1 00:00:01,600 --> 00:00:09,600 Speaker 1: Afro Tech San Francisco, California. Jason Maiden, who at the 2 00:00:09,640 --> 00:00:12,440 Speaker 1: time was running the youth sports apparel brand Super Heroic, 3 00:00:12,600 --> 00:00:16,680 Speaker 1: isn't an Afro Tech blounge talking design. He drops a 4 00:00:16,680 --> 00:00:20,040 Speaker 1: few gyms about the true meaning of design, his design ethos, 5 00:00:20,280 --> 00:00:24,600 Speaker 1: and how design greatly affects or fails to impact. Altogether, 6 00:00:25,040 --> 00:00:28,880 Speaker 1: it's intended audience. My conversation today is not necessarily just 7 00:00:29,080 --> 00:00:31,680 Speaker 1: focused on footwear. It's focused on the frameworks for us 8 00:00:31,760 --> 00:00:34,120 Speaker 1: to create a brand that could create a cultural shift. 9 00:00:34,520 --> 00:00:36,440 Speaker 1: A lot of people think that design is the act 10 00:00:36,440 --> 00:00:39,640 Speaker 1: of drawing or making products. It's not that that's the 11 00:00:39,680 --> 00:00:42,519 Speaker 1: act of asking better questions. That's our role. We look 12 00:00:42,560 --> 00:00:44,600 Speaker 1: at the world, we ask better questions, and we respond 13 00:00:44,600 --> 00:00:47,639 Speaker 1: with the products, services, and experiences we create. So it's 14 00:00:47,720 --> 00:00:51,160 Speaker 1: very simple. You capture in your design ethos the principles 15 00:00:51,200 --> 00:00:53,120 Speaker 1: you want to see when they look at your product, 16 00:00:53,360 --> 00:00:55,520 Speaker 1: when they talk about your product, and they interact with 17 00:00:55,560 --> 00:00:59,080 Speaker 1: your product. So first and foremost, it's about emotion and expression. 18 00:00:59,440 --> 00:01:01,200 Speaker 1: How do you feel when you see it? What does 19 00:01:01,240 --> 00:01:03,560 Speaker 1: it make you think about? Can you place this moment 20 00:01:03,560 --> 00:01:05,600 Speaker 1: in time and say, yo, I remember the first time 21 00:01:05,600 --> 00:01:07,679 Speaker 1: I heard on Mattic. I remember the first time I 22 00:01:07,680 --> 00:01:09,840 Speaker 1: saw the edging the eleven. I remember the first time 23 00:01:09,880 --> 00:01:11,679 Speaker 1: my parents woke my butt for sneaking out to bottle 24 00:01:11,760 --> 00:01:14,240 Speaker 1: edging the leven. And then there's the form language. How 25 00:01:14,240 --> 00:01:16,240 Speaker 1: does it feel? How does it look? What's the touch 26 00:01:16,280 --> 00:01:17,920 Speaker 1: of it, what's the finish of it? How does it 27 00:01:18,040 --> 00:01:19,960 Speaker 1: interact with the human body? How does it interact with 28 00:01:20,000 --> 00:01:22,480 Speaker 1: the environment in which it exists. You know, we don't 29 00:01:22,480 --> 00:01:24,360 Speaker 1: have to put a giant logo on our product because 30 00:01:24,360 --> 00:01:29,040 Speaker 1: our design language is our branding. I'm will Lucas. This 31 00:01:29,240 --> 00:01:32,440 Speaker 1: is Black Tech Dream Money. I'm gonna introduce you to 32 00:01:32,520 --> 00:01:34,800 Speaker 1: some of the biggest names, some of the brightest minds 33 00:01:34,840 --> 00:01:38,000 Speaker 1: and brilliant ideas. If you're black and building or simply 34 00:01:38,080 --> 00:01:41,160 Speaker 1: using tech to secure your bag, this podcast is for you. 35 00:01:46,480 --> 00:01:49,520 Speaker 1: Chris Classic is a modern day renaissance man. He's an 36 00:01:49,520 --> 00:01:53,480 Speaker 1: American music awar winning recording artist, social media influencer, and 37 00:01:53,680 --> 00:01:57,480 Speaker 1: business owner. He's the founder of the lifestyle Buran Savoar Fair, 38 00:01:57,720 --> 00:02:01,240 Speaker 1: which features a signature of fragrance and other personal accessories. 39 00:02:02,000 --> 00:02:04,680 Speaker 1: His music can be heard on several movie soundtracks, including 40 00:02:04,720 --> 00:02:07,880 Speaker 1: Alvin and the Chipmunks, Fifty Shades, of Great Horrible Bosses 41 00:02:08,240 --> 00:02:11,040 Speaker 1: just Right featuring Queen Latifa in Common and many more. 42 00:02:11,639 --> 00:02:15,720 Speaker 1: And his signature fragrance isn't higher demanding ever before. This 43 00:02:15,800 --> 00:02:18,480 Speaker 1: conversation between Chris and I happened during the Afro Tech 44 00:02:18,520 --> 00:02:22,840 Speaker 1: Back to Black Innovatives Digital Summit, and you are in 45 00:02:22,919 --> 00:02:25,440 Speaker 1: with us, so that's Innovatives. We can virtual sumthing we 46 00:02:25,480 --> 00:02:28,920 Speaker 1: have Back to Black today. I'm so excited about this 47 00:02:29,000 --> 00:02:31,400 Speaker 1: next conversation. First of all, I really appreciate you guys 48 00:02:31,400 --> 00:02:33,400 Speaker 1: for hanging out with us today. We've had some amazing 49 00:02:33,440 --> 00:02:36,880 Speaker 1: conversations and we get to kick off the end of 50 00:02:36,919 --> 00:02:39,600 Speaker 1: this the conclusion of the day with one of my 51 00:02:39,680 --> 00:02:44,400 Speaker 1: favorite creatives. UM. Chris Classic is a self proclaimed dad preneur, 52 00:02:44,840 --> 00:02:47,800 Speaker 1: which I love. He's been called the moment day renaissance 53 00:02:47,840 --> 00:02:50,800 Speaker 1: man Um. He's a husband and a co parent founder 54 00:02:50,800 --> 00:02:56,360 Speaker 1: of Savoy Fair, a lifestyle brand that features fragrances, wellness products, Sonny's, 55 00:02:56,240 --> 00:02:59,880 Speaker 1: He Got the Shades, Cigars, um and etcetera. He's also 56 00:02:59,880 --> 00:03:02,040 Speaker 1: an artist and his music can be heard in two 57 00:03:02,160 --> 00:03:06,800 Speaker 1: hundred plus movies, TV shows, and ads. Um as an 58 00:03:06,800 --> 00:03:08,800 Speaker 1: a m a American Music Award for his work on 59 00:03:08,840 --> 00:03:12,200 Speaker 1: the Alvin and Chipmunks soundtrack. He's one of those guys 60 00:03:12,240 --> 00:03:15,080 Speaker 1: that constantly has other people steal his posts and use 61 00:03:15,160 --> 00:03:18,440 Speaker 1: them as their own no credit, which is not really clue, 62 00:03:18,520 --> 00:03:21,240 Speaker 1: but are there are using some artists who, like you know, 63 00:03:21,440 --> 00:03:24,320 Speaker 1: arguably probably stole his swag. But he's one of my 64 00:03:24,400 --> 00:03:27,080 Speaker 1: favorite creatives and I told him actually when I started 65 00:03:27,120 --> 00:03:29,320 Speaker 1: here at Afrotech that whatever I could do to amplify 66 00:03:29,400 --> 00:03:31,120 Speaker 1: his work, I was gonna do that. And so I'm 67 00:03:31,160 --> 00:03:35,440 Speaker 1: so excited to have this conversation with you today. I 68 00:03:35,480 --> 00:03:39,040 Speaker 1: will say um as a reminder for everybody, this is 69 00:03:39,040 --> 00:03:41,120 Speaker 1: gonna be an amazing conversation I know because Chris is 70 00:03:41,160 --> 00:03:43,800 Speaker 1: just that kind of brilliant. Please engage on the chat 71 00:03:43,840 --> 00:03:45,320 Speaker 1: because I will try to get to ask me any 72 00:03:45,400 --> 00:03:48,240 Speaker 1: questions and comments as I can that you guys are 73 00:03:48,280 --> 00:03:51,240 Speaker 1: filling in here. So Chris, good to have you here, man. 74 00:03:51,600 --> 00:03:56,240 Speaker 1: What's I'm blessed brother, Thank you for coming today. I'm 75 00:03:56,240 --> 00:03:59,760 Speaker 1: excited about this, So let's get into it music, social 76 00:03:59,800 --> 00:04:03,720 Speaker 1: and fluencer UM and leveraging that to be an entrepreneur. 77 00:04:04,320 --> 00:04:07,600 Speaker 1: At what point did you realize that you could leverage 78 00:04:07,640 --> 00:04:12,520 Speaker 1: your ability to create content um that picked your interest 79 00:04:12,600 --> 00:04:17,640 Speaker 1: in monetizing your audience on social media. UM. Well, I 80 00:04:17,680 --> 00:04:22,080 Speaker 1: don't think there was a particularly poignant moment moment in 81 00:04:22,160 --> 00:04:25,680 Speaker 1: which I decided that that's what I was going to do. UM. 82 00:04:26,040 --> 00:04:30,560 Speaker 1: I realized, um that by being authentically me and sharing 83 00:04:30,640 --> 00:04:34,200 Speaker 1: different parts of my day, UM. You know, for me, 84 00:04:34,279 --> 00:04:38,440 Speaker 1: I just wanted to kind of dispel the the rumor 85 00:04:38,680 --> 00:04:43,839 Speaker 1: or the myth um about black fathers. That's that's really 86 00:04:44,400 --> 00:04:48,680 Speaker 1: UM what led me to share so authentically. UM. And 87 00:04:48,720 --> 00:04:50,880 Speaker 1: then you know, being on the streets of New York 88 00:04:50,960 --> 00:04:54,360 Speaker 1: at the time, being able to pass people who were 89 00:04:54,400 --> 00:04:58,039 Speaker 1: strangers who were just like man, I follow you on Instagram, 90 00:04:58,120 --> 00:05:00,560 Speaker 1: and you know you inspired me to do this or 91 00:05:00,640 --> 00:05:04,360 Speaker 1: take a more active role or um, you know, to 92 00:05:04,360 --> 00:05:07,479 Speaker 1: to try to work out a co parenting situation with 93 00:05:07,680 --> 00:05:10,600 Speaker 1: you know, my baby mama, whatever it was. UM. I 94 00:05:10,640 --> 00:05:17,320 Speaker 1: started noticing that people were resonating with my daily life. UM. 95 00:05:17,680 --> 00:05:20,479 Speaker 1: And so when I started to share the things that 96 00:05:20,600 --> 00:05:24,480 Speaker 1: I liked, UM, I noticed that people were also buying 97 00:05:24,520 --> 00:05:27,640 Speaker 1: those same things. UM. And this is you know, before 98 00:05:27,720 --> 00:05:31,760 Speaker 1: there was an influencer, or before there was kind of 99 00:05:31,760 --> 00:05:36,119 Speaker 1: a lane for people to specifically do that as a career. UM, 100 00:05:36,160 --> 00:05:38,599 Speaker 1: it was more like Hey man, Now I felt some 101 00:05:38,640 --> 00:05:43,400 Speaker 1: sort of social obligation to share nice things, UM or 102 00:05:43,440 --> 00:05:46,599 Speaker 1: the things that I enjoyed, and in the process I 103 00:05:46,640 --> 00:05:48,560 Speaker 1: found out a lot of people like the same thing, 104 00:05:49,920 --> 00:05:53,520 Speaker 1: UM too often to your point of being authentic, like, 105 00:05:53,560 --> 00:05:56,520 Speaker 1: we downplay our ability to make an impact by just 106 00:05:56,640 --> 00:05:59,800 Speaker 1: being authentic. You know, so many of us portray and 107 00:06:00,000 --> 00:06:03,359 Speaker 1: alter ego online because we may feel like, you know, 108 00:06:03,400 --> 00:06:07,240 Speaker 1: our lifestyle ain't the way right. And you fully embraced 109 00:06:07,480 --> 00:06:12,120 Speaker 1: being mature, You've embraced being a dad, um, embraced the 110 00:06:12,120 --> 00:06:17,440 Speaker 1: struggles of not always feeling properly compensated for your contribution. UM. 111 00:06:17,480 --> 00:06:21,080 Speaker 1: To talk to me about the value of that authenticity. 