Bridging Cultures in Business with Marco Ríos

Pat Miller: 00:00

I'm Pat Miller, and this is The Professional Photographer Podcast. What if there was a huge market sector that you're not engaging with? Not only is it huge and it's untapped. It's growing exponentially. That sounds like a dream. Well, it exists, and it exists in the town where you live, the Hispanic community. Are you doing business with folks in the community? Are you putting out a purposeful effort to engage and understand and serve Hispanics in your town? If the answer is no, it probably is because we're not sure exactly how to go about it. I mean, look at you, you're not a bad person. You wanna have good relations with everybody in town, but we wanna be respectful, and we wanna engage in the correct way. Wouldn't it be helpful if we could sit down with someone who is willing to answer our questions and help us understand what it takes to be a good partner and a good collaborator with the Hispanic community? We have that opportunity today. Marco Rios is our guest. So grab your notebook and your coffee and get ready to learn and understand so we can better engage the Hispanic community. We'll talk with Marco Rios next. Marco Rios, welcome to The Professional Photographer Podcast. How are you today?

Marco Rios: 01:27

Hi, Pat. I'm really good. Thank you. Thank you for having me. It's a pleasure to be here with you and with your audience.

Pat Miller: 01:33

We're gonna have a very important discussion today about doing a better job of reaching out and engaging the Hispanic marketplace in the US. And this isn't just the right thing to do. I mean, we want to have good relations with everyone in our community, but it's smart business. What's the opportunity here? And tell us about the growth of the Hispanic marketplace in the US in the coming years.

Marco Rios: 01:54

Well, there is a lot to say, but, yeah, as you said, it is a smart move. For the business, it's a smart move to do. It's not just the right thing to do. It's a smart move because focusing on the Hispanic market isn't just as smart. It's a game change for the business. Why? Because the number because there is a community over there. Let me put this in perspective. What we're talking about, like, for example, right now, it's 62,000,000 Hispanic community, Hispanic people in the states, just in the states. So that's more than the entire population of Texas and California together. So that's a huge market. In fact, if you combine a lot of countries like Portugal, Greece, and Belgium, still, the Hispanic population is bigger than those countries. So it's like having a big potential market of customers right here in the States. So the really exciting thing here is, like, for example, the projection say that for 2060, we're gonna be above 100,000,000 person. We'll be around 110,000,000 person, and that will be almost 30% of the USA population. So that's a huge market. And talking about money that represents right now, those days is $1,900,000,000,000 and by 2060 will be $3,000,000,000,000. So if just the Hispanic community of the States will be a country, that will represent the top 10 economies in the world, just the Hispanic community in the States. I think we’ll be something between the 8th or 9th biggest economy in the world. So that's a big thing. And when I moved to South Carolina, I moved to South Carolina in 2021 with my wife, and I blew my mind that too many companies were trying to connect with this company with this community, but they were losing this gold mine opportunity because not just the language, it's also the culture barriers that they have. And sometimes, as we mentioned before, it's not just translation, to really connect with this community. So it's important.

Pat Miller: 03:51

I wanna dive into that about the culture because that seems to be a deeper level of understanding and awareness of how to engage with the Hispanic community. But before we go there, the numbers that you just shared are so big. Do you think people outside of the Hispanic community understand this economic engine and force that is now here and that will be even more influential in the future?

Marco Rios: 04:21

No. I think everybody, they know that the Hispanic community is a significant market. But I don't think everybody truly understand this full impact that they have on their business. Just connecting with a small part of this big pie will represent a big change in the sales and all that. So it's not just for the money. It's because you really can do your real connect. Companies that start engaging right now today with the Hispanic community, even if they say, “Hey, I'm not doing anything or not.” No, if they start doing some steps right now, that will be as smart move because they will be securing the growth and success for decades to come with, we said, we already see the projection at least for 2060, so we have time.

Pat Miller: 05:05

Alright. So let's give people the tools they need to start engaging. And I think the first step would be, well, I'm engaging with the Hispanic community because my website is also in Spanish. And you say, but listen, translation isn't enough. Can you tell us more about that?

