1 00:00:00,200 --> 00:00:01,840 Speaker 1: My next guest. His name is Benny Peugh. 2 00:00:01,920 --> 00:00:05,800 Speaker 2: He's a respected entertainment industry veteran of decades of experience 3 00:00:05,840 --> 00:00:08,440 Speaker 2: propelling the careers of some of the leading superstars. When 4 00:00:08,480 --> 00:00:12,360 Speaker 2: I say superstars, I don't mince words, including Jay z Rihanna, 5 00:00:12,560 --> 00:00:17,599 Speaker 2: Kanye West, Travis Scott, Future, DJ Khaled, and twenty one Savage. 6 00:00:17,680 --> 00:00:20,160 Speaker 2: He has left an indelible mark on the music industry, 7 00:00:20,200 --> 00:00:23,520 Speaker 2: holding the executive roles at labels like Motown, def Jam, 8 00:00:24,120 --> 00:00:27,440 Speaker 2: Epic Records, MBC Records, rock Nation. That's when he called 9 00:00:27,480 --> 00:00:28,560 Speaker 2: me and said he was doing rock Nation. 10 00:00:28,640 --> 00:00:29,960 Speaker 1: I tried to Rock. 11 00:00:29,880 --> 00:00:33,600 Speaker 2: Nation for before ultimately deciding to pivot to This is 12 00:00:33,600 --> 00:00:36,519 Speaker 2: why he's on the show, pivoting to entrepreneurship, because that's 13 00:00:36,560 --> 00:00:39,360 Speaker 2: what money Making Conversation Master Class is all about, not 14 00:00:39,400 --> 00:00:41,800 Speaker 2: getting so much locked in and what you're doing, but 15 00:00:41,920 --> 00:00:44,440 Speaker 2: what you're capable of doing for your own personal dream. 16 00:00:45,120 --> 00:00:48,560 Speaker 2: Over two years later, Ben and Peughe's multi multi tiered 17 00:00:48,800 --> 00:00:54,400 Speaker 2: entertainment company Diverse. Diverse Media is home to record labels, distribution, platform, 18 00:00:54,480 --> 00:00:57,440 Speaker 2: publishing management and more. Please welcome to the Money Making 19 00:00:57,480 --> 00:01:03,720 Speaker 2: Conversations Mathterclass. The CEO Bennie People. How you doing my friend, 20 00:01:03,920 --> 00:01:04,679 Speaker 2: are you man? 21 00:01:05,319 --> 00:01:06,040 Speaker 1: You know Bennie. 22 00:01:06,080 --> 00:01:08,160 Speaker 2: It's first of all, let me just tell you why 23 00:01:08,160 --> 00:01:11,200 Speaker 2: Bennie is so special to me. Steve Harvey, Now he 24 00:01:11,319 --> 00:01:14,600 Speaker 2: gave us our first record deal way back in two 25 00:01:14,640 --> 00:01:15,880 Speaker 2: thousand and one or two. 26 00:01:16,160 --> 00:01:20,160 Speaker 1: Man, listen, that is a real story too. Man. You guys, 27 00:01:20,520 --> 00:01:23,720 Speaker 1: one thing I will say about you and Steve is 28 00:01:23,720 --> 00:01:26,000 Speaker 1: that you know, there's no secret on why you guys 29 00:01:26,000 --> 00:01:29,280 Speaker 1: are successful because you know, I've been in as I 30 00:01:29,319 --> 00:01:32,560 Speaker 1: started my career in Motown Records. So I was blessed 31 00:01:32,600 --> 00:01:36,720 Speaker 1: to start my introduction into the music business and a 32 00:01:36,920 --> 00:01:40,399 Speaker 1: black owned company right right, which is different. Everyone's journey 33 00:01:40,440 --> 00:01:43,479 Speaker 1: is different. But one thing that I feel blessed was 34 00:01:43,800 --> 00:01:47,160 Speaker 1: is that you know, they made us work hard. You 35 00:01:47,200 --> 00:01:49,200 Speaker 1: know how it is when we with us right, right. 36 00:01:49,240 --> 00:01:52,160 Speaker 1: But they taught me a lot, and they wouldn't allow 37 00:01:52,240 --> 00:01:54,400 Speaker 1: me to fail. Right. They made me work and wouldn't 38 00:01:54,400 --> 00:01:56,680 Speaker 1: allow me to fail. They made me work, allow me 39 00:01:56,760 --> 00:01:59,840 Speaker 1: to fail. Right. But when I when I met you 40 00:01:59,840 --> 00:02:04,280 Speaker 1: and Steve, I saw, like you know, the connection and 41 00:02:04,320 --> 00:02:08,320 Speaker 1: the love and the driving, the determination, and one thing 42 00:02:08,320 --> 00:02:10,520 Speaker 1: that you guys always had was foresight and vision. So 43 00:02:11,000 --> 00:02:12,960 Speaker 1: to see where you both are isn't a surprise to me. 44 00:02:13,160 --> 00:02:16,639 Speaker 1: Thank you because you're all with some tight top dress, 45 00:02:16,720 --> 00:02:20,480 Speaker 1: yell super clean. I ain't yo. You'all remind me of 46 00:02:20,560 --> 00:02:23,840 Speaker 1: jam and Lewis. Hey may you remind me? Like I'm 47 00:02:23,840 --> 00:02:25,239 Speaker 1: not gonna drop it. I'm not gonna drop none of 48 00:02:25,280 --> 00:02:27,160 Speaker 1: the words. I gotta get to people. Oh, I got 49 00:02:27,200 --> 00:02:28,680 Speaker 1: to get to people a little bit about you know. 50 00:02:28,680 --> 00:02:30,480 Speaker 1: I hear you all that money making and all that 51 00:02:30,520 --> 00:02:33,160 Speaker 1: good good, all that good talk, but they don't know. Man, 52 00:02:33,200 --> 00:02:36,280 Speaker 1: You're a real one and you know what you talk 53 00:02:36,480 --> 00:02:40,280 Speaker 1: is really what you're about. So I'm so excited to 54 00:02:40,320 --> 00:02:42,919 Speaker 1: be here and just you know, be able to speak 55 00:02:42,919 --> 00:02:45,120 Speaker 1: to your audience and that you're extending, you know, an 56 00:02:45,120 --> 00:02:48,040 Speaker 1: opportunity for the to do this with you. So appreciate 57 00:02:48,040 --> 00:02:48,400 Speaker 1: your brother. 58 00:02:48,520 --> 00:02:54,320 Speaker 2: We know, Benny, the the the the ability to communicates 59 00:02:54,440 --> 00:02:57,359 Speaker 2: always been your skill set, you know which I mean. 60 00:02:57,400 --> 00:02:59,600 Speaker 2: I met him in the l A, I met him 61 00:02:59,600 --> 00:03:01,799 Speaker 2: and your I met him in Las Vegas, I met 62 00:03:01,840 --> 00:03:04,239 Speaker 2: him in Atlanta, I met him in New York City. 63 00:03:04,680 --> 00:03:08,080 Speaker 2: But it's always consistent. Your tone and your personality has 64 00:03:08,080 --> 00:03:12,200 Speaker 2: always been consistent. Is that intentional? Are you have a 65 00:03:12,200 --> 00:03:15,720 Speaker 2: clear understanding that people what they expect that you should 66 00:03:15,720 --> 00:03:16,519 Speaker 2: be delivering that. 67 00:03:17,240 --> 00:03:19,880 Speaker 1: So it all starts for me. It started at home. 68 00:03:20,120 --> 00:03:22,040 Speaker 1: You know, my parents would never allow us to speak 69 00:03:22,080 --> 00:03:26,440 Speaker 1: what I had down in eyes down, never did that. Then, 70 00:03:26,560 --> 00:03:31,280 Speaker 1: as you know, we were being reared, realized the value 71 00:03:31,320 --> 00:03:34,680 Speaker 1: of what we say is what we mean, right, and 72 00:03:34,760 --> 00:03:36,160 Speaker 1: you know, all of those things. We came from a 73 00:03:36,200 --> 00:03:39,080 Speaker 1: strong Christian background, Like my mother was a real Christian, 74 00:03:39,120 --> 00:03:41,160 Speaker 1: not like they fake Christians. But you don't know the 75 00:03:41,600 --> 00:03:43,760 Speaker 1: real Bible, you know, the real Bible. Like I never 76 00:03:43,800 --> 00:03:46,040 Speaker 1: saw my mother the pair of jeans of pants because 77 00:03:46,040 --> 00:03:48,240 