Unscripted Wrap Up, Recognitions, and Thanks

Edgardo de la Garza: Welcome back to moderating live DLG Research 20th Anniversary podcast, and this is our last episode. I am Edgardo 

Elvia de la Garza: and I am Elvia. 

Edgardo de la Garza: And this will be our last episode. Like I said, we are amazed that 20 years have gone by of working together. 

Elvia de la Garza: Yes. And we, and this is pretty much the reason why we created this podcast.

Uh, just to do something fun, something different, something to celebrate and honor this 20-year-old journey that are privileged to be doing together. 

Edgardo de la Garza: Yeah. 

Elvia de la Garza: Yes, it’s been an amazing ride. And, and I, I still remember Edgardo, um, when I was working at, uh, in Miami, I was very comfortable, um, in a job that I like with coworkers that I loved.

Uh, you know, I was living the life in Miami. Um. And Edgardo approached me and he’s the one that had the idea of the DLG Research. And I remember that moment when he proposed it to me and I had my doubts obviously, because like I said, I was very comfortable and loving the life. Um, he, I remember that you told me.

There’s nothing to lose. 

Edgardo de la Garza: Absolutely. Yeah.

Elvia de la Garza: There’s nothing to lose. We’re young, we don’t have kids, we don’t have families to feed. 

Edgardo de la Garza: Not a mortgage, not payments. Let’s do it. Now is the time. 

Elvia de la Garza: Yes. And I remember you even telling me we have the support of our parents if we need to. So it really was a solid start.

It was like the, it was the time to start. And I’m so thankful that we took that leap. 

Edgardo de la Garza: And honestly, I’m also very very thankful of this jump that we did. The wonderful thing is that we made great friends along the way. We had great bosses, great people around us that became our first clients to, mm-hmm.

So we started at the right time, absolutely at the right time. And just like that 20 years have gone by. 

Elvia de la Garza: Yes. And, and basically this is the reason why. That is the reason why we wanted to do this. And so what’s the, what’s in the menu for today, Edgardo? 

Edgardo de la Garza: Today it’s, we want to close this in a very natural way, in a very unprepared way.

Elvia de la Garza: So excuse the mistakes.

Edgardo de la Garza: Please, please do that. With a couple of candid questions. Now we know what questions we are going to ask. We don’t know the answers to these questions let me go ahead and get started with that, Elvia. Okay. So let me ask you what would you be doing now if you were not a moderator?

Elvia de la Garza: What would I be doing if I wasn’t moderating? Well. Maybe I would still be in, in advertising in mm-hmm. Working, uh, for a, an ad agency. I’m thinking because I was doing that, I was happy doing it. And, and so I see that as the easiest path. Um, obviously, you know, growing up with you, you know that I always.

Before this, you know, one of my dream job, if you wanna call it was being a TV host. Remember? Like we, yes. We talked about it. You know, the started

Edgardo de la Garza: it was either that or a fashion designer. 

Elvia de la Garza: Yes, yes. But, you know, eh I I grew up loving Ellen Degeneres. And, and I remember being, oh, that’s a cool, a cool thing to do.

A cool that it’s a cool gig. And I mean, it, it’s funny because in a way. We are, yeah. Not a TV host, but we are a focus group host and it’s kind of on the same line. Mm-hmm. So, I ended up doing kind of like a, a, a version of the dream, but if I wasn’t doing this, I would probably be in, in, in, in advertising still.

Mm-hmm. I used to love working in advertising. So probably that. What about you? Yeah. 

Edgardo de la Garza: If I was not a moderator, well, you know, I love cooking. You know, when um, it was time to decide career paths, I was either going to go to the University of Texas and study advertising or go to Mexico City, to the culinary school.

Uh, this is again back in the mid nineties, so. Being a chef was not like a rockstar job like it is now, but it’s, um, it was a path that I really, really consider and something that I kind of like got to do along life. Not only, well, yeah, not professionally. Mm-hmm. But, you know, I, I love cooking and I mean, I took those classes at the Culinary Institute of America and that was, that was that makes me really happy.

Makes me really happy. 

