In this Business Blast Podcast episode, host Tyler Wagner interviews Renzo Urzúa, a speaker and leadership development trainer for MasterCard's Global Contact Center Management. Renzo shares a personal story about raising four children under six, emphasizing the importance of maintaining a strong partnership with his spouse amid the chaos. He advises listeners to never stop learning, recommending books, online courses, and workplace learning platforms. His core business advice centers on leadership through genuine connection—knowing team members personally, building trust, and moving away from authoritarian styles. When asked about advice to his younger self, Renzo stresses a "doer" mindset: stop over‑thinking, take disciplined action, and embrace risk. He defines happiness as being present in the moment and enjoying one’s work, warning against dread‑filled routines. The episode also reveals his favorite book, Stephen King’s The Green Mile, which taught him not to judge people prematurely, and his favorite quote from Wayne Gretzky: "You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take," underscoring the value of taking chances. Finally, Renzo directs listeners to connect with him on LinkedIn under the name Renzo Azur.
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Welcome to the Business Blast Podcast. I'm your host, Tyler Wagner. This episode is brought to you by Authors Unite. Authors Unite provides you with all the resources you need to become a successful author. You can learn more about Authors Unite and join the free community at authorsunite.com. Now let's jump into the episode.
Alright everyone, welcome back to another episode of the Business Blast Podcast. I'm your host Tyler Wagner. Today I have Renzo Urzúa with us. He is a speaker and leadership development expert who currently works as a trainer for MasterCard under Global Contact Center Management or GCCM. Welcome to the show, man. Thanks, Tyler.
Thanks for having me.
Course. Grateful to have you here. We'll jump into the first one. Renzo, the first question I have for you is what is the best story from your life that has an underlying valuable message?
Well, I married in my early 20s with my wife and, and I started a family shortly after. So we've got currently got 4 kids. And at one stage there— well, they were all 2 years apart, all currently 2 years apart. So at one stage we had a you know, 4 kids under the age of 6. And it just happened that way. It's not that it was planned or anything. And it sounds tough having 4 kids, and it really is because you sacrifice, you know, so much for them. So, you know, while other friends were, you know, buying houses or traveling all over the world, you're working hard to give the kids the best that you can, right? So imagine, you know, like shopping or going out just with 4 kids in tow, all under 6. It's tough. You can forget about sleeping, buying yourself nice things, because everything just goes for your kids. But it does get easier as they grow older. So for all you young parents out there, it does get easier. So hang in there. But most importantly, I always remember that before we had our children, it was just my wife and I. And I think that's something very important that a lot of couples, especially young couples, need to remember that before the kids, you know, you fell in love with your partner and make sure you go out on dates. And it doesn't have to be expensive dinners. You know, it could even be simple things like breakfast, you know, help around the house, that sort of stuff. I've married, been married for 23 years and together 26. So I think that I'm doing something right with my wife, you know, just, Just spending some time alone really, really helps. So yeah, that's probably one of the biggest lessons that I've come across in life, yeah.
And what's the most valuable piece of information we should know that's within your expertise or industry?
It might sound cliché, but especially coming from a trainer, but never stop learning and constantly feed your mind. I don't mean reading Facebook or the tabloids or social media, 'cause that really doesn't count. But grab the latest books, bestseller or jump online to a course because there's hundreds of courses online that are free as well. So it doesn't cost you anything really, just a little bit of time. A lot of workplaces these days as well, they've got learning management systems that allow you to do things that interest you in the workplace. So that's cool. But constantly feed your mind, let your imagination run rampant, you know, while reading a book or doing a course and always test yourself.
And what's your best piece of overall business advice? So not necessarily industry specific.