Marco Rios: 05:22

Yeah. Of course. Yeah. For example, well, simply translating your content into Spanish is like offering a handshake without, making an eye contact. It's like you are not really connect. You're saying, “Hey, I am here,” but you are not connecting. So it's not just about switching words from one language to another. It's about connecting in a deeper level. And when I said this, a lot of companies say, “Yeah, but that's a hard word.” It doesn't have to be a hard word. You can do step by step. It's like when you start a business. You want to do this and that. Start. You have to create a plan and be creating with what, which is the step 1, which is the step 2. And then first, you have to start, understand. As you, when you roll, you work with the, you need to know who's your buyer persona, who's your ideal customer. It's the same here. You have to understand. Because even though we speak Spanish in Latin America, it's not the same Spanish in Colombia. Same Spanish in, yeah. We understand, but some words change a lot. So you have to take, for example, a lot of big companies did a very big mistake with that. I don't know if you know this example of Chevrolet. They launch a Chevy Nova in Latin America. But if you translate Nova, I know that Nova is more like new or something like that. But Nova, if you just split no. But it means, like, doesn't go. So you said Nova for a car, doesn't go. It's not exactly what you want in a car name. Right? So they start to, they check on this. Okay. Language alone doesn't build that trust, and they said, “No. I don't want a car that said no, va.” You relay that. So what they did, they rebrand. They call it Caribe. They connect with the Caribbean, sea, and all that aspect. So the sales start to change. They didn't change the car. They didn't be anything new. Just the name. So those are small examples that you can reflect how it’s important is that you really connect. It's not the word. It's the meaning behind the words.

Pat Miller: 07:16

You had shared with me in advance of the interview that to really understand the Hispanic culture, you need to understand how important the role of family is in the culture. Can you share how family influences our interactions with the Hispanic community and the decisions that are made inside the Hispanic community?

Marco Rios: 07:37

Of course. Of course. Family in the Hispanic community is not just important. This is the cornerstone of everything because we grow with our grandmothers, with our aunts, with our uncles, and all those aspects. So we have a big family together. If for example, let me give you an example of this by myself. When my wife and I got married, we were talking about, “Hey, how many people we are going to consider to be at our wedding?” So we said, no. Just family and close friends. And we invited, at the end, a 130 persons. That for us was something small and close. And when we talk with my friends from Europe and from the States, they were shocked. They were, “No, that's not a small event.” Small event is 20 person. You did a big party.” And we said, no. Because a big party for us is 400, 500. Why? Because family includes everybody who has a play well, who plays a meaningful role in our lives. Could be also our neighbors because sometimes you take care of their children and all that. So you create a community. It’s the community. So that's why our small wedding was 130 invitations because it was my family, close family, and close friends, and people that was involved in our life. So with this mindset that is family-centric, the Hispanic community, what, how this translate to business is that every decision that you make sometimes you take care, you consider the family needs. For example, buying a car. Okay. Maybe we do family trips, but something is not just, for example, if I have my daughter or something like that. No. It will be also with my brother or with my sister and just their children. So maybe we need a bigger than an SUV. Maybe we need a Suburban and stuff like that. So these are brands I love. So as everything, word-of-mouth is important when you do business. But with the Hispanic market, it's bigger because you trust most on your family, not what other people just say. Your family. If you said, “Hey, I want to buy a car.” The first thing that you go, you work with your family because you trust them. And if you have a good experience, they will say, “Hey, go with these guys. They are really amazing. They gave you a really good customer service and all that.” But if you had the bad experience with Hispanic community, they will say, “Okay. Don't go there.” And they will make sure that nobody that they know go to your business because they really care.

Pat Miller: 10:02

Wow.

Marco Rios: 10:03

That feeling. They feel like they treat me bad or something like that. So they said no. So it's important. So when you are trying to reach the Hispanic market, remember that you are not just selling to [10:12], but we are building a relationship with the entire family, friends, and the community around them. So, that's a big thing.

Pat Miller: 10:19

Yeah. And it's an opportunity to be aware of that and do it correctly to include everyone. So thanks for sharing that. Let's talk about money. Let's talk about the cultural awareness and influence of financial decisions inside the Hispanic community. I know you can't speak for everyone, but in general, are there ways that the community looks at financial decisions that may be different than the ways other cultures might?

