1 00:00:01,560 --> 00:00:06,760 Speaker 1: Power one oh five New York City. En I Hire 2 00:00:06,920 --> 00:00:12,760 Speaker 1: Radio Studios, Lower Manhattan. Charlotta Magne, the guy is one 3 00:00:12,800 --> 00:00:15,360 Speaker 1: third of the Hall of Fame morning show The Breakfast Club, 4 00:00:15,680 --> 00:00:18,239 Speaker 1: And I'm sitting in somebody's office at the radio station 5 00:00:18,480 --> 00:00:21,080 Speaker 1: talking with him about how we amplify our good working 6 00:00:21,160 --> 00:00:25,000 Speaker 1: business as the community. And they're talking about our moves 7 00:00:25,000 --> 00:00:28,960 Speaker 1: and something we should talk about publicly. It's Charlotte main threat. 8 00:00:29,040 --> 00:00:30,880 Speaker 1: The need don't on how we talk about doing good 9 00:00:30,920 --> 00:00:34,560 Speaker 1: work and inspire the next generation to think bigger, to 10 00:00:34,720 --> 00:00:38,559 Speaker 1: think bigger than themselves. It's just like anything else. Right. 11 00:00:38,600 --> 00:00:42,040 Speaker 1: If you're a rapper and you rap about the club, 12 00:00:42,080 --> 00:00:44,240 Speaker 1: and you have about alcohol, and you have about drugs, 13 00:00:44,240 --> 00:00:46,280 Speaker 1: and you have about dealing with a bunch of women, 14 00:00:46,360 --> 00:00:49,519 Speaker 1: that's what you're influencing the people that are listening to 15 00:00:49,560 --> 00:00:52,240 Speaker 1: you to do. Right. So for me, it's like, you 16 00:00:52,320 --> 00:00:55,320 Speaker 1: gotta talk about those type of things. We have to 17 00:00:55,320 --> 00:00:57,680 Speaker 1: talk about some of the moves you make in business, 18 00:00:57,680 --> 00:00:58,800 Speaker 1: you know, because a lot of the movies that I'm 19 00:00:58,800 --> 00:01:03,920 Speaker 1: making business really are things that will better society, especially 20 00:01:04,120 --> 00:01:06,000 Speaker 1: the black community. So it's like, Yo, you have to 21 00:01:06,000 --> 00:01:08,920 Speaker 1: make people aware of those things because you're influencing the 22 00:01:08,959 --> 00:01:11,120 Speaker 1: next generation. So the next generation needs to know that 23 00:01:11,240 --> 00:01:13,480 Speaker 1: you could be more than just you know, in the 24 00:01:13,600 --> 00:01:16,640 Speaker 1: entertainment business, that you can be more than just an athlete, 25 00:01:16,680 --> 00:01:19,200 Speaker 1: you know. I think about what I saw guys like 26 00:01:19,520 --> 00:01:22,720 Speaker 1: Robert Smith, and you see the jay Zs of the world, 27 00:01:22,800 --> 00:01:24,479 Speaker 1: and you see the things that they do. The Tyler 28 00:01:24,520 --> 00:01:26,720 Speaker 1: Perry is like, of course, it makes you want to 29 00:01:26,760 --> 00:01:31,440 Speaker 1: do just more good business, you know. So yeah, I 30 00:01:31,480 --> 00:01:35,319 Speaker 1: think that's that's something that you'll see me show more. 31 00:01:37,280 --> 00:01:40,959 Speaker 1: I'm with Lucas and this is Black Tech Dream Money. 32 00:01:41,520 --> 00:01:43,520 Speaker 1: I'm gonna introduce you to some of the biggest names, 33 00:01:43,560 --> 00:01:47,160 Speaker 1: some of the brightness minds and brilliant ideas. If you're black, 34 00:01:47,160 --> 00:01:49,640 Speaker 1: in building or simply using tech to secure your back, 35 00:01:50,280 --> 00:01:57,920 Speaker 1: this podcast is for you. Tiffany l founder of The 36 00:01:57,960 --> 00:02:01,640 Speaker 1: Budget NISA, is an award winning team Financial Education in 37 00:02:01,680 --> 00:02:06,120 Speaker 1: America's favorite personal finance educator. She's been featuring the shows 38 00:02:06,160 --> 00:02:10,399 Speaker 1: like Good Morning America, NBC News Today, and more. She's 39 00:02:10,440 --> 00:02:12,519 Speaker 1: the author of Getting Good with Money, which is a 40 00:02:12,560 --> 00:02:15,840 Speaker 1: New York Times bestseller, the One Week Budget and To 41 00:02:15,960 --> 00:02:20,240 Speaker 1: Live Rich Challenge series. I asked Tiffany with so many 42 00:02:20,280 --> 00:02:22,959 Speaker 1: people just as skilled as she is in finance, but 43 00:02:23,120 --> 00:02:26,000 Speaker 1: in their own verticals, what can they do that she 44 00:02:26,120 --> 00:02:29,280 Speaker 1: did to finally break out and to get the attention 45 00:02:29,639 --> 00:02:33,560 Speaker 1: of the masses. So court thing once I learned to 46 00:02:33,639 --> 00:02:36,680 Speaker 1: like let go and be myself, right, So I used 47 00:02:36,680 --> 00:02:38,400 Speaker 1: to If you look back at any of my old 48 00:02:38,440 --> 00:02:41,400 Speaker 1: YouTube videos from like ten years ago, I was stiff, like, hello, 49 00:02:41,480 --> 00:02:45,400 Speaker 1: money is Tiffany? He said. Now I'm like, girl, your budget? 50 00:02:45,680 --> 00:02:48,720 Speaker 1: What are you doing? You know? And so I So 51 00:02:49,160 --> 00:02:51,720 Speaker 1: what happened was maybe like six or seven years ago. 52 00:02:52,120 --> 00:02:54,160 Speaker 1: I was like doing Alive and I want to ask 53 00:02:54,200 --> 00:02:56,040 Speaker 1: a question, and the real Tiffany slipped through and I 54 00:02:56,080 --> 00:02:58,600 Speaker 1: was like, oh, let me people look going back to professional. 55 00:02:58,639 --> 00:03:02,000 Speaker 1: But the comments went crazy easy, like yes girl, yes, 56 00:03:02,040 --> 00:03:04,000 Speaker 1: And I was like, oh yeah, right that okay. I 57 00:03:04,080 --> 00:03:06,520 Speaker 1: turned it up a little more, then a little more. 58 00:03:06,880 --> 00:03:10,400 Speaker 1: Then I saw this it was either a documentary. Maybe 59 00:03:10,400 --> 00:03:14,959 Speaker 1: I read an article where um Quincy Quincy Jones was 60 00:03:15,000 --> 00:03:19,720 Speaker 1: talking about Oprah and said the best um I think 61 00:03:19,720 --> 00:03:22,720 Speaker 1: she said, the best kind of piece of advice or 62 00:03:22,840 --> 00:03:25,639 Speaker 1: compliment that he ever gave her was that what makes 63 00:03:25,680 --> 00:03:28,440 Speaker 1: Oprah so special is this She's exactly the same on 64 00:03:28,600 --> 00:03:32,240 Speaker 1: camera as she is off, and I know it sounds 65 00:03:32,280 --> 00:03:35,160 Speaker 1: like okay, so I want no. I don't think people 66 00:03:35,320 --> 00:03:40,200 Speaker 1: understand when that camera turns one pc of people change 67 00:03:40,240 --> 00:03:43,760 Speaker 1: and are different because you know, you're you're either insecure, 68 00:03:43,760 --> 00:03:46,000 Speaker 1: you're like, oh my hair, do I look right? Do 69 00:03:46,120 --> 00:03:48,080 Speaker 1: I sound right? So there are all these things that 70 00:03:48,120 --> 00:03:50,520 Speaker 1: go through your head. So someone else shows up, it 71 00:03:50,520 --> 00:03:52,680 Speaker 1: shows up differently than how when the camera turns off. 72 00:03:52,680 --> 00:03:55,520 Speaker 1: Then you're like, all right, well so you know, and 73 00:03:55,760 --> 00:03:58,000 Speaker 1: if you can do that, So I worked the last 74 00:03:58,120 --> 00:04:01,280 Speaker 1: five years in particular to be the same Tiffany on 75 00:04:01,480 --> 00:04:04,280 Speaker 1: camera as I am off. And the closer I get, 76 00:04:04,320 --> 00:04:07,680 Speaker 1: I'm still about eight, you know, depending like right now 77 00:04:07,720 --> 00:04:09,240 Speaker 1: this is all to me. But like if I'm doing 78 00:04:09,280 --> 00:04:11,600 Speaker 1: like good Morning America, you know, I'm like, you know, 79 00:04:12,120 --> 00:04:15,320 Speaker 1: you know, I'm still about like sevent But the closer 80 00:04:15,440 --> 00:04:19,680 Speaker 1: I get, the more opportunities open up. Because human beings 81 00:04:19,720 --> 00:04:22,680 Speaker 1: are attracted to what is real and what is genuine, 82 00:04:22,680 --> 00:04:24,520 Speaker 1: even if they don't feel it on the surface. They're 83 00:04:24,520 --> 00:04:27,520 