top of page
Image by Morgan Housel

The Entrepreneur

Full Transcript - Episode 22

Episode 22 - Transcipt: Image

Cosmetic death, incitement to eat, happy hippos and when NOT to trust your mom.


PLUS Lucio Vargas describes some of the challenges of starting a new business in the competitive world of online finance, and discusses some of the complexities Brazilians face when dealing with foreigners.

J: Have you ever gotten drunk with the Chinese?

L: Lots of times! Because they don’t make...they don’t do business with you if you don’t get...get drunk!

J: Really?

L: If you don’t get drunk with them, they won’t...they don’t sign the contract.

G: Do they start singing when the get drunk?


************************************

G: Good afternoon...good morning? Good afternoon, São Paulo!

J: São Paulo, Brazil!

G: Brazil. All the way from South America, coming to you in South America.

J: And, actually, we do have some listeners in Senegal, I would like to point out. So, if you are listening to us from Senegal, you have a big hello from us here at Samba Buzz. We know who you are!

G: Do you know where it is?

J: No, I don’t know exactly, but please write to us and let us know.

G: So, we...we must get some news from Senegal to include.

J: Yes, we get...we...we...we got, actually, listeners in Belgium, North America, other African countries. It’s...we’re growing.

G: Er, yes. Good! I don’t want to grow too much more, actually. I’ve grown too much during the COVID, as it is.

J: Well, that’s from all the wine you’re drinking.

G: That’s true. So, how are you today? Are we...’Are we having a Carnival this year?’ is my question.

J: I...I understand that Carnival has been cancelled.

G: But are we having a Carnival holiday or is everybody expected to work?

J: Well, er, my wife works in public health and she said they’re not going to give her the...the carnival holidays because there’s no carnival! It’s been cancelled, so why would you give carnival holidays if there’s no carnival?

G: Well, it’s not obligatory to go to the Carnival during the carnival holiday, is it? It’s, um...

J: Well, nevertheless, for it’s been cancelled, so...

G: That sounds really mean, actually. I...I would have thought, with the COVID, they would want to shut things down for a couple of days, but I guess not.

J: I...I don’t know how it works but, anyway, I...I...I think the...the mayor is just trying to get out of paying people extra money or...I don’t know.

G: What have we got today?

J: Well, today we have our...our guest – Lucio Vargas. He’s gonna come in shortly, and we’ll give him a quiz.

G: Lucio Vargas is...?

J: He is a...he’s an entrepreneur. He’s...he’s started up a new business and he’s going to tell us all about it.

G: Great. Alright, let’s get going.

J: Let’s go.


************************************

J: So, Brazil is famous for many things. You know Brazil is one the...is probably the biggest country in the world as far as cosmetic surgery – and relatively cheap cosmetic surgery.

G: Yes.

J: Right? So, er, that started a while ago in...in Rio. I don’t know exactly who started it. Rumor has it that the...the doctor that started this trend was Ivo Pitanguy, from Rio.

G: Evel?

J: Ivo, yeah. Not, Evel, Ivo...Ivo.

G: Is he related to Evel Knievel?

J: I don’t know about that. Er, he also trained Dr. Raul Gonzalez. You might have heard about him because he had is...er... own television show?

G: Erm, I...I...I don’t remember the names. I do remember there was an infamous doctor who...um...did some very tragic things with a lot of women in Rio, actually.

J: Yeah, I don’t know about that.

G: And I think he might have gone to jail. I’m not sure.

J: Yeah, but there was a guy in...in São Paulo that did that as well. He was...

G: He was...he was a very famous because he had rich and famous clients.

J: Yes, and he was basically raping the clients.

G: And he was...er...basically that’s what was happening. I recall that now.

J: Yeah. That wasn’t Rio. That was São Paulo.

G: That was São Paulo, was it? Ok. Right here.

J:  Yeah, I actually met the guy once. Ugh, I don’t wanna talk about it.

G: You’re serious? Oh dear.

J: Yeah. He didn’t rape me though.

G: Well, you...you don’t know. You would never know, would you?

J: No.

G: Cos, the victims, they wake up!

J: Anyway, any...anyway if you look at global trends, the...this particular surgery is up 75% globally...globally, not just in Brazil – globally. It’s called – affectionately called – the Brazil...it’s called the BBL, for those that know.

