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August 7, 2025 68 mins
Joseph Trahan shares his journey through the Startup World Cup and his experiences growing up in Texas before moving to Virginia. The episode delves into his personal challenges, including breaking his foot and its impact on his business journey, with a focus on the support he received from his family. Joseph discusses his involvement in the Hampton Roads real estate sector, highlighting first-time homebuyer programs and support for first responders and teachers. The conversation covers the evolution of the Discover Virginia podcast, audience demographics, and recording techniques. Light-hearted moments include tech nostalgia, local cuisine, and beach recommendations. The episode concludes with details on the upcoming Startup World Cup event.
 
(0:00) Introduction and discussion on stress and celebrating wins
(3:33) Startup World Cup and guest introduction
(5:01) Innovate Hampton Roads and Slover Library's podcasting facilities
(9:01) Tech nostalgia 
(10:52) Startup World Cup experience and growing up in Texas
(16:23) Chick-fil-A experiences and moving to Virginia love story
(23:33) Starting a business and overcoming personal challenges
(27:33) Breaking his foot and its impact on business journey
(30:38) Support from family and focus areas in Hampton Roads real estate
(34:06) First-time homebuyer programs and support for first responders and teachers
(41:24) Discover Virginia podcast evolution and guest stories
(47:02) Podcast recording techniques and metrics
(51:04) Audience demographics and distribution platforms
(53:30) Autocorrect mishaps and spelling humor
(57:22) Local cuisine and beach recommendations
(1:06:11) Closing remarks and Startup World Cup preview
 
 
 
- Celebrate every win, as even small victories can build momentum and keep you motivated through the peaks and valleys of running a business.
 
- The Startup World Cup event is not just a traditional business pitch competition but an engaging, high-energy experience that blends entrepreneurial spirit with entertainment.
 
- Maintaining a focus on customer experience and offering competitive wages are key strategies that have helped companies like Buc-ee's and Chick-fil-A build loyal followings and successful business models.
 
 
 
 
Innovate Hampton Roads is on a mission to foster the growth of Hampton Roads' innovation and technology ecosystem by educating entrepreneurs and business leaders, providing access to essential resources, and building connections that drive synergistic partnerships. We are committed to creating a supportive environment that empowers entrepreneurs, strengthens the regional economy, and fuels long-term prosperity. By growing, guiding, and connecting key players in the ecosystem—including investors, industry leaders, universities, corporate partners, and community or
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Transcript

Episode Transcript

Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
Oh, okay. Alright. Well, I'll just do this. This this is, this is nonalcoholic beverages here, mom. Sorry.

(00:01):
Nonalcoholic. Christina Kimbrough with FreeLife LLC. She's got these great beverages here. Oh. Oh.
Oh. Oh.
Oh. Man. The the people of the Internet probably think we hate each other. I don't know why I said
that. Why?
I don't know.
I don't know. I don't think that, yeah, I don't think that we get too spicy, though, on the show. I think we keep things pretty cool.
Spicy. Define spicy.
Yeah. We I don't I we generally don't escalate. We we generally don't disagree nor do we really escalate anything if there should be a disagreement on anything. I think other podcasts probably, or shows, they kinda, like, get spicy, argue a little bit to create some some drama.
Yeah. I just feel like I'm mature enough to be able to handle both sides of a discussion even if I'm via via. See, here I am trying to use big words, and I can't even say it.
Yes. We've all, we've all matured a little bit as time goes on.
Yeah. You know in high school, they do, like, all those superlatives? Mine was most likely to not mature, to grow up. You know? Most likely to stay Peter Pan.
Was me. I made that up. But you believed it? Yeah.
Yeah. Those those were the days.
Yeah. Episode two seventy three, congratulations for getting here. We are recording this live in August 2025.
August 7.
Two weeks. Feel like why does it feel like, we're in the middle of, like, fall?
Dude, I you know, I mean, I'm a summer guy. Summers in Virginia, as we know, can get pretty warm and steamy. I think that we've we've had a nice little reprieve, but and I wanna make the time count. But, boy, there's a lot of stress leading up to two weeks from today.
You're not a stressful kind of guy. Don't don't don't lie to the audience. Two weeks, though
Everything's before the start. Everything's yeah. I mean, it's just I mean, it's it's we talk about a lot in the show. It's a lot like this is you gotta celebrate every win. And it's just like, man, a lot of peaks and valleys.
Some things go as planned, other things not so much. Just the amount of effort to put on a production at this scale is
it's a

(00:22):
lot. You know, I something on that kind of level that I probably should have documented along the way. I should have documented how many nos we've received throughout this process for whatever reason. Yeah. That would have been fun.
It's gotta be hundreds. So but you just gotta push forward. That's it.
That's fine. But and if the same holds true as you mentioned that, it's interesting. I mean, we also have
Oh, yes.
Had to give a lot of no's too. I bet you went Okay. Almost a 100 people applying and only 10 people getting in. I mean, that's
Fair. Well, 121, I think, was over a 100. Yeah. Yeah. Alright.
Anyhoo, we are delighted to have a guest today that, was in attendance at last year's Startup World Cup
Yeah.
Who, I met there that day. No. I don't know that I actually met him, but I think I saw him on the Internet afterwards. Maybe he posts, like, a an Instagram, you know, thingamajig. And I was like, hey, man.
You were there. Cool. Thanks. Thanks for being here.
I dig that. I dig that a lot. Yeah. Hopefully, he'll, hopefully, he had enough fun that he'll wanna come back again this year as well. We'll have to maybe that'll be the first hard hitting question.
We also were on his show recently, Discover Virginia releasing next week. Excited to
Is that the release date?
I don't know. That's what I was told. But we are here with, senior Yohof Hohan. Hello.
Zach, Tim, thank you guys for such a warm introduction. And and, yes, Discover Virginia episode goes live next week, really excited to share all the great things you have going on with Innovate Hampton Roads and the start of World Cup twenty twenty five.
You coming back? You gonna be there?
Absolutely. I'm gonna be there. And and to commemorate that, I I think we're we're gonna we're gonna have to partake here. We're gonna have to partake. You know?
But you guys do you get a number of drinks?
I'll I'll I'll I got a little coffee action here.
Oh, okay. Alright. Well, I'll I'll just do this. This this is this is nonalcoholic beverages here, mom. Sorry.
Nonalcoholic. Christina Kimbrough with FreeLife LLC. She's got these great beverages here.

(00:43):
Was
okay. Warm one out for the homies. Innovate Hampton Roads. I'm excited to
be the show. That
That
was was the the slowest slowest shot I've ever seen in my life. Oh my
I'm a I'm a dad, and it's nonalcoholic. So it does you know, it's got a different flavor for it. But, you know, regardless of what how you partake, you know, partake responsibly. And if you need something different, that's gonna be it right there.
That thing just, like, busted all over your glasses.
Like Yeah.
It it was it was
that was pretty crazy. I mean, it's just it it's just, you know, it's a metaphor for the excitement that is to come for innovate Hampton Roads starting
That was the first ever. We might have all of our guests now shotgun something.
I I think it's appropriate. I mean, it's almost Friday. Right? You guys do a show on a Thursday.
You know? Why did you apologize to your mom for having a nonalcoholic
Yeah. Is is she she have a strict alcohol only rule set?
Yeah. Well, I didn't mean to go on all that now, but, yeah. You know, it just kinda depends. It just kinda depends. You know?
Everyone's got their flavor. And that the that's great thing about Hampton Roads. Everyone's got their flavor. Everyone's got their, you know, their thing they like to do. So and then you guys get to put it all together with your show.
So, yeah, something for everybody.
Wow. This is this might take a turn. I'm I'm really excited to see where this turn goes. Right. That was quite I don't even that was
Maybe some foreshadowing for our episode that's gonna air next week. We this was that was a that was a unique thing for Zach and I. That was only the second time that we ever did a a show in person together. So that was a lot of fun.
Yeah. I mean, thank thank goodness for the Slover Library here in Norfolk. They have such an incredible space. Totally free, by the way. So if anybody's looking to try out podcasting and stuff like that or, you know, maybe come on the Discover Virginia show, you know, that that resource still stands.
So, yeah, thank thank you to the Slover for that.