Speaker 1: attracted to like, you know, like the human and you 84 00:04:27,560 --> 00:04:29,960 Speaker 1: feels the human in me. So if I'm being myself, 85 00:04:30,000 --> 00:04:32,839 Speaker 1: you feel it and you react to it naturally, And 86 00:04:32,880 --> 00:04:36,440 Speaker 1: so that's Number one is I've gotten really close to 87 00:04:36,480 --> 00:04:39,839 Speaker 1: being myself on and off camera. Number two is just 88 00:04:39,960 --> 00:04:43,000 Speaker 1: some consistency. You'd be like, oh, people always ask me 89 00:04:43,040 --> 00:04:44,839 Speaker 1: to mentor them and they're like, oh, you know, I 90 00:04:44,880 --> 00:04:47,120 Speaker 1: just started my business a year ago and it's not 91 00:04:47,200 --> 00:04:48,800 Speaker 1: going as good. I'm like, first of all, sister, you 92 00:04:48,920 --> 00:04:51,680 Speaker 1: just got here. You're literally a year old. That's like 93 00:04:51,720 --> 00:04:54,160 Speaker 1: the baby saying why can't I walk? I mean you 94 00:04:54,240 --> 00:04:58,200 Speaker 1: gotta call And then too, you know, you have a 95 00:04:58,200 --> 00:05:00,680 Speaker 1: blog or you have a podcast and it's supposed to 96 00:05:00,920 --> 00:05:03,560 Speaker 1: drop it every Wednesday, but I haven't heard your podcast 97 00:05:03,600 --> 00:05:07,240 Speaker 1: drop in the last two months. You're just not consistent. Literally, 98 00:05:07,800 --> 00:05:10,680 Speaker 1: some of people are winning only because they do what 99 00:05:10,720 --> 00:05:12,400 Speaker 1: they say gonna they're gonna do, and they do it 100 00:05:12,400 --> 00:05:14,599 Speaker 1: when they say they're gonna do it. That's it. Can 101 00:05:14,600 --> 00:05:17,479 Speaker 1: you imagine eight percent of winning is just do I 102 00:05:17,600 --> 00:05:20,040 Speaker 1: do what I say I'm gonna do? Do I do 103 00:05:20,080 --> 00:05:22,360 Speaker 1: what when I say I'm gonna do it? The vast 104 00:05:22,360 --> 00:05:25,560 Speaker 1: majority of people, quite honestly, they don't either. They overpromise, 105 00:05:25,640 --> 00:05:27,680 Speaker 1: they get overwhelmed. They just don't feel like if they 106 00:05:27,760 --> 00:05:31,800 Speaker 1: lose interest. So I show up consistently, you know, and 107 00:05:31,920 --> 00:05:34,520 Speaker 1: I probably say the last but not least is the 108 00:05:34,560 --> 00:05:37,160 Speaker 1: truth is I try not to take it too seriously, 109 00:05:37,279 --> 00:05:41,520 Speaker 1: meaning like take myself too seriously and allow me to 110 00:05:41,600 --> 00:05:44,440 Speaker 1: be in alignment with how, you know, like with what 111 00:05:44,640 --> 00:05:46,920 Speaker 1: is out there for me. It's very easy to get 112 00:05:46,920 --> 00:05:48,920 Speaker 1: distracted and say I ought to do this because this 113 00:05:48,960 --> 00:05:51,080 Speaker 1: person is doing this, I ought to do that. So 114 00:05:51,120 --> 00:05:53,200 Speaker 1: I really try to stay in my lane because no 115 00:05:53,200 --> 00:05:56,600 Speaker 1: one can out Tiffany Tiffany, you know, and so once 116 00:05:56,640 --> 00:05:58,640 Speaker 1: I do, you know, So that's really it. It's like 117 00:05:58,680 --> 00:06:02,600 Speaker 1: showing up authentically as myself, consistency and staying in the 118 00:06:02,680 --> 00:06:05,080 Speaker 1: lane of Tiffany, and those three things are are how 119 00:06:05,080 --> 00:06:07,480 Speaker 1: I've been able to do New York Times you know, 120 00:06:07,800 --> 00:06:09,920 Speaker 1: um my book has been it was eight weeks on 121 00:06:09,960 --> 00:06:12,360 Speaker 1: the New York Times best Seller's list, you know, a 122 00:06:12,400 --> 00:06:14,919 Speaker 1: Good Morning America Today show. I'm the financial expert for 123 00:06:14,960 --> 00:06:18,240 Speaker 1: the real Um. Literally just today I submitted something for 124 00:06:18,279 --> 00:06:21,320 Speaker 1: news Week. I write for Bloomberg, you know, Wall Street Journal. 125 00:06:21,720 --> 00:06:24,320 Speaker 1: I mean there's there was one point literally where I 126 00:06:24,360 --> 00:06:26,800 Speaker 1: had to tell like CNBC, like, is there anybody else 127 00:06:26,800 --> 00:06:29,280 Speaker 1: that you know? I can't I can't do something every week. 128 00:06:29,320 --> 00:06:31,680 Speaker 1: I'm tired. I'm gonna. I'm tired. I can't do an 129 00:06:31,760 --> 00:06:35,400 Speaker 1: article I thing every week. Do you know any other experts? 130 00:06:35,600 --> 00:06:37,480 Speaker 1: And I'm not saying that to flex, I'm saying that 131 00:06:37,880 --> 00:06:40,080 Speaker 1: you want to know why. The news Week got emailed 132 00:06:40,080 --> 00:06:43,920 Speaker 1: me this morning said hey, Tiffany running an article and 133 00:06:43,960 --> 00:06:46,440 Speaker 1: I need some some some sales tips, you know, some 134 00:06:46,640 --> 00:06:49,680 Speaker 1: saving tips. And I woke up this morning and I 135 00:06:49,720 --> 00:06:51,320 Speaker 1: had my my meeting. I was like, okay, so I 136 00:06:51,320 --> 00:06:54,719 Speaker 1: saw it. Within an hour, I had written him back 137 00:06:54,800 --> 00:06:56,720 Speaker 1: with the two tips and said, you know, please attribute 138 00:06:56,720 --> 00:06:59,600 Speaker 1: me as Tiffany the budget needs to financial educator author, 139 00:07:00,000 --> 00:07:01,760 Speaker 1: Your Times best selling author of Get Go with Money. 140 00:07:02,160 --> 00:07:05,840 Speaker 1: He was like wow, he Now, guess who's going when 141 00:07:05,839 --> 00:07:09,600 Speaker 1: they tight on a deadline? Guess what Newsweek journalist's gonna 142 00:07:09,640 --> 00:07:12,600 Speaker 1: hit me back up? Again? He is, you know, because 143 00:07:12,600 --> 00:07:14,920 Speaker 1: he's like, yo, Tiffany is boom bom boom bob. You know, 144 00:07:15,120 --> 00:07:18,200 Speaker 1: most of these outlets want you to just be primed 145 00:07:18,280 --> 00:07:20,800 Speaker 1: and ready and consistent, and they'll come back to you 146 00:07:20,880 --> 00:07:22,560 Speaker 1: over and over because you're super easy to work with. 147 00:07:23,240 --> 00:07:25,080 Speaker 1: And so so let's go in on on that continent. 148 00:07:25,120 --> 00:07:28,120 Speaker 1: You know, content is king, and I wonder what your 149 00:07:28,160 --> 00:07:31,800 Speaker 1: strategy is like, did you pick one distribution channel? Is 150 00:07:31,880 --> 00:07:33,760 Speaker 1: it like your blog that you just go in on 151 00:07:34,000 --> 00:07:36,840 Speaker 1: to the you know, neglect of everything else, or is 152 00:07:36,840 --> 00:07:39,680 Speaker 1: it Instagram? Or have you figured out ways to you know, 153 00:07:39,760 --> 00:07:42,480 Speaker 1: spread yourself across these different platforms to be able to 154 00:07:42,520 --> 00:07:45,560 Speaker 1: reach people where they are. So at first, you know, 155 00:07:45,720 --> 00:07:47,680 Speaker 1: my my only platform, because it's really what's kind of like, 156 00:07:47,680 --> 00:07:50,080 Speaker 1: the only one available was was Facebook. So I put 157 00:07:50,120 --> 00:07:53,120 Speaker 1: all of my time and energy into Facebook. Um, but 158 00:07:53,160 --> 00:07:55,240 Speaker 1: what really helped me to expand is I created And 159 00:07:55,240 --> 00:07:58,000 Speaker 1: this was accidental, and sometimes your best ideas are accidental. 160 00:07:58,320 --> 00:08:01,280 Speaker 1: I created something called my Liverage your challenge. It was 161 00:08:01,320 --> 00:08:04,880 Speaker 1: this free online three recourse. Because everyone kept asking me 162 00:08:04,920 --> 00:08:07,400 Speaker 1: individual questions, and I said, what if I that I 163 00:08:07,480 --> 00:08:09,680 Speaker 1: used to be a school teacher for ten years and 164 00:08:09,680 --> 00:08:11,840 Speaker 1: I had my master's in education, and I had been 165 00:08:11,880 --> 00:08:14,800 Speaker 1: teaching this course at my local United Way, And I said, 166 00:08:14,800 --> 00:08:16,760 Speaker 1: what if I take this course? And I put it online. 