G: BBL? What’s the BBL?

J: Yeah, that’s the Brazilian Bubble-Butt surgery.

G: Bubble-butt?

J: Yes.

G: Oh, ok.

J: So...so...

G: That should be the BBLB, shouldn’t it?

J: It is called the BBL in, let’s say, the...the cosmetic surgeon terms. Er, and what it is, is – for...for anybody that’s not familiar with this – is they basically suction up some of your own fat from around your waist and your legs and thighs, or wherever, and they inject that directly into your butt.

G: Ok.

J: So, basically, it’s...it’s your own fat that they’re recycling and just re...replacing in a different pos-position in your body. And I give you some...some...

G: Well, I guess it would be more comfortable to sit down, wouldn’t it?

J: Well...er...yeah.

G: You’d never need a cushion, would you?

J: I don’t think they use it for sitting, but anyway. Erm, some famous actors that you might actually know that have had this done. Er, Jennifer Lopes.

G: Yes, I can believe that.

J: Ok. Nicki Minaj.

G: I don’t know who she is.

J: She’s a rapper.

G: Ok.

J: Kim Kardashian.

G: Er, I’ve vaguely heard of her.

J: Oh, you have to know, then you...you...you don’t know Insta because she destroyed Instagram...er...with this...with this...with her figure, let’s say.

G: Oh, right! Ok. Intriguing.

J: With her proportions.

G: More intriguing, yes.

J: Yeah. So, actually, there was a study...er...that was done, and this seems to be a very dangerous surgery. It’s also the most deadly cosmetic surgery that’s performed. Er, basically, if you go and do it, you have about – or, they estimate that you have about a one in 3000 chance of dying from the surgery. And in the last few years, in South Florida alone, they estimate that 15 people have died from...er...a wrong BBL.

G: So, why did they die?

J: Well, it...it seems that it’s...it’s a technical thing. Er, the risk is about the quantity of fat that they suck out but also about how they insert the fat.

G: Right.

J: And the...the fat. And the biggest problem is if the fat goes into your bloodstream, it can cause a pulmonary embolism, and then you die.

G: Basically, it gives you a heart-attack, yeah?

J: Gives you a heart-attack, or it can go into your heart or your head, or you can...

G: Yes.

J: So, it’s actually very serious, you know.

G: Wow.

J: It’s not just a simple 1-2-3...er...chupa-chupa and...it’s complicated.

G: Well, I...I think...think cosmetic surgery in general is fraught with danger, actually. I saw another article this week about a famous Chinese model who decided to have...who decided to have her nose shortened – did you see about her?

J: Shortened?

G: Yes.

J: Ok.

G: She’s already, you know, a young girl, very pretty, very perfect features and she had surgery on her nose to remove the tip, I guess, to make it smaller, and then her nose died, basically.

J: Her nose died?

G: Yeah, the tip of her nose died and went black!

J: Well, what did they try...did...did...did they try to cut it off and then just...just shorten it and then put it back on?

G: I guess that’s what they were attempting – just to shorten the length of the tip, or something like that and then glue the tip back on, and then I guess...anyway it didn’t...and, of course, now she’s got pictures of this lovely face with a big black...

J: With a big black dot in the middle.

G: ...black dot on the end of her nose, yes.

J: Oh my goodness.

G: So, yes, it can go wrong.

J: Yeah, I...I don’t know...er...sounds...sounds dangerous.

G: It sounds extreme in the extreme, I must say, to need to increase your bum just to be more comfortable to sit down.

J: Well, and it’s actually evolved in, kind of, a like a vacation destination, as well.

G: Yes.

J: If you figure that in the United States that the costs are up to 10 or 15 grand...thousand per surgery. And in England, they’re running right around 8000...er...pounds – that’s quite a lot of money!

G: Exactly.

J: And, that’s...that’s kind of led to... There’s one particular place in Turkey that’s on Instagram. Everybody can check. Let me give you the...the name of this place is Comfort Zone. Comfort Zone. It’s a...it’s a...it’s a Turkish spa where you can go and have your bum-bum modified. So, you go...it’s like a...

G: I will not be going there! I can promise you that.

