Alex Bruno
Entrepreneur from Business Law to Podcasting
Episode 086
Alex Bruno founded Bruno Group Inc. A legal firm that helps entrepreneurs and business owners in their growth by taking care of their legal needs. Alex is an entrepreneur himself. He understands the various responsibilities and time limitations entrepreneurs experience daily. Alex’s approach is designed to streamline a business’ legal needs, anticipate and eliminate potential issues and set a framework for a business to meet its goals.
Alex previously worked for a national Am Law 100 law firm representing national, international and local companies in their corporate, business and liability matters.
Alex graduated from UCLA School of Law in 2000. He was an inaugural member of the school’s Epstein Program in Public Interest Law and Policy. He received his undergraduate Bachelor of Arts degree in History from UC Berkeley.
Alex currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Glendale Chamber of Commerce. He also devotes his time as a Board Member for Family Promise of the Verdugos, a non-profit organization dedicated to assisting homeless families regain their independence.
Alex frequently guests as an instructor and speaker in Business Law. He taught at the Entrepreneurship Master Class at Cal State Los Angeles, UCLA Extension and the SIPA Entrepreneur Training Program.
When Alex is not assisting his clients in their growth and success, he spends time outdoors running with his wife, Patricia and their German Shepherd, Simba.
Alex’s current venture that he greatly enjoys is his podcast, Bizmode. On his show he talks with guests about their entrepreneur journey and the lessons learned along the way.
Alex Bruno Takeaways
- Alex grew up in LA with his mom and brother.
- Alex because acquainted with the SGV because his wife was from the SGV, and later his work as well.
- Alex did his undergrad at Berkeley and his Law schooling at UCLA
- Alex started working for a National law firm, then bike off to make his own
- After years he decided to highlight how others can learn from others and let masters take the spotlight on his podcast.
Scott and Russell sit down with fellow podcasters and Attorneys to talk about the world of podcasts and what Alex does.
Alex Bruno Quotes
- “I didn’t want to create advertisements or do something focused on myself, but I really felt people needed to learn from others.”
Show Notes
What is your connection to the San Gabriel Valley?
Alex’s wife lived in the San Gabriel Valley in several cities, and his career has brought him closer as well.
Alex, as an attorney, represents business owners and entrepreneurs with all the legal things they have. A lot of Alex’s clients also come from the SGV.
How do you go from attorney to podcaster?
A lot of people try to figure out ways to stand out in the market. So with that thought in mind, he wanted to step away from and let people learn from other people.
One of the first podcasts that got Alex interested in podcasts was Serial. One of the first really popular podcasts.
Alex’s thought was that he would be there to highlight others and not be the focal point.
What was your early childhood like?
Alex was born and grew up in Los Angeles.
He lived with his mother and brother. He grew up with a single working mom, so he was taught from an early age to be independent.
Alex went to Glendale high school. The same place where he had his office.
After high school, Alex went to Berkeley for his undergrad and UCLA for law school.
Alex then worked for a National firm that helped businesses and decided that there was no reason why he couldn’t do that for local businesses. That’s how he started his own firm.
If this path of higher education wasn’t modeled for you, how did you arrive there?
Alex was the first in his family to go to college.
That was a challenge for Alex because there were a lot of inherent limiting beliefs on his journey. Alex wanted to be a lawyer, and it was a calling for him.
Alex always really admired the power of being an attorney. That was part of the drive for him to go to law school. He also saw his mother as someone who had a lot of drive, and that also inspired him.
Did you enjoy your time at the national law firm?
Alex did actually enjoy his time there. He learned a lot while he was there, and he also, in his own words, paid his dues.
He also learned that he needed to go above and beyond from that firm as well. To go beyond and help the people around him.
How did you get over the corporate trap of being too tired and overworked to break into your own?
Alex had inspiration from his own classmates that already went out on their own. He reached out to others that he knew had already made it out and got great advice.
He then talked to his wife and made sure she understood the risks, and after her approval, he went for it.
It was a long time before the firm started to think outside the box with the podcast.
What was your podcast journey like?
Alex had and still has a producer to help with his show and help him with the details. He was thankful his producer knew what to get, but the harder part was structuring the show.
Alex decided to do themed seasons.
Alex was very nervous when he first started, and it took a long time to adjust.
They only had audio to start as well and decided to evolve into video as time went on.
What was your biggest challenge with the show?
Alex’s initial fear was rejection. Asking someone to come in and the flat-out refusal. However, this has been the case. At first, Alex took it personally, even though that’s never really what the rejection was about. Alex has grown as a host and lets the rejection go.
What makes you most proud of the show?
Alex really enjoys the positive feedback. That’s what makes him the proudest. That his show is helping people in a positive way.
Alex Bruno
The Nature Trails in the mountains/ Griffith park
The food scene, basically all the restaurants.