Marco Rios: 10:44

Yeah. Sure. Probably, as I mentioned before, everything has to be involved in the family. If you are going to do a big investment or spend, you have to know that, okay, it doesn't affect your family, or if it's going to affect your family, the family has to give you the thumbs up. Okay. Go ahead, with their future plan and if you are going to invest in business or something like that. But also the Hispanic community involves not just the money, also the values, the tradition, and the long-term security of their family. Let's take, for example, the, like, big celebration that the Hispanic community does, for example, weddings or the quinceañera. The quinceañera is something like the Sweet Sixteens here in the States. So this is not just a party. This is a significant cultural mile milestone because family might spend from something between $10,000 to $100,000 on just one party. So a lot of people outside of the community will say that's just a party and all that. But this event, it's more like honoring tradition and celebrating with the family, sharing with the family. And this is willing to invest in meaningful experience because they'd say, “Hey, it's something that maybe we don't have too much money or something like that, but we want to be sure that our daughter has at least experience, that she will remember this.” It will be a few important days to come, a female spend, it will be quinceañera and wedding. Maybe not too much now. Maybe now they prefer travel instead of a quinceañera, but there still is an option. So when you go back to business, okay, they invest a lot in photographers. They want to make sure that they take that moment, that experience with the family, so also with the food, with the car. They invest a lot in this thing because they don't want the cheap body. And it doesn't mean that it has to be expensive. It has to be a good quality because expensive is not always this quality. So and now, when you're talking more about money, about credit, for example, they want to invest or do something. It's important to know that credit in Hispanic countries is not as easy to get or as cheap to get in the States. For example, a car here could be at 6%, 8% rate. And in Mexico, Colombia, it could be something between 15 to 30% in interest per year. So it's expensive. So that's why you have to take care, well, you have to consider all of these things when you are trying to sell, maybe because a lot of people doesn't have good financial education. And that's not just in the Latin American countries, also in Europe, also here. So you have to start to be more like a coach to them too. You have to find them, maybe, share with though them all that information. And because people doesn't trust a lot of the, in banks, and they don't they don't like the credit, you have to adapt. For example, I don't know if you know, but for example, in Latin American countries, you can pay Uber with cash, like a regular car and a regular taxi. Here's with your credit card or your car. But in Mexico, you can pay, you can order an Uber and pay like that regular taxi. Why they did that? Because they start to say, we don't have that impact. Why? Because a lot of people doesn't have credit card. So you have to adapt. It's the same business, just with a cultural modification. So that's why it's important because with this movement, they start to rate, to sell more because now they have the option for the majority of the people that doesn't have a credit card.

Pat Miller: 14:05

And using that for the photographers that are tuning in, if they sometimes take credit cards for people or expect pay in full on the day of the purchase, would it be important to have perhaps a payment plan over time? Like here's 90 days and 3 payments of cash to buy the photos. Is that the type of modification that you would recommend?

Marco Rios: 14:25

That's a good call that you mentioned. In fact, yeah. For example, my wedding was in Cancun because I was living in Cancun, so that was a destination wedding. So we have photographer in Cancun, but we flew the photographer from Guadalajara where he is from. So in our case, we pay with the credit card on all stuff. But I know he told me that sometimes he had to pay the financial plan. Okay. We signed the contract right now, and you have from today until the wedding day to final pay. And usually, most of this time, you pay the rest when he arrives to the event. So it's normal that the father or the sons, uncle from the quinceañera or from the, somebody from the wedding, the groom, or the bride will pay there, like, for the caterers, for the photographers, for the DJ, for the, although it's normal. So somebody, it's normal that has a huge amount of money in that day.

Pat Miller: 15:26

That's awesome. Thank you for sharing that. That's gonna give us a better chance to engage. You mentioned earlier customer service and the expectations of customer service in the Hispanic market. Elaborate on that for us. Let's talk about what good customer service might look like and what the expectations of the Hispanic market would be.

