1 00:00:00,280 --> 00:00:03,440 Speaker 1: Hi, I'm Rashan McDonald host this weekly Money Making Conversation 2 00:00:03,560 --> 00:00:06,920 Speaker 1: Masterclass show. The interviews and information that this show provides 3 00:00:06,960 --> 00:00:09,440 Speaker 1: off for everyone, and I'm talking to you, my friend. 4 00:00:09,680 --> 00:00:12,080 Speaker 2: I want you to come on board and be with us. 5 00:00:12,360 --> 00:00:13,720 Speaker 2: Come along for this ride. 6 00:00:13,880 --> 00:00:16,720 Speaker 1: It's time to stop reading other people's success stories and 7 00:00:16,800 --> 00:00:18,840 Speaker 1: start living your own now. If you want to be 8 00:00:18,880 --> 00:00:22,160 Speaker 1: a guest on my show, Money Making Conversation Masterclass, please 9 00:00:22,239 --> 00:00:25,919 Speaker 1: visit our website, Moneymakingconversations dot com and click to be 10 00:00:26,000 --> 00:00:29,040 Speaker 1: a guest button. If you're a small business owner, entrepreneur, 11 00:00:29,120 --> 00:00:33,720 Speaker 1: motivational speaker, influencer or nonprofit I want you on my show. Now, 12 00:00:33,800 --> 00:00:37,080 Speaker 1: let's get started. My guests are the visionary co founders 13 00:00:37,159 --> 00:00:41,560 Speaker 1: of Nourish and bloom Market, the world's first black owned 14 00:00:41,600 --> 00:00:46,280 Speaker 1: autonomous grocery store. During by mission to eliminate food deserts 15 00:00:46,320 --> 00:00:51,560 Speaker 1: and empower underserved communities, they fuse cutting edge AI technology 16 00:00:51,840 --> 00:00:55,360 Speaker 1: with healthy living. As a dynamic husband and wife duo, 17 00:00:55,480 --> 00:00:59,400 Speaker 1: they are reshaping the future retail while building generational legacy 18 00:00:59,600 --> 00:01:03,640 Speaker 1: through IT impact and ownership. Please welcome to the Money Making 19 00:01:03,680 --> 00:01:06,959 Speaker 1: Conversations Julaia and Jamie Hemmings. 20 00:01:07,160 --> 00:01:11,320 Speaker 2: How you doing Jelaia and Jamie Jay and Jay Jay 21 00:01:11,480 --> 00:01:16,280 Speaker 2: and Jay JJJ. I love it. Let's talk about the 22 00:01:16,360 --> 00:01:17,160 Speaker 2: name of your business. 23 00:01:17,400 --> 00:01:20,480 Speaker 1: Is Norrish Norrish, I'll probably saying it wrong because I'm 24 00:01:20,520 --> 00:01:23,720 Speaker 1: from the South and Bloom Market. Tell us how you 25 00:01:23,760 --> 00:01:26,920 Speaker 1: came up with that name and what does it mean 26 00:01:27,000 --> 00:01:28,520 Speaker 1: to you in particular? 27 00:01:30,000 --> 00:01:31,679 Speaker 3: Yeah, I mean nourish and bloom. 28 00:01:31,959 --> 00:01:34,520 Speaker 4: I'll be thought it was the perfect name actually, because 29 00:01:34,560 --> 00:01:36,800 Speaker 4: that's exactly what we set out to do. Our mission 30 00:01:36,959 --> 00:01:40,600 Speaker 4: is twenty four to seven fresh food for everyone, right, 31 00:01:40,640 --> 00:01:43,360 Speaker 4: and we know that food is the key ingredient to 32 00:01:43,520 --> 00:01:46,320 Speaker 4: having good health and just being able to have overall 33 00:01:46,319 --> 00:01:49,200 Speaker 4: good performance. And so if you nourish your body, well 34 00:01:49,240 --> 00:01:51,240 Speaker 4: you'll be able to bloom in for us, that just 35 00:01:51,400 --> 00:01:54,680 Speaker 4: felt like the right name, nourished the body, bloom. 36 00:01:54,760 --> 00:01:56,520 Speaker 2: So there you go. We know it's Janie. 37 00:01:56,880 --> 00:02:02,880 Speaker 1: I'm from inner city Houston, Texas, and I've always fought 38 00:02:02,920 --> 00:02:09,040 Speaker 1: for financial literacy. You know, in certain community communities of 39 00:02:09,040 --> 00:02:12,120 Speaker 1: color you have to find no banks and then you 40 00:02:12,160 --> 00:02:15,959 Speaker 1: don't have the big box grocery stores into our communities. 41 00:02:16,520 --> 00:02:19,560 Speaker 1: So define to me so we can be on the 42 00:02:19,600 --> 00:02:22,640 Speaker 1: same page. Jamie, what exactly when you say food desert 43 00:02:22,800 --> 00:02:24,040 Speaker 1: what are you talking about. 44 00:02:25,200 --> 00:02:28,320 Speaker 5: Yeah, so when we're talking about food deserts, we're talking 45 00:02:28,320 --> 00:02:34,040 Speaker 5: about you know, access and the miles associated with that. 46 00:02:34,280 --> 00:02:38,960 Speaker 5: So when you're looking in an urban neighborhood, if it's 47 00:02:39,000 --> 00:02:43,360 Speaker 5: more than you know, five miles away, then that's considered 48 00:02:43,560 --> 00:02:44,280 Speaker 5: a food desert. 49 00:02:45,320 --> 00:02:47,600 Speaker 3: In a rural area, I think it's. 50 00:02:48,760 --> 00:02:52,080 Speaker 4: Sorry, rural area is more than five ye sorry, sorry, 51 00:02:52,080 --> 00:02:54,880 Speaker 4: A rural area is more than five miles and an 52 00:02:55,000 --> 00:02:58,639 Speaker 4: urban area is actually more than one mile away, So 53 00:02:58,880 --> 00:03:01,440 Speaker 4: that would be the death definition of a food desert. 54 00:03:01,520 --> 00:03:03,080 Speaker 3: So you know, if you're one. 55 00:03:02,880 --> 00:03:06,120 Speaker 5: Mile away in an urban area from a grocery store, 56 00:03:06,639 --> 00:03:10,400 Speaker 5: then that's considered a food desert. And if you're five 57 00:03:10,480 --> 00:03:13,880 Speaker 5: miles away in a rural area, then that's considered a 58 00:03:13,919 --> 00:03:14,520 Speaker 5: food desert. 59 00:03:14,960 --> 00:03:15,240 Speaker 2: Good. 60 00:03:15,400 --> 00:03:18,960 Speaker 1: So, Julia, how did you guys get into grocery business? 61 00:03:19,080 --> 00:03:21,000 Speaker 1: You know, like you know, as we go through life, 62 00:03:21,040 --> 00:03:22,360 Speaker 1: you know, I want to do this, I want to 63 00:03:22,400 --> 00:03:27,960 Speaker 1: do this, but you're selling food or providing food. In 64 00:03:27,960 --> 00:03:31,560 Speaker 1: my mind, I don't even know how you start that enterprise. 65 00:03:32,000 --> 00:03:34,320 Speaker 1: Talk to me to the the process of you know, 66 00:03:34,400 --> 00:03:35,880 Speaker 1: so we don't open the grocery store. 67 00:03:37,520 --> 00:03:39,840 Speaker 4: Well, that's the I think we should start there because 68 00:03:39,840 --> 00:03:41,560 Speaker 4: we did ever have thought in a million years that 69 00:03:41,560 --> 00:03:42,440 Speaker 4: we were going to open. 70 00:03:42,280 --> 00:03:44,520 Speaker 3: A grocery store. I mean, so I got into the. 71 00:03:44,440 --> 00:03:47,640 Speaker 4: Food space because of our oldest son, who at two 72 00:03:47,720 --> 00:03:49,640 Speaker 4: was diagnosed with autism, and they told us the most 73 00:03:49,640 --> 00:03:51,640 Speaker 4: important thing that we could do to help him was 74 00:03:51,680 --> 00:03:53,120 Speaker 4: to make sure he had a clean diet. 75 00:03:53,480 --> 00:03:53,640 Speaker 6: Right. 76 00:03:53,680 --> 00:03:55,960 Speaker 4: But Jamie and I were both working in corporate America 77 00:03:56,000 --> 00:03:58,080 Speaker 4: busy schedules. It is probably many of your audience members. 78 00:03:58,080 --> 00:03:59,160 Speaker 4: We were like, how are we going to make these 79 00:03:59,200 --> 00:04:02,320 Speaker 4: healthy meals every day? But it was our son, so 80 00:04:02,360 --> 00:04:05,040 Speaker 4: we knew we had to. And as we started to 81 00:04:05,040 --> 00:04:07,880 Speaker 4: make those healthy meals, we became the first in the 82 00:04:07,880 --> 00:04:11,040 Speaker 4: country to make meatless meals for kids based on traditional kids' 83 00:04:11,080 --> 00:04:13,040 Speaker 4: favorite so that not only our son and our kids 84 00:04:13,080 --> 00:04:15,920 Speaker 4: could have access to healthy food, but many kids could. 85 00:04:15,960 --> 00:04:18,719 Speaker 4: And so that's how we got into the food business 86 00:04:19,120 --> 00:04:23,760 Speaker 4: many years ago and vowed actually to get out of 87 00:04:23,760 --> 00:04:26,320 Speaker 4: it because food is tough. You know, it's not an 88 00:04:26,360 --> 00:04:27,279 Speaker 4: easy space. 