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Jonathan Duarte is a business owner who has fully committed himself to the fundamentals of healthy growth, and the results have been incredible to witness. In this episode, Jonathan shares his powerful testimony of discovering a new relationship with Jesus and His grace, and he describes how that transformation changed every part of his life. He also explains how he’s maintained his peace and his identity in Christ, while still nurturing his desire to pursue growth and expansion for his business.
Information isn’t the gap between failure and success—action is. Path for Growth’s 1-on-1 coaching helps you create a plan and execute on what matters most for your business. Apply today at pathforgrowth.com/coaching.
Episode Recap:
- Can you tell us your testimony of re-encountering Jesus?
- What gives you the confidence to share your story?
- How has internal peace changed your life?
- How did your personal transformation coincide with coming to own a business?
- What were your strengths and weaknesses in the early days of business?
- How did you reconcile the tension between wanting to grow and feeling content?
- How do you make sure you’re finding your identity in Christ alone?
- At what point did you begin to formalize and structure the business?
- Why did you decide to work with a coach?
- What motivated you to put the work into business fundamentals?
- What’s the biggest difference you experience in your business now?
- Why do you see your marriage as your biggest ministry?
- What’s one thing you want leaders to keep fresh in their minds?
If you’re ready to move beyond just gathering information and start executing on what truly matters, Path for Growth’s 1-on-1 coaching can help. Apply now at pathforgrowth.com/coaching.
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What is Path for Growth?
Path for Growth exists to help impact-driven leaders step into who they were created to be SO THAT others benefit and God is glorified.
Okay. I'd love just to jump straight into the deep end because I think it's gonna inform just a a little bit of how people understand your perspective on everything from business to leadership in life. So I'd love to start, if you're down for it, with just a a snapshot of your testimony.
Jonathan Duarte:My testimony starts, I was raised in a religious family, but a high control religious group. I went to church three times a week my entire life. My dad was a minister, traveled, did mission work. I don't fault the system completely, but I developed a works based view of who Jesus was. And my heart was sincere, but I struggled to always be good enough.
Jonathan Duarte:And that struggle went throughout my whole life. And so really, my story was raised in church, got involved in youth group and trying to help others, got married super young to the pastor's daughter. We had kids young. Everybody would say we had the ideal life, but internally, it was not good. There was lots of problems, and we were married for seventeen years.
Jonathan Duarte:I became a pastor of the church at 24 years old and led the church for twelve years under senior leadership. But then one day that all fell apart, and, that's a long story that we couldn't tell in this entire podcast, but my life fell apart and divorce happened. I think when you're relying on yourself, then when you fall, there's no one to catch you. And so when I fell, there was nothing there for me. So then I was I really thought this, and it sounds silly to say today, but I thought if I've failed, well, then I might as well just live the way of the world because I'm not gonna go to heaven anyways because I've I've failed so far.
Jonathan Duarte:And so I turned to alcoholism, women, just everything you can name that that sin has to offer, and that was my life for three years. And one day, I realized that that road, even if I was gonna not make it to heaven, that road was so unfulfilling that there had to be a better way. And so I went back and I went back to try the religion again because that's all I knew, you know, but I think something changed in my heart and I was really trying to seek Jesus. Shortly after returning my giving my life back to the Lord, I met my wife and current wife, Isela. And, she was on a journey very similar to mine.
Jonathan Duarte:And in the Christian world, not the most ideal journey. Right? Divorce is not something that you're proud of, and so but, man, God put us together, and we have a blended family and, had one child together, and and really, like, she was besides Jesus, she was the piece that changed my life. And there is a long story there of really realizing that because I still didn't realize I was in a workspace mindset. I didn't have that language.
Jonathan Duarte:Mhmm. And so through some experiences that she had, we realized, like, we have to leave this group. And that was one of the toughest decisions that I've ever made in my life. And you realize when you're in a tight knit religious group like that, my business associates, my brothers were all in it. My my parents were in it.
Jonathan Duarte:In in that moment, I think I could say I I had no friends or associates outside of this religious group. And so to walk away from this was to walk away from everything. But I was really faced with this decision of, like, I can see where this is wrong. Do you have the strength to just follow me? And that was that was Jesus.
Jonathan Duarte:And, so that was a journey of a journey that I'm still on, to be honest with you, and and even to get to the point to find a new church and because at that point, was just like, I'm done with religion. I don't even know, you know, I was like, well, I'll follow you Jesus, but I'm not gonna go to a church because that's where bad things happen. But by God's grace, he challenged me and he, you know, he brings those prayers that I prayed because I wanted to be in church with my family. And he was like, you know, now I'm providing this opportunity and you're and you're gonna stay home. And so I didn't do that, but it was very uncomfortable when you're in an outward, you know, I don't know how many details we wanna get into, but, you know, with how you look is so important, how how a woman dress, all these things were so important, how I was raised and long hair and all these different things.
Jonathan Duarte:And so, you know, we wore suits and ties to church, and we were real proud of ourselves. And so to go to a church and, you know, the the worship pastor has got a ponytail and skinny jeans, you
Alex Judd:know, I just like When you came here for this interview and you were like, Alex, I don't own pants anymore. We live in Houston now. And so it's like, it's changed a little bit.
Jonathan Duarte:Yeah. It's changed. So that was just a journey and even earlier this year, I actually was rebaptized. I don't think that I had to be because I don't believe baptism saves you. But for me, it was a new start of a complete grace based relationship with Jesus.
Jonathan Duarte:And I realized, like, I can't make this on my own. I get I get knew this on my own. It's it's purely his grace because I've failed in everything and I've tried and it came down to like, it's either the blood of Jesus or or hell for me because I can't. There's I can't follow these rules. I can't abide by this.