Sure, well, this goes with something I'm really passionate about, so leadership skills. And I think one of the most important things about leading a team or a group of people is building a connection with them. You want people to work with you and not for you. So leaders ask themselves, you know, how well— just how well do you know your employees? You know, well, it might seem simplistic, you know, getting to know your team on a more personal level, but it's often forgotten, you know, by leaders that they have reports to run or, you know, run work tasks or, you know, meetings and they forget about the connection piece. Yeah. So, you know, how well do you know your team? You know, you need to ask yourself some simple questions. You know, when's one of your team leaders, your team members' birthdays? You know, has anyone been through a family crisis? Is this why their performance is slipping? You know, do you know that? Who in your teams are creative thinkers? Which one of them is more analytical? Can you name a hobby that they like or interests? You know, all of these things, it's really important just to get to know your team. And it's gone are the days where, you know, you would crack a whip and put the fear of God into people, especially in a sales environment. Nowadays, you know, you really have to get to know people in order to connect with them so they can believe in you, because trust is one of the most important things. I think when people have trust in you, You know, good things happen. Yeah. And, you know, you'll do good things with people behind you, you know, and you as a leader.
And if you could give your younger self one piece of advice, what would that be?
Probably don't overthink it. Just do it. That's probably the best piece of advice I could give myself. I was always overthinking things, you know. That I didn't have the skills or the ability, or maybe I won't get that job, or what if it's not what I expected, you know, that sort of stuff. I never just went for it. It sounds simple, but always be a doer instead of a thinker, because being a doer requires an insane amount of discipline and commitment, and it does involve a bit of risk, but it's the only way that you can make progress, really. My wife, she's a doer. She does it really well, and I admire her so much for it. I'm slowly getting better at it, But I still got some learning to do. But yeah, just, just go for it. Don't overthink it.
And kind of going down a different path, but in your opinion, what's the key to happiness?
Well, two things really is my key to happiness. You know, number one is being present. That's the most important. So we get caught up in the rat race of our daily lives and forget to stop and live the moment. You know, don't worry about tomorrow because it hasn't happened. And forget about yesterday because that's really long gone and you can't change what happened. So live, breathe, and take it all in and live the moment. So, you know, take care of the present. You know, the future will take care of itself. But number 2 is enjoy what you do, especially your job. If you drag yourself out of bed or dread the thought of entering the workplace or, you know, dislike the people that you're working with, the environment, or, you know, you'll start to procrastinate and you'll start to really hate what you do. It's time for you to go when that happens, really. So when you enjoy what you do, you know, you're productive, which means you'll be happy. And if you're happy, you'll inspire people, you know. And when you do that, you'll succeed as well.
And what is the best book that you've read, and what was the number one thing you learned from that?
Well, one of my first jobs was working at a bookstore, and it was around the time Stephen King's The Green Mile came out, so many, many years ago. So it wasn't a self-help book or anything like that. It was a Stephen King book, and it was a series. Green Mile was a serial that was released in 6 volumes over a 6-month period. And it's this wonderful story about, you know, a character called John Coffey who has this empathetic and healing power— spoilers for The Green Mile— and all of this isn't revealed right away. It's revealed as the serial progresses. So during this time, I used to judge people on face value, which isn't the way or the right way to do with people, right? So, but I was in my early 20s, you know, with a huge chip on my shoulder, but reading this book, which is so well written, made me realize, you know, hey, maybe you should get to know people first before you make judgment. So it wasn't a self-help book, like I said, but something written by, you know, the master storyteller Stephen King. And from that point on, I've become a big Stephen King fan, and it changed me along the way as well.
And what is your favorite quote and why?
One of my favorite quotes is from Wayne Gretzky: You miss 100% of the shots that you don't take. And the reason for that is because taking a shot is really scary. Taking a shot means that you put yourself, money, reputation out there, and it's a big risk. Taking a shot means potentially facing the possibility that you may fail, and you might fail in front of family and friends as well. But you never know until you take the shot, right? So, what happens if you score first go?
Absolutely, man. Dude, thank you so much for coming on. Very insightful show. The last question I have for you before we let you go is where is the best place for people to find and/or connect with you online?
Yeah, absolutely. Look, LinkedIn. LinkedIn will probably be the best place. So look for me under Renzo Azur and I'll be happy to connect. I've met some wonderful people. I've had some wonderful opportunities through LinkedIn, like being on this podcast with you, Tyler Wagner. So yeah, LinkedIn would be the best place.
Awesome, brother. Thank you again. We appreciate you coming on.
Thanks, Tyler. Thanks for having me.
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