89 00:04:26,960 --> 00:04:27,440 Speaker 3: To be in. 90 00:04:28,360 --> 00:04:30,120 Speaker 4: We were a brand, we were in over one hundred 91 00:04:30,120 --> 00:04:32,920 Speaker 4: and fifty grocery stores around the country, but you know, 92 00:04:33,160 --> 00:04:34,200 Speaker 4: it was a really. 93 00:04:33,920 --> 00:04:34,840 Speaker 3: Tough business to be in. 94 00:04:35,040 --> 00:04:38,279 Speaker 4: So we decided as you know, after about six years 95 00:04:38,320 --> 00:04:41,960 Speaker 4: to definitely pivot, we jumped into the tech space and 96 00:04:42,120 --> 00:04:44,840 Speaker 4: only got back into the grocery space during COVID, and 97 00:04:45,080 --> 00:04:49,320 Speaker 4: I saw all of the challenges around food accessibility. I 98 00:04:49,440 --> 00:04:53,719 Speaker 4: knew with our background also being in tech, that AI 99 00:04:53,880 --> 00:04:56,640 Speaker 4: could really impact how food was delivered and you didn't 100 00:04:56,640 --> 00:04:58,799 Speaker 4: have to worry about whether a grocery store was open, 101 00:04:59,040 --> 00:05:02,600 Speaker 4: or whether the hours were limited based on your schedules, 102 00:05:02,640 --> 00:05:04,440 Speaker 4: and all of those different things that we could. 103 00:05:04,320 --> 00:05:07,280 Speaker 3: Use AI to really drive access. 104 00:05:07,360 --> 00:05:09,839 Speaker 4: And so that's what made me get motivated, is just 105 00:05:09,880 --> 00:05:12,599 Speaker 4: seeing just all the challenges that us as a collective 106 00:05:12,640 --> 00:05:14,360 Speaker 4: felt during that time. 107 00:05:14,480 --> 00:05:17,960 Speaker 1: No, Jela Jelaila, you you let out a little statement 108 00:05:17,960 --> 00:05:21,160 Speaker 1: by our backgrounds in tech. Now that means I gotta 109 00:05:21,200 --> 00:05:23,760 Speaker 1: go a little bit further back on this relationship. 110 00:05:23,839 --> 00:05:25,960 Speaker 2: Now. That's why I'm sticking with her, Jami, because. 111 00:05:25,760 --> 00:05:28,000 Speaker 1: You let a little you dropped a little a little 112 00:05:28,080 --> 00:05:31,279 Speaker 1: germ of tech talk and then you slid over. 113 00:05:31,120 --> 00:05:32,440 Speaker 2: The AI real quick. 114 00:05:34,040 --> 00:05:36,760 Speaker 1: Give was it our educational background or background that led 115 00:05:36,839 --> 00:05:39,680 Speaker 1: you into that tech space that you were doing prior 116 00:05:39,720 --> 00:05:42,720 Speaker 1: to the meatless industry, they had you in over one 117 00:05:42,760 --> 00:05:44,400 Speaker 1: hundred and fifty stores nationwide. 118 00:05:44,920 --> 00:05:46,760 Speaker 4: Yeah, so I mean for both of us, we have 119 00:05:46,880 --> 00:05:51,479 Speaker 4: similar backgrounds, so we both have MBAs and business not 120 00:05:52,480 --> 00:05:56,680 Speaker 4: formally formally trained in tech. We're street talk, right, So 121 00:05:56,680 --> 00:05:57,159 Speaker 4: what does. 122 00:05:57,040 --> 00:06:00,000 Speaker 2: That mean street talk? I gotta say the phone over here. 123 00:06:01,360 --> 00:06:03,640 Speaker 1: You are not gonna let me Ju Laila get away 124 00:06:03,680 --> 00:06:04,520 Speaker 1: with this conversation. 125 00:06:07,120 --> 00:06:12,240 Speaker 2: Oh no, no no, no no no no no, let's start. Ja. 126 00:06:12,600 --> 00:06:16,760 Speaker 7: Stop talking to you, Jamie, Jamie. Now now what you 127 00:06:16,800 --> 00:06:19,599 Speaker 7: can't do to me, brother is bring your fans talking 128 00:06:19,680 --> 00:06:23,159 Speaker 7: wife on my show. And then under the two words. 129 00:06:23,160 --> 00:06:28,479 Speaker 1: We both got nbas, but we learned our tech, you know, 130 00:06:28,520 --> 00:06:29,920 Speaker 1: street street talk. 131 00:06:32,040 --> 00:06:33,760 Speaker 3: Everything. 132 00:06:33,960 --> 00:06:34,560 Speaker 2: Let me tell. 133 00:06:34,440 --> 00:06:39,919 Speaker 3: You our formal education is. However, our tech education it. 134 00:06:39,960 --> 00:06:43,080 Speaker 4: Came about because we saw a need and we were like, okay, 135 00:06:43,120 --> 00:06:44,240 Speaker 4: we need to figure out how. 136 00:06:44,080 --> 00:06:44,520 Speaker 3: To do this. 137 00:06:44,760 --> 00:06:48,320 Speaker 1: Put that NBA mind together, the NBA mind together. 138 00:06:50,000 --> 00:06:50,960 Speaker 3: How hard can this be? 139 00:06:51,200 --> 00:06:53,000 Speaker 4: I always say it's probably good that you don't have 140 00:06:53,040 --> 00:06:55,239 Speaker 4: a background in certain things because you think it's. 141 00:06:55,040 --> 00:06:56,359 Speaker 3: Not so hard. How hard can it be? 142 00:06:57,000 --> 00:07:00,800 Speaker 4: Right? But we were able to partner with really good 143 00:07:00,800 --> 00:07:04,240 Speaker 4: developers and then really got our hands dirty. 144 00:07:04,000 --> 00:07:04,880 Speaker 3: And started figuring out. 145 00:07:04,880 --> 00:07:06,760 Speaker 4: I started to learn how to do Python and all 146 00:07:06,800 --> 00:07:09,279 Speaker 4: those different things. I just you know, went online and 147 00:07:09,279 --> 00:07:12,520 Speaker 4: started to teach myself as much as I could, and 148 00:07:12,560 --> 00:07:16,320 Speaker 4: then also hired a really amazing team that worked alongside 149 00:07:16,440 --> 00:07:19,120 Speaker 4: us to ensure that we could bring our idea to fruition. 150 00:07:19,320 --> 00:07:22,240 Speaker 5: But the biggest thing is that, you know, we developed 151 00:07:22,320 --> 00:07:26,680 Speaker 5: two tech platforms. So you know, going back, so yes, 152 00:07:26,760 --> 00:07:30,360 Speaker 5: we started off in the food industry, right and then 153 00:07:30,760 --> 00:07:36,120 Speaker 5: fast forward, we actually developed two tech platforms. So one platform, 154 00:07:36,240 --> 00:07:40,080 Speaker 5: well they're both scheduling platforms. One was in the cannabis 155 00:07:40,080 --> 00:07:42,760 Speaker 5: industry and one was in the pharmaceutical industry. And so 156 00:07:43,120 --> 00:07:46,920 Speaker 5: you know, we were you know, both pharmaceutical reps. Jula was, 157 00:07:47,040 --> 00:07:49,160 Speaker 5: she's been in the pharma game for you know a 158 00:07:49,200 --> 00:07:51,960 Speaker 5: long time. You know, I did my tone in and 159 00:07:52,040 --> 00:07:56,280 Speaker 5: so what we saw was that there was like this 160 00:07:56,200 --> 00:08:01,320 Speaker 5: this scheduling conflict between pharmaceutical reps and doors and so 161 00:08:01,520 --> 00:08:02,800 Speaker 5: for us, we wanted. 162 00:08:02,520 --> 00:08:04,320 Speaker 3: To create a solution. 163 00:08:04,680 --> 00:08:06,800 Speaker 5: So what we did was that we created a solution, 164 00:08:07,200 --> 00:08:10,320 Speaker 5: and it was a scheduling platform to where you know, uh, 165 00:08:10,480 --> 00:08:13,200 Speaker 5: pharmaceutical reps can go in there book of time, you 166 00:08:13,200 --> 00:08:16,400 Speaker 5: know with the doctor. Uh if the doctor wasn't available, 167 00:08:16,400 --> 00:08:18,200 Speaker 5: the doctor would just say, hey, you know what I'm 168 00:08:18,240 --> 00:08:19,400 Speaker 5: not available, and then. 169 00:08:19,320 --> 00:08:21,120 Speaker 3: It would just bring in another doctor. 170 00:08:22,000 --> 00:08:24,560 Speaker 5: So we had that platform, and then we also had 171 00:08:24,560 --> 00:08:30,960 Speaker 5: another platform where it was scheduling between the between the 172 00:08:31,160 --> 00:08:36,040 Speaker 5: dispensaries and also the vendors. So that's how you know, 173 00:08:36,240 --> 00:08:40,240 Speaker 5: we built our first, you know, two platforms, you know, 174 00:08:40,320 --> 00:08:43,720 Speaker 5: going into tech, and then fast forward from there, we 175 00:08:43,840 --> 00:08:47,600 Speaker 5: combined that idea of food and tech and then now 176 00:08:47,640 --> 00:08:49,840 Speaker 5: here we are market. 