1 00:00:08,640 --> 00:00:13,080 Speaker 1: Welcome to Strictly Business, Variety's weekly podcast featuring conversations with 2 00:00:13,160 --> 00:00:17,079 Speaker 1: industry leaders about the business of media and entertainment. I'm 3 00:00:17,120 --> 00:00:21,360 Speaker 1: Cynthia Littleton, business editor for Variety Today. My guest is 4 00:00:21,400 --> 00:00:25,040 Speaker 1: Mona Scott Young, CEO of Love and Hip Hop producer 5 00:00:25,400 --> 00:00:30,040 Speaker 1: Monamy Entertainment. How dare I not succeed? That's how Scott 6 00:00:30,080 --> 00:00:33,000 Speaker 1: Young describes her view of her potential as a businesswoman. 7 00:00:33,640 --> 00:00:36,240 Speaker 1: She does not mince words in our conversation about how 8 00:00:36,280 --> 00:00:40,680 Speaker 1: she built Monamy into a diversified powerhouse. Scott Young details 9 00:00:40,680 --> 00:00:44,240 Speaker 1: how she segued from music management into TV when the 10 00:00:44,320 --> 00:00:46,600 Speaker 1: chance to launch Love and Hip Hop came to her 11 00:00:46,680 --> 00:00:49,320 Speaker 1: in a roundabout way. Scott Young is one of the 12 00:00:49,360 --> 00:00:53,600 Speaker 1: few black female CEOs of a production company of significant size. 13 00:00:54,000 --> 00:00:56,600 Speaker 1: She talks about what the past few months of social 14 00:00:56,720 --> 00:01:00,240 Speaker 1: upheaval have meant for black creatives, and she has a 15 00:01:00,320 --> 00:01:02,880 Speaker 1: question for all of those who suddenly decided it would 16 00:01:02,920 --> 00:01:05,560 Speaker 1: be good to take a meeting with her. Am I 17 00:01:05,600 --> 00:01:08,840 Speaker 1: assuaging their guilt? Or do they want to do real business? Here? 18 00:01:09,240 --> 00:01:12,399 Speaker 1: Scott Young offers her thoughts on what the industry needs 19 00:01:12,440 --> 00:01:16,080 Speaker 1: to do to drive lasting change At the decision maker level, 20 00:01:19,560 --> 00:01:25,040 Speaker 1: Mona Scott Young, CEO of Monamy Entertainment, and the force 21 00:01:25,400 --> 00:01:29,479 Speaker 1: behind the reality TV juggernaut that is Love and hip Hop. 22 00:01:29,760 --> 00:01:32,640 Speaker 1: Thank you so much for joining us today. Thank you, 23 00:01:32,760 --> 00:01:34,800 Speaker 1: thank you so much for having me. Love and Hip 24 00:01:34,840 --> 00:01:38,920 Speaker 1: Hop premiered on VH one in two thousand eleven. Anybody 25 00:01:38,920 --> 00:01:42,160 Speaker 1: that knows anything about TV knows that it took minimum 26 00:01:42,240 --> 00:01:44,880 Speaker 1: of you know, six to twelve months for the idea 27 00:01:44,920 --> 00:01:47,880 Speaker 1: to come to fruition. I first want to ask you 28 00:01:47,920 --> 00:01:50,960 Speaker 1: what was it in your career that prepared you to 29 00:01:51,040 --> 00:01:55,480 Speaker 1: recognize and seize the opportunity when the chance to develop 30 00:01:55,560 --> 00:01:59,200 Speaker 1: Love and Hip Hop came your way. UM, that's a 31 00:01:59,360 --> 00:02:01,640 Speaker 1: great question. And because I was at a very interesting 32 00:02:01,680 --> 00:02:05,000 Speaker 1: crossroads in my life. I had been doing music management 33 00:02:05,040 --> 00:02:09,160 Speaker 1: for a very long time. Had an opportunity during that 34 00:02:09,240 --> 00:02:12,600 Speaker 1: time to produce my first television show when our company 35 00:02:12,919 --> 00:02:17,160 Speaker 1: became the Urban division for Michael Vitz. It's Mike Ovits's 36 00:02:17,240 --> 00:02:20,880 Speaker 1: AMG and we had an opportunity to get kind of 37 00:02:20,919 --> 00:02:23,880 Speaker 1: a front row seat to the TV, the film world, 38 00:02:23,919 --> 00:02:26,920 Speaker 1: the inner workings. UM and I did a show with 39 00:02:26,960 --> 00:02:30,320 Speaker 1: one of my clients, Missy Elliott, and that was kind 40 00:02:30,360 --> 00:02:33,600 Speaker 1: of the first entry in the first taste of producing. 41 00:02:34,120 --> 00:02:37,040 Speaker 1: I realized also at that point with the making of 42 00:02:37,080 --> 00:02:38,720 Speaker 1: that show, that there was so much more that I 43 00:02:38,800 --> 00:02:41,680 Speaker 1: wanted to do, and that I had spent so many 44 00:02:41,760 --> 00:02:46,160 Speaker 1: years developing my clients and building on their brands and 45 00:02:46,200 --> 00:02:49,920 Speaker 1: really giving them the foundation necessary for them to realize 46 00:02:49,919 --> 00:02:52,160 Speaker 1: all of their dreams and for them to be everything 47 00:02:52,160 --> 00:02:54,360 Speaker 1: that they could be. Meanwhile, there was all of this 48 00:02:54,480 --> 00:02:57,080 Speaker 1: inside me that I still wanted to do. So in 49 00:02:57,120 --> 00:02:59,720 Speaker 1: two thousand and eight, I branched out and I started 50 00:03:00,000 --> 00:03:04,440 Speaker 1: own to entertainment. And the interesting thing about that period, 51 00:03:04,440 --> 00:03:08,040 Speaker 1: if you look back, the music industry completely collapsed, right 52 00:03:08,160 --> 00:03:11,120 Speaker 1: There was this whole you know, at the advent of streaming, 53 00:03:11,320 --> 00:03:15,240 Speaker 1: and the record labels were losing money and artists weren't 54 00:03:15,280 --> 00:03:19,079 Speaker 1: touring as heavily missing god Graves disease, so she went underground, 55 00:03:19,560 --> 00:03:23,119 Speaker 1: and there was all of this you know, um upheaval 56 00:03:24,000 --> 00:03:26,760 Speaker 1: during a period where I was supposed to be bridging 57 00:03:26,800 --> 00:03:31,000 Speaker 1: the gap into this unknown territory with forging out into 58 00:03:31,040 --> 00:03:35,080 Speaker 1: my own business and trying to kind of explore what's 59 00:03:35,120 --> 00:03:38,840 Speaker 1: next for me, and television was just one of the 60 00:03:38,880 --> 00:03:40,400 Speaker 1: things in the back of my head that I knew 61 00:03:40,400 --> 00:03:42,760 Speaker 1: I wanted to do because of the experience that I'd had, 62 00:03:42,800 --> 00:03:45,480 Speaker 1: but it certainly wasn't the core of what I left 63 00:03:45,600 --> 00:03:48,960 Speaker 1: Violator and started moaning me to do. That was more 64 00:03:49,040 --> 00:03:51,600 Speaker 1: about following whatever it is that I wanted to do. 65 00:03:51,800 --> 00:03:55,760 Speaker 1: I ventured into you know, cosmetics, I you know, just 66 00:03:55,840 --> 00:03:59,440 Speaker 1: kind of dibbled and dabbled in different things. But when 67 00:03:59,520 --> 00:04:03,520 Speaker 1: the upper tunity presented itself via one of my protegeay 68 00:04:03,600 --> 00:04:07,200 Speaker 1: z Andy Smith, who had left a Violator started managing 69 00:04:07,280 --> 00:04:10,120 Speaker 1: Jim Jones come back into the fold when I started 70 00:04:10,120 --> 00:04:13,000 Speaker 1: moaning me and brought with her Jim as a client. 