Ed Rivera: Meet in Person to Build Each Other

INTRO:
Ed Rivera, Also known as “Your Elevator Pal” is a Regional Modernization Trainer with TK elevator, based out of New York City and has been in the industry many years. Ed has a passion for continuously improving the elevator industry and those in it. In the near future, Ed wants to start a live, in-person elevator industry networking group to continue to build each other. Message Ed on LinkedIn if you are interested in participating.

SUMMARY:
Starting an elevator industry networking group in NYC.
– Matthew Allred interviews Ed Rivera about elevator industry networking group.
– Ed Rivera discusses their unexpected career transition from TI to another company.

Career change and job opportunity.
– Ed Rivera shares their experience of being inspired to make a career change through a conversation on LinkedIn.
– Ed Rivera provides extensive list of equipment needed for a machine removal project, showing their willingness to help others.
– Ed Rivera was offered a job opportunity by a company in New York City, but was hesitant due to the timing of the project they were working on.
– Ed Rivera’s mentors recommended they consider the opportunity, citing its unique nature and potential benefits.

Career opportunity and risk assessment.
– Ed Rivera seeks authenticity in corporate culture, meets welcoming people on trip to Atlanta.
– Ed Rivera took 6 months to decide on job opportunity after initial introduction.

Career growth and decision-making.
– Ed Rivera describes their decision to leave a role as “incredibly difficult” despite feeling it was the right choice.
– Ed Rivera did not have any fears about stepping into the new opportunity, feeling it was a natural progression.
– Ed Rivera shares their career journey of taking risks and making decisions based on personal principles and values, despite potential criticism or resistance from others.
– Matthew Allred agrees, emphasizing the importance of integrity and respect in making decisions that align with one’s own journey and values.

TRANSCRIPT:
Ed Rivera 0:00
Yeah, Matt. So I have I have this, like, I have this vision, right? I have this vision of getting industry professionals together, being an apprentice, project manager, district manager at Area Manager, a mechanic, industry personnel, I have this vision of getting people together in the pursuit of excellence. Sort of like personal growth, but with the focus, you know, on our industry, right, how what can we do collectively, to enhance our industry? What can we do collectively, to, you know, elevate the industry by elevating ourselves, right, like, and I want to bring that opportunity together in person in New York City, so that’s going to be the next step. Whether it’s going to be this month or next month, I want to get people together.

Matthew Allred 1:04
How do you how do you want them to reach out to you if they’re interested?

Ed Rivera 1:09
Oh, just message me on LinkedIn.

Matthew Allred 1:11
Hello! and welcome to the elevator careers podcast sponsored by the Allred Group. I am your host, Matt Allred. In this podcast, we talk to the people whose lives and careers are dedicated to the vertical transportation industry to inform and share lessons learned, building upon the foundation of those who have gone before to inspire the next generation of elevator careers. Today, our guest is Ed Rivera, also known as your elevator pal. Ed is a regional modernization trainer with TK elevator based out of New York City, and has been in industry many years, and has a passion for continuously improving the elevator industry. And those in it. In the near future. Edie wants to start a live in person, elevator industry networking group to continue to build each other message head on LinkedIn, if you’re interested in participating. to the show.

Ed Rivera 2:08
Wow, well Matt, thanks for having me on again.

Matthew Allred 2:11
Yeah, no, I mean, it’s been a couple of years, honestly. And so

Ed Rivera 2:15
that’s crazy. It has been a couple of years.

Matthew Allred 2:17
Yeah, Yeah it was February of 2022, as I recall. So that’s a long time. And honestly, you’ve got a lot more to share. And obviously, our conversation recently reminded me that that it’s time to get you back on here. And so this time, I want to talk to you about your your career transition, because it was shortly after we did that, that interview that you left epi join TK and I’m just curious what what kind of inspired that change. That was a big change for you.

Ed Rivera 2:53
It was a huge change. It wasn’t a change I ever. It was never my plan, put it that way and never had a plan to. I never had a plan to leave TEI. Right. TEI has always been my my home. I still consider ti my home.

Matthew Allred 3:11
How long did you? Were you at TEI?

