What 10 Years of Strategic Planning Can Build in the U.S.

Hinzugefügt: 2026-05-26

[00:00:02]Hello everyone. Welcome back to Rise with Sonia from landing in the US in 2016 with big dreams and uncertainty to building a life through trucking, investing, and real estate. Today's guest represents the real immigrant journey. No shortcuts, no overnight success, just risk, resilience, and learning the hard way what it takes to make money and keep it. In this episode, we dive into the highs, the mistakes, the mindset shift, and the moves that changed everything. Let's get into it.

[00:00:35]Meet Akash Singhal. Welcome to Rise with Sonia. Thank you. Well, hello Akash. Hi.

[00:00:41]How have you been?

[00:00:42]>> Good. How are you? Good. So, up 2016 may I say that Hanji. US may.

[00:00:46]>> Hanji. So, take us back to 2016. What was going through your mind when you left India and landed in the US?

[00:00:55]Yeah, um 2016 may may I thought MBA ke liye. I was a student That was on student visa.

[00:01:01]>> Student visa. Yes, and I did my MBA here. The plan was simple, learn the business, do the business. That was the plan when I come in here. Yeah, it was very scary leaving the country behind and going to the new country, but we need the opportunities. US is the land of opportunities and which brings me here. What did you think your life would look like here versus what it actually has become? Life I was expecting is I'll say 9-5 more. Yeah. Because the initial plan was just to learn the business, do the business, but it's not easy. Right.

[00:01:33]I want to do it, but it's not easy than we were thinking. The plan was just to get a job, make some money, save some money, do 9-5, and then get into the business. But fortunately, I get an opportunity. I came to go know all this trucking industry, real estate, and everything and which helped me.

[00:01:52]And I started the business rather than going to the job. So, that's the difference. The the plan was not right away to go to the business side, but which bring me So, MBA program Kankiya at me. I mean Auckland City ahead. The university name is Lincoln University. Mhm. It's not a big one. It's a small university. Yeah, it's very immigrant friendly, budget friendly.

[00:02:14]>> Right. So, that's in the Bay Area. Yes, in the Bay Area.

[00:02:17]That's where I finished my MBA. Okay, and then you moved to Fresno when? I moved to Fresno in 2018. 2018. Okay. So, you've been here almost 8 years?

[00:02:26]>> Almost 8 years. Fresno is my home now.

[00:02:28]Yeah, that's great. What was the first real, this is not going to be easy moment after you arrived?

[00:02:35]>> English. Because the English we speak back in India is more British. Right.

[00:02:40]>> So, for example, I'll just take the example of the vegetable. So, we call it capsicum.

[00:02:47]Uh-huh. We call it bell pepper here.

[00:02:48]Right.

[00:02:49]>> It is just one example. So, a lot of times English. English language. All right, so it's English, but the way the people talk and the the style. Right.

[00:02:58]>> That was the first part, because if you want to do any kind of a business or any job, you need to know those words which helps you to relate. You cannot relate, it's it's going to be tough. So, English was a very basic step. You need to learn the way US operates in English rather than the Indian English. So, American English. American English. Yeah. How did you enter the transportation industry?

[00:03:20]Was it planned or accidental? I'll say it's accidental. Yeah.

[00:03:23]>> Not planned.

[00:03:24]No plans. I have nobody in my family in in the trucking industry or freight market or anything. Mhm.

[00:03:31]I was doing something else even in my MBA.

[00:03:34]Before MBA, I was in in software software development side. Okay. So, no plans, but yes, I I had some people around me who guided me Mhm. and asked me also to step into for I thought, "Okay, let's give it a head."

[00:03:53]Yeah. And I went for this and it turns out to be a good. It's the people around me who helped me. I'll say that. It's just not on me that I just did it, uh but the people who supported me and helped me, that's why I get into this. So, what's the mistake in your early trucking days um that still stings? A lot of uh trusting wrong people.

