This week's guest is Andy Eacham, who joined us from New York City, originally born and raised in Transylvania. Andy got his start in the industry while in his teens. Andy realized from the early years of his career that Bartendy would bring money in fame and has really lived in the American Dream right now. Andy spent the last several years coordinating the bar program for Instagram Sensation, Salt Bay, and has now struck out on his own putting on his flare bartending shows and coordinating bar programs all over the world.
Check out his website at mdfkindustries.com or Andy's Instagram profile at mdfkandbi. We have a great time listening to Andy tell us his story and you definitely will too. It's a terrific guy with a lot of infectious energy. Enjoy the show.
Welcome back to another episode of the industry podcast. My name is Kip. This is Dan. What's happening about you?
It's me. I know it. Actually, I'm not much. To be honest with you really not much.
You, how did the mayoral race work out? Well, let me tell you something. The people have spoken and they did not say Kip. I am not the mayor of Waterloo as I woke up today.
But it was a lot of fun and I want to congratulate Dorothy McCabe, who is the mayor of Waterloo and also to thank Rob Evans Shannon Weeper for putting their names forward and having a nice civil race. Everything went well. It was lots of fun. A wonderful experience.
Got to meet a lot of people over the city that I never would have met otherwise. Yeah, it was a very civilized Canadian election. I was for a member of this election. There was no month slinging or anything.
I'm like, I know. Now I'm taking the day I just slung a little mud. Yeah, sure. Just make stuff up.
I was just like they do on Reddit and Twitter. That's true. Okay. It was a fake result.
Yeah. Well, it's super a great experience. We'll see if I try it again. But I'm pretty exhausted right now.
So I'm certainly no racist in the near future. Yeah, I hear you. Okay. So let's talk about the podcast here.
We have Andy joining us in just a little while here. But before we get to him, we should mention that if you are a fan of what we do here on the industry podcast, you should subscribe, rate and review the show. It helps a great deal. It's easy to do.
You just got to smash that button. If you want to be a guest on the show or if you would like to offer a sponsorship for the show, it's info at the industry podcast.club by email or you can DM us on the industry podcast on Instagram. Finally, Zach Hanna is always does the great artwork. He's 132 episodes deep.
He's doing this. Wow. Yeah. That's a lot of shots.
You must have one. It's Manhattan's mostly, but yeah. Well, you lost that. Yes.
Absolutely. And a big shout out to Zach who also did a bunch of work for my campaign. So I really appreciate him. If you're listening, Zach, thanks for everything.
It's a can of dot CO. You should check him out. If you want any graphic arts work done, he is amazing. Well, and so wants to find your bars.
Really find those. Well, the one bar is sugar run downtown Kitchener. You can that one you're going to have to try and find yourself because it is hidden speak easy. And then Babylon's sister's wine bar uptown Waterloo, check them both out.
Yeah. And we appreciate your support. Perfect. Okay.
Enough about us. Let's talk to our guest, Andy. Hey, how's it going? How are you?
You're not bad. Not complaining at all. Good. Perfect.
Thanks for coming on the show. Of course. Of course. Okay.
So you're coming to us from New York where you're that's where you're located in general, but you've been bartending pretty much all over the world. Everywhere. Yeah. I'm gypsy like a blood like culture, like lifestyle.
Right. So you grew up in Transylvania. When I raised when I was in Transylvania, more exactly in that city was a dark like kissing in the show. Yeah.
Yeah. I've worn there. I feel and I was in that city till I was 14 and after I moved to another city, you know, school and in that city, I as well, I got in this industry when I was 16, like two years later, and since then, we came over. Right.
So what was your first job? My maple job was like a busser, 16 years old. At 17, I upgraded. I was a server 18 and 19, I said behind all the bar.
Yeah. When I was 19, I said behind all the bar, step up behind all the bar. But by mistake, just because I was in a college and I was just looking for, you know, for the same next job, next time, I was kind of tired, not to deal with people at the table, you know, all the shit. And I was looking for like something like more, you know, chill.
