Bert Oliva is a Leadership Expert. He is sought after by companies all over the world for his passion, his knowledge and his infectious spirit. He is a Leadership Expert that has transformed lives and helped many to find their human potential.
Bert is an international orator and motivational teacher. He has authored books, developed multiple training programs and coached executives to increase their bottom line. Bert focuses on helping companies and individuals tap into their greatness by teaching them leadership, communication and helping to improve their overall performance.
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Bert Oliva Interview Transcript
(Note: Transcript is largely unedited and here for your convenience. Please excuse transcription errors.)
00:00.00
Michael Whitehouse
Welcome to the guy who knows a guy podcast I’m your host Michael Whitehouse the guy who knows a guy himself and I’m very excited about the guest we have this week Bert Oliva bet Oliva is a leadership expert. He is sought after by companies all over the world for his passion his knowledge and his infectious spirit. He is a leadership expert that has transformed lives and helped many define their human potential burt is an international orator and motivational teacher. He has authored books develop multiple training programs and coach executives to increase their bottom line burt focuses on helping companies and individuals tap into their greatness by teaching them leadership communication. And helping to improve their overall performance and I had the pleasure of meeting Bert in Dallas when I traveled down there for orleo more’s speaker boot camp which is an awesome time and I am so excited to have you on the show. So welcome bet.
00:50.90
Bert Oliva
Thank you Michael! Umm so you know what we need to do for your audience. We need to give them a celebration. So do that real quick do that real quick welcome Burt are.
00:56.14
Michael Whitehouse
Ah I love your celebrations. Welcome Bert.
01:07.88
Michael Whitehouse
There we go? Yes, Yes, so so but when when we’re at the boot camp you talk to the difference but between it between a celebration and I can’t more not celebration was and a round of applause. Yes, so so let’s.
01:18.54
Bert Oliva
And a round of applause you know number who yeah yeah, one of the things. Well I’ve been doing this for over twenty seven years and I but and one of the things that I teach besides leadership is human behavior.
01:23.72
Michael Whitehouse
Kick off with that just to set that term So what’s there into a celebration or out of applause.
01:34.10
Bert Oliva
And what doesn’t matter what country where you’re from what gender what religion it doesn’t matter. We’re all same. We’re all people when and we act the same way and we it certain things. But if you notice when we’re children we celebrate the smallest things right? that one little I mean.
01:46.27
Michael Whitehouse
Did it.
01:51.17
Bert Oliva
I’m gonna date myself but remember when that g I Joe came out and they had the gi I Joe with the kum fu grip and you’re like oh my god this one is better. You celebrate those things as we start getting older. It’s like it’s not professionals celebrate so we’re missing out on the endorphins on feeling good.
02:01.99
Michael Whitehouse
Um, yeah.
02:08.00
Bert Oliva
About just being able to celebrate little things in life. Not just the big things and the funny thing is Michael sometimes people make it to where they want to go in life and they forgot to celebrate the whole process and once they think into the big things they don’t celebrate so I tell people there’s a difference between a run of applause and a celebration.
02:16.69
Michael Whitehouse
Mean.
02:24.37
Michael Whitehouse
Um, yeah, flap Clapy Clap Pi Clap me. Yes.
02:26.63
Bert Oliva
So when we you saw it in the live setting and when you tell people what does a round of applause sound like and you hear round of applause but when year a celebration when you’re celebration. Wow Well why a’t we doing more of that and if you do more of that You know it’s in the bible you reap what you? So so the more you celebrate.
02:43.30
Michael Whitehouse
Ah.
02:46.33
Bert Oliva
Other people’s successes you will end up getting the same back.
02:47.66
Michael Whitehouse
Yeah, and and I love what you said about you know the importance of celebrating along the way because you so people they they hit their goal and they’re like is is this It is this like top of the top mount. Actually I Yeah yeah.
02:58.58
Bert Oliva
Well usually that’s what happens you know you have this perceived value that once I have that vehicle that Ferrari or the Lamborghini or once I have that perfect spouse or significant other. My life will be great and then you achieve that and you take it for granted.
03:08.74
Michael Whitehouse
Ah.
03:15.86
Michael Whitehouse
Yep.
03:16.00
Bert Oliva
You don’t even realize that you have these things and then you want to go for more I’m not telling people that don’t strive for more and it’s great to do that but enjoy the process. Enjoy Enjoy the little things and also the big things but start celebrating life.
03:22.46
Michael Whitehouse
Right? yes.
03:28.94
Michael Whitehouse
Yeah, ah trying to teach my daughter. We took a road trip between Christmas and New Year’s from from here in connectic get down to Florida where my my father has a house and and and she you know she very like you know when are we going to be there. Are we there yet and I’m like right? This’s a road trip.
03:44.12
Bert Oliva
That.
03:45.74
Michael Whitehouse
The whole trip is there. We’re there now. Yes, we’re gonna have stops. We’re gonna have things we’re doing but like this is there that there is here here is there. There is here what will then be now. Yeah.
03:52.39
Bert Oliva
Exactly I mean one of the things that we did for many years when the children were grown up every summer we had a ah um, rv bus you know with a big bus and what we would do every summer we would take off three months
04:08.65
Michael Whitehouse
Wow and.
04:10.90
Bert Oliva
And for those three months we would go across the country and I would say that that was a workation right? So what I would do is I would delete I would contact the people that I knew in each state and say you know what I’m gonna be passing by your state so in the process of us passing by your state. We’ll do an event if you have an event going on so I would get paid as I was with.
04:18.55
Michael Whitehouse
It in.
04:27.56
Michael Whitehouse
Ah, then.
04:30.67
Bert Oliva
Occasioning right? But what what I’m trying to tell you is that those are the best memories we have not the events the moments that we were together doing that traveling across the country and those are the little things that my children right now they’ve they’ve grown up and and.
04:34.31
Michael Whitehouse
Yeah, yeah.
04:42.23
Michael Whitehouse
Yep.
04:47.90
Bert Oliva
1 of the things that we always do is when can we take some time off because now they all own own their businesses and everything and they’re like let’s figure it out so we can spend quality time because that’s really what’s important and I love what you told your daughter this is we’re there. We’re here right now.
