S4E9 - Sammy Warrayat
This week’s guest is Sammy Warryat, host of the Successful Millennials podcast and founder of Financezilla, a financial consulting service.
A Georgia native, Sammy attended Georgia Tech and graduated with a degree in software engineering. He went straight into the corporate workforce and after working too many hours and facing too many roadblocks decided it was time to set out on his own. He got himself out of debt, saved his money and quit his job.
Unlike some “coaches” he sees himself as a consultant but not someone who is going to make decisions or do the work for clients. He shares what he knows but expects clients to be ready to take action for themselves. In his podcast and consulting, empowerment of the individual are themes.
On the Successful Millennials podcast, Sammy’s episodes each focus on one or two of the five categories of live he has identified to be the most important. They are money, physical and mental health, career/purpose, relationships and happiness.
Note from Rabiah (Host):
The theme of people going out on their own after a more traditional career for various reasons involving working too many hours, poor management or a desire to take a chance. But, what I have noticed is the decisions weren’t rash or sudden. They were planned. Sammy planned very impressively by saving money so he could handle the risk on his own. Others planned with their partners. They all seemed to set a timeline for when they would need to head back to a job If it didn’t work out. This chat with Sammy was particularly fun because we truly are of two generations but weren’t that different.
On another note, I dedicate this episode to a friend, Richie Hannah, who I found out died right before recording the intro. He was truly funny and kind. It was too soon to lose him but it is always too soon. I could talk about his struggles and distill him down to one thing but we are a sum of all of our parts. In my only vacation of 2020 I visited him in Scotland and it was a special time. Like with others I’ve lost before, I’ll remember him for that and honor him now and then by thinking of him when I see something that I know he would like.
Blame it on our youth! Rabiah and guest Sammy Warrayat.
Transcript
[00:04:13]
Rabiah (Host): Welcome to More Than Work, the podcast reminding you that your self worth is defined by more than your job title. I'm Rabiah, an IT Project Manager, Comedian, Nonprofit Volunteer and sometimes activist. Every week, I'll chat with a guest about pursuing passions outside of work or creating meaningful opportunities inside the workplace.
As you listen, I hope you'll be inspired to do the same. Here we go.
Hey everyone, so this is a kind of a quick episode for me actually. It's clocking in at under 40 minutes. If I don't take too long here. We'll see what I do with that. And it's with a guy who's actually a millennial. He talks about being a millennial. His podcast is about that [00:05:13] how he's navigating in it.
And we talked a little bit about why he chose that topic and his age group to focus on and it was interesting because I think we talked a little bit about it, but millennials have gotten a bad rap and they're definitely people that everyone makes fun of, but they're, you know, in some cases, three years younger than me.
So I don't really know why, for example, I think I'm superior. But I think that, you know, millennials are getting older and it's a huge group of people they're in the workforce. They're almost 40 now. So it was interesting to talk to maybe a younger millennial about things and just to talk to someone who's really early in their career and who pivoted out of corporate because I've talked to a lot of people who have been in jobs for years and years before getting out and doing their own thing.
And so this is a younger person who did that, and I really liked getting a different perspective on it. I'm not going to do too much at the start just because I think what I want people to get out of it is that you can learn from anyone and I don't think we often I'm 42, so I don't often maybe listen [00:06:13] to younger people and think that they're going to be wise and someone I can listen to and learn from, but they are just as much as someone older or just someone my age is and so I really appreciate that I had the opportunity to talk to Sammy. I mentioned, I listened to his podcast. I was listening. I was at the gym and the gym is something I've struggled with for years and fitness and working out and all that. And so it's been good to kind of go, but I was listening to his podcast about working out while I was working out and it actually really resonated with me and really helped me and so I've thought back to what, one thing he was saying on there at that time that we'll get into. So that's a big thing I want people to take away from this episode. And then just also, again, that whole thing of just kind of figuring out what you want to do. Sammy has some great advice about how he likes to spend the end of his day reflecting.
I hope people just really enjoy this episode.
I want to dedicate this episode [00:07:13] to a friend who passed away. Richie Hannah. He. Was a fan of the pod. He did listen to it. I actually, it's funny. I was planning on doing the podcast last year and I had just come up with a name when I went to visit him up in Scotland.
And he was the first person that I was getting to see from home. In nearly year at that point, because we were in the pandemic and you were able to travel in September a little bit. And so I went up to Scotland and I got to see someone and it meant a lot. And I was planning the podcast and I'm sorry, but I'm a little emotional.
So I had just come up with the name. And I believe Rob had just come up with the logo and it was just really cool to share the idea with someone and Richie was someone I was going to have on eventually. So, um, I didn't get to do that, but [00:08:13] anyway, we had a good time.