And I still remember was an announcement like, yeah, we're looking for, you know, pool table maintenance guy, you have to know to clean up the pool tables in the nightclub, you know, and the people comes in, like you would just like render, you take care of everything, what is it about the pool table, so stuff. And I was like, look, I looked like it's a pretty easy job. You know, you just have to give the, you know, the stakes, the pool, stakes and the, the pool, the balls, whatever, and like charge them and like after that, you keep the real clean. I was like, okay, let me go for it.
And I went there and the guy that I did the interview with was looking at my resume, I was like, yeah, you've been working in a restaurant in Boston, whatever for the last couple of years. I was like, yeah, and he started looking for, he had asked a couple of questions about like, you know, regular like mainstream shit, like, what is vodka made up or what is coniac made up. And like, surprisingly, I, I was certain. And he was like, uh, you know what, I have a bar in the position for you.
And I was like, uh, okay, but I never worked in the bar. It's like, come on, you're all right. And I tried as a fucking, like, always was kind of amazing. You know, like what's going on over there, like kind of the bar, like, you know, like, making, making, making, mixing up shit.
I was like, bro, there's a lot of shit. But I was like, uh, if you actually, you know, ask me, you just tell me like, I only have a bar in the position, you kind of go for it. Or like, if not, I cannot hire like whatever pool bench, there's a guy no more. I'll be curious, I'll just see it.
And this time I was working at the bar, I said, remember like, the very, the next day I was in a training was much a, was like, informational one of the things. Oh my God, what's freaking hell on the earth man. And I didn't have no problem about anything. I didn't even like how to keep a button in your hand and even to me, shit.
And of course, because they were like, like most of the stuff was there, even they were, they were calling and they were going to be a busy day come over here. And I always said, I don't, on the other thing, I was just like watching glasses and shit. My baby first day, and we can have a round and everyone's like, it was screaming around to another guy. It was my order was my shit.
He's glasses on the floor. You guys come and tear up the shit. Oh fuck. I don't know if I can do that.
And I literally was like six hours, I was just like washing shit and I cleaned up after the bartenders because all the stuff was there. Like I said, it's like my country is a big celebration. Intention one day because at the same time, it's mother's day too. One was a mother's day and the same day, March 8th.
Last video. Oh my God. And after that day, like my fingers was like, I was staying in a pool for like, you know, hours. We're like swallowing.
And of course, they do care of me. They give me some cash. And I was like, bro, it's not that bad. It's never as bad when you get paid at the other night, right?
Like, even though we're fucking night is like, oh, but then you made that money. You're like, I can go back. Yeah. And like, in the afternoon, we just like, staying chill with the bartenders.
They give us the drink and which I never did. I never done it, you know, watching like a server or like a bus or a big nowadays. And I was like, dude, like, man, this is good. Like, you're even like drink for free at the end of this year.
I don't know. I kind of like it. And after that, I had to say like another week in, you know, training, whatever. And finally, they got me, you know, my own shit.
And I trust me. I love him. And like, for you, I love it that so much that even freaking, you know, I was doing, I was looking for this type of job, actually, like a job to pay my college. So I like everything.
I was going over there, like I was 19, like a lot of cash, a lot of like, pussy and shit, like nightlife, like everyone was like coming to you. I see it for things. I see it for now. I'm working for the charge.
I love you. I love you. I love you. I like why I need it for it.
And I literally, I literally drop off and I just like invest all my money in a certificate for that and I played later on in a fair marketing. But I didn't know so much about it. Kind of the bar. So it was in purpose.
And this is all in Transylvania when you moved to the US. No, no, I moved to the US when I was 25. Okay, so this is all there. Yeah.
All in my country Romania. Romania. Yeah. I was born in Russian, Pennsylvania, but like the next city that I moved in when I was 14 is out of outside of Transylvania, but it's in Romania.