Elvia de la Garza: I mean, you, sorry to interrupt, but I just wanna add that you’ve been cooking since forever. Yes. Uh, when we were young, uh, he, I mean, we were what, seven and five or, yeah. Yeah, nine and seven, who knows? But he would cook dinner for me. And you would,

Edgardo de la Garza: it’s something that I’ve been doing all, all my life, and it’s something that.

Comes natural. Mm-hmm. To me. Mm-hmm. And I love making people feel special, making people feel comfortable. And again, it’s kind of like at the focus group, you need to make them feel comfortable. Mm-hmm. Make them feel relaxed so that you can extract all the flavor. Yes. Mm-hmm. Just like when working in the kitchen.

Yeah. Yeah. So that’s, that’s, that’s my answer. I think that. Probably I would be in, uh, hospitality or I actually might be behind the fire cooking something. 

Elvia de la Garza: Yeah, I, I see you there. Definitely. Definitely. Okay, so

Edgardo de la Garza: what’s the next question? 

Elvia de la Garza: The next question is. A lot of people, and, and this is a question that we get all the time, how is it working with, with a family member, right?

How is it working with your brother? And a lot of people are actually shocked because, uh, they have heard from other, uh, people that 

Edgardo de la Garza: family 

Elvia de la Garza: relationships get ruined,

Edgardo de la Garza: never go into business with a family member. Yeah.

Elvia de la Garza: Yes. So my question to you is, how is it going, working with your sister? 

Edgardo de la Garza: There is it’s going great.

To summarize it, it’s, it’s going, it’s going great. We always had a special relationship growing up. There’s five of us. We’re the two youngest, so we had that special connection and being kids, I remember we used to play a game while we were watching tv. Hmm. And it was a great game. You know what I’m talking about?

Elvia de la Garza: Of course. Eh, yeah.

Edgardo de la Garza: We would guess commercials.

Elvia de la Garza: Guess the commercial. Yes.

Edgardo de la Garza: We would play who can guess the brand. Be, you know, the faster in the air. Yep. And, oh man, we. It was a great game that kept the commercial breaks entertaining. And, but that was a good indication that late later in life, we would be doing this.

So it’s a lot like playing that game every day. Oh. How’s he going working with your brother? 

Elvia de la Garza: Well, right now, emotional, eh, very emotional, but in general, it’s been fantastic. Definitely. I’m gonna start by, yes. It’s something that I know a lot of people cannot do. Yes. This, this is cannot be done by any sibling couple.

I know that. Um, but it’s been working great for us. Um, from every point of view that you think about it. I mean, we support each other. We respect each other. Mm-hmm. We sometimes are hard on each other because, you know, when someone is whatever, we just kept our, um, we keep our best interest always, uh, as a priority.

Edgardo de la Garza: Absolutely. 

And that’s the thing, when we have hard conversations, we always know that is for the betterment of both of us. Because at the end of the day, what matters to me is that you and your family do well. 

Elvia de la Garza: Yeah. And, and, and it’s, and it’s very funny because even though we’re both moderators and we do similar jobs, uh, we are very different.

Um, and that. I think it has helped us a lot. You know, I, I am more cautious, perhaps. 

Edgardo de la Garza: Oh, yes. And I’m more of a risk taker. 

Yes. And actually, that’s why we’re here. Because you are a risk taker. Mm-hmm. And you took, you know, you shared that, that passion, and I decided to go along the ride. But if it hadn’t been for you, I wouldn’t have, I don’t think I would have taken the decision to start something by myself. Mm. Um, eh, so, you know, it’s that balance of the differences between us. 

And the other thing is, for example, you’re very well organized. Mm-hmm. You would like to plan everything and so did I, but not to your extent.

I mean, you very carefully prepared. Every project I feel more comfortable working in white spaces. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. And that is, that is the balance when we’re preparing proposals together. Mm-hmm. You try to think of everything and I’m like, well, let’s leave a little bit of wiggle room. Let’s work a little bit in work white spaces.

Elvia de la Garza: Yes.

Edgardo de la Garza: So, um, I think it’s, it’s, it’s a very good work balance. 

Elvia de la Garza: Yes. Yes. Yes. And, and I, and I must say that, eh, while we work together, we don’t always work together in every project. Right. You know, and that also helps because that gives a break, eh, from your sibling, you know, uh, he has his clients, I have my clients and we have shared clients.

