My Transition From Corporate VP to Avocado Farmer

[@MichaelRei99]

A great success story is always worth telling!

[@SleepyLizard]

thank you Michael

[@erkthejerk73]

A year ago I called you because I was in the same situation in my career, I had a backup plan, and like you, I excelled in my career by learning from others! It has been 12 months since "retiring" at 40 and we just celebrated our 8-year anniversary of our backup plan! Thanks for the support a year ago our stories are much the same!

[@SleepyLizard]

yes! and I love all the updates you give me. it reinforces my decision, thank you.

[@CanITGrow]

Inspirational and perfect timing for me.

[@SleepyLizard]

I'm glad you got something out of it and thank you for the feedback.

[@jeremypinto3274]

Thank you Tom for sharing your journey with all of us. This is video has been inspirational. This is what gardening is really all about. 🙏

[@SleepyLizard]

thanks for taking time to leave a supportive comment!

[@connortripp2537]

Thank you for the great advise! I'm at that crossroad and needed a message like this!

[@SleepyLizard]

I'm glad the timing worked out and I know if you spend time planning you'll do great!

[@pklib4038]

Thank you for sharing your wisdom. You’re a great teacher.

[@levibimba9695]

Thanks so much, this story is a real source of inspiration

[@SleepyLizard]

and thank you for your supportive comment.

[@qualqui]

You're the total INSPIRATION Tom!😁 While most people would have preferred to remain the Corporate VP, you definitely saw the truth of living in the country, on your farm, with your family and having a more satisfying life. As for your mentors, those experienced farmers that you contacted, I bet that is Julian and his dad!😊👍

[@SleepyLizard]

Julian has taught me a lot yes!

[@jessiesmith613]

What a great inspiration story 👏👏

[@SleepyLizard]

thx Jessie

[@Captainsean-007]

Love it Tom!! I'll share it with all the young people that I know and even some retired folks do they can share!!😅

[@SleepyLizard]

thank you captain!

[@vipveryimportantplayer3371]

This man is spitting facts. My new job has this false sense of security and comfort. I'm just thinking when would I get fired, after hearing for which dumb reasons some people got kicked out. People are also going crazy there, not all but a good chunk of them, due to the level of stress. It is like if I end up fired again at least I would have some plants feeding me delicious fruits.

[@SleepyLizard]

that was my thinking yes

[@BlessingsFruitGarden]

Thank you for those wise words my friend. I definitely needed to hear it! Genuinely happy for you, your family, and your grove. May god bless you always and keep keeping on.

[@SleepyLizard]

you are welcome

[@michaelmoore7550]

This was a great story! I found it so inspiring to listen to.

[@SleepyLizard]

thank you Michael!

[@AGBornJamaican]

Love your service for mangoes. I'm a big mango fan 1 day I called you were on vacation. Ask about mangoes and you gave me great advice, I will stick to you order from you because. You're a good person and your business service is great.Thank you

[@SleepyLizard]

ah yes, I thought I remembered you. thank you for the support.

[@bjl1226]

Great message!! Just sent this video to all my kids

[@SleepyLizard]

you just made my day. thank you

[@АлександърДенев2]

Insightful stories! Another banger that will come in handy for me one day👍

[@SleepyLizard]

thanks Alex!

[@abhebhai]

Beautiful story! Your story really resonates with me. I have been in the one of the top pharmaceutical industry for 12 years, and have been feeling the plan B. The plan B is about being a farmer, particularly cattle farm for meat.. while this felt a little far fetched for time being, I have started on plan C. This is opening up a BBQ catering business from home. I have been working on plan C since past fall and hoping to kick off this spring. I hope to make transition and quit my corporate job once BBQ catering can support me and my family. And guess what? The pressure has been even more real when the lay offs happened in 2023. Although I did survive the cut, I know my job is not secure no matter how much of a top performer I am. And this has been my driver for plan B and C. Which I'm passionate about for both.

[@SleepyLizard]

I appreciate you sharing your situation with us and your approach is very smart. Especially how you can supply your BBQ business from your future cattle business.

[@PrisTvv]

Wow! Amazing👏 despite all the unforeseen circumstances you are doing well today, You can achieve alot When you have the right people around you. Congratulations! You're an inspiration

[@SleepyLizard]

hoping for a few more years with no unforeseen circumstances that's for sure.