167 00:08:17,040 --> 00:08:18,760 Speaker 1: So people who keep asking me the questions, I'm like, 168 00:08:18,800 --> 00:08:21,040 Speaker 1: take a free course, go to literature challenge dot com, 169 00:08:21,120 --> 00:08:24,080 Speaker 1: which is still available. Take a free course, right, And 170 00:08:24,160 --> 00:08:26,400 Speaker 1: so I said, I'm gonna get My idea was to 171 00:08:26,440 --> 00:08:28,960 Speaker 1: get ten thousand people signed up, which I did by 172 00:08:29,040 --> 00:08:31,880 Speaker 1: I want to say it was um January two fifteen 173 00:08:31,960 --> 00:08:35,560 Speaker 1: or sixteen. And what happened in the course is that 174 00:08:35,880 --> 00:08:39,160 Speaker 1: I did this accidentally, like I think, um, like Twitter 175 00:08:39,240 --> 00:08:41,040 Speaker 1: just came out, and maybe Instagram came out like the 176 00:08:41,080 --> 00:08:43,440 Speaker 1: next year or whatever. But you would coming to the course. 177 00:08:43,640 --> 00:08:46,000 Speaker 1: But what I was doing is effectively you would see 178 00:08:46,000 --> 00:08:48,680 Speaker 1: it on Facebook and then you you said, you know, 179 00:08:48,720 --> 00:08:50,480 Speaker 1: you registered for the course. Now I have your name 180 00:08:50,520 --> 00:08:53,320 Speaker 1: in email, so that's one platform. And then when you 181 00:08:53,360 --> 00:08:55,120 Speaker 1: were in it, I saw someone had this kind of 182 00:08:55,160 --> 00:08:57,280 Speaker 1: like um click to tweet in one of their blog 183 00:08:57,320 --> 00:08:59,240 Speaker 1: posts that I really liked, and I was like, oh, 184 00:08:59,320 --> 00:09:01,240 Speaker 1: you mean you can. You can create a message in 185 00:09:01,240 --> 00:09:03,440 Speaker 1: this box and people can just click it and then 186 00:09:03,440 --> 00:09:05,480 Speaker 1: it will tweet out. And I was like, okay, so 187 00:09:05,520 --> 00:09:07,679 Speaker 1: I added click to tweet. So the way the course 188 00:09:07,720 --> 00:09:10,359 Speaker 1: work was that it was an email course. Every day 189 00:09:10,400 --> 00:09:12,600 Speaker 1: for three weeks I would give you one small assignment 190 00:09:13,080 --> 00:09:16,840 Speaker 1: um that focused on that week's goals, you know, and um, 191 00:09:16,920 --> 00:09:19,840 Speaker 1: so now you're in my inbox. Now you're on my 192 00:09:19,880 --> 00:09:23,240 Speaker 1: email list. But then the daily email sent you to 193 00:09:23,240 --> 00:09:25,400 Speaker 1: the blog to actually get the lesson. So now I 194 00:09:25,440 --> 00:09:28,160 Speaker 1: got email. Already had Facebook, but now I got email, 195 00:09:28,440 --> 00:09:30,800 Speaker 1: and I got blog visitors. And then when you're on 196 00:09:30,840 --> 00:09:33,360 Speaker 1: the blog, I'm getting you the tips and I'm saying 197 00:09:33,360 --> 00:09:35,840 Speaker 1: click to tweet. Now you follow me on Twitter. And 198 00:09:35,880 --> 00:09:37,880 Speaker 1: then like the three or four days out of the course, 199 00:09:38,040 --> 00:09:40,400 Speaker 1: I would create a YouTube video lesson just to change 200 00:09:40,440 --> 00:09:42,880 Speaker 1: it up, so now you're following me on YouTube. And 201 00:09:42,880 --> 00:09:44,960 Speaker 1: then when Instagram came out, I'd be like, you know, 202 00:09:45,080 --> 00:09:48,000 Speaker 1: share your you know, share your feedback here, and now 203 00:09:48,000 --> 00:09:50,800 Speaker 1: I got you on Instagram. So that's how I really 204 00:09:50,800 --> 00:09:53,079 Speaker 1: started to kind of go. I call it like um 205 00:09:53,120 --> 00:09:56,400 Speaker 1: taking people on a tour of your brand. Facebook was 206 00:09:56,520 --> 00:09:59,600 Speaker 1: the door, then you sat in my living room, which 207 00:09:59,720 --> 00:10:02,480 Speaker 1: is my email list. Then you use the restaurant, which 208 00:10:02,480 --> 00:10:05,320 Speaker 1: was Twitter. Then you were like, you know, you know, 209 00:10:05,480 --> 00:10:08,800 Speaker 1: let me see the kitchen, which was Instagram. You know. 210 00:10:08,840 --> 00:10:11,079 Speaker 1: Then you so before you know that, one person has 211 00:10:11,160 --> 00:10:13,920 Speaker 1: visited all of my platforms because of that challenge. So 212 00:10:14,040 --> 00:10:15,920 Speaker 1: it was one of the The challenge was one of 213 00:10:15,960 --> 00:10:18,760 Speaker 1: the best tools I ever created, you know, for my 214 00:10:18,840 --> 00:10:21,640 Speaker 1: brand to grow, to grow the community, and to bring 215 00:10:21,679 --> 00:10:24,200 Speaker 1: them around the full tour. So I've got like really 216 00:10:24,280 --> 00:10:28,320 Speaker 1: robust um following on all of those platforms, and so yeah, 217 00:10:28,360 --> 00:10:30,320 Speaker 1: that's where it started with with one platform, and then 218 00:10:30,360 --> 00:10:32,720 Speaker 1: I created something that allowed me to bring people through 219 00:10:32,720 --> 00:10:37,400 Speaker 1: all these platforms. And I would imagine that, um, you 220 00:10:37,440 --> 00:10:40,640 Speaker 1: weren't manually Okay, I'm gonna manually do this blower post, 221 00:10:40,720 --> 00:10:43,680 Speaker 1: then manually do the YouTube, and manually do the Facebook, 222 00:10:43,679 --> 00:10:45,760 Speaker 1: and then the Twitter and Instagram. So I would imagine 223 00:10:45,760 --> 00:10:49,080 Speaker 1: that there were some systems in place there. And my 224 00:10:49,160 --> 00:10:52,480 Speaker 1: question is that how did you get the technical aptitude 225 00:10:52,600 --> 00:10:55,959 Speaker 1: or did you hire out that opportunity for somebody else 226 00:10:56,000 --> 00:10:58,040 Speaker 1: to be able to come alongside your team? And because 227 00:10:58,800 --> 00:11:02,160 Speaker 1: well most people figure they don't have the resources to 228 00:11:02,240 --> 00:11:05,040 Speaker 1: go do all those systems as well as you. Honestly, 229 00:11:05,760 --> 00:11:09,160 Speaker 1: that's I disagree. I did that at my brocus So 230 00:11:09,280 --> 00:11:12,760 Speaker 1: I said, okay, I want to build this course. I 231 00:11:12,760 --> 00:11:15,120 Speaker 1: don't have any money nor in my tech savvy. It's 232 00:11:15,160 --> 00:11:17,440 Speaker 1: just enough for me to get on Zoom, so I said. 233 00:11:17,640 --> 00:11:19,440 Speaker 1: Even now to this day, so I said, okay, what 234 00:11:19,480 --> 00:11:20,680 Speaker 1: do you know how to do? Tip me? I said, 235 00:11:20,720 --> 00:11:23,960 Speaker 1: I know how to email, and my blog I built myself, 236 00:11:24,000 --> 00:11:25,680 Speaker 1: because you know, they have those blog platforms that it 237 00:11:25,720 --> 00:11:27,959 Speaker 1: wasn't It was like, you know, if you can do Facebook. 