(01:04):
That's a new resource too. What's interesting is
when record a book there?
Yeah. So when I recorded anomaly, we tried doing it. Chris Lane, good friend. He and I, he was the producer of the audiobook for anomaly. We tried doing it at seventeen o one.
They had too much military above. So it was, like, every two minutes. You know, be like, this is a. You know, the the fighter jets.
Oh, okay.
Braxton. Totally love it, but you know?
Sound of freedom, baby.
I had to go somewhere else. So then we go to this room.
That's right, Tim. Yeah.
Reminds me Sound of freedom. Oh, no. I wasn't I was not complaining. I was just saying that we had to find a new location.
It kinda sounded
like you were complaining. No. No. No. Okay.
Well, y'all are reading that room wrong. So we had to do it somewhere else. And then I find out about a year or two ago that the Slover library has now built an audio booth where you can do recording. So I did the what are you watching on Netflix book, recording in there, two sessions because I'm a pro. Got it in and out.
Yeah. It's a great place. Totally totally free. All you have to do is get your library card.
Well, I'm back to
the other I think they need it.
It's a thumb drive. Slap that in the, super Mac that they have there.
Yeah. You're right.
And redo your recording. And
What do those cost?
Roll with your thumb

(01:25):
drive again. Now? Go to Taimu?
Dude, that's ridiculous. Yeah.
Yeah. Remember those things were, like, a lot? It's crazy.
Word on the street is you can get, like, a 27 inch monitor for, like, a $100.
Wow. That's cool. That's cool.
Yeah. Tech prices. You know? It's more affordable.
I bought a TV for a lot of money in college that was basically the same size of a 27 inch monitor, which is crazy. And it's crazy how tech has changed and how thin it is. It's wow.
Right?
Yeah. You guys remember moving those big TVs where they used to make them, like, super flat, and you had to carry them and then slap the the the GameCube on top, you know, take it to your That was what
I was talking about.
Yeah.
Yeah. I remember my buddy gave me a TV once too, and it was, like, 400 pounds. And I was yo. Like, thank god this is big, but, like
Yeah. Dude, that the first TV we hung up on the wall, that thing was a tank. And I'm like, man, I hope we get this
on the wall. Yeah.
Alan Alan Hagerman Hagerman said, I'd be chugging liquid DEF canned water. Interesting. I think you can
do that faster with no carbonation. Was that carbonated that you just drank?
Yeah. From the from the from the sploosh, from the initial touch, I I think it was carbonated. It was probably It looks shook it up a bunch.
But yeah. Did you shake it up?
Of course. Yeah. You gotta shake it up. You know, if you have two, you can stone cold Austin, but, you know, those are alcoholics, so this is just just the one. Yeah.
Yeah. Yeah.
Aren't you, like, a stone cold Austin fan, Zach? Or

(01:46):
I mean, you can get the you can get the complete stone cold Steve Austin. But, I mean yes.
Oh, the Steve Austin. Sorry. Okay.
Yeah. I'm a fan of him. You know? High school, I think every kid was. Every kid was doing the DX and stone cold stunning everyone in class.
Yeah. Teachers love that. So okay. So we so you went to the World Cup last year. Did not I I don't think we had ever met before that, and I don't think you'd ever met Tim before that.
Correct?
Yeah. I had not. I had not.
How did you even find out? Do remember how you found out about it and what enticed you to go?
Yeah. So it was it was a LinkedIn post that I saw literally the day before the event. And I was like, holy moly. This is great. I'd love to connect with some business owners, entrepreneurs.
I show up and then it's got this energy to it. And then as soon as the the girl threw the knife on the stage, that's when I knew, like, this was something that was, like, gonna be memorable. And and the stuff that you guys did with your your comedy and and the energy that you had too to make it, like, fun and engaging, that to me is, like, what stood out. And when Zach messaged me, was like, yeah. When's the next one?
This knife.
Oh, you still have it? Did she throw it, like, at the governor?
The former former governor.
Former governor. Yeah.
George Allen.
That was that was unexpected. I don't and I I you guys didn't disclose that was, was, you know, coordinated or not.
That was definitely not preplanned. There was a lot of things that happened off script.
I would say the majority of the things there were not preplanned.
Yeah. Yeah. Thinking about that was, you know, like, a lot when you go to these shows that go to city after city, they they practice day in and day out with every show that they go to. With this, it's a one off kind of thing. So, yeah, we don't really have a lot of time to dial everything in.
Yeah. Yeah. And and the the venue is incredible. I mean, the Sandler Center
They've great.
You know, the Ziegler the Ziegler I think it's called the z. It's right above taste in town center. Just a great location.

(02:07):
Oh, yeah. It is a great place.
Yeah. Yeah. This year is gonna be super super fun. Go ahead, Zach. So
we met that day. You've been excited about this for twelve months. Communicate a little since. Yeah. You have a you have an interesting upbringing from Texas.
Is that right?
Yes. And I have to feel my accent, but, you know, generally, y'all draw cowboys, you know, that
that kind of, you know, sticks out sometimes. Got it. Where in Texas were you from?
Southeast Texas. It was a little town little little town called Angleton, and I only mentioned that because that's actually where the first Buc ee's gas station was. For those of you who don't know Buc ee's, then you're missing out.
Have you made it to Harrisonburg to check out the Virginia's Buc ee's yet?
Not yet. Not yet. But I
heard there was, like, a line for, like, three hours.
People had to park across the street Yeah. And walk walk it in. Or that was that was intel for my daughter who went that was the second weekend it was open.
Yeah. It's it's an incredible experience. So I grew up in Texas. The first the first Buc ee's was in the town I grew up in. And then
Was it a big thing then, or do is it just like the hoopla's?
No. No. It it huge it was huge then too. I mean, they were still only in Texas at that time. So it was Are
you a are you a beaver nugget kinda guy?
I'm clinically addicted to beaver nuggets. Yes. I was I was told I had to stop That and beef jerky.
And is it true they have a wall of beef jerky?
They have a whole wall of beef jerky. Yeah. And they actually I've been I've been to some of the events where they have, like, a a beaver, like, in the shape of of, you know, the beef jerky. And then the brisket board, oh my gosh. They they have fresh brisket cooking, like, the whole time that the that the store is open.
And every time they have a meat on the board, they say meat on the board, and then they give it a little, you know, like, just a little, you know, hey. You're okay? And some of the juice, you know, comes out and just shows how fresh it is. So it's an incredible
Kinda like you shotgunning a beer and it bursting on your face.
Just like that, actually. Yeah. Yeah. That's, that's how it goes.

