From Zero to Millionaire: A Father's Legacy Built on Grit

Success Mindset, Passive Income, and the Private Credit Advantage with Bryan Pham

What if your investment portfolio could generate income completely detached from stock market swings? Bryan Pham grew up watching his stepfather build and sell a semiconductor manufacturing business — and that early roadmap for success never left him. As Head of Institutional Sales at Percent.com, he's helped raise over $2.5 billion in private credit syndication, and his story is as much about the success mindset behind that climb as the financial mechanics. We sit down with Bryan to unpack his journey from a first-generation Vietnamese-American kid in New Jersey to JP Morgan and beyond — and the wealth building principles he's picked up from the ultra-high-net-worth clients he's served along the way. Key Takeaways * Entrepreneurs almost always outwork their peers — Bryan's most successful clients are people who built businesses, not just earned salaries * Dollar cost averaging into passive ETFs is Bryan's personal go-to strategy for long-term financial success — set it and don't overthink it * Private credit can serve as a powerful fixed income alternative, delivering 10–15% annualized returns uncorrelated to public market swings * Percent.com has democratized private credit — accredited investors can now access deals with as little as $500 * The 0% withdrawal rule: structuring investments to live off income without ever touching your principal * Understanding collateralization and asset-based investing can dramatically reduce your downside risk * Options and high-risk trades should only ever represent a small percentage of your net worth — and you should mentally assume that money is already gone * A co-op education (like Drexel or Northeastern) can give young people a massive head start through real, full-time work experience * Avoiding sectors with higher default rates — like venture debt — is just as important as picking winners * Transparency in investing matters: Percent publicly owns both wins and losses, which Bryan sees as a mark of trustworthy ethics Percent.com — Bryan's platform for private credit investing. Accredited investors can access deals starting at $500. Visit percent.com to explore current opportunities. Accredited Investor Definition — To invest through Percent, you must qualify as an accredited investor: $200K+ individual annual income (or $300K+ as a couple) for two consecutive years, OR a net worth of $1M+, OR a licensed financial services professional (Series 7, 65, 66, etc.). If you enjoyed On The Chair, please like and subscribe. If you loved it, share this episode with a friend! We want to hear from you! Send your questions to onthechairpodcast@gmail.com Follow us on Instagram: @onthechair_podcast * (00:00) - Overrated/Underrated Intro Game * (01:07) - Welcome to On The Chair * (01:30) - Introducing Bryan Pham * (02:04) - Bryan's Background & Growing Up * (05:29) - What Drew Bryan to Finance * (07:34) - Drexel Co-Op Internship Experience * (09:20) - Is Co-Op Education Worth It? * (10:34) - College, Networking & The Next Generation * (11:09) - Mindsets of the Ultra-Wealthy * (13:06) - Bryan's Personal Investment Strategy * (15:00) - Private Credit as a Fixed Income Alternative * (16:57) - Worst Investment Bryan Ever Made * (19:16) - Options Trading: Thrill vs. Risk * (21:14) - Trading on Headlines & Tweets * (21:42) - Polo's Penny Stock & Margin Story * (24:00) - Why Uncorrelated Assets Matter * (24:47) - How to Get Started with Percent * (26:02) - Regulation, Transparency & the SEC * (27:38) - Accredited Investor Requirements Explained * (28:11) - How Asset-Based Private Credit Works * (30:04) - Defaults, Workouts & Risk Management * (32:21) - Conservative vs. Aggressive Yield Strategies

Climbing the Mountain: Start-up to the Top 100 Freight Brokerages with Shannon Breen

