1 00:00:00,560 --> 00:00:04,480 Speaker 1: This November, more than twenty thousand black techis from all 2 00:00:04,480 --> 00:00:08,959 Speaker 1: over the world will converge on Austin, Texas for afro Techo. 3 00:00:09,400 --> 00:00:13,400 Speaker 1: Afro Tech is the largest series of multicultural tech experiences 4 00:00:13,520 --> 00:00:19,560 Speaker 1: in the United States, bringing together engineers, venture capitalists, recruiters, technologists, 5 00:00:19,560 --> 00:00:23,040 Speaker 1: and cultural enthusiasts from all over the world. It is 6 00:00:23,079 --> 00:00:26,759 Speaker 1: the definitive conference that brings leaders in technology and business 7 00:00:26,800 --> 00:00:31,400 Speaker 1: together to exchange ideas and build a strong black tech community. 8 00:00:31,560 --> 00:00:34,320 Speaker 1: In short, afro Tech chase my life and I'm not 9 00:00:34,320 --> 00:00:37,400 Speaker 1: the only one. People come to afro Tech and leave 10 00:00:37,479 --> 00:00:40,080 Speaker 1: with jobs at some of the largest tech companies on 11 00:00:40,159 --> 00:00:43,160 Speaker 1: the planet. People come to afro Tech and find venture 12 00:00:43,200 --> 00:00:46,239 Speaker 1: funding for their startups. People come to afro Tech and 13 00:00:46,280 --> 00:00:50,200 Speaker 1: find employees to join them on their company building journey. 14 00:00:50,640 --> 00:00:53,720 Speaker 1: People come to afro Tech and find a new boat 15 00:00:54,080 --> 00:00:58,120 Speaker 1: who can write some mean code. Anyway, Look, I do 16 00:00:58,240 --> 00:01:00,400 Speaker 1: hope to see you at afro Tech twenty one too. 17 00:01:00,720 --> 00:01:03,680 Speaker 1: It's our first time as a conference in Austin, Texas 18 00:01:03,680 --> 00:01:06,000 Speaker 1: and he I got some bottom fold were ready to rock. 19 00:01:06,520 --> 00:01:10,480 Speaker 1: So you know it's on check out experience dot afro 20 00:01:10,560 --> 00:01:16,319 Speaker 1: tech dot kind of learn more. I'm will Lucas and 21 00:01:16,319 --> 00:01:19,720 Speaker 1: this is Black Tech, Green money. I'm gonna enso you 22 00:01:19,760 --> 00:01:21,360 Speaker 1: to see to some of the biggest names, some of 23 00:01:21,360 --> 00:01:24,399 Speaker 1: the brightest minds in brilliant ideas. If you're a black 24 00:01:24,400 --> 00:01:26,759 Speaker 1: and building or simply using Texas and kick your back, 25 00:01:27,240 --> 00:01:35,520 Speaker 1: this podcast is for you. The Tshu Banks is an entrepreneur, 26 00:01:35,800 --> 00:01:38,920 Speaker 1: content creator, founder and editor in chief at the YBF, 27 00:01:39,240 --> 00:01:41,160 Speaker 1: which is to go to site to learn the scoop 28 00:01:41,200 --> 00:01:44,800 Speaker 1: on your favorite celebrities. Young Black and Fabulous is one 29 00:01:44,800 --> 00:01:47,600 Speaker 1: of the hottest Black celebrity gossip sites on the planet 30 00:01:47,720 --> 00:01:50,120 Speaker 1: and millions of readers per month. Sip the tea on 31 00:01:50,200 --> 00:01:54,240 Speaker 1: her platform at afro Tech twenty and the Metaverse. We 32 00:01:54,360 --> 00:01:56,600 Speaker 1: talked him the Tosh about building an imprint that you're 33 00:01:56,640 --> 00:01:59,800 Speaker 1: stay in the test of time, content creation and the 34 00:02:01,400 --> 00:02:04,320 Speaker 1: amongst black women. Black women are starting businesses at the 35 00:02:04,360 --> 00:02:07,160 Speaker 1: fastest rate of any racial group, but we are still 36 00:02:07,240 --> 00:02:10,480 Speaker 1: the most underfunded female demographic impair. But the fact that 37 00:02:10,560 --> 00:02:14,200 Speaker 1: over sixty of new businesses are digital based, we've either 38 00:02:14,280 --> 00:02:17,040 Speaker 1: got a black tech crisis on our hands or the 39 00:02:17,200 --> 00:02:21,520 Speaker 1: most bomb opportunity to make you successful in your space 40 00:02:21,600 --> 00:02:24,200 Speaker 1: for a very long time. So we're gonna talk about 41 00:02:24,240 --> 00:02:27,680 Speaker 1: ways to ensure your business is legacy aligns with that 42 00:02:27,800 --> 00:02:31,200 Speaker 1: last category. Okay, my name is Nisashi you Bates and 43 00:02:31,240 --> 00:02:34,120 Speaker 1: I'm the host of the Lobby of podcast and the CEO, 44 00:02:34,440 --> 00:02:37,400 Speaker 1: founder and editor in chief of Young Black and Fabulous, 45 00:02:37,520 --> 00:02:39,959 Speaker 1: or as you may know it, the Lobby of dot com. 46 00:02:40,000 --> 00:02:42,519 Speaker 1: Fifteen years ago, I stepped away from what has become 47 00:02:42,560 --> 00:02:46,440 Speaker 1: an eternal right from law school to chase my true passion. 48 00:02:46,720 --> 00:02:50,000 Speaker 1: So that true passion went from mom, I wanna leave 49 00:02:50,080 --> 00:02:53,440 Speaker 1: law school because I want to blog to world. I 50 00:02:53,480 --> 00:02:56,680 Speaker 1: want to become the largest household name in digital media 51 00:02:56,960 --> 00:03:00,160 Speaker 1: that centers on culture, is black owned, and push our 52 00:03:00,200 --> 00:03:03,480 Speaker 1: own narratives in non traditional ways. So what I didn't 53 00:03:03,520 --> 00:03:06,440 Speaker 1: know was that this blog would be a disruptor that 54 00:03:06,600 --> 00:03:10,840 Speaker 1: develops into a multimedia platform. Even with having a mass 55 00:03:10,919 --> 00:03:14,239 Speaker 1: millions of readers and followers across multiple yb of platforms, 56 00:03:14,480 --> 00:03:16,960 Speaker 1: I'm still on my journey and based on what I've 57 00:03:17,040 --> 00:03:20,560 Speaker 1: learned so far, I will always be so. With that said, 58 00:03:20,600 --> 00:03:24,720 Speaker 1: I have fifteen years of experience, successful moves, failures, everything 59 00:03:24,720 --> 00:03:27,680 Speaker 1: in between that leads me on this journey. And I've 60 00:03:27,680 --> 00:03:31,360 Speaker 1: built a business from nothing, not a penny of investments 61 00:03:31,639 --> 00:03:34,800 Speaker 1: lending or a penny of my own money, and I've 62 00:03:34,800 --> 00:03:37,960 Speaker 1: built it into a budding media empire. It's possible a 63 00:03:38,040 --> 00:03:42,040 Speaker 1: promise because because I've had the most roller coaster style 64 00:03:42,960 --> 00:03:47,200 Speaker 1: on the job training experience imaginable, it's been crazy. I'm 65 00:03:47,240 --> 00:03:49,920 Speaker 1: giving you the keys for you to build your own 66 00:03:50,000 --> 00:03:53,080 Speaker 1: legacy while jumping over a few hurdles that would break 67 00:03:53,160 --> 00:03:56,520 Speaker 1: even the most credential entrepreneur. So you're about to find 68 00:03:56,520 --> 00:04:00,000 Speaker 1: out why experience is the cheap code you've been looking 69 00:04:00,200 --> 00:04:03,520 Speaker 1: floor and that will get you success. You might say, 70 00:04:03,560 --> 00:04:08,360 Speaker 1: I don't have experience to leverage, so leverage someone else's. 71 00:04:08,440 --> 00:04:11,080 Speaker 1: And after today you can leverage my decade and a 72 