[00:04:15]And uh the second is having a lack of knowledge. I have no one to teach. I'll say like that. Uh-huh. Because uh I I'm new to the system. Problem is the learning. I didn't know a lot of things.

[00:04:26]And I just took a random advices. Yeah.

[00:04:29]You know, random advices, which kind of was not very helpful. Right. Had few losses.

[00:04:35]We were not aware about how actually things work. And then later we started learning all those things, started reading more, started going through a lot of things through FMCSA websites before making any move, like the insurances and everything.

[00:04:47]Which uh initially that that was a mistake, I'll say. We should not do in our business. Right. We should not follow the random advices. Right. That is true. Uh professional advice is always better Yeah, go for a Yeah, go for a professional advisor. That's actually better, yes. Right. So, I can relate. We had a trucking business many, many years ago. Yeah. Uh I actually took some classes in Dallas. Okay. Which uh I remember it was about a week-long class.

[00:05:15]They teach you from A to Z how to start transportation business.

[00:05:19]Including uh getting license, business license, and getting um credentials.

[00:05:25]>> Yes. You know, your web development, where to get the loads, how to find brokers. Yes. It kind of goes into details. So, for someone who wants to go into trucking business, I really I highly recommend that class. Yes, that's actually a good idea. Yeah. Back then I didn't know that. Yeah. But we have actually we don't have anything like that right now even in Fresno, so. Okay.

[00:05:46]That's a good idea of business, too.

[00:05:48]Right. Any anything. I think it's uh it's better to do your homework. Um life is a lot easier when you're more knowledgeable. Yes. And uh you know, you seek education and you seek advice from professionals who are already in the business >> Yes. um rather than, you know, somebody who's never been in that business, but they want to put their two cents in.

[00:06:10]Yeah. You know, and yeah, like you said, you learn the hard way. Yes. I learned the hard way.

[00:06:15]>> Yeah. Okay, what's something people glamorize about trucking that's completely false? I'll say the cash flow. They think the cash flow is high.

[00:06:23]Yeah. And that's true, as well. Like the but they just didn't able to figure out the exact numbers. Right. And that's why they go to the debt more and more and more. They're not able to exactly find out how much they are making.

[00:06:37]And the cash flow is actually very glamorous thing. Right. Which is really good. Mhm. But not the actual profits.

[00:06:45]Right. So, in transportation, it's it's a big thing. Right. So, would you say that um is it projections? Um like higher projections rather than the revenue? Yeah. It looks like it's a big thing, even if the revenue. Revenue can be huge, but the net profits are really low because the expenses and things we have to go through.

[00:07:04]>> Right. Unexpected expenses come up, too.

[00:07:07]I mean, it's uh you know, trucking industry.

[00:07:09]>> of dollars can be right next moment.

[00:07:12]Absolutely. Anything goes wrong to the truck. So, yeah.

[00:07:15]>> the most glamorous thing I've seen people buying a big Range Rovers and >> Yeah.

[00:07:19]So, yeah. Yeah.

[00:07:21]>> It's going on, yeah. How do you handle cash flow pressure in the business where payments can lag? They will lag if if it's not managed properly, I'll say. I agree.

[00:07:29]>> Yeah, I mean, I know people they think that they're going to make uh they're making 50K a month just in the revenue and easy to make a payment of $1,000 for a car and then one day something bad happen and they're not able to pay it, so. Right. I think that's in any business, to be honest.

[00:07:45]Yeah.

[00:07:45]>> Um if you manage your accounts receivable properly, They need accounts.

[00:07:50]>> top of it, you know? So, yeah. How do you decide where to put your money?

[00:07:56]Gut, data, or network? I'll say network.

[00:07:58]Network, yeah. Yeah, because Network is your net worth. Yes, because if you know the right people, you have the right knowledge, and you have the right knowledge, you have the right way to go for it.

[00:08:07]>> I agree. So, networking matters. You need to know Yeah.