Ed Rivera 3:15
Oh, well over 15 years? It’s seven teen years long time. Long time. Yeah. Long, long, long time. Yeah.

Matthew Allred 3:23
Grew up there.

Ed Rivera 3:24
I absolutely did. You know, my first it was the only company that was when I got into into local one I worked for TEI it was, you know, as an apprentice and mechanic and then Foreman and, you know, a couple of different roles within the organization. So yeah, it was it was home man. And like I said, I still consider it home. Whether they want they will you know, whether they would you know, let me back into the house or not. I don’t know. You know

Matthew Allred 3:52
You’re the prodigal. Right. It’s like now. Yeah.

Ed Rivera 3:54
I don’t know. I don’t know. But it’s yeah, it’s definitely a great, a great place. I don’t think I would have had the experiences I had. Had I started in another company.

Matthew Allred 4:11
Yeah. No, I mean, you’ve grown in ways that that maybe other companies especially, I don’t know. And sometimes I just see people who get little pigeonholed in certain companies because of the way they’re structured. And because of the way that you know, maybe, maybe it’s just the owner, right? Unless you have, you know, you’re the son or the you know, the close relative, you don’t get the next opportunity, but certain companies, small or big. I’m gonna talk to a guy today that builds like the structure is just kind of limiting to where he’s at. Even though it’s a big company, so to be able to do all you’ve done is this awesome.

Ed Rivera 4:51
Yeah, I again, I said, I don’t think it would have happened. It couldn’t have happened any other way. I think you know, it definitely.

Matthew Allred 4:59
Yeah. Uh, what was it that kind of inspired this this change? And because you said you’d never thought of it, you’d been there, you know, your whole life essentially, what what kind of happened that that led you to make that change?

Ed Rivera 5:14
Oh, well, I guess the opportunity presented itself in a unique way, actually. And it actually it came from LinkedIn, not like a LinkedIn job description, post that I had created. A year or so prior to the job opportunity, almost a year and a half before the job opportunity presented itself. And it was the removal of a large oldest machine. And Marty Walker, who works for TK. He’s like the the mod director. No, that was his title at the time, I think is similar. I think they changed some names around but he’s still, you know, like the National mod guy. He had reached out asking me a question about the machine removal. I really had no idea. All right, you know, I’m happy to help anybody I can write you, you have a question. And that can provide some insight and guidance I’m going to share with you I don’t know

Matthew Allred 6:21
It was more of a conversation. Like it wasn’t, it wasn’t a job that that was put in front of you. It’s more of a hey, let’s let’s talk. Let’s have let’s create a relationship essentially.

Ed Rivera 6:32
Yeah, But more like, hey, this was the question, how long did it take you? And I was like, This is how long it took. And then I wrote like a whole extensive list of all the equipment you need to execute the work. I didn’t think anything of it, you know, it was just like, hey, I’m just want to help somebody else. Go. Yeah, here you go. If I can help in any other way, let me know. And I’d love to meet you if I’m ever in New York. City. Yeah, sure. Cool. Let’s do it. You know, if you ever come to New York, let me know. The year plus, you know, passes by. And he sends me a no, hey, I’m going to be in New York City. I’d love to meet you and kind of set Yeah, sure. So we met. And he had brought the North East president at the time, Joe Smith with him to lunch. And we chatted, you know, had a little, you know, nice lunch and chat. And they wanted to present me with a job opportunity. Wow. Yeah, it was like, we wanted to present your job opportunity. I said, Okay, listen, guys, let’s not ruin lunch, or ruin this. This, this experience right now, you know, kind of, you know, connecting. If this job opportunity has anything to do with me, given my union card, I don’t want anything to do with it. Like, I’m not looking. That’s not something I was looking to do. And they said, no, no, no, it’s, you know, you get to keep your union card. And this is the role and they kind of described it. The title was like, regional mod trainer, provide training, technical training and support to the field personnel. And, you know, we think it’d be a good fit for the role and sounds interesting, you know, I don’t know these people. But it sounds like, you know, alright, I’ll chew on it. But that was also, you know, it was probably around November. And I was in the middle of a project, that project wasn’t going to be done till April or May the following year. And I said, I have to tell you something like, I will not, like walk away from this project, like, I have to finish this project. And this project is not done till April or May. So, you know, if that’s a deal breaker, that’s a deal breaker, because I’m not going to just leave, right? And, you know, no, no, no, if you’re actually looking to join, we would wait for you. Cool. Yeah. And yeah, after that, I was just like, let me see who these people are, you know, kind of make some phone calls to people in the industry. Do you know this person? Do you know this person? Are they trustworthy?