Marco Rios: 15:45

Sure. Sure. I love that question because when I talk with my Hispanic client, they know what I'm talking about. And the experience that I have in Cancun, I used to sell one and speak for the hotel chain. So I have more involved with the different clients from Europe, Asia, Canada, States, South America. So I realized it, that experience told me that the customer service can make or break your sale. So in Latin America, we don't just provide the service. We are more like create the experience. It's not just like in big restaurants or big hotel chain. It's part of our culture. We like to serve people. You see a waiter that will treat you like family, “Hey, what do you want?” And all that. Not in a respect to manner, more will be like, hey, they want to be sure that you have a good experience. Or, usually, the Hispanic community has an approach that is more warm, more personal, more that wants to make you feel at home. So this isn't merely just a sales tactic. It's good because when you got you provide a good service, usually, they give you a good tip. You are the waiter or something providing the service. But this is a reflection of who we are. So for example, when I did one of my master's degree in the States, so I had, I used to live in Orlando. So I knew that part of this culture here in the States. But when we moved to the States, the only thing that my wife knew from the States was the airport because she flew to Europe, Canada, and stuff like that. So we went to a restaurant, and then the lady came, “Hey, do you want anything else? No. Okay. Here's the check.” And she was really offended because, “Hey. I'm still talking with my husband and all that.” She felt offended because she thought that, well, we didn't ask for the check. So it's in Mexico and Latin America is really common that after the meal, you start to talk, [17:40] and all that, and spend more time there. So she was offended because bringing the check too soon, it feels like you are being rushed where, “Hey, you need to go because I need more to sit another table here.” So, but I tell her, no. That's normal here. It's not a rush. We can stay longer. But once that she start to, “Okay. Yeah. That's normal.” But at the beginning, it's, and when I talk with anybody from Colombia, Venezuela, Peru, Chile, yeah. They said, “Yeah, that happened to me, and I was really offended by that.” So but, yeah, you have to get involved in that. If, for example, company like that, for example, Starbucks, that's why they have a big success there because, “Hey, yes, chill out there. Do your business meetings here.” I'm not, we don't care. We already charged you that on the coffee. So, they don't care about that. So you don't have to, you have to connect with them and provide that service. It's not like they are being just that as a sales tactic. It's because that's how we shape around the customer service.

Pat Miller: 18:38

The concept of customer service of including the family, how money might work, these are really valuable things for people who aren't a part of the community to understand so they can do a better job of engaging. Going back to the beginning, non-native speakers are translating into Spanish all the time in an effort to connect. And I know this is a super obvious question, but native speakers can tell when non-natives are trying to translate. I mean, it is obvious. What are some of the common indicators and mistakes that people make when they, they're trying their best, but a native speaker would be like, “Okay. I know you're trying, but, you know, this isn't, I can tell you don't know what you're doing.”

Marco Rios: 19:20

Yeah. How can I say this? Yeah. Obviously, it's, you can, for example, right now, you can see that I have an accent that maybe I can use it, works in all that aspect. But this, sometimes I know that this part, we really appreciate. For example, when somebody from France, I have a lot of friends from France, Canada, Europe, and all that. When they try, we really appreciate that. We don't make feel like, “Hey, you are not doing right,” and all that. But because we really like, we feel that you are, you really want to connect with us because you are trying. So it's not that you have to make it this perfect and all that. But this is important that you have to be involved with the culture, but that doesn't, you don't need to, you don't want to appropriate the culture. For example, McDonald did something like that. We have a big celebration called Dia de la Candelaria in Mexico. It's more like something religious thing. But, basically, we have a tradition that on February 2nd, we eat tamales. And McDonald's said, ‘Hey, let's launch a campaign over there saying, ‘Hey, tamales are the thing of the past. Here's the McBurrito.” So don't mess with the Mexican or Latin American food, but we are really proud of that. So they had to go then and say, “Hey, sorry. We didn't want to.” Because that was perceived more like you want to move back something of our culture and impose this one. But that's, they make it in our language. The language was good. So, yeah, we understand because we knew that they are not talking the lingo maybe and all that. What we care about, we doesn't feel like, hey, we we're never going to do that. That's a big mistake on stuff like that. So nobody expect perfection. But here's the difference. The little details either build trust or making messes feel off, so that something doesn't resonate and stuff like that. So in English, you may casually say, for example, you. And when you are talking to somebody, “Hey, you. How are you?” Or something like that. And in Mexico, you translate that tu. Well, in Spanish, it's like tu, and tu is a little bit feel aggressive. It's not polite. You are not doing anything bad. So you have to say usted. We don't have a translation in English as usted. It will be also you. But that's more formal, more polite when you are talking with an elder and stuff like that, because we care about those things. But if you say, “Hey, tu. How do you?” We understand. So it's not more about that you have to make it perfect. Language is not as I mentioned before, it's not the words. It's about making people understood and that you want to get, be part of that. I think everybody, not just the Hispanic community, when they feel that you are just approaching because you want something from us, it's not like, no. That doesn't feel authentic. So I think it's more like that. You don't have to be perfect, but you need to be show that you care.

