Rebuilding a Legacy: Rich Malachy on Brand, Hustle, and Leading the Trades

Rich Malachy doesn’t just run a family business — he’s redefining what that business means. From navigating generational change to scaling a bold online presence in a traditional industry, Rich gets real about ownership, visibility, and leading from the front.

This episode is all about mindset: adapting, building brand equity, and never waiting for permission.

 

Episode Transcript

(00:00):
I would say do not be naive to what is
coming and what is already here. I wrote
this down already.
It's going to be incorporated into your
business into your life. Do not fight
it. This is going to be a hell of a
discussion especially, you know, around
the blue collar skilled trade industry.

(00:21):
I think the most exciting part about
what we do is that AI can't do what our
technicians can do, right? But it can do
a whole hell of a lot else. I think AI
is going to come in and quickly save a
lot of time and we sell time.
Rich, how long have we be been connected
now?

(00:42):
Um,
jeez. I mean, it feels it feels like a a
long time, but probably not that long. I
mean, I don't even know if it's 10 years
yet. Maybe
maybe close. Maybe 2017,
something like that, right? So, probably
probably rounding the corner on uh on 10
years, man. It's uh it's been a hell of
a journey. You know, it's been uh it's

(01:03):
been fun. You know, I I I think, you
know, from my observation, we've kind of
done this divide and conquer thing
around the industry, right? I I uh I
started Blue is the New White at the
same time you kind of started Fed Nation
and you know kind of hit things from
from all angles, building these
communities and talking about the things
that matter and you know really just

(01:25):
trying to to make uh a dent in our own
way. And obviously our our paths are
super crossed and intertwined and our
passions are aligned for the industry,
the people in the industry, you know,
and uh and then obviously there's
similarities in our businesses and and
and even how we came into the business,
you know. So uh uh it's it's a pleasure

(01:46):
to have you here today, you know, and
and talk to you. you've been on the show
now a couple of times and it's been a
while and I know that in the in that
while right that we're talking about a
lot has happened for you. uh you've seen
a lot of growth in your business.
Transformation maybe is a better word,
you know, for for you and and your
business and everything that you're uh

(02:07):
that you're going through, you know, and
and I love going through uh you know,
this this journey and and being able to
see you from afar and obviously we meet
up when we can and and and stuff like
that. Um but it's been fun, man. And and
I think that in in the last couple of
years, there's been through this
transformation many many lessons that

(02:28):
now we can kind of pass on through a
conversation like this, which is why I
asked you to come on the show. So,
welcome, man. Welcome back. Well,
listen, thank you for having me. I'm
always grateful to be here and uh Jump
on Blue is the new white and I'm excited
to chop it up.
Let's do it, dude. So before we get any
further, like by the end of the

(02:50):
conversation, what is it that you want
the listeners to to take away?
So if if I wanted the listeners to take
anything away,
I would say do not be naive to what is
coming and what is already here. I wrote
this down already.

(03:10):
All right?
It's going to be incorporated into your
business, into your life. Do not fight
it. Embrace it. It is going to take
things to a whole other level. Don't be
naive to AI. Embrace it and and and go
with the flow.
All right, man. That's going to set the

(03:31):
stage for a conversation that we could
take for three or four hours. I'm sure I
won't do that to you, but uh but you
know what? Honestly, I'm so glad that
you brought that up. This is going to be
a hell of a discussion especially you
know around the the blueco collar
skilled trade industry even more
specifically you know maybe our little
corner of the industry which is food
equipment service right and um AI is

(03:54):
going to have a huge impact a huge
impact however right I think the most
exciting part about what we do is that
AI can't do what our technicians can do
right but it can do a whole hell of a
lot else so let's talk about it for a
minute, man. What do you mean when you
say don't be naive?

(04:14):
Yeah. I uh So, I mean, listen, we we all
want to um increase our profit margins,
right? We we want to, you know, build a
great culture and and you know, be
futuristic in in doing that. You know, a
lot of people today, I think most, they
want to work for a company that is
forward thinking, um is purpose- driven.
And you know, for for us here uh on the
beautiful East Coast uh in Jersey, New

(04:37):
York City, I you know, we're going to I
think we're going to start seeing things
develop really fast from uh eyewear
glasses um coming in and helping
diagnose things. Um just having schemat
everything just right there at the
forefront right here, right in front of
you. We're going to be able to type
things into GPT before we get there or
the technician will do that on site.
We're going to start even the software
that we're going to be probably

(04:58):
utilizing very soon is going to allow us
to bring things up right in the
technician app saying hey listen I have
an ignition failure on a blog convection
and it's going to give you a possible
solutions OEM part numbers everything
you need how much time do we spend
looking up part numbers how much time on
the back end all these things so I think
I think AI is going to come in and
quickly save a lot of time and we sell

(05:18):
time so you know if if we could if we
could uh you know get some time back get
some billable hours
close close the gap on the windshield
time as we call it. Um I think you're
going to see companies, you know, out
there becoming more profitable and and
the companies that care about their
employees, that's just going to come
back to them um through through the
culture, you know, that of of a people

(05:39):
first type thing. So, it's going to be a
win-win in all in all those aspects.
Which companies do you think are going
to be more profitable?
Which companies do I think will be more
profitable? Yeah. Um as as far as from
like the service company's perspective,
manufacturer
the the the people in our industry, the