Matthew Allred 9:12
Yeah, doing a background check, which is in reverse, which is awesome. I love that you’re doing your homework to say, tell me about this guy.

Ed Rivera 9:20
Yeah, you got to get a feel for them. Right? Because I want to, you know, if I were to make this change, I had to feel right. You know, it was like, Is this something that’s gonna make sense for me and I had reached out to two of my mentors. You know, I won’t name them for security reasons. But no, I had I had some talks with these. These two people I really look up to just to get some guidance and direction and get their thoughts on the on the role and the opportunity and they kind of like, like, it sounds like a perfect world for you. Sounds like a really unique experience and opportunity. is something you should, you know, heavily consider. So, you know, it took some time to consider it while I was still, you know, finished, you know, wrapping up the project, because we’re at the, you know, the tail end on a couple of bumps, to completion. And a few months after that they had asked me to take a trip down to Atlanta to see the test tower. Oh, yeah. So, you know, I told my wife, I said, I’m gonna go down there, but I’m going down there not to see the cool test tower. I mean, it’s elevated stuff. So it’s gonna, like be cool, innovative and cutting edge technology. So will it be pretty cool to go see, but I wanted an opportunity to get a little more like intimate with the get a feel for who they were. Because I listen, I never I don’t want to work for like a bunch of I didn’t want to work like a, like a bunch of sales personnel, right? Like, we just got this guy

Matthew Allred 10:56
Tell me about that just a little bit more. But I mean, not to throw salespeople under the bus, per se. But what do you mean by that? I’m guessing

Ed Rivera 11:03
No, Well, I want so like, I for me, well, is probably the way I have viewed like, the corporate side of the industry. Right? Right ahead, pull the stigma, like I had this. You know, this, I had this view of, you know, like a corporate America. I don’t want to deal with that BS, like, for lack of better words, right. And I definitely I definitely don’t wanna throw no salesperson under the bus, I guess, kind of use that.

Matthew Allred 11:34
No. And that’s why I asked you to define it. Because I know, I know you’re not. But I just I just wanted you to, in your mind, like you say, you’ve got to, you’ve got this idea of, of what corporate America is like, and you’ve got this some concern about walking into this situation. So I just wanted you to share that.

Ed Rivera 11:51
yeah, no, so I had to get that feel I want to be around people who want to actually execute. Right? operate. So I made the trip down there. I met some people while I was down there, and they were incredibly welcoming. And at the end of the trip, when I was on my way back, I kind of told my wife, you know, well, I am going to really consider, you know, joining the joining the company, and taking taken on this job opportunity.

Matthew Allred 12:24
So, so how long from kind of, you know, introduction, lunch meeting until you actually said, How long did you chew on this opportunity before you actually decided to take?

Ed Rivera 12:35
Oh, let’s see, November, December, January, February, March. Up to April, so six months? Go? Yeah. Yeah, it was six months. It was uh, yeah, it was it certainly wasn’t impulsive.

Matthew Allred 12:51
No, No. It wasn’t, it wasn’t just, you know, for, you know, sometimes sometimes people make a decision for, you know, a couple bucks, you know, extra. But

Ed Rivera 13:04
no, that wasn’t the driving factor, you know, I was T eyes always done well, by me. So that wasn’t it was just as unique opportunity, you know, and it was just, like, take it and, and grow from it. I mean, the worst, the worst that would happen would be that it didn’t work out. And I’d go back to running big elevator modernization projects in New York. It to me, you know, I didn’t feel like it was it was a lose, lose, I felt like I’d been losing the situation. I knew it was going to hurt, you know, you know, hurt some people in the company. Definitely. It was never my intention at all.

Matthew Allred 13:46
. So tell tell me a little bit more about that. Because there are risks right there. They’re just some personal risks. And sometimes people take it personal when, when you decide that hey, I’m gonna, I’m gonna go pursue this opportunity. What was that like for you?

