Bruce Cardenas: From LAPD Cop to Quest Nutrition Billion-Dollar valuation

Have you ever wondered how a chance meeting could pivot your life's direction towards unimagined success? Bruce Cardenas's extraordinary journey from the Marines and LAPD to becoming the strategic mastermind behind Quest Nutrition's billion-dollar valuation is a tale that resonates with the power of seizing the day. In our latest episode, Bruce sits down with us to recount the twists and turns of his incredible story, emphasizing the profound influence of relationships and an unwavering service mindset.

Sometimes hard work doesn't look like what you'd expect—Bruce's dedication to sharing Quest bars with anyone and everyone at Gold's Gym wasn't just about the product; it was a lesson in commitment and vision without immediate reward. This episode peels back the curtain on what it means to toil for the long game, as Bruce shares stories of sweat equity transforming into real equity, and the gratification that comes from playing the long game. With anecdotes that might just redefine your understanding of opportunity and patience, Bruce's narrative is a masterclass in how passion and perseverance can be the true currency of success.

00:00 Former LAPD officer becomes successful security entrepreneur.
04:59 Served in Marine Corps, went on to LAPD.
07:19 Emphasize details and discipline in bodybuilding and work.
10:52 Providing product to celebrities, influencing their on-camera behavior.
13:39 Committed employee dedicated to company's success.
16:19 Spoke for free, now 10 years coaching.
21:07 Passionate about work, joyful in helping others.
25:08 Overcoming self-doubt, sharing experiences, helping others.
27:08 Look forward to serving more in life.

For inquiries or collaborations, Bruce can be reached at:

Email: BruceECardenas@gmail.com

Instagram: @BruceECardenas

Website: BruceCardenas.com


As a business consultant, coach, and advisor, Bruce continues to inspire and empower individuals and organizations alike to reach new heights of success and fulfillment.

The Burn Podcast, ignited by Punch’d Energy.
https://www.puchdenergy.com
************************************

Let’s work TOGETHER https://www.bennewmancoaching.com

Order my latest book The STANDARD: Winning at YOUR Highest Level: https://amzn.to/3DE1clY

1st Phorm | The Foundation of High Performance Nutrition
1stPhorm.com/bnewman

Connect with me everywhere else:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/continuedfight
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Continuedfight/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ContinuedFight
Linkedin: https://w

https://www.bennewmancoaching.com

************************************

Learn about our Upcoming events and programs:
https://www.workwithbnc.com

Let’s work TOGETHER https://www.bennewmancoaching.com

Let's work together to write YOUR next book- BNC Publishing
Send us a message

Order my latest book The STANDARD: Winning at YOUR Highest Level: https://amzn.to/3DE1clY

1st Phorm | The Foundation of High Performance Nutrition
1stPhorm.com/bnewman

Connect with me everywhere else:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/continuedfight

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Continuedfight/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ContinuedFight

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben-newman-b0b693

Transcript

Bruce Cardenas: 0:00

I've shared my story enough where I know it's not self down anymore. It's like I think I even owe it to certain aspects of the community to share what I learned is being a cop and how to treat people properly, how I learned to run a business, how I learned the social EQs of being a bodyguard and how you treat people and how you navigate those waters, Because I see a lot of people that need help and a lot of people need help in general. Right, I want to share it, even if I change one person.

Ben Newman: 0:34

Welcome back to another episode of the Burn. I am Ben Newman and you know how we do this. Every single week we're going to bring you a story of an athlete, an entertainer, a celebrity, an entrepreneur, an individual who has recognized that why and purpose is not enough. There's this underlying burn that ignites their why and purpose and causes them to show up on the days that they don't feel like it, and especially after they win. Today's story is so unbelievably unique and I'm going to go a little deeper into bio, but then I'm going to recommend that you go down into the call notes and read the entire bio, because this is extreme when it comes to high levels of performance and success in many different areas.