71 00:04:13,360 --> 00:04:16,160 Speaker 1: And this project that they sold at the h one 72 00:04:16,279 --> 00:04:18,960 Speaker 1: that they had been for years trying to develop couldn't 73 00:04:18,960 --> 00:04:21,719 Speaker 1: figure out the right kind of point of entry, and 74 00:04:21,920 --> 00:04:24,480 Speaker 1: I saw this as an opportunity for me to do 75 00:04:24,560 --> 00:04:27,400 Speaker 1: something that was rooted in a space that I knew, 76 00:04:28,120 --> 00:04:30,720 Speaker 1: and although it was coming out of left field, because 77 00:04:30,720 --> 00:04:34,200 Speaker 1: it certainly wasn't kind of the primary focus. I thought 78 00:04:34,240 --> 00:04:36,520 Speaker 1: this was a way for me to get into the 79 00:04:36,560 --> 00:04:40,359 Speaker 1: television game from a place that I was comfortable talking 80 00:04:40,400 --> 00:04:43,520 Speaker 1: about this world that I had navigated for years, talking 81 00:04:43,560 --> 00:04:47,000 Speaker 1: about the experiences of these women who I knew very well, 82 00:04:47,320 --> 00:04:49,719 Speaker 1: and it felt like a great way for me to 83 00:04:49,800 --> 00:04:53,440 Speaker 1: marry where I was coming from with where I wanted 84 00:04:53,480 --> 00:04:56,440 Speaker 1: to go. And um, you know, I took the leap 85 00:04:56,480 --> 00:04:58,840 Speaker 1: of faith and jumped at the opportunity and really just 86 00:04:58,920 --> 00:05:02,240 Speaker 1: applied lot of the same wherewithal in skill sets that 87 00:05:02,279 --> 00:05:05,240 Speaker 1: I had as a manager to this new medium, in 88 00:05:05,279 --> 00:05:09,719 Speaker 1: this new genre. That I mean that that I think 89 00:05:09,760 --> 00:05:13,560 Speaker 1: that speaks to your shared determination. Um. And I can 90 00:05:13,600 --> 00:05:17,440 Speaker 1: imagine you know, getting you coming into a room with 91 00:05:18,320 --> 00:05:21,719 Speaker 1: television programming exects that they the thing they want to 92 00:05:21,760 --> 00:05:25,120 Speaker 1: know most is that somebody has a vision and somebody's 93 00:05:25,120 --> 00:05:29,760 Speaker 1: in charge that is execute, yeah, and the bid and 94 00:05:29,760 --> 00:05:32,440 Speaker 1: the ability to execute on that vision. I mean, there 95 00:05:32,440 --> 00:05:34,039 Speaker 1: were a lot of things that I brought to the 96 00:05:34,080 --> 00:05:37,520 Speaker 1: table that were outside of the box, right, the deep rolodex, 97 00:05:37,640 --> 00:05:40,600 Speaker 1: the relationships in the space, the credibility for all the 98 00:05:40,680 --> 00:05:44,039 Speaker 1: years that I had spent there, and also an understanding 99 00:05:44,040 --> 00:05:47,640 Speaker 1: of the culture. There was, you know, this this shorthand 100 00:05:47,680 --> 00:05:50,560 Speaker 1: that I had with just speaking to the audience that 101 00:05:50,640 --> 00:05:52,760 Speaker 1: they were trying to tap and trying to connect with. 102 00:05:53,200 --> 00:05:56,040 Speaker 1: And the marketing expertise that was something that you know 103 00:05:56,600 --> 00:06:00,400 Speaker 1: wasn't really done. I heard, and I learned the hard way, 104 00:06:00,400 --> 00:06:03,560 Speaker 1: because in music, you develop a project, to build a project, 105 00:06:03,560 --> 00:06:05,960 Speaker 1: and then you're there with the project through the marketing, 106 00:06:06,000 --> 00:06:09,200 Speaker 1: the promotions, and the rollout into television. It's a very 107 00:06:09,240 --> 00:06:12,880 Speaker 1: different thing. You know. You can conceptualize something, build it 108 00:06:12,920 --> 00:06:16,360 Speaker 1: from scratch, bring it all the way to completion and delivery, 109 00:06:16,720 --> 00:06:18,560 Speaker 1: and then you're turning it over to the marketing and 110 00:06:18,560 --> 00:06:21,520 Speaker 1: promotion scene and you have no more input in the project. 111 00:06:21,800 --> 00:06:24,880 Speaker 1: But I think what they recognized and appreciated and respected 112 00:06:25,480 --> 00:06:28,960 Speaker 1: was again that connection with the audience, the understanding of 113 00:06:29,000 --> 00:06:31,080 Speaker 1: the culture that we were trying to tap, and they 114 00:06:31,120 --> 00:06:34,040 Speaker 1: allowed me to have input on the marketing and the 115 00:06:34,160 --> 00:06:36,120 Speaker 1: rollout of the show, and I think that that was, 116 00:06:36,520 --> 00:06:39,400 Speaker 1: you know, an instrumental part of the show's success. M 117 00:06:40,400 --> 00:06:43,039 Speaker 1: When in the in the process of it's you know, 118 00:06:43,200 --> 00:06:46,800 Speaker 1: it's birth. Was it before it premiered or after premiered? 119 00:06:46,880 --> 00:06:49,960 Speaker 1: When did you know, oh, my god, we really have something. 120 00:06:50,320 --> 00:06:52,120 Speaker 1: I mean, I know we obviously you went into it 121 00:06:52,160 --> 00:06:54,840 Speaker 1: with every good expectation, but when did you feel like 122 00:06:56,000 --> 00:06:58,240 Speaker 1: we got something? Well, you know, it's interesting because of 123 00:06:58,279 --> 00:07:00,120 Speaker 1: course I love the cast, I love the world. I 124 00:07:00,160 --> 00:07:02,120 Speaker 1: was like, oh, this is gonna be great. Nobody's ever 125 00:07:02,160 --> 00:07:05,320 Speaker 1: seen this space before, presented in this way. I was 126 00:07:05,440 --> 00:07:08,560 Speaker 1: very proud of the show because of the way we 127 00:07:08,680 --> 00:07:13,000 Speaker 1: approached you know, the the world and the glamour and 128 00:07:13,200 --> 00:07:16,560 Speaker 1: how beautiful the ladies looked, So it looked very different 129 00:07:16,960 --> 00:07:20,240 Speaker 1: from everything on television, and from that perspective, I knew 130 00:07:20,280 --> 00:07:23,120 Speaker 1: that we had done something different. I don't think it 131 00:07:23,200 --> 00:07:26,640 Speaker 1: was until we saw what was happening on social media. 