J: Well, they do about 200 surgeries a month. So, it’s quite popular.

G: No Turk is messing with my bum-bum!

            

************************************

G: Have you ever bought anything from a member of your family? Have you ever bought anything off your mother, for example?

J: No, my mother never sold me any brownies, brownie cookies or...no.

G: Cos it’s...it’s always kind of a...bit of a dangerous game to be dealing with money with family and owing money and buying things. I mean, I...I...I actually, er...well, yes, I have some personal experience of selling within the family and it doesn’t always go well, actually. Erm...

J: Is there something you would like to say?

G: But no, I’m going to move on rapidly, actually, to...um...to an incident in Itaipu.

J: In what?

G: Itaipu. You’ve heard of Itaipu, in Brazil?

J: No, is that a shoe?

G: It’s...um...it’s a location. Um...I’m not sure where it is, actually. Somewhere down south? I’m not sure.

J: Ok.

G: Anyway, a guy...um...was talking to his mother and she had this new cell phone.

J: Ok.

G: And she said, oh, “it’s...it’s...you know...it’s very nice this cell phone. But I...I’ve actually got two. Would you like to...would you like this one? I’ll sell it to you, if you like”, she says.

J: Ok.

G: And the guy says, “Ok, I’ll...but, you know, it looks nice. How much do you want for it?” And she says, “Um – R$1000.”  And he thought, ‘Hum. That...that’s...that’s pretty good.’ “Ok, Mom, I’ll...I’ll by that off you.”

J: Ok. And it was stolen!

G: And then next couple of days later he gets arrested for handling stolen goods. Indeed! Erm, because...um...the value of the cell phone is actually R$6000.

J: Ok.

G: So, he should have...should have wondered why she was passing it on to him quite so cheap. But she...she’s your mom. You trust your mom, don’t you? I mean, why wouldn’t you?

J: So, the mom’s a scammer in the whole thing, is she?

G: So, basically, what seems to have happened is she works as a diarista – she works in somebody’s house, cleaning, and...um...she seems to have...um...

J: ...helped herself.

G: ...found herself...um...acquiring this cell phone and selling it to her son for R$1000, and the poor guy got arrested for handling stolen goods.

J: Oh my.

G: So, that wasn’t a very...very happy outcome there.

J: So, the mom didn’t really help him out very much, there, did she?

G: She probably, yes...I don’t think you’d buy anything else from her, probably, after that.

J: But, do...does the mom still have a job, at the moment?

G: I think she got...yeah, I think she got fired.

J: Oh.

G: I don’t...it doesn’t say here if she’s going to be prosecuted or not but...um...I don’t think she works at that house anymore, no.

J: Probably not.

G: So, the...the second...second story, locally that caught my eye was somebody else has been arrested, actually. Um, there’s a guy who runs a restaurant in Vila Mariana, not too far from here.

J: Ok. That’s close by.

G: And he obviously wasn’t very happy about the recent shutdowns that have been going on at the week-ends, with the pandemic and everything. We’ve been on ‘red’.

J: Right.

G: And he decided – ‘Right, I’m going to offer...” and he’s got this big sign outside his restaurant...“one year’s worth of free churrasco” – free barbecue – “to whoever kills João Doria.”

J: What?

G: Yes.  So, of course, you know, he probably meant it as a joke but it’s...um...it’s actually a crime to incite violence.

J: Yeah, unlike in the United States, where they just do it openly and then...then they...then they say that nothing happened.

G: Yes.

J: They say it is all free speech.

G: Exactly. I mean, this...this is actually quite relevant to Mr Trump, isn’t it, really?

J: Right.

G: I mean because what did he incite and what didn’t he, and what...who will hold him accountable for that is another thing. But...erm...anyway, this chap, he was arrested by the police and he faces, potentially, 3-6 months in jail for this. Erm, or a fine. Although, opinion is that the judge may look at some alternative punishment like community service...

J: Right.

G: ...because, at the end of the day, is it serious? Is somebody really going to kill João Doria for a...for a year’s worth of free barbecue? Probably...probably not but you never know, really, with Bolsonaro supporters. Anything could happen, couldn’t it?

  

************************************

G: So, what...what do you have – other than...er...what you already had?

J: Well, my next story is about hippos.

