Reese Laufasa - Arizona Loan Officer | Army Veteran

Opening Quote: "...when I was working at the financial institution, I eventually got my MLO license there and then I started learning about mortgage loans and it wasn't until then, years after leaving the Army that I finally learned how to use my VA loan for working, and as soon as I started learning all this stuff, I was like,  hold on, why don't they have classes on this? Like if on base or like, why did I learn all the, all these other things? I've never even knew that I could do this and then I ended up buying my first house like a month after learning because I knew how."                  - Reese Laufasa

Guest BIO: " Reese is a veteran turned Loan Officer based in Arizona. With over 5 years of experience in the mortgage industry, she specializes in providing tailored financing solutions for First Time Home Buyers and VA loans. Assisting individuals and families achieve their dream of homeownership, which she strongly believes is a crucial step towards building generational wealth. Committed to providing clients with outstanding service and attention to detail, which has allowed her to help over 200 clients find a home in the first 2 years of her career. "
 
Guest Social Links:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/buydontlease_withreese/
Website: https://www.buydontleasewithreese.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/reese-laufasa-395726229/?original_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2F

FOLLOW THE HOST:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thechrismedellin/reels/?hl=en
Website: https://chrismedellinofficial.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrismedellin/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCa3OeVpb3rtAAcPEfZ4RFTA?view_as=subscriber

This podcast has been edited and produced by Content by Fabio LLC

Transcript

Chris Medellin - 
Okay. This is the Breakthrough podcast with Chris Medellin. And I am here with a very, very special guest that I cannot wait to introduce everyone to. But before I do that, I want to walk everyone through what the Breakthrough podcast is all about. We developed the Breakthrough podcast because we wanted to talk to the most interesting individuals that we could find that have amazing breakthrough stories that are meant to inspire you, to help you get unstuck, and take your business to the next level.

Chris Medellin - 
And as I go around meeting people in the industry and throughout the country, every now and again, I come across somebody that is somebody either on the upswing or has such an amazing story that I tell them, I have to get you on a podcast and this individual is, you know, just fit all the boxes of what we wanted on the podcast.

Chris Medellin - 
So let me start off by introducing her. She is a U.S. Army veteran. She was a paralegal in the US Army. She used to play volleyball at NYU and was in ROTC as well. She spent three years in the Army and then got into the financial industry and I got to hear about what happened. But what she did that was really remarkable was that she helped over 200 clients one year and veterans at that majority of these individuals of veterans, 52 million in production was Rookie of the Year.

Chris Medellin - 
And I am here with the one and only Reese Laufasa, let me do that again. I am here with the one and only Reese Laufasa. Thank you for being here.

Reese Laufasa -
Thank you.

Chris Medellin - Did I say that right?

Reese Laufasa -
Close enough.

Chris Medellin - 
Okay, Good. So you know, I'm super surprised that we were able to get you because you're doing some amazing things. And I see you out in the industry. You were just at an event the other day, the 40 under 40. And when I met you, I met you on Instagram. And by the way, follow her Instagram.

Chris Medellin - 
By don't lease underscore or with Reese, which is a clever name if you if. How did you come up with that, by the way?

Reese Laufasa -
You know, I had a cousin that she does really well on Instagram and so I had reached out to her and I was like, how do I get started? What do I do? And the one thing she told me, I was like, I better not see some lame name when I log in. She was like, You better have some fun name.

Reese Laufasa -
Yes. And it better be catchy. And I was like, Oh my God. So I spent like a whole day thinking about that just for her.

Chris Medellin - 
This is amazing. Well, it's good actually a really good name. It's very catchy. So here's how I got connected with you. Somebody that I know that's out of Hawaii who really specializes. One of my teams in Hawaii specializes in working with veterans and specifically gets to know a lot of the loan officers in the industry.

Chris Medellin - 
So when he sent me your profile, he actually texted it to me in the ME with it like, hey, this person in your world does a lot of business are didn't know didn't say a lot of business she does a lot of VA she like helps veterans and I don't like arranged marriages like I don't like when people like send me a name I'm like that it's I'll find them myself kind of thing and then one day I looked you up and I saw it and you had very funny content.

Chris Medellin - 
I mean, it was good. It was funny. And then I was like, she's in my like, in my backyard and how do I not know her? Because I know everyone. And I'm like, how do I not know this loan officer? And so I looked up your numbers and I was like, She did 50 million, like over 50 million that I don't know where she is.

Chris Medellin - 
So I was like, I got to meet her. So I admire you. You're super cool with the iMac. We met for coffee and then now we're here doing a podcast. So, you know, DMS really work, right? I mean, you know, and connecting with people. But you were very interesting. And for me, like when I, when I put this podcast together and we were just talking about this, but when I put this podcast together, I wanted to really connect with people who had a story, who have a culture in their life, who, you know, probably had some things that happened to them in their upcoming that they needed a breakthrough, hence the name Breakthrough,

Chris Medellin - 
and I really wanted to understand and hear your story about that moment that happened before you broke through to the next level. We're going to get to that. But that's why I wanted you on board because you have your amazing help veterans. You're a veteran yourself. Thank you for your service. And you know, now you've taken all that you've learned and you have all these hacks to help veterans, which is amazing.

Chris Medellin - 
So let's start off with the beginning. How did you even know, what was the road to becoming and going into the army? Because it's not often you see a female I mean, I know the army has females, but it's not common that I meet females that were Army veterans. So tell me about that journey and how you got there.

Reese Laufasa -
Yeah. So I never even thought that I would be in the Army. I mean, when I was growing up, I would hear about people joining in veterans and, you know, the recruiters they visit your school. And I was like, That sounds not fun. Yeah, And and.

Chris Medellin - 
They're super good. I mean, they're actually really good because you don't want to talk to them. You want to get in contact. Yeah, because they'll if you talk to them, they'll get you in the army. Yeah, that's, they're good.

Reese Laufasa -
Exactly. Yeah. And so I never had this, like, dream of being a veteran or, you know, a lot of my family didn't. They weren't in or anything, But I, I always went after, like, wanting to be the first one to do things for some reason. And so I was playing volleyball at the time and I was going to go to NSU to play volleyball for them.

Reese Laufasa -
And I was like, You know what? I have a cousin in ROTC. Simmons We have a lot of cousins, so I have a cousin for everything. And he was telling me about and I was like, I wonder if they have had anyone that's done it before. So I figured out they didn't. They've never had an athlete that graduated from out too.