I got to see his hometown of Helensburgh in Scotland, which is where Ben Ellis, who Ben Ellis. I interviewed on my first season. He's the bass player for Iggy Pop and um a sound engineer and a bass player outside ofIggy Pop as well. And they grew up in the same town and, and this is a small world connection I had made in Camden.
And, and so I went to visit Richie saw his home town. He's someone I worked with in San Diego, by the way, uh, almost 20 years ago. And then we went to Glasgow and we did a street art tour, which I love doing street art tours and had some Thai food and had a good time. And I found out today that he passed away. So this episode is for him.
And I guess the other takeaway I want people to have is to make sure you see the people you want to see. You tell the people you want to tell that you love them because life is too short. So enjoy this episode, Richie, this [00:09:13] one's for you.
Rabiah (Host): This week's guest is Sammy waria and he's the host of Successful Millenials podcast among other things that we're going to get into. How are you doing Sammy?
Sammy Warrayat: I'm doing great Rabiah. Thank you so much for having me on.
Rabiah (Host): Yeah, thanks for being here. So, uh, where am I talking to you from today?
Sammy Warrayat: I'm in Atlanta, Georgia. So a little bit of a time difference between us. It's middle of the afternoon for me here, but yeah, I've been on the east coast pretty much my whole life.
Rabiah (Host): Nice. And you went, I saw just in research and people should know that as podcasters do our research. So you went to Georgia Tech, correct?
Sammy Warrayat: That's correct, yeah. I graduated, six years ago in computer science and really just. I didn't know what I wanted to do. And that's kind of why I decided computer science would be something that I can do anything because IT is in every industry and every business, and I'll figure out what I want to do with the work after graduation.
And I guess that's kind of where like the, your [00:10:13] podcast was really in choosing for me because there's the work aspect of it. And then there's something that's outside of work. And I started realizing, identifying myself with my job in my role. And then how that impacts you as a person and your mental health was just like, oh, I didn't even think about that at 16, 17 and whenever you go into college.
Rabiah (Host): No, not at all. And you don't, I mean, it's funny, you chose a major that reflected kind of oh,IT would be anywhere. And I think for me, I majored in political science. And at the time wanted to be a lawyer. So it was a very specific path. And when that path didn't work out, mostly because I just decided I didn't want that path anymore by the time I was 22, then it was like, where did I go? So that's good that you kind of had some foresight not to choose a very specific path, but it's also, yeah, at that young age, how are we supposed to know what we want to do?
Sammy Warrayat: Yeah. And it's like, now you think about it and it's like, I had to ask the teacher to go to the bathroom. And then two months later, you want me to decide on what I'm going to do with the rest of my life? Like, it doesn't make any sense. But when you're [00:11:13] young, you're just like, college is for everybody and not, not really, it shouldn't be right?
Like everybody should know what they want to do. And if they don't, in my opinion, take something that you can go anywhere and don't change your major, like a hundred times, because now I don't even remember computer science. I've moved around so many different times and now the podcast and stuff, like I don't really code ever
so it just it's, you know, something to have as a back fall, but you don't really need it. And your major extremely important. Maybe that's a controversial opinion.
Rabiah (Host): no, I, I mean, I agree. Unless the only thing I say usually about that is like, if you're going to be a surgeon, for example. You don't want a brain surgeon who says they studied astronomy, primarily.
Sammy Warrayat: Exactly.
Rabiah (Host): You'll be, you'll be seeing stars for sure. That's it's going to be. So Sammy, I mean, when you started at. You, you were doing what a lot of us didn't, it's funny. It's just kind of, I'm almost talking to myself, but 20 years ago or something, but, well, not that much, cause I don't want to Sam, I'm [00:12:13] not 46 yet, but you know, something like that and you got into the whole grind and you were working like crazy and you identified early that wasn't good for you. So can you talk about just kind of what, what all that was like for you when you first got out of school.
Sammy Warrayat: Yeah. So in the beginning I started out and I was like really kind of a lazy worker. I was like, there's going to be so long for me to get up this ladder and make six figures or get into leadership so what's the point. And then a mentor actually, eventually she started showing me some books and I got into reading and then he kind of stuck his neck out for me when I was going to leave the company and actually kind of talked to the CIO and I was able to move teams.
And in my mind, I was like, wow, this guy is banking on potential that I don't see in myself and like clearly not performing a great enough to, for him to do that, but I have, I can't let him down. So then I started working at working really hard and then it was just like a part of mix one. I didn't want to let them down.
And then two, I started liking what I was doing and then it really started kind of [00:13:13] compounding and rolling in. But when that job kind of didn't evolve, in terms of, you know, we had bad quarters financially and there was no room for growth anywhere and they were actually kind of starting to do layoffs I left andI had to start over.
Rabiah (Host): Hmm.
