Peter Montes de Oca on Dropping Out, Digging Trenches, and Building 3 Companies | Proximity Is Power

In this episode, I sit down with Peter Montes de Oca—former school counselor turned entrepreneur, founder of a booming cleaning and construction company, and a man whose story proves that pain can shape purpose. Peter grew up in LA with immigrant parents, lost his mom at 15, dropped out of high school, and spent years stuck in survival mode—smoking, drifting, and digging trenches for $60/day. But moments of grace, mentors who believed in him, and his own relentless spirit helped him flip the script. Now, he leads over 250 employees, runs multiple companies, and is a proud husband, father, and student of personal growth. We talk about: ✅ How losing his mom changed everything—and what snapped him out of the spiral ✅ The community college professor who changed his life with one comment ✅ Starting a cleaning company from nothing—and scaling it with heart ✅ The $1,000 mistake that led to a 6-figure deal (years later) ✅ Why doing the right thing—even when it hurts—is the ultimate business strategy ✅ How he treats his employees like family—and why it’s his favorite part of entrepreneurship ✅ The habits, books, and mindsets that keep him grounded as a husband, dad, and leader Books Mentioned: • Ikigai – Héctor García & Francesc Miralles • Essentialism – Greg McKeown • Make Your Bed – Admiral William H. McRaven • The Greatest Salesman in the World – Og Mandino • The Magic of Believing – Claude M. Bristol • The Power of Positive Thinking – Norman Vincent Peale Peter’s story is honest, hilarious, emotional, and packed with wisdom for anyone who’s chasing more but wants to do it with integrity. Podcast Website: https://bio.site/Proximityispower