Podcast Summary: Next On Scene – The Human Behind The Brand

Episode: From HVAC Hustle to Marketing Maverick: Diego’s Rise

Host: Jaclyn Zukerman Delory
Guest: Diego Andres, Director of Marketing at Smart Boston
Date: December 24, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode dives deep into the remarkable journey of Diego Andres, a Gen Z entrepreneur who went from launching an HVAC business at age 20 to reinventing himself as the Director of Marketing for Smart Boston. Hosted by renowned publicist Jaclyn Zukerman Delory, the discussion explores Diego’s formative experiences, his views on money, mentorship, and the power of mindset in overcoming adversity. Throughout, listeners are treated to honest reflections and actionable advice for anyone seeking to build a lasting legacy—reminding us that “your story is your superpower.”

Key Discussion Points & Insights

First Impressions & Personal Style

• Conversation opens with a light discussion on what Diego is wearing (all black), touching on confidence and how color choice is connected to self-perception.

  • “Black is a mysterious color. It’s power, it’s elegant” – Jaclyn (01:04)
  • Diego prefers black for blending in and white when wanting to stand out, hinting at his strategic approach to visibility. (01:17)

• Diego’s current go-to music: Afro House, particularly DJ Dennis Gold, noting music’s role in setting his energy and creativity. (01:50)

The HVAC Hustle: Learning Through Action

• Diego shares the story of starting his own HVAC company at age 20 with a high school friend, inspired by the friend’s father’s business.
  • “I saw the opportunity because my friend ran the business, and I saw his passion and his dad’s passion for the company.” – Diego (03:48)
• The pandemic led to tragedy—his friend’s father passed away, forcing the two young men to decide between selling or saving the business.
• Diego bought in 50/50, rebranded, and re-launched during the pandemic. He “burned the bridges” by quitting his steady job to go all in.
  • “Even if I don’t know what I’m doing, the process and experience of getting that first business in my resume was so important.” – Diego (06:17)
• They reached over $100,000 in revenue the first year, but struggled due to lack of money management and mixing friendship with business, eventually leading to dissolution.
  • “There was no money management skills, no financial literacy skills. We mixed friendship with business. And I realized that that wasn't going to work.” – Diego (07:08)

The Pivot: Real Estate to Smart Boston

• After HVAC, Diego entered real estate, but found the grind unsustainable and lacked mentorship.
  • “No matter how little, how much you make, if you have great money management skills, you just can’t go broke.” – Diego (08:51)
• Reflects on the importance of learning from setbacks: the HVAC experience was about “building experience for me so I can one day tell it.”
• Jaclyn draws out the theme of learning from mistakes, especially around money – a conversation both find valuable (08:53).

What is Smart Boston & The Power of Mentorship

• Diego explains Smart Boston, a community platform for Gen Z created by Diego’s long-time mentor, Coach Warren. Smart Boston blends social connection with education on money and personal growth.
  • “Smart Boston is a platform for Gen Z’s. By Gen Z’s. It’s like for the youth to come together and literally wake up.” – Diego (11:07)
• Discussion on how powerful mentorship has been for both Diego and the Smart Boston community:
  • “Leaders take the initiative and they’ll always eat last... As a great leader, you also want to give your power away to other people and let them shine.” – Diego (10:29)
• Jaclyn emphasizes the critical role of mentors in entrepreneurship, calling mentorship a recurring theme on the show (11:01).

Money, Mindset, and Street Interviews

• Diego is known for his rapid-fire street interviews in Boston, talking to strangers about personal finance and life.
  • “With these interviews... I realized I got inspired by the School of Hard Knocks.” – Diego (13:07)
• He shares about overcoming rejection and fear through repetition:
  • “I can’t tell you how many times I felt fear of walking to strangers. But over repetition and doing it so many times, then I realize it’s just a lack of repetition.” – Diego (15:14)
• Jaclyn observes the vulnerability required to approach people about such personal topics (15:58).

Manifesting Change: The Dream Apartment Story

• Diego recounts moving into his dream penthouse, emphasizing mindset, affirmation, and writing as tools for manifesting big life transitions.
  • “The mind, what it does is it creates your reality as you go through life. If you imagine something for a very long time and you have desire over it, it will crystallize into reality.” – Diego (18:28)
• The lesson: “Keep affirming into your life what is it that you want from life the most.” – Diego (20:34)
• Jaclyn reiterates the power of writing and dreaming on your goals (20:41).

Game Time: Rapid Fire & Reflections (21:00–23:20)

• Netflix or Cable? – Netflix (21:52)
• Save or Spend? – Spend (21:05)
• Networking or Solo Brainstorm? – Solo (21:11)
• Early Bird or Night Owl? – Early Bird (21:15)
• Mentor or Peer Collaboration? – Mentor (21:19)
• One word to describe Gen Z: “Delusional.” (21:25)
• Most underrated skill in business: “Human behavior.” (21:31)
• Dream person to collaborate with: “Elon Musk.” (21:34)
• Best advice received: Citing Tony Robbins on how two millimeters of physical posture (chest up, looking up) can change your life by shifting your energy and certainty (21:46).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “Even if I don’t know what I’m doing, the process and experience of getting that first business in my resume was so important to one day tell the story.” – Diego, on taking the leap into business (06:17)
• “Leaders take the initiative and they’ll always eat last.” – Diego on leadership (10:29)
• “You could literally do anything you want. It’s just about overcoming that fear barrier.” – Diego, after meeting his inspiration by chance (14:50)
• “If you imagine something for a very long time and you have desire over it, it will crystallize into reality.” – Diego on affirmations and goal-setting (18:28)
• “[Tony Robbins says:] There’s a difference in your physiology... it’s a difference of 2 millimeters from looking down, having posture down, or having your posture up. You keep your chest up and you look up, you will naturally gravitate more energy into you and you’ll feel more certain.” – Diego (21:46)
• “I would like them to remember me as somebody who was average, that says above average things... The only difference between somebody average and great or outstanding is their number of repetitions.” – Diego, on legacy (22:37)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Diego’s Style & Musical Influences: 01:00 – 02:28
• Journey into HVAC: 02:59 – 06:44
• Business Lessons Learned: 06:44 – 08:06
• Transition to Real Estate: 08:06 – 09:03
• What is Smart Boston?: 09:03 – 10:54
• Mentorship & Leadership: 10:54 – 12:47
• Money Psychology & Street Interviews: 12:47 – 15:39
• Overcoming Rejection & Building Confidence: 15:14 – 16:39
• Dream Apartment & Manifestation Story: 16:42 – 20:34
• Game Time (Rapid Fire Q&A): 20:47 – 22:30
• Legacy & Closing Reflection: 22:30 – 23:20

Final Takeaways

• Visibility is rooted in service and authenticity; sharing your real journey makes your impact last.
• Mentorship, embracing failure, and constant self-improvement are cornerstones of Diego’s growth.
• The mindset—repetition, posture, and affirmations—underpins both personal and professional success.
• No matter your start, “your story is your superpower”—and there’s power in just showing up, learning, and telling it.

This episode blends actionable insights, raw storytelling, and contagious optimism—a must-listen for aspiring entrepreneurs, leaders, and anyone redesigning their legacy.