(02:28):
Interesting. Yeah. Apparently, we're getting a Buc ee's here next year soon. Should be interesting.
Yeah. Dude, it's amazing. You know, kudos to them to, like, they did to generate the fanatical following that they have. I mean, it's just not many organizations can say they've done that, so good on them.
Yeah. One thing that stands out to me about Buc ee's, if I may share without talking the whole time about Buc ee's because I because I could. The the the sheer the sheer amount of attention to detail they put on the on the guest experience. So they have, people on standby to clean the restrooms every 15.
I was just gonna bring that up. You know? I mean, like, if you're gonna be branded for something, being branded for, like, the cleanest breastrooms is not a bad thing. I mean, that I'm I'm all about that life.
Yeah. And that's the stigma about, you know, gas stations, which is more than a gas station, but, like, the clean bathrooms. And then what I love most is they pay their employees above minimum wage. They've been doing that since, like, I was in high school. I mean, I I almost got a job there except they hired 18 at the time.
But they start off paying 15 to $20 an hour, and they are very transparent about their pay on the front end. And, I mean, GM could get up to, you know, $100,000 plus
Yeah. A year of salary.
So it's a it's a great company to work for, and they they
really picture of sandwich board with all of the positions with their salaries because I was like, this is, you know, crazy. Yeah. It was, like, 120, 130 k or I mean, it was a significant chunk of money.
Yeah. Wow. Buc ee's.
Okay. So another company that does that well that you have several years experience of with is the the creator of the chicken sandwich. Yeah.
It's my pleasure. Yeah. Well, he made he made the chicken sandwich famous, I would say.
Whatever. Whatever. Okay. So my question to you is how many times have you told one person in one session, my pleasure?
So I was working in Chick fil A in my high school years. Right? So my my frontal lobe was not fully developed. So when we were taking orders, we had different challenges we would do because, you know, it got it kinda got a little mundane. So we actually had a challenge where we we saw who could say my pleasure the most organically.
Of course, is before Instagram and TikTok. I didn't get the I didn't win the challenge. I think mine was 23, but you couldn't let the people catch on. So she had caught on it. She had caught on, like, around twenty three.
She's like, okay. That's that's not funny. But we had one lady, sweet older lady, because she could draw out her, you know, her draw and her conversations because she worked dining room. They were a little bit longer interactions. She said she got up to 46.
My pleasure.
See, that's really interesting to me. I because I went with Zach, and Zach that was Zach's little game as the consumer to to lay up the shot, if you will, to see how many My Pleasures he could draw out. Yeah. So, boy, if you had your game going the same time Zach's game was going, you guys could have been there all night.
Yeah. It it
would be till at least until Sunday morning, and then they
would Would you say 40?

(02:49):
40? Four like, 46. I think it's 46
or 48. But it was mine's, like, 14.
14. Well, so what you do is you hit diff you do if you get the family with them, then you delegate each part of the order to the family members. So if there's, like, daughter, son, mom, dad, you kinda delegate that way, then you can, like
My pleasure and scale.
Picture multiply. Yeah. It's a pleasurable scale. You multiply it.
Yeah. The economies of scale of my pleasure. Got it. Yeah. Interesting.
Any major takeaways from working there that you recall? Because, you know, I often refer to, you know, a restaurant like that and maybe the Golden Arches as they sell basically the same thing, but people are are going from the positive experience.
I hear training is a pretty important part of Chick fil A success.
Yeah. Yeah. Most definitely. I I think the biggest takeaway, I'll I'll share a positive and also one that I think could be room for improvement. The the the most biggest takeaway with the training piece was, like, my first day, I was, you know, taking orders on an iPad.
I was shadowed, and, you know, I had a manager kind of, like, coach me up. So that was really, really good to see experience from, like, a team member level. However, one one opportunity, I think, for growth was as I continue to work my way up into management, there wasn't quite a clear path of success or trajectory forward on the training piece there, and it was more so learn as you go. So that was, I think, think a big takeaway from the training piece on the team member side, which is very thorough, and then on the management side, which is a little bit lacking, at least the time I was there. But overall, incredible experience.
How did you make
your way to difficult to be the manager there.
Yeah. I mean, it it was challenging. I mean, the the main thing was it it requires and this is with any leadership position. It requires a vast amount of humility. And when you're when you're a 20 year old, you know, kid that dropped out of college, you know, a couple times, then, you know, you kinda think you're you're a hotshot.
So that that was on me just as much as it was on the the the structure I had working with. But, you know, humility in the leadership piece is is the biggest thing. And, you know, that kinda opportunity led to, falling on your face a couple times, but I learned a lot from it. But, you know, ultimately, that's kind of the path I had for about better better part of the three and a half years I was with Chick fil A was within the management, opening up, you know, stores and things like that.
Is that is that what brought you to Virginia, or how did you end up here in the VA?
The VA. Yeah. So the VA called VA called my dad, and we moved here for one of his jobs. That was, my senior year of high school. I went I got an opportunity to go to, Tidewater Community College.
And then, you know, from there, started working out of Chick fil A. I really liked it. It was one of the I applied to four Chick fil A's and I just couldn't figure out why I couldn't get hired because I had a good, you know, year of of experience at the time. And then I landed in Portsmouth, Virginia, Frederick Boulevard, Chick fil A. And I was like, okay.
I guess this is where I'm supposed to be. And literally that next shift, this this sweet, coworker of mine bought me a cookie. And, you know, I was like, hey. You know? Like, you wanna hang out sometime?
And then one thing led to another. And, yeah, we fell in love and got married and settled down here in Virginia. Virginia Beach, Norfolk area now. So
yeah. Chick fil a love story.
Chick fil a love story. Yeah. Okay.