238 00:11:27,960 --> 00:11:29,960 Speaker 1: I tell people it's even easier now. Back then it 239 00:11:30,000 --> 00:11:31,600 Speaker 1: was a little harder. I think I was using blogger 240 00:11:31,679 --> 00:11:34,120 Speaker 1: dot com or whatever. But it's just basically a template 241 00:11:34,400 --> 00:11:36,560 Speaker 1: that you put your picture on. It looked terrible that 242 00:11:36,600 --> 00:11:38,800 Speaker 1: you put your picture on and then you, you know, 243 00:11:38,840 --> 00:11:41,840 Speaker 1: you just upload your blog posts. Right, So it wasn't 244 00:11:42,000 --> 00:11:45,200 Speaker 1: I didn't have to be technically savvy. So that course 245 00:11:45,440 --> 00:11:48,680 Speaker 1: was really just you joined my email list, and every 246 00:11:48,720 --> 00:11:51,200 Speaker 1: day I emailed you, Hey, go to my blog for 247 00:11:51,200 --> 00:11:54,199 Speaker 1: today's lesson. So there was no real tech savvy stuff 248 00:11:54,200 --> 00:11:55,640 Speaker 1: I needed other than do you not how to send 249 00:11:55,640 --> 00:11:57,720 Speaker 1: the email? I think I was using like mad Memia design, 250 00:11:58,320 --> 00:12:01,200 Speaker 1: you know, you know, and right, so it wasn't even 251 00:12:01,240 --> 00:12:03,280 Speaker 1: like something like now we're use infusion soft, you know. 252 00:12:03,360 --> 00:12:06,120 Speaker 1: But so it wasn't even some some sophisticated CRM. It 253 00:12:06,160 --> 00:12:08,480 Speaker 1: was just a regular email list. I got you on 254 00:12:08,480 --> 00:12:10,559 Speaker 1: the email list, and then every day I said, here's 255 00:12:10,600 --> 00:12:12,960 Speaker 1: day one of the Literature Challenge. This week we're talking 256 00:12:13,000 --> 00:12:16,800 Speaker 1: about budgeting. Um learn how to create your budget click here, 257 00:12:17,120 --> 00:12:19,040 Speaker 1: and then here took you to the blog post. So 258 00:12:19,280 --> 00:12:22,120 Speaker 1: ahead of time, I wrote out the twenty one blog 259 00:12:22,160 --> 00:12:24,880 Speaker 1: post and I wrote out the twenty one emails and 260 00:12:24,920 --> 00:12:27,560 Speaker 1: then I just said, mad meet me on this day, 261 00:12:27,760 --> 00:12:29,960 Speaker 1: send this email on day, to send this email on 262 00:12:30,000 --> 00:12:32,520 Speaker 1: this day. And so what happened and that I found 263 00:12:32,559 --> 00:12:33,959 Speaker 1: that my audience was like, this is so great and 264 00:12:33,960 --> 00:12:36,640 Speaker 1: they were messaging me. And then that's when Facebook groups 265 00:12:36,679 --> 00:12:38,920 Speaker 1: came out. So at the end of each blog post, 266 00:12:38,960 --> 00:12:41,120 Speaker 1: I said, we want to talk about today's lesson, join 267 00:12:41,240 --> 00:12:44,120 Speaker 1: us in the group. And then my Facebook group became 268 00:12:44,160 --> 00:12:46,080 Speaker 1: the place where it was like the community. I didn't 269 00:12:46,080 --> 00:12:49,320 Speaker 1: have to build them, so I didn't. The first challenge 270 00:12:49,400 --> 00:12:51,920 Speaker 1: or two challenges I did completely solo because I didn't 271 00:12:51,920 --> 00:12:55,400 Speaker 1: need any super tech savvy. I knew how to use Facebook. 272 00:12:55,679 --> 00:12:58,160 Speaker 1: I knew how to send an email, and the blog 273 00:12:58,280 --> 00:13:00,920 Speaker 1: it wasn't great, but I knew how to edit least, like, 274 00:13:00,960 --> 00:13:02,960 Speaker 1: you know, use the blog Tampa that they created for me, 275 00:13:03,040 --> 00:13:05,640 Speaker 1: so you don't need And to this day, that's still 276 00:13:05,679 --> 00:13:08,080 Speaker 1: basically the way the literature challenges are run, and over 277 00:13:08,200 --> 00:13:10,920 Speaker 1: one million people have done one or more of my challenges. 278 00:13:11,760 --> 00:13:15,640 Speaker 1: One million on that same simple sending your email, go 279 00:13:15,760 --> 00:13:17,440 Speaker 1: to the blog, sending your email, go to the blog. 280 00:13:17,559 --> 00:13:21,040 Speaker 1: That's it good for you? I mean, that's it's a 281 00:13:21,040 --> 00:13:24,280 Speaker 1: lot of people in your in your sphere, and I 282 00:13:24,320 --> 00:13:26,240 Speaker 1: want to I want to talk a little bit about 283 00:13:26,600 --> 00:13:29,320 Speaker 1: because we have so many conversations in our world about 284 00:13:29,800 --> 00:13:34,199 Speaker 1: they're not being enough capital for black people to start businesses. Um, 285 00:13:34,320 --> 00:13:37,400 Speaker 1: not the venture capital there's you know, there's an increasing 286 00:13:37,400 --> 00:13:40,720 Speaker 1: amount of angel and angel capital, but there's still a 287 00:13:40,760 --> 00:13:44,600 Speaker 1: touch of disparity, right and so UM for the men 288 00:13:44,640 --> 00:13:46,880 Speaker 1: and women who will be listening to this and are 289 00:13:47,000 --> 00:13:50,160 Speaker 1: using either their savings or their personal credit cards to 290 00:13:50,240 --> 00:13:55,440 Speaker 1: build their business, how do you advise them to gauge 291 00:13:55,559 --> 00:13:58,880 Speaker 1: to what extent they should be leveraging their personal holdings, 292 00:13:58,920 --> 00:14:02,400 Speaker 1: their security um to invest in a company. How how 293 00:14:02,440 --> 00:14:04,920 Speaker 1: do you advise them to and to use that morning 294 00:14:05,280 --> 00:14:07,040 Speaker 1: that should be there for the rainy day that should 295 00:14:07,080 --> 00:14:09,880 Speaker 1: be there, you know, the bridge over troubled water, to 296 00:14:09,920 --> 00:14:13,480 Speaker 1: invest in their things. So I'll say this that there 297 00:14:13,679 --> 00:14:15,760 Speaker 1: is a place for VC funding. I don't have any 298 00:14:16,040 --> 00:14:17,920 Speaker 1: where I am a hunter said funded and we don't 299 00:14:17,920 --> 00:14:20,520 Speaker 1: have any debt. And we made ten million dollars last year. 300 00:14:20,640 --> 00:14:23,080 Speaker 1: This is just us, our little black business is doing 301 00:14:23,120 --> 00:14:26,800 Speaker 1: what we do, serving black people, right and so, but 302 00:14:28,400 --> 00:14:31,320 Speaker 1: ten million to one of these fast growth companies, is like, 303 00:14:31,400 --> 00:14:34,480 Speaker 1: what because it's ten millions, ten years that we got here. 304 00:14:34,720 --> 00:14:36,440 Speaker 1: For some people, they're like, what we did then that 305 00:14:36,520 --> 00:14:40,160 Speaker 1: first six months? Yeah, but then somebody else owned your company. 306 00:14:40,720 --> 00:14:42,920 Speaker 1: They're like, you know, like I make ten after I 307 00:14:43,040 --> 00:14:45,200 Speaker 1: take home seven? Do you take home seving? Because I 308 00:14:45,240 --> 00:14:46,720 Speaker 1: know the people not let you take them that big 309 00:14:46,760 --> 00:14:50,160 Speaker 1: salary because that business belonged to them, you know. So 310 00:14:50,240 --> 00:14:52,040 Speaker 1: there's something to be said for I remember I was 311 00:14:52,200 --> 00:14:54,800 Speaker 1: meeting with a young woman who started this great brand. 312 00:14:54,800 --> 00:14:56,520 Speaker 1: It's entire and she's doing well, and she was saying, 313 00:14:56,560 --> 00:14:58,320 Speaker 1: the only way to really have well is that you 314 00:14:58,360 --> 00:15:00,440 Speaker 1: have to have an exit. And I was like, that's 315 00:15:00,480 --> 00:15:03,400 Speaker 1: not true, you know, but that I get it because 316 00:15:03,520 --> 00:15:07,800 Speaker 1: she had, you know, she had um um um DC funds, 317 00:15:07,800 --> 00:15:10,840 Speaker 1: you know, like embedded into her business. So yes, But 318 00:15:10,920 --> 00:15:14,720 Speaker 1: in general, everyone, I have friends who regret taking money 319 00:15:14,960 --> 00:15:16,840 Speaker 1: and friends who are so glad that they took money. 320 00:15:16,960 --> 00:15:18,320 Speaker 1: To me, there's no right or wrong. You have to 321 00:15:18,320 --> 00:15:20,600 Speaker 1: just decide for yourself if you're not gonna take money, 322 00:15:20,640 --> 00:15:22,840 Speaker 1: be okay with growing slow. I don't know when did 323 00:15:22,840 --> 00:15:26,640 Speaker 1: it become like you have to grow super fast and 324 00:15:26,680 --> 00:15:28,800 Speaker 1: in doing so, I don't know if you've ever listen 325 00:15:28,800 --> 00:15:31,040 Speaker 1: to the podcast How I Built This. Sometimes you listen 326 00:15:31,080 --> 00:15:32,960 Speaker 1: and you're like, Okay, so you grew this billion out 327 00:15:32,960 --> 00:15:35,840 Speaker 1: of company and now you are one percent. Well, damn, 328 00:15:36,680 --> 00:15:38,680 Speaker 1: I don't want that, you know what I mean? Honestly, 329 00:15:39,000 --> 00:15:41,960 Speaker 1: I'm not interested in making someone else wealthy if I'm 330 00:15:42,000 --> 00:15:44,560 Speaker 1: all the way real, other than my audience that I'm helping, 331 00:15:44,960 --> 00:15:48,040 Speaker 1: I'm not interested in growing something. And then you like, yeah, 332 00:15:48,160 --> 00:15:50,840 Speaker 1: go ahead, go ahead, girl. You know what that's called slavery. 