Um, so I think that also gives space mm-hmm. That, that we need. And, and we were work from home. Yeah. So, uh, you know, we talk every day. We consult each other every day.

Edgardo de la Garza: We’re siblings, but also we’re kind of like office mates. 

Elvia de la Garza: Yes. Right. Exactly. Mm-hmm.

Edgardo de la Garza: We have to have water cooler talk and we have to have chisme 

Elvia de la Garza: Yeah. 

Edgardo de la Garza: Office chisme. 

Elvia de la Garza: Yeah. But if I really had to summarize it in two things it’s love and respect. 

Edgardo de la Garza: Yeah. 

Elvia de la Garza: Uh, no matter what we’re doing, I respect him. In the business and out of the business, and I love him in the business and out of the business. You know, that’s, that’s pretty much the glue that has us together.

Edgardo de la Garza: Yes. Okay. And before we, before we, before more water works, start falling let’s thank some people 

Elvia de la Garza: yes, yes, yes, yes.

Edgardo de la Garza: Along the way, first and foremost. Mm-hmm. Mom and dad. 

Elvia de la Garza: Yes, definitely. I mean, whew. 

Um. It’s, yes, mom and dad definitely have always been there for us. Um, mom, but this to me has been always the emotional rock. Uh, the one that keeps me grounded the one that keeps me humble. That really gave me, and I’m sure all of us eh, it gave us the entrepreneur spirit, the self-confidence and 

Edgardo de la Garza: yeah, 

Elvia de la Garza: this, this belief in yourself, right? 

Edgardo de la Garza: And. I agree with you 100%, but I got a lot of that from dad. Mm-hmm. He always started business.

Yeah. He always fierceful like with no fear. Yeah. Would charge forward and take matters into his hands and make things happen.

Elvia de la Garza: Yeah. And, and 

Edgardo de la Garza: that’s something that, mm-hmm. Witnessing it. Ah, it was incredible. 

Elvia de la Garza: Even, even the way, both really. But, uh, but you know, in business, talking business, my dad, even mistakes.

He took them with grace and, and, and lied.

Edgardo de la Garza: Oh my goodness, yes.

Elvia de la Garza: When we made mistakes. In our Careers or in whatever in life. Yeah. You know, it was like, mistakes happen, people moving. Right. Don’t stay there and don’t, um, you know, don’t get there. Just learn and move on.

Edgardo de la Garza: And that’s something that we learn.

Elvia de la Garza: Yes.

Edgardo de la Garza: From that in, in. He didn’t make many mistakes though.

Elvia de la Garza: No, he didn’t.

Edgardo de la Garza: Very few. 

Elvia de la Garza: I’m, I’m talking about our mistakes. I mean

Edgardo de la Garza: Oh, oh, okay. Yeah, yeah.

Elvia de la Garza: Starting, I mean, it, I can tell you, you know, starting with, when I was learning to drive, for example, you know, something non-research related, but I was learning to drive and it was first day and obviously it was a standard car and not automatic.

So I, it was You needed to use the shift.

Edgardo de la Garza: Shift. Yeah.

Elvia de la Garza: Yes. You needed to shift gears. And I remember. That first day I confused the brake with the clutch. So I was not braking. And I needed to brake. I needed to brake. And I ended up in a pile of, uh,

Edgardo de la Garza: ah, dirt.

Elvia de la Garza: Yeah. Kind of like in a construction site, because we were already,

Edgardo de la Garza: oh my God.

Elvia de la Garza: And you know, in that moment I obviously, I was panicking and he just started laughing. And

Edgardo de la Garza: Wow. Oh I didn’t know this story.

Elvia de la Garza: Yeah, no, no, it was, of course I was driving the Jeep Uhhuh. It’s, uh, it, it’s, it, it was a jeep where, uh, in which we all learned to drive. So it was an old Jeep. Yes, the five of us, and I’m the youngest, so it didn’t have a scratch with all the gravel, uh, hearing it.

But anyways, he just laughed and say, okay, let’s do it again. And, you know, you learn a lot from that. Yes. Experiencing confidence and, and, and owning your mistakes and move on. Moving on. 