Jonathan Duarte:There's too many things that I struggle with, and so it was really like, this is my only option and but man, I try to share with others that, you know, maybe are in because it's easy to fall back into this doing, you know, instead of letting it come from the inside. And I try to be like, man, when you start this journey with complete grace, like, there's so much freedom in it. Not a freedom to sin like Paul would, but a freedom just to be like who God created you to be. And so that's really been my journey in relation to my life and business, and there's so many details in there that we could go into, but that's really where I'm at. I I I joke that I'm a anti religious Jesus follower.
Jonathan Duarte:Yeah.
Alex Judd:Which it turns out Jesus was an anti religious. Well, he was Jesus. So he wasn't a Jesus follower. But okay. The first thing I would say is, thank you for sharing that.
Alex Judd:I actually didn't feel that nervous asking that question because I've spent enough time we've known each other for years now, and, like, you lead with with vulnerability in so many ways. The I think it'd be really easy for people to be, like, almost embarrassed or ashamed to share that story. How can you share it so confidently?
Jonathan Duarte:I think I share it confidently because it's Jesus. Right? And because it's like even divorce sometimes in the church is something like that I can hang my head in shame about because I didn't go the way of not being divorced and and, you know, all the things and my we have a blended family and we have all these things, but it's just because it's I'm here and I'm a Jesus follower, and I need his forgiveness every single day. And so I think it's just it to me, hopefully, my testimony points to the deep desire and need for Jesus in my life. And, I've been forgiven of so much, you know, that it makes it easier to be like, I I feel like if you judge me from what I've been through, I'm sorry.
Jonathan Duarte:I would probably judge myself if I don't have the grace of God as well as well. And so I think it's just a desire to and this is not who I've been most of my life. See, I was a I was a person who struggled with people pleasing and still do. I'm not I'm not a 100% over that. And, but, you know, those are things where, you know, you I wanted to look good.
Jonathan Duarte:I I married the the, you know, the lead pastor's daughter. I I did all the things. I was leading the church. I was you know what I mean? Everything was, like, great, you know, great on the outside, but I was broken on the inside.
Jonathan Duarte:And I feel like now I can feel like I'm healed in the inside, and you can see the brokenness on the outside, so there's no reason to hide it.
Alex Judd:Man, if we were to distill, like, the primary lesson you had to learn to undergo that transformation, how would you distill it?
Jonathan Duarte:That I can't do it outside of Jesus. And I think it's it's a real simple lesson, but it's like, it's it's it's I think Paul kinda broke this down a lot. Like, it's either grace or works, but it's not both. Right? You can't you know?
Jonathan Duarte:And so for me, it's just grace. I think that's my lesson. It's a it's it's the grace of God, and and that's the only thing that I have.
Alex Judd:If we were to sit down and have this morning and this conversation with 24 year old Jonathan
Jonathan Duarte:Mhmm.
Alex Judd:Like, what are the words that I would use to describe your personality, your affect, the way that you think and act? What would I say?
Jonathan Duarte:I was a person who always did the right thing Mhmm. Who was always in service of others. I was the first one at the church, the last one to leave. I I was I I did all the things.
Alex Judd:Mhmm. So it's likely that I might have said, man, he's a really good guy.
Jonathan Duarte:I I yeah. I was well liked. I was a people pleaser. People like people pleasers because they please them.
Alex Judd:That's kinda goes with the role. Yeah. What was going on internally in you that maybe you were even unaware of at that time? What was your internal state like?
Jonathan Duarte:I think one that I always felt like I was short of. Like, I never could meet the mark. Like inadequacy? Yeah. Inadequate.
Jonathan Duarte:I was trying to meet the mark. I wasn't I didn't pray enough. I didn't read my you know, there was things that I still needed to do to to be good enough. Right? It wasn't good enough to do what I was doing even though everybody else was pleased with me.
Jonathan Duarte:Internally, I wasn't pleased. Mhmm. And I didn't have the language for, like because I thought I was walking in grace. It wasn't like we didn't talk about grace. Right?
Jonathan Duarte:I mean, so it's not like it was just absent from my growing up and and many people that are still there would say they rely on grace. But, you know, one of my mentors, that pastor that I first started talking with, he he said, like, when you need one thing outside of Jesus is a step away from him. Mhmm. And so it's a move away from a complete and utter reliance on Jesus.
Alex Judd:So I you and Ysela are friends. Right? And and I know y'all well. I've known you for years. I've I've spent time in strategic planning meetings with you.
Alex Judd:I've gotten to see you lead in and around your business. I've seen you in context with your kids as well. And I would still look and be like, man, that Jonathan, he's a good guy. Right? So some things are the same, but it sounds like your internal state is radically different.
Alex Judd:What what's the biggest difference of the internal state now and how that manifests externally?
Jonathan Duarte:I'm not gonna put on and say it's perfect. Right? I mean, because I I think that's still a weakness of mine that I can go back to of trying to do things. So having difficult conversations is still something I'm learning and growing in. Yeah.
Jonathan Duarte:Having to fire somebody, you know, a year or so ago was, ugh, it just broke me. Right? You know? And so those are still a struggle, but I think there's this I would use the word peace.
Alex Judd:And
Jonathan Duarte:and even inside of, like, the ship is rocking outside, but, you know, Jesus said the peace that I give you is not as the world gives you. And so I think I finally started to experience, like, peace internally that if I lose the business, you know, if it all falls apart, like, I still have the peace. And so I think that's something I'm still learning and growing. But that would what I would say the differ the biggest difference is I have internal peace.
Alex Judd:How does internal peace practically change the way that you lead?
Jonathan Duarte:I feel like it releases the tension to have to do it all, you know, to have to be it all.
Alex Judd:Can you tell me more about that?
Jonathan Duarte:Well, when you're in a performance or peep you know, then you feel like you need to say the exact right thing. You need to handle this situation perfectly. You need to have the right strategic business moves, or it comes back to you and you made a poor decision as a leader. And so it's almost a desire for perfection, which is, you know, insane because nobody does it perfectly. And, you know, it's crazy because I listen to all these podcasts and these business leaders that I look at, and they're they all talk about learning through failure.