Speaker 1: there's a scripture somewhere I haven't founded yet in the 78 00:03:48,320 --> 00:03:51,680 Speaker 1: Bible that women out and jeans wasn't even around then, 79 00:03:52,200 --> 00:03:55,720 Speaker 1: but there's a scripture that women shouldn't emulate men in 80 00:03:55,840 --> 00:03:58,280 Speaker 1: any But you know, I'm sure your audience, the good 81 00:03:58,320 --> 00:04:03,160 Speaker 1: old Baptist Christian women and men understand that. And so 82 00:04:03,240 --> 00:04:06,800 Speaker 1: we grew up in a very you know, devowed household 83 00:04:07,040 --> 00:04:10,240 Speaker 1: in that respect. But I think what was really important 84 00:04:10,240 --> 00:04:13,640 Speaker 1: for me and identification was the fact that I started 85 00:04:13,680 --> 00:04:17,720 Speaker 1: delivering papers and news newspapers at eleven years old. And 86 00:04:17,800 --> 00:04:21,120 Speaker 1: what you realize in the lessons that were given and 87 00:04:21,160 --> 00:04:23,520 Speaker 1: dealing with adults is kind of like now in business 88 00:04:23,600 --> 00:04:26,400 Speaker 1: managing up right, you know, just like can you go 89 00:04:26,400 --> 00:04:29,479 Speaker 1: to a restaurant you eat, believe it or not. The 90 00:04:29,520 --> 00:04:32,200 Speaker 1: servers at a disadvantage because you can always say I 91 00:04:32,279 --> 00:04:35,400 Speaker 1: don't like it, you go to the bathroom and leave. Right. 92 00:04:35,800 --> 00:04:37,880 Speaker 1: There's a lot of things that can happen, but you 93 00:04:37,960 --> 00:04:40,359 Speaker 1: already provide the service. So at eleven years old, I 94 00:04:40,400 --> 00:04:43,440 Speaker 1: realized how shifty adults could be. You know, und delivered 95 00:04:43,440 --> 00:04:45,720 Speaker 1: the paper all week and Rain had to get up 96 00:04:45,720 --> 00:04:48,159 Speaker 1: at six in the morning collect day. You all know 97 00:04:48,160 --> 00:04:50,760 Speaker 1: when collect day is. You eat it. Never there they 98 00:04:50,839 --> 00:04:52,800 Speaker 1: give you a little bit, you gotta come back later, 99 00:04:53,360 --> 00:04:56,080 Speaker 1: come see me on Saturday, or like you know what. 100 00:04:56,560 --> 00:05:00,320 Speaker 1: They disappeared for three or four weeks. So at that 101 00:05:00,480 --> 00:05:03,880 Speaker 1: point I realized, you know, I wasn't a child anymore 102 00:05:03,960 --> 00:05:06,320 Speaker 1: because I was dealing with adults. So it's like playing 103 00:05:06,360 --> 00:05:09,160 Speaker 1: up in basketball, right like you're freshman playing with the seniors. 104 00:05:09,600 --> 00:05:14,760 Speaker 1: So ultimately, I never really dealt with kids my age 105 00:05:14,760 --> 00:05:18,240 Speaker 1: in that aspect because I was always, you know, dealing 106 00:05:18,279 --> 00:05:22,400 Speaker 1: with adults. So I learned how to customize myself in 107 00:05:23,000 --> 00:05:24,479 Speaker 1: situations going up and down. 108 00:05:24,600 --> 00:05:28,560 Speaker 2: Absolutely the interesting thing about just having you on the show. 109 00:05:28,560 --> 00:05:30,160 Speaker 2: We're going to talk a little bit about your book 110 00:05:30,839 --> 00:05:34,000 Speaker 2: that's coming out in September. Yes, sir, in just that 111 00:05:34,120 --> 00:05:36,640 Speaker 2: note right there. Why are you writing a book, Bennibut? 112 00:05:38,920 --> 00:05:42,080 Speaker 1: So there's a story behind that. I never had aspirations 113 00:05:42,080 --> 00:05:46,800 Speaker 1: on doing a book, but on August thirty first, I 114 00:05:46,839 --> 00:05:49,760 Speaker 1: was in a near death car accident. August twenty second, 115 00:05:49,800 --> 00:05:52,880 Speaker 1: I took my son to boarding school. He went to 116 00:05:53,279 --> 00:06:02,080 Speaker 1: IMG and braiding in Florida, And on the twenty of August, 117 00:06:02,320 --> 00:06:03,919 Speaker 1: a friend of mine called me in the office and 118 00:06:03,960 --> 00:06:06,880 Speaker 1: he asked me if I wanted to go to a barbecue, 119 00:06:07,080 --> 00:06:10,800 Speaker 1: and I told him yes. The next day, he called 120 00:06:10,839 --> 00:06:13,440 Speaker 1: me on Wednesday and asked me if I was still coming. 121 00:06:14,880 --> 00:06:17,520 Speaker 1: That Thursday, he calls me again and asked me if 122 00:06:17,560 --> 00:06:22,279 Speaker 1: I'm still coming. That Saturday morning, I took a flight 123 00:06:23,080 --> 00:06:30,599 Speaker 1: from New Jersey down to Charlotte, North Carolina, and from Charlotte, 124 00:06:30,640 --> 00:06:35,040 Speaker 1: I drove to Columbia, South Carolina to visit my sister 125 00:06:35,800 --> 00:06:39,400 Speaker 1: and my nephews and spend some time with them while 126 00:06:39,600 --> 00:06:42,719 Speaker 1: they were playing football. My sister and I we drove 127 00:06:42,760 --> 00:06:47,240 Speaker 1: from Colombia to Orangeburg to spend some time with my 128 00:06:47,279 --> 00:06:50,240 Speaker 1: father and celebrated seventeth birthday. I spent a little time 129 00:06:50,279 --> 00:06:54,680 Speaker 1: with my mother, who has Alzheimer's. My friend calls me 130 00:06:54,680 --> 00:06:58,039 Speaker 1: again and asks me if it's still coming. On the 131 00:06:58,080 --> 00:07:03,560 Speaker 1: thirty first, I drive from Colombia to Charlotte to take 132 00:07:03,560 --> 00:07:06,159 Speaker 1: a flight back to New York. It was a misty 133 00:07:06,240 --> 00:07:09,920 Speaker 1: rain that day, so the flight was delayed. Get on 134 00:07:09,960 --> 00:07:12,240 Speaker 1: the plane, fly back to New York. I'm about an 135 00:07:12,280 --> 00:07:15,480 Speaker 1: hour and a half late. Now. I call my wife 136 00:07:15,480 --> 00:07:17,600 Speaker 1: and let her know I'm going to be late because 137 00:07:17,600 --> 00:07:19,080 Speaker 1: the flight was delayed and I had a meeting in 138 00:07:19,120 --> 00:07:24,320 Speaker 1: New York City. In Manhattan. Driving home, my friend calls. 139 00:07:24,320 --> 00:07:26,720 Speaker 1: He asked me, are you still coming? I said yes, 140 00:07:27,480 --> 00:07:29,559 Speaker 1: Call my wife, let her know to get my youngest daughter, 141 00:07:31,160 --> 00:07:33,360 Speaker 1: and let her know that we weren't going to take 142 00:07:33,360 --> 00:07:37,120 Speaker 1: the convertible because it seemed like it wouldn't be safe 143 00:07:37,160 --> 00:07:40,160 Speaker 1: with this rain, so we'd take the truck. Picked them up. 144 00:07:40,360 --> 00:07:43,080 Speaker 1: We drive out the rule in New Jersey. We're about 145 00:07:43,080 --> 00:07:45,360 Speaker 1: twenty minutes out. My friend calls me to ask me again, 146 00:07:46,400 --> 00:07:48,440 Speaker 1: are we coming? I said yeah. So finally we get 147 00:07:48,480 --> 00:07:51,520 Speaker 1: to the house and what I thought was just a barbecue, 148 00:07:52,120 --> 00:07:54,160 Speaker 1: he actually catered for the two families. So it was 149 00:07:54,200 --> 00:07:59,720 Speaker 1: really sweet. Four adults, three bottles of wine. He and 150 00:07:59,800 --> 00:08:01,400 Speaker 1: I we peel off out of the living room and 151 00:08:01,440 --> 00:08:03,160 Speaker 1: we go into the deck. It's house is ten thousand 152 00:08:03,200 --> 00:08:06,760 Speaker 1: square feet, so there's a lot of distance. We're sitting 153 00:08:06,800 --> 00:08:11,200 Speaker 1: on the deck and we're reminiscing. I've known him about 154 00:08:11,200 --> 00:08:14,040 Speaker 1: thirty five years, and you know, talking about the good things. 