What began as a simple challenge from a friend—to show up on camera every day—quickly became something deeper. Over the course of the series, Avram rediscovered his love for creating, sharing, and telling stories that mattered. What once felt like a drain on time and energy became a source of momentum and clarity instead.

In this episode, Avram shares three key takeaways from the journey:

• How consistency brought freedom instead of burnout
• Why challenges help him stay focused, grounded, and confident
• And how clarity came from doing, not from overthinking or planning ahead

More than a recap, this episode is an invitation. Avram encourages listeners to consider taking on a challenge of their own—something that requires showing up imperfectly, consistently, and honestly. Because sometimes the thing you’re searching for doesn’t appear until you hit record and begin.

This episode closes the Stories That Shaped Me series by reflecting on how the act of telling the stories became a story in itself.

Those trips quietly shaped how he sees the world. Being surrounded by French sparked mental flexibility and curiosity. Experiencing a slower, more communal pace of life showed him the value of connection and presence. Even small moments—learning responsible drinking early, watching neighbors casually gather for hours, or realizing someone learned English simply by watching TV—expanded his understanding of what’s possible beyond the norms he knew back home.

Looking back, Avram sees how this exposure to different people, ideas, and environments helped cultivate an open mind and a balanced perspective that carried into adulthood. It taught him that there are many valid ways to live, connect, and show up in the world.

This episode serves as a reflection and a closing note to the series—a reminder that curiosity, travel, and openness can shape us just as powerfully as any single defining moment. Avram invites listeners to revisit the other stories and reflect on the experiences that shaped them, too.

Instead, the ceremony ended and the feeling never came.

Avram reflects on sitting there, wondering why the joy, pride, and excitement he thought he was supposed to feel were completely absent. Through that experience, he began to understand something many people encounter but rarely talk about: the destination often doesn’t deliver what we expect—because the meaning lives in the journey, not the finish line.

This episode explores ambition, expectation, and the quiet letdown that can come after achieving a long-sought goal. It’s a reminder to pay attention to the process, to savor growth as it’s happening, and to remember that fulfillment usually isn’t waiting on the other side of a milestone.

After signing up for Amazon’s affiliate program and sharing a single product link, Avram earned his first commission—83 cents. It wasn’t even a dollar, but to him it was proof. Proof that making money online wasn’t a mystery reserved for other people. It was something he could actually do.

That small moment cracked open a much bigger possibility. If he could do it once, he could do it again—and again. What started with a whiteboard and a single commission became the foundation for a 15-year career in internet marketing, selling products and services online to support his life, his family, and his future.

This episode is a reflection on momentum, belief, and how even the smallest win can change the trajectory of everything that comes after.

While his mom was showing off a newly remodeled bathroom to a friend, Avram quietly hid behind a curtain and flicked the light switch—once, then again. The moment quickly took on a life of its own, with laughter, speculation, and eventually a full-blown ghost story involving a beloved neighbor who had passed away earlier that year.

Instead of confessing, Avram stayed quiet and let the story grow. For years, he listened as the tale was retold again and again—sometimes right in front of him—without anyone knowing he was the “ghost” behind it all. When the truth finally came out, it revealed just how far a small prank can travel when left untouched.

Avram reflects on how this story connects to his playful nature—and hints at an even bigger prank still unfolding years later, known only by a handful of people. This episode is a reminder that not every story that shapes us is heavy—some are about humor, timing, and knowing when to keep a straight face.

Somewhere outside of Kremmling, Colorado, Avram fell asleep at the wheel. He woke up drifting off the road, overcorrected, and lost control. The car rolled—what felt like endlessly—before finally landing back on its tires. In the middle of the chaos, the recent death of a close friend surfaced in his mind, bringing a surreal moment of calm in the middle of fear.

In shock, Avram sat in the wreckage, methodically gathering the scattered pieces of a board game before fully grasping what had just happened. Strangers stopped to help, law enforcement arrived, and it became clear the car was totaled—but Avram had somehow walked away.

Looking back, Avram reflects on the lessons that moment burned into him: the danger of overriding your own awareness, the cost of urgency fueled by ego, and the reality that nothing good comes from pushing past your limits. This episode is a sobering reflection on risk, presence, and the night that permanently changed how he approaches decisions—and driving—forever.

