Antonio Neves
📍 Los Angeles, CA | Professional Question Asker & Loud Talker
📝 Editor’s Note
The itch I’ve always wanted to scratch is entrepreneurship. Rambull has been an incredible creative outlet that has let me connect and reconnect with so many interesting people. Ironically, I think if I pursued it commercially it would lessen the joy it brings me each week.
When I left my job with Call of Duty in May, I did so to pursue “Entrepreneurship through Acquisition.” A fancy business school term for trying to buy a successful pre-existing small business by raising money from investors and/or using an SBA bank loan.
I believe that this path allows me to scratch that entrepreneurial itch while also giving me the opportunity to create my own company culture and to own my upside (and downside).
I’m working on building out my network by speaking to as many business owners, bankers, accountants, and experts as possible. So far, I’ve gravitated towards business services, in particular facility services, close to my home in North Carolina.
If you have any connections or advice, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me.
Without further ado….
Why Antonio?
I connected with Antonio through his newsletter, Man Morning. Antonio provides a fresh perspective, interesting insights, and helpful resources each week. In the past I plugged Antonio’s 1-Day Planner, which I personally think is an awesome resource for anyone looking to make the most of their day.
Follow Antonio on LinkedIn and Instagram
Self-Description
A Google search would tell you that I'm the founder of Man Morning, author of Stop Living on Autopilot, a global speaker, award-winning journalist, and a coach that helps men successfully start new chapters in their lives without putting their family at risk.. But Google tells a story, not the whole story. At the beginning and end of the day, I'm Gigi's husband and the proud father of grade school twins (boy/girl). I always have a pocket knife on me, still subscribe to a print newspaper (Financial Times), I remember random esoteric things I read 10 years ago in a magazine article, and I wake up super early on weekends to watch European soccer.
Antonio’s Recommendations
Written in his own words…
Brand
Yes, bar soap. I appreciate great design whether it be clothing, furniture, the interior of a home, or a vehicle. I always knew that soap could clean my body, but who knew it could make me feel so darn good. Every bar of soap from Wary Myers is it's own piece of art. The design is so good that sometimes I don't even use it because I don't want to ruin it. It's also made in Maine which adds to the dope factor.
Bonus: Give this soap as a gift and you will never be forgotten.
Content
As someone trained as a journalist, I love no fluff, direct, challenging interviews. The host of the BBC podcast, 'In Our Time,' Melvyn Bragg does exactly that, regularly interrupting guests if they're taking too long to make a point or talking nonsense. The podcast has experts on to discuss everything from history, culture, people, science, and more.
Some of favorite episodes are on the Bauhaus movment, Nikola Tesla, and Jupiter.
Watch
Writer and director Richard Linklater's Before Trilogy (Before Sunrise, Before Sunset, and Before Midnight) are pure sublime magic.
Ethan Hawke and Julie Delphy's performance in the three films are works of art. The dialogue makes you feel like you are part of the movie instead of just a viewer. One of my favorite quotes from Before Sunset (which I may or may not have watched over 50 times): “There’s gotta be something more to love than commitment.”
Professional
3 things come to mind:
Your email inbox is not your to do list
Identify how many open "apps" you have in your life and identify which ones are essential and must stay open. Which are important but can be minimized for the time being. And which can be permanently closed.
Lastly, take a daily 30-minute no-tech walk. No music, podcast, phone, dings, notifications, haptics, etc. Just you and the sound of your feet hitting the ground.
Gift
Cutting Board from Fredericks and Mae
Nothing says I love you like giving someone a cutting board. I mean it. And the design and selection from Brooklyn based Fredericks and Mae is incredible. I have a few of these bad boys in different designs and shapes in my kitchen and they also make an awesome holiday or house warming gift. Even better, it makes cutting a piece of fruit or making a charcuterie board feel extra special.
Music
I love 90s and early 2000s Neo Soul, RnB, and Hip Hop. Add some classic soul and funk and I'm a very happy man. RNB RADAR's hilariously titled playlist HAIRY COOCHIE MUSIC is fantastic with over 13 hours of pure enjoyment to your ears. This is the rare playlist where I don't skip a song.
Amazon
Prior to 2023, I couldn't remember the last time I wore a pair of Wrangler's. But great news, I found a great pair for less than $30. I love everything about them. The price. The fit. The design. I dig them so much I've recommended them to my newsletter readers and friends.
I may or may not own 5 pairs.
Plug
Man Morning Newsletter
Man Morning 1-Day Planner
Stop Living on Autopilot
P.S. from Rambull — 🚨 New Fabric Guide 🚨 This time we’ve got a heavy hitter city, London. The guide was put together thanks to Ged.
He describes himself as:
“Irish living in London, formerly of Hong Kong. In former roles before I became an ad man, I worked in an oil refinery, manufactured optical fiber, DJed and worked on the line in a meat packing plant. I blog, read, listen to music and take pictures. My vices are processed carbs, processed sugars, caffeine, Swiss mechanical watches, vinyl records and recovering hypebeast.”
He describes his travel preferences as:
“I tend to prefer function over form for venues, value rather than cheap. Product over theatre of service.”
From Ged: If any readers are in creative agencies and need strategy help I'm here! https://bit.ly/m/gedcarroll
Just purchased your 1-Day Planner and book Antonio! I've been looking for a way to structure my to-do list for the day and digital to-dos, notes, calendar reminders are not motivating me right now. I love anything analog ... can't wait to check it out!