Reese Laufasa -
And I was like, I want to be the first one to do that because just sounds really cool. I had no idea how hard the army really is. I mean, I learned, but I was like, It just sounds cool. So I joined ROTC and that's kind of how I got.

Chris Medellin - 
So you actually decided this was premeditated. You didn't really just talk to a recruiter going in the Army. You planned it out. You were like, I'm going to go ROTC. And why ROTC first? Why does that make sense? So for somebody who I might put this closer, but for somebody who's actually thinking about going into the Army, why would it make sense for them to do the ROTC thing first?

Reese Laufasa -
So I don't know that it makes sense to go first now that I've been in. Okay. I actually encourage people to go enlisted first now. But it's time for me. It was a great idea because in ROTC you get to live the college life. I had a brother who went to West Point, and West Point is very intense.

Reese Laufasa -
You don't get to go out and party and do the college thing. And when you're a, you can do that, and then you can learn about the army. You can get kind of situated with it and you graduate as an officer.

Chris Medellin - 
That's yeah, that's the key, right? Graduate as an officer. But for you, you were already in college when you decided to do this or it was like kind of in the right in the process of you going into NIU.

Reese Laufasa -
So I was committed to playing volleyball and are you okay? And then I decided to do ROTC.

Chris Medellin - 
Okay, there. There you go. Is it common that people to do both?

Reese Laufasa -
No. No, they don't. I still don't know. To this day. I want to figure out if they have had anyone do it. But it's such a big time commitment for both. Mm-hmm. I mean, I was like, around the clock for both of those trying to do both. So I. I don't think it's common at all. Okay, I don't.

Reese Laufasa -
I don't know anyone that's done it.

Chris Medellin - 
So you go in and you're doing this like, round-the-clock commitment with both ROTC, and you're also in volleyball. And then how did that go? I mean, was that all four years or.

Reese Laufasa -
No, I ended up going into the Army.

Chris Medellin - 
Okay.

Reese Laufasa -
During my first year.

Chris Medellin - 
Wow. Yeah. Okay. Well, let's talk about this. Well, how did that come? D'information?

Reese Laufasa -
So I was playing volleyball, doing ROTC, and having fun in college. And then one day what was his name? The person that's in charge, ROTC, came to me and he's like, listen, I'm sorry, but, you know, you probably aren't going to be able to continue in the program because you have this huge tattoo on your leg.

Chris Medellin - 
Okay?

Reese Laufasa -
And I was like, well, it's pretty cute, you know? I mean, what's the problem? You're like, you know, it's a nice travel that day. I'm like, what's the issue? You know, it's not like it has bad words or anything. And he was like, well, the Army came out with this new regulation where if you have tattoos below your elbows or below your knees, you are not going to be able to join after a certain point.

Chris Medellin - 
And so is that still a thing today?

Reese Laufasa -
No, no. They had a new regulation where it's not a thing anymore. That's okay. Yes. Yeah. That's why I joined. And then the crazy part is after I got out, it wasn't a change. Yeah, it wasn't even a thing anymore.

Chris Medellin - 
But do you think that was the right path? I mean, do you think things happen for a reason? I mean, like, do you think that you going one year, getting at least a college experience, and then going to the Army was the right thing? Or do you wish you would have spent, you know, do you regret not spending the four years there?

Reese Laufasa -
I don't know. I think about it all the time, but I try not to regret things. I think it was great for me and where I'm at now. But I think I did grow up really, really fast in our.

Chris Medellin - 
Yeah, I bet. Tell me about that. Like, what was different about college? I mean, I mean, there are so many obvious things, right? But you know, you immediately go from this burst of freedom in college and you're young, right? So you take the first time you're living on your own, too. Now, spending one year there and then flipping the script and now being put in an in almost like the craziest social experiment you'll ever go through to be broken down right like that.

Chris Medellin - 
That's idea is to break you down. Yeah. And basic training. So what was that like for you?

Reese Laufasa -
Me, I went in the summertime. Okay. And so there were actually a lot of other teenagers.

Chris Medellin - 
What? Where did you go? If you don't mind me asking?

Reese Laufasa -
Fort Jackson.

Chris Medellin - 
Fort Jackson. Okay.

Reese Laufasa -
South Carolina. So the beginning part was nice because there were teenagers that were going there during their summer break. You can join while you're in high school. So I had a lot of other people that were the same age as me at first. And then when I got to my first duty station, it was like, there are no more teenagers.

Reese Laufasa -
Everyone was like a real adult with kids and family. And I just felt like it was so hard to relate sometimes because I was at such a different place in my life than some of the other soldiers that were there. And it was hard.

Chris Medellin - 
Oh, I bet. Yeah, I bet. I mean, does being female in the Army come into play for you at this time? Are you ever really had to experience anything like any, you know, despair, treatment, or any sort of treatment that was happening to you because you were female?

Reese Laufasa -
I don't want to take away from some of the things that have happened to females in the army. I know that there is definitely some treatment that some others have gone through that I've heard about with some of my friends. But for me personally, I don't know. I just never experienced anything like that. Exactly. And I don't think it's not there.

Reese Laufasa -
But I think I was just fortunate I never had anything like that. And my whole team was great. Everybody that I worked with, they were really respectful and I never had to deal with like anybody talking down to me because I was a female. And I think maybe it had to do with being in the legal world.

Reese Laufasa -
Okay.

Chris Medellin - 
Yeah, that's probably true, right? Yeah, that's one person not to mess with who is somebody who has a legal background in the army. Yeah. That I would be wise. But no, I think that you know, I'm curious about it because you are such a crazy place to find yourself in. You know, now you're like an adult.

Chris Medellin - 
You've like you've got you've gone. If you think about what was a time period from leaving college to now being in this weird, you know, atmosphere where you're now 100% surrounded by adult people and you're completely out of your element. What, like what was a month span for that?

Reese Laufasa -
I had to go in right away, so it was like, I think I gave myself two weeks. Yeah. And I was like, put me on the first flight.

Chris Medellin - 
Why? Because you wanted to get it out of the way. You don't want the anticipation of it. You were just like, Let's go.

Reese Laufasa -
Yeah, I was like, Let's just do it. Okay, let's go, and let's, let's start now. And so I got put on the first flight to Basic, and so I just went home, visited my family, and then I left.