Okay. So what sparked a move to the US? Oh, so, I think 21 to 25, I had my best life, best time of my life. I was working in the nightclub.
I was working like two, three nights a week max. I got in the play about ending two. And I was competing. I was like a little superstar like my hometown, just because I was working in the best nightclub.
It was amazing. But I got to a point where I was like, what's next? No, because like, literally the home country, my country couldn't keep me more than already give it to me. So I could like spread out my wings more than that.
And I brought like, let me just switch it up, you know, continent. And then I was a little bit more like dreaming about all this American dream or like I was amazed with like American movies, American food, American everything. Like, okay, let me get out of here. And so, yeah, by then I did like, I did a lot of competitions.
I did like, actually, my biggest, I did a lot of psychology after attending competitions, but I was never like, you know, top one. But I was like, I was in a freaking out top 10, all the time, top 10 national wide, international, all this stuff. But I never like, you know, it's like hard to be the best one. Actually, it's easy to get the best one, but like, it's hard to like to keep being the best number one.
So it's kind of for saying for like, for like, I want a couple of them. One of them was the Monin from 2016. I won the first place and they sent me to Paris to represent my home country at the World Wide Contest. And I took Romania on seventh place, which never ever been in Exorgia, ever contest, even nowadays.
Right. Yeah. And after that, I was like, bro, like, I don't want to stay here no more. Like, I know I can like, more than this.
And a year later, I moved to New York. Actually, two to the States, I was like, a couple of more cities before. Yeah. So how did you find it?
Like, you're saying you're kind of like a big fish in a smaller pond back home in Romania, but now you're moving to New York and there's like, this is the bartending Mecca. Right. So how did you find it when you got to New York? Was it easy to bust into the bartending scene and be well known, like right away or did it take some time?
To be honest, it wasn't that hard for me. I still remember that my very first job was on Mark's Vineyard, which is next to Boston. And my very first sheep, I remember, you know, like, shitty to mudslide or something like this. Like, you know, silly, like crazy over there.
And I was doing that. I was putting all the ingredients in the blender. And I said, buddy, flex, you know, I did the behind of the back. I was like, fuck.
And I was like, whoa, what? Do it again. I was like, what? I do the behind of the back, just looking at the eyes.
That was the moment I was like, you're here's gonna be way easier than that. Let me show you something. And, uh, oh, just like, stuff, you can go in bottom. They say, pop, pop, pop, pop.
You're everyone was going crazy. I don't swing out the phone. The guy from the bar, you know, going nuts. And there's a moment when it's kind of figured like, bro, like, it's not gonna be that hard.
And just because I think to like to invest a lot of time and invest a lot of money in, you know, in your skills, you know, in your upgrade, because everyone over there, like more or less, they're doing pretty much, because there are a lot of competitions as well. It's a lot of, you know, competitive. There's a lot of good guys. Most of the, if you go to Vegas, too, most of the bar they're full of, you know, guys, different about this.
And, um, I was, you know, I was fine to, to do a good move here in America, but I didn't really know like how the deal is. I just want to go there and I'll figure out my life because I will always like, from, you know, one month to another, I never like really think more than a couple of months ahead. I'm like super, you know, literally what's up. I'm going to the floor.
And, um, since I got, uh, since I got over there, I was like, bro, this is gonna, I think it's gonna be pretty easy. And from there, the season was over. I was actually living in Miami. I was just passing it out, but my younger big booties and like putting like, team-ass in politics and all that.
And like doing freaking, you know, you know, I call out that in January, February, you know, like, living in Miami. I'm most of Miami super, you know, like confident and shit. And this was 2017. And I started a couple of the jobs and everyone was like, I have an exponent like, bro, it's America.
What the heck? Yeah. No, no, I've got this point. And I was like, going like from one spot to another, we might phone, you know, like, yo, this what I'm doing, this what I know to do.