Ben Newman: 1:23

Because of belief and discipline and attacking life, bruce Cardenas served our country in the Marines. He then went on to continue to serve in the LAPD. Then he was placed in special ranks in the LAPD, where the opportunity to protect the president, vice president, senators, congressmen. He then went on to create a private security company you should just see the Super Bowl picks of Bruce having security with celebrities, prominent figures and athletes from over the years. Then, in one of the most amazing stories that you'll ever hear and you'll go into it. I would almost call it an amazing turn of events of entrepreneurship. Becoming the chief communications officer for Quest and helping the company because of his strategic mind and branding, initiatives and relationships helped the company exit for a billion dollars. He's now carried that on to helping so many other brands and one of the favorites today legendary foods.

Ben Newman: 2:34

I'm telling you right now, if you get that cinnamon roll, the protein cinnamon roll, that baby's got 20 grams of protein. You put that sucker in the microwave for 30 seconds and you're going to love my friend Bruce Cardenas as much as I do. So, bruce, there is your well-deserved introduction. Welcome to the burn. Thank you very much, ben. That was amazing.

Bruce Cardenas: 2:54

I need to bring you on the road with me. That was a great introduction, thank you. Thank you, very kind of you.

Ben Newman: 3:00

Well, I'll tell you what you have so many friends that are telling you this. I was telling you this when we met at Dr Gabrielle Lyons event down in Austin, texas. Forever strong. I'm like. You need to be on every podcast. You need to be on stages. You need to be speaking. You're already invited to do it. You are doing it. I know how much you enjoy it, but your story is just amazing. Here's what I'd love to hear from you why have relationships been so important to you? I wasn't always aware they were.

Bruce Cardenas: 3:29

You know, if you can. You know I'd go back to when I was a kid. I knew my dad was a relationship guy before I guess it was in Vogue, right. He was a hardworking, middle-class guy, got an electrical contracting business, but he was our. He was never the lead guy, but he was always the assistant football coach, the assistant little league coach, and he only. And he was our Boy Scout leader and I later figured out, you know, when you're a kid you take everything for granted. He did all that Just to spend time with his kids and he never wanted to be a front guy. And looking back, you know, so I learned he just wanted to build relationship with people and I think it just inherently came in my DNA, even though there's no stress thing, right, I just thought, wow, dad's building great relationships and people like him. And I know everyone's not going to like you, but I just I wanted to. I want to be like my dad, you know.

Ben Newman: 4:18

That's incredible, and so when I look at a resume like yours and I think about the importance of relationships obviously you're defending the country. Everybody's got to get along on a team where people are going to die Same thing with the LAPD and putting yourself in harm's way that you did but I find it so unique. What was that transition like and when did you know that you wanted to move from really this defender, this person who's helping us have our freedom, this guy who's serving the country, to really this entrepreneurial mind where you turn it and go into as much detail as you want. You really turn it into a business. How did that all happen for you?

Bruce Cardenas: 4:59

I coined this recently or I've always been a servant leader, obviously going into the Marine Corps serving the country, and then LAPD, which was a boyhood dream. I always wanted to be a cop and the only reason I ended up in the Marine Corps is because when I got out of high school I kind of floundered around. If I got to see my parents, we're impressed. So I was a D student, a daydreamer. I had no path to get where I was going. But I went to the police chief in my local town when and it was a five-person department and I said hey, chief, I want to be a cop, how do I join the department? And in his own kind words he said listen, you're young, you're immature, but if you go in the Marine Corps he didn't say you want the Marine Corps, I'll hire you the day you get out. So I grabbed my best friend, went to Marine Corps and then discovered wow, new Jersey is not as big as I thought as when you grew up.

Bruce Cardenas: 5:45

Someplace you think that's your world, but the work ethic has come from my dad. I always worked with him part-time. I always worked making money. I always wanted to have more in life and the entrepreneurial thing, I guess back then it wasn't even called an entrepreneur. You'd probably call it a workaholic, right? But I enjoyed working and bringing value to other people.

Bruce Cardenas: 6:03

I guess it sounds kind of cliche, but that's really what I enjoyed, and the idea of being an entrepreneur was more like what else can I do? I mean, there's more than eight hours in a day, right? So even when I was a cop, I was working off duty, part-time, for a sergeant who had a security company and I was like, wow, this is pretty good. I mean, this is a side business, it's a side hustle, I call it, and I'm learning how to once again, a service industry. Right, everything I've done is in the service space only and it's something I can't describe it, but it was such a good feeling to serve other people and it's always been Marine Corps, LAPD protection business. I'm a serving. I'm okay not being number one, I'm okay just right underneath the layer, serving people.