G: Hippos?

J: Yes. Er...and Pablo Escobar.

G: Wow, that’s a connection.

J: Yeah, the, some people, like, locally in Colombia, they are known as the cocaine hippos!

G: Ah, ok! Now I understand.

J: Well, yeah.

G: We’re talking mules here, aren’t we?

J: No, we’re actually...we’re actually talking hippopotamus. Erm, Pablo Escobar was killed in 1993. And when he died the government took over...over his hacienda... over his...his...his fazenda...his farm. And on his farm he had lots of different wild animals. Most of the wild animals were shipped away to zoos or sent away somewhere else, except for the hippos, because they’re very, very large and very, very expensive to move.

G: Where did he get ‘em from?

J: He brought them in from Africa.

G: Wow, that’s...

J: I mean, tha...that’s how much money the guy. He ju...he...he decided, one day, “Oh, I want some hippos!” And he brought them in. He flew them all the way in from Africa and then had them on his farm.

G: Imagine the shipping bill for that. That’s incredible.

J: Yeah. Well, if you’ve got money to burn, you know. And, anyway, when the government took over, there were four hippos. At the moment there are, in...they don’t really know exactly how many hippos there are but there are around a hundred.

G: Good lord!

J: And so the hippos...

G: All in the same family?

J: The hippos have grown exponentia...have grown exponentially and the wildlife conservationists don’t really know what to do with them.

G: I imagine not, no.

J: They don’t know, so there’s actually a debate on...on, let’s say, the...with the scientific community if they should kill them or if they sh...should just let them go.

G: They should ship them back again.

J: Well, they’re quite expensive. The...the last hippo that they did try to replace cost the government 15 million pesos.

G: That’s amazing. This isn’t another one of your fake news, is it?

J: No, this actually real news!

G: Real news. Good lord.

J: I don’t do fake news very often but this is actually real news. So, i...inside the scientific community, the...the...the question is – ‘Do we let the hippos stay? Are they good for the ecosystem? Or are they going to kill off the native species?’ And scientists can’t agree. They don’t really know. Anyway, the...the positive-negative, or...or, let’s say, the possible negative things are that perhaps they’re killing the fish and they might be dangerous for the rest of the...the community but nobody’s been able to prove anything either way. So, it’s just a big question mark.

G: But, I imagine, his hacienda was fairly remote, anyway, so...

J: Yeah, so...

G: ...he’s probably tucked away somewhere where the hippos aren’t going to disturb anybody.

J: Well, and one of the arguments for the hippos is that South America used to have a...a lot more natural large scale herbivores. And those have been killed through the...through the times. So, maybe re-introducing these large herbivores is going to help South America.

G: Maybe we’ll see some hippo gin coming out of...coming out of Colombia soon?

J: It’s possible. Well, actually they do raise... A lot of tourists do want to see the hippos, so they are bringing in some money. It’s good for the economy.

G: And you get to see the hacienda at the same time.

J: There you go.

G: Very nice. Nice story. I like that.


End of part 1   

   

************************************

Episode 22 - Transcipt: Text

J: So, today our guest is Lucio Vargas, who has come to us all the way from Cotia.

G: Welcome, Lucio!

L: Welcome to invite me, thank you.

J: Thanks for coming here. Lucio, recently you have started a new kind of business – something with banking and stuff like that. People think they know all about banking but what you have designed is very, very different.

L: Yes, it’s something different because you are aware that we have a...a new moment – is banking, open banking, or ‘banking as a service’.

J: Right.

G: Ok.

J: D...digital banking, like...

L: Digital banking but you can create your own banking. You can model. You can define. You can feature this new banking based on what you want to offer to the customers.

G: So, you customize your own product, as a customer, yeah?

L: Yes. So, you can use a standard infrastructure. You create a white-label model, and then you offer your service, your products to the customers.

G: Alright.

L: I can also offer to the merchants, to the customers, to the companies...er...finance as...as a service. So, I decided to put both sides together. So, you can have your bank account. You can have your card. You can have your POS. You can have your...er...web service to pay over internet. But also, I offer finance as a service. In this case, I offer treasury management.

J: Ok.

L: I can support you managing receivables, payables, cash flow...also accounting....also Human Resources.

