1 00:00:01,760 --> 00:00:10,039 Speaker 1: Afro Techies seventeen, San Francisco, California. Marlon Nichols, partner in 2 00:00:10,119 --> 00:00:12,320 Speaker 1: MC venture Capital, is on the main state. He's talking 3 00:00:12,320 --> 00:00:15,760 Speaker 1: about startup cap tables. He has asked the question by 4 00:00:15,840 --> 00:00:19,239 Speaker 1: someone in the audience about how startups are valued by vcs. 5 00:00:20,400 --> 00:00:23,560 Speaker 1: We've seen several black owned startup valuations get some serious 6 00:00:23,640 --> 00:00:26,960 Speaker 1: love in recent months. Here's how Ventia capitalists decide what 7 00:00:27,040 --> 00:00:29,840 Speaker 1: a company is worth when they're placing their bets to 8 00:00:30,000 --> 00:00:34,400 Speaker 1: the questions how how is the valuation set? Right? Um, 9 00:00:34,440 --> 00:00:38,319 Speaker 1: it's kind of ambiguous. Actually, um it it can be. 10 00:00:38,560 --> 00:00:41,519 Speaker 1: You know, an entrepreneur feels that their their company is 11 00:00:41,560 --> 00:00:45,519 Speaker 1: worth this amount um from an investor's perspective, if they 12 00:00:45,560 --> 00:00:48,919 Speaker 1: are tangible things like revenue, right, I'll look at that 13 00:00:49,479 --> 00:00:53,000 Speaker 1: um and then apply a multiple towards that that revenue. 14 00:00:53,040 --> 00:00:56,840 Speaker 1: So let's say other companies in the space are let's 15 00:00:56,840 --> 00:00:59,920 Speaker 1: call it trading at a COREX multiple. I would apply 16 00:01:00,200 --> 00:01:02,720 Speaker 1: that four rex too to that revenue number, and that's 17 00:01:02,720 --> 00:01:05,080 Speaker 1: how I get my my valuation. But then there are 18 00:01:05,120 --> 00:01:07,720 Speaker 1: other things you gotta consider too, like, you know, is 19 00:01:07,720 --> 00:01:11,560 Speaker 1: this a return founder um? Has she sold a company 20 00:01:11,560 --> 00:01:13,280 Speaker 1: before for a lot of money? Has she taken a 21 00:01:13,360 --> 00:01:15,759 Speaker 1: company public before. Is it's the same team. You give 22 00:01:15,840 --> 00:01:17,760 Speaker 1: them some credit for that. So the valuation starts to 23 00:01:17,760 --> 00:01:20,399 Speaker 1: inch up, right, Is it a UM? Is it a 24 00:01:20,440 --> 00:01:23,839 Speaker 1: really new and hot space? Is this deal really competitive? 25 00:01:24,240 --> 00:01:27,479 Speaker 1: Is UM you know Bryan overack k for Capital trying 26 00:01:27,480 --> 00:01:29,720 Speaker 1: to steal the deal from me and I gotta and 27 00:01:29,760 --> 00:01:31,920 Speaker 1: I gotta out price him or something like that, right, 28 00:01:32,319 --> 00:01:34,840 Speaker 1: So UM, A lot of things go into it, but 29 00:01:35,160 --> 00:01:40,199 Speaker 1: generally try to find markers and and uh industry markets 30 00:01:40,240 --> 00:01:44,440 Speaker 1: to help you figure it out. I'm will lucas Mrs 31 00:01:44,480 --> 00:01:48,120 Speaker 1: Black Tech, Green Money. I'm gonna introw this you to 32 00:01:48,200 --> 00:01:50,360 Speaker 1: some of the biggest names, some of the brightness minds 33 00:01:50,400 --> 00:01:53,680 Speaker 1: and brilliant ideas. I feel black and building simply using 34 00:01:53,680 --> 00:01:56,360 Speaker 1: tech to secure your back. This podcast is for you. 35 00:02:01,600 --> 00:02:05,480 Speaker 1: Janine Zealous an American global technology executive and CEO of 36 00:02:05,600 --> 00:02:09,920 Speaker 1: NEBI National Society of Black Engineers. She previously served as 37 00:02:09,960 --> 00:02:12,840 Speaker 1: Director of Healthcare Programs in Africa and Head of Women 38 00:02:12,919 --> 00:02:15,600 Speaker 1: in Technology for GE and s c o oh of 39 00:02:15,680 --> 00:02:20,400 Speaker 1: the Wikimedia Foundation, which runs Wikipedia. As Janine about the 40 00:02:20,400 --> 00:02:23,960 Speaker 1: global perspective and if traveling abroad is imperative for the 41 00:02:24,000 --> 00:02:27,800 Speaker 1: success of a black engineer. Let me say that for 42 00:02:27,880 --> 00:02:31,840 Speaker 1: a world class black engineer, it is a game changer, 43 00:02:32,400 --> 00:02:35,320 Speaker 1: and I want to put it at the forefront of 44 00:02:35,400 --> 00:02:42,560 Speaker 1: the way, um, black techies, black engineers prioritize their decision making. Um. 45 00:02:42,600 --> 00:02:46,360 Speaker 1: My father, who is deceased, was a guy from the South, 46 00:02:46,639 --> 00:02:48,959 Speaker 1: came up to New Jersey as a part of the 47 00:02:49,680 --> 00:02:52,960 Speaker 1: Great Migration, saying some doot and then you know, hustled 48 00:02:53,000 --> 00:02:55,600 Speaker 1: his way to raise a family, and he was like, 49 00:02:55,880 --> 00:03:00,280 Speaker 1: I cannot afford to give you this world, but I'm 50 00:03:00,320 --> 00:03:02,680 Speaker 1: going to give everything I have to educating you and 51 00:03:02,720 --> 00:03:05,920 Speaker 1: you get yourself there. The career that I had at 52 00:03:05,960 --> 00:03:09,400 Speaker 1: General Elector gave me an opportunity to say yes to 53 00:03:09,560 --> 00:03:12,720 Speaker 1: things that black people traditionally we don't say yes to. 54 00:03:13,560 --> 00:03:17,320 Speaker 1: And as a result, it took me around the world 55 00:03:17,520 --> 00:03:21,960 Speaker 1: multiple times. Doing that as a black person makes a 56 00:03:22,000 --> 00:03:24,400 Speaker 1: world of difference because you do not see us in 57 00:03:24,480 --> 00:03:30,680 Speaker 1: those spaces internationally, We're not there. Yeah, so it changes, 58 00:03:30,760 --> 00:03:35,160 Speaker 1: it changes everything, and so I mean it's different. I 59 00:03:35,160 --> 00:03:39,120 Speaker 1: would imagine being a resident being from you know, domestic 60 00:03:39,200 --> 00:03:42,240 Speaker 1: United States, and then you know, having the experiences we 61 00:03:42,360 --> 00:03:44,840 Speaker 1: have here, you know, growing up and wherever whatever we 62 00:03:44,880 --> 00:03:46,840 Speaker 1: grow up, you know, we deal with certain issues, and 63 00:03:46,880 --> 00:03:49,560 Speaker 1: I wonder, you know, for black people who are working 64 00:03:49,600 --> 00:03:52,280 Speaker 1: abroad and do get those opportunities that the kind that 65 00:03:52,360 --> 00:03:55,920 Speaker 1: you've had an experience, um the privilege to experience, how 66 00:03:55,920 --> 00:03:59,840 Speaker 1: do we prepare for those global assignments? I imagine you know, 67 00:04:00,160 --> 00:04:03,120 Speaker 1: being in foreign lands. You know, how do you control 68 00:04:03,120 --> 00:04:05,680 Speaker 1: your safety? How do you prepare before you get the opportunity? 69 00:04:06,160 --> 00:04:09,440 Speaker 1: You know, I'm going to say that, Unfortunately, there's there's 70 00:04:09,480 --> 00:04:12,640 Speaker 1: no training ground for us in that space, right, the 71 00:04:12,640 --> 00:04:15,120 Speaker 1: average black person, we probably don't. You know, my parents 72 00:04:15,160 --> 00:04:17,680 Speaker 1: were members of any country club, and you know, we 73 00:04:17,720 --> 00:04:20,080 Speaker 1: went to church and that was our social life, right. 74 00:04:20,240 --> 00:04:22,039 Speaker 1: We went to church, we went acquire her sol and 75 00:04:22,120 --> 00:04:26,000 Speaker 1: we had some family you know, some family events in 76 00:04:26,040 --> 00:04:29,400 Speaker 1: the process. So there's there's not a way, honestly, to 77 00:04:29,520 --> 00:04:32,280 Speaker 1: learn that unless those of us that experience it make 78 00:04:32,320 --> 00:04:34,960 Speaker 1: ourselves available. And that's that's why I talk about it 79 00:04:35,000 --> 00:04:38,320 Speaker 1: whenever I'm in our community. I'm like, you all need 80 00:04:38,360 --> 00:04:40,320 Speaker 1: to say yes to some of these assignments and then 81 00:04:40,360 --> 00:04:42,719 Speaker 1: you start to teach them, you know, how to go 82 00:04:42,800 --> 00:04:45,520 Speaker 1: about it. One of my greatest mentors, who was one 83 00:04:45,520 --> 00:04:48,280 Speaker 1: of my my dear friends to this day. Paula Madison. 84 00:04:49,480 --> 00:04:52,280 Speaker 1: She the things that she coached me on when I 85 00:04:52,320 --> 00:04:55,440 Speaker 1: was a leader in GE were things that I'd never 86 00:04:55,480 --> 00:04:58,520 Speaker 1: heard before and I've never known we should learn. And 87 00:04:58,520 --> 00:05:01,240 Speaker 1: those are things like how to ride on a corporate jet, 88 00:05:01,640 --> 00:05:04,440 Speaker 1: the things that you're supposed to do, you know, be 89 00:05:04,520 --> 00:05:07,960 Speaker 1: paying attention to, but you know, listening for ways to 90 00:05:08,320 --> 00:05:11,600 Speaker 1: address as a woman in leadership, um, how to respond 91 00:05:11,640 --> 00:05:14,400 Speaker 1: and act in different spaces. Those things did not happen 92 00:05:14,440 --> 00:05:17,320 Speaker 1: for me until much further along in my career, and 93 00:05:17,360 --> 00:05:19,560 Speaker 1: I'm very grateful that that she's been a part of 94 00:05:19,560 --> 00:05:22,920 Speaker 1: that development. But we have to bring those into the 95 00:05:22,960 --> 00:05:25,520 Speaker 1: conversations that we have. There's not many of us that 96 00:05:25,600 --> 00:05:28,000 Speaker 1: get to do that, and so there's not many having 97 00:05:28,040 --> 00:05:31,680 Speaker 1: the conversations. But what will need to happen is that, Um, 98 00:05:31,720 --> 00:05:34,479 Speaker 1: whenever I speak, whenever I'm in front of audiences, I 99 00:05:34,640 --> 00:05:38,360 Speaker 1: always talk about the global experience and what it can mean, 100 00:05:38,680 --> 00:05:42,479 Speaker 1: because the training ground needs to be as intense as 101 00:05:42,800 --> 00:05:45,839 Speaker 1: the actual leadership role that you have and as simple 102 00:05:45,920 --> 00:05:49,839 Speaker 1: as how you pack and respond and talk and and 103 00:05:49,960 --> 00:05:53,560 Speaker 1: carry yourself in in those environments. And I learned those 104 00:05:53,600 --> 00:05:58,000 Speaker 1: all by default. Um, you know, but you you learn them. 105 00:05:58,040 --> 00:05:59,800 Speaker 1: You know, when we think about engineering, were thinking about 106 00:05:59,800 --> 00:06:03,159 Speaker 1: these these your people who build things or design systems 107 00:06:03,240 --> 00:06:05,600 Speaker 1: or