Jonathan Duarte:But, like, I don't wanna fail, you know? And so I think that that sometimes.
Alex Judd:Okay. So all of this transformation happens. The thing that's really remarkable whenever I hear you tell your story, Jonathan, is, like, that is a, in some ways, a very turbulent traumatic I mean, that is a LCE, life changing event. Right? And it's not like you hit pause on career and life while you did all of that to figure out your internal state.
Alex Judd:It's like life and work was happening in all of this. So how did all of that transformation coincide with your ownership of the business and all of that?
Jonathan Duarte:Ironically, like, during some of the most turbulent times, I think because I was trying to figure out what I'm gonna do with my life. And at that point, my dad had been a house painter and a painter his whole life, probably out of the people pleasing mechanism. I just went to work for him Mhmm. Because he traveled a lot and did a lot of overseas mission work, and so it felt like I needed to support him. He needed me to run the business so that he could do God's work is the way that I would have said at that time.
Jonathan Duarte:And so there was it probably wasn't a lot of my own. And so so then by that point, I've been doing that for, man, a long time.
Alex Judd:And how old were you when you started?
Jonathan Duarte:I started working for my dad. I mean, honestly, in summer when I was 14 years old. I mean, all through high school, I mean, that's all I did was, you know, scrape houses and work for him. And so I've had a few other jobs, but that's primarily all I'd done. And so I don't know what age I started.
Jonathan Duarte:I wanted to get into commercial and industrial, and he gave me some freedom to pursue those things. And so we started growing the business a little bit, but he just wasn't passionate about the business. It was just a means for him to support what he wanted to do. Mhmm. And so at that point, I was must have been in my mid thirties, 02/2014.
Jonathan Duarte:So, do the math on that. But, May yeah. Late thirties. And I was just like, I gotta make some money in my life because he wasn't paying me well either. And so I was like, you know what I mean?
Jonathan Duarte:And I I just been through divorce, and I just, like, I was considering moving, but I had kids there. And so I was like, I need to sell. So I kinda went to him and said, hey. I need to be like a partner in this business, or I'm gonna go do my own thing. And I had brung my brothers in as well.
Jonathan Duarte:They were working for him in the field. I was running the business. And so the the gift I had through all that was, like, I did all of business. I I did the bookkeeping. I did payroll.
Jonathan Duarte:I learned how to pay quarterly. So he basically let me do it all because he didn't really wanna do it. And so I there was a gift, right, to learn every phase of business. I can paint and I can do books and I can do all of it.
Alex Judd:Did you think you were preparing at that time?
Jonathan Duarte:No, no, I don't think so. Yeah, I didn't look at it as a gift.
Alex Judd:Yeah, did David think he was preparing when he killed lions? Probably not, yeah.
Jonathan Duarte:No, I didn't, at the time, no, I didn't have the vision to see that this was actually a blessing. And so, but I brung my brothers in and we approached my dad, and he was just like, well, I'll give you partnership, like, financially, but you'll have you're like, I still have a 100% control. And I just was uncomfortable with that because I was like, I want I want I'm I had this desire. I didn't know if I had language to be, like, successful, to drive successful businesses, and that wasn't common in how I grew up. Like, there was one man, these things are just conversations that I had, and I he was an elder in the church.
Jonathan Duarte:I didn't know him because he lived in a different area. I had a chance to take him somewhere for lunch because somebody was busy. And that day, I just never remember, we're sitting in my truck, and he looks at me and he said, do you have desires to be successful? And I said, yeah, actually, do. Nobody ever asked me that question.
Alex Judd:Actually, actually, I do.
Jonathan Duarte:Yeah. Actually, I do. And and then he said, you know, you can still do that and honor God. And that was the first time that I felt like I had permission. So that planted a seed in me that, like, these two this desire doesn't necessarily have to be an anti God desire.
Jonathan Duarte:Wow. And so so that was a gift as well, you know. There's people that planted seeds in me, and so to get to the story, and so then my dad was like, well, I'm I'll just retire. You guys can buy me out if that you know, because he was just kinda at that point, and so we bought my dad out in 02/2014, my brothers and I, and we formed a partnership. And from there, like, honestly, I could tell you stories of we were we were in debt, the credit line was maxed out.
Jonathan Duarte:I mean, it was like, I I only so my mom still worked for me at that point, and I was like, hey. We never talk about who we owe money to anymore except for on Thursdays because I can't be stressed out every day of the week. And and Thursday was the day before payroll on Friday. Right? And I was like, we'll figure it out on Thursdays how we're gonna make it work on Friday.
Jonathan Duarte:Wow. Because so that was the business. And I remember me and my dad had arguments is he said, well, that's just how business is. And I said, well, if this is how business is, then I'm not gonna be a business owner. I'm gonna go work for somebody because this is too stressful.
Jonathan Duarte:And and so but purely, like, God has been in like, he he gave us this job that was just a complete gift, and that job, we made enough profits on to pay off the credit line and, and have cash in the business. And from that point on, we've never, besides a piece of property, we've never borrowed another penny. We don't even have a credit line, which is probably not good business, but we don't have a credit line. And so just God just gave us favor, and we grew the business substantially and, continue to grow from there.
Alex Judd:When you think about those early days and maybe even years, what would you say were, your or y'all's greatest strengths, and what were your greatest weaknesses early?
Jonathan Duarte:I think our greatest strength was the, just that we were willing to work, you know, and
Alex Judd:It's amazing how much of a strength that is.
Jonathan Duarte:Yeah. And we were doing quality work and we weren't afraid to take some chances. And we just had a lot of I don't think we were just so young and we didn't know anything. Right? So we were just, like, to have, you know, $20,000 in the checking account was like, wow.
