1 00:00:00,800 --> 00:00:03,080 Speaker 1: Well, look you see in Black Tech, Green Money. So 2 00:00:03,720 --> 00:00:05,120 Speaker 1: good to be back with you guys. 3 00:00:05,200 --> 00:00:09,120 Speaker 2: And I've been looking forward to this episode almost as 4 00:00:09,119 --> 00:00:11,440 Speaker 2: we started doing this podcast, so I've been waiting for 5 00:00:11,480 --> 00:00:14,360 Speaker 2: the right time to do it. So he's been like, 6 00:00:14,400 --> 00:00:17,840 Speaker 2: you know, he's one of my favorite entrepreneurs, but to 7 00:00:17,920 --> 00:00:22,040 Speaker 2: say the least, I mean he's an inspirational entrepreneur, a 8 00:00:22,160 --> 00:00:27,120 Speaker 2: mission driven entrepreneur, and Ladies gentleman. Ryan Wilson Gathering Spot 9 00:00:27,200 --> 00:00:30,120 Speaker 2: co found the CEO of Gathering Spot, which is a 10 00:00:30,160 --> 00:00:33,760 Speaker 2: private membership club, deeply ruty in community and culture Atlanta, 11 00:00:34,400 --> 00:00:39,280 Speaker 2: d c LA got communities in New York City, Chicago, Charlotte, Detroit, Houston, 12 00:00:39,360 --> 00:00:40,080 Speaker 2: all over the place. 13 00:00:40,560 --> 00:00:42,159 Speaker 1: Brian, could that be? 14 00:00:42,640 --> 00:00:44,879 Speaker 3: Hey, man, I appreciate you, thanks for having me. I'm 15 00:00:44,880 --> 00:00:48,280 Speaker 3: really excited to speak with you and in deep respect 16 00:00:48,400 --> 00:00:50,440 Speaker 3: for all of the work that you've been doing over 17 00:00:50,440 --> 00:00:51,960 Speaker 3: the last forever. 18 00:00:52,479 --> 00:00:54,600 Speaker 1: Yeah, I'm trying. I'm trying. 19 00:00:54,800 --> 00:00:55,880 Speaker 3: So yeah. 20 00:00:55,880 --> 00:00:58,600 Speaker 2: I've heard you talk a lot about the origin story 21 00:00:58,840 --> 00:01:00,240 Speaker 2: of the Gathering Spot, and we're not going to go 22 00:01:00,320 --> 00:01:02,520 Speaker 2: there because that story is very well documented, but I 23 00:01:02,560 --> 00:01:06,440 Speaker 2: am interested in There was a particular frustration you had 24 00:01:06,520 --> 00:01:09,360 Speaker 2: with the lack of spaces for you know, particularly black 25 00:01:09,360 --> 00:01:14,560 Speaker 2: people with diverse, diverse professionals to congregate, connect and get inspired. 26 00:01:15,120 --> 00:01:18,399 Speaker 2: And what has changed about the landscape from when you 27 00:01:18,480 --> 00:01:22,759 Speaker 2: had that thought ten ish or more years ago to today? 28 00:01:22,840 --> 00:01:27,000 Speaker 3: If anything, I mean the fundamentals of why we do 29 00:01:27,080 --> 00:01:29,400 Speaker 3: this work that hasn't changed at all. But I do 30 00:01:29,440 --> 00:01:34,280 Speaker 3: think that specifically this moment, what we do like it's 31 00:01:34,360 --> 00:01:38,959 Speaker 3: really really important. Right. I wasn't fully anticipating that we 32 00:01:39,000 --> 00:01:43,440 Speaker 3: would be in what feels at times like such a 33 00:01:43,520 --> 00:01:50,680 Speaker 3: strong backlash to really any attempt to be diverse, equitable, 34 00:01:50,920 --> 00:01:56,160 Speaker 3: or inclusive. And we knew from the from the beginning, 35 00:01:56,280 --> 00:01:58,920 Speaker 3: right that if we were going to do this, that 36 00:01:59,000 --> 00:02:00,920 Speaker 3: we were only going to be in the unity business, right. 37 00:02:00,920 --> 00:02:04,040 Speaker 3: But two, we were also going to make sure that 38 00:02:04,800 --> 00:02:09,440 Speaker 3: the values of trying to promote real deep connectivity between 39 00:02:09,480 --> 00:02:12,840 Speaker 3: people that ordinarily wouldn't they wouldn't have met, that was 40 00:02:12,880 --> 00:02:16,720 Speaker 3: going to be core to the whole effort. So I'm 41 00:02:16,760 --> 00:02:20,320 Speaker 3: as embolden as I've ever been in terms of us 42 00:02:20,400 --> 00:02:22,560 Speaker 3: just like needing to make sure that we do what 43 00:02:22,600 --> 00:02:25,639 Speaker 3: we do well because this moment really requires it. 44 00:02:26,440 --> 00:02:28,079 Speaker 1: You know, let's go in there. You know, I wasn't 45 00:02:28,080 --> 00:02:31,239 Speaker 1: planning to go here, But you make me think about. 46 00:02:31,280 --> 00:02:35,440 Speaker 2: Why, what's different or more important for the work that 47 00:02:35,480 --> 00:02:39,519 Speaker 2: you do to make sure that black people are uplifted 48 00:02:40,200 --> 00:02:42,280 Speaker 2: now more than it was even a year ago. 49 00:02:42,800 --> 00:02:47,280 Speaker 3: Yeah, So look, I mean to be fair, like, our 50 00:02:47,440 --> 00:02:51,880 Speaker 3: existence identity, right, culture has always been contested in some way, 51 00:02:51,880 --> 00:02:54,120 Speaker 3: shape or form. Right, that that isn't a twenty twenty 52 00:02:54,120 --> 00:02:57,520 Speaker 3: five new fact. Right. I do think what's new is 53 00:02:57,560 --> 00:03:03,240 Speaker 3: that it's overt and and direct in a way that 54 00:03:03,320 --> 00:03:06,120 Speaker 3: in some ways makes it easier to address right, but 55 00:03:06,160 --> 00:03:10,040 Speaker 3: in other ways because of of of just how how 56 00:03:10,080 --> 00:03:15,960 Speaker 3: specific a lot of different groups are being about not 57 00:03:16,520 --> 00:03:20,480 Speaker 3: wanting to see I mean, I'll give you a quick example. Well, 58 00:03:20,800 --> 00:03:22,639 Speaker 3: I had a I had a corporate partner a couple 59 00:03:22,639 --> 00:03:25,519 Speaker 3: of weeks ago say that they couldn't host an event 60 00:03:25,560 --> 00:03:31,960 Speaker 3: at TGS because of the company's rollback to DEI efforts. 61 00:03:33,080 --> 00:03:37,080 Speaker 3: And then when asked, well, like, how does hosting an 62 00:03:37,080 --> 00:03:39,280 Speaker 3: event at the gathering spot, which is a black owned 63 00:03:39,320 --> 00:03:43,000 Speaker 3: business and does have many black folks that call the 64 00:03:43,000 --> 00:03:44,720 Speaker 3: club home most of the majority of the of the 65 00:03:44,720 --> 00:03:48,920 Speaker 3: membership base, how how do those two things tied with 66 00:03:48,960 --> 00:03:52,120 Speaker 3: one of the how is this a DEI effort. Yeah, 67 00:03:52,560 --> 00:03:55,120 Speaker 3: really they couldn't explain, right. I think that there was 68 00:03:55,120 --> 00:03:57,600 Speaker 3: a quick moment of realization that like, ah, wait, hold on, 69 00:03:58,040 --> 00:04:01,920 Speaker 3: I'm I'm I'm not willing to engage the gathering spot 70 00:04:01,960 --> 00:04:05,320 Speaker 3: because I have been tricked into believing that engaging black 71 00:04:05,360 --> 00:04:09,120 Speaker 3: folks during this time is something that is that's wrong 72 00:04:09,200 --> 00:04:14,720 Speaker 3: to do. So that's what's new, right, Like, like there's 73 00:04:14,720 --> 00:04:18,600 Speaker 3: a there's a pressure that many people feel like exists 74 00:04:19,400 --> 00:04:23,839 Speaker 3: to not engage where they were willing to engage twelve 75 00:04:24,000 --> 00:04:24,960 Speaker 3: twenty four months ago. 76 00:04:25,920 --> 00:04:27,520 Speaker 2: You know, maybe a question will come out of this, 77 00:04:27,600 --> 00:04:30,080 Speaker 2: But you have me thinking about something somebody told me 78 00:04:30,120 --> 00:04:31,520 Speaker 2: one day, you know, and this, you know. 79 00:04:31,520 --> 00:04:32,760 Speaker 1: For the sake of the audience. 80 00:04:32,839 --> 00:04:35,600 Speaker 2: Like I've come to Ryan often because I have a 81 00:04:35,600 --> 00:04:38,800 Speaker 2: social club also, and so Ryan has been super helpful 82 00:04:38,880 --> 00:04:42,520 Speaker 2: to me just in helping navigate how to do this thing. 83 00:04:42,640 --> 00:04:45,080 Speaker 2: And so, you know, one of the things somebody said 84 00:04:45,080 --> 00:04:46,560 Speaker 2: to me a long time ago was like, you know, 85 00:04:46,600 --> 00:04:51,080 Speaker 2: when somebody these corporations joined, they're using their DEI budget 86 00:04:51,360 --> 00:04:54,360 Speaker 2: to do this because you know, whatever however they are 87 00:04:54,600 --> 00:04:56,080 Speaker 2: doing it, I'm glad to hear. 88 00:04:56,600 --> 00:04:57,800 Speaker 1: I appreciate that. 89 00:04:58,240 --> 00:05:00,680 Speaker 2: And you got me thinking about something the Key talks 90 00:05:00,680 --> 00:05:03,440 Speaker 2: about doctor Key Horman and who said, you know, you know, 91 00:05:03,600 --> 00:05:07,200 Speaker 2: we talked to have a conversation about support and like 92 00:05:07,360 --> 00:05:11,040 Speaker 2: when people go to Kroger, I'm not necessarily supporting Kroger. 93 00:05:11,640 --> 00:05:12,839 Speaker 1: They just have what I need. 94 00:05:13,640 --> 00:05:16,080 Speaker 2: And when I go to Costco, I'm not necessarily that 95 00:05:16,160 --> 00:05:17,880 Speaker 2: might be supporting car, but I'm but that's. 96 00:05:17,720 --> 00:05:18,279 Speaker 1: Not why I go. 97 00:05:18,400 --> 00:05:21,159 Speaker 2: They have what I need. And So to your point, 98 00:05:21,320 --> 00:05:23,640 Speaker 2: like this is space. You know, it's a there's a 99 00:05:23,680 --> 00:05:26,920 Speaker 2: bar there, there's furniture here, there's a microphone, all the 100 00:05:26,960 --> 00:05:30,360 Speaker 2: things that's here. So I'm trying to form a question 101 00:05:30,520 --> 00:05:35,120 Speaker 2: is by thinking So it's like yes, go no. 102 00:05:35,200 --> 00:05:38,000 Speaker 3: I mean, I mean I think that that's the that's 103 00:05:38,040 --> 00:05:41,280 Speaker 3: the challenge, and I think that the the the pushback 104 00:05:41,400 --> 00:05:43,520 Speaker 3: right that we have to continue to have at this moment. 