Ed Rivera 14:02
Yeah, I was listed. I was kind of expecting that to happen because it’s just natural. It’s not you know, I don’t think any I don’t think any of the dissatisfaction was in. unwarranted, if that’s the right word, you know what I mean? Kind of just kind of expected. It was. But again, the decision was ever made in like malice, right. I was never like, there was never any anger towards my decision. I didn’t make it hate and haste like, it was just like, I need to just do this.

Matthew Allred 14:34
Yeah, for me for my own growth and development. And you know

Ed Rivera 14:39
Yeah. it’s one of those rare roles like you don’t I’ve never even know, you know, I didn’t know a role like this existed. So,

Matthew Allred 14:48
and they may have created it just because who knows? Sorry, here’s, here’s this guy who who knows how to. He knows mods better than we do. And maybe he can teach us up but I don’t know.

Ed Rivera 14:59
Yeah, and just everything, all the parameters fell in like, this is kind of like this was made for me to do, you know, not that they made it up because because I know that role like they haven’t they’re parts of the region, but it felt like it almost felt like a perfect role for me at the time. And it still it still feels like a great decision. So

Matthew Allred 15:20
no, that’s that’s huge. I mean, you you’ve been there almost two years right to in April. To in April. Yeah. Yep. Yep. So was it? Was it difficult to walk away? After being there so long?

Ed Rivera 15:34
Oh yeah, 100% 100% incredibly difficult. Again, it was just, I need to make this decision. You know, quickly, it took time to make the decision. And I had a not that will say the consequences because they weren’t consequences, but I knew I was gonna hurt some relationships, you know, making making change, you know, because they, you know, I look at the owners. They, you know, they were they were like, father figures. Absolutely. Yeah, yeah. Yeah, certainly they weren’t, you know, it’s just like, you know, these, they, it was more than a working relationship, you know, so it was like, so no, it wasn’t, it wasn’t easy to do.

Matthew Allred 16:25
Yeah. What were some of your biggest fears of actually stepping into that opportunity?

Ed Rivera 16:32
Well, no, I didn’t, I didn’t have any fears. I didn’t have any fear.

Matthew Allred 16:39
That’s impressive. I think I would have done because, because,

Ed Rivera 16:43
like I said, I never I didn’t feel like I wasn’t going to lose either way. Right? Yeah. Like, there was no, like, I wasn’t, I wasn’t losing value, making the move, right. And I don’t think I was losing opportunities. Making the move. So it was like, Okay, if this doesn’t work out, there’s, there’s always going to be something else, whether it’s, you know, back to TI whether it’s another company, whether I start my own company. Yeah, just felt comfortable in that, you know, like I said, the worst case scenario was that, I went back to running projects, so you know, how to do that. Yeah. Or, like, you know, take on this new role and get better at delivering my message and get better at training and teaching. You know, getting to do what I was already doing. On a larger scale.

Matthew Allred 17:42
So you and I talked to one point, and the idea came up that, that sometimes, you know, advocating for yourself, and taking opportunities can be a little bit of a lonely road, right? Because, you Oh, you don’t get to take your whole entourage with you sometimes. And it’s like, Man, I gotta, I gotta go this route on my own?

Ed Rivera 18:03
Yeah. Oh, absolutely. I felt like that my whole career like, and that’s not even a bad thing. It’s like, the react because the reality is like, the, the reality is, you gotta you got to make these choices. Like for yourself, right? And it’s scary doing that, you know, in a sense where that, you know, not everyone’s always gonna be clapping for you, you’re not going to make a change. If you’re going to make a change and hope everybody’s clapping for you.

Matthew Allred 18:38
I’ll write because I’m talking to somebody just recently, who then moved to a new new company. And the new company, you know, some of the people there didn’t want so they’re trying to sabotage that person’s, you know, entrance into this new company. Well, the old company probably wasn’t happy either. So, you’re right. There’s risk. There’s, you know, not everybody’s clapping.