J: So, basically, all...all of that...bore...

L: Fiscal.

J: ...all of that boring stuff that nobody...that an entrepreneur normally wouldn’t want to do.

L: Yes, yes.

J: You can take care of.

L: And also I have ERP. I can manage everything. So, you can outsource everything with me.

G: So, what’s the...er...client interface. Is it over an app? Is it through a website? Or is it through personal contact and visits?

L: You can access over internet. You can access an app. And also you can access an ERP interface.

J: Ok.

L: So, we manage everything to (sic) you but, at the end of the day, the most value...er...service that we offer are the executive reports – the KPIs, for you to manage what you are doing.

J: Right. Fantastic.

G: In terms of your business, then...erm...what would you consider is the hardest challenge of launching a new business here, of being an entrepreneur?

L: There are lots! But I would say the first one is motivation. If you have something in mind, do this! Do not wait time. Do not waste your time – do this!

G: So, it’s important to seize the opportunity when you see it, then, yeah?

L: When you see the opportunity, do this. Whatever it is. If you believe it, do this. This is the first one. The challenge to move from one...one side to the other side.

G: Ok.

L: And the second one. Erm, when you have...um...an international understanding – as I worked for international companies – I understand different cultures from different parts – European, British, American, Canadian...

J: I don’t know if you can...I don’t know if you can ever understand the British to be honest!

G: Best...best not to try, no.

L: I prefer the Scottish, but ok.

G: You like the whiskey, no?

L: Absolutely! That’s why. I like the whiskey.

J: No...no, I think it’s the haggis. No, it’s the haggis that he likes!

G: The haggis.

L: But I learned...I learned a lot with the British. I learned a lot...a lot. When you understand the cultural difference, it’s...er...one of the key challenges, because you identify in each one of the countries around the world what you want to...to pick up, to use in your...in your solution. But sometimes, sometimes it is difficult to bring a tool from er...the...a Dutch tool or a...or a British tool or a Canadian tool or an American tool or a Chinese tool and put everything together when you are starting someone...something. So, you have to use your tools that is (sic) around of you. So, if you are in Brazil, I can use tools from Brazil, perhaps a tool in Argentina, a tool in Mexico. And sometimes it is difficult because people, they don’t understand what we are creating. People are much more reactive. They don’t like to change or create new things. But at the end of the day, you need to put something running, sell this and make money. And you need to support your customer.

J: Right. Kind of like a...

L: To...to build this is difficult because sometimes you need to put different parts together and sometimes people are not prepared because of the culture. They prefer to keep as they are.

J: Yeah. Culture’s a big barrier to change.

L: The culture is...my understanding is the culture – and answering your question – culture is the second key challenge.

G: Hm. Interesting.

J: Interesting.

G: I wasn’t expecting that answer, actually. I thought you were going to talk about the bureaucracy in Brazil, how difficult it is to open a business...the labor laws...

L: All of the countries you have bureaucracy. You have bureaucracy in US, in UK, in Germany, Italy, France – all of the countries you have each...each own bureaucracy. Understand the rule of the game and play the game well. That’s it!

G: Ok, cool. Sounds easy.

J: I like it. What’s the...so, you...you started your technical career, and at what point did you start using more English for your, let’s say, computer programming, or...or...

L: Well, I studied English when I was a child for 4-5 years, but when I started studying technology, I started programming, everything is in English! Nothing is in Portuguese.

J: Right.

L: So, it forced me to understand a little more about English – but technical English. And when I started my...my business career and my first position as a manager, I had to...to use English. And this cos I had contacts with different people...

J: From different cultures also?

L: ...different cultures.

J: So, what...what was the...like the funniest thing that you...the funniest mistake that you remember that you made during this...this time.

L: Well, I did lots of mistakes – lots and lots and lots of mistakes! But the funny thing was, a long time ago as I was working for a Chinese company...

J: Oh, ok, this has to be good if it was working for a Chinese company, come on.

L: And the Chinese English – perhaps you understand much more than me – it’s a very funny English.

J: Yeah.

G: The...the Chinese d...don’t actually speak English – they speak Mandarin but that’s ok.

L: You are right. You are totally right.

J: It’s a very technical English that I think nobody understands.