What started as a cost-saving idea quickly turned into a demanding week of long nights, endless prep, and far more work than expected. Dozens of socks were dyed, cleaned, dried, and packaged, resulting in nearly 30 handmade gifts—many of which friends wore for years until they fell apart.

Looking back, Avram reflects on the two lasting lessons that came from that Christmas. First, handmade gifts often carry more meaning than anything money can buy. Second, time is one of the most valuable resources we have—and once it’s spent, it can’t be reclaimed.

This episode is a reflection on creativity, generosity, and the balance between giving from the heart and honoring the value of your time.

It starts in seventh grade with a simple school project: building a pressurized water rocket that could stay in the air as long as possible. While others focused on parachutes, Avram and his partner obsessed over small design tweaks—adding length, adjusting weight, and experimenting again and again until they discovered a counterintuitive solution that outperformed everyone else.

That same mindset showed up everywhere else. Endless repetitions in video games taught Avram patience, iteration, and resilience. You fail, you restart, you learn, and you try again—until you master the level.

In this episode, Avram connects those early experiences to how he approaches business today: releasing ideas before they’re perfect, learning from what doesn’t work, and treating failure as data instead of defeat. Entrepreneurship, he explains, is a lot like a game—you get multiple tries, you level up over time, and progress comes from repetition.

A thoughtful story about experimentation, persistence, and how childhood curiosities can turn into lifelong advantages when you know how to use them.

As a kid, Avram mastered the art of secretly opening Christmas gifts—taking a trick from his mom and pushing it to the next level. Convinced he’d spotted the Diablo II expansion in his stocking, he carefully unwrapped it, installed it, swapped the discs, and played the game for weeks before Christmas ever arrived.

But on Christmas Eve, that late-night gaming session placed him in exactly the right spot at the right time.

A loud crash in the house led Avram to discover his dad seriously injured after falling and cutting his arm badly on shattered glass—bleeding enough that, had no one heard it, things could have ended very differently. Thanks to quick action, basic first aid skills, and being awake when it mattered, his dad was okay.

This episode blends humor and gravity, showing how curiosity and presence—sometimes born from mischievous intentions—can unexpectedly make all the difference.

A memorable holiday story about being nosy, being prepared, and how small moments can quietly change outcomes forever.

From day one of every class, Avram studied the syllabus like a strategist. He calculated point values, weighed effort versus reward, and determined exactly what was required to pass—no more, no less. He showed up, did the work, but never wasted energy on what didn’t materially move the outcome.

At the time, it might have looked like laziness or cutting corners. In hindsight, it was leverage.

This episode explores the difference between avoidance and optimization, and how learning to identify what truly matters can be a superpower. Avram connects this early “gaming the system” mindset to his later success as an entrepreneur—knowing where to focus, what to ignore, and how to get results without unnecessary effort.

A thoughtful story about efficiency, clarity, and why working smarter isn’t something you grow into—it’s something you often reveal.

What started as a familiar weekend of partying with friends in Breckenridge took a hard turn when alcohol stripped away Avram’s judgment. An interaction with someone he had just met—rooted in curiosity but derailed by intoxication—ended in words and behavior that didn’t reflect who he truly was. He doesn’t remember all of it. He remembers enough.

The next morning brought clarity, embarrassment, and accountability. Hearing his friend recount what had been said forced Avram to confront the gap between his values and how he showed up when he was drunk. He owned it, apologized, and made a decision that stuck: never again.

This episode isn’t about alcohol itself—it’s about integrity. It’s about recognizing the moments when you cross a line, taking responsibility, and choosing to live in alignment with who you know yourself to be.

A vulnerable story about self-awareness, humility, and the quiet decisions that permanently change your path.

As a third grader in Phoenix, an unfinished chess game turned into an opportunity. With his dad away on a business trip, Avram spent days replaying the board in his head, running through every possible scenario, and testing outcomes move by move. By the time his dad returned, Avram was ready.

Three moves later, it was checkmate.

Whether his dad went easy on him or not almost doesn’t matter. What mattered was the discovery of something deeper: a love for strategy, problem-solving, and thinking several steps ahead. That moment marked the beginning of a lifelong pattern—approaching challenges as puzzles to be solved rather than obstacles to avoid.