177 00:08:50,280 --> 00:08:51,760 Speaker 2: I'm so done with both, y'all. 178 00:08:53,040 --> 00:08:56,840 Speaker 1: I'm so done with both for y'all in a good way, 179 00:08:56,880 --> 00:08:59,120 Speaker 1: because my was you got to explain when you say 180 00:08:59,160 --> 00:09:01,840 Speaker 1: people we you say things like I'm mad at both 181 00:09:01,840 --> 00:09:04,520 Speaker 1: for y'all, Well, I'm really mad at both, y'all. First 182 00:09:04,559 --> 00:09:08,440 Speaker 1: of all, we started meatless meals for kids. 183 00:09:08,559 --> 00:09:09,920 Speaker 2: Let's get that out of the way, Okay. 184 00:09:10,360 --> 00:09:14,920 Speaker 1: Then he's gonna slide in NBA's just a couple of 185 00:09:14,960 --> 00:09:17,680 Speaker 1: NBA's on the business side, and then she gonna slide 186 00:09:17,679 --> 00:09:20,559 Speaker 1: in it. But then she gonna back it and go 187 00:09:20,679 --> 00:09:22,719 Speaker 1: We street learned, Street learn, Street. 188 00:09:22,480 --> 00:09:25,360 Speaker 2: Learning, and Jamie gonna slide in. 189 00:09:25,559 --> 00:09:30,520 Speaker 1: We developed two scheduling platform with We scheduled two scheduling platform, 190 00:09:30,880 --> 00:09:34,360 Speaker 1: one for cannabis and one for pharmaceuticals. You knew, like 191 00:09:34,720 --> 00:09:37,800 Speaker 1: if your doctor isn't there, it just slide in another doctor. 192 00:09:37,840 --> 00:09:43,000 Speaker 1: I went, that just happened to me this week. 193 00:09:43,400 --> 00:09:45,880 Speaker 2: On my chart. I went on my chart, which is 194 00:09:45,920 --> 00:09:49,760 Speaker 2: Emory Hospital. I said, I couldn't do October fourth. They 195 00:09:49,880 --> 00:09:57,920 Speaker 2: just lived another doctor right in Now black people and now. 196 00:10:00,480 --> 00:10:01,920 Speaker 2: And I'm so proud of you. 197 00:10:02,000 --> 00:10:05,400 Speaker 1: But that's what money making conversations, master classes all about 198 00:10:05,800 --> 00:10:08,440 Speaker 1: bringing and showcase because you guys are stars, you know, 199 00:10:08,520 --> 00:10:13,120 Speaker 1: and sometimes in this industry with entrepreneurs being such a. 200 00:10:13,720 --> 00:10:16,360 Speaker 2: Brand word now and how do you get there? 201 00:10:16,920 --> 00:10:19,080 Speaker 1: But it's too planning, and you guys are doing it 202 00:10:19,120 --> 00:10:20,560 Speaker 1: as a husband and wife team. 203 00:10:21,080 --> 00:10:24,040 Speaker 2: And I felt that when I was doing my background our. 204 00:10:24,080 --> 00:10:26,680 Speaker 1: Research on you guys, I really want to tell as 205 00:10:26,840 --> 00:10:30,880 Speaker 1: much of the overall story of you two outside of 206 00:10:30,920 --> 00:10:33,719 Speaker 1: the autonomous grocery store, because that's what that's the end 207 00:10:33,760 --> 00:10:36,440 Speaker 1: game of this conversation, that you guys are not only 208 00:10:36,480 --> 00:10:39,640 Speaker 1: giving back to the community because technically you don't have to. 209 00:10:39,960 --> 00:10:41,680 Speaker 2: Okay, life has been good to you. 210 00:10:41,800 --> 00:10:44,680 Speaker 1: God has blessed you guys, But in the process of 211 00:10:44,720 --> 00:10:47,640 Speaker 1: doing that, you want to change your community. That's what's 212 00:10:47,720 --> 00:10:50,959 Speaker 1: driving this interview right now. But with Lord we need 213 00:10:51,000 --> 00:10:57,880 Speaker 1: to know, y'all to just stumbled upon this idea to 214 00:10:57,920 --> 00:11:00,400 Speaker 1: let the world, and I. 215 00:11:00,360 --> 00:11:01,480 Speaker 3: Think there's something to that. 216 00:11:01,559 --> 00:11:03,840 Speaker 4: Sometimes when you're going through things in life, you don't 217 00:11:03,840 --> 00:11:07,840 Speaker 4: even realize how those experiences are gonna shape what you're gonna. 218 00:11:07,640 --> 00:11:08,160 Speaker 3: End up doing. 219 00:11:10,040 --> 00:11:12,000 Speaker 2: You're not gonna do that. You're not gonna do. 220 00:11:12,000 --> 00:11:12,680 Speaker 1: Me like that. 221 00:11:13,440 --> 00:11:16,360 Speaker 2: You stumble like four times on this interview. 222 00:11:17,920 --> 00:11:19,960 Speaker 1: I want to be around you when you fall, because 223 00:11:19,960 --> 00:11:22,120 Speaker 1: you're gonna because you're gonna fall on money. 224 00:11:22,280 --> 00:11:23,359 Speaker 2: I know that fact. 225 00:11:23,720 --> 00:11:26,640 Speaker 3: You're not gonna your lips to gods. 226 00:11:29,559 --> 00:11:31,800 Speaker 2: You're gonna fallold some money. So it was when I 227 00:11:31,840 --> 00:11:35,040 Speaker 2: was going through the questions, it was an interesting thing here, Jamie. 228 00:11:35,080 --> 00:11:38,560 Speaker 2: It was said, there there's more than tech. It's our story. 229 00:11:39,120 --> 00:11:41,679 Speaker 1: We are married couple, raising three kids, caring for an 230 00:11:41,720 --> 00:11:44,880 Speaker 1: aging parent, and building legacy in real time. 231 00:11:45,320 --> 00:11:46,199 Speaker 2: Talk to me about that. 232 00:11:47,480 --> 00:11:50,120 Speaker 5: Yeah, so you know it's it's a reality, right, you 233 00:11:50,160 --> 00:11:54,560 Speaker 5: know where you know, raising you know three black children. 234 00:11:54,800 --> 00:11:58,360 Speaker 5: You know our oldest has you know a disability, our 235 00:11:58,640 --> 00:12:02,520 Speaker 5: you know youngest son, you know he has you know, dyslexia. 236 00:12:03,000 --> 00:12:07,520 Speaker 5: And so for us going through this journey and building 237 00:12:07,559 --> 00:12:12,480 Speaker 5: this amazing business, it's like yes, we're a married couple. 238 00:12:13,000 --> 00:12:15,880 Speaker 3: We're in business, but then we're also parents. 239 00:12:16,280 --> 00:12:19,280 Speaker 5: So it's like, once we deal with all the nonsense 240 00:12:19,320 --> 00:12:21,240 Speaker 5: that we have to deal with in the business, when 241 00:12:21,320 --> 00:12:24,280 Speaker 5: we come home, we have to be parents. You know, 242 00:12:24,360 --> 00:12:26,520 Speaker 5: we have to be there when our daughter, because we 243 00:12:26,640 --> 00:12:31,000 Speaker 5: know our youngest child, you know, our daughter, you know, 244 00:12:31,160 --> 00:12:33,400 Speaker 5: when when she got some things going on, you know, we. 245 00:12:33,440 --> 00:12:35,160 Speaker 2: Got to be there for her. 246 00:12:35,480 --> 00:12:38,040 Speaker 5: And for our boys, we also have to make sure 247 00:12:38,080 --> 00:12:41,760 Speaker 5: that we're there for them. So that family dynamic, you know, 248 00:12:41,880 --> 00:12:45,079 Speaker 5: for us, it's very important, and we're a tight knit group, 249 00:12:45,240 --> 00:12:49,000 Speaker 5: you know, and so that balance sometimes can be very 250 00:12:49,040 --> 00:12:51,320 Speaker 5: difficult because a lot of times, you know, we're away, 251 00:12:51,960 --> 00:12:54,520 Speaker 5: you know, we're at the store, we're at other places. 252 00:12:54,559 --> 00:12:57,400 Speaker 5: You know, we're doing different things, we're in meetings, and 253 00:12:57,520 --> 00:13:00,320 Speaker 5: so for us, it's like we're trying to in this 254 00:13:00,440 --> 00:13:04,680 Speaker 5: balance of being a married couple, you know, being parents, 255 00:13:05,120 --> 00:13:05,640 Speaker 5: I mean. 256 00:13:06,280 --> 00:13:08,360 Speaker 4: And also you know it taking care of my mom 257 00:13:08,400 --> 00:13:10,960 Speaker 4: who has who has the beginning stages of dementia. But 258 00:13:11,040 --> 00:13:13,040 Speaker 4: I mean, I think that the balance comes in because 259 00:13:13,080 --> 00:13:15,600 Speaker 4: we make sure that they're involved. So our kids are 260 00:13:15,600 --> 00:13:18,160 Speaker 4: involved in the business, they're working the day to day operations, 261 00:13:18,200 --> 00:13:20,439 Speaker 4: like they don't have a choice. I was like, we're 262 00:13:20,480 --> 00:13:22,160 Speaker 4: building this thing and you're building it too. 263 00:13:22,280 --> 00:13:26,240 Speaker 5: So you know what they have to realize is that listen, 264 00:13:26,280 --> 00:13:28,719 Speaker 5: mom and dad is working really hard and they see that, 265 00:13:29,120 --> 00:13:30,800 Speaker 5: like they really they really see it. 266 00:13:30,840 --> 00:13:33,400 Speaker 3: And for us, that's important for them to see that. 267 00:13:34,160 --> 00:13:35,840 Speaker 1: You know, she wasn't gonna let you talk too long 268 00:13:35,920 --> 00:13:39,800 Speaker 1: that chamber. How might I go ten thousand one, ten 269 00:13:39,880 --> 00:13:43,199 Speaker 1: thousand two, like jump. 270 00:13:43,080 --> 00:13:43,640 Speaker 2: Rope with her. 271 00:13:46,280 --> 00:13:50,520 Speaker 1: To get in to get But I will tell you 272 00:13:50,800 --> 00:13:55,280 Speaker 1: just something about motivation for your child who has dyslexia. Uh. 273 00:13:55,400 --> 00:14:00,240 Speaker 1: Steven A. Smith and dyslexia as a child. So you 274 00:14:00,280 --> 00:14:03,480 Speaker 1: can set your child in front of TV and point 275 00:14:03,520 --> 00:14:05,760 Speaker 1: at that young man right there and say that can 276 00:14:05,800 --> 00:14:10,800 Speaker 1: be you. And one of the most articulate, intelligent men 277 00:14:11,480 --> 00:14:12,880 Speaker 1: in television. 