155 00:08:14,080 --> 00:08:17,160 Speaker 1: A lot of challenges happen in his life, challenges happening 156 00:08:17,160 --> 00:08:20,560 Speaker 1: in my life. That missy ring happens again. So I 157 00:08:20,600 --> 00:08:22,280 Speaker 1: don't know whether he said or I said, Well, we 158 00:08:22,320 --> 00:08:25,640 Speaker 1: both stood up and said, you know what, let's go 159 00:08:25,720 --> 00:08:27,280 Speaker 1: take a ride. He just bought a new five point 160 00:08:27,240 --> 00:08:31,080 Speaker 1: fifty bends. So we walked from the deck, through the 161 00:08:31,200 --> 00:08:36,599 Speaker 1: kitchen into the car port, jumping the car, turns on 162 00:08:36,640 --> 00:08:39,720 Speaker 1: the radio. He backs out, jumps out of the car, 163 00:08:40,679 --> 00:08:43,440 Speaker 1: walks in the house, gets a cigar, gets back in 164 00:08:43,520 --> 00:08:45,679 Speaker 1: the house. Now the women and the two kids, they 165 00:08:45,679 --> 00:08:47,240 Speaker 1: come out. I don't know why black people always want to 166 00:08:47,240 --> 00:08:49,360 Speaker 1: see people pull off, but that's what we do, right, 167 00:08:49,920 --> 00:08:53,120 Speaker 1: We do that in a wave. He backs out, drives 168 00:08:53,120 --> 00:08:54,800 Speaker 1: down his driveway, which is probably the length of a 169 00:08:54,800 --> 00:08:57,120 Speaker 1: New York City block, we get to the end of 170 00:08:57,120 --> 00:08:58,880 Speaker 1: the roadway, he opens the gate. It's a two lane 171 00:08:58,920 --> 00:09:01,560 Speaker 1: roadway and rule New Jersey. He literally makes it right 172 00:09:02,600 --> 00:09:05,920 Speaker 1: and I hear her and the car just shoots off. 173 00:09:06,960 --> 00:09:08,600 Speaker 1: So I'd made a call all day, So I pick 174 00:09:08,679 --> 00:09:10,160 Speaker 1: up my phone and I cut my eyes and look 175 00:09:10,200 --> 00:09:13,600 Speaker 1: at the old demwaner and the cars are seventy five 176 00:09:13,640 --> 00:09:17,840 Speaker 1: miles an hour. So now I cut my eyes and 177 00:09:17,920 --> 00:09:21,480 Speaker 1: I turned my whole head and he's out conscious with 178 00:09:21,520 --> 00:09:24,640 Speaker 1: his foot on the accelerator. So now from where we 179 00:09:24,720 --> 00:09:30,920 Speaker 1: started to impact was half a mile without the car 180 00:09:32,160 --> 00:09:36,800 Speaker 1: moving forward without a driver. At that point, I did 181 00:09:36,800 --> 00:09:38,559 Speaker 1: what I was always conditioned to do, what my mother's 182 00:09:38,559 --> 00:09:41,160 Speaker 1: always taught us to do, is speak to God. And 183 00:09:41,240 --> 00:09:43,360 Speaker 1: the first thing I said, because I'd seen all of 184 00:09:43,360 --> 00:09:45,800 Speaker 1: my family, obviously my son, saw my sister, my mother, 185 00:09:45,840 --> 00:09:48,520 Speaker 1: and my father, my daughter and my sister standing in 186 00:09:48,559 --> 00:09:51,000 Speaker 1: the yard, I said, Lord, I guess I'm not going 187 00:09:51,040 --> 00:09:54,320 Speaker 1: to see my family anymore. The second thing I said 188 00:09:54,360 --> 00:09:57,760 Speaker 1: to God is Lord, I guess I'm going to see 189 00:09:57,800 --> 00:10:00,839 Speaker 1: you soon. Because now I get a grips my mortality, 190 00:10:00,880 --> 00:10:04,320 Speaker 1: and you realize, like this can't in It can't end 191 00:10:04,320 --> 00:10:06,480 Speaker 1: good because the car is now without a driver at 192 00:10:06,520 --> 00:10:09,400 Speaker 1: ninety miles an hour. The third thing I do is 193 00:10:09,440 --> 00:10:12,280 Speaker 1: I get mad with God. But I'm glad God didn't 194 00:10:12,280 --> 00:10:16,280 Speaker 1: get mad with me, because I thought about, who's going 195 00:10:16,360 --> 00:10:19,000 Speaker 1: to pour wisdom into my son at this point, who's 196 00:10:19,000 --> 00:10:21,520 Speaker 1: going to marry my two girls, My wife's not prepared 197 00:10:21,559 --> 00:10:24,360 Speaker 1: for this moment, who's going to take care of my mother? 198 00:10:25,640 --> 00:10:28,920 Speaker 1: And most importantly, you know, God, have I known I 199 00:10:28,960 --> 00:10:31,120 Speaker 1: was going to die today, I wouldn't have came to 200 00:10:31,160 --> 00:10:33,880 Speaker 1: this barbecue. As we start veering off the road, we 201 00:10:33,920 --> 00:10:38,160 Speaker 1: start clipping trees and bushes, and every time he would 202 00:10:38,679 --> 00:10:40,719 Speaker 1: take his foot off the car with decelerate, he was 203 00:10:40,760 --> 00:10:44,160 Speaker 1: out right. He was out conscious, gone foot on the 204 00:10:44,200 --> 00:10:48,760 Speaker 1: accelerated car being driven by itself. So at some point 205 00:10:48,760 --> 00:10:50,559 Speaker 1: we hit something in the middle of the road and 206 00:10:50,600 --> 00:10:56,240 Speaker 1: the car just shot across through the opposite side of 207 00:10:56,280 --> 00:10:59,080 Speaker 1: the road and we hit an oak. At ninety miles 208 00:10:59,120 --> 00:11:03,040 Speaker 1: an hour, I sustained a level two concussion L three 209 00:11:03,080 --> 00:11:06,120 Speaker 1: to zero four vertebrate fracture, bulging disc in my back. 210 00:11:07,200 --> 00:11:09,360 Speaker 1: We hit the tree so hard that ilacerated my liver, 211 00:11:09,400 --> 00:11:11,880 Speaker 1: which led me to lead out half the blood in 212 00:11:11,880 --> 00:11:16,760 Speaker 1: my body and the force of the tree and the 213 00:11:16,800 --> 00:11:21,960 Speaker 1: belt restraining me severed two feet of my small intestine, 214 00:11:22,000 --> 00:11:25,760 Speaker 1: and at that moment God put a book inside of 215 00:11:25,800 --> 00:11:30,160 Speaker 1: me called on Impact, which takes you through my journey 216 00:11:30,320 --> 00:11:34,360 Speaker 1: from eleven years old delivering newspapers to modern day. An 217 00:11:34,360 --> 00:11:38,520 Speaker 1: Impact is an acronym. It's that stands for intuition, mastery, pivot, authenticity, 218 00:11:38,520 --> 00:11:41,280 Speaker 1: connection and teamwork. And at the end of each chapter 219 00:11:41,360 --> 00:11:43,680 Speaker 1: is a hit list that the reader can apply to 220 00:11:43,720 --> 00:11:47,480 Speaker 1: themselves and say, pretty much, if Benny could do it, 221 00:11:47,840 --> 00:11:50,400 Speaker 1: I can do it too. And that is what led 222 00:11:50,440 --> 00:11:54,120 Speaker 1: me to this point in the pivot aspect of moving 223 00:11:54,160 --> 00:11:56,640 Speaker 1: forward in a different direction in my life. 224 00:11:56,760 --> 00:11:59,400 Speaker 2: Fear is a good thing because unknown is a good thing. 