105 00:05:43,560 --> 00:05:46,200 Speaker 3: We have to we have to take people's values and 106 00:05:46,240 --> 00:05:49,279 Speaker 3: put that mirror back up and say wait, wait, hold on. Recently, 107 00:05:49,760 --> 00:05:52,960 Speaker 3: the type of conversation that we were having was this one, 108 00:05:53,839 --> 00:05:56,279 Speaker 3: and what I just heard sounds a little bit different, 109 00:05:56,680 --> 00:05:59,599 Speaker 3: slash a lot different from what we used to talk about. 110 00:06:00,320 --> 00:06:02,479 Speaker 3: I just want to understand is there been a value 111 00:06:02,520 --> 00:06:06,840 Speaker 3: shift here, because again twenty four months ago. Right, if 112 00:06:06,880 --> 00:06:09,440 Speaker 3: you go back to twenty twenty one, twenty twenty two, 113 00:06:09,480 --> 00:06:12,160 Speaker 3: some of these companies were falling over themselves trying to 114 00:06:12,200 --> 00:06:15,839 Speaker 3: figure out how to get to black, black consumers. And 115 00:06:15,880 --> 00:06:20,400 Speaker 3: then now those same same companies they don't even seem 116 00:06:20,440 --> 00:06:24,240 Speaker 3: to know like what any of those efforts were remotely about. 117 00:06:24,279 --> 00:06:27,760 Speaker 3: And I think that's just that's unacceptable, and it requires 118 00:06:27,839 --> 00:06:32,240 Speaker 3: us to again hold the mirror up and ask critical 119 00:06:32,320 --> 00:06:34,960 Speaker 3: questions and realize that, like, if there's anything that gives 120 00:06:34,960 --> 00:06:37,760 Speaker 3: me hope at the end of the day, the pendulum 121 00:06:37,839 --> 00:06:41,560 Speaker 3: is absolutely about to swing back. The math requires it. 122 00:06:42,040 --> 00:06:45,600 Speaker 3: These companies cannot meet their thesis if it doesn't, right, 123 00:06:45,640 --> 00:06:50,000 Speaker 3: So that's what's fascinating about, Like, is anybody looking at 124 00:06:50,000 --> 00:06:52,760 Speaker 3: the math here, right? Because this math equation that y'all 125 00:06:52,800 --> 00:06:56,159 Speaker 3: are promoting, you will not hit the numbers that you 126 00:06:56,520 --> 00:07:01,240 Speaker 3: have been talking about hitting without black flo and a 127 00:07:01,240 --> 00:07:04,359 Speaker 3: every other type of fo you feel like, isn't isn't 128 00:07:04,600 --> 00:07:07,240 Speaker 3: necessary in the moment. Again, if you look at your 129 00:07:07,240 --> 00:07:09,200 Speaker 3: P and L, you actually know that that statement isn't 130 00:07:09,480 --> 00:07:13,000 Speaker 3: isn't the truth? So you know, we got to weather 131 00:07:13,040 --> 00:07:17,920 Speaker 3: this storm. But ultimately will it be okay? Yes, it 132 00:07:17,920 --> 00:07:19,880 Speaker 3: will be okay. The math dictates that it. 133 00:07:20,240 --> 00:07:20,640 Speaker 1: Has to be. 134 00:07:22,200 --> 00:07:25,360 Speaker 2: Yeah, how do you see you as a representative of 135 00:07:25,400 --> 00:07:26,000 Speaker 2: what's possible? 136 00:07:26,000 --> 00:07:26,760 Speaker 1: Because I think about it. 137 00:07:26,800 --> 00:07:31,080 Speaker 2: I came from like radio, nightclubs, all the things, promoting parties, 138 00:07:31,120 --> 00:07:34,120 Speaker 2: all of that, and I think about and I don't 139 00:07:34,160 --> 00:07:36,160 Speaker 2: know if it's a graduation, but maybe it's just different. 140 00:07:36,160 --> 00:07:39,120 Speaker 2: Like you and I are in hospitality, food and beverage 141 00:07:39,160 --> 00:07:42,760 Speaker 2: and et cetera, and it's different than nightclubs per se. 142 00:07:43,440 --> 00:07:46,920 Speaker 2: How do you see your role as representative of we 143 00:07:46,960 --> 00:07:50,360 Speaker 2: can play in this space too. We can do retreat 144 00:07:50,400 --> 00:07:53,640 Speaker 2: which we'll talk about. We can do hotels, we can 145 00:07:53,680 --> 00:07:58,560 Speaker 2: do these things, you know, fashion houses versus just clubs 146 00:07:58,640 --> 00:07:59,880 Speaker 2: and just nightclubs. 147 00:08:02,000 --> 00:08:05,800 Speaker 3: I think that it doesn't matter what industry we're talking about. Fundamentally, 148 00:08:05,840 --> 00:08:09,000 Speaker 3: we have to continue to remind people right again. This 149 00:08:09,240 --> 00:08:13,120 Speaker 3: is where I love that we still celebrate people that 150 00:08:13,160 --> 00:08:17,040 Speaker 3: are the first to do things right. We still have 151 00:08:17,400 --> 00:08:20,760 Speaker 3: that's still in our culture a lot. Sometimes. What's challenging 152 00:08:20,760 --> 00:08:24,320 Speaker 3: about some of those moments though, is that, like sometimes 153 00:08:24,360 --> 00:08:27,320 Speaker 3: what's discussed, it's a little bit ahistorical. Black folks have 154 00:08:27,400 --> 00:08:29,800 Speaker 3: been doing all of these things for a long time. 155 00:08:30,600 --> 00:08:34,920 Speaker 3: We've had restaurants, we've been in Hoteling, we built big businesses, right, Like, 156 00:08:35,080 --> 00:08:38,000 Speaker 3: those things have occurred. Right, So a lot of times 157 00:08:38,040 --> 00:08:39,720 Speaker 3: what I'm trying to do is remind people that this 158 00:08:39,720 --> 00:08:43,000 Speaker 3: actually is not a new tradition for us. It's an 159 00:08:43,000 --> 00:08:46,600 Speaker 3: old tradition, and I'm a party to be a proud 160 00:08:46,640 --> 00:08:49,760 Speaker 3: to be a part of that continuum. Am I contributing 161 00:08:49,800 --> 00:08:52,200 Speaker 3: new things? Yes, I believe so, right, But am I 162 00:08:52,360 --> 00:08:57,719 Speaker 3: the first to do some bit of this? No? I 163 00:08:57,960 --> 00:09:00,600 Speaker 3: don't need to be the first, right, I need to 164 00:09:00,600 --> 00:09:04,120 Speaker 3: be a valuable contributor to what I see again as 165 00:09:04,120 --> 00:09:08,160 Speaker 3: a continuum. But it's hard to become something that you 166 00:09:08,160 --> 00:09:09,720 Speaker 3: have not seen before. On the other hand, right, so 167 00:09:10,000 --> 00:09:12,720 Speaker 3: we have to address folks that if you're in the 168 00:09:12,760 --> 00:09:15,080 Speaker 3: community and you have not seen what I'm talking about, well, 169 00:09:15,120 --> 00:09:18,480 Speaker 3: it's very hard in any context to become that thing. 170 00:09:19,000 --> 00:09:22,439 Speaker 3: So I think part of our responsibility is to be vocal, right, 171 00:09:22,440 --> 00:09:25,960 Speaker 3: so the folks see that like, not only are we here, 172 00:09:26,000 --> 00:09:29,040 Speaker 3: but others have been here. And if this is a 173 00:09:29,080 --> 00:09:32,440 Speaker 3: game that you want to play in, then come into 174 00:09:32,480 --> 00:09:35,199 Speaker 3: the you know, and come into what is a powerful 175 00:09:35,200 --> 00:09:40,160 Speaker 3: and rich tradition. But I live in Atlanta, and so 176 00:09:40,240 --> 00:09:44,920 Speaker 3: like I, I hear from people that live other places 177 00:09:44,960 --> 00:09:47,719 Speaker 3: where I guess the day to day experiences may be 178 00:09:47,800 --> 00:09:50,240 Speaker 3: a little different. But I live in a city where, 179 00:09:50,280 --> 00:09:52,319 Speaker 3: like black folks have been at the highest heights of 180 00:09:52,360 --> 00:09:56,240 Speaker 3: all of it for a long time, right, So that 181 00:09:56,240 --> 00:09:58,960 Speaker 3: gives me a tremendous amount of confidence to know that 182 00:09:59,160 --> 00:10:01,200 Speaker 3: even when there are thing that I know that we 183 00:10:01,280 --> 00:10:07,040 Speaker 3: haven't accomplished yet, I feel possibility. It's more of a 184 00:10:07,240 --> 00:10:10,080 Speaker 3: like when is this going to occur? And less of 185 00:10:10,120 --> 00:10:12,439 Speaker 3: an if, like I feel really confident we're going to 186 00:10:12,480 --> 00:10:12,840 Speaker 3: get there. 187 00:10:13,960 --> 00:10:15,880 Speaker 2: So before we go much further, I want you to 188 00:10:15,960 --> 00:10:18,360 Speaker 2: talk about what Retreat is because I have a lot 189 00:10:18,400 --> 00:10:19,960 Speaker 2: of questions that may touch on it, and I want 190 00:10:19,960 --> 00:10:22,080 Speaker 2: to all used to know, like what you're doing now. 191 00:10:22,280 --> 00:10:25,199 Speaker 3: Retreat is a new effort from us that's a new 192 00:10:25,200 --> 00:10:31,839 Speaker 3: club that's focused on hospitality and wellness and privacy. It's 193 00:10:31,880 --> 00:10:34,560 Speaker 3: sixty thousand square feet of the same things that we've 194 00:10:34,559 --> 00:10:37,000 Speaker 3: always had from a space perspective, right, So it's event space, 195 00:10:37,160 --> 00:10:41,360 Speaker 3: restaurant and bar and workspace, but with Retreat we have 196 00:10:41,400 --> 00:10:46,600 Speaker 3: a rooftop pool and just amazing all around amenities. Right. 197 00:10:46,640 --> 00:10:51,160 Speaker 3: But part of our thesis in the first iteration of 198 00:10:51,200 --> 00:10:55,960 Speaker 3: teachers the original clubs, we were really trying to figure 199 00:10:56,000 --> 00:10:59,280 Speaker 3: out how to create an environment where people could work. 200 00:11:00,320 --> 00:11:03,000 Speaker 3: Workspace is a big part of the footprint in any 201 00:11:03,720 --> 00:11:07,880 Speaker 3: gathering spot plus event plus dining, right, But if you 202 00:11:08,320 --> 00:11:11,360 Speaker 3: if you're there day to day, the work and event 203 00:11:11,600 --> 00:11:15,280 Speaker 3: piece really kind of leads that really drives the experience. 