[@busker153]

I grew up thinking there were three apples. There were bananas and oranges. Lemons, limes, and grapefruit. Now, I have seen there are literally millions of different kinds of fruits and veggies out there just waiting to be tried. That's the kind of person I am! LOL

[@SleepyLizard]

I have so many friends who grew up in this business and every year they try a fruit they never heard of.

[@AGBornJamaican]

Sorry I had to come back just to say this I.Live in North Georgia and your advice you gave me was on point.Thank you again

[@SleepyLizard]

a appreciate it!

[@SleepyLizard]

I think we spoke on the phone one time no?

[@driqbal316]

Well done sleepylizard!

[@SleepyLizard]

thank you

[@davidtillett1769]

Thanks for your wise advice. Watching your videos from Belize C.A.

[@SleepyLizard]

Hi David from Homestead FL

[@heerasingh7844]

Buddy you doing great job well done 👍👍👏👏👏👏👏

[@SleepyLizard]

you always say the nicest things, thanks Heera!

[@heerasingh7844]

@SleepyLizard your welcome buddy 👍

[@EvolucionForestal]

Muy bueno. Para quitarse el sombrero 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 Felicidades

[@SleepyLizard]

gracias!

[@Randomguyonyoutube89]

And now Sleepy Lizard grows the best avocados in North America. It’s looking like a good career move to me.

[@SleepyLizard]

what a great way to start my day reading this comment! thank you

[@Randomguyonyoutube89]

@ Tom, it’s Yoel. I may give you a call next week.

[@SleepyLizard]

@ did you notice the little stash of avocados at the beginning of the vid? that's the batch you and me discovered the other day 🤣

[@Randomguyonyoutube89]

@ I thought that branch full of avocados looked familiar when I saw it 🤣

[@michaelconnor2475]

Wow that's a very inspirational videobTom. Thanks for sharing your story. I appreciate your encouragement and motivation for us to pursue our personal goal. Thank you!❤❤❤

[@SleepyLizard]

thanks for your thoughtful comment

[@gioknows]

You and I are a lot alike LOL. I've decided on Spain over Colombia for my retirement farm. I'll use your advice and watch and learn from the pros. Looking forward to the process. Cheers from Ottawa, Canada🍁

[@SleepyLizard]

thanks Gio! now I'll never know what country your in 🤣

[@KarlKarsnark]

Thanks for sharing. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't tempted to something similar....I already have a bit of land, I just gotta figure our something to do with it. Cheers from N. FL!

[@SleepyLizard]

Karl, yes and that's the important part, deciding what you want to do.

[@madfarm]

Cheers to you buddy!

[@SleepyLizard]

thank you!

[@WilliamC-u4g]

Well done sir no ones laughing now👍

[@SleepyLizard]

thank you William

[@GrandeSalvatore96]

Sup Lizard, keep it up dawg

[@SleepyLizard]

Sup Grande, thanks for the encouragement

[@suzannasewsankar7283]

Great job

[@SleepyLizard]

thank you Suzanna

[@patrickhiti5900]

Such a great story and inspiring! what do you suggest is the best approach to finding the best people in an industry and trying to get a hold of them to talk to them/shadow them?

[@SleepyLizard]

look for the thought leaders, the people other people talk about. depends on the industry. they'll be the ones with things named after them.,..stuff like that.

[@jessiesmith613]

Great inspiration

[@SleepyLizard]

I appreciate it

[@AGBornJamaican]

If you can sell it direct without using esty

[@SleepyLizard]

good idea

[@AGBornJamaican]

Thank you for. The website

[@SleepyLizard]

you are welcome

[@AGBornJamaican]

AKA(tony graham)

[@SleepyLizard]

hey Tony

[@jasneskis]

Good ad. Interesting story. I grow avocados in my yard in Tampa. Just from store bought Hass seed. They are big and yum. Variety? Sucess to you.