Ed Rivera 18:58
No, not not everyone. Not everyone’s clapping. So people were happy. Some people weren’t happy. Some people, I made the worst decision in my career, you’re gonna regret it. Some people were like, you’re gonna Excel, you’re gonna do great. And just like, I don’t know about you guys, but I feel good. Like, this is okay. Like, I’ve been making these kinds of decisions. You know, my whole career. Some people understand this, some people don’t, but it’s not their job to understand. Your journey is your journey. You know, I think if you do it with a level of, you know, respect, and a level of integrity, hold true to your own principles and values, then what more could you ask for, you know, like I said, You do something they, they they’re gonna, they’re gonna boo you, you don’t do something, they’re going to boo you so doesn’t or they’re going to cheer for you. So you know, he can’t, you can, you know, make those decisions based on how someone else is going to put Most people, yeah, yeah. How they’re gonna perceive your decision, You know?

Matthew Allred 20:04
Yeah. And I hear you. I mean, I know a lot of times in my life, I’ve got a streak of a people pleaser at times. And so sometimes there’s been some fear of oh, what someone’s gonna think what so I’m gonna we’re gonna think and, and, to your point, you know, they’re not the ones living my life, not the one living your life, you got to make the decision, do the best you can to to make the right ones and go with it.

Ed Rivera 20:28
Yeah, man. And let’s say again, you do it. And if you fail out to try, you got to try, you know, I wouldn’t want to be someone who like, jumped at every opportunity thrown at me, like, I’m going to just hop around, you know, if you, if I look at my career, if I look at my career in this industry, I’ve only been with three companies, right, I started off filing for Boca group. And then I was at TI, and, you know, and tk elevate him. You know, and while I was growing, there was there was oh, there’s always been opportunities for myself. I didn’t jump at everyone that came my way. It has just, yeah, the universe just kind of came together presented this opportunity that I found unique and like, let’s give it a shot.

Matthew Allred 21:20
Yeah, that’s awesome. And I’m glad you brought that up. Because I, I do see at times people who, you know, it’s like, you know, why, you know, look at the resume and you know, hopping every 18 months or something that’s like, what, well, I was recruited here, I was recruited here, but to your point, nobody’s making you do that you’ve got to, you’ve got to choose for your own, you know, career situation, and not necessarily take everything that that comes in front of you. Because then it’s like, well, who’s who’s leading your career? Is it just somebody that’s pulling around on a leash? Or are you making the choices saying no, when it’s appropriate? Saying yes, when it’s appropriate? And, you know, creating the career that you want versus somebody else wants?

Ed Rivera 21:59
Yeah, you know, and people leave, you know, for these different reasons, but if you can kind of navigate your career, too, you know, on this, like, growth, right? Like, I wouldn’t have left if I wouldn’t, I wouldn’t. I wouldn’t ever have left if the role was to be like a foreman. I was I was doing that already. So what I leave like, this wouldn’t be, you know, I was again, there was nothing wrong. I, you know, I was happy there. So I didn’t go I just went for this. Here’s this unique role. And let’s try something new man.

Matthew Allred 22:33
So tell me about just a little bit about this role, your regional training, is that right? Yeah, that’s

Ed Rivera 22:38
what they call it. That’s what they always found the name funny. But yeah, they could they call it a regional, regional mod, or Mod regional trainer, or something along those lines.

Matthew Allred 22:48
traveling within the northeast, or whatever.

Ed Rivera 22:51
So yeah, the role is in the Northeast region. And mainly, mainly in up in mainly in New York, New Jersey, and Long Island, I’ve gone upstate a couple of times. I haven’t been, there hasn’t been anything that’s, you know, where I’ve been needed elsewhere just yet. I’ve been down to Philly. But they’re like Mid Atlantic a couple of times, to provide some support. You know, and when

Matthew Allred 23:23
So you’re training people as they’re doing the mods, or before they did the mods, or I’m just curious