(06:00):
companies in our industry, right? Whi
which ones do you think will uh uh will
will profit the most out of this new
technology? Like not naming
specifically, but what type of, you
know, what type of mindset, what type of
culture, what type of, you know, uh
crew, whatever.
Yeah. Um, I mean I I would say obviously

(06:21):
for me we're still we're still a fairly
small business. I mean we're we're we're
approaching the 50 to 52 employee mark
here. So things are changing. Um but I I
think uh smaller businesses that that
are running lean and mean have a really
great opportunity because I again not to
bash anybody. It's just a lot of these
companies that are at a large scale uh

(06:41):
it's it's hard to turn the you know
adjust the sales and turn the ship and
get everything going in in in this
direction. So I think um you know the
the uh the mindset of the business owner
especially you know 50 60 70 80 90 maybe
up to 100 employee firms really need to
double down and pay attention to how
this can you know shape their their

(07:02):
business and and and moving forward. I
mean it's even from training just
getting guys on the road you're going to
look to grow. You're going to be able to
train faster. Um what does that look
like? you know, we're gonna we're gonna
all find out together in the next, you
know, six 12 six to 12 months because
it's going to be that fast if these
things develop. So, um, yeah, I mean,
the the old school mentality of, uh,

(07:23):
there was a quote the other day that
says, you know, we all use Windows 95.
We we we don't use Windows 95 anymore,
but we still shape our opinions about
when when Windows 95 came out. There's a
lot of that old old hat, old school
thinking and it's all got to be thrown
out the window for me. I mean, this is
not my father's company anymore. Um,

(07:44):
this is this is Malaki, you know, 5.0 at
this point. And um, so it it's it's
going to be right for the taken for the
savages, I'd say, that are that are
going to that are going to double and
triple down. No, I I really like that
answer. You know, and and I think
depending on what lens you look through,
you know, there's certain cautions that
exist. I think that there's two two

(08:07):
companies that going to benefit the
most. Like you said, the smaller
companies, right, the ones that are
actually super small that maybe haven't
adopted a lot of technology yet. So the
first technology they do adopt is the
AI, you know, so they're starting from
from a baseline, you know, and then
you've got the larger companies that
have the resources to put towards the
AI, but you know, implementation
rollouts, all that stuff to your point

(08:27):
is a lot slower, right? So when they
when they get their their uh resources
correct and they they do finally adopt,
these bigger companies are only become
going to become more more powerhouses,
right? But those smaller companies,
yeah, I think that there's an
opportunity there for them to really,
you know, ride the wave, if you will,

(08:49):
you know, and adopt this technology. I
think I fear most for the midsize
companies, right? The ones that maybe
have a an older mindset, you know, I
mean, the one that you love so much,
right? This is how we've always done it,
so this is how it must work best, right?
Um, you know, those I think are that's
like the danger zone, right? and and or

(09:09):
maybe the the companies that are
strapped for cash, they don't have a lot
of resources to put towards it. You
know, the the cost around this stuff, I
think, is is a whole another discussion
of what direction that's going to go and
how it's going to consolidate and all
that kind of stuff, I guess. So, so my
next question is, you know, when
thinking about AI, especially in this

(09:31):
business where we know it can't replace
the jobs of the technicians, what
happens to the jobs of the support
staff?
Yeah, I I know there's everyone
everyone's everyone's scared that it's
coming to take everybody's jobs and
everyone's going to be out on the street
with nothing to do. Um I just don't
think I think it's quite the contrary. I
think it's going to I think it's going

(09:51):
to and and listen, this is going to be
for the people that embrace it. Again,
the people that are going to say, "Hey,
listen. I'm I want to be a part of the
change. I want to I want to be a part of
the growth." and you know if if AI can
come in and empower the humans doing it
um and give them big you know bigger
greater capabilities I mean we're
looking at the software we're talking

(10:12):
about now a lot of this smart mapping um
smart dispatch stuff where they're it's
going to take a lot of the guesswork out
and thinking again in our business we're
trying to get guys from point A to point
B as fast as we can as safe as we can so
you know smart dispatch we're going to
be seeing that very soon um and I'm sure
companies are are seeing it now, uh,
where you don't have to think. The call

(10:33):
comes in and it shows you the closest
technician with the closest skills, with
the closest everything that that
dispatcher can now route that guy quick,
get it out. So, there's still going to
be people driving this thing, you know,
and and and I think that's what people
have to understand. Humans are not going
away. We we we are we are quintessential
to to the future. Um, yeah. So, yeah, I

(10:55):
mean, I I don't I don't see I don't see
anything uh bad happening. Um, again,
it's it's going to be for the ones that
that that are not naive and and are
going to say, "Hey, listen. I'm going
full throttle and uh we're going to grow
together."
Yeah. No, I love that answer, you know,
and and and I can tell you you put a lot
of thought into this already. Probably
uh many sleepless nights staring at the

(11:16):
ceiling, if I had to guess, you know,
a similar similar thing myself. So,
someone said to me recently something
that really resonated and I think it
kind of speaks to your point. It's it's
that they said that AI is going to
automate the ordinary and humanize the
extraordinary.
And so the example they gave was uh was

(11:39):
the brand Chewy. You know Chewy? You
know the uh the pet food brand. You got
two giant dogs at home now. You know,
you probably know what that is, right?
So Chewies, you know, that's the company
that uh uh I think they were just bought
by PetSmart not long ago for like a
billion dollars or some crap, you know,
but they sold they sold all the same
products. They they did all the same