He left a six-figure corporate job to build a $150M company — here's how. What does it take to walk away from security and bet everything on yourself? Shannon Breen, founder and CEO of FreightVana, did exactly that — launching a tech-enabled transportation company from zero to over $150 million in revenue across five years, during the worst trucking recession in decades. Shannon shares the three defining moments that pushed him to take the leap: a global pandemic, the reality of corporate culture, and watching his father battle cancer. His story is equal parts success mindset and raw honesty about the risks, sacrifices, and team-building required to build something from the ground up. Key Takeaways: 1. The "Three C's" framework that pushed Shannon to leave corporate and start Freight Vana: COVID, corporate culture, and a personal family crisis. 2. Why Shannon built Freight Vana on a non-commission structure — and how it creates better alignment between shippers, carriers, and the business. 3. The "power only" and drop trailer model: how a differentiated service offering allowed Freight Vana to grow where standard brokerages couldn't. 4. What Shannon learned from Kevin Knight — the discipline, entrepreneurial spirit, and competitive drive behind one of trucking's most profitable companies. 5. Why he believes networking is the single most underused superpower for 18–25-year-olds entering business or transportation. 6. Shannon's honest take on real estate — his biggest financial win and his biggest financial loss both came from the same asset class. 7. The "building sandcastles too close to the ocean" analogy — and why working inside a large trucking company wasn't the path to lasting wealth building. 8. His perspective on rate transparency legislation, broker liability, and where the trucking market is heading. 9. Why Shannon believes in giving to your network before you ever need it — and how that philosophy has paid dividends over the last five years. 10. College vs. real-world experience: Shannon's nuanced take on what actually prepares young people for entrepreneurship and financial success. If you enjoyed On The Chair, please like and subscribe. If you loved it, share this episode with a friend!  📩 Send your questions: onthechairpodcast@gmail.com  📸 Follow us on Instagram: @onthechair_podcast  🚛 Follow Freight Vana: @freightvana | freightvana.com

Stress, Success Mindset, and Smart Money Moves With Polo & Vince

What does money really do to you — and are you letting it work for you? On this episode of On The Chair, Polo Garza and Vince Gonzalez sit down for one of their most candid conversations yet — no guests, just two guys who've built real businesses and wealth from the ground up, talking openly about money, mindset, stress, and what financial success actually feels like from the inside. From Vince's experience buying into a Canadian psychology company at a 3.5x multiple to Polo's journey of flipping vintage airplanes for profit, this episode pulls back the curtain on what wealth building really looks like when you're in your 30s with families, obligations, and big ambitions. Key Takeaways: 1. Money magnifies who you already are — it doesn't change your character, it reveals it. 2. Vince bought into a Canadian psychology company at a 3.5x multiple for $350,000, targeting a potential $2.5M return at exit. 3. Vince flipped a Porsche 911 GT3 at 28 — and learned that usefulness matters more than the thrill when it comes to big purchases. 4. Polo turned his passion for aviation into profit — buying vintage planes off market, flying them, and selling each one for a gain. 5. Thinking in opportunity cost for every single dollar will keep you from ever actually enjoying your life. 6. When stress hits: pacing the house, taking a shower, or hitting the gym — finding your reset rhythm matters. 7. Trucking insurance is an underutilized revenue stream — Polo and Vince break down a potential new business direction. 8. Hiring people who can sell — not just people who know the industry — is a game-changer for scaling teams. 9. Both hosts reference Codie Sanchez as an influential voice for their business acquisition strategy. 10. 2026 is already looking strong — the company is up 20-30% in January alone, and both hosts are actively expanding. Resources Mentioned: * Codie Sanchez — Entrepreneur and investor known for her content on buying small businesses and the 'Contrarian Thinking' community. Find her at codiesnchez.com and on YouTube and Instagram @codiesanchez. If you enjoyed On The Chair, please like and subscribe. If you loved it, share this episode with a friend! We want to hear from you! Send your questions to onthechairpodcast@gmail.com Follow us on Instagram: @onthechair_podcast