I've been over here, I've been over there, like, um, I was trying like the videos we made when I was competing back in days, like, I don't see the air and shit. Like, oh, okay, we'll call you. I was like, so disappointing that I later I was looking out for just for like three weeks every day. My mind was like going down later for like, boom, man.
And like, and you know, when you leave your country, like, I was like, I was like, I was like, I was like, I'm just gonna come back. I already have some money. I have like, a little bit left. I just want to go back to Romania.
And you know, because was my comfort zone over there. I don't want to like, I know me, like, I have my kind of name already building my home country. I was like, oh, fuck, it's not that easy that I thought I was on the island. And I still remember was, uh, it's always going every more one indeed that comes apply for every single announcement.
What I see looking for a bartender, about the position I was putting down on the paper, putting the backpack with all my freaking resumes and I go door to door, you know. And one of them was like no threat hires for all the positions. I didn't know who's most ready, you know, I just like took the address. I went there.
I have an interview with an HR. And after a couple of days, she couldn't come again. I was like, fuck, you know, I just want to jump. I have another interview and she was like, hey, we really like you.
They put me to do like different cocktails and I was making it all just moves. I was like talking about it. You know what? Uh, we really like you.
We want to hire you, but you want to have another interview with the chef himself. I said, with the chef. I should do it. Yeah, with the chef.
Like I was like, okay, whatever. I just want to jump. No. Yeah.
And, uh, I come after a couple of days when the chef came in here was kind of weird for me because like, I was, you know, I was applying for the back left positions. I was like, give a, finally, to the chef, everyone of course, like that. And when I got here, uh, over there, I saw the guy with the glasses and the ponytail. I said, bro, I know this is great.
This, this fucking guy, man. Like it is because I know his face. I knew the meme on the Facebook that I was explaining. So all the, oh, yeah.
I was like, you know, I know the man. And after that, what happened? He said, oh, this is really lame. Actually, but you know, like everyone knows him like it's all day, you know, right?
So all the way, whatever. So no stress. Oh, so this is really, oh, oh, oh, I was like so bent and I started shaking and whatever. And I got over there.
I said, remember, was a table him and a girl who was translating the circus. And I got over there. And just to let you guys know that that's weird as fuck. It's like, I don't know.
He has a sunglasses with me. And I was looking at the girl was over there for the traffic everything. I was like, oh, and she was like, you know, see something about yourself. Okay.
And I come back to him and I started selling myself. You know, I say like, true, I was there. I was in that video. Yes, I was I was competing over there.
I was championing and after I came for a pick, I was like, Trump, you know, yeah, and I started talking about this. He came to my head like this. And I gave a shake with him. I was like, I didn't know what was happening.
And he was a little girl. And the girl was like, you want to make him a cocktail? Like, you fuck, you know, of course. And I went to the freaking restaurant where I was like, anything goes wrong.
I want to be kind of a bar. And okay, let's make a cocktail for this guy, right? I don't remember what and I went back. He was keeping the viewing people and I went back over there.
And I gave him and I started talking about what I put there, why this ingredient, why because you can't be a cotso. But he doesn't drink. I found out after his Muslim. She's going to be another one.
Okay, I made another cocktail. I came with an representation, whatever. Look at me. Look at the cocktail.
And he said in such a broken English. Do you know Bellini? Yeah. Bellini, the best.
Okay. Bellini. And I went back in the bar with the third cocktail that he never told you the cocktails that I made for. And I went back and I met a police bible.
And I came back and I came back and I came over. I talked about it. Like, it was like, like very, you know, our organization. Like, give me some, okay, okay, I'll talk with you out there.
And you know what's going on? And the girl was like, yo, you're doing that. No one about it. He said, wait a minute.
Right? Right? After a couple of hours, I was like, Hey, can't come for the training. We should know.
They called me. I didn't answer because I don't know why they did that. But I finally, like, I called you actually, it was my young. I definitely was a creative arts office.