132 00:07:26,880 --> 00:07:29,920 Speaker 1: The show would go off the air at nine PM, 133 00:07:30,000 --> 00:07:33,400 Speaker 1: and straight through ten eleven PM through the second showing 134 00:07:33,440 --> 00:07:36,320 Speaker 1: of the show, people would still be talking about it 135 00:07:36,360 --> 00:07:40,120 Speaker 1: on social media. And although in the beginning the ratings weren't, 136 00:07:40,320 --> 00:07:42,800 Speaker 1: you know, great, what we knew is that we had 137 00:07:42,840 --> 00:07:46,440 Speaker 1: something that was tapping the audience that they were connecting to, 138 00:07:46,520 --> 00:07:50,400 Speaker 1: that they were engaged in, because the conversation for exceeded, 139 00:07:50,440 --> 00:07:53,440 Speaker 1: you know, what was happening on the screen. And I 140 00:07:53,480 --> 00:07:57,000 Speaker 1: always credit you know, Jim Ackerman and and the network 141 00:07:57,040 --> 00:07:59,800 Speaker 1: executives at the time for Spain committed to that and 142 00:08:00,040 --> 00:08:03,320 Speaker 1: were recognizing, like, you know, there's something about this show 143 00:08:03,440 --> 00:08:05,680 Speaker 1: that is getting people's attention in a way that if 144 00:08:05,720 --> 00:08:08,400 Speaker 1: we stay with it and we continue to build on it, 145 00:08:08,920 --> 00:08:11,800 Speaker 1: then it will grow. We started out, you know, with 146 00:08:11,960 --> 00:08:15,360 Speaker 1: six half hours in the first season, and then it 147 00:08:15,400 --> 00:08:19,239 Speaker 1: grew into an hour long show. Right, at what point 148 00:08:19,280 --> 00:08:22,200 Speaker 1: did you realize that you you could have more than 149 00:08:22,240 --> 00:08:24,360 Speaker 1: just one show? At what point did you realize you 150 00:08:24,360 --> 00:08:27,720 Speaker 1: could franchise it? You know, kind of two various cities, right. 151 00:08:28,040 --> 00:08:30,320 Speaker 1: I think as the show grew in popularity in that 152 00:08:30,400 --> 00:08:33,200 Speaker 1: first season of New York, we saw people starting to 153 00:08:33,240 --> 00:08:35,559 Speaker 1: pop up in different regions, because that's the beauty of 154 00:08:35,640 --> 00:08:38,160 Speaker 1: the hip hop, right, it's global. I'm still waiting for 155 00:08:38,200 --> 00:08:40,760 Speaker 1: Love and hip Hop London, um, But you know, we 156 00:08:40,800 --> 00:08:44,040 Speaker 1: started seeing pockets of people going, what about us? What 157 00:08:44,120 --> 00:08:46,360 Speaker 1: about us here in Texas? What about us here? And 158 00:08:46,440 --> 00:08:49,240 Speaker 1: you know, in all the different states. And we started 159 00:08:49,280 --> 00:08:52,319 Speaker 1: looking around. And it's so funny because the first city 160 00:08:52,360 --> 00:08:54,720 Speaker 1: that I went to and did a deep dive casting 161 00:08:54,760 --> 00:08:58,120 Speaker 1: and was Miami. And we went to Miami and we 162 00:08:58,240 --> 00:09:00,760 Speaker 1: met with a slew of cast members and we knew 163 00:09:00,760 --> 00:09:03,760 Speaker 1: that there was something there, but we didn't feel like 164 00:09:03,920 --> 00:09:07,680 Speaker 1: we had you know, the right not just collection of casts, 165 00:09:07,760 --> 00:09:10,199 Speaker 1: but point of entry for the storytelling. Because it was 166 00:09:10,240 --> 00:09:13,760 Speaker 1: always an agenda to make each city unique in a 167 00:09:13,800 --> 00:09:17,600 Speaker 1: way that they lived as Standalon's UM and I remember 168 00:09:17,679 --> 00:09:20,240 Speaker 1: going to Atlanta and there was you know, all of 169 00:09:20,280 --> 00:09:23,600 Speaker 1: the excitement and hoople around the Atlanta being the new Mecca, 170 00:09:23,920 --> 00:09:28,040 Speaker 1: and that's where people were flocking. And initially the idea was, oh, well, 171 00:09:28,120 --> 00:09:31,160 Speaker 1: then is there gonna be a deep cultural connection to 172 00:09:31,240 --> 00:09:34,360 Speaker 1: Atlanta if it's just a bunch of folks from everywhere 173 00:09:34,400 --> 00:09:37,160 Speaker 1: else who have migrated there, Because that was that, I 174 00:09:37,200 --> 00:09:39,040 Speaker 1: have to be honest, that was part of the issue 175 00:09:39,040 --> 00:09:41,560 Speaker 1: with Miami the first go round. No one was really 176 00:09:41,679 --> 00:09:44,880 Speaker 1: from there, you know, everybody just kind of landed in Miami, 177 00:09:44,960 --> 00:09:47,480 Speaker 1: so they didn't have the deep connections and the roots 178 00:09:47,520 --> 00:09:50,400 Speaker 1: that you need for the storytelling UM. But when we 179 00:09:50,480 --> 00:09:54,400 Speaker 1: got to Atlanta, what we found there was this this 180 00:09:54,600 --> 00:09:58,320 Speaker 1: level of this is my last shot, it's do or 181 00:09:58,400 --> 00:10:01,640 Speaker 1: die time for me. This stakes were so high across 182 00:10:01,720 --> 00:10:05,240 Speaker 1: the board for everyone, and the characters and cast members 183 00:10:05,320 --> 00:10:09,400 Speaker 1: were so big in personality and the things that they 184 00:10:09,400 --> 00:10:11,720 Speaker 1: were engaged in and the lives that they were living 185 00:10:11,760 --> 00:10:13,920 Speaker 1: that it was like, Oh my god, this is it 186 00:10:14,080 --> 00:10:17,880 Speaker 1: right here. And when we shot that first UM episode 187 00:10:17,880 --> 00:10:21,400 Speaker 1: of Atlanta, I remember looking at it and going, this 188 00:10:21,480 --> 00:10:24,200 Speaker 1: is it right here. So although the new York season 189 00:10:24,320 --> 00:10:27,840 Speaker 1: was the cornerstone, and it kind of the foundation that 190 00:10:27,920 --> 00:10:31,600 Speaker 1: it was built on. That first episode of that first 191 00:10:31,600 --> 00:10:35,080 Speaker 1: season of Atlanta was when I said, oh, this thing's appear. 192 00:10:35,520 --> 00:10:39,400 Speaker 1: You know, there's something special happening here. And you've made 193 00:10:39,400 --> 00:10:42,160 Speaker 1: and you made a very interesting strategic decision to have 194 00:10:42,400 --> 00:10:46,320 Speaker 1: as part of your company a whole armed dedicated to 195 00:10:46,360 --> 00:10:50,920 Speaker 1: physical production so that you can actually produce your shows 196 00:10:51,000 --> 00:10:53,880 Speaker 1: in the house. Can you talk about the reasoning behind 197 00:10:53,920 --> 00:10:55,760 Speaker 1: that and you know why it was important for you 198 00:10:55,840 --> 00:10:59,160 Speaker 1: to have that? Absolutely, I learned how the sausage was made, 199 00:10:59,440 --> 00:11:03,360 Speaker 1: you know, and really it was about creating a greater 200 00:11:03,440 --> 00:11:08,280 Speaker 1: profit center one but also having the ability to be 201 00:11:08,360 --> 00:11:11,120 Speaker 1: instrumental in putting together of the shows. Because of course 202 00:11:11,360 --> 00:11:13,960 Speaker 1: I can have the idea, I can develop the idea, 203 00:11:14,160 --> 00:11:16,640 Speaker 1: I can bring the cast together, but if I'm not 204 00:11:16,760 --> 00:11:19,360 Speaker 1: also involved with the physical making of the show, the 205 00:11:19,480 --> 00:11:22,000 Speaker 1: editing of the show, then I don't have as much 206 00:11:22,240 --> 00:11:25,760 Speaker 1: input and control of the final product. Um. So it 207 00:11:25,840 --> 00:11:29,040 Speaker 1: was both, uh, you know, just building on my skills, 208 00:11:29,080 --> 00:11:31,880 Speaker 1: building on the services that we could provide, being able 209 00:11:31,920 --> 00:11:34,360 Speaker 1: to see my projects all the way through the completion 210 00:11:34,679 --> 00:11:38,760 Speaker 1: and final delivery, and creating a profit center for you know, 211 00:11:38,880 --> 00:11:43,280 Speaker 1: my business, UM Monom Entertainment provides my physical services as 212 00:11:43,280 --> 00:11:48,559 Speaker 1: a producer, but Monomy Productions actually provides physical production services. 