00:04:11,080 --> 00:04:14,000 Speaker 1: half's worth of experience owning one of the largest and 73 00:04:14,000 --> 00:04:17,080 Speaker 1: one of the most respected digital entertainment platforms. So I 74 00:04:17,160 --> 00:04:20,480 Speaker 1: mentioned legacy earlier, you might be wondering what that has 75 00:04:20,520 --> 00:04:23,479 Speaker 1: to do with starting a business. The key to business 76 00:04:23,480 --> 00:04:27,280 Speaker 1: longevity for me is identifying your legacy. So I'm gonna 77 00:04:27,320 --> 00:04:29,880 Speaker 1: tell you six steps to do just that based on 78 00:04:30,000 --> 00:04:32,800 Speaker 1: what I've learned these last lump teen years, and that 79 00:04:33,040 --> 00:04:37,880 Speaker 1: will be your blueprint for a successful business. But first 80 00:04:37,920 --> 00:04:41,480 Speaker 1: I want to talk about something UH missed opportunities and 81 00:04:41,560 --> 00:04:44,760 Speaker 1: the life lesson and taught me it's at the worst 82 00:04:44,800 --> 00:04:49,200 Speaker 1: Category five hurricane in history at that time, Katrina to 83 00:04:49,279 --> 00:04:52,640 Speaker 1: make me realize life is actually bigger than solely following 84 00:04:52,640 --> 00:04:55,240 Speaker 1: a plan you set out when you were just a team, 85 00:04:55,279 --> 00:04:57,680 Speaker 1: A plan you know will make your parents happy and 86 00:04:57,720 --> 00:05:00,640 Speaker 1: others happy. And people are kind of the way they 87 00:05:00,680 --> 00:05:04,159 Speaker 1: see you based on aspirations and goals you talked about 88 00:05:04,320 --> 00:05:06,839 Speaker 1: since forever. So it's hard to kind of change from that, 89 00:05:06,880 --> 00:05:09,200 Speaker 1: and I get that you feel like you're letting people down. 90 00:05:09,640 --> 00:05:12,480 Speaker 1: But learning that a change and plans is not a 91 00:05:12,520 --> 00:05:16,599 Speaker 1: failure unlock something in me. It allowed me to unapologetically 92 00:05:16,680 --> 00:05:19,680 Speaker 1: go towards my goals, but it took a minute. In 93 00:05:19,720 --> 00:05:23,440 Speaker 1: that minute definitely cost me some valuable early growth opportunities. 94 00:05:23,520 --> 00:05:26,640 Speaker 1: I feel would I be further along had I known, 95 00:05:26,839 --> 00:05:30,359 Speaker 1: had I taken those opportunities, maybe, But turning down a 96 00:05:30,360 --> 00:05:33,000 Speaker 1: book deal because I thought the person offering it must 97 00:05:33,040 --> 00:05:35,440 Speaker 1: be a fraud if they're asking LUO me to come 98 00:05:35,480 --> 00:05:37,400 Speaker 1: to a meeting in New York to talk about a 99 00:05:37,400 --> 00:05:40,320 Speaker 1: book deal, spoil alert. She was not a fraud. She's 100 00:05:40,360 --> 00:05:43,279 Speaker 1: actually a broker for the most bomb book deals for 101 00:05:43,279 --> 00:05:46,440 Speaker 1: our faiths like Mr Copeland, and I also didn't follow 102 00:05:46,520 --> 00:05:49,960 Speaker 1: up on offers to create digital based shows within a 103 00:05:50,080 --> 00:05:54,000 Speaker 1: network of a then rising star who is now IMM nominated, 104 00:05:54,279 --> 00:05:57,440 Speaker 1: because I just couldn't fathom what I, a blogger, could 105 00:05:57,480 --> 00:06:00,960 Speaker 1: possibly bring to the table, and even the opportunities that 106 00:06:01,000 --> 00:06:03,359 Speaker 1: were a little bit more technical. So like I turned 107 00:06:03,360 --> 00:06:06,839 Speaker 1: down a twelve K offer thirteen years ago from a 108 00:06:06,880 --> 00:06:08,960 Speaker 1: domain holder who wanted to sell me a three letter 109 00:06:09,040 --> 00:06:13,040 Speaker 1: domain addressed that better represents my business, but I turned 110 00:06:13,040 --> 00:06:15,240 Speaker 1: it down because I didn't trust myself to do a 111 00:06:15,240 --> 00:06:17,479 Speaker 1: deal that was based in an arena that I was 112 00:06:17,560 --> 00:06:21,720 Speaker 1: so unfamiliar with. And I killed to have only paid 113 00:06:21,760 --> 00:06:23,880 Speaker 1: twelve K for a three letter domain today by what? 114 00:06:24,600 --> 00:06:27,880 Speaker 1: But at years old, I was just still pretty unsure 115 00:06:27,880 --> 00:06:31,960 Speaker 1: with myself, my abilities, my everything. We know, everything is 116 00:06:32,000 --> 00:06:35,440 Speaker 1: about timing, and I definitely missed some opportunities that I 117 00:06:35,480 --> 00:06:39,000 Speaker 1: just wasn't mentally and emotionally ready for because I still 118 00:06:39,080 --> 00:06:42,880 Speaker 1: hadn't convinced myself that I deserved them. I still battle 119 00:06:42,960 --> 00:06:46,159 Speaker 1: feeling like a failure and not completing law school versus 120 00:06:46,160 --> 00:06:49,479 Speaker 1: the idea of simply being just a brave entrepreneur. I 121 00:06:49,480 --> 00:06:52,280 Speaker 1: didn't look at myself that way until years later, and 122 00:06:52,360 --> 00:06:55,360 Speaker 1: it could be in part because entrepreneurship, which needs to change. 123 00:06:55,720 --> 00:06:58,640 Speaker 1: While there are business owners in my family, it's not 124 00:06:58,800 --> 00:07:01,240 Speaker 1: something that was ever put on a pedestal in my 125 00:07:01,279 --> 00:07:04,360 Speaker 1: life as a kid or even within my school. I 126 00:07:04,440 --> 00:07:08,280 Speaker 1: was taught that traditional routes of academia lead to amazing 127 00:07:08,400 --> 00:07:11,920 Speaker 1: jobs and that leads to an amazing life. Successful business 128 00:07:11,920 --> 00:07:15,200 Speaker 1: owners and entrepreneurs were kind of the outliers, but certainly 129 00:07:15,200 --> 00:07:17,960 Speaker 1: not the rule. It's a reconditioning of my mind that 130 00:07:18,000 --> 00:07:19,880 Speaker 1: I had to that had to happen to me for 131 00:07:19,920 --> 00:07:23,280 Speaker 1: me to truly step into my purpose. How do you 132 00:07:23,320 --> 00:07:25,640 Speaker 1: do that though, And that's the tricky part. How do 133 00:07:25,680 --> 00:07:28,320 Speaker 1: we how do we follow our passion and and make 134 00:07:28,360 --> 00:07:31,560 Speaker 1: sure it's that has the longevity that we crave. We 135 00:07:31,640 --> 00:07:37,120 Speaker 1: start with what we want our legacy to be. So 136 00:07:37,200 --> 00:07:40,520 Speaker 1: let's talk about long life. Should it be your business, 137 00:07:40,840 --> 00:07:43,880 Speaker 1: your product, or you and a longlife. Who are what 138 00:07:44,040 --> 00:07:47,560 Speaker 1: gets the spotlight? It's a tough decision, but your decision 139 00:07:47,640 --> 00:07:51,520 Speaker 1: definitely can change based on your needs as your business growth. 