112 00:06:21,279 --> 00:06:27,840 Speaker 1: No matter what mainstream coolness says, right, well, there's always 113 00:06:27,839 --> 00:06:30,800 Speaker 1: someone watching, right, and there's always you know, as long 114 00:06:30,839 --> 00:06:36,880 Speaker 1: as you're sharing, someone's paying attention and UM for me, authenticity, 115 00:06:36,920 --> 00:06:39,600 Speaker 1: you know, it doesn't go out of style. Right. So 116 00:06:39,880 --> 00:06:43,560 Speaker 1: if you look at like, let's just say, um, a 117 00:06:43,640 --> 00:06:46,239 Speaker 1: certain you know pair of sneakers that we all love 118 00:06:48,279 --> 00:06:52,920 Speaker 1: once they kind of create a mold. Every five or 119 00:06:52,960 --> 00:06:56,560 Speaker 1: six years, maybe ten years, they're re released them because 120 00:06:56,800 --> 00:07:02,480 Speaker 1: nothing got better than that, right, And so I like authenticity. UM, 121 00:07:02,520 --> 00:07:07,360 Speaker 1: you know, kind of allows you to be timeless. Uh. 122 00:07:07,400 --> 00:07:09,840 Speaker 1: And so that's what I that's what I aim for. 123 00:07:10,040 --> 00:07:14,520 Speaker 1: And I realized that with brands UM and and entrepreneurs, 124 00:07:14,560 --> 00:07:19,160 Speaker 1: the level of authenticity from which you share from UM, 125 00:07:19,200 --> 00:07:22,360 Speaker 1: you know, definitely transcends over to your brand because people 126 00:07:22,400 --> 00:07:26,760 Speaker 1: are looking to identify with what's real. And you know, 127 00:07:26,880 --> 00:07:30,080 Speaker 1: most of the people UM who you know kind of 128 00:07:30,120 --> 00:07:36,440 Speaker 1: patronize my business and support my brand. UM. They they 129 00:07:36,480 --> 00:07:42,320 Speaker 1: they first become interested because they're looking at my life 130 00:07:42,360 --> 00:07:46,920 Speaker 1: that I'm sharing pretty openly and candidly. And then they're 131 00:07:46,960 --> 00:07:49,680 Speaker 1: seeing how I'm living and saying, well, you know what, 132 00:07:49,720 --> 00:07:53,360 Speaker 1: if he likes that, I might like it too. If 133 00:07:53,400 --> 00:07:57,080 Speaker 1: he likes this restaurant, if he likes this type of spirit, 134 00:07:57,520 --> 00:08:02,040 Speaker 1: then I may like it too. And you know, I 135 00:08:02,080 --> 00:08:05,720 Speaker 1: don't worry about who doesn't, you know. I think UM 136 00:08:05,760 --> 00:08:10,800 Speaker 1: as entrepreneurs, we all struggle with wanting to be UM 137 00:08:11,120 --> 00:08:14,080 Speaker 1: liked by everyone. And I struggled with that for a 138 00:08:14,080 --> 00:08:17,160 Speaker 1: long time until I've realized that there are a lot 139 00:08:17,240 --> 00:08:21,200 Speaker 1: of people that just like me how I am and 140 00:08:21,280 --> 00:08:24,240 Speaker 1: like the different products that I'm creating. And that's who 141 00:08:24,240 --> 00:08:28,520 Speaker 1: I care too, you know. And as a more consistent. 142 00:08:28,640 --> 00:08:31,400 Speaker 1: I find more and more people are are circling back, 143 00:08:31,440 --> 00:08:33,480 Speaker 1: even though they may have you know, see me a 144 00:08:33,480 --> 00:08:38,480 Speaker 1: few years ago. They they you know, eventually come on board. 145 00:08:39,000 --> 00:08:41,320 Speaker 1: My guy, Kenny Burne says, if you are who you 146 00:08:41,360 --> 00:08:43,920 Speaker 1: are long enough, people will eventually pay you for it. 147 00:08:44,360 --> 00:08:48,559 Speaker 1: And UM, you know that's something that always resonated with me. Um, 148 00:08:48,760 --> 00:08:53,959 Speaker 1: and so just being authentic, you know, really works. Um. 149 00:08:54,080 --> 00:08:58,319 Speaker 1: Do you think we can embrace a better How can 150 00:08:58,400 --> 00:09:02,960 Speaker 1: we embrace that there is an audience if we feel old, 151 00:09:03,120 --> 00:09:06,640 Speaker 1: or we feel like a nerd or um, how can 152 00:09:06,720 --> 00:09:10,760 Speaker 1: we embrace that when we don't see our mainstream person, 153 00:09:11,400 --> 00:09:13,360 Speaker 1: how can we trust the process that there is an 154 00:09:13,400 --> 00:09:16,520 Speaker 1: audience out there? I guess it's the question. Well, for me, 155 00:09:16,679 --> 00:09:20,360 Speaker 1: I'm always humbled by learning about new artists that I 156 00:09:20,400 --> 00:09:25,320 Speaker 1: don't know. UM. I think the most recent that really 157 00:09:25,440 --> 00:09:31,240 Speaker 1: just you know wild me um was Russ and Um 158 00:09:31,280 --> 00:09:34,800 Speaker 1: I didn't I didn't know who he was because I 159 00:09:35,160 --> 00:09:38,600 Speaker 1: wasn't really hearing his music on the radio. I wasn't 160 00:09:38,600 --> 00:09:42,520 Speaker 1: really seeing it talked about amongst my peers. And this 161 00:09:42,600 --> 00:09:45,720 Speaker 1: is probably about a year and a half ago. UM. 162 00:09:45,760 --> 00:09:48,559 Speaker 1: But then I asked my teenage sons and ain't it right? 163 00:09:48,679 --> 00:09:51,200 Speaker 1: And then as I did more research, I was able 164 00:09:51,240 --> 00:09:54,400 Speaker 1: to see these crowds that he was performing in front of, 165 00:09:54,440 --> 00:09:57,880 Speaker 1: and I'm like, where did this kid come from? Who 166 00:09:57,960 --> 00:10:02,120 Speaker 1: is he? And how does he have Arena's pat And 167 00:10:02,360 --> 00:10:05,120 Speaker 1: that reminded me that there are so many people in 168 00:10:05,160 --> 00:10:10,520 Speaker 1: this world. There's always a crowd for somebody, you know, 169 00:10:10,920 --> 00:10:16,079 Speaker 1: and you know, just doing a simple hashtag search on 170 00:10:16,200 --> 00:10:19,320 Speaker 1: social media will kind of let you know that there's 171 00:10:19,520 --> 00:10:23,840 Speaker 1: a tribe out there, uh, for you somewhere that is 172 00:10:23,920 --> 00:10:26,640 Speaker 1: definitely liking the same thing or if they have the 173 00:10:26,679 --> 00:10:31,480 Speaker 1: same interest you know, so definitely. UM. Being humbled by 174 00:10:31,520 --> 00:10:36,040 Speaker 1: the fact that I realized, you know, there's millions upon 175 00:10:36,120 --> 00:10:39,720 Speaker 1: millions of people just in this country alone, UM, that 176 00:10:39,840 --> 00:10:43,440 Speaker 1: have such unique interests that there's never going to be 177 00:10:44,080 --> 00:10:47,880 Speaker 1: UM something that you know, no one likes. You're always 178 00:10:47,920 --> 00:10:52,439 Speaker 1: gonna be able to find your tribe. So how can 179 00:10:52,520 --> 00:10:55,960 Speaker 1: we find that if if if we're not the mainstream way, like, 180 00:10:56,120 --> 00:10:58,920 Speaker 1: how can we find our audience on social media? Or 181 00:10:58,960 --> 00:11:00,880 Speaker 1: is it that they just find you? To your point 182 00:11:00,880 --> 00:11:03,839 Speaker 1: of what Kenney Burn said, they'll find you. I think 183 00:11:03,840 --> 00:11:08,400 Speaker 1: they eventually find you if you're consistent. But if you 184 00:11:08,679 --> 00:11:12,839 Speaker 1: if you're offering something, if you're offering a podcast, right, 185 00:11:12,880 --> 00:11:16,440 Speaker 1: which may be your opinions, your ideas, and you're doing 186 00:11:16,480 --> 00:11:19,800 Speaker 1: a decent job, at least the decent job of marketing that, 187 00:11:20,000 --> 00:11:25,800 Speaker 1: getting that those keywords out. Um. You know, those things 188 00:11:25,880 --> 00:11:29,439 Speaker 1: matter if you have a product and it's amazing. Um, 189 00:11:30,480 --> 00:11:34,839 Speaker 1: those things matter because eventually people will find out. UM. 190 00:11:34,880 --> 00:11:37,760 Speaker 1: I was in a uber the other day and um, 191 00:11:37,800 --> 00:11:44,559 Speaker 1: the driver was listening to audio of Will Smith, and UM, 192 00:11:44,600 --> 00:11:47,600 Speaker 1: you know, I appreciated him having it on him and 193 00:11:47,679 --> 00:11:52,560 Speaker 1: Les Brown, and Will Smith said something about to the 194 00:11:52,600 --> 00:11:55,480 Speaker 1: effect of building a wall. You know, sometimes if you 195 00:11:55,800 --> 00:11:58,280 Speaker 1: have the idea of building a wall, it becomes a 196 00:11:58,360 --> 00:12:00,840 Speaker 1: daunting challenge. But if you look at it like, I'm 197 00:12:00,840 --> 00:12:03,000 Speaker 1: gonna lay this one break and I'm gonna make I'm 198 00:12:03,000 --> 00:12:05,720 Speaker 1: gonna lay this brick the best that any brick has 199 00:12:05,760 --> 00:12:09,760 Speaker 1: ever been laid, and you just keep doing that consistently, consistently, 200 00:12:10,120 --> 00:12:13,160 Speaker 1: next thing, you know, you have a huge wall. Um. 201 00:12:13,320 --> 00:12:16,920 Speaker 1: And I think that's really uh. The same mindset that 202 00:12:17,000 --> 00:12:19,600 Speaker 1: you have to have when it comes to either launching 203 00:12:19,640 --> 00:12:23,320 Speaker 1: your idea, launching your product, or finding your tribe. You 204 00:12:23,360 --> 00:12:26,960 Speaker 1: have to identify who you are, stayed you know, completely 205 00:12:27,000 --> 00:12:29,840 Speaker 1: consistent with it. UM. And then if you're looking for 206 00:12:29,880 --> 00:12:33,720 Speaker 1: customers or attention, UM, you you have to do some 207 00:12:33,840 --> 00:12:40,440 Speaker 1: marketing that resonates with you with my brand. UM. I 208 00:12:40,520 --> 00:12:46,040 Speaker 1: think about like Fragrance commercials that I've seen my entire life, 209 00:12:46,080 --> 00:12:50,640 Speaker 1: that we've all seen. UM. It's it's typically you know, 210 00:12:51,520 --> 00:12:56,200 Speaker 1: the euro guy who's on a small yacht and he 211 00:12:56,400 --> 00:12:59,120 Speaker 1: has his hair slipped back and his abs are showing, 212 00:12:59,679 --> 00:13:04,400 Speaker 1: and do you know there's the the extremely thin blonde 213 00:13:04,520 --> 00:13:08,840 Speaker 1: in the back and it's just like Polo, right, And 214 00:13:08,880 --> 00:13:12,920 Speaker 1: it's just like that's the lifestyle. And I don't resonate 215 00:13:12,960 --> 00:13:19,120 Speaker 1: with that, So why would I create something that looks 216 00:13:19,160 --> 00:13:21,280 Speaker 1: like that? You know? And I think where we're at 217 00:13:21,360 --> 00:13:24,560 Speaker 1: now is, you know, so many entrepreneurs, so many amazing 218 00:13:24,640 --> 00:13:29,080 Speaker 1: directors and producers are seeing and content creators are seeing 219 00:13:29,120 --> 00:13:33,080 Speaker 1: that we want to see ourselves, and