He Escaped Communist Romania, Lost Everything in America, and Started Over at Zero

From Baseball Dream to City Hall: How Julio Guzman Built a Life Worth Fighting For | Forged Into Man

What happens when a man loses everything he built — and decides to rebuild anyway? In this raw conversation, Julio Guzman shares the full story behind his journey from professional baseball player to entrepreneur, city leader, and coach. From being drafted by the Arizona Diamondbacks in 1997 to losing family savings in failed Quiznos franchises, Julio opens up about failure, identity, leadership, faith, and starting over when life falls apart. Born in Jersey City to Dominican parents and raised in Homestead, Florida, Julio earned dual football and baseball scholarships before chasing his dream through years in the minor leagues. After baseball ended — and after losing his father during that journey — he returned home determined to build something meaningful. What followed was a series of highs and devastating lows: real estate success, financial collapse, rebuilding his brokerage from scratch, becoming Homestead's first Vice Mayor, and running for Mayor in 2023 after raising $96,000 for his campaign. This episode is about resilience, masculinity, pressure, fatherhood, faith, and what it really takes to keep moving forward after public failure. In this episode: • Getting drafted by the Arizona Diamondbacks • Life in the minor leagues and losing the dream • Losing his father during his baseball career • The collapse of his Quiznos franchises • Rebuilding through real estate and leadership • Becoming Homestead's first Vice Mayor • Running for Mayor in 2023 and losing • Coaching Realtors and building peak performance • Faith, family, and lessons that still drive him today 🎙️ ABOUT JULIO GUZMAN Real Estate Broker | Branch Leader at Avanti Way Realty — Homestead Former Vice Mayor of Homestead, Florida Mortgage Loan Originator | Productivity Coach | Host of the Talk Visual Podcast Instagram: @julioguzman_homestead 🎙️ ABOUT FORGED INTO MAN Forged Into Man with David Adam Kurz is a raw podcast about men, faith, trauma, failure, resilience, and becoming. Hosted by David Adam Kurz — Marine veteran, entrepreneur, and author of The Truth About Failure. 📺 Subscribe: youtube.com/@ForgedIntoMan 🌐 Website: forgedintoman.com 📲 Instagram: @forgedintoman 📚 Book: The Truth About Failure — available on Amazon #ForgedIntoMan #JulioGuzman #HomesteadFlorida #MensPodcast #DavidAdamKurz #RealEstatePodcast #DominicanAmerican #BaseballStory #ArizonaDiamondbacks #MinorLeagueBaseball #Entrepreneur #CityCouncil #ViceMayor #RealEstateBroker #FaithAndFailure #MenOfFaith #Resilience #PodcastForMen #MensMotivation #SuccessAfterFailure #ProductivityCoach #MortgageLoanOriginator #SouthFloridaRealEstate #MasculineFaith #ForgedNotFaked

His Parents Left Cuba With Nothing. He Built One of Miami's Largest Brokerages From That Story.

His father left Cuba at 15. His mother's family fled Castro with nothing. From that foundation, Jorge Guerra Jr. built one of Miami's largest real estate brokerages. He got his start at 19. By 26, he launched Real Estate Sales Force (RESF). Then the 2008 crash hit. His wife was pregnant, the bills stacked up, and his entire business model collapsed overnight. So he went back to the basics—knocking on doors, working nonstop, doing whatever it took to survive. Today, RESF has 500+ agents across four South Florida offices, and Jorge serves as the 2026 President-Elect of Florida Realtors. But at his core, he's still the same man shaped by watching his father work construction and do whatever it took to provide. This episode is about resilience, faith, and what it really takes to build something when everything falls apart. 🎙 ABOUT FORGED INTO MAN Forged Into Man™ is a raw, unfiltered podcast about what it takes to become a better man—through trauma, faith, family, business, and the moments that break and rebuild us. Hosted by David Adam Kurz, each episode dives into real stories of struggle, failure, and transformation. 📲 FOLLOW JORGE GUERRA JR. Website: https://www.jorgeguerra.com [https://www.jorgeguerra.com/] Company: https://resf.com [https://resf.com/] LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jorgeguerrajr [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jorgeguerrajr] Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/jguerrajr [https://twitter.com/jguerrajr] Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jorge.guerra/ [https://www.facebook.com/jorge.guerra/] 📖 FREE MANUSCRIPT → https://www.davidadamkurz.com/forgedintoman [https://www.davidadamkurz.com/forgedintoman] 🌐 Website → https://www.forgedintoman.com [https://www.forgedintoman.com] 📸 Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/forgedintoman/ [https://www.instagram.com/forgedintoman/] #ForgedIntoMan #JorgeGuerraJr #CubanAmerican #ImmigrantStory #RealEstate #Entrepreneurship #Faith #Resilience #MensPodcast #Fatherhood #Masculinity #SuccessMindset #FloridaRealtors #MiamiRealEstate #RESF

Betrayed, Broken, and Back: Yves Cham on Losing $1M, Hitting Rock Bottom, and Rebuilding Everything

In this episode of Forged Into Man, David Adam Kurz sits down with Yves Cham to explore the trials, triumphs, and lessons that shaped him into the man he is today. Growing up in Miami during the 1990s, Yves navigated gangs, leadership challenges, and early encounters with the law. He shares how massive professional losses—including the 9/11 cruise industry collapse, the 2008 recession, and a $1 million Ponzi scheme—taught him resilience, accountability, and self-reliance. Yves also discusses fatherhood, discipline, and living a life full of intention, transparency, and meaningful experiences. If you're looking for unfiltered insights into manhood, entrepreneurship, and personal growth, this episode is a must-listen.

He Escaped Communist Romania, Lost Everything in America, and Started Over at Zero

What happens when you achieve the "perfect life"… and still feel trapped? In this powerful episode of Forged Into Man, Alex Montalenti shares the near-fatal car accident that became his wake-up call. Exhausted at a red light, he closed his eyes for a second — and seconds later found himself crashing through a brick wall and landing in a cemetery. That moment forced him to confront a hard truth. He had the mansion on Long Island. The pool. The jacuzzi. The 30-year mortgage. The image of success. But instead of fulfillment, he felt imprisoned. In this raw and honest conversation, Alex opens up about: • Why the traditional blueprint of success left him empty • His evolving definition of manhood — and why presence matters more than influence • Why faith is not belief, but daily practice • The Core Values he lives by today: GRACE (Gratitude, Results, Acknowledgement, Celebration, Excellence) • The friend who saw the leader in him before he could see it in himself This episode is about redefining success, reclaiming faith, and having the courage to build a life that actually aligns with who you are. If you've ever questioned the path you're on… this conversation will hit home. 🎧 Listen to the full episode now. Follow the podcast so you never miss an episode. If this conversation resonates, share it with someone who needs to hear it.

He Lost His Son—Then Found His Voice | Mark Viera on Pain, Purpose & Comedy

In this episode of Forged Into Man, we sit down with comedian Mark Viera for a raw and deeply human conversation about pain, purpose, and survival. Raised in the Bronx by his grandparents, Mark grew up navigating father wounds, loss, and instability at an early age. His father—a Vietnam Army Ranger—returned home broken by war. His mother struggled to hold life together. And comedy became more than laughter—it became armor. Mark opens up about the devastating loss of his son, a grief that shattered his identity and challenged his faith. He reflects on forgiveness, masculinity, and the long road to becoming a comedian—from walking away from an early opportunity at the Apollo Theater to grinding for years with no guarantees. This is not an episode about fame. It's about resilience. It's about becoming who you are when life burns the ground beneath your feet. 🎙️ Listen now and witness how pain can forge purpose.