204 00:11:16,760 --> 00:11:23,240 Speaker 3: It's the opposite here at retreat, the hospitality and the 205 00:11:23,280 --> 00:11:26,400 Speaker 3: relaxation less work, right, Like, we're not allowing laptops here. 206 00:11:26,400 --> 00:11:28,200 Speaker 3: If you go to the gathering spot, there's a ton 207 00:11:28,200 --> 00:11:31,480 Speaker 3: of laptops intentionally, right, So this is a a new 208 00:11:31,520 --> 00:11:35,000 Speaker 3: offering from us. We're being really intentional how we are 209 00:11:35,040 --> 00:11:38,959 Speaker 3: curating the membership. They're about one hundred and fifty members 210 00:11:39,040 --> 00:11:41,480 Speaker 3: and a wait list of like a thousand people, and 211 00:11:41,559 --> 00:11:44,280 Speaker 3: we're being very specific about how we continue to add 212 00:11:44,320 --> 00:11:46,720 Speaker 3: to that group, not with the goal of being stuffy, 213 00:11:47,120 --> 00:11:49,199 Speaker 3: but with the goal of making sure that the relationships 214 00:11:49,200 --> 00:11:51,760 Speaker 3: that are being fostered, because this is a very very 215 00:11:52,160 --> 00:11:59,760 Speaker 3: social experience broadly really meet the meet the needs of 216 00:11:59,760 --> 00:12:02,880 Speaker 3: the membership. Right. So I'm excited about it. 217 00:12:03,200 --> 00:12:03,440 Speaker 1: Again. 218 00:12:03,480 --> 00:12:08,280 Speaker 3: Footprint wise, it's much larger than anything that we've done 219 00:12:08,360 --> 00:12:10,160 Speaker 3: so far. So the original gathering spots is twenty five 220 00:12:10,200 --> 00:12:15,000 Speaker 3: thousand square feet. This club is sixty thousand, so it's 221 00:12:15,040 --> 00:12:18,280 Speaker 3: significantly larger. And we've got three sixty views of the 222 00:12:18,440 --> 00:12:21,160 Speaker 3: entire city. So on one side you're looking at the entire 223 00:12:21,160 --> 00:12:24,040 Speaker 3: Atlanta skyline. On the other side basically looking at the 224 00:12:24,040 --> 00:12:26,160 Speaker 3: rest of the state. And that's the same side the 225 00:12:26,160 --> 00:12:28,960 Speaker 3: sunsets on. So it's a really amazing kind of view 226 00:12:29,160 --> 00:12:33,640 Speaker 3: of the both the city and the state. 227 00:12:34,280 --> 00:12:38,839 Speaker 2: Yeah, how does the expansion into retreat kind of open 228 00:12:38,920 --> 00:12:41,880 Speaker 2: the aperture of the mission of TTS. 229 00:12:43,080 --> 00:12:46,040 Speaker 3: So I've always wanted two things. I wanted our community 230 00:12:46,080 --> 00:12:49,040 Speaker 3: to have access to the best of whatever it is 231 00:12:49,080 --> 00:12:52,000 Speaker 3: that we're talking about, right, and so in this context, 232 00:12:52,200 --> 00:12:54,760 Speaker 3: it's space. I wanted our I want our community to 233 00:12:54,800 --> 00:12:57,280 Speaker 3: have access to the best spaces around. This is world 234 00:12:57,280 --> 00:13:00,800 Speaker 3: class space. We can go head to head with any 235 00:13:01,320 --> 00:13:03,840 Speaker 3: favorite rooftop that you have around, right, I mean, it 236 00:13:03,920 --> 00:13:08,600 Speaker 3: really is that sort of product. But the second thing 237 00:13:08,679 --> 00:13:12,559 Speaker 3: is that I've always known that right, people connect or 238 00:13:12,600 --> 00:13:17,400 Speaker 3: want to connect for different reasons right there, They're different environments, 239 00:13:17,440 --> 00:13:22,480 Speaker 3: and so if there's a meaningful community conversation that we 240 00:13:22,559 --> 00:13:25,160 Speaker 3: need to to host, that's gonna be at the gathering spot. 241 00:13:25,440 --> 00:13:28,760 Speaker 3: That's the tradition of any gathering spot, right to host 242 00:13:29,400 --> 00:13:33,480 Speaker 3: meaningful discussions where we bring everybody together. But if you 243 00:13:33,520 --> 00:13:39,319 Speaker 3: need a spot to bring your clients or to to disconnect, 244 00:13:39,400 --> 00:13:42,160 Speaker 3: right to just sit by the pool and be for 245 00:13:42,240 --> 00:13:49,800 Speaker 3: a second, that's retreat overall, though, as an entrepreneur, I've 246 00:13:49,800 --> 00:13:52,280 Speaker 3: always been inspired by the big the big companies that 247 00:13:52,320 --> 00:13:54,560 Speaker 3: are out there right. So what that means to me 248 00:13:55,240 --> 00:14:01,000 Speaker 3: is the same way that uh Hilton can have a 249 00:14:01,120 --> 00:14:05,600 Speaker 3: number of experiences or brands in its portfolio, or Marriott right, 250 00:14:05,720 --> 00:14:08,560 Speaker 3: or a car company can have multiple models and different 251 00:14:09,240 --> 00:14:11,760 Speaker 3: I believe the gathering spot over time can curate different 252 00:14:11,800 --> 00:14:15,480 Speaker 3: experiences as well, and so retreat is our first stop 253 00:14:15,880 --> 00:14:18,320 Speaker 3: and kind of a broader perspective of different experiences that 254 00:14:18,360 --> 00:14:19,320 Speaker 3: will host. 255 00:14:21,040 --> 00:14:22,280 Speaker 1: Shifting gear a little bit. 256 00:14:23,560 --> 00:14:25,320 Speaker 2: I saw your posts that you had put up, you know, 257 00:14:25,360 --> 00:14:27,240 Speaker 2: I think it was today yesterday, and you said, you know, 258 00:14:27,280 --> 00:14:30,400 Speaker 2: this is my first job, you know, And I found 259 00:14:30,400 --> 00:14:32,240 Speaker 2: that like, you know, you know, I chuckled a little 260 00:14:32,280 --> 00:14:34,480 Speaker 2: bit inside sound like you know. My question is how 261 00:14:34,480 --> 00:14:38,880 Speaker 2: did you learn to lead, like leading people in operationalized 262 00:14:38,920 --> 00:14:41,800 Speaker 2: things systems and hold people accountable. How did you learn 263 00:14:41,840 --> 00:14:42,360 Speaker 2: to do that? 264 00:14:43,040 --> 00:14:48,600 Speaker 3: So I'm very honest about the fact that I started 265 00:14:48,600 --> 00:14:53,200 Speaker 3: my entrepreneurial journey with a huge advantage. Right. My parents 266 00:14:53,240 --> 00:14:55,240 Speaker 3: are entrepreneurs, right, and so I grew up in a 267 00:14:55,280 --> 00:15:00,120 Speaker 3: context of seeing seeing them in business and learn thing 268 00:15:00,200 --> 00:15:02,400 Speaker 3: I didn't even know I was learning just by being 269 00:15:02,560 --> 00:15:05,680 Speaker 3: in the house, right, I quick aside, But I remember 270 00:15:06,480 --> 00:15:08,800 Speaker 3: when we first started ten years ago. I was with 271 00:15:08,840 --> 00:15:11,800 Speaker 3: a member of our team and she heard me leave 272 00:15:11,800 --> 00:15:13,760 Speaker 3: a voicemail. I left my number, I sat my number 273 00:15:13,800 --> 00:15:17,480 Speaker 3: twice at the end of the voicemail. For folks like. 274 00:15:19,640 --> 00:15:26,600 Speaker 4: Yeah, born in the olden ages like me, you used 275 00:15:26,600 --> 00:15:29,080 Speaker 4: to have to you know, you couldn't read the voicemail out, 276 00:15:29,120 --> 00:15:31,760 Speaker 4: so you had to say the number twice so that 277 00:15:32,000 --> 00:15:32,960 Speaker 4: people could write it down. 278 00:15:33,960 --> 00:15:35,920 Speaker 3: Well, she asked me. She was like, well, like, how 279 00:15:35,920 --> 00:15:39,040 Speaker 3: did you know how to do that? Right? And I 280 00:15:39,080 --> 00:15:40,840 Speaker 3: thought about it and it was like, well, I've been 281 00:15:40,880 --> 00:15:43,200 Speaker 3: sitting in the car with my parents for years, and 282 00:15:43,280 --> 00:15:45,880 Speaker 3: every time my dad leaves a voicemail, he would say 283 00:15:45,920 --> 00:15:48,760 Speaker 3: his number twice to give them an opportunity to write 284 00:15:48,800 --> 00:15:52,760 Speaker 3: the number down. So I learned a lot that way. Right, 285 00:15:52,840 --> 00:15:54,960 Speaker 3: But then the rest of it right, because you don't 286 00:15:54,960 --> 00:15:57,520 Speaker 3: pick up everything in the car the rest of it. 287 00:15:57,600 --> 00:16:01,600 Speaker 3: I have learned by being open to to learning. I 288 00:16:02,320 --> 00:16:04,880 Speaker 3: haven't been, and I'm not right now a perfect leader, 289 00:16:05,040 --> 00:16:07,080 Speaker 3: but I am a person that spends a lot of 290 00:16:07,080 --> 00:16:10,520 Speaker 3: time in reflection. I know and care about my team, 291 00:16:10,880 --> 00:16:12,640 Speaker 3: and so when you know and care about folks, you 292 00:16:13,040 --> 00:16:16,440 Speaker 3: you're committed to improving. And so I've just gotten better 293 00:16:16,640 --> 00:16:22,120 Speaker 3: at knowing how to handle different situations. You learn things early, 294 00:16:22,160 --> 00:16:24,680 Speaker 3: like the business goes the way that you go right Emotionally, 295 00:16:25,200 --> 00:16:30,840 Speaker 3: if I'm super excited about something, the business might be 296 00:16:30,880 --> 00:16:33,960 Speaker 3: really excited about it. But if I'm super not interested 297 00:16:34,320 --> 00:16:37,320 Speaker 3: or down, the business also can be those things too, right, 298 00:16:37,360 --> 00:16:40,680 Speaker 3: So like staying as flat as possible, right, That's something 299 00:16:40,720 --> 00:16:44,520 Speaker 3: that I gained through experience just in working with people. 