Podcast
The Legacy Builders Podcast
Hosted by Mario Gonzalez Jr. | Lifetime Legacy Holdings · EN
The Legacy Builders Podcast is about real conversations around business, rebuilding, leadership, fatherhood, identity, and generational wealth. This isn’t a highlight reel. It’s not guru advice. It’s not overnight success stories.
It’s honest dialogue with entrepreneurs, operators, and everyday leaders navigating growth, setbacks, reinvention, and long-term thinking.
Whether we’re talking about recurring revenue, rebuilding after divorce, generational health, or the mindset behind ownership, the goal is simple: Build a life — not just income.
Most guests are sharing their story publicly for the first time. These conversations are grounded, reflective, and rooted in lived experience.
If you’re building something that lasts — personally or professionally — you’ll feel at home here.
🔗 Connect & Follow
▶️ Full episodes on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/@MarioGonzalezJr-LLH
💼 Connect on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/mgon1
🌐 Website:
https://LifetimeLegacyHoldings.com
17episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Gotta Have Faith: My Journey from Organized Religion to Self-Reliance
1w ago00:10:12Tap to summarize"I don't fundamentally see the point... why am I going to spend additional time praying to an entity when I am not going to be in any better of a spot than I am now?". Mario Gonzalez Jr. tackles his most personal topic yet: his shifting relationship with faith, religion, and the concept of God. After a friend challenged him on whether he could be "unstoppable" with God on his side, Mario reflects on his evolution from a strict religious upbringing to his current stance on moral integrity and self-reliance. In this episode, we discuss: The Search for Logic: Why "you just have to believe" was never a satisfying answer for Mario. Replacing the Crutch: How moving from prayer to aggressive personal action created a fundamental shift in his life. The F3 Philosophy: Learning to believe in "something bigger" without needing the structure of organized religion. Moral Integrity: Why being a good person is the ultimate goal, regardless of the faith path you choose. This episode isn't about telling you what to believe—it's about the journey of trying to figure out how to be a better person.
Transcribe →The $300K Rookie Mistake: Turning an Acquisition Failure into a Fix and Flip
2w ago00:12:32Tap to summarize"As smart as I think I am, I made a rookie mistake and I felt like an idiot". Mario Gonzalez Jr. opens up about the most stressful eight weeks of his professional life. After acquiring a dog hiking business in Austin, he discovered a massive oversight in the P&L that threatened his entire holding company, Lifetime Legacy Holdings. In this episode, we discuss: The Adrenaline Trap: Why looking at numbers eight times isn't enough if you don't have a second pair of eyes. Unsustainable Wages: Why paying staff 50% of revenue is a death sentence for a remote-owned business. Personal Guarantees: The high stakes of debt service when your other business assets are on the line. Pivoting to a Fix and Flip: The tactical plan to restructure the business over the summer and sell it for a break-even price of $365,000. This is a humbling lesson in due diligence, trust, and the importance of having a camp of resources to vet your deals. Reach out at lifetimelegacyholdings.com to share your own "Stupid Tax" stories.
Transcribe →The Adrenaline Rush of Business Acquisitions: My Second Close
3w ago00:17:48Tap to summarizeAcquisitions can be exciting, scary, and freaking nerve-wracking—it’s an adrenaline rush." Mario Gonzalez Jr. shares a massive milestone: the official acquisition of his second business. This episode is a deep dive into the "scrappy" side of mergers and acquisitions, revealing how a $300,000 deal almost fell through multiple times before finally closing. In this episode, we discuss: Buying a "Non-Sexy" Business: Why Mario targeted a subscription-based dog daycare and boarding facility with a 9-year track record. The Expensive Debt Trade-off: Navigating 14% interest rates and lender fees to secure capital without a down payment. Broker-Free Benefits: Why working directly with the seller allowed for more flexible negotiations and saved the deal. Remote Ownership Challenges: Managing a transition when you are in Idaho and the business is in Texas. The "Stripe" Transition: The technical nuts and bolts of taking over a digital customer CRM and booking software. If you are currently looking to buy a business or are in the middle of a stressful due diligence process, this episode provides the "in-the-trenches" perspective you need to stay the course. Reach out at lifetimelegacyholdings.com for more information.
Transcribe →The Stupid Tax: Credit Scandals, Medical Studies, and Lessons from My 20s
Apr 1400:12:18Tap to summarize"If you’re young and dumb and think you know what you’re doing, a lot of the time you’re not." Mario Gonzalez Jr. gets incredibly transparent about the "Stupid Tax" he paid early in his journey. This episode is a deep dive into the desperate moves he made when he was broke—from signing for cars he didn't own to being a human guinea pig for $8,000 medical studies. In this episode, you’ll learn: The Dangers of "Easy Money": How a $2,000 signature turned into a 7-10 year credit nightmare. The Reality of Medical Research: What it’s really like to live in a clinic and have blood drawn every hour on the hour. Relationship Regrets: Why ditching a job for a girl at age 15 was his first big lesson in priorities. The Business Vetting Process: Why "done-for-you" services can be a money pit if you don't do your research. A Message to My Kids: Mario shares why he is "stupid transparent" with his children about his past so they can avoid the same ghosts.