(03:10):
Is that the one across from the Walmart?
That's the one across from the Walmart. Yep. We actually had our first date next door at the Valvoline instant oil change. But it wasn't at an oil change. It was used to be an IHOP.
But at the time, you know, I was like, well, I don't wanna, like, go on a date at work. Like, that's not you know, I could do better. So I went on a date to IHOP. And at the time, I thought that was better. I don't know why.
Treat her to a, little Rooty Tooty fresh and fruity?
Yeah. Yeah. We, you know, got the the banana split pancakes, you know, something to share. But, yeah, just, anybody, like, does dates, IHOP is not a great first date. Sorry, IHOP.
You know, that's just not a good not a good first date. The feedback I received definitely set me back a couple months.
They've worked at the you know, worked out in the long run.
Yeah. Yeah.
True. True.
Man, that's cool. That's cool. How did you this is a really fun fun journey that you're taking us on. What Yeah. What's what's next?
You left Chick fil A. Where did you go?
So I left Chick fil A, and this was really where I was like, I gotta figure out, like, corporate America because I wanted a I wanted a job that I could work between nine to nine to seven, nine to five range versus the, you know, I my most of my Chick fil A would work sixty to seventy hours a week, anywhere from, like, 2PM upwards to, like, 11PM, 12AM the next day. So that lifestyle was really tough. So I started working at patient first, did my stint in the medical field Mhmm. And then kinda got the kinda got the entrepreneurial drive a little bit, you know, being able to control my own schedule. And I decided that I was gonna start my business as an Uber driver.
And also too, I didn't know Hampton Roads that well, so I became an Uber driver. And I I lived it up. I would I would sit at the Norfolk Airport parking lot reading my entrepreneurial books, how to start a business. You know, I would, you know, chat with people about the community that I was talking about, where they what city they were coming from, what they liked about the area, really kinda started to fall in love with the community a little bit more than I had previously. And then the dreaded moment happened when I broke my foot.
And that really set in trajectory the next six six years now being in what I'm doing today where I broke my foot. I was up on the couch. It was kind of a miserable experience. I I lived on a Second Floor apartment. So I remember, you know, I was very dramatic at the time.
You know, I had to, like, crawl up the steps because it wasn't ADA compliant or accessible. And I just remember crawling up the steps every day for a good couple months. And during that time, I literally felt low because I was low to the ground. But, you know, mentally, was kind of in a low point too. And I was like, need to figure out, like, how to build something.
And so I looked at the industries in Hampton Roads. And, you know, I I got a four year degree after dropping out a couple times, but I won the brightest bulb in the box. And I was like, look. There's three main industries in Hampton Roads. There's military, there's medical, and there's sales.
I'm not strong enough to be in the military. I tried that. I wasn't smart enough to do medical. So I said, I guess I'm I guess I'm dumb enough to do sales. No offense, salespeople.
It's not a dumb job. But I said, maybe I'm crazy enough to do sales. So then I got my real estate license 02/29/2020. And for those of you who recall, devastating thing called COVID happened and, you know, that's really set into motion, you know, my business growing a business in really this kind of, you know, archaic time where, you know, face to face was frowned upon and, you know, really began to figure out how to grow my marketing, and grow my business in more of a digital approach than a, in person approach because I couldn't I couldn't physically do anything. You know?
I'm sure that that was that that served you okay as a younger person being native to technology where some of the more seasoned, if you will, real estate agents may have struggled. So is that did you dive in?
I I would say it was it was an opportunity for me to really navigate through the my the digital nomad space, if you will. So, yes, I recorded my first video and, obviously, you know, real real estate had a great year, you know, financially speaking, despite the devastation that the the pandemic caused worldwide. The markets did did okay on the real estate front. They did quite well. So I had a really good really good time, really good, business, trajectory those next couple years, for real estate and just being able to be digital and and connect with people online, kinda like when I used to be an Uber driver, driving around people, connecting with their story, who they were, really began to wanna explore that more, on Facebook and and social media platforms like that.
So yeah.

(03:31):
It's super, Zach. I think it's interesting. Like, the we've had three three folks in the real estate that I can count that I remember. All hustlers. Yeah.
Jake, Chase Canova.
Greg Garrett.
Oh, we had Greg Garrett. But it just seems like if you real I mean, with everything in business, you lean into it, you put everything you have into it, and you're gonna you're gonna move some properties and and do well that you can't so many people just yeah. It's
That aside, I gotta know how you broke your foot, though. Okay.
So And I'm assuming that it was the right foot because you couldn't operate the brake pedal or the accelerator.
Yeah. So that was an interesting story. So, my wife and I at the time lived across the street from my nephews. We're spending more time with them. They had some family changes and transitions, so we wanted to be near them.
So always hanging out with the nephews. I was super uncle. You know, I could carry the kids and fly them around. And I and I like to show off, you know, because my wife my wife enjoyed it because I was good with the kids and, you know, I got treated better at home. No.
I'm just kidding. It was always great. But definitely earned me some brownie points. And so one day, it was actually it was actually around Christmas time. I was carrying both of my nephews in the dark at their condo, and I had stepped off the curb.
And for those of you who are squeamish, I'll just blur out this part, but my foot turned a direction it should not have turned further than it should have ever moved before. I then proceeded to go to the Christmas party because it's Christmas, and I I didn't wanna miss out on the free food and desserts. So I went to this Christmas party. My knee was all bloody. It was scuffed up.
I tore my pants, but I I hadn't eaten dinner yet. So that that was my priority that night. I needed to eat first. And then after trying to walk on it, you know, and my foot, you know, swelling up, I decided my wife my wife decided, it was probably good for me to go to the doctor. So we did, and that's when I found out I broke my foot.
But the story doesn't end there because then I go and I do everything I'm supposed to, start exercising, aligning my foot, making sure I'm doing the proper physical therapy modifications, and all the good science stuff that goes behind healing a ligament, healing a bone that is broken. Well, six months later, I'm all good to go. I'm cleared. I'm I'm now working as a real estate agent. I'm driving around, and I am playing with my nephews again.
And one of them, I pick them up and then I broke the ligament. I tore the ligament of the foot that I had injured prior. And then I began the process all over again for the next six months of healing that ligament, having surgery, having to be in a boot. And then, probably the greatest the greatest part of my love story with my wife, happened during this season where I could not drive. It was COVID, and I literally had you ask her after she got home from work to drive me around and help show houses to people looking to buy.
So I would not be here where I am today without my wife, because she, her name's Anna. She she drove me around to all my home showings. And all my early clients remember me specifically showing up on my crutches, you know, and my wife would wait in the car patiently and we would do our business and, you know, see the house and then, have to, go back and, you know, continue to, you know, navigate that for the next six months. So
When it was a two
what's that, Zach?
When it was a two story house, did you crawl up there and complain about it like you were in your apartment, or how did that work?
I didn't complain. I I just kinda grit my teeth, and I was like, no. We need to see it. We need to see it. You know?
And I had crawl up the stairs. I mean, little bit more peaceful.
Yeah. So it was That had to lead to some sympathy sales, I would think.
More sympathy from she got more sympathy than I did, which was the most surprising part to

(03:52):
their No. It wasn't. I gotta drive this clown around the whole time. Uh-uh. I'm on side, Anna.
Guys. Guys, I just had I just did six I just did six months of PT, and now I just broke it again. I gotta do mother six months.
We all know PT is we all know PT is BS. Come on, brother.
Well, yeah. Yeah.
Yeah. You say her your wife's name is Anna, what'd you
say? Anna. Yeah. Yeah.
Good.
But I don't know why she got more sympathy than I did because my I'm the one who had the broken foot. And and and I will say Legend. To a shout out to Hampton, Newport News. We got a one of the best restaurants to check out. It's called Poke Bowl.
And they take this bowl. This this
A is mature little premature on this.
Oh, hold on now. Hold on now. Let they take this this 10 ounce bowl, and they pack it in with as much food as they can physically, like, the the container could barely handle. Right? And I don't know if they still do this now, but those were some of the best the best poke bowls I had ever had.
And it's called poke bowl over in the Hampton Newport News area.
So I got to treat her got to treat her to someone what we were told in our houses. There's someone on Sesame Street called the Pokemonster.
Okay.
No. Bad joke. What's Sesame Street? No. I'm just, you know, just Tim Gottlieb.
Is that what you is that what you watched when they had TV when when you were growing up? Sesame Street?
I don't I don't remember.
Probably not. I didn't mean to rush at your at your age. I I was more like the late nineties, early two thousand. So
Got it. Well, we know your, you know, comedy career isn't gonna work. So
No. It's not. It's not. Yeah. So I sell houses.
So it's my day job. Yeah.