04:55.44
Michael Whitehouse
Yeah, yeah, and it’s that’s great. Yes, yep, yeah, and.
05:04.27
Bert Oliva
Which is another. It’s another thing I mentioned to people I say you know what a lot of people live in the past or in the present they don’t enjoy I mean in the past or in the future They don’t enjoy the present and in Spanish and English the word present and but a sainte is a gift.
05:08.63
Michael Whitehouse
Um, yeah, right right.
05:20.93
Michael Whitehouse
And.
05:23.40
Bert Oliva
If people would take a little bit of more time opening up that Gif they would have a better quality of life but they’re so busy in how my future’s gonna look like or what happened in the past and I wish I can go back there again. You know and so yeah, being present is the most important thing in the world. That’s why I love what you told your daughter.
05:33.16
Michael Whitehouse
Ah.
05:38.91
Michael Whitehouse
Yeah, yeah, and and this’s one of things I’m I’m really you when my daughter is born I decided she is my focus like she’s my goal I’ve I’ve done a business I’ve done this I’ve done that she’s the goal. So. Everything’s got a tie back to that. So as I’ve I’ve learned coaching and now you I’m more focused on making connections. But by still I learned transformational coaching strategies and. And all that and all those things I learn I then say okay, how does this apply especially when people say you know all of your ideas are imprinted between the ages of 0 and 7 I’m like shoot my daughter’s 7 right now. Clock’s running out. Okay, what am I imprinting on her right now but thinking about how can I deploy this to teach her. As she’s growing up so that she doesn’t have to learn it when she’s 30 or 40 or 50 like so many people do but she can learn it when she’s 7 or 10 or 14 as she goes.
06:24.63
Bert Oliva
Yeah, the best thing I tell people when they talk about that. First of all, that’s been debunked. So basically it even starts earlier than that number 1 number 2 is through your actions. That’s how they learn not telling them and preaching to them with how what they should be doing when you’re not doing it yourself.
06:31.65
Michael Whitehouse
10 says. Yeah.
06:42.20
Michael Whitehouse
Um, yeah, yeah, yeah.
06:44.49
Bert Oliva
Her seeing you build your your businesses seeing that you’re the guy that knows the guy and the gal you know once they she starts seeing the process even though she may not be watching you all the time but she is on a subconscious level.
06:57.17
Michael Whitehouse
Um, yeah.
07:00.70
Bert Oliva
When her time comes whenever she’s twenty thirty she’ll be like I remember when my dad used to do this and I learned from his actions. Not just words.
07:01.98
Michael Whitehouse
Yes, yeah, and and that’s one my goal so to bring her me this. What I do is kind of kind of ephemeral. Yeah know I I have Zoom calls I have emails. It’s kind of hard for to watch like she sees me sitting at computer. So I try to explain. But I’m doing and I look forward to the time when she’s of an age where maybe she could sit at a table for me at an event or she could come with me or she could even you know help me connect with people and what what I’d want to avoid is be like oh dad dragged me to these events and they’re so boring so I need to find a way to make it you know make it something engaging.
07:35.91
Bert Oliva
Right? Let me tell you when when we when we started our events I have 3 children and that miles sabrina and Dylan right? and I remember when we first started the events we used to book our own events right? So miles was a security guard.
07:40.69
Michael Whitehouse
Here.
07:52.00
Michael Whitehouse
Um, ah.
07:54.37
Bert Oliva
He was the guy that was a security guard but he would network with everyone. So that today reason his business has flourished so fast and and it’s really a nice business video editing business is because he’s a great networker because he was used to doing that connecting with everyone Sabrina would be the one that would charge you.
08:05.43
Michael Whitehouse
Ah.
08:13.19
Bert Oliva
Make sure that you would pay if not, you wouldn’t get a wristband Dylan with stand by the door dlan’s the youngest one and if you didn’t have. It’s funny though because he would dress up in the suit with sneakers which is cool for day but it wasn’t cool back then he would go ahead and make sure you had the ban on if you didn’t have the band. He’ll send you back to his sister.
08:16.63
Michael Whitehouse
Yep.
08:23.70
Michael Whitehouse
Um, yeah.
08:31.69
Bert Oliva
So it was funny because you would think Wow they’re gonna have a boring time but you’d be surprised when when they start. Yeah, they learn they learn from what they’re doing and exactly yeah.
08:34.67
Michael Whitehouse
Oh yeah, like I mean and you find the fun in it. Yeah, if you find the fun in that. Um and one other thing and heard we haven’t even gotten to the the opening questions you’re just too interesting. Um, but 1 other thing I want to talk about that that you taught us in.
08:49.16
Bert Oliva
Um, and take you.
08:53.71
Michael Whitehouse
At at the Dallas event that I’ve took taken with me is the idea of the 45 seconds to change change your state and and talk a little about what that what that means.
08:58.58
Bert Oliva
Your state State state of mind. Yeah, you know what I’m gonna go ahead and I know that we’re in audio. But I’m gonna put up the video because eventually you might guys guys you might and gals you might be able to see this video if if if.
09:14.00
Michael Whitehouse
I might put this one out as video because you’re brought over leave ah and you’re quite convincing.
09:14.56
Bert Oliva
Michael has the time in the future and.
09:20.59
Bert Oliva
So it’s about conditioning. So I’m going to put up the slide really quick. It takes 45 seconds to change your state state of mind or state of being we do it all the time when you play your favorite tunes. You really don’t have to go through the entire 3 to 5 minute song to change your state.
09:28.73
Michael Whitehouse
I think.
09:39.90
Bert Oliva
So a lot of time people realize well you know what I want to change my state I want to feel better I want to be happier put on your favorite tunes. Go ahead and change your state. It takes 45 seconds now the next step after that it takes twenty one days to change or create a habit right? We’ve heard that many of times before right.
09:53.59
Michael Whitehouse
I have.
09:56.95
Bert Oliva
Twenty one days includes weekends a lot of people want to change their life but they only want to do it Monday through Friday it doesn’t work that you have to do it for twenty one days now is your life going to change twenty one days no not 100% but ah parts of your life will start.
10:00.99
Michael Whitehouse
Um.