Jonathan Duarte:Like, you know what I mean? And I remember the first draw, like, we took a each one of us took, a $10,000 draw and it was just like, oh, my life is like, you know what I mean? Like, you know, I remember getting it wasn't long I think about a year after buying the business, I was able to pay off all my personal debt, you know what mean? Because I had credit cards and all, you know what I mean? And so I think our weakness is just what we we didn't have any structure.
Jonathan Duarte:We didn't have role clarity. We didn't have anything. We didn't have vision. We didn't have mission. We didn't have core values, but I think we had them.
Jonathan Duarte:We just didn't have language for them.
Alex Judd:Sure. I mean, you probably had to have had them Yeah. Because of how fast you were growing. It just wasn't formalized yet.
Jonathan Duarte:Yes.
Alex Judd:Yeah. So you talked about how you almost had to be convinced that you can honor God and be successful. Did that rear its ugly head whenever you started to experience success? Like, did you feel tension in the success that you experienced because of maybe some previous thought processes that you had had?
Jonathan Duarte:The tension was when I wanted to go for more. Right? Then it'll be like, why can't you just be satisfied? Like, this is better than you ever had it. Yeah.
Jonathan Duarte:But I still had this tension to to grow and drive. I mean, I think eventually I could make that a little about language and then p business became about growing people. And then my my passion changed about, like, oh, this is what's fun is giving giving people a a good job. And and, you know, it's like, I had desires, like, man, this guy's been with this, like, eight years already, but, like, what if he stays with us thirty years and we don't have a four zero one k for him and we don't have health insurance and, you know, so these are the these are my desires, but we have to get to a certain size before we can afford those type of things. Yeah.
Jonathan Duarte:And so those are the things we were able to add, you know, as the years went by, and those were just huge blessings to be like, now when that guy, like, he's gonna have a retirement to to go, you know, to be able to live on. And so that, you know, that those are just so rewarding.
Alex Judd:Yeah. It's interesting because, like, I observe it a lot in men that are leading and owning businesses that I think men are in some ways wired to expand, to grow, to move forward, in some ways to not ever be fully satisfied. Right? But then I think a lot of times they have these moments where they're like, why can't I just be content? Why can't I you know, if they're following Jesus, why can't I be grateful?
Alex Judd:Right? I don't wanna always want more. How do you square those two where it's like, I'm wired to grow, but I'm also called to be content and joyful and grateful where I am?
Jonathan Duarte:I think it comes back to that deep inner peace, right, of like, okay. Can you wrestle with the fact of, are you okay if it doesn't happen? Are are you okay if the growth doesn't you know what I mean? Like, or is that gonna is this becoming your identity? You know?
Jonathan Duarte:And so I think it's comes back to a core value of identity of, like, is my identity truly in Christ? Because if it is, then if I lose it, if he really gave it to me and blessed me with it, then I could lose it all too if if for some reason he needs me to go through that. Mhmm. And I think, you you know, that's hard to be okay with that. Yeah.
Jonathan Duarte:But and and so I haven't thankfully lost it all, so I can't say, like, oh, I would be do do that perfectly. Yeah. But I think that's my prayer is that, like, god, like, this always has to this has my inner core has to be centered. And so and then it's like, okay. Like, how can I can I continue to glorify you with this growth?
Jonathan Duarte:Because similar to the workspace that that mentor told me, if it starts stepping away from that, well, then that's one step away from who he's calling you to be. Yeah. So if all of a sudden in that I can't serve my marriage, you know, that's, know, then, you know, then is it God? You know, you know, if if if I'm not giving anymore because I need to save for this, well, then, you know, if I can't do these core principles, then then I have to be like, this is becoming me.
Alex Judd:You know, there's one of the 10 commandments is do not take the Lord's name in vain. Right? And I I think we hear that a lot of times, and we say that means we shouldn't say, oh my God. Right? And that I think is a simplification or overly simplistic understanding of that commandment because in some ways, what do not take the Lord's name in vain is saying is do not put God's will on something that it's like you're just attributing it to that so that you basically have an excuse to do what you want to do.
Alex Judd:And it's the example you gave. It's like it can be very tempting and very easy to grow your business because God told you to. Meanwhile, you're sacrificing your marriage and it's like, God has definitely told you things about that as well that you're just ignoring.
Jonathan Duarte:Yeah. I that's a good point. And because you don't we don't have to ask certain things, you know, we I mean, you are both a fan of decision making in the will of gods and, like, because those are laid out clearly. We don't, you know, we don't have to ask if it's okay to the reference to take god's name in vain. Yeah.
Jonathan Duarte:Like, we don't need to see god about things.
Alex Judd:Yeah. That's he already told us.
Jonathan Duarte:That's very clearly defined.
Alex Judd:Been clear about it whenever he said it.
Jonathan Duarte:So I think if it's moving away from those things that are clearly defined as your responsibility as a believer, then then you have your answer.
Alex Judd:How do you guard against your business or your achievement or your growth or the approval of others becoming your identity?
Jonathan Duarte:Probably in my daily communion with the Lord, like, really, you know, I'm I'm in this, phase of I'll just say, I guess, we're just being bolder here. I haven't been the best at worshiping the Lord Mhmm. In my, know, just sitting in worship and I'm trying to learn to do that in my quiet time and I think that was really, you know, it just really bringing him, like, what is the scripture? Seek ye first. Mhmm.
Jonathan Duarte:Right? And so it's like when I seek him first, then I think it'll be evident, right, that that this is not the the way that he wants me to go because this is taking away from what you're supposed to do.
Alex Judd:Yeah. Why why daily?
Jonathan Duarte:Man, it's probably it's probably more minute by minute than daily. I think it's just intentionality. I knew it daily, but I'm really learning to to pray continually. Right? Paul said pray without ceasing.
Jonathan Duarte:Yeah. I've been working through that scripture lately of just like in everything, give God thanks. And it's like, didn't say in some things, it's like, hey, he said in everything. And he said, I think the other word he said rejoice always. Right?