so we're just 220 00:13:33,520 --> 00:13:37,199 Speaker 1: making dope stuff that UM, when we see it, we 221 00:13:37,320 --> 00:13:39,680 Speaker 1: resonate with it because it's just like I've been waiting 222 00:13:39,679 --> 00:13:42,679 Speaker 1: to see that, you know. So I think right now, 223 00:13:42,760 --> 00:13:47,760 Speaker 1: more than ever, there's a tremendous opportunity for people who 224 00:13:47,800 --> 00:13:51,880 Speaker 1: have UM products or just content to make the things 225 00:13:51,880 --> 00:13:54,120 Speaker 1: that you want to see because now we're looking for it. 226 00:13:54,280 --> 00:13:58,959 Speaker 1: In the past, we didn't always have the means. How 227 00:13:58,960 --> 00:14:01,160 Speaker 1: would you define your a brand? Like you said, like 228 00:14:01,200 --> 00:14:03,440 Speaker 1: you know, you don't necessarily relate to the r old 229 00:14:03,679 --> 00:14:07,640 Speaker 1: style of marketing and those products obviously the aligned with 230 00:14:07,679 --> 00:14:11,160 Speaker 1: their target audience. UM. Though it does spill over, how 231 00:14:11,200 --> 00:14:15,800 Speaker 1: do you how do you define your brand? Um? Well, 232 00:14:15,920 --> 00:14:21,000 Speaker 1: to me, savoar Fare is an attraction brand. And what 233 00:14:21,040 --> 00:14:25,120 Speaker 1: I mean by it's an attraction brand is the products 234 00:14:25,160 --> 00:14:29,560 Speaker 1: are to make you feel attractive UM and to also 235 00:14:29,640 --> 00:14:33,840 Speaker 1: make you be attractive, meaning the lifestyt that you want, 236 00:14:33,880 --> 00:14:37,240 Speaker 1: the mindset that you want to carry. UM. I remember 237 00:14:37,320 --> 00:14:42,200 Speaker 1: distinctly learning that if I smelled amazing when I went 238 00:14:42,240 --> 00:14:45,520 Speaker 1: to a hotel counter, you know, when I'm you know, 239 00:14:45,640 --> 00:14:48,040 Speaker 1: in the lobby and I'm waiting on the next one 240 00:14:48,080 --> 00:14:51,240 Speaker 1: online and maybe I had a rough flight, and if 241 00:14:51,240 --> 00:14:54,520 Speaker 1: I smelled amazing though, when I got to that counter, 242 00:14:55,520 --> 00:14:59,640 Speaker 1: that person, usually if I was wearing my creator my bond, 243 00:15:00,480 --> 00:15:04,240 Speaker 1: usually that person would ask me if I wanted to upgrade, 244 00:15:05,120 --> 00:15:09,520 Speaker 1: And it was because the scent gave off the notion 245 00:15:09,640 --> 00:15:13,000 Speaker 1: that this person has a certain type of taste and 246 00:15:13,040 --> 00:15:16,800 Speaker 1: so every product that I make, either will you know, 247 00:15:17,520 --> 00:15:21,320 Speaker 1: is created for you to to feel more attractive or 248 00:15:21,760 --> 00:15:27,000 Speaker 1: you know, most recently with my cigars, it's specifically for 249 00:15:27,120 --> 00:15:31,560 Speaker 1: you to intentionally envision generational wealth. You know, when you 250 00:15:31,600 --> 00:15:35,320 Speaker 1: think about um. You know, when you go to communion 251 00:15:35,600 --> 00:15:40,040 Speaker 1: or in different Eastern religions or even our own ancestral religions, 252 00:15:40,840 --> 00:15:45,400 Speaker 1: tobacco and smoke are used a lot, and specifically smoke. 253 00:15:45,600 --> 00:15:48,760 Speaker 1: And so I thought, you know, I love cigars, and 254 00:15:48,840 --> 00:15:52,320 Speaker 1: usually when I'm smoking by myself, I'm thinking about my family, 255 00:15:52,320 --> 00:15:55,000 Speaker 1: I'm thinking about what can I do, what's the next idea, 256 00:15:55,520 --> 00:15:57,480 Speaker 1: you know? And I realized that there are so many, 257 00:15:57,720 --> 00:16:01,480 Speaker 1: you know, people who enjoy cigars, but when they when 258 00:16:01,480 --> 00:16:05,480 Speaker 1: they're smoking alone, they're not thinking of anything that's necessarily helpful. 259 00:16:05,560 --> 00:16:09,640 Speaker 1: They're not attracting anything to themselves creatively, UM and to 260 00:16:09,760 --> 00:16:14,560 Speaker 1: their family. So that's the intentionality behind that cigar. UM. 261 00:16:14,840 --> 00:16:17,080 Speaker 1: And as I create more products, all of them will 262 00:16:17,120 --> 00:16:20,280 Speaker 1: have something that either makes you feel attractive or be 263 00:16:20,440 --> 00:16:26,920 Speaker 1: attracting UM. I've talked a lot about this lately, of 264 00:16:27,720 --> 00:16:32,920 Speaker 1: like the mission or the purpose we endeavor reveals itself 265 00:16:32,960 --> 00:16:35,880 Speaker 1: as we start to do the work. The things that 266 00:16:35,920 --> 00:16:39,000 Speaker 1: we know to do. Right. Um, So you start off 267 00:16:39,000 --> 00:16:41,120 Speaker 1: thinking you're gonna do this, but then you find that 268 00:16:41,280 --> 00:16:46,480 Speaker 1: all the real thing shows itself to you. Right. And 269 00:16:46,600 --> 00:16:50,280 Speaker 1: you started off thinking and working towards being in the 270 00:16:50,400 --> 00:16:54,080 Speaker 1: music industry in a different way than in it today. Um, 271 00:16:54,120 --> 00:16:56,120 Speaker 1: you know with your story with jam Master J and 272 00:16:56,160 --> 00:16:58,680 Speaker 1: the record deals where you had the buzz and then 273 00:16:58,800 --> 00:17:03,120 Speaker 1: he was killed, you know, assassinated in and that that 274 00:17:03,200 --> 00:17:09,120 Speaker 1: puts your life in a different direction, right, And um, 275 00:17:09,160 --> 00:17:12,760 Speaker 1: you wanted to be as I'm aware, like if this 276 00:17:12,840 --> 00:17:17,720 Speaker 1: is a respectful way to say, like a more mainstream wrapping, yeah, okay, Um, 277 00:17:17,920 --> 00:17:20,880 Speaker 1: talk about how though you saw it in your head 278 00:17:20,880 --> 00:17:28,560 Speaker 1: a specific way, the purpose or your mission reveals itself. Yeah, 279 00:17:28,920 --> 00:17:34,919 Speaker 1: I think if I if I'm being completely honest, I 280 00:17:35,000 --> 00:17:38,000 Speaker 1: found that my mission was to be humble and to 281 00:17:38,200 --> 00:17:44,960 Speaker 1: serve um and how that relates to music and too 282 00:17:46,040 --> 00:17:52,160 Speaker 1: a lifestyle brand. Um, all of my success musically has 283 00:17:52,240 --> 00:17:56,879 Speaker 1: come from being unseen. When you are watching you know, 284 00:17:56,920 --> 00:17:59,719 Speaker 1: when you're in the theater or you're watching something and 285 00:17:59,760 --> 00:18:02,720 Speaker 1: you hear this voice that sounds like it's jay Z 286 00:18:03,000 --> 00:18:06,080 Speaker 1: or Drake, but it's not either of them, and it's you. Know, 287 00:18:06,160 --> 00:18:08,520 Speaker 1: in a quick you know, ten second scene where the 288 00:18:08,560 --> 00:18:11,880 Speaker 1: guy is rushing through the party or you know whatever, 289 00:18:12,280 --> 00:18:17,080 Speaker 1: that's usually me, right, And I know my producers know, 290 00:18:17,400 --> 00:18:19,919 Speaker 1: my family made my voice. And I think now I 291 00:18:20,000 --> 00:18:23,320 Speaker 1: have enough people who are um, you know, like Marvel 292 00:18:23,800 --> 00:18:27,760 Speaker 1: or d C nerds who like know my voice or 293 00:18:28,119 --> 00:18:32,880 Speaker 1: w w E you know people fans who know my voice. Um. 294 00:18:32,920 --> 00:18:35,840 Speaker 1: But all of my success has come from being behind 295 00:18:35,880 --> 00:18:40,119 Speaker 1: the scenes, you know. And um, when I thought about 296 00:18:40,200 --> 00:18:44,560 Speaker 1: being an artist and being successful, I didn't specify how, 297 00:18:45,480 --> 00:18:48,840 Speaker 1: you know, And so I have to really take ownership 298 00:18:48,920 --> 00:18:51,200 Speaker 1: of that and realize I just wanted to be heard. 299 00:18:51,240 --> 00:18:54,760 Speaker 1: I just wanted to be successful. And you know, the 300 00:18:54,840 --> 00:18:57,960 Speaker 1: creator was just like, I cool, you didn't specify it, 301 00:18:58,080 --> 00:19:01,280 Speaker 1: So this is how you you're gonna get it. Um. 302 00:19:01,359 --> 00:19:04,520 Speaker 1: And then as I was creating the brand, and I 303 00:19:04,560 --> 00:19:09,000 Speaker 1: started you know, going out around Atlanta and seeing people 304 00:19:09,040 --> 00:19:11,960 Speaker 1: that I didn't know say, hey, man, I wear a 305 00:19:11,960 --> 00:19:14,680 Speaker 1: soul cafe, I wear a bowling ward, you know. Talking 306 00:19:14,720 --> 00:19:19,159 Speaker 1: about my fragrances, I realized that the notes in the 307 00:19:19,240 --> 00:19:22,200 Speaker 1: music are the same like the notes and the fragrance. 308 00:19:22,440 --> 00:19:25,840 Speaker 1: And I realized that my purpose was to serve the 309 00:19:25,920 --> 00:19:30,719 Speaker 1: senses of my community. Whether it's musically, whether it's you know, 310 00:19:30,840 --> 00:19:34,200 Speaker 1: by tangible products you know, for the nose, whether it's 311 00:19:34,320 --> 00:19:40,480 Speaker 1: you know, creating uh you know, cocktails or um, gathering 312 00:19:40,520 --> 00:19:44,760 Speaker 1: people together for events, or whether it's just emotionally you know, 313 00:19:44,880 --> 00:19:48,720 Speaker 1: to talk to men and fathers about our emotional responsibility 314 00:19:48,840 --> 00:19:51,840 Speaker 1: and how we can be emotionally accountable to ourselves and 315 00:19:51,880 --> 00:19:56,359 Speaker 1: our brothers and you know, to our maids. Um, it's 316 00:19:56,480 --> 00:19:59,000 Speaker 1: become revealed to me, is that my my job and 317 00:19:59,119 --> 00:20:04,439 Speaker 1: my purpose is to serve our senses. Uh. Talk to 318 00:20:04,480 --> 00:20:07,359 Speaker 1: me about because I hear you saying something that I 319 00:20:07,400 --> 00:20:09,399 Speaker 1: want to dig in on, and you know, this is 320 00:20:09,440 --> 00:20:13,280 Speaker 1: an innovator's digital summit, right, And I I hear you 321 00:20:13,680 --> 00:20:15,959 Speaker 1: in your posts you talk a lot about like the 322 00:20:16,040 --> 00:20:18,280 Speaker 1: energy that you put in the universe, and you've called 323 00:20:18,440 --> 00:20:21,200 Speaker 1: things to you. You know. I remember before you had 324 00:20:21,640 --> 00:20:24,959 Speaker 1: your space to work in, you were talking about needing 325 00:20:24,960 --> 00:20:27,600 Speaker 1: that space and calling you know, I'm trying to sign 326 00:20:27,680 --> 00:20:30,320 Speaker 1: woo woo about it, but you were calling it to you, right, 327 00:20:31,119 --> 00:20:34,480 Speaker 1: And UM, I believe that innovation being that this is 328 00:20:34,520 --> 00:20:37,320 Speaker 1: the innovator or something. I believe that innovation is about 329 00:20:37,400 --> 00:20:40,879 Speaker 1: seeing something that may not exist today, or a way 330 00:20:40,920 --> 00:20:44,440 Speaker 1: of doing things that don't exist today, and working towards 331 00:20:44,520 --> 00:20:47,440 Speaker 1: a future you know that we want that may be 332 00:20:47,560 --> 00:20:50,359 Speaker 1: better than the one that we have today. And I remember, 333 00:20:50,520 --> 00:20:53,200 Speaker 1: like the two chains I'm paraphrasing, like this two chains 334 00:20:53,280 --> 00:20:55,399 Speaker 1: quote I saw, and he's like, you know, your energy 335 00:20:55,520 --> 00:20:57,199 Speaker 1: is what keeps the bag away from you, Like if 336 00:20:57,240 --> 00:21:00,280 Speaker 1: your bad, if your energy is bad, that bag change, 337 00:21:00,280 --> 00:21:03,639 Speaker 1: it is running from you. Yeah, right, So talk to 338 00:21:03,680 --> 00:21:07,360 Speaker 1: me about, um, what did it? How you think with 339 00:21:07,440 --> 00:21:12,679 Speaker 1: regards to what you say and your dealings with people 340 00:21:13,280 --> 00:21:17,760 Speaker 1: and the energy you put in the world and generally, Um, well, 341 00:21:17,840 --> 00:21:22,560 Speaker 1: I think for me the testimony of that there are 342 00:21:22,600 --> 00:21:25,080 Speaker 1: certain things that I wanted in life that I've actually 343 00:21:25,160 --> 00:21:28,840 Speaker 1: attracted to myself via ouchemy and and the grace of 344 00:21:28,880 --> 00:21:32,000 Speaker 1: God right and the grace of our creator. Um, I 345 00:21:32,119 --> 00:21:36,119 Speaker 1: realized that the words matter right, and I learned how important. 