10:13.10
Bert Oliva
Shifting. We’ll start changing is if you do cycles of 21 right and then you don’t realize we do this on a subconscious level I’ll give you an example women that don’t want to have a baby these takes these little blue pills right? or pink pills. Whatever they are. The pills are only for twenty one days the rest are trigger pills.
10:15.90
Michael Whitehouse
Um, and.
10:26.97
Michael Whitehouse
Um, yeah.
10:31.11
Bert Oliva
When we were a corporate America when there was a thing called corporate America they would give you three weeks training three weeks was twenty one days so we are conditioned in cycles of 45 seconds to change your state twenty one days to change or create a habit the next step to takes six months about six months you create what’s called an addiction. Right? It happens on a subconscious level now addiction could be a bad word but it is what it is. It doesn’t have to be a bad word. You could be addicted to positive things right? but I’ll give you an example people that start working out right in the beginning of the year Their new Year’s resolution if they stick to it for six months next thing you know the day that they miss a day. They don’t feel good. Something is good because you’re becoming addicted to that one action. So I tell people look let’s break it down 45 seconds Twenty one days then six months later you’re definitely a whole different person. Your quality of life will shift the final one. It takes 9 years it takes 9 years to
11:07.61
Michael Whitehouse
Are.
11:25.68
Bert Oliva
Become what’s called institutionalize. So I ask people in the audience all the time though. How many of you have been married for nine years and then they raise how well you’ve been institutionalized. It’s not a bad thing but let’s look at this right when you look at Dictatorships around the world. Anyone is that that lives in a dictatorship country.
11:36.56
Michael Whitehouse
Yep.
11:43.87
Bert Oliva
They’ve had the president for over nine years in the United States we only are allowing presidents to be around for 8 years because people know or psychologists know that after 9 years you can become institutionalized. It becomes part of the way of living when you look at 9 years another thing that you look at there was in a interview.
11:44.26
Michael Whitehouse
Are.
11:53.00
Michael Whitehouse
Um.
12:03.47
Bert Oliva
They did on 2020 where these none want to become nuns. But what happened was things have changed right? They weren’t they weren’t versions. They had bad relationships and the Vatican decided to go ahead and allow them to become nuns again or or to become nuns even though they weren’t virgins. The cameras were following them to the convents when they got to the convents they didn’t allow the cameras in and guess for how long they were there for 9 years right? because they know that after 9 years you’re institutionalized you Repro. So when you look at something that you’re doing in your life.
12:28.77
Michael Whitehouse
9 years um.
12:39.38
Bert Oliva
And it’s not. You know why isn’t this working go back and realize you’ve been doing it for 9 years without paying attention after you things for that long now people want to change in twenty one days they want to lose the you know, but £80 they’ve gained in 5 years or in 9 years they want to lose it in in twenty one days doesn’t work that way.
12:43.33
Michael Whitehouse
Um.
12:56.70
Michael Whitehouse
Now.
12:58.11
Bert Oliva
But this recipe that I’ve created for people is in my latest book. It’s about being able to become aware the difference between a person and successful and the person is not successful is not the amount of money they have is how where they are to what’s actually happening like for example for you? Michael.
13:09.44
Michael Whitehouse
Um.
13:14.87
Bert Oliva
1 of the things that’s and let me pop back out of here. 1 of the things that that I love about you is that you you know before we even started the show we were having a conversation even when I met you in person how this just fell in your lap you know or an aware of what you were doing and now you became the guy that knows the guy.
13:24.75
Michael Whitehouse
Um.
13:30.99
Michael Whitehouse
Um, yeah, yeah, yeah.
13:32.92
Bert Oliva
And and the go. Yeah I put the slash gal just because you do you know everyone and it’s not only that when once they get to meet you It’s very pleasant and and then I’m telling you we were having a conversation about how many tools and techniques you have that you realize you have it is second nature. Probably the way you brought up is probably the way you know you’ve lived your life but now it’s become a business so a lot of times what we need to do is become aware of our real talents and stop trying to be like someone else like you know the next Tony Robbins the next last brown the next Bert Oliva
13:52.25
Michael Whitehouse
Yep.
13:56.31
Michael Whitehouse
Um, yeah.
14:12.16
Bert Oliva
No, you need to be the best you you can be and there’s a market for that. There’s a market for what it is. You’re doing that maybe wasn’t a market five years ago but there’s a market today and you’ve realized that. So now you’re monetizing on it and.
14:12.56
Michael Whitehouse
Ah.
14:26.57
Bert Oliva
We were having the conversation. It’s gone to the point that you’re not even looking for the money the money is coming to you. Ah.
14:29.25
Michael Whitehouse
Yeah, yeah, people finding me and yeah, it’s fight when you mentioned the institutionalization as as looking at the the date and and realized that actually I met my wife almost exactly nine years ago so I’m about to about to cross the threshold in the full institutionalization. but yeah yeah, but yep yeah it’s it’s a interesting there’s there we die I mean.
14:48.31
Bert Oliva
I’ve been in surprise for like I’ve been married for over 30 years I’ve gone through the process 3 times. Um. But you know what’s funny that honestly when when they go back and look at that clip you’ll notice one of the things I noticed throughout the years was even my children you know when when my daughter started dating you know before she got into a six month relationship I was like honey. You sure you want to be with this person. Because after six months it becomes more difficult to create operation so becoming aware of these things you know, maybe you’re you’re you’re working on a new career path. You’re five months in this is a good moment to stop and think this is something I really want to do for the next nine years if it’s not because you’re following the money.
15:16.52
Michael Whitehouse
Ah, yes.
15:30.21
Michael Whitehouse
Yeah.
15:35.16
Bert Oliva
And not working on your passion if you find what it is you love to do eventually you’ll get paid for it because there’s always a market and once you get paid for it. You really not working anymore because you love what it is. You do you wake up every morning excited like you Michael you know you wake up every morning and you’re excited I want to meet someone new.
15:42.96
Michael Whitehouse
Um, yeah, and ah, yeah, well and and there’s the thing for me and and I love what you’re saying about the you know you get five months say six months in and your house stuck. There is.
15:53.40
Bert Oliva
Um.