213 00:11:49,280 --> 00:11:51,120 Speaker 1: And do you do it as a third party for 214 00:11:51,200 --> 00:11:55,360 Speaker 1: other people as well? Absolutely? Absolutely, And I love partnerships. 215 00:11:55,360 --> 00:11:59,040 Speaker 1: I love collaborations. So there are you know, several projects 216 00:11:59,080 --> 00:12:02,600 Speaker 1: that are people conceptualized and brought to us that we 217 00:12:02,720 --> 00:12:06,280 Speaker 1: engaged in and helped them deliver and package and went 218 00:12:06,280 --> 00:12:09,440 Speaker 1: out to the marketplace with. So we're physically producing those 219 00:12:09,440 --> 00:12:13,560 Speaker 1: shows in addition to the ideas that we generate. You know, internally, 220 00:12:14,320 --> 00:12:17,440 Speaker 1: did you start monay in your living room or did 221 00:12:17,440 --> 00:12:20,080 Speaker 1: you have financial backing? How? How did you actually go 222 00:12:20,160 --> 00:12:22,600 Speaker 1: about launching the company back in two thousand and eight, 223 00:12:23,120 --> 00:12:28,200 Speaker 1: it's to this day and independently funded, financed and solely 224 00:12:28,200 --> 00:12:32,280 Speaker 1: wholly owned you know company. Yeah, and and let's look 225 00:12:32,280 --> 00:12:35,720 Speaker 1: at I would not turn my nose up if someone 226 00:12:35,920 --> 00:12:39,079 Speaker 1: came a knocking. But um, you know it was something 227 00:12:39,120 --> 00:12:41,960 Speaker 1: that you know, started out of my passion for building 228 00:12:42,520 --> 00:12:45,520 Speaker 1: on on my business, and so I made the investment. 229 00:12:46,080 --> 00:12:48,840 Speaker 1: You know, I started building out on the staff, creating 230 00:12:48,840 --> 00:12:53,760 Speaker 1: a team, development, production, UM, getting equipment and just have 231 00:12:53,880 --> 00:12:55,920 Speaker 1: built it out I had, you know, for a while, 232 00:12:55,960 --> 00:12:57,920 Speaker 1: a deal with lions Gate that was a one year 233 00:12:57,920 --> 00:13:00,839 Speaker 1: deal that we engaged in, and that was great because 234 00:13:00,840 --> 00:13:03,080 Speaker 1: it allowed me to spread my wings and learn. And 235 00:13:03,120 --> 00:13:06,120 Speaker 1: we still have projects that we developed together that we've 236 00:13:06,160 --> 00:13:10,160 Speaker 1: taken into the marketplace and sold, so they're still partners. Um. 237 00:13:10,200 --> 00:13:13,680 Speaker 1: But yeah, I have been navigating and managing this, you know, 238 00:13:13,880 --> 00:13:18,000 Speaker 1: independently for the most part. Did you have any role 239 00:13:18,040 --> 00:13:20,720 Speaker 1: models or any people that you've turned to for for 240 00:13:20,840 --> 00:13:25,079 Speaker 1: advice and counsel when you were starting out or even today. Um, 241 00:13:25,160 --> 00:13:28,200 Speaker 1: of when I was starting out, you know jamac froman Again, 242 00:13:28,200 --> 00:13:30,400 Speaker 1: I always credit him because he taught me so much, 243 00:13:30,760 --> 00:13:34,320 Speaker 1: really took me under his wing and made me understand that, 244 00:13:34,760 --> 00:13:38,040 Speaker 1: you know, I didn't need this degree or what that 245 00:13:38,240 --> 00:13:41,640 Speaker 1: I had the tools necessary to figure this out right. 246 00:13:41,679 --> 00:13:43,319 Speaker 1: So that was a big part of it for me. 247 00:13:43,600 --> 00:13:46,840 Speaker 1: I never had the um, the benefit of the college 248 00:13:46,920 --> 00:13:51,119 Speaker 1: education and the kind of you know, uh, not understanding, 249 00:13:51,160 --> 00:13:53,400 Speaker 1: but the comfort level that Okay, I've got this piece 250 00:13:53,400 --> 00:13:55,080 Speaker 1: of paper that tells me I know what I'm doing. 251 00:13:55,280 --> 00:13:57,640 Speaker 1: It's all been trial and error throughout my entire career, 252 00:13:58,000 --> 00:14:00,720 Speaker 1: dating back to music and and even as I transition 253 00:14:01,160 --> 00:14:04,440 Speaker 1: so Jim was a great influence on you know, getting 254 00:14:04,440 --> 00:14:06,960 Speaker 1: me to understand that I could do this, teaching me 255 00:14:07,040 --> 00:14:09,760 Speaker 1: what I needed to know about this. My partners, Stephan 256 00:14:09,840 --> 00:14:13,320 Speaker 1: and Toby at Eastern when we started the franchise together, 257 00:14:13,400 --> 00:14:17,080 Speaker 1: these were you know, filmmakers who were just getting started themselves. 258 00:14:17,440 --> 00:14:21,080 Speaker 1: So we built that franchise together and grew you know, 259 00:14:21,240 --> 00:14:25,240 Speaker 1: within our own skills together. Um. So that has been 260 00:14:25,400 --> 00:14:27,680 Speaker 1: kind of the way I've gone about doing it. And 261 00:14:27,720 --> 00:14:30,560 Speaker 1: there hasn't been kind of this one mentor I could 262 00:14:30,600 --> 00:14:34,520 Speaker 1: point to, but rather different people along the way who 263 00:14:34,680 --> 00:14:38,680 Speaker 1: you know, encouraged, mentor taught. And I'm a sponge that's 264 00:14:38,720 --> 00:14:41,200 Speaker 1: kind of you know the way I'm built, and I 265 00:14:41,280 --> 00:14:45,240 Speaker 1: love learning new things. So I'm constantly listening, learning, figuring 266 00:14:45,240 --> 00:14:48,520 Speaker 1: out how to put something together, constantly taking it apart 267 00:14:48,560 --> 00:14:52,840 Speaker 1: in my head. Um. But yeah, and now I've got 268 00:14:53,040 --> 00:14:56,640 Speaker 1: great colleagues in the business that I turned to, especially 269 00:14:56,720 --> 00:15:00,320 Speaker 1: during these times that have been especially different built for 270 00:15:00,400 --> 00:15:03,080 Speaker 1: us all. We've really been able to look to each 271 00:15:03,080 --> 00:15:05,360 Speaker 1: other and say, you know, how are you doing this? 272 00:15:05,720 --> 00:15:07,640 Speaker 