[00:08:11]>> those people who actually did things right. Right. So, if and yeah, that's the best way of investment. Knowing the right people. Knowing the right people, learning from them. Yes. And only the right people can teach you Right. the right things. Right, absolutely. And uh having mentors is very important. Yes.

[00:08:28]>> Yeah, in any industry. Yeah. Always a good idea to have a mentor because they know. Right. Uh what's a bad investment you made, and what did it cost you beyond money? Well, bad investment in transportation I'll say I made in 2020 when the COVID hits. Yeah. The prices are super high. Right. And uh things were super expensive, didn't realize things will calm down, things will go back to normal again. That was a less of less of the experience I have, I'll say.

[00:08:59]Right. And that was a bad investment I made, which kind of haunted me for 2 years. Yeah. Till 2022 and 2023, so yeah, that was a bad investment. That was a uh quite a shift when that happened.

[00:09:12]Yes. No, nobody was ready for it.

[00:09:14]Absolutely. Especially me, uh and I was new to. So, now I know things.

[00:09:19]Experience is always >> teaches you. a lot. One deal that almost didn't happen, but changed everything.

[00:09:26]Yeah, there was a deal in real estate I was trying to do. I think I discussed it that with you as well. It was a Seven Brew Yes. back in Springfield, Ohio. It's almost 2 years ago.

[00:09:37]And uh we are almost about to the closing.

[00:09:41]And right on the closing day we came to know that there was a um gas station Oh, okay.

[00:09:46]>> on that property before. Yeah. And the the person who's trying to sell that is the piece of land didn't put it in the right way. Mhm. And we didn't bought it.

[00:09:57]Okay. So which kind of haunted me personally is that what where I was at that time I should have done the the surveys surveys properly.

[00:10:06]>> Mhm. Things can go wrong on that day.

[00:10:08]Right. And I have could have spent a lot of money on it. Right. So that thing I always keep with me Yeah.

[00:10:14]>> as my bad experience. Although we didn't go through that, we saved the money right at the moment, but it should not be right on that moment. It should have been done way earlier because we have the a lot of ways to do it. So having a real real estate expert person is always a good idea in that case.

[00:10:31]>> Oh, absolutely. I agree. Yeah, no, property verification um many times, you know, this has happened uh in my real estate career. And it happens more in India actually than here.

[00:10:42]>> Uh you know, people don't verify with professionals. Yes. They just rely on word of mouth. Yes. You know, or whatever the relatives, family, or or the people that are in their surrounding. Sure, yeah.

[00:10:55]>> The information that they give them. And I always say, you know, you need to professionally verify the documentation.

[00:11:01]True, yeah. And we didn't did the surveys. Right. The the the business normal operating there. Right. It's still hanging in there. And if we could have spent money on it, which we'll be hanging in there, too. So that's really yeah, scary. Yeah. What's something new developers underestimate every time?

[00:11:17]Yeah, I'll say the risk.

[00:11:19]Yeah. And the discipline. Yeah. So if you are developer in a real estate or you're trying to develop a business in any field or maybe in investments.

[00:11:29]Let's say you are trying to get into stock market investments.

[00:11:32]>> Right. Um they need to understand the discipline.

[00:11:35]Exactly.

[00:11:35]>> a one-day thing and there is always a risk. If you want risk reward so they underestimate those things. They think like things always go up. Mhm. Things always give good returns, but they don't know that those returns they are looking at they are historical returns.

[00:11:48]>> Right.

[00:11:48]>> So you need to wait, you need to be disciplined, you have to keep investing yourself if you are trying to develop a real estate portfolio.

[00:11:56]>> Mhm. It's not a one-day thing. You have to keep doing it It's It's a discipline you need. You need to study more. So they don't do the They don't follow the discipline.

[00:12:05]Right. They think it's a if they just bought one thing, it's done. Yeah. They are smart enough for that and keep doing whatever they want. And same goes for investing even in stock market. Yeah.

[00:12:15]>> Even in ETFs, mutual funds.