278 00:14:12,920 --> 00:14:16,360 Speaker 3: Absolutely Steve Smith, right. 279 00:14:16,400 --> 00:14:19,560 Speaker 1: And the dyslexia. Uh, it was something he was born 280 00:14:19,600 --> 00:14:21,840 Speaker 1: with and he was able to overcome it. And he 281 00:14:22,040 --> 00:14:24,480 Speaker 1: is in his book popular book Straight Shooter that he wrote, 282 00:14:24,640 --> 00:14:26,920 Speaker 1: he talks about it in the detail because sometimes you 283 00:14:26,920 --> 00:14:29,720 Speaker 1: got a child, got to see that, see the possibilities 284 00:14:30,160 --> 00:14:32,720 Speaker 1: and uh. And and when you see him, you go 285 00:14:33,800 --> 00:14:36,000 Speaker 1: unless he tells you that you don't know that was 286 00:14:36,080 --> 00:14:38,400 Speaker 1: part of his past. And that's part of what this 287 00:14:38,480 --> 00:14:41,760 Speaker 1: conversation is about is a journey. And that's why I'm 288 00:14:41,840 --> 00:14:45,040 Speaker 1: so engaged with you as in a couple, because AI 289 00:14:45,200 --> 00:14:47,360 Speaker 1: is where we're at today. You know, I will tell 290 00:14:47,440 --> 00:14:51,720 Speaker 1: you when I heard it about three years ago, I 291 00:14:51,840 --> 00:14:54,120 Speaker 1: was like, okay, whatever, whatever, It's a major part of 292 00:14:54,200 --> 00:14:54,920 Speaker 1: my company. 293 00:14:55,480 --> 00:14:55,680 Speaker 6: Now. 294 00:14:56,000 --> 00:14:59,560 Speaker 1: How I use AI, whether I use it for different platforms, 295 00:14:59,600 --> 00:15:01,800 Speaker 1: I do use it. So but you said somebody in 296 00:15:01,800 --> 00:15:04,560 Speaker 1: one of your questions, Jualaila, people. 297 00:15:04,400 --> 00:15:06,560 Speaker 2: Are not ready for AI. What do you mean by that? 298 00:15:07,480 --> 00:15:11,080 Speaker 4: Yeah, I mean well many say I'm not We hear that, right, 299 00:15:11,080 --> 00:15:13,040 Speaker 4: and that's that's a lot of feedback that we get that, Oh, 300 00:15:13,040 --> 00:15:14,680 Speaker 4: I don't want to I don't want to mess with AI, 301 00:15:14,760 --> 00:15:17,640 Speaker 4: and they don't even realize that AI is a part 302 00:15:17,640 --> 00:15:18,640 Speaker 4: of everything that they do. 303 00:15:18,720 --> 00:15:20,640 Speaker 3: If you have a smartphone in your. 304 00:15:20,520 --> 00:15:23,160 Speaker 4: Possession, you know AI is involved, right, If you have 305 00:15:23,200 --> 00:15:26,160 Speaker 4: a lexus, AI is involved. But you know, I think 306 00:15:26,200 --> 00:15:29,080 Speaker 4: as a culture, and especially as a black culture, we 307 00:15:29,240 --> 00:15:33,240 Speaker 4: tend to be protective and pause and kind of wait 308 00:15:33,280 --> 00:15:35,920 Speaker 4: to see what happens first before we jump into the 309 00:15:35,920 --> 00:15:38,440 Speaker 4: next level of innovation. But in this case, we don't 310 00:15:38,480 --> 00:15:41,680 Speaker 4: have that opportunity or that time. You know, AI is here, 311 00:15:41,720 --> 00:15:44,440 Speaker 4: it's not going anywhere. It's you know, it's incorporated into 312 00:15:44,560 --> 00:15:47,280 Speaker 4: every single aspect of all things that we do at 313 00:15:47,280 --> 00:15:51,040 Speaker 4: this point, even to grocery, right, and so how at 314 00:15:51,040 --> 00:15:53,680 Speaker 4: this point for us, you know, we all just have 315 00:15:53,760 --> 00:15:55,680 Speaker 4: to get on board and start to embrace and see 316 00:15:55,720 --> 00:15:58,560 Speaker 4: how we can incorporate it into especially our work life, 317 00:15:58,600 --> 00:16:00,760 Speaker 4: because AI is that. 318 00:16:00,800 --> 00:16:01,600 Speaker 2: Now we talked about. 319 00:16:02,120 --> 00:16:04,560 Speaker 1: Don just get back to the journey of why y'all 320 00:16:04,560 --> 00:16:07,400 Speaker 1: contacted Rashawn McDonald Money Making Conversation. 321 00:16:08,000 --> 00:16:10,760 Speaker 2: We got to get rid of these food deserts and 322 00:16:10,800 --> 00:16:12,920 Speaker 2: then you went to lail. I don't know how we 323 00:16:13,000 --> 00:16:15,960 Speaker 2: got in the food business. The bottom line is the 324 00:16:16,080 --> 00:16:20,400 Speaker 2: hardest business in the world. Shot. We got out of 325 00:16:20,440 --> 00:16:21,840 Speaker 2: the meatless game where. 326 00:16:21,680 --> 00:16:24,520 Speaker 1: We were spelling weed, were telling weed over there, cannabis 327 00:16:24,520 --> 00:16:27,240 Speaker 1: and schedule the doctors. 328 00:16:27,400 --> 00:16:32,560 Speaker 2: But we came back because we crazy. We crazy. Stay 329 00:16:32,600 --> 00:16:33,040 Speaker 2: with us. 330 00:16:33,240 --> 00:16:41,520 Speaker 8: More Money Making Conversation master class coming up next. Welcome 331 00:16:41,520 --> 00:16:45,080 Speaker 8: back to Money Making Conversation master Class with me Rashawan McDonalds. 332 00:16:45,760 --> 00:16:47,800 Speaker 2: So, how do you done? You to Javin, how do 333 00:16:47,880 --> 00:16:48,600 Speaker 2: you get into this? 334 00:16:48,680 --> 00:16:51,680 Speaker 1: How do you because it's a one point three trillion 335 00:16:51,720 --> 00:16:55,360 Speaker 1: dollar business. It's a slow moving business, and I have 336 00:16:55,400 --> 00:16:58,480 Speaker 1: to believe it's one of those business where everybody can't 337 00:16:58,600 --> 00:16:59,680 Speaker 1: get into the party. 338 00:17:00,360 --> 00:17:01,240 Speaker 2: How did you get in? 339 00:17:03,160 --> 00:17:05,200 Speaker 5: So are we okay? So are we talking about? How 340 00:17:05,200 --> 00:17:07,720 Speaker 5: did we get into the autonomous grocery game? 341 00:17:08,480 --> 00:17:10,520 Speaker 1: Before you would you have to get in the grocery 342 00:17:10,560 --> 00:17:12,560 Speaker 1: game before you become automatic? 343 00:17:12,600 --> 00:17:14,840 Speaker 2: You know what I'm saying, before you get technology? Or 344 00:17:14,840 --> 00:17:16,720 Speaker 2: did you just started simultaneously? 345 00:17:17,119 --> 00:17:18,520 Speaker 3: This was all in baby? 346 00:17:23,280 --> 00:17:26,600 Speaker 2: What happened to that? I stumbled in? What happened to that? 347 00:17:26,960 --> 00:17:30,720 Speaker 2: I learned take on the on the fly? Now, Man, 348 00:17:30,760 --> 00:17:31,440 Speaker 2: it's a whole land. 349 00:17:31,520 --> 00:17:35,760 Speaker 1: We went Ai and grouchy simultaneously, because you know the 350 00:17:35,760 --> 00:17:36,400 Speaker 1: only way I. 351 00:17:36,400 --> 00:17:37,080 Speaker 3: Was gonna do it. 352 00:17:38,160 --> 00:17:41,600 Speaker 4: So when we had this idea, this was back in 353 00:17:41,640 --> 00:17:43,320 Speaker 4: twenty twenty, on the pandemic, right. 354 00:17:43,760 --> 00:17:46,600 Speaker 1: Right, too much, I stopped stop looking at if I 355 00:17:46,600 --> 00:17:48,879 Speaker 1: could cut this green off. I stopped looking at him 356 00:17:48,880 --> 00:17:51,480 Speaker 1: because she's just smiling because he about to jump rope 357 00:17:51,600 --> 00:17:52,800 Speaker 1: right into this conversation. 