16:00.10
Michael Whitehouse
I was kind of called myself an entrepreneur but I was going from someone else’s business to someone else’s business. It was mostly sales or 1099 jobs or you know things like that. but but that was that was it and what I realized when the pandemic hit and I didn’t you know the thing I was doing stopped and I said you know what I’m going a full entrepreneur. I’m to support myself with gig work. So I don’t need to so I’m not gonna go full living a cardboard box and that way I’m going to fall this wherever it goes whatever opportunity presents I can then chase it he over here chase it over there figure out what the right one is and you fail fast learn fast. Try again fail fast learn fast try again I could iterate rapidly over that year and a half to find the right place. So so it certainly was like yes it fell in my lap but it fell in my lap the twenty seventh time I tried something. So yeah, the the old the old overnight success. You know somebody has an overnight success on the four Thousandth night of trying.
16:50.51
Bert Oliva
Sort my thing. Yeah, there’s no sex thing. Everybody talks about it all the time and then when you look at people that have succeeded. They’ve done it for over nine years you have to do it for 10 years or what is a 10000 hours you do the numbers to do become an expert.
16:56.61
Michael Whitehouse
Yeah. Yes, yeah, yeah, it’s.
17:08.60
Bert Oliva
You know so you have to you have to pay your dues and people don’t want to do that. But I love what you said because I tell my children and I have told them for years become a straight f student in life and they’re like what do you mean? dad. Yeah fail fast forward eventually, you want to figure it out people don’t want to fail in today’s world
17:16.38
Michael Whitehouse
Are you? yeah.
17:25.52
Bert Oliva
They want to just think that you know I’ll go ahead and take a course I’ll go ahead and and and sign up with Michael’s program and then I’ll have all the context I need it doesn’t work that way you have to figure it out if it was easy. Everyone would be doing it and that’s what people don’t understand they want they want you know, especially the the younger millennials.
17:34.79
Michael Whitehouse
Yeah, um, yeah.
17:45.67
Bert Oliva
They’re like you know immediate gratification. This is the way we’ve been conditioning them. You know when we were growing up. You know I’m I’m a generation x it wasn’t you didn’t get a first. Ah um, an award. It was first second and third price. That’s it not oh a for effort. Let me give you a trophy.
17:51.79
Michael Whitehouse
Then.
18:00.27
Michael Whitehouse
Yep.
18:04.78
Bert Oliva
Doesn’t work that way you have to earn it right.
18:04.87
Michael Whitehouse
Ah, yeah, yeah, and I’ve I’m I’m an exennial So I’m on ah that cusp between and there definitely sometimes when I’ve I’ve won things and they’re like did I really earn this like does this mean something or like how am I really and it was eventually kind of a transition as I went through a bit of the imposter syndrome. And people would say nice things about me and I’d be like do they say this to everyone or they really mean this and then I realized like they’re introducing me to someone of note that like they wouldn’t introduce just anyone to like? oh oh,, That’s because that’s me that’s not actually just and oh I did a thing Oh look at that. That’s pretty cool. I Just kind of doing it. You know over time to do that? Um, So so you shared a lot of great Advice. A lot of great ideas. Let’s share who you are because I’m gonna be like I like this bird leave a guy who the heck is he for those people who haven’t heard of you. Um, so bird tell us about yourself and.
18:56.00
Bert Oliva
Um.
19:00.36
Michael Whitehouse
Normal I’d say what makes you awesome. But I think that’s pretty apparent already but tell us a about yourself and how you became that that is true. It is the beard. Yeah yeah, definitely make sure you send me a headshot with the beard that we’re going to put on the promo image. So everyone can see it up. So so besides the beard.
19:02.64
Bert Oliva
Um, well what makes me awesome is this beard. Um I Just ah ah yeah, um, yeah.
19:19.21
Michael Whitehouse
Who are you? What do you do tell us about who Bert is.
19:21.92
Bert Oliva
Yeah, my name is Bert Oliva I’ve been doing seminars for over twenty seven years all over the world when I first started my career. There was only the anglo white market in the black american market there was no space for a latino speaker and I said that’s perfect. That’s my space so over twenty seven years later you know I’ve been speaking all over the world I have 3 companies one of the companies that I have is obviously my keynotes and and my motivation and and webinars and all that stuff and all our programs which is betel leva wealth academy. We also have boa studios where we do video productions for Entertainer. Speakers and so forth like a demo reel or a product video. You know my so my sons are actually now running that company. Believe it or not and then the third one is a nonprofit organization called motivational missions where we go around the world speaking to youth.
20:03.92
Michael Whitehouse
Oh nice.
20:12.87
Michael Whitehouse
Oh wow.
20:14.99
Bert Oliva
And and teaching them the the that the like whatever life they were dealt with. They’re not stuck with anything is possible so we started that company. Um because I’ve always wanted to help children I Love children and I remember my wife says you know when you get to some level of success is our our our obligation to give back.
20:18.73
Michael Whitehouse
Says it.
20:34.97
Bert Oliva
But it wasn’t to just get back to any a nonprofit so we opened up our nonprofit for the five first five years we founded the entire nonprofit all the tours. All the video production all the events feeding the children where we go to these countries and eventually we started getting donors. You know people started donating and we had. People sponsored us and so forth. So we’ve done just in Belize alone. We’ve spoken to over 50000 children. We’ve done Trinidad. We’ve done bermuda we’ve done Jamaica we’ve done eighty. We’ve been all over the world and and now you know that right now we’re kind of stuck right? There’s a lot of places.
20:59.47
Michael Whitehouse
Wow.
21:11.21
Michael Whitehouse
Um, and.
21:14.10
Bert Oliva
Can go to but we’re doing a lot of stuff online and that’s basically it so I tell people my name is but Oliva cuban born american maid and I came to this country when I was eleven months old with my mother I never had a father no grandparents, no brothers or sisters my mom was.
21:16.13
Michael Whitehouse
Okay.
21:33.18
Bert Oliva
My world and show has told me that anything you wanted to do was possible and I believed it and that’s why people anything you want to really do in your life is possible. The only person that’s holding you back is really yourself is easy to blame someone else. Why it is. You’re not succeeding but it’s really acceptance of responsibility Once you figure that out.
21:35.80
Michael Whitehouse
Ah.
21:43.50
Michael Whitehouse
Yeah.
21:52.59
Michael Whitehouse
Um.