[00:12:17]So that's the reason they don't Are you into stock market as well? Yeah, I do.

[00:12:22]Yes.

[00:12:23]>> Very good. Yeah, we have a We do invest in the real estate and stock market as well. Okay.

[00:12:28]>> We do mutual funds.

[00:12:29]We mostly do Franklin Templeton. It's not on stock markets. It's a mutual fund you have to buy it separately. Got it.

[00:12:36]>> Different brokerages. We do those. And those actually are very clear about those things that nothing going to happen in a month. So those are long terms. Long terms. Okay. Yeah, stay there for at least 2 years and then you'll see the results. So people and keep investing. So safe investments.

[00:12:50]>> Safe investments. Keep investing, keep doing it.

[00:12:52]>> Yeah. Just don't get scared. Things will always go up and down.

[00:12:55]Even heartbeat goes up and down. Yeah, exactly.

[00:12:58]>> goes stable, you're not alive. Yeah, well well that saying, "What goes up must come down." That's the only way it's going [snorts] to you know keep going.

[00:13:05]>> Yes, that's the discipline you need. You need to stay there. You need to manage the risk properly and that's what the I think you have to have that understanding of the market. So learn as much as you could, you know. Yeah, if the market is going down, that's opportunity.

[00:13:19]Absolutely.

[00:13:20]>> It's not a loss. That's what I tell all my investors.

[00:13:23]Cuz I ran into a gentleman just last week. He said um "We're just parking our money for right now. We're just, you know, in this" I said, "Well, a lot of people look at it differently." Yes.

[00:13:34]>> You know, in a in a shaky market, there's so much going on, so much happening.

[00:13:40]So, for investors, I feel it's Black Friday.

[00:13:44]Yes. You know. I love Black Friday.

[00:13:47]>> It's an opportunity to actually buy, and that's something that most people don't understand.

[00:13:53]>> That's in real estate, too. Yeah, exactly. Right now, I mean, uh, things are not going that good. People are not buying enough, but I think it's a good opportunity if you're getting a good deals.

[00:14:01]>> There are so many businesses, um, out there that are for sale, acquisitions, even in the residential. There's so much going on, you know.

[00:14:10]>> Yes. Yeah. And availability, and especially when the interest rates are higher, obviously the prices are going to be a little lower. That that's the point that that's the opportunity if you want to get. Like, you can always refinance.

[00:14:21]>> Exactly. That's right.

[00:14:22]>> So, if a investor who has like, let's just say we're going to use the Fresno market as an example, you know, $400,000 home. Yes. If you have that cash, Yeah.

[00:14:33]and you don't have to worry about interest rates, so this is your right time to invest.

[00:14:36]>> Definitely. You know, you can negotiate >> Yes. because you're not involving lenders, so it's a less tedious process.

[00:14:43]Yes. So, you just take that $400,000 and park it Park it there.

[00:14:47]>> Yeah, in the residential property. And you can finance it once the rates are low, and even you can get more money out of it once the rates are low.

[00:14:54]>> Did you ever feel like you didn't belong in certain rooms? I was at a place recently in LA. It's at a steakhouse. It was a meeting of investors. Mhm.

[00:15:03]Uh, they the way they talk, Yeah. the way they think, I don't think like that.

[00:15:09]But, I am happy that I was there because I've learned a lot of things. The way they operate, the way they think. That was the room when I got into, and after 10 minutes, I like, "I don't belong here." These guys So, was that a good experience for you? Initially, I was shocked that these guys are talking something I cannot relate at all.

[00:15:26]But later on, yeah, it turns out to be a good at least I had some learning out of it that this this is how the people actually operate once they have this kind of this kind of a network and this kind of a things going on in their life like in investing. Right. How they think to put money in which stock, how to put money in which ETF, how they think uh in the real estate. Right. What's bite-size deals are, what things actually like the parking the money, how they park their money, what's actually is those things.