Chris Medellin - 
How did your family feel about it?

Reese Laufasa -
At first, my parents. And they didn't want to sign the papers.

Chris Medellin - 
Because they had that. They had to. Yeah, they had to commit, right?

Reese Laufasa -
Yeah, I was 17 at the time and my parents know how to sign the papers, but then eventually they were like, Well, this is going to be good for you. I think in the long run it's going to be good. Yeah. So then, they ended up getting some behind me to support it.

Chris Medellin - 
But wow, that's so crazy. See, Go, you're there. You're like months, right? Like, it's literally months before you wake up and you're like, I'm an adult. Mm-hmm. And with a kid's mind, right? I mean, like, essentially. And so you do three years that way. Did you stay in the same place? Did you bounce around? What was that like?

Reese Laufasa -
I bounced around a little bit in Texas at Fort Hood, and then I went to Fort Sam for a little bit. Okay. But I was able to stay in Texas.

Chris Medellin - 
You're able to stay in Texas. Did you like Texas?

Reese Laufasa -
I, I liked it. Not better than Arizona.

Chris Medellin - 
So I should have said that you're actually we're doing this live right now from our studio in Gilbert, Arizona and you are office based out of Mesa, right? Yes. And it's funny because I'm actually from Texas and I lived and I used to go door to door selling at Fort Sam.

Chris Medellin - 
And so I know the area really well. Yeah. So, um, and then my brother was stationed at Fort Hood sign Fort Hood as well. So yes, I'm very familiar with the area. I lived in Austin as well. So like you were really close to Austin. Did you get to go to Austin? Quite a bit, Yeah.

Reese Laufasa -
Yeah, I went to Austin a lot and then I ended up moving back to Dallas. But Dallas.

Chris Medellin - 
So then how did you, you know, and I don't know if I'm going to go through it, but kind of follow me on this because I do want to get to your breakthrough story. And, you know, we haven't even talked about that. But then you get out of the Army, your time is up and you get to transition out of the Army, and transitioning out of the Army is tough for a lot of people.

Chris Medellin - 
And I have a lot of friends. I got family who've been in the Army and they have the hardest time transitioning out. And I don't know if it's because of what it is about you, but you just seem to like, seamlessly get out and go into a financial job where you figured out how to now go help, you know, hundreds of veterans with these secret hacks that, you know, with the program that's given for veterans.

Chris Medellin - 
So let's talk about that. How was that transition like?

Reese Laufasa -
From the army.

Chris Medellin - 
From the army to your next job and loans and lending?

Reese Laufasa -
So I kind of fell into it. And it was kind of an accident for me. And so when I first got out of the Army, I had this like attitude and I was just not a nice person. Like and I tell people this all the time, I don't know why, but I just felt like when I was in the Army, there was so much negativity around me all the time.

Reese Laufasa -
And I get it because people go in sometimes because they have to, and not everybody wants to be there all the time and they miss their family. And so I was just like a really negative person and I was like, one day I woke up and I'm like, I'm just not very nice. Like, I don't know.

Chris Medellin - 
Let's go into that. Because you said that the other day when we met, and I want to go deeper on it because you've never given context to that. And we're going to do it today because I think that people need to understand, like your environments and I talk about this a lot, your environments really create who you are.

Chris Medellin - 
And I was talking to a leader yesterday and I was like, you know if you're not good in a certain area of your business, then you got to hang out with people that are good in that area of the business because now you can leverage that. Those people as mentors to help you in those areas. But if I hang out with people that are negative and it sucks at these areas, then I'm basically going to, you know, you, you, you're all you are who you hang out with.

Chris Medellin - 
And so for you, you realize that you were just absorbed all this negativity and you're also very young. And so you're very you know, you're developing still these personality traits that you come out and you realize you're not this as you say this good, like what did you call it that you were what did you say?

Reese Laufasa -
You weren't nice.

Chris Medellin - 
Yeah, nice person. Yeah. You were not a nice person. So give me context to that. What does that mean? Like, what were you doing that gives you that sense?

Reese Laufasa -
I think when you visit Arizona and people are like waving at you, you know, you, you drive out your driveway and people like, Hey, neighbor, that wasn't me. Like.

Chris Medellin - 
Well, what were you saying in your head?

Reese Laufasa -
I would be like, Leave me alone. Don't talk to me. Don't look at me like I just didn't want to talk to you. I didn't wanna be friends with people. I just wanted to, like, get my day over with. And at the time, I really wanted to finish school. I was like, I just want to finish school. I didn't care about, like, making friends, being a good friend, checking all my friends.

Reese Laufasa -
I was just not.

Chris Medellin - 
This is very different from who I met. That's. This is not you at all. You're social, you're doing content, and you're utilizing events to go and connect with people. So how did you change that? I mean, what really did you have to what was there a culmination? Was there a certain pinpoint situation that you were like, okay, this has to stop?

Chris Medellin - 
I have to change who I'm being.

Reese Laufasa -
Yeah. So after I got out, I just wanted to finish school. Like I was just focused on myself and didn't care about anyone else. And I was like, want to get a part-time job, you know, to help me get through. And that's why I applied for the financial job that I was with at first. And when I walked in, they were like, Hello, welcome.

Reese Laufasa -
And I was like, okay, this is like a cult. Or something was going on. And I'm like, okay, thank you. I don't know. And I had never just been around like that many. I guess people even thought it was weird when I was working there. They're like, Why are you guys so happy? Like, are you okay? And really, it was that culture.

Reese Laufasa -
Yes, I was like, Wow, they're really nice. And then at first, I was like, They're fake, you know, they're not actually nice. And then I started working there and I was like, No, these people are actually like, really genuinely just happy. Like, I don't know why, but, they're just happy. And so the energy was like, I just picked up that energy at some point and ran with it.

Chris Medellin - 
That is so cool. It's so cool to think that you could take an individual that's open to change and open-minded and move them from one environment, put them in a completely different environment, and you would say it's textbook that they're going to change, but not everybody does. And you woke up to it and were like, okay, the way I'm living is probably not nice, and let me change that.

Chris Medellin - 
And What change in your life once you made that decision to truly be a different individual?

Reese Laufasa -
I think the people that I would attract and when I was in the Army, I was like, you would wake up in the morning and everyone would be like, This sucks. Like, I hate it here. And then I would just mimic that because, you know, I won't be the weird one that's like, that's, it's okay, guys, You know, we can it's going to be a good day inside.