This episode is a reflection on curiosity, patience, and the power of thoughtful preparation. A reminder that sometimes the wins that shape us most happen quietly, one move at a time.

Stranded in a parking lot with no money for a tow and a car that wouldn’t even attempt to turn over, Avram and his partner decided to try something radical. Drawing from their experience with meditation and energetic work, they chose to treat the battery not as a broken object—but as something they could interact with.

What followed was a focused, intentional experiment in tuning in, asking questions, and contributing energy. To Avram’s surprise, the car didn’t just sputter—it eventually started, and they drove away.

This episode isn’t about convincing anyone of what to believe. It’s about possibility. Avram reflects on how this experience expanded his understanding of what’s available when you step beyond conventional thinking and remain open to solutions that don’t fit inside the usual box.

A thought-provoking story about intuition, creativity, and the idea that limits often exist only where we insist they do.

What began as a simple moment at a hotel during a work event quickly turned into a nightmare. In the span of seconds, Avram’s one-year-old puppy vanished into the dark desert surrounding Lake Las Vegas. What followed was five days of panic, sleepless nights, relentless searching, and refusing to give up hope.

This episode weaves together determination, faith, and some truly unexpected elements: infrared cameras, psychic mediums, mass search efforts, and a meditation that coincided with the call that finally led to his dog being found. More than 300 people came together, scanning miles of desert terrain—proof of what’s possible when a community rallies with a shared purpose.

At its heart, this story is about belief and belonging. Avram reflects on how this experience tested his faith, strengthened his trust in intuition, and showed him the real power of community showing up when it matters most.

An unforgettable story of hope, persistence, and the miracle of coming home.

As a third grader newly relocated to Arizona, Avram found himself under the care of a teacher who treated him unfairly and inappropriately—not in ways that were obvious or dramatic, but in subtle, damaging acts of humiliation and isolation. As a child, he trusted authority figures implicitly and never questioned whether what was happening was wrong. He assumed he deserved it.

Years later, Avram began to recognize how that early experience quietly shaped his adult life. He reflects on a recurring pattern of seeking validation from authority figures—especially male teachers and leaders—only to ignore his instincts and place trust where it wasn’t earned. From classrooms to cult dynamics, the same wound kept replaying itself.

This episode isn’t about blame—it’s about awareness. It’s a thoughtful exploration of how early experiences can wire patterns of behavior, how trust can become a vulnerability, and how healing begins by finally seeing the connection.

A powerful story about self-protection, discernment, and breaking cycles that no longer serve you.

Just one day before their seventh anniversary, Avram’s long-term partner invited him to consider being part of a throuple. What followed was a rapid unraveling of trust built over years. As he reflects on the slow erosion of intimacy, unresolved resentment, and spiritual justifications that preceded the invitation, Avram walks listeners through the emotional complexity of wanting to be supportive while ignoring his own instincts.

The story reaches its breaking point in a hospital room, where a single question exposed the reality he hadn’t yet seen: the proposal wasn’t about openness or healing—it was about infidelity already in motion.

This episode is a raw reflection on betrayal, misplaced trust, and the lessons learned when truth finally surfaces. It’s a story about boundaries, self-respect, and how one moment can permanently reshape the way you see relationships.

Honest, vulnerable, and deeply human—this is another story that shaped him.

What started as harmless mischief quickly escalated into an engineering project fueled by curiosity, the internet, and a classic teenage desire to “go bigger.” After building an oversized, ether-powered spud cannon capable of launching potatoes out of sight, Avram and his friend Tim realized—just in time—how dangerous their creation really was. One test shot cleanly punched a hole through a thick wooden park sign, making it painfully clear that standing in front of it could have cost them their lives.

The story doesn’t end there. From firing firecrackers into the sky to an unexpected (and surprisingly reasonable) encounter with the police, this episode blends humor with hindsight and responsibility.

At its core, this story is about curiosity, boundaries, and learning—sometimes the hard way—where innovation crosses into danger. A funny, wild, and sobering reminder that pushing limits can teach powerful lessons, especially when you live to tell the story.

While driving through the Colorado mountains with his dad on the way to a Boy Scout campout, Avram witnessed the aftermath of a tragic accident involving a runaway truck. What he saw that day shattered his abstract, childlike understanding of death and replaced it with a visceral, unforgettable reality. In a single moment, life ended—and all that remained were fragments and silence.