Millionaire Mindset at 35: How Polo Sr. Built a Trucking Empire from Scratch

Part 2 of our conversation with Polo Sr. picks up right where Episode 3 left off — and it gets real fast. Polo traces his rise from farm manager to trucking entrepreneur, hitting over a million dollars gross in 1998, then scaling to $2–3 million per year using a cash-only money strategy that most people would call impossible. He breaks down the millionaire mindset behind reinvesting every dollar, knowing when to scale and when to stop, surviving the 2008 crash, and why real estate is the one wealth building move he wishes he'd started earlier. This episode is a masterclass in financial independence and legacy-building, wrapped in one of the most compelling personal stories we've ever heard. Key Takeaways * Polo Sr. went from $30K in year one at Canyon Crest Farms to grossing over $1 million in 1998 — and he did it entirely with cash reinvestment, no bank loans, ever. * The two-path rule for financial independence: work directly for the owner, or own your own business. Every dollar earned got reinvested — never spent on lifestyle first. * Polo Sr.'s money strategy was simple and relentless: the first 8 hours pay your bills. The next 8 hours buy your next asset — truck, trailer, property. That's where wealth gets built. * When his boss Tom let him go after 10 years, Polo Sr. didn't panic — he used it as a launch pad, buying four sets of flatbed trailers for $5,000 each and pivoting to a new niche. * The 2008 crash hit hard — he laid off half his drivers — but staying lean and debt-free meant he survived when others didn't. When freight came back, rates were higher than before. * Polo Sr. says his one financial regret is not getting into real estate sooner. Trucks generate fast cash but real estate builds wealth while you sleep. Once established, he diversified into rental properties, buildings, and commercial real estate. * Grant Cardone's concept of the $1–3M business plateau gets addressed head-on: the key to breaking through is trusting people, delegating, and sharing the load — something rooted deeply in millionaire mindset. * Tithing and giving were non-negotiable throughout his entire journey — he credits a generous, open-handed approach to money as a foundational money strategy that kept the storehouse full. * Delayed gratification over instant gratification: Polo Sr. lived below his means for decades, reinvesting first and enjoying the fruits later. His advice — save a minimum of 10%, target 25% if possible. * The 2017 Cousins Restaurant meeting that launched Oasis Trucking into a full-scale brokerage: how two young guys with the right mentality transformed a 10-truck family business into a multi-million-dollar operation with 4,000+ carrier partners. If you enjoyed On The Chair, please like and subscribe. If you loved it, share this episode with a friend! We want to hear from you! Send your questions to onthechairpodcast@gmail.com Follow us on Instagram: @onthechair_podcast * (00:00) - Intro: Money Laying on the Ground * (00:46) - Tom's Raises & Farm Partnership Begins * (02:25) - The Pepsi Can Full of Cash * (06:50) - Teaching Family the Business * (07:00) - First Year at Canyon Crest: $30K * (09:00) - Neighbors Notice the Cadillac * (10:50) - Becoming Partners: Oasis Farms Is Born * (11:56) - 1998: The Million-Dollar Year * (12:51) - Tom Lets Him Go After 10 Years * (15:16) - Why He Wasn't Mad — He Knew He'd Grow * (16:37) - Discovering Flatbeds in Spokane * (17:00) - Four Trailers, $5K Each: The New Chapter * (19:10) - From Ag to Full Flatbed Operation * (20:43) - $400 Load, $1,600-a-Day Vision * (22:37) - Cash Only: No Loans, Ever * (23:38) - Advice for Young Entrepreneurs * (24:24) - 18-Hour Days & The Reinvestment Rule * (26:23) - Stress Capacity & Knowing Your Number * (28:38) - The $1–3M Plateau: Why Most Get Stuck * (31:52) - Trusting People: The Shift That Unlocked Scale * (33:23) - Surviving the 2008 Crash * (34:38) - The 2017 Cousins Restaurant Meeting * (38:42) - Trust People and Share the Load * (39:32) - Three Keys to Success in Business and Life * (43:06) - Watching the Successful Neighbors on Fern St. * (45:15) - Your Work Is Your Vacation * (46:26) - 25–30 Years of Non-Stop Increase * (48:27) - Real Estate: The One Thing He'd Do Sooner * (50:09) - Tithing, Giving & the Open-Hand Principle * (55:19) - Ministry, Music, and Playing in Prisons * (58:16) - Living Below Your Means * (59:30) - Saving 10–25%: Practical Advice * (01:01:04) - Instant vs. Delayed Gratification * (01:04:13) - Five to Ten Years of Lock-In * (01:09:40) - Sunday Family Dinners at Caporal * (01:13:51) - Raising Your Kids for Entrepreneurship * (01:17:52) - Polo Sr. Retired at 57 * (01:26:07) - Grandma Lolita: The Matriarch's Legacy * (01:33:22) - A Message to Mom on Camera * (01:35:53) - Final Words & Open Invitation