1: Like how are you doing first of all? But how 273 00:15:07,640 --> 00:15:11,040 Speaker 1: are you doing this? Like what's your COVID protocol plan? Um, 274 00:15:11,080 --> 00:15:13,760 Speaker 1: have you heard of any you know, things that are 275 00:15:13,800 --> 00:15:15,960 Speaker 1: happening out there that I should be aware of. And 276 00:15:16,400 --> 00:15:19,560 Speaker 1: there's there's definitely a community that has banded together to 277 00:15:20,000 --> 00:15:24,640 Speaker 1: get through this. Would you say that, Um, it sounds 278 00:15:24,680 --> 00:15:27,120 Speaker 1: like from what you're saying that being a talent manager, 279 00:15:27,160 --> 00:15:29,800 Speaker 1: being in the music management business was good, you know, 280 00:15:29,880 --> 00:15:33,200 Speaker 1: putting things together, building stories around artists and brands. It 281 00:15:33,200 --> 00:15:36,120 Speaker 1: sounds like pretty good training for being a producer. Is 282 00:15:36,160 --> 00:15:39,000 Speaker 1: that absolute? I say that all the time. I said, 283 00:15:39,000 --> 00:15:40,920 Speaker 1: the only thing I came into this with our my 284 00:15:41,000 --> 00:15:45,120 Speaker 1: skills as a manager, understanding people, understanding what makes them 285 00:15:45,120 --> 00:15:50,040 Speaker 1: take you know, understanding how to motivate them right too, 286 00:15:50,640 --> 00:15:53,520 Speaker 1: even to their own success, because a lot of times 287 00:15:53,560 --> 00:15:55,960 Speaker 1: people have things that get in their way and and 288 00:15:56,040 --> 00:15:58,320 Speaker 1: one of my skills as a manager, I believe was 289 00:15:58,400 --> 00:16:01,240 Speaker 1: my ability to you know, connect with talent and help 290 00:16:01,320 --> 00:16:04,800 Speaker 1: them remove the obstacles that block their own success. And 291 00:16:04,880 --> 00:16:08,760 Speaker 1: these are all the things. The empathy, the the human curiosity, 292 00:16:09,040 --> 00:16:11,760 Speaker 1: the wanting to tell the stories and to tell it 293 00:16:11,840 --> 00:16:16,320 Speaker 1: from an empathetic and non judgmental place so that it's 294 00:16:16,360 --> 00:16:18,720 Speaker 1: not about me in any way, shape or form. This 295 00:16:18,800 --> 00:16:20,960 Speaker 1: is your life, This is your story. To tell. I 296 00:16:20,960 --> 00:16:22,760 Speaker 1: want to provide a platform for you to tell that 297 00:16:22,880 --> 00:16:27,360 Speaker 1: story unapologetically. So these are all of the skills and 298 00:16:27,400 --> 00:16:33,760 Speaker 1: the you know, the natural you know uh traits that 299 00:16:33,880 --> 00:16:37,640 Speaker 1: I bring to what I do as a producer. M hm, 300 00:16:38,280 --> 00:16:40,560 Speaker 1: how did you How did you get your very start? 301 00:16:40,640 --> 00:16:44,800 Speaker 1: How did you break into the management field? Oh? That 302 00:16:44,960 --> 00:16:47,360 Speaker 1: is a long story, because it's it's so funny. I 303 00:16:47,360 --> 00:16:49,640 Speaker 1: have to come up with a very better narrative than 304 00:16:49,720 --> 00:16:52,240 Speaker 1: the truth, which is that I stumbled into a dance 305 00:16:52,280 --> 00:16:55,280 Speaker 1: studio to take an aerobics class, pop my head into 306 00:16:55,280 --> 00:16:58,360 Speaker 1: a dance class, decided, like I often do when I 307 00:16:58,400 --> 00:17:01,640 Speaker 1: see something I've never done before in my life, decided 308 00:17:01,640 --> 00:17:04,080 Speaker 1: that I could do it. And that led to me 309 00:17:04,200 --> 00:17:08,320 Speaker 1: working with artists um in a program called Stage Moves 310 00:17:08,359 --> 00:17:11,960 Speaker 1: that taught them stage presence and how to hold a microphone, 311 00:17:11,960 --> 00:17:15,200 Speaker 1: how to project to the audience, how to perform on stage. 312 00:17:15,480 --> 00:17:18,000 Speaker 1: That was a hop, skip and a jump away from 313 00:17:18,040 --> 00:17:21,440 Speaker 1: actually working in close proximity with artists and their labels, 314 00:17:21,720 --> 00:17:25,720 Speaker 1: and again sponge fly on the wall, I started learning 315 00:17:25,800 --> 00:17:29,359 Speaker 1: all of the you know, inner workings and nuances of 316 00:17:29,760 --> 00:17:34,080 Speaker 1: all the different pieces that came together to assistant artist's 317 00:17:34,160 --> 00:17:37,000 Speaker 1: career and to bring a career, you know, out into 318 00:17:37,040 --> 00:17:41,639 Speaker 1: the marketplace. And these producers who were working with a 319 00:17:41,720 --> 00:17:44,680 Speaker 1: group that I was actually doing artists development with, came 320 00:17:44,720 --> 00:17:47,920 Speaker 1: to me and said, you know, look, you're pretty much 321 00:17:48,080 --> 00:17:51,080 Speaker 1: doing it. You've gotten involved with these guys mainly just 322 00:17:51,119 --> 00:17:54,000 Speaker 1: to get them to your sessions on time, but you've 323 00:17:54,040 --> 00:17:57,000 Speaker 1: been so instrumental and so helpful, we think you could 324 00:17:57,040 --> 00:18:00,200 Speaker 1: do this. And Um, I immediately thought they were out 325 00:18:00,200 --> 00:18:03,520 Speaker 1: of their minds. And then I got an office in 326 00:18:03,640 --> 00:18:07,119 Speaker 1: the basement of a residential building, god phone lines in 327 00:18:07,240 --> 00:18:09,399 Speaker 1: and a fax machine hung a shingle, and I was 328 00:18:09,440 --> 00:18:12,359 Speaker 1: in business. I had no idea what I was doing. 329 00:18:13,040 --> 00:18:15,679 Speaker 1: UM started reading everything that I could get my hands on, 330 00:18:15,760 --> 00:18:18,720 Speaker 1: everything you need to know about the music industry, you know, 331 00:18:18,800 --> 00:18:23,240 Speaker 1: every book that Donald Passman ever wrote, and UM really 332 00:18:23,280 --> 00:18:26,119 Speaker 1: spent a lot of time in the studio learning how 333 00:18:26,640 --> 00:18:30,439 Speaker 1: music is made, how a song is constructed. You know. 334 00:18:30,640 --> 00:18:33,200 Speaker 1: That was kind of my entry point, and that led 335 00:18:33,240 --> 00:18:37,080 Speaker 1: me to, you know, then needing to understand once this 336 00:18:37,200 --> 00:18:40,600 Speaker 1: song is done, how do we take this and communicated 337 00:18:40,600 --> 00:18:43,439 Speaker 1: to the world. And that was the mechanics of you know, 338 00:18:43,760 --> 00:18:47,040 Speaker 1: record making and releasing of records and then it's like, Okay, 339 00:18:47,040 --> 00:18:48,960 Speaker 1: if we're gonna put it out into the world, what 340 00:18:49,119 --> 00:18:51,480 Speaker 1: is our messaging around