Reese Laufasa -
I would just be along with them. Like, this really sucks, you know? And I would just keep going and let them have that energy. But then when I was the first person to be nice or to bring that energy to a conversation, it would just completely change the way that people would talk with me. And I just notice, like when I was nice, other people were nice and other people were happy when I was happy.

Chris Medellin - 
So that's a pretty self-aware thing to go through and see. Started tracking people, attracting a different types of people. And so how did you figure out, like did you when you walked into the financial place that you're working, that you when you started deciding that you're going to help veterans? How did that come about? Because, I mean, if you really think about this and I want to talk about this because I think that people need to know what you do.

Chris Medellin - 
And I don't know. I also don't know if you give yourself enough credit for this, but veterans don't know about their benefits all the time, especially this housing benefit. That to me, it's like the most amazing benefit that they have earned. And it's brushed over. It's talked over. And I also think that people are predators around, you know, utilizing this amazing benefit to veterans.

Chris Medellin - 
And so you figured out that there you have this experience in the military and you're now going to help other people in the military utilize this benefit. When did that like was it the moment you walked into that financial institution that you started doing that, or was it a working way up to doing that?

Reese Laufasa -
No, it was a working way up because I think you're just spot on. When I was in the Army, I would hear people say all the time, like, you should buy a house. You know, you can buy a house with no money. But then nobody ever told me how to do it. And so I knew I could buy a house.

Reese Laufasa -
But I was like, you know, I don't I don't really know where to start. And when I start, when I was working at the financial institution, I eventually got my Emmylou license there. And then I started learning about mortgage loans. And it wasn't until then, years after leaving the Army that I finally learned how to use my VA loan.

Chris Medellin - 
For working from working.

Reese Laufasa -
Working from working, working. As soon as I started learning all this stuff, I was like, Hold on. Like, why don't they have classes on this? Like if on base or like, why did I learn all these other things? I never even knew that I could do this. I ended up buying my first house about a month after learning because I knew how.

Reese Laufasa -
And so if you.

Chris Medellin - 
Would have known what you knew then. So if you knew what you know now when you were in the Army, what would have changed from your housing perspective? Would you have bought a house sooner?

Reese Laufasa -
Oh, yeah. Yeah, I would have bought a house as soon as I was able to.

Chris Medellin - 
What would be the plan there? Like like we're talking to somebody right now in the military who has this allowance that they're using to rent an apartment down the street from their place. What would you tell them and what would you have done differently?

Reese Laufasa -
I would have applied right away when I joined the Army because I did have a working history when I was in school. And it would have only taken me 90 days of active duty to be eligible for a VA loan. So I would have applied right then at that time and seen how much I could qualify for and then try to buy a house as soon as I could.

Reese Laufasa -
I would live there and then, you know, if I got stationed somewhere else or I got out, then I would have been able to rent that house.

Reese Laufasa -
To someone else.

Chris Medellin - 
To another.

Reese Laufasa -
Vet, to another veteran.

Chris Medellin - 
Right. Who's who has a net out, you know, who knows you, who has that money set aside and now you are creating generational wealth through real estate by serving your country, you know, and yet millions of people don't know that they have this opportunity.

Reese Laufasa -
Yeah. And so I was mad, like after I bought my first house, I was like, it was this. It was this easy. Yeah. To buy a house. And nobody ever showed me any of this. And I had NCOs that were over me who taught me a lot of other things, but I'm like, I know they owned a house and they never sat down and just showed me how to buy one.

Reese Laufasa -
And I was honestly mad and I was like, well, you know, I'm going to every time that I see one of my old friends, like, I would even call my friends and be like, you know, I just bought a house in a month and it was so easy. And I would tell them, you know, and I eventually rented it out and then I would tell them that story because I was like.

Chris Medellin - 
So you're.

Reese Laufasa -
Mad about being a landlord? Yes. And, you know, I was happy the income was going, but I was super mad that nobody ever told me how easy it was.

Chris Medellin - 
You could have done this over and over and over.

Reese Laufasa -
Yeah, I had to get a whole job just to be this. And I was like, this whole time, I could have been buying houses and I was just pissed. And so, yeah, that's why I wanted to help other veterans and show them.

Chris Medellin - 
Did that, did that. As you learn that process, how did that translate to how you were helping customers? Because for people that don't have context, 50 million in sales in a year, 52 million, if I'm being exact, is a lot that makes you one of the top loan officers in the country. Right. And so that's nothing to you know that's an amazing feat to do because what you've done is you now can look at a deal in a different way than another loan officer can and know whether there's a deal fast because you have experienced 200 times or 400 times now over from you know what where you started.

Chris Medellin - 
So what changed in the way that you were educating veterans on how to do it? Like when you would get a veteran? Were you, like, shaking them like, I'm going to help, I'm changing your life right now. What was the how did you approach it?

Reese Laufasa -
Yeah, I mean, it felt like they were my friend. Okay. So every time that I would talk to someone like, do you need to do this, this, like And so every time that I would talk to somebody, I would legitimately be excited because I just did it. And then I could tell them like, I just did it. And I think it's different when people see that it's possible from somebody that they actually know because I think people see things all the time online and they're like, Well, maybe I could do this, maybe I could own a rental.

Reese Laufasa -
You know, I'm not sure. But then when you actually hear it straight from someone who's done it, I think it hits differently.

Chris Medellin - 
Agreed. Yeah. I mean, this is amazing. And. And how long ago were you in the Army?

Reese Laufasa -
It's been almost ten years.

Chris Medellin - 
And ten.

Reese Laufasa -
Years.

Chris Medellin - 
That's so crazy. And so you. You've had an amazing journey. And when you go back to Greece, who you were going into NSU and that person that was like, Oh my gosh, I'm going to out of state, I'm going to college. And, you know, did you expect that you would be doing this type of work today?

Reese Laufasa -
Oh, no way. I didn't know what I wanted to do. Yes. But I would have never guessed loans.

Chris Medellin - 
Right? Nobody. There's nobody you meet in a mortgage is going to be like I grew up. I wanted to be a mortgage. Yeah. And nobody's going to say that.

Reese Laufasa -
I would have never guessed that.