Tyler Kirk: 6:47

Have you thought about writing a book but just don't have the time? We would love to help you make that dream come true. This year, Introducing BNC Publishing, we offer an in-house three-step process to help you bring your book to life. The whole process only takes 60 to 90 days, Compared to 18 months for traditional publishing methods. We work fast To see if we are a good fit to work together on your project. Email our team at info at bennewmannet. That's info at bennewmannet. Now back to the show.

Ben Newman: 7:18

So let me.

Ben Newman: 7:19

I always love paying attention to the details, so let me grab on to something and then tie another piece of your resume, which is being a championship bodybuilder, which explains the discipline and powerlifting. So when you really look at the discipline that it takes in order to become a powerlifter, I always joke. Whenever I work with athletes, I'll say to them they're transitioning and they'll say, oh, I'm struggling, how am I going to do this? I said it's one rep at a time. I said you would never go into your strength coach and he says give me five reps of 10. And you say I'll give you three really good sets of six. Right, I mean, you're going to put in the work. And so it's unique, if everybody pays attention to what you said, which was there's this extreme discipline where, while you're with the LAPD, you said, well, that's only eight hours and I've got more, so let me go do more. Where did that burn come from? To maximize and to work and to attack and to not settle.

Bruce Cardenas: 8:15

You know my friend Bejro Cooley, and said you know, average is the enemy, right, and I'm not looking to be a star celebrity, but I just felt like there's plenty of people, 90% of the population, just does nine to five and I said there's got to be more to life and I just want to contribute more to the world and to my family. And I think that drive of just, you know, obviously, being a cop, you got an average salary back then. It wasn't anything great, even though they pay more now. So I thought, okay, economically too, I'm going to make more money, I'm going to learn another skill and I'll have something else in my resume and my family would benefit it from it.

Ben Newman: 8:51

It's incredible, and, you know, hard work always gets noticed, as you, as you know, hard work creates opportunity. I think we live in this world where everybody's waiting, you know, for opportunity to just knock on their door rather than going and beating down the door, which which is what it takes. Tell us about the quest opportunity. How did that come to be? How did that door open up for you?

Bruce Cardenas: 9:13

Completely serendipitous. I'll be honest with you. I was in the gym which I work out every day. You know a woman that goes by on Instagram, goes by quest creator. Her name's Shannon Penna. She worked out of the gym and and you know gym pals you just say hi to people you know as a courtesy, and and one day she said hey, bruce, I want, I want you to try this product. I started these bars I've been making them in my man kitchen, let me know what you think and she gave me a couple of bars, went home and tried them and I think I saw her maybe a week later. It's not like I saw her every day. Her and her husband worked out of this gym and I said those bars were really amazing and at the time you know, growing up eating protein bars for years, they they just had a great taste, texture.

Bruce Cardenas: 9:49

And I said, uh. I said listen, I don't know why. There again, I had this epiphany. I said I'm going to be doing the security at a celebrity golf tournament next week up in River Air Country Club. I said, hey, if you have some product, I'll get it. I'll probably get it in some people's hands. I had no idea what I was talking about. I'd never even offered that, but they were such kind people and the product was good.

Bruce Cardenas: 10:08

Got the product, brought it to my friend, cheryl, who was running the publicity, and I said, hey, I got these bars. He says, oh, amazing. No social media at the time. Facebook just started, no Twitter, no Instagram. Mario Lopez was there and there's a handful of celebrities, and she said I'll do one better. I'm going to get some people to interview, try it on camera. So I thought nothing of it, got me this content, which I didn't know what that word meant either. Right, because I got photos. I remember I sent them to Shannon and she's like wow, how do you know these people? So I protect them. That's what I do for a living. But I figured I'd bring these bars.

Bruce Cardenas: 10:42

The nine months was a little bit of a blur. I would go see them at the gym. Hey, I got another event. Or hey, jessica Simpson's trying to lose weight, she's just had a kid, can I send some to her assistant? And they're like wow, yeah, sure, sure, I'm on the set. I'm doing this. I do all the security on the set of extra Mario Lopez has a show because it's filmed outside. We have off-duty cops and I bring him product and next thing, you know, he's giving out on camera. So my friend, bruce from Quest came and I've given out these products. So I just and it's crazy, ben they became my why?