21:52.86
Bert Oliva
Everything is possible and basically that’s pretty much like a short explanation on who is Bert Oliva
21:58.91
Michael Whitehouse
I Love it. Um, so you you’re talking a bit but before we before we hit record about how you you sort of oscillate it. You know you you found your mission you found your money. It took you while to find them both at the same time and I think there’s probably a lot of people out there and I think actually probably a lot of people holding themselves back too about they’re like well I don’t want to do. Unethical things to make money because maybe they think that’s the only way to get rich. Um, and so you know talk a little bit about how you how you synthesized you know doing good mission and also making a few bucks.
22:28.40
Bert Oliva
Yeah, um, ah realistically when when I started my career I learned a couple of tips and tools and and I learned from some of the greatest you know mentors out there which eventually became my friends and some of them have passed but I remember learning all these techniques and I wanted to share it with other people I’m like man you know it changed my life. Can show you how to change your life So I was so excited about changing the world and making it a better place that I forgot that one part of chargeing right? You know it’s like it’s not in direct proportion being a motivational speaker is not a direct proportion of getting paid and that’s not.. It’s not true.
22:53.50
Michael Whitehouse
Um, but.
22:59.33
Michael Whitehouse
That the story sounds familiar to you somehow feel like I’ve I’ve heard that sort of someone.
23:05.59
Bert Oliva
Yeah, you have to get paid and then and then that’s one of the things it it took me a while to figure it out and then once they are getting paid I was mentioneded by some of the top speakers that sell from platforms. So I learned how to sell $130000 for a 45 minute talk I started you know from a platform I learned also I started getting booked. All over the world because I do it in 2 languages english and spanish so I was getting you know $20000 for a keynote you know $50000 for a keynote was great but I wasn’t happy because then I I found myself doing it for the money. So then I went to this one phase of my life where I’m going to get into spirituality.
23:34.67
Michael Whitehouse
Um.
23:43.48
Bert Oliva
I’m gonna go ahead and just start expanding on that side and I wore the white white outfits and everything and I played the part I was happy but now it was broke. So I realized I had upon my balance. What worked for me, not what worked for Michael Not what works for anyone else. What worked for me.
23:50.69
Michael Whitehouse
Um. Um.
24:02.13
Bert Oliva
Once I figured that out and you know I have a great quality of life. People can follow me and they can see me on any social media and you’ll see I don’t put up things to show off I put up things to show them what it is that I’m doing in that part of you know that time in my life and you know like I Said. It’s finding your balance. What really works for you Not with social media says is in direct proportional with whatever successful, you know, a lot of people are following these influencers and a lot of them and I know them personally a lot of these influencers are not living the quality of life that you think and if they are maybe it’s not the quality of life that you want.
24:25.60
Michael Whitehouse
And.
24:33.31
Michael Whitehouse
Ye yeah I I definite love that I used to sell Audis um, and I had trouble selling them because I looked at these $70000 cars I’m like I don’t get it. Why are they? so.
24:39.19
Bert Oliva
What is it that you want. That’s really what you got to find.
24:52.37
Michael Whitehouse
Why why would you pay this much icu buy 2 piscas for the same as one a six because it it didn’t have that wasn’t an idea of luxury for me like that that wasn’t appealing to me I was much more interested in in and you know how reliable is it and gas like I’d rather have a car that had. Seventy Gallon seventy miles per gallon and 700 horsepower because that’s what was interesting to me and I think yeah, a lot of people. Ah.
25:16.10
Bert Oliva
I’m gonna be honest with you I’m gonna be honest with you I don’t own a car I don’t I don’t care about cars I’m not into some of the things that guys will like I Enjoy having nice nice vehicles. I mean we have nice vehicles in our home. You know all my children. You know they have expensive cars and and and you know but I’m not a car Guy. You know? So Oh do I have to go buy every lamborghini even though I can afford one because social media wants me to have one? No you know now I do buy trucks I do buy Rvs I do buy buses I like.
25:33.47
Michael Whitehouse
Ah.
25:43.22
Michael Whitehouse
Um, yeah.
25:51.78
Michael Whitehouse
Um.
25:52.15
Bert Oliva
You know, spending quality time. That’s really what’s in it for me now if I put up my buses online which I have it’s like oh it’s cool. They rather see a Ferrari that’s fine. That’s their problem. You don’t need to allow other people’s opinion of you become your reality you need to live your life and that’s really what it’s all about.
25:59.85
Michael Whitehouse
Um, yeah, yes.
26:09.91
Bert Oliva
And people are wasting too much time trying to be like someone else or trying to portray that they are someone else instead of living the life that they have and enjoying all the great things they have and all the possibilities by the time you realize you know what I could have done these things.
26:20.86
Michael Whitehouse
E.
26:26.87
Bert Oliva
You’re going to be whatever age seventy eighty ninety one hundred years old and today’s technology maybe be 21 and you’re gonna go back and say should a what it could have you don’t want to live with regrets. You want to say you know what I tried it I failed I figured it out but the whole process the journey of living people are missing out.
26:30.34
Michael Whitehouse
Um, yeah, right.
26:45.20
Bert Oliva
You know.
26:46.22
Michael Whitehouse
Yeahp and that is is so something ive found successful or effective I’d love to get your your take on is kind of curating curating my world. So when I’m on Facebook it doesn’t take much to make me unfollow or possibly unfriend someone. If they’re bringing negativity in my world like if someone’s if I if they’re posting on negative stuff I unfall I don’t need to see that if they’re coming on my wall and and arguing of me or yeah now if there’s they’re debating if they have just honest and I’ll talk to someone I want to learn from them. But they’re if they’re trolling if they’re throwing negative energy I don’t need that I unfriend them.
27:17.88
Bert Oliva
Yeah, yeah, you do need that and let me let me correct that you do need that right? when you have hecklers and you have haters Those are your biggest fans because you’re obviously doing something that they’re not doing and that’s why they’re coming at you your real fans will actually protect you from them.
27:20.43
Michael Whitehouse
Ah god.
27:25.58
Michael Whitehouse
Burnham.
27:30.15
Michael Whitehouse
And.
27:35.81
Michael Whitehouse
Um I like that.
27:36.57
Bert Oliva
You don’t have to worry about it if you don’t have any haters then you’re not pushing hard enough if you don’t have people hating on you is because you’re not making enough noise when you make noise you’ll always have negativity around you not that you have to take it in but you know every time I get someone to hate on my videos or or my seminars.