[00:15:54]So yeah, those things Yes, so initially I did, but later on it came out to be a learning for me. How did you push through that that whole uh conference that you were at? Well, I had a couple of drinks.

[00:16:06]>> [laughter] >> So yeah.

[00:16:07]>> stressful? Sometimes when you have somebody real real smarter person sitting in front of you and you're looking like dumb. Uh-huh. Okay, so you need some kind of a push. Well, I'll I'm not promoting alcohol. Right.

[00:16:19]>> I'm just >> Yeah. Okay, no promotion to alcohol.

[00:16:22]Right. You should not drink, it's not healthy. But yeah, uh that's what actually relaxed me a little bit, helped me relax and then it was more like open and now I there was a person uh his name was Josh. Okay. Josh Shelton and I was talking to him and I told him like bluntly after that like I'm not there what you're talking about, but I am interested what are you talking about.

[00:16:42]Yeah. This is something I want to talk about.

[00:16:44]>> Right.

[00:16:45]>> This is the the right knowledge. See, sometimes you go over there to get value. Yeah. But you end up valuing them.

[00:16:52]>> Yeah. So which is good exchange of energy. Yeah, he was investor from Arkansas, Little Rock area, doing a lot of investments there in properties and yeah, he helped me. He he is like, "Okay, calm down. This is normal thing."

[00:17:05]I was there one day and yeah, and that's what actually if you really find a nice people around you Right. they will actually try to help you. They will not try to demotivate you.

[00:17:14]>> Oh, of course.

[00:17:15]>> Yes, so that's what helped me on that day. How has being an immigrant shaped your risk tolerance? Well, I have nothing to lose. Yeah.

[00:17:24]So, I was a blank white piece of paper.

[00:17:28]I can write my story. Right. I have nobody tell me like you will fail. Yeah. Or people will say this.

[00:17:37]Your neighbors will come tell you something.

[00:17:40]Right. I was blank piece of paper. So, nothing >> wrote your book. I just Yeah, whatever I want to do I kept going. I made mistakes. Everybody do. That's how we learn. Yeah, but I kept going. Yeah, that's good. And do you have your parents are here or are they in India? So, they Yeah, right now my parents are here with me at home. And they did help me. My parents never asked me why are you doing this? Why are you do you should do this? Right. My father was in in in a government job back in India.

[00:18:12]He always wanted me to do a job, but then later he's like do whatever you want to do. Right. So, he's been supportive. He was very supportive in all the way possible. You have other family here or I have couple of my brothers here. Okay. Yes, they are in transportation industry and getting into the real estate things, too.

[00:18:28]So, they are here and they are younger.

[00:18:30]Oh, okay. So, I'm happy that they're young and they're doing these things.

[00:18:33]What sacrifices don't people see behind your success? Discipline. Simple. I mean like talent can be beaten by discipline.

[00:18:41]That's the only thing I believe in. So, I mean if you are fat and if you want to lose the weight, nothing going to happen overnight.

[00:18:48]People just say it's a success overnight, but if you want to lose a weight, if you are fat, big enough, it's going to take time. You have to keep doing it. Keep doing it.

[00:18:55]>> Consistency. Consistency. So, it should be a discipline. Things will happen. Bad things will happen. Good things will happen in your life, but just keep doing it. Yeah. And then one day maybe people will come and say, "Ah, you just got lucky.

[00:19:07]Maybe won a lottery." I can relate.

[00:19:09]Yeah. Cuz you know, my weight journey, you know, so it took 2 and 1/2 years.

[00:19:15]>> Yeah. But I'm happy that I did it and you're right, consistency and discipline is what it takes. Yeah. And yes, a lot of people, you know, they come and and they're like, "How did you lose weight?"

[00:19:26]It doesn't matter how many times I mention gym, discipline, and, you know, I've completely changed my food intake. See?

[00:19:36]You know, so I have a new relationship with food. Yes. You know, now I eat to live, not live to eat.