140 00:07:51,840 --> 00:07:53,720 Speaker 1: So back in two thousand five, when I started the 141 00:07:53,800 --> 00:07:57,080 Speaker 1: ybs dot com, I was a fresh college graduate waiting 142 00:07:57,080 --> 00:07:59,520 Speaker 1: on a law school to start. Facebook had just kind 143 00:07:59,560 --> 00:08:01,200 Speaker 1: of come on the scene in my circle, and it 144 00:08:01,280 --> 00:08:04,360 Speaker 1: was still mainly just for college students and alumni at 145 00:08:04,360 --> 00:08:07,920 Speaker 1: that time, and you were really only Facebook friends with 146 00:08:07,960 --> 00:08:10,560 Speaker 1: people you know well, so your classmates or friends or 147 00:08:10,560 --> 00:08:14,440 Speaker 1: family and other people. So when people posted status updates, 148 00:08:14,480 --> 00:08:16,120 Speaker 1: it was seen by a small group of people and 149 00:08:16,160 --> 00:08:18,360 Speaker 1: you already knew them, so nothing was a shock. It 150 00:08:18,480 --> 00:08:21,760 Speaker 1: definitely felt like people were and you're we're not in 151 00:08:21,840 --> 00:08:23,880 Speaker 1: your business per se, or trying to get things to 152 00:08:23,920 --> 00:08:26,080 Speaker 1: hold against you like they kind of do now. So 153 00:08:26,120 --> 00:08:29,560 Speaker 1: I would post anything in everything, and even on my site, 154 00:08:29,760 --> 00:08:32,120 Speaker 1: I would use it as sort of a personal diary 155 00:08:32,280 --> 00:08:34,720 Speaker 1: in between all of the celebrity news that I was posting. 156 00:08:35,280 --> 00:08:39,440 Speaker 1: That's technically what blogging means, right, online journalize. So I 157 00:08:39,480 --> 00:08:43,680 Speaker 1: was giving detailed updates within celebrity news, post on moving 158 00:08:43,679 --> 00:08:46,840 Speaker 1: back to New Orleans for Loyola Law and was stressful 159 00:08:47,000 --> 00:08:50,240 Speaker 1: a f I would include in the post about what 160 00:08:50,320 --> 00:08:53,800 Speaker 1: I was personally watching and loving, and I would talk 161 00:08:53,840 --> 00:08:57,640 Speaker 1: about partying and school and Marty Gras And I was 162 00:08:57,679 --> 00:09:02,160 Speaker 1: the sole person posting on this site, so it wasn't 163 00:09:02,160 --> 00:09:04,439 Speaker 1: even a business yet anyway, So I thought I could 164 00:09:04,480 --> 00:09:07,320 Speaker 1: get away with it. So I thought, in my head 165 00:09:07,480 --> 00:09:10,880 Speaker 1: it was my small number of loyal readers, college roommates, 166 00:09:11,200 --> 00:09:13,160 Speaker 1: a couple of family members who were reading the site, 167 00:09:13,200 --> 00:09:15,640 Speaker 1: and that's it, and that is who I was talking 168 00:09:15,679 --> 00:09:18,240 Speaker 1: to and divulging things to. In my head had already 169 00:09:18,280 --> 00:09:21,120 Speaker 1: decided that I wanted the website to be the star 170 00:09:21,360 --> 00:09:24,480 Speaker 1: if it ever grew into anything. So I never posted 171 00:09:24,480 --> 00:09:28,520 Speaker 1: pictures of myself, never did interviews, and was totally just 172 00:09:28,679 --> 00:09:32,800 Speaker 1: the girl who was obsessed with celebrity tabloid gossip, just 173 00:09:32,960 --> 00:09:35,800 Speaker 1: like every other person my age that I knew. And 174 00:09:35,880 --> 00:09:38,560 Speaker 1: after all that, started to site solely because the Perez 175 00:09:38,640 --> 00:09:41,599 Speaker 1: Hilton's and pincause of new blogs and people magazines of 176 00:09:41,640 --> 00:09:45,120 Speaker 1: the world not talking about black celebs outside of a 177 00:09:45,120 --> 00:09:48,040 Speaker 1: Beyonce mentioned here and there. So I decided to teach 178 00:09:48,080 --> 00:09:51,080 Speaker 1: myself the basic the basics of coding and how to 179 00:09:51,120 --> 00:09:54,079 Speaker 1: read other people's page source code in order to create 180 00:09:54,080 --> 00:09:57,040 Speaker 1: a blog spot page, remember those of freeings, so I 181 00:09:57,040 --> 00:10:01,400 Speaker 1: could eventually become like they're super of successful pages. I 182 00:10:01,440 --> 00:10:04,960 Speaker 1: was just a fan scouring the internet and every tabloid 183 00:10:05,040 --> 00:10:08,040 Speaker 1: for any type of info or any pick involving any 184 00:10:08,080 --> 00:10:10,880 Speaker 1: black celebrity, and I would compel everything I found into 185 00:10:10,920 --> 00:10:14,080 Speaker 1: this one huge, endless post, and I just couldn't get enough. 186 00:10:14,360 --> 00:10:18,240 Speaker 1: My opinions were front and center, unfiltered, reckless, often borderline 187 00:10:18,280 --> 00:10:21,480 Speaker 1: slanderous in defamatory. But I wanted the site to be 188 00:10:21,520 --> 00:10:24,360 Speaker 1: a star, so I hid myself because I didn't fit 189 00:10:24,679 --> 00:10:27,320 Speaker 1: the aspirational vibe. I hadn't even set for the site. 190 00:10:27,720 --> 00:10:29,800 Speaker 1: Who wants to see a curvy black chick who's broke 191 00:10:29,920 --> 00:10:33,240 Speaker 1: and in school? Anyway? The site was my hobby, so 192 00:10:33,280 --> 00:10:35,480 Speaker 1: why wouldn't I post about the fantasy life we all 193 00:10:35,520 --> 00:10:39,640 Speaker 1: would want? Red carpets, hot bodies, hot celebrity relationships, tons 194 00:10:39,679 --> 00:10:43,480 Speaker 1: of money, mega mansions and drama for days. I too 195 00:10:43,640 --> 00:10:46,480 Speaker 1: was aspiring to have that life, so I didn't actually 196 00:10:46,600 --> 00:10:50,000 Speaker 1: have it, though who did The editors that People magazine didn't, 197 00:10:50,080 --> 00:10:53,080 Speaker 1: and but they were allowed to write about celebrity life 198 00:10:53,120 --> 00:10:55,760 Speaker 1: without someone questioning why they had audacity to do it. 199 00:10:56,360 --> 00:10:58,320 Speaker 1: Never did I think I had to live the life 200 00:10:58,320 --> 00:11:02,000 Speaker 1: of something I spoke about in adding racially curi curiosity. 201 00:11:02,000 --> 00:11:05,040 Speaker 1: So then things changed as the site grew, which I 202 00:11:05,080 --> 00:11:08,680 Speaker 1: wasn't even truly noticing myself, yet so did my audience 203 00:11:08,720 --> 00:11:11,560 Speaker 1: and on multiple platforms too, So Facebook had opened up 204 00:11:11,559 --> 00:11:13,959 Speaker 1: to anyone and everybody that wanted to do acroless of 205 00:11:13,960 --> 00:11:17,480 Speaker 1: academic status, and I started to see random people requesting 206 00:11:17,520 --> 00:11:20,360 Speaker 1: to be my friend in plenty and they have polity 207 00:11:20,440 --> 00:11:22,920 Speaker 1: to say about my personal life that I was sharing. 