300 00:16:44,560 --> 00:16:46,880 Speaker 3: But it's been a decade, right, so you know, if 301 00:16:46,920 --> 00:16:50,720 Speaker 3: you're committed to growth, which I am, you should be 302 00:16:50,760 --> 00:16:52,960 Speaker 3: able to look back over a course of a decade 303 00:16:52,960 --> 00:16:58,000 Speaker 3: of leading things a business right and being responsible for 304 00:16:58,040 --> 00:17:00,640 Speaker 3: people knowing that like, well, yes, this is the only 305 00:17:00,720 --> 00:17:04,040 Speaker 3: job that I've had. I don't expect this to be 306 00:17:04,080 --> 00:17:07,119 Speaker 3: the only job that anybody else will had. And I 307 00:17:07,160 --> 00:17:09,840 Speaker 3: want the skills that they're learning, the experience that they're 308 00:17:09,840 --> 00:17:15,880 Speaker 3: having to be meaningful and hopefully complimentary to whatever their 309 00:17:15,920 --> 00:17:20,160 Speaker 3: next opportunity is. Right. But I've always taken a really 310 00:17:20,200 --> 00:17:24,640 Speaker 3: kind of long range view of our relationship with one another. 311 00:17:24,880 --> 00:17:27,560 Speaker 3: I'm privileged to say our first member of our team, 312 00:17:28,040 --> 00:17:29,879 Speaker 3: she's been here with us ten years. Second member of 313 00:17:29,880 --> 00:17:32,240 Speaker 3: our team been with us ten years. Third member of 314 00:17:32,240 --> 00:17:34,520 Speaker 3: our team been with us nine years. Right, So, like 315 00:17:34,640 --> 00:17:38,040 Speaker 3: our core team has been together for a minute. But 316 00:17:38,040 --> 00:17:40,639 Speaker 3: there are other people that have come in in different 317 00:17:40,640 --> 00:17:43,160 Speaker 3: seasons in the business that are doing really amazing things 318 00:17:43,160 --> 00:17:46,200 Speaker 3: in other contexts right now. And I'm proud that TGS 319 00:17:46,200 --> 00:17:48,080 Speaker 3: helped to be a part as a part of their 320 00:17:48,119 --> 00:17:51,800 Speaker 3: professional journey. And again, I have a responsibility there. I 321 00:17:52,640 --> 00:17:56,159 Speaker 3: have to be a good steward of the time and 322 00:17:56,240 --> 00:17:58,720 Speaker 3: talent that they're playing with us. 323 00:17:59,040 --> 00:18:03,320 Speaker 2: What is in Ryan Wilson's EBC your every day carry, 324 00:18:03,359 --> 00:18:06,439 Speaker 2: like aside from your phone, Like, what are the things 325 00:18:06,440 --> 00:18:08,399 Speaker 2: that you know you wake up to lead a house? 326 00:18:09,560 --> 00:18:11,360 Speaker 1: This is gonna be on you somewhere. 327 00:18:12,880 --> 00:18:16,960 Speaker 3: So I have a backpack, which is not that exciting, right, 328 00:18:16,960 --> 00:18:19,879 Speaker 3: but like it's a mobile I can work from anywhere. Right. 329 00:18:19,960 --> 00:18:26,960 Speaker 3: My backpack has everything that I possibly need, laptop, tablet, 330 00:18:27,240 --> 00:18:29,440 Speaker 3: every charger that you can need, every adapter that I 331 00:18:29,440 --> 00:18:31,520 Speaker 3: can buy. I travel a lot, right, we have got 332 00:18:31,760 --> 00:18:34,320 Speaker 3: locations in different places, right, So as long as I 333 00:18:34,359 --> 00:18:37,840 Speaker 3: have my bag, I can. I'm good. The thing that, 334 00:18:37,880 --> 00:18:39,639 Speaker 3: honestly that I first thought about that when you said that, 335 00:18:39,720 --> 00:18:42,480 Speaker 3: And this is super not interesting, but it's been. It's 336 00:18:42,520 --> 00:18:46,640 Speaker 3: something that I'm trying to talk about more, especially as 337 00:18:46,640 --> 00:18:49,480 Speaker 3: this kind of has gone on longer. If you see 338 00:18:49,480 --> 00:18:53,720 Speaker 3: me these days, I have like a gallon water jug 339 00:18:54,359 --> 00:18:57,199 Speaker 3: that goes everywhere with me, and it's a part of 340 00:18:57,200 --> 00:19:00,560 Speaker 3: my daily daily habit, Like I don't leave the house 341 00:19:00,760 --> 00:19:06,119 Speaker 3: without my is it right here? Like time and the 342 00:19:06,119 --> 00:19:12,040 Speaker 3: reason why I bring it up, I am prioritizing taking 343 00:19:12,160 --> 00:19:18,240 Speaker 3: care of myself much more than I did when we started, 344 00:19:19,680 --> 00:19:22,720 Speaker 3: Like I slashed, I didn't at all when we started. 345 00:19:22,920 --> 00:19:26,959 Speaker 3: I was. I mean, I look, the discord was different 346 00:19:26,960 --> 00:19:29,040 Speaker 3: when when we was ten years ago, right, so like 347 00:19:30,359 --> 00:19:32,000 Speaker 3: it was full. We were right in the middle of 348 00:19:32,040 --> 00:19:35,439 Speaker 3: hustle culture grinding out. I'm like, if I'm being honest, 349 00:19:35,520 --> 00:19:38,159 Speaker 3: I'm naturally built that way, right, I am a I 350 00:19:38,160 --> 00:19:44,080 Speaker 3: don't have a problem with working, but I'm prioritizing like 351 00:19:45,320 --> 00:19:54,119 Speaker 3: rest water. Yeah, just overall being a lot more overall 352 00:19:56,840 --> 00:20:02,080 Speaker 3: stronger than I did when we started. And again, it 353 00:20:02,200 --> 00:20:05,000 Speaker 3: wasn't even something I talked about historically, but like I 354 00:20:05,040 --> 00:20:07,880 Speaker 3: hadn't been trying to to mention it, because you can 355 00:20:08,040 --> 00:20:13,960 Speaker 3: work yourself to and through these things right like and 356 00:20:13,960 --> 00:20:16,280 Speaker 3: and out. And I realized that I was on a 357 00:20:16,320 --> 00:20:17,960 Speaker 3: trajectory that was not sustainable. 358 00:20:19,600 --> 00:20:23,800 Speaker 1: What is the best thing you have read or learned recently? 359 00:20:25,520 --> 00:20:27,800 Speaker 3: The best thing I've read recently. 360 00:20:29,960 --> 00:20:30,399 Speaker 1: Or learned. 361 00:20:32,520 --> 00:20:37,000 Speaker 3: That's a great question. So I'm I'm a I'm a policy. 362 00:20:40,400 --> 00:20:41,520 Speaker 3: I read a lot of like. 363 00:20:43,080 --> 00:20:46,360 Speaker 1: Let me ask, when when are you running? Let's let's 364 00:20:46,359 --> 00:20:46,960 Speaker 1: talk about that. 365 00:20:47,240 --> 00:20:48,320 Speaker 3: I run early in the morning. 366 00:20:48,440 --> 00:20:52,760 Speaker 1: But no, no, no, no, when are you running off 367 00:20:54,400 --> 00:20:56,160 Speaker 1: from last for office? 368 00:20:56,520 --> 00:20:58,600 Speaker 3: Oh no, I've never run for office. I'm gonna go 369 00:20:58,600 --> 00:21:04,840 Speaker 3: back to what I've learned, hold on for I Look, 370 00:21:05,040 --> 00:21:07,879 Speaker 3: I saw this stat recently, and it firms something that 371 00:21:07,920 --> 00:21:09,280 Speaker 3: I felt like I knew. But like, when I saw 372 00:21:09,320 --> 00:21:12,280 Speaker 3: the stat, it was like, oh wow, eighty six percent 373 00:21:12,359 --> 00:21:15,480 Speaker 3: of all jobs are secured through a relationship. 374 00:21:17,000 --> 00:21:19,280 Speaker 1: Okay, And when I heard that, yeah. 375 00:21:19,520 --> 00:21:21,879 Speaker 3: It's it's intuitive like in one sense right, but like 376 00:21:22,920 --> 00:21:25,280 Speaker 3: and another it's like wait, wait, wait, At the end 377 00:21:25,320 --> 00:21:27,760 Speaker 3: of the day, any opportunity statistically that you're going to 378 00:21:27,760 --> 00:21:30,679 Speaker 3: get is through somebody that somebody else, right, that you 379 00:21:30,960 --> 00:21:37,720 Speaker 3: likely know or that that person knows. And again, I 380 00:21:37,720 --> 00:21:40,920 Speaker 3: don't want to to overhype this number, right, but I 381 00:21:41,000 --> 00:21:46,240 Speaker 3: think it helped to continue to reinforce that the relationships 382 00:21:46,280 --> 00:21:49,080 Speaker 3: that we have every single day that we're facilitating with 383 00:21:49,119 --> 00:21:51,320 Speaker 3: one another really are the tail of the tape, that 384 00:21:51,800 --> 00:21:54,359 Speaker 3: they really are the thing that are going to determine 385 00:21:54,800 --> 00:21:56,280 Speaker 3: a lot of things that are going on in our 386 00:21:56,280 --> 00:22:01,360 Speaker 3: lives and are we investing in in meaning full relationships. 387 00:22:01,400 --> 00:22:03,200 Speaker 3: A lot of cool tools out there, a lot of 388 00:22:03,200 --> 00:22:05,119 Speaker 3: people liking photos of this, that and the other and 389 00:22:05,119 --> 00:22:07,399 Speaker 3: engaging with people online and look cool. I like those 390 00:22:07,440 --> 00:22:11,760 Speaker 3: as tools, but the relationship, like the actual engagement with 391 00:22:11,960 --> 00:22:17,600 Speaker 3: one another super super dope. And the last major book 392 00:22:17,640 --> 00:22:22,919 Speaker 3: that I just reread Range, which I highly recommend for 393 00:22:23,000 --> 00:22:29,160 Speaker 3: any entrepreneur, like highly highly recommend. It's It's David David 394 00:22:29,160 --> 00:22:31,320 Speaker 3: Epstein's book and they just talk. It basically makes the 395 00:22:31,359 --> 00:22:36,320 Speaker 3: claim that yes, entrepreneurs, really, anybody like the most successful 396 00:22:36,320 --> 00:22:38,840 Speaker 3: people are generalists. They're people who know a lot about 397 00:22:39,080 --> 00:22:43,240 Speaker 3: a little and or no, I said the backwards a 398 00:22:43,280 --> 00:22:46,320 Speaker 3: little about a lot and that Really people who hyper 399 00:22:46,320 --> 00:22:51,240 Speaker 3: specialize are the ones that face the most challenges. People 400 00:22:51,280 --> 00:22:53,879 Speaker 3: who like, are you know, only good at like a 401 00:22:53,920 --> 00:22:59,320 Speaker 3: particular thing. Range again kind of makes the argument that like, no, yeah, 402 00:23:00,080 --> 00:23:02,080 Speaker 3: as well rounded as possible. Maybe it's another way of 403 00:23:02,119 --> 00:23:02,520 Speaker 3: saying that. 404 00:23:03,840 --> 00:23:07,479 Speaker 2: So I'm not gonna forget that I did mention this 405 00:23:08,080 --> 00:23:10,920 Speaker 2: Ryan Wilson run for office, and you kind of really 406 00:23:10,960 --> 00:23:14,320 Speaker 2: fastly skated by that one. When I listen to you speak, 407 00:23:14,920 --> 00:23:18,600 Speaker 2: I hear a future the pick pick one, you know. 408 00:23:19,440 --> 00:23:21,840 Speaker 3: Sid that I really I don't. I don't even I 409 00:23:21,880 --> 00:23:27,600 Speaker 3: don't I have folks have said that to me before. Look, 410 00:23:27,640 --> 00:23:33,360 Speaker 3: we're having the engagement politics here. Welcome have welcomed over 411 00:23:33,560 --> 00:23:38,200 Speaker 3: the course of years, everyone from President Biden to Vice 412 00:23:38,200 --> 00:23:41,760 Speaker 3: President Harris on multiple occasions, to many city United States 413 00:23:41,840 --> 00:23:45,560 Speaker 3: senators and cabinet secretaries and folks all the way down 414 00:23:45,560 --> 00:23:48,680 Speaker 3: to school board like we've always taken civic engagement. Really, 415 00:23:49,480 --> 00:23:52,520 Speaker 3: it's a really kind of core thing that drives with 416 00:23:52,640 --> 00:23:56,960 Speaker 3: TGS is about I though true, that kind of how 417 00:23:57,000 --> 00:24:01,760 Speaker 3: I see my job at TGS like to be the facilitator, 418 00:24:01,800 --> 00:24:06,040 Speaker 3: the connector of those candidates to people that I know 419 00:24:06,200 --> 00:24:10,520 Speaker 3: and care about or to, or or being able to 420 00:24:10,560 --> 00:24:13,480 Speaker 3: have a platform in TGS that can highlight issues that 421 00:24:13,520 --> 00:24:17,520 Speaker 3: are really important to us. If I'm being super super 422 00:24:17,520 --> 00:24:20,440 Speaker 3: plain about this though, Like I also like being able 423 00:24:20,480 --> 00:24:22,959 Speaker 3: to say what I want to say kind of how 424 00:24:23,000 --> 00:24:26,159 Speaker 3: I want to say it. And I think one of 425 00:24:26,200 --> 00:24:28,359 Speaker 3: the early sacrifices that you have to make as a 426 00:24:28,400 --> 00:24:33,199 Speaker 3: politician is that constant negotiation of how to say this 427 00:24:33,280 --> 00:24:37,160 Speaker 3: out And well, like my stakeholders are the gathering spot community, 428 00:24:37,160 --> 00:24:40,119 Speaker 3: and I'm really in tune with what they think and 429 00:24:40,200 --> 00:24:46,120 Speaker 3: feel about our work. But it's a very different context 430 00:24:46,160 --> 00:24:50,680 Speaker 3: than being an elected official. And in this season of 431 00:24:50,680 --> 00:24:53,399 Speaker 3: my life, I couldn't predict that I would be doing this. 432 00:24:53,640 --> 00:24:55,640 Speaker 3: I went to school to be I was in law 433 00:24:55,680 --> 00:24:58,760 Speaker 3: school graduate fro law school immediately before starting TGS, So 434 00:25:00,040 --> 00:25:01,840 Speaker 3: I did not imagine that I would be an entrepreneur. 435 00:25:02,520 --> 00:25:06,320 Speaker 3: I do not imagine running or seeking office, but I 436 00:25:06,440 --> 00:25:09,440 Speaker 3: always will be engaged because I had a professor years 437 00:25:09,440 --> 00:25:12,960 Speaker 3: ago say, you know people that that that try to 438 00:25:12,960 --> 00:25:15,879 Speaker 3: make the argument that they're not politically involved, Like what 439 00:25:15,920 --> 00:25:19,880 Speaker 3: does that mean it's all politics the way that we're 440 00:25:19,880 --> 00:25:23,880 Speaker 3: having this conversation, from the microphone that you're using, to 441 00:25:24,200 --> 00:25:27,320 Speaker 3: the lights that are that are all both the rooms 442 00:25:27,320 --> 00:25:29,800 Speaker 3: that we're in, it's all politics. It's all it's all 443 00:25:29,880 --> 00:25:33,520 Speaker 3: regulated and controlled in some way or influenced by government. 444 00:25:33,880 --> 00:25:36,960 Speaker 3: So it's our responsibility to to lean into that rather 445 00:25:37,000 --> 00:25:40,359 Speaker 3: than to act as if there is some world that 446 00:25:40,400 --> 00:25:42,800 Speaker 3: we can exist in. That's that's outside of the realm 447 00:25:42,840 --> 00:25:46,080 Speaker 3: of politics. Because again, I mean, what world is that 448 00:25:46,119 --> 00:25:48,119 Speaker 3: we're all we're all in it right now? 449 00:25:48,400 --> 00:25:50,800 Speaker 2: Yeah, you know, you talked about your parents and the 450 00:25:50,800 --> 00:25:54,040 Speaker 2: influence they had even when you weren't even conscious that 451 00:25:54,080 --> 00:25:57,320 Speaker 2: the influence of entrepreneurship was there. You know, many of 452 00:25:57,400 --> 00:26:00,520 Speaker 2: us in our community don't come from entrepren and oreo 453 00:26:01,119 --> 00:26:05,200 Speaker 2: households and so, but that doesn't rule those folks out. 454 00:26:05,720 --> 00:26:09,480 Speaker 2: What advice for people do you give when they didn't 455 00:26:09,520 --> 00:26:11,520 Speaker 2: grow up seeing this when they're not in Atlanta. I 456 00:26:11,560 --> 00:26:13,159 Speaker 2: love how you say, you know, like I'm in Atlanta, 457 00:26:13,240 --> 00:26:15,040 Speaker 2: I'm seeing this every day. We're at the black and 458 00:26:15,200 --> 00:26:17,879 Speaker 2: were at the top of everything, but most of us, 459 00:26:18,400 --> 00:26:21,800 Speaker 2: just by numbers, don't live there. Obviously, it's very dense, 460 00:26:22,200 --> 00:26:24,880 Speaker 2: but most of us are all over in communities where 461 00:26:24,960 --> 00:26:27,640 Speaker 2: we don't see, you know, black people at the highest level. 462 00:26:27,680 --> 00:26:32,520 Speaker 2: So in both those respects, how do you convince, advise, 463 00:26:33,119 --> 00:26:36,600 Speaker 2: inspire black people to be something that they have not 464 00:26:37,000 --> 00:26:39,159 Speaker 2: seen in their immediate. 465 00:26:39,720 --> 00:26:41,399 Speaker 3: I'm going to answer the question that you just asked me, 466 00:26:41,400 --> 00:26:43,040 Speaker 3: and I'm going to answer question that you didn't ask 467 00:26:43,080 --> 00:26:47,560 Speaker 3: me the question that you did ask me. Look, the 468 00:26:47,600 --> 00:26:51,160 Speaker 3: people that you think have it all figured out or 469 00:26:52,119 --> 00:26:54,639 Speaker 3: know everything about a given thing, I can promise you 470 00:26:54,680 --> 00:26:57,840 Speaker 3: that they don't. Right this morning, I woke up trying 471 00:26:57,840 --> 00:27:01,000 Speaker 3: to figure out how to figure it out. Anybody that 472 00:27:01,080 --> 00:27:03,439 Speaker 3: you know in respect did the same, right, I just 473 00:27:03,440 --> 00:27:07,720 Speaker 3: at a like very fundamental level. Now, is there access knowledge, 474 00:27:07,800 --> 00:27:10,720 Speaker 3: skill sets that are built over time? Absolutely right? But 475 00:27:12,000 --> 00:27:14,520 Speaker 3: this is a fairly kind of old school value. Right. 476 00:27:14,560 --> 00:27:17,640 Speaker 3: But I went to Georgetown for undergrad and I believed, 477 00:27:17,920 --> 00:27:21,359 Speaker 3: and still I got to I remember being at convocation 478 00:27:22,080 --> 00:27:25,199 Speaker 3: and they asked all of the valedictorians and salutatorians to 479 00:27:25,440 --> 00:27:28,480 Speaker 3: stand up, and that was not me, And I remember 480 00:27:28,520 --> 00:27:33,800 Speaker 3: looking around being like, why am I in here? But 481 00:27:33,880 --> 00:27:36,920 Speaker 3: then we got into class, we got into the arena, 482 00:27:37,080 --> 00:27:41,000 Speaker 3: and I saw pretty quickly that I was willing to 483 00:27:41,160 --> 00:27:43,960 Speaker 3: go to places that I was not sure that those 484 00:27:44,000 --> 00:27:47,000 Speaker 3: folks were willing to go to. All the valedictorians, all 485 00:27:47,040 --> 00:27:50,960 Speaker 3: the smart people. My mother had sent me up to 486 00:27:52,119 --> 00:27:54,880 Speaker 3: DC to get that degree, and I was coming back 487 00:27:54,960 --> 00:27:59,960 Speaker 3: home with the paperwork, and again, I know that I'm 488 00:28:00,000 --> 00:28:03,800 Speaker 3: will to go to like, you're not going to outwork me. Yes, 489 00:28:04,400 --> 00:28:12,119 Speaker 3: you started right with whatever advantage, right, but on and 490 00:28:12,119 --> 00:28:14,880 Speaker 3: I'm talking about this on an individual level. Right, Systemically, 491 00:28:14,880 --> 00:28:17,560 Speaker 3: there's some other things for us to address, but like, individually, 492 00:28:18,400 --> 00:28:21,560 Speaker 3: I am not going to sit here and believe that 493 00:28:21,720 --> 00:28:26,719 Speaker 3: all of the good, big, fancy whatever, right, all the 494 00:28:26,760 --> 00:28:29,080 Speaker 3: all the cool stuff is for you, and that my 495 00:28:29,240 --> 00:28:31,720 Speaker 3: job is just to sit here and take the scraps. 496 00:28:32,640 --> 00:28:34,679 Speaker 3: So I don't care where I'm starting the conversation. I 497 00:28:34,760 --> 00:28:38,160 Speaker 3: just like I don't I fundamentally do not believe that fact. Now, 498 00:28:38,160 --> 00:28:41,880 Speaker 3: the question you didn't ask me is, and where I 499 00:28:41,880 --> 00:28:44,280 Speaker 3: think we need to spend more more time is that 500 00:28:44,360 --> 00:28:48,320 Speaker 3: if you have some of that privilege, right, even a 501 00:28:48,320 --> 00:28:52,000 Speaker 3: little bit of it, you have a responsibility to make 502 00:28:52,040 --> 00:28:56,120 Speaker 3: sure that you are pouring into someone else that doesn't. 503 00:28:56,880 --> 00:29:01,440 Speaker 3: This morning, they were having this conversation I spend time 504 00:29:02,080 --> 00:29:07,600 Speaker 3: with youth. I regularly prioritize spending time with youth to 505 00:29:07,640 --> 00:29:09,880 Speaker 3: try to close the exact gap that you're talking about. 