27:49.39
Michael Whitehouse
Yeah.
27:56.26
Bert Oliva
I’m like cool man I’m making enough noise for them to hear that I’m actually here.
27:57.78
Michael Whitehouse
Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, legit haters definitely but no more more about the the the political far right far left conspiracy theories all this kind of stuff when they’re they’re not. They’re not there for conversation. They’re there to to rant about whatever it is. You know that’s. Yeah, yeah, if somebody wants to come on there and talk about talk about what we’re talking about talking about opportunity because I definitely I have had although actually no, that’s interesting point. There’s probably maybe some people haven’t involved along those lines because I I will share things like I’ve shared um ideas like you are the. Your life is the result of all the decision you made to this point and all people push back on that like well, it’s not fair, not everyone has the same choices. Not everyone had the same opportunities. Um, and and John would all engage with those people because that’s a difference of opinion. That’s not trolling. That’s just i’ve.
28:44.53
Bert Oliva
Um.
28:52.32
Michael Whitehouse
Feel and have seen 1 thing and there they feel a different thing and so yeah, someone someone like that. Definitely that’s yeah.
28:56.69
Bert Oliva
You know, not not what you just said this is my opinion I believe everyone has a choice the choices I don’t care where you’re at I don’t know you know, whatever it is. You’re going through. You have a choice to live a better quality of life. You have a choice to push yourself every morning.
29:09.94
Michael Whitehouse
And.
29:15.93
Bert Oliva
Or every evening whenever it is your motivation comes in. You have a choice now that some people don’t have what was the second thing you said it wasn’t it was choice and you know.
29:16.17
Michael Whitehouse
Um, yes.
29:23.53
Michael Whitehouse
Oh yeah, they’re say that. Well so so one of them is not you made better choice of it. You had better choices like you the choice between good, good and better versus the choice being bad and terrible.
29:29.70
Bert Oliva
Yeah, well you you have choices number one number 2 opportunity but the the app those are your choices do I want to work out or I don’t want to work out. Do I want to miss today I mean anyone that does things consistently in whatever they do. You can see the success level.
29:44.30
Michael Whitehouse
M.
29:49.42
Bert Oliva
Right? So people are not consistent enough and when they talk about opportunities opportunities are there. The question is are you? It’s like that quote that says luck is when preparation meets opportunity a more prepared. You are the lucky you’re going to be. They’re not preparing themselves to see the opportunities are already there.
29:53.27
Michael Whitehouse
Yeah, yeah.
30:00.70
Michael Whitehouse
Yep yep.
30:05.90
Michael Whitehouse
Nothing.
30:07.49
Bert Oliva
Right? A lot of times they’re like well how come it hasn’t happened to me because you’re not knocking on enough doors. How come it hasn’t to me because you haven’t made enough phone calls. You haven’t been of stages you got to keep pushing. Let me tell you I’ve been on stages where it was only 2 or 3 people and I’ve been on stages with over ten thousand people
30:10.76
Michael Whitehouse
Yeah, yeah.
30:24.29
Michael Whitehouse
Yeah.
30:26.67
Bert Oliva
And the age that we were in in Texas I think it was maybe 20 people or 30 at most and that’s okay, you know it’s okay, are you going to always deliver the same or oh because the room is smaller I’m just not going to show them the great stuff. No, you have to always give information. You always have to give the best you can give of yourself.
30:41.88
Michael Whitehouse
Um, and you never know who those 2 people are.
30:46.51
Bert Oliva
Doesn’t matter the amount of people you know exactly you never you have no idea is it’s called a ° separation we’re 6 people away from the person we want to meet so if we talk and you’re like well I want to know will smith well my cousin my wife’s cousin.
30:53.69
Michael Whitehouse
Um, ah yep.
31:05.39
Bert Oliva
Is the godmother of one of Wellsman’s children that’s ° right? So if you ask me other people you know we’re 6 people away from the person wanted me so how come I haven’t met him because you haven’t been knocking on those doors because you you want it, you want you? I mean again, dating myself.
31:09.16
Michael Whitehouse
Ah. Um, yeah, yep, no, It’s totally true.
31:23.39
Bert Oliva
You know people you know how many people sat down and waited for not Johnny Carson what was the other guy Ed Mcmahon that waited for ebbing man to knock on their door. Um, that dollar they’re not look. It’s like people that say I want to one day win the lato but I don’t play the lava. Well, how do you want to win you got to play the game.
31:28.66
Michael Whitehouse
Um, ah oh yes, yeah yeah, Bolt clearing house. Yeah.
31:40.77
Michael Whitehouse
Ah, ah yes, yeah, well and that’s that’s why what? I see a lot and it’s yeah if you look at my website. Um I think I still have it pinned is is my mission is to make minimum wage irrelevant because if.
31:42.77
Bert Oliva
Life is a game man and those that played the game are the true winners. The ones that take so.
31:59.24
Michael Whitehouse
And and actually I wrote this before the labor shortage and it seems like a few people have have kind of seen what I saw which is you know 10% of the market said I’m not going to work for this and went and started driving for uber or door dash or you know took advantage the economy minimum wage wouldn’t matter anymore and because. You know, suddenly the market would shift nobody would be willing to work and quote unquote nobody wants to work they want to work they just don’t want to work for that but I see so many people who just sit there and they’re like well I’m just a minimum wage worker I can’t do any better. The world’s not fair, whatever and of course here’s the thing you know who am I the guy who knows the guy. They’re talking to me. They can’t say they don’t know anyone they’re talking to me saying I don’t have any opportunities and and and I I don’t even bother to have this conversation because I’ve given up I used to but I used to like who do you want to meet who would it take to give you the opportunity. I’ll find especially my friends. You know if it’s someone I meet randomly like they become a client they should pay me but 1 of my friends if if they need something and they’re like you know what? but but like like for for 1 introduction like i. So yeah, oh yeah, yeah, but.
33:01.28
Bert Oliva
By the way by the way all way Michael your friends need to pay you to if um I’m just coking I’m just joke. But that’s one you know? so so yeah you were saying.