etcetera. And in the world we live in, and 108 00:06:05,640 --> 00:06:07,600 Speaker 1: you call it yourself a globalist before I've heard you 109 00:06:07,680 --> 00:06:12,520 Speaker 1: called yourself a globalists. And does having that global experience 110 00:06:12,600 --> 00:06:17,279 Speaker 1: being across the world being you know, having actual firsthand experiences, 111 00:06:17,480 --> 00:06:22,800 Speaker 1: is that required today of any engineer you can, like, 112 00:06:22,880 --> 00:06:25,360 Speaker 1: can you make a case for if you want to 113 00:06:25,400 --> 00:06:27,920 Speaker 1: be an engineer, if you're going to college, or if 114 00:06:27,960 --> 00:06:32,719 Speaker 1: you're finding your first opportunity in school post school, can 115 00:06:32,800 --> 00:06:37,800 Speaker 1: you make a case for traveling abroad? And why should 116 00:06:37,800 --> 00:06:42,920 Speaker 1: those people prioritize getting that experience because you're not just 117 00:06:43,000 --> 00:06:47,640 Speaker 1: building for domestic audiences anymore. We're building for the global world, 118 00:06:48,360 --> 00:06:53,520 Speaker 1: right it is? Is it a requirement? No? Would I 119 00:06:53,680 --> 00:06:57,400 Speaker 1: want to make it a requirement. Absolutely. My I have 120 00:06:57,480 --> 00:07:01,240 Speaker 1: two female cousins that studied engineering, both of them. I said, 121 00:07:01,240 --> 00:07:02,920 Speaker 1: you've got to go abroad. You have And I talked 122 00:07:02,960 --> 00:07:05,200 Speaker 1: to their parents, who are my first cousins, like, you 123 00:07:05,240 --> 00:07:08,360 Speaker 1: have to let them do this. I think it's imperative. 124 00:07:09,000 --> 00:07:12,840 Speaker 1: It changes the way that you think, the way that 125 00:07:12,880 --> 00:07:15,360 Speaker 1: you solved and engineering all they already gives you a 126 00:07:15,480 --> 00:07:19,160 Speaker 1: very critical, strategic, different way of solving problems. So it's 127 00:07:19,200 --> 00:07:23,640 Speaker 1: it's an incredible education and it's it's such a wonderful 128 00:07:23,680 --> 00:07:26,960 Speaker 1: curriculum to study because you can use it whether you 129 00:07:27,080 --> 00:07:29,200 Speaker 1: stay in the world of tech or not. Just the 130 00:07:29,240 --> 00:07:33,520 Speaker 1: way that you think and you approach UM solving the problem, 131 00:07:33,760 --> 00:07:36,520 Speaker 1: but when you take that and you partner it with 132 00:07:37,000 --> 00:07:41,360 Speaker 1: UM a global perspective, the way that you lead, the 133 00:07:41,360 --> 00:07:43,880 Speaker 1: way that you build and solve, I think, the way 134 00:07:43,920 --> 00:07:46,160 Speaker 1: that you are as a person and a human human being, 135 00:07:46,520 --> 00:07:50,200 Speaker 1: your perspective changes and it could be you know, I 136 00:07:50,200 --> 00:07:53,040 Speaker 1: could give you tons of examples of what it what 137 00:07:53,200 --> 00:07:56,600 Speaker 1: it meant to solve problems in India and Indonesia and 138 00:07:56,680 --> 00:08:02,040 Speaker 1: Africa and Saudi as a black woman from you Jersey, UM, 139 00:08:02,080 --> 00:08:05,400 Speaker 1: and it makes all the difference. The other thing that 140 00:08:05,440 --> 00:08:08,080 Speaker 1: it does is it puts you in a very um 141 00:08:08,200 --> 00:08:13,360 Speaker 1: unique and sometimes isolated space because you become so incredibly 142 00:08:13,440 --> 00:08:18,360 Speaker 1: different and sometimes that that's UM, that's a lonely and 143 00:08:18,440 --> 00:08:21,239 Speaker 1: sometimes difficult place to be. Let's talk about talk about 144 00:08:21,280 --> 00:08:25,920 Speaker 1: what that what you mean by that? You know, it's 145 00:08:25,960 --> 00:08:28,400 Speaker 1: it's you know, things change the way that the way 146 00:08:28,400 --> 00:08:30,280 Speaker 1: that you might eat the things that you like. I 147 00:08:30,320 --> 00:08:33,920 Speaker 1: fell in love with African fashion and design and maybe 148 00:08:34,000 --> 00:08:38,240 Speaker 1: before it became popular, um, socially here you know, you 149 00:08:38,280 --> 00:08:41,600 Speaker 1: may change some of your Western ways. Uh. You know, 150 00:08:41,640 --> 00:08:43,800 Speaker 1: I worked in Saudi had to wear burka every day. 151 00:08:44,080 --> 00:08:47,640 Speaker 1: I'm like, you know, what does this mean to my faith? 152 00:08:47,880 --> 00:08:50,200 Speaker 1: I thought I was cheating on Jesus, you know, I 153 00:08:50,280 --> 00:08:53,000 Speaker 1: was like, should I be doing this? But culturally what 154 00:08:53,080 --> 00:08:56,199 Speaker 1: I needed to do, um to fit into that space? 155 00:08:56,880 --> 00:08:59,440 Speaker 1: You know? Um, what it means to work in a 156 00:08:59,480 --> 00:09:02,400 Speaker 1: place where when the Internet goes out, it's not just 157 00:09:02,520 --> 00:09:06,120 Speaker 1: like on your block, Like, no, the entire city of 158 00:09:06,120 --> 00:09:08,800 Speaker 1: across is out of the Internet a while. How do 159 00:09:08,880 --> 00:09:12,760 Speaker 1: we work? You know, if I'm not trying to build, 160 00:09:12,800 --> 00:09:15,600 Speaker 1: I would imagine you would admonish folks. But if I'm 161 00:09:15,640 --> 00:09:19,600 Speaker 1: not trying to build, you know, the next Facebook or 162 00:09:19,640 --> 00:09:21,600 Speaker 1: the next Google. But let's say I just want to 163 00:09:21,640 --> 00:09:24,439 Speaker 1: build a really good you know, we can call him 164 00:09:24,440 --> 00:09:27,040 Speaker 1: lifestyle company. I just want to build something a great 165 00:09:27,520 --> 00:09:32,440 Speaker 1: you know, or engineer systems for a small business, UM 166 00:09:32,440 --> 00:09:36,760 Speaker 1: in my hometown. Doesn't having a global perspective matter to you? 167 00:09:38,000 --> 00:09:39,920 Speaker 1: And that is if I'm not trying to build, you 168 00:09:39,960 --> 00:09:44,120 Speaker 1: know these trillion dollar comp Well, again, I'm speaking to 169 00:09:44,720 --> 00:09:47,480 Speaker 1: an audience of of of black techys, and I would 170 00:09:47,559 --> 00:09:51,480 Speaker 1: say that any perspective that you bring, whether you bring 171 00:09:51,480 --> 00:09:56,120 Speaker 1: it from New Orleans or Oakland, North New Jersey, it's 172 00:09:56,120 --> 00:09:58,200 Speaker 1: almost going to be global too to the world that 173 00:09:58,280 --> 00:10:01,880 Speaker 1: you're in because we're or from uh is all is 174 00:10:01,920 --> 00:10:05,640 Speaker 1: often so very different. We're other than everyone that we're 175 00:10:05,720 --> 00:10:10,160 Speaker 1: usually around. I would say that, Um, if you're given 176 00:10:10,160 --> 00:10:14,600 Speaker 1: an opportunity, you're going to always hear me say that 177 00:10:14,679 --> 00:10:17,800 Speaker 1: globalism is a way of life, and it is a 178 00:10:17,840 --> 00:10:20,400 Speaker 1: way that not only the things that we bring to 179 00:10:20,480 --> 00:10:23,360 Speaker 1: a place, um, the experiences that we bring back with 180 00:10:23,400 --> 00:10:25,880 Speaker 1: the experiences that we take in. I was a Black 181 00:10:25,920 --> 00:10:29,640 Speaker 1: American living in Africa. I was still a Black American, right, 182 00:10:29,880 --> 00:10:32,760 Speaker 1: and I was home so to speak. Right, Africa is 183 00:10:32,840 --> 00:10:35,800 Speaker 1: everything to me, but I was still a Black American, 184 00:10:36,040 --> 00:10:38,840 Speaker 1: so I was bringing something to them as well. And um, 185 00:10:39,200 --> 00:10:44,280 Speaker 1: it certainly isn't a bad thing to bring into anything 186 00:10:44,280 --> 00:10:47,760 Speaker 1: you're trying to build from lifestyle. M a friend that 187 00:10:48,120 --> 00:10:50,840 Speaker 1: has that runs a lifestyle business and she's focused on 188 00:10:50,880 --> 00:10:54,000 Speaker 1: tease and and you know, some of her best products 189 00:10:54,040 --> 00:10:57,720 Speaker 1: are international tea leaves, that she mixes with you know, 190 00:10:57,760 --> 00:11:02,520 Speaker 1: American flavor. So I think that there's always UM a 191 00:11:02,640 --> 00:11:06,800 Speaker 1: case for what we can bring to the world and 192 00:11:06,840 --> 00:11:09,000 Speaker 1: what the world can give to us. Yeah, I love that. 193 00:11:09,120 --> 00:11:13,320 Speaker 1: I love that, you know, speaking UM about you know, 194 00:11:13,520 --> 00:11:16,320 Speaker 1: our contributions to culture, like there are people who would 195 00:11:16,320 --> 00:11:19,480 Speaker 1: be watching or listening to us who may be anywhere 196 00:11:19,520 --> 00:11:23,719 Speaker 1: in the world. UM. And for black people, particularly black engineers, 197 00:11:24,240 --> 00:11:30,280 Speaker 1: how can we better leverage our contributions to culture UM 198 00:11:30,320 --> 00:11:33,760 Speaker 1: for our own wealth opportunity? Its specifically, like how can 199 00:11:33,800 --> 00:11:38,520 Speaker 1: engineers take on like an owner's equity mentality and not 200 00:11:38,679 --> 00:11:47,040 Speaker 1: just build something that makes other people wealthy? Well, it 201 00:11:47,160 --> 00:11:54,319 Speaker 1: starts with an entrepreneurial mindset and as an engineer, Like 202 00:11:54,440 --> 00:11:57,880 Speaker 1: when I was in school, I studied mechanical engineering and 203 00:11:57,960 --> 00:12:01,240 Speaker 1: it's super hard, and I was just focused on trying 204 00:12:01,240 --> 00:12:04,120 Speaker 1: to learn thermodynamics and and things like that. I wasn't 205 00:12:04,120 --> 00:12:07,320 Speaker 1: thinking about what it could mean to build something that 206 00:12:07,640 --> 00:12:09,800 Speaker 1: UM was going to be great for myself as an 207 00:12:09,840 --> 00:12:15,880 Speaker 1: independent leader. Universities now offer entrepreneurial tracks, and I think 208 00:12:15,880 --> 00:12:20,600 Speaker 1: that integrating that into UM the engineering and the tech 209 00:12:20,640 --> 00:12:25,559 Speaker 1: platforms are critical. You'll see it UM maybe in software 210 00:12:25,640 --> 00:12:30,040 Speaker 1: engineering and computer science because a lot of those folks 211 00:12:30,280 --> 00:12:32,960 Speaker 1: move into that VC space. I think we need to 212 00:12:33,360 --> 00:12:35,720 Speaker 1: put that same kind of trend, in that same track 213 00:12:36,160 --> 00:12:39,320 Speaker 1: into the engineering mindset. I'm I'm trying to do that 214 00:12:39,440 --> 00:12:43,200 Speaker 1: here at Nesby, where I'm the CEO. It's it's important 215 00:12:43,200 --> 00:12:46,800 Speaker 1: for me to have us think in ways that can 216 00:12:46,840 --> 00:12:52,040 Speaker 1: bring about independent design strategies. We have so many great solutions. 