(04:13):
Where do you focus? What areas of, the Hampton Roads area do you focus on?
Oh my gosh. I I I like to say I like to focus more on the on the type of buyer I'm working with. So, I mean, you know, if you're if you're in the market to buy a home, you know, there's there's many different levers and dials to check out. So, like, right now, the VHDA is offering grants to certain cities in and around Hampton Roads. So if you're looking at, you know, Suffolk or Chesapeake or Portsmouth, you know, the city will give, like, up to $25,000 grants to move to those cities.
Yes. You have to live there for ten years. Right? But it's a it's a it's a grant that you don't have to, you know, pay back. Also, that includes Isle Of Wight, Williamsburg, Franklin area, which is Is
that for, like, first time homebuyers or something? Or who who qualifies for that?
That's for that's for first time homebuyers. And if you bought a home before, but you haven't owned within three years, you're also a first time homebuyer again. It renews your eligibility.
Well, how much money was that?
Up to $25,000 just for the city. And then the VHDA, which is a private organization in Virginia. We did an episode on Discover Virginia. It's coming out later this month if you want the full breakdown, those of you listening. But they also offer grant and support assistance as well in addition to the Citi grants.
Do you
get the check at do you get the check at ten years or you get the check and then have to pay it back? How does that work?
So, as far as the specifics, I would defer more towards the lender on that. The the under the, like, baseline information, but generally, it's gonna help you be able to get to closing on a property. So if you buy a $300,000 house, you get the grant, that twenty five k tour would go towards either the down payment, the closing cost, or, you know, if there's any excess left over, you can also buy down your rate as well. So if you're looking to get this six and a half percent down, you can do that.
Is the seller privy to knowing that you qualify for this? Because I'm like, if I was a seller, I would like, hey, man. We don't have to negotiate. This this this person is about to get 25 k. You know, we don't have to be nice.
So so that's another that's another great question to you, Tim, because I I do work with sellers as well. So one of the things we're looking at right now is the market shifting from a seller's market more towards a balanced market. Homes are sitting on the market longer. Buyers are kind of fed up with, you know, hey, I'm I'm not gonna pay full price. So I think for sellers, this is a really unique advantage to be mindful of.
And and, you know, you can you can play dirty down and dirty with it if you wanted to say, hey. You know, you're gonna you're gonna get this grant. But I think, ultimately, what it does is it allows there to be leverage and and buying power on the buyer's side. So that way they can qualify a purchase, which ultimately helps the seller out because now they can get not only first time home buyers, but also our our wonderful veterans who are interested in moving to this area permanently after deployment or or during their station here, that opportunity as well. So I think it it it creates a very healthy marketplace overall.
That's a good deal. I wish I would, yeah, I wish I woulda had that opportunity when I was first stationed here back in the day.
I don't know if there's a thing here, but I know that in Northern Virginia, they have, like, this reduced rate, like, super reduced rate for homes, for first responders and teachers who don't make a lot of money, but they live in an area that's like so I'll give you I'll give you, like, a general example. These are Zach stats. But, like, you go up there,
you're It's just there. Zach stats. Sorry. I felt like there needed to be some kind of transition there. Do you have a sound on StreamYard where you could do, like,
I know. Business. It's fine. It's fine. It's fine.
Look.
Here we go.
I'll I'll find it. What the
hell? Hey.

(04:34):
Go ahead, Jack.
This show is all alright. Yeah. Let's shot get another beer, mom. Like I was gonna say, hold on.
Let me go get one.
Like, oh my god. How far do you live? I'll just drop you one off. Okay. Okay.
So, like, let's say they make $50 a year in Northern Virginia. Clearly, that's not enough money to live there. They live
in
an area like Loudoun County where the average house, my guess, is $607,100,000 dollars. Yeah. So they have these homes. Maybe they're townhomes. I'm not exactly sure.
But they can get them for, like, 150 to $200,000 if you have this, you know, lined career and you stay in it for a certain amount of period of time. And then sometimes, I guess, there is a delta of their of there's too much not enough demand, too much supply. So then I think you can apply to go live in one of those houses. And as long as you stay there for the ten years or whatever, you can stay in it, at that reduced rate, which is obnoxious. Can you imagine get buying at it?
But then when you sell it after that ten years, you sell it for what it's actually worth. So you're basically buying in that cost, which is wow. Do they have that stuff here? Have you ever heard of that stuff?
So I I do know that there are a lot of wonderful groups and organizations out there in the mortgage and lending space that offer financial incentives to buyers and sellers. Like, for example, the grants aren't extended to Norfolk and Virginia Beach, and that's something I hear a lot of from the buyer side of, I wanna live to Norfolk or Virginia Beach. One of the other ones I think is really cool is Wells Fargo does a couple different programs depending on if you bank with them or not. They have programs tied into their long term, financial planning sector that can offer, cash incentive upfront during the whole buying process. It's been a while since I've looked at those numbers, but anywhere between, you know, 5 to $10 range is where you're looking at.
So every little bit helps, but I think the main thing is just, you know, starting with doing your research to know that there's not a a singular way to buy a house just like there's a not like a prerequisite for, you know, a 20% down payment. You can you can go as low as three and a half percent for a traditional loan or first time home buyer. And then for our veterans, our VA buyers, no money down is is another option for them as well. That I think is just important general knowledge to know. That way when you are assessing your options, you know, where to get the most bang for your buck, you know, when it comes to buying.
Not in Norfolk or Virginia Beach because of the military, and they already basically get is that is that the reasoning behind that? Or
The the reasoning I haven't spoken with anybody directly from from either one of those cities.
So this is a Joe stat a Joe joke?
No. Not a Joe joke. No. Not like a Zach segment. Zach Zach attacks No.
Do it. You gotta do it, Tim. Let's get it. Come on.
Okay. Okay. So, no. It's weird. Virginia Beach.
I I I'm not sure I haven't talked to anybody directly there. But from what I understand from my lending partners, they just don't have as much, you know, necessarily incentives to to incentivize people to move there because there's already traditional demand for the market. Yeah.
Roger that. Yeah. Where do live? Norfolk?
I live in Norfolk right now. I double I double dip. I mean, this area is great. I mean so I live in Norfolk on the border of Chesapeake and Virginia Beach. So, we actually did a video recently where I went viral, talking about the Virginia beaches, which is fun.
Not because it's viral, but because I said yeti. Apparently, you're supposed to say jetty or something. I don't know. But Yeah. Ultimately, like, I'm I'm a transplant and that's what the comment section, you know, roasted me on.

