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The Grind, hosted by business entrepreneur Eric James, is a talk show about local business professionals, entrepreneurs, politicians & people of interest, that chose to bet on themselves & embraced the daily hustle that we call the Grind.
#TheGrind, channels the stories behind successful individuals by exploring their ideology of what it takes to manifest a successful business in an ever changing economic, pollical and social media environment.
Announcer 0:00
This is a KU NV studios original program.
Eric James 0:04
The content of this program does not reflect the views or opinions of 91.5 jazz and more the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, or the Board of Regents of the Nevada System of Higher Education. Good morning and welcome to the grind. I'm your host extraordinaire. Mr. Eric James. What is the grind? Simply put, the grind is a half hour conversation that speaks to local business entrepreneurs and explores their take on where our local economy is heading, and asks them to tell us their own story of the sacrifices and work ethic that it takes to have a successful business. What it do? What it do? What it do? Las Vegas, good morning. Good morning, good morning. I'm back again with another show that's gonna put you in your chair. Make sure you got that that good food from after church today. You got the hot plate, you got the mixed greens. You got a little barbecue in there. Sit back and enjoy. There's no more football, so you got no excuse to sit down and enjoy half an hour of quality and entertainment and a little information that's going to help you with your business, your grind, your grind, your hustle, and your hashtag, grind. All right, I got three guests this morning. Course, I'm your host, Eric James, the host with the most you've heard my story. So I'm gonna go right into my guests and get their story, because I think this is gonna take up all our time today. I have three wonderful guests for you today. Our first guest is a young lady that I recently met. She was on her person or business grind her work grind, and we sparked up a conversation. And next, you know, I find out a whole different side to her. She showed me some of her music videos online. You know, you got to do the social media, and she's showing me her case. And I was like, Okay, I see you. I'm gonna check you out. Wait a minute. Well, I got it. I got a radio show. Think you want to come on and let folks know. You got a little heart. You got a little, you know, little fight in you got a little celebrity in you. Man, from the moment we had that conversation, she blew me up and said, I'm ready to do this. What you want me to do? Mr. She calls me Mr. Eric. That's because I'm old, so that's what young people if, if it ain't UNK or OG triple O, G, I'll take it, you know. So she said, Mr. Eric, what you want me to do? So I said, we're gonna talk to you first. I'm gonna go through my guests, and at the end of the show, we're gonna let her do her thing and show us what's making her a star. All right, so your stage name is tunes, tunes and tunes, tones, Baby, what's happening? Where did that come from? What is what is that? Where did you get that from?
Tunes 2:31
Well, ever since I was a kid, I felt like I've always been in tune with music and like, just to hear the sounds and how everything just comes together. I was like, man, tunes like not your ordinary tunes, though. I'll put that z at the end, because I always think everyone's sleeping on me.
Eric James 2:46
Like that. I like that. Now I know before I forget, because I want everybody to add because my other staff person reminded me right before the show and I didn't do it while we're talking, I want everybody to give me their social media handles so we can make sure we do that part of the gig. So while we're talking, we're gonna start off, what's your social media? So folks can find you.
Tunes 3:05
My IG is, l, o, v, e, dot, A, T, Z, that's where you can find me. If you find me on YouTube, you gotta look up tunes, Baby, what's happening, and you'll find that I
Eric James 3:15
like that, baby. What's happening? What I already know. Sound little sultry, sound a little deep, a little dark. Okay, okay, so you gonna find out. So your background, I got some notes here. You moved around a little bit and you you and now your family's from Laos, yes, sir, but your history and background isn't exactly. What I would say is your typical Asian American family story. You're from Texas, but then you move to Oregon, two of the most diverse places that you could possibly be from. So I can imagine that your musical background, your musical taste, your flow like anyone else is a product of where you've been. So is there a little bit of country in you as
Tunes 4:01
well, or I feel like I got a little bit of everything, you know, like coming from Texas, man, like, just learning English at that, you know, like my family, all they spoke was Laos like, growing up, okay, so I had to learn, like, my English, like elsewhere, like, you know, from school, friends, people that I'm around.