33:13.64
Michael Whitehouse
but but like like I I had a friend who she was she was stuck in a job. This is ah a good story. She was stuck at her job search. Yeah, it wasn’t where she was sending out resumes like you do nothing coming back and I I finally gave her the idea said why don’t you just call them. You don’t be like hey where’s what’s happening to the application but call them back. Hey can I get your advice because I’m not hearing back I’d love to know from you. What what do you consider? What are you looking for? What’s your ideal candidate is there a job. You know how can you help me, she made one call. She had a great experience. The person was very helpful looked at a resume said. Oh yeah I kind of like you I’ll see what we can do um, didn’t get that job but realizing that. Engaged as a person you know realize oh I can make this happen I’m not at the mercy of the job market I can actually reach out I can send an email like a person and say hey what do you think here’s I have and it was not thirty days later she’s going to be starting a job that’s perfect for or pays what she wants does what she wants and. In these thirty days is the one week Christmas break. So really, it’s three weeks later she found the job because I was able to because she accepted my help and and I actually gotten frustrated with my friends who were like I don’t know and they’re pushing back like you got to pay me for me to deal with you pushing back on me.
34:23.25
Bert Oliva
I said.
34:25.30
Michael Whitehouse
I’ll give you my advice for free and if you’re willing to take it and run it cause it only takes you know how long’ had to give advice if you’re willing to accept it I’ll give you my advice take it make your life better that makes me happy if you’re gonna argue with me that’s gonna cost you like 100 twenty five bucks an hour you gotta become a client cause.
34:39.00
Bert Oliva
I said.
34:41.29
Michael Whitehouse
I’m only willing to put that much energy into somebody’s paying me I’m not going to fight with you when I’m trying to help you.
34:43.69
Bert Oliva
I mean I I’ve been doing this for so long and when I first started like I said I wanted to force people to listen look at the possibilities man everything is possible. You know you looking at an immigrant that was able to make they’ll live the American dream. Why ain’t you doing it right? So one of the things that I look at is.
34:51.57
Michael Whitehouse
Yeah, and then.
34:57.28
Michael Whitehouse
Ah. Um, yeah, yes.
35:03.11
Bert Oliva
You know you can’t help everyone. You can’t you can only help those people that want to help those people that are really willing to do what it takes and not everybody’s there most people are like you know I you know it’s just yeah I know I just got to wake up 30 minutes earlier but I really can’t do well you know what do you Let me know when you’re ready I’ll be here. Let’s move on and go help the people that want the help and that’s what we need to do? yeah.
35:23.46
Michael Whitehouse
Yeah, yeah, that’s yeah and don’t don’t use up the energy on. Um I Yeah yeah and and.
35:32.35
Bert Oliva
I’m trying to convert someone right trying to convert and yeah that you you can push someone hard enough that they’ll start something but the energy and and and how much energy you’re putting out and how much effort and then when it doesn’t work out. They’re gonna come back and blame you anyways.
35:47.66
Michael Whitehouse
Yeah, yes, yeah, and and that’s that’s how I meant with like the curation is that people are gonna come out and be like that’s not possible and that’s not fair blah Blah blah and yeah, whatever their their agenda is and and you know I I don’t.
35:50.31
Bert Oliva
Ah, you might as well put your energy to people that are willing to take action.
36:06.31
Michael Whitehouse
Part of is also I don’t want that energy I don’t want someone else to see my post then see that comment be like oh yeah, they’re right? It’s not possible. You know somebody who might have been ready to start accepting it who then yeah I don’t want to create a vehicle for the negativity to be brought to my to my audience to my friends to my my community.
36:22.42
Bert Oliva
I Mean you can’t stop it right now the way social media is there’s a lot of people is that they sit behind a keyboard you. They even put their real faces out there and they they just they their time is wasted on infecting the world right? And that’s just but they don’t see it that way.
36:28.83
Michael Whitehouse
Have. Now.
36:40.66
Bert Oliva
They they just have their voice and this is the way they’re going to put their voice out so instead of just deleting them and moving Yeah, delete every now and then but you don’t have time for that. You know what just put it up more content if people are complaining about that put out more content that regards that sometimes I I get some of my haters.
36:41.98
Michael Whitehouse
Listen.
36:52.30
Michael Whitehouse
Um, listen.
36:57.88
Bert Oliva
That will say something really negative and they’ll stick around and do it again and again and again and then I’ll do a video referencing what the hater saying letting people know my view of it and that’s it keep going on. You know, get them really upset, get them really angry. So at least they show their face right.
37:05.30
Michael Whitehouse
Yeah, yeah, but but my my friend Donny Bovin did a whole thing about about haters especially on Tiktok because the way the algorithms work. It can’t tell positive from negative comments comments or comments the more comments you get.
37:24.34
Bert Oliva
Um, you’re really on the feed.
37:24.40
Michael Whitehouse
The more you show up in the um in the discovery because it’s it’s engagement they say oh people must like this look at all the comments. So and especially if you respond to them so every hater who comments he says thank you for commenting you’re helping boost this video for me I really appreciate it. And and it’s it’s the best way to you know smile while say an f you because you’re like oh thank you so much for this comment because it’s really helping another 100 people see the video I really appreciate it. They’re like but and then they argue with them that creates a thread which does even more for the algorithms and it’s.
37:55.62
Bert Oliva
You know.
38:01.20
Michael Whitehouse
It’s great as some of these platforms that are that are kind of conflict-drin Facebook’s one of those you know yeah hater comments. Definitely do get get that activity and make it pop back up. Um, and it’s I do it can make an old dead old dead post pop back up too. You know something from last week like I hate this post being a hundred more people just saw thanks troll.
38:09.40
Bert Oliva
Um, so we should do a campaign that and.
38:20.26
Michael Whitehouse
Thanks for showing this to everybody like all your friends. Yeah, so it’s that’s a yeah it it and I think that’s that kind of comes down to and to making the best of things you know say oh I’ve got troll I got haters. Oh this is so terrible. It’s okay, this happened.
38:21.42
Bert Oliva
Absolutely.
38:38.92
Michael Whitehouse
What can we do with it. You know Covid’s a great example. Covid happened something like Covid built my business I would not be where I am if we’re in for Covid Not now I’m not happy Covid happened. It’s a tragedy and a lot of people died and that is terrible and and it’s you know, damaged a lot of families. But for me I looked at it and said okay the game change. What can I do with it.