Sammy Warrayat: And, when I started over at a new company, I was doing the same thing where I was like, okay, I like this working hard thing. I want to keep moving forward and keep going. And then leadership was not really, I guess, excited or happy about that type of mentality. And it was kind of like pushing you down it felt like, and that's when it really started affecting my mental health. And that's when it really clicked, like, okay, I can't identify myself as a senior data analyst. Like that was my role and that was who I was. And then it, cause it started affecting everything. With my job wasn't doing good I would stop going to the gym,
I would stop my reading, I would stop my pod like listening to podcasts. I would stop doing anything that I like doing, because my work life was not, was not [00:14:13] good and therefore my identity was in shamble, if you will. So that's when it really hit me. And that was about 2018/19. And then I left that role thankfully, and I started like, okay, figuring out what can I do on the side to help get that urge back, you know, get that drive back, and, and, scatter my identity if you will, to a collection of things and really help, that's helped improve my mental health I would say. Not like stake everything in one role or one identity because we're everything, we're a brother, we're a sibling where sometimes father, husband or et cetera. Obviously reverse for women, but you're a multitude of things, not just your role that you're currently at.
Rabiah (Host): I definitely agree with that. And when you left your corporate job, I mean, as far as financially, was that scary for you and your, you know, I think I've talked to people who are older in their career and more established in their career, but not someone younger in their career who decided to go and do their own thing.
So I'd like to know more about how that was for you.
Sammy Warrayat: Yeah, it was like, I want to say I did it smart enough. I was [00:15:13] part of the other things I do is a financial coach. I got better at being good at my personal finance or like I cleaned out my debt. I was investing at an early age. I had saved up an emergency fund. And when I realized that corporate wasn't the answer for me I started really saving even more.
So like I built up a nest egg of a couple of years of income where I can, if I make $0, I'll be okay. And you know, if I can't figure it out in like two years, then maybe it's not for me, but I don't think that's going to happen, right? So. And that was, uh, I think a saving grace because of a lot of people yeah. They just take the leap without that sort of nest egg. I wouldn't do that. Like I'm very risk averse so it would be, you'd be on kind of like eggshells the entire time trying to sell or trying to do anything. It's not very good. Like the customer will be able to see that and kind of just like when you go into a job interview and you're, don't have a job, you seem desperate, you kind of give off that type of energy, even if you don't mean to.
So it that's what kind of helped me, uh, just, just building up that financial picture [00:16:13] so that I can take the risk and try this. And if it works, it's awesome. If it doesn't, then we'll figure it out years down the line, but it's been going pretty well now it's almost four months.
Rabiah (Host): Awesome and well, that's great. And then one thing you've talked about before and you just mentioned it a littlebit was getting into debt. And I think depending on how you finance your school, you can start out your adult life. And now I think, you know, you're have different phases of being an adult, but your adult life in major debt plus then maybe other debts, like not just school debt.
And so how did you work on getting out of that? Because I know people now who still have that problem. I've just straightened myself out. Two years ago, personally, because I was always in some cycle of, you know, had a job that paid more, spent had a job that paid less, still spent whatever.
Sammy Warrayat: Yeah. It's, it's like it's pretty bad because like, there was a recent survey that happened and the average millennial doesn't have a positive net worth until they're [00:17:13] 31. Which means your entire twenties you're in debt, and it's just like very, very hard to believe. But then you see like student loans are, are huge.
And then car loans and everything. For me, I was lucky I had some scholarships and I had summer internships that paid. So I was able to graduate college with relatively little debt. And then I bought a car before I even started working and credit cards started piling up. And so like, those things happen, but I became pretty intentional of I don't like car payments.
So, after a couple of years I sold my car. I bought on Altima cash and now it's been awesome for me. I liked it. And it's no payment for three years. That one purchase has saved like $700 a month because the car payment and car insurance and an extra gas and stuff. So like that one decision saved me over $15,000 over the two years I had remaining and decisions like that can really help, especially if you're not like into it. Like for me, I'm not even a car person. Like I love traveling and we've [00:18:13] talked a little bit before we started recording. I have an upcoming trip plan that's for a couple of weeks, because that to me is what gives me life.
So. If you want to say, drive a nicer car or drive this Altima and travel for three weeks, I'll take the Altima every day and travel. So you have to figure out what you kind of like what to do with your money and then avoid at all costs the impulses and the lifestyle creep that comes up with every raise.
Rabiah (Host): Yeah, that's all. I liked that "lifestyle creep". That was, that would have been a good phrase to have. I lived in New York city when I was in my early thirties. And there, there it is. I mean, because if you make a little bit more than you move a little bit closer to Midtown or something like that, right? Or to the cooler part of Brooklyn or wherever people are, but
that's a, that's a good phrase, a lifestyle creep, and it's just keeping up with people, you know, and you see- that you see everybody do that. It's not just young
Sammy Warrayat: Oh yeah.
Rabiah (Host): or older people or anything. It's, everyone's doing that. And I think the pandemic helped it a little bit because [00:19:13] everyone was just kind of at home in their various active wear, you know, but now it's going back.