217 00:12:52,040 --> 00:12:54,480 Speaker 1: We know how to take things down and rebuild them 218 00:12:54,480 --> 00:12:57,760 Speaker 1: and bring them into better spaces for the world and 219 00:12:57,880 --> 00:13:03,080 Speaker 1: for us. UM. But sometimes we as engineers can get 220 00:13:03,120 --> 00:13:07,880 Speaker 1: so head down sleeves rolled up solve solve, solve soft solved, 221 00:13:08,559 --> 00:13:12,640 Speaker 1: that we forget, uh to look at what this could 222 00:13:12,640 --> 00:13:16,080 Speaker 1: mean for ourselves. I was very much like that, you know, 223 00:13:16,160 --> 00:13:19,040 Speaker 1: and I think we we can miss that. So there's 224 00:13:19,160 --> 00:13:22,200 Speaker 1: um there's an entrepreneurial training that I think would be 225 00:13:22,200 --> 00:13:26,040 Speaker 1: relevant so that we can know what the opportunities are 226 00:13:26,120 --> 00:13:30,040 Speaker 1: for us to create structures and solutions that will be 227 00:13:30,160 --> 00:13:34,839 Speaker 1: just as independent or create an independent wealth for us, 228 00:13:35,000 --> 00:13:38,360 Speaker 1: which is something that I'm so committed to now because 229 00:13:38,400 --> 00:13:40,880 Speaker 1: I've had a chance to build wealth in a way 230 00:13:40,920 --> 00:13:44,000 Speaker 1: that I wasn't thinking about when I was in college. 231 00:13:44,000 --> 00:13:46,240 Speaker 1: I was just like get this degree graduate of probably 232 00:13:46,240 --> 00:13:48,520 Speaker 1: working manufacturing, and I'm gonna have a great job and 233 00:13:48,559 --> 00:13:51,480 Speaker 1: a great career one day and just work, you know, 234 00:13:51,480 --> 00:13:54,360 Speaker 1: because it's so interesting hearing you talk about that, and 235 00:13:54,400 --> 00:13:57,040 Speaker 1: I want you to correct me if I'm wrong. But 236 00:13:57,080 --> 00:14:01,360 Speaker 1: I look at people, well, I find it interesting when 237 00:14:01,440 --> 00:14:05,080 Speaker 1: I talked to folks who maybe engineers or you know, 238 00:14:05,360 --> 00:14:08,800 Speaker 1: maybe their product designers or elsewhere, and they work on 239 00:14:10,880 --> 00:14:15,520 Speaker 1: solutions at big companies and they help those companies get 240 00:14:15,559 --> 00:14:18,840 Speaker 1: rewarded patents in et cetera. And I always have wondered 241 00:14:20,480 --> 00:14:24,160 Speaker 1: like that, it feels like a giveaway. To me. It 242 00:14:24,160 --> 00:14:26,960 Speaker 1: feels like you did all this work and now this 243 00:14:27,040 --> 00:14:31,560 Speaker 1: big organization has this reward for your efforts. And I've 244 00:14:31,600 --> 00:14:34,440 Speaker 1: never under I'm an entrepreneur first, like that's what I'm 245 00:14:34,520 --> 00:14:39,160 Speaker 1: first at. And so help me understand from the thinking 246 00:14:39,240 --> 00:14:42,120 Speaker 1: behind it is that erroneous or was like it was 247 00:14:42,160 --> 00:14:47,840 Speaker 1: there something that was missing from the conversation. There's a 248 00:14:47,880 --> 00:14:51,040 Speaker 1: greatness there when it comes to patents. I can't speak 249 00:14:51,040 --> 00:14:55,200 Speaker 1: to how every company works, but many times there's a 250 00:14:55,240 --> 00:14:58,000 Speaker 1: couple of things that happen. When you join a multinational. 251 00:14:58,360 --> 00:15:01,680 Speaker 1: You know, you'll sign u and say, you know, these 252 00:15:01,720 --> 00:15:05,600 Speaker 1: ideas that we build and here belong to the company. 253 00:15:06,040 --> 00:15:10,800 Speaker 1: There are some companies that when you are in the room, 254 00:15:10,880 --> 00:15:14,280 Speaker 1: depending when you're in the room, when concepts are developed, 255 00:15:14,760 --> 00:15:18,640 Speaker 1: your name becomes a part of the design or the 256 00:15:18,640 --> 00:15:22,000 Speaker 1: patent that's created for that product. And in some companies, 257 00:15:22,360 --> 00:15:25,800 Speaker 1: when your name is on a patent, you receive what's 258 00:15:25,840 --> 00:15:29,400 Speaker 1: called a patent bonus. So you're not giving it all away, 259 00:15:29,600 --> 00:15:32,640 Speaker 1: because you can receive a patent bonus for the life 260 00:15:32,680 --> 00:15:35,160 Speaker 1: of how of how that technology may be used. So 261 00:15:35,200 --> 00:15:37,840 Speaker 1: imagine someone that's was in the room for the design 262 00:15:37,880 --> 00:15:42,400 Speaker 1: of the electronic battery that that fuels you know, the 263 00:15:42,440 --> 00:15:47,600 Speaker 1: electronic vehicles. Now they're still getting rewarded for that. So 264 00:15:48,040 --> 00:15:51,480 Speaker 1: there are instances where, um, you know, my college room 265 00:15:51,520 --> 00:15:53,800 Speaker 1: and she's got two or three patents of black female 266 00:15:53,840 --> 00:15:57,680 Speaker 1: material science engineer and I'm not sure how the company 267 00:15:57,720 --> 00:16:01,480 Speaker 1: she works for does it. But other companies will allow 268 00:16:01,520 --> 00:16:04,320 Speaker 1: you to receive a bonus. Here here's the tricky piece, 269 00:16:04,600 --> 00:16:08,480 Speaker 1: and this is where gender um and disparity and gender 270 00:16:08,680 --> 00:16:11,120 Speaker 1: in the area of engineering comes into play will and 271 00:16:11,160 --> 00:16:14,880 Speaker 1: that is because many times women are left out of 272 00:16:15,400 --> 00:16:22,920 Speaker 1: conversations where the patent discussion or design is being held. 273 00:16:22,920 --> 00:16:25,560 Speaker 1: We may be in the initial piece and then we 274 00:16:25,600 --> 00:16:27,400 Speaker 1: may be towards the end. But that piece in the 275 00:16:27,400 --> 00:16:30,040 Speaker 1: middle where the names get on that paper there and 276 00:16:30,120 --> 00:16:32,240 Speaker 1: you're actually going to be a part of that design patent, 277 00:16:32,640 --> 00:16:35,000 Speaker 1: there's a gap there and that sometimes comes from our 278 00:16:35,040 --> 00:16:38,680 Speaker 1: inability to be brought in to discussion. Sometimes we don't 279 00:16:39,000 --> 00:16:42,440 Speaker 1: push ourselves into the room um and and so we 280 00:16:42,480 --> 00:16:44,200 Speaker 1: can miss out on that. So we always want to 281 00:16:44,240 --> 00:16:46,840 Speaker 1: inspire and encourage women to make sure that they get 282 00:16:46,880 --> 00:16:49,440 Speaker 1: in the room and stay in the room. Again, every 283 00:16:49,440 --> 00:16:51,800 Speaker 1: company does it different, but there are many times when 284 00:16:51,840 --> 00:16:55,640 Speaker 1: you can create a patent and you'll be given a 285 00:16:55,680 --> 00:16:57,880 Speaker 1: bonus for that. The other thing that you always have 286 00:16:57,920 --> 00:17:01,000 Speaker 1: to be mindful of, particularly you're an entrepreneur first, so 287 00:17:01,080 --> 00:17:04,119 Speaker 1: when you build things, you're building them in your brand. 288 00:17:04,640 --> 00:17:08,280 Speaker 1: Depending on who you work for, anything that you design 289 00:17:08,440 --> 00:17:11,560 Speaker 1: or build, even if it's outside of that building, it 290 00:17:11,600 --> 00:17:13,359 Speaker 1: could be a conflict of interest, and so you have 291 00:17:13,400 --> 00:17:17,280 Speaker 1: to be very careful. It's why many times m will 292 00:17:17,359 --> 00:17:19,720 Speaker 1: leave the workforce if we do get kind of bit 293 00:17:19,800 --> 00:17:22,600 Speaker 1: by that entrepreneurial person. We're like, I gotta I gotta 294 00:17:22,680 --> 00:17:26,800 Speaker 1: lead from here because this is dipping into my right pocket. Right. 295 00:17:27,080 --> 00:17:29,159 Speaker 1: My dad always told me, you can't let your right 296 00:17:29,200 --> 00:17:31,359 Speaker 1: pocket know what your left pocket is doing. You gotta 297 00:17:31,600 --> 00:17:34,679 Speaker 1: you gotta keep them both overflowing. Yeah, because that was 298 00:17:34,760 --> 00:17:38,280 Speaker 1: always my thinking. I'm like, you're creating things, like why 299 00:17:38,320 --> 00:17:40,600 Speaker 1: are you doing it there? Like you could be doing 300 00:17:40,640 --> 00:17:46,040 Speaker 1: it under your own Well, now we know your show 301 00:17:46,080 --> 00:17:48,359 Speaker 1: talks about this often. You know how hard it is 302 00:17:48,680 --> 00:17:51,680 Speaker 1: for black people to start entities and to start businesses 303 00:17:51,720 --> 00:17:56,200 Speaker 1: and technology companies labs, and what it costs to operate 304 00:17:56,240 --> 00:17:58,639 Speaker 1: in a lab or two. If you're working with chemicals 305 00:17:58,720 --> 00:18:02,160 Speaker 1: or machinery, that is expensive. So if you think about 306 00:18:02,240 --> 00:18:04,720 Speaker 1: you're doing a startup and you're in a room co 307 00:18:04,920 --> 00:18:07,959 Speaker 1: creating ideas, tossing stuff on the board, and imagine if 308 00:18:07,960 --> 00:18:11,680 Speaker 1: you had to build a mechanical system to actually as 309 00:18:11,680 --> 00:18:14,240 Speaker 1: a template for how that would work. These things are expensive. 310 00:18:14,560 --> 00:18:18,760 Speaker 1: And so to say that we have the opportunity financially, 311 00:18:19,040 --> 00:18:20,399 Speaker 1: and this is why we have to go back and 312 00:18:20,440 --> 00:18:23,000 Speaker 1: be able to fund these types of businesses and ideas. 313 00:18:23,320 --> 00:18:26,199 Speaker 1: You know, I long for the day when I'll be 314 00:18:26,240 --> 00:18:28,639 Speaker 1: able to have a black tech accelerator and we'll be 315 00:18:28,680 --> 00:18:31,480 Speaker 1: able to drive these engineering solutions through there and fund 316 00:18:31,480 --> 00:18:35,360 Speaker 1: them ourselves and create something like that. That's the big 317 00:18:35,400 --> 00:18:39,040 Speaker 1: dream for sure. And I was watching a talk you did, 318 00:18:39,080 --> 00:18:42,199 Speaker 1: and you're talking about, you know, when you are doing 319 00:18:42,280 --> 00:18:45,080 Speaker 1: that hard work, that's where the value like you do 320 00:18:45,119 --> 00:18:48,280 Speaker 1: the work nobody else wants to do. And you spoke 321 00:18:48,320 --> 00:18:52,520 Speaker 1: about when that work ultimately does then become sexy, those 322 00:18:52,560 --> 00:18:55,720 Speaker 1: opportunities start to get taken away from us, and how 323 00:18:55,800 --> 00:18:59,639 Speaker 1: we have to own our contributions to the creation of 324 00:18:59,680 --> 00:19:02,600 Speaker 1: that value and be bold about it, be confident about it, 325 00:19:03,040 --> 00:19:06,680 Speaker 1: and fight for you know, that value that we created. 