Reinvention doesn't always arrive with fanfare. Sometimes it comes through pressure, loss, and moments where the path forward isn't obvious—but staying still isn't an option. My guest on this episode of Dave of the Dead, Mark L. Madrid, knows that kind of reinvention intimately. He's a strategist, a former federal leader, and a lifelong advocate for small business—but more than that, he's someone who has learned how to carry ambition and humility at the same time.

Mark's journey stretches from rural Texas and migrant farm worker roots to Wall Street, Stanford, and the U.S. Small Business Administration. Along the way, he faced discrimination, isolation, anxiety, and personal tragedy—experiences that quietly reshaped how he defines success. Rather than chasing status, he chose to build a life grounded in discipline, faith, service, and resilience.

This conversation isn't about titles or accolades. It's about learning to fuel yourself when no one else can. It's about starting over without bitterness. And it's about understanding that real influence isn't measured by how high you climb—but by how many people you lift as you rise.

Reinvention usually isn't a decision you announce. It takes shape quietly—through small shifts, honest questions, and choices that start to add up. My guest on this episode of Dave of the Dead, Kim Gamez, knows that kind of reinvention well. She's a builder, a mother of five, and an entrepreneur shaped by showing up again and again—not by chasing the spotlight. She's built companies, lived the grind, and made the harder call to shut one down before starting her next chapter. Her latest venture, Sober(ish), didn't start as a business. It started at home—experimenting with non-alcoholic drinks with her mom and questioning ideas around identity, control, and the stories we inherit without realizing it. This conversation isn't about what Kim has built. It's about who she's become—and why the most meaningful pivots aren't driven by momentum, but by the ability to keep going when it's gone.

In this episode, I sit down with Maribel Lara — founder of Beget Love — to talk about what success costs when no one's watching. Maribel grew up the daughter of immigrants in New York City, became a caregiver to both of her parents, and learned early that ambition doesn't mean much if it isn't rooted in truth. We talk about grief, pressure, survival mode, and the moments that force you to grow whether you're ready or not. Maribel also opens up about her years working alongside Gary Vaynerchuk (aka Gary Vee), what she learned operating at the center of a fast-moving empire, and how that experience sharpened her instincts, confidence, and refusal to wait for permission. This conversation isn't polished. It's about surrendering to hard lessons, building a life and career with intention, and passing the wisdom forward while you're still here.