208 00:11:23,280 --> 00:11:25,720 Speaker 1: So I started to see pushback from readers, likely the 209 00:11:25,720 --> 00:11:29,599 Speaker 1: new ones, who criticized the way I wrote my opinions, 210 00:11:30,280 --> 00:11:33,120 Speaker 1: my audacity to even talk about things like this luxury 211 00:11:33,160 --> 00:11:35,839 Speaker 1: life and things like that. Who was I to do this? 212 00:11:36,080 --> 00:11:38,760 Speaker 1: I mean, there was no other digital only celebrity gossip 213 00:11:38,800 --> 00:11:41,560 Speaker 1: site out at the time sitting around black people, and 214 00:11:41,600 --> 00:11:44,360 Speaker 1: there wasn't for another year or two. So out of 215 00:11:44,400 --> 00:11:47,200 Speaker 1: all the horrific things said and even having my life threatened, 216 00:11:47,240 --> 00:11:50,520 Speaker 1: at one point, someone belived me and my taste and 217 00:11:50,559 --> 00:11:53,120 Speaker 1: TV shows, and that's where I drew the line. It 218 00:11:53,200 --> 00:11:56,280 Speaker 1: was hurtful, and it made me kind of withdraw even 219 00:11:56,400 --> 00:11:59,640 Speaker 1: speaking about myself, and my skin just wasn't as sick yet. 220 00:12:00,800 --> 00:12:03,560 Speaker 1: So it seemed like making a site the star was 221 00:12:03,559 --> 00:12:05,040 Speaker 1: going to be a little bit harder than I thought, 222 00:12:05,240 --> 00:12:08,000 Speaker 1: but I noticed it's star potential when I quit for 223 00:12:08,040 --> 00:12:11,800 Speaker 1: a few weeks. Katrina had come after everybody's life up 224 00:12:12,320 --> 00:12:14,920 Speaker 1: ruined our first couple of weeks of law school, and 225 00:12:14,960 --> 00:12:19,480 Speaker 1: I hated everyone and everything, especially our government for the 226 00:12:19,520 --> 00:12:22,400 Speaker 1: horrible response to my city, the people who were black 227 00:12:22,480 --> 00:12:25,120 Speaker 1: like me, who were being obviously treated the worst. And 228 00:12:25,160 --> 00:12:28,160 Speaker 1: I was fed up, so I stepped away from everything 229 00:12:28,160 --> 00:12:29,959 Speaker 1: while trying to figure out what to do next about 230 00:12:30,000 --> 00:12:35,240 Speaker 1: school and life. Then something happened, the outpouring of emails 231 00:12:35,280 --> 00:12:37,960 Speaker 1: and messages and comments and pleading to know if I 232 00:12:38,000 --> 00:12:42,640 Speaker 1: was safe during this whole, big, huge flood in Katrina craziness. 233 00:12:43,000 --> 00:12:45,200 Speaker 1: My regular readers have formed a bond with me that 234 00:12:45,240 --> 00:12:48,679 Speaker 1: actually was real, and despite me saying f everybody because 235 00:12:48,679 --> 00:12:51,320 Speaker 1: of a few critical apples in a bunch, their love 236 00:12:51,360 --> 00:12:55,240 Speaker 1: and support brought me back. Maybe the site was a 237 00:12:55,320 --> 00:12:58,280 Speaker 1: star in the making even with all that bad inch happening. 238 00:12:59,120 --> 00:13:02,520 Speaker 1: Maybe I started back blogging as Katrina up ending my 239 00:13:02,600 --> 00:13:05,920 Speaker 1: life and forced me into attending schools mandated and a 240 00:13:06,120 --> 00:13:08,959 Speaker 1: whole another city in Houston, as if you're one al 241 00:13:09,040 --> 00:13:13,400 Speaker 1: year isn't impossible enough as is, And after completing my 242 00:13:13,440 --> 00:13:16,080 Speaker 1: first year, I said, you know, and basically being in 243 00:13:16,080 --> 00:13:18,840 Speaker 1: a depression, I said, you know, I'm just not gonna return. 244 00:13:19,520 --> 00:13:22,640 Speaker 1: I saw value and what I was building for myself, 245 00:13:23,160 --> 00:13:25,719 Speaker 1: and it was only growing even with me giving a 246 00:13:25,720 --> 00:13:28,840 Speaker 1: fraction of time to it. That's when I saw an 247 00:13:28,840 --> 00:13:32,679 Speaker 1: opportunity to become the face of my business and still 248 00:13:32,760 --> 00:13:36,360 Speaker 1: didn't take it, fear thinking in my head, if I 249 00:13:36,400 --> 00:13:39,199 Speaker 1: failed at my goal of completing law school, I would 250 00:13:39,200 --> 00:13:42,520 Speaker 1: feel at everything else in life. Those few critical bad 251 00:13:42,559 --> 00:13:45,320 Speaker 1: apples will grow into a million who would just I 252 00:13:45,360 --> 00:13:48,800 Speaker 1: just knew would hate me. So here I am scared 253 00:13:48,840 --> 00:13:51,800 Speaker 1: to put myself out front again. I don't deserve the 254 00:13:51,840 --> 00:13:55,160 Speaker 1: shine or attention. So I passed up multiple opportunities that 255 00:13:55,240 --> 00:13:58,679 Speaker 1: were Natasha focused, taking only about two that I can 256 00:13:58,720 --> 00:14:01,600 Speaker 1: even recall, one a multi page spread and Bob vit 257 00:14:01,679 --> 00:14:04,680 Speaker 1: and magazine chronically my nightlife and this one woman show 258 00:14:04,720 --> 00:14:08,680 Speaker 1: blogging business. My face, my voice, my body. Me was 259 00:14:08,760 --> 00:14:11,360 Speaker 1: out there for the very first time in that way. 260 00:14:11,640 --> 00:14:14,480 Speaker 1: And oh the opinions, and they happened to be I mean, 261 00:14:14,520 --> 00:14:16,640 Speaker 1: they happened at an even more furious rate. And I 262 00:14:16,679 --> 00:14:19,760 Speaker 1: was already met with you know, all the craziness from before, 263 00:14:20,400 --> 00:14:22,640 Speaker 1: and here are other people saying, you know what, if 264 00:14:22,680 --> 00:14:24,680 Speaker 1: you condition to celebs, you have to take it to 265 00:14:25,360 --> 00:14:28,480 Speaker 1: really okay. So after a few public fights with celebs 266 00:14:28,480 --> 00:14:32,800 Speaker 1: at that time and being upset about things they were 267 00:14:32,840 --> 00:14:34,760 Speaker 1: being up. They were upset about things that I posted 268 00:14:35,080 --> 00:14:37,240 Speaker 1: and fights that were orchestrated by someone I thought was 269 00:14:37,280 --> 00:14:39,920 Speaker 1: actually my friend. In this business, I lost hold in 270 00:14:40,080 --> 00:14:42,400 Speaker 1: myself and this business. It felt like it was me 271 00:14:42,520 --> 00:14:45,320 Speaker 1: versus the world every day, in a business that had 272 00:14:45,400 --> 00:14:48,720 Speaker 1: no blueprint already. And why am I being criticized for 273 00:14:48,800 --> 00:14:51,680 Speaker 1: not looking like an aimless actress when I'm still just 274 00:14:51,720 --> 00:14:55,360 Speaker 1: that regular girl, just like y'all, just like anybody walking 275 00:14:55,360 --> 00:14:57,800 Speaker 1: down the street who like celebrity gossip. And I was 276 00:14:57,840 --> 00:15:00,320 Speaker 1: in school and I just stopped by town boys and 277 00:15:00,320 --> 00:15:02,400 Speaker 1: I love celebrity culture. Why am I held to a 278 00:15:02,400 --> 00:15:05,360 Speaker 1: different standard. I truly believe the way that I viewed 279 00:15:05,400 --> 00:15:08,560 Speaker 1: myself in the way that some people viewed me, painted 280 00:15:08,560 --> 00:15:12,400 Speaker 1: askew picture of what was real, but actually what was important. 