(11:59):
things. Prices weren't weren't any
cheaper or more expensive or anything
than uh than PetSmart. It was all the
same all the same [ __ ] Rich. And and
yet they they were able to succeed in
the marketplace. And one of the reasons
why is because they were able to do
this. they were able to uh humanize the
extraordinary, right? They there's

(12:20):
stories, countless stories on the
internet about how uh like people would
reach out to uh here's an example,
right? A lady reached out to Chewy and
said, "Hey, you know, I just bought this
bag of dog food, but unfortunately my
dog just passed away. You know, can can
I return it? You know, is this something
I can just return?" And uh Chewy came
back and they said, "No, don't return

(12:41):
it. we'll still give you your money
back, but go donate it to somebody who
has a dog or give it to someone who
could make use of it. And then like two
days later, she got a bouquet of flowers
in the mail with a handwritten card from
everybody in the office that said,
"We're so sorry for your loss." And they
found a picture of her dog on on

(13:02):
Facebook or something and made a a
picture, a mural of it that she could
hang on her I mean, unbelievable, right?
Those are the types of things and we
hear this all over the place, right? We
hear this with Zapos and we hear this
with with Chewy and there's a bunch of
other, you know, companies that that
have done similar things, but I think
that Rich in this industry, if we look

(13:23):
at it through that lens, it presents a
hell of an opportunity for us.
It does. And and you know, and that's a
beautiful story and that's that's really
what you know,
just that that that would be near and
dear to my heart. I I I love that. uh
and and and you know talking about AI
and talking about how don't be naive we
also can't be naive to the fact that we

(13:44):
can't lose that human touch right we
have to we have to make sure that we're
paying attention to to our employees and
team team members around us where and
what what they might be going through
and being empathetic and our customers
reaching out on in certain instances
like just like this Chewy story I mean
and just being there being there for
somebody in their time of need you know
that's that's worth more than than any

(14:06):
dollar amount honestly I mean that's
that's that's stuff from the when you
talk on the heartstrings. I mean that's
you're you're you're building a a
relationship for life there and that's
that was a great story. Yeah. You know
and I really like that you said that too
because I think this kind of leads us
into maybe some of the some of the
cautions. Uh right. So I would ask you
know in in your story like not losing

(14:27):
the human touch right and still staying
connected to your relationships and your
team and your family and you know all
this kind of stuff. Let's say somebody
on your own team, you know, lost a lost
a parent or a brother or somebody close
to them, right? Would you ask AI to
write the card for you?
No, definitely not. No. No. And I think

(14:47):
these are the cautions we've got to uh
you know, we've got to be very careful
of because people see this as a as a
hell of a tool, which it is and a
timesaver, you know, but it could very
easily
have the opposite effect that you're
trying to create, you know, because
you've forgotten, you know, the reason
for being human, for lack of a better

(15:08):
term, right? And and we see this
everywhere, right? I and and listen, I I
use AI, you know, I use chat all the
time for social media marketing posts
like that now. But what I'm noticing
is there's almost a premium on mistakes,
spelling errors, grammar errors, because
you know what? Somebody looks at that

(15:29):
now and says, "Somebody actually wrote
that [ __ ] AI didn't do it." What are
you seeing on that front?
Yeah, I mean I think it's it's it's
somewhat easy to tell when AI is writing
stuff out. Um, and listen, I and I'm not
trying to like hide it. Like I I've been
doing a lot of that stuff on LinkedIn
recently in the past two weeks, just
really just diving in and messing around

(15:49):
with it. Um, and I and I do flips I flip
I flip some words and I flip some things
and I change it into more of my tone and
I, you know, do some things like that.
But it really it helps develop it out
for me a lot quicker. Um, you know,
because people always say, "Hey, where
do you find the Well, I find a lot more
time now that I could actually plug some
things in, get some ideas, rework it to
me and and put it out there. Um, but uh

(16:10):
yeah, I it's uh
we we we're still we're still people and
we still have to, you know, go forth
into the world and build relationships
as people. Um whether and and and I'll
just tell you even at the end the past
I'd say three years now, uh I get
Christmas cards that I, you know, buy
from Walgreens or wherever. I go get
them and I hand write notes to every

(16:32):
single employee with their bonus in it
and I and I get then I get it out to
them that way so they could see that
listen it's it's in it's in the good old
good old pen handwritten everything in
there and everyone's an individual and I
know them all differently so I put all
different messages in them and uh I you
know that I want them to know I'm I'm
taking time I I actually give a [ __ ]

(16:53):
about you your family I'm I'm grateful
for the hard work you did all year uh
and and uh Yeah, I'm sure it's a little
sloppy and there could be some
misspellings and it's all just real and
uh comes from the heart. So, those those
are the things that I don't care if it's
2025, 2055, you can't you can't lose
that. Yeah. Yeah. And you know what? As

(17:13):
you're talking, it's it's gotten me
thinking,
you know, and we always hear that the uh
u the rarest commodity that we have is
time, right? Which makes it the most
valuable resource that we can give or
receive. And when we're talking about a
a a new technology, almost a revolution
now that its entire objective is to save

(17:34):
and manipulate time, you know, I think
that's where the dangers come in, but it
also presents the opportunities because
just like you said, when you take the
time to write out that card to every
single employee, you know, telling them
how you feel and how grateful you are,
it's it's the time it took to write that

(17:55):
that really speaks the volumes and now
with AI with this this incredible tool
at our fingertips, it's it almost means
more. So, is it making I guess it poses
a good question. Is it making our time
more valuable like
from a relationship standpoint?