225 00:11:59,480 --> 00:12:01,320 Speaker 2: I always tell people we live a life of being 226 00:12:01,320 --> 00:12:04,240 Speaker 2: too comfortable. And if you live that comfortable life, are 227 00:12:04,280 --> 00:12:06,400 Speaker 2: you happy with that comfortable life? When I say that, 228 00:12:06,440 --> 00:12:08,120 Speaker 2: I'm not talking about just a job. I'm talking about 229 00:12:08,120 --> 00:12:11,000 Speaker 2: a relationship. I'm talking about where you're living. I'm talking 230 00:12:11,000 --> 00:12:13,040 Speaker 2: about the call your driving, the clothes you're wearing. Are 231 00:12:13,080 --> 00:12:16,160 Speaker 2: you're comfortable walking out that front door. Are you comfortable 232 00:12:16,440 --> 00:12:18,920 Speaker 2: sitting at that desk and where you're working? If not, 233 00:12:19,600 --> 00:12:21,960 Speaker 2: then you need to pivot, and when you pivot, there 234 00:12:21,960 --> 00:12:24,840 Speaker 2: are no guarantees the beauty of your life. Up to 235 00:12:24,880 --> 00:12:28,640 Speaker 2: that point, when you were with your friend driving down 236 00:12:28,640 --> 00:12:31,120 Speaker 2: the road, everything was normal. 237 00:12:31,400 --> 00:12:32,840 Speaker 1: You live in a normal life. 238 00:12:33,559 --> 00:12:36,320 Speaker 2: When you looked over there and saw he was unconscious 239 00:12:36,559 --> 00:12:39,480 Speaker 2: ninety miles an hour, those few seconds, you had to 240 00:12:39,520 --> 00:12:43,880 Speaker 2: think everything was abnormal, everything was against the trend and 241 00:12:43,920 --> 00:12:48,080 Speaker 2: so but at that impact it had to be. Everything 242 00:12:48,160 --> 00:12:51,520 Speaker 2: was in slow motion, if I that's how it really 243 00:12:51,559 --> 00:12:54,880 Speaker 2: does happen, in slow motion. And because I've been there, 244 00:12:54,920 --> 00:12:57,360 Speaker 2: you know, like I was telling you all air from 245 00:12:57,360 --> 00:13:00,720 Speaker 2: a life journey, you know of a nineteen ain't my 246 00:13:00,760 --> 00:13:03,840 Speaker 2: lung collapse. Stayed in the hospital thirty days, and I 247 00:13:03,880 --> 00:13:06,200 Speaker 2: was one of those people who thought I could. I 248 00:13:06,240 --> 00:13:07,040 Speaker 2: was a self healer. 249 00:13:07,080 --> 00:13:07,240 Speaker 1: You know. 250 00:13:07,280 --> 00:13:09,280 Speaker 2: If I got sick, I go play basketball. I just 251 00:13:09,480 --> 00:13:12,640 Speaker 2: sweated out of me. I never stayed in bed. And 252 00:13:12,640 --> 00:13:15,880 Speaker 2: then in twenty fifteen, that's when I was diagnosed with cancer. 253 00:13:16,320 --> 00:13:18,599 Speaker 2: And when you was talking that same story, it was 254 00:13:18,720 --> 00:13:21,320 Speaker 2: very relatable to me because what happens is when you 255 00:13:21,559 --> 00:13:25,120 Speaker 2: met with tragedy or a decisive moment in your life 256 00:13:25,160 --> 00:13:26,079 Speaker 2: that you can't control. 257 00:13:27,120 --> 00:13:29,000 Speaker 1: That's the part right there that y'all need. 258 00:13:28,920 --> 00:13:31,680 Speaker 2: To understand when he was looking over there at his friend, 259 00:13:31,880 --> 00:13:34,400 Speaker 2: not knowing what was wrong with his friend. He knew 260 00:13:34,480 --> 00:13:37,280 Speaker 2: that car was driving and he couldn't stop what was 261 00:13:37,280 --> 00:13:40,200 Speaker 2: happening with it. That's not being in control. And so 262 00:13:40,800 --> 00:13:42,680 Speaker 2: when they told me I had cancer, I had no 263 00:13:42,720 --> 00:13:47,720 Speaker 2: control right there. But I had an understanding that what 264 00:13:47,920 --> 00:13:49,520 Speaker 2: was going on in my life at the time, the 265 00:13:49,520 --> 00:13:53,439 Speaker 2: people I cared about, the people I wanted to be successful. 266 00:13:53,480 --> 00:13:56,600 Speaker 2: That's why I'm living hopefully. That's why you're living, Benny. 267 00:13:57,679 --> 00:14:00,520 Speaker 2: That's why it's a blessing to have a family, Carizon. 268 00:14:01,000 --> 00:14:03,880 Speaker 2: You have a reason to live. And so I was 269 00:14:03,920 --> 00:14:06,240 Speaker 2: all right, you know, I looked at everything that was 270 00:14:06,280 --> 00:14:09,000 Speaker 2: happening in my life, the people around me, the people 271 00:14:09,040 --> 00:14:11,440 Speaker 2: I had touched. I was alright with dying, not saying 272 00:14:11,480 --> 00:14:14,000 Speaker 2: I wanted to die, but it did tell me at 273 00:14:14,040 --> 00:14:16,079 Speaker 2: that point I needed to change. 274 00:14:15,840 --> 00:14:20,120 Speaker 1: My direction exactly. And God finds a way of getting 275 00:14:20,120 --> 00:14:23,200 Speaker 1: any attention. And what you're talking about is in regards 276 00:14:23,280 --> 00:14:26,040 Speaker 1: to like the pivot. You know, when I look at 277 00:14:26,040 --> 00:14:29,480 Speaker 1: my journey in the music business after three decades, when 278 00:14:29,520 --> 00:14:33,840 Speaker 1: people fail to realize, like when I left Rock Nation, 279 00:14:33,960 --> 00:14:36,280 Speaker 1: and like how could you leave that job and well, 280 00:14:36,320 --> 00:14:38,720 Speaker 1: it's the best thing, Like it was an amazing situation. 281 00:14:38,800 --> 00:14:41,360 Speaker 1: But have you followed my career. I left every job 282 00:14:41,400 --> 00:14:44,480 Speaker 1: at the top, right, because what I'm a believer is 283 00:14:44,520 --> 00:14:46,480 Speaker 1: not talk about it, be about it. And I left 284 00:14:46,520 --> 00:14:50,000 Speaker 1: all of those people at starting in Motown to finishing 285 00:14:50,120 --> 00:14:52,800 Speaker 1: my career in corporate at Rock Nation and death Jam 286 00:14:52,920 --> 00:14:56,360 Speaker 1: and Epic and all of these situations because as a giver, 287 00:14:57,600 --> 00:15:01,280 Speaker 1: it's about teaching people, giving them the opportunity, showing them 288 00:15:01,280 --> 00:15:04,240 Speaker 1: how to fish, and then let them fish. 289 00:15:04,440 --> 00:15:07,600 Speaker 3: We'll be right back with more Money Making Conversations master 290 00:15:07,680 --> 00:15:15,120 Speaker 3: Class with Rushan McDonald. Now, let's return to Money Making 291 00:15:15,160 --> 00:15:19,560 Speaker 3: Conversations Masterclass with Rashaan McDonald right right. 292 00:15:19,880 --> 00:15:24,280 Speaker 1: And so at this point, even in the current landscape, 293 00:15:24,720 --> 00:15:26,280 Speaker 1: a lot of the people I taught to fish and 294 00:15:26,400 --> 00:15:28,880 Speaker 1: now the people that are now in control of the business. 295 00:15:29,200 --> 00:15:33,200 Speaker 1: Because it's not about me having the best folks with me. 296 00:15:33,360 --> 00:15:36,600 Speaker 1: It's about me going helping others to be the best, right. 297 00:15:37,040 --> 00:15:39,480 Speaker 1: And when you're doing that, then you don't worry and 298 00:15:39,560 --> 00:15:41,280 Speaker 1: life is good. Man. You know we don't did up 299 00:15:41,320 --> 00:15:43,880 Speaker 1: and down, right, you know, we know we don't have 300 00:15:43,920 --> 00:15:46,800 Speaker 1: mayonnaise sandwiches at woggle right. You know how to do 301 00:15:46,880 --> 00:15:49,800 Speaker 1: bone right and sometimes you put a little mayonnaise on woggle. 