it and how are we presenting it? 341 00:18:51,720 --> 00:18:55,480 Speaker 1: And then that was the marketing experience that came with that. So, 342 00:18:55,720 --> 00:18:57,760 Speaker 1: you know, I always talk about my crawl walk run 343 00:18:57,840 --> 00:19:01,959 Speaker 1: philosophy because I need to know what I'm doing before 344 00:19:02,000 --> 00:19:05,760 Speaker 1: I start to do it. But I will never hesitate 345 00:19:06,400 --> 00:19:09,560 Speaker 1: to at least take the first step towards doing something 346 00:19:09,600 --> 00:19:13,879 Speaker 1: I've never done before in my life. You know, UM, 347 00:19:14,000 --> 00:19:18,280 Speaker 1: is there anything any first steps on your immediate horizon, 348 00:19:18,359 --> 00:19:22,080 Speaker 1: any anything that you're going to expand Monami into or 349 00:19:22,400 --> 00:19:25,800 Speaker 1: anything that we should be looking out for. Absolutely, we 350 00:19:25,920 --> 00:19:29,640 Speaker 1: are forging into scripted. There have been projects in my head. 351 00:19:29,680 --> 00:19:32,840 Speaker 1: They have been projects and you know, development that we've 352 00:19:32,880 --> 00:19:36,040 Speaker 1: wanted to drill down on. And this COVID time has 353 00:19:36,119 --> 00:19:38,920 Speaker 1: given us the opportunity, given me the opportunity to slow 354 00:19:38,960 --> 00:19:41,680 Speaker 1: down long enough to do that. And UM I have 355 00:19:41,840 --> 00:19:44,280 Speaker 1: formed the great partnership with the company out of South 356 00:19:44,280 --> 00:19:48,800 Speaker 1: Africa called Envy Studios UM and they do physical production. 357 00:19:48,960 --> 00:19:52,240 Speaker 1: They're doing you know, wonderful work across all the networks. 358 00:19:52,280 --> 00:19:54,919 Speaker 1: But we form the d partnership that allows me to 359 00:19:55,000 --> 00:19:58,040 Speaker 1: not only provide physical production services in the scripted space, 360 00:19:58,080 --> 00:20:02,240 Speaker 1: but we have quite a free project that we're developing together. UM, 361 00:20:02,400 --> 00:20:05,280 Speaker 1: some that are just amazing in terms of the times 362 00:20:05,280 --> 00:20:08,800 Speaker 1: that we're living in and experiencing in right now, experiencing 363 00:20:08,880 --> 00:20:12,040 Speaker 1: right now. UM. We've you know, secured the rights to 364 00:20:12,119 --> 00:20:16,200 Speaker 1: the Shakazulu mini series that was you know, an amazing 365 00:20:16,320 --> 00:20:20,040 Speaker 1: groundbreaking project back in and when we look at it 366 00:20:20,640 --> 00:20:24,160 Speaker 1: to remember it, Listen, I'm old enough to remember it too. 367 00:20:24,160 --> 00:20:28,120 Speaker 1: I'm older than you are. UM. And so that project 368 00:20:28,119 --> 00:20:30,920 Speaker 1: I'm extremely excited about because I just think it's so 369 00:20:31,000 --> 00:20:33,760 Speaker 1: timely right now, the parallels that we're experiencing in terms 370 00:20:33,800 --> 00:20:37,639 Speaker 1: of the revolution we're seeing, you know. UM. So that's 371 00:20:37,680 --> 00:20:40,520 Speaker 1: one that is a major priority for me, uh in 372 00:20:40,600 --> 00:20:45,840 Speaker 1: the company and within our partnership, UM doing more biopics 373 00:20:45,840 --> 00:20:49,639 Speaker 1: style style stories as well, because it's an extension of 374 00:20:49,840 --> 00:20:53,440 Speaker 1: you know, telling the true life stories of people who 375 00:20:53,760 --> 00:20:57,720 Speaker 1: have just compelling stories to tell. Um. You know, the 376 00:20:57,760 --> 00:21:00,479 Speaker 1: one that comes to mind. I know that people are 377 00:21:00,520 --> 00:21:03,280 Speaker 1: familiar with Aaron Hernandez the story and we've seen that 378 00:21:03,359 --> 00:21:07,880 Speaker 1: over and over again. UM. But I've forged the partnership 379 00:21:08,359 --> 00:21:12,760 Speaker 1: with Yanna Jenkins who was Aaron's you know, the other half, 380 00:21:12,800 --> 00:21:14,800 Speaker 1: the mother of his children, the love of his life. 381 00:21:14,800 --> 00:21:18,280 Speaker 1: They were together as you know, high school sweethearts. And 382 00:21:18,920 --> 00:21:20,800 Speaker 1: for me, it was always about what was life like 383 00:21:20,920 --> 00:21:23,720 Speaker 1: for her, right she went to bed with this man 384 00:21:23,760 --> 00:21:26,199 Speaker 1: every night, They had children, they had a family together. 385 00:21:26,560 --> 00:21:29,359 Speaker 1: This person that he became is not the person she 386 00:21:29,400 --> 00:21:32,399 Speaker 1: fell in love with. And telling that story from her perspective, 387 00:21:32,720 --> 00:21:35,080 Speaker 1: which I think is just the point of view that 388 00:21:35,119 --> 00:21:37,919 Speaker 1: we have not seen, we have not heard, and that 389 00:21:38,080 --> 00:21:41,080 Speaker 1: story is just mind boggling when you think of all 390 00:21:41,080 --> 00:21:44,600 Speaker 1: the elements involved with his life. And I'm fascinated by 391 00:21:44,760 --> 00:21:48,240 Speaker 1: what Yanna's experience was. And so that's a project that 392 00:21:48,240 --> 00:21:51,520 Speaker 1: we're developing now as well that I'm incredibly excited about 393 00:21:52,240 --> 00:21:55,720 Speaker 1: m um. So yes, scripted is where you know, we've 394 00:21:55,720 --> 00:21:58,080 Speaker 1: got a lot of of our focus. Some of the 395 00:21:58,160 --> 00:22:02,560 Speaker 1: shows that I'm developing now also have product extensions to them, 396 00:22:02,600 --> 00:22:05,440 Speaker 1: because I think that that's a you know, way that 397 00:22:05,560 --> 00:22:08,400 Speaker 1: we should be you know, paying attention to and and 398 00:22:08,400 --> 00:22:11,320 Speaker 1: and developing more fully because you know, we've got to 399 00:22:11,400 --> 00:22:15,120 Speaker 1: find ways for um the content to pay off exponentially, 400 00:22:15,640 --> 00:22:18,639 Speaker 1: and if there's an opportunity to have a product launch 401 00:22:18,960 --> 00:22:22,120 Speaker 1: come from a concept that is compelling and entertaining, then 402 00:22:22,160 --> 00:22:24,960 Speaker 1: why not. You know, We've seen it successfully done on 403 00:22:25,080 --> 00:22:27,879 Speaker 1: the project runways of the world, and so there are 404 00:22:27,920 --> 00:22:30,120 Speaker 1: some shows that I'm developing in that space as well, 405 00:22:30,920 --> 00:22:32,520 Speaker 1: is it? I mean, I know I talked to a 406 00:22:32,560 --> 00:22:34,720 Speaker 1: lot of independent producers and they say that, you know, 407 00:22:34,800 --> 00:22:39,160 Speaker 1: these are tough times with companies