The Journey

Ricardo Vargas

5.0 (1)
ENTREPRENEURSHIP
UPDATED WEEKLY

In this podcast, I will record my journey to becoming successful in the business world, starting from literally day 0 until I make it. You will listen to raw experiences, the good, the bad, and the ugly. I wish the great minds of our times did this as they were coming up, so I hope to do that here. Thank you for investing your time and I hope you enjoy!

JAN 24

Change Your Circle or Stay the Same - Mark Siles

Six figures in six months… sounds clean on paper. This episode isn’t the highlight reel — it’s the real timeline: the wins, the mistakes, the pressure, and the discipline it took to keep going. Mark breaks down how he started flipping products on Amazon, what changed when he began treating it like a real business, and the parts nobody warns you about: account risk, IP complaints, margins, and learning (the hard way) to track your numbers. We also get into the deeper stuff — identity, faith, insecurity, the people around you, and what “making it” is actually supposed to feel like. If you’re building from zero, subscribe and follow the journey. More long-form conversations and real breakdowns like this are coming. 00:00:00 Intro 00:02:08 The Jump: Flipping On Amazon + Big Goals Early 00:05:29 Discipline > Motivation: Staying Consistent On Bad Weeks 00:10:28 Origin Story: Early Hustles, Dropshipping, Learning To Sell 00:15:38 The Amazon Playbook: Sourcing, SellerAmp, Product Research 00:20:35 Scaling Up: Wholesale, Approvals, And The Long Game 00:32:46 Risk & Reality: IP Complaints, Deactivations, Money Locked Up 00:40:21 The Numbers Lesson: High Sales… Negative Profit 00:46:05 Work Ethic & Resilience: Toyota Days, Gym Discipline, Staying In The Fight 01:09:29 Environment & Identity: Your Circle, Family Pressure, Degree Debate 01:30:55 Outro Links: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thericardovargas Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ricardovargas174 Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@r.vargas174?_t=8lJxUUN4SD5&_r=1 Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/ricardov174 Threads: https://www.threads.net/@ricardovargas174 Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-journey-from-zero-to-a-million-and-beyond/id1734802848

1h 31m
JAN 17

The Secret Beauty of Hard Lessons

Every season of your life leaves a mark. Some lift you higher than you ever imagined — and others break you down until all that’s left is the truth. This is a chapter about understanding the rhythm of life. The highs don’t last. The lows don’t last. But the person you become in the middle of all of it… that’s permanent. We grow the most in the quiet moments — the boring victories no one sees, the days we show up even when we don’t feel like it, the nights we try again despite not believing in ourselves. And when you look back, you realize the struggle wasn’t punishment. It was the preparation. If you’re in a season that feels heavy, slow, confusing, or unfair… just remember: the season always turns. It always has. It always will. And when it does, you’ll look back and see that this was the moment that shaped you. 00:00 Nothing Lasts Forever 04:52 The Quiet Victories 09:10 The Emotional Weight of Growth 13:36 The Beauty of Looking Back Links: Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@thericardovargas Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ricardovargas174 Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@r.vargas174?_t=8lJxUUN4SD5&_r=1 Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/ricardov174 Threads: https://www.threads.net/@ricardovargas174 Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-journey-from-zero-to-a-million-and-beyond/id1734802848