326 00:19:07,080 --> 00:19:09,679 Speaker 1: You know, what are some of the lessons you learned 327 00:19:10,720 --> 00:19:13,520 Speaker 1: about how to show up boldly when others want to, 328 00:19:13,640 --> 00:19:16,280 Speaker 1: you know, place you in or keep you in and 329 00:19:16,480 --> 00:19:22,760 Speaker 1: inferior your position. You know, I had, Um, I've had 330 00:19:22,800 --> 00:19:28,600 Speaker 1: so many disappointments, and honestly, I think I've I've not 331 00:19:28,680 --> 00:19:30,880 Speaker 1: tried to live my life in a state of regret. 332 00:19:31,320 --> 00:19:34,800 Speaker 1: But if I had to say something that I regret, 333 00:19:34,960 --> 00:19:38,640 Speaker 1: it will always be not standing up for myself soon enough, 334 00:19:39,359 --> 00:19:42,880 Speaker 1: not um taking a bold enough step to say regardless, 335 00:19:42,960 --> 00:19:46,520 Speaker 1: this is you can't have this, this is mine. UM. 336 00:19:46,560 --> 00:19:48,439 Speaker 1: You know, we're just I was taught differently. I was 337 00:19:48,560 --> 00:19:51,440 Speaker 1: young and I didn't know, you know, the fight or 338 00:19:51,480 --> 00:19:54,280 Speaker 1: the pushback. There's a tipping point in something that happens 339 00:19:54,280 --> 00:19:56,560 Speaker 1: when you just say, I'm not going to take it anymore. 340 00:19:57,160 --> 00:20:03,800 Speaker 1: Um And sometimes me watching the younger generation show up 341 00:20:03,840 --> 00:20:07,639 Speaker 1: in boldness around me has empowered me to to stand 342 00:20:07,680 --> 00:20:10,840 Speaker 1: up very differently because I want to be something different 343 00:20:11,160 --> 00:20:15,199 Speaker 1: for the generations that I speak to. And honestly, I 344 00:20:15,240 --> 00:20:17,480 Speaker 1: started to take a look at what legacy was gonna 345 00:20:17,480 --> 00:20:20,560 Speaker 1: look like for me, and I had to decide was 346 00:20:20,720 --> 00:20:24,240 Speaker 1: legacy going to be for me an amazing career at 347 00:20:24,240 --> 00:20:26,399 Speaker 1: a company, which is nothing wrong with that. I was 348 00:20:26,480 --> 00:20:28,919 Speaker 1: raised that way, both my parents did that, or was 349 00:20:28,960 --> 00:20:32,200 Speaker 1: it going to be an opportunity to take my brand 350 00:20:32,240 --> 00:20:35,040 Speaker 1: and say that the groundbreaking work that I've been a 351 00:20:35,080 --> 00:20:39,439 Speaker 1: part of has been done under the USEL watch and 352 00:20:39,520 --> 00:20:41,760 Speaker 1: not every other entity that I've been a part of. 353 00:20:42,119 --> 00:20:44,280 Speaker 1: And that was something I really wanted to do. I had, 354 00:20:44,400 --> 00:20:46,320 Speaker 1: you know, my brother said to me once, I'm not 355 00:20:46,440 --> 00:20:49,000 Speaker 1: sure why you show up every day like Daddy's name 356 00:20:49,040 --> 00:20:51,960 Speaker 1: is on the side of that building. It's not. And 357 00:20:52,040 --> 00:20:53,960 Speaker 1: he was and I was just like, He's like, why 358 00:20:54,000 --> 00:20:56,520 Speaker 1: why are you so upset? These people aren't your aren't 359 00:20:56,520 --> 00:20:59,000 Speaker 1: your parents. You know, if you're gonna do this, let's 360 00:20:59,040 --> 00:21:02,639 Speaker 1: let's build something for us. And so now you know, 361 00:21:02,720 --> 00:21:05,359 Speaker 1: even here at Nesby, it's because I want to bring 362 00:21:05,800 --> 00:21:08,119 Speaker 1: back the information and the things that I've learned in 363 00:21:08,160 --> 00:21:11,600 Speaker 1: the passion that I have and do something great for 364 00:21:11,640 --> 00:21:14,280 Speaker 1: black people. And I think that, you know, if I 365 00:21:14,320 --> 00:21:16,639 Speaker 1: can share some of the secrets and some of the 366 00:21:16,720 --> 00:21:19,800 Speaker 1: lessons that I've learned, then I'll be able to say, 367 00:21:19,840 --> 00:21:21,800 Speaker 1: this is a legacy that I wanted to take a 368 00:21:21,800 --> 00:21:24,720 Speaker 1: look at. And I also believe that, you know, I've 369 00:21:24,720 --> 00:21:27,840 Speaker 1: had an opportunity to create a pathway to wealth. Like 370 00:21:27,880 --> 00:21:30,960 Speaker 1: I said that I was. I didn't even know I 371 00:21:31,000 --> 00:21:33,440 Speaker 1: could think my way through at one point. And now 372 00:21:34,080 --> 00:21:36,760 Speaker 1: I'm not letting anybody get in the way of that. Yeah, yeah, 373 00:21:36,800 --> 00:21:39,959 Speaker 1: I mean when I met you, um a little over 374 00:21:40,080 --> 00:21:43,200 Speaker 1: a month ago, maybe two months ago, and I saw 375 00:21:43,240 --> 00:21:45,680 Speaker 1: you with your blue hair, your phoney glasses, I'm like, yeah, 376 00:21:45,840 --> 00:21:48,119 Speaker 1: I'm never gonna forget her, right, I'm never gonna you 377 00:21:48,200 --> 00:21:51,879 Speaker 1: can't forget her, you know. And I remember, you know, 378 00:21:52,320 --> 00:21:55,000 Speaker 1: listening to this talk Jay Z gave about, you know, 379 00:21:55,040 --> 00:21:58,120 Speaker 1: how he shows up in every room as himself he's 380 00:21:58,119 --> 00:22:00,560 Speaker 1: not putting on any airs, and he is not, you know, 381 00:22:00,640 --> 00:22:03,159 Speaker 1: changing the way he talks like he's and I'm and 382 00:22:03,200 --> 00:22:05,080 Speaker 1: I'm thinking the one side, and it's like, yeah, well 383 00:22:05,080 --> 00:22:07,320 Speaker 1: you're jay Z, like you don't have to, you know, 384 00:22:07,960 --> 00:22:10,000 Speaker 1: do that. And then I look at you and I'm like, 385 00:22:10,080 --> 00:22:12,399 Speaker 1: she's got her blue hair, And I would imagine there 386 00:22:12,440 --> 00:22:14,920 Speaker 1: was a Daniel career where you couldn't walk in with 387 00:22:15,000 --> 00:22:18,800 Speaker 1: blue hair. And I guess my question is, is at 388 00:22:18,840 --> 00:22:23,600 Speaker 1: what point is it okay to completely show up as 389 00:22:23,680 --> 00:22:26,880 Speaker 1: ourselves when we're walking in these corporate spaces, when we're 390 00:22:26,880 --> 00:22:31,480 Speaker 1: walking in these you know, career roles. How do we 391 00:22:31,800 --> 00:22:35,320 Speaker 1: get past the idea or can we get past the 392 00:22:35,480 --> 00:22:38,679 Speaker 1: idea that we have to you know code switch like 393 00:22:38,800 --> 00:22:41,200 Speaker 1: at at what has to happen so that we can 394 00:22:41,320 --> 00:22:47,439 Speaker 1: just be who we are and provide value. So I 395 00:22:47,680 --> 00:22:51,480 Speaker 1: no longer ascribe to the model that says I have 396 00:22:51,600 --> 00:22:55,919 Speaker 1: to be different in other places. Um, I'm already different 397 00:22:55,960 --> 00:22:59,399 Speaker 1: in every place. Because as as Shanna Ryan talks about this, 398 00:22:59,600 --> 00:23:01,840 Speaker 1: the first, the only, the different, the five she talks 399 00:23:01,840 --> 00:23:05,040 Speaker 1: about that particularly Black women, in most places we ever 400 00:23:05,040 --> 00:23:07,520 Speaker 1: go to, we're usually the first, the first to trail 401 00:23:07,600 --> 00:23:10,680 Speaker 1: blaze something we're usually the only when it comes to women, 402 00:23:10,760 --> 00:23:15,240 Speaker 1: and we're always different. So if that's always the case, 403 00:23:15,480 --> 00:23:18,280 Speaker 1: and if the one thing that the world is most 404 00:23:18,320 --> 00:23:21,080 Speaker 1: conditioned to understand and relate to our white men, and 405 00:23:21,160 --> 00:23:24,040 Speaker 1: I can never ever be that in my life, that 406 00:23:24,160 --> 00:23:26,400 Speaker 1: I'm just gonna ascribe to being myself because I'm never 407 00:23:26,400 --> 00:23:30,359 Speaker 1: gonna be what's the traditional world will always want in 408 00:23:30,440 --> 00:23:33,520 Speaker 1: anything that they do. And while you can look at 409 00:23:33,520 --> 00:23:35,880 Speaker 1: a photo montage of me throughout my career and see 410 00:23:35,920 --> 00:23:39,120 Speaker 1: that it's only the past maybe five years or so 411 00:23:39,400 --> 00:23:43,840 Speaker 1: that I've presented myself in that way, what I wish 412 00:23:44,240 --> 00:23:48,240 Speaker 1: and now I ascribed to is being that person up front. 413 00:23:48,680 --> 00:23:50,560 Speaker 1: You know, if if Nesbie didn't think that I could 414 00:23:50,640 --> 00:23:53,240 Speaker 1: lead as CEO because of blue streaks in my hair, 415 00:23:53,440 --> 00:23:55,800 Speaker 1: then I probably just didn't need to work here. They 416 00:23:55,840 --> 00:23:58,359 Speaker 1: don't affect my ability to solve or the way that 417 00:23:58,400 --> 00:24:00,440 Speaker 1: I think, and the way that I can is money 418 00:24:00,440 --> 00:24:02,119 Speaker 1: and balance a budget and build a P and L 419 00:24:02,440 --> 00:24:05,840 Speaker 1: and lead people um And as long as the way 420 00:24:05,840 --> 00:24:09,200 Speaker 1: that I present is not offensive to a culture UM 421 00:24:09,320 --> 00:24:11,680 Speaker 1: or a space where I work, or something that I'm 422 00:24:11,680 --> 00:24:14,120 Speaker 1: bringing into a place where it's gonna create some sort 423 00:24:14,160 --> 00:24:17,119 Speaker 1: of offense. You know, I'm not gonna wear a tube 424 00:24:17,119 --> 00:24:20,000 Speaker 1: top shorts in the middle of Saudi. It's illegal, first 425 00:24:20,000 --> 00:24:23,600 Speaker 1: of all, insufensive, right, But my intentions aren't to be 426 00:24:23,640 --> 00:24:26,679 Speaker 1: offensive or to make people uncomfortable, to just to make me, 427 00:24:27,080 --> 00:24:30,120 Speaker 1: to make me comfortable in a space where I'm always 428 00:24:30,280 --> 00:24:33,080 Speaker 1: uncomfortable and no one is ever ascribing to make sure 429 00:24:33,080 --> 00:24:35,560 Speaker 1: that I'm okay. And if all I need is a 430 00:24:35,600 --> 00:24:38,040 Speaker 1: little bit of blue streak and one of my tattoos out, 431 00:24:39,119 --> 00:24:41,520 Speaker 1: that's the worst that it can be, then we probably 432 00:24:41,560 --> 00:24:46,160 Speaker 1: need to um to readdress the way that we prioritize 433 00:24:46,160 --> 00:24:49,119 Speaker 1: how we take people seriously or not. I'm watching people 434 00:24:49,160 --> 00:24:51,040 Speaker 1: in the world do some of the most amazing things, 435 00:24:51,080 --> 00:24:53,240 Speaker 1: and they either have hair or don't have it, or 436 00:24:53,280 --> 00:24:55,480 Speaker 1: it's whatever color it needs to be. I don only 437 00:24:55,480 --> 00:24:59,480 Speaker 1: wish I had done that sooner. Yeah, I mean, we've 438 00:24:59,480 --> 00:25:03,240 Speaker 1: got folk um inevitably watching this or listening to this, 439 00:25:03,400 --> 00:25:06,600 Speaker 1: who are black techies who work for the Facebook's, the Google's, 440 00:25:06,720 --> 00:25:10,360 Speaker 1: the you know, snapchats of the world or whatever. And 441 00:25:10,520 --> 00:25:13,760 Speaker 1: you know, we live in a world where, at least 442 00:25:13,760 --> 00:25:18,000 Speaker 1: in tech, we're often contributing the systems, products, processes or 443 00:25:18,000 --> 00:25:22,800 Speaker 1: whatever that don't always totally align with our values to achieve. 