CV Hustle

Send us Fan Mail Getting choked out sounds like a bad day until you understand what it really teaches: calm under pressure, honest feedback, and the confidence that comes from doing hard things on purpose. We sit down with Anthony Mantanona, third-degree black belt and the driving force behind Coachella Valley Jiu Jitsu, to unpack how grappling sports shape people in ways a normal workout never ca...

Send us Fan Mail Death is guaranteed. Confusion, family conflict, and surprise bills do not have to be. We talk with Ernesto Rosales of ER Funeral Services, a Coachella Valley funeral professional who explains what really happens after someone dies and why the “death care industry” is far more human than most people expect. We get into the behind-the-scenes realities: what “first call” removals lo...

Send us Fan Mail A pink billboard with nothing but a face and a name sounds reckless until it turns into TV, brand partnerships, and a thriving Palm Springs business. We’re joined by David Rios, a real estate entrepreneur and interior designer known for bold vacation rental design, high impact marketing, and building experiences that feel like boutique hotels. He walks us through the exact mindset...

Send us Fan Mail A bag of “too strong” coffee turns into a business idea that refuses to quit. We’re sitting down with Rochelle De Villa, Joel Lozano, and TJ Jacinto, the founders behind Varraco Coffee & Roasters , one of the most talked-about coffee shops in Palm Desert and the wider Coachella Valley. Their story starts as college friends in the Philippines, then stretches across migration, n...

Send us Fan Mail A glossy print magazine in 1,500+ Palm Springs hotel rooms. A half-hour TV pilot with a full crew. A bright pink Rolls-Royce named Mr. Pink turning heads on the street. That’s not a gimmick, it’s a strategy. We sit down with Matthew Mitchell and Wiley Snedeker, the founders behind Oasis Magazine and Victory Creative Agency, to unpack how they’re building modern local media in the...

Send us Fan Mail A heartbreak, a desert move, and a willingness to try again can turn into something much bigger than a side project. We sit down with Jose Esparza, founder and host of The New Mindset of the Coachella Valley, to unpack how he rebuilt his life in the valley and kept iterating until his podcast finally clicked, then grew into an NBC Palm Springs TV show. We get specific about the cr...

Send us Fan Mail Something wild happens when you stop treating your instincts like a soft suggestion and start treating them like real information. We sit down with Allie Kingsley Baker, a New York Times bestselling author, co-writer, and Coachella Valley entrepreneur, and her story moves fast: Los Angeles gets unsafe during the pandemic, a “we’re just going for a drive” day ends in La Quinta, and...

Send us Fan Mail From the streets of Indio to the Grammy Awards and beyond, David Villarreal has crafted an extraordinary career in elite security services. As founder of Libertas Protection Group, David has protected some of music's biggest stars while building a business that stands apart in the competitive security industry. Growing up in the Coachella Valley and serving in the military ga...

Send us Fan Mail Ever wondered what it takes to bet everything on a business dream? Meet Brian "Coach B" Arrington, who pulled equity from his family home to launch Fox Sports Palm Springs 1270 – a radio station bringing dedicated sports coverage back to the Coachella Valley. Sports broadcasting wasn't always Brian's passion. Originally aspiring to be an entertainment journalis...

Send us Fan Mail #realestate #realtor #housing #coachellavalley #2025 The 2025 Coachella Valley Real Estate Round Table with James Suer, Billy Meraz & Donovan McDaniel. The real estate landscape has fundamentally shifted since the pandemic boom, but what does that mean for buyers and sellers in the Coachella Valley? Three of the region's most successful realtors pull back the curtain on w...

Send us Fan Mail We sit down with local comedian Elijah James to explore how he's building the comedy scene in Coachella Valley through his Upcycle Comedy shows at a vintage thrift store in downtown Indio. • Palm Desert native who discovered comedy as a way to connect with others while moving around as a kid • Started comedy shortly before COVID after attending Arizona State University and wo...

Send us Fan Mail Jeremy Collier, founder of Weights and Bake, shares his incredible journey from sleeping on his mother's couch in Alabama to becoming a successful health food entrepreneur in California's Coachella Valley. • Growing up in Alabama and moving to Nashville at 28 to attend Tennessee State University • Meeting his wife on Instagram and supporting his family by working multipl...

