John Ruiz has a love affair with the sea that began when he was fifteen years old. From the moment he took out “the first boat that I owned: a 28-foot Pantera that I built pretty much on my own,” he experienced a passion for boating and a sense of being wholly disconnected while at sea: “it’s pretty much my favorite place.” From his law school days at the University of Miami through today, that emotion has remained a constant. Meanwhile, he raised a family and built an empire. Thirty years after he began practicing law, Ruiz’s business portfolio includes the soon-to-go-public MSP Recovery: a Medicare, Medicaid, commercial, and secondary payer reimbursement recovery platform, MPS Recovery Law Firm, Cigarette Racing Team, Lionheart Acquisition Corporation, and the recently launched NIL Time is Now, Luminsea, and Luminsea Offshore Powerboat Races, Life Wallet, powered by MSP Recovery to provide individuals easy access to their healthcare history.
Taking MSP Recovery public implies more responsibilities and acquiring the Cigarette Racing Team means complete involvement in the design process: “I’m involved in every product, every design, very deeply involved. I do a lot of the safety aspects of the boat. I’m very much into safety because even though you feel very safe in Cigarettes, I want to make that even better with anti-collision systems and self-deploying bumpers.” The cigarette will also be introducing new products to the market, beginning with the E-Jet personal watercraft.
How does he manage all his business and personal activities? He doesn’t sleep much, works very efficiently, does not procrastinate, and makes quick decisions informed by his years of experience. “I do the work that requires focusing between 3:30 – 6:30 AM” when there are no interruptions. Speed reading, learning from experts, and a photographic memory lets him “do things quicker.” Ruiz also credits his success to starting his practice alone: “I didn’t have money to pay rent,” therefore, he exchanged legal representation for office space; and did everything himself, from making copies and interviewing clients to filing his documents in court: “It was a huge learning experience from the get-go.” And there is his father, Eliseo Ruiz, who, at 92, continues to play a vital role in the family. According to Ruiz, “99.9% of everything I am today results from my father’s life lessons.” A hard worker who didn’t sleep much either: “taught me you have to work hard.” Trait John Ruiz’s children also practice: “I’ve tried to instill in my kids that nothing’s free, money doesn’t make you, you’re not better than anyone else just because you have money.” But he proudly says: “I’m blessed; my three kids are just amazing.” Like him, the three are University of Miami graduates and work with him: “they are very, very hard workers.”
Believing in himself and working hard are the cornerstone of his success story. Also, “I don’t take no for an answer.” Or stop something he believes in because others say it will not work. What is Ruiz’s strategy for success? He refers to an Elon Musk, who recently said: “I don’t have a strategy. I just start doing it, and my strategy develops along the way.” Ruiz follows a similar process: “When I start something, I envision it already carried through. So, if I think of a new technology, I see it the whole way through in my head, I can envision how I’m going to put it together, so it’s just getting the team to execute it. And along the way, you make some adjustments.” And then he continues to move forward: “To me, it’s par for the course; I still keep working the same way.” Resting on his laurels is not part of his working process because he says: “I have a lot more to accomplish yet.” No doubt.
As his workload continues to expand, Ruiz makes sure to create the space in his schedule for quality time with his family: “I eat at least once a week with my dad, with my sisters, and…” although he sees them regularly at the office, “the same thing with my kids.” He keeps his parents’ lessons close to heart: “to be giving, not be selfish, think of others.” He shares what he learned with his children: “No matter what happens, you must put in the time and the effort, treat others with respect, practice the Golden Rule: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. And try to be positive all the time.”
He is committed to keeping his word, one of the precepts “my father instilled in me is at an early age: your word is gold.” Another piece of advice is never to leave home without cash or go on the road with less than half a tank of fuel: “in case there is an emergency, you are not without cash or an empty tank.”
Ruiz is an avid sports fan who plays a bit of basketball, exercises, lifts weights, and does yoga. He picked up the latter as Covid made itself known; he appreciates the yoga practice because “it helps physically and mentally.” But for relaxation, Ruiz is “either watching sports or in my boat.” Because, as when he was 15, the sea continues to manifest its magic and convey the necessary disconnect.