Sammy Warrayat: Yeah, the keep it up with the Joneses mentality or lifestyle creep, it's all used different words, but it's the same idea where, how does this person react? And let me try to catch up to them.
Rabiah (Host): So with the financial advising, which is what you're doing now, how did you go from changing your own finances to thinking that this was something you could go and pivot and make a living from? First of all.
Sammy Warrayat: I think it's because a lot of people focus on the knowledge it takes to budget and it really isn't that like it's common sense, right? Like don't spend more than you make. And everybody knows that and everybody knows not to go out and spend more than you make and do all this impulse decisions, but it's the discipline that really needs.
To not do that is what I think people are, are lacking or the behavior is what people need some help on. And so I feel like in my life I've been pretty good at [00:20:13] just being disciplined at whatever I say, I'm going to do, I'm going to do it. And so that's where, like when I wanted to leave Georgia Tech, because it was too hard, I was like I'll just stay, stick through it. Even though I don't like computer science or tech, I'll just finish it out. And so that's like a form of discipline and I feel like that helped me believe that I can force myself to do things that I maybe don't want to do in the moment for a greater purpose down the line, like a delayed gratification. Same thing with like the gym, same thing with your finances and like making those decisions so that four or five years from now. When I have the goal of leaving corporate, I've already set myself up to do it, and I've seen what it's done for me mentally and, and all your other aspects. And so that's why if I could teach people to do that delayed gratification to build that discipline, it's not something that a lot of people, I feel like do in this type of market. they teach the principles more and, and that's why I thought there's a, there's a room for me in this market.
And hopefully help people do what I'm doing and be financially free.
Rabiah (Host): Yeah. What impact has [00:21:13] this had on you personally going and doing your own thing versus when you were clocking in every day, so to speak?
Sammy Warrayat: I think the biggest thing was the, was the mental health, uh, because of like having something where you feel like, you know, the potential, but the ladder is closed because of somebody else, whether it be, you know, senior leadership, whether it be, you know, corporate has an idea that you can't leave a role until you've been there for two years or 18 months, just arbitrarily doesn't matter how many hours or skills you've learned.
Uh, those things were kind of frustrating. And it didn't hit me until that second role in 2018. And now the ability, like if I want to work harder and make things go faster than I can. And that's really a freeing thing. I think that was the biggest thing like being able to control your own destiny for the, for, for real, like not being able to.
Be tied down to somebody else. And that sounds nicer. But [00:22:13] also on the flip side is you're really all alone on this boat and solopreneurship and entrepreneurship, especially in the early stages where even as a former introvert or current introvert, whatever you want to call it, it's, you need some sort of social kind of communication and working by yourself is different than working on a team and, you know, seeing people in the office. So that was the adverse effect of entrepreneurship I'd say. You're more alone and by yourself, many hours of the day.
Rabiah (Host): Yeah. And you don't have, you have to, do you have someone who's like a mentor now to you in this area?
Sammy Warrayat: I don't have as much contact with them as I'd like, um, everybody's on a different schedule, but I do think like I have two mentors now and I had, when I was in corporate, I had couple of corporate mentors. So. It was just, you know, having to be able to balance them like as calendars, different, like today's a Saturday, but it might as well just be like a regular day because I'm working earlier and you know, we're doing this
so it's like when you're in corporate, okay. Monday to [00:23:13] Friday, you can almost guarantee that Friday after work, they're going to be free or Saturday morning or something, but an entrepreneurship mentors, they could be busy anytime of the day.
Rabiah (Host): Yeah, that's true, but it's good if you just have someone to have connection with, because I think even in corporate, so to speak, like if you get a role where you're more of an individual contributor, you start to not be in the context of a team and it's, it's hard. It's difficult, right? Do you consider yourself a financial coach then?
Or what do you consider yourself?
Sammy Warrayat: Yeah, I would say consultant or coach, like I'm not a advisor where I tell you what stocks to invest in and all that stuff. I want to focus really on the discipline needed to become financially free, via budgeting and via investing in general. Like, I'm not gonna say any stock, but figuring out how to setup, your future so that you can do those stuff. And more consultantary manner like, I can hand hold a little bit, but I want you to learn everything and fire myself is the goal.
Rabiah (Host): Nice. And who's your ideal [00:24:13] person that would come to you just in case someone's listening goes, yeah, this guy sounds like someone I would love to work with, who's the ideal person?.
Sammy Warrayat: I appreciate that. Um, it would be somebody who feels like they know some of the principles doesn't know where to get started and it feels like they just lack the discipline to hold themselves. To start, they they've done the research. They've gotten excited, but it hasn't really paid off and they just don't know how to hold themselves accountable.