Send us Fan Mail Adrienne Wiley shares the inspiring journey of how she transformed her creative side hustle into a thriving jewelry business with Covet Palm Springs. Originally from Chattanooga, Tennessee, Adrienne built an empire that went from selling handmade jewelry to coworkers during lunch breaks to supplying nearly 900 wholesale accounts and opening multiple retail locations. • Starting as...

Send us Fan Mail Australian guitarist and songwriter Dani Stefanetti shares her musical journey from Perth to the Coachella Valley, discussing how she found confidence through her instrument and built a career spanning two continents. • Started playing guitar at age 8 and performing shows by age 12 • Practiced up to seven hours daily as a teenager to master her craft • Influenced by Stevie Ray Vau...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of CV Hustle, hosts Robert Meraz and Fina Meraz introduce Dr. Mike Jerez, a chiropractor with a fascinating backstory. Dr. Jerez discusses his upbringing in Brooklyn, his Dominican heritage, and his family's immigration journey. He shares his experiences as a combat medic in the U.S. Navy and Marines, detailing the challenges and dangers he faced during deploy...

Send us Fan Mail #rodeo #desertrodeo #stagecoachweeekend Desert Rodeo info & tickets @ www.desertrodeo.com Instagram @localeconciergecv @thedesertrodeo Dave and Carrie Isen share their journey from managing high-end vacation properties through Locale Concierge to launching Desert Rodeo, a Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association sanctioned event taking place during Stagecoach weekend in Thermal,...

Send us Fan Mail What happens when an artist takes up the straight razor? Meet Ian Gerald, owner of Palm Desert Barbershop and two-time winner of Barbershop of the Year in the Coachella Valley. His unexpected journey from professional BMX rider to master barber began with a devastating diagnosis of multiple sclerosis at age 18, forcing him to reimagine his future. In this candid conversation, Ian...

Send us Fan Mail Margaret Clark and Ashley Skarin share the inspiring journey of building The Body Deli, a locally-made natural skincare brand that has become a Coachella Valley success story. Through determination and innovative thinking, they've grown from kitchen experiments to owning two retail locations while maintaining their commitment to quality and sustainability. • Margaret's e...

Send us Fan Mail When Shay Moraga found a lump in her breast at 38, doctors dismissed her concerns: "You're too young for breast cancer." That dismissal led to a delayed diagnosis of aggressive stage three cancer and a grueling treatment journey. But the real challenge came after she was declared cancer-free. "Everyone celebrates and helps you through treatment," Shay expl...

Send us Fan Mail Amir Afshar, a prominent Coachella Valley attorney, shares his unconventional journey from USC rejection to becoming a respected business and real estate lawyer with his own practice spanning 16 years. • Early social media adoption for law practice marketing when traditional advertising was cost-prohibitive • Turning educational rejection into motivation after being denied USC adm...

Send us Fan Mail Meet Amos Greenwood, the dynamic force behind My Party Rental Guys and Pest Protect 360, whose journey from poverty to entrepreneurship embodies the spirit of determination and grit that defines the Coachella Valley business community. Abandoned by his mother at 17 with limited reading abilities and no high school diploma, Amos refused to let circumstances define his future. Throu...

Send us Fan Mail Join us for an eye-opening conversation with financial expert Kyle Bryant about the importance of financial literacy and wealth-building strategies. Kyle shares insights on life insurance, investments, and practical tips for modern money management. • The significance of financial education  • Kyle’s personal journey into financial advisory  • Responsibilities and benefits of life...

Send us Fan Mail Fina Meraz shares her entrepreneurial journey as she prepares to launch a new slab studio in Palm Desert, aiming to offer unique and innovative design solutions that the Coachella Valley lacks. The episode touches on risks, community connections, and the exciting future of local entrepreneurship.  • Fina introduces her new slab studio and its offerings  • Focus on customizing opti...

Send us Fan Mail We reflect on the lessons learned from Season One of CV Hustle, shining a light on the diverse journey of local entrepreneurs. Insights range from the surprising value of stability and contentment in business to the many paths that lead people to entrepreneurship.  • Reflecting on shared stories and experiences from local entrepreneurs  • Emphasis on the importance of stability ov...

Send us Fan Mail What does it take to turn a family carpet cleaning business into a thriving enterprise amidst economic downturns and personal challenges? Join us on CV Hustle as we sit down with Josh Willis, owner of Carpet and Tile Care Company, who shares his incredible journey from Fontana to the Coachella Valley in the early '80s, and how he transformed his family's home-based opera...