18 min
JAN 10

Your Standards at Home Show Up at Work - Caleb Storts

Most people talk about winning. This conversation is about the cost of trying to win too fast — and what it takes to build a life that can actually hold the weight of the business. In this episode of The Journey, Ricardo sits down with Caleb for a raw, practical talk that moves from the realities of scaling a lawn care/home service business (systems, hiring, leadership, money) into the parts nobody wants to admit out loud: relationship standards, emotional discipline, and the seasons where you feel “locked in”… but you’re actually breaking your foundation. If you’re a builder, creator, entrepreneur — or a man trying to grow without losing yourself — this one is a watch-to-the-end episode. Subscribe for more long-form conversations like this, and keep following The Journey. 00:00:00 Intro 00:01:53 Meeting Caleb 00:09:59 The Locked In Trap 00:29:53 You Can't Skip The Foundation 00:36:02 The Laundry Basket Test 00:45:54 Stop Tolerating Low Standards 00:56:09 The Weekly Test 01:01:56 Write It Down 01:11:53 The 3-Part Relationship Filter 01:17:57 Your standards At Home Show Up At Work 01:23:53 Separating Your Life From Business 01:31:58 Every Business Becomes A People Management Company 01:39:57 Flashy Goals Vs Real Authority 01:47:55 Documenting The Grind Links: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thericardovargas Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ricardovargas174 Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@r.vargas174?_t=8lJxUUN4SD5&_r=1 Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/ricardov174 T hreads: https://www.threads.net/@ricardovargas174 Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-journey-from-zero-to-a-million-and-beyond/id1734802848

1h 56m
JAN 3

Competitors Aren’t the Enemy - Parker Hodge

Most people think the hard part is getting clients. The harder part is keeping trust—especially when you leave town, the phone won’t stop ringing, and your business starts exposing every crack in your life. In this episode, Parker Charles Hodge and I talk through what it actually looks like to build a lawn care/landscaping business in real life: the seasons that blindside you, the marketing mistakes you only make once, and the moment you realize growth doesn’t just require more work—it requires better leadership. We get into door hanger marketing, “Mulch Madness,” hiring and training crews, the difference between training vs micromanaging, and what burnout feels like when you push past your personal capacity. Then we take it where most business conversations don’t: marriage, compromise, communication, and what it costs when entrepreneurship starts taking your weekends. If you’re building a service business, chasing excellence, or trying to become the kind of man who can carry more without losing himself—this one is for you. Watch to the end for the leadership and “long game” lesson that reframes what dedication really looks like. Subscribe if you’re following the journey, and check the channel for more long-form conversations on business, discipline, and growth. 00:00 Intro 01:22 The Episode That Almost Didn’t Happen 03:38 Competitors As Allies 10:43 Mulch Madness 14:05 Door hangers & $20K Months 16:21 Training Is Culture 23:35 Business Reflects You 30:05 Compromise & Boundaries 39:43 Leading From the Front Links: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thericardovargas Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ricardovargas174 Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@r.vargas174?_t=8lJxUUN4SD5&_r=1 Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/ricardov174 Threads: https://www.threads.net/@ricardovargas174 Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-journey-from-zero-to-a-million-and-beyond/id1734802848

46 min
12/27/2025

The Long Road to Being Undeniable - Bristol Banchek

This episode is a deep conversation with Bristol about mastery, discipline, and what it really takes to build a career — and a life — you’re proud of. From falling in love with the craft, to hitting ceilings, to teaching others how to level up, this isn’t a highlight-reel conversation. It’s about the slow, earned process of becoming undeniable. We talk about: • Mastery before money • Discipline over motivation • Teaching others without ego • Loneliness at higher levels • Confidence built through repetition • Identity, self-trust, and responsibility If you’re a barber, creator, entrepreneur, or anyone trying to turn skill into something lasting — this episode will hit close to home. Nothing here is rushed. Nothing here is fake. Everything here is earned. Links: Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@thericardovargas Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ricardovargas174 Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@r.vargas174?_t=8lJxUUN4SD5&_r=1 Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/ricardov174 Threads: https://www.threads.net/@ricardovargas174 Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-journey-from-zero-to-a-million-and-beyond/id1734802848