squeezing squeezing margins, I mean, 408 00:22:39,160 --> 00:22:43,520 Speaker 1: setting aside the pandemic issues, just producing companies want more 409 00:22:43,680 --> 00:22:46,960 Speaker 1: for less. Are you I mean, you know, with love 410 00:22:46,960 --> 00:22:49,359 Speaker 1: and hip hop, you've got such an engine, But I 411 00:22:49,400 --> 00:22:53,879 Speaker 1: would imagine in developing other you know, in developing other projects, 412 00:22:54,200 --> 00:22:56,680 Speaker 1: although there's a lot of demand and a lot of buyers, 413 00:22:57,119 --> 00:22:59,679 Speaker 1: I know, the terms are very tough. Are you able 414 00:22:59,760 --> 00:23:02,760 Speaker 1: to you know, bring enough to the table to get 415 00:23:03,040 --> 00:23:06,000 Speaker 1: you know, to get deals that make it that are 416 00:23:06,040 --> 00:23:10,119 Speaker 1: workable permonomy for for I mean, yeah, I think the 417 00:23:10,320 --> 00:23:13,399 Speaker 1: terms are tough, of course, because everyone's kind of trying to, 418 00:23:13,680 --> 00:23:16,679 Speaker 1: you know, maximize their margins. We see that happening in 419 00:23:16,720 --> 00:23:20,119 Speaker 1: every industry. But I you know, what I'd like to 420 00:23:20,840 --> 00:23:25,480 Speaker 1: think is that when a company gets into business with monomy, 421 00:23:25,520 --> 00:23:28,320 Speaker 1: it's not just about the physical production and putting the 422 00:23:28,320 --> 00:23:32,240 Speaker 1: pieces together. It's all of the added value that I bring, right, 423 00:23:32,359 --> 00:23:35,919 Speaker 1: my ability to really connect with and and manage the 424 00:23:35,960 --> 00:23:41,639 Speaker 1: talent process, right, the personal infusion that I bring to 425 00:23:41,920 --> 00:23:45,760 Speaker 1: every project that you know, we produce, so that it 426 00:23:45,840 --> 00:23:49,359 Speaker 1: is you know, developed, and it is produced with a 427 00:23:49,520 --> 00:23:54,320 Speaker 1: sense of you know, innate storytelling and and and attention 428 00:23:54,400 --> 00:23:58,640 Speaker 1: to detail and connection to audience. So it yes, it's 429 00:23:58,680 --> 00:24:02,320 Speaker 1: been you know, harder to meet the margins, but I 430 00:24:02,320 --> 00:24:05,800 Speaker 1: think we've been very very blessed than lucky in that 431 00:24:06,080 --> 00:24:09,280 Speaker 1: the volume has still been there because I think there's 432 00:24:09,320 --> 00:24:12,439 Speaker 1: still you know, a connection to me and what I 433 00:24:12,560 --> 00:24:16,040 Speaker 1: bring to Mona Meat Productions, so that the relationship is 434 00:24:16,080 --> 00:24:18,639 Speaker 1: there with a lot of these buyers and they're getting 435 00:24:18,640 --> 00:24:21,040 Speaker 1: into business with me. So it's not just about buying 436 00:24:21,040 --> 00:24:23,479 Speaker 1: a project. It's a little bit more than that. So 437 00:24:23,520 --> 00:24:26,280 Speaker 1: we've been very lucky and that we've managed to keep 438 00:24:26,320 --> 00:24:28,720 Speaker 1: the lights on and to stay in development, to sell 439 00:24:28,760 --> 00:24:32,199 Speaker 1: projects during this period, to continue to you know, have 440 00:24:32,359 --> 00:24:35,680 Speaker 1: great partnerships across all the networks in a way that 441 00:24:35,880 --> 00:24:39,920 Speaker 1: continues to you know, um create opportunities for us to 442 00:24:39,960 --> 00:24:43,600 Speaker 1: turn shows around. And and I feel confident that you know, 443 00:24:43,640 --> 00:24:46,359 Speaker 1: with the volume of business. It will allow us to 444 00:24:46,440 --> 00:24:51,040 Speaker 1: deliver fully, even though individually the networks are looking to 445 00:24:51,280 --> 00:24:55,040 Speaker 1: tighten up their margins. And as a producer, obviously, as 446 00:24:55,040 --> 00:24:57,199 Speaker 1: you say, like and the chance to have a product 447 00:24:57,320 --> 00:25:03,760 Speaker 1: ln tropic show like that could be game changing. Exactly, absolutely, absolutely, 448 00:25:04,119 --> 00:25:10,159 Speaker 1: m Mona. I mean, it's been such fascinating talking to 449 00:25:10,200 --> 00:25:13,720 Speaker 1: you and hearing your story, and I I keep thinking that, 450 00:25:13,800 --> 00:25:17,040 Speaker 1: you know, this is a tough business for anybody. It 451 00:25:17,160 --> 00:25:20,920 Speaker 1: is particularly a tough business for black people. It's particularly 452 00:25:20,960 --> 00:25:24,399 Speaker 1: a tough business for black women. What I gave is 453 00:25:24,440 --> 00:25:28,240 Speaker 1: a variation of my first question. What was it about you, 454 00:25:28,240 --> 00:25:33,520 Speaker 1: your upbringing, your drive that allowed you to build this company? 455 00:25:33,840 --> 00:25:38,440 Speaker 1: They are very, very sadly, very few black women running 456 00:25:38,480 --> 00:25:43,000 Speaker 1: companies with this size and scope and ambition. What what 457 00:25:43,040 --> 00:25:46,000 Speaker 1: do you think it was in your background, the people 458 00:25:46,040 --> 00:25:48,640 Speaker 1: that you met along the way that allowed you to 459 00:25:48,640 --> 00:25:52,480 Speaker 1: to prosper in a business that is so hard for 460 00:25:52,480 --> 00:25:56,399 Speaker 1: for so many people, particularly people of color. You know, 461 00:25:56,600 --> 00:25:58,719 Speaker 1: I guess when I go back to the question you 462 00:25:58,720 --> 00:26:01,399 Speaker 1: asked about my influence, I understood that you were asking 463 00:26:01,440 --> 00:26:03,719 Speaker 1: about in this business, But if I had to credit 464 00:26:03,800 --> 00:26:08,760 Speaker 1: my real influence my mother watching this woman with you know, 465 00:26:09,160 --> 00:26:14,000 Speaker 1: very very little education, right, functionally illiterate, but was able 466 00:26:14,040 --> 00:26:17,080 Speaker 1: to provide everything that I could possibly have wanted in life. 467 00:26:17,400 --> 00:26:20,160 Speaker 1: And I always say that as I grew and understood 468 00:26:20,280 --> 00:26:23,240 Speaker 1: what her limitations were and how frustrating that must have 469 00:26:23,280 --> 00:26:25,840 Speaker 1: been for her, I recognize that I have so many 470 00:26:25,880 --> 00:26:29,960 Speaker 1: tools at my disposal, and how dare I not succeed? 