506 00:29:09,880 --> 00:29:13,280 Speaker 3: So I have less advice honestly for what to do 507 00:29:13,360 --> 00:29:15,200 Speaker 3: if you don't have it, and a ton to say 508 00:29:15,280 --> 00:29:17,760 Speaker 3: to people when you do have it, you have a 509 00:29:17,800 --> 00:29:22,600 Speaker 3: responsibility to do something with it right personal gain for 510 00:29:22,720 --> 00:29:26,440 Speaker 3: the pursuit of just having it. One isn't that fulfilling 511 00:29:26,480 --> 00:29:30,800 Speaker 3: at the end of the day. And two, if you 512 00:29:30,840 --> 00:29:35,160 Speaker 3: can show up positively in a person's story as the 513 00:29:35,200 --> 00:29:37,760 Speaker 3: person that helped to make a difference. To me, there's 514 00:29:37,760 --> 00:29:39,960 Speaker 3: no higher honor that you can have in a person's life. 515 00:29:40,560 --> 00:29:44,200 Speaker 3: And so again, if you've been blessed to be a blessing, 516 00:29:44,960 --> 00:29:48,760 Speaker 3: then like please do so, like please please act accordingly. 517 00:29:49,200 --> 00:29:51,120 Speaker 3: And that to me is where we don't put as 518 00:29:51,200 --> 00:29:53,920 Speaker 3: much pressure often where we spend so much time on 519 00:29:53,960 --> 00:29:56,479 Speaker 3: the other side of the equation, you know, with all 520 00:29:56,520 --> 00:29:59,280 Speaker 3: these tips and tricks, when if we would take that 521 00:29:59,440 --> 00:30:04,760 Speaker 3: energy and to say, hey, cohort of people that again 522 00:30:05,520 --> 00:30:08,600 Speaker 3: have been blessed just by circumstance a lot of times 523 00:30:08,720 --> 00:30:13,040 Speaker 3: right had had this opportunity or that one go facilitate 524 00:30:13,040 --> 00:30:17,520 Speaker 3: at least one other person having it. And if you 525 00:30:17,600 --> 00:30:21,360 Speaker 3: disagree with me, I don't know much what to say too, 526 00:30:21,440 --> 00:30:23,720 Speaker 3: but I will say that I would urge you to 527 00:30:23,760 --> 00:30:27,040 Speaker 3: reconsider our community. Especially again, I'm talking on an individual 528 00:30:27,120 --> 00:30:29,680 Speaker 3: level right now. Systemically, a lot of what I just 529 00:30:29,720 --> 00:30:32,400 Speaker 3: said is you can't overcome some of the systemic barriers 530 00:30:32,400 --> 00:30:36,200 Speaker 3: that I'm talking about by working hard, right, And a 531 00:30:36,200 --> 00:30:38,560 Speaker 3: lot of my work is really looking at systems, right, 532 00:30:38,600 --> 00:30:42,520 Speaker 3: the system that we live in right now, the fundamentals 533 00:30:42,560 --> 00:30:46,840 Speaker 3: of a lot of aspects of that system. I'll give 534 00:30:46,840 --> 00:30:49,200 Speaker 3: you a quick one. If you were born on the 535 00:30:49,240 --> 00:30:53,280 Speaker 3: west side of Atlanta, right, you have about a four 536 00:30:53,320 --> 00:30:57,880 Speaker 3: percent chance of escaping poverty. Said differently, there's a ninety 537 00:30:57,880 --> 00:31:00,200 Speaker 3: six percent chance that if you're born into poverty, you're 538 00:31:00,240 --> 00:31:01,040 Speaker 3: going to die in it. 539 00:31:02,520 --> 00:31:05,560 Speaker 1: That's right, Yeah, yeah, yeah. 540 00:31:04,800 --> 00:31:07,800 Speaker 3: In that same neighborhood, right, if you're if you're on 541 00:31:07,840 --> 00:31:10,240 Speaker 3: the west side of the city, the life expectancy in 542 00:31:10,320 --> 00:31:14,200 Speaker 3: Bankhead is ten years less than if you live in Buckhead. 543 00:31:14,960 --> 00:31:17,760 Speaker 3: That is a system issue. That that that that that isn't again, 544 00:31:17,800 --> 00:31:19,640 Speaker 3: that isn't the try hard that I just talked about 545 00:31:19,880 --> 00:31:22,720 Speaker 3: from an individual perspective. So part of what we have 546 00:31:22,800 --> 00:31:27,320 Speaker 3: to be doing across community. But certainly people, if those 547 00:31:27,360 --> 00:31:32,760 Speaker 3: of us that have the access to to try to 548 00:31:32,960 --> 00:31:36,000 Speaker 3: alter some of these thats or circumstances that I'm talking about, 549 00:31:36,160 --> 00:31:38,640 Speaker 3: we have responsibility to do that too, right, and we 550 00:31:38,680 --> 00:31:40,880 Speaker 3: have to do it from the lens that like, I 551 00:31:40,920 --> 00:31:43,160 Speaker 3: live in this city and it's not helpful to me 552 00:31:43,680 --> 00:31:49,040 Speaker 3: as a citizen to have people that cannot escape socioeconomic 553 00:31:49,200 --> 00:31:54,840 Speaker 3: pressures that are just ridiculous and that and that ultimately 554 00:31:55,240 --> 00:31:59,320 Speaker 3: are causing them in many ways to die younger. Yeah, 555 00:31:59,400 --> 00:32:01,160 Speaker 3: that that that is not a city that is hopeful 556 00:32:01,200 --> 00:32:03,160 Speaker 3: for me to live in, and so it is again 557 00:32:04,160 --> 00:32:06,560 Speaker 3: important for me to get active about doing something about it. 558 00:32:07,960 --> 00:32:13,000 Speaker 2: Yeah, I've got two more, I think, and this one 559 00:32:13,000 --> 00:32:14,600 Speaker 2: I'm gonna ask you the question that I'm going to 560 00:32:14,640 --> 00:32:16,680 Speaker 2: tell you why I'm asking, and then I'm gonna let 561 00:32:16,720 --> 00:32:18,840 Speaker 2: you go. So this one is the question is like, 562 00:32:18,920 --> 00:32:22,240 Speaker 2: what did you learn about investor alignment? 563 00:32:22,440 --> 00:32:26,080 Speaker 1: So there's there's stories. Obviously you went through something a 564 00:32:26,120 --> 00:32:26,800 Speaker 1: couple of years ago. 565 00:32:26,840 --> 00:32:30,240 Speaker 2: People can read all about the d This is actually 566 00:32:30,280 --> 00:32:33,040 Speaker 2: not really about that directly, but it's it's more about 567 00:32:33,040 --> 00:32:36,640 Speaker 2: the alignment or misalignment, and so We've often talked about 568 00:32:37,760 --> 00:32:40,360 Speaker 2: when you're going to raise money, you know, in our community, 569 00:32:40,400 --> 00:32:42,920 Speaker 2: don't just get somebody with the pockets, but get somebody 570 00:32:43,000 --> 00:32:46,160 Speaker 2: aligned with you know where you're trying to go. And 571 00:32:46,560 --> 00:32:49,360 Speaker 2: my question is the premise is, like, what did you 572 00:32:49,520 --> 00:32:54,040 Speaker 2: learn looking backward about what would you have done differently 573 00:32:54,040 --> 00:32:57,120 Speaker 2: to say, Okay, we might not be aligned on the 574 00:32:57,160 --> 00:32:57,800 Speaker 2: future here. 575 00:33:00,080 --> 00:33:02,560 Speaker 3: I don't want this to sound like a cliche. It's 576 00:33:02,600 --> 00:33:04,760 Speaker 3: just honestly how I feel about it. I wouldn't have 577 00:33:04,760 --> 00:33:07,480 Speaker 3: done anything differently, right, Like, you make the best decision 578 00:33:07,520 --> 00:33:10,440 Speaker 3: that you can as an entrepreneur when you can, right, 579 00:33:10,480 --> 00:33:14,360 Speaker 3: And so I just don't play the game with this like, oh, 580 00:33:14,480 --> 00:33:16,560 Speaker 3: if the set of facts that apply in twenty twenty 581 00:33:16,560 --> 00:33:19,080 Speaker 3: five applied in twenty twenty two are applied in twenty 582 00:33:19,120 --> 00:33:21,479 Speaker 3: twenty right, Like, well, those are different facts that existed 583 00:33:21,480 --> 00:33:24,160 Speaker 3: in twenty twenty two, right, So like the back pattern 584 00:33:24,160 --> 00:33:29,200 Speaker 3: fundamentally like drives the output, like drives the decision, which 585 00:33:29,280 --> 00:33:33,000 Speaker 3: drives the outcome. Right, So I don't allow myself to 586 00:33:33,040 --> 00:33:37,960 Speaker 3: get into a mode of like, I can genuinely tell 587 00:33:38,000 --> 00:33:41,120 Speaker 3: you that I have always made the best decision that 588 00:33:41,200 --> 00:33:46,320 Speaker 3: I thought like possible when I was making it. 589 00:33:46,040 --> 00:33:46,720 Speaker 1: It was it was the. 590 00:33:46,640 --> 00:33:50,440 Speaker 3: Best decision at that moment, right, which again maybe in 591 00:33:50,520 --> 00:33:53,720 Speaker 3: hindsight you could you could say if I knowing what 592 00:33:53,760 --> 00:33:59,840 Speaker 3: I know now, I would But like and my faith, 593 00:34:00,560 --> 00:34:03,440 Speaker 3: my faith is very important to me, right, I don't 594 00:34:03,440 --> 00:34:06,080 Speaker 3: believe without that chapter of the of the business that 595 00:34:06,120 --> 00:34:09,920 Speaker 3: I would be having this conversation to you about this chapter. 