And that's, you know, happens to a lot of people. So it's not like it's a bad thing. Some people feel like it's a negative aspect, but if it were easy, then, you know, everybody would be financially independent. Everybody would be extremely fit and go to the gym everyday. Discipline is not something that people are born with
so somebody who wants to learn that and not like pass that out. Not like I want somebody to handle this for me, cause that's not what I do.
Rabiah (Host): Right. You're more of an accountability partner kind of thing. And here's some, also some ways to do this and you have a focus, so shifting over to your podcast a little bit are starting to go there[00:25:13] , your focus of your podcast is on millennials. So can you talk a little bit about that because millennials do get a bad rap. I think it's slowing down a little bit. Maybe, you know?
Sammy Warrayat: I think it's because there's the gen Zers coming in and they're getting the bad rap now.
Rabiah (Host): Yeah. Because millennials are getting a little older. I'm... I'm not a millennial, I'm a little older, so I don't know which one I am, but I'm 79, 19 79, not 79 years anyone... I would look good for that. But, um, but yeah, so, why do you focus on millennials other than the fact that you are a one? What do you think is important about that?
Sammy Warrayat: I think the ages that I specifically target in the millennials, just smaller bandwidth, I'd say it's like people in their mid twenties, they kind of grew up myself, obviously included cause I'm in that bucket. We grew up in an era where social media kind of occurred when we were in our high school age. So like some of us like myself, my first phone I got when I was 16, no texting, no pictures.
Right. No internet. [00:26:13]
Whereas the gen Zers, you know, they had iPhone since they were five. And the baby boomer or sorry, the gen X-ers or whoever's generation is before us maybe had that, like in college, but it's, it's more of a fact that like, that changed everything when we grew up. And then in high school, things just changed.
And now everything shifted to online and, you know, Facebook, online dating. And, but we kind of grew up in a way where we were before that. I still remember playing street hockey with the neighborhood kids every day after elementary school and middle school. We had a neighborhood camaderie where now that doesn't exist so we get lost in transition because technology escalated the growing up, I guess, of an entire generation. So that's really what I wanted to focus on and figure out how we now in our early or mid twenties have been in corporate for a couple of years, probably have graduated and some people have kids, some people aren't even married.
Some people are a single parents, you know, it's, everything is happening in their mid twenties and they just don't know [00:27:13] how to balance the five categories that we talk about and, you know, money and happiness and health and relationships and, career or purpose, which is a big thing I think our generation focuses on is trying to work in something that fulfills us.
My parents didn't care for that. They were like, whatever puts food on the table, I'll do, even though it might be soul crushing for 40 years. Like our generation doesn't do that, which is great. Cause.
Rabiah (Host): I agree. And I think it's, it's interesting because I was just talking to my friend the other day. And he'll, if he listens, he'll know about this conversation just about how, even with mental health, there's a different conversation and so if I'm having a rough time, I will more likely communicate that now where 20 years ago, I couldn't. It was just suck it up.
And that wasn't good because sucking it up just meant that you were. The really unhappy and possibly dangerous to yourself and others and stuff like that. And so now it's like, you're able to just say, yeah, my mental health was affected, and I needed to [00:28:13] do something about it. So I do like that, you know, that ability, but also the purpose thing, because I will tell you that people- and the reason this podcast exists- is because people in my generation, which is not the boomers, I was like, but yeah.
boomer. No, but the, we are kind of in this weird in between too, which is funny because we kind of did this whole grind when we were in our twenties. So it's hard to have empathy for people who are like, well, I'm not gonna do this anymore because I'm like, well do it,
cause I had to. But then we're also in this generation that understands about mental health and understands purpose is important and understands what burnout's done to us. And we don't want to 20 years on the retiring and, you know, kind of in a bad state. And so I just, I find it interesting to see the contrast between the generations, but how you guys are kind of taking a [00:29:13] lot of the things we still accepted in my generation.
And I'm saying no and rejecting it. And that's pretty cool. To be honest,
Sammy Warrayat: I think it started with you guys though. The boomers didn't care or maybe they cared and just like, we're like, it doesn't matter. And then you guys are like, ah, kind of resentful that you didn't do it and now you're trying to do it. And then the millennials and even the gen Zers they're like, no way I'll even step foot in corporate.
I'm gonna just do it from my own from the beginning, which I didn't do, but.
Rabiah (Host): Yeah.
Sammy Warrayat: It got there eventually, like it just the risk taking because the purpose and the meaning of fulfillment became like, you have this podcast, but it's more than just work. Like you want us to work 40 years and doing something that they don't care for.
Rabiah (Host): Yeah. And then get a watch at the end of it or
Sammy Warrayat: Yeah. Now I don't even get to watch
Rabiah (Host): No, they're like you have a clock on your phone. You don't need a watch
Sammy Warrayat: exactly.
Rabiah (Host): but, so what are the five areas again?
Sammy Warrayat: Sure. So their money there's physical and mental health it's career slash purpose. [00:30:13] It's all sorts of relationships. So familial, intimate, social, and then the final one is happiness.