(04:55):
But I I don't care. I mean, exposing Virginia Beach for all the cool stuff as well as Norfolk and Chesapeake and all the amazing stuff on the peninsula is we like to do on the Discover Virginia show. It's something I like to do with buyers when they're, like, looking to figure out, like, when I close, like, I I just want something more than pizza, you know. Like, where's that where's that good ramen restaurant or that good, you know, Mexican restaurant to go to? So all those things I like to double and triple dip on of just, you know, experiencing what Virginia Beach and the surrounding areas have to offer.
Yeah. Let's dive into that. What talk about a little bit about Discover Virginia. What was the, how did you make the decision that you wanted to start your own podcast?
Yeah. So it it it boiled down to two things. You know? Podcasting is kind of the mainstream trend right now. I I I myself am not looking to aspire to be any any sort of, Joe Rogan or late night host show.
As as Zach alluded to, my jokes are not quite there yet. Although I will say I have some pretty spicy puns from, you know, time to time, you know, but other than that, you know, sticks to stick to my day job here. But Discover Virginia started, you know, two reasons. One, I needed to create a a large amount of content to, have to delegate and and and distribute because I I'm working full time showing houses, writing offers, prospecting for business. So it's not optimal to be full time content creator mode, because you I do have to still do transactions.
So that was a way to kind of get content made ahead of time. And then secondly, my my daughter at the time, we're expecting our first biological daughter, who who is now with us two years later, Blake. And that was one of the things I wanted to be present for, during those initial, you know, first two years was to be as present as I could, while still managing and operating a business. So the podcast was a great way to connect with people to create a a backlog of content to then distribute, and then also be able to have time to operate the business and attend to my family needs. So yeah.
I had a fun time doing it.
It was a good time. It and so it used to be it used to be, interviews like this on Zoom. So we did 75 of those. That was incredible. Everyone from, Sean Coyman with Ducks Unlimited to Apex Entertainment to, Stormy Blue.
She was like, what those were, like, all within the first 10 guests.
Is that the food is that the food, IG lady? Stormy Blue? Stormy Blue. Stormy Blue and
her storm chaser. Shout out to, her branding there. She does she does a phenomenal job. She's a she's a a a retired veteran. She does a lot in the business and and restaurant community, bringing awareness to restaurants.
Kind of like a like a localized Keith Lee, if anybody knows Keith Lee from TikTok. She does that way more, for our local community here. But, yeah, those those were the guests. And then after 75 interviews, we're like, hey, let's let's do this in person. Let's kinda make it more of a of a show of an experience of sorts.
And so that's how Discover Virginia evolved to what it is now where, we have a podcast studio. We have a full time videographer. Shout out to Michael Salas with Virginia Video, and also a full time editor as well. So we can really, you know, create and streamline, a lot of great content, more quickly, than we were before and also get guests to, you know, to get content to share in their profiles as well. I think that's that's the most rewarding part and and the most engaging part for me is to be able to provide a digital resource to someone else, especially with local businesses who may not have a budget necessarily right away or they, you know, are just trying to figure out social media and they don't have a a lump sum to pay for a marketing person upfront.
I think it's a great introduction to just start on videos because we live in a in a vertical world, and, you know, you have to be online. And if you're not online, you know, you you have to be really, really good at what I call old school marketing, which is, you know, knocking on doors, having really strategically placed, billboards and all the old school marketing that comes with data. So
What does that mean in the vertical world?
A vertical world to me means being able to not only tell people what you do, but also show them what you do. And and, you know, vertical is is the type of format video has. So when you're scrolling on your phone, everything is is positioned vertically, except for YouTube, but YouTube now has vertical videos. So it's it's physically it's physically a vertical view or lens of what you're doing. And you can also show people what it is, you're created or doing or or aspiring to to reach.
I know for one of one of the stories we had was, Remy Belsky. She was, when we went to Richmond, we got to film at the, amazing Cork Hotel. They allowed us to film on their hotel site. We had Rainey come on who is a death doula. So she's certified in helping people transition out of life when they pass away.
And one of the things she aspired to do was be able to share, you know, what she does to support people as they navigate their last few days, in hospice care versus, you know, what traditionally happens, you know, where there might be some regret or some turmoil. She helps them unpack and do that. And, you know, what what what better way to share that and then to share the stories of the people she's helped. So that's what living in a vertical world, means to me.
I I would think that, from a vertical perspective and being a photographer well, you're not really a photographer. You're a host. You would center yourself a little bit better so that in post, you aren't cockeyed like this the whole time. You don't get what I'm saying. Got it.
Yeah. So, I mean, the great the great thing about the great thing about video is, are you just are you just busting are you just busting the bricks behind me, man, or are you serious? Court, you always wanna record you always wanna record horizontally, but you could edit the video to go
I know. And I'm saying you could center up a little bit better.
Well, right here? Right. Am am I centered up a little bit more?

(05:16):
You were, and then you slide left. Slide right. Like, what is this? The cha cha slide? Like, come on.
I'm in a chair with wheels, so that that's that's part of it too. Also, I'm just matching your energy. I mean, you're standing up. I was I didn't know whether to stand or to sit. So I'm just kinda doing the
I just recently, I don't know, three, four months ago, started standing for these.
Okay. Do feel a difference, What?
Do you feel a difference? Do you feel more creative?
Hold on. Let me try this here. We're gonna we're gonna stand for these. Hold on.
Let's see.
I'm joining I'm joining the stand crew. Let's see how
Do I feel more creative?
No. Know. Like, if I if, like, if I am stuck and I need to, like, really think about something
I could move, though.
You know, if I go for a walk, then that will spark some or if I stand up, that will spark some creativity. I I just to have a standing desk.
No. I don't like it. I don't like it. I don't know. I guess it just depends on the conversation.
He just say he doesn't like the conversation. Great.
Do you think I could have shotgunned a little faster if you were standing, though?
Yeah. I don't think I can shotgun fast at all. But I'm gonna try again.
That is that is a factual statement.
I'm gonna try to shotgun again. I'm gonna go on, what's that new podcast? Jeff Britton's, cockpit conversation. I'm gonna go on there and shotgun the one in the airplane. We'll see if I
can Hey, Siri. What's the slowest shotgun of a let's find out. Hey, Siri.
What's the slow 273 of the frozen four show.
A beer ever. I don't like whatever. It it it went on its own. That robot does not. Siri might be the dumbest robot.