Jonathan Duarte:And I was like, man, that really convicted me because I don't always rejoice in the things that aren't going the way that I perceive they should be going. And so, so I think it's just this this really not even day it's just this continual there's a guy I listened to, he talks about a what he's a fan of what he calls the ten second prayer. Mhmm. And all that does is give him language to be like, I can do that before every meeting, before every phone call, you know, be, you know, everything I do, I can just bring him into it continually. So it's probably more than daily, but I think I just daily rhythms is what I've trying to, you know, habits.
Alex Judd:Well, you're part of the path for growth community and, it's a it's a we don't market this on our website, but it's one of the peripheral benefits of being part of the Path for Growth community is you get to learn a lot from Orthodox Jewish people because in in a wild work of God, one of our greatest client bases is Orthodox Jewish leaders in the Tri State area, which is just wild. I I still can't explain that. I always say it's God and Naftali Tessler. But one of the things that I have learned from spending time with them at our experiences or whenever we go up there and things like that is they have routines and rituals of prayer that are literally, like, before they take a sip of water or eat a piece of bread, they just it it's shorter than ten seconds. It's probably shorter than two seconds, but they have certain phrases and rituals that they mutter.
Alex Judd:And I just think that's such an example of what you're talking about is, like, what does it look like to ingrain communion with God throughout your day as a practice in some ways?
Jonathan Duarte:Yeah. To be in relationship. Right? I think that that's kind of what I think what I think of when you say that. I think sometimes we have to be intentional to foster the relationship.
Jonathan Duarte:Right? We have to we have to be like, we're going on date nights. You know? We're doing these things because why? It's not because you have to, but you want to be in relationships.
Jonathan Duarte:So we have to intentionally make time to bring him into that. So I think those rituals make the framework to be in relationship often.
Alex Judd:That's so good. But then also, like, relating it to the pray without ceasing idea, like, if I ever told Aspen, hey, I'm gonna spend forty five really solid minutes with you first thing in the morning, and then I'll touch base with you right before I lay down my head on the pillow at night, but I'm not gonna talk to you at all in between that time. I don't think she would be thrilled about that, and that wouldn't be good for me either. And it's like, but if I'm not careful, that's how I treat my relationship with God is he's got me morning devotional time, and then I check-in with him in the evening, and then I don't talk to him at all throughout the day.
Jonathan Duarte:Yeah. No. I am I'm on this journey of learning, but man, what a like, you know, to once again, I don't love difficult conversations. So you walk into a difficult conversation, and you're just like, god, like, grant me wisdom and, you know, grant me peace and calmness as I as I go into this conversation. Well, well, it's just like you can he just like, he's there.
Jonathan Duarte:You just you're waiting to be invited into into that. So I think it's, like, a free gift that we have to access, and sometimes we don't even we don't even rely on it.
Alex Judd:Yeah. Can you walk us through how long was the period where the business grew, but you still hadn't formalized structure, values, operating system, all of that?
Jonathan Duarte:I I mean, no business school, barely graduated high school. So I didn't have any language for any of this stuff. So honestly, I read the Entre Leadership book, and that was really my playbook for running a business.
Alex Judd:Because good one to read. Yeah.
Jonathan Duarte:I had nothing else. And then I just became kind of a a junkie of, you know, listening to reading books and and leadership and really trying to grow.
Alex Judd:Can I pause you there real quick? So that's interesting because I think there's a lot of people, and it's not a full stereotype, but a lot of times in the service industry, you coincide with a lot of leaders that they haven't done anything else. Your story is a perfect example. It was really largely the only job you had had at that point, and they see this new information business leadership books, and they're like, I'm not doing any of that crap. It's literally what they'll say.
Alex Judd:It's wild to me that you were so receptive to a different way of doing things. What what caused that?
Jonathan Duarte:I think it's just something in an internal desire, and I don't think I even had language for it. I just knew I just now I have language for it. I want a business that can function without me. Like, that's, you know, and then so so then it's like, I have to grow this thing in people to grow you know, I didn't really even know that's what I wanted, but I think deep down now, I can look back and say, like, I think it was a God thing. He put planted seeds of desire in there.
Jonathan Duarte:And so I always was hunger hungry to grow and learn and because I just knew I didn't know. Right? I didn't have a business degree. So I didn't think I knew. I knew I didn't know.
Jonathan Duarte:Right? And so I knew how to do an estimate and, you know, create invoices and, you know, do that kind of stuff to create money, but I didn't know how to lead people or grow a business.
Alex Judd:Yeah. So you read Entre Leadership. And and were there things you implemented even in those early days, or was it more planting ideas that you would eventually bring to the business?
Jonathan Duarte:We implemented, like, the profit sharing model really early, probably too early because I it was a little bit messy. Yeah. But I really wanted to share with our team. And so that was something we took away really early. And there was some resistance with my partner.
Jonathan Duarte:So in 02/2014, we bought out my dad. In 02/2016, I had always had a desire for industrial. I was bidding it, but I didn't have the workforce to do it. So I was subbing a lot of it to Angel, which is now my partner. And then he eventually was like, man, I'm doing better on the work that you're giving me.
Jonathan Duarte:So, like, can we figure something out? He couldn't really buy into the business we had. So we actually started another business that focused only on industrial. So that was 02/2016. Wow.
Jonathan Duarte:And so that point, we're just really growing both businesses and that business kind of was growing at the same pace, but there was just a lot of and we made things work, but, you know, there was not systems processes. So we probably did that, I mean, at least four or five years of just really just running, you know, the you know, just figuring things out and
Alex Judd:Was that necessary or do you think you could
Jonathan Duarte:have accelerated the path towards structure? I think we could have accelerated the path. You know, role clarity would have been great. But, I mean, I think it's hard because, you know, it's when you say role clarity and you're like, okay. I'm still doing payroll.