Ed Rivera 23:29
yeah, so it’s, it’s in the field, right, and the project underway. And so a lot of it too, is like, with the roles, it’s, you know, as a card carrier, I could be in the field, and I could work with my tools and everything in local one. When I go and visit, like another state, and it has another local, I go to the hall, I check in, you know, hey, I’m here to just provide training, like, a lot of times you go to these other locals, they don’t want you to use any tools, which, you know, you know, completely respect that and provide the guidance. And for the most part, everyone, everybody, everywhere I’ve gone, people have been welcoming. So that’s been, you know, reassuring, like, okay, cool. I’m not sort of like here to help. But then on that end, it’s like, so there’s this part, there’s this aspect of the job where, you know, you’re in the field, and you’re teaching best practices and depending on the mechanic, right, so sometimes the mechanics just going to become, in my experience so far, like, I’ve had a mechanic who was becoming, we’re going to be running his first project, right? So she’s like, okay, cool, I could work with him a little bit and provide, you know, the sort of insights that I have to run a project successfully, or like, like, efficiently, you know, and then it’s like, work with the supervisors for best practices on how to, you know, help the mechanic and apprentice on the project be successful. Right, how do I help them clear the path and, like, look ahead and create schedules and So there’s, it’s almost like there’s internal training and there’s external training like in the field, and then like, in the office as needed, right? I don’t go and like, I’m here. And this is how you should do everything and follow everything I say, it’s just like, you got your job, you got your job.

Matthew Allred 25:18
And you’re not, I mean, it’s not like you’re accountable for their project, as much as you’re like, is it there, you’re there to provide support somebody else is, is ultimately responsible for whether that project is profitable or not correct?

Ed Rivera 25:33
essentially, yeah. Because the role because it’s a regional role. So the region provides the support to the local branches, right. And then I’ve worked with the sales teams, looking at projects to bid on to help ensure that we’re capturing the essence of the project, right, the actual scope of the work, and we’re capturing the required hours to do the project. That’s been a really successful venture, working with the sales team, and kind of, like, you know, standardizing a couple of things. And then like, when they go to look at a project, if it’s a big one, I’ll join them. But if not, we have like process, you know, between us, we develop processes, you know, to implement on what you should be looking for, you know, what kind of photos to take, what kind of videos because I’m not gonna be able to make it there. I like the extra videos, like I want to see the path to the motor room, I want to see like a bunch of things, and just to help ensure that the team captures the hours so so that the sale that you make, we could actually execute on that cell.

Matthew Allred 26:42
right. Because that is your job, right? The execution or at least training on the execution of how to how to carry it out.

Ed Rivera 26:48
Yeah, yeah. Yeah. So there’s like the front end, and then like, you know, the operations and then the, the field execution, so I get to provide support in those three areas. Awesome. Yeah.

Matthew Allred 27:02
So So what brings you the most joy in your profession?

Ed Rivera 27:11
What brings me the most joy? I think the motion joy is the is the is the sort of the long game right? Knowing that we are working towards

striving for improvement, right? Like, I don’t, that brings me the most joy, like the moment I feel that we’re not going to improve. Because you could you could, you could throw the word like improve around, let’s just improve and, but like if the individuals daily actions, don’t showcase the pursuit of improvement, as a team, then I wouldn’t want to be around that team. So that’s what that’s what kind of gets me excited.

Matthew Allred 28:03
Pursuit of excellence. is what I’m hearing you say that?

Ed Rivera 28:06
really is that Chase is that pursuit, you know, because I understand what it takes to develop a winning team, right? I know. And it’s like, with elevator projects, or products in general, right? Projects have a start. And they have a finish, right? That’s the definition of project. Right? So to see that when you start a project and to finish a project, right? You don’t get to practice elevators, right? You don’t get to practice modernizations, you’re essentially, you’re practicing every project that comes at a cost, right? So that cost has to be understood. So that’s where it goes to the point where, okay, we’re gonna lose on this one a little bit. But we lost on this project a little, because we were in the pursuit of excellence. So that on the next project, we just get better. Like, that’s

Matthew Allred 28:56
the learning curve, right? You’re, you’re constantly driving that down. And maybe like st, maybe cost us a little bit. But if we, but if we’ve just learned something that’s going to save us on every next project, then it’s worth learning it.