302 00:15:51,280 --> 00:15:53,440 Speaker 2: The beauty of what we're talking about here, I want 303 00:15:53,440 --> 00:15:55,280 Speaker 2: everybody to hear this. But we got to slow it 304 00:15:55,320 --> 00:15:58,480 Speaker 2: down a little bit because see, your pivot was tied 305 00:15:58,520 --> 00:16:01,680 Speaker 2: to an accident and nearly killed you. Yes, one of 306 00:16:01,680 --> 00:16:03,800 Speaker 2: my pivots, because that's not the only pivot. He always 307 00:16:03,800 --> 00:16:05,880 Speaker 2: told you he left jobs at top, so he was 308 00:16:05,920 --> 00:16:09,200 Speaker 2: pivoting and seeing other opportunities. So we're just talking about 309 00:16:09,200 --> 00:16:11,680 Speaker 2: this one moment and not saying and we want to 310 00:16:11,800 --> 00:16:14,320 Speaker 2: let you know that everybody doesn't need to have a 311 00:16:14,360 --> 00:16:19,560 Speaker 2: life threatening diagnosis, a life threatning event to change your direction. 312 00:16:20,080 --> 00:16:21,920 Speaker 1: When you hear me talk like this. 313 00:16:22,520 --> 00:16:25,000 Speaker 2: How do you encourage people to step out on fear, 314 00:16:25,360 --> 00:16:28,560 Speaker 2: to pass that fear and step And we always hear 315 00:16:28,600 --> 00:16:30,280 Speaker 2: this stepping out on faith. I would say, if you 316 00:16:30,280 --> 00:16:31,800 Speaker 2: don't have a plan with that faith, it's gonna be 317 00:16:31,840 --> 00:16:33,840 Speaker 2: a short journey. Talk to us, Benny. 318 00:16:34,400 --> 00:16:37,200 Speaker 1: So you know, I think to your point is is 319 00:16:37,280 --> 00:16:40,800 Speaker 1: actually seeing the finish line. Right. I wake up every 320 00:16:40,840 --> 00:16:43,840 Speaker 1: day knowing where I want to be, so whatever comes 321 00:16:43,840 --> 00:16:46,600 Speaker 1: along the way, I'm comfortable with it right, if you know, 322 00:16:46,720 --> 00:16:49,200 Speaker 1: if it's if it's it's a great day, it's a 323 00:16:49,200 --> 00:16:50,880 Speaker 1: great day. If it's a bad day, it's a bad day. 324 00:16:50,880 --> 00:16:54,080 Speaker 1: Because as you know, you're in the moment right right, 325 00:16:54,120 --> 00:16:57,440 Speaker 1: the past is gone and you know today's only you 326 00:16:57,440 --> 00:17:00,760 Speaker 1: know yesterday for tomorrow. So you got to take the 327 00:17:00,800 --> 00:17:04,480 Speaker 1: time in order to accomplish what you're doing today and 328 00:17:04,520 --> 00:17:07,399 Speaker 1: the value of what it is because once again, whether 329 00:17:07,640 --> 00:17:11,040 Speaker 1: I never knew before the value of time until I 330 00:17:11,119 --> 00:17:14,280 Speaker 1: walked out of that house and realized in an instant 331 00:17:14,560 --> 00:17:17,199 Speaker 1: things change. So while I'm in control of what I 332 00:17:17,240 --> 00:17:21,000 Speaker 1: am in control of, make it matter now. The finish 333 00:17:21,080 --> 00:17:25,240 Speaker 1: line is how you see the finish happening. And along 334 00:17:25,240 --> 00:17:26,960 Speaker 1: the way you stay focused on what it is that 335 00:17:27,040 --> 00:17:30,920 Speaker 1: you want. Don't stray, stay focused on what you want, 336 00:17:31,440 --> 00:17:33,960 Speaker 1: and that's where the accomplishments will come. Because if you 337 00:17:34,000 --> 00:17:36,960 Speaker 1: wake up every day truly loving what you do, nothing 338 00:17:37,000 --> 00:17:38,880 Speaker 1: else matters. It doesn't matter how much money you make, 339 00:17:40,240 --> 00:17:42,120 Speaker 1: it doesn't. And when you make a lot of money, 340 00:17:42,160 --> 00:17:45,440 Speaker 1: you know how to make that money work. And if 341 00:17:45,480 --> 00:17:47,960 Speaker 1: you just make because once again, I've been saving money. 342 00:17:47,960 --> 00:17:49,639 Speaker 1: My mom taught me how to save since I was 343 00:17:49,680 --> 00:17:53,120 Speaker 1: five years old. I had Christmas clubs for those who 344 00:17:53,119 --> 00:17:55,399 Speaker 1: are old enough to know Christmas clubs. My mother used 345 00:17:55,440 --> 00:17:57,439 Speaker 1: to walk me a mile to the bank and we 346 00:17:57,600 --> 00:18:01,000 Speaker 1: put a dollar together in the so she taught me 347 00:18:01,560 --> 00:18:04,960 Speaker 1: how to save money then at five. So that's in 348 00:18:05,160 --> 00:18:08,480 Speaker 1: rooted in me right, in which I rooted in my 349 00:18:08,880 --> 00:18:11,280 Speaker 1: children and still in my children, which all of us 350 00:18:11,320 --> 00:18:13,560 Speaker 1: should do right. Because we don't know what the value 351 00:18:14,040 --> 00:18:16,400 Speaker 1: right of what we do and the responsibility of who 352 00:18:16,440 --> 00:18:19,520 Speaker 1: we are on what we're supposed to do right. I 353 00:18:19,520 --> 00:18:23,240 Speaker 1: think we get very sidetracked. And social media is a 354 00:18:23,240 --> 00:18:25,879 Speaker 1: problem with that, right, Like it's it's about to swipe up, 355 00:18:25,960 --> 00:18:26,440 Speaker 1: swipe down. 356 00:18:26,680 --> 00:18:29,600 Speaker 2: You know the thing about you know, millennial's world problem. 357 00:18:30,000 --> 00:18:32,800 Speaker 2: You know, we realize now that millennials just take advantage 358 00:18:32,800 --> 00:18:37,280 Speaker 2: of technology. While people were complaining about technology, Millennials are 359 00:18:37,320 --> 00:18:39,360 Speaker 2: an opportunity to skip tech steps. 360 00:18:39,720 --> 00:18:41,239 Speaker 1: So technology is tied to that. 361 00:18:41,640 --> 00:18:44,040 Speaker 2: So all you have to do is either join the 362 00:18:44,080 --> 00:18:47,480 Speaker 2: game that line long line of people who want to change, 363 00:18:47,840 --> 00:18:50,199 Speaker 2: or that very short line of people who are frustrated. 364 00:18:50,480 --> 00:18:52,800 Speaker 2: And I say short line because a lot of people 365 00:18:52,840 --> 00:18:54,760 Speaker 2: getting out of that line, you. 366 00:18:54,640 --> 00:18:55,240 Speaker 1: Know what I'm saying. 367 00:18:55,880 --> 00:18:58,280 Speaker 2: So you can look around and go, You'll never be 368 00:18:58,320 --> 00:19:00,760 Speaker 2: by yourself because there's stubborn people out there who's just 369 00:19:00,800 --> 00:19:04,280 Speaker 2: gonna admit, won't admit they don't they can change. But 370 00:19:04,320 --> 00:19:06,240 Speaker 2: the thing that I really wanted to point out and 371 00:19:06,600 --> 00:19:09,719 Speaker 2: just hearing you talk and uh and and dealing with it, 372 00:19:10,040 --> 00:19:12,320 Speaker 2: you know, when we start, we've been fortunately have a 373 00:19:12,359 --> 00:19:14,639 Speaker 2: lot of famous names in our tied to our resume. 