Jonathan Duarte:I'm doing am I a bookkeeper, an accountant, a lead estimator? You know, I be project manager, know, mean, like, you know, it's like, so I need to have like a 10, you know, 10 things that I need role clarity on. Yeah. And so when you're lean and you're doing wearing so many hats, I don't I don't know the exact I mean, I think I would start from the beginning now, but, you know, at the time I didn't know that. So we just did whatever needed to be done in that moment.
Alex Judd:Yeah. You know, whether Were you enjoying it for me? Yeah.
Jonathan Duarte:It was fun. Yeah. I mean, because we would out, I would still get out and on bigger jobs and we're short manpower and so we get out there and lay some floors and, you know, you know, that, you know, that was always fun. When I went and did that, because I always felt guilty because my brothers and partners were out in the field. And so I always be like, well, what, you know, it's always the fields like, what's the office even do?
Jonathan Duarte:Right?
Alex Judd:That is like the most common meme in the service industry period. They sit
Jonathan Duarte:in the, you know, and so but when I would go out there and spend a day just like painting, I was like, oh, like, this is so I don't I don't mean it easier, but it is. It's it's easier mentally, Right? Because like, I would just do my job and then I would just go home at the end of the day and I was done. Yeah. Like, and I feel like sometimes
Alex Judd:And you knew you were done too.
Jonathan Duarte:Yeah. In the office, like, there's like, you're never really done and you're like, you know, and so and it's sometimes doing a 100 things and it feels like you can't really, like, what did I get done today? So I realized like this is harder mentally than it is, you know, so that felt like a vacation when I would get the chances to go do that.
Alex Judd:Yeah. No kidding.
Jonathan Duarte:Now the people in the field would never say that shit.
Alex Judd:That's right. That makes sense. Yeah. It's interesting that people in the office sometimes put on their work boots and go out into the field. You don't often see people come from the field and say, I'm gonna put on my suit and tie and come into the office.
Alex Judd:It doesn't really switch that way all that much. Okay. So when did the structure become, like, things that you were actively implementing and things that you're really installing into your business?
Jonathan Duarte:I attended master series, which was kind of like that was the first one, like, oh, you can have structure around hiring and firing, and it kinda, you know, like, kinda gave me some framework. Was Did we meet there? We did not meet at master series. We met was it a master series? So there we I attended master series by myself.
Jonathan Duarte:I took my brother's because at the time, he did a one day I think it was after master Series, a family business.
Alex Judd:Yeah. We did one of those. And then I was I remember that.
Jonathan Duarte:I was there for that in Nashville, and that's the first time we met in person. That's right. I think you were leading the podcast at that time. Yeah. And I met you just briefly there.
Alex Judd:I it was, like, what, five five or six years ago, but I looked like I was fourteen years Yeah. I
Jonathan Duarte:think you were emceeing that event.
Alex Judd:Yeah. I remember. That's right. Yeah. So we met there, and you at that point, you went to master series, had started putting in core values, structure, systems, things like that?
Jonathan Duarte:We yes. I I had I was I did have some core values, and they were close. I just they weren't, like, sticking. Like, we didn't you know? And so that's when I was like I was like, I I feel like I need a coach.
Jonathan Duarte:You know, I feel like I need so so I was considering, you know, using an executive coach and and, and then I think I had followed you on social media and you had started on your own. And then a friend, a common friend of our Tim Marquez was I was asking him and, you know, and he was like, well, he's like, you know, what's it like? What how's it helped you? And so he kinda like really
Alex Judd:He was like one of our first members of the Path for Growth community. And I'll never forget, I had the call with Tim and he was like, I can't even tell you everything I need. We just need vision is what he said. And he started work, he trusted us and started working with us. And then suddenly we like start getting referrals of people that know Tim and it's like, man, praise God that worked out pretty well.
Jonathan Duarte:Yeah. And so I'm sometimes one my greatest strength is not making fast decisions. I can I can take some time? And so I think I sat on it for some time and I don't remember exactly I reached out to you guys. And and it was really through that, when I started working with Kyle that I really started getting true language to it, and we kinda revisited our core values and really started making them visible and part of our decision making process.
Jonathan Duarte:So really working through those 12 fundamentals with Kyle was the first time we really started putting like true structure around, you know, having role clarity and success statements. I had language. I was trying. I had done a few things, but it just wasn't sticking. Yeah.
Jonathan Duarte:And, so because I probably was presenting it and then really not seeing it through, to completion. And and there was some struggle there with the partners because, you know, it's it's like, well, we're making money this way, so why do we need to do this? You know what I mean? And so there's partnerships can be challenging at different, you know,
Alex Judd:at times. Sure. Yeah. That's an understatement, I feel like. Yeah.
Alex Judd:So I mean, it's probably not exaggerating to say if someone asked me like, who is a case study of, methodically executing the 12 fundamentals for healthy growth? I I would say you. Mhmm. And that's not because it's been a a perfect journey from a to z, but more just because you were just ruthlessly consistent about taking the next right step. And so I guess what I would like to know is I view the 12 fundamentals and people implementing those into their business almost like training for and running a marathon.
Alex Judd:Like, it is a big commitment at the outset, but almost you have to re up every day almost and you're just remind yourself of what you're committing to and where you're going with this and why you're doing this. Where did the internal resolve come from to do all of the hard new different work that it takes to install, like, real healthy structure into the business?
Jonathan Duarte:I can't tell you where it came from. I just I am structure oriented where like, for a goal. And so, like, you know, marathons and ironmans, I've completed those. And so, I just, man, when I have a training plan, the decisions already been made, it's just like, you know, it's just like, I have to go run this far and swim this far and bike this far, right? It's not, you know, and so when I don't have that structure, it's like, well, I need to go get in shape, but what am I gonna do to do it?