444 00:25:22,920 --> 00:25:25,840 Speaker 1: Let's say, you know, if if Mark Zuckerberg takes a 445 00:25:25,880 --> 00:25:29,160 Speaker 1: position on something, that doesn't mean everybody at Facebook believes 446 00:25:29,240 --> 00:25:34,359 Speaker 1: that thing, right, and so does that mean that you know, 447 00:25:34,880 --> 00:25:40,280 Speaker 1: because we're building things that impact how the world works fundamentally, um, 448 00:25:40,320 --> 00:25:42,399 Speaker 1: and I think most of us would agree with you know, 449 00:25:42,400 --> 00:25:48,360 Speaker 1: spectically social media it impacts how we work, um. Regardless 450 00:25:48,400 --> 00:25:53,960 Speaker 1: of how how do we having convictions continue to make 451 00:25:54,040 --> 00:25:57,600 Speaker 1: impact there? Or is it like I don't believe in 452 00:25:57,640 --> 00:25:59,920 Speaker 1: what this is doing to our us as a society 453 00:26:01,119 --> 00:26:05,840 Speaker 1: or do we give in or do we continue to 454 00:26:05,920 --> 00:26:10,520 Speaker 1: stay and continue to carve out our way of internally 455 00:26:10,560 --> 00:26:16,200 Speaker 1: fighting the battle when they have global societal cultural implications. 456 00:26:18,880 --> 00:26:23,160 Speaker 1: If we are going to throw in the town, well, 457 00:26:23,240 --> 00:26:28,120 Speaker 1: then you know, we what's what? What on earth are 458 00:26:28,160 --> 00:26:31,000 Speaker 1: we here for? Every day? And I believe that every 459 00:26:31,080 --> 00:26:33,720 Speaker 1: day that we're giving life and breath, then we're giving 460 00:26:33,800 --> 00:26:37,920 Speaker 1: purpose and we're called to do something that creates change. 461 00:26:37,960 --> 00:26:40,520 Speaker 1: And that's in whatever area of your life, whether it's 462 00:26:40,560 --> 00:26:45,399 Speaker 1: your your profession, your vocation, your advocation, your your familiar life, 463 00:26:45,440 --> 00:26:48,760 Speaker 1: whatever it is that you're called to do. I believe that. 464 00:26:48,960 --> 00:26:51,479 Speaker 1: You know, we all have a reason for why we 465 00:26:51,520 --> 00:26:54,880 Speaker 1: get two ft on the floor each and every day. 466 00:26:55,000 --> 00:27:01,280 Speaker 1: And I never ever thought that my life would be revolutionary. 467 00:27:01,560 --> 00:27:03,359 Speaker 1: In fact, for the longest time I was working with 468 00:27:03,400 --> 00:27:05,840 Speaker 1: my coach, I couldn't even say the word. I didn't 469 00:27:05,840 --> 00:27:08,960 Speaker 1: want to use that word in a sentence because I'm like, no, 470 00:27:09,200 --> 00:27:11,400 Speaker 1: that's not who I am. I don't want to rock 471 00:27:11,440 --> 00:27:13,720 Speaker 1: the boat. But everything I've ever done in my career, 472 00:27:13,760 --> 00:27:16,320 Speaker 1: even when I was just trying to not rock the boat, 473 00:27:16,600 --> 00:27:19,080 Speaker 1: was rocking it and it was setting me up to 474 00:27:19,160 --> 00:27:21,560 Speaker 1: being a position of leadership like where I am today, 475 00:27:21,920 --> 00:27:25,280 Speaker 1: where I now get to say we're going to rock 476 00:27:25,359 --> 00:27:27,639 Speaker 1: the boat and on my watch, we're gonna tip it, 477 00:27:27,760 --> 00:27:30,800 Speaker 1: flip it, and do it again. And when when we're 478 00:27:30,840 --> 00:27:33,480 Speaker 1: in these seats, it's not just being in the room, 479 00:27:33,520 --> 00:27:35,840 Speaker 1: it's not just sitting at this seat. What are we 480 00:27:35,880 --> 00:27:38,959 Speaker 1: going to do with the positions and the opportunity like 481 00:27:39,000 --> 00:27:42,160 Speaker 1: how you're using your microphone, the stories we're going to tell, 482 00:27:42,400 --> 00:27:45,160 Speaker 1: the influence that we're going to make. So no, we 483 00:27:45,160 --> 00:27:49,920 Speaker 1: we cannot give up. I believe strongly in this. It's 484 00:27:49,920 --> 00:27:52,280 Speaker 1: a little preachy, but this is this is what I believe. 485 00:27:52,680 --> 00:27:58,000 Speaker 1: I believe that the black tech movement is positioned right 486 00:27:58,000 --> 00:28:03,080 Speaker 1: now to move our community of people forward just as 487 00:28:03,080 --> 00:28:07,640 Speaker 1: heavy and just as impactfully as um the days when 488 00:28:07,760 --> 00:28:12,800 Speaker 1: our ancestors and family members were walking across bridges and 489 00:28:13,560 --> 00:28:17,080 Speaker 1: pushing for voter rights and fighting in the same way. 490 00:28:17,359 --> 00:28:22,280 Speaker 1: Technology and the impact of technology on black people and 491 00:28:22,359 --> 00:28:25,360 Speaker 1: the influence that we need to have in the design 492 00:28:25,440 --> 00:28:31,119 Speaker 1: of technology for solutions in the world is the movement, absolutely, 493 00:28:31,160 --> 00:28:33,880 Speaker 1: and so we cannot stand down. We have to get 494 00:28:33,920 --> 00:28:36,280 Speaker 1: into the movement, and we have to push our way 495 00:28:36,280 --> 00:28:38,200 Speaker 1: in because the world doesn't want us in that space 496 00:28:38,560 --> 00:28:41,760 Speaker 1: because they know what the outcome will be. And when 497 00:28:41,800 --> 00:28:45,760 Speaker 1: technology goes wrong on our watch, will people die. It's 498 00:28:45,760 --> 00:28:49,400 Speaker 1: not just a bad user experience. Oh I hate these earbuds. 499 00:28:49,440 --> 00:28:54,040 Speaker 1: It is artificial intelligence. Is mixing your face up with 500 00:28:54,080 --> 00:28:57,840 Speaker 1: someone else, and that impact your life. It's very dangerous 501 00:28:58,040 --> 00:29:00,840 Speaker 1: and I'm very, very passionate about that. So I do 502 00:29:00,880 --> 00:29:03,200 Speaker 1: not believe that we can stand out. I believe that 503 00:29:03,240 --> 00:29:06,640 Speaker 1: we have to equip one another to stay in the fight. 504 00:29:06,720 --> 00:29:11,680 Speaker 1: And that is tribal community. You know, work like this podcast, 505 00:29:11,760 --> 00:29:14,160 Speaker 1: like this story, is like this, people like this that 506 00:29:14,200 --> 00:29:17,160 Speaker 1: are coming together there's enough. There is so much out 507 00:29:17,200 --> 00:29:19,400 Speaker 1: there world. There's enough for all of us. What we 508 00:29:19,520 --> 00:29:22,320 Speaker 1: have to do is come together and be able to 509 00:29:22,360 --> 00:29:25,960 Speaker 1: bring this revolution together ourselves. Yeah, so let's let's go 510 00:29:26,000 --> 00:29:28,800 Speaker 1: a level deeper. Because you've you've achieved, you know, like 511 00:29:28,920 --> 00:29:31,520 Speaker 1: as you describe, you know, a revolutionary career, you know, 512 00:29:31,600 --> 00:29:36,480 Speaker 1: a revolutionary contribution to technology. You know beyond g I 513 00:29:36,480 --> 00:29:40,520 Speaker 1: mean CEO at Wikipedia, you know, with rant Wikipedia, I 514 00:29:40,560 --> 00:29:43,640 Speaker 1: mean one of the biggest websites in the world, and 515 00:29:43,760 --> 00:29:47,080 Speaker 1: running nasby and you know, with the black spack. And 516 00:29:47,080 --> 00:29:49,640 Speaker 1: I want to talk about that because you know, you've 517 00:29:49,880 --> 00:29:54,360 Speaker 1: you're sitting in some seats that UM have a heavy 518 00:29:54,440 --> 00:29:59,040 Speaker 1: contribution to UM. What what what you talked about earlier 519 00:29:59,120 --> 00:30:02,000 Speaker 1: is that we should be a to fund other companies 520 00:30:02,040 --> 00:30:03,720 Speaker 1: by black folks. We should we should be in a 521 00:30:03,800 --> 00:30:07,080 Speaker 1: position of wealth that we can fund things that should 522 00:30:07,120 --> 00:30:10,480 Speaker 1: exist for our people. I want to talk about how 523 00:30:10,840 --> 00:30:15,480 Speaker 1: you feel or whatever responsibility you feel in roles such 524 00:30:15,520 --> 00:30:17,320 Speaker 1: that you sit in and if you could speak on 525 00:30:17,480 --> 00:30:21,200 Speaker 1: the black aspect um a little mixing this, how do 526 00:30:21,320 --> 00:30:28,200 Speaker 1: you feel the responsibility of these roles too enable those 527 00:30:28,240 --> 00:30:32,320 Speaker 1: coming beside you and behind you and UM opening up 528 00:30:32,360 --> 00:30:39,640 Speaker 1: the doors of wealth, opportunity and leadership opportunity for them. 529 00:30:39,680 --> 00:30:44,000 Speaker 1: So I feel, um a way of responsibility that I 530 00:30:44,040 --> 00:30:47,880 Speaker 1: think is necessary, um to stay humble. I think there's 531 00:30:48,000 --> 00:30:51,480 Speaker 1: something my parents taught me. I believe, similarly to the 532 00:30:51,600 --> 00:30:54,200 Speaker 1: question you asked me earlier, that if I have to 533 00:30:54,440 --> 00:30:59,200 Speaker 1: change something about me that's just you know, unique and 534 00:30:59,240 --> 00:31:01,200 Speaker 1: critical to who our am, like the color of my hair, 535 00:31:01,800 --> 00:31:04,120 Speaker 1: to be in a room, then I don't want to 536 00:31:04,120 --> 00:31:05,800 Speaker 1: be in that room unless that room is like, you know, 537 00:31:05,880 --> 00:31:07,720 Speaker 1: you should come in this room anyway. These people don't 538 00:31:07,720 --> 00:31:10,200 Speaker 1: think we're all crazy. Okay, great, let's do it, um, 539 00:31:10,600 --> 00:31:13,160 Speaker 1: because that's the kind of pot that I want to start. 