Bruce Cardenas: 11:14

Well, I had great success in the bodyguard space. I noticed people were like amazed at the taste and texture. And then people started writing blogs saying, hey, I lost 20 pounds over the last three months, it was my go-to snack. Hey, I've got diabetes, I've got celiac disease. And I started like, wow, I feel good about this. Like you know, protecting people is great, but now, like we're changing people's health.

Bruce Cardenas: 11:37

Nine months later, ron the chairman takes me to lunch and says hey, man, we're stealing from you. And he goes what do you mean? He goes you're doing all this cool stuff. You're either working for the enemy or you're just a nice human being. And I said, well, I hope I'm a nice human being. He says Friday we're going to put you on the payroll. I said you don't have to do that. He goes no, no, we're going to start paying you. You could donate it to charity. Keep doing your bodyguard business, keep doing what you do, but we're going to start paying you. We're not feeling good about this and I was like, wow, I swear to God, ben.

Bruce Cardenas: 12:06

I reflected back to my dad with his work ethic, where he would work. He's the guy that worked all day and then was doing Boy Scout stuff at night and projects with me and I thought, shit, now I really have to prove myself. I'm getting paid and I don't think there's no such thing as a. I wasn't a consultant and I kicked in and I would split my day between my office. I had a very nice office in the West Side, beautiful, near the ocean secretary. I would go visit them and they were on the border of Compton and Paramount, which is in the hood. When I first visited them, they were in a little industrial strip mall with graffiti all over the walls and I thought to myself they're not going to be in business in six months. It's a shit. Their office is a dump and fast forward. It was started working, but that's how it all started.

Ben Newman: 12:53

And so that's what I was referring to. So it's, yes, serendipitous at the gym and you get the taste of ours, but the hard work gets noticed. To then go create this chief communication officer role, which doesn't even exist at Quest, for a company that goes to sell for a billion dollars, what was it like moving towards an exit like that with Quest?

Bruce Cardenas: 13:15

Well, honestly, what the beautiful thing is. And I called myself. I didn't. Till recently, I learned I called myself an entrepreneur in their business because they gave me a latitude to do what I wanted. It wasn't because they didn't. One guy was in charge of R&D and one guy's in charge of manufacturing, and when I started helping them, they didn't know like. They'd send me an email and say, hey, I didn't have a company email, it was still my old email. They'd say, hey, there's this event. What do you think? I would pay for the event with my credit card. I would go get the product. I'd do everything. I do the event. And I think what happened was they kept seeing me do this stuff, like what this guy's. Just I did, I did anything and everything it took. So as we built up towards the exit, it was almost by virtue of God. This guy's doing everything we need in a company. He doesn't say no to anything. He's traveling 40 weekends out of a year for four years straight, which think about that.

Bruce Cardenas: 14:06

I used to ask people to go travel with me and I never. They'd be like, oh, my girlfriend, my boyfriend, I can't on a Saturday. It was always something and I just kept doing it and it was like rinse and repeat, rinse and repeat. And even if I stayed home, I'd be like I'm going to go to Gold's Gym in Venice. I would bring product with me, I'd work out and I'd probably touch five or 10 people celebrities, arnold, all these people I'd go eat at the firehouse. I'd come back, I'd spend six hours at Gold's Gym just getting product in people's hands, not in a bad way, just like hey, check this out. And it became my, it became my wife. If I had a down day, I'd be like shit, I got to go find something to do to market this company. Or I'd make my girlfriend who you know, she was in a fitting space at the time I say let's go, we got to go promote this stuff. So, but, by the way, there was no and I just want to emphasize this guy, tell people when I speak there was no promise of anything.

