The 323 Podcast

A Sign from the Lord: Roberto Garza Jr. on Healing, Purpose, and Serving Veterans in El Paso

Roberto Garza Jr. spent 21 years serving in the U.S. Army, earning a Purple Heart through deployments in Bosnia, Iraq, and Afghanistan. When he came home, the real battle was just beginning. Roberto walked through years of PTSD, depression, and suicidal ideation before God used something as simple as a faded highway sign to redirect his life.   Today he serves as Director of the El Paso Military Resiliency Center for the Warriors Journey, where the mission is straightforward: suicide prevention through connection. He also oversees the Warrior Java Cafe, a faith-guided coffee shop inside the Endeavors Health and Wellness Center where baristas are the first line of defense and every cup of coffee is a reason to start a conversation.   Roberto talks about what it took to find healing, what listening actually costs a leader, and why El Paso veterans now have a place where they can find mental, physical, and spiritual care all under one roof.   Learn more about the Warriors Journey and the El Paso Military Resiliency Center at twj.org [https://twj.org], or visit them at 12135 Pebble Hills inside the Endeavors Health and Wellness Center. Veterans in crisis or anyone wanting to volunteer as a connector can call 213-895-4357.   Listen to more episodes at 323podcast.com [https://323podcast.com].   The 323 Podcast is Sponsored by C12 Borderplex. Learn how C12 helps Christian CEOs build great businesses for a greater purpose at C12Borderplex.com [https://c12borderplex.com] LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/c12-borderplex [https://www.linkedin.com/company/c12-borderplex] Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/C12Borderplex [https://www.facebook.com/C12Borderplex]

Faithful Steps: Ben Luna Jr. on Faith, Entrepreneurship, and Running for Office

Ben Luna Jr. is a 19-year journeyman electrician, multi-business owner, and now a candidate for New Mexico State House District 53. He grew up watching problems go unfixed in his community and decided to do something about it.   In this conversation, Ben shares how a moment of financial trust — accepting a pay cut right after his daughter was born — became the first time he truly saw God provide. From that turning point, he's built businesses, produced campaign media for candidates across New Mexico, and stepped into the political arena himself.   We talk about what it looks like to hear God's "yes, no, or not right now" as an entrepreneur, why becoming the media might be the most powerful thing a citizen can do right now, and what Ben is learning from knocking on doors in one of New Mexico's most underserved communities. Connect with Ben and learn about his campaign at BenLunaForNM.com [https://BenLunaForNM.com]. Find GloPro LLC on Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/GloproLLC].   Listen to more episodes at 323podcast.com [https://323podcast.com]   The 323 Podcast is Sponsored by C12 Borderplex.   Learn how C12 helps Christian CEOs build great businesses for a greater purpose at C12Borderplex.com [https://C12Borderplex.com] LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/c12-borderplex [https://www.linkedin.com/company/c12-borderplex] Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/C12Borderplex [https://www.facebook.com/C12Borderplex]

Selling Is Serving: Scott Willingham on Other-Centered Sales and Faith at Work

Scott Willingham is back. He is the founder and CEO of Wake Effect, a Las Cruces-based consulting firm specializing in sales training and talent optimization. In this follow-up conversation, we went deep on ASLAN, the sales methodology Scott uses with his clients, and why he chose it. The core idea is simple and countercultural: selling is serving. We talked about what it actually takes to be other-centered in a sales context, why most salespeople default to self, and how the principles ASLAN teaches align with what Scripture already tells us about how to treat people. If you have ever thought of sales as something you are not wired for, or if you have been in sales long enough to feel the tension between hitting your numbers and doing right by people, this conversation is for you. Connect with Scott on LinkedIn or visit wakeeffect.co to learn more about his work with Aslan and the Predictive Index. Listen to more episodes at 323podcast.com [https://323podcast.com/]. The 323 Podcast is Sponsored by C12 Borderplex. Learn how C12 helps Christian CEOs build great businesses for a greater purpose at C12Borderplex.com [https://www.c12borderplex.com/]. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/c12-borderplex/ [https://www.linkedin.com/company/c12-borderplex/] Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/C12Borderplex [https://www.facebook.com/C12Borderplex]

The Wake You Leave: Scott Willingham on People, Purpose, and Leading Well

Scott Willingham spent more than 20 years leading in sales organizations, running training programs for 500-person teams, and navigating the faith questions that come with corporate success, before stepping out to found Wake Effect [https://wakeeffect.co/], his Las Cruces-based consulting firm. He is one of a handful of ASLAN certified partners in the country and the only one who also partners with Predictive Index, bringing a rare combination of behavioral science and sales methodology to the leaders and teams he serves.   Scott and Tiffany talk about the spiritual discipline of dependence, what the Gallup data actually tells us about the American workforce, and why understanding how your people are wired is one of the most strategic investments a leader can make. He also shares the story behind the name Wake Effect, and why every leader should be asking what kind of wake they are leaving behind them.   Connect with Scott on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/in/scott-willingham [https://www.linkedin.com/in/scott-willingham/] or visit his website at wakeeffect.co [https://wakeeffect.co/].   Listen to more episodes at 323podcast.com [https://323podcast.com]. The 323 Podcast is Sponsored by C12 Borderplex.   Learn how C12 helps Christian CEOs build great businesses for a greater purpose at C12Borderplex.com [https://C12Borderplex.com].   LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/c12-borderplex [https://www.linkedin.com/company/c12-borderplex] Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/c12borderplex [https://www.facebook.com/c12borderplex]

No Margin, No Mission: Jonathan Lopez on Money, Purpose, and Proactive Planning

Jonathan Lopez is a founding partner at Truvize Financial, an El Paso-based advisory firm he built alongside Drew Harris. He and Drew are known for meeting clients where they are, not just with numbers and strategies, but with honest conversations about why money matters and what it is ultimately for.   In this return visit to the 323 Podcast, Jonathan talks through the psychology of money, the danger of purely reactive financial management, and how business owners can become intentional stewards of what God has placed in their hands. He shares a powerful two-question exercise he uses with every new client to reveal their true financial motivations, unpacks what 'enough' actually looks like when you define it on your own terms, and connects the dots between proactive tax planning and the freedom to be generous with your employees, your community, and beyond.   If you have ever felt like your finances were running you instead of the other way around, this conversation is worth your full attention.   Connect with Jonathan and the Truvize team at https://www.truvize.com [https://www.truvize.com]   Listen to more episodes at https://323podcast.com [https://323podcast.com]   The 323 Podcast is Sponsored by C12 Borderplex.   Learn how C12 helps Christian CEOs build great businesses for a greater purpose at https://C12Borderplex.com [https://C12Borderplex.com]   LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/c12-borderplex [https://www.linkedin.com/company/c12-borderplex] Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/C12Borderplex [https://www.facebook.com/C12Borderplex]