(18:16):
Yeah. Yeah. I I you know especially as
I'm getting older here now you know 43
it's uh time is of the essence it feels
like you know and I know a lot of people
say oh you're still young and rel
relatively speaking if we have 100 years
I'm not even at halftime yet but um you
know time is time is is fleeting here
and um if we can gain some moments back

(18:38):
throughout the day you know gives us
back some time you know um I I think it
also gives us opportunity to have some
more clarity to to reach out to even
reach out be able to reach out to more
people. Um you know for me I'm on I'm on
a forever forever journey of reaching
out to people whether it's LinkedIn
whether it's uh text messages to the
employees phone calls to the employees

(19:00):
um phone calls to customers staying in
touch with guys like you I mean there's
there you get time back. Um but we do
have to be thoughtful. We have to be
thoughtful about about what we put out
there and make sure that what we're
putting out there is real too.
Yeah. Yeah. No, that's that's a really
really great point. So, so let's shift
gears. Let's get a little more tactical
here. What are you doing, if anything,

(19:21):
to roll this technology out to your team
today? Have you taken steps uh other
than just yourself to to get this into
your business?
So, it's it's uh right now we're in the
works with a couple of things.
Obviously, we've been using XOI for a
long time, which is, you know, not maybe
somewhat AIish, right? Um, and uh,
that's that's been definitely a little

(19:42):
bit of a game changer here for us with
that and being able to be transparent
because um, you know, in any trade, you
really want to be able to show your work
and and and make sure that the customer
and the vendor, manufacturer, anybody
you're in contact with knows you're
doing the job you're saying you're
doing. Um, which I love. I love to show
that every day. Um, you know, we're
we're going to be investing in some new
software that's coming down the pike.

(20:03):
I've uh I've already had some uh,
communication with the team. Brief brief
stuff right now. I'm not really uh
making it too publicly known what we're
doing yet, but I will. Um and and you
know, this software I think is going to
be for us um one of the things I wanted
to do obviously with being AI driven, I
want to be able to give the customer
experience that's going to help me um
you know through text messages, through

(20:25):
um getting quotes to to customers
faster, being allowing them to approve
things faster. Um the capabilities again
through the technicians apps that they
have. that's going to have the
capabilities where they can plug and
play things that are happening to the
equipment that they can get foresight um
before they get to the to the jobs.
They're going to get schematics popping
up. They're going to get parts manuals

(20:46):
popping up. They're going to get part
numbers for things they type in all very
quickly at their fingertips. Um so,
that's just a couple of things down the
pike. And we're working on some some
some GPT chatbot stuff on our website
right now. We're going to be developing
that. And I I am um you know uh in in
the media team we are developing uh some

(21:08):
some AI I'll say influencers that we're
going to be using for uh technician
recruitment.
Oh
interesting. Okay.
All right. Yeah. I'm very curious about
that. Something tells me you can't speak
too much on it right now, but uh
anything you can tell me? I mean it's in

(21:28):
the beginning stages. I could tell you
that uh what what I'm doing is um
there's going to be a website um and uh
it's it's going to kind of basically um
be one of those those things where we're
we're having our our AI influencer as a
technician and uh you know let's let's
call him Mac for the time being and uh

(21:49):
Mac is going to be out there just
talking about the industry talking about
what we have to offer what the industry
has to offer and just kind of showing it
from that kind of a perspective you know
as we talk about all the time knowledge
versus the trades and all this stuff
like that. Work harder not smarter or
how about do both, right? That's what
Matt's going to show you. Um, so there
there'll be there'll be some things down
that down that line. We're just kind of

(22:10):
uh getting our feet wet. Oh, man. That's
cool. I hadn't even thought about that
direction. That that's pretty that's
pretty slick, dude. All right, so let's
um All right, so we've talked a little
bit about AI. I'm going to have more
questions probably later in the show,
but uh let's let's move to a more more
human aspect uh right now, you know, and
and talk about maybe whatever you're

(22:32):
open to talking about. I mentioned this
transformation over the last couple of
years that I've uh I've noticed with you
and if I've noticed it, I think that
means that uh others have noticed it
too. You know, a lot has been happening
with you with your business. Uh, I'm
curious what are, if you wouldn't mind
sharing, what are some some lessons that
you've learned

(22:52):
recently about business life and
everything in between?
Yeah, I would say uh, man, I'm going
through some um, some tough times uh, in
the business world, I'll say. And and
not from a point where no one should no
one should feel bad for me, by the way.
This is not this is not about that. It's
just uh there, you know, when you're
growing, you know, and and one of my one

(23:14):
of my favorite quotes that I always love
to say is um change is inevitable.
Growth is optional. And you know,
you want to surround yourself with with
the with the best, right? Because this
does not happen alone. I I have not
become, you know, we have not become
Malaki, you know, parts and service of
today um without all the good people

(23:35):
I've had around me. Uh so it takes a
village and uh right now we're we're in
the process of of of
you know with all the thing all the
changes in the in the industry from from
labor the labor force um insuranceances
uh you know just everyone wanting a
first-time fix but then the NTE stops
the first time fix and then there's just
so many there's just a million things

