Fred Talk with Freddy Vasquez

Adam Serrano is a freelance artist originally from Brooklyn, NY, currently residing in West Reading, PA.

Adam is influenced by anything from graffiti to hip-hop to sci-fi. He's known locally for his incredible mural work in Lancaster, PA, logo designs, album artwork, and he's personally created not one but two original pieces for FXV Digital Design.

The cool part about this conversation was that it was just that - a conversation. We discuss the new AI craze, aliens, and even if there is other life in the universe! I can't wait to do it again!

Learn More About Adam Serrano

Website: Adam Serrano Art
Instagram: @ifstagram
Lancaster Online: Artist Adam Serrano encourages others to conjure giants with latest mural
Lancaster Public Art: A Conversation with PSA Muralist Adam Serrano

Connect with FXV Digital Design

Website: FXV Digital Design
LinkedIn: @fxv-digital-design
Instagram: @fxvdigital
TikTok: @fxvdigital

Show Notes

Produced By: Joseph Alexander Media
Music By: Beats by Dai

Kevin Kolb is the founder of Soul Recovery Academy in Bernville, PA.

His new podcast, 6:47 with Kevin, helps get your day started by motivating you to achieve positivity by fighting through the pain, hurdles, and challenges we all have daily.

Kevin and I have that type of relationship where we build each other by using our skill sets to help each other. This first episode featuring just the two of us may be the spark we need to create something more significant.

Russell Farbiarz is the owner of Antanavage Farbiarz, PLLC in Hamburg, PA.

Russell has been a friend of mine for over ten years now, and there isn't anything I don't know about him. But it was great to FINALLY sit down and discuss how he is on a mission to ensure Berks County is prepared for the inevitable!

Russell also has an AWESOME new podcast, "Not Minding My Own Business" where he talks with business owners, operators, and influencers in Berks County.

YOU NEED TO SET UP AN ESTATE PLAN! Listen to Russell and have many of your questions answered in this week's Fred Talk!

Annabelle Bowers is the owner of AB Photography in Reading, PA.

Annabelle grew up being one of the kids in the high school art room surrounded by creatives. She became passionate about taking photos and decided to sharpen her skills in college. After having her first child, she started AB Photography to ensure she was a present mom while making a living with her camera.

Along with taking photos, Annabelle strives to be a competitive boxer in the near future. She hits the gym a few times weekly and calls it cheaper than therapy!

Alex Bernhard is the owner of New Age Hoops in Reading, PA. New Age Hoops was founded by Alex Bernhard in 2016 to develop young players into the best version of themselves through basketball. What Alex discovered was a need to not only develop the player's skills but their mindset as well. It's been an absolute pleasure to watch Alex and New Age Hoops grow into an asset in the Reading community and you need to listen to his story and insight - it will change your life!

Don Carrick is the owner of Studio 413 Photography in Reading, PA. We met at a networking event back in 2016 and we’ve been friends ever since.

Don is known for making Berks County professionals look confident and charming. His magic powers include producing the perfect headshot, donating his time to community organizations, and making his clients laugh any chance he gets!

Take a trip with me now as we learn more about Dr. Pixel and his journey toward taking the perfect photo.

I’ve made it a point to make 2023 the greatest year of branding I will ever have for my company FXV Digital Design. Self-reflection is a great way to be honest with yourself when it comes to any part of your life and I’ve been doing it a ton lately.

I finally opened up myself and my company to other opinions, ideas, and creativity. This seems like common sense to any other business owner, but to me, this was really, really hard to do. I have that gene that doesn’t allow anyone in creatively, but things have to change in order for me to reach the goals I have set for myself.

With that being said, this year I plan on kicking some serious ass when it comes to business and branding. I already have grandiose ideas for commercials, videos, merch, podcasts, etc. You need to leave a mark on people when it comes to your brand and one of the easiest ways to help jumpstart your plan of attack is by asking yourself: What do people think of when they hear my name? Name of my business?

It may not be the hardest question for you to answer, but you do have to be honest with yourself. I have it written down and everything is split into two columns: good and bad. Taking my own advice, I have words in each column. I’m not afraid to call myself out on words in the bad column because it brings the issues to light and no I know what I need to fix and what I need to keep doing.

Anyway, Happy New Year to you! Hopefully, you can achieve all the goals you have set for yourself and I hope to see you on the other side.

Show Notes
Jersey Ink: https://www.jerseyink.net/

Connect with FXV Digital Design
Website: https://fxvdigital.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fxv-digital-design/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fxvdigital/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@fxvdigital

My latest Fred Talk Flow episode wraps up the 2022 Awesome Toy Drive! The drive ended with 1,325 gifts collected and $2,000 donated to Opportunity House and Olivet Boys & Girls Club!

This year began with a little worry. Tags were not leaving as quickly as in the past, but with the addition of 20 more locations, we were able to beat last year’s numbers and create new friendships with businesses in our area. As I’ve stated time and time again, it takes a village. Please take a moment to check out the full wrap-up and PLEASE visit the Awesome Toy Drive website and make sure you patronize the local businesses that helped make this our best year yet!