374 00:19:14,720 --> 00:19:17,000 Speaker 2: I can go with Robert Townsend, Tia and Tamara Moory, 375 00:19:17,440 --> 00:19:19,560 Speaker 2: I can go with the Bonique. I can go with 376 00:19:19,960 --> 00:19:23,520 Speaker 2: Jamie Fox, uh, Kevin Hard and they can and the 377 00:19:23,600 --> 00:19:25,800 Speaker 2: list goes on and on. In each one of those people, 378 00:19:26,040 --> 00:19:29,639 Speaker 2: Steve Harvey, steven A. Smith, there's people always say we'll 379 00:19:29,640 --> 00:19:33,480 Speaker 2: sell you, wow, you just these people have unique skills, 380 00:19:34,160 --> 00:19:37,360 Speaker 2: unique skills that separate them and make them special, make 381 00:19:37,400 --> 00:19:41,960 Speaker 2: them odd too, because they can't work around everybody. They 382 00:19:42,000 --> 00:19:44,119 Speaker 2: have to be around a certain amount of people. And 383 00:19:44,160 --> 00:19:47,280 Speaker 2: if you're around them and you don't have that same mindset, 384 00:19:47,280 --> 00:19:50,040 Speaker 2: they will trample you because they want to be great. 385 00:19:50,400 --> 00:19:52,240 Speaker 2: And if you don't understand, if you're hanging out there 386 00:19:52,320 --> 00:19:54,320 Speaker 2: just to have a good time, you won't be around 387 00:19:54,320 --> 00:19:54,720 Speaker 2: these people. 388 00:19:55,160 --> 00:19:58,960 Speaker 1: Talk about hanging out with those type of people, it's 389 00:19:58,960 --> 00:20:01,920 Speaker 1: not about chances success. Yes, none of them. The ones 390 00:20:01,960 --> 00:20:05,240 Speaker 1: that you named your repertoire you worked with and equally 391 00:20:05,280 --> 00:20:06,879 Speaker 1: so and the ones that I have. They all have 392 00:20:07,040 --> 00:20:11,600 Speaker 1: that unique skill set and that is determination and drive 393 00:20:11,720 --> 00:20:15,119 Speaker 1: by any means necessary. They're focused individuals. I mean you 394 00:20:15,160 --> 00:20:20,320 Speaker 1: see it. I've been with individuals that you know that 395 00:20:20,359 --> 00:20:22,800 Speaker 1: they would be who they are just because of their 396 00:20:22,880 --> 00:20:28,800 Speaker 1: work ethic. Like there is no break time, it's work time, right. 397 00:20:28,880 --> 00:20:32,200 Speaker 1: And ideally, when you're on a dream, right, and you're 398 00:20:32,200 --> 00:20:34,879 Speaker 1: on a quest or you have a journey, that's what 399 00:20:35,000 --> 00:20:37,800 Speaker 1: your focus is. So you need people who buy in 400 00:20:37,840 --> 00:20:41,760 Speaker 1: and understand exactly where you're going. And those are who 401 00:20:41,760 --> 00:20:44,720 Speaker 1: you need around, not nay sayers, not hanger on right, 402 00:20:44,760 --> 00:20:46,840 Speaker 1: not people that kill your spirit, but eye you not 403 00:20:46,960 --> 00:20:50,840 Speaker 1: gonna make it right? Let them go right, let them 404 00:20:50,880 --> 00:20:55,240 Speaker 1: go and ideally you know that's what becomes most important, 405 00:20:55,280 --> 00:20:57,440 Speaker 1: is is understanding the company you keep. 406 00:20:57,920 --> 00:21:01,040 Speaker 2: Music is always key to of what we do, and 407 00:21:01,040 --> 00:21:03,359 Speaker 2: it's tied to everything we do in life. I always 408 00:21:03,359 --> 00:21:06,560 Speaker 2: tell you know, our relationship goes back to a record 409 00:21:06,600 --> 00:21:08,680 Speaker 2: deal he brought to Steve and I a long time ago, 410 00:21:08,720 --> 00:21:14,919 Speaker 2: and if P Diddy were the released the artist that 411 00:21:15,000 --> 00:21:18,640 Speaker 2: we needed as our first single. He and I might 412 00:21:18,680 --> 00:21:22,480 Speaker 2: not be sitting there, mister cheek. 413 00:21:21,720 --> 00:21:22,680 Speaker 1: But it's a beautiful thing. 414 00:21:22,800 --> 00:21:25,879 Speaker 2: So I want to just drop some nuggets about what 415 00:21:25,960 --> 00:21:27,639 Speaker 2: this book is all about. You talked about how it 416 00:21:27,640 --> 00:21:31,520 Speaker 2: got started, but your impact man on how to motivate 417 00:21:31,520 --> 00:21:32,680 Speaker 2: people and take them to the next level. 418 00:21:32,720 --> 00:21:34,000 Speaker 1: Let's talk about a couple of keys. 419 00:21:34,320 --> 00:21:37,440 Speaker 2: The key to building mental relationship because people don't understand 420 00:21:37,920 --> 00:21:41,200 Speaker 2: young people understand the value of mentorship because they understand that, 421 00:21:41,480 --> 00:21:45,320 Speaker 2: but what is really the value of building mental relationships? 422 00:21:45,359 --> 00:21:49,120 Speaker 1: Bennap You mentoring changed my life. As I said when 423 00:21:49,119 --> 00:21:53,120 Speaker 1: I started at Motown Records. The woman who actually gave 424 00:21:53,240 --> 00:21:57,920 Speaker 1: me my first job works for me now, right because 425 00:21:58,160 --> 00:22:00,159 Speaker 1: you know, once again, you know, life goes through with 426 00:22:00,240 --> 00:22:04,400 Speaker 1: cycles and and that's what long term relationships are about. Right. 427 00:22:04,440 --> 00:22:07,160 Speaker 1: People pour into you. You make sure that you're able 428 00:22:07,200 --> 00:22:09,960 Speaker 1: to give something back when it's time to drink, and 429 00:22:09,960 --> 00:22:12,480 Speaker 1: and that's how it works. And you know, like for me, 430 00:22:12,600 --> 00:22:16,280 Speaker 1: with with the companies that I've worked for, it's about 431 00:22:16,640 --> 00:22:20,720 Speaker 1: teach especially for US as Is minorities and African Americans 432 00:22:20,760 --> 00:22:25,040 Speaker 1: and you know all folks is you know, we need 433 00:22:25,040 --> 00:22:26,960 Speaker 1: a break we need an opportunity. There's a lot of 434 00:22:27,000 --> 00:22:29,960 Speaker 1: things we don't know, so instead of making a mistake, 435 00:22:30,240 --> 00:22:33,040 Speaker 1: like think of it in its most rudimentary basic terms. 436 00:22:33,720 --> 00:22:37,760 Speaker 1: If you to know green means go, yellow means caution, 437 00:22:38,600 --> 00:22:41,440 Speaker 1: and red means stop. You'd always just walk in the street. 438 00:22:41,480 --> 00:22:43,960 Speaker 1: But there's someone to teach you and thedn't move you 439 00:22:44,000 --> 00:22:47,840 Speaker 1: along in life and that in that respect, and and 440 00:22:47,880 --> 00:22:49,840 Speaker 1: that's what I was able to do with the people 441 00:22:50,400 --> 00:22:54,439 Speaker 1: that I've worked with. I've had some amazing mentors from Ddre, 442 00:22:54,560 --> 00:22:58,840 Speaker 1: tad l A read, you know, just to just to 443 00:22:58,960 --> 00:23:02,720 Speaker 1: name a few. And it's a great resource for those 444 00:23:02,840 --> 00:23:05,600 Speaker 1: to have an opportunity to be able to ask questions 445 00:23:06,000 --> 00:23:08,080 Speaker 1: that you know, you may not feel that confident in 446 00:23:08,119 --> 00:23:10,840 Speaker 1: asking what those where you can be vulnerable. And that's 447 00:23:10,840 --> 00:23:15,280 Speaker 1: the importance of giving people an opportunity to be vulnerable 448 00:23:15,280 --> 00:23:18,720 Speaker 1: to grow, because if not, they'll make mistakes right and 449 00:23:19,000 --> 00:23:21,720 Speaker 1: mistakes that you already have the answers to, why would 450 00:23:21,760 --> 00:23:24,520 Speaker 1: you do that right? Right? We know. 451 00:23:24,600 --> 00:23:27,800 Speaker 2: The interesting thing about it, I always talk about, you know, 452 00:23:27,840 --> 00:23:29,760 Speaker 2: because we talked about money early. I would tell people 453 00:23:29,800 --> 00:23:32,879 Speaker 2: I never go into a relationship thinking about money, you know, 454 00:23:33,480 --> 00:23:35,679 Speaker 2: I think about what I can build and what value 455 00:23:35,680 --> 00:23:38,080 Speaker 2: I can create, Because if you create value in any situation, 456 00:23:38,160 --> 00:23:39,320 Speaker 2: somebody gonna pay you some money. 