(23:56):
going on at once and now we're know
looking we're building a leadership team
and you know with with that uh comes you
know from team members that have been on
with us for a long It's like, well,
what's going on here? Uh, I mean, the
the simplest thing is that, you know,
we're we're we're going to soar with the
Eagles here. So, yeah. Um, get get ready
for for what's next. We're going to roll

(24:17):
up our sleeves and we're going to start
we're going to start doing things we
never did. Um, Ray Dallio said, um, boy,
how stupid I was a year ago because you
just don't know what you don't know.
And, you know, and you and if you keep
operating, you know, with yesterday's
logic, you could forget 2026, 2027. This
is not to scare anybody that's trying to
build something. Um, again, this this is

(24:38):
the contrary. This is like, hey, listen,
the stress is going to be there, the the
early morning's going to be there, the
late nights are going to be there, the
the struggles with the uh all the
different personalities and egos in the
room because we're all human. Um, you
just have to continue to fight through
every day and and get and get to that
that hopefully middle ground where
everybody sees where this thing is

(24:59):
headed. and where this is headed.
Listen, I'm going to tell you right now,
this is headed to 100 technicians and
we're we're at 30 right now. So, we got
some work to do. But, um, yeah, I mean,
that's that's that's kind of where we're
at right now, which uh in in a
transformation stage for sure. I love
that. And and you know what, you said
something that reminded me of one of my
favorite quotes, which is uh you want to

(25:21):
go fast, do it alone. You want to go
far, do it together. you know and uh and
you know that's important to understand
in business because I think a lot of
times and not all the time right but a
lot of times when we start our ego's in
the driver's seat right and uh and you
know we try to take on anything and
everything that we possibly can if
somebody isn't doing it right no problem

(25:42):
we'll do it ourselves right and then and
then we grow right we we change and then
we choose to grow right as according to
rich and uh one of the choices that we
make in that growth is to let go and to
trust others and to empower them, right?
To be autonomous with their decisions

(26:03):
and ultimately your business, which is
probably the single most difficult
thing, you know, a business owner or
leader can can do is is let go, right?
And um
so it's just I think it's a uh I think
it's a testament to you know wanting to
and needing to uh evolve to grow. So

(26:26):
I'm trying to think of like what
question this is leading me into. But uh
I guess what
let me ask you let me ask you this. So,
getting to 100 technicians from 30 now,
what have you done to get to 30 and what
do you need to do to get to 100?

(26:48):
Yeah. No, that that's a good one. Um cuz
it's I still it still it still blows me
away that we're here, you know. I know
that that we're this far along cuz when
when you go back to 2012, we had about 8
n 10 guys, you know, bouncing around
every close to 12 and then went back to
10 and it was, you know, it was like one
of those things. um you know what what
it was first of all you know taking over
from my father it was a major culture

(27:09):
shift here and it's it's since 2012 it's
it's 13 years in the making to get to
this point um we were changing the
culture and we wanted it to be for the
people you know it's it's all about the
people uh and not that my father didn't
care about people it's just we we just
we went in a little bit of a different
direction and we really wanted to um

(27:29):
bring the best employment packages the
the best insuranceances the best paid
time off, the best holidays, the most
leniency that we can and realistically
to give give people back more time with
their families. Like we we now close the
day after Thanksgiving. Everyone gets a
4-day weekend with their family. Um I
just every now and then I'll pick days
here and there. We closed on Good Friday
for the Easter weekend for people. They

(27:51):
had a three-day weekend there. Um you
know, so we do different things like
that throughout the year. Um we do
family days. Uh this is our third annual
coming up. We rent out a whole camp,
water slides, uh basketball, uh
ziplining, a million different things.
Food, uh drinks, everything. Bring your
whole family. You know, there's hundred
something people there. Uh big Christmas
parties, um $5,000 in giveaways. Santa

(28:14):
Claus comes, everything. Everyone's
dressed up. It's beautiful. All these
things to continue to give back. Plus,
we do Top Golf and bowling and things
throughout the year. Breakfast. We're
doing many tech meetings now that we
just started in May that we're bringing
six, seven guys in at the clip to sit
down and say, "Hey, questions like,
"Hey, here you have the keys to the
castle right now. What do you change
first?" I want to hear what they what
they're thinking. Right. Um, so the

(28:36):
culture of the people I think has been
very very big. The turnover here is
barely nothing. Um, and we've been doing
a lot of training. Um, I I said we
probably training two to three young
guys a year. Um, and a lot of them have
been working out. Um, we just put
another one on the road about two weeks
ago. He's killing it. 20-y old kid. Um,
so, um, as we as we move along to do

(28:58):
that, we're going to look, we're going
to have to train more young guys. We're
going to have to do five, six young
guys. Um, then seven, eight, you know,
every every year. That that's how we're
going to get them on the road to to get
to that 100. But, um, the number one
thing is be good to your people. You're
human. I'm human. We all have [ __ ] going
on.
Don't don't be, you know, don't be don't

(29:20):
be like everybody else. Be be kind. Be
good. You know what I mean? Yeah. Let's
unpack that for a second because I think
good is really subjective. Uh and people
can interpret it interpret that in in
different ways. You know, I I interpret
it in a way that means, you know, um