Pat Miller: 22:15

Yeah. And I think that's the $100,000 or $1,900,000,000,000 question of the interview. Someone like myself who's not Hispanic that wants to make an authentic connection with those in the community, wants to put in the work and show the respect and build the trust, but is not fluent, is trying my best, would I be welcomed to work with the Hispanic community? Or like you say, if I do it wrong, would it be, you know, you stay over there. We've got photographers. Is it an opportunity for folks that aren't a part of the community if they approach it the right way?

Marco Rios: 22:50

Yeah. Well, you mean, like, for example, like, if we punish that you are not doing the things right, so we are going to avoid you?

Pat Miller: 22:57

No. I mean, using the guidance you've given us here today, we wanna do it the right way. We wanna be respectful. We wanna have great customer service. We wanna include the family in what we're doing. We wanna use the language when appropriate. Is it an opportunity? Would we be welcome to make an effort? Like, you were just saying.

Marco Rios: 23:14

Sure, sure.

Pat Miller: 23:14

It's okay to try because some people may think, I shouldn't go there. I shouldn't try because I'm not Hispanic. I just wanna clarify. If you do it the right way, it's fair game.

Marco Rios: 23:26

Yeah. No. No. No. Yeah. As I mentioned before, we are really warm. We like people. We get involved. You sometimes if you go to a restaurant and we’re all like, “Hey, I like that shirt. Yeah, me, too.” You’re gonna start making friends. We make friends really easy because we have to be more polite and all. We are professional when we have to be professional, but most of the time, we are like, “Hey, I like that shirt that,” and you can start having friends here. For example, my wife. My wife, it’s easier for her to make friends than myself because I'm more, like, introspective, but I make friends. But my wife is like, she always go, “Hey, I like that shirt. I have a new friend, and I'm going to take a coffee with her tomorrow,” because we like that aspect. So we are not like, “No, don’t approach to us.” The thing is that, as you mentioned, sometimes people think that they have to know everything and get involved. No. Just try. If you make a mistake, “Hey, sorry, I made a mistake, but I tried,” and we feel that, and we helped that. “Hey. no.” For example, and sometimes there are some companies that, “Hey, I don't know how to do this, and I want to connect with you.” Tell me. You have social media right now. You can ask on Instagram, Facebook, over social media. Hey, I want to connect with this. How you mention this or like this? And people will jump in. We'll say, “Let me help you. I can't help you with this,” and they won't charge you. Or maybe, yeah, don’t take more money and we’ll be here. But usually, if you have trouble, go here, go there. We help a lot of people, and it's more like because we feel like you care. So if we feel like you care, we adopt you, not like, adopt you, adopt you is more like adopt you in our community. “Hey, he cares, and let's help him on this and not.” As I mentioned, we're a community, not just a family. It's also friends and all that. So, “Hey, I can help you. I will connect you with this guy and this guy and this guy,” and then you will have a lot of resources directly from the pound.

Pat Miller: 25:14

This isn't about business. I just wanna come to the quinceañera. Can I get an invite? I just wanna come to the big party. That's what I want. I wanna come hang out and get to know everybody. Can I do that?

Marco Rios: 25:22

Sure. In fact, there is a lot of, for example, maybe in the big cities in Mexico is not normal. But usually in small towns, the event is open to everybody. Why? Because they have this belief that if more people came to your home, it's because they feel more comfortable with you. And so your, they will your gear will be more blessed. So that's the only, so they, yeah. But you see more, more, better. So come here. I love it. And all that. So yeah. Yeah. For sure. I love it.