L: I had to join a conference call with a Chinese team...er...and for 2 hours I was trying to negotiate and to cons...explain to the them what I need. And we spent 2 hours trying to understand each one of the parts...each one of the sides. At the end of these two hours we agree with everything but both sides didn’t know what they agreed! It was really, really, really funny! Because it was hard. The Chinese English is hard but during the conversation, er, we had to say the same word ten, twelve, fifteen times – fifteen times!

G: Wow. So, this...this is by teleconference or face-to-face?

L: Face-to-face.

J: Oh my.

G: Face-to-face! My god.

L: Face-to-face meeting.

G: You must have had some confusion too with the Scottish people you were dealing with? You must have had some misunderstandings there cos I don’t understand what the Scots say, half the time.

L: Well, because I was drunk.

G: Oh, ok. Yes.

L: So, that’s why I enjoy speaking English with them.

G: You got the whiskey inside you. That’s easier.

L: Yes, I’m a Scotch guy. But I’m not sure if you are aware but...the...the...the key collector of Scotch was a Brazilian guy that knew The Queen.

G: Wow.

L: And The Queen gave him...

G: They all say that.

L: ...give him a...a recognition for the...the historical about his collection and the studies he did in the past.

G: Wow.

L: And he had some Scottish [Scotch] that the...the...the producer, they stopped producing this type of Scot...Scottish [Scotch] and this guy still had. I guess he died. But...er...

G: And he died happy?

L: Absolutely. Absolutely. But at this moment, since 2-3 years ago I’m drinking Japanese Scotch...Japanese whiskeys. So, I’m enjoying with the Japanese whiskeys.

G: Interesting. I’ve never tried the Japanese whiskey, actually.

J: I don’t know.

L: I do recommend. I do recommend. They’re doing something very, very interesting, perhaps better than the Scottish.

J: Hm, interesting.

G: So, you...you’ve had...um...quite a few dealings with international meetings and that sort of thing. Erm, how do you approach those differently to, say, dealing with Brazilians? What tips would you offer people for holding a meeting in English with British or Chinese, or whoever it happens to be?

L: Er, well, in general, what we do...er...we like to...to kid...start kidding in a conversation. But in most of c...in most cases, an European...European people, they don’t like to start kidding a...a negotiation or a business meeting or something like this. Perhaps an American, that’s fine. Er...or...or someone in Latin America. Or perhaps someone in...in...in Asia. But Europeans, they don’t like this – mainly the British.

G: No, we’re very serious people, you know?

L: Yes, and they like to go straight to the...straight to the point.

G: ‘Show me the money!’

L: No, ‘show me the money’ is the American.

G: Oh, ok.

L: The...the British, they like to go straight to the point.

G: Yes.

L: And...

J: And the Dutch as well, I think. The Dutch are probably also very...very direct.

L: But the Dutch...the good point is the Dutch, after a beer, that’s fine. So, you invite...you invite a Dutch guy for a beer, he will accept it and after this beer – ok, you will get everything. That’s it. Like the Germans!

G: Sounds good.

L: Like the Germans.

J: Oh, this is (sic) some cultural tips. Good to know.

G: So, what about dealing with Americans? Um, how do you prepare for a meeting with those guys?

L: I...I always enjoy...er...dealing with... with Americans. But the key point is – do fast and if you are not make (sic) money, be prepared because they will terminate fast. And that’s it. They do their job. When they are in contact with you they evaluate all of the aspects. They know who you are and they made (sic) their research. And if they are in contact with you [it’s] because you are interesting for them. So, do not waste this opportunity.

J: What about...what about Japanese? Is there a difference there?

L: No, it’s similar. It’s similar. But the Japanese... As we have lots of Japanese here...um...they...they like to do business but they don’t like to do business with foreigners. They prefer to do business in...with their own – with other Japanese guys.

J: Right.

L: And also...er...with Latin America – wow – it’s terrible! If you...if you do business with a Mexican guy that’s fine because they are close to the US. They are close to the border. They understand how to make money. They understand how to make business. But if you go to Colombia – wow – it’s terrible.

J: Colombia? Really?

L: You will take time. You will have to explain ten...fifteen times, and try to have a very senior person in your meeting. This person will support us with his team.

J: Hm. They...they respect the seniority much more.