Edgardo de la Garza: Besides mom and dad, we need to thank all of our wonderful clients. And we’ve had clients that come back year after year and they really have trusted us mm-hmm.

With very important projects. Projects that mattered. To their success, but also that matter to people because, people put, clients put their, their own skin in the game because it’s their reputation when they select what company, what research company to go with. And they, uh, year after year they come back and they select us.

So that is something that I cherish, and I acknowledge and I cannot thank them enough. 

Elvia de la Garza: No, definitely. I mean, it, it, it for, you know, for those that didn’t know us and gave us the chance, thank you. For those that knew us, gave us a chance and continue giving us a chance. Uh, I mean, thank you. It, it, obviously we wouldn’t be in this without them.

Edgardo de la Garza: And finally our partners. Mm-hmm. Yes. Partners, recruiting companies. Facilities, translators.

Elvia de la Garza: Oh yeah.

Edgardo de la Garza: Oh my God. So many wonderful people that make us look good. 

Elvia de la Garza: Of course. Because I mean, the, the, the, the job that we do really is not only that, it needs to be reflected in several ways. Uh, so yeah, thank you to all the partners that do fabulous recruiting, uh, the translator, impeccable that actually translate what is going on.

And and last but not least. Let’s thank our wonderful families. 

Edgardo de la Garza: Of course. Yes, of course. Absolutely. 

Elvia de la Garza: Personally, I wanna thank my lovely husband Fernando, um, for always being there for.

He’s not even here. But anyways, for believing in me, for being feminist, for, um, loving me, even when I am busy with work and I am perhaps not in the best mood. Um, for busy schedules, for trips, eh, you know. Thank you.

Thank you for my kids too. I mean, I work from home, eh, so. They know that mom’s office is the home and that, uh, working for yourself has no schedule.

It’s not a nine to five steady job. Uh, sometimes we, we have

Edgardo de la Garza: long hours.

Elvia de la Garza: Yeah. Long hours. Yeah. Uh, so thank you to them for their patience. Mm-hmm. And their love. 

Edgardo de la Garza: One quick story about Fernando, uh, that you told me you went to an award ceremony Uhhuh, where some, like a local furniture store lady was getting an award, a recognition for a business owner, and he told you you’re gonna be receiving that award one day.

Elvia de la Garza: Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. So 

Edgardo de la Garza: that’s believing. I mean, he really. From, from the beginning. And he’s a great guy. Yes, he’s a great guy. 

Elvia de la Garza: Yes. No, definitely. He keep us on, keeps on pushing me and, and giving me ideas of what I should do. And I I mean, it’s supportive all the way through. 

Edgardo de la Garza: Yeah. Yeah. And same, same thing for KC. Wonderful. 

Elvia de la Garza: Yeah. 

Edgardo de la Garza: Wonderful. In every way. She’s so cool, calm and collected, even when the projects are stressful and there’s a lot of a lot at stake. She always takes it with a smile. Oh she’s also pretty high caliber in a, in a stressful job herself. But when I need that breath of air and that calm.

Always a smile. I go to her. So thank you, baby. 

Elvia de la Garza: Yes. And it’s so funny because in that way, I think both of our partners, they are more down.

Edgardo de la Garza: They ground us.

Elvia de la Garza: Yeah. We are the crazy ones.

Edgardo de la Garza: Yeah. Yeah.

Elvia de la Garza: And they are the ones that. That makes us stop and take a deep breath. So, yeah, thank you to, to all of them,

and thank you for, if you’re still listening, thank you for, for, uh, witnessing this unscripted, uh, last epi episode.

Um, thank you for everything. Uh, and thank you Brody. Um, it’s been a pleasure and cheers.

Edgardo de la Garza: It’s a pleasure. 

Elvia de la Garza: Cheers to the many more. Cheers. More for the next 20. 

Edgardo de la Garza: Thank you very much for giving us a little bit of time. And hey, if you wanna hear more moderating stories, let us know. We’ll try to record some more, but thank you.

And here’s to the next 20. 

Elvia de la Garza: We’ll have them ready for the year 30 maybe?

Edgardo de la Garza: Yes. 

Elvia de la Garza: Cheers. 

Edgardo de la Garza: Cheers.