Transcribe →Partnerships, Plumbing, and the IRS: Hard Lessons with Shaun Afshari
Apr 700:51:28Tap to summarize"America is the only place willing to take a risk on a nobody.". Shaun Afshari joins Mario Gonzalez Jr. for a candid look at the high stakes of entrepreneurship.. After 20 years in the restaurant industry, Shaun moved to Idaho to start over, only to face a near nervous breakdown after a plumbing partnership went south.. In this episode, we discuss: The Audit Defense: Why Shaun prefers being on the "defensive side" for his clients rather than performing the audits himself.. Employee Coaching: The "Strong Humanist" approach to taking on the employees nobody else wants.. Trust Fund Policies: A unique take on generational wealth—why Shaun would require a prenup as a condition for accessing family money.. The Power of Small Talk: How simply asking a person's name can open doors in business.. Connect with Shaun: Find him at Clear Paths Tax and Accounting or Clear Paths Construction and Property Services on Facebook..
Transcribe →The Wealth Treadmill and the Search for True Fulfillment
Mar 3100:08:35Tap to summarize"I just want to be able to breathe, y'all." Mario Gonzalez Jr. opens up about a recent period of depression triggered by a simple question: What is happiness? After years of building brands, navigating a divorce, and chasing a vision board full of monetary metrics, Mario explores the fear that "success" might be an empty prize if you can’t get off the treadmill. Key Highlights: The Vision Board Audit: Why hitting $10M a year means nothing if you aren't healthy or present. Working because you "Want to": The fine line between enjoying the puzzle of business and being brainwashed by the grind. A Call to Action: A challenge to every listener to sit down and process what fulfillment actually looks like for them
Transcribe →Survival, Social Change, and the $100M Inheritance That Never Was | Preston Craig
Mar 2400:50:00Tap to summarizePreston Craig joins Mario Gonzalez Jr. to discuss a life lived at the intersection of high art and hard business. Preston isn't just a painter; he is a "Creative" who has navigated the worlds of MFA programs, international tech-art contracts, and the complex reality of launching a toy brand in a post-tariff economy. In this episode, we discuss: Lessons from a Family of 12: How a childhood of "sharing and survival" built a foundation for business. The "Lost" Millions: A fascinating look at his family's history with the Bank of France and the lessons learned about "what if". Art as a Social Tool: How Twisted Teddies uses the "attraction-repulsion" effect to fund nonprofits. Sweat Equity vs. Funding: The hurdles of raising capital for Kids, Pets and More Inc.. Whether you are a struggling artist, a scaling entrepreneur, or someone interested in the true meaning of "Legacy," Preston’s perspective on wisdom vs. wealth is a must-listen. Support the Show: If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review and share it with a fellow creative! Would you like me to pull some specific quotes from the transcript to use as social media "hooks" for these posts?
Transcribe →What I’ve Learned After 38 Podcast Episodes - Where We Go From Here..
Mar 1700:10:50Tap to summarizeAfter launching nearly 40 episodes of the Legacy Builders Podcast, I took a step back to reflect on what this journey has really taught me. When I first started this podcast, I thought generational wealth meant one thing — money passed down from generation to generation. But after dozens of conversations with entrepreneurs, operators, and builders, I realized it’s much bigger than that. In this episode, I break down how I now think about generational wealth and the three forms that actually matter: • Financial Wealth • Intellectual Wealth • Generational Health We also talk about the realities of building businesses, managing time, and why entrepreneurs often have to redefine success as they grow. If you're building businesses, raising a family, or trying to create something that lasts beyond your lifetime, this episode is for you.
Transcribe →How to Build a Business That Doesn’t Depend on You | David Forster
Mar 1300:45:11Tap to summarizeIn this episode of the Legacy Builders Podcast, Mario sits down with David Forster, founder of Systems Over Sweat, to talk about what it really takes to scale a business without the owner being the bottleneck. David has built and exited multiple businesses, worked across landscaping, logistics, retail, and leadership, and now helps home service companies grow past $1M, $5M, and $20M by simplifying systems and building stronger leadership. This conversation covers: what to look for when acquiring a service business red flags that signal you’re buying a job why founders often become the bottleneck the identity shift from technician to owner how to build systems without overcomplicating them what it looks like to run a business with your spouse why generational wealth is really about freedom how to create clearer roles, structure, and KPIs what makes a business more valuable when it comes time to exit If you’re a service business owner, operator, or entrepreneur trying to build a business that can run without you in the middle of everything, this one is worth a listen. Connect with David SystemsOverSweat.com Instagram: @officialdavidforster Connect with Me Website: https://LifetimeLegacyHoldings.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mgon1 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MarioGonzalezJr-LLH Podcast: https://legacybuilderspodcast.podbean.com/
Transcribe →I Tried Multi-Level Marketing… Here’s What Happened
Mar 1000:08:36Tap to summarizeIn this solo episode of the Legacy Builders Podcast, I talk about my real experience with multi-level marketing. Like a lot of people with an entrepreneurial itch, I got pulled into the world of MLM early on. It started with Prepaid Legal, then later Primerica, and both experiences taught me a lot — about sales, discomfort, rejection, and what kind of business I actually wanted to build. I’m not here to say MLM is a scam. I’m just being honest about what it felt like from the inside. In this episode I cover: • How I got introduced to MLM • Why the presentations were so convincing • What it was like trying to recruit strangers • Why I signed up again even after the first experience didn’t work • What I learned about sales and entrepreneurship • Why I’d urge people to do real research before joining anything like this This one is less about hating on MLM and more about sharing another chapter in my journey — one of those experiences that taught me what I didn’t want. Connect with Me Website: https://LifetimeLegacyHoldings.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mgon1 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MarioGonzalezJr-LLH Legacy Builders Podcast: https://legacybuilderspodcast.podbean.com/ 👉 Follow for more real conversations about business, failure, growth, and building a life — not just income.
Transcribe →