540 00:31:13,200 --> 00:31:16,760 Speaker 1: I don't want to do the traditional work, where I 541 00:31:16,840 --> 00:31:19,440 Speaker 1: believe that I'm called to do some things that are 542 00:31:19,440 --> 00:31:22,720 Speaker 1: going to be very, very different, and um, the experiences 543 00:31:22,760 --> 00:31:24,719 Speaker 1: I've had it brought me here, and so I feel 544 00:31:25,040 --> 00:31:28,160 Speaker 1: incredibly responsible. I don't have children of my own, but 545 00:31:28,200 --> 00:31:30,280 Speaker 1: I have nieces and nephews and tons of cousins, and 546 00:31:30,320 --> 00:31:34,880 Speaker 1: some of them have also studied engineering, and my push 547 00:31:34,920 --> 00:31:36,680 Speaker 1: to get them to be global or to get them 548 00:31:36,680 --> 00:31:38,960 Speaker 1: to do some other things. I believe that's a part 549 00:31:38,960 --> 00:31:42,920 Speaker 1: of my responsibility. Whether I'm I volunteer on boards or 550 00:31:43,120 --> 00:31:46,040 Speaker 1: you know, even my leadership role at Wikipedia. I was 551 00:31:46,120 --> 00:31:49,280 Speaker 1: hired to be the CEO, and then when the Black 552 00:31:49,320 --> 00:31:53,680 Speaker 1: community came and said, hey, we want to elevate um 553 00:31:53,880 --> 00:31:57,360 Speaker 1: content on Wikipedia, I couldn't say that's not my job. 554 00:31:57,440 --> 00:32:00,840 Speaker 1: I'm supposed to run operations. These are things that they 555 00:32:00,920 --> 00:32:03,600 Speaker 1: just become a part of your responsibility because they've never 556 00:32:03,640 --> 00:32:06,560 Speaker 1: seen anyone that looked like me in leadership. They've never 557 00:32:06,600 --> 00:32:10,280 Speaker 1: had anyone advocate for the stories of black people on 558 00:32:10,320 --> 00:32:13,959 Speaker 1: that platform less than of the stories and the content 559 00:32:13,960 --> 00:32:16,440 Speaker 1: on Wikipedia is about women less than one percent or 560 00:32:16,520 --> 00:32:19,160 Speaker 1: about black people. How could I say no just because 561 00:32:19,160 --> 00:32:23,200 Speaker 1: it wasn't a part of, you know, delivering operational rigor. 562 00:32:23,480 --> 00:32:27,200 Speaker 1: I had to say yes. And my my leadership role 563 00:32:27,240 --> 00:32:30,200 Speaker 1: on the SPACK. So I'm a chairwoman of a SPAC 564 00:32:30,760 --> 00:32:34,320 Speaker 1: and for audience members, you know, a SPACK is a 565 00:32:34,360 --> 00:32:39,800 Speaker 1: special purpose acquisition company. It is a way to um 566 00:32:40,040 --> 00:32:42,760 Speaker 1: be a part of building wealth. And I think that 567 00:32:42,880 --> 00:32:47,160 Speaker 1: in the black community this is something that another way 568 00:32:47,200 --> 00:32:51,480 Speaker 1: an opportunity for us to to create an avenue um 569 00:32:51,520 --> 00:32:54,960 Speaker 1: to growth. The reason I chose to to chair Grade 570 00:32:55,040 --> 00:32:59,120 Speaker 1: Ridge Acquisitions is because it's an all black spack. We 571 00:32:59,200 --> 00:33:02,560 Speaker 1: have a strong own commitment to HBCUs where most of 572 00:33:02,600 --> 00:33:06,440 Speaker 1: us were educated, and because we want to be able 573 00:33:06,840 --> 00:33:10,200 Speaker 1: to create an opportunity that will continue to build wealth 574 00:33:10,720 --> 00:33:14,360 Speaker 1: in the black communities. You know, we are under certain 575 00:33:14,360 --> 00:33:16,320 Speaker 1: guidelines where I can't say as much as I would 576 00:33:16,360 --> 00:33:18,520 Speaker 1: like to now, but what I do want to leave 577 00:33:18,560 --> 00:33:22,479 Speaker 1: with this audience is that a spack is yet another 578 00:33:22,520 --> 00:33:26,200 Speaker 1: way for us to close the racial at the gap 579 00:33:26,400 --> 00:33:29,600 Speaker 1: in in wealth that can happen from a racial perspective. 580 00:33:29,640 --> 00:33:32,440 Speaker 1: I think the other way is education. When we have 581 00:33:32,440 --> 00:33:35,320 Speaker 1: an opportunity to go to college and you don't have debt. 582 00:33:35,360 --> 00:33:37,840 Speaker 1: I was very fortunate to not have that, which means 583 00:33:37,840 --> 00:33:40,120 Speaker 1: I have a ten year leap on anyone graduating because 584 00:33:40,120 --> 00:33:42,000 Speaker 1: it usually takes about ten years to pay off your 585 00:33:42,000 --> 00:33:44,160 Speaker 1: student loans. So that's one way. And what do we 586 00:33:44,200 --> 00:33:47,120 Speaker 1: do with that wealth in the process. My dad was like, 587 00:33:47,280 --> 00:33:49,200 Speaker 1: you got to buy a house, You gotta do things 588 00:33:49,240 --> 00:33:50,920 Speaker 1: like we have to. We have to have people teaching 589 00:33:50,960 --> 00:33:54,680 Speaker 1: us that being able to be a part of venture 590 00:33:54,720 --> 00:33:58,600 Speaker 1: capital groups and organizations like um teams, like a spack 591 00:33:58,720 --> 00:34:03,880 Speaker 1: or yet another way for us to disrupt the communities 592 00:34:03,920 --> 00:34:07,480 Speaker 1: of color, and not just in how we solve a problem, 593 00:34:07,520 --> 00:34:11,680 Speaker 1: but how we build wealth. And so these these are 594 00:34:11,680 --> 00:34:16,360 Speaker 1: all really important to me because as black people, most 595 00:34:16,400 --> 00:34:18,560 Speaker 1: of us and this is this is honorable, So I'm 596 00:34:18,600 --> 00:34:22,319 Speaker 1: not I'm not shooting down for most of us had 597 00:34:22,400 --> 00:34:24,600 Speaker 1: the bulk of our wealth tied up in four O 598 00:34:24,719 --> 00:34:27,640 Speaker 1: one case, which is you know, look great, have you've 599 00:34:27,680 --> 00:34:29,359 Speaker 1: been able to build a four one K year over 600 00:34:29,440 --> 00:34:32,880 Speaker 1: year for all these years? That is noble. It's just 601 00:34:33,040 --> 00:34:36,560 Speaker 1: there's a there's a diversity that can come to our portfolios, 602 00:34:36,840 --> 00:34:40,400 Speaker 1: where there's a tipping point for wealth. Um. And once 603 00:34:40,440 --> 00:34:44,200 Speaker 1: you experience that, I believe that you you take on 604 00:34:44,200 --> 00:34:46,960 Speaker 1: a different mindset and there's a that's where all the 605 00:34:47,320 --> 00:34:49,800 Speaker 1: boldness and the leadership and wanting to bring others along, 606 00:34:50,000 --> 00:34:53,759 Speaker 1: that's where tipped and shifted for me. You're one of 607 00:34:53,800 --> 00:34:58,560 Speaker 1: the original concepts that got me into storytelling about technology, 608 00:34:58,600 --> 00:35:03,120 Speaker 1: and particularly even via podcasting. UM, was that the rules 609 00:35:03,160 --> 00:35:08,759 Speaker 1: of engagement regarding startups and fundraising weren't equal for everybody, 610 00:35:08,800 --> 00:35:11,240 Speaker 1: and that the information that was coming out of Silicon 611 00:35:11,360 --> 00:35:15,000 Speaker 1: Valley about how to fundraise wasn't working for me in Ohio, right, 612 00:35:15,080 --> 00:35:18,880 Speaker 1: and when many of us you know, championed the genius 613 00:35:19,000 --> 00:35:21,840 Speaker 1: of Steve Jobs and his and and tried to mimic 614 00:35:22,000 --> 00:35:24,239 Speaker 1: the way he behaved. You know, we found out that 615 00:35:24,239 --> 00:35:26,360 Speaker 1: would land us in jail. You know, we can't behave 616 00:35:26,440 --> 00:35:31,239 Speaker 1: like Steve Jobs behaved or Elon Musk today. Um, the 617 00:35:31,320 --> 00:35:34,480 Speaker 1: things that white startup founders can get away with, like 618 00:35:34,560 --> 00:35:39,719 Speaker 1: repetitive failing, we don't have that luxury. And so how 619 00:35:39,760 --> 00:35:45,080 Speaker 1: do we, you know, particularly black founders, black entrepreneurs, black engineers, UM, 620 00:35:45,120 --> 00:35:48,759 Speaker 1: with the tools that we have helped to reshape that 621 00:35:48,960 --> 00:35:52,719 Speaker 1: narrative so that because even still today in many respects, 622 00:35:52,760 --> 00:35:56,000 Speaker 1: how to fundraise that education comes out of Silicon Valley? Well, 623 00:35:56,160 --> 00:35:59,480 Speaker 1: we really in Silicon Valley, right, And so how do 624 00:35:59,600 --> 00:36:03,719 Speaker 1: we with the tools that exist today? Let's take it 625 00:36:03,719 --> 00:36:07,799 Speaker 1: from an engineering perspective, how do we create a new 626 00:36:07,880 --> 00:36:11,680 Speaker 1: pathway so that our folks can get faster, so that 627 00:36:11,800 --> 00:36:14,240 Speaker 1: engineers can get faster to what you talked about earlier, 628 00:36:14,239 --> 00:36:18,320 Speaker 1: that entrepreneurial mindset. You know, I love that you asked 629 00:36:18,320 --> 00:36:21,680 Speaker 1: that because I like to think of NESBI as like 630 00:36:21,719 --> 00:36:24,880 Speaker 1: one of the first black text startups. Because NESBI was 631 00:36:24,920 --> 00:36:29,800 Speaker 1: founded by to Purdue undergraduates Edward Barnett and Fred Cooper. 632 00:36:30,040 --> 00:36:34,399 Speaker 1: They founded Nesby back in nineteen seventy five. We're gonna 633 00:36:34,440 --> 00:36:37,279 Speaker 1: be We're gonna be fifty years old in three years. So, 634 00:36:37,800 --> 00:36:41,040 Speaker 1: you know, you have these two brothers that are like 635 00:36:41,880 --> 00:36:46,040 Speaker 1: the Steve and Steve of of of of Silicon Valley startups. 636 00:36:46,080 --> 00:36:48,759 Speaker 1: And they're sitting there at Purdue University, like, you know, 637 00:36:48,840 --> 00:36:51,720 Speaker 1: this thing is hard and and there's no black people? 