358 00:17:53,880 --> 00:17:59,159 Speaker 5: She's about to no, but I know she's gonna jump in. 359 00:17:59,760 --> 00:18:02,680 Speaker 5: You know, But this idea, it started back in twenty 360 00:18:02,720 --> 00:18:06,159 Speaker 5: twenty during the pandemic right. And so even during that time, 361 00:18:06,520 --> 00:18:10,480 Speaker 5: just creating a business was absolutely crazy, right because of 362 00:18:10,840 --> 00:18:13,880 Speaker 5: I think that was going on. But for us, we 363 00:18:13,920 --> 00:18:17,960 Speaker 5: saw something, We saw an opportunity, right, and so yes, 364 00:18:18,080 --> 00:18:21,320 Speaker 5: we have, you know, experience in food, we have experience 365 00:18:21,440 --> 00:18:24,840 Speaker 5: in tech. And so we said to ourselves, listen, you know, 366 00:18:25,320 --> 00:18:27,879 Speaker 5: we're in this community. You know, our kids are, you know, 367 00:18:27,920 --> 00:18:31,240 Speaker 5: in this community, and we saw a need in this area. 368 00:18:31,720 --> 00:18:34,720 Speaker 5: So we said to ourselves, hey, you know what, let's 369 00:18:34,720 --> 00:18:38,400 Speaker 5: go ahead and open up a store. Right. So then 370 00:18:38,520 --> 00:18:40,640 Speaker 5: we started like going back and forth, well what type 371 00:18:40,640 --> 00:18:42,439 Speaker 5: of store should we do? You know, we were in 372 00:18:42,480 --> 00:18:44,879 Speaker 5: the food business before, you know, what are we going 373 00:18:44,960 --> 00:18:47,320 Speaker 5: to do? So we said to ourselves, hey, you know what, 374 00:18:47,440 --> 00:18:50,040 Speaker 5: let's let's do maybe some type of like grocery store 375 00:18:50,200 --> 00:18:53,600 Speaker 5: in this neighborhood because the fact that, you know, there's 376 00:18:53,680 --> 00:18:57,639 Speaker 5: no grocery stores that are nearby, so in this little place, 377 00:18:57,800 --> 00:18:58,840 Speaker 5: let's develop something. 378 00:18:59,359 --> 00:19:01,040 Speaker 3: And then we were like, but wait a minute. 379 00:19:01,040 --> 00:19:03,199 Speaker 5: You know, it's the pandemic, right, Ain't nobody want to 380 00:19:03,200 --> 00:19:06,000 Speaker 5: touch each other and be around each other and things 381 00:19:06,040 --> 00:19:09,080 Speaker 5: like that. So we're like, okay, what can we do 382 00:19:09,280 --> 00:19:13,919 Speaker 5: that's innovative and different? And so we knew about this technology. 383 00:19:13,960 --> 00:19:17,040 Speaker 5: The technology autonomous technology has been around for a very 384 00:19:17,080 --> 00:19:20,120 Speaker 5: long time, and so for us, we said to ourselves, hey, 385 00:19:20,119 --> 00:19:23,320 Speaker 5: you know what, let's let's let's do that. Let's do 386 00:19:23,400 --> 00:19:26,760 Speaker 5: something different, because if people don't want to be in 387 00:19:26,880 --> 00:19:30,320 Speaker 5: contact with each other, let's create something to where they 388 00:19:30,359 --> 00:19:35,679 Speaker 5: can have twenty four hour access to food. And so 389 00:19:35,920 --> 00:19:39,840 Speaker 5: from there we just we just went in. We went in, 390 00:19:40,119 --> 00:19:43,040 Speaker 5: we strategized, we planned it, and when I tell you, 391 00:19:43,080 --> 00:19:46,000 Speaker 5: in less than a year, we were able to open. 392 00:19:45,840 --> 00:19:50,240 Speaker 1: Up our first store. Okay with the autonomous technology. Okay, cool, 393 00:19:50,359 --> 00:19:55,119 Speaker 1: so these are not prototypes. You guys have actual stores, correct, Yeah, okay, 394 00:19:56,240 --> 00:20:02,000 Speaker 1: is jump open time. Let's talk about from prototype to reality. 395 00:20:02,160 --> 00:20:07,680 Speaker 1: We're working one people maybe using your storefront and don't 396 00:20:07,680 --> 00:20:08,199 Speaker 1: even know it. 397 00:20:08,280 --> 00:20:09,120 Speaker 2: Talk to us. 398 00:20:09,720 --> 00:20:10,040 Speaker 3: Yeah. 399 00:20:10,080 --> 00:20:12,720 Speaker 4: So we started, as Jamie said, the first store right 400 00:20:12,760 --> 00:20:14,080 Speaker 4: where we were in the community. 401 00:20:14,080 --> 00:20:15,000 Speaker 3: So that was a food desert. 402 00:20:15,359 --> 00:20:16,960 Speaker 4: I do want to make sure that we talk about 403 00:20:17,000 --> 00:20:19,520 Speaker 4: that because the closest grocery store was fifteen minutes away, 404 00:20:19,840 --> 00:20:21,200 Speaker 4: so That'sville, Georgia. 405 00:20:21,240 --> 00:20:22,600 Speaker 3: So that was our flagship store. 406 00:20:22,920 --> 00:20:23,760 Speaker 2: I've read about that. 407 00:20:24,400 --> 00:20:27,240 Speaker 4: So that we opened and so we were really excited 408 00:20:27,240 --> 00:20:31,560 Speaker 4: about opening that store. And then we learned, as you know, 409 00:20:31,640 --> 00:20:33,760 Speaker 4: quickly on as we were opening our store, we talked 410 00:20:33,760 --> 00:20:36,240 Speaker 4: about our mission being twenty four to seven access for everyone, 411 00:20:36,280 --> 00:20:40,120 Speaker 4: that we couldn't service everyone and so if you had 412 00:20:40,160 --> 00:20:43,320 Speaker 4: EBT in frictionless checkout, you couldn't take it. And so 413 00:20:43,920 --> 00:20:46,359 Speaker 4: for us, at that point we went back and started 414 00:20:46,359 --> 00:20:50,119 Speaker 4: to redevelop our solution and kept our flagship store open, 415 00:20:50,200 --> 00:20:53,120 Speaker 4: still operational, but we said, we got to make sure 416 00:20:53,119 --> 00:20:55,639 Speaker 4: that everybody can shop in our stores. And so this 417 00:20:55,760 --> 00:20:57,840 Speaker 4: year we actually became the first in the country to 418 00:20:57,840 --> 00:21:01,040 Speaker 4: be able to accept EBT in this zero check out environment, 419 00:21:01,400 --> 00:21:03,600 Speaker 4: and that was perfect timing for where we opened our 420 00:21:03,640 --> 00:21:06,760 Speaker 4: second store in Cascade Heights, which is also a historic 421 00:21:06,800 --> 00:21:10,720 Speaker 4: food desert. Amazing history in Cascade Heights area in Atlanta, 422 00:21:11,400 --> 00:21:14,040 Speaker 4: but when it came to food accessibility, it was really 423 00:21:14,080 --> 00:21:16,400 Speaker 4: tough for those residents, and so we were super excited 424 00:21:16,440 --> 00:21:19,679 Speaker 4: to then bring our technology and our grocery store solution 425 00:21:19,920 --> 00:21:20,800 Speaker 4: to that community. 426 00:21:20,840 --> 00:21:22,000 Speaker 3: So that's our second store. 427 00:21:22,040 --> 00:21:25,680 Speaker 4: So those are the two areas currently and we're building 428 00:21:25,880 --> 00:21:27,200 Speaker 4: three more stores right now. 429 00:21:27,280 --> 00:21:31,439 Speaker 1: Okay from my audience and me, EBT stands for what 430 00:21:31,640 --> 00:21:33,320 Speaker 1: and who uses EBT. 431 00:21:33,760 --> 00:21:36,840 Speaker 4: So EBT is the government subsidy for food access so 432 00:21:36,880 --> 00:21:41,440 Speaker 4: sometimes called SNAP. It's supplemental nutritional benefits that the government 433 00:21:41,600 --> 00:21:44,000 Speaker 4: provides if you meet a certain income qualification. 434 00:21:44,600 --> 00:21:44,960 Speaker 3: And so. 435 00:21:46,600 --> 00:21:48,920 Speaker 4: You know, even that technology has evolved, right, It used 436 00:21:48,920 --> 00:21:51,280 Speaker 4: to be like paper like dollars, and now everyone has 437 00:21:51,280 --> 00:21:56,520 Speaker 4: a hard based version of that. But prior to us, 438 00:21:56,800 --> 00:21:59,439 Speaker 4: if you came into a store like ours with this 439 00:21:59,520 --> 00:22:02,080 Speaker 4: level of tech technology is the method of checkout, you 440 00:22:02,119 --> 00:22:06,359 Speaker 4: couldn't shop. And so you know, we said that's not okay. 441 00:22:06,480 --> 00:22:09,040 Speaker 4: And so for us, we went back and started to 442 00:22:09,040 --> 00:22:11,679 Speaker 4: redevelop our technology so that if you do have SNAP, 443 00:22:11,720 --> 00:22:13,280 Speaker 4: you can shop, because you should be able to shop 444 00:22:13,280 --> 00:22:14,080 Speaker 4: anywhere that you. 445 00:22:14,119 --> 00:22:15,639 Speaker 2: Want to shop. 446 00:22:19,720 --> 00:22:21,480 Speaker 4: I mean, just to be just to be clear about 447 00:22:21,520 --> 00:22:25,280 Speaker 4: the shopping part, right, is that you know, people could 448 00:22:25,400 --> 00:22:29,440 Speaker 4: go to, you know, an autonomous store to shop. 449 00:22:29,720 --> 00:22:30,840 Speaker 3: But here's the difference. 