky charms. That's it. That's all they are Very cool very very cool. The box is cool. There's like marcus mark trivia on the back and then the side panel Explains his charity and how the proceeds go to charity and stuff very cool. Um, so shout out to marcus mark that company That company that does it is really cool if you guys it's called like pbl entertainment And if you guys want some cool stuff go there because they have so many different players Yeah, very cool. And if you like lucky charms, I recommend marcus mark cereal. I already had a bowl and it's I wouldn't recommend chub cereal. It wasn't very good. I'm sorry The box is cool, but the cereal itself not for me That's like gronk cereal way back when I didn't think it was all that good I know some people that still have like the boxes unopened and stuff selling them on ebay and whatever That's funny. I've assigned an e-chub box. It's unopened Not like that one's very useful I mean, you never know You never know some these random memorabilia things one day. They're worth a penny the next day. They're worth a million dollars Like it's just never know sports stuff is so weird when it comes to that but What else what else? I mean hockey, I guess I Was really not that many things. Maybe we can do this this can we can have this video We can save it for this time next year so we can come back and see it Oh, no, I'm nervous. I know we're two days. We're two days removed from the Super Bowl But who's going to the Super Bowl? Oh Oh god um There's gonna be a lot of change in the league this The next couple of months. So I like that one the lines Just given what I Think is gonna happen. I'm gonna say out of the NFC. It's gonna be the 49ers. I think they figure out the quarterback issue Are we gonna take the same one? I don't know 49ers bills. Is that what you were gonna do? That's where I was going. I was gonna I just want to pick them. I just want them to get there. I just want to see it I I can't I'm going 49ers bills I can't do it. It goes against my better judgment I'm gonna go niner niner's uh Shit like I don't want to pick any of these teams niner's bangles. I guess Oh, come on I guess I don't know like I Genuinely think it's gonna be the chiefs, but like I just the bills in the chiefs. I can't I can't And that's part of the reason why I didn't even pick them to win this one because just I as a person like I can't do that I can sit here and Tell you that they played great and stuff but I can't root for them Yeah, um I feel like see I said this earlier, but how you feel I feel like that's how everyone thought about the um Patriots It comes it comes with it The worst they hate you because they ain't ya So true. So yeah, I don't know. We'll see though because the NFL is a crazy, crazy place and there's gonna be a lot of moving and shaking in the offseason. Derek Carr is gonna be somewhere else. Aaron Rodgers probably is gonna be somewhere else. Jimmy G is gonna be somewhere else. Crazy. Where do you think Derek Carr ends up? I don't know. I don't know. Not the Raiders because he's not on the team anymore. If he was smart- More options. The Jets, the Saints. If he was smart, he would go to the NFC South. That's wide open for the taking. Yeah. Bucks. Yeah, I like the Bucks. Yeah. See I don't think they'll be great but I think they will be better than what the Raiders were. I am going to, I'm gonna say the Saints. I know he said he didn't want to get traded to them but that's because he obviously didn't want to help out the Raiders, get assets and stuff. But I am gonna pick the Saints because I think the Bucks might end up having a fire sale. Everything must go. I think Mike Evans might be on the block. Chris Godwin might be out of there. I think they might be in a little bit of a rebuild mode, which not the worst thing in the world. You just lost the greatest quarterback of all time.  Just ask the Patriots. This is usually how it goes. But the Carolina Panthers are also doing something pretty interesting coaching wise. So that might be not a bad spot either because Sam Darnold's not the answer as we've come to find out. No, he's not. I think he'd be smart to get the hell out of the AFC. And then on the other hand, I think dummy up in Green Bay is going to end up in the AFC with the Jets. I'm tired of everybody being in the AFC. These guys just go somewhere else. There's no room. You're not beating those good guys. You're not gonna do it. Aaron Rogers, your time is done. Maybe that's what he's gonna learn in his little darkness retreat. Maybe I'll go have a swan song somewhere really shitty. And then just call it a year because he's obviously not gonna retire now that his ego could not handle going into the Hall of Fame with Brady. He can't do that. So maybe he just he goes, you know, to a shitty, a shitty situation who, you know, whatever one year, maybe make him good enough to get into the playoffs and then let's see if any craziness happens. Just stay away from the AFC. Specifically the Jets. Please don't go to the New York Jets. I can't deal with a division where my opposing quarterbacks are Josh Allen, maybe Tua and Aaron Rogers. Maybe I'll lose my mind. So stay out. Okay, last thing I have for you. You could give one hot take for next season, something that's going to happen. What do you got? Pats back to the playoffs. Pats back to the playoffs. That is kind of that's a hot take. That is a hot take. Pats back to the playoffs. Billy O'Brien is going to help, I think, tremendously. I think that they are going to surprise some people next year. And yes, I am a Homer. So take that with a grain of salt. But this also might be kind of a one more shot and then you might be done thing for Mack Jones.  They have a real life offensive line coach now, which is, I think, almost, I'm almost as excited about that as the fact that there is an actual offensive coordinator. The coaching, the offensive coaching staff has just been bolstered in it. It's going to be so much better than it was last year, which I know doesn't sound like a lot, given the situation, but it really is. And I expect them to be active on the trade market this year and not necessarily free agency because this free agent class is a little weird. Maybe there's a few receivers that might get shipped out. There's a few few. There's a few good ones. Yeah, there's a few good ones. I think it's going to be Deandre Hopkins given the relationship with Billy O'Brien from the Houston days, but there's still a lot there. So it's going to be interesting, but that I'm going to go with that. And hope that I'm right. I am going to say now I see the comments about the Lions, but they're not as bold as what I'm going to say. Lions win at least one to two playoff games. No way. I love it. Jamal Williams going off. I would love to see it. I would love to see it. I would like that. I would like that a lot. I really, I really like this Lions team. I know you've been on the bandwagon. I finally came around this year. They aren't there a lot at the beginning. If you look at them, you're like, this is probably won't run the right way. Things are going to get a little chaotic. But they're ready. That's the 2025. No, this time next year, we'll be talking about it. I would like to see it. I've seen, okay, so I've seen this one get floated around a lot lately. Safe onto the bills. That's another thing. Stay away. If you would have said this three weeks ago, I would have said absolutely no shot, but we have a little bit more money to work with now. So maybe.  It would be so good for them because I don't think Singletary is the answer. No, he's not. He's not the answer at all. It would be such a good fit. It would be absolutely insane. I hope it doesn't happen. I hope he goes far, far away from upstate New York as far as you could possibly go.   Zeke's probably out. So funny.  Go to the Cowboys or something. Stay away from the bills. That'd be so funny. I don't know. But we'll have answers for that in a month, which is insane. Like we have two weeks off, essentially from football and then franchise tag shit starts free agencies not that far behind like it's never ending, never, never ending. So we hope that you enjoyed your football season. We hope you enjoyed your football season with us because we enjoyed it with you. We appreciate the support again every week, every single week. You're here. Well, maybe not every single week, but whatever we're here, you're here. We appreciate that. So, and we appreciate you guys hanging out with us on your Valentine's Day. Yeah, I just feel a little bit more special. Happy Valentine's Day, everybody. Hope your honey's got you nice, nice things like cereal. Hope you got cereal too. And if not, I hope you treat yourself today. Order takeout. Watch a nice movie for sure. There's a heart pizza. There you go. There you go. With that being said, I think we're done here. I got some barbecue to go eat. So what else that I got some wine to drink. Love that. Love that for us. We will see you guys next week. What we talk about remains to be seen but we'll figure it out. See you guys on Tuesday.