You Might Also Like: Math & Magic: Stories from the Frontiers of Marketing with Bob Pittman

Nobody Should Believe Me

True Story Media

True Crime, Personal Journals, Society & Culture

4.3 • 2.3K Ratings

🗓️ 20 March 2025

⏱️ 32 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Introducing Damian Maldonado: “You can’t teach motivation.” from Math & Magic: Stories from the Frontiers of Marketing with Bob Pittman.

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A billion dollar business born from a $5,000 line of credit seems hard to believe, but so are a lot of Damian Maldonado’s achievements. The co-founder and CEO of American Financing, one of the major national mortgage companies, started selling candy and Avon products door-to-door when he was just 10 years old to help provide for his family. While he didn’t go to college, he was steadfast in his pursuit of learning and his humble origins taught him the value of bootstrapping and determination. He sits down with Bob to talk about developing his aptitude for marketing at a young age, his approach to company culture, and his advice for up-and-coming entrepreneurs.

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Transcript

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0:00.0	You're listening to Math and Magic, a production of IHeart Radio.
0:07.8	I've even tried to pay people and employees in past, like, here's $100 read this book.
0:11.6	You know how many have done that?
0:13.0	Zero.
0:14.1	So it's one of those things that can't teach motivation.
0:20.0	Hi, I'm Bob Pittman, and welcome to this episode of Math and Magic, stories from
0:24.5	the Frontiers in Marketing. Today we have a self-made entrepreneur, grew up in poverty, skip
0:30.0	the formal education, and eventually built his own billion-dollar business from just $5,000 in
0:36.4	startup capital. He's the co-founder and CEO of American
0:39.8	financing, one of the major national mortgage companies. He's Damien Maldonado.
0:45.1	Damien was born in Manhattan to a single mom of four. He grew up poor, as he says, his family
0:51.0	was on food stamps, even in the good times, and he has interesting thoughts
0:55.2	on what that taught him, and we'll explore that today. Although American financing is in Colorado,
1:00.6	Damien has moved to Puerto Rico and widened his aperture to hospitality, movies, and more.
1:06.4	He's a newly minted pilot, family man, dog owner, and a fun and curious guy. Damien, welcome.
1:12.9	Thanks, Bob. Thanks for having me.
1:14.6	Before we dig in today, I want to do you in 60 seconds. Are you ready?
1:19.7	I'm ready. Do you prefer cats or dogs? Dogs.
1:23.1	Early riser or night out? Early riser.
1:25.6	West Coast or East Coast? Oh, tough one. East Coast. Colorado or Puerto Out? Early riser. West Coast or East Coast?
1:29.4	Oh, a tough one. East Coast.
1:31.2	Colorado or Puerto Rico?
	...

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