Pat Miller: 25:54

That sounds like fun. Thank you for answering the question about the door’s open if you do it the right way. That helps me, and it will help others as well.

Marco Rios: 26:01

In fact, sorry for interrupt you, but I have a funny story.

Pat Miller: 26:04

Please.

Marco Rios: 26:05

Once we made a mistake, we went, when I was in high school well, no, middle school here. Yeah, middle school here. I went to a quinceañera, but we made a mistake. We went to in front, “Hey, welcome here.” We ate and all that. And then we saw the quinceañera and say, “That's not our friend. Hey, sir. Who's quinceañera is this one?” Oh, some other lady. “Oh, sorry. We were in the wrong one.” “Oh, sorry. But you don't want to stay? You already ate, so the kids come in the party and all that.” So we were confused because it wasn't, the next one. Well, we’re confused where so long was that, but we were welcome, and they even didn't know those. We thought we came very secure that we were on the right party, but it wasn't. So, answering again, yes. You can go.

Pat Miller: 26:49

That's great. I'm gonna show up. I'm on my way. You talk about bigger companies and how they try and do it. So let's say we have a photography studio that's gonna make a purposeful effort to make a connection with the community. And they think I know what I'll do. I'll hire a Hispanic employer too, and I'll have them go make relations with the community. And you shared with me that maybe a better strategy would be to have awareness of the community and engagement with the community throughout the entire organization, not just 1 or 2 representatives.

Marco Rios: 27:20

Here's the thing. Having 1 or 2 Hispanic employee, I think, do you think that's enough to really connect to the Hispanic market? I don't think so. Well, that's like hiring a chef expecting that also run the front desk. It just doesn't work. So okay, yeah. It's a good step. Having somebody that speak the language, it's okay. But I have seen a lot of companies that, yeah, we're connecting. We already hired somebody at the front desk. Okay, yeah. He received the calls but what going on after that? The people don't really get involved in that. So it's okay. It's just like, for example, you hire somebody at front desk or service representative, but then when they have something with marketing or dealing with IT or something like that, what happened then? So you miss that opportunity. So the experience, it’s like, you have to be consistent. If you don't, if you are not consistent, well, that's the thing. So hiring somebody, it's okay, but not just an entry-level. When you start to hire also the manager, you start to have another view, point of views. I strongly recommend my clients that they want to go, for example, to Colombia. And specifically, let's say Cali in Colombia, hire somebody like in-house or out-house and like a consultant to know more about the traditions and lingo from that specific part of the country. It's like here, for example, the accent itself is different, the expressions in the California, the expressions in New York City. So you have to at least to be sure that you are not making mistake because I know I speak Hispanic and all that, but if somebody when I had somebody that want to open in Colombia, I have contacts in Colombia. “Hey, we are going to do this and all that.” So it's good idea. No, this. Usually, we are 80% right, but we have some tweaks that we have to adapt according to that specific area. But if you hire somebody from the entry-level, they want then that's beyond their responsibility. So, but if you are a manager, a director, and also you will have a bigger view because you have, it's like saying, if you have hired people just from Mexico, well, you have will have a really good connection with Mexicans but maybe not the Colombians. So that's the thing. But if you have a, the thing is that you have to do a melting pot that connect, that complement each other, like the strands and all that parts so that it will help you to grow and really connect.

Pat Miller: 29:39

Now last question because we're almost out of time.

Marco Rios: 29:42

Sure.

Pat Miller: 29:43

In your experience of helping people connect with the Hispanic community, are there any pet peeves or bad habits of yours that you see companies do over and over again that you wish you could just wave a magic wand and everyone would stop? Does anything come to mind?