Rabiah (Host): Okay, great. And on your podcast then successful millennials, podcasts, you focus different episodes on under. Ones of those. So I'll tell everyone I was very mad at today and I went to the gym and listened to your episode on working out. But that was a solo episode, which I've done those two. So usually you interview people.
But what I liked about the episode is that though what you were talking about with working out, doesn't apply to me directly. Like I'm not doing those exact things. It was great to listen to you. Just share your experiences, your experience with injury, your experience with. You know, just saying you're really working against yourself and that's your competition.
And that helped me actually, cause I was doing something at the time and I go, oh yeah, you're right. I'm not competing with that person over there who looks amazing or whatever. So, first of all, when you do the solo episodes versus ones where you're interviewing, [00:31:13] how do you decide when to do that? And when you want to just project your message only?
Sammy Warrayat: It's a good question. I appreciate you listening in. I hope that helped you and work out. I think it's a matter of, like, I try to keep it a. 30 / 2/3rds interviews one third and myself, and from a timing perspective. It's where I think that, you know, I haven't had that type of cadence in a while, so I don't, I have five categories and I try to focus an episode on one or two at max. Obviously they're all kind of related.
So it's, it's hard to say I'm just going to do one, but. When I feel like I may have an expertise in a certain area, like if it's budgeting or like if it's gym and things like that, I feel like I can do an episode and provide a lot of value on my own, sure. If it was an episode where it was, you know, how to make friends with anybody and increase your social circle, I had to bring in my friend who actually just passed the bar and became a lawyer.
Uh, who has like, he's probably the only person in the world who has over a thousand followers on [00:32:13] Instagram and knows every single person, like he's not an influencer. He just knows over a thousand people and it's just anywhere he goes, you could drop him in the middle of an island. He'll make friends with the locals and doesn't even need to know the language.
He's just that type of guy.I'm, definitely not. So I had to bring in a guest for that. I guess it's more topic related on something where I feel like a guest can provide a lot of value more than me then, sure, let's just drop them in. If it's something that I feel like I can do enough on, on my own.
Then, I'll do that.
Rabiah (Host): Yeah. And what made you decide to start a podcast?
Sammy Warrayat: I listened to podcasts for awhile when I was commuting to work. And I was like, this is really cool. And I think it's, it really helped me with not only mental health, but motivation. Helped me with understanding how to process emotions. There's a bunch of podcasts that I listed to that have all been really good.
And I was like, I seen the impact it's had on me. If I could dothat to somebody else that'd be awesome. And in a similar way, kind of where my coaching business is, I don't want to handhold people [00:33:13] that kind of can do it on their own. I want to teach them and let them go do it, right? And then if it helps to help.
So it's awesome. So I feel like a podcast is a good way to do that better than let's say a book or something else where anybody can listen to podcasts while driving, and if it helps them, that's awesome. I can just put it out there and help people do things that I feel like everybody cares about.
Rabiah (Host): Yeah. I mean, I agree. And I started mine for a similar reason and it's partly just to help and share the conversations that I was enjoying having with people, you know, and creating more of those opportunities because it is fun just to get, to talk to people and to learn more about
what they do and different aspects.
Right. So, Yeah, that's really cool. So do you see yourself with your business and with the podcast? Do you see yourself starting to think about. Trying another business as well. I know what happens is a lot of entrepreneurs I talk to, they end up just, oh, now I have another idea. So how are you kind of [00:34:13] controlling your urges maybe on that front and also like, do you have other ideas that you think you're going to try?
Sammy Warrayat: Yeah, but I'm not as huge of a shiny object person. So I think that's a good thing. It's a bad thing where my creativity kind of lacks in terms of, I don't, I'm not a huge idea person, but I have like, you know, the podcast is a big one. The consulting in the, in the coaching is another one. And I thought of travel blogging.
I'm not the greatest at pictures though, which is probably a, a high barrier of entry, but I do love traveling. And I feel like if I can teach people how to enjoy the memories and teach them where to like show them where to go would be really cool. But. We'll have to see if I, if it is the juice worth the squeeze in terms of learning how to take great pictures and doing all that work?
I don't know yet. So we'll right now, we'll just travel for fun and take pictures. And if it gets better, it gets better. And if it doesn't then, you know, I'll just travel for myself anyway. Cause I love doing it.
Rabiah (Host): Yeah. No, and that's good. And sometimes when there's something you [00:35:13] love so much, when you start turning it
into work, then you've changed the whole dynamic and your whole relationship with that activity. So, yeah. So is there anything that you want to cover that we haven't?
Sammy Warrayat: I think in terms of like the identification of finding who you are outside of work is something that I love what your podcast is doing. And what helped me figure out how to break that and share it to help whoever else is listening is when you're driving in a commute to work, assuming we're back in the office , because I know some companies are now.