450 00:22:31,440 --> 00:22:34,600 Speaker 4: They would have to be taken out of that environment 451 00:22:34,680 --> 00:22:38,199 Speaker 4: and they would have to check out separately from that 452 00:22:38,320 --> 00:22:43,480 Speaker 4: autonomous grocery store. We are actually the first company to 453 00:22:43,640 --> 00:22:47,520 Speaker 4: provide people with EBT SNAP benefits that they could actually 454 00:22:47,840 --> 00:22:52,040 Speaker 4: shop inside our frictionless store, pick up an item, walk out, 455 00:22:52,560 --> 00:22:54,600 Speaker 4: and they're done. They don't have to sit there and 456 00:22:54,680 --> 00:22:57,639 Speaker 4: talk to a staff member separately to go ahead and 457 00:22:57,680 --> 00:22:57,919 Speaker 4: do that. 458 00:22:58,000 --> 00:22:59,520 Speaker 3: So that's dignity back, right. 459 00:22:59,600 --> 00:23:02,080 Speaker 4: Just because you might have to have some assistance at 460 00:23:02,119 --> 00:23:03,679 Speaker 4: the time in your life doesn't mean that you have 461 00:23:03,760 --> 00:23:05,840 Speaker 4: to be you know, and have that embarrassment or that 462 00:23:05,920 --> 00:23:08,960 Speaker 4: level of exactly. So now you get to shop them 463 00:23:09,000 --> 00:23:10,320 Speaker 4: the same method as everybody else. 464 00:23:10,480 --> 00:23:13,800 Speaker 1: Okay, now it comes down to the big question security. 465 00:23:14,840 --> 00:23:17,479 Speaker 1: How do you stop people for buying ticket stuff they 466 00:23:17,600 --> 00:23:18,119 Speaker 1: not buying? 467 00:23:18,800 --> 00:23:21,440 Speaker 2: Well, we through that stuff, because that's that's in my mind. 468 00:23:21,480 --> 00:23:27,200 Speaker 1: Go Okay, you're in the store there. 469 00:23:30,240 --> 00:23:33,399 Speaker 2: I know people. I'm not saying people, but I do 470 00:23:33,480 --> 00:23:38,000 Speaker 2: know people exactly shot McDonald college in. 471 00:23:38,080 --> 00:23:42,320 Speaker 3: That exactly exactly. 472 00:23:42,440 --> 00:23:45,240 Speaker 4: So when you come into the store, there's a turnstyle, 473 00:23:45,280 --> 00:23:47,399 Speaker 4: and the turnstyle is when you scan your app or 474 00:23:47,400 --> 00:23:50,200 Speaker 4: you tap your card at that point and authorization is taken. 475 00:23:50,600 --> 00:23:52,719 Speaker 3: The door doesn't even open unless you have fun. 476 00:23:53,480 --> 00:23:55,159 Speaker 2: Now, I got all that, I got all that I 477 00:23:55,240 --> 00:23:56,640 Speaker 2: was with and. 478 00:23:56,560 --> 00:24:01,240 Speaker 4: There's fifty plus cameras on the ceiling, right, So the 479 00:24:01,280 --> 00:24:03,800 Speaker 4: technology is watching what you're picking up and what you're 480 00:24:03,840 --> 00:24:05,960 Speaker 4: putting back, not to scary, but I mean it's also 481 00:24:06,000 --> 00:24:10,000 Speaker 4: identifying who you are, right, So I mean what we've found, honestly, 482 00:24:10,040 --> 00:24:12,159 Speaker 4: it's been a huge deterrence because what you've seen in 483 00:24:12,200 --> 00:24:15,600 Speaker 4: the grocery industry about shrinkage is that, especially post pandemic, 484 00:24:15,640 --> 00:24:18,560 Speaker 4: where everybody went to that self checkout process, there's a 485 00:24:18,600 --> 00:24:21,119 Speaker 4: tremendous amount of honest shrink. And honest shrink is I'm 486 00:24:21,119 --> 00:24:22,760 Speaker 4: at the grocery store. I put a case of water 487 00:24:22,840 --> 00:24:24,840 Speaker 4: under my cart. I got all this stuff in the 488 00:24:24,840 --> 00:24:27,119 Speaker 4: main cart, and by the time I check out and 489 00:24:27,160 --> 00:24:28,920 Speaker 4: I put the bags back, and I forgot I had 490 00:24:28,920 --> 00:24:30,919 Speaker 4: that water underneath the cart. And you walk out with 491 00:24:30,960 --> 00:24:33,440 Speaker 4: that water for free. And so a lot of retailers 492 00:24:33,480 --> 00:24:36,080 Speaker 4: are seeing a tremendous amount of increase in shrinkage for 493 00:24:36,119 --> 00:24:37,880 Speaker 4: the honest shrink the ones that you do you don't 494 00:24:37,880 --> 00:24:41,840 Speaker 4: even know realize that you didn't bring up that one. 495 00:24:41,880 --> 00:24:44,280 Speaker 4: All of that gets taken away with our technology, right, 496 00:24:44,320 --> 00:24:47,040 Speaker 4: So we found that a shrink for us is extremely low. 497 00:24:47,240 --> 00:24:48,960 Speaker 3: And secondly, more people are so. 498 00:24:49,400 --> 00:24:51,320 Speaker 4: Like cautious, like they're just like, I want to make 499 00:24:51,359 --> 00:24:52,240 Speaker 4: sure I paid. 500 00:24:52,119 --> 00:24:54,320 Speaker 3: Like because I hey, like they know they'll send an email. 501 00:24:54,400 --> 00:24:55,960 Speaker 3: Let's want to make sure, let's steal it all I 502 00:24:56,080 --> 00:25:00,000 Speaker 3: was charged. And so we nominally right because they see. 503 00:24:59,880 --> 00:25:01,840 Speaker 2: It cameras pop out. 504 00:25:02,000 --> 00:25:06,679 Speaker 4: Hey, so yeah, and they're also just happy to have 505 00:25:06,680 --> 00:25:08,679 Speaker 4: an option. Right, We're going in the areas that have 506 00:25:08,720 --> 00:25:12,199 Speaker 4: been begging for food, absolutely and now they do. 507 00:25:12,480 --> 00:25:15,960 Speaker 1: So I'm there with you got all these cameras, So 508 00:25:16,040 --> 00:25:21,280 Speaker 1: somebody has something that they didn't purchase or how does 509 00:25:21,320 --> 00:25:23,920 Speaker 1: that work because you told about the cameras. You told 510 00:25:23,920 --> 00:25:27,040 Speaker 1: them about all the scanners. Okay, so they go through 511 00:25:27,240 --> 00:25:29,760 Speaker 1: the checkout sign self checkout. 512 00:25:30,880 --> 00:25:34,480 Speaker 5: No, no, there's no, there's no there's no checkouts. So okay, 513 00:25:34,520 --> 00:25:37,120 Speaker 5: so I'll break it down. Okay, when you when you. 514 00:25:37,080 --> 00:25:40,560 Speaker 4: First enter our store, Okay, Before that, we actually have 515 00:25:40,640 --> 00:25:42,240 Speaker 4: our Nurse and Blue Market app. 516 00:25:42,440 --> 00:25:44,920 Speaker 2: Okay, so you would have to add. 517 00:25:44,720 --> 00:25:48,360 Speaker 4: Your payments your debit card, credit card, or your. 518 00:25:48,160 --> 00:25:50,840 Speaker 5: Ebt and you can add that to the app. Okay, 519 00:25:50,960 --> 00:25:52,919 Speaker 5: you also have another option to where you can just 520 00:25:53,000 --> 00:25:58,560 Speaker 5: tell but from there, we've already captured your payment information. 521 00:25:59,280 --> 00:26:03,440 Speaker 5: So one you actually walk inside the store, the cameras 522 00:26:03,560 --> 00:26:09,080 Speaker 5: up above is actually tracking you everywhere within the store. 523 00:26:09,200 --> 00:26:12,359 Speaker 3: So whatever you pick up or put back, that system knows. 524 00:26:12,960 --> 00:26:15,000 Speaker 4: So you know, if you pick something up and you 525 00:26:15,000 --> 00:26:16,920 Speaker 4: want to throw it across the room to your homeboy. 526 00:26:16,960 --> 00:26:18,560 Speaker 3: Hey, go out ahead, you already got charged. 527 00:26:20,480 --> 00:26:21,879 Speaker 4: If you want to eat half of it in the 528 00:26:23,000 --> 00:26:25,600 Speaker 4: if you want to go around and drink everything and 529 00:26:25,680 --> 00:26:27,080 Speaker 4: put it back on the shelf and eat and go 530 00:26:27,119 --> 00:26:28,280 Speaker 4: round of ahead, knock yourself out. 531 00:26:28,280 --> 00:26:29,960 Speaker 3: But when you leave that store, you're gonna get charged. 532 00:26:30,720 --> 00:26:32,920 Speaker 2: Right. 