Marco Rios: 29:57

Yes. I'm from Puebla. Puebla is 2 hours away from Mexico City, and the only two places that celebrate Cinco de Mayo, it's United States and Puebla. Cinco de Mayo is a big, I don't know why it’s a big thing here. I know that a lot of people think that it's our Independence Day. It's not. It's a big battle that we won over France and was celebrated just in this state that I am from there. So I really like it there, the Cinco de Mayo. I know the story on Cinco de Mayo, but I don't feel offended because I know that it's not, it doesn't want to be a stereotype or offensive and all that. [30:36]. But once people say, “No. It's not our Independence Day and all that.” But it's important to mention that the Hispanic culture is rich. Even in Mexico, you have big differences. For example, I used to live in the South. And when I speak with the South accent, my wife doesn't understand, even if it's Hispanic because it's faster. It's more you have the words and no [30:56] so you have to represent that. But I think the thing that I don't like is that assuming that it's Hispanic, so they don't know about the culture. They don't know about the, maybe they don't speak a lot of English. Yeah. I know that, for example, I have to improve my English and all that. But I know all the value that we can improve on all those aspects. Why? Because I speak Spanish, English, and some Italian. And when you change that, it's a big thing that in your brain that is changing all those aspects. And I know that a lot of people doesn't feel like, get desperate because I don't, but sometimes that switch is when you start to struggle. Like, okay. It's like your computer. When you open a lot of windows, you sometimes struggle, but you have to do the switch. And it's hard because sometimes I have one client that right now, we do and speak in English, and the next meeting that happened in Spanish. So sometimes that switch is, like, affecting. So I will be thinking like that. I don't feel like, for example, I don't like to use that people have the stereotypes and all that because when you make things, like, for example, using the punch and all that stuff, we don't use punches. But when people do, I don't feel offended if the intention is not to offend. So, basically, the only thing that I see is, like, the Cinco de Mayo because it’s not our Independence Day.

Pat Miller: 32:12

Oh, that's great. Well, as far as your English goes, I could talk to you all day. I've really enjoyed the conversation. It's been very enlightening and very helpful because I think in general, every good person wants to have a good relationship with everyone in their community. And having this conversation is gonna help boost understanding and give us a chance to make more authentic connections with everyone in the town that we live. So, Marco Rios, thank you so much for coming on The Professional Photographer Podcast. I appreciate it.

Marco Rios: 32:43

Thank you, Pat. Thank you for having me. And you make it easier, to be honest, because usually, that's a good thing when you, I can feel that you would care, that you really want to learn and all that. And I'm sure that all of your community really wants to do it, and that's when the communication flows and all that. And when you care, you will be blessed with all the sales and all that. And most it's not just because you’ve gained not just a lot of sales. Also, you've gained a lot of friends and all that Hispanic, and we're fine. We spend good time, so.

Pat Miller: 33:11

Oh, yeah. I'm coming to the wedding. You think I'm kidding? I'm gonna be there at the next wedding that you're at.

Marco Rios: 33:15

Sure. Sure.

Pat Miller: 33:16

There’s gonna be a party.

Marco Rios: 33:16

I had 2 because we’re Catholic, I had the civil, the well, the religious one and the big party. So we have to do twice. And my wife say, I really like having 2 weddings, so maybe we need a third one. So if we have a third one, sure, you will be there.

Pat Miller: 33:31

That sounds great. Marco, thanks again. I appreciate it.

Marco Rios: 33:34

Thank you, Pat. Have a great day. Thank you.

Pat Miller: 33:35

Thank you for tuning in to this week's episode of The Professional Photographer Podcast. I'm not kidding. I'm going to a Hispanic wedding. That just sounds like way too much fun. Marco, you gotta let me know next time you're getting the party together because that just sounds epic. I will be waiting for the invitation and planning our next episode. So to help us make great stuff for you, we need to know what you think. Did you enjoy this show? What did you enjoy about this episode? Leave a comment. Email us. Let us know because that way, we can continue to make great content that helps you grow your studio. And, of course, like, comment, and subscribe, and share, and all that good stuff that podcasters ask you to do. It really does help us grow the show. Also, if you're not yet a member of Professional Photographers of America, you're missing out. PPA offers incredible resources like equipment insurance, top-notch education, and a supportive community of photographers ready to help you succeed. It's perfect for photographers who are serious about growing their business in a sustainable and profitable way. At PPA, you belong here. Discover more about PPA at ppa.com. That's pretty obvious. Right? But ppa.com. Again, I'm Pat Miller, Founder of the Small Business Owners Community. Thank you for joining us on this journey. We appreciate your support and we'll be back soon with more tools to help you build your business with The Professional Photographer Podcast. See you next time.