457 00:23:39,400 --> 00:23:43,239 Speaker 1: Somebody gonna pay you some money. Man, somebody gonna pay 458 00:23:43,280 --> 00:23:44,639 Speaker 1: you some money. They're gonna pay it. And a lot 459 00:23:44,680 --> 00:23:45,359 Speaker 1: of people miss that. 460 00:23:45,400 --> 00:23:47,119 Speaker 2: They come in this is what I this is what 461 00:23:47,160 --> 00:23:49,119 Speaker 2: I want to get paid and it guess what? And 462 00:23:49,119 --> 00:23:51,800 Speaker 2: the if people start judging you based on what they 463 00:23:51,840 --> 00:23:55,920 Speaker 2: paid you. Now when you create value a need, they 464 00:23:55,920 --> 00:23:58,320 Speaker 2: don't judge it. They know they have to pay to 465 00:23:58,400 --> 00:24:02,240 Speaker 2: maintain that relationship, maintained that skill or product that you 466 00:24:02,280 --> 00:24:04,000 Speaker 2: were delivering on a consistent basis. 467 00:24:04,000 --> 00:24:05,400 Speaker 1: But you have to be consistent about it. 468 00:24:05,560 --> 00:24:08,520 Speaker 2: I remember that when I was how I got started 469 00:24:08,560 --> 00:24:09,879 Speaker 2: in the radio, was just sitting in the back of 470 00:24:09,880 --> 00:24:12,640 Speaker 2: the studio watching Steve Harver every day, and final line went, 471 00:24:12,760 --> 00:24:16,000 Speaker 2: I can do this, and I started dropping producer notes producing. 472 00:24:16,040 --> 00:24:17,600 Speaker 2: Next thing you know, I was the executive producer of 473 00:24:17,640 --> 00:24:20,720 Speaker 2: the morning show because I had value and I saw 474 00:24:20,760 --> 00:24:22,440 Speaker 2: it and I learned my craft. But nobody paid me 475 00:24:22,480 --> 00:24:24,879 Speaker 2: extra money to get up at five point thirty to 476 00:24:24,960 --> 00:24:26,760 Speaker 2: go in the studio at six o'clock. I could have 477 00:24:26,760 --> 00:24:29,560 Speaker 2: stayed at home and just collected my commission check because 478 00:24:29,560 --> 00:24:30,600 Speaker 2: I got paid on the deal. 479 00:24:30,720 --> 00:24:32,720 Speaker 1: But you knew where you was going, yes, and the 480 00:24:32,760 --> 00:24:35,919 Speaker 1: opportunity was the value. Like there was an when I 481 00:24:35,960 --> 00:24:39,960 Speaker 1: was at the company. It was an interesting point I 482 00:24:39,960 --> 00:24:43,439 Speaker 1: had to make a decision on whether I was going 483 00:24:43,480 --> 00:24:45,199 Speaker 1: to stay at the company, and I was at I 484 00:24:45,320 --> 00:24:47,800 Speaker 1: was going to take another job and take a six 485 00:24:47,840 --> 00:24:52,560 Speaker 1: figure pay cut. Right, that's betting. That was probably the 486 00:24:52,600 --> 00:24:57,080 Speaker 1: first real bet on yourself, right, the real bet on yourself. 487 00:24:57,119 --> 00:25:01,320 Speaker 1: But there was an opportunity at to particular company that 488 00:25:01,359 --> 00:25:05,199 Speaker 1: they never gave outsiders an opportunity to come in, right, 489 00:25:05,640 --> 00:25:09,200 Speaker 1: and they were the best. So for me, the value 490 00:25:09,440 --> 00:25:13,680 Speaker 1: was I want to go learn how they do their 491 00:25:13,760 --> 00:25:20,000 Speaker 1: business right, and that opportunity wound up paying thirty x right. 492 00:25:20,119 --> 00:25:22,280 Speaker 1: Like at the end of the day, that money that 493 00:25:22,359 --> 00:25:24,960 Speaker 1: I didn't make for that period of time, I didn't 494 00:25:25,000 --> 00:25:27,600 Speaker 1: make it. Oh, I made that over and over and 495 00:25:27,640 --> 00:25:32,400 Speaker 1: over again because of the education, right and realizing following 496 00:25:32,640 --> 00:25:35,160 Speaker 1: and looking at where I wanted to go. And these 497 00:25:35,160 --> 00:25:37,280 Speaker 1: are steps, right, it's the tuition that you pay to 498 00:25:37,320 --> 00:25:38,720 Speaker 1: be yourself right. Right. 499 00:25:39,240 --> 00:25:42,000 Speaker 2: Let me just give you an example my relationship to that. 500 00:25:42,280 --> 00:25:45,800 Speaker 2: I remember when I was a writer was on ABC. 501 00:25:45,880 --> 00:25:47,800 Speaker 2: The show got counseled. Steve Harvey, Me and the boys 502 00:25:47,840 --> 00:25:51,080 Speaker 2: got counseled. And then I went over to Robert Townson's 503 00:25:51,080 --> 00:25:54,600 Speaker 2: first show and they cut my money in half. I said, cool, 504 00:25:54,680 --> 00:25:57,439 Speaker 2: I'm working and then they but they kept my job titled. 505 00:25:57,440 --> 00:26:02,359 Speaker 2: They did the same, and so I went to I 506 00:26:02,400 --> 00:26:05,920 Speaker 2: went to Warner Brothers Studios and I sat down. They said, uh. 507 00:26:06,080 --> 00:26:10,119 Speaker 2: I said, I just want my job title to be elevated. 508 00:26:10,160 --> 00:26:12,160 Speaker 2: He said, we can't give you no more money. I said, 509 00:26:12,240 --> 00:26:14,960 Speaker 2: I'm not asking for no more money. I just want 510 00:26:15,280 --> 00:26:19,600 Speaker 2: my job title to be elevated. He said does that mean? 511 00:26:19,760 --> 00:26:24,119 Speaker 2: I said yes, because see that's about you know, like 512 00:26:24,160 --> 00:26:26,560 Speaker 2: I said, showing value with your name, because you know 513 00:26:26,760 --> 00:26:32,000 Speaker 2: it's a staff writer, executive story editor, you know, assistant producer, producer, 514 00:26:32,119 --> 00:26:34,080 Speaker 2: super right. So I was about to miss a step. 515 00:26:34,520 --> 00:26:36,680 Speaker 2: That guy looked at me and go, nobody's ever coming 516 00:26:36,760 --> 00:26:39,240 Speaker 2: here and said they wanted a title, but not worried 517 00:26:39,280 --> 00:26:39,960 Speaker 2: about the money. 518 00:26:40,480 --> 00:26:41,879 Speaker 1: That small move got. 519 00:26:41,760 --> 00:26:44,000 Speaker 2: To me eventually be co executive producer of the Jamie 520 00:26:44,040 --> 00:26:46,320 Speaker 2: Fox Show. If I didn't go in that room and 521 00:26:46,400 --> 00:26:48,840 Speaker 2: tell this guy, don't worry about the money, just give 522 00:26:48,880 --> 00:26:51,320 Speaker 2: me the job title. I would have never gotten to 523 00:26:51,359 --> 00:26:53,320 Speaker 2: be the co executive producer of the Jamie Fox Show 524 00:26:53,400 --> 00:26:54,840 Speaker 2: because I'll have been the title. 