Jonathan Duarte:And then I can I can I can get just kinda lost in that? So I think that with working with Kyle and and the fundamentals gave me like, okay, well, is what we're doing this month. And so then it was almost just like, I'm gonna go run or bike. It was just like, this is what we're doing. I think the business, that was one benefit of the partners is they were primarily running operations, and we are profitable.
Jonathan Duarte:So I also had I delegated a lot. That was one thing I had learned from from Entre, and some of that was learning. So I delegated a lot off my plate when I started wearing Kyle, but I was kinda like, what do I do now? Like, really, like, how do I what what is the CEO? Like, how do I really become a CEO?
Alex Judd:Man, I think we literally had a conversation recently internally about, like, who is the customer that the 12 fundamentals are designed for? And what we found is, like, it's a person that their business has grown and is growing, and they have decided we need structure. Now, like, we are not convincing them that structure and systems are good. They've almost decided, like, we need structure, and now I just need the training plan, and it sounds like that's where you were at.
Jonathan Duarte:For sure. Yeah. And so I think it just because there was days at the time, you know, now that I had hired an accountant and I'd hired these different roles, I'm like, what am I doing today? Like, you know what mean? Like, what fires do I need to go put out?
Jonathan Duarte:Like, that's basically what I would how would my days would work? What problem can I solve? Because I didn't have that. So I really enjoyed that time because it was like, I didn't have any questions on on on what I was working on.
Alex Judd:What you're supposed to be doing. It's almost like painting the wall again. It's like, okay. I know I know what my eyes are supposed to be to be pointing at. It's interesting and I'd be interested to know if you have any thoughts on this.
Alex Judd:I've never said it this way before, but I think one of the greatest challenges for someone to go from operator to CEO is self sabotage. Like, they jump back into old habits, putting out fires, things like that. Did you experience that? And how do you overcome that?
Jonathan Duarte:Thankfully, the time, did because I was like, well, telling Kyle, remember a conversation we had on one of our calls, like, I think I'm gonna take back overestimating. It seems like it's a little bit, you know what I mean? They they need some help, you know? And he was like, well, maybe temporarily, but he really kinda cautioned me about, and so I didn't. And so I think just having that accountability partner gave gave, you know, for me, it helped me from, you know, diving back into the weeds because it's similar to painting the wall.
Jonathan Duarte:There's a little bit of self fulfillment that comes because you can, you know what I mean? Like, I did this, you know what mean? I I bid 12 jobs today and we got four of them and man, I feel like I did a good job today. Yeah. And so and sometimes when you're just like, I'm trying to figure out like, you know, everybody's role clarity and success statements, you know what I mean?
Jonathan Duarte:Sometimes it's not as, you know, it's not as, like, I did this. You know?
Alex Judd:It's so interesting. I the, the the picture that came to mind for me as I was as I was hearing you tell that story is, one time, Aspen and I were driving through Tennessee. This was after I'd already moved to Arizona. We were driving through Tennessee. And literally within one sixty second span as we're driving, I said, I just love how green it is here.
Alex Judd:It's just so beautiful that it's so green. And then pause, and then I say thirty seconds later, I just hate how much it rains here.
Jonathan Duarte:It rains.
Alex Judd:And and it's like, I had to pause for a second and be like, you can't have one without the other. And it's kind of like, man, I love to do all the manual work. I love working in the business, but I hate that it's all on me. And it's like, man, you can't have one. Like, so I guess what gave you the vision to finally say, I'm gonna start delegating.
Alex Judd:I'm gonna start letting go, and we might have to move slower so that other people can come along for the ride.
Jonathan Duarte:I'm not the best at one. Another thing I'm working on is doing, like, reflection because I sometimes I struggle to find, like, what is the point that changed it for me. Sometimes when I journal and write notes, I can go back and be like, oh, that's where I got that. Yeah. But somewhere along the line, I picked up this vision and idea that, like, running a business without me, like, that's been my thing, like, you know, what am I gonna do?
Jonathan Duarte:I want to build a business that can run without me, right, to be an asset. And so that's what really kinda kept me coming back is, like, that's what I'm trying to do is build a business that can run without me, which kinda feels weird sometimes because you're, like, almost, like, like, working yourself out of a job continually. But, man, it's so rewarding when your team does things, and and they do them better than you a lot of times that you've held on to. And so I can't really tell you where that came from. I've just always had that.
Jonathan Duarte:I shouldn't say always. I've just had a desire to grow a business that that can function and operate without my direct involvement every day.
Alex Judd:Man, I'm not sure that a person that's a people pleaser and approval addicted could sustainably do that. Mhmm. Like, I it almost seems to me like the transformation that occurred in you where God showed you your identity is not rooted in the things that you do had to occur for you to be the type of leader to create the type of business that you now get to own and run.
Jonathan Duarte:Yeah. I would agree with that.
Alex Judd:On the backside of all of the structure that you have implemented into Paintmaster, what's the biggest difference for you personally?
Jonathan Duarte:I think just the ability to know that things continue to like, there's just a lot of peace and freedom to, like, you know, I'd still have my check ins, and I have people that I, you know, lead, but just that things are getting done. Like, people are doing their job and they're doing it well and they're passionate about the culture and they're passionate about the vision of the business. And so, you know, the mission of the business. So that those are things that, like, I think that it just gives you a lot of peace. Right?
Jonathan Duarte:When you hear recently at our last quarterly meeting, I shared a little bit of vision, but the other leaders, taught on core values and mission. And, like, they did a better job than me, you know, and I was just like, man, like, this is this is that. This is working. Right? I mean, like Yeah.
Jonathan Duarte:When you hear your team passionately talking about it, like, you're that's when you I get excited. Like, we're really starting to grow leaders.
Alex Judd:Can you speak to the role that Isela plays in you leading the business, but also just the life that y'all live?
Jonathan Duarte:Yeah. Poor Isela. She, I can honestly say I would not be here today, without her in my life. And, yeah, who knows where I'd be? I mean, outside of Jesus, like, she's she's my rock and, you know, when I the reason I say poor Araceli because I've I think I the business was going so well, and naturally, as a leader, you're always focused on the things that you need to fix.