I don't listen to anything anymore. So I went through a stretch where I listened to a lot of podcasts. And then I went through a stretch where I would just listen to nothing and reflect on the day, reflect on what went well and especially what didn't go well and how I handled that and why handled it that way.
And that really helps you build an awareness, a self-awareness of yourself. And then that figures out what you would [00:36:13] like to do maybe, and you just kind of let your mind wader. And for me, I had like 45 minute commute. So you can start to get into a rhythm and a flow and just let your mind wander for five, 10 minutes.
But you know, it's a longer commute, so eventually you'll find something and you'll uncover things about yourself and then you just got to try it. Like hiking became something we talked about before. I'd never hiked. And then I tried it once because I thought, oh, this might be cool. I like the outdoors. And I just went out and hiked that weekend.
And then I was like, oh, this is really fun. Let me do this more often. And now I hike all the time because it's something that I figured out through those reflection periods that I then started doing regularly. So like, I don't identify myself as a hiker, but I enjoy it. And so that kind of breaks. You break that piece off of you.
And so that you're not just one thing and that one role, cause then you're tied to it. You don't want to leave that role because you're scared. What will you be when you leave it? Or if you get fired or if you quit or then you'll, you'll be in a spiral of not knowing who you are and that's just not what you want to do.
Rabiah (Host): [00:37:13] yeah, And I like that idea of reflecting on what went well and what didn't go well. We have in software development a retrospective you do at the end of a sprint, right. And the end of a period of time that you're working and it's what went well, what could be improved or what didn't go well, depending on how you want to frame it.
And then what are the action items? And you almost did like a retrospective on your day, which is cool. See you, you are a software. Yeah, you're a software guy. Sorry to tell you.
Sammy Warrayat: We actually never did retrospectives. Those are on the calendar and never happened in IT. I'm sure you've had those problems.
Rabiah (Host): I I'm the project, I was always the project manager, so I had to run them. So, but yes, if they didn't happen, it was my fault. But yeah, no
that's a good idea to do it. Do a retro on your day, basically,
you know? Yeah. And be open to what happens, what comes out of that. That's the whole thing too.
Sammy Warrayat: yeah. Actually doing the thing that came out of it is probably the other thing. Like people were like, oh, okay, this will be nice. And then just forget about it. Just like [00:38:13] do it that weekend and, maybe you like it, maybe you don't, but you will never know until you try. You'll always be thinking about, and it'll be in and endless loop.
Rabiah (Host): Yeah. Oh, for sure. A hundred percent. All right. And other than that, do you have any advice or mantra that you want to share that maybe you have some quote that you like or something like that?
Sammy Warrayat: Hard work beats talent, when talent fails to work hard is probably my favorite quote. Uh, Tim Notke. And it's pretty much goes in the same line with discipline and in a Kobe Bryant loves that quote and, you know, obviously rest in peace, but like, it's just, you work harder than the next person without burning yourself out because you're doing things that you want to do
and it won't feel like work is a cliche. But just continue to work hard. And don't worry about the talent other people have. You're you're in a competition with yourself like I said, on the gym episode, because no matter how competitive you are, that's the only truth. Like the person in the mirror is the biggest either detractor or cheerleader for your success.
Rabiah (Host): Oh a hundred percent. Yeah. And I mean, that was just really [00:39:13] helpful to hear, honestly, just at the time I heard it, I was like, oh Yeah,
that's true. I lifted more today than I did last time so that was like a win. Right?
Rabiah (Host): So I have a set of questions called the fun five that ask every guest. What's the oldest t-shirt you have and still wear, which I have a t-shirt result as you, so just.
Sammy Warrayat: My oldest brother gave me a hand me down. It was when he was in middle school. So about 20 years, I still wear it.
Rabiah (Host): Nice. What kind of shirt is it?
Sammy Warrayat: It's just like a huge baggy shirt that says shady. It was like, you know, back in the day where, uh, you know, shirts to your knees was the thing.
Rabiah (Host): Yeah.
Sammy Warrayat: It was one of those.
Rabiah (Host): I know, there's that whole weird thing where sometimes I've seen clothes and I go, okay. I know I'm not the same size I was 20 years ago and this is big on me now, so I don't know what was happening.
Sammy Warrayat: Yeah. Yeah. And he's like six, two, and I'm [00:40:13] not, I'm like five, 10, so big on him is still big on me, even though he had it in middle school. It's his pretty sad.
Rabiah (Host): That's awesome. All right. So, um, I don't know. Have you seen the film Groundhog's Day?
Sammy Warrayat: No, I haven't.
Rabiah (Host): Okay. So
Sammy Warrayat: It's Bill Murray, right?
Rabiah (Host): Yeah, It's Bill Murray, Yeah. So there's a lot of gifs or memes about it, but basically Groundhog's Day he's a reporter and he goes to report on Groundhog's Day, but in the movie every night, he goes to bed and wakes up and it's the same day again.