525 00:26:54,560 --> 00:26:56,320 Speaker 1: Behind correct I see you. 526 00:26:56,760 --> 00:26:59,760 Speaker 2: And so that's what that's my slide over to your 527 00:27:00,200 --> 00:27:03,439 Speaker 2: the value of personal branding something you know oh too well, 528 00:27:03,560 --> 00:27:05,720 Speaker 2: And I want to let somebody know on my side, 529 00:27:06,000 --> 00:27:08,560 Speaker 2: I did a personal branding move way back there before 530 00:27:08,880 --> 00:27:12,320 Speaker 2: branding was as they said in Vogue today, everybody used 531 00:27:12,400 --> 00:27:14,680 Speaker 2: it so much, but nobody knows what it really means, 532 00:27:14,880 --> 00:27:16,640 Speaker 2: talk about personal branding bending Pew. 533 00:27:16,800 --> 00:27:18,800 Speaker 1: So it started for me as a child. You know, 534 00:27:18,880 --> 00:27:24,000 Speaker 1: it's a funny story. My sister Regina and I and 535 00:27:24,040 --> 00:27:25,560 Speaker 1: the rest of our family. We grew up in a 536 00:27:25,600 --> 00:27:29,080 Speaker 1: five family house and in the attic is which where 537 00:27:29,359 --> 00:27:32,000 Speaker 1: our apartment was, and the winners were really cold, and 538 00:27:32,040 --> 00:27:35,720 Speaker 1: the summers were really hot. And what was the chances 539 00:27:36,000 --> 00:27:39,040 Speaker 1: that my last name being Pew, that there was a 540 00:27:39,040 --> 00:27:41,520 Speaker 1: family of skunks that lived in proximity of the house 541 00:27:41,600 --> 00:27:44,520 Speaker 1: under the house and you know, in a far distance. 542 00:27:44,760 --> 00:27:50,520 Speaker 1: So when whether the raccoons or cats or dogs would 543 00:27:50,560 --> 00:27:55,879 Speaker 1: agitate these skunks, they would spray, and what would happen 544 00:27:56,040 --> 00:27:58,880 Speaker 1: is that the scent would go the draft would pull 545 00:27:58,960 --> 00:28:04,000 Speaker 1: through the house and come in to our apartment and 546 00:28:04,040 --> 00:28:08,359 Speaker 1: me and my sister literally would smell like skunks. So 547 00:28:08,400 --> 00:28:11,120 Speaker 1: we would go to school with the last name Pew 548 00:28:12,040 --> 00:28:16,440 Speaker 1: smelling like skunks, and kids as mean as they are, 549 00:28:16,760 --> 00:28:19,000 Speaker 1: you know, like children, like they're just nasty. You know, 550 00:28:19,040 --> 00:28:21,200 Speaker 1: we can be bad like kids. We all we were 551 00:28:21,200 --> 00:28:24,439 Speaker 1: back kids, right, and realized at that point, you know, 552 00:28:24,560 --> 00:28:26,680 Speaker 1: it could have been a pure negative. I can't change 553 00:28:26,680 --> 00:28:30,480 Speaker 1: my name right, and obviously I'm not in control of 554 00:28:30,480 --> 00:28:33,199 Speaker 1: the circumstances with the skunk. So that was at the 555 00:28:33,240 --> 00:28:35,400 Speaker 1: point when I decided to brand myself and make sure 556 00:28:35,440 --> 00:28:38,959 Speaker 1: my name mattered right. So that's why I'm always Bennie Pugh, 557 00:28:39,520 --> 00:28:44,200 Speaker 1: not ben not Benny Bennie Pugh, because I wanted my 558 00:28:44,320 --> 00:28:45,080 Speaker 1: name to matter. 559 00:28:45,280 --> 00:28:48,200 Speaker 2: Right because of the I can say that, you know, 560 00:28:48,320 --> 00:28:49,920 Speaker 2: like I would saying, you know, Oprah, I'm not trying 561 00:28:49,960 --> 00:28:50,360 Speaker 2: to be Oprah. 562 00:28:50,720 --> 00:28:51,760 Speaker 1: Oprah can top you. 563 00:28:51,760 --> 00:28:53,440 Speaker 2: You know, if you if you had a bad thing 564 00:28:53,480 --> 00:28:55,840 Speaker 2: hapen your like Oprah got a bad thing after your life. 565 00:28:55,880 --> 00:28:58,440 Speaker 1: You know what I'm saying. Oh, you know, I was 566 00:28:58,440 --> 00:29:01,640 Speaker 1: all with you. 567 00:29:01,960 --> 00:29:08,200 Speaker 2: I have that's show because you know, because of my name, Rushan, 568 00:29:09,240 --> 00:29:13,120 Speaker 2: you know, my father's really enunciated Russian, and so I 569 00:29:13,160 --> 00:29:15,520 Speaker 2: had to make a decision is it Russian? To Rashan 570 00:29:15,600 --> 00:29:18,160 Speaker 2: and said, pick a name, brother, I was, I remember 571 00:29:18,280 --> 00:29:21,840 Speaker 2: twenty two he said, pick a name. I say Rashan. 572 00:29:22,320 --> 00:29:24,240 Speaker 2: He said, but don't say it like that. Don't say 573 00:29:24,240 --> 00:29:28,680 Speaker 2: it like you guessing. Say Rashan, Okay, Rashan, And so 574 00:29:29,040 --> 00:29:32,000 Speaker 2: same thing there. If you make a decision, ride the 575 00:29:32,080 --> 00:29:34,600 Speaker 2: decision out. And then if you don't want to be 576 00:29:34,640 --> 00:29:37,640 Speaker 2: called Chris, your real name's Christopher, say let people say 577 00:29:37,680 --> 00:29:39,120 Speaker 2: your real name Chris. 578 00:29:39,200 --> 00:29:39,720 Speaker 1: There for her. 579 00:29:40,120 --> 00:29:42,320 Speaker 2: And that's what people so much and so along in 580 00:29:42,360 --> 00:29:44,640 Speaker 2: life they allow of the people to define their path. 581 00:29:45,120 --> 00:29:47,440 Speaker 2: What is the thing that really sets you apart as 582 00:29:47,480 --> 00:29:49,320 Speaker 2: far as defining people with advice? 583 00:29:50,320 --> 00:29:54,520 Speaker 1: Faith, I mean, it's very clear. You know, what you 584 00:29:54,600 --> 00:29:58,239 Speaker 1: believe is important because it all starts with with the 585 00:29:58,280 --> 00:30:02,280 Speaker 1: beliefs and the almighty and then believe yourself. It's really important. 586 00:30:03,000 --> 00:30:07,840 Speaker 1: Everything else the secondary to me. Ultimately, you know, someone 587 00:30:07,840 --> 00:30:10,840 Speaker 1: who's been in some of the worst situations and the 588 00:30:10,880 --> 00:30:14,080 Speaker 1: best in some of the best situations. What's been most 589 00:30:14,120 --> 00:30:16,400 Speaker 1: important is my driving for us has been my faith. 590 00:30:17,040 --> 00:30:19,520 Speaker 1: So that's really is simple for me right. 591 00:30:19,560 --> 00:30:22,960 Speaker 2: And I always tell people that a strong belief in 592 00:30:23,000 --> 00:30:24,800 Speaker 2: what you want to do will be tied to the 593 00:30:24,800 --> 00:30:27,000 Speaker 2: goals you put in place to achieve your dream. But 594 00:30:27,040 --> 00:30:29,120 Speaker 2: it all starts with a dream. But a dream cannot 595 00:30:29,120 --> 00:30:31,480 Speaker 2: be accomplished with that goal, the goals you put in action, 596 00:30:32,040 --> 00:30:35,120 Speaker 2: next level opportunity. Bennie peughle thank you for coming on 597 00:30:35,120 --> 00:30:37,600 Speaker 2: the show. Brother Man, that was good man. Say that again. 598 00:30:39,760 --> 00:30:42,840 Speaker 2: It is I'm ra Sean McDonald and that's been Bennie 599 00:30:42,840 --> 00:30:43,640 Speaker 2: peugh Thank. 600 00:30:43,480 --> 00:30:43,960 Speaker 1: You so much. 601 00:30:45,680 --> 00:30:48,080 Speaker 3: Thank you for joining us for this edition of Money 602 00:30:48,080 --> 00:30:53,200 Speaker 3: Making Conversations Master Class. Money Making Conversations Master Class with 603 00:30:53,320 --> 00:30:56,280 Speaker 3: rough Sean McDonald is produced by thirty eight to fifteen 604 00:30:56,320 --> 00:31:00,280 Speaker 3: Media Inc. More information about thirty eight to fifteen Media Inc. 605 00:31:00,440 --> 00:31:04,000 Speaker 3: Is available at thirty eight fifteen media dot com. And 606 00:31:04,200 --> 00:31:06,640 Speaker 3: always remember to lead with your gifts.