The Man Behind SUR

I sit down with Guillermo Zapata—actor, producer, entrepreneur, and the visionary behind the iconic West Hollywood landmark, SUR.

Guillermo’s story is the quintessential Los Angeles epic. Arriving from Argentina at 22 with no English and only $500, he embodies the "die and be born again" spirit required to survive and thrive in this city.

We discuss his new film, Clouds (directed by Eduardo Pinto), the "Law of the Soul" in acting, and how he balanced the cutthroat world of Hollywood with the brutal logistics of the restaurant business.

The Argentinian Soul in LA: Building a Legacy from Zero

Guillermo doesn't just talk about success; he talks about the discipline of desire. We explore why he chose to start as a dishwasher despite being an established actor in Argentina, and how he used the "character" of a happy worker to fuel his ultimate rise.In this episode, we cover:

The Anamorphic Life: Exploring the "Angel vs. Devil" themes in his film Clouds.Dying to be Reborn: Why you must leave your old personality behind to succeed in a new country.

The "Ambassador" Mindset: How Guillermo used the restaurant business to connect with powerful people without ever "asking" for a favor.

The Zapata Legacy: The complex relationship with his famous father and the choice to never "push" his own daughters into the industry.

The Science of Style: Why presentation is a form of respect and the launch of his new brand, City Of.

Longevity Secrets: How to stay "handsome" and energized in your 50s through internal brain-heart connectivity.

Episode Chapters

0:00 The light at the end of the tunnel

0:42 Exploring the "Angel vs. Devil" in the film Clouds

1:45 The electricity of a one-page synopsis

2:50 Independent Filmmaking: Finding the right team

3:50 Dying and being born again: Surviving LA

5:13 22 years old with zero English and 10 days of vacation

6:31 Leaving your old personality at the border

7:44 "This is my home": That first Manhattan Beach sunset

8:33 The Dishwasher Era: Why reality is the best fuel

10:45 Creating the "Happy Character" to survive the grind

11:50 Accelerating English: Exiting the comfort zone

13:30 The "Ambassador" Strategy: Networking with powerful people

15:00 The Kitchen is the Heart: Lessons from restaurant management

18:10 "Directing is my passion, but I don't want to be broke"

18:41 What I learned about money: "You are the money"

20:34 The Zapata Legacy: Growing up with a famous father

22:00 Being a Father: Why I refuse to "push" my kids

24:14 Going back to Argentina to film Clouds

25:17 Transitioning from Actor to Producer: Managing the weight

26:40 The Chef vs. The Director: The parallels of leadership

28:00 Mental Health and childhood trauma in Clouds

31:16 The future of cinema: Following your heart over the algorithm

33:55 The secret to staying young: Discipline and desire

35:43 Style and Presentation: Why looking good matters

36:38 City Of Star: A tribute to the people of Los Angeles

38:00 Finding the right partner: Marriage and destination

41:00 Advice for the fall: Standing up stronger

Sponsored by:Red Axe Media: https://www.redaxemedia.com/servicesContndr: https://contndr.com/r/axelAlphagvrd: https://alphagvrd.com/?aff=34Connect with Guillermo ZapataTHE CLOUDS: https://youtu.be/c3qXbg5FPB0?si=PhnJskvO9-5MJHNGImdb: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0953180/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gzsur/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GZSur/SUR Restaurant: https://www.surrestaurant.com/ Vanderpump Rules: https://www.bravotv.com/vanderpump-rulesPress: https://ebbymagazine.com/guillermo-zapata-succeeds-through-resilience-and-perseverance/Connect with Axel Axe:https://www.instagram.com/axelaxeofficialhttps://twitter.com/AxelAxeOfficialhttps://www.facebook.com/heyaxelarzola/https://www.tiktok.com/@axelaxeofficialhttps://www.imdb.com/name/nm5399415/