Eric James 4:19
So your Asian background, it's Laotian lotion background. Let me make sure I'm correct. And then you move to Oregon, which is, I mean, you had a indie rock scene, you know, at some point there. And I don't know what else Oregon is known for, as far as their music scene, but how did that? How did that change your your vibe or your flow?
Tunes 4:38
Well, it's West Coast views. I mean, I feel like Portland is, like, Look, I know a lot of people gonna doubt me for this, but Portland is like another Oakland, you know what? I mean? Like, I feel like a lot of like the same energy vibes, like we grew up on that high fee stuff, you know. So, like, I'm big on that. So bring it back to, like, Mac Dre and all that that that was. That was the vibes back
Eric James 5:01
then tell me how. Okay, all right, then, well, I see now I wasn't expecting that, because, like I said, I'm thinking Texas and Oregon. I'm trying to wrap that around in my head as far as a musical style and how that would translate into your personal but it sounds like you are a unique individual all in yourself, and I think that's what's going to make you successful in the business industry, and it's a tough industry. So yeah, so when did music first become important to you? What was it the key time? Were you always a performance kid? Or did you blossom as a teenager? Or what was that moment?
Tunes 5:35
I felt like I blossomed after my teens, like, you know, after high school, I feel like that's when it really hit me the hardest, okay? Because, like, I feel like we all go through our things, right? So me and the music, I feel like I've always been a performer. I love being in front of the camera, you know, but I could be shy, but until you get me in, like it's game over at that point, you know.
Eric James 5:57
And you've said that a couple times. You said, I'm a shy individual, Mr. Eric, and I was like, You have not come across this shot immediately, our interactions. And so if that is something like a switch that turns on and a performance switch, because what goes through your mind right before you step on stage or in front of the mic, or you're going to do a music video, because you've got some real cool music videos online, what? What is that, that moment right before you get on there, that this is it, the
Tunes 6:23
energy, the comfortability, you know, just like my surroundings, and just how I feed off of that, like I love music, and as soon as I hear a sound of any sorts that just really hit me, it's reaching my soul, sir, so I'm out there, And I have no issue like, Okay, getting on that.
Eric James 6:42
So, so what do you want to be remembered for as an artist? I mean, some people are about the money. Hey, I want that fame. I want that wealth. I want the girls, or I want the the attention, the love. Some people about it's about the music. Some you know everybody, what do you want to be remembered for?
Tunes 6:57
Wisdom, for love, okay, you know, like that, like everyone, seasons get seasoned differently. You know what I mean? If that makes sense to you, I just feel like we all different individuals, but like,
Eric James 7:10
man, but have so since the show was called hashtag the grind, have you learned the business side of the industry? Now, talent is talent, but learning the business side how to maneuver, how to get your product in front of or trend, or, you know, how do you have that, have you mastered or worked or you working on that side of the industry?
Tunes 7:29
Like, I'm still working on that, because the industry is tough. You know, it's a vicious, vicious industry. And, like people will say, whatever, just to get your hopes up. And you can't get your hopes up, you just got to rock with it and just know yourself and stand on that and like, Don't let nobody walk on you, you know, because I feel like, in the industry, anybody could feed you anything, and you could believe that, especially if you're excited, you know what I mean? Like, oh yeah. Like, I know I'm good
Eric James 7:55
old school, maybe for your time. But you know, the young kids like to listen to old school. Don't believe the hype. You know, don't believe I see she. Don't even know who I'm representing. Tell me, Mo, who am I represent? Public Enemy, come on, Ralph. Public Enemy, don't believe the height. Mo was supposed to have my back. I'm gonna come back to you. I'm gonna talk to my two other guests. We're gonna come back and, like said, I'm gonna give you a chance to spit a little bit and let me know. Let us let the world know what you can do. All right, so my second guess he is a board member with me in an organization called VA rep, but he's also a mortgage loan officer in the state of Nevada. I call him Eddie, or his friends seem to call him Eddie, or at least he lets me get away with calling him Eddie. Full name is Eduardo Buller, Eddie, talk to the people, tell them a little about yourself, and then I'm gonna ask you a few questions.
Eduardo Buller 8:47
Sounds good? Can I call you Mr. Eric?