(05:37):
Siri's Siri's tough. Siri's tough to work Yeah.
Yeah. Setting a timer is about that that that maxes maxes capabilities out.
I don't know that. Even that sometimes. Okay. So do
you measure, like, a podcast, how much that then transitions into clients and sales, or do you just do it for the love of allowing people to discover Virginia?
Yeah. Great question. I think I think both could be true. So, originally, it started off with wanting to connect with people in noncompeting industries, because I wanted to build my referral network. I started the show two years ago this month.
And during the two years prior, it was mostly COVID, mostly social distancing, and and, you know, networking and and face to face was kind of frowned upon. So people didn't really know who I was. So it was a unique opportunity to introduce myself, more than just say, hey. Let's go out for coffee and let me tell you about my business. You tell me about yours, and we'll figure something out.
But it was a way to share their story. But, yes, absolutely, at the end of the day, I think metrics and numbers are important. I'm a business owner, so that's that's something that I do track. So that is something we look at for every time we make a piece of video, what's the views? Views are vanity metrics, but they're a leading indicator.
So looking at those leading indicators to see what type of conversations people want to have, what type of conversations people do not want to have, or, you know, everything in between. And then, you know, also and I think this is the important part about the community building aspect. Regardless of retention, there still needs to be a time in the conversation for me to connect with the guest regardless of whether or not it's gonna go viral or not because that's how we connect as humans, and I think that's how we connect as business owners overall is, like, I still care. You know? I still care.
I still want to work with them or figure out a way to work with them, but we might do something, like, a little bit more scripted in the in the interviews now. We might incorporate some props or some shotguns, some drinks, or, you know, just to kinda shake up the shake up the setting a little bit to help, you know, still entertain and educate and also share Virginia, but also still make it more meaningful for the guest.
I'm curious. Do you what is looking at your audience, do you know what the in terms of people watching within Virginia and then outside of Virginia?
Yeah. So I I I I do this. The s c my SEO approach is search everywhere optimization. Thank you, Gary Vee. I'm stealing that.
But, yeah, we distribute throughout all different types of platforms. So right now, over the past hundred eighty days, we've been testing 10 distribution sites, for social media. 8080% of those are going to be stateside. And of those 80%, we're going to see a majority of them, about 60 to 75% in the Virginia area. Those outside of Virginia, some of them come from Canada, some of them come from, Germany.
My dad's stationed in Germany. My parents listen to the show. So I think that's where the metrics get skewed a little bit. But, yeah, it's I I have an opportunity to reach a global audience as much as I as I do a local audience as well. And so that's where I'm kinda seeing where people are watching from.
And then depending on the platform, we have different goals for each measurable for, you know for example, Facebook, we wanna funnel people into a Facebook group versus Instagram. We're all about that high view, high engagement ratio of just making something memorable. So it just depends on the platform.
What what are the 10?
The 10 are, and I'll do this in order of priority, for my business, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, and TikTok. The ones I've tested for are x, Reddit, Threads, and Blue Sky. And then we use a platform called Buzzsprout, which is audio only and that distributes to 10 other audio sources as well. So 20 in total, but the metrics are really small for the audio platform because, you know, most people, for my audience, are are watching a video or they're just, engaging through the clips versus the sit down long form, you know, approach.
From ChatGPT, we have a Yeah. Slowest shotgun of a beer ever recorded is not officially tracked. People occasionally post painfully slow shotguns, sometimes taking over thirty seconds to a minute or more. Okay. So you might not be the slowest ever, but you're pretty damn close.
I think that was pretty darn close to the slowest shotgun ever. Maybe I'll go down as the guest with the slowest shotgun ever. I don't know. But I I think it I think as long as I get to shout out Christina Kimbrough with Freelife LLC, I think I think mission accomplished there. So
Yeah. Was your second one, so I think she'd be
very excited
about that.

(05:58):
It sounds like you have a lot of experience. Do you know how to spell that word? Experience? Yeah.
Oh, shoot. Yeah. So the thing about certain words, you know, it's like it's like, you know, if you know how to you know how to explain it, you know, you can say it, but you don't necessarily need to spell it. I get in trouble sometimes because I'm really bad texter. Right?
Really, really bad texter. For example, I was texting my broker at the time, and, I was trying to text him kinda quick. You know, I was in between appointments. And my phone auto corrects, right, because my phone wants to help me. And it started to associate his name, which starts with a b, to Babe.
So for a whole week, because I don't, like, really read my text. I'm just, like, texting. I had called in Babe all week. Thanks, babe. Appreciate the contact, babe.
Hey. Can you jump on a quick call, babe? And my phone literally changed this person's name to babe in my phone because I was so bad at texting. So finally, at the end of the week, I had, like, a meeting, and I was like, what is this about? And he's like, it's kind of appropriate.
You keep calling me Babe. And I was like, totally floored, that that had happened. So, yeah, just watch what you text people. You never know if it could be autocorrecting to something else.
Yeah. It's definitely true, babe. But that does not help us with you. So sometimes Tim's like little, like oh, it's like, listen, babe. I'm just gonna need you to spell experience right now.
If I had to spell experience right now, I would probably need to take a moment to look at my phone real quick and just see. But I'll I'll
I will. Let me let me try to spell it, Tim.
Do you Try you try to spell experience.
E x p e r I e n c e, experience. Use it in a sentence. I like to experience
Great food.
Great food. In the Hampton Roads area, babe.
You know you know what would be a funny idea, babe? Impractical Jokers did this. They they had a an attack dog on standby during a spelling bee with the jokers. And they had them fully suited up. So when they get the dog bit them, you know, they would be protected.
But if they spelled the word wrong, they would stick a rottweiler don't even ask me
to spell that one. They would
stick a rottweiler on them to bite them until they could spell the word correctly. Now maybe we should take the people applying for this, like, Startup World Cup and do the same thing for them. Like, they have to give their pitch.
Truth be told, last year, they we they were we're they were supposed to get the cat meow from kill Tony, but we couldn't we it didn't work. The DJ could there was some it just didn't work out, but we really that was the plan.
I think we should I think we should bring out the cat meow. Yeah. That's that's incredible.
That was the plan. But, yeah, do a little shock collar or something, man. Yeah.
Some something to keep them engaged. I mean, you know, in Shark Tank, they have to stay people arguing. You know? Because those things are like it's a three hour presentation, and they can No. It's not.

(06:19):
Edit it down to, like, four minutes. You know?
And it's not Yes.
It is. I've I've been on Shark Tank. I know I know how it goes. I I I watched the videos. You know?
Okay. Yeah. Yeah. Was that was that a great experience, babe?
Being on Shark Tank? No. It's it's it's mid. It's all staged. It's all staged.
Mid. Jesus. Yeah. Anything you wanna talk about that we haven't talked about?
Thanks for having me on the show. I I'd love to talk about start up world cup. I mean, that's that's the thing I'm most excited about this month aside from my daughter's birthday. You know, that's those are those were kinda competing for the two. But now that that's done now that that birthday party's done, like
yeah. What was the birthday? Do you do anything special? I mean, a a a two year birthday, man. There's a lot that goes into that.
Yeah. I did nothing. My wife planned everything.
She's the party player.
I just kinda get the tape or the hammer, you know, and and either tape a kid to a wall or, you know What was the theme? The theme was, I think, pink or tropical.
Yeah.
You know, one of those singular kid. We had pineapple cake, you know, that was tropical.
The the thing that I'm hearing the most is the reason your wife gets more shout outs than you is because she is the MVP, like Tim said. So yeah. She she's literally the MVP. She drove you around when you were, you know, crippled. You know?
All the sympathy there. Shout out. She deserved it. You know? Alright, babe.
So let's say that
you more than she did. But yeah. Yeah.
It is weird saying that, by the way. So the fact that you were texting your business partner associate for a week that, like, I don't know how you did it for so long, babe. It didn't catch it, but I guess you did.
Yeah. Good luck, babe. You know? Chappelle Charron style. Good luck, babe.
So, like, when you were like, how did are you guys still working together?
No. No. We I I've since joined a new company. I'm with EXP real estate brokerage team now, so that's that's where I'm plenty Check