346 00:21:36,760 --> 00:21:41,919 Speaker 1: You know this may sound awkward to some, but you 347 00:21:41,960 --> 00:21:46,800 Speaker 1: know we spell things right, and you know typically who 348 00:21:46,960 --> 00:21:51,639 Speaker 1: cast spells right which is historically right. And but even 349 00:21:51,640 --> 00:21:55,880 Speaker 1: if you just delve into that which is right, that 350 00:21:56,119 --> 00:22:00,520 Speaker 1: is the spelling. Um, everything that you write down, which 351 00:22:00,520 --> 00:22:05,520 Speaker 1: is why writing things down is incredibly important. Everything that 352 00:22:05,600 --> 00:22:08,720 Speaker 1: you write down revolves around how you spell it. And 353 00:22:08,800 --> 00:22:11,520 Speaker 1: so I've learned that the things that I share, even 354 00:22:11,520 --> 00:22:14,960 Speaker 1: in a digital space, they have an energy that goes 355 00:22:15,080 --> 00:22:18,320 Speaker 1: way further than my literal voice or that my latest 356 00:22:18,359 --> 00:22:22,679 Speaker 1: can carry me. So, um, I think you know about 357 00:22:22,760 --> 00:22:25,639 Speaker 1: things in a way that I want people to feel something. 358 00:22:25,720 --> 00:22:28,720 Speaker 1: I want people to feel that any measure of success 359 00:22:28,800 --> 00:22:31,520 Speaker 1: that I've had, which you know, it's still low on 360 00:22:31,520 --> 00:22:35,560 Speaker 1: the totem cold compared you know, to others, I want 361 00:22:35,600 --> 00:22:38,600 Speaker 1: you to feel just as empowered to say this too. 362 00:22:38,840 --> 00:22:41,360 Speaker 1: I want you to feel just as empowered to envision 363 00:22:41,720 --> 00:22:45,679 Speaker 1: having your life the way you wanted to be. And 364 00:22:45,840 --> 00:22:50,680 Speaker 1: for me, it's like I have to care because you know, Um, 365 00:22:50,800 --> 00:22:53,080 Speaker 1: as a kid growing up in a in a Jehovah's 366 00:22:53,119 --> 00:22:56,760 Speaker 1: witness household, all I did was read. All I did 367 00:22:56,800 --> 00:23:00,840 Speaker 1: was just look up things and study. And so you 368 00:23:00,880 --> 00:23:06,439 Speaker 1: know it definitely, you know, narrated my life to some 369 00:23:06,560 --> 00:23:10,040 Speaker 1: degree about how important things are when you read them 370 00:23:10,240 --> 00:23:13,440 Speaker 1: and how you practice them, and that religion is nothing 371 00:23:13,440 --> 00:23:17,399 Speaker 1: more than your habit. And so when I'm feeling a 372 00:23:17,440 --> 00:23:21,280 Speaker 1: certain type of way, um, maybe I'm I'm having kind 373 00:23:21,280 --> 00:23:24,480 Speaker 1: of a low energy day. I may talk about it 374 00:23:24,960 --> 00:23:28,800 Speaker 1: not because I'm looking for sympathy or not because I'm 375 00:23:28,800 --> 00:23:33,800 Speaker 1: looking to appear. It's because I know that somebody else 376 00:23:33,840 --> 00:23:36,680 Speaker 1: feels the exact same way, and they may never get 377 00:23:36,680 --> 00:23:40,119 Speaker 1: the opportunity to see someone who looks like them articulated 378 00:23:40,119 --> 00:23:45,960 Speaker 1: a certain way that really hits home. You know. UM, 379 00:23:45,960 --> 00:23:49,200 Speaker 1: fun moments with my daughter sharing that on social media. 380 00:23:49,320 --> 00:23:52,879 Speaker 1: You you'd be surprised at how many beautiful, amazing women 381 00:23:53,920 --> 00:23:57,720 Speaker 1: have no relationship with their dads, and so seeing thirty 382 00:23:57,760 --> 00:24:01,399 Speaker 1: seconds of plays just kind of like, man, it it 383 00:24:01,640 --> 00:24:05,280 Speaker 1: resonates with their spirit something that was missing, you know. 384 00:24:05,400 --> 00:24:10,320 Speaker 1: And so once I learned that, I felt very comfortable, um, 385 00:24:10,359 --> 00:24:13,320 Speaker 1: just sharing those things and being intentional about what I 386 00:24:13,359 --> 00:24:16,600 Speaker 1: share because I know that at this particular point people 387 00:24:16,640 --> 00:24:21,040 Speaker 1: are looking, and um, I try to share it all. 388 00:24:21,200 --> 00:24:24,240 Speaker 1: You know. The other day, I was trying to stop 389 00:24:24,280 --> 00:24:28,439 Speaker 1: my daughter from picking up rotted pumpkin that was in 390 00:24:28,480 --> 00:24:33,200 Speaker 1: our backyard, and you know, I'm like taking a video 391 00:24:33,240 --> 00:24:35,840 Speaker 1: of her while we're playing in the backyard, and she 392 00:24:35,920 --> 00:24:37,920 Speaker 1: wouldn't listen to me when I said no, So I'm 393 00:24:37,960 --> 00:24:39,919 Speaker 1: resting over to her and trying to get her to 394 00:24:40,000 --> 00:24:43,040 Speaker 1: not pick up this pumpkin and I fall, I trip 395 00:24:43,119 --> 00:24:47,080 Speaker 1: over the broom and you know, I'm holding my phone still, 396 00:24:47,119 --> 00:24:49,560 Speaker 1: so my phone like goes all over the place, and 397 00:24:50,440 --> 00:24:53,640 Speaker 1: the whole rest of the video was cool, but I decided, 398 00:24:53,720 --> 00:24:56,639 Speaker 1: you know what, I'm just gonna share this part of 399 00:24:56,680 --> 00:25:01,080 Speaker 1: me falling because it's real, you know what I'm saying. 400 00:25:01,280 --> 00:25:04,280 Speaker 1: And and I feel like so many people got to 401 00:25:04,359 --> 00:25:07,760 Speaker 1: kick out of, you know, seeing someone who may appear 402 00:25:07,840 --> 00:25:11,240 Speaker 1: cool and kind of got it together actually trip and fall. 403 00:25:11,400 --> 00:25:13,680 Speaker 1: You know what I'm saying. I was. I was thrilled. 404 00:25:14,119 --> 00:25:17,320 Speaker 1: Aber Duvenais saw the post and bro, this is perfect. 405 00:25:17,400 --> 00:25:21,000 Speaker 1: This would before a movement. I'm like, you know what, 406 00:25:21,119 --> 00:25:24,600 Speaker 1: you know? So, UM, I think there's so many people 407 00:25:24,640 --> 00:25:28,400 Speaker 1: who are dying to be themselves. And if I can 408 00:25:28,440 --> 00:25:32,440 Speaker 1: give you permission, and that's what I'm known for, I'm 409 00:25:32,480 --> 00:25:36,400 Speaker 1: cool with that. I love that. I love that. UM 410 00:25:36,640 --> 00:25:39,320 Speaker 1: talk to me about like the struggles of being a 411 00:25:39,400 --> 00:25:42,840 Speaker 1: creative entrepreneur. And what I mean by that is so 412 00:25:42,880 --> 00:25:46,879 Speaker 1: many times, like creatives come to business with a creative mentality, 413 00:25:46,920 --> 00:25:49,480 Speaker 1: and while you can have that, there's a space for that, 414 00:25:49,600 --> 00:25:53,360 Speaker 1: you kind of kind of compartmentalize it a little bit. Um, 415 00:25:53,400 --> 00:25:55,720 Speaker 1: but you are learning or did learn or talk to 416 00:25:55,720 --> 00:25:59,920 Speaker 1: me about this and how to be an operator. I'm 417 00:26:00,000 --> 00:26:04,000 Speaker 1: still learned about your process. I'm still learning, man. Um. 418 00:26:04,040 --> 00:26:08,240 Speaker 1: You know, I have a business partner who is more 419 00:26:08,440 --> 00:26:13,000 Speaker 1: of a mentor and coach and UM, I don't know 420 00:26:13,040 --> 00:26:18,040 Speaker 1: if you're a big college basketball fan, but UM coach 421 00:26:18,119 --> 00:26:23,640 Speaker 1: Kazazansky from Duke. When you watch him, he's never flustered 422 00:26:23,880 --> 00:26:27,280 Speaker 1: no matter what. Someone could, you know, hit a game 423 00:26:27,880 --> 00:26:33,080 Speaker 1: winner at the buzzer and he just looks like, Yeah, 424 00:26:33,160 --> 00:26:37,160 Speaker 1: that's that's what we practice. UM. And that's who my 425 00:26:37,200 --> 00:26:41,480 Speaker 1: mentor is. I can have a million and one creative 426 00:26:41,520 --> 00:26:43,760 Speaker 1: ideas and let go and we're gonna do this, and 427 00:26:43,920 --> 00:26:45,800 Speaker 1: I can get to the other color and then I'm 428 00:26:45,800 --> 00:26:51,199 Speaker 1: gonna do this and he mm hmm no. And it 429 00:26:51,359 --> 00:26:55,560 Speaker 1: forces me to realize that there's a there's a space 430 00:26:55,640 --> 00:27:00,000 Speaker 1: where the creative has to stop creating and innovating, um, 431 00:27:00,080 --> 00:27:04,080 Speaker 1: in order to execute and to automate. And that's what 432 00:27:04,119 --> 00:27:07,160 Speaker 1: I'm still learning right now. Every day I have some 433 00:27:07,359 --> 00:27:11,439 Speaker 1: new hair brained idea of a new product or a 434 00:27:11,480 --> 00:27:16,040 Speaker 1: new spirit behind a certain product, and UM, you know, 435 00:27:16,119 --> 00:27:18,200 Speaker 1: I could be told all the time, you know, and 436 00:27:18,600 --> 00:27:21,159 Speaker 1: sometimes I sneak and share things that you know I 437 00:27:21,200 --> 00:27:24,320 Speaker 1: shouldn't that I'm like, oh, well, people signed up for this. 438 00:27:24,440 --> 00:27:27,520 Speaker 1: I guess I actually have to make it now. Um. 439 00:27:27,560 --> 00:27:31,959 Speaker 1: But you know, I think that's the importance of having mentors, 440 00:27:32,040 --> 00:27:35,159 Speaker 1: having people that you're in business with who are able 441 00:27:35,200 --> 