And it just happens every day. Yeah, it's horrible. And then, so he'll like have some predictability about the day so he'll be able to change what he does in certain cases. But, the song I Got You Babe by Sonny and Cher would play every single morning. If it was Groundhog's Day now and you had to wake up to the same song every day, what song would you pick?
Sammy Warrayat: I'm going to regret this decision, but recently I've been into the, how do you like me now by the heavy?
Rabiah (Host): Okay.
Sammy Warrayat: So I picked that one. [00:41:13] Uh, but I know for a fact, it's, it's going to get annoying quick.
Rabiah (Host): All right. Coffee or tea, or neither?
Sammy Warrayat: Oh, I'm actually drinking coffee right now so definitely coffee, but tea on random days. Like I like tea, but coffees an everyday thing so for sure coffee.
Rabiah (Host): Do you take it a certain way?
Sammy Warrayat: Yeah, sugar-free creamer. I'm trying to go black, but.
Rabiah (Host): I know. Yeah. You're not bitter enough yet. Just wait.
All right. Can you think of a time that you laughed so hard? You like couldn't stop or you have started to cry or something that just kind of tears you up when you think of it.
Sammy Warrayat: Yeah. Yeah. It's not safe for sharing,
Rabiah (Host): Can
Sammy Warrayat: but, um, there, there were times when we there's this Arabic card game called Tarneeb, which is similar to a spades where you and the person across the table are teammates, and then the other two are teammates. So, uh, we can do that us for me and my brother and two of our closest friends when we play that we'll smoke some hookah and [00:42:13] that's when I drink tea actually, and play cards like all night, some of the greatest nights ever have been just that simple game for like hours, just joking around half playing the game half, just chilling and catching up. And some crazy stories have happened,
but those nights are the best.
Rabiah (Host): nice. All right, cool. So you could tell it, you just didn't have to go into detail. That's
Sammy Warrayat: Yeah. I couldn't say what I was laughing at, but.
Rabiah (Host): Awesome. All right. And who inspires you right now?
Sammy Warrayat: Oh man. Right now there's a lot of people. Is that, how many can I name?
Rabiah (Host): You can do whatever you want.
Sammy Warrayat: Okay, fair. I think, there's a few podcasting people who are really good and they've inspired me for a while. Um, Patrick Lencioni was a big, I think for audience that was like similar to you and figure out how to do corporate and how to do something outside of corporate and balance that his books were awesome.
And so I learned a lot from him. Um, Ryan Hawk had a, has a great podcast in, you know, I've, I've been able to talk to him once and learn [00:43:13] a little bit about his journey. He's awesome. So he's a, he's a mentor that I kinda follow every now and then, uh, Robert Leonard's is a guy whose, who host another podcast, millennial investing, who was my age and left corporate similar journey had him on the podcast.
And he was on some guy in Boston who does real estate and podcasting and figure out a way to make it work for him. So I guess a lot of meant I could feel like I can learn one thing from anybody. So like I just always keep on the lookout and try to just have everybody. Be a learning experiences. Where does that sounds?
Rabiah (Host): No, I, well, I don't think so, but we're both talking to people. So.
Yeah. That's how it goes. I think, I think actually just on that note, if you're not open to learn a, you're not open to hearing what someone's saying and, and processing it, then that's like something to work on because I think you're right.
You can't so,
Sammy Warrayat: Yeah. I mean, there's a saying that's very popular. I [00:44:13] can't remember it right now, but essentially it's if your mouth is open, you're not hearing. And so you can't learn something like that.
Rabiah (Host): And so if people want to look you up or find you, what's the best way for them to do that?
Sammy Warrayat: Yeah, the best way is probably whatever you're listening to this podcast on you can listen to Successful Millenials podcast on as well, and I'm most active in email at financezilla at Gmail, or Instagram, which is financezilla. And that's really the three places, podcasts, email, and then Instagram.
Rabiah (Host): Awesome. Cool. Well, Sammy, it. was really fun talking to you. Thanks for being on More Than Work.
Sammy Warrayat: Thank you.
Rabiah (Host): Thanks again for listening this week. You can find out more about the guest in the show note and at rabiah said dot com (rabiahsaid.com). Joe Maffia created the music just for this podcast. Find him on Spotify. That's Joe M A F F I A. And Rob Metke is responsible for our visual design. You can find [00:45:13] him online by searching for Rob M E T K E.
Thanks, Rob. Let me know who you'd like to hear from or about your own experiences to finding yourself outside of work. Follow at more than work pod (@morethanworkpod), or send a message on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or LinkedIn. Or visit our website more than work. pod dot com (morethanworkpod.com). Give us a follow on Spotify, Apple, or wherever you get your podcasts and leave a review if you like. Thanks for listening to More Than Work. While being kind to others, don't forget to be kind to yourself.