Awesome Toy Drive Info & Organizations
Website: https://www.awesometoydrive.com/
Concern: https://www.concern4kids.org/
Olivet Boys & Girls Club: https://www.olivetbgc.org/
The Children’s Home of Reading: https://www.buildingkidslives.org/
Opportunity House: https://opphouse.org/

Connect with FXV Digital Design
Website: https://fxvdigital.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fxv-digital-design/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fxvdigital/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@fxvdigital

JD Turner is the owner of Holistic Skateshop in West Reading, PA.

I first met JD a few years back when my daughter asked for a skateboard. We headed over to Holistic and had one of the greatest customer experiences of my life. He took the time to ask my daughter the appropriate questions and set up a board custom just for her - but that wasn't the only AWESOME thing that day!

JD informed me of a dream he had about opening up a killer skatepark in the Reading area. Built correctly with enough space to accommodate everyone. What started as a simple idea in 2016 has blossomed into the Reading Skatepark Association which hopes to open in the very near future!

Connect with JD Turner
Website: https://holisticskateshop.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HolisticSkateshop
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/holistic_skateshop
Twitter: https://twitter.com/holisticskate

Connect with FXV Digital Design
Website: https://fxvdigital.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fxv-digital-design/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fxvdigital/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@fxvdigital

Show Notes
Produced By: https://www.josephalexander.media/
Music By: https://soundcloud.com/xoxodai

Ethan Lasher is the owner of Ethan Lasher's Auto Detailing. I enjoyed my time with Ethan on the podcast because he gives me hope! At such a young age he has made some pretty large life decisions, yet I am envious of the confidence he had while making those moves.

Born and bred here in Berks County, Ethan set a goal for himself to own his own auto-detailing business, ditch the college life, and marry the woman he wanted to grow old with - and he's only 21 years old!

Ethan knows the importance of networking and relationships, and it's at the forefront of his marketing plan. With dreams of scaling the business to a point that allows him to sell, he plans on making his venture a household name with relationship building and a spotless reputation.

Connect with Ethan Lasher
Website: https://www.ethanlasher.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LashersAutoDetailing
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lasher_official/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ethan-lasher-4580ab1a2/

Connect with FXV Digital Design
Website: https://fxvdigital.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fxv-digital-design/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fxvdigital/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@fxvdigital

Show Notes
Produced By: Joseph Alexander Media
Music By: Beats by Dai

Erik Arizmendi is the owner of Comālli Taqueria, the tastiest taco joint in town!

Erik started his journey towards earning the title of Taco King in 2015 with a canopy tent and an Al Pastor machine. He kicked up his game in 2019 by purchasing his first taco truck, and quickly found himself with a brick-and-mortar spot in West Reading before the year was out.

We all know how 2020 went, but that didn’t stop Erik from working on his brand by providing quality and consistency with every taco served. Fast forward to 2022, and his brand is stronger than ever! He’s now expanded to providing catering services, added another taco truck, and he’s had to improve technology in his dining room to make sure every customer has a great experience – and all this in 3 YEARS!

Check out how Erik keeps his staff motivated and always on board with providing the highest quality with the best consistency in Berks – most likely the world!

Connect with Erik Arizmendi
Website: Comālli Taqueria
Facebook: TaqueriaComalli
Instagram: @taqueriacomalli

Connect with FXV Digital Design
Website: https://fxvdigital.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fxv-digital-design/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fxvdigital/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@fxvdigital

Show Notes
Produced By: Joseph Alexander Media
Music By: Beats by Dai

Shawn Borelli is the owner of Borelli Designs and ProCore Contracting here in Berks County and a man I considered competition.

After coincidentally hanging out with him on a pontoon boat, I quickly found out competition is a lame reason not to befriend someone. Fast forward a few months and a weekend trip in Delaware, and I am quickly realizing Shawn is an asset to not only the community around us but my very own life. His constant state of positivity and genuine interest in your well-being just makes him one of the greatest human beings I will ever know. And that's only the beginning of this episode. Make sure you check out the whole episode wherever you listen to podcasts and check out the new video. We're upgrading our productions game and I can't think of a better episode to start it off with.

Show Notes
Produced By: Joseph Alexander Media
Music By: Beats by Dai

Connect with Shawn Borelli
Website: Borelli Designs
Website: ProCore Contracting

Connect with FXV Digital Design
Website: https://fxvdigital.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fxv-digital-design/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fxvdigital/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@fxvdigital

This week’s guest is David Hall, a videographer, musician, and a dude that dreams it and creates it.

I wanted to have David on the show because his social media accounts are filled with images of a structure called a nonagon, which if you don’t know is a nine-sided polygon. It’s in the middle of a forest here in Pennsylvania and David plans to not only use it as his home but a recording studio. Get all the details right here on this week’s episode.

Connect with David Hall

Website: Lone Cricket Productions
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lonecricket/
Instagram: LoneCricket

Connect with FXV Digital Design

Website: https://fxvdigital.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fxv-digital-design/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fxvdigital/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@fxvdigital

This week’s guest is Meggan Kerber, Associate Vice President of Institutional Advancement at Alvernia University.