333 00:15:51,360 --> 00:15:53,360 Speaker 1: You know our people are and we we apt that now. 334 00:15:54,200 --> 00:15:56,760 Speaker 1: And so I say this is that, you know, be 335 00:15:56,840 --> 00:15:59,280 Speaker 1: willing to grow slowly. I never grew more than what 336 00:15:59,360 --> 00:16:01,920 Speaker 1: the company can there. I did take leaps here and there, 337 00:16:02,000 --> 00:16:04,120 Speaker 1: especially when it came to hiring, but I would take 338 00:16:04,120 --> 00:16:06,040 Speaker 1: a calculated leap where I would be like, for example, 339 00:16:06,280 --> 00:16:09,360 Speaker 1: my first CEO, like I had already been business for 340 00:16:09,400 --> 00:16:11,800 Speaker 1: like four or five years, but she was really good 341 00:16:11,840 --> 00:16:15,080 Speaker 1: at organization and that's something that I lacked. And so 342 00:16:15,200 --> 00:16:17,760 Speaker 1: I remember telling her I'm launching this new business. I 343 00:16:17,760 --> 00:16:19,760 Speaker 1: had a budget of thest to business. I have several businesses. 344 00:16:20,000 --> 00:16:22,080 Speaker 1: The budget needs to business, which is the business of Tiffany. 345 00:16:22,120 --> 00:16:24,560 Speaker 1: So it's like my New York Times best selling book 346 00:16:24,600 --> 00:16:27,200 Speaker 1: Get It with Money, and my other books. It's speaking 347 00:16:27,440 --> 00:16:31,320 Speaker 1: spokesperson work, Rand ambassador work, basically the business of Tiffany. 348 00:16:31,360 --> 00:16:33,440 Speaker 1: But I said, I wanted to create a business that 349 00:16:33,480 --> 00:16:37,120 Speaker 1: wasn't the business of Tiffany. So my second business Literature Academy. 350 00:16:37,400 --> 00:16:40,480 Speaker 1: So I told my CEO at the time, I don't, girl, 351 00:16:40,520 --> 00:16:42,600 Speaker 1: I don't have no money. But what I do have, like, 352 00:16:42,600 --> 00:16:44,720 Speaker 1: I don't have any money to pay you now from 353 00:16:44,760 --> 00:16:47,360 Speaker 1: the business because that business has not launched yet. But 354 00:16:47,480 --> 00:16:49,360 Speaker 1: I did. She wanted to make I think it was 355 00:16:49,360 --> 00:16:51,640 Speaker 1: like three thousand dollars a month, and I said, okay, 356 00:16:52,200 --> 00:16:55,160 Speaker 1: I've got six months worth of savings in my personal save. 357 00:16:55,200 --> 00:16:58,040 Speaker 1: I had eighteen thousand dollars. I had cobble together, you know. 358 00:16:58,320 --> 00:17:00,360 Speaker 1: So I said, I got six months. We have six 359 00:17:00,480 --> 00:17:04,119 Speaker 1: months to get Literature Academy off the ground so it 360 00:17:04,160 --> 00:17:06,600 Speaker 1: can start paying you. So we worked our behinds off 361 00:17:06,960 --> 00:17:09,840 Speaker 1: and we did it by months six. Right when my 362 00:17:09,840 --> 00:17:14,240 Speaker 1: my savings was done, the academy launched, and uh and 363 00:17:14,320 --> 00:17:15,919 Speaker 1: during that we launched, launch was like a week. We 364 00:17:15,960 --> 00:17:18,960 Speaker 1: made seventy tho hollars that that during that launch. Now 365 00:17:19,119 --> 00:17:21,440 Speaker 1: here's the thing. It sounds cute, but we spent it 366 00:17:21,680 --> 00:17:25,399 Speaker 1: cost us fifty to make that seventy. Right, But because 367 00:17:25,480 --> 00:17:29,440 Speaker 1: my literature Academy was UM still in existence. UM it's 368 00:17:29,720 --> 00:17:33,760 Speaker 1: a subscription based business. So although we spent fifty to 369 00:17:33,840 --> 00:17:35,320 Speaker 1: them to make that seventy, that's because we have to 370 00:17:35,320 --> 00:17:38,200 Speaker 1: build everything that But then the subscription started to roll 371 00:17:38,280 --> 00:17:41,360 Speaker 1: in so it was enough to cover her salary. So 372 00:17:41,440 --> 00:17:43,880 Speaker 1: that's why I said, you want to make calculated risks, like, Okay, 373 00:17:44,400 --> 00:17:46,879 Speaker 1: I'm not just going to drain my savings account and 374 00:17:46,880 --> 00:17:49,240 Speaker 1: hope and wish and pray we had a strategic plan 375 00:17:49,320 --> 00:17:52,360 Speaker 1: in place, like if I pay more, if I if 376 00:17:52,400 --> 00:17:54,760 Speaker 1: I spend this expense, how can I expect to get 377 00:17:54,760 --> 00:17:57,439 Speaker 1: that money back? If you don't have that plan in place, 378 00:17:57,600 --> 00:17:59,400 Speaker 1: then you're likely to lose all of that money. I'm 379 00:17:59,400 --> 00:18:02,400 Speaker 1: not willing to do that. So that's what I suggest, Um, 380 00:18:02,440 --> 00:18:04,520 Speaker 1: two folks that if you are going to you know, 381 00:18:04,840 --> 00:18:08,359 Speaker 1: use your own money, do so make those calculated risks 382 00:18:08,359 --> 00:18:10,199 Speaker 1: and and be clear of this is how I'm going 383 00:18:10,240 --> 00:18:12,280 Speaker 1: to get my money back. This is the timeline and 384 00:18:12,359 --> 00:18:15,160 Speaker 1: time frame. If if we don't, here's the backup plan 385 00:18:15,240 --> 00:18:17,359 Speaker 1: to that. You know, we could probably go way fast. 386 00:18:17,400 --> 00:18:19,920 Speaker 1: I mean, honestly, we could probably be at thirty million 387 00:18:19,920 --> 00:18:22,240 Speaker 1: dollars a year right now in business, but that would 388 00:18:22,240 --> 00:18:24,719 Speaker 1: cause us to grow in a way that's quite honestly 389 00:18:24,720 --> 00:18:28,040 Speaker 1: not sustainable. Because you hear people like you can make twenty, 390 00:18:28,119 --> 00:18:30,239 Speaker 1: but we spend a twenty one to make twenty. That's 391 00:18:30,240 --> 00:18:32,320 Speaker 1: why some folks are doing I'm not interested in that. 392 00:18:32,400 --> 00:18:35,200 Speaker 1: We are forty six percent profit. You know, we've got 393 00:18:35,359 --> 00:18:38,440 Speaker 1: a healthy profit margin. So so what do you say 394 00:18:38,480 --> 00:18:41,040 Speaker 1: to the people who says, you know, we hey, but look, 395 00:18:41,119 --> 00:18:44,040 Speaker 1: you could be you know, a two billion dollar business 396 00:18:44,119 --> 00:18:47,399 Speaker 1: if you became something else, and you know, yeah, you 397 00:18:47,480 --> 00:18:49,360 Speaker 1: might own point one percent, but that's still a lot 398 00:18:49,400 --> 00:18:53,200 Speaker 1: of money compared to the ten millions. So I'll say 399 00:18:53,200 --> 00:18:55,399 Speaker 1: this that I I don't disagree with that, and so 400 00:18:55,480 --> 00:18:59,359 Speaker 1: I'm actually building something out externally from that, meaning that 401 00:18:59,440 --> 00:19:01,880 Speaker 1: for me, I'd like I'd like to have a little 402 00:19:01,880 --> 00:19:03,960 Speaker 1: bit more diversity. So I have the budgetsa that's a business. 