Eric James 8:49
Yeah, I've been called a lot worse things. So for me, Mr. Eric OG UNK, I'll take it all day long.
Eduardo Buller 8:57
All right, man. So yeah, my name is Eduardo Buller. I'm a residential mortgage advisor or loan officer. I've been doing it for many, many years, and I've been serving several boards throughout this process. The current board I'm in is VA rep with you, which is the Veterans Association of real estate professionals. So yeah, that's basically who I am. I've been doing it for a long time. I've been in real estate for almost 20 years now. So yeah, I'm here for this. And any questions you have for me.
Eric James 9:26
So for you, okay, give them your because my staff made me do it. Give them your social media handles first, and then we'll ask you afterwards how people can find you. Then I have some question, because your journey is going to make tunes journey look like a walk around the park, for everywhere you've been and traveled to to get to Las Vegas and to see here your journey is phenomenal as well. Or very interesting trick.
Eduardo Buller 9:49
Okay, so my handle is at Buller B, U, L, L, E, R loans, Buller loans,
Eric James 9:56
simple, clean. So you were born in Lima per. True, yes, sir, correct. I can say because I like to travel a little bit. I've been to Machu Picchu is all. I got a chance to be a Lima and enjoy some of the culture environment. Hope I had good food too. I definitely. And when I I'm not a big eater, but when I travel, I throw it down. And that's my excuse. That's my cheat, week, month, day, whatever, doing and traveling. Then you went to you moved to Ecuador, yes, sir. Then the Nicaragua, yes. Then you spent some time in Germany, yes. And then you came to the United States. Now I get Ecuador Nicaragua, similar hemisphere, but to make a gulf jump, ocean wide jump, to Germany. What was the, what was the manifestation, or the motivation to move all the way to a very different culture? I mean, Latin America, have a lot of Hispanic or Latin America, Latino background individuals, but Germany, that's a whole different world, a whole different flavor, whole different vibe. Why Germany?
Eduardo Buller 11:00
So since I was a little and since we moved a lot, my dad always wanted us to have some sort of state stability, so we always were going to German schools. So from the time I was a little kid until I graduated high school, I was always in a German school. So my second language is actually German. My first language is Spanish. Give me a little something, though,
Eduardo Buller 11:28
I can't speak German as well as I used to good, but like,
Eric James 11:31
I didn't know what you said so you didn't have to say because I was like, Okay, there's gonna be one German person out there. They're gonna be like, he didn't even say that way he called his mama. But that's impressive, and I'm telling you, I'm sure that's something a lot of folks don't know about you, that maybe there's a German community here that's looking for somebody with your talents that connects to that. And that's just a unique facet, because, you know, second language, usually Spanish, is an easy language to pick up. My children use Duolingo like it's going out of I don't get it's an app, but Dave attacked to it, and now they're working on their third and sometime, just playing with fourth languages. I can't even learn Spanish because my brain is too old to pick up a second language. But the fact that how many languages total Do you speak? Three? Three? Yeah, English, Spanish and German.
Eduardo Buller 12:23
And have German now it's been 20 years. It's been quite a while, so,
Eric James 12:27
but to have the skill and be able to use that, that's really impressive. So your father wanted you to go to school, German schools. You went to Germany. Why didn't? Why weren't you a fit for Germany?
Eduardo Buller 12:38
I guess, mostly because it's the other side of the hemisphere, right? So weather wise, you know, I come from tropical land. It gets dark at six. At six in the morning, it's already, you know, getting light. So going from that to winters that never end, gloomy weather with oranges and stuff I've never seen before. And it's 11am and it's still dark out there. It gets to you, man, you start getting a little, you know, homesick after that.
Eric James 13:07
So decided to bounce, why not back to South America? What brought to watch you to the United States.
Eduardo Buller 13:14
So when I came back to Nicaragua, I started going to school. It was a Catholic Ave Maria School of the Americas. I think it was called, and it was the only Central American university that had American It was American credited. So with those credits and with some friends moving to the United States, I just made the punch, and I said, I need to, you know, look for other opportunities. And I came here as an international student.