(06:40):
your autocorrect kids or else you're gonna get fired. Watch out.
Shout out to eXp.
That's actually the reason why I got fired. Yeah. EXp was the only one that would take me. They're like, no. Yeah.
You you you don't have to spell. We'll take care of that for you. So
Yep. Clearly. Can't be funny either. Got it. No.
So rather than a Poke bowl, what is the food of the region?
The food of the region. If I had to pick the food of the region, I think, like, the the answer is gonna depend on people's culinary cuisine. But, you know, a local a local favorite is seafood. Right? So chicks oyster bar is a big one.
Waterman's over down at the Virginia Beach Oceanfront. If you're into, like, a Japanese cuisine, there's tons of great sushi places. Although you gotta watch out for sushi places now because, like, they do the all you can eat, and I put them in air quotes because they're starting to pat them with more rice. And, you know, after a 75 pieces of sushi, you know, that's the most I can eat because I just get sick after that. But, you know, I I I can only get, like, half of that now.
That's the key, man. Like, I like I like to go to, like, a Texas day Brazil or a photo of Fogo de Chao. And I tell everyone, man, skip the bread. Skip the salad bar. That's all filler stuff that's gonna fill your you gotta stick to the bacon wrapped fillet.
You gotta you gotta stick to the good stuff.
Absolutely. Yeah. Just stuff the bread in your wife's purse or in your bag or your pockets. You can take it home and eat it on the way home or, you know, the next morning with breakfast. Yeah.
That's the best thing about the bread. They just keep bringing it. You just, you know, do what you gotta do.
Doesn't eat salad anyway.
Tim doesn't eat salad anyway. Oh oh, there there's also a really good brunch spots in and around the Hampton Roads area. So if you're in in for a good date night or not date night. Brunch, like morning
date. Day date. We don't
like day date. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. The day dates.
Yeah. You see what you really look like.
We learned we learned about that with Ryan Reynolds and Just Friends.
Where is where where is the brunch spot?
There's, like, three really good ones. Tupelo Honey is one in town center area. Then there's the Bee and the Biscuit, which is still in town center. And then I'm gonna shout out Norfolk. They have some really, really good spots.
Anywhere you go kind of in that Grandy Street area, you're gonna find a lot of cool stuff. Trying to I don't think I have any what's the one I've gone I haven't gone to any recently. My kids wake up at, 05:30, 06:00 now, so we just do the breakfast at home because it's

(07:01):
Yeah. Way easier. And Los Mimosas at these, buffet
Yeah. Places? Yeah. They they got great brunches brunch drinks. And then also the, Bay Local.
Bay Local is probably the most local place to go. That's why they named it Bay Local, obviously. But that has some of the best drink spots they do. They could do, like, the one from the Big Lebowski. I think that's the Russian drink, and they have good mimosas as well if you're into the kind of that kind of thing.
So what's your favorite beach in Norfolk?
What's my favorite what in Norfolk?
Beach in Norfolk. Favorite
beach in Norfolk right now is, probably East Beach. You go over to Bay Lake Oak Park on a Saturday. They have the farmer's market there, and then you can park for free. That's f r e e, free. Right?
And then you can just walk over across the street. It's a little dicey, but, you know, if you run, you can you can make it. And you could be right on the beach on
Is this where you got in trouble promoting it last time, the same beach?
No. No. I so I've gotten in trouble for promoting some beaches. So I I I joined a one of the first groups I got kicked out of was Sandbridge Living. And I thought I was just like, hey.
What's your favorite part of Sandbridge? History. Like, I love history. And so and I would get, like, locals to, like, tell me the history of Sandbridge or, like, these cool spots, where people could go. And I started sharing those, and the admin was like, hey.
You can't share that. And then, like, very quickly, you know, I kept doing it, and then they kicked me out because they found out I was sharing in another groups. So yeah. But, mean, Sandbridge is probably the most most local beach of all the beaches. I mean, they didn't even become, like, an official part of Virginia, like, the the state owned beach until, like, the nineties.
Like, they were they were stubborn stubbornly, like, just in their ways because like, like, the history of Sanbridge is interesting. It's like the eighties and nineties, they were, like, racing, bungee cars and jeeps down the beach. I mean, that's that's where you could still drive on the beach, and that's was that's why they love the locals loved it. They did a lot of other stuff that I won't mention here, but it was, more PG 13 up, in the Sandbridge area. But, you know, the swamp has since dissipated all of that.
But, anyways, the biggest thing was the sewage. They couldn't figure out the sewage because it was it was owned by the locals. But because of the erosion and everything with the sand, they eventually
really have a a septic tank in your backyard there.
No. No. The city had to give the the locals had to give the land back to the state so they could manage it and take care of the
Interesting.
Yeah. Nothing like a Facebook group getting kicked out of that. Way to go.
Yeah. Well, fortunately, there's some good Facebook groups out there. Virginia Beach is is one of them. Discover Virginia Beach is another, that I manage. I ended up just managing them.
It was a lot easier than having to fight.
So you gotta join these groups. If you wanted all the, the local intel where all the

(07:22):
wasn't cool. Stuff. I was really hoping he was gonna get I thought I was grabbing another drink out of a cooler, but, nope, I guess not.
No. No. I'll I'll grab one I'll grab one for the finale. But, yeah, That's, those are the groups. And, you know, main main thing is just to follow me on on on Facebook and Instagram.
It's just, Joseph Trahan or I am Joseph Trahan. We I post a lot of local stuff. Like, recently, there's this new Airbnb that is a, it's a it's a boat, a boathouse. And this company does, like, luxury boathouses, and they just parked it over on the Chesapeake Bay. We're hoping to do a podcast shoot out there.
But that just dropped, which is phenomenal because, you know, if you want the beach but don't want the sand, which a lot of my friends, you know, don't like the beach for, that's a that's a good place to go. I think I I just posted it recently. I don't remember the name. But, yeah, it's it's a it's a new boathouse that you can rent. Stay the night.
I like the beach, but not the sand. Okay. You have some interesting friends. It's kinda just part of the, situation, babe. You just gotta deal with it.
So
Yeah. Yeah. Some people, you know, they they have their preferences. You know? There I mean, there's there's beaches there's beaches out in Suffolk too.
Now those I'm not allowed to just go disclose. I had to sign NDAs for those. But, yeah, there's private beaches in certain communities. But if you're looking to buy a house in Sam, in Suffolk, I can tell you about it. But yeah.
Okay. Love it.
Joe, appreciate your time. It's been lovely. You were great.
Well, thank you for your time. Thanks for having me on. So Yeah. When when when, when are we gonna do this whole, Startup World Cup thing? That's coming up twenty first?
August 21, two weeks from today.
Two weeks from today. Can you can you give me a heads up now about the cool stuff going on, or do I have to wait to go to show up and see it?
We're not telling you anything.
We haven't told anyone anything.
Yeah. That's what I thought.
Probably because we're telling Ellen stuff. At least
ask I mean, I know before the call, you know, you guys had to, like, mute and, like, talk about the other stuff going on. I heard, like,
something Super super super secret government clearance things are going on that you'll find out in Yeah. Approximately fourteen days.
Thing to know is
seven hours. Something about,

(07:43):
like It's not a traditional business pitch thing.
Virginia Beach sports team, something like that. I don't know. You know?
It's not a it's not a traditional business event. We'll leave it at that. Yeah. Okay. As Zach and I say, it is if you take a pitch competition, which this is, add the element of the Savannah bananas to it.
That's what we're doing.
Saying there's a chance the Savannah bananas could be there.
We're exploring all dis all
We can't disclose these kinds of things, babe. Like, come on.
Something. I'm like I'm like
They're we're we're the the goal is maximum
biggest fan.
Maximum dopamine hits for everybody.
Well, I'm excited. And and and and if anybody if it's anything like last year throwing knives on the stage, then that's my chef's kiss. That's I'm gonna be there for it.
Not plural. Singular knife. And this is actually a fish scaler. Well, this has been lovely. Appreciate for talking.
The longest. Yeah. Well, it's still going. You know?
Yep. What else do we what else do we wanna talk about?
Two, one,
bye.
Hey, everybody. I'm Tim Ryan, executive director of Innovate Hampton Roads, and I'm inviting you to attend the Startup World Cup on August 21, 05:00, here at Town Center in Virginia Beach.
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