00:27:39,040 Speaker 1: to allow you that creativity you know, or space to 442 00:27:39,040 --> 00:27:43,040 Speaker 1: to be creative, but then also um insist that you 443 00:27:43,200 --> 00:27:47,439 Speaker 1: learn how to operate and how to automate, and you know, 444 00:27:47,520 --> 00:27:51,120 Speaker 1: without it, your end up with a thousand products and 445 00:27:51,119 --> 00:27:57,720 Speaker 1: and no follows. Yeah. I love that the ingenuity behind 446 00:27:57,800 --> 00:28:00,159 Speaker 1: like building in the proverbi of the garage as you 447 00:28:00,200 --> 00:28:02,920 Speaker 1: shared like a lot of your early posts where when 448 00:28:02,960 --> 00:28:05,159 Speaker 1: you were doing the fragrance, you know you were I 449 00:28:05,200 --> 00:28:11,439 Speaker 1: think in bigger yes or the basement was for people 450 00:28:11,520 --> 00:28:14,920 Speaker 1: who want to do the wellness products, the hair care, 451 00:28:15,200 --> 00:28:18,880 Speaker 1: the fragrances, etcetera. What were the steps that you took 452 00:28:18,920 --> 00:28:21,320 Speaker 1: to learn how to do formulations? Because it can go 453 00:28:21,400 --> 00:28:24,840 Speaker 1: bad if you're using the wrong stuff, right, Um, but 454 00:28:24,920 --> 00:28:26,840 Speaker 1: how did how did you learn? Like what is like 455 00:28:26,880 --> 00:28:28,800 Speaker 1: did you just get mentorship? Like when you're reading books 456 00:28:28,840 --> 00:28:31,840 Speaker 1: it was a YouTube university? Like what did you do? Um? Well, 457 00:28:31,840 --> 00:28:36,200 Speaker 1: when it first came to creating a fragrance in itself, 458 00:28:36,600 --> 00:28:39,440 Speaker 1: my present started. I was only looking to create one 459 00:28:39,480 --> 00:28:42,640 Speaker 1: bottle of cologne for me. That's how I first started. 460 00:28:42,800 --> 00:28:48,160 Speaker 1: And I had a communication relationship with another brother here 461 00:28:48,200 --> 00:28:52,240 Speaker 1: in Atlanta who d m to me. It was just like, hey, man, 462 00:28:52,520 --> 00:28:54,400 Speaker 1: do you think we can meet up sometimes so I 463 00:28:54,400 --> 00:28:56,920 Speaker 1: can pick your brain about you know, like being a 464 00:28:57,040 --> 00:28:59,600 Speaker 1: husband and being creative and kind of like how you 465 00:28:59,640 --> 00:29:03,560 Speaker 1: balance to everything with being a dad. I'm like, all right, cool. 466 00:29:03,720 --> 00:29:07,840 Speaker 1: You know, no one had really, no human no individual 467 00:29:08,000 --> 00:29:15,840 Speaker 1: had asked me for some sort of consultative mentorship, you know. UM. 468 00:29:15,920 --> 00:29:18,800 Speaker 1: So we met at the gathering spot here in Atlanta, 469 00:29:19,320 --> 00:29:22,280 Speaker 1: and um, over the next eleven months, we we met 470 00:29:22,440 --> 00:29:25,239 Speaker 1: maybe once or twice a month. We would spend three 471 00:29:25,360 --> 00:29:28,320 Speaker 1: or four hours and we would just talk about life 472 00:29:28,960 --> 00:29:35,120 Speaker 1: while I was learning about the science of blending fragrances 473 00:29:35,400 --> 00:29:41,320 Speaker 1: to Perfumer's alcohol. And you know, at the end of 474 00:29:41,880 --> 00:29:46,360 Speaker 1: that process, UM, he ended up not wanting to partner 475 00:29:46,400 --> 00:29:49,120 Speaker 1: with me in in my business. Once I got to 476 00:29:49,160 --> 00:29:51,720 Speaker 1: the point where I was like, Wow, people really like this, 477 00:29:51,800 --> 00:29:54,320 Speaker 1: I guess I should make it a business. And because 478 00:29:54,480 --> 00:29:57,000 Speaker 1: he did not partner with me, when I expected him to. 479 00:29:57,760 --> 00:30:02,640 Speaker 1: I had to reformulate an entire formula by myself or 480 00:30:02,720 --> 00:30:06,720 Speaker 1: create an entire formula by myself, and UM that was 481 00:30:07,080 --> 00:30:10,520 Speaker 1: really scary. UM. So you know, for the first year, 482 00:30:10,560 --> 00:30:13,840 Speaker 1: I only had one fragrance, and you know, I took 483 00:30:13,880 --> 00:30:16,840 Speaker 1: the time to just learn and research as I liked 484 00:30:16,840 --> 00:30:22,480 Speaker 1: certain notes and materials, how much UM was recommended in 485 00:30:22,760 --> 00:30:27,920 Speaker 1: an entire concentration UM as far as you know, like 486 00:30:27,960 --> 00:30:32,080 Speaker 1: when the pandemic first began, UM, I had fragrances, but 487 00:30:33,000 --> 00:30:35,960 Speaker 1: I got nervous because people weren't gonna be going out, 488 00:30:36,200 --> 00:30:37,800 Speaker 1: you know. So I was nervous and no one was 489 00:30:37,840 --> 00:30:41,040 Speaker 1: going to continue to buy my fragrances. UM. So I 490 00:30:41,120 --> 00:30:45,680 Speaker 1: learned how to make a room spread using the concentration 491 00:30:46,080 --> 00:30:51,240 Speaker 1: from you know, my fragrances. That was successful. UM. So 492 00:30:51,520 --> 00:30:54,760 Speaker 1: a lot of it is self taught. UM. You know, 493 00:30:55,040 --> 00:30:58,120 Speaker 1: there is a brother who is an amazing perfumer. His 494 00:30:58,240 --> 00:31:03,120 Speaker 1: name is Chris Collins, and he was actually UM instructed 495 00:31:03,280 --> 00:31:08,920 Speaker 1: on UM perfumery in grass in France, where you know 496 00:31:08,960 --> 00:31:11,600 Speaker 1: they kind of say that's the mecca UM and the 497 00:31:11,680 --> 00:31:17,200 Speaker 1: birthplace of perfume UM. But that brother he UM, you know, 498 00:31:17,400 --> 00:31:20,080 Speaker 1: learned there and he has a fragrance line. It's a 499 00:31:20,080 --> 00:31:23,840 Speaker 1: little bigger than UK than here. Um. But eventually I 500 00:31:23,880 --> 00:31:27,120 Speaker 1: would love to to go and sit at a university 501 00:31:27,160 --> 00:31:31,560 Speaker 1: and learn. But UM, right now, I begin with energy 502 00:31:31,840 --> 00:31:34,320 Speaker 1: and then I do my research to make sure that 503 00:31:34,480 --> 00:31:37,520 Speaker 1: it's safe for people. Um. And then I just try 504 00:31:37,560 --> 00:31:42,040 Speaker 1: to execute um, you know, formulations that that work. What 505 00:31:42,280 --> 00:31:45,800 Speaker 1: was the decision again or the catalysts for the decision 506 00:31:45,840 --> 00:31:51,680 Speaker 1: against like a cold packer. Um. I can't control the energy. 507 00:31:52,960 --> 00:31:55,600 Speaker 1: I can't control the energy, you know when when it 508 00:31:55,680 --> 00:32:00,200 Speaker 1: leaves me on the on As I'm boling and as 509 00:32:00,240 --> 00:32:03,720 Speaker 1: my team is assembling, we're thinking positive thoughts. When I'm 510 00:32:03,760 --> 00:32:08,280 Speaker 1: printing out the shipping labels, I'm like, man, thank you, 511 00:32:08,640 --> 00:32:11,520 Speaker 1: thank you, John Adams, and you know when the muck 512 00:32:11,520 --> 00:32:14,920 Speaker 1: of Nevada, I appreciate you, bro, thank you. And when 513 00:32:14,920 --> 00:32:18,040 Speaker 1: we placed them at the post office and we you know, 514 00:32:18,120 --> 00:32:20,640 Speaker 1: dumping them in the bin, I'm looking at him and 515 00:32:20,680 --> 00:32:24,640 Speaker 1: I'm like, this is going to change someone's day, right, 516 00:32:24,800 --> 00:32:27,880 Speaker 1: That's all I'm thinking about. If if I can change 517 00:32:27,880 --> 00:32:30,400 Speaker 1: your day. If you was feeling down, or you may 518 00:32:30,400 --> 00:32:32,960 Speaker 1: not have been feeling yourself and you put on a 519 00:32:33,040 --> 00:32:36,640 Speaker 1: fragrance or a shade butter and and you step out 520 00:32:36,680 --> 00:32:39,840 Speaker 1: and someone goes you smell nice? Do you know what 521 00:32:39,960 --> 00:32:42,200 Speaker 1: that can do? I mean we both know what the 522 00:32:42,280 --> 00:32:46,160 Speaker 1: haircut does, right, a haircut which like I'm out of 523 00:32:46,240 --> 00:32:50,600 Speaker 1: one right now. It's all good, it's all good, bro, 524 00:32:50,720 --> 00:32:55,080 Speaker 1: we connected, Um, you know what it does? You know that. 525 00:32:55,200 --> 00:32:58,720 Speaker 1: You know, women, if you don't have a manicure, sometimes 526 00:32:58,800 --> 00:33:00,400 Speaker 1: you don't feel like, I don't want to go out. 527 00:33:00,440 --> 00:33:01,720 Speaker 1: I don't want to know about it to see my 528 00:33:01,840 --> 00:33:04,560 Speaker 1: toes ain't done. You're wearing shoes and you're worried about 529 00:33:04,560 --> 00:33:07,280 Speaker 1: the toes being done. It's a feeling, it's an energy, 530 00:33:07,760 --> 00:33:12,040 Speaker 1: and you know that's why two people who do want 531 00:33:12,080 --> 00:33:18,160 Speaker 1: to get into the wellness space. I would say, you know, financially, 532 00:33:18,320 --> 00:33:21,280 Speaker 1: it may work to you know, white label your products, 533 00:33:21,480 --> 00:33:25,480 Speaker 1: and I'm not knocking that at all, but there's a 534 00:33:25,520 --> 00:33:30,120 Speaker 1: different type of fulfillment. Literally, there's a different type of 535 00:33:30,200 --> 00:33:35,160 Speaker 1: fulfillment when you know that you're creating something for the 536 00:33:35,200 --> 00:33:40,400 Speaker 1: benefit of people, especially of people who look like you 537 00:33:40,680 --> 00:33:46,880 Speaker 1: or your family. And I can't explain it any better 538 00:33:46,920 --> 00:33:50,680 Speaker 1: than that, but it's something you you you you feel it, 539 00:33:51,040 --> 00:33:54,640 Speaker 1: especially when you get rapport and feedback from people, which 540 00:33:55,160 --> 00:33:58,040 Speaker 1: you know kind of forces you to have an accountability 541 00:33:58,200 --> 00:34:01,400 Speaker 1: because you know that people are taking a chance, um, 542 00:34:01,440 --> 00:34:04,440 Speaker 1: you know, shopping with you, and you wanted to be 543 00:34:04,600 --> 00:34:07,520 Speaker 1: right And you know, I'm still learning as I go. 544 00:34:07,680 --> 00:34:10,400 Speaker 1: Now every order comes out perfect, so I try to 545 00:34:10,719 --> 00:34:14,880 Speaker 1: overcompensate if I've really messed up, you know, UM, having 546 00:34:14,880 --> 00:34:18,960 Speaker 1: to rely on on shipping carriers, that is an entirely 547 00:34:20,280 --> 00:34:23,839 Speaker 1: crazy you know, nuance. But as far as my part 548 00:34:24,040 --> 00:34:28,320 Speaker 1: and what Savar affairs the brand does, man, you gotta care. 549 00:34:28,880 --> 00:34:31,160 Speaker 1: You gotta care, and if you care, people will be 550 00:34:31,200 --> 00:34:34,799 Speaker 1: able to tell. Just reminded for the audience, we do 551 00:34:34,840 --> 00:34:36,319 Speaker 1: have a couple of questions coming in which I will 552 00:34:36,320 --> 00:34:38,120 Speaker 1: get to. But just a reminder for you guys, we 553 00:34:38,160 --> 00:34:41,120 Speaker 1: do have producers watching UM, so you feel free to 554 00:34:41,200 --> 00:34:44,719 Speaker 1: drop your comments and questions in the chat and they're 555 00:34:44,760 --> 00:34:46,760 Speaker 1: being forwarded to me, so I will get to those, 556 00:34:46,920 --> 00:34:52,040 Speaker 1: UM shortly. So UM, there are people who have stuff 557 00:34:52,080 --> 00:34:53,799 Speaker 1: start here. I talked to a lot of people who 558 00:34:53,920 --> 00:34:58,160 Speaker 1: influencers online personalities who've done well UM and their ability 559 00:34:58,200 --> 00:35:02,000 Speaker 1: to monetize their audience and UM, and I talked to 560 00:35:02,040 --> 00:35:04,160 Speaker 1: him about how to pick the right things to sell, 561 00:35:04,960 --> 00:35:08,279 Speaker 1: and more than one of them has said, um, but 562 00:35:08,360 --> 00:35:10,800 Speaker 1: they don't advise on just picking things. But they asked 563 00:35:10,840 --> 00:35:14,920 Speaker 1: the audience what they want from them. Um, it doesn't 564 00:35:14,960 --> 00:35:18,080 Speaker 1: sound like that's your strategy. It sounds like you created 565 00:35:18,120 --> 00:35:21,240 Speaker 1: for you and offering, like, talk to me about how 566 00:35:22,560 --> 00:35:28,800 Speaker 1: how it works, because for you it's working. Yeah. Um. 567 00:35:28,840 --> 00:35:34,799 Speaker 1: I think at this point, collectively, we're able to tell 568 00:35:34,840 --> 00:35:41,600 Speaker 1: when somebody's full of BS, and we're able to tell 569 00:35:41,600 --> 00:35:48,120 Speaker 1: when someone isn't really being themselves. And you know, if 570 00:35:48,160 --> 00:35:54,359 Speaker 1: someone is making a career of being an influencer and 571 00:35:54,400 --> 00:35:59,200 Speaker 1: they're doing well, then they haven't attached themselves to one 572 00:35:59,280 --> 00:36:05,760 Speaker 1: particular thing. They are kind of like the news. When 573 00:36:05,800 --> 00:36:10,440 Speaker 1: we watched the news and it's a dismal news day, 574 00:36:10,600 --> 00:36:14,839 Speaker 1: we don't look at here in Atlanta, there's a sister 575 00:36:15,200 --> 00:36:17,040 Speaker 1: joe Vita Moore who's on you. We don't look at 576 00:36:17,080 --> 00:36:21,239 Speaker 1: Jovita and get mad at her for the news. The 577 00:36:21,320 --> 00:36:24,719 Speaker 1: news is separate. It's just her job to share it. 578 00:36:25,280 --> 00:36:30,560 Speaker 1: And I feel like really good influencers, we're not attaching 579 00:36:30,640 --> 00:36:34,480 Speaker 1: them to the shirt that they're wearing. We're just okay, 580 00:36:34,640 --> 00:36:37,279 Speaker 1: that's what they have today, adding like that shirt, but 581 00:36:37,360 --> 00:36:39,840 Speaker 1: I'll come back and I'll expect to see some shoes 582 00:36:40,040 --> 00:36:44,320 Speaker 1: or some glasses or something else. Um. You know, I 583 00:36:44,920 --> 00:36:53,520 Speaker 1: think that you know, influence, influencing is is is it is. 584 00:36:53,560 --> 00:36:58,920 Speaker 1: It is a tricky thing. Um. I try to create 585 00:36:59,000 --> 00:37:05,759 Speaker 1: products that speak to me in a way that I'm 586 00:37:05,760 --> 00:37:10,840 Speaker 1: not selling you anything. I'm just offering you the stuff 587 00:37:10,880 --> 00:37:14,839 Speaker 1: that I like, and I was smart enough to make 588 00:37:14,880 --> 00:37:20,520 Speaker 1: it available if you want it. It's very approachable. So 589 00:37:21,200 --> 00:37:25,560 Speaker 1: for instance, I love Creed, I love, but I love 590 00:37:25,600 --> 00:37:30,120 Speaker 1: all of those high end four CLYD Christian. I love 591 00:37:30,239 --> 00:37:33,399 Speaker 1: all of that, but I know that there's a lot 592 00:37:33,480 --> 00:37:37,919 Speaker 1: more people who can't access that. But if I can 593 00:37:38,000 --> 00:37:41,680 Speaker 1: make something that is comfortable, that deserves to be on 594 00:37:41,719 --> 00:37:44,960 Speaker 1: the dresser next to those guys, and make it at 595 00:37:44,960 --> 00:37:48,040 Speaker 1: a price point that doesn't break your pockets and makes 596 00:37:48,040 --> 00:37:51,439 Speaker 1: it attainable and give you the same feeling, well that's 597 00:37:51,440 --> 00:37:58,240 Speaker 1: what I'm gonna do. You know, Um, cigars, I smoke cigars. 598 00:37:58,400 --> 00:38:01,960 Speaker 1: I'm sharing that I smoke King cigars. So if I 599 00:38:02,080 --> 00:38:08,759 Speaker 1: offer the public one, they're gonna know that sounds like him. 600 00:38:08,960 --> 00:38:11,920 Speaker 1: I'm not selling you Rims bro. You know you you 601 00:38:12,160 --> 00:38:15,960 Speaker 1: you know I'm not selling something that I don't like, Um, 602 00:38:16,000 --> 00:38:20,600 Speaker 1: even you know products, um, you know, for for for women, 603 00:38:21,360 --> 00:38:24,839 Speaker 1: there's still things I like. I love the way that 604 00:38:25,400 --> 00:38:31,120 Speaker 1: you know, stockings look on women. Okay, great sabar Fare 605 00:38:31,360 --> 00:38:34,480 Speaker 1: is a brand for everybody. So what can I do 606 00:38:34,960 --> 00:38:38,359 Speaker 1: you know to to offer women that's still authentic to me? 607 00:38:39,280 --> 00:38:42,080 Speaker 1: Sounds like stockings, are it if you've been following me 608 00:38:42,120 --> 00:38:44,680 Speaker 1: on social media for the last ten years and you 609 00:38:44,760 --> 00:38:48,600 Speaker 1: know I love them, right, Um, So it's not out 610 00:38:48,600 --> 00:38:50,920 Speaker 1: of my wheel. Well, I'm not trying to just all 611 00:38:50,960 --> 00:38:54,000 Speaker 1: of a sudden decide you know that you know I'm 612 00:38:54,000 --> 00:38:57,759 Speaker 1: gonna sell water or something that you don't know me 613 00:38:57,840 --> 00:39:02,399 Speaker 1: for you know. So Um, I think it resonates when 614 00:39:02,400 --> 00:39:08,799 Speaker 1: it's real. So many people have way more followers than 615 00:39:08,840 --> 00:39:12,919 Speaker 1: the U or I and they can't sell anything, right. 616 00:39:12,920 --> 00:39:14,080 Speaker 1: And so I was, you know, I was talking to 617 00:39:14,160 --> 00:39:17,080 Speaker 1: Ronnie Brown um from Girl CEO about this on the 618 00:39:17,080 --> 00:39:19,680 Speaker 1: podcast and Black Tech, Green Money Shamus plugs came out 619 00:39:19,800 --> 00:39:22,560 Speaker 1: that yesterday, I think they for yesterday, and she was saying, 620 00:39:22,560 --> 00:39:25,560 Speaker 1: you know, there's people who have fifty thousand followers who 621 00:39:25,560 --> 00:39:27,719 Speaker 1: can make fifty dollars from opposed that people who have 622 00:39:27,760 --> 00:39:31,640 Speaker 1: two hundred fifty thousand followers that can't sell anything, you know, 623 00:39:32,200 --> 00:39:35,480 Speaker 1: And how did you know that people would buy it? 624 00:39:35,560 --> 00:39:38,560 Speaker 1: Because you could have invested a bunch of money and 625 00:39:38,600 --> 00:39:41,560 Speaker 1: to buying the equipment to do the formulations into the bottles, 626 00:39:41,600 --> 00:39:44,839 Speaker 1: to do the formulations, into the packaging, into the formulations, 627 00:39:45,200 --> 00:39:49,800 Speaker 1: put it up on Shopify or your proper custom built site, 628 00:39:50,480 --> 00:39:53,560 Speaker 1: and nobody in ten people by it. I don't know, 629 00:39:53,600 --> 00:39:58,839 Speaker 1: how do you How? I didn't know? Um? And And 630 00:39:58,880 --> 00:40:04,319 Speaker 1: that's what I think people again, people who are who 631 00:40:04,360 --> 00:40:08,040 Speaker 1: have been following that early tribe, they're watching it grow 632 00:40:08,719 --> 00:40:12,000 Speaker 1: and they feel great about telling other people about it 633 00:40:12,040 --> 00:40:15,279 Speaker 1: and amplifying the brand. I didn't know that it was 634 00:40:15,360 --> 00:40:18,160 Speaker 1: going to work. I knew that I liked it, and 635 00:40:18,200 --> 00:40:21,440 Speaker 1: I knew that I was caring about what I was making. 636 00:40:21,920 --> 00:40:27,040 Speaker 1: And I think as I continue to UM share from 637 00:40:27,080 --> 00:40:33,080 Speaker 1: that authentic space consistently, it got on the radar of people. 638 00:40:33,600 --> 00:40:38,279 Speaker 1: You know, um Lane and ways man. She she is 639 00:40:38,360 --> 00:40:42,640 Speaker 1: incredibly instrumental in, you know, pushing some of my fragrances 640 00:40:42,680 --> 00:40:47,440 Speaker 1: to her friends in Hollywood, which who knows intrinsically and 641 00:40:47,520 --> 00:40:52,719 Speaker 1: exponentially what that does, right? So, Um, there's always been 642 00:40:52,960 --> 00:40:56,560 Speaker 1: supporters that there's always been people who are just like, man, 643 00:40:56,640 --> 00:40:59,480 Speaker 1: I see what you're doing and I want to support. 644 00:40:59,800 --> 00:41:01,680 Speaker 1: May be I'm not in a space where I can 645 00:41:01,719 --> 00:41:04,279 Speaker 1: buy something right now, but let me share it. You know, 646 00:41:04,400 --> 00:41:07,280 Speaker 1: there's a lot of small businesses that would turn into 647 00:41:07,360 --> 00:41:11,440 Speaker 1: larger businesses or not so small businesses if people really 648 00:41:12,320 --> 00:41:17,440 Speaker 1: took thirty seconds to maybe share it or highlight it. 649 00:41:17,520 --> 00:41:21,280 Speaker 1: You you really never know, um. And you know, there's 650 00:41:21,320 --> 00:41:25,919 Speaker 1: there's always the online sarcasm of you know, uh, celebrities 651 00:41:25,920 --> 00:41:28,840 Speaker 1: that we wish well to and happy birthday too, and 652 00:41:28,960 --> 00:41:33,879 Speaker 1: congrats to almost as if it's some expected post. Um. 653 00:41:33,960 --> 00:41:36,919 Speaker 1: But there are people who are friends and family who 654 00:41:37,000 --> 00:41:42,200 Speaker 1: have businesses or have achieved accomplished accomplishments that may deserve 655 00:41:42,280 --> 00:41:45,719 Speaker 1: some accolades, and we don't we don't share, you know. 656 00:41:46,160 --> 00:41:51,400 Speaker 1: So Um again, I didn't know, and I started off small, 657 00:41:52,280 --> 00:41:57,200 Speaker 1: and I took chances when I could. UM. Some failures 658 00:41:57,800 --> 00:42:03,200 Speaker 1: ordering products that just been quite hit. Um. The things 659 00:42:03,239 --> 00:42:09,360 Speaker 1: that I've made with my own hands thankfully have been successful. Um. 660 00:42:09,360 --> 00:42:11,719 Speaker 1: But there have been sometimes when I look at outsource 661 00:42:11,760 --> 00:42:14,600 Speaker 1: of product and you know, or garment, and it just 662 00:42:15,440 --> 00:42:19,879 Speaker 1: it just doesn't resonate with people. UM. So it's it's 663 00:42:19,920 --> 00:42:25,680 Speaker 1: all hit or missed until it is h. Yeah, Um, 664 00:42:25,719 --> 00:42:29,640 Speaker 1: there is. I said, there's this talk about ownership in 665 00:42:29,640 --> 00:42:34,800 Speaker 1: our community. H everybody from remember Prince talked about ownership, 666 00:42:34,920 --> 00:42:37,560 Speaker 1: you know with regards some music, and you remember that 667 00:42:37,680 --> 00:42:40,239 Speaker 1: the whole scene that they showed the videos and the 668 00:42:40,400 --> 00:42:43,520 Speaker 1: people just was looking like you know, it was early 669 00:42:43,560 --> 00:42:45,800 Speaker 1: in the music industry for people to talk about owning 670 00:42:45,840 --> 00:42:48,960 Speaker 1: your master's right. And then so Steve Style talks about 671 00:42:49,000 --> 00:42:53,760 Speaker 1: it today. Master p talks a lot about owning your stuff. Um. 672 00:42:53,920 --> 00:42:57,280 Speaker 1: Did you ever feel the need to go for outside 673 00:42:57,320 --> 00:43:02,000 Speaker 1: funding and give away pieces of the business or in 674 00:43:02,120 --> 00:43:06,600 Speaker 1: finding your success day in and day out the bootstrapping. 