And the next day I was like, you know, let me call it the age of like, after two days or something. Plus, you know, my young age, if you're not focused, man, you can lose yourself like so easily. And I call him like, I'll be like, one day or the next day. And you're like, Hey, Andre, yeah, you miss the training.
It says, Oh, okay, I'm sorry. I'll just like, I'll just like, I'll just be using the training. Because we got to the restaurant in the week. The fucking, of course.
I was like, okay, okay, I'll follow my time. I was like, come over. I was actually so far. And then I come in.
I was like, bro. I was 25. Like I said, 20 years after the look for myself, I got in the States. And now I kind of look like a man-ish, you know, but I was looking like, no, even like, facial hair, skin, a spark.
I got over there through all the, you know, the Latino's, how they are like, pretty, you know, massive manly, you know, all everyone's working out over there in Miami. Like, Hey, hey, you know, you're about to know, I'm about to do everything. Like this. Okay.
Okay. I'm freaking white boy. Okay. I was just really awkward.
And I say that I just like, listen to everyone. I never was that guy by the guy was like, yo, let me shut the fuck up. Let me show what I what I what I do. I just like, listen to everything.
You know, how's the training? Like, you got to go to all the menu, got to load all the cards, especially when they say it was like that. And they give us the menu to learn it. And the next day we had some tests, like written tests and practices.
And the practice says, you know, I had to do what I had to do. And like, and everyone was like, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. They're not there. Like, although the sun is not giving attention, you know, like all the people, even I was like, you know, there's no 120 pounds.
And you know, the white boy with very nice from freaking Europe. And he said so that too. And he was kind of, you know, he's never gonna be that guy because I love you. You're the guy, like, I really appreciate what you doing.
Thank you for working in my company. So he was just like, he's recording me. And he was bringing, like, I figure he was doing all the big names to my own station when I was working. So like, Puff D.D.
Like, you know, I was my fifth month in America. And I was doing play for Puff D.D. with a serial. She was recording me.
The Feds, Joe, Whiska, the guy who was like, this cover Drake, I don't know who the big message. So I'm just like, personally, bringing these guys in front of my station to make them cut us. And that's why I understand like, yo, these guys really appreciate it. Like, you really know, you know, you know, you know, you know, I know my craft.
And it was really good. It was October, October, November, December, really good three months. I made so much money. I never saw in my life so much money coming from, like I said, from Europe.
And you know, how is Miami? Like, it didn't include it. And with the pros, whatever, the point where you have, you make a good money. But like, for me, in that moment, it was like, whoa, whoa, America.
And January opened the second restaurant in the States, which was New York. And after two days, he called the manager from Miami. I was like, yo, send this guy over there. And they sent it to New York.
I was like, bro, I'm going through here. You know, I have a big deal here. I'm going to say, no, you're a what? Because no threat solving himself, only to come over there, like, you know, to and like, you show show, this, like, you know, to say like, main words.
So I know what I have to go there just to, you know, to, you know, put in the show on the motherboard. This one, the concept about this restaurant. That's why, like, you can, you can take the same, you know, stuff cut, the cut of the steak for like, let's say $100 less, $200 less than another set of hours, but what does this put in the show? So this is the whole concept of the restaurant.
So if someone is on the floor, he may order guys, like putting the show with different appetizers, with the steak with the salt, he needs people putting the show with the cotton, so we're delivering the alcohol on the bar as well. So I got there. It was like, jump, I got an American, in general, we already was in a standing in the shuttle for T.E.L. in Times Square, in a freaking king size bed, the last 60 seconds floor or something, I was seen the time for like, from my room, and I want to get the best time on my life.
I was like, bro, I didn't really know like how was everything going on. I was just like, fuck it. I don't know if I'm going to have this shit again. I was like, I'll bring you pros to the same night.
I was like, it was for some year, bro. Like, people are saying it back to my honest, you know, and I had like a little fridge, I never say in five, so tell him my life. And I had like a little alcohol, I was saying English. Like the airplane bottles?