Chris Medellin - 
Yeah. So you're now helping veterans, right? And then, you know, at some point, you make a change from this company that, you know, that really in a lot of ways shaped your personality to make you a better person, taught you the things you needed to know to help veterans, to put them in homes, taught you how to get into a home, and then you made a move away from that and you went out into what I would call, like the real world a mortgage where you're out hustling and you're out like making connections and I want to hear about that story.

Chris Medellin - 
Like, what was that decision like? And, you know, let's start with that. What was that decision like to make a move out of there?

Reese Laufasa -
A lot of people would probably think it was dumb, I mean, especially the time frame that I picked to move.

Chris Medellin - 
But did you know the market was changing?

Reese Laufasa -
Oh, yeah. Okay. Oh, yeah, I definitely knew. And even my company now, they were like, Do you know that other loan officers aren't doing well? And I was like, Yeah, I know. But when I was at that other company and they started making these changes with the way that they were communicating, the way that loans were getting to loan officers.

Reese Laufasa -
And to me, I didn't agree because I thought that the loan officers should be available.

Chris Medellin - 
Okay?

Reese Laufasa -
And they should be able to answer their phone at any point. The other company didn't really agree. And I was you know, I did well over there. So I got promoted. I was sitting on a nice cushy salary and, you know, I got great bonuses over there. And so when I thought about moving, everybody's like, Are you done?

Reese Laufasa -
Why would you leave your you to know, you're doing well and you're making good money over here? But for me, it was more about the fact that I have to be able to sleep at night and be behind what is happening with my job and so I just felt like I wanted to be able to make more decisions.

Chris Medellin - 
And when is the right time to quit, in your opinion? I mean, if you replay this situation back in your head, what were the three things that jumped out of you that you said, this is the right time for me to quit? What were the things that were facts in your head that you're like, this is what's making sense to me.

Reese Laufasa -
The first one was the feeling of probably how am I going to tell clients that this is what we're doing and how am I going to explain why they don't get to talk to a loan officer right away when I think that they should. So I think the number one thing was not agreeing and being able to explain that to people.

Reese Laufasa -
The second thing was, I mean, I do have a baby. Okay.

Chris Medellin - 
Congratulations on.

Reese Laufasa -
That. Thank you. And her diapers do cost money. So I just had to think about if I was going to leave a job that high paying, am I going to be able to make the same amount? And is that more important than my mental well-being? And then so then for me, I could make less as long as I was happy.

Reese Laufasa -
Okay. As long as I was happy with who I was. And the third thing, I don't really know if it took any more than that for me.

Chris Medellin - 
So I mean, let's replay this. I mean, when you're not in alignment anymore with the company or with, you know, in the decision-making that's there, then it's time to really do a gut check. And at that point, it was, can I financially make this work? And, you know, am I going to be happier? So fast forward to how long have you been away from that other company?

Reese Laufasa -
Just a little bit over a month.

Chris Medellin - 
Wow. So this is your first 30 days outside of it. So let's hear it. What is this like?

Reese Laufasa -
It's been amazing. I mean, everything that I say to people, I can stand behind 100%. And I know it takes time to come over and start closing deals on this side, but for me, at least, I can sleep at night and at least I can. You know, I'd rather make even if I was going to make less money at first, it's worth it to me.

Reese Laufasa -
Yeah, I agree to be able to make my own decisions and make sure that I'm being truthful about everything.

Chris Medellin - 
Well, you went from it's such an amazing, like, social, you know, experiment with you because you went from a lot of institutionalized, you know, atmospheres from college to an institutionalized, you know, the army, which is probably the most institutionalized that you could think of. And then and then you went to a financial institution heavily regulated, and then and then you just flipped the switch and went out on your own, which is basically you're an entrepreneur.

Chris Medellin - 
You're making what you know? You can go out and find. And so I want to give you a platform because I do feel like you're doing the right things. I think if anybody knows the secret hacks to the deals, it would be you, you know because you've done so many of them that you know the ins and outs of it.

Chris Medellin - 
So would you say you're an expert at that, at that product?

Reese Laufasa -
Oh, yeah. If I had to pick one thing that I was an expert in, it would definitely be that. Yes.

Chris Medellin - 
So give me like three things that you that most people don't know about Vas that, you know.

Reese Laufasa -
Three Oh, man, got to go down the list.

Chris Medellin - 
Gave me one earlier. That was really good.

Reese Laufasa -
So one of them is that a lot of people think that you have to have an honorable discharge. People make mistakes. You know, I'm not here to judge. And so sometimes people, they get out for one mistake in the Army and they think that they do lose all their benefits and then you lose some of them. But a VA loan is one that you might be able to keep.

Reese Laufasa -
And so you just have to get that reviewed. I hear that all the time on videos and with people that have made one mistake and now they're just like a way better person. Yes.

Chris Medellin - 
And let me jump in there because I do think that I know a few people who have been honorably discharged are dishonorably discharged. That's what it's called dishonorably. Is it actually a dishonorable discharge?

Reese Laufasa -
There are a few different ones. Yeah. All right.

Chris Medellin - 
So what are they? It's dishonorable.

Reese Laufasa -
So the most common one that's not honorable is general under honorable discharge.

Chris Medellin - 
Okay.

Reese Laufasa -
You. It takes a lot to get dishonorable. Like a lot.

Chris Medellin - 
Yeah, I got it. I know a guy who just left, like he was in basic training and just, like, left, like, just climbed the fence and left was like, I'm out of here or whatever he did, He just left and he didn't go back. He was like, Wow. So. So there was that guy. And then but what I will say that comes back because he's probably like the worst, you know, the situation just when a will.

Chris Medellin - 
But what I will tell you is I think that there's a shame that comes with that because he didn't complete something. I think there's an internal shame that I think that's more it than anything. So there's an education that comes along with it that even though you may have you may be walking around with this there are still options.

Chris Medellin - 
You still earn this benefit. And so how do you know if you've earned the benefit?

Reese Laufasa -
And I think that it speaks huge volumes that they still give benefit some people. So if there is a shame, I mean, if you're eligible for the benefit, there's a reason.

Chris Medellin - 
Yeah, that's it, right? Yeah. But I think that's what people need to know and that, that that would be very uplifting for me if and if the last ten years I've been going through life feeling like, you know, I didn't accomplish something, I did something that caused me to get out. You know, I have another friend who got a DUI, like, right, like a month before they were going to get out and they got a dishonorable discharge over that, you know, And wow.