281 00:15:13,440 --> 00:15:16,680 Speaker 1: It's why I backed away from amazing growth opportunities and 282 00:15:16,680 --> 00:15:18,960 Speaker 1: TV appearances in a book deal all at twenty five. 283 00:15:19,320 --> 00:15:22,520 Speaker 1: I didn't feel like I deserved them. Deep down, I 284 00:15:22,520 --> 00:15:25,480 Speaker 1: didn't see anybody who looked like me taking this exact path, 285 00:15:25,880 --> 00:15:28,280 Speaker 1: so I didn't think I should either. I shouldn't be 286 00:15:28,280 --> 00:15:30,600 Speaker 1: in the spotlight. But the fact of the matter is 287 00:15:30,920 --> 00:15:33,400 Speaker 1: I had way more love than hate and way more 288 00:15:33,440 --> 00:15:36,240 Speaker 1: people relating to me in my journey than not, and 289 00:15:36,280 --> 00:15:39,200 Speaker 1: I couldn't bring myself to realize that until the light 290 00:15:39,240 --> 00:15:41,960 Speaker 1: went off. A pivot is not a failure. That's what 291 00:15:42,000 --> 00:15:45,120 Speaker 1: I had to tell myself. Pivoting to follow a passion 292 00:15:45,440 --> 00:15:48,680 Speaker 1: that I had a strong convictional work is the definition 293 00:15:48,720 --> 00:15:52,520 Speaker 1: of not failing. It's winning. Pivoting within your business is 294 00:15:52,560 --> 00:15:55,960 Speaker 1: the definition of not failing. You're adjusting to stay alive. 295 00:15:56,880 --> 00:15:58,920 Speaker 1: Even today, it's still a balance and that for me. 296 00:15:59,080 --> 00:16:01,520 Speaker 1: Over the years, without a manager or publicist or agent 297 00:16:01,640 --> 00:16:04,880 Speaker 1: or anything, I've become a correspondent for a nationally syndicated 298 00:16:04,920 --> 00:16:08,360 Speaker 1: TV show in the room I enter development deals. I 299 00:16:08,440 --> 00:16:12,040 Speaker 1: have done countless appearances on shows like Extra, and became 300 00:16:12,360 --> 00:16:15,640 Speaker 1: the correspondent for four years on a nationally syndicated great 301 00:16:15,720 --> 00:16:18,640 Speaker 1: radio show, Big Boys Morning Show. Became a brand ambassador, 302 00:16:18,680 --> 00:16:20,800 Speaker 1: which obviously takes a lot more, showing yourself to the 303 00:16:20,800 --> 00:16:24,320 Speaker 1: world for amazing companies like Samsung, Gate through Seven, all 304 00:16:24,360 --> 00:16:27,000 Speaker 1: while still pulling back a little bit on what I 305 00:16:27,040 --> 00:16:29,160 Speaker 1: give and what I show myself. It's still always in 306 00:16:29,160 --> 00:16:32,320 Speaker 1: the back of my mind to this day, all the hate, 307 00:16:32,360 --> 00:16:35,240 Speaker 1: all the critiques. The critiques hit a little bit differently though, 308 00:16:35,240 --> 00:16:37,200 Speaker 1: when youre getting paid to do this showing off and 309 00:16:37,360 --> 00:16:41,080 Speaker 1: this organic stuff, so you're not just doing it for likes. 310 00:16:41,120 --> 00:16:43,760 Speaker 1: And I will say that helps. But what I've learned 311 00:16:43,880 --> 00:16:46,440 Speaker 1: is it takes both. It takes a dose of you 312 00:16:46,840 --> 00:16:50,200 Speaker 1: and a dose of your business, both sharing the limelight. 313 00:16:50,600 --> 00:16:54,800 Speaker 1: People don't buy merchandise and don't consume content and dependent 314 00:16:54,880 --> 00:16:57,200 Speaker 1: of who is selling it to them or who is 315 00:16:57,240 --> 00:17:00,840 Speaker 1: creating that content. Remember that and finally, healthy balance that 316 00:17:00,920 --> 00:17:05,560 Speaker 1: works for both you and your business. Evolution, staying true 317 00:17:05,560 --> 00:17:08,359 Speaker 1: to your purpose while constantly evolving is probably the biggest 318 00:17:08,400 --> 00:17:12,640 Speaker 1: hurdle entrepreneurship, except nothing less than what you actually need 319 00:17:12,680 --> 00:17:15,000 Speaker 1: in order for you to flourish, in order for you 320 00:17:15,080 --> 00:17:17,400 Speaker 1: to stay in the note in your business. So when 321 00:17:17,440 --> 00:17:19,400 Speaker 1: it comes to running a business, you should have multiple 322 00:17:19,440 --> 00:17:22,200 Speaker 1: partners to help you keep on top of the next 323 00:17:22,240 --> 00:17:25,159 Speaker 1: big thing. Your business evolves when you bring in the 324 00:17:25,240 --> 00:17:28,360 Speaker 1: right components to make it evolved. Keeping your company fresh 325 00:17:28,440 --> 00:17:31,480 Speaker 1: and nimbless key. So every partner you have demand to 326 00:17:31,520 --> 00:17:35,160 Speaker 1: have a dedicated account manager who access a direct liaison 327 00:17:35,240 --> 00:17:37,960 Speaker 1: between you and that partner company. This account manager should 328 00:17:37,960 --> 00:17:41,040 Speaker 1: have weekly or bi weekly check ins with you, telling 329 00:17:41,040 --> 00:17:43,080 Speaker 1: me what their company is doing and how will how 330 00:17:43,080 --> 00:17:45,680 Speaker 1: will it benefit your business. You partner with these people 331 00:17:45,720 --> 00:17:47,560 Speaker 1: because they know more than you in a certain area 332 00:17:47,960 --> 00:17:50,880 Speaker 1: and their experts and set area. So make sure you're 333 00:17:50,880 --> 00:17:53,400 Speaker 1: getting all the value you can from that partnership because 334 00:17:53,400 --> 00:17:55,439 Speaker 1: they're getting paid in one way or another from you. 335 00:17:56,280 --> 00:17:59,080 Speaker 1: I work with experienced partners and who have been around 336 00:17:59,080 --> 00:18:01,040 Speaker 1: for longer than five years. And you don't have to 337 00:18:01,080 --> 00:18:02,920 Speaker 1: be a tech genius to be in the tech game. 338 00:18:03,359 --> 00:18:05,240 Speaker 1: You just have to hire one. So I hired a 339 00:18:05,240 --> 00:18:09,040 Speaker 1: mobile website development company because of their cutting edge technology 340 00:18:09,119 --> 00:18:12,880 Speaker 1: that basically optimizes us for everything that we will need 341 00:18:13,040 --> 00:18:17,879 Speaker 1: to day now that over people are accessing content Solio Mobile. 342 00:18:18,320 --> 00:18:21,439 Speaker 1: I partner with companies like with with cutting edge advertising 343 00:18:21,480 --> 00:18:25,600 Speaker 1: technology to optimize our revenue model, and developers and server 344 00:18:25,720 --> 00:18:29,359 Speaker 1: text and people who put foundational aspects of our business first. 345 00:18:29,640 --> 00:18:33,040 Speaker 1: Since it's your company's home, you should always know always 346 00:18:33,080 --> 00:18:35,960 Speaker 1: next in your field, and using these account managers like 347 00:18:36,000 --> 00:18:39,679 Speaker 1: members of your personal board of directors is keeping. They 348 00:18:39,720 --> 00:18:41,880 Speaker 1: should see you as a value client too, though, so 349 00:18:42,080 --> 00:18:44,199 Speaker 1: they may be willing to bend some rules or some 350 00:18:44,280 --> 00:18:47,400 Speaker 1: fees when necessary to keep you on board. If are 351 00:18:47,440 --> 00:18:49,400 Speaker 1: you what you need client for them and you have 352 00:18:49,440 --> 00:18:52,359 Speaker 1: you shown them that, or do you have a unique 353 00:18:52,400 --> 00:18:55,560 Speaker 1: audience or or something some type of unique goals, So 354 00:18:55,720 --> 00:18:58,520 Speaker 1: offer that perspective to them if they're unaware there's something 355 00:18:58,560 --> 00:19:00,560 Speaker 1: that they you have something of value they can use 356 00:19:00,600 --> 00:19:03,399 Speaker 1: as well. For while we have three point oh It's coming, 357 00:19:03,760 --> 00:19:07,080 Speaker 1: we are working with the powerhouse development company crowd Favorite 358 00:19:07,240 --> 00:19:09,359 Speaker 1: because they are the best of what they do and 359 00:19:09,400 --> 00:19:12,000 Speaker 1: it's more than just them designing a new site for us. 360 00:19:12,040 --> 00:19:15,080 Speaker 1: They are invested in actually seeing as succeed. We have 361 00:19:15,200 --> 00:19:17,600 Speaker 1: established a true partnership over the last year or so, 362 00:19:17,600 --> 00:19:22,399 Speaker 1: so that includes business advice from one business to another, connections, introductions, 363 00:19:22,440 --> 00:19:26,240 Speaker 1: and partnering together on things outside of this one project. 