596 00:34:10,600 --> 00:34:13,600 Speaker 3: I actually don't believe that that, like like, that season 597 00:34:14,040 --> 00:34:19,120 Speaker 3: was required in like like truly in order to have 598 00:34:19,160 --> 00:34:22,480 Speaker 3: this season. So for me to regret that would be 599 00:34:22,640 --> 00:34:26,080 Speaker 3: to meet to be I guess regretting this, and I don't. 600 00:34:26,080 --> 00:34:29,280 Speaker 3: I don't regret this. I'm excited about this big product 601 00:34:29,360 --> 00:34:33,200 Speaker 3: we've ever had, right, So, like, yeah, now to your 602 00:34:33,280 --> 00:34:36,719 Speaker 3: question around alignment. Look, I'm fairly simple about this. I 603 00:34:36,760 --> 00:34:40,080 Speaker 3: call it the cell phone test. If when you are 604 00:34:40,120 --> 00:34:43,040 Speaker 3: talking to a person in real time, and this is 605 00:34:43,040 --> 00:34:47,759 Speaker 3: a potential investor as an entrepreneur, and if you think 606 00:34:47,760 --> 00:34:50,319 Speaker 3: to yourself, when I look down at my phone in 607 00:34:50,320 --> 00:34:54,040 Speaker 3: the future and their name pops up, how will I 608 00:34:54,080 --> 00:34:57,480 Speaker 3: feel about that when I see their name, Will i'd 609 00:34:57,480 --> 00:34:59,400 Speaker 3: be excited to talk to them? Will I think that 610 00:34:59,400 --> 00:35:01,640 Speaker 3: there's possible there that they're gonna be helpful, or they're 611 00:35:01,640 --> 00:35:04,520 Speaker 3: gonna at least ask me questions and good faith to 612 00:35:04,560 --> 00:35:07,440 Speaker 3: try to make the business better, or are they about 613 00:35:07,480 --> 00:35:09,279 Speaker 3: to be a person that I really don't know if 614 00:35:09,320 --> 00:35:11,640 Speaker 3: I can stand. And if you on the front end 615 00:35:11,760 --> 00:35:15,000 Speaker 3: answer that question, if you're being honest with yourself as 616 00:35:15,080 --> 00:35:18,239 Speaker 3: I can't, I can't imagine speaking to this person long term, 617 00:35:18,560 --> 00:35:22,719 Speaker 3: then do not allow them to invest in your business. 618 00:35:22,760 --> 00:35:26,440 Speaker 3: It's just a lot of times, as entrepreneurs, your gut 619 00:35:26,480 --> 00:35:29,359 Speaker 3: feeling about a lot of this stuff, especially these things 620 00:35:29,360 --> 00:35:31,320 Speaker 3: that are less quantitative. It's really just about how you 621 00:35:31,480 --> 00:35:34,960 Speaker 3: like actually, how you feel about it really are important. 622 00:35:35,000 --> 00:35:39,640 Speaker 3: So I would encourage you to ask tough questions, take risks. 623 00:35:40,840 --> 00:35:43,239 Speaker 3: This whole thing is risky. Again. That's another thing that 624 00:35:43,239 --> 00:35:45,080 Speaker 3: gets brought up all the time. People are like, oh, well, 625 00:35:45,080 --> 00:35:47,520 Speaker 3: you know if you could do this that this has 626 00:35:47,560 --> 00:35:51,720 Speaker 3: all been risk this has all been impossible in some way, right, Like, yeah, 627 00:35:53,400 --> 00:35:57,040 Speaker 3: it was possible. Maintaining that was like so to hype 628 00:35:57,120 --> 00:35:59,319 Speaker 3: to hyper focus on one moment and be like what 629 00:35:59,400 --> 00:36:01,440 Speaker 3: about that one? And I'm like that one we just 630 00:36:01,480 --> 00:36:06,800 Speaker 3: came off of COVID and you're asking me, it's all 631 00:36:07,080 --> 00:36:09,920 Speaker 3: it's all risky. It all doesn't make sense. We're all 632 00:36:09,960 --> 00:36:12,400 Speaker 3: trying to figure it out. Make the best decision that 633 00:36:12,440 --> 00:36:14,719 Speaker 3: you can right now. That that's all I got, Like, 634 00:36:15,120 --> 00:36:18,239 Speaker 3: do not play the game with this. There's no such 635 00:36:18,280 --> 00:36:20,120 Speaker 3: thing as perfect circumstance. You're not gonna have the right 636 00:36:20,160 --> 00:36:21,799 Speaker 3: amount of money or the right team or the right 637 00:36:22,560 --> 00:36:24,160 Speaker 3: You gotta do the best that you can, but what 638 00:36:24,280 --> 00:36:25,960 Speaker 3: you have with the cards that are in your hand 639 00:36:26,040 --> 00:36:29,799 Speaker 3: right now. And so I can tell you in sincerity 640 00:36:29,880 --> 00:36:32,600 Speaker 3: that I have always played the cards that I've had 641 00:36:32,640 --> 00:36:38,359 Speaker 3: in front of me out And in some cases I 642 00:36:38,400 --> 00:36:42,080 Speaker 3: looked down in my hand and I had four aces 643 00:36:42,680 --> 00:36:46,520 Speaker 3: and and like knew we were about to like like 644 00:36:46,680 --> 00:36:47,440 Speaker 3: run the table. 645 00:36:47,760 --> 00:36:48,440 Speaker 1: Yeah. 646 00:36:48,480 --> 00:36:50,600 Speaker 3: And then in other times I've looked at my cards 647 00:36:50,640 --> 00:36:53,719 Speaker 3: and been like we gotta go board and just try 648 00:36:53,760 --> 00:37:01,319 Speaker 3: to survive. Sorry if anybody don't play spades, Yeah, that's 649 00:37:01,360 --> 00:37:03,480 Speaker 3: part of the game. So you know, I don't know, 650 00:37:03,480 --> 00:37:05,160 Speaker 3: I don't I don't look at it that way. I mean, 651 00:37:05,160 --> 00:37:06,680 Speaker 3: it is what it is, what it is. But every 652 00:37:06,719 --> 00:37:10,840 Speaker 3: season builds on builds to the next, and not some 653 00:37:11,120 --> 00:37:13,120 Speaker 3: seasons don't always end positively. I'm not even trying to 654 00:37:13,120 --> 00:37:15,600 Speaker 3: make this like some sort of Rosie sometimes there are 655 00:37:16,160 --> 00:37:18,800 Speaker 3: negative circumstances. But if you talk to even those founders, 656 00:37:19,000 --> 00:37:21,200 Speaker 3: they will say, look, when my companies shut down, when 657 00:37:21,200 --> 00:37:24,560 Speaker 3: we failed, I learned X, and that helped me to 658 00:37:24,640 --> 00:37:28,600 Speaker 3: do Why that's who you're experiencing right now? Why without X? Though, 659 00:37:28,960 --> 00:37:31,279 Speaker 3: that's right, we're not in a conversation. So again I 660 00:37:31,280 --> 00:37:33,480 Speaker 3: don't I don't. I don't mean for that to sound cliche, 661 00:37:33,640 --> 00:37:37,120 Speaker 3: but I just real we get caught up in the 662 00:37:37,239 --> 00:37:43,239 Speaker 3: in the like trying to quarterback decisions that were made 663 00:37:43,239 --> 00:37:46,359 Speaker 3: long ago, and it's like to what end right? I mean, 664 00:37:46,400 --> 00:37:48,600 Speaker 3: we got to do the best for where we're standing. 665 00:37:49,840 --> 00:37:52,480 Speaker 2: For the second of people who have no idea what 666 00:37:52,640 --> 00:37:54,680 Speaker 2: even to Google search or look on Africa. 667 00:37:55,239 --> 00:37:57,360 Speaker 3: We were acquired in twenty twenty two by Fintech. We 668 00:37:57,440 --> 00:38:00,200 Speaker 3: ended up reacquiring the business a year and change later. 669 00:38:00,360 --> 00:38:02,640 Speaker 3: It wasn't the best alignment for us as a company, 670 00:38:03,120 --> 00:38:09,080 Speaker 3: and we professionally kind of went in different in different 671 00:38:09,080 --> 00:38:13,040 Speaker 3: directions after that time period. Right, And so where the 672 00:38:13,120 --> 00:38:15,200 Speaker 3: question comes a lot of times is would we have 673 00:38:15,280 --> 00:38:22,320 Speaker 3: gone through that acquisition knowing what we know now? And 674 00:38:22,400 --> 00:38:24,720 Speaker 3: again that's out a question that I can really answer. 675 00:38:25,400 --> 00:38:27,359 Speaker 3: It was the best decision for us to make at 676 00:38:27,360 --> 00:38:32,080 Speaker 3: the time that we made it. And here I am 677 00:38:32,160 --> 00:38:36,319 Speaker 3: now coming out of that experience with the biggest project 678 00:38:36,600 --> 00:38:39,000 Speaker 3: that we've ever had that I do not believe would 679 00:38:39,000 --> 00:38:44,839 Speaker 3: have happened had we not gone through being acquired and 680 00:38:44,880 --> 00:38:46,279 Speaker 3: reacquiring company. 681 00:38:46,120 --> 00:38:47,919 Speaker 1: Love it last one. 682 00:38:48,520 --> 00:38:51,440 Speaker 2: And this is when I read this, I'm like, Okay, 683 00:38:51,480 --> 00:38:56,080 Speaker 2: this is in my top five goat entrepreneur quotes. And 684 00:38:56,160 --> 00:38:58,080 Speaker 2: you said it, you said I think it was the 685 00:38:58,080 --> 00:39:01,440 Speaker 2: city life, see the life that that come some time ago, 686 00:39:01,440 --> 00:39:04,040 Speaker 2: and you say it, we will thrive because our competition 687 00:39:04,719 --> 00:39:07,240 Speaker 2: barely likes a community that we love. 688 00:39:08,080 --> 00:39:10,359 Speaker 1: And I'm like, oh, that goes on the wall. 689 00:39:12,280 --> 00:39:16,120 Speaker 2: Tell me more about like this the spirit behind that quote. 