Chris Medellin - 
And so, you know, but they still have all the benefits, but they knew that somehow I think there are they did they had gone to war and they'd gone to war and therefore they deployed to war. And therefore, somehow they had some medical issues that had happened. So they knew that they had the benefit. But even to this day, they've never used their VA benefit because they didn't know, Oh, wow, You know what I mean?

Chris Medellin - 
So people need to know this. So that's a big one. Yeah. So what else? What are some other hacks that, you know?

Reese Laufasa -
Probably the job history. Okay. A lot of people think they had to have been on the job for two years. And I just posted a video about the prison one. Yep. Yeah. So this was a movie about this crazy. Somebody came out of prison, 11 years in jail. And I guess jail and prison are different. 11 years in prison.

Reese Laufasa -
And he was still able to give you a loan. So their job gets allowed. I mean, it just has to make sense. Like their stay-at-home moms, too. That's super common. Like people get out of the army. They want to be a stay-at-home mom and then they go back into the workforce and they're like, well, you know, I haven't been working for a long time and they think they can't get a VA loan.

Chris Medellin - 
So crazy.

Reese Laufasa -
Yeah. And it was really not another good one. Even being a mom for a few years, it makes sense.

Chris Medellin - 
So what's the rule that you need to just?

Reese Laufasa -
You need to you needed to your history. Yeah. Of work ever. So usually if you were in the army probably have a two-year history at some point. And then you just have to show that your income is likely to continue. Yeah. If you've been job hopping. So that's different.

Chris Medellin - 
Okay.

Reese Laufasa -
Because then it shows we don't know how long you're going to stay at that job. But if you just had a job change or you just started a new job, then that's okay.

Chris Medellin - 
Okay, good, good. I'm asking you because I want people to know, you know, what is like I want somebody out there saying, that's me, and then I want you to call Reese because you know she can help you now. Okay, So tell me. Okay, You got one more.

Reese Laufasa -
One more. Probably the funding fee. I feel like.

Chris Medellin - 
Okay, it's a good one.

Reese Laufasa -
Like, I don't know if this is one that people don't necessarily don't know, but I feel like they don't ever about the funding fee until they get to buying a home. Okay. And that's true. What what?

Chris Medellin - 
There's no reason for them to know otherwise. But I mean, like, they a lot of people don't realize that while you have this amazing benefit, there's this funding fee.

Reese Laufasa -
Yeah, but the craziest part is I feel like nobody knows until they go to buy a home that when you're a disabled veteran, you can get the funding fee waived, which is like thousands of dollars. And there are people that have gone to the doctor like one or two times and they're like, well, it's not worth it to get my disability ratings because, you know, it's only 150 bucks a month or something.

Reese Laufasa -
And I'm like, No, no, it's thousands. When you buy a home. So get the VA disability rating and get that funding for you.

Chris Medellin - 
So, so good. And I'm asking you because I'm a chop all these up and we're going to give you one really good clip of just those three. But I, I think that that's hugely important. And the reason why I think it's important is that I think that there's a lot of people who come out, just as those people are, have shame.

Chris Medellin - 
There's also the other side of that where people have too much pride to go and get checked. My dad for many years was like, I don't need to go, you know, need to go. And he's 100% disabled and he believes he's getting one on them. And I'm like, No, no, you earned that. You're a Vietnam vet. Yeah, you have earned your right for every dollar you know that you're getting.

Chris Medellin - 
And now he's kind of changed his mind, too, because his body is now, you know, has all these signs of, you know, the trauma that he's been through. But it's crazy to think about for the longest time. He was like, yeah, I had to go to, you know, a psych psychic or a psych exam. And you know, like he thought he was getting one on them.

Chris Medellin - 
I'm like, No, this is like, you have this isn't true.

Reese Laufasa -
And I was like, Oh, yeah, finally, go buy one. And you're like, Well, you deserved it.

Chris Medellin - 
You deserve it. Like, it's the weirdest thing that there's pride thing that people don't want to admit like that they need help or that they're disabled. Right? And I guess I can understand that. I mean, if you're a war badass and, you know, you're like, I don't want to be disabled, I don't need that, you know?

Chris Medellin - 
But, I think the benefit outweighs the pride, you know, and the fact that you deserve to save thousands of dollars. So tell me about you know, we're good on time. So I want to ask about your breakthrough moment and kind of going to towards the name of the show and why we do this show is during this process, when did you have that moment where you were like, I just know I need to do something and I know I'm not getting my voice heard or I'm not feeling, you know, the way that I should.

Chris Medellin - 
And you had to make the tough decision to break through to the next level. When was that moment in your life or when was moment in your life? Because I think we go through, you know, many of them in our lives.

Reese Laufasa -
Yeah, I feel like I live my life pretty chill. Yeah. So I don't know if I had a lot of like what I would call hardships. Okay. But there was in making the jump to becoming a loan officer out on my own, I feel like I had to, like, convince myself at one point to believe that I could come on this side because, for the longest time, I'm like closing all these loans, doing really well, and.

Chris Medellin - 
Company loves.

Reese Laufasa -
You. Yeah, and, and I love the company at the time. They're a great company. But then when I finally hit that point where I was like, I don't know if we're in alignment anymore, I, I didn't know for thought about it for a few months. On if I was just going to stay there because and, you know, try to find reasons why it was okay for the changes that they were making.

Reese Laufasa -
Because my salary was nice and I've been there for a while or I was going to feel like doing what I needed to do and maybe I would make less money. You know, the is that I'll come and make more money? Yes, eventually. But at first, you really don't know if you're going to make it in this world or not.

Reese Laufasa -
And so I had to convince myself that I could do it on my own.

Chris Medellin - 
So when you say you had to convince yourself, what was your tribe, you what were the friends and you know, your loved ones saying, you know, in terms of where you were, you seeking advice from them? Like, do I do this? Do I do I do. It's like 100% commission. What? Like I'm leaving this? Who had your back to say, you know, what were they telling you?

Chris Medellin - 
I'm curious about that.

Reese Laufasa -
I had one person. Okay, One person. My other half, he's like, as soon as I told me, he's like, Yeah, you have to get that company back. You better. You're better.

Chris Medellin - 
Than me.

Reese Laufasa -
He's amazing. Yeah, he's the best. And he's like, You're better than them. Do you know? You can do this. Like, you got this. Yeah. And then I talked to I call my mom, my dad, and my brothers. I call everybody for everything. My sister and I were like, What do you guys think? You know, what should I do? And every person that I talked to was like, Hey, that'd be cool, you know?