[00:19:44]>> [laughter] >> Yeah, see? So you have your So this is very relatable, as you say. Is anybody if you want to do something, there will be days with you as well, like, "Oh, I don't want to go today. I'm tired." But you still did it. Yeah. You might be sick, but you still did it.

[00:19:57]Yeah.

[00:19:57]>> You had work, still did it. So it's just the discipline. One habit that lost you money. Rushing. Rushing. Rushing into the decisions before reading stuff, before knowing everything. Right. So, yeah. The the rushing into those decisions. You got to kind of take it easy and do your research.

[00:20:13]>> time. It's your money. Keep it with you as long as you are not sure enough.

[00:20:17]>> So if you had to start all over today with $10,000, what would you do? If I have to start with $10,000, I'll go to the service industry. Yeah. Anything where we can provide service.

[00:20:28]For example. For example, we can provide a car wash. Yeah. Truck wash. Mhm.

[00:20:32]Service because $10,000 you have less investment. But if you want to make money, I think a car wash like you can go there and wash the car.

[00:20:42]It's it's easy to do that. Right.

[00:20:44]You can wash the bins. Right. You just need a $1,000 a machine.

[00:20:48]>> Service based business where you don't need much equipment and you don't really have to worry about buying the real estate. Yes.

[00:20:53]>> You can actually rent it.

[00:20:55]>> So service based industries, US economy is I think our 70 to 80% is service based. What's overrated in business right now? Too much money, I'll say. People think a lot of money in business. Not all the businesses make a lot of money, but the right business makes money. Right. I know some restaurants who are not making money at all, but there's some restaurants that make a lot of money. Mhm. So, people think that if you just get into the business, you'll just make money. I believe you have to be aligned with a business that you're doing. You Many times we think about making money before you even align yourself Yeah. with that type of business. And first of all, right now, I've seen a lot of food trucks. Yeah. A lot of them. Right.

[00:21:40]Someone one day just started a food truck.

[00:21:45]>> Mhm. And they had a success.

[00:21:49]They just discussed it with their friends. Now, the friends are thinking, "Let's just do I'll also do the same thing." Right. And now the the same thing is going on, going on, going on, but they don't know now they don't make the same amount of money because they just don't know how to cook.

[00:22:02]>> Right. They don't know the exact method.

[00:22:05]So, that's what's the thing is. So, just doing any kind of a business doesn't help. Doing the right way.

[00:22:11]>> that's going to match with your Yes. you know, skills, your experience, Yes. and your future goals.

[00:22:17]>> That's true. And and what advice would you give someone coming to the US today with big dreams and limited resources?

[00:22:27]Learn. Yeah. Learn. Just learn the system. If you know the system, it's you have opportunities.

[00:22:34]>> Right. You just don't need um Money will come if you have a good idea. You will find >> Yeah. Money will come. So, if you have a good plan, so for that good idea, you need to know everything. Right. If you know everything, you have to learn and be and do your research. That's true. How should someone think about building multiple streams of income without burning out? Well, multiple >> [sighs and gasps] >> Uh, income streams can only be done if you don't work on all of them.

[00:23:04]So, those should be self-managed.

[00:23:06]>> Right. So, for now, maybe yeah, so if somebody's in transportation industry, if they are operating there a little bit there, then now they are going to the real estate. So, make sure it's a rental properties. Right. You don't have to be there every day.

[00:23:21]And now, maybe the third thing can be investments in the the stocks. Right.

[00:23:25]You don't have to go there every day.

[00:23:26]Right. And always have someone for you, so that you can divide your time. 2 hours for this, 2 hours for this, 2 hours for this, because you need time >> Yeah, for family. Yeah. And then, if you still have some time, then think about the fourth part, or maybe the fifth part.

[00:23:40]>> Right. If you think the rental business is doing good, just grow that. Exactly.

[00:23:44]>> Rather than having one, have multiple. What does financial freedom actually means to you? Financial freedoms means I don't have to worry about my mortgage, Yeah. my car, Right.