This episode isn’t about shock for shock’s sake. It’s about awareness. Avram reflects on how that experience shaped his relationship with time, presence, and love—especially as a parent. The realization that everything can change instantly has stayed with him ever since, influencing how deeply he tries to show up for the small, ordinary moments that matter most.

A quiet, powerful reflection on mortality, gratitude, and why being present now is never optional.

While teaching his network marketing downline how he created massive results, a surprising moment stopped the room cold: 22 hands went up when asked who was frustrated with his leadership style. The reason? Avram didn’t respond to every message asking for help. He didn’t spoon-feed answers.

Instead, he held people capable.

Avram explains the philosophy behind that choice—and why refusing to hand over answers can actually be a gift. When people are forced to think, search, experiment, and figure things out for themselves, they grow in confidence, skill, and self-trust. What felt like neglect to some became empowerment for many.

This episode dives into the tension between comfort-based leadership and growth-based leadership, and why being temporarily frustrated can lead to long-term breakthroughs. It’s a powerful reflection on responsibility, self-reliance, and what it really means to help someone succeed.

A must-listen for leaders, mentors, and anyone who wants to unlock their own brilliance rather than wait for permission.

What began as a reluctant trial TaeKwonDo class quickly turned into a life-defining journey. From putting on a uniform for the first time to training alongside his dad, Avram found himself immersed in a discipline that taught far more than physical skill. Starting at the bottom—with no belt and no shortcuts—he learned humility, respect for teachers, and the value of consistent effort.

Through years of training and earning his first-degree black belt, TaeKwonDo helped Avram discover what he was capable of, build genuine self-esteem, and carry himself differently through the rest of high school. The structure, respect, and confidence he gained became a shield against bullying and a foundation for personal growth.

This episode is a powerful reflection on how discipline, mentorship, and self-belief can transform a young person’s life—and why some lessons stay with us forever.

In his early twenties, driven by a passion for personal development and New Age spirituality, Avram became deeply involved in a group called Access Consciousness. What started as fascination quickly escalated into influence, visibility, and paid work using his marketing skills to help grow the organization. But behind the scenes, things weren’t what they seemed.

After witnessing ruthless behavior and power dynamics at the top, Avram made the decision to leave. What followed was unexpected and extreme: public accusations, global telecalls warning thousands of people about him, online harassment, and former friends turning into vocal enemies almost overnight.

This episode explores what happens when belief systems are threatened, why people will fiercely defend what they identify with, and the real cost of choosing to walk away from something that once defined your community.

A raw, cautionary story about identity, loyalty, and the consequences of standing on your own truth.

So why did they leave?

The answer had nothing to do with performance—and everything to do with relationships.

Avram breaks down how a lack of consistent communication and connection allowed a local competitor to step in, build influence, and ultimately win the client over at half the price. Despite delivering massive growth, the absence of a strong relationship made the agency replaceable.

This episode is a powerful reminder that in business, doing great work isn’t enough. Trust, presence, and relationships are just as critical as results.

A must-listen for agency owners, freelancers, and anyone building long-term client partnerships.

In Episode 19, Avram Gonzales shares a formative story from his teenage years that helped shape his perspective on trust, connection, and friendship in the digital age. At just 17 years old, Avram spent countless hours playing Halo 2 Online, forming deep bonds with players he’d never met in person—until he decided to take a leap of faith.

Driving solo from Denver to Southern California, Avram finally met his online teammates face-to-face, discovering that they were exactly who he believed them to be. What followed was years of real-world adventures: cross-country visits, late nights with friends, broken iPods on the ice rink, Renaissance fairs, turkey legs, and memories that turned online friendships into lifelong connections.

This episode isn’t about blind trust—it’s about balanced awareness. Avram reflects on the importance of staying cautious while remaining open to the possibility that meaningful, genuine relationships can start in the most unexpected places.

A heartfelt story about community, courage, and the power of human connection—both online and off.

When the 2020 shutdowns hit and nearly all of his clients left overnight, Avram expected panic. Instead, he felt relief. With everything wiped clean, he had a choice: rebuild the same stressful business… or create something completely different.