403 00:19:04,000 --> 00:19:07,000 Speaker 1: I've got the literature academy that that is slow and 404 00:19:07,000 --> 00:19:09,040 Speaker 1: steady wins the race. It's like amazing money for me 405 00:19:09,080 --> 00:19:13,520 Speaker 1: every year, and I'm building another business where um, I'm 406 00:19:13,520 --> 00:19:15,560 Speaker 1: doing just that that is going to be like, it 407 00:19:15,640 --> 00:19:18,200 Speaker 1: is my intention to grow in the next three years 408 00:19:18,520 --> 00:19:21,639 Speaker 1: and sell it for about two hundred three hundred million 409 00:19:21,640 --> 00:19:23,960 Speaker 1: dollars and take my cut from that. And so to 410 00:19:24,040 --> 00:19:27,320 Speaker 1: your point, I'm thinking about that too, you know, but 411 00:19:27,800 --> 00:19:32,520 Speaker 1: I needed um for me. Security was most important because 412 00:19:32,520 --> 00:19:35,840 Speaker 1: I had been so financially insecure for so long that 413 00:19:35,880 --> 00:19:38,040 Speaker 1: the budget Issa and the Literature Academy gave me that. 414 00:19:38,119 --> 00:19:40,919 Speaker 1: So now that my house is paid off, my rental property, 415 00:19:40,920 --> 00:19:42,840 Speaker 1: home is paid off, my parents house is paid off, 416 00:19:43,080 --> 00:19:45,760 Speaker 1: my student loan that's are gone. I'm literally debt free 417 00:19:45,760 --> 00:19:47,840 Speaker 1: like a toddler. So now that I'm in a safe, 418 00:19:47,920 --> 00:19:51,080 Speaker 1: comfortable place, I have a business that generates money for 419 00:19:51,160 --> 00:19:54,120 Speaker 1: me no matter what because it's a subscription base. Now 420 00:19:54,160 --> 00:19:56,760 Speaker 1: I can take the risk for me. Now I can 421 00:19:56,800 --> 00:19:58,440 Speaker 1: take that risk because if the risk doesn't work out, 422 00:19:58,440 --> 00:20:00,280 Speaker 1: guess what, I will still make seven figures a year, 423 00:20:00,880 --> 00:20:04,040 Speaker 1: you know. So for me, I all of my risk 424 00:20:04,119 --> 00:20:06,359 Speaker 1: I take are not really risk. I'm like, m M, 425 00:20:07,000 --> 00:20:08,920 Speaker 1: I know I could go for a billion right away, 426 00:20:08,920 --> 00:20:10,920 Speaker 1: but let me just go for my million. Feel good, 427 00:20:11,000 --> 00:20:13,399 Speaker 1: make sure everybody good, we all fed, And now I 428 00:20:13,400 --> 00:20:15,639 Speaker 1: could take the leap from a place that's not a 429 00:20:15,640 --> 00:20:17,760 Speaker 1: place of fear, you know what I mean, Like I 430 00:20:17,800 --> 00:20:19,959 Speaker 1: can take the leap from a place of like, you know, 431 00:20:20,080 --> 00:20:22,680 Speaker 1: regardless of what happens. You know, I know I'm gonna 432 00:20:22,680 --> 00:20:24,480 Speaker 1: be Okay, let's just go for it. So that's what's 433 00:20:24,520 --> 00:20:28,040 Speaker 1: happening in phase three of my business development. So you know, 434 00:20:28,080 --> 00:20:30,320 Speaker 1: there's this quote that says, how you do one thing 435 00:20:30,680 --> 00:20:34,679 Speaker 1: is how you do everything right. And and I wonder, 436 00:20:34,720 --> 00:20:39,080 Speaker 1: if you can't manage your personal finances, can you be 437 00:20:39,160 --> 00:20:43,760 Speaker 1: expected or um, can you manage business finances? Because I 438 00:20:43,840 --> 00:20:46,600 Speaker 1: imagine some people will have the excuse of, like, look, 439 00:20:46,640 --> 00:20:49,920 Speaker 1: I'm not making enough, so I'm always messing up because 440 00:20:49,920 --> 00:20:52,520 Speaker 1: I'm always trying to play catch up. But they may 441 00:20:52,560 --> 00:20:55,960 Speaker 1: have this idea that could potentially get them out of 442 00:20:55,960 --> 00:20:58,040 Speaker 1: that situation. How can they be trusted with the money 443 00:20:58,080 --> 00:21:00,879 Speaker 1: to do it? So I wonder to what extent is 444 00:21:00,920 --> 00:21:05,520 Speaker 1: that excuse valid? Um? I think it's very valid because 445 00:21:05,520 --> 00:21:08,320 Speaker 1: of one at the very least, if you are stressed 446 00:21:08,400 --> 00:21:11,200 Speaker 1: personally when it comes to your finances, then it's gonna 447 00:21:11,200 --> 00:21:15,000 Speaker 1: be very hard for you to develop a business without 448 00:21:15,000 --> 00:21:17,160 Speaker 1: that fear in the background. Okay, you know, we really 449 00:21:17,160 --> 00:21:19,200 Speaker 1: got to make money. I just you know, it's hard. 450 00:21:19,280 --> 00:21:21,040 Speaker 1: I'm not saying that. Now here's the thing. I develop 451 00:21:21,080 --> 00:21:22,800 Speaker 1: a budget and stuff from that space in place because 452 00:21:22,800 --> 00:21:26,000 Speaker 1: I I had nothing. But it's really difficult to stay 453 00:21:26,040 --> 00:21:29,520 Speaker 1: focused because now you're making choices where you're just like, 454 00:21:29,840 --> 00:21:31,840 Speaker 1: is this good in the long term or is this 455 00:21:31,880 --> 00:21:34,199 Speaker 1: a quick buck? But that quick buck might mean So 456 00:21:34,240 --> 00:21:36,600 Speaker 1: for example, let's just say you partner with the brand 457 00:21:37,200 --> 00:21:40,360 Speaker 1: and they're like, hey, Tiffany, you know, like beginner Tiffany, 458 00:21:40,640 --> 00:21:43,760 Speaker 1: will pay you ten thousand dollars for us to be 459 00:21:43,800 --> 00:21:46,359 Speaker 1: able to use your use your likeness for the next year. 460 00:21:46,840 --> 00:21:48,600 Speaker 1: In the beginning, you're like, oh, I'll take that ten 461 00:21:48,600 --> 00:21:50,640 Speaker 1: thou because I need it, you know, I gotta pay 462 00:21:50,680 --> 00:21:53,680 Speaker 1: these bills. And then what happens is as you're growing 463 00:21:53,680 --> 00:21:56,639 Speaker 1: and developing your brand, you have all these other brands 464 00:21:56,640 --> 00:21:58,240 Speaker 1: I want to work with you, but guess who can't 465 00:21:58,240 --> 00:22:00,680 Speaker 1: work with them? You because you're in the contract for 466 00:22:00,720 --> 00:22:03,440 Speaker 1: that year, and there was a five thousand dollar or 467 00:22:03,440 --> 00:22:06,280 Speaker 1: two thousand or two or three or four altogether, that's 468 00:22:06,320 --> 00:22:08,760 Speaker 1: fifty thou dollars that you could have locked in, but 469 00:22:08,800 --> 00:22:11,000 Speaker 1: because you're locked in for that ten you're like dang. 470 00:22:11,560 --> 00:22:13,560 Speaker 1: And I'm sharing that from like experience where I've locked 471 00:22:13,600 --> 00:22:15,640 Speaker 1: myself in because I'm like, I need the money now, 472 00:22:16,040 --> 00:22:18,920 Speaker 1: and I'm like, okay, but I learned the lessons to say, 473 00:22:20,080 --> 00:22:22,760 Speaker 1: if if someone's going to lock me down, it has 474 00:22:22,800 --> 00:22:25,199 Speaker 1: to be a significant amount of money, more than what 475 00:22:25,280 --> 00:22:27,720 Speaker 1: I can anticipate based upon last year what I would 476 00:22:27,720 --> 00:22:30,560 Speaker 1: make if I was gonna partner with multiple people. So, 477 00:22:31,640 --> 00:22:34,280 Speaker 1: but if you are reckless with your because I've seen 478 00:22:34,280 --> 00:22:37,159 Speaker 1: people who are reckless with their personal finances, not just 479 00:22:37,240 --> 00:22:39,280 Speaker 1: I'm having a financial hard time because maybe you lost 480 00:22:39,280 --> 00:22:41,720 Speaker 1: your job or whatever, but reckless, You're likely going to 481 00:22:41,760 --> 00:22:44,920 Speaker 1: also be reckless with your business finances. And if you 482 00:22:45,359 --> 00:22:48,720 Speaker 1: have the pleasure and the privilege of having a team, 483 00:22:49,119 --> 00:22:51,359 Speaker 1: you put everybody at risk. I don't play that. And 484 00:22:51,400 --> 00:22:54,000 Speaker 1: so you know, you do want to get yourself financially 485 00:22:54,000 --> 00:22:56,919 Speaker 1: together because also to you to work with financial professionals, 486 00:22:56,920 --> 00:22:59,240 Speaker 1: like you might have a CFO, you might have a controller, 487 00:22:59,600 --> 00:23:02,240 Speaker 1: you might have a bookkeeper, you might have an accountant, 488 00:23:02,400 --> 00:23:04,360 Speaker 1: but you're gonna want to know what you're looking at, 489 00:23:04,680 --> 00:23:08,400 Speaker 1: you know, and so you can't just um um give 490 00:23:08,480 --> 00:23:11,760 Speaker 1: all the financial control away. And so getting your personal 491 00:23:11,760 --> 00:23:15,800 Speaker 1: finances in order. It's definitely a major key in making 492 00:23:15,840 --> 00:23:19,480 Speaker 1: sure your business is also sustainable. You know, you talked 493 00:23:19,480 --> 00:23:22,159 Speaker 1: about how you know you were in that situation. You 494 00:23:22,200 --> 00:23:24,960 Speaker 1: know you built your business from a state of being broke, 495 00:23:25,160 --> 00:23:28,280 Speaker 1: and um, I wonder what was the break that you 496 00:23:28,359 --> 00:23:31,000 Speaker 1: had that set you on a different trajectory. So, like, 497 00:23:31,040 --> 00:23:34,000 Speaker 1: I'm broke today, but tomorrow, because this thing happened, I'm 498 00:23:34,040 --> 00:23:37,080 Speaker 1: finally free, you know the proverbial sense of free. I'm 499 00:23:37,119 --> 00:23:40,960 Speaker 1: out of those those weeds. And how can we be 500 00:23:41,000 --> 00:23:46,280 Speaker 1: intentional about making sure that that break happens? So for me, 501 00:23:46,960 --> 00:23:51,320 Speaker 1: I remember, for me, it was connection to different people. 