[00:23:56]EMIs. That's financial freedom. Okay.

[00:23:59]Sleeping good at night Right. without worrying about the bills. Yeah. You don't have to wake up 8:00 in the morning and go back to the work to pay the bills.

[00:24:06]>> Yeah. Don't work to pay the bills. So, to me, financial freedom is where I don't have to worry about waking up at a certain hour, to, you know, 9:00 to 5:00.

[00:24:16]>> Sure. So, when you can actually make your own schedule, you can actually, you know, go out and do what you love doing.

[00:24:22]Yes. That's financial freedom. Yeah, that's a easy thing. So, just if some people don't like their job, just do the job what you like doing. Right. Find job in that field. Yeah, exactly.

[00:24:32]>> be happy. Uh, biggest mistake immigrants make in business. They don't, uh, read much how the laws here are, because most of the companies getting, uh, like into into the trouble is because they don't know Right. what actually needs to be done. They don't have a right accountant. Right. Right, or CPA or accountant, or right, Right resources.

[00:24:53]Right resources. Right.

[00:24:54]>> Yeah, so if if they don't those they try to do by themself to save the money.

[00:24:59]But that's not good. So you do need to invest in professionals. Professionals.

[00:25:03]>> Like real estate brokers. Yes, that's true. You know more than to the like you are doing that from a long time. Right. Why not to utilize your skills? Rather than going ourself and find things and then getting into the trouble later on, not writing the right contracts and So it's always good Right.

[00:25:22]>> to have a professional with you. Yeah.

[00:25:25]And I think that goes not just real estate in any industry.

[00:25:29]Yes. If you're not familiar with something, like why do we go to the doctor? Because we don't know everything about Yeah. medical, dental. Why do we go to the dentist?

[00:25:38]>> Yeah. You know, we do our part. We, you know, hygiene. But ultimately, the professionals know better than us. Well, Akashi, I met you about 2 years ago. True.

[00:25:52]This is going to be our third the Yatra Festival together.

[00:25:56]>> Yes. Yeah. And you know, what I remember about Akashi is that he just picked up the phone and text me, "Soniaji, I am Akashi Singhal and I'm new in Fresno. And I really want to support this event Yes. because it's a women's event. That's true.

[00:26:13]>> And you know, to me that was like, "Wow."

[00:26:17]Um had a utmost respect for you because not everyone just, you know, text me and says, "We want to do this." Yeah. It took time. Now I do have a lot of people who are aligned in the same way. Yes. Um we built a strong team of sponsors, organizers, volunteers, our participants, attendees. So over time we were able to do that and I, you know, all of our sponsors um their contribution got us to where we're at and I really appreciate, you know, what you did for us at that time.

[00:26:50]>> Yeah, and we'll do this too.

[00:26:52]>> Yeah, absolutely. I >> [laughter] >> I'm counting on you.

[00:26:55]We'll do it. Yeah. So, that was really nice and and I know that you're networking with other communities as well, which is really good. And can you share something about Fresno which has helped you or shaped you?

[00:27:09]Fresno is a growing city. Yeah. And it helps and I'm also growing. So, I can relate myself with Fresno in past 8 years. It's growing really fast. Yeah.

[00:27:19]And and that's what I'll say that that's why I can relate myself with Fresno.

[00:27:24]Exactly.

[00:27:25]>> A growing city with a growing person.

[00:27:27]Everything I see growing here every day.

[00:27:29]New constructions going on. New houses getting built. Right.

[00:27:32]>> More people moving into Fresno from to Central Valley from the Bay Area or from LA. Right. So, that's what I'll relate myself with Fresno. Right. It's I believe affordability is a big thing.

[00:27:46]>> Yeah. You know, coming from bigger cities, you can actually, you know, buy a house here like I mentioned earlier, like 4 to 500,000 dollars, you can have a really nice four-bedroom, two-bath house.