1h 40m
12/20/2025

The Lonely Chapter

Every man has a season that happens in silence. A season with no applause, no validation, no audience. A season where the world gets quiet enough for you to hear your own doubts… and your own potential. The Lonely Chapter is where transformation begins. You’re not who you used to be, but you’re not who you’re becoming either — you’re suspended in the middle, building a life no one sees yet. It’s the early mornings, the empty rooms, the internal battles. It’s the grind that doesn’t show up online. It’s the chapter you must survive alone… so you can emerge as someone new. This is the price of entry. And this chapter is where you pay it. Links: Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@thericardovargas Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ricardovargas174 Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@r.vargas174?_t=8lJxUUN4SD5&_r=1 Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/ricardov174 Threads: https://www.threads.net/@ricardovargas174 Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-journey-from-zero-to-a-million-and-beyond/id1734802848

11 min
12/13/2025

The Price Nobody Warns You About - Michael Bekele

Michael Bekele returns for a deep, unfiltered conversation about growth, discipline, pressure, and the responsibility that comes with becoming more than you used to be. This episode isn’t about hype or shortcuts. It’s about what happens after ambition, when motivation fades and the weight of consistency sets in. We talk about: • The pressure of growth • Discipline over motivation • Loneliness at higher levels • Identity, ego, and self-trust • The real cost of mastery • And why most people quit right before things compound If you’re building something, becoming someone, or carrying more responsibility than you ever have before — this conversation will hit. Nothing here is theory. Everything here is earned. 00:00:00 Intro 00:01:24 Re-Entering The Arena 00:08:50 Early Ambition & Naivety 00:18:45 The First Real Weight 00:29:40 Discipline Over Emotion 00:40:10 Loneliness At The Next Level 00:51:00 Identity, Ego, & Self Trust 01:01:30 The Cost Of Mastery 01:11:55 Perspective That Only Comes With Time 01:22:10 What Comes Next Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@thericardovargas Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ricardovargas174 Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@r.vargas174?_t=8lJxUUN4SD5&_r=1 Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/ricardov174 Threads: https://www.threads.net/@ricardovargas174 Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-journey-from-zero-to-a-million-and-beyond/id1734802848

1h 36m
12/06/2025

Building Yourself When No One Is Watching

There are seasons in a man’s life that don’t make it onto a calendar. No dates. No celebrations. No applause. Just quiet work, silent battles, and a version of you nobody else ever meets. This video is the beginning of that journey. We start with The Lonely Chapter — the season where nothing feels certain, where you’re stuck between who you used to be and who you’re desperately trying to become. The grind is invisible. The progress is slow. But this is the price of entry for any man who wants to grow. Then we move into The Mirror Stage, where you finally see yourself without filters, excuses, or validation. This is where the truth catches up to you — your insecurities, your motives, your ego. It’s uncomfortable, but necessary. From there, The Season Always Turns. The highs and lows come and go, and you learn that nothing — good or bad — lasts forever. The struggle that once felt heavy slowly becomes something beautiful in hindsight. And finally, we reach The Weight of Wanting — the chapter where ambition stops being a fantasy and becomes a responsibility. You start to understand the cost of chasing big goals, the sacrifices behind mastery and the difference between wanting “more”… and appreciating “enough.” This video is the intro to all of it. A story of growth, loss, clarity, evolution, and becoming. Every version of you had to die so the next one could live. And it all starts here… The Lonely Chapter. Links: Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@thericardovargas Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ricardovargas174 Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@r.vargas174?_t=8lJxUUN4SD5&_r=1 Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/ricardov174 Threads: https://www.threads.net/@ricardovargas174 Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-journey-from-zero-to-a-million-and-beyond/id1734802848

55 min

In this podcast, I will record my journey to becoming successful in the business world, starting from literally day 0 until I make it. You will listen to raw experiences, the good, the bad, and the ugly. I wish the great minds of our times did this as they were coming up, so I hope to do that here. Thank you for investing your time and I hope you enjoy!

Creator

Ricardo Vargas
Years Active

2024 - 2026
Episodes

59
Rating

Explicit
Copyright

© Copyright 2026 Ricardo Vargas
Show Website

The Journey