Yeah. Yeah. Like two different breasts were every single type of liquor. Yeah.
And I didn't like everything when I was coming back, like it was, it was back full. I was like, this was it's amazing. I didn't really know that you have to pay for it. I never seen it until, especially, like I've been saying, but not like with a full mini body or room.
And I was for like two weeks over there. And I was like, they're gonna send me back to me, like, give me the best of it. And I was reading the people you like, every time I really bought it, my company, and I was reading people from New York, from New York, in my room. It was amazing.
And after two weeks, even though the partners from the New York team, they were like, yo, we love you. No one, we don't want to go back to New York to Miami. I was like, well, I don't know. I don't know.
I don't know. I want to say it too. And even though the New York guys, they were like speaking with GM, the operational GM, they were like, yo, those things that are coming to Miami, so cool, whatever. And the manager can say, you know, don't go back to Miami, I'm saying, you're, and it took me like six seconds over here.
I don't have a relationship. I don't have kids that I know. And I was like, listen, listen, you're looking for what? I think one is doing your job.
Yeah, okay, well, everything was happening so fast. When he has come in like these things, you know, of course, yeah, bring it up. And I was okay, we give you another two weeks of the hotel. Meanwhile, you have to finish up your, you know, you got to work out for yourself.
Okay, okay. And those two weeks, I look out for a spot, actually in the last three days, I found a lot of friends. And but I was like, keep on getting a lot of fun in my hotel room. And I said, like a couple of days before to send the whole Miami team back to Miami, I was talking with the guy, and I was going like, super, the fuck up in the morning with the hotel room.
And he was like, yo, I'm going back to Miami. I was like, bro, I'm going to say, you know, you know, he was like, I'm so tired, man. I got to do my laundry and shit. And I got to work later before I go to Miami.
And she was like, and I was like, what are you doing? Yeah, like, yo, you're the hotel does the laundry, right? Because I get more to have my my shirt like this. I don't know with the sticker on air, like keeping my everyone.
It was new to me. And the guy was like, no, we cannot do the laundry. And the company said we cannot use the facilities and shit. Oh, yeah.
But like, you know, like, it's more convenient for you. No, no, no, I don't want to get in the promise of company and shit. Anyways, and that was the one I figured, bro, because I came back to this after the open, because he said, he said, he said, he's nothing going on in the body. Like, I got from Miami.
And they didn't let me know with anything, you know, I was just like, got the rules. Like, bro, you can build time off by luck. And I had to check out in a couple of days. And I went to the concert, so I was like, hey, can I please have the charges?
Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Oh, I'm just gonna do it.
Oh, cool. Oh, cool. And he was like, a lot of papers like this. I'm not actually like, fucking two inch of paper.
And was like 7,000. Yeah, man, it was like 7,000. And like, trust me, I start shaking. I thought, what I'm doing, I'll definitely the one like, I literally, like my green bitch, literally black because it was was laundry was like, not even break it down.
So it was like, you don't service, you know. And I was like, I'm fucking, I'm fucking, I'm fucking, I just had a good time. I was gonna go back to Miami to sit. I'm gonna find out about that job.
And I was like, I got to like, you know, try not to say anything. Like, what should I say? You know, like, hey, I have some charges on the credit card, talk to the company. But I was like, in the fuck, I'm just gonna, I'm just gonna, you know, don't say anything.
And I had to go to Miami to bring my stuffs, actually, or because they were like, okay, you find your spot? Okay, you gotta check out, we'll bring your stuff, go to your new spot and start working in your location. And I still remember I went, I actually, I called a guy to take my stuff because everyone from the hotel room, because I was like, taping everyone, like, I was like, the guy took my shit, like, my luggage, he went out and after that went to, hey, what's up? I just had to be around the corner.