675 00:43:07,239 --> 00:43:09,839 Speaker 1: Talk to me about how you think about I could 676 00:43:09,840 --> 00:43:12,640 Speaker 1: grow faster if I go and get money, or I 677 00:43:12,680 --> 00:43:15,640 Speaker 1: can just I can own this and continue to grow 678 00:43:15,680 --> 00:43:20,239 Speaker 1: at a beat. Um. I prefer to own until a 679 00:43:20,320 --> 00:43:23,239 Speaker 1: certain number where I think I have an exit in 680 00:43:23,280 --> 00:43:28,640 Speaker 1: my head. Um, but I realized that there is still 681 00:43:29,280 --> 00:43:35,360 Speaker 1: a community value of the legacy of a black owned 682 00:43:35,680 --> 00:43:40,080 Speaker 1: fragrance friend. Um, and so I think if I were 683 00:43:40,120 --> 00:43:44,560 Speaker 1: to ever sell the company, it would still be to 684 00:43:44,640 --> 00:43:50,000 Speaker 1: someone who looked like me, or to maintain majority ownership. UM. 685 00:43:50,239 --> 00:43:53,880 Speaker 1: You know, I I look at um the moves that 686 00:43:53,880 --> 00:43:59,000 Speaker 1: that Jay has been making UM lately, and I think 687 00:43:59,040 --> 00:44:01,640 Speaker 1: that there's so many other people that we don't know 688 00:44:01,680 --> 00:44:06,080 Speaker 1: about because they're not famous rappers, UM, that are kind 689 00:44:06,120 --> 00:44:10,200 Speaker 1: of you know, notching their belts, you know. And I 690 00:44:10,239 --> 00:44:13,680 Speaker 1: think that maybe in a few years when I may 691 00:44:13,760 --> 00:44:18,200 Speaker 1: consider it, there will be so many amazing investors in 692 00:44:18,239 --> 00:44:22,320 Speaker 1: people who are able to you know, offer UM something 693 00:44:22,360 --> 00:44:25,600 Speaker 1: amazing for the brand, UM who looked like me, and 694 00:44:25,640 --> 00:44:28,520 Speaker 1: that that's something that I'm I'm looking forward to. But 695 00:44:29,120 --> 00:44:33,400 Speaker 1: you know, I also think that um, you know, people 696 00:44:33,480 --> 00:44:38,520 Speaker 1: who get funded early on if if if that's what 697 00:44:38,600 --> 00:44:42,160 Speaker 1: you're in it for, just just to make money, UM, 698 00:44:42,200 --> 00:44:46,680 Speaker 1: I don't knock it. I just you know, things like 699 00:44:46,800 --> 00:44:50,400 Speaker 1: clothing brands, I feel, you know, if you if you 700 00:44:50,480 --> 00:44:53,439 Speaker 1: have a hit clothing brand. We've seen clothes before, right, 701 00:44:53,520 --> 00:44:55,680 Speaker 1: So if if you if you luck up and you 702 00:44:55,800 --> 00:44:57,960 Speaker 1: get a high clothing brand and then you sell it, 703 00:44:58,480 --> 00:45:01,520 Speaker 1: more power to you. UM. But I think that things 704 00:45:01,600 --> 00:45:04,560 Speaker 1: that are culturally for us, I think we should try 705 00:45:04,560 --> 00:45:06,880 Speaker 1: to hold on to it as long as possible, or 706 00:45:06,880 --> 00:45:09,360 Speaker 1: hold onto the majority of it as long as possible. 707 00:45:10,960 --> 00:45:13,520 Speaker 1: There's any question that came in from somebody in the 708 00:45:13,600 --> 00:45:16,719 Speaker 1: audience who said, what is your process to empower and 709 00:45:16,800 --> 00:45:23,200 Speaker 1: motivate yourself? Um? I look at everyone, and I learned 710 00:45:23,280 --> 00:45:28,640 Speaker 1: from mistakes very very well. UM. It's not that I'm 711 00:45:28,680 --> 00:45:31,960 Speaker 1: a fan of failure, because I don't want to attract 712 00:45:32,040 --> 00:45:36,000 Speaker 1: a failure. But I also have learned to like really 713 00:45:36,560 --> 00:45:41,040 Speaker 1: key in on the mistakes that other entrepreneurs make or 714 00:45:41,239 --> 00:45:45,520 Speaker 1: brands make, and I try to implement them or you know, 715 00:45:45,560 --> 00:45:49,160 Speaker 1: the things that they didn't do. Um, you know, in 716 00:45:49,320 --> 00:45:53,719 Speaker 1: my business practice. UM, as far as evading myself, there 717 00:45:53,760 --> 00:45:57,719 Speaker 1: are so many amazing you know, Black entrepreneurs and innovators 718 00:45:57,719 --> 00:46:01,080 Speaker 1: and creators that I just sitting here and open my 719 00:46:01,120 --> 00:46:04,239 Speaker 1: phone and it's just it's like, Wow, that's amazing. This 720 00:46:04,280 --> 00:46:07,080 Speaker 1: person secured this fundy for this, or wow, that's who 721 00:46:07,080 --> 00:46:09,520 Speaker 1: would ever? You know, I thought that there could be 722 00:46:09,640 --> 00:46:12,439 Speaker 1: an umbrella for your hair, you know, and then it's 723 00:46:12,480 --> 00:46:15,160 Speaker 1: just like, wait a minute, this is there's an attorney. Wait, 724 00:46:15,280 --> 00:46:17,560 Speaker 1: she just bought this building over there on you know, 725 00:46:17,600 --> 00:46:20,239 Speaker 1: you know what I'm saying. So it's just especially being 726 00:46:20,280 --> 00:46:24,799 Speaker 1: in Atlanta, Um, Atlanta. I've lived in New York my 727 00:46:25,000 --> 00:46:28,879 Speaker 1: entire life, and I moved here five years ago, and 728 00:46:28,920 --> 00:46:32,160 Speaker 1: I've never felt more at home. Um. There are so 729 00:46:32,200 --> 00:46:37,000 Speaker 1: many people who motivate me. I can my entire day 730 00:46:37,239 --> 00:46:41,520 Speaker 1: can exist with me doing business with just black people 731 00:46:43,200 --> 00:46:48,040 Speaker 1: in New York. We may be the manager, not the owner. 732 00:46:48,920 --> 00:46:55,080 Speaker 1: We may have access, but not ownership. And if Atlanta 733 00:46:55,120 --> 00:46:57,920 Speaker 1: don't motivate you, or what's going on in l A 734 00:46:58,200 --> 00:47:01,560 Speaker 1: isn't motivating you, you're not gonna it ain't for you. 735 00:47:04,320 --> 00:47:07,160 Speaker 1: There are so many, there's so many amazing um, you know, 736 00:47:07,360 --> 00:47:11,440 Speaker 1: innovators right now, UM that you can't help but be 737 00:47:11,560 --> 00:47:15,239 Speaker 1: inspired by just looking at your phone, you know. UM. 738 00:47:15,280 --> 00:47:20,200 Speaker 1: Even the ability to you know, learn and become financially literate, 739 00:47:21,080 --> 00:47:24,040 Speaker 1: uh or better financially literate through your phone, you know, 740 00:47:24,120 --> 00:47:26,319 Speaker 1: watching earn your leisure and you know there's so many 741 00:47:26,400 --> 00:47:30,320 Speaker 1: even your podcasts and just people who are saying, hey, listen, 742 00:47:30,400 --> 00:47:34,520 Speaker 1: there's this information that historically we've kind of been kept 743 00:47:34,600 --> 00:47:37,879 Speaker 1: out of and now we realize it's available and we're 744 00:47:37,880 --> 00:47:43,279 Speaker 1: going to share it. That's better than college, you know. So, UM, 745 00:47:43,360 --> 00:47:49,360 Speaker 1: I I motivate myself by UM or find motivation in 746 00:47:49,360 --> 00:47:54,520 Speaker 1: in studying other people. I talked about this earlier in 747 00:47:54,560 --> 00:47:58,280 Speaker 1: a different interview today about my favorite Steed Jobs quote, 748 00:47:58,320 --> 00:48:00,759 Speaker 1: and it was about connecting the dots and he said, 749 00:48:00,760 --> 00:48:03,560 Speaker 1: you can't connect the dots looking forward, you can only 750 00:48:03,560 --> 00:48:06,880 Speaker 1: connect I'm looking backwards. When you look at your story, 751 00:48:07,200 --> 00:48:11,120 Speaker 1: you see the moves you made, how they make sense 752 00:48:11,320 --> 00:48:15,040 Speaker 1: to what you're doing today. Um. You may not have 753 00:48:15,120 --> 00:48:17,600 Speaker 1: realized why they why you were doing them then, but 754 00:48:18,320 --> 00:48:21,480 Speaker 1: ultimately again, it reveals it itself. If you look at 755 00:48:21,520 --> 00:48:24,360 Speaker 1: what you wanted to do in the music business and 756 00:48:24,400 --> 00:48:26,799 Speaker 1: the journey you were on and in many ways still 757 00:48:26,800 --> 00:48:31,880 Speaker 1: on and with regardless of music, what do you see 758 00:48:31,920 --> 00:48:35,759 Speaker 1: as connecting to the entrepreneurial ventures? Like what did you 759 00:48:35,840 --> 00:48:40,399 Speaker 1: learn there that you're able to apply here? Um? I 760 00:48:40,440 --> 00:48:45,480 Speaker 1: think in my particular case, it's what I didn't learn 761 00:48:46,680 --> 00:48:50,480 Speaker 1: that I know now that now allows me to think 762 00:48:50,520 --> 00:48:55,759 Speaker 1: about going back. Um. It's the power of team. It's 763 00:48:55,800 --> 00:49:00,279 Speaker 1: the power of really connecting with the right people, UM, 764 00:49:00,560 --> 00:49:05,440 Speaker 1: Trusting the right people, staying away from the wrong people, UM, 765 00:49:05,480 --> 00:49:09,480 Speaker 1: not being afraid to take risks UM, and being truly 766 00:49:09,560 --> 00:49:16,120 Speaker 1: authentic you know. Um. Again, like our conversation started, my 767 00:49:16,239 --> 00:49:22,640 Speaker 1: success in the music business is not how it typically 768 00:49:22,680 --> 00:49:25,840 Speaker 1: goes because my success is technically in the film and 769 00:49:25,920 --> 00:49:31,040 Speaker 1: TV business, just the music section, you know. Um. And 770 00:49:31,120 --> 00:49:33,880 Speaker 1: so there are a lot of um, you know, A 771 00:49:34,000 --> 00:49:37,479 Speaker 1: and rs and presidents of labels that may know who 772 00:49:37,520 --> 00:49:39,960 Speaker 1: I am because they were hoping that