Bruce Cardenas: 14:54

I started out as an intern. I started getting paid. There was no promise of equity. There was no promise of hey, bruce, by the way, you're going to get rich with us. It wasn't towards the end. And then they finally said hey, by the way, we're, we're carving up, you know, some equity. Oh, wow. And, as my dad would say, you know it was sweat equity. You didn't. You didn't write a check in the beginning, right, I just earned. I earned my keep, which I wish more people would do in spaces where they have an opportunity because, as you said, you get recognized, right A chairman of a company or any any C level guys and say, wow, that guy or girl's really putting a lot of time and energy in here. We got to, we got to, we got to take care of that person.

Ben Newman: 15:28

So it's interesting that you say that and I just want to tie this in. I think it's important. All my work was in corporate. A lot of people don't realize this. They see everything behind me and most of my connections. They say, oh you know, ben, just he does all this mindset stuff in sports.

Ben Newman: 15:43

Bruce my first five years was all corporate. I didn't do anything in the sports world until 2011, when my old high school basketball coach called me. I ended up sitting on the bench for nine years helping these high school basketball players. I never took a penny from the program. It was my old coach believing, like Ben you were an old captain of the team you can come help. I think there are people who aren't willing to do it because they love it, and then people don't realize.

Ben Newman: 16:13

My first talk at North Dakota State I didn't get paid. I didn't even want them to pay me. It was the amazing opportunity to go be with this college football team that had just won four straight national championships Because I was willing to give Bruce. I'm now in my 10th year with Chris Kleinman, who's now at Kansas State. So we had four years at North Dakota State, three national championships. Now we're in our sixth year at Kansas State because I went and spoke for free.

Ben Newman: 16:41

My first talk at Alabama. They told me, after I got Saban's attention, a three year wait. They said what are you going to charge us when he comes speak? I said nothing. Let's see if these kids even resonate with my messaging and what I'm going to bring to the table. They offered to pay me. I said don't pay me. I spent five years and was on Saban's payroll for five years. I think it's a valuable lesson I hope people are listening to, because I don't know how you feel about this, bruce, but there's so many individuals today that they just want to get paid. I deserve to be paid. I need to be paid. It's like you have to have a heart to want to actually do the work and then, earn the right to get paid.

Bruce Cardenas: 17:21

Yeah, Just like you have that great back drop there, right? People used to come in my office and say, wow, you got all this stuff. You were at the Arnold Expo and they just look at my Instagram and I offered everyone the same opportunity. They'd come and say, hey, can I come hang out with you? Yeah, they were interns and stuff. Not one person ever took me up on it, except one young lady said what do I need to do? I said I'm going to an event tomorrow night. She goes, I'll be there. And then next thing I know, I said I'm going to be somewhere Saturday, I'll be there. She left our company eventually and she became the CMO at one of the biggest food companies in the world and now she's a multimillionaire now and sometimes she'll text me and said thanks for inspiring me not to be lazy, Isn't that?

Ben Newman: 17:58

crazy. It's just unfortunate, I think, that there are so few people who are willing to actually have the aggressive patience that it takes to do things for the right reasons, to find what their passions are and then to be able to have that aggressive patience that I like talking about, to let it happen over time. It doesn't have to happen overnight, you don't have to. Well, I should get paid this, and if they're not going to pay me that, I'm not going to do it. What happened to going and figuring out whether or not you're even worth a damn to even do?

Bruce Cardenas: 18:33

the job. I'll tell you one of the funniest things that would happen as we progress and we got pretty big and people would come and apply for, like the director of marketing, right, and the office was always next to mine, it was like a threshold and I'd hear the interview going on. They say, bruce, do you mind joining us for a minute? I'd step in. And they say, hey, this young lady, young man, wants to be the director of marketing here. Oh, that's great. And of course they wanted to start at $150,000. I just got out of college and, hey, tell them your story real quick, bruce. And I said, oh, I worked here for free for nine months and as you watch them wilt in their chair going from $150,000 to oh. So people actually worked here for free at the beginning just to prove their worth. And I'm not saying that you have to do that, but gosh, sometimes they're sometimes get in those opportunities and then get paid, mm, good luck.

Ben Newman: 19:22

Yeah, it's, but that's the willingness to do things for the right reasons. So I just encourage people once again read back through Bruce's story, go read the magazine articles that have been written about him. I mean, it's just there's so few people that you meet and that's what I thought was so magnetic and what I loved about your energy and your passion. You just bleed it, that like you just want to serve people. I mean I've already gotten two boxes of Legendary food like boxes. That's more than I could ever eat, more than my family could eat. It's almost like I get this and it's like that. I want to serve your community. I mean it's like their boxes literally like serve the neighborhood, and so it's just your energy is amazing.