Eric James 13:41
See, I've always been jealous of people like you, because I like growing up, I never had even a thought process to say, I'm going to pick up and move halfway around the world, no friends and no support system, and I'm just going to make a go of something totally new. It never even occurred to me till I got later in life and I wanted to travel, that I started experiencing in the world from that perspective. And I also believe that you probably have a much greater perspective and the ability to work with and to interact with a far greater diversity of people because of those different experiences you had. So I think it gives you a distinct advantage in the business world, as well as a personal basis, just to make you that much more of an interesting person. You studied videography.
Eduardo Buller 14:24
I did, yeah. So I spent most of my career studying some sort of media. I started with graphic design, and then moved on to videography, cinematography edition and all of that. And that's how I actually get into real estate, which is funny. So I was going to College of Southern Nevada, and I was taking some classes under John Marsh. Great, great guy. Some of you guys might still know him here at UNLV. Actually, he also gave some classes here. So John Marsh was our teacher, and we had a real estate agent in that class who was going to learn about video. So he could do his own promos. He was trying to save someone. So he sees me, and I'm in the top of the class. So he says, Dude, you should come over and help me do these promos. And once I did that, and he saw who I was, he said, why don't you start, you know, working with me, and the rest is history, man, that's how I got into real estate. It's just coincidences of life.
Eric James 15:19
No, you but you've said you've also done radio, or you had your own podcasts, or things like that. So you're a natural. So you get a shot of him on camera and on the radio, so he next week, he's going to take my spot. But when people hear your story, what would you want them to take away from you? We tunes? Kind of gave a very insightful thought about what, how she how she wants to be represented in her thoughts. What would you say?
Eduardo Buller 15:45
I think sometimes we get stuck in our own shells and feel like the world's scary out there, and we don't take much risk or or take that little step forward to do something different, even if it's not traveling to Germany, guys. I mean, I'm not saying you should do that, but, um, you know, just do something different every day or every week. Just choose something like, Hey, I'm going to take the car and drive to Oregon. Let's see how Oregon is. That's what I did a few months ago. For the first time in my life I went to Portland, right? So that's what I do. I always try to find something new to do, get out of my shell. And I think that helps understand how the world works better. Because if you're stuck in your own, you know, in your own little place, you don't really get to see how the world really works and what amazing people you can find during that process,
Eric James 16:29
like that. I can respect that, so I'm gonna take your advice. I'm gonna try something new today. I'm gonna try something I haven't tried before. If I get a little ants amped up on this last part of the show, y'all know so cuz our so our next guest, Oh, before I forget, because I almost forgot, Eddie. Where can people find you at?
Eduardo Buller 16:46
They can find me on Instagram, at, at bowler loans and my phone number? Yes, 702-542-8884, advice on real estate, on lending, or whatever it is.
Eric James 17:00
702-542-8884, all right, so my third guest, this is a gentleman I've actually known for really long time, but until recently, about a year or two ago, we reconnected at a at a party of a mutual friend. But we've got some stories that go way back. We was running them streets a little harder than we should have been running them straight. See he's laughing right now. See that that lets you know when you like, hey, hey, they before social media. So maybe we would have got caught up a little bit more and been posted or trending and everything else but mo last shot hydration, because it's not any drink. This is a hydration drink. But last shot. He is the CEO entrepreneur, so I'm gonna let you, let him tell his story as well. Mo Owens tell people about you yourself and a little bit about the drink that you created or that you're CEO of.
Mo Owens 17:53
Well, first of all, I want to thank you for letting me come on and not telling any of our stories.
Eric James 17:59
Trying to break up. No families on this show. Yeah.
Mo Owens 18:03
So I'm from Chicago, been in Vegas for 33 years now, came out here to sell cars, and the car business taught me a lot. I sold cars for 13 years, and been entrepreneur over 20 some years now in town, and have four kids and one a beautiful wife, and I love my community.
Eric James 18:27
Okay, so you're a product of a single, single parent household. You were raised by your mother, yes, and from what I know, you had a lot of village around you. You have folks around you that. So you got that, you got that. Did you get that backside straightened out. A few times the community said you wasn't right. He wasn't acting right.