638 00:36:51,920 --> 00:36:54,560 Speaker 1: Are there other black people studying this? And I can 639 00:36:54,560 --> 00:36:56,960 Speaker 1: only imagine in the seventies what it looked like may 640 00:36:57,000 --> 00:36:58,680 Speaker 1: have looked like to be at Purdue and a big 641 00:36:58,719 --> 00:37:04,200 Speaker 1: afro the studying you know, quantum physics and and you 642 00:37:04,239 --> 00:37:09,440 Speaker 1: know thermodynamic theories. And these two guys started Nesby and 643 00:37:09,440 --> 00:37:12,919 Speaker 1: then they built a community. Nesby has you know, over 644 00:37:13,000 --> 00:37:17,279 Speaker 1: twenty thou student members now and uh they cover we 645 00:37:17,400 --> 00:37:21,440 Speaker 1: cover programs that start all the way from uh Nesby 646 00:37:21,520 --> 00:37:25,279 Speaker 1: junior high school students all the way through UM your 647 00:37:25,320 --> 00:37:29,279 Speaker 1: collegiate years. And then the professionals which are Nesby graduates. 648 00:37:29,840 --> 00:37:32,440 Speaker 1: And you have this community and this tribe with people 649 00:37:32,760 --> 00:37:36,560 Speaker 1: that are finding their way to how to solve and 650 00:37:36,680 --> 00:37:42,279 Speaker 1: build and create teaching curriculum and ways to do that 651 00:37:42,280 --> 00:37:46,439 Speaker 1: that have diverse mindsets and showing them early on that 652 00:37:46,520 --> 00:37:50,440 Speaker 1: this is what technology looks like. Imagine you want you 653 00:37:50,480 --> 00:37:53,200 Speaker 1: have to come to our convention in Marchville, because I 654 00:37:53,280 --> 00:37:55,439 Speaker 1: want even as a hybrid, we're gonna have over six 655 00:37:55,440 --> 00:37:59,080 Speaker 1: thousand black black engineers there on any and in any 656 00:37:59,080 --> 00:38:02,560 Speaker 1: normal circumstances have over fourteen thousand. I just want to 657 00:38:02,560 --> 00:38:05,480 Speaker 1: walk Silicon Valley through there and let them see that, 658 00:38:05,960 --> 00:38:09,279 Speaker 1: look at look at what this community looks like. And UM, 659 00:38:09,320 --> 00:38:11,719 Speaker 1: these are the types of people that you need on 660 00:38:11,880 --> 00:38:16,120 Speaker 1: your teams, on your design teams, in your building UM obsessions, 661 00:38:16,480 --> 00:38:20,520 Speaker 1: creating and strategizing and building ideas for the world, because 662 00:38:20,560 --> 00:38:24,799 Speaker 1: this is what the world looks like, and so you know, 663 00:38:24,880 --> 00:38:26,960 Speaker 1: we have to do more of that. We have to 664 00:38:27,520 --> 00:38:31,280 Speaker 1: I'm I'm currently now collaborating with a group of women 665 00:38:31,480 --> 00:38:34,560 Speaker 1: UM and and I'm speaking at Afrotech. Morgan is one 666 00:38:34,560 --> 00:38:37,200 Speaker 1: of them, just to talk about what it means to 667 00:38:37,280 --> 00:38:40,919 Speaker 1: be a group of black women leading these huge technology 668 00:38:41,000 --> 00:38:44,560 Speaker 1: efforts and how do we create a tribe amongst ourselves 669 00:38:44,600 --> 00:38:47,399 Speaker 1: in a community. I wish that we will have more 670 00:38:47,440 --> 00:38:51,360 Speaker 1: of these and more opportunities for us to gather and 671 00:38:51,560 --> 00:38:57,520 Speaker 1: UM to help create cohorts of of communities of color 672 00:38:58,600 --> 00:39:02,600 Speaker 1: that are working in this as it's not. We're not 673 00:39:02,680 --> 00:39:04,880 Speaker 1: far off. This isn't a dream that can't be achieved. 674 00:39:04,880 --> 00:39:07,800 Speaker 1: We're literally here doing it. We just have to show 675 00:39:07,840 --> 00:39:11,359 Speaker 1: the world more of us, because you're right, what can 676 00:39:11,400 --> 00:39:15,319 Speaker 1: happen in Silicon Valley. Unfortunately doesn't. We can't get an 677 00:39:15,360 --> 00:39:17,799 Speaker 1: idea and then all of a sudden, I just got 678 00:39:17,800 --> 00:39:20,759 Speaker 1: this great idea and somebody tend into it out. You know, 679 00:39:20,760 --> 00:39:23,800 Speaker 1: we've got to have the entire thing built with proof points. 680 00:39:23,920 --> 00:39:28,799 Speaker 1: You know, har it is, it's an absolute fact. Right. 681 00:39:30,239 --> 00:39:32,279 Speaker 1: You were doing a talk at a leadership summit. I 682 00:39:32,280 --> 00:39:33,880 Speaker 1: don't remember the name of the leadership something, but I 683 00:39:33,880 --> 00:39:37,440 Speaker 1: was watching the video. You were talking about how you 684 00:39:37,480 --> 00:39:41,279 Speaker 1: were compelled to have a word of the year, and 685 00:39:41,880 --> 00:39:44,560 Speaker 1: I want you to take us through this exercise. First 686 00:39:44,640 --> 00:39:48,960 Speaker 1: on educate us on why it's important, and then how 687 00:39:49,000 --> 00:39:51,600 Speaker 1: can we find our word and put it into practice 688 00:39:51,719 --> 00:39:55,919 Speaker 1: so for the rest of you know, give us how 689 00:39:56,000 --> 00:39:57,520 Speaker 1: we should do this and playing for the rest of 690 00:39:57,520 --> 00:40:03,000 Speaker 1: the year, and then we can prep perhaps. Okay, So 691 00:40:03,360 --> 00:40:06,719 Speaker 1: the word concept came from a group of friends. We've 692 00:40:06,760 --> 00:40:09,480 Speaker 1: been friends for over twenty years and there was a 693 00:40:09,520 --> 00:40:12,600 Speaker 1: group of us and we I think someone brought it 694 00:40:12,640 --> 00:40:15,719 Speaker 1: to us and said, um, what's an area where you 695 00:40:15,719 --> 00:40:18,480 Speaker 1: want to focus? And you know it starts out with 696 00:40:18,520 --> 00:40:22,160 Speaker 1: these long note you know, overtime, me iterat and how 697 00:40:22,239 --> 00:40:24,839 Speaker 1: can we get it down to word because we really 698 00:40:24,960 --> 00:40:27,600 Speaker 1: like to make things a little extra little, a little harder, 699 00:40:27,960 --> 00:40:29,920 Speaker 1: so we were trying to whittle down to one word. 700 00:40:30,560 --> 00:40:33,440 Speaker 1: The framing of it came from my my business coach. 701 00:40:33,680 --> 00:40:36,239 Speaker 1: Her name is Rhadayah Rhodes and she is a black 702 00:40:36,280 --> 00:40:40,800 Speaker 1: engineer from Nesby that now has um a training business, 703 00:40:40,880 --> 00:40:44,440 Speaker 1: Evoke and and she has been coaching me year after 704 00:40:44,600 --> 00:40:48,799 Speaker 1: year and every quarter. Now we do this process where 705 00:40:48,800 --> 00:40:52,640 Speaker 1: we beprint my life and um be printing your life 706 00:40:52,680 --> 00:40:55,560 Speaker 1: is meaning you're setting the design for the things that 707 00:40:55,560 --> 00:40:57,359 Speaker 1: you want to accomplish. And we do it quarterly because 708 00:40:57,360 --> 00:41:00,719 Speaker 1: most businesses operate like that as well. And it could 709 00:41:00,719 --> 00:41:04,480 Speaker 1: be everything from my business, my entrepreneurial work, my volunteerism, 710 00:41:04,560 --> 00:41:07,719 Speaker 1: my family, my personal life. But um, what is it 711 00:41:07,760 --> 00:41:10,239 Speaker 1: that I want to design and what is the name 712 00:41:10,280 --> 00:41:12,600 Speaker 1: of the game or the thing that I'll be doing 713 00:41:12,960 --> 00:41:15,680 Speaker 1: that quarter? And then for me, I like to whittle 714 00:41:15,719 --> 00:41:22,000 Speaker 1: it into a word and I'm focusing on UM some 715 00:41:22,160 --> 00:41:26,600 Speaker 1: of my goals spiritually, financially, socially, what I want to 716 00:41:26,600 --> 00:41:28,400 Speaker 1: bring to the world, on what I want to receive 717 00:41:29,000 --> 00:41:31,840 Speaker 1: and I actually do it at the start of my 718 00:41:31,960 --> 00:41:34,399 Speaker 1: birthday will, which in my birthday was just last week. 719 00:41:34,440 --> 00:41:39,319 Speaker 1: So I just NW, thank you. I just picked my 720 00:41:39,480 --> 00:41:42,680 Speaker 1: word for the year and UM, and I'll share it 721 00:41:42,719 --> 00:41:45,480 Speaker 1: because I'm fine. For the longest time I work was freedom. 722 00:41:45,520 --> 00:41:48,719 Speaker 1: I have a tattoo of that word because it was 723 00:41:48,760 --> 00:41:52,960 Speaker 1: so important for me to break through and be comfortable, 724 00:41:53,239 --> 00:41:58,400 Speaker 1: like I said, being myself and environments that weren't comfortable 725 00:41:58,440 --> 00:42:01,400 Speaker 1: with me and weren't trying to make me so comfortable. Right. 726 00:42:01,520 --> 00:42:07,160 Speaker 1: So now my word for this year is abide um 727 00:42:07,200 --> 00:42:11,200 Speaker 1: A B I D. And when you abide in something, 728 00:42:11,280 --> 00:42:13,799 Speaker 1: it means like you kind of set up residents. It's 729 00:42:13,840 --> 00:42:17,759 Speaker 1: like the difference between you know, CouchSurfing and moving into 730 00:42:17,760 --> 00:42:20,000 Speaker 1: your own place and decorating it and making it look 731 00:42:20,000 --> 00:42:22,960 Speaker 1: like the way you want it. And I chose that 732 00:42:23,040 --> 00:42:26,000 Speaker 1: word because the work that I want to do right 733 00:42:26,040 --> 00:42:28,520 Speaker 1: now and that i'm I know that I'm called to 734 00:42:28,560 --> 00:42:32,160 Speaker 1: do in the space of black technology, whether it's at nesbe, 735 00:42:32,239 --> 00:42:34,160 Speaker 1: whether it's on this fact that I'm a part of 736 00:42:34,480 --> 00:42:36,279 Speaker 1: some of the boards that I'm gonna that I'm a 737 00:42:36,320 --> 00:42:39,239 Speaker 1: part of. I want to abide in there. I want 738 00:42:39,239 --> 00:42:42,719 Speaker 1: to be so confident, confident, and so comfortable and so 739 00:42:42,800 --> 00:42:46,399 Speaker 1: assured with what I'm bringing into that space that I'm 740 00:42:46,480 --> 00:42:51,000 Speaker 1: open to learning. I'm confident with limiting, I'm okay when 741 00:42:51,000 --> 00:42:53,640 Speaker 1: we get it right, I'm humble when we get it wrong. 742 00:42:54,000 --> 00:42:57,120 Speaker 1: And I'm abiding in this space so that I figured 743 00:42:57,120 --> 00:43:01,360 Speaker 1: I'm able to bring my best self into the places. 