Meggan and I go back to the days of Bethany Children's Home. She called me in to do some website work and a new friendship was born. Fast forward a few years and a couple of careers, and she's here enlightening me with her thoughts on community involvement, funding for non-profits, and how important self-care is to help you not only obtain your goals but to be active in your everyday life.

Meggan is also a miracle! She was in a vehicular accident years ago that should have taken her life. As she put it, "I shouldn't even be here doing this podcast!" Next time you see Meggan, give her a hug and thank her for being such a valued member of our community here in Berks.

This week’s guests are Marcy Tocker and Stephanie Smith of Grey Muzzle Manor

For the past year and a half, I've had to struggle with mental health. Two major events that happened in my life made me question everything I ever was as a person, man, father, husband, and friend. I quickly began to think negatively about most of my relationships and I was seriously considering a way out of them all. I now have a therapist I am speaking to on a biweekly basis and that has definitely helped me turn the page. I strongly suggest you take the therapist route if you are having bad days with your mental health.

Marcy and Stephanie both provide mental health services at Grey Muzzle Manor, and this episode discusses not only how they can help you, but that it's okay to have these feelings and that it's definitely okay to ask for help.

This week’s guest is Javier Ramos, owner and creative director of A Night with Javier.

The source of the proverb 'The devil is in the details' is often attributed to the German/American architect Ludwig Mies Van Der Rohe. This is almost certainly a misattribution. The expression derives from an earlier German proverb - "Der liebe Gott steckt im detail", which translates as 'God is in the detail'.

In Javier's case, his faith in God, passion for mixology, and attention to detail was the driving force in creating one of the most elite bartending services in the country.

From Arizona to New York City, Miami to DC, and Buffalo to Reading, Javier is on his way to being not only the most famous culinary mixologist in the country but the world.

This past weekend I visited the city of St. Louis. I checked out the Cardinals and crossed off ballpark number 14 on my list. Busch Stadium is an excellent place to catch a game and be amongst some of America's most die-hard, rabid fans. The vibe is jumping in Downtown St. Luis when the red birds are playing, and it made my personal Top 5 list when it came to parks already visited. If you're curious, the other 4 are Wrigley Field (Chicago), Petco Park (San Diego), PNC Park (Pittsburgh), and Camden Yards (Baltimore).

What I also noticed in St. Louis was the lack of leadership and government downtown. I didn't visit the rest of the city to be fair, but what I saw by The Gateway Arch was astounding. There were feces in the streets and I can't say for sure it all belonged to dogs. Questionable people in the area after dark, and even more questionable activities Sunday morning on a stroll for some coffee.

It made me sad to think that situations like this still existed.

I know I've made a good life for myself and I'm not ignorant to the fact that these situations exist, but I never thought it would be so apparent, so in your face. I right away found myself wondering who ran this town and what they were doing to make it better. Local government is SO IMPORTANT! Please do yourself a favor and research who you're voting into these positions of leadership! St. Louis needs help!

I also discussed assertiveness and how important it is to not only your life but your business. I've finally reached a point in my career where I no longer NEED to work with everyone. That's not an egotistical statement, because it's something I should have done long ago to spare myself hours of negative thinking and energy.

When you work with clients that lack the fun and positive vibes you are looking for on a daily basis, you're almost killing yourself slowly. DON'T DO THAT! Rather, work with those clients that put a smile on your face. You'll find yourself working even harder of your own volition and even greater things come from that.

Trust me, it's apparent in all the work I do.

This week’s guest is Eddie Rodriguez, entrepreneur and sales guru!

Working in the automotive sales industry for over 20 years, Eddie grew to become one of the most successful salesmen in the game! Making six figures was a walk in the park, but believe it or not - HE QUIT!

Ya see, COVID actually gave Eddie the gift of staying home and that’s when he realized he needed to make a change to keep his presence permanent. After a chance encounter with a car buyer, Eddie was motivated to start a new business.

After a mere 14 months, Eddie is pulling in more than he did selling cars, and his smile is even brighter.

This week I hosted my very first two events at FXV Digital Design. I was nervous. I was scared. How bad was I going to be up there speaking to a small group of peers and friends? I felt like I tanked! But session two came around and the outcome was different.

I also drove hours to hang out with my Uncle in Brooklyn. We decided to get together before he left for TN to start the next chapter of his life, but my hopes for humanity were challenged. A veteran in a wheelchair wanted to go on the fishing trip as well and what happened next left me dumbfounded.

Be kind to each other my friends, looks like we need more of it in this world.

If you want to grow and become a better version of yourself, uncomfortable situations need to be part of your routine. This week I plan on holding two in-person website seminars to jumpstart the next chapter of my career and my life.

It's the unknown and the uneasiness you put yourself in that makes goals so awesome to achieve. If I've learned anything during my time here, it's that you can never stop setting goals for yourself.

You should also never stop dreaming.