Yeah, okay, I went out. I met a guy, he gave me my luggage and I went to Miami and the next day, and I had to stay over there for like three days. I had turned three days to take care of myself and come back to New York and I got in Miami and I was like, bro, they don't know shit. Come on, it's a big company.
They don't have enough. And the next day, the gym called me to do the other thing. I was like, oh, I can't know. And I said, yeah, yeah.
So, I came to be kind myself. Did you check out the hotel? I was like, I don't know. I just left, you know, like, you know, they charge us another day just because they didn't check out.
I'm so sorry. I didn't know about this. Okay, next time, just like, be more, you know, a breakout and something, be more careful. Okay, I'll be in your studio tomorrow.
And I still don't, I didn't say anything no more. I still don't know what happened. I just went to my life. They didn't tell me anything about the strategies on the room.
So definitely someone paid for it. Definitely. I think the company paid for it. Like, I didn't ask.
I didn't say anything. I was like, nobody said tell me shit seems there. Trust me. I was going to do the freaking last day of my life in that company.
Did you say anything? I didn't say anything either. I don't know what happened with the beers, how they lost, whatever, because there were a couple of us in them. Anyways, I don't even want to think about it.
I still try to hide the best time of my life, man. $10,000 in Times Square. Just the charges, not the room. That's amazing.
And that's how I started working in New York location. And over there, because there was a new spot a lot of people was coming in and because it was like a, I think it's still a type of, you know, pretty known steakhouse name. A lot of people come to see that guy and I was like, bro, this is my moment. I got to, you know, I got to keep, you know, showing off, you know, because that's the way you let the people know, you know, your craft.
And this is how I make connections in New York, you know, like, you know, it's huge. A lot of people with money want to throw a nice party in New York. And they want to, you know, if they are big ballers, they want to have like everything outstanding. So even the dive was having drinks, you're like, uh, let me be, let me have the guy was like making a show, one of you, seven drinks.
And this is how I started doing like events each day, which there, you know, when I was asking the guys to cover my ship, even I was working for that for a certain time. And that's how I work in New York, and after that, the company was growing up so much in the States. And they started opening locations, Boston, Dallas, Beverly Hills, Las Vegas. And I was the only one from the back was like, no, Fred was calling for me.
So I want all these locations, they were like at least four, five months, uh, weeks, I'm sorry, four weeks to eight weeks in every single location was in Boston Park. And I was opening the location, a lot of people was coming up for that guy. And, you know, to see that guy, you got a waste for your table because it's pretty bad. So waiting for a table, you guys, they had the bar, hit a drink and was like a win-win, you know, that's all I had to show up and I had to make friends, I had to make connections.
So that's because of this, because of the, you know, I call him English. He put me out there because he put me out there, I make a lot of connections in every single city. I have girlfriends at least one in every single city, Boston, Dallas, Beverly Hills, Vegas, everywhere. I have friends, I have connections and it got in the moment when the people was like, start trying me out, you know, like in different, like in that series and after that was trying me out in like different countries, different continents.
And I was like, he passed in for like day off, weeks off, till a year ago, when I was like, yo, I still had to have another location with the Las Vegas one. And I was like, I gotta, I gotta leave, you know, like I really appreciate you guys, you give me a lot of exposure, but I gotta take care of my own brand and like, I have to share what you guys do for me. But and they really, you know, they have a lot of rights because we have full time in full, like we already closed our eyes for a lot of shit that you're already doing. I even like, you know, can't pretty, you know, keep seeing a couple of times in the business.
And I was trying to quit like a year ago and we had a conversation, like nobody likes States, especially in this big company like that. They're like, okay, we're gonna get in a common sense with us. And like, we're gonna come on point, you can have your own, you know, keeps, you can have your own off time as long as you let us know ahead, you can figure out the schedule. And okay, and it went like that another year when start going better and better on my side.
And like, I literally wouldn't do it no more. And the managers were creating this stuff. And like, this is John, I was like, you know, I love you guys. Thank you so much for everything.