their artists would 773 00:49:40,000 --> 00:49:42,839 Speaker 1: get that same license you know, um to be in 774 00:49:42,840 --> 00:49:46,200 Speaker 1: that film where that TV show. Um. But as far 775 00:49:46,239 --> 00:49:50,320 Speaker 1: as the music business goes, I'm I'm kind of virtually 776 00:49:50,400 --> 00:49:53,319 Speaker 1: unknown in the in the common areas, you know what 777 00:49:53,360 --> 00:49:57,200 Speaker 1: I'm saying, um, But in the fragrance space because there 778 00:49:57,200 --> 00:50:01,399 Speaker 1: are so few black perfumer I'm one of the ones 779 00:50:01,800 --> 00:50:05,799 Speaker 1: you first learned about, right So um, And that is 780 00:50:05,960 --> 00:50:10,120 Speaker 1: all happening because of having a team, because of partnering 781 00:50:10,160 --> 00:50:13,440 Speaker 1: with you know, great people, because of you know, my 782 00:50:13,560 --> 00:50:17,520 Speaker 1: communication with other black perfumers and us kind of forming 783 00:50:17,560 --> 00:50:21,839 Speaker 1: this community and sticking together. And the black perfume and 784 00:50:22,360 --> 00:50:25,960 Speaker 1: fragrance reviewers that I didn't even know that they existed, 785 00:50:26,280 --> 00:50:30,000 Speaker 1: and they have these huge followings on YouTube and they're amazing, 786 00:50:30,040 --> 00:50:33,200 Speaker 1: and they're charismatic and they're funny, and you know, it's 787 00:50:33,239 --> 00:50:36,680 Speaker 1: just like and a knowledgeable so um. You know, for me, 788 00:50:37,680 --> 00:50:41,080 Speaker 1: it's really about finding a team. I found a team 789 00:50:41,200 --> 00:50:44,279 Speaker 1: or or building a team in the fragrance game. And 790 00:50:44,360 --> 00:50:47,680 Speaker 1: it's kind of like I looked back and I didn't 791 00:50:47,680 --> 00:50:51,640 Speaker 1: necessarily have exactly the right team that I needed for 792 00:50:51,680 --> 00:50:54,960 Speaker 1: the success that I wanted. Um, there was a measure 793 00:50:55,000 --> 00:50:57,960 Speaker 1: of success that I achieved, but that was with the 794 00:50:58,000 --> 00:51:02,680 Speaker 1: team that I had, you know it. Finally, Chris, I 795 00:51:02,719 --> 00:51:06,440 Speaker 1: want to know, I want to talk about maturity, uh, 796 00:51:06,480 --> 00:51:10,759 Speaker 1: and the maturity you exude and the entrepreneurship and being 797 00:51:10,840 --> 00:51:15,600 Speaker 1: added to the culture. You've embraced a very mature persona, 798 00:51:15,960 --> 00:51:20,680 Speaker 1: you know. And what do you say two people who 799 00:51:20,760 --> 00:51:24,360 Speaker 1: have been at it for years um and still haven't 800 00:51:24,440 --> 00:51:28,040 Speaker 1: hit that inflection point um to encourage them that they're 801 00:51:28,080 --> 00:51:33,239 Speaker 1: still time Yeah, um, well even and I'll take the 802 00:51:33,280 --> 00:51:36,920 Speaker 1: example of music, because I think music is the quintessential 803 00:51:37,160 --> 00:51:42,319 Speaker 1: example of time, um and space, especially hip hop. So 804 00:51:42,400 --> 00:51:44,680 Speaker 1: if you think about hip hop, you know they say 805 00:51:44,840 --> 00:51:49,359 Speaker 1: it began really you know, right, So let's just say 806 00:51:49,480 --> 00:51:53,120 Speaker 1: you were you know, eighteen years old and you you know, 807 00:51:53,280 --> 00:51:57,239 Speaker 1: fell in love with hip hop. Um, you may listen 808 00:51:57,239 --> 00:52:01,000 Speaker 1: to hip hop now and you don't resonate with it. 809 00:52:02,160 --> 00:52:04,959 Speaker 1: And at the same time, you may not necessarily want 810 00:52:04,960 --> 00:52:08,400 Speaker 1: to hear a new album from the people that you 811 00:52:08,480 --> 00:52:11,680 Speaker 1: loved in the eighties and nineties, and so it leaves 812 00:52:11,719 --> 00:52:15,279 Speaker 1: this void of a space where you're looking for a 813 00:52:15,320 --> 00:52:22,840 Speaker 1: certain type of content, a certain type of production. Okay, 814 00:52:23,239 --> 00:52:27,000 Speaker 1: but you wanted to be modern. You don't want to 815 00:52:27,080 --> 00:52:30,840 Speaker 1: listen to a rapper from the nineties talk about what 816 00:52:31,560 --> 00:52:34,880 Speaker 1: they've achieved and how you should respect them and bow down. 817 00:52:35,120 --> 00:52:38,080 Speaker 1: You don't You don't necessarily want to hear that. You 818 00:52:38,120 --> 00:52:41,520 Speaker 1: may want to hear someone that is in the same 819 00:52:41,600 --> 00:52:45,480 Speaker 1: cadence or rhythm of your favorite and see and if 820 00:52:45,520 --> 00:52:49,160 Speaker 1: there's some new cool melity to kids or grandkids like 821 00:52:49,440 --> 00:52:54,400 Speaker 1: you may not mind hearing those two things married together. Um. 822 00:52:54,480 --> 00:52:58,680 Speaker 1: And so for people who have you know, ideas that 823 00:52:58,760 --> 00:53:02,359 Speaker 1: just didn't quite worry because maybe the technology was not 824 00:53:02,840 --> 00:53:06,200 Speaker 1: um at a at a space to you know, amplify 825 00:53:06,520 --> 00:53:11,759 Speaker 1: um their innovation. UM. Now is the time, you know, 826 00:53:12,080 --> 00:53:14,480 Speaker 1: I look at so many you know, when I post 827 00:53:14,640 --> 00:53:17,719 Speaker 1: music that I'm making now that is not for filming TV, 828 00:53:17,840 --> 00:53:22,719 Speaker 1: but just for myself, You'll be surprised at how many brothers, ancestors. 829 00:53:23,560 --> 00:53:25,960 Speaker 1: We'll just start d M and me and emailing me 830 00:53:26,239 --> 00:53:29,120 Speaker 1: music and their videos. And there are people who are 831 00:53:29,120 --> 00:53:34,640 Speaker 1: still making this amazing sound that they love, but they're 832 00:53:34,680 --> 00:53:37,200 Speaker 1: afraid to put it out because they feel like it's 833 00:53:37,200 --> 00:53:41,480 Speaker 1: not wanted. If I got all of the people together 834 00:53:41,680 --> 00:53:44,920 Speaker 1: that set me stuff, that's a community in itself, you 835 00:53:44,960 --> 00:53:48,279 Speaker 1: know what I'm saying. So um, it's about you know, 836 00:53:48,360 --> 00:53:51,120 Speaker 1: for me, I love being a pioneer. I love you know, 837 00:53:51,200 --> 00:53:54,479 Speaker 1: taking risks. I love kind of you know, sometimes doing 838 00:53:54,520 --> 00:53:57,400 Speaker 1: things first is dangerous because you know you you do it, 839 00:53:57,440 --> 00:53:59,920 Speaker 1: and you know it ends up kind of small. Someone 840 00:54:00,040 --> 00:54:03,080 Speaker 1: sees you, copies you and does it bigger and better 841 00:54:03,160 --> 00:54:07,000 Speaker 1: because they've been able to watch you. Right. Um, But 842 00:54:07,239 --> 00:54:10,719 Speaker 1: I love the the opportunity that exists right now. If 843 00:54:10,760 --> 00:54:13,680 Speaker 1: you're you know, forty fifty, sixty years old and you 844 00:54:13,719 --> 00:54:17,600 Speaker 1: want to be an actor, well maybe that role of 845 00:54:17,640 --> 00:54:21,040 Speaker 1: the twenty year old, you know, guy who you wanted 846 00:54:21,120 --> 00:54:23,960 Speaker 1: to be. Maybe that's not the role for you, but 847 00:54:24,239 --> 00:54:26,960 Speaker 1: you can just bet you can be as effective and 848 00:54:27,040 --> 00:54:31,400 Speaker 1: impactful like a Samuel Jackson or you know, a Denzel 849 00:54:31,520 --> 00:54:33,920 Speaker 1: Who's to say that you can't. I think a lot 850 00:54:33,960 --> 00:54:36,960 Speaker 1: of times we we we put our dreams aside if 851 00:54:36,960 --> 00:54:39,520 Speaker 1: we let them like sit in our laptops or sit 852 00:54:39,600 --> 00:54:43,239 Speaker 1: in the back of our closets, and if if I 853 00:54:43,239 --> 00:54:47,719 Speaker 1: can show anything, it's it's not too late for you 854 00:54:47,760 --> 00:54:50,960 Speaker 1: to do the things that you want. Um, even if 855 00:54:51,040 --> 00:54:55,640 Speaker 1: success still doesn't find you, do the hell out of 856 00:54:55,680 --> 00:54:59,319 Speaker 1: that thing, um, because you'll feel better you got it out. 857 00:54:59,800 --> 00:55:04,000 Speaker 1: And and if it's something magical, the world to find out. 858 00:55:04,080 --> 00:55:06,480 Speaker 1: We're learning about new things every day. You know what 859 00:55:06,560 --> 00:55:09,480 Speaker 1: I'm saying. We we learned about you know who really 860 00:55:10,120 --> 00:55:12,920 Speaker 1: created Jack Daniels, Right, you know what I'm saying, Like 861 00:55:12,960 --> 00:55:16,880 Speaker 1: a hundred years later, imagine how that feel, How that 862 00:55:17,080 --> 00:55:20,560 Speaker 1: felt to not be recognized. Imagine how his kids felt 863 00:55:22,080 --> 00:55:24,400 Speaker 1: they were saying it, but no one believes them, you 864 00:55:24,400 --> 00:55:27,080 Speaker 1: know what I'm saying. And so a hundred years later, 865 00:55:27,200 --> 00:55:30,680 Speaker 1: look what came from it? Right? So whatever idea that 866 00:55:30,760 --> 00:55:33,200 Speaker 1: you have that you're sitting on, whatever past and you 867 00:55:33,320 --> 00:55:37,839 Speaker 1: have that you're bottling that you don't think is worthy. Man, 868 00:55:38,480 --> 00:55:42,600 Speaker 1: messing yourself up about it, get it out, do it, 869 00:55:42,920 --> 00:55:45,520 Speaker 1: Do it well, Do it extremely well, as if the 870 00:55:45,520 --> 00:55:49,360 Speaker 1: whole world is going to see it protected, protect the 871 00:55:49,400 --> 00:55:52,320 Speaker 1: i P the intellectual property of it. If there's a pattern, 872 00:55:52,320 --> 00:55:54,319 Speaker 1: you need to go get man, you've been waiting for 873 00:55:54,360 --> 00:55:57,680 Speaker 1: these fifteen years. A couple more months, ain't gonna harmor 874 00:55:58,239 --> 00:56:13,240 Speaker 1: you know what I'm saying, But just just do it, dude. 875 00:56:17,120 --> 00:56:19,080 Speaker 1: Black Tech Green Money is a production of Black of 876 00:56:19,200 --> 00:56:21,880 Speaker 1: the Afro Tech on the Black Effect Podcast Network and 877 00:56:21,960 --> 00:56:24,880 Speaker 1: iHeart Media, and it's produced by Morgan Dabon and me 878 00:56:25,320 --> 00:56:28,600 Speaker 1: Will Lucas, with additional production support by Love Beach and 879 00:56:28,719 --> 00:56:32,160 Speaker 1: Raven near Born. Special thank you to Michael Davis since 880 00:56:32,200 --> 00:56:34,759 Speaker 1: the car savon Jan you know like the Wine. Yes 881 00:56:34,840 --> 00:56:37,520 Speaker 1: that's his real name. Learn more about my guests and 882 00:56:37,560 --> 00:56:41,120 Speaker 1: other tech disruptors and innovators at afro tech dot com. 883 00:56:41,280 --> 00:56:43,839 Speaker 1: Go get your money. Peace of love,