502 00:23:51,960 --> 00:23:54,160 Speaker 1: Like the first five years, it was just me, me, me, me, 503 00:23:54,160 --> 00:23:57,240 Speaker 1: me in this little hole. I got myself to, like 504 00:23:57,240 --> 00:23:59,040 Speaker 1: I think I got myself to a hundred fifty thousand 505 00:23:59,080 --> 00:24:02,520 Speaker 1: dollars a year in business, which is really thirty five thousand. 506 00:24:02,560 --> 00:24:04,919 Speaker 1: I'll saycom those of y'all who know will know, like, 507 00:24:05,119 --> 00:24:07,560 Speaker 1: because you gotta pay bills and you gotta pay Uncle Sam. 508 00:24:07,880 --> 00:24:11,399 Speaker 1: So people only make six figures. I'm like, no, my 509 00:24:11,560 --> 00:24:13,760 Speaker 1: business makes six figures. I make lesson I did as 510 00:24:13,760 --> 00:24:16,880 Speaker 1: a preschool teacher. But I said, don't let people pool 511 00:24:16,920 --> 00:24:19,080 Speaker 1: when they're like, oh, I'll make I'm like, is that 512 00:24:19,119 --> 00:24:22,679 Speaker 1: your business? You know? And I'm always transparent with our numbers. 513 00:24:22,720 --> 00:24:25,879 Speaker 1: I think that's important, right, So so what what what 514 00:24:26,119 --> 00:24:28,280 Speaker 1: transformed it for me? Because I had it took me 515 00:24:28,760 --> 00:24:32,440 Speaker 1: almost six years to get to six figures and then 516 00:24:32,520 --> 00:24:35,199 Speaker 1: I met um So the budgets still a hundred percent mine, 517 00:24:35,200 --> 00:24:37,560 Speaker 1: but I met my business partner. He wasn't my business 518 00:24:37,560 --> 00:24:40,199 Speaker 1: partner at the time. His name is Jabriel, and he 519 00:24:40,320 --> 00:24:42,040 Speaker 1: was like, why are you doing it this way? You 520 00:24:42,080 --> 00:24:44,520 Speaker 1: could do it this way. It was a new injection 521 00:24:44,680 --> 00:24:47,440 Speaker 1: of new information. He's like, like, for example, he said, 522 00:24:47,440 --> 00:24:49,119 Speaker 1: have you ever heard of an affiliate link? And I'm 523 00:24:49,160 --> 00:24:52,399 Speaker 1: like now. He was like, well, what tools and resources 524 00:24:52,440 --> 00:24:54,560 Speaker 1: do you use? And I said, here's a list. He said, 525 00:24:54,560 --> 00:24:56,639 Speaker 1: do you suggest them to your to your artists? I 526 00:24:56,640 --> 00:24:58,480 Speaker 1: said yeah all the time. And he was like, do 527 00:24:58,560 --> 00:24:59,920 Speaker 1: you know some of these companies will pay you to 528 00:25:00,040 --> 00:25:03,000 Speaker 1: suggest them. I did not know that and he was like, girl, 529 00:25:03,160 --> 00:25:05,359 Speaker 1: make a list and we found all, like you know, 530 00:25:05,440 --> 00:25:09,040 Speaker 1: of the ten ten businesses, maybe there were three that 531 00:25:09,080 --> 00:25:11,600 Speaker 1: had an affiliate program that was public. So instead of 532 00:25:11,600 --> 00:25:14,439 Speaker 1: just giving a regular link like business dot com, it 533 00:25:14,520 --> 00:25:17,480 Speaker 1: was business dot com slash Tiffany, and all of a sudden, 534 00:25:17,880 --> 00:25:20,639 Speaker 1: that was an extra thousand dollars a month that was 535 00:25:20,680 --> 00:25:22,560 Speaker 1: coming in for something I was already doing. And I 536 00:25:22,640 --> 00:25:26,160 Speaker 1: was like, oh, so what I learned is that after 537 00:25:26,240 --> 00:25:28,720 Speaker 1: partnering with your brood, to learned that there were other 538 00:25:29,200 --> 00:25:31,919 Speaker 1: people that I started to connect with that like you know, 539 00:25:31,960 --> 00:25:35,520 Speaker 1: you're really looking to either learn from them virtually meaning 540 00:25:35,560 --> 00:25:38,480 Speaker 1: like watching their videos and listening to their podcast whatever, 541 00:25:39,040 --> 00:25:41,440 Speaker 1: or you know, sometimes you get the partner in real life, 542 00:25:41,520 --> 00:25:43,280 Speaker 1: or you go to networking event. You need to be 543 00:25:43,359 --> 00:25:46,880 Speaker 1: amongst people who are have done it or are currently 544 00:25:47,359 --> 00:25:50,760 Speaker 1: doing it because it will expand your capacity. So what 545 00:25:50,840 --> 00:25:54,000 Speaker 1: helped me go from literally five years five or six 546 00:25:54,080 --> 00:25:56,000 Speaker 1: years took me to get to six figures, It took 547 00:25:56,040 --> 00:25:58,399 Speaker 1: me two years after that to get to seven, and 548 00:25:58,400 --> 00:25:59,760 Speaker 1: then it took me a year after that to get 549 00:25:59,760 --> 00:26:02,160 Speaker 1: to um to eight to eight. You see how quickly 550 00:26:02,200 --> 00:26:06,560 Speaker 1: that learning curve was, Like you know, so I was like, Okay, 551 00:26:07,240 --> 00:26:11,000 Speaker 1: it's the expansion of capacity, you know, Like I was 552 00:26:11,040 --> 00:26:13,840 Speaker 1: thinking so small and even now I fight to not 553 00:26:13,960 --> 00:26:17,480 Speaker 1: think small, that to think deeper, to think wider, to 554 00:26:17,600 --> 00:26:21,240 Speaker 1: expand my capacity for what is possible. Because I was 555 00:26:21,280 --> 00:26:23,480 Speaker 1: just thinking that I have a business coach now. And 556 00:26:23,520 --> 00:26:24,840 Speaker 1: I was telling him the other day like, I don't know, 557 00:26:24,880 --> 00:26:27,359 Speaker 1: I keep getting this like vision that I'm gonna, like, 558 00:26:27,400 --> 00:26:30,159 Speaker 1: you know, make fifty million dollars, you know. And I 559 00:26:30,200 --> 00:26:32,359 Speaker 1: told him this idea that I'm rolling out. He was like, 560 00:26:32,640 --> 00:26:34,480 Speaker 1: are you sure that's what I'm saying fifty million? I 561 00:26:34,520 --> 00:26:36,560 Speaker 1: was like yeah. He was like that idea is more 562 00:26:36,600 --> 00:26:38,760 Speaker 1: worth more like two hundred millions based upon the market. 563 00:26:39,119 --> 00:26:41,080 Speaker 1: And I was like, okay. He said, now the fifty 564 00:26:41,080 --> 00:26:42,840 Speaker 1: million is likely going to be what your take home is. 565 00:26:42,960 --> 00:26:45,080 Speaker 1: Maybe that's what your vision is telling you. But in 566 00:26:45,119 --> 00:26:49,320 Speaker 1: my mind, I'm like two hundred million, no, because it 567 00:26:49,400 --> 00:26:54,439 Speaker 1: feels so impossible. And then I, um, he invited me 568 00:26:54,520 --> 00:26:57,720 Speaker 1: to this like um entrepreneur kind of like shin dig. 569 00:26:57,960 --> 00:27:00,399 Speaker 1: We're literally everybody there. There are people there were like, 570 00:27:00,560 --> 00:27:02,680 Speaker 1: oh we made two million last week. It was so great, 571 00:27:02,760 --> 00:27:05,080 Speaker 1: So we're gonna have a company for her. Everybody ain't 572 00:27:05,119 --> 00:27:09,640 Speaker 1: on social flexing, so that normalization of that like oh yeah, 573 00:27:09,640 --> 00:27:11,600 Speaker 1: we built our company, like you know me and you know, 574 00:27:11,600 --> 00:27:13,679 Speaker 1: I met him at the last meeting. We built a 575 00:27:13,720 --> 00:27:15,520 Speaker 1: company in six months to a million dollars a month. 