364 00:19:26,600 --> 00:19:30,160 Speaker 1: And partnerships like that are gold plus. They get to 365 00:19:30,280 --> 00:19:33,000 Speaker 1: work with a unique client like us. We're a small business. 366 00:19:33,000 --> 00:19:35,600 Speaker 1: We're not their Disney client, but we also have a 367 00:19:35,600 --> 00:19:38,520 Speaker 1: big digital presence and the super hands on CEO and 368 00:19:38,600 --> 00:19:42,400 Speaker 1: a diverse demo. It's like having relationships, you know, and 369 00:19:42,840 --> 00:19:44,440 Speaker 1: for me, like having a man. You want a man 370 00:19:44,440 --> 00:19:47,200 Speaker 1: to bring some benefit to the table and bring something 371 00:19:47,200 --> 00:19:49,919 Speaker 1: that I can't go get anywhere else, just like I 372 00:19:50,000 --> 00:19:52,840 Speaker 1: bring a benefit to the table for them. Same thing, guys, 373 00:19:52,880 --> 00:19:56,760 Speaker 1: same thing. With that said, hiring can be tricky. Knowing 374 00:19:56,800 --> 00:19:59,160 Speaker 1: how to do everything at least at the basic level, 375 00:19:59,359 --> 00:20:02,119 Speaker 1: but still out source what you can is important. You 376 00:20:02,119 --> 00:20:04,560 Speaker 1: can't hire properly if you don't even know the basics 377 00:20:04,600 --> 00:20:08,840 Speaker 1: of the job yourself. Another way, evolution in business manifest 378 00:20:08,880 --> 00:20:11,800 Speaker 1: itself is where you fit in with your business. I 379 00:20:11,880 --> 00:20:14,240 Speaker 1: learned very early, but I could be a machine. I 380 00:20:14,320 --> 00:20:16,040 Speaker 1: used to stay up thirty six hours at a time, 381 00:20:16,200 --> 00:20:18,800 Speaker 1: often just to figure out coding myself before I could 382 00:20:18,840 --> 00:20:22,080 Speaker 1: afford a team for that. I have this instatial appetite 383 00:20:22,119 --> 00:20:25,240 Speaker 1: for discovering things. And this was all fine and good 384 00:20:25,240 --> 00:20:28,040 Speaker 1: when I was twenty five and had time and energy. Now, 385 00:20:28,160 --> 00:20:31,200 Speaker 1: with the business that has like ten platforms to maintain 386 00:20:31,280 --> 00:20:35,520 Speaker 1: and growing and a small but dynamic team of employees freelancers, partners, 387 00:20:35,960 --> 00:20:40,040 Speaker 1: correspondence everybody to manage, I simply can't be the machine anymore, 388 00:20:40,240 --> 00:20:42,280 Speaker 1: at least not at all times. So like you think 389 00:20:42,320 --> 00:20:44,680 Speaker 1: you're being the energized or bunny, the quality of your 390 00:20:44,680 --> 00:20:48,600 Speaker 1: work false because you're actually exhausted trust me, you miss 391 00:20:48,640 --> 00:20:51,240 Speaker 1: out on major growth opportunities because you're too busy working 392 00:20:51,320 --> 00:20:53,680 Speaker 1: in your business and you don't see the bigger picture 393 00:20:53,720 --> 00:20:56,000 Speaker 1: from the outside. You're only thinking how much bean with 394 00:20:56,200 --> 00:20:59,680 Speaker 1: you have to give, and you can't make that growth 395 00:20:59,720 --> 00:21:02,320 Speaker 1: happy with that small amount of bandwidth, So start wating 396 00:21:02,320 --> 00:21:05,240 Speaker 1: the benefits of expanding your team. The difference between self 397 00:21:05,240 --> 00:21:08,680 Speaker 1: employed and entrepreneur is self employed, you're working in your 398 00:21:08,720 --> 00:21:11,520 Speaker 1: business and out, but you can only grow so much 399 00:21:11,560 --> 00:21:14,639 Speaker 1: as you only have so much bandwidth. But as an entrepreneur, 400 00:21:15,080 --> 00:21:18,040 Speaker 1: you know when to pull yourself out. You work on 401 00:21:18,160 --> 00:21:21,439 Speaker 1: the business from the outside to grow the business. It's 402 00:21:21,480 --> 00:21:23,159 Speaker 1: tricky for us who build something from the ground up. 403 00:21:23,200 --> 00:21:25,600 Speaker 1: Though it's our baby. Would you let somebody come in 404 00:21:25,640 --> 00:21:28,679 Speaker 1: and raise your human baby? Not so, it's hard, but 405 00:21:28,760 --> 00:21:32,520 Speaker 1: businesses are not human babies. And eventually growing personally and 406 00:21:32,520 --> 00:21:34,960 Speaker 1: professionally to a point where you are just the decision 407 00:21:35,000 --> 00:21:37,719 Speaker 1: maker and you delegate the inner workings of your business 408 00:21:37,720 --> 00:21:40,679 Speaker 1: to others, it will be necessary and I struggle with 409 00:21:40,720 --> 00:21:43,200 Speaker 1: this every day to this day. I have set an 410 00:21:43,200 --> 00:21:45,600 Speaker 1: exit plan for myself on no less than two occasions, 411 00:21:45,600 --> 00:21:48,440 Speaker 1: and it clearly has not happened yet. But working on it. 412 00:21:48,520 --> 00:21:52,600 Speaker 1: But if you don't grow, you die. What I've learned 413 00:21:52,600 --> 00:21:55,440 Speaker 1: after fifteen years also is the return on an investment 414 00:21:55,520 --> 00:21:58,040 Speaker 1: does not have to be dollar to dollar. Instead, I 415 00:21:58,119 --> 00:22:00,520 Speaker 1: ask myself that if I invest in this other human 416 00:22:00,560 --> 00:22:02,840 Speaker 1: on my team, does it render them and being a 417 00:22:02,920 --> 00:22:06,280 Speaker 1: more of a well rounded person that benefits both you 418 00:22:06,359 --> 00:22:08,760 Speaker 1: and them forever? Is my r O. I gonna come 419 00:22:08,800 --> 00:22:11,440 Speaker 1: back maybe in a year or two if I put 420 00:22:11,480 --> 00:22:14,400 Speaker 1: in a couple of thousand dollars here for this maybe, 421 00:22:14,640 --> 00:22:17,439 Speaker 1: And it's certainly something to consider when if your goals 422 00:22:17,480 --> 00:22:22,320 Speaker 1: are achieving longevity and legacy, let's move on the gift. 423 00:22:22,720 --> 00:22:25,919 Speaker 1: Identify your gift. What's the innate gift you have to 424 00:22:26,000 --> 00:22:28,520 Speaker 1: offer to the world. Who do you move and when? 425 00:22:29,359 --> 00:22:32,359 Speaker 1: And how does that align with your passion? Your passion 426 00:22:32,400 --> 00:22:34,919 Speaker 1: is what you would do and chase for free. I 427 00:22:34,960 --> 00:22:36,800 Speaker 1: did it at the very beginning for a few years. 