In this episode of What’s Your Deal?, Matt sits down with Cristian Cruz, a former Miami firefighter who walked away from a secure career and pension to pursue entrepreneurship and business ownership. Cristian shares his bold decision to leave behind stability for opportunity, his first steps into startups, and why he’s now focused on buying an established business instead of building from scratch.

This candid conversation dives into risk, motivation, family legacy, and how Cristian is approaching his first acquisition with patience, direction, and clarity. If you’ve ever wondered what it takes to leave the safety of a W2 job and step into the uncertain but rewarding world of business ownership, you’ll find inspiration and practical lessons here.

 

Timestamps

0:16 – Introducing guest Cristian Cruz and his background

 

1:49 – Becoming a Miami firefighter at 21 and “winning the lottery” career

 

4:02 – Starting his first business in credit repair

 

5:26  – Jumping from a secure W2 to entrepreneurship

 

6:32  – Understanding risk: firefighting vs. business ownership

 

8:10  – Hitting the career ceiling and choosing entrepreneurship instead

 

10:00 – Why Cristian shifted from startups to buying an existing business

 

12:14  – The overwhelm of too much information when starting the search

 

13:43  – Discovering the cleaning industry as a realistic acquisition target

 

14:50 – Matt explains the Buyer’s Acquisition Formula

 

16:46  – Learning to compress timelines by asking questions and seeking mentors

 

18:32  – Realizing acquisitions take longer than expected

 

20:00 – Avoiding deadline pressure and rushed decisions

 

21:47 – How Cristian is sustaining himself financially during the search

 

23:29  – Different circumstances: supporting a family vs. pursuing solo

 

24:50 – Why Cristian prefers direct outreach over online business listings

 

28:56  – Stacking capital and preparing for a larger acquisition

 

30:10 – Matt shares his roots in the janitorial industry and how it led to brokerage

 

31:20 – The role of family and parents’ sacrifices in Cristian’s motivation

 

36:40 – Biggest lesson learned: not every “guru” is worth listening to

 

38:34 – Compressing time by learning from others’ mistakes

 

 

Resources & Links

 

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