On this episode of the Playbook, I have Tommy Rodriguez. He is the founder and CEO of Automation

Empire and we're going to talk about the next great Amazon Empire. Join me for all of this and

more on the Playbook. This is Entrepreneurs the Playbook. For each week I bring you some of the

greatest athletes, celebrities and entrepreneurs to talk about their personal and professional

Playbook to success and what made them champions on the field and in the boardroom. I'm your host

David Meltzer. I am so excited all the way from the other coast. My friend Tommy Rodriguez here,

CEO, founder of Automation Empire, Tommy. Welcome to the Playbook. I appreciate you having me. It's

honor to be here, man. It truly is. Well, very cool. Well, you know, you and I didn't grow up in

the easiest time or place. Of course. And I always tell people, it's a huge advantage. In fact,

when I speak, I tell people who here grew up poor and half the audience raises their hand. I'm like,

I feel sorry for the rest of you. But one of the things beyond having that kind of basement

to start at, nothing to lose is also our perspective of looking for opportunities. I find a lot of

people that grow up with more don't see the opportunities in situations that other people do. And I

think Automation Empire is an indication that you're looking for opportunities to make money,

help people have fun with. Correct. Where did that aspect of your perspective come from?

So I've been an entrepreneur now for about nine years. And you know, I watched my mom struggle

and growing up. My mother actually kicked me out when I was 17 because I was homeless, not homeless,

but I was getting in trouble with the law. She's like, look, you're going to have to grow up and

learn how to be a man. So living in Boston at that time, you know, it was really cold outside. I

had to learn how to defend for myself and figure out, figure this out as I went. And the motivation

that you have, at least for me, starting from, you know, not having anything, just again, like you

said, you have nothing to lose and everything to gain. And people who obviously grow up and they

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