Inspired by a friend who had transformed his own business through the Clockwork program by Adrienne Dorison, Avram committed to learning new skills, reshaping his mindset, and building a company that didn’t depend on him for every decision and every task. It was uncomfortable. It required deep personal change. And it meant hiring people to take on the responsibilities he had been carrying alone for years.

Five years later, the results are clear: no more cold sweats. No more drowning in unfinished work. Instead, a company supported by systems, a capable team, and a healthier, more sustainable version of leadership.

This episode explores the moment Avram realized something had to change—and the work it took to build a business that wouldn’t break him.

It wasn’t until a brunch with his cousin Haylee in 2018 that Avram finally shared the truth. That moment became a turning point. As he began opening up to others, the shame lifted—and he learned that many people in his life had quietly distanced themselves because of the relationship. One by one, they admitted they didn’t feel comfortable around his ex or didn’t know how to tell him without hurting him.

The experience revealed something profound: the people you choose to let into your life—especially long-term partners—shape everything around you. They influence your habits, your opportunities, your relationships, and even how your community connects with you.

This story marks one of Avram’s most personal reflections on boundaries, self-awareness, and choosing relationships that expand rather than shrink your world.

While most of his peers brushed off the ideas he was excited about, two friends, Phil and Travis, leaned in. Together they formed an informal “mastermind” without even realizing it—long conversations in the hot tub unpacking possibilities, comparing experiences, and helping one another grow.

Avram reflects on how this small group became a model for every major period of growth in his life: surrounding himself with people who shared a similar vision and were committed to becoming better together. It was the first time he felt what it meant to find his tribe, even when others didn’t understand.

This story highlights the power of community, curiosity, and choosing connection over conformity—one of the early moments that helped shape who Avram would become.

That moment, though humorous, also connected to something real for Avram. Becoming a parent and noticing how many items are used only briefly—and then discarded—deepened his awareness of waste, consumption, and the lifespan of the things we bring into our lives. From baby gear to clothing to tools, he now considers what will happen to each item in 100 years before choosing to buy it.

This episode isn’t just about a funny Christmas workaround—it’s a reflection on sustainability, intentionality, and the deeper values that shape how Avram moves through the world.

Avram recounts the sinking feeling when his mom had to pick them up, the painfully silent car ride back to school, and being marched straight into the principal’s office where the real consequences began. Months of detention, riding the school bus as a senior, community service—and he never even got the burrito.

Looking back, he sees it as one of those unforgettable moments that taught him about consequences, responsibility, and how quickly a reckless decision can snowball.

The money poured in. By the end of 2013, Avram had made nearly $190,000, with almost no expenses. But what felt like a breakthrough soon became a burden. He had never learned how to manage that kind of income, and within two years, the money was gone. What followed was a long stretch of debt, financial stress, and rebuilding—lessons that stayed with him for nearly a decade.

Avram reflects on how this experience expanded his belief in what was possible, but also taught him caution, discipline, and humility. It’s a story about the double-edged sword of fast success and how easy money almost ruined his life.

As he spends time reading to his own son today, Avram recognizes how deeply those experiences shaped him. Reading didn’t just create closeness with his parents—it opened doors, built confidence, and became a gateway to opportunity throughout his life. That realization has sparked a passion in him to address youth literacy challenges in New Mexico, a state that consistently ranks near the bottom in reading proficiency.

This episode reflects on the lifelong impact of being read to as a child, how it shaped Avram’s path, and why he now feels called to help other families experience the same gift.

But the heart of the story isn’t the daily challenges—it’s what happened when Avram turned the camera on himself. Recording video every day became an exercise in vulnerability and self-awareness. It forced him to see himself from the outside, confront things he’d never noticed, and build a comfort with being seen, judged, supported, or misunderstood by people he might never meet.

That year of video creation sparked unexpected opportunities: a path into internet marketing, the start of his first business, speaking engagements, and eventually a TEDx talk. More importantly, it became one of the most transformative periods of personal growth in his life.

Fifteen years later, Avram looks back with gratitude at how one uncomfortable commitment helped shape the person he is today.

Showing up in pajamas, Avram was met with cheers for “saving the party.” As he worked the tap, poured beers, and chatted with everyone who came his way, something unexpected happened: he found himself relaxed, confident, and genuinely enjoying the interactions. Not because he had to initiate the conversations, but because people naturally approached him.