Mo Owens 18:45
I went down the soul train
Eric James 18:50
line. So do you have a relationship with your father, or is he still part of your community?
Mo Owens 18:56
Actually, my father was there, but he wasn't there. He was there financially, but my mother was the backbone. My mother is the one to instill everything in us, work hard and everything. My dad, I just got his genetics on his gift, so he gave me something. But my father passed away 25 years ago. We amended, made up, and I think that was one of the best thing happened to me in my life.
Eric James 19:19
So I tell people, because I always tell them I'm an open book. I say it as a repetition so it never haunts me. You know, I lost my own father when I was 23 and my mother at 26 so I could relate to, you know, having to figure it out as a man or as an individual without that person to help guide you. But you did say that you have, like, nine aunts and uncles that helped you know, like said, you had a village. You had a village to kind of keep you and you were deep into the church, or at least, you know, your family attended church. Now, from what I understand is you attended a couple South Side churches with Antioch Missionary Baptist Church and John's Baptist church, St John or St John's. Now I didn't want. To call you out like that, but the pastor drew says, you behind on them tied. So he said giving him a call. And Mr. Dr Edward, Dave is JR over at St John's, they haven't seen you. They got a milk carton with your face on there that you might want to pass by the plate and come see them and and then check in with them, make sure you
Mo Owens 20:23
were those in my family, both family, churches and
Eric James 20:26
so, all right, so how do how do you think your your childhood is part of your grind. Now, what was it? Was it, you know, financial struggles? Was it just the grind and hustle of coming from Chicago, what do you think makes up why you're an entrepreneur? Because it's like say you've gone from everything from car sales to other things, you've always had a salesman side of you, or that hustle grinder side of you. What makes you what made you a grinder?
Mo Owens 20:54
Well, like I said, growing up in church, I was in boy scout for 18 years, and I think we was 11 years old, we went on our first camping trip from the inner city. And I used to go to the country and visit my grandmother, but we went to camping, and then we started traveling, and that opened my eyes. And I said I wanted to see more, like Eddie was saying, I just started wanting to see more the church. Part of it is because both church was my family churches, so we had to go alternate to different churches. I grew up. My great grandmother had 25 kids, so my dad's side, my grandmother nine kids and siblings. My mom's side, it was 15 kids siblings. So I grew up in a big village. So one of our things when we got through practicing in high school football, whatever we had to go. Touch the church. Touch the churches. If you don't know what it means, go up there, see what they need you to do, and then you go home. So what happened is I took that and I moved to Minnesota one year, came out here to Vegas, sold cars. I found I had a talent. And my mentor, Bob Gaylord, used to play for the Rams, was the GM of the dealership, and he taught me. He said, You got a special talent. And I came out here, been very successful, got caught up in the Las Vegas life, coming from a Midwest but what happened is that I decided to make something out myself. So I left the car business, opened up my first nightclub, which was a jazz club, one more time, jazz club. And from there, we just, I just started opening up different companies and expanding, start making money and start learning how to turn it over.
Eric James 22:32
Wait, wait, wait, wait, when he said, start making money, his lip curled up. He got a little smile on. He said, I start making that money. Well, there wasn't no going back from that point. So in front of us before, course, you folks can't see it. I'm about to take a drink of this drink. Now, I've had it before, so I was having fun a little before. I'm gonna see if y'all can hear me open this can. Oh, I think that's really nice, too. And so it is called last shot hydration drink. That's the mango peach that you have. I'm having the mango peach. So where can people what's your social media? Where can people find the product
Mo Owens 23:10
social media is last shot, official.com. Last shot L, A, S T, S, H, O, T, official.com. We're in about 5000 stores. We on Amazon with 711 went about 500 bars and resorts. We just did a deal with a distribution this year. So we'll be in probably about 38 states, and in Hawaii, what
Eric James 23:36
do you say that money? He said, When I start making that money, start working out. Well, you know, remote, we gonna come back to you quick second and as you Eddie's well, but I want to give toons a chance to let our audience feel a little bit of what was she bringing to the table. A little bit of that gruff in her. She got a little, if y'all remember, she kind of faded out now, but she got a little bit of young MA in her. But she got a softer side to her too. So we told her, we she had to do a little bit of the softer stuff today. She couldn't just go grimy on us all the first, first introduction. So give us a little bit of something. We gonna give you some some grace, but just a little something to let the folks know what your style is like.