Ben Newman: 20:01

I love how you show up and do this. So now what I want you to take us to because when you told me about legendary, there was that passion again, there was that spark, because a lot of times you're part of an exit like quest and there's the excitement of that, and then people Say, well, you know I'm, what am I really gonna do now? And now it's like you're doing it again. Why are you doing it again and tell us about legendary?

Bruce Cardenas: 20:24

I gotta tell you, just worked out. Well, you know, we, when the exit came, ron, everyone else went their separate ways pretty much. They got paid out and and Ron came to me to say, listen, we're gonna, we're gonna do that. I have a different idea. It's gonna be a, a healthier version of quest, better macros. And I said I'm on board. I, here's a great thing.

Bruce Cardenas: 20:41

You know, I'm so blessed that I know him because sometimes, like you said, you hook up with the right football coach. You're going for the journey. He's gonna leave a team and I said the same thing. I said, and he said something. The other day something happened. He goes.

Bruce Cardenas: 20:52

Hey, we're hooked at the, we're hooked at the hip man and he just has the right mindset. You know, he's worth hundreds of millions and he comes to the office every day. I'll meet him on a Saturday and we'll talk about strategy. I'll go to his house on a Sunday. So we're like-minded. So it's because of what he believes in.

Bruce Cardenas: 21:09

It makes me want to show up and do better, and I don't have to. But it's just, I'm passionate about what I do and the good news. I always say jokingly I'm glad I don't sell canned corn. I mean, it's kind of fun that you know some protein bar and protein snacks and just the joy of Feeding athletes and sending to NFL teams and all these great people and they appreciate it and I always tell people there's no joke. If anyone remembers the fight club, the first rule of fight club is we don't talk about it. I'm not one of those guys that send people product, have any expectations. I'm happy if they don't even talk about it, because I just do it, because I truly want to see people be happy and I feel like you know, you know that's it.

Ben Newman: 21:48

So well, I do have one request. I know we're gonna be seeing a lot of of each other with a lot of things that we'll be doing together here in the future, but you know the mixed berry it's got that beautiful purple icing on it. Yeah, you know, our Kansas State Wildcats are purple Bruce. I need some boxes of those mixed berries showing up in Manhattan, kansas, by Wildcats. We got a little arrangement here.

Bruce Cardenas: 22:13

Yeah, talk about relationships. I didn't get too deep in college but the NFL for instance Gatorade, had the official contract the entire time. We're a quest. They had drinks and body know. They had bars made of bars but because of the relationships we established with the strength coaches and nutrition companies coaches, we had probably 12 NFL teams who buy from us every month and they would set up a kiosk in the break room and they said we would rather pay for quests than have free stuff from you know, other companies and we just a great relationship with athletes. But it's the best thing. I love to see people you know improving.

Ben Newman: 22:47

So what's what's next for you, considering that you don't believe in an eight hour day? So you're doing all these things with legendary I know that consulting for small numbers of people this is Bruce is not your guy who's going to coach a hundred people. Bruce is the guy who's going to get into the details of a business. Go and find the strategy. What's the brand angle, what's the PR angle? That's where he's an expert and he does that. And speaking I know you're passionate about, aside from the food, like what fires you up today, what keeps that burn going for you now, bruce?

Bruce Cardenas: 23:21

You know a couple of things. I mean I do like helping other people with their business. I just met with a young lady yesterday. She has a bone broth company, but I see the fire in her eyes. She's 30 years old. He goes what do I do? I want to make this happen. I'm like I want to make you. I want to make you successful and rich. So it's a little bit, we all have what makes us high, right, I get a high out of seeing other people do well in life and that's what I like to do, and I love to see that my kids are proud of me. I work out my son, you know I'm still stronger than him, thank God.

Ben Newman: 23:48

You know my daughter yeah, yeah, my daughter's a nurse and that's why you want to work out with me when we're in California, because you want to kick my ass.

Bruce Cardenas: 23:54

No, no, you'll kick my ass.