Ed Rivera 29:10
It is. And again, that’s where that’s where you go to the point where, like, it takes time. So it’s an, excuse me, it’s a commitment for the organization, any organization, right to make a commitment to do that, and to really understand that it does take time. But again, you have to see that it’s being pursued daily. Right? Right. You have to know that and I can see it in the team, like I can know if we’re, we’re pursuing we’re moving in that direction. Otherwise, you know, again, then then we would all be wasting our time and like, like, then it’s not exciting for me. I don’t want to I don’t want to just collect the paycheck. I want to build something right. Like that’s what, what gets me going. That’s what gets me excited when I get up and come in Monday morning. I’m like, Alright, let’s do it this week. Let’s get better at Got this.

Matthew Allred 30:00
And that’s one thing I see in your, in your online presence in your posts is you’re kind of reaching out to the world saying, Hey, look at this, you know, we can do like, like you said, like with that, that thing that Marty saw, it’s like, this is this is how we do X, Y, and Z. And it’s like, oh, wow, I can learn something from him. And he can teach my people and, and you’ve actually shared this with me other times just just that the idea of, of wanting to connect and and kind of drive that, that idea of, of excellence, but and I think one of the one of the things that goes through my heads is it seems like in this connected world, we’re we’re more disconnected than we’ve ever been it because actual connection. It seems like it’s harder and harder to get, you know, you can get a text. But is that a real connection? You know, even the email sometimes is, I don’t know, I’m guilty of misinterpreting or miss reading. And it’s like

Ed Rivera 30:58
you can’t can’t tell tone from an email or a text or right. It’s impossible, you know? Yeah, I mean, LinkedIn has been a great and in a way that I’ve been able to connect with the industry, right? From a distance, right? If you think about it, right. It’s just like on a screen, and what you see is really what you get, right? There’s nothing like, that’s who I am. Whether it’s not like something made up. It’s just like, This is me. So when you do meet me, a person’s like, Oh, this is the same person that I kind of known already. Right? But yeah, you want to kind of take in a lot of people connected around the world, which is also incredibly fascinating. But I think there’s opportunity, you know, to connect locally, that would be

Matthew Allred 31:49
yeah, sorry to interrupt. I mean, you shared with me kind of a vision at one, one point now just curious. And maybe you can share it now. But if you were to do one thing, to connect to help people encourage, to help encourage people to strive for excellence, what’s that one thing you do?

Ed Rivera 32:09
Sort of taking it pass, just like the post on LinkedIn, right? Like that. That pursuit, you know, what I’m looking what I’m looking to do. And I’m kind of like, put a feeler out there. I like to bring that community to life, right, on a local level right now. Because that’s just, you know, not looking to travel.

Matthew Allred 32:33
For me a little bit, what does that look like? Well,

Ed Rivera 32:36
what it looks like it may head at the moment, and I’ve been toying with this for a bit. Individual, you know, industry, industry industry professionals in from, from the field, or from the office, whether you’re an apprentice mechanic, a foreman or adjuster, Assistant, project manager or coordinator, just the elevator industry, right. And sort of get together once a month, once a quarter, I’m not sure. And not like get together and kind of like, just have a social, I mean, there’s a social aspect to it. Because you’re, you know, you’re connecting, you’re getting together, but sort of getting together and like figuring out, like I imagined, like the first get together is like, you know, who you are, what you’re doing, and where do you want to be. And once we figure that out, or once that figured out what we learned that about each other, we can look for ways to kind of help each other grow, and how that looks. I think it could be something like, these were the books I’ve read that helped me grow my career. These are unlike horses that I took. Or these were the things I did as I was growing, you know, on my professional journey, and look to learn from each other in order to help each other right. If we can, like, if we’re all striving for this, this level of excellence, I think not only does it elevate the individual, but it’ll eventually elevate the industry. Right? Yeah. Where we were excellence is the standard. And no one like, you know, no company, no, you know, union non union or no one like the industry as a whole is just striving for that excellence. Now, is this going to just change change the ship overnight? No, but I think I think there’s a lot of people who who wants the same things like that, like that I want for the industry, you know, and, and to grow professionally, you know, I’d like to, I’m looking to give more than I could then I would receive Right, like, not that I wouldn’t even learn, but I feel like we can, you know, being able to connect with people who can add value to each other, I think would be pretty interesting. And I don’t know if it will flourish into anything, but I think it’s worth exploring

Matthew Allred 35:18
Absolutely Well, I mean, like you said, it may not change the leadership, but once but but it’s kind of like the old saying about the starship, the starfish, you know, you throw a starfish back. In other words, it matters to one person at a time. And so even if it’s 20 people that get together in Queens, or Manhattan, or wherever local happens to be and just say, hey, let’s, let’s, let’s just meet and talk, let’s, let’s, we’ll do some networking, we’ll do some mentoring, will answer some questions, ask some questions, and encourage each other in the pursuit of excellence is what I’m hearing.

