Our people: Entrepreneur shaped by failing

Twenty years ago this month, Thomas Elliott Fite joined the Marines -- just 10 days after graduating from Clovis High.  Following boot camp, combat training, and follow-up school, Fite was sent to Iraq for the initial invasion of U.S. forces, in March of 2003. 

Now, Fite finds himself in a much different position as a marketing manager for clients from New Mexico to California to Virginia. One of his jobs is brand manager for an "estate grown weedery," Estrella River Farms, located in Paso Robles, Calif.

Fite said he travels to California a couple of times a year "to gather cool footage and content," in that role, but he spends most of his time working remotely for a variety of companies from his home in Portales.

Fite's pathway from U.S. Marine to businessman and entrepreneur has been shaped by hard work and a willingness to fail, he said. Through it all, Fite feels grateful to be following his passions alongside his tight knit group of friends and business partners. 

Q: What is your favorite thing about eastern New Mexico?

A: My parents. They're still here in Clovis. I'm very blessed to still have my mom and dad.

Q: How did you get into your business?

A: While I was in Iraq, I got my hands on a book called "Rich Dad Poor Dad." That kind of changed my perspective on what I wanted to do with my life. Basically, the idea of it is to teach people how to make money work for them. 

I just knew that working a 9 to 5 schedule, living in the "rat race," would be something that would absolutely drive me nuts. So, after I read the book, I got home from Iraq, and I thought, "You know, I'm going to go into business."  I took a little time when I got back to just kind of reset my mind. I ended up coming across the opportunity to work for the company that sold Walmart their movies and music, and I took it. I was also working for an armored car company at the time. My plan, I guess, was to go ahead and get some experience in the workforce, save some money, and get myself established while building a business. 

We actually tried several businesses – and when I say "we," I mean AJ Moreno and some of the same business partners we've had for the last 15 years. Some people say business partners don't work, and I know they don't in some cases, but for us, it always has. It's actually been something amazing for me to have some of the people in my life that I do. We tried several things and I think through your youth, you fumble around a lot.

Looking back at my career, my advice is just to get really comfortable with failing. To the point where it doesn't emotionally impact you. When you find yourself in that place of failure, that's a very interesting place of power because there you're unshakeable. Those failures are what led to me going and building what I have. I found through my failures, that what I really enjoyed and have settled into, is the marketing component of business. 

Q: What has been your proudest accomplishment?

A: I think my proudest accomplishment would be graduating Marine Corps boot camp. I signed up when I was 17, so my parents had to sign a waiver for me. That was in October of 2001, following September 11th. Ten days after I graduated high school, I left for the 90 day boot camp. 

Q: What is the most daring thing you've ever done?

A: Joining the cannabis industry in California. Throughout the last five years we've been going through the process to get licensed. Last year was our first planting. 

I was brought into this project from the beginning, five years ago, and it was one of those opportunities that I just felt like, "Hey, let's do this." 

It almost sounded too good to be true. And it sounded so far away. And now it's kind of surreal because last year, it felt like this dream that we set out five years ago, came to fruition.

Q: If you could meet any famous person, who would you choose and why?

A: King David. I think I'd like to sit down and have our conversation with him on his mindset as he was facing the challenges that he faced during his time. 

Q: What is your favorite book or movie?

A: Favorite book would be I guess currently "Never Split the Difference," by Christopher Voss and Tahl Raz.

And my favorite movie ... man, it's been so long since I watched a movie. I don't really watch any movies at all. I'm very careful of what I feed my mind.

Q: What did you want to be when you were a kid?

A: I initially joined the Marine Corps because I wanted to go into law enforcement, specifically the FBI. The FBI loves Marines, so growing up I always saw the Marines as a potential stepping stone to the FBI. 

Q: What is the best prank you've ever pulled?

A: Me and my buddy that I was in the Marines with, we used to have a prank that we would do on people, where we would pretend like we were going to get in a fight. This was in the days before TikTok and all that. So we were literally just performing for an audience of like four Marines. We would pull it off especially when we were around new guys. We put ourselves in positions where we were kind of by ourselves with some of the new guys. Then we would just impromptu come up with a reason to fight, and then one of us would end up literally punching the other one. 

It was our favorite thing to do to the new guys, just to freak them out and kind of introduce them to the unit I guess. But Marines are a little bit crazy, and that's the type of silly thing we do.

Q: What is the tastiest food you've ever eaten?

A: It's a place called Taste on the square in San Luis Obispo, in Paso Robles.

They have a pretty simple menu. There's not a ton of things on it. The plates are small. 

They make these donut sandwiches where they cut these amazing glazed donuts in half and turn it into a breakfast sandwich. I haven't craved anything more than wanting to go back and eat there. 

Q: If you could go back in time to give your 18 year old self one piece of advice, what would it be?

A: Not all people are going to treat you like you treat them. Not all people are going to have the same intention for you as you have for them.