Reese Laufasa -
But are you sure you want to leave?

Chris Medellin - 
Yeah.

Reese Laufasa -
And everyone at my company does the same thing. Are you sure you want to leave? Are you sure that you know you can do it? Yeah. You're going to have to go find your own business. Like everything is going to be on you. And so pretty much everybody that I talk to in my circle that I trusted, I mean, I don't even know if they to this day, I mean, they support me or whatever, but I don't even know if they thought I could do it.

Reese Laufasa -
Yeah.

Chris Medellin - 
That's crazy. I mean, because you did, and you're here now and you're still alive, you're still okay, you know? And the reason I asked you that is that I remember when I was in, I was working for a company, I was working for a cable company, and I was like, kind of I was like what you would call a processor.

Chris Medellin - 
But I was managing a small processing team for a cable company. So guys go door to door. They would call my team and me to see if they could do like a credit check on the person that was buying cable. So they would knock on doors. And if the person said, Yeah, I want to buy cable, then they would have to call us because a lot of people left a balance somewhere at a different address.

Chris Medellin - 
So I had to find that and be like, Well, yeah, you can get cable. We got to pay 200 bucks, right? Because they owe us money. So my job was to find those people and get our money back. And so then if, if everything was good, then I put an order in and then, you know, so we would just sit around waiting for these guys to call us to do deals.

Chris Medellin - 
Right. Like to do, to do a credit check or whatever.

Reese Laufasa -
Yeah.

Chris Medellin - 
So one of my jobs as the supervisor of the group was to do payroll. And I started seeing that these guys were making good money. I was like, These guys are making a lot more than I was making, you know?

Reese Laufasa -
And you're like, That sounds nice.

Chris Medellin - 
And I was like, There is that that some of them were rude. They were like, I couldn't even believe they were doing that, but they would do well. So I was like, All right, I'm going to I'm going to do it. So I asked my mom. I was like, Hey, I think I'm gonna go do door to door, you know, for the cable car.

Chris Medellin - 
I've been at the cable company for like six years by this point, right? So she's like, No, it's all commissioned. Don't do it. Like, that's not life for you. And I was like, Screw it. I did it. And when I did it, I like I didn't listen to the advice my point is I believed in myself and I don't know why I believed in myself.

Chris Medellin - 
But the first night I went out there, I sold like 18 deals, you know? And I remember the only reason I didn't do more was that it was raining and I didn't care. I was like on fire. I was like, Have you talked to me? You were getting you were doing a deal. And I just found my thing. I was like, I can I'm good with people.

Chris Medellin - 
I think this will work. But I think a lot of people have to decide for themselves, you know like it's the right move. Getting back there were two things you had to decide. One, is to quit and then the next is I'm and am I going to make it? And I think if you believe in yourself, then you're going to make it.

Chris Medellin - 
Because whether or not this turns into the 50 million that you did, the last place in this place is really yours to lose. It's not market driven. It's not anything. It's just what Reese decided to do with it. How did you decide? And I'm going to switch gears a little bit because what would pop into my head just now was you're doing all the right things.

Chris Medellin - 
You're doing the events, You're connecting with people. You're sitting here on a podcast, for God's sake, you know, and you're doing amazing content. So now when did you decide I'm doing it or because you were doing content even at the last company?

Reese Laufasa -
Yeah.

Chris Medellin - 
So yeah. How did you and did they care or did they know?

Reese Laufasa -
Yeah, they knew to an extent. Okay. Yeah. So they had cleared me, for the longest time. I was like we should hop on Instagram. Yeah. They didn't want me to hop on Instagram because of compliance or you know, whatever reasons they had and their brand. But they eventually cleared it and they knew I was doing content, but they didn't know at first that it was like comedy and it was funny.

Reese Laufasa -
Yeah. And, the brand, I guess. Yes.

Chris Medellin - 
It is comedy. And this is why I mean like we're talking serious about serious things, but I really want you to know Reese is funny and you got to look at her content to know who she is and what she's doing, and how she's helping people. But she figures out ways to get the message out about what she's doing in a really comedic way.

Chris Medellin - 
And it's good content and I watch it. That's why I knew you were talking about when you said, you know, this deal about the guy in prison, But do you think that's important for who you are now and building your brand?

Reese Laufasa -
Oh, yeah. Yeah, I know. Yeah. We are talking pretty seriously right now. I feel like I have to like, I'm trying not to laugh in the mic, like, Hey.

Chris Medellin - 
Go ahead, go ahead.

Reese Laufasa -
No, I do love selves. So maybe that's why I'm not joking as much. But I feel like that's super important to me because anyone that has a regular conversation with me, I'm usually never serious. Okay, So if I went on there posting only educational content all the time, I feel like it just wouldn't be to me. Like I don't know if I would.

Reese Laufasa -
I would watch myself without the comedy.

Chris Medellin - 
Interesting. So that's it. So you've given thought to who's watching me and in my capture their attention, like, am I going to make them stop scrolling? And so do you get feedback? I mean, do you talk to people that watch your stuff and do you get feedback from them about it?

Reese Laufasa -
Sometimes, Yeah. Yeah.

Chris Medellin - 
What is the feedback? What do they say?

Reese Laufasa -
Usually, people love authenticity. Yes. And every time I make videos, I just know when I hop on social media, it's usually for comedy, okay? And I usually want to laugh. And so kind of why I stick with the comedy, because I'm like, well, what would I want to watch? Yeah. And then I make.

Chris Medellin - 
That's okay. So this is so important, right? Because if you're listening and you're thinking about making content, everybody comes in, We're looking at one where a guy, didn't smile the entire time and it was such a bad video and somebody here was showing it to me and I was like, Oh, this is so bad. Like, and I know the guy and I was like, I want to call and just be like Smile, bro.

Chris Medellin - 
Like, Yeah, have some fun. Like, And it was all about, like something about taxes and call me if you guys, you know, you, when you get your tag. And I was like, This is terrible. Nobody's watching. This sucks. And by the way, like, I feel like that was some of my stuff. So but when I look at what you're doing, I'm like, it stops me, right?

Chris Medellin - 
It's like I want, the comedic thing. So the advice that you would give to somebody who's thinking about pursuing brand building and content building and content production is to post stuff that you would watch.