That night revealed a simple insight he carried into adulthood—positioning yourself as the helper, the greeter, or the host makes social interactions easier. Avram now applies that same idea to networking events and even his business, where creating content brings people to him instead of the other way around.

It’s a humorous, relatable story about finding confidence by stepping into the role of the host—completely by accident.

Everything changed when his best friend, Tim, moved in next door. Tim had a completely different approach: build the set, enjoy it, then break it down and combine the pieces to create something entirely new. With gentle encouragement, Tim showed Avram that it was safe—and even exciting—to go beyond the instructions.

What followed were years spent building massive Lego cities together, even getting some of their creations featured in Lego Magazine. The experience taught Avram that while structure has value, creativity lives outside of it. That blend of understanding the rules while imagining what’s possible beyond them continues to influence his work today as a strategist and marketer.

When the bank refused to cash it, Avram went back to George expecting a simple rewrite of the check. Instead, George challenged him to take the next real step—open a proper business checking account. That moment turned an amateur operation into an official business and marked a turning point in Avram’s entrepreneurial journey.

This episode highlights the small but important nudge that helped formalize Avram’s path and the mentor who pushed him to step fully into business ownership.

Avram shares how he spent more time in trade channels than actually fighting monsters, learning how to spot pricing gaps, negotiate deals, and flip digital items for profit. What started as trading lightning charms for in-game currency became a real-world lesson in value, opportunity, and the thrill of making a great deal.

This story highlights one of the earliest hints of Avram’s entrepreneurial spirit and shows how even video games can become a training ground for future skills.

Avram recalls racing with his dad to the store just minutes before closing, circling the games he wanted, and proudly walking out with all four after months of patience and discipline. That experience taught him a simple but lasting lesson: if you save and delay gratification, you can create opportunities for yourself that others might never have.

It’s a small moment with a big impact, showing where some of Avram’s lifelong money values first took root.

One of those tools was simple: holding a squishy ball while reading or studying. That small adjustment made a big difference, helping Avram channel his extra energy and concentrate in a way that worked for him. More importantly, it shaped how he saw himself.

Avram shares how grateful he is that he wasn’t defined by a diagnosis, but supported by someone who believed his unique mind wasn’t a flaw—it was potential. This episode honors the teacher who helped him embrace the way his brain works and the strengths that came with it.

Avram also reflects on why the Vitamix itself means so much to him. After his previous one disappeared in a breakup, Rachel—working a modest job at the time—secretly saved up to buy him a new one as a Christmas gift early in their relationship. It was a gesture that showed her generosity and care long before they built a life together.

This story is a mix of humor and heart, capturing a small moment that says a lot about love, thoughtfulness, and the early days of a partnership.

Journey on even bigger stages. And so I painted my vision onto this canvas and a couple months later I found myself on the TEDx stage sharing that exact same vision with hundreds of people at TEDx Crest More Park. That was the beginning of it. I was hooked. I enjoy sharing, teaching, coaching, training, anything that I can do to help somebody elevate their life, I'm all about.

And so what's cool is it started small and by 2013 and early 2014, I was speaking on stages. Uh, the biggest one was in Denver, Colorado, in July, I think it was July of 2013, about 6,000 people in that room. And so if you have a journey, if you have a vision inside of you of something that you wanna make real, it starts by writing it down, in this case, painting it on canvas to watch it come true.

So that's my short story about how I became a public speaker, where the journey began and where it is now. I hope you'll tune into my next video tomorrow. Another short story about what made me, me, and the journey along the way.

What followed was a lesson Avram never forgot. After learning he was far past the application deadline for a top MBA program, his mom reminded him that “there’s no such thing as a rule that’s written in stone.” Acting on that advice, he made the call anyway—and within minutes found an unexpected path into the University of Denver’s MBA program.

Avram shares how that moment reshaped his understanding of rules, limitations, and what’s possible when you simply ask. It’s a story about initiative, encouragement, and the kind of mindset that has continued to shape his life.

Avram talks about the determination and strength that moment revealed, why it mattered to him, and how it helped him see the kind of partner she would be. It’s a short, heartfelt glimpse into the beginnings of their relationship and one of the stories that continues to shape who he is today.

It’s a relaxed introduction to Avram’s approach, his intentions for the podcast, and what you can expect in future episodes.