744 00:43:01,400 --> 00:43:04,120 Speaker 1: And this is where I'm called too. So I've had 745 00:43:04,160 --> 00:43:06,480 Speaker 1: that word before, but it meant something different to me. 746 00:43:06,560 --> 00:43:08,640 Speaker 1: Then it meant like not being so wigged out all 747 00:43:08,640 --> 00:43:11,480 Speaker 1: the time. In this case, it means I'm bringing an 748 00:43:11,520 --> 00:43:15,120 Speaker 1: assurance that that man comes with experience and with age 749 00:43:15,160 --> 00:43:18,880 Speaker 1: and otherwise. Um. And that's that's how I did it. 750 00:43:18,920 --> 00:43:21,399 Speaker 1: And I would say, if we get how we're going 751 00:43:21,400 --> 00:43:24,799 Speaker 1: into the last two months of the year, and you know, 752 00:43:24,920 --> 00:43:28,000 Speaker 1: next today when we're recording, the next week starts a 753 00:43:28,040 --> 00:43:30,279 Speaker 1: new month, so I'm not sure when this will air, 754 00:43:30,360 --> 00:43:34,480 Speaker 1: but you've got you know, sixty plus days to to 755 00:43:34,560 --> 00:43:37,640 Speaker 1: close it out. I would pick something that would help 756 00:43:37,680 --> 00:43:40,960 Speaker 1: you finish the year strong. What is and whatever finished 757 00:43:40,960 --> 00:43:46,399 Speaker 1: strong means to you personally familiarized in your career. What's 758 00:43:46,400 --> 00:43:48,840 Speaker 1: the word that's going to help you get to the 759 00:43:48,960 --> 00:43:50,759 Speaker 1: end of the year. And then when you get a 760 00:43:50,840 --> 00:43:54,440 Speaker 1: chance to reset in January, how do you want to 761 00:43:54,440 --> 00:43:57,880 Speaker 1: to lead and to be um and everything that you 762 00:43:57,960 --> 00:44:00,120 Speaker 1: do in that year? And here's the thing. If you 763 00:44:00,200 --> 00:44:03,680 Speaker 1: decide you've accomplished it midway and you want to change, 764 00:44:03,560 --> 00:44:05,399 Speaker 1: you know there's no rules here. You know, no one's 765 00:44:05,400 --> 00:44:07,759 Speaker 1: gonna grade you on this. This is just something you 766 00:44:07,800 --> 00:44:10,200 Speaker 1: get to do for yourself. So have some fun to 767 00:44:10,280 --> 00:44:13,360 Speaker 1: the real quick intense seconds like how do we use it? Like? 768 00:44:13,480 --> 00:44:15,240 Speaker 1: Is this a word that we write on our mirror? 769 00:44:15,440 --> 00:44:19,120 Speaker 1: Like how do you stay reminded of it? I keep 770 00:44:19,120 --> 00:44:22,840 Speaker 1: it in my phone. I often tie um either a 771 00:44:22,880 --> 00:44:25,600 Speaker 1: scripture or a motivational quote or something to it. I 772 00:44:25,640 --> 00:44:28,960 Speaker 1: put ideas around it, bullet points of this is what 773 00:44:28,960 --> 00:44:31,640 Speaker 1: it means for me, because trust me, you will forget 774 00:44:31,840 --> 00:44:34,680 Speaker 1: or you'll get so stretched in your your year that 775 00:44:34,719 --> 00:44:37,120 Speaker 1: you'll you'll need to remember why you wrote that down. 776 00:44:37,320 --> 00:44:39,239 Speaker 1: So you always have to write your why. And then 777 00:44:39,280 --> 00:44:40,799 Speaker 1: I want to go back to it because I need 778 00:44:40,840 --> 00:44:44,239 Speaker 1: to be reminded why I chose this who I want 779 00:44:44,239 --> 00:44:46,440 Speaker 1: to be as I take on this word and what 780 00:44:46,520 --> 00:44:49,239 Speaker 1: I want to give. As a result of having that experience, 781 00:44:49,360 --> 00:44:51,200 Speaker 1: I keep in my phone or I use you know, 782 00:44:51,600 --> 00:44:54,719 Speaker 1: electronic notes these days, you know, just as a way 783 00:44:54,719 --> 00:44:57,680 Speaker 1: to keep reminded. And it's something I put into practice, 784 00:44:58,160 --> 00:45:02,560 Speaker 1: I try anyway. The Internet at its core, you know, 785 00:45:02,880 --> 00:45:06,880 Speaker 1: is like a system that provides access on a global scale, 786 00:45:07,200 --> 00:45:10,960 Speaker 1: where there it be between people or between systems, you know, 787 00:45:11,320 --> 00:45:14,000 Speaker 1: in the in the blink of an eye. I remember 788 00:45:14,040 --> 00:45:17,680 Speaker 1: hearing the technologists say several years ago that there will 789 00:45:17,719 --> 00:45:19,520 Speaker 1: come a day where we won't even call it the 790 00:45:19,520 --> 00:45:21,880 Speaker 1: Internet because it'll be it'll just be. It'll be something 791 00:45:21,920 --> 00:45:25,480 Speaker 1: that's so ingrained that we won't see it as separate 792 00:45:25,760 --> 00:45:30,480 Speaker 1: from us. You know. Imagine what you know ten years, 793 00:45:30,800 --> 00:45:34,080 Speaker 1: fifteen or twenty you pick um what it looks like. 794 00:45:34,719 --> 00:45:39,320 Speaker 1: And how do we as black engineers play a role 795 00:45:39,560 --> 00:45:46,120 Speaker 1: in creating that future. Well, I would say first of all, 796 00:45:46,200 --> 00:45:48,840 Speaker 1: that we're already probably living in that world, right. Remember 797 00:45:48,880 --> 00:45:50,800 Speaker 1: when we used to call it the worldwide When do 798 00:45:50,960 --> 00:45:54,120 Speaker 1: we'd say we're getting online? Now we say we're googling stuff. 799 00:45:54,120 --> 00:45:55,799 Speaker 1: Everything is I had to google that, I gotta do 800 00:45:55,840 --> 00:45:59,399 Speaker 1: that or we're just doing and most of the time 801 00:45:59,440 --> 00:46:01,879 Speaker 1: that means it's something related to the web. Right, that's 802 00:46:01,880 --> 00:46:04,359 Speaker 1: how we do life now. It's what happens on our 803 00:46:04,400 --> 00:46:08,040 Speaker 1: refrigerators and you know everything is electronic, Google Series, add 804 00:46:08,080 --> 00:46:10,879 Speaker 1: to my shopping list, whatever. Right, it's just the way 805 00:46:10,920 --> 00:46:14,400 Speaker 1: we do life now. Ten years from now. You know, 806 00:46:15,800 --> 00:46:18,040 Speaker 1: twenty years ago they said there was a digital divide, 807 00:46:18,239 --> 00:46:20,200 Speaker 1: that blacks were not going to be a part of 808 00:46:20,239 --> 00:46:24,200 Speaker 1: the Internet and revolution because we didn't have access to WiFi, 809 00:46:24,280 --> 00:46:27,160 Speaker 1: our phone lines and things like that. Now, anywhere you 810 00:46:27,200 --> 00:46:30,200 Speaker 1: go in the world, Africa, anywhere, every black person's got 811 00:46:30,200 --> 00:46:34,640 Speaker 1: two or three phones, difference carrier provider, smartphone. My ninety 812 00:46:34,719 --> 00:46:37,239 Speaker 1: year old mom has her Star phone and tech and 813 00:46:37,360 --> 00:46:41,320 Speaker 1: chat centers and little Champagne Smiley ass or whatever. So 814 00:46:41,560 --> 00:46:44,360 Speaker 1: this is a part of our life, right, and she's ninety. 815 00:46:44,560 --> 00:46:47,440 Speaker 1: I love that she's like always wants to learn and 816 00:46:47,560 --> 00:46:49,560 Speaker 1: how to get in the zoom chats and work it. 817 00:46:50,120 --> 00:46:53,800 Speaker 1: Ten years from now, when I'm using a certain platform 818 00:46:53,840 --> 00:46:55,239 Speaker 1: and I won't name it because I don't want you 819 00:46:55,320 --> 00:46:58,239 Speaker 1: to edit me out. When I'm on a platform and 820 00:46:58,280 --> 00:47:01,200 Speaker 1: I can't find an automatic round thumbs up so that 821 00:47:01,239 --> 00:47:03,600 Speaker 1: when we're in the chat in a meeting, you know, 822 00:47:03,640 --> 00:47:06,239 Speaker 1: I refused to use any type of emoji in this 823 00:47:06,280 --> 00:47:10,120 Speaker 1: one recular system because they only they don't have brown fingers. 824 00:47:10,120 --> 00:47:13,960 Speaker 1: You can't change the shade right when those things, you know, 825 00:47:14,120 --> 00:47:15,960 Speaker 1: and I hate it, and I'm like, so I refused 826 00:47:15,960 --> 00:47:17,719 Speaker 1: the thumbs that I just write thumbs up. I have 827 00:47:17,760 --> 00:47:20,160 Speaker 1: to write it because I refused to use it until 828 00:47:20,200 --> 00:47:24,880 Speaker 1: they fix that tech. Those are things that that next generation, 829 00:47:25,120 --> 00:47:27,160 Speaker 1: the teen year old that's born, the kid that's born 830 00:47:27,160 --> 00:47:30,560 Speaker 1: today that will be ten, never experienced. Just like my 831 00:47:30,640 --> 00:47:34,040 Speaker 1: nephew has never seen. You know, I don't know what 832 00:47:34,040 --> 00:47:35,600 Speaker 1: he means to have a Reno t V. Everything is 833 00:47:35,640 --> 00:47:38,719 Speaker 1: a smart TV. He thinks everything swipes left and right right. 834 00:47:39,440 --> 00:47:43,520 Speaker 1: The Internet and the the tech world will speak to 835 00:47:43,640 --> 00:47:47,560 Speaker 1: us in a way that is not a secondary source. 836 00:47:48,040 --> 00:47:51,319 Speaker 1: We are primary as women people of color. We will 837 00:47:51,360 --> 00:47:54,600 Speaker 1: be the dominant community in the world in ten years 838 00:47:54,600 --> 00:47:56,839 Speaker 1: from now. So those are things that we should be 839 00:47:57,040 --> 00:48:00,200 Speaker 1: held up by. They should just be formulated. It is 840 00:48:00,239 --> 00:48:04,759 Speaker 1: a part of the design process. And um, when there 841 00:48:04,800 --> 00:48:08,560 Speaker 1: are gaps in access to WiFi and things like that. 842 00:48:08,600 --> 00:48:11,880 Speaker 1: There's so many open source and communities that are helping 843 00:48:11,960 --> 00:48:14,840 Speaker 1: make sure that everyone everyone has that, and we have 844 00:48:14,880 --> 00:48:17,800 Speaker 1: to continue to support and fund that because these should 845 00:48:17,840 --> 00:48:20,000 Speaker 1: not be things that hold us back in the future, 846 00:48:20,200 --> 00:48:38,800 Speaker 1: and they won't be. Black Tech Green Money is a 847 00:48:38,840 --> 00:48:41,120 Speaker 1: production of Black of the Afro Tech on the Black 848 00:48:41,160 --> 00:48:44,880 Speaker 1: Effect podcast Network and Ihearted Media. It's produced by Morgan 849 00:48:44,960 --> 00:48:48,920 Speaker 1: Dabon and me Well Lucas, with additional production supported by 850 00:48:49,000 --> 00:48:53,080 Speaker 1: Love v sim Rissa Lewis. Special thank you to Michael Davis. 851 00:48:53,160 --> 00:48:56,520 Speaker 1: Adam Simms is the Carsavan young you know like the wine. Yes, 852 00:48:56,560 --> 00:48:59,319 Speaker 1: that's his real name. Learn more about my guests and 853 00:48:59,360 --> 00:49:02,040 Speaker 1: other texts up as an innovator to afrotech dot com 854 00:49:02,360 --> 00:49:04,520 Speaker 1: video versus of this episode, we'll drop the Black Tech 855 00:49:04,560 --> 00:49:08,520 Speaker 1: Green Money on YouTube, So tapping enjoy your Black Tech 856 00:49:08,560 --> 00:49:11,320 Speaker 1: Green Money, leave us a five star rating on iTunes. 857 00:49:12,360 --> 00:49:15,000 Speaker 1: Go get your money, Peace and love