(29:41):
telling them what they need to hear,
supporting their growth, right? uh
choosing truth over comfort. Um even
though in the moment that may not feel
good, right, to to whoever it is I'm
talking to. So, how is it that you
define good?
Yeah. Um I mean, you you definitely said
something there is by telling people

(30:01):
what they want to hear. And you know,
that's uh I would say that's something
that I'm I'm still I still struggle with
today. um just be and not because you
know everyone wants to be liked. We all
want to be friends. We all want to be
and you know sometimes yeah you have to
make tough decisions um for the
betterment of the company. Um but but
but listen at the end of the day for me

(30:22):
good is just it's just simple, right?
It's just doing doing the things that
are tried and true that mom taught you
back in the day. You know I could now
she's doing it to my my nephews, you
know, our grandchild. Be gentle, loving,
and kind. Gentle, loving, and kind. You
know, beating that into you. Um,
you know, being I I answer the phone
when everybody calls, you know, I answer
a text message when someone reaches out.

(30:43):
If someone shoots me an email, I get
back to them here. Anyone on this team
has access to me 100% of the time. I
don't care what day or time it is. No
one's no one's light bill, no one's
lights are going to go off, no one's
going to go hungry, no one's going to do
anything. As long as I always tell them,
as long as there's air in my lungs and
I'm here, you you guys are good. Um, so
I don't know that good to me is just in
that sense that that's just good. Just

(31:03):
just being just being a
a fellow brother to to the people around
you. Oh, I like that. I like that. You
know, I I like to talk about stuff like
this because people are always looking
for a compass. People are always looking
for, you know, uh uh either something to
validate how they already feel or maybe
something to even shift their mindset.

(31:23):
And so when whenever we have an
opportunity to talk about how people
define something like being good, you
know, I think that helps others, you
know, really truly see, you know, how it
is that they're acting and whether or
not that's in alignment with who they
want to be. U so that's that's the
reason I ask. So kind of uh expanding on
that,

(31:45):
what keeps you up at night?
Oh, the carnival. The carnival that goes
on off in my head. Um, there's a
carnival every night around 10 p.m. Uh,
yeah. My father, my father called it,
you can't run the tapes at night, kid.
You can't fix your problems at midnight,

(32:05):
guys. Don't run the tapes. Um, boy, this
I mean, there's a lot of stuff that goes
on in my head. Uh, you know, and it's
not just business stuff. I mean, I, you
know, talking about getting older, you
know, my mom's getting older. She just
turned 75 and you know I'm I'm very
conscious of that and and I'm trying to
spend as much time with her as I can
more than I ever did and you know uh I'm

(32:27):
sc I'm scared that scares me. I think
about I think about the people I love at
night um that that I I'm probably going
to lose and uh listen this this not to
be you know uh Debbie Downer or
anything. It's just this is life. This
is reality. We're going to lose people
here. Um so that that's something that
keeps me up. Think about my nephews.
think about, you know, wanting them to,
you know, you know, have the world and

(32:49):
and and just, uh, seeing them enjoy
themselves. I look forward to to moments
with them. So, there's a lot of family
stuff I think about. Um, you know, on
the flip side, uh, with the business
thing, you know, you start thinking
about sometimes you start thinking about
payroll and and and, uh, and
insuranceances, and you're like, what
the hell are we doing here? Yeah. Um,
how we we need to bring in more revenue.
I need to find a new revenue stream. So,

(33:10):
I got like a list of new revenue streams
that I want to start implementing from
the chemicals and soap and all these
different things that I got in my head
here. And I'm like, I gotta find
somebody that does that. You know,
you're running these tapes. You're going
down the line. Um, and then all and then
and then you got King of Queens on in
the background. And then you're Oh, King
of Queens. Let me forget about this for
a second. Let me put that on. It's it's

(33:31):
sometimes
what a great sometimes,
dude. I get it. You know what? And I
asked that for a very specific reason. I
think it showcases,
you know, the humanness that we all are
subjected to, right? We're we're an
imperfect creation, you know, if I can
astutely point that out. You know what I

(33:52):
mean? I mean, we're largely products of,
you know, our upbringing, our
environment, you know, constantly
seeking and searching how to improve and
what improvement actually looks like,
what it means, you know, and and and
we've got all these different things
that we juggle, especially as business
owners,
right? I think the majority of

(34:12):
entrepreneurs, business owners out
there, you know, have the same type of
circus going on in in in their mind, you
know, and and so, you know, it's it's
about, you know, putting your feet on
the ground in the morning the next day
and making sure you're not repeating the
same things that you thought and did
yesterday because that's the only way
that change is ever going to happen, you

(34:34):
know. So you know if we try to
compartmentalize these things and and we
break them out you know into into
individual uh thoughts or you know
buckets I guess you know one of my
questions would be because I think this
is a big one for a lot of people is this
aging thing you know I know I know that
for me every time I lose somebody close
to me it's like the ground beneath me
shifts it's like you know something

(34:56):
there's this rumble and then the rest of
life just becomes a little bit more in
focus and it happens every single time
Rich And you know, I just lost my
grandfather almost a year ago now. Last
August. He was 94. He lived an
incredible life, you know, and uh and
you know, it just we know these things
are inevitable to your point. We know

(35:18):
they're coming. When they do, it does
not make it any easier, you know, and it
still makes us look inward and say,
well, what the hell does it mean? Like
why? How can this mean something for me?
Right? Right. So I guess like the
question in there is
when you have these thoughts, I mean,
what is it that you're doing to