428 00:22:37,359 --> 00:22:40,080 Speaker 1: I know I love politics and always have. According to 429 00:22:40,080 --> 00:22:42,680 Speaker 1: what others tell me, my gift is in moving people 430 00:22:42,680 --> 00:22:45,879 Speaker 1: to take action and making people feel seen. I use 431 00:22:45,960 --> 00:22:48,280 Speaker 1: my gifts to put Black Hollywood on a pedestal because 432 00:22:48,320 --> 00:22:50,680 Speaker 1: I know that that spotlight that I give to those 433 00:22:50,680 --> 00:22:53,719 Speaker 1: people who are usually not talked about, will always trickle 434 00:22:53,760 --> 00:22:57,080 Speaker 1: down and affect the entire Black community and fabulous ways. 435 00:22:57,520 --> 00:22:59,439 Speaker 1: And recently I've been able to circle back to my 436 00:22:59,480 --> 00:23:01,800 Speaker 1: original path action with the launch of y By of Politics. 437 00:23:01,840 --> 00:23:05,600 Speaker 1: So joining two of my favorite passions in one place amazing. 438 00:23:07,119 --> 00:23:14,240 Speaker 1: Added up authenticity plus aspiration plus tax. Advertisers are now 439 00:23:14,240 --> 00:23:19,000 Speaker 1: spending a hundred and nine billion more on digital advertising 440 00:23:19,080 --> 00:23:22,520 Speaker 1: then on print, so what you charge needs to reflect 441 00:23:22,520 --> 00:23:24,800 Speaker 1: that fact and the fact that digital media is now 442 00:23:24,960 --> 00:23:28,200 Speaker 1: keen for advertising. You don't have to play small anymore. 443 00:23:28,440 --> 00:23:31,960 Speaker 1: Your authenticity is something that advertisers pay top dollar. Four. 444 00:23:32,560 --> 00:23:36,600 Speaker 1: You have aspirations to new businesses down the line, longevity 445 00:23:36,640 --> 00:23:39,800 Speaker 1: not cut short by legal woes. And then you add tax. 446 00:23:40,160 --> 00:23:43,959 Speaker 1: You have bills, you have experienced, and your unique individual 447 00:23:44,400 --> 00:23:48,159 Speaker 1: You deserve to monetize all of that charge properly so 448 00:23:48,200 --> 00:23:51,440 Speaker 1: you can fund your business properly. I got my first 449 00:23:51,480 --> 00:23:54,000 Speaker 1: lawsuit a little over ten years ago, and it was 450 00:23:54,119 --> 00:23:56,240 Speaker 1: from a stripper in Atlanta who swore that out of 451 00:23:56,280 --> 00:23:58,080 Speaker 1: fank or character by calling her a stripper on y 452 00:23:58,080 --> 00:24:00,680 Speaker 1: B up and a story about cheating with all despite 453 00:24:00,680 --> 00:24:02,480 Speaker 1: the fact she worked in a strip club and was 454 00:24:02,520 --> 00:24:05,600 Speaker 1: topless and dancing. She was mad. I quickly learned that 455 00:24:05,640 --> 00:24:08,600 Speaker 1: my business will now face latitious people just out for 456 00:24:08,640 --> 00:24:11,600 Speaker 1: a quick dollar, or people overly sensitive about their own brands, 457 00:24:11,600 --> 00:24:13,600 Speaker 1: and they see you in your business with a large 458 00:24:13,680 --> 00:24:15,880 Speaker 1: voice and some change in your pocket as a target 459 00:24:15,880 --> 00:24:18,360 Speaker 1: to hit. So I beefed up my legal budget so 460 00:24:18,640 --> 00:24:21,960 Speaker 1: my longevity is not affected by legal woes. Have a 461 00:24:21,960 --> 00:24:24,080 Speaker 1: team of lawyers I can go to for various business 462 00:24:24,119 --> 00:24:26,920 Speaker 1: needs now and trust it comes in hand. You protecting 463 00:24:26,920 --> 00:24:30,320 Speaker 1: your cash flow as well with loans, credit lines and 464 00:24:30,359 --> 00:24:34,280 Speaker 1: for growth is also key. I'm doing this because I'm sorry. 465 00:24:34,280 --> 00:24:37,320 Speaker 1: In doing this, you become your own bank, and that's amazing. 466 00:24:37,560 --> 00:24:39,920 Speaker 1: And this is that tricky conversation circling back to where 467 00:24:39,920 --> 00:24:42,679 Speaker 1: we first began that talked about how black women in 468 00:24:42,680 --> 00:24:45,960 Speaker 1: particular are the most underfunded group and business. So this 469 00:24:46,040 --> 00:24:48,280 Speaker 1: is definitely the case in the investment capital side of 470 00:24:48,320 --> 00:24:50,800 Speaker 1: things and on the lending side of things. So the 471 00:24:50,840 --> 00:24:52,960 Speaker 1: other route we end up taking is credit and loans. 472 00:24:53,359 --> 00:24:56,040 Speaker 1: Finding an amazing banking partner is one of the best 473 00:24:56,080 --> 00:24:59,920 Speaker 1: cheat codes I learned. I will say, established credit line 474 00:25:00,080 --> 00:25:03,480 Speaker 1: and credit cards when you don't need them while you're 475 00:25:03,520 --> 00:25:06,240 Speaker 1: at the top of your revenue making and at the 476 00:25:06,280 --> 00:25:08,399 Speaker 1: top of your credit that is when you get the 477 00:25:08,400 --> 00:25:11,400 Speaker 1: best offers and best interest rates and the best limits 478 00:25:11,720 --> 00:25:13,520 Speaker 1: and you can tap into them whatever you need to. 479 00:25:14,960 --> 00:25:18,320 Speaker 1: The revenue component of blogging and content arena is also 480 00:25:18,359 --> 00:25:21,840 Speaker 1: really tricky, and it's this constant game of proving the 481 00:25:21,880 --> 00:25:25,680 Speaker 1: worth of yourself and your audience. Budgets are often divided 482 00:25:25,720 --> 00:25:29,239 Speaker 1: into mainstream and multicultural, and you, as your guests, who 483 00:25:29,280 --> 00:25:33,760 Speaker 1: are you know? Multicultural is always drastically smaller than mainstream budgets. 484 00:25:34,119 --> 00:25:36,879 Speaker 1: Breeds and companies know that it's multicultural media and the 485 00:25:36,920 --> 00:25:39,359 Speaker 1: black consumer base who make them hot in the first place. 486 00:25:39,480 --> 00:25:42,920 Speaker 1: Yet we're often paid out the least or if it all. 487 00:25:43,480 --> 00:25:46,400 Speaker 1: Until we can adjust that blaring issue systemic racism within 488 00:25:46,480 --> 00:25:49,160 Speaker 1: corporate brand marketing. We have to become our own banks 489 00:25:49,200 --> 00:25:54,040 Speaker 1: so we can live to fight another day. Conquered competition, 490 00:25:54,960 --> 00:25:58,200 Speaker 1: compete with yourself. I spoke earlier about the mindset of 491 00:25:58,520 --> 00:26:00,680 Speaker 1: I've felt it one thing, and they're for I don't 492 00:26:00,720 --> 00:26:04,600 Speaker 1: deserve and can't win at anything else. That mindset has 493 00:26:04,680 --> 00:26:08,399 Speaker 1: to be defeated. Was it really a failure or was 494 00:26:08,440 --> 00:26:13,760 Speaker 1: it a pivot? There's a difference. Don't outlist yourself, the 495 00:26:13,800 --> 00:26:18,919 Speaker 1: pro and con list, like the advantages and the disadvantages. 496 00:26:19,000 --> 00:26:21,520 Speaker 1: I mean, they just keep you in this never ending turnstyle. 