Ben Newman: 23:56

You didn't say, hey, let's go grab a bite to eat. You said let's go get a lift.

Bruce Cardenas: 24:01

It's like Michael, it's like Kobe used to say to everyone that showed up hey, where's your sneakers? Aren't we going to work out? I really, truly, it's my high of watching other people do well and I want to help people grow their business and if it turns into business for me, great. But and I like to I like to help people avoid landmines. There's a lot of people go into the food or apparel business or any business and they invest a lot of money and time and they don't know what they're doing and they waste a couple hundred thousand dollars and I want to help them avoid that, you know your, your, your passion, your energy, your desire to connect.

Ben Newman: 24:32

It's really, it's. It's incredible and, once again, just when you take a look at the resume and the way that you built your life and the relationships, it's. It's a testament and, bruce, I'm going to say this publicly, I think you've already felt this, but I want to help you, I want to help you grow, I want to help you do these things and and take your message around the world, because we got a lot of friends who know that, like you're already doing it, but it's just so many of your stories and how you did things and how you've evaluated things and how you looked at things. It's such a level of uniqueness that we just don't have enough of in the world today.

Bruce Cardenas: 25:08

Yeah, and I just think I do. I have a lot of, you know, self doubt, probably caught, like a lot of people, in posturism or self doubt, whatever you call it. I'm at the point now where I've shared my story enough, where I know it's not self down anymore. It's like I think I even owe it to certain aspects of the community to share what I learned is being a cop and how to treat people properly, how I learned to run a business, how I learned to social EQs of being a bodyguard, and how you treat people and how you navigate those waters, because I see a lot of people that need help and a lot of people need help in general, right, let alone just coaching to help, and I and I think I've had all these experiences I want to share it, even if I change, you know, one person a day, right.

Ben Newman: 25:46

Why not? Every day an opportunity to serve. You know, as I've shared probably our most popular mental training tool a prize fighter day for over 15 years, I believe, just like John wouldn't believe, that you cannot have a great day until you've done something for somebody else with no expectation of anything in return, and you've literally designed your life and committed your life to doing that. It's exceptional.

Bruce Cardenas: 26:12

Yeah, that's one of my favorite things. I mean, I really tell people just do for others with really truly no expectation. It's hard, it's hard for people to do that, but sometimes I say, just comes back 10 fold in life. It really does.

Ben Newman: 26:25

Well, it comes back more than 10 fold in your example. Would people read through the read, through the lines of how the story is written, and there might just be a book for Bruce in the near future as well. So I want everybody to make sure that you follow Bruce. I want everybody to stay connected to his energy. If you've got an event where you're like this is what we need, it's this raw, real, vulnerable authenticity that's missing in the world. You got to connect with Bruce and get him out to your event, because his storytelling, his magnetic personality it's what's needed in the world today. Bruce, I can't thank you enough for coming on the burn.

Bruce Cardenas: 27:04

Oh, thank you very much. I'm honored that I'm on here.

Ben Newman: 27:08

Well, bruce, I look forward to the opportunity to see you. I know we're going to continue to do a lot of great things together and for everybody watching, I want you to ask yourself this question what can you do to serve more when you hear a story like Bruce's and it's literally a life committed to service the Marines, the LAPD, a security company, and now going to work for Quest for nine months for free, not knowing, not expecting, not wanting anything for it and then you read the story of what happens. That is a true life of service. What would happen in your life if you serve more? And maybe there's somebody meaningful in your life that they haven't learned that life lesson yet?

Ben Newman: 27:53

I'm going to encourage you to share this episode with that individual who needs to realize money is a byproduct of living life through service. Money is a byproduct of living life through hard work. Bruce is an amazing example of that. So share this episode with somebody who needs to read it. Make sure that you stay connected with all the ways we're going to share with you, down in the callouts and in the show notes for Bruce. And this is the burn. This is what I love about doing this show. We're in our sixth season and there's so many amazing stories of people like Bruce who prove to us that why and purpose is not enough. It's that underlying burn that ignites their why and purpose and helps you show up on the days that you don't feel like it, and especially after you win. Like, subscribe, share. That's all we ever ask. This is the burn and I look forward to seeing you next week.