(35:41):
bring everything else more into focus?
What is it that you're doing to
capitalize on the time that you have
specifically with loved ones, not not in
the business?
Um, well, you know, I I I'll I'll go
back to CO. This just makes me think of
CO be before CO um I really didn't care
much about vacation. I really didn't go

(36:03):
down and see my mom as much. I really
didn't talk to anybody as much. I was
kind of just living in my own malicky
world and my own bubble and my own
thing. I didn't really I it was just go
go go forget it. Yeah. Vacation. And I
had my father in my head, you know,
guilt tripping me going, "You don't
deserve vacation. You don't deserve to
take time off. I never did. You don't
you don't either." And I have all these

(36:24):
things, right? and um co happened and
the world slowed down and um
you know seeing seeing things from a new
perspective now um like like like I like
I mentioned you know people getting
older we're all getting older time's
moving fast kids are growing up um

(36:47):
it was it was just a it was just since
then we're taking vacations now every
Labor Day weekend we go down to Cape
Um at the end of every year I take a
trip um you know for 7 days, 10 days. Uh
and then you know of course we have our
business travels which are out there too
which um they're important too because
you get to go connect. I get to see you.

(37:08):
I get to see different people at
different things like you know different
conferences and events and you know we
get to we get to unplug a little bit and
just kind of chop it up even if it's for
20 minutes on the show floor. These are
all things that are important. Um, yeah.
But, uh, yeah, just, uh, kind of kind of
putting things into perspective like,
you know, especially if you worked hard
enough and you talk about empowering

(37:29):
people and you trust people, you know, I
know I could leave for a week or two and
nothing's going to fall to the ground.
It's not going to crumble. I have
wonderful people here that are going to
answer the phone, answer the emails, and
move the business, you know. So, um,
that's really that's really it. just uh
you know grounding grounding yourself in
in the moments here cuz there listen

(37:51):
it's it's going to go one way. The
calendar page is going to rip off one
way or the other. So you might as well
put put things in in in perspective from
that and
and uh go from there. I like that. I
like that answer. Sounds like you've
been getting more intentional with the
time that you have, you know, which I
think is a a a good, you know, kind of

(38:12):
note that people can take away. You
know, one of the things that I've been
doing, I just read a great book. I'll
get to that in a second, but I've been
counting the time that I have with my
loved ones in in um interactions instead
of time, right? So, for instance, like
and and this is for people at a
distance, right? I don't live close to
my mom. You know, my mom lives lives

(38:33):
back in Wisconsin and you know, I look
at that I see her maybe once a year,
maybe.
Um, and that's that's at best really.
It's probably once every two years. So,
you know, it's a different kind of math
when you look at life expectancy. Let's
say that she's going to live to 80,
right? She's 65 now. And, uh, I think

(38:55):
she's 65. And, um, so that's about 15
years or so. Seems like a seems like a
long time, right? But if I do only see
her once every two years, how many times
do I get to see her? Right? And that is
when you look at it like that, I mean
that's seven seven or eight more times

(39:16):
that that she's got with me with with
with her grandchildren, you know, my
kids. And and so, you know, we we
constantly look at or at least I
constantly look at things like that to
help shape my perspective and
really make those moments count. You
know, the book that came from, and I
think he got it from someone else, but I
don't know if you've read it. It's
called The Five Types of Wealth. Have

(39:37):
you read that book? I have. I heard of
it but I have not read it. Okay.
Incredible book. All right. It talks
about the uh it talks about exactly what
we're talking about here, right? It's um
I have the list up here. It's time
wealth, social wealth, mental wealth,
physical wealth, and financial wealth
and breaks down each and every one of

(39:57):
those things with action steps on how to
improve each one along with like a a
test that you can, you know, take answer
specific questions to see where you're
gapping and and that kind of stuff.
Sahil Bloom is the author. Incredible
book. If anybody out there hasn't read
it yet, just finished it a couple weeks
ago and uh and really, really, really
enlightening, but it speaks exactly to

(40:18):
what we're talking about right now. You
know, this circus that goes on in our
mind is usually in, you know, part of
one of those five things. You know, is
it is it our social circle? Is it our
mental health? Is it our, you know,
financial, which is usually tied to to
business, right? is is it our time? And
so, yeah, you know, this stuff is it's

(40:41):
it's inevitable. We're human. We're
going to think it. And uh and I know
there's a lot of people out there that
that uh get frustrated with that. Like,
oh [ __ ] I'm wasting time thinking about
this. I've been there. I'm sure you've
been there, too. And at the end of the
day, the truth is, you're not. Truth is,
you're thinking about it because it's
that mosquito buzzing in your ear

(41:02):
saying, "Hey, you need to pay the [ __ ]
attention.
You know what I'm saying? So, so how do
you how do you keep it how do you keep
it together, man? How do you keep it
balanced, you know, with that uh with
that circus? You know, we only talked
about the time piece, but what about all
of it?
Yeah. I mean, you know, I think you have

(41:22):
to be self-aware of what's going on with
yourself. You really And sometimes you
need you need to slow down and sit down,
even if you got to sit down in your
kitchen or something and be like, what
what am I doing here? What am I doing
here? I've been grinding. Maybe maybe
you're you know for for me I can tell
you personally we talked about this
already um weeks ago I think you know
for me you know we're we're down here at