From Zero to Millionaire: A Father's Legacy Built on Grit

He arrived in America with $100, a guitar, and a relentless success mindset. Polo Sr. — father of host Polo Garza — sits down for a raw and inspiring conversation about growing up between Mexico and Washington State, losing his father at just 14 years old, and rebuilding his family's future from the ground up. This is a story about the real cost of financial independence — sacrifice, faith, and grit — told by a man who lived it. His journey from $4/hr to farm manager is packed with wealth building wisdom every listener needs to hear. Key Takeaways * Losing his father at age 14 became the defining moment that shaped Polo Sr.'s entire success mindset — he stopped asking "what if" and started asking "what am I doing today?" * Polo Sr. arrived in the U.S. with $100 and zero connections — within weeks he tripled his income by recognizing the two paths to financial success: work directly for the owner, or build your own business. * The importance of knowing your value: when told his manager couldn't give raises, Polo Sr. gave his notice the same week — and immediately increased his earnings by 3x. * Real wealth building starts with mindset, not money. Polo Sr. kept a ledger of every dollar he earned and tracked his progress year by year. * Faith, family, and community were the backbone of how he survived tragedy and stayed on track — surrounding yourself with like-minded people is a strategy, not just a comfort. * Deep, purposeful conversations have more value than small talk — a philosophy Polo Sr. has passed down to his entire family and built his networking ability on. * Polo Sr. chose quality of life over maximum earnings — he turned down solo trucking ownership to stay close to family and pursue a managerial path instead. * Legacy isn't something you inherit — it's something you carry forward. Polo Sr. made it his mission to honor his father by becoming the kind of man his dad would be proud of. * Identify mentors early. Several uncles stepped in after his father's passing and taught him trade skills — diesel mechanics, welding — that made him immediately employable. * Tom Sobrack (Canyon Crest Farms) recognized Polo Sr.'s work ethic within two weeks and gave him three checks in one meeting — proof that excellence gets noticed. If you enjoyed On The Chair, please like and subscribe. If you loved it, share this episode with a friend! We want to hear from you! Send your questions to onthechairpodcast@gmail.com Follow us on Instagram: @onthechair_podcast * (00:00) - Intro & Polo Sr.'s Famous Sayings * (02:00) - "It's Getting Really Bad" — What It Means * (04:00) - The Lickin' Pass & Family Humor * (06:00) - "It's Diluted" — The Diabetes Jokes * (10:00) - Introducing Polo Sr. to the Audience * (11:40) - Growing Up in Othello, WA & Mexico * (13:00) - Childhood: No Tonka Trucks, Just Real Work * (15:30) - Grandpa Polo's Bulldozer Business Dream * (17:20) - Why They Left the U.S. for Mexico * (19:40) - The Family's First Taste of Financial Freedom * (20:50) - The Day Everything Changed: Losing His Father * (23:05) - How Grief Shaped His Values for Life * (25:30) - Deep Conversations Over Small Talk * (27:15) - Coping at 14: Faith, Family & Role Models * (32:10) - Mentors Who Stepped In After His Father's Death * (34:00) - Leaving Mexico for Washington with $100 * (38:10) - First Job: $4/Hour, No Car, 13 People in 800 Sq. Ft. * (39:30) - The Math That Made Him Quit: Calculating His Worth * (41:20) - The Two Paths to Financial Independence * (42:10) - Getting a CDL & Tripling His Income * (43:10) - Tracking Every Dollar: The Earnings Ledger * (44:05) - Why He Chose People Over a Truck * (45:30) - Tom Sobrack & the Three-Check Moment