Reese Laufasa -
That's what I do. Yes. Because then when people watch my stuff, they tell me they don't like it. I'm like, Well, I like it. I like I'll give it to viewers. Yes, ma'am.

Chris Medellin - 
So there you go. So so how did so my mom do? That's the best. So how did how do you come up with your what is your process? So you are going through your day. You get an idea like what is something that you're about to post that you haven't posted yet, that maybe you have an idea about?

Reese Laufasa -
Usually, if I have a conversation with someone to be a realtor, could be a buyer if I get a question like earlier on the elevator. Okay. Right. I was talking to a realtor about condos, okay? And she was like, Condos suck. Yeah, because they have so many things you have to get through. There are so many fees for the paperwork.

Reese Laufasa -
I mean, condos are a great starting point, but sometimes the loan process is so hard to get through, you know that. Yeah. And so I was like, I'm gonna make a video about how condos are super hard because a lot of people, their first thought is like, I'm going to start with a condo. Yes, right. And then the loan process.

Reese Laufasa -
The loan process, we're like, Oh, are you sure you want to do a condo? You know what's.

Chris Medellin - 
Crazy about this is what always baffles me about condos is the people that got to get you the paperwork at the condo association. Yep. You would think that they want to fill the condo.

Reese Laufasa -
They don't give it data.

Chris Medellin - 
They don't give a shit about it. Do you know? And so.

Chris Medellin - 
Then, you know, and then, of course, like, they don't want to give you the information and you find out that somebody's suing them, that, you know, then that throws a whole, you know, wrench in everything. And so yeah, but, but it's a great starting point. In fact, um, my wife is a realtor and she doesn't she only does it for us, but she just got a single mom.

Chris Medellin - 
Been looking for a house at the price point she was in. She couldn't find anything because I had a three in front of it and just got her a place in a condo called the K's in Chandler. And, you know, we just closed like a week ago for her and it was like life-changing. But we started the process when rates were in the twos and now she just closed on a condo, you know, And so but I mean, she was able to, you know, her life significantly changed because you got braids and stuff between there.

Chris Medellin - 
But a condo is a really good space if you know, you need to get into a place. And especially for single moms and people who, you know, don't want to spend 500,000 a year living in the East Valley, I mean, 500,000 is where it's going to be. And that's insane to think about, you know? Yeah. So so what's next for you?

Chris Medellin - 
What do you have planned in terms of you know, you are doing content? You're now in the real world of lending and you're building your brand. Last time we talked, you were thinking about doing a podcast. Is that, is that on the horizon?

Reese Laufasa -
Yes. MM Yeah. So after I talk to you, I got super inspired and I was like, This guy's doing a podcast, I guess that's all. Like, That sounds really cool.

Chris Medellin - 
Well, this did look, we're sitting in one and you can use this anytime you want and we'll help you produce it. But yeah, that would be amazing. We would love to see what you come up with on a podcast. Do you have a name for it yet?

Reese Laufasa -
Yes.

Chris Medellin - 
What is it? Let's. Let's talk business.

Reese Laufasa -
I just came up with it this week. It's what's the real realty?

Chris Medellin - 
What's the real? This is good.

Reese Laufasa -
Really. This is.

Chris Medellin - 
So good.

Reese Laufasa -
And it's about realty. Yes.

Chris Medellin - 
Realty or realty?

Reese Laufasa -
Both. All right. So it's going to be me and my brother. Yes. He lives in Washington. So to book a flight so we could do the first episode. But I jumped on it. You got to do it.

Chris Medellin - 
He'll have a space.

Reese Laufasa -
No, the only thing is that he has a regular job. Yeah, he's not in real, which makes it more fun.

Chris Medellin - 
Yeah, I.

Reese Laufasa -
Agree. Because then he can access real questions that people that are listening would want to ask. Yes. Without them having to feel, you know, lost in a conversation or something. We're going to invite other real estate professionals on their tickets. It's going to be a cellphone.

Chris Medellin - 
Say I love this and. You and I were talking about this, but because he's not in the space one, he could bring in tea from outside. Right. Is he good on the T like he is?

Reese Laufasa -
Yeah. He's funny, do you?

Chris Medellin - 
Call it Cheeseman and the Mexicans call it Cheesman which is gossip. Right. Which is for those who don't know that's T And so Yeah. Does he, is he good with the T and does he come as he is funny?

Reese Laufasa -
Yeah. He's, he's a super funny guy. Everybody that meets my brother is like I want to be his friend. I don't know how many times I've heard that where people come up to me they're like, Yeah, I met your brother like homie, his friend. Yes. I'm like, I could I can literally name at least ten people right now live.

Reese Laufasa -
Just so I'm like, I got to have a podcast with him. So no.

Chris Medellin - 
So you're, you're flying him in to do this one.

Reese Laufasa -
First I have to fly out there.

Chris Medellin - 
Oh, you're flying out there. Yeah, I see what you say.

Reese Laufasa -
Have to fly to Seattle.

Chris Medellin - 
Got you.

Reese Laufasa -
But eventually, I need him to fly here. Yeah, so? And I'm trying to get him to move here so that we can do this podcast together. This would.

Chris Medellin - 
Be amazing. Yeah, this will be amazing. Well, I'm. I'm proud of you, and I'm proud of that. That you did this. And thank you for taking the time to do this life with us and in person, because I just think it's more authentic when you can have a conversation with somebody. But, you know, I, I see the future and I know that you're going to do amazing things and you just have the right attitude for it.

Chris Medellin - 
You're helping a segment of the country that needs a reset in their life because nobody's there to teach them. And I want to see you do amazing things. So if there's ever anything that I can help you with, you just hit me up. But I think, you know, this is a start of, you know, a good friendship. And I appreciate you doing our podcast.

Chris Medellin - 
And I hope that somebody out there is, you know, inspired by hearing the fact that, you know, we'll connect with you on, you know, if you're a veteran, if you or if you're not using your benefit and you want to learn more, be sure you call. And where's your Instagram again?

Reese Laufasa -
But only underscore with Reese.

Chris Medellin - 
There you go. Hit her up and she'll be happy to help you. Is there any other way they should reach out to you?

Reese Laufasa -
You can text me.

Chris Medellin - 
Text texting.

Reese Laufasa -
You can Google my name and all my info is there.

Chris Medellin - 
All right. Well, you'll see that. And thank you for checking out the podcast with Chris Medellin and Reese Laufasa. All right.