Vivamos Podcast Antonio Nieves: From Foster Care to Founding FUNBOX

Antonio’s early life and foster care story

Antonio was born in Las Vegas to very young parents struggling with addiction. He was largely raised by his grandmother, who became his main parental figure. When she died around 5th grade, Antonio felt like he lost his “mom,” and his life fractured, including being separated from his closest sister into different homes. He describes becoming an angry kid, and football became both an outlet and a “chosen family.”

Taking on responsibility young

In high school, Antonio worked two jobs, saved for college, and sometimes stayed with friends during his junior and senior years. Around 19–20, he took in a sibling and became part of a painful child welfare and legal situation, pushing for his mother’s parental rights to be terminated so his siblings could have a chance at adoption. Later, as a father himself, he tries to maintain a relationship with his mother “as good as it can be.”

Career break through mentorship and the acquired “MBA”

Antonio worked multiple jobs and then got a major opportunity through a mentor (later a business partner) in media and advertising in Las Vegas, including a taxi-cab TV media business tied to tourism. He learned production, sales, and leadership quickly, calling it his “MBA,” and gained real deal-making experience. When Uber and Lyft disrupted taxis, the model lost value, but he used that disruption as a springboard for growth.

Moving to LA and founding Funbox

Antonio’s mentor offered a path to ownership through sweat equity. Antonio left Las Vegas behind and moved to LA, working intensely in a small office while launching ideas across industries. The Funbox concept emerged after seeing a “selfie museum” done poorly and believing they could build something better: modular, kid-centered, and focused on the feeling of being a kid. 

Mindset: resilience, voice, and manifestation

Antonio describes an internal drive that pushes him toward hard choices, discipline, and service, even when it would be easier to coast. His advice centers on manifestation and vision: write goals down, visualize outcomes, revisit them daily, and back that vision with consistent action. He also highlights that doing the right thing can feel lonely in the moment, requiring sacrifice and the willingness to outgrow certain social circles.

Purpose: foster care advocacy and fatherhood

Antonio wants to bring foster care into the open because shame can stop people from getting help and from becoming who they could be. He hopes to be visible proof that foster care does not define your ceiling. He also frames his biggest priority as being the father he wished he had: present, patient, and intentional with his kids. 

What he’s proud of

Antonio says he feels proud that he “accidentally followed his passion,” because he always loved kids and once wanted to be a teacher. Through Funbox, he creates joy and connection for families, and he describes the work as “full circle.” He shares that some of the most meaningful moments come when foster parents thank him for helping them communicate better with adoptive children and schools, and he says he would keep doing foster advocacy even if the company disappeared. 

Closing takeaways

Antonio’s story ties business success to personal responsibility: the work matters, but the deeper point is designing a life around discipline, family, and service, even when the process is uncomfortable.

• Build a clear vision, then support it with daily action.
• Accept that the right choices can feel lonely, and stay disciplined anyway.
• Turn pain into purpose by serving others, especially in the areas where you once needed help.