38:58.38
Bert Oliva
That’s it.
38:58.53
Michael Whitehouse
A lot of people said oh I’m there’re still feel this day waiting for it to be over like they hunkered down two years ago with like it’ll be over any minute now any minute now going back to normal just waiting. Yeah yeah, but but yeah is yeah so that I think that’s one of the things you kind of interpreting.
39:09.96
Bert Oliva
I’ll never be the same.
39:16.36
Michael Whitehouse
Ah, you know making the best of whatever it is you have now. So this has been really awesome to have you on here I’m so excited or I met you like wait britle come on podcast. Amazing I Love this I Love this networking thing I meet amazing people.
39:17.32
Bert Oliva
Absolutely.
39:23.67
Bert Oliva
Thank you We we’re not gonna give them everything So that way you’re forced to bring me back again. You’re pending depending but by the way what you see is what you get like what you got to meet me and um.
39:33.33
Michael Whitehouse
Ah.
39:42.40
Michael Whitehouse
Um, yep, yep.
39:42.90
Bert Oliva
We’re friends man you know at the end of the day you reach out to my team and we’re able to do another podcast I’m here for you and as long as we have the time we’re willing to do it and that’s one of the things that people realize they they don’t realize they they get to what I call the prima donna syndrome they get 5 followers. They get 2000 followers and they’re like oh my time is limited. No man if you have the time.
39:53.98
Michael Whitehouse
Ah. Um.
40:02.28
Bert Oliva
And you can take an hour of your time to to make a new friend connect with someone be as real as you can be man because you know what it could be this 1 podcast that Michael’s doing that can be the reason that we may go viral.
40:06.29
Michael Whitehouse
Yep.
40:13.54
Michael Whitehouse
And.
40:15.59
Bert Oliva
Right? It’s just the way it works. You never know but people are like well unless you have 100000 followers I don’t want to do your podcast man I’ll do it if you have 100000 or if you have 2 followers why because you want to get the message out there. You want to be able to be seen as often as you can go ahead and just right now this is.
40:23.89
Michael Whitehouse
This. Ah.
40:34.33
Bert Oliva
Best way of networking while we’re a virtual platform. This is it because it’s not just Michael and I having a conversation and connecting with you maybe that 1 thing that we said maybe that one message that helps you you know make that move that you needed to make in order to get to that next phase in your life.
40:34.44
Michael Whitehouse
Um, you.
40:53.24
Bert Oliva
And we’ve done our job. So the thing is you know I tell people you can always give in. You can always give out but don’t ever give up and too many people spend too much time on giving up and not making their dreams of reality. No.
40:54.63
Michael Whitehouse
Nope.
41:05.30
Michael Whitehouse
I Love it I Just that is very powerful stuff and yeah, definitely Ah, ah the ahll. But next time I’ll have you on in a ah live video so you can do all that video stuff you do. We’re kind Beforehand you’re like I could do this with video this with video on this one. They like oh audio podcast but I’ll definitely have you? Yeah, get you on Stream Yard next time.
41:13.66
Bert Oliva
Um.
41:24.80
Michael Whitehouse
Stream out to Youtube and and we could do the sales of the 45 second dance party. Oh yeah, do the victory dance. We do the picture in pictures. We’re rocking on the screen.
41:24.87
Bert Oliva
I’ll do it. We’ll do it. Yeah, we do the victory dance. We’ll get people to play you know, but yeah, ah we we can have like you know a virtual audience right now you guys liking what we’re doing yes or no, yeah. Absolutely let’s go ahead and form great Michael. Um.
41:44.88
Michael Whitehouse
Yes, yes, Okay, yeah, so we we need to make that happen. So we’re gonna have you on Streamr we’re gonna do a live live video schedule I got people in there. Get some comments so people can engage so this will be the warmer for that. So you there in the audience.
41:49.53
Bert Oliva
Um, and. Mean so the only way michael good is the only way Michael will do this is if you comment on this podcast share it to as many people as possible. There’s one message that relates with you one message that maybe made you think a little different than make sure you share with other people. Because maybe maybe you got one part of it. But other people get more. You know? don’t if it’s for yourself, share it the more you help other people succeed the more you successful come to your doorstep you know? So I’m go leave him with this message real quick and then we can call sign off and and add definitely.
42:16.90
Michael Whitehouse
Um.
42:24.33
Michael Whitehouse
Yeah, and. Yes.
42:31.96
Bert Oliva
Contact with you whenever you want me back I’ll be back look right now we’re going through tough times. But if you haven’t gone through it. Maybe you will because that’s just what life is about you know and at the end of the day situations and circumstances are the things that build your character to get you ready for what’s about to happen. Don’t give up.
42:40.44
Michael Whitehouse
Um.
42:51.24
Bert Oliva
Don’t give up on your dream. Don’t give up on whatever it is you want to do? Everything is possible. That’s what my mom used to tell me and I believe them my mom used to say so if this immigrant they came to the United States when I was eleven months old is living the american dream. Why aren’t you my name and let me let me leave you real quick with the quote. Quote I live by is live life. Don’t let life live you? My name is Bert Oliva cuban born american maid um love me brother.
43:11.20
Michael Whitehouse
Love it.
43:20.96
Michael Whitehouse
Ah I love the cheers that’s amazing and and so so people can find you at http://meetbert.com is that right.
43:27.73
Bert Oliva
Got it http://meetbit.com or follow me on your preferred social media name is bet Oliva all l I v a no I in it so there’s not Olivia but you can just follow me I’ve been doing this for over twenty seven years whatever social media you want even ticktok even though it’s not my.
43:45.52
Michael Whitehouse
But yeah I’ve been having fun with tips Tiktok. It’s interesting. Interesting platform but but it’s been great to have you on here. Thank you so much again, that’s http://meetbert.com to find him through all the social medias and all the other great stuff you have and thank you so much.
43:46.40
Bert Oliva
A cup of tea we’re on take back to you know. No fast and my.
44:04.30
Michael Whitehouse
Bert for being on here. This has been awesome.
44:04.93
Bert Oliva
Thank you Michael thank you for the opportunity. It was awesome to be here with you.