[00:27:56]>> That's true. Uh versus in Bay Area or 100 years old house. Yeah. And and $1 million. So, yeah, there's a lot of value in living in Central Valley, especially living in Fresno. Yes, and it's growing city, too. Now, we have everything pretty much everything here.

[00:28:11]Maybe if you see 10 years ago, we might not have a lot of things, a lot of restaurants, a lot of but now it's a lot.

[00:28:17]>> Yeah. We have everything here, so Yeah.

[00:28:19]and it's better to invest in a growing city. Absolutely. So, that your money will grow. As you grow, the money grows and the city is growing. That's where you want to be, where there's growth.

[00:28:29]>> Yes. And if you're in a city where everything is stagnant, nothing's moving, and you're not able to afford even a house, you're in the wrong place.

[00:28:36]Sure, yeah. And the real estate is growing here a lot. Absolutely. You know, more in almost 10 years, it's a lot of things almost doubled. Right.

[00:28:43]Right.

[00:28:44]>> So, and it's still the time. Yeah, and uh know, so northeast uh Fresno was, you know, the spot where everything was going on. But now we're going into southeast of Fresno. So, you know, there's a lot of movement. Of course, the northwest, a lot of movement. Right time to buy. Yes. Prices are great, you know, so and new schools are coming up.

[00:29:06]>> That's true. Yeah. And even for tenants are there. Yeah.

[00:29:09]>> If somebody's trying to just invest and Right. get it rented, so Right.

[00:29:13]>> there, too. I believe the the rents here are much better than the Bay Area. A lot better, yeah. Yeah. Yeah, and safe. Yes.

[00:29:21]You can park I I park my car outside and I'm not worried that somebody will break in. Right. Exactly.

[00:29:26]>> cannot happen in the Bay Area. Since you lived in the Bay and uh now you're living here, people in the Bay Area, some of them and even, you know, some of my friends, uh what's in Fresno? What's there to do?

[00:29:38]I always felt uh cuz I lived in the Bay Area, too.

[00:29:42]I felt the quality of life is here.

[00:29:45]Yeah. Cuz we don't have to worry about spending hours and hours in traffic.

[00:29:49]>> That's true. And we don't have to worry about paying off a mortgage of $2 million to $5 million house. You can get from point A to point B like across town in 30 minutes, less than 30 minutes.

[00:30:02]>> Less than 30 minutes, yes. So, >> I'll see you. What do you feel? What do you like the most in Fresno? The same things you just said.

[00:30:08]>> Oh, okay.

[00:30:09]>> [laughter] >> You pretty much covered everything.

[00:30:11]Yeah. So, yeah, I mean, uh if you are in Clovis on the other side and you're coming on this side of the city where we are right now, it's less than 30 minutes. Right. We have everything here.

[00:30:20]There's nothing we'll say that we don't have here in the in Central Valley. Right. And we have uh everything is on >> Park. Yosemite is not too far. That's what the Bay Area people come these days Right. to for the lakes, for the for the parks. Right.

[00:30:34]>> We have a lot. We have a sequoia, I think that's how we pronounce it.

[00:30:37]Sequoia, yeah. Yeah, that's there. Yeah.

[00:30:40]We have our own zoo. Yes.

[00:30:42]>> So, a lot of things lakes Huntington Lake, Shaver Lake, Millerton Lake, Lost Lake. There's so many out here. And we're only 2 hour drive from the beaches. 2 maybe 1 hour for the mountains, 2 hours for the beaches.

[00:30:55]It's a growing city. So, Fresno is hot, guys. You should move Yes, move here.

[00:31:00]>> [laughter] >> Invest here if you're not going to move here. Yes. Yeah. Okay, well, this has been really nice. I've been wanting to do this from since I started. Yes.

[00:31:10]>> Finally coordinated our times. That's right. Thank you so much Akash for being here and let's keep growing together.

[00:31:16]>> Yeah, sure. Thank you so much.