533 00:26:32,960 --> 00:26:36,919 Speaker 5: It's a very intelligent system. And so it's a combination 534 00:26:37,040 --> 00:26:39,919 Speaker 5: of weighted sensors on the shelves and that's how we 535 00:26:39,960 --> 00:26:41,800 Speaker 5: can tell so like when if you pick something up 536 00:26:41,840 --> 00:26:43,960 Speaker 5: and drink it and put it back, it can tell 537 00:26:44,000 --> 00:26:47,400 Speaker 5: that weight difference. And then also we have our cameras 538 00:26:47,480 --> 00:26:51,000 Speaker 5: up above that's also tracking what you're picking up and 539 00:26:51,080 --> 00:26:53,960 Speaker 5: who is actually within the store itself. So it's a 540 00:26:54,080 --> 00:26:57,400 Speaker 5: very smart system. So once you're inside, there is no stealing. 541 00:26:57,840 --> 00:27:00,440 Speaker 5: Once you're inside and you walk out with the item, 542 00:27:00,520 --> 00:27:01,680 Speaker 5: you take an item. 543 00:27:01,960 --> 00:27:02,720 Speaker 2: You're paying for it. 544 00:27:02,800 --> 00:27:07,280 Speaker 1: Okay, I'm talking to Jelaya and Jamie Hemmings, the founders 545 00:27:07,320 --> 00:27:08,080 Speaker 1: co visionary. 546 00:27:08,320 --> 00:27:09,200 Speaker 2: They are visionary. 547 00:27:09,240 --> 00:27:11,680 Speaker 1: I'm just telling you I've had the people on the show, 548 00:27:11,760 --> 00:27:15,639 Speaker 1: but these two are visionaries. Co founders of Norrish and 549 00:27:15,680 --> 00:27:19,800 Speaker 1: bloom Market started in Fairville and Cascade. You have two 550 00:27:19,840 --> 00:27:21,760 Speaker 1: locations when we talked about grocery stores. 551 00:27:21,920 --> 00:27:22,880 Speaker 2: Now, when I went through my. 552 00:27:23,160 --> 00:27:25,840 Speaker 1: Questions that were sent to me, they said, dude, you 553 00:27:25,840 --> 00:27:29,119 Speaker 1: have too high ya I have some high visibility locations 554 00:27:29,119 --> 00:27:30,679 Speaker 1: like a Mercedes been Stadium. 555 00:27:30,800 --> 00:27:34,439 Speaker 2: Is that correct? We do? Okay, but you didn't mention that. 556 00:27:35,040 --> 00:27:38,200 Speaker 3: I know. That's that our technology has evolved. 557 00:27:40,640 --> 00:27:48,399 Speaker 2: Again again miss Stumbler information Jamie I was. 558 00:27:48,480 --> 00:27:52,120 Speaker 1: I was like, resisted, Jamie, maybe she's bringing this because 559 00:27:52,160 --> 00:27:53,560 Speaker 1: she she said, that's it. 560 00:27:54,119 --> 00:27:57,719 Speaker 3: No technology you continue to see involved. 561 00:27:57,960 --> 00:28:00,960 Speaker 4: So what we realized was that everyone might not be 562 00:28:01,080 --> 00:28:04,720 Speaker 4: at the space to have a right and so we 563 00:28:04,840 --> 00:28:08,320 Speaker 4: realized that we could still service through utilizing the same 564 00:28:08,320 --> 00:28:11,159 Speaker 4: technology that Jamie described, but condensing it down to a 565 00:28:11,200 --> 00:28:13,159 Speaker 4: single door. So think about a fridge door in a 566 00:28:13,160 --> 00:28:16,520 Speaker 4: grocery store embedded with our technology that you can tap 567 00:28:16,560 --> 00:28:19,320 Speaker 4: a card or you can scan our app and door opens, 568 00:28:19,359 --> 00:28:21,600 Speaker 4: you can grab whatever you want and be able to 569 00:28:21,640 --> 00:28:23,920 Speaker 4: walk out. So we've been able to support Mercedes Benz 570 00:28:23,920 --> 00:28:26,680 Speaker 4: Stadium employees so that when maybe there's not an event 571 00:28:26,800 --> 00:28:28,960 Speaker 4: or game, that they still have access to good food 572 00:28:29,000 --> 00:28:33,080 Speaker 4: because our fridges are supporting them there. And we've actually 573 00:28:33,080 --> 00:28:36,720 Speaker 4: helped American Heart Association with that as well, and so 574 00:28:37,200 --> 00:28:39,440 Speaker 4: just how do we get into food deserts as fast 575 00:28:39,440 --> 00:28:41,960 Speaker 4: as we can. We can implement those really quickly and 576 00:28:42,000 --> 00:28:45,400 Speaker 4: deploy those super fast so that we can ensure that, 577 00:28:45,480 --> 00:28:49,000 Speaker 4: you know, the food desert issues goes away as quickly 578 00:28:49,000 --> 00:28:49,680 Speaker 4: as possible. 579 00:28:50,560 --> 00:28:53,600 Speaker 1: And the information I got to pull out a hard Jamie. 580 00:28:53,360 --> 00:29:01,160 Speaker 2: Is too much, too much. I know, I'm messing what 581 00:29:01,240 --> 00:29:03,920 Speaker 2: you delated, But Jamie, he's no better. He's no better. 582 00:29:05,080 --> 00:29:05,320 Speaker 3: I'm not. 583 00:29:06,040 --> 00:29:08,240 Speaker 6: This is an old man conversation and we can't get 584 00:29:08,320 --> 00:29:09,520 Speaker 6: up on you. 585 00:29:10,360 --> 00:29:11,400 Speaker 2: He is no better. 586 00:29:11,600 --> 00:29:22,760 Speaker 6: Now together now, a couple of NBA, ordinary people. 587 00:29:23,080 --> 00:29:27,120 Speaker 1: Ordinary kids be going They just not telling the truth. 588 00:29:29,160 --> 00:29:31,400 Speaker 1: Uh e b ts. We talked about that they are 589 00:29:31,440 --> 00:29:33,880 Speaker 1: under threat, and we talked about that when the Trump 590 00:29:33,920 --> 00:29:37,680 Speaker 1: administration or the administration in general, how would that impact 591 00:29:37,680 --> 00:29:42,680 Speaker 1: what you're trying to accomplish, what your committed technology efforts. 592 00:29:42,840 --> 00:29:46,320 Speaker 2: And in these communities that lack banks, that lack. 593 00:29:46,640 --> 00:29:51,840 Speaker 1: Food or food is reasonably priced, not that corner drug 594 00:29:51,880 --> 00:29:54,640 Speaker 1: store got old stuff or stuff that's priced out of 595 00:29:54,720 --> 00:29:56,600 Speaker 1: line or don't have the stuff that they will get 596 00:29:56,760 --> 00:29:58,640 Speaker 1: if you walked out of the community and you see 597 00:29:58,640 --> 00:30:01,720 Speaker 1: that available on other people's share how's that dealing with 598 00:30:01,800 --> 00:30:04,280 Speaker 1: you and what impact can that have on your business? 599 00:30:04,920 --> 00:30:06,520 Speaker 3: I mean it has significant impact. 600 00:30:06,560 --> 00:30:08,480 Speaker 4: I think you know when you see the cuts that 601 00:30:08,520 --> 00:30:10,120 Speaker 4: he's looking to do over the next ten. 602 00:30:10,040 --> 00:30:12,240 Speaker 3: Years for Snap, right, I think you know. 603 00:30:12,480 --> 00:30:15,040 Speaker 4: So for us, it's you know, so that you know 604 00:30:15,080 --> 00:30:17,320 Speaker 4: that could be you know, a meal or two or 605 00:30:17,360 --> 00:30:19,880 Speaker 4: three that's missed when you think about it and quantify 606 00:30:19,920 --> 00:30:24,400 Speaker 4: it for a family. And so that's why, in addition 607 00:30:24,480 --> 00:30:29,160 Speaker 4: to just providing food, we're really passionate about workforce innovation 608 00:30:29,360 --> 00:30:31,880 Speaker 4: and how are we helping our communities to be a 609 00:30:31,920 --> 00:30:34,520 Speaker 4: part of this new tech revolution, right, because we have 610 00:30:34,600 --> 00:30:37,920 Speaker 4: to start coming up with additional income power because you know, 611 00:30:38,040 --> 00:30:40,560 Speaker 4: for them, they're trying to pull as many resources as 612 00:30:40,640 --> 00:30:42,640 Speaker 4: they can from us and we have to replace that 613 00:30:43,040 --> 00:30:44,920 Speaker 4: and AI can help us do that. And so that's 614 00:30:44,920 --> 00:30:47,320 Speaker 4: why we've been doing a lot around workforce. But an 615 00:30:47,400 --> 00:30:49,680 Speaker 4: interesting thing about Snap is that when you think about 616 00:30:49,680 --> 00:30:52,719 Speaker 4: these big box stores, about thirty percent of their revenue. 