[@SleepyLizard]

thank you. if you grew them from seed they are a new and unique variety. every seed makes a different tree. this vid explains it: kzbin.info/www/bejne/r4ikg5J6pNmpkNUsi=sivyUJzf0-3umLXz

[@busker153]

You and I are a lot alike in how we approach things. I'm growing a food forest on the 1 acre plot of hard, dry desert land I just moved into over the holidays. In five years, it will feed my wife and I, and perhaps even be paying our rent and bills. Five more years may be necessary for that goal, but it will happen, because how could it not happen?

[@SleepyLizard]

I love your attitude! and I wanted to mention in the vid how not only does a farm generate income but also reduces cost because you produce a portion of your own food too....but attention spans are short these days so I can't cover too many topics in one vid

[@busker153]

@@SleepyLizard I hear ya there! I forget things like that a lot too, but only because so many cool things are there to talk about. Our plan is: 1. to grow enough food to feed my wife and I. The kids are grown. 2. to grow enough to provide all the food my animals (still future) will need to survive without stores. 3. to grow enough, and market wisely enough, to earn our rent, bills, and growth money. Step one got a lot easier when my wife went into the hospital right at the beginning of the plan-demic. Jan/Feb overlap. She almost died from type2 Diabetes. It was her second time, and the prognosis got a lot worse, so I told her I was taking over. The eating. Cooking. Shopping. Decision making. I was in charge 100% or she could go live with her father. She got on board. I learned how to eat Ketogenicly, and we started intermittent fasting. Four years later and she is off all meds, off insulin, has good, and improving, glucose and keytone numbers, and is losing weight, steadily, sustainably. I am planting avocado seeds to get my root stock plants well established, and then I'm going scion shopping at your site!

[@prettyLittleThings-t9d]

I got a cutting from my aunts fruiting avocado tree that I'm hoping to graft to my store bought avocado seed. Crossing figures..

[@SleepyLizard]

best of luck

[@emmashepard1822]

If i can, i would have an out of context question...😅 I'm planning to visit a tropical island/climate location for this summer,and i will be able to try locally grown fruits like mangoes,bananas,pineapples...ect. and do you have any advice how should i choose the perfect ones? (I'm the most exited for the mangoes,because it's one of my favourite fruit,but here in europe they taste like nothing or really bad and straigt up have a chemical taste).

[@SleepyLizard]

Hi Emma, thanks for your question. If your dates are flexible I would schedule the trip for when mangos are in season and then you almost can't go wrong. the local people will have everything picked at perfect ripeness.

[@BackyardCenteral]

Love this

[@SleepyLizard]

thank you Backyard

[@jewoningzelfverkopen]

How to get a million, become a VP earn millions, than become a farmer and loose most... its still a nice live!

[@SleepyLizard]

yes the to make a million dollars in farming is to spend two million on a farm 🤣

[@coreybethune9749]

FLY EAGLES FLY. I wish I had same good area to go. I'm in a trailer and I grow mango in pots. Rent is to high for one person in Pinellas park, st Petersburg area.

[@SleepyLizard]

yes it's gotten expensive in Florida. So much that if I was planning to make a career change now I would be looking for a much lower cost of living area to move.

[@coreybethune9749]

@SleepyLizard trying to

[@Captainsean-007]

Go eagles!! 🙌😎

[@SleepyLizard]

on the way to the superbowl!

[@RomYapESQ]

👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

[@SleepyLizard]

💪

[@AGBornJamaican]

Create your own shipping department.You'll do much better if you have the staff

[@SleepyLizard]

yes

[@jagdishkrishnaiah4]

Hi do you have Mexican Avocado plants🌱?

[@SleepyLizard]

I grow some Mexican varieties yes. if you're asking because you want to buy one I don't sell the trees I only sell the fruit.

[@jagdishkrishnaiah4]

Thank you🙏 can we visit your farm🚜🐄🌾 please?

[@SleepyLizard]

@ yes, go to the about section on my KZbin channel and you can send me an email

[@bial12345]

You have to start off rich in order to become a farmer nowadays. Not exactly inspirational more just bragging on the poors who will never see this life. Cool story bro.

[@SleepyLizard]

It's sounds like maybe you've given up on yourself. Also you might consider staying off of Reddit.

[@aleef852]

thanks for this good sir. im saving for my land. taking much longer than i hope but i need to make it. i must break the cycle 🥲🩸

[@SleepyLizard]

saving is slow but the time goes by and then you're grateful you did it. good luck with your plan!