In my head, I got to take it from my stuff. You know, I've been working for you guys for the last four years, five years. I got to do something for myself. I was trying to build up my brand, you know, expand my brand, I was like, again, and since then was June, this one I'm doing, I'm just, you know, hoping, how much you live, but I'm just hoping from one spot to another, doing events, doing pop-ups, doing cos I'll be opening spots.
Like I said, I just came back from Miami. The coolest, but they put like $6 million in all the decorations in the restaurant. It looks amazing. It's called the web Miami.
It's like, or if you like, what, why, you don't post it, you post it, you post it, you post it, you post it, you post it, you post it, you post it, you post it, whatever. So I was there for like two weeks to open up and Monday I'm leaving to Romania. I'm going to have a guest in my hometown, to get straight back and after that, if you from Romania go to Greece. And I don't know, I just, I think this one makes me happy, like changing, like seeing new people, seeing new places, this one keeps me, you know, keeps me going.
I think I've seen like in the spot for like more than like, in the press station. I think you figured it out. I think you figured it out. I think you figured out the spartanning shit and that's how you got to be doing it.
Just traveling around the world doing different spots all the time. It's awesome. Now, congratulations. Well, thanks so much for coming on the show.
Tell our listeners where you can find you on Instagram or anything else you want to promote. So you guys can go on my Instagram with MDFKND. Let me tell you what's MDFK coming from. Yeah.
Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. So MDFK is a comes from motherfucker. So it's not the fuck it.
Just because like, I used to call myself MD since I was in my home country long time ago. But like, MDFK, all this MDFK came from my last one, my last competition was Monion. After I won the national one and they sent me to the international one, you know, you have to do your own routine. You have to do your routine for the, for the contest.
Even if it's not, you have to, like, to be creating, creating, bring the speech, the speech with the moves, everything. And I was training, I was like repeating my routine. I was like practicing with my head back then, that's my blood, it's his name. And like, every time I was like, for getting the speech, I was like, putting morning reading that I was supposed to, like, and I was like, keep my, like, this, this is a big competition for me.
Like, I represent my own country. And I'm nervous. And you always be like, yo, yo, you're fucking man, yo, you don't go for them. And they go for you.
They come for you. But you got to motherfucker back at it, bro. You got to motherfucker back at it, bro. You got to motherfucker back at it, bro.
They're falling shit. And I was like, keep putting my, you're motherfucker back at it, bro. Like, they come for you. They're not going for anyone, but they're, like, they don't know what I'm missing.
I'm gonna, maybe I'm gonna, like, get to put in for the two, you know, say word. I'm a motherfucker rockstar. I'm a motherfucker rockstar. And I did a good move.
I did a good move. And after that, I didn't have any Instagram by then. And after that, a couple of weeks, you know, you're Instagram, I said, fucking, let me make an Instagram account too. And I was like, what should I put Andy?
Sorry, he's taken, but I didn't, he's taken, Andy, whatever. You know, I'm, I'm a motherfucker rockstar, right? I'm a motherfucker rockstar, but I couldn't put my motherfucker back. I didn't put my motherfucker back and I was taken to, like, make it shorter and I look up for like slant, how can I make it shorter motherfucker?
And I saw an old man dictionary, like motherfucker and saying it can be written, like, MDFK. Fuck it, that's it, bro. Andy, Andy, like fucking, like, I don't even see even tattoo it's not an empty, you know, my finger says like, give me eight letters, easy to remember, straight on point. And like, see, they're just a motherfucker, Andy.
Well, awesome. Andy, thanks for coming on the show, you are a motherfucker. We appreciate you man. Thanks for giving us your time.
This was awesome. Hilarious stories, man. Appreciate you. Yeah, thanks man.
And if this, only the stories from the United States, I didn't say the stories like, by the time I, we might have to have you on again. Yeah. All right, thanks again, buddy. Appreciate you coming on.
Have a great night. Bye. Bye.