497 00:26:22,040 --> 00:26:24,760 Speaker 1: I was and still am Mary Jane. From being Mary Jane, 498 00:26:24,760 --> 00:26:28,600 Speaker 1: I admitted posting notes everywhere, posting note acts, real life, 499 00:26:28,600 --> 00:26:31,480 Speaker 1: posting notes all man. A lot of it is working 500 00:26:31,520 --> 00:26:34,199 Speaker 1: out that self doubt in your head by trying to 501 00:26:34,240 --> 00:26:37,240 Speaker 1: find the weak spots in our own arguments or for like, 502 00:26:37,280 --> 00:26:40,280 Speaker 1: for ourselves or against ourselves or our business. But at 503 00:26:40,359 --> 00:26:42,520 Speaker 1: some point you have to just get out of your 504 00:26:42,560 --> 00:26:45,439 Speaker 1: head and just do it. You want to start running 505 00:26:45,440 --> 00:26:48,639 Speaker 1: ad promos for your business and do marketing, start with 506 00:26:48,680 --> 00:26:51,480 Speaker 1: a super small budget, do some a B testing, Just 507 00:26:51,560 --> 00:26:54,480 Speaker 1: try it. Nothing is better, nothing is a better teacher 508 00:26:54,560 --> 00:26:58,879 Speaker 1: than hardcore experience. I'm learning at myself. I needed to 509 00:26:58,880 --> 00:27:00,720 Speaker 1: take my own advice with their the past for the 510 00:27:00,720 --> 00:27:02,720 Speaker 1: past few years when I was so hesitant to expand 511 00:27:02,760 --> 00:27:06,560 Speaker 1: my writing team and the most overwhelming content ever, it's 512 00:27:06,640 --> 00:27:09,000 Speaker 1: terrifying to let people that, I mean, even if you 513 00:27:09,040 --> 00:27:11,080 Speaker 1: train them, it's to come in and take the reins 514 00:27:11,119 --> 00:27:13,840 Speaker 1: of one of the most important aspects of your business. 515 00:27:14,119 --> 00:27:16,919 Speaker 1: But what my hesitation is caused is us not growing 516 00:27:16,920 --> 00:27:19,440 Speaker 1: content wise. At the rate that we could have. I've 517 00:27:19,520 --> 00:27:23,080 Speaker 1: learned my lesson now and that's changing. Yes, your biggest 518 00:27:23,080 --> 00:27:26,520 Speaker 1: competition is yourself, but it's not the only competition. There 519 00:27:26,520 --> 00:27:28,720 Speaker 1: will be others who rise up in your field as well. 520 00:27:29,240 --> 00:27:31,480 Speaker 1: I never mentioned others, and I don't pay attention to 521 00:27:31,560 --> 00:27:34,159 Speaker 1: what others are doing, but I might hire people to 522 00:27:34,240 --> 00:27:36,720 Speaker 1: do that. Having the right people keep an eye out 523 00:27:36,720 --> 00:27:39,919 Speaker 1: on what's happening in your landscape is healthy, it's needed, 524 00:27:40,200 --> 00:27:45,560 Speaker 1: But obsessing over what others do is not. Why what 525 00:27:45,720 --> 00:27:48,399 Speaker 1: is your wife my wife? Because I want to provide 526 00:27:48,400 --> 00:27:52,240 Speaker 1: an aspirational yet relatable space for the culture. Nailing both 527 00:27:52,440 --> 00:27:55,520 Speaker 1: is my goal, and being highly respected in both is 528 00:27:55,560 --> 00:27:58,359 Speaker 1: my goal. Yes, it's tricky, but let's look at it. 529 00:27:58,480 --> 00:28:01,399 Speaker 1: That's who I am. I'm both and and you're both 530 00:28:01,520 --> 00:28:05,720 Speaker 1: and people like both. Who are we to not try 531 00:28:05,760 --> 00:28:07,520 Speaker 1: to get what we all like? Why do we have 532 00:28:07,600 --> 00:28:09,920 Speaker 1: to give something up? I've been blessed to have bought 533 00:28:09,960 --> 00:28:12,399 Speaker 1: my dream condo at twenty seven and maintain a hundred 534 00:28:12,400 --> 00:28:16,040 Speaker 1: percent ownership of my business with the zero investors, made 535 00:28:16,080 --> 00:28:19,000 Speaker 1: deals with political campaigns and invites to the White House, 536 00:28:19,040 --> 00:28:21,280 Speaker 1: and live the lifestyle that from the outside looking in 537 00:28:21,359 --> 00:28:24,800 Speaker 1: look glamorous, but people do not see the incessant hard 538 00:28:24,920 --> 00:28:27,680 Speaker 1: work and sacrifice that goes into it. So I'll talk 539 00:28:27,760 --> 00:28:31,240 Speaker 1: about it and talk about the unglamorous side. I want 540 00:28:31,320 --> 00:28:33,920 Speaker 1: my business is to reflect that same vibe. Why do 541 00:28:34,000 --> 00:28:36,680 Speaker 1: we have to ignore any part of ourselves? We love 542 00:28:36,680 --> 00:28:39,320 Speaker 1: aspirings and lives of young black and fabulous people. We 543 00:28:39,400 --> 00:28:42,920 Speaker 1: can still be completely down to earth and relatable about 544 00:28:42,920 --> 00:28:46,600 Speaker 1: our life experiences, relationships and the way we move. Finally, 545 00:28:46,680 --> 00:28:50,440 Speaker 1: I leave you with this, what shines in your limelfe? 546 00:28:50,760 --> 00:28:54,720 Speaker 1: How have you already evolved personally and professionally and in 547 00:28:54,800 --> 00:28:57,720 Speaker 1: what ways do you still need to How are you 548 00:28:57,760 --> 00:29:01,160 Speaker 1: honing your gift, aligning it with your passions and sharing 549 00:29:01,240 --> 00:29:03,600 Speaker 1: it with the world today? Are you charging what you 550 00:29:03,640 --> 00:29:06,640 Speaker 1: are worth? What doubts do you still need to conquer 551 00:29:06,800 --> 00:29:11,320 Speaker 1: to reach that longevity and those legacy goals? Why are 552 00:29:11,320 --> 00:29:15,120 Speaker 1: you starting your entrepreneurship journey? Like I said earlier, this 553 00:29:15,200 --> 00:29:17,480 Speaker 1: is a journey that will be on for life. I've 554 00:29:17,560 --> 00:29:20,800 Speaker 1: learned very quickly and never end. And you never truly 555 00:29:20,920 --> 00:29:23,680 Speaker 1: reach any goal that you have because you always create 556 00:29:23,760 --> 00:29:26,560 Speaker 1: a new one. That's what an entrepreneur does. You have 557 00:29:26,640 --> 00:29:29,080 Speaker 1: more experience than you think so, use it. Use it 558 00:29:29,120 --> 00:29:32,680 Speaker 1: to make decisions quicker and more substinctly. Let your experience 559 00:29:32,760 --> 00:29:36,760 Speaker 1: guide your instincts. Experience tells me to have faith, Let 560 00:29:36,760 --> 00:29:53,840 Speaker 1: it live and create my legacy. Black Tech Green Money 561 00:29:53,880 --> 00:29:56,840 Speaker 1: is the production of Blackty, Afro Tech Who, Black Effect 562 00:29:56,880 --> 00:30:00,040 Speaker 1: Podcast Network, and iHeart Media. It's produced by Mortgage A 563 00:30:00,120 --> 00:30:03,880 Speaker 1: barn In Me Well Lucas, with additional productive support by 564 00:30:03,880 --> 00:30:07,960 Speaker 1: Love Beach Me Rissa Lewis. Special thank you to Michael Davis, 565 00:30:08,080 --> 00:30:11,560 Speaker 1: Jermaine Hall, and Vanessa Serrano. Learn more about my guests 566 00:30:11,560 --> 00:30:15,440 Speaker 1: and other tech destructors and innovators at afro tech dot com. 567 00:30:15,600 --> 00:30:18,120 Speaker 1: Enjoying Black Tech Green Money. I think it's a five 568 00:30:18,160 --> 00:30:22,800 Speaker 1: star rating on iTunes. Cook Get your money, Piece of 569 00:30:22,840 --> 00:30:23,040 Speaker 1: Love