Jonathan Duarte:And so that's all she would ever hear. And so sometimes she would be like, why are we even doing this? You know, be because she was my so I'm trying to learn to also share the wins with her. That's right. Because, you know, she, you know, she
Alex Judd:Yeah. I've noticed that with Aspen. Like, she's like my verbal processor for problems, but it's like that we don't have conversations about, what went well today if you're not careful.
Jonathan Duarte:So and so and just our relationship, you know, I've I started mentoring with a man, and he just every week just challenges me to grow in my marriage as a leader, to lead my family well. And, so she just she's always had a deep desire for truth and to be a follower of Jesus, and so that just man, when you have somebody like that to walk alongside when you get a little sideways, it just brings you back to center. And, so, yeah, there's nothing like doing life with your best friend.
Alex Judd:Oh, man. Praise God. Yeah. What what are the messages that your mentor because you and I have spoken about this before. He's influenced your view of marriage a lot, it sounds like.
Alex Judd:What are the messages or truths that he's imparted to you that have been most impactful?
Jonathan Duarte:Number one is that marriage is my number one ministry. I can be successful in business or even in serving the Lord in different areas and be busy in the church. But if I'm not taking care of my household, there's a scripture that says something worse than an infidel, and that necessarily is not just financial. I always heard that taught as a financial term, but I think it's much deeper than a financial term. And so he's always reminding me.
Jonathan Duarte:She's my number one mystery. He always asked me, does Isela feel like God's gift to you? And have you told her that she is? So I I don't think I'd ever told her that, you know, before, I started mentoring with him. He really challenged me.
Jonathan Duarte:We'd prayed together a little bit, but he really challenged me to, like, pray together. Like, there's something that happens by praying together. If you look at I don't know the exact numbers, but it almost eliminates divorce. Like, people that pray together and divorce, like, those things really almost never happen. Right?
Jonathan Duarte:It's like the easiest thing that you can do to almost eliminate divorce. So so he's challenged me in that and then just to be in God's word together. And so, you know, he he he, he always asks like, how how's your eyes? How's your prayer life? How's your time in God's word?
Jonathan Duarte:And then those are the three questions he'll ask me.
Alex Judd:I love how simple that is. Why so you come out the gate pretty hot if someone's talking to you, talking about the importance of prioritizing marriage, even if they're asking you business and leadership questions. Why?
Jonathan Duarte:I think because we bring ourselves to work. Right? And so if we don't have healthy relationships outside of work, it's really hard to have a healthy business because, I mean, you know, we've been married ten years and, you know, nothing's perfect. Right? And when we're a little sideways about an argument or whatever, like, work's a struggle, you know?
Jonathan Duarte:So I think, like, like, taking care of that is so essential for me to lead the others in the business well because then I'm centered. Right? And so if I'm not centered, how am I gonna lead somebody else well? So I think it starts with my relationship with Jesus and relationship with wife and then then my relationships at work.
Alex Judd:Before the final question, one of the things that I'm just so stoked about with having this in person podcast space is in a one hour podcast conversation, you can learn a lot about a person's perspective and their advice, but you don't really get to know that much about their character in their life. And what's so cool about now bringing people in in person or connecting with people in person is it's like we went to church with you and Isela and Mario yesterday, and then we had lunch with y'all. And I've known y'all for years, and it's just like you're not just spouting advice, here today. Like, you're you're telling a story about how you and your family have chosen to live, and it's such a blessing to me because I feel inspired by the fruit that it's creating. And so I just wanna man, I wanna commend you on that.
Alex Judd:I'm so grateful we get to share that with other people. The final question that I have for you is at church yesterday, the message that we got to hear was basically the importance of, like, keeping what Jesus has done in and for you fresh. Mhmm. Right? Like, never allowing it to become familiar.
Alex Judd:Like, what what is the message that your prayer for yourself, but also for other leaders, what's the message that you hope we keep fresh? Like, that we hope we stay emotionally connected to and that we never allow to become familiar and just get into the grind or the mundane and miss the message. How deeply
Jonathan Duarte:that we need the grace of God. And and that's that's why I told you my kind of my journey with praise because when you get to when you start to really praise him from your inner being, you usually praise him from your broken spots that he's healed. And so that brings a constant reminder of how broken we are and how desperately we need Jesus. And just finished a book, The Next Conversation by Jefferson Fisher, fantastic book. But he's also says, like, the person that we see on the outside is not the person on inside.
Jonathan Duarte:And so I think when you see that you're broken, you can just see you start seeing people differently, you know, and and even when we're going through difficult times as I've been through with, you know, business relationships, partnerships, all this stuff, there's struggles there. But when you look at somebody as this is a child of God, how would he want me to treat them? You approach it a little bit differently. Right? And so I think just viewing yourself as that child of God and in need of his grace allows you to extend it so well.
Jonathan Duarte:So I think, like, that was so good yesterday of just, like, that that that message should never grow old to us. I hope my eyes never don't get a little teary eyed when we talk about how much that he's healed me from, how gracious and kind he has been to me. Praise god, man.
Alex Judd:Thank you.
Jonathan Duarte:Yeah. Thank you.
Alex Judd:Well, there you have it. Thanks so much for joining us for this episode. If you want any of the information or resources that we mentioned, that's all in the show notes. Hey. Before you go, could I ask you for one quick favor?
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Alex Judd:Are you a leader that wants to grow your business in a healthy way, serve people exceptionally well, and glorify God in the process? Go to pathforgrowth.com to get more information about our community of impact driven leaders and schedule a call with our team. Hey, thank you so much to the Path for Growth team, Kyle Cummings and the crew at Pod Circle, and the remarkable leaders that are actively engaged in the Path for Growth community. Y'all are the people that make this podcast possible. Y'all know this.
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