Ed Rivera 35:52
Yeah, absolutely. You know, there’s, there’s this Yeah, you kind of nailed it, you know, like I said, I think it could, it could be something, you know, it’s not going to be like, Let’s get together and bash our, our companies and organizations, like, we don’t need to, you know, we’re fine with that stuff. Like, there’s, there’s faults everywhere, um, you know, talking though it, highlighting them and kind of like, you know, or complaining about them won’t really do anything, you know, you can highlight some things that as a whole, the industry could do better. And we can kind of like, have those discussions, and maybe it sparks a change, you know, maybe it’s just, you know, again, you know, one person gain something from the whole experience, and it’s, it’s a win.

Matthew Allred 36:39
Cool yeah. Yeah. And, yeah, you never never know where to go. I mean, I do you see that? Yeah, if somebody is there to complain, well, then they’re not really willing to take responsibility for themselves, because they’re just pointing fingers at other people. So it might be a way to educate those that want to go that direction, that dude, that’s not even, that’s not even helping you. Yeah,

Ed Rivera 37:02
and like I said, you don’t, sometimes you don’t get to you don’t get to connect with people in the industry, that are like in, you know, different that are in different stages of their careers, right like this, you know, it could be an opportunity for people who are, you know, more season to, you know, connect with, you know, individuals who aren’t as seasoned and maybe can opportunity to share. And this I’ve been blessed in have, you know, and having, you know, connected with amazing individuals in this industry, who, you know, inspire me for more, that people wouldn’t have access to. Not like, it’s a super elite club, but I’m just saying like, they happen to work this place. And this place had these amazing people who, like, inspired inspired me, you know, to pursue great things. So maybe giving that access to others would be Oh, no, no.

Matthew Allred 38:03
I mean, what I’m hearing you say is, is an opportunity to give back and invest in others, like, like I was invested in by others

Ed Rivera 38:13
yeah, yeah, give give back, give a chance to give back and, and see where it goes, I guess I’m gonna put it out there and see how it works out.

Matthew Allred 38:23
Let’s do that. It’s, in fact, hopefully, we’ll get some people listening to this. And you know, when we throw it out there, and you’ll get some people respond and say, hey, I want to be part of part of the excellence club, or whatever you call it.

Ed Rivera 38:37
Yeah, no, that’d be cool. Hey, listen, if it’s gonna be, it’s gonna be in Manhattan. It’s gonna be in New York City, you know, that that’s going to be the meeting point. So yeah, if anybody were interested in doing something, in meeting, really, let’s meet and see, you know, I have a I have, I have a structure. And I just got to see it, come come to life and get

Matthew Allred 38:59
some folks show up as it sounds like, right, just

Ed Rivera 39:01
Yeah, just let’s just get a show up and see, you know, how this is going to work out. And maybe it maybe it’s,

Matthew Allred 39:09
yeah, it’s beautiful. I love the vision. And I think I think there are a lot of people that are going to like it as well and want to get them on board. And honestly, if I lived in New York, I would want to come hang out with you guys. Sounds awesome.

Ed Rivera 39:21
Yeah. That’d be cool.

Matthew Allred 39:25
Well Ed, thank you. It’s been a pleasure and a privilege interviewing you again. So thank you for being with me.

Ed Rivera 39:31
Yeah, listen, thanks. Thanks for the opportunity. I definitely appreciate it, man and keep up the great work. Everybody loves elevated careers. So you know, keep those interviews coming.

Matthew Allred 39:41
Thank you. Appreciate it. Thanks, bud. Thank you for listening to the elevator careers podcast sponsored by the all red group, a leader in elevator industry recruiting. You can check us out online at elevator careers dotnet please subscribe and until next time, stay safe.

Transcribed by https://otter.ai