617 00:30:52,760 --> 00:30:54,680 Speaker 4: So think about a Walmart, right, because people are like 618 00:30:54,720 --> 00:30:57,200 Speaker 4: Snap and they turn their face down, but thirty percent 619 00:30:57,720 --> 00:31:00,880 Speaker 4: of Walmart's revenue comes from eb T, right, So this 620 00:31:00,920 --> 00:31:03,360 Speaker 4: is a pretty significant I mean that's a multi you know, 621 00:31:03,480 --> 00:31:06,120 Speaker 4: trillion dollar company at this point, right, Like, think about 622 00:31:06,120 --> 00:31:08,520 Speaker 4: that and the impact that it's going to have. So 623 00:31:08,560 --> 00:31:11,280 Speaker 4: I'm hoping that these big block stores along with us, 624 00:31:11,320 --> 00:31:13,200 Speaker 4: will you know, shout that this is really going to 625 00:31:13,360 --> 00:31:15,960 Speaker 4: not only impact these communities, but it's going to impact 626 00:31:15,960 --> 00:31:20,320 Speaker 4: the businesses that serve these communities as well. But that's 627 00:31:20,360 --> 00:31:23,560 Speaker 4: why we're just pushing for local first, and so we 628 00:31:23,560 --> 00:31:25,520 Speaker 4: can keep our costs down as much as possible so 629 00:31:25,520 --> 00:31:29,800 Speaker 4: that they can afford more working with farms locally as well, 630 00:31:30,320 --> 00:31:33,920 Speaker 4: and just you know, helping them to gain this necessary 631 00:31:33,960 --> 00:31:37,760 Speaker 4: skills necessary that they need to be able to participate 632 00:31:37,800 --> 00:31:39,520 Speaker 4: so that we can help them to earn some additional 633 00:31:39,560 --> 00:31:40,520 Speaker 4: dollars for their family. 634 00:31:40,640 --> 00:31:45,840 Speaker 1: I would tell you some Jalala and Jamie Hemmings, it's 635 00:31:45,880 --> 00:31:53,360 Speaker 1: a blessing man. I you know, sometimes my platform I 636 00:31:53,360 --> 00:31:56,680 Speaker 1: wish was bigger because people more people need to hear 637 00:31:56,720 --> 00:31:59,480 Speaker 1: your story. More people need to be more people of 638 00:31:59,480 --> 00:32:01,960 Speaker 1: our community to be proud of what you're doing. 639 00:32:02,360 --> 00:32:03,920 Speaker 2: But they don't know what you're doing. 640 00:32:04,480 --> 00:32:07,160 Speaker 1: And so every once when I get an interview on 641 00:32:07,200 --> 00:32:09,560 Speaker 1: my show, that just frusted me, frustrating me because I 642 00:32:09,560 --> 00:32:10,720 Speaker 1: would what could I do more. 643 00:32:10,840 --> 00:32:12,480 Speaker 2: What can I get the word ou because. 644 00:32:12,360 --> 00:32:16,440 Speaker 1: Y'all are so brilliant, y'all so yeah, So I'm lucky 645 00:32:16,480 --> 00:32:17,200 Speaker 1: to interview you. 646 00:32:17,320 --> 00:32:19,760 Speaker 2: I'm lucky to have y'all in my life today. 647 00:32:20,280 --> 00:32:23,040 Speaker 1: And I believe forty years from now, you know, you 648 00:32:23,120 --> 00:32:25,280 Speaker 1: guys are gonna be a legacy for somebody to look 649 00:32:25,320 --> 00:32:26,520 Speaker 1: back and go, you know. 650 00:32:26,520 --> 00:32:28,360 Speaker 2: Them Hmmings, that's what they did, the Hymans. 651 00:32:28,480 --> 00:32:31,840 Speaker 1: The Hemmings family can be our Rockefeller family could be 652 00:32:31,960 --> 00:32:35,080 Speaker 1: you know, our Kennedy type family. And I believe that 653 00:32:35,200 --> 00:32:37,720 Speaker 1: because but what I will tell y'all on this show, 654 00:32:38,080 --> 00:32:39,680 Speaker 1: stop underselling y'allselves. 655 00:32:40,040 --> 00:32:43,600 Speaker 2: Y'all are too brilliant, amazing. 656 00:32:43,760 --> 00:32:45,840 Speaker 1: I'm not selling. I'm not saying y'all all, but I'm 657 00:32:45,840 --> 00:32:49,719 Speaker 1: just talking about Stan McDonough. Y'all are too brilliant, amazing 658 00:32:49,800 --> 00:32:56,680 Speaker 1: individuals who understand the ability to pivot, understand the ability 659 00:32:56,720 --> 00:33:00,280 Speaker 1: to overcome the arts, and you give back and along 660 00:33:00,360 --> 00:33:03,560 Speaker 1: the way many people benefit from that. And I want 661 00:33:03,600 --> 00:33:06,000 Speaker 1: to tell you that for myself, I've been around long 662 00:33:06,120 --> 00:33:08,520 Speaker 1: enough and I made a lot of people famous in 663 00:33:08,520 --> 00:33:10,680 Speaker 1: this life and made a lot of people a lot 664 00:33:10,720 --> 00:33:11,600 Speaker 1: of money in this life. 665 00:33:12,080 --> 00:33:16,320 Speaker 2: You two people are very very special. That's all I 666 00:33:16,360 --> 00:33:17,440 Speaker 2: got to say. That's all. 667 00:33:17,440 --> 00:33:21,240 Speaker 3: I we appreciate that. That doesn't mean a lot. 668 00:33:22,240 --> 00:33:25,400 Speaker 4: It's a lot of hard work and sometimes we feel 669 00:33:25,440 --> 00:33:25,880 Speaker 4: like we're. 670 00:33:28,800 --> 00:33:29,840 Speaker 3: That's how we have each other. 671 00:33:30,160 --> 00:33:33,280 Speaker 2: Yeah, because it's any platforms like you all. 672 00:33:33,360 --> 00:33:36,480 Speaker 4: This really helped to share like what we're doing because 673 00:33:36,520 --> 00:33:38,200 Speaker 4: we wanted, I mean, it doesn't want to just be 674 00:33:38,240 --> 00:33:40,440 Speaker 4: an Atlanta thing, and we've actually started to go outside 675 00:33:40,440 --> 00:33:40,840 Speaker 4: of Atlanta. 676 00:33:40,880 --> 00:33:43,240 Speaker 3: We want to really help food deserts all over the country. 677 00:33:43,440 --> 00:33:46,120 Speaker 1: Well, I'm gonna do my best to uh make some 678 00:33:46,200 --> 00:33:49,400 Speaker 1: connections and if I can get other interviews, other platforms 679 00:33:49,440 --> 00:33:53,680 Speaker 1: for you, the TV mediums. So if you get some calls, hey, 680 00:33:53,840 --> 00:33:57,040 Speaker 1: we heard with Sean McDonald's about you know that I'm 681 00:33:57,080 --> 00:33:57,400 Speaker 1: out there. 682 00:33:57,920 --> 00:34:02,480 Speaker 2: I'm a bullhorned for the Hemings. Okay, you know, but 683 00:34:02,560 --> 00:34:03,280 Speaker 2: you this is great. 684 00:34:03,280 --> 00:34:06,080 Speaker 1: This has been a fun interview, but an informative interview 685 00:34:06,400 --> 00:34:09,680 Speaker 1: and a journey down memory lane from of y'all ain't 686 00:34:09,680 --> 00:34:12,840 Speaker 1: got good memory Okay, numbling at the money. 687 00:34:12,920 --> 00:34:15,080 Speaker 2: Let me just read it. Let me as we close 688 00:34:15,160 --> 00:34:15,759 Speaker 2: the show, let me. 689 00:34:15,719 --> 00:34:21,720 Speaker 1: Let y'all know about the Hemi's meatless meatless meals for kids. Uh, 690 00:34:21,800 --> 00:34:25,160 Speaker 1: they stumbled on some tech here and while they was stumbling, 691 00:34:25,200 --> 00:34:28,960 Speaker 1: because they got two nbas. They are created a scheduling 692 00:34:29,120 --> 00:34:33,960 Speaker 1: platform for cannabis, and they're scheduling platform for pharmaceuticals. And 693 00:34:34,239 --> 00:34:37,960 Speaker 1: if you need a doctor, just undo that doctor. 694 00:34:38,000 --> 00:34:39,360 Speaker 2: Another doctor slide and the slot. 695 00:34:39,840 --> 00:34:43,239 Speaker 1: They started an autonomous grocery store in Fairville, not one 696 00:34:43,239 --> 00:34:44,920 Speaker 1: of the Cascade. They got their little stores and men 697 00:34:45,000 --> 00:34:47,560 Speaker 1: say these bands and troll those studios, but they don't 698 00:34:47,560 --> 00:34:50,440 Speaker 1: say that really loud because that makes them sound too good. 699 00:34:50,880 --> 00:34:54,240 Speaker 1: But I'm here to tell you they are fantastic. They're 700 00:34:54,239 --> 00:34:58,640 Speaker 1: making a ground many great movement in the grocery store industry, 701 00:34:58,800 --> 00:35:01,120 Speaker 1: and she's they're using a to do it. Thank you 702 00:35:01,160 --> 00:35:04,480 Speaker 1: for coming on Money Making Conversations Masterclass, y'all, a blessed you, 703 00:35:04,520 --> 00:35:05,680 Speaker 1: Thank you, hemmy. 704 00:35:05,760 --> 00:35:08,320 Speaker 5: Thank you so much for having us. 705 00:35:10,320 --> 00:35:14,480 Speaker 8: This has been Money Making Conversations Masterclass with Rashaun McDonald. 706 00:35:14,920 --> 00:35:19,319 Speaker 8: Thanks to our guests and our audience. Visit Moneymakingconversations dot 707 00:35:19,360 --> 00:35:22,440 Speaker 8: com to listen and register to be a guest.