690 00:39:17,840 --> 00:39:21,680 Speaker 3: Yeah, fundamentally, Like I love the community that we serve 691 00:39:21,719 --> 00:39:24,080 Speaker 3: every single day, and so you might have better a 692 00:39:24,080 --> 00:39:26,719 Speaker 3: lot of things, more cash, more space, more and better 693 00:39:26,800 --> 00:39:30,000 Speaker 3: investor whatever, right, But like, I don't believe that any 694 00:39:30,040 --> 00:39:31,839 Speaker 3: of those things are going to compensate for the fact 695 00:39:31,880 --> 00:39:34,680 Speaker 3: that every single day I wake up with a team 696 00:39:34,840 --> 00:39:38,480 Speaker 3: that is deeply focused on caring for our community in 697 00:39:38,520 --> 00:39:40,680 Speaker 3: a way that I don't believe that you're going to 698 00:39:40,719 --> 00:39:42,200 Speaker 3: be able to do because you don't care about them. 699 00:39:42,239 --> 00:39:46,120 Speaker 3: The way that I do. Right, So look at the 700 00:39:46,160 --> 00:39:47,759 Speaker 3: end of the day that I mean, another way that 701 00:39:47,800 --> 00:39:51,279 Speaker 3: you maybe describe this is like customer obsession maybe is 702 00:39:51,280 --> 00:39:54,719 Speaker 3: the startup way to talk about it, but like I'm 703 00:39:54,760 --> 00:39:57,840 Speaker 3: obsessed with my with my customer, my member, my community 704 00:39:57,880 --> 00:40:00,759 Speaker 3: in a way that again, like you're you're just trying 705 00:40:00,760 --> 00:40:03,160 Speaker 3: to figure out you're having you're having going back to 706 00:40:03,160 --> 00:40:06,600 Speaker 3: our previous conversation, you're having DEI talks internally right now, 707 00:40:06,600 --> 00:40:09,279 Speaker 3: trying to figure out like what the strategy is going 708 00:40:09,320 --> 00:40:13,280 Speaker 3: to be. I've never once had a DEI conversation inside 709 00:40:13,280 --> 00:40:16,880 Speaker 3: of TGS, not like that, right, So, like I just 710 00:40:17,080 --> 00:40:21,080 Speaker 3: like we're fundamentally like coming into you are coming into 711 00:40:21,120 --> 00:40:23,080 Speaker 3: this game at a disadvantage if you're trying to go 712 00:40:23,120 --> 00:40:26,680 Speaker 3: get my folks, because again it's a strategy for you. 713 00:40:27,160 --> 00:40:30,799 Speaker 3: It's like this is like coming from my soul. So 714 00:40:31,680 --> 00:40:33,920 Speaker 3: do I think that you can beat me in in 715 00:40:34,440 --> 00:40:35,480 Speaker 3: like soul work? 716 00:40:36,600 --> 00:40:36,839 Speaker 1: Nah? 717 00:40:36,840 --> 00:40:39,319 Speaker 3: I don't. I never never will ever believe that, right, 718 00:40:39,320 --> 00:40:43,359 Speaker 3: Like I like I and if I'm wrong, like you've 719 00:40:43,360 --> 00:40:45,200 Speaker 3: got to go prove that out to me, Like we've 720 00:40:45,239 --> 00:40:47,319 Speaker 3: got to go, like go play the game and go see. 721 00:40:47,760 --> 00:40:50,239 Speaker 3: But I know deep down in places that you don't 722 00:40:50,239 --> 00:40:53,160 Speaker 3: want to acknowledge. Again, this is this is a strategy 723 00:40:53,239 --> 00:40:57,880 Speaker 3: for you. This is I'm not being strategic. I'm not 724 00:40:57,880 --> 00:41:01,960 Speaker 3: trying to take advantage of demographic changes like this is 725 00:41:02,000 --> 00:41:04,719 Speaker 3: coming out of like this, this is fundamental to me. 726 00:41:05,160 --> 00:41:08,920 Speaker 3: So like let's let's lace them up and see what 727 00:41:08,960 --> 00:41:11,880 Speaker 3: happens next. Right, But like I fundamentally think that we 728 00:41:11,920 --> 00:41:15,600 Speaker 3: win under under these It is to look at sports 729 00:41:15,600 --> 00:41:19,080 Speaker 3: and I'm sports person, Like it's like I'm playing at home, 730 00:41:19,360 --> 00:41:24,239 Speaker 3: like you're you're constantly playing an away game. Yeah, much 731 00:41:24,280 --> 00:41:28,480 Speaker 3: better you have to be than me at home to 732 00:41:28,600 --> 00:41:32,360 Speaker 3: be on the road and like win. There's a reason 733 00:41:32,360 --> 00:41:34,560 Speaker 3: why there's such a thing as a home team advantage 734 00:41:34,600 --> 00:41:38,320 Speaker 3: for a reason because like when you're when you're comfortable 735 00:41:38,360 --> 00:41:41,759 Speaker 3: in environment that allows you to create and and care 736 00:41:42,040 --> 00:41:44,879 Speaker 3: for for all of the things you need to look 737 00:41:44,880 --> 00:41:49,400 Speaker 3: at differently than like the person that is like trying 738 00:41:49,400 --> 00:41:54,399 Speaker 3: to get adjusted to the to the atmosphere. So yeah, 739 00:41:54,440 --> 00:41:56,839 Speaker 3: I mean again, we've been short stacked a whole bunch 740 00:41:56,840 --> 00:41:58,919 Speaker 3: of times against a whole bunch of people. I've seen 741 00:41:58,960 --> 00:42:04,520 Speaker 3: businesses come and go in this in this game. Respect 742 00:42:04,520 --> 00:42:06,400 Speaker 3: to them, right, but like a lot of times when 743 00:42:06,400 --> 00:42:08,439 Speaker 3: they would announce they have these big funding rounds. People 744 00:42:08,480 --> 00:42:13,040 Speaker 3: that are you nervous, like nervous about what again? This 745 00:42:13,120 --> 00:42:14,239 Speaker 3: is a strategy for them? 746 00:42:14,719 --> 00:42:15,960 Speaker 1: Yeah, I'm not. 747 00:42:18,960 --> 00:42:23,440 Speaker 3: And what happened? The fundamentals survived. You had better space, 748 00:42:23,640 --> 00:42:26,920 Speaker 3: you have more resources, you had all of it. You 749 00:42:26,960 --> 00:42:30,719 Speaker 3: came in with you, you built the technology, own the 750 00:42:30,800 --> 00:42:35,120 Speaker 3: real estate like any But when you had to go 751 00:42:35,239 --> 00:42:39,359 Speaker 3: heads up against the gathering spot, right, and when care 752 00:42:39,600 --> 00:42:45,439 Speaker 3: was on the line, your great facility could not outcompete 753 00:42:45,440 --> 00:42:48,080 Speaker 3: the fact that when folks walked through the door they 754 00:42:48,120 --> 00:42:51,000 Speaker 3: felt like they were at home. You couldn't out home us. 755 00:42:52,000 --> 00:42:55,160 Speaker 3: And so respectfully, right, I'm sure you get this question too. 756 00:42:55,160 --> 00:42:56,879 Speaker 3: It's like what happens X, Y and Z person comes 757 00:42:56,880 --> 00:43:03,480 Speaker 3: in to the market. I I live here right like this, 758 00:43:03,480 --> 00:43:05,200 Speaker 3: this is what I do. This is the only job 759 00:43:05,200 --> 00:43:09,600 Speaker 3: I've ever had. Yeah, there's no way that just purely 760 00:43:09,640 --> 00:43:14,200 Speaker 3: out of entrepreneurial pride. Did you think that? Again? Like 761 00:43:14,320 --> 00:43:16,279 Speaker 3: you care about this from nine to five? I care? 762 00:43:16,360 --> 00:43:20,120 Speaker 3: This is all I do. I don't believe those short 763 00:43:20,160 --> 00:43:23,520 Speaker 3: hours are are going to put you in a position 764 00:43:23,560 --> 00:43:26,880 Speaker 3: to out work or beat us. And so that's what 765 00:43:26,920 --> 00:43:28,799 Speaker 3: I meant so I'd be like talking about that long. 766 00:43:28,840 --> 00:43:32,480 Speaker 3: But it's just like, but every entrepreneur, especially black entrepreneur 767 00:43:32,520 --> 00:43:34,839 Speaker 3: out there, no that you probably are competing against someone 768 00:43:34,880 --> 00:43:40,000 Speaker 3: right now that has more. But do they right, That's 769 00:43:40,040 --> 00:43:42,040 Speaker 3: like like do they really at the end of the 770 00:43:42,080 --> 00:43:43,960 Speaker 3: day when it when it gets down to just like 771 00:43:44,320 --> 00:43:51,200 Speaker 3: pure customer relationship, if you if you're if it's coming 772 00:43:51,239 --> 00:43:55,200 Speaker 3: out of your heart, I don't believe. So I don't 773 00:43:55,280 --> 00:43:58,440 Speaker 3: believe they can beat you. And I'm not trying to 774 00:43:58,480 --> 00:44:00,120 Speaker 3: take away from the fact that somebody's gona hear and 775 00:44:00,160 --> 00:44:02,000 Speaker 3: be like, yeah, but they got more money, they're building 776 00:44:02,040 --> 00:44:05,200 Speaker 3: more of this that this is a long game. This 777 00:44:05,320 --> 00:44:06,919 Speaker 3: is a long long Yet there's a lot of people 778 00:44:06,960 --> 00:44:08,719 Speaker 3: that have built a lot of things faster than you. 779 00:44:10,880 --> 00:44:13,200 Speaker 3: It's not actually even that's not where you win. Can 780 00:44:13,280 --> 00:44:16,320 Speaker 3: you sustain? I'm looking at a decade right now. Again, 781 00:44:16,440 --> 00:44:19,480 Speaker 3: I've seen I've seen stuff start closing, restart. The founders 782 00:44:19,480 --> 00:44:22,320 Speaker 3: are on like their second third. I'm on my first 783 00:44:22,560 --> 00:44:26,759 Speaker 3: situation right now. And it's because I've stayed very very 784 00:44:26,800 --> 00:44:32,680 Speaker 3: focused on a community that I love that you sometimes 785 00:44:32,760 --> 00:44:36,080 Speaker 3: like and we're just being honest and sometimes like it's 786 00:44:36,120 --> 00:44:42,440 Speaker 3: even being generous. Yeah, that's the especially in this environment sometimes, 787 00:44:42,480 --> 00:44:44,239 Speaker 3: like it's the nice way to say that, Like we're 788 00:44:44,280 --> 00:44:47,400 Speaker 3: being really honest. I love a community that you like, 789 00:44:48,120 --> 00:44:51,000 Speaker 3: you don't really care for, or at least you're not 790 00:44:51,040 --> 00:44:54,000 Speaker 3: willing to show that care, right, And like again, that's 791 00:44:54,040 --> 00:44:56,319 Speaker 3: a dangerous place for you to be in because if 792 00:44:56,360 --> 00:44:59,080 Speaker 3: you think that you're gonna out out play us in 793 00:44:59,080 --> 00:45:01,240 Speaker 3: that environment. Yeah, okay. 794 00:45:01,920 --> 00:45:04,320 Speaker 5: Black Tech Green Money is a production of Blavity Afro 795 00:45:04,480 --> 00:45:07,360 Speaker 5: Tech on the Black Effect podcast Networking Night Hire Media. 796 00:45:07,480 --> 00:45:10,680 Speaker 5: It's produced by Morgan Debonne and me Well Lucas, with 797 00:45:10,760 --> 00:45:13,840 Speaker 5: the digital production support by Kate McDonald, Sarah Ergan and 798 00:45:13,920 --> 00:45:16,920 Speaker 5: Jaden McGee. Special thank you to Michael Davis and Love Beach. 799 00:45:17,200 --> 00:45:19,040 Speaker 5: Learn more about my guests and other tech Destruct is 800 00:45:19,080 --> 00:45:22,279 Speaker 5: an innovators at afrotech dot com. The video version this 801 00:45:22,360 --> 00:45:23,360 Speaker 5: episode will drop to. 802 00:45:23,360 --> 00:45:24,760 Speaker 1: Black Tech Green Money on YouTube. 803 00:45:24,840 --> 00:45:27,560 Speaker 5: So tap it in, enjoy your Black Tech Green Money, 804 00:45:28,000 --> 00:45:30,600 Speaker 5: share us to somebody, go get your money. 805 00:45:31,200 --> 00:45:31,839 Speaker 1: Piece in Love