576 00:27:15,600 --> 00:27:17,240 Speaker 1: We just sold it for seventy million. I think we 577 00:27:17,240 --> 00:27:19,760 Speaker 1: should do that again. That's fun. And you're like, wait, 578 00:27:19,800 --> 00:27:23,680 Speaker 1: what that Expand I'm over here sweating like I'm dont 579 00:27:23,720 --> 00:27:25,480 Speaker 1: make it to my ten million, and they're like, oh, 580 00:27:25,520 --> 00:27:28,920 Speaker 1: that's so cute. Ten So how's that going. And meanwhile, 581 00:27:29,000 --> 00:27:31,640 Speaker 1: these people that you would never see on social are 582 00:27:31,760 --> 00:27:35,480 Speaker 1: just are just making money at like a level that 583 00:27:35,600 --> 00:27:38,679 Speaker 1: seems so insane and crazy because we don't see it 584 00:27:39,040 --> 00:27:41,040 Speaker 1: see it posted on social because they're not trying to 585 00:27:41,040 --> 00:27:43,840 Speaker 1: get robbed and every known new business. And so for 586 00:27:43,880 --> 00:27:45,720 Speaker 1: me and for anyone who's wanting to go to the 587 00:27:45,720 --> 00:27:48,880 Speaker 1: next level, it's gonna require you to expand your capacity. 588 00:27:49,160 --> 00:27:50,639 Speaker 1: And some of the best ways to do that is 589 00:27:50,920 --> 00:27:53,320 Speaker 1: take a look. It's in a book reading Rainbow Read. 590 00:27:54,320 --> 00:27:57,480 Speaker 1: I mean, damn, people don't want to read. Read like 591 00:27:57,560 --> 00:27:58,639 Speaker 1: you know, if you want to read this is my 592 00:27:58,720 --> 00:28:01,240 Speaker 1: day in a black Moment. Get Good with Money tend 593 00:28:01,280 --> 00:28:04,240 Speaker 1: Simple Steps to Becoming financially Whole, my New York Times 594 00:28:04,800 --> 00:28:07,800 Speaker 1: best selling book available at Get gives Money dot com. 595 00:28:08,119 --> 00:28:11,560 Speaker 1: But no, sincerely, like I'm even now I'm reading Atomic 596 00:28:11,640 --> 00:28:14,199 Speaker 1: Habits right, which is like helping me to open up 597 00:28:14,240 --> 00:28:16,199 Speaker 1: my mind, like, Okay, before I read David, David and 598 00:28:16,240 --> 00:28:19,240 Speaker 1: Goliath by Malcolm Gladwell. He's one of my favorite writers, 599 00:28:19,280 --> 00:28:25,240 Speaker 1: Like how what David Malcolm Gladwell works writes really amazing books, um, 600 00:28:25,280 --> 00:28:27,040 Speaker 1: that can be used for your business, but they're really 601 00:28:27,040 --> 00:28:30,000 Speaker 1: books about kind of like psychology. Where David and Goliath 602 00:28:30,000 --> 00:28:32,800 Speaker 1: he talks about was David really the underdog? That sometimes 603 00:28:32,800 --> 00:28:35,199 Speaker 1: really being the underdog is your best asset and how 604 00:28:35,240 --> 00:28:38,480 Speaker 1: to use that. So and before that, um, I read 605 00:28:38,520 --> 00:28:42,600 Speaker 1: Delivering Happiness by Tony Shay. So he's the owner of Zapples. 606 00:28:42,920 --> 00:28:45,560 Speaker 1: He passed away recently, but he was a billionaire and 607 00:28:45,640 --> 00:28:48,040 Speaker 1: his thing was all about company culture. So I had 608 00:28:48,120 --> 00:28:49,920 Speaker 1: me looking at my own company's culture to what we 609 00:28:49,920 --> 00:28:55,040 Speaker 1: could do better. So I'm constantly reading to expand my capacity. 610 00:28:55,160 --> 00:28:59,560 Speaker 1: That's one to talk to people, talk to people who 611 00:28:59,560 --> 00:29:03,440 Speaker 1: are doing similar, better, whatever than you, so you can 612 00:29:03,520 --> 00:29:07,160 Speaker 1: think beyond what you know. You don't know all the things. 613 00:29:07,200 --> 00:29:08,800 Speaker 1: The best thing that you can know is you don't 614 00:29:08,800 --> 00:29:12,200 Speaker 1: know anything you know, like expand your capacity that way. 615 00:29:12,200 --> 00:29:15,000 Speaker 1: And the third thing is expand your capacity through experiences. 616 00:29:16,120 --> 00:29:20,280 Speaker 1: Nothing teaches you better than actually seeing, tasting, doing One 617 00:29:20,280 --> 00:29:22,240 Speaker 1: thing I do, like once a month is I find 618 00:29:22,280 --> 00:29:24,560 Speaker 1: one of the wealthiest neighborhoods around here and I drive 619 00:29:24,600 --> 00:29:27,640 Speaker 1: through because it's a reminder that fifty people in this 620 00:29:27,640 --> 00:29:29,800 Speaker 1: neighborhood figured out how to get themselves a five million 621 00:29:29,800 --> 00:29:34,160 Speaker 1: dollar home. Sis they are smarter than you. As a teacher, 622 00:29:34,240 --> 00:29:35,760 Speaker 1: one of the things you learned as a teacher is 623 00:29:35,800 --> 00:29:38,959 Speaker 1: that eighty percent of the student population is of average 624 00:29:38,960 --> 00:29:43,600 Speaker 1: intelligence average meaning smart, ten percent have have challenges, you know, 625 00:29:43,880 --> 00:29:47,400 Speaker 1: where they really need additional assistance, and ten percent are 626 00:29:47,640 --> 00:29:50,680 Speaker 1: super super smart, like geniuses. These people that live in 627 00:29:50,680 --> 00:29:53,240 Speaker 1: these houses, it's to any percent. This is not Bill 628 00:29:53,280 --> 00:29:55,800 Speaker 1: Gates that lives here. It's some regular deecular people. You 629 00:29:55,920 --> 00:29:58,320 Speaker 1: part of the eighty You can live here too. So 630 00:29:58,360 --> 00:30:01,480 Speaker 1: I'm always trying to expand my capath to be like, no, no, no, no, 631 00:30:01,560 --> 00:30:04,720 Speaker 1: let me experience that, like, Okay, they're not smarter than me, 632 00:30:04,880 --> 00:30:07,160 Speaker 1: why can't I live here? Of course you can, And 633 00:30:07,200 --> 00:30:11,440 Speaker 1: so experiences, um people and books are one of the 634 00:30:11,480 --> 00:30:14,200 Speaker 1: greatest ways to expand your capacity. And that's the difference 635 00:30:14,200 --> 00:30:17,800 Speaker 1: between where you are to the astronomical growth that's ahead 636 00:30:17,800 --> 00:30:19,960 Speaker 1: of you. I love it. I love it. And you 637 00:30:20,000 --> 00:30:22,960 Speaker 1: started off that response talking about something that's super important 638 00:30:22,960 --> 00:30:26,880 Speaker 1: for entrepreneurs, and I was taxes, right, And you know, 639 00:30:27,880 --> 00:30:30,840 Speaker 1: increasingly I see things on social that talk about how 640 00:30:30,960 --> 00:30:35,520 Speaker 1: the tax code was written to incentivize entrepreneurship, business owners 641 00:30:35,560 --> 00:30:40,040 Speaker 1: and employing people and growing enterprise. What I wonder is, like, 642 00:30:40,680 --> 00:30:44,480 Speaker 1: is there anything missing from that conversation that's not happening 643 00:30:45,360 --> 00:30:49,720 Speaker 1: far enough to where regular people, you know, maybe leaving 644 00:30:49,720 --> 00:30:51,800 Speaker 1: money on the table or paying too much to Uncle 645 00:30:51,880 --> 00:30:54,640 Speaker 1: Sam's like, how can we take advantage of this code 646 00:30:55,200 --> 00:30:57,680 Speaker 1: if we are entrepreneurs? And if you're not planning on 647 00:30:57,760 --> 00:31:00,520 Speaker 1: being an entrepreneur, but still you know, how to figure 648 00:31:00,560 --> 00:31:02,800 Speaker 1: out ways to you know, hope keep some of that 649 00:31:02,840 --> 00:31:04,680 Speaker 1: money to be able to deploy it towards you know, 650 00:31:04,880 --> 00:31:08,120 Speaker 1: building wealth. I'll say this that if you're not an entrepreneur, 651 00:31:08,200 --> 00:31:11,520 Speaker 1: there's not that much in the tax code that's to 652 00:31:11,600 --> 00:31:14,080 Speaker 1: your benefit. Quite honestly, this is why you hear about 653 00:31:14,080 --> 00:31:16,040 Speaker 1: the people say that, you know, the middle class is 654 00:31:16,040 --> 00:31:19,840 Speaker 1: basically carrying everybody else, you know, so um, those