Tunes 24:17
Well, so I sing and I rap. So this, uh, the song's called, I just wanna, probably one of my best singles out and, um, I love it, but you ready? I just wanna love you, baby. Lay down and do you crazy? I just wanna love you baby. Hey, hey, she like you when I talk nice, come around and show you some of that good life. I'm gonna show you something that'll make you feel right, make you feel nice, cause you something special. I'll be in to feel right. You ain't never gotta ask questions. Think twice if I'm coming home to you, you should feel right. Yeah, you should feel right. Me, I stopped on you.
Eric James 25:04
I'm getting nervous now. I need 15 seconds or some more little grimy stuff. Remember, on radio, I don't want to have to have them beep you out too, too much. Can you give me something just a little bit more grimy that's in your repertoire? Grimy.
Tunes 25:22
There's gonna be nothing but all these bad lyrics, okay?
Tunes 25:36
I mean, it's a little bit scene rap, so, but this one is called not sober. Okay? I mean, it's a lot behind that song, but
Eric James 25:45
it's a good one. Okay, we just got a couple minutes left. Give me some face down.
Tunes 25:49
I don't really want to look up. My heart hurt and feeling all the pain because I'm pushing weight. It's the only way to make cut. They turn it back, because you down and it may judge. I find my way. You need it from you. I do my thing. It's the only way I'm supposed to. I turn the page because I'm really trying to make moves. You say I changed, but you're still on the same move.
Eric James 26:12
Okay, right? Well, tell them again. IG, all that stuff, give me your social media, if you're doing a SoundCloud or other stuff. Let them know where to find you again, sir.
Tunes 26:21
I got Spotify out there. You can find me on the tunes, T, U, N, E, Z, you can find me on YouTube. Tunes, baby. What's happening and my IG handles is l, o, v, e, dot ATZ, that's love. Dot A, T, Z,
Eric James 26:37
all right, so Mr. Eddie, give me two seconds about the rep and your affiliation with the organization and why you volunteer
Eduardo Buller 26:46
so the Veterans Association of real estate professionals is an organization that allows professionals such as us connect with each other and find common goals and common ground on how we can help this underserved community with veterans and active duty military in the sense that we can help them understand how they can access certain advantages of, for example, the veteran the VA loan. So we're very big advocates of not only showing people what we do or what type of loans they have available to them, but also teaching our industry on how to become more aware of these programs so we can spare Yeah, yeah.
Eric James 27:30
Go right, like that. Share the man. A man gives back to the community. He's a successful businessman. Does not have to gives back now. I am the one of the newest board members for VA rep, but I'm the new Community Outreach Director for the organization. They've been putting me to work. But Eddie, where can they find you if they want to get some information on a product
Eduardo Buller 27:49
for anything loan related, mortgage related, if you have questions about refinancing or buying a house or purchasing down payment assistance, whatever it is, that's what we do. Our handle is add Buller loans and at 702-542-8884. And for VA. Rep, if you want to become part of our community with our veterans, you can sign up at VA.
Eric James 28:10
Rep.net, okay, all right. Mo, one last thing, tell them. Tell them where they can find you and your product. Real quick.
Mo Owens 28:16
We can find our product on www. Dot, last shot. COMM, we also are a public traded company. Our ticket symbol is EQ lb. We've been public since 2009 also, we do a lot with the veterans in Hawaii, with the veterans movement. All right,
Eric James 28:32
we got to wrap it up here. They're giving me that cute half an hour goes by really fast. I want to thank all three of my guests. Tunes, the information, the energy, the hydration, drink, the knowledge and the lone side. Thank you for being my guest today. I hope to have you all back on the show. Hashtag the grind. Hashtag the grind. Hashtag the grind. Thanks for listening to the grind again. My name is Eric James. We hope that today's show was two parts entertaining with a dash of education. Feel free to reach out to me at my office at 702-836-0953, and remember to always stay on your grind. You.
Transcribed by https://otter.ai