(41:42):
the Jersey Shore now. Yeah. Um which and
we've had business down here for many
years but we got the office open back
here again. I've kind of relocated my
home. Um we're going to be selling the
the North Jersey house and I'm I'm down
here now. Um I needed a change of
scenery. Um and I love the Jersey Shore.
I you know grew up down here with my
family for for many years. So, I know

(42:02):
this area and I love it and I I needed
that change. Um,
so understanding, you know, maybe maybe
you just you need to, you know, make
that shift of of where you live. So,
that could be something. Um, health. I
mean, for me, uh, come in January, um,
when I was younger, I used to work out a
lot. I used to do all I mean, it was

(42:25):
like a super big part of my life. And as
I got to around my early 30s, it slowed
down and I almost basically come to came
to a halt at around 34 35 and I stopped.
This January, I'm back. I'm back at it.
Look at that. Put those guns away, man.
This a family show. I'm back at it. And
uh you know, and and and again, don't

(42:45):
don't put too much pressure on yourself.
You know, for me, I'm like, listen, I'm
going to go three days a week. I'm going
to I'm going to eat as best as I could
all week. Uh I'm not thinking about, oh,
cheat meal cheat. Listen, if I want to
have a slice of pizza, I'm going to have
a slice of pizza. Um, and and that's it.
You know, you do the best you can. You
know, make sure you're taking some some
vitamins, do your research, uh, you
know, collagen, all these different

(43:06):
things that could really help benefit
you for anti-aging and look into all
this stuff because you're going to want
to, you know, be you got to be here to
be there for them, right? You got to be
healthy for them, for for the people
around you. So, that's important. So,
um, self-awareness, man. Just uh, you
know, don't beat yourself up. you know,
we're all we're all going through it.
None of us have all the answers. None of

(43:26):
us are perfect. And I and I have to
remind myself that often. Um because
sometimes I sit here and I'm like, man,
how what I don't know what to do. I You
know what though? I'm not the first guy
that's been here and I won't be the
last. And you know, don't don't be
afraid to reach out to people. Don't be
afraid to reach out to people. That's
the other thing my father said. The
three hardest words for a man to say
are, "I need help." Don't be afraid to

(43:48):
ask for help from anyone at any time um
for anything. it just doesn't matter,
you know, be humble and and understand
that we've all been we've all been down
some some struggles, the struggle road.
So,
those are a few things. Oh, man. There's
a lot in there. I hope everybody out
there is taking notes, dude. That's uh
that's some good stuff. I truly
appreciate it. So, couple more qu two

(44:10):
more questions for you. Uh the first
question is, what's the most important
question I haven't asked?
What is the most important question you
haven't asked?
Oh jeez.
Um
I I that's a great question. Um was that
it? No, I'm just kidding. You might you

(44:32):
might have me stumped here. Uh where do
I buy my hats?
There you go.
Cityloss. Cityloses.com.
Awesome. I appreciate that. I appreciate
that. Let's Let's pivot it. Let's pivot
it. Let's just say what is what's one
impactful thing that you want the

(44:52):
audience to know?
Uh well, one impactful thing, you know,
obviously we we we talked a lot about
AI, we talked a lot about family, we
talked a lot about all this stuff. And
um
you know, at the end of the day,
you got to find happiness, you know, and
that's different to everybody. You know,

(45:13):
what makes me happy is not going to make
you happy and vice versa. And and I
don't think anybody in the world can
give that to you. You have to give that
to yourself. So, um, whatever whatever
career you're in, whatever business
you're building, you know, whatever
season in life you're in and in in
marriage or in, uh, you know, any
relationships you're in that are good or

(45:34):
bad or whatever it might be. Um, you got
to you got to find happiness inside
yourself to, uh, to be good for
everybody else. And, and I'm, by the
way, I'm saying that knowing that I'm
searching every day, right? And I don't
know if it's ever going to I don't know
if you ever find the that journey ever
ends but you know as long as you keep
you keep digging in and you keep you

(45:56):
know searching and you know with purpose
I think I think that purpose you know
brings about some happiness because we
all we all need purpose every day when
we lace up our boots and go out into the
world. So um don't beat yourself up be
good to yourself. talk good to yourself
because our thoughts become our flesh
and um yeah, you're you're not alone.

(46:18):
There's always someone there. All right,
man. Well, now I got goosebumps and I'm
ready to run through a brick wall. So,
uh with that, we'll uh we'll end the
show. Rich, where where can people find
you if they got more questions or they
want to follow or or you know, they want
to do business with you, whatever. Yeah.
No, my my home address is what? No. Um
so, yeah, my uh uh malakecicares.com.

(46:40):
Um, richmalick.com,
the fedgroup.com, and you know, anywhere
anywhere on social, you know, you can
find us at Malaki Cares or at
Richmalick. And, uh, and also the last
shameless plug is if you need parts,
Malak Parts Plus. Where am I? Oh, there
we go. There you go. Partsplus.com.

(47:01):
We're looking to really support service
companies out there. So, all right, man.
Well, I appreciate you, Rich. And, uh,
until next time.
You got it, brother. Thanks so much.
Thanks for listening to the Blue is the
New White podcast. Be sure to subscribe
to get the latest episodes. For more,
please follow at josh zolan on LinkedIn,

(47:24):
Twitter, and Instagram, or visit us at
blueisthenewhite.com,
where we create success, not debt, and
build blue collar heroes.