L: Yes, they respect. And it happens the same way in Peru. It happen (sic) in the same way in Bolivia. It happen in the same way in Central America.

J: Right. So, now let...let’s talk about something completely different. Because...because you...you used to do – or maybe you still do – a lot of scuba-diving. Right?

L: Yes.

J: So, ha...explain a little bit. When you go down – I don’t know – ten meters, fifteen meters – that’s actually quite dangerous, isn’t it?

L: Well, I dive until fifty...fifty-five meters. It’s a technical scuba-diva.

J: Fifty...fifty-five meters?

L: Yeah.

J: And how long...so how long does it take to go down, and then how long does it take to come back up?

L: To go down, it’s quickly.

J: Five minutes? Ten minutes?

L: Ten minutes, perhaps. To go out...to go up or go out you take time. When you are diving, how much deep you go, your...er...body...er...receive (sic) nitrogen.

J: You absorb a bit of nitrogen?

L: And it takes time for you to remove this nitrogen from your body. It can take one hour...two hour (sic)...perhaps sic...six hours, depend how deep you go.

J: Because it...it has to be a little bit scary. You go down, let’s say, ten meters, and then you have to take – I think some of the...the...the things that they do is they take out...

L: Yes, absolutely.

J: ...your mouthpiece and...and...and without oxygen.

L: But there are lots of people that love diving, and they are fun of [enjoy] diving and they are scared of diving and it’s...you need to use your psychology – to change the person’s mind. But the key point was – and I brought from diving to my personal...my business...er...my business life – is that all of I do, I plan in deep (sic) everything. I plan in deep everything.

G: Ok.

L: And I try to learn about culture, about the business, about financials, about all of the ecosystems. Abroad and in deep – in the same way when you have to plan when you go diving. So, er, it brought me some new skills that I use in my business space.

J: Right.


End of part 2   

   

************************************


G: Alright, today for Guru, we are going to talk about...erm...some prepositions...

J: Ok, prepositions.

G: ...that follow specific verbs. So, tell me what’s wrong with the following sentence.

J: Oh.

G: ‘I told to my boss that I wanted a pay rise.’

J: ‘I told my boss.’ You don’t ne...after told you don’t need...er...a preposition. Go direct to the pronoun [determiner].

G: What about the following sentence. Er...’We discussed about the changes.’

J: ‘We discussed the changes.’

G: Right, it’s the same phenomenon, isn’t it?

J: Yep.

G: We don’t need a preposition in this case. ‘I asked to my wife if she wanted to travel.’

J: Er, similar. ‘I asked my wife.’

G: So, here we got 3 verbs where we don’t use a preposition in these contexts. ‘We discussed the changes’, ‘I told my boss’ and ‘I asked my wife’.

J: Correct.

G: Erm, some other similar verbs, however, we do have prepositions. So, with ‘talk’ and ‘speak’, what do we use for those?

J: To.

G: To. You talk to somebody about something or you speak to somebody about something. What about ‘say’?

J: Say...‘I said to her.’

G: We said to, again.

J: Ok.

G: So, you said to somebody that you were going to go to the supermarket. Basically, be careful with the different verbs. They mean very similar things but some of them have prepositions and some of them don’t. So, discussed, told and, in that context, asked do not.

J: Very nice! Short and sweet, and easy to remember.


***************************************************

G: So, that’s the end of another episode.

J: Yes. Crackerjack. Number 22.

G: Of The Samba Buzz.

J: That’s buzz with two zees.

G: Or two zeds. So, when are we back?

J: Well, we’re going to be back very shortly. Probably next week.

G: After Carnival, which doesn’t ha...exist this year.

J: Yes, so that’s going to be a quick break cos we have no Carnival.

G: We have no Carnival.

J: So, thanks everybody for listening. Er, please look for us on the social media. Reach out to us if you have any questions.

G: And, if you want to come on the pod, let us know.

J: And we will schedule a time.

G: So, we will see you next time and we will look forward to that.

J: Thank you very much.

G: Bye-bye.

J: Bye-bye. Au revoir. I don’t actually know why I said that. Oh well. I definitely don’t speak French!


***************************************************


                                             THE END

Episode 22 - Transcipt: Text
bottom of page