471 00:26:30,000 --> 00:26:34,120 Speaker 1: How dare I not maximize those tools? So I understand 472 00:26:34,200 --> 00:26:36,480 Speaker 1: that every one of us is given a gift, right, 473 00:26:36,560 --> 00:26:38,560 Speaker 1: and we all say that, and we pay lip service 474 00:26:38,600 --> 00:26:42,080 Speaker 1: to it, and it's what's in every cliche self help book, right, 475 00:26:42,440 --> 00:26:46,200 Speaker 1: but how many of us actually pay attention to that gift, 476 00:26:46,280 --> 00:26:49,439 Speaker 1: home that gift and then step into it, right. And 477 00:26:49,520 --> 00:26:52,920 Speaker 1: that was one of my work tools, right, the way 478 00:26:52,960 --> 00:26:57,000 Speaker 1: people polished their skills, I polished my gift, and I 479 00:26:57,080 --> 00:26:59,960 Speaker 1: recognized what it was about me that made me uniquely different, 480 00:27:00,320 --> 00:27:03,000 Speaker 1: what I bring to any situation that I'm involved in, 481 00:27:03,400 --> 00:27:06,120 Speaker 1: And it isn't just a work ethic, it's a sensibility, 482 00:27:06,160 --> 00:27:11,520 Speaker 1: it's a spirit. And I worked really hard to surpass 483 00:27:11,600 --> 00:27:15,600 Speaker 1: that with every single day, with every project. Right, and again, 484 00:27:15,640 --> 00:27:19,480 Speaker 1: this is my personal goal, it's my personal you know, uh, 485 00:27:19,720 --> 00:27:22,919 Speaker 1: goal that I've set for myself. I don't compare myself 486 00:27:22,920 --> 00:27:25,320 Speaker 1: to anyone else. I don't look to see what anyone 487 00:27:25,400 --> 00:27:28,240 Speaker 1: else is doing. It's just the way I choose to 488 00:27:28,280 --> 00:27:33,560 Speaker 1: operate and um every single day, even through COVID. I've said, 489 00:27:33,640 --> 00:27:36,040 Speaker 1: I've been drilling down and focusing in. And there was 490 00:27:36,119 --> 00:27:39,440 Speaker 1: something exciting about not knowing what light ahead? Light ahead? 491 00:27:39,920 --> 00:27:42,280 Speaker 1: Light ahead? Is that a word? Now? What? No? Not 492 00:27:42,480 --> 00:27:47,560 Speaker 1: knowing what lay ahead? Thank you? Um what? Not knowing 493 00:27:47,600 --> 00:27:49,639 Speaker 1: what lay ahead, not knowing what was around the corner, 494 00:27:49,800 --> 00:27:54,000 Speaker 1: not knowing what the future held right, all of these things, 495 00:27:54,560 --> 00:27:59,280 Speaker 1: as opposed to succumbing to it, it was a reason 496 00:27:59,359 --> 00:28:03,119 Speaker 1: to fight the who it, you know. So you know 497 00:28:03,359 --> 00:28:05,119 Speaker 1: when you ask me what that is, I'm like, I 498 00:28:05,160 --> 00:28:07,600 Speaker 1: looked at this woman and everything she was able to accomplish, 499 00:28:07,640 --> 00:28:11,240 Speaker 1: and I'm like, I'm golden. You know. There is no 500 00:28:11,320 --> 00:28:15,560 Speaker 1: way that I'm not going to kick, scream, bust my 501 00:28:15,680 --> 00:28:18,280 Speaker 1: way to as far as I'm allowed to go as 502 00:28:18,320 --> 00:28:22,200 Speaker 1: God will let me go. That's my only limitation. As 503 00:28:22,240 --> 00:28:25,080 Speaker 1: you know, if this country has been in a period 504 00:28:25,200 --> 00:28:28,560 Speaker 1: of the last couple of months of real I think 505 00:28:28,840 --> 00:28:34,119 Speaker 1: discussion and movement on the on very important social justice issues, 506 00:28:34,240 --> 00:28:39,240 Speaker 1: racial justice issues. Do you have any sense that there 507 00:28:39,440 --> 00:28:43,000 Speaker 1: is that something it's different this time? Is there a 508 00:28:43,040 --> 00:28:46,040 Speaker 1: bigger commitment to lasting change? Do you think that there's 509 00:28:46,240 --> 00:28:50,760 Speaker 1: been more movement in the decision makers, in the in 510 00:28:50,800 --> 00:28:55,960 Speaker 1: the arena of elevating people into important decision making capacities. 511 00:28:56,120 --> 00:28:58,640 Speaker 1: Is there any signs that you think this is real? 512 00:28:59,240 --> 00:29:01,160 Speaker 1: I love the way you phrase there, because when you 513 00:29:01,240 --> 00:29:03,600 Speaker 1: say lasting impact, that's a big thing that's been on 514 00:29:03,640 --> 00:29:06,280 Speaker 1: my mind because there were so many conversations flying around 515 00:29:06,600 --> 00:29:09,160 Speaker 1: when all of this was happening. Everyone wanted to reach 516 00:29:09,200 --> 00:29:11,920 Speaker 1: out and make sure that they were, you know, checking 517 00:29:11,960 --> 00:29:14,440 Speaker 1: that box. And you know, for a lot of the 518 00:29:14,480 --> 00:29:17,440 Speaker 1: conversations that I had, it was about is this a 519 00:29:18,160 --> 00:29:21,719 Speaker 1: you know, uh, a moment in time or are we 520 00:29:21,760 --> 00:29:25,200 Speaker 1: talking about something sustainable and last thing? Because I think 521 00:29:25,520 --> 00:29:29,360 Speaker 1: the biggest travesty will be if we look back at 522 00:29:29,400 --> 00:29:32,959 Speaker 1: this moment and it was just a moment, right. I 523 00:29:33,000 --> 00:29:36,760 Speaker 1: think we've seen more unrest than we've saw in a 524 00:29:36,920 --> 00:29:40,880 Speaker 1: very very long time, but with tragic, tragic consequences involved, 525 00:29:41,080 --> 00:29:43,440 Speaker 1: and shame on us if we don't all rise to 526 00:29:43,520 --> 00:29:46,680 Speaker 1: this occasion and make a lasting change. So when I 527 00:29:46,680 --> 00:29:49,239 Speaker 1: would get calls about you know, hey, this person just 528 00:29:49,280 --> 00:29:52,080 Speaker 1: wants to meet you. You know, I would very jokingly say, well, 529 00:29:52,120 --> 00:29:55,200 Speaker 1: am I, you know, sewaging their guilt or do they 530 00:29:55,240 --> 00:29:57,880 Speaker 1: want to do real business here? Because, like I said, 531 00:29:58,040 --> 00:30:02,800 Speaker 1: isn't about just a project or hiring a person. It's 532 00:30:02,840 --> 00:30:07,200 Speaker 1: making a deep investment in the community so that this 533 00:30:07,400 --> 00:30:10,680 Speaker 1: is you know, that we're making a legacy change. And 534 00:30:10,720 --> 00:30:13,480 Speaker 1: I've said to people, don't you know, uh ask me 535 00:30:13,600 --> 00:30:17,239 Speaker 1: for a recommendation on someone to hire. That's great, but 536 00:30:17,520 --> 00:30:19,760 Speaker 1: why not make a deep investment in my company so 537 00:30:19,800 --> 00:30:22,960 Speaker 1: that I can continue to or anyone of colors company, 538 00:30:23,040 --> 00:30:25,920 Speaker 1: so that we can continue to provide the job opportunities, 539 00:30:26,240 --> 00:30:30,160 Speaker 1: provide the training, provide the you know, the point of 540 00:30:30,360 --> 00:30:33,920 Speaker 1: entry for more people of color, so that we can 541 00:30:34,000 --> 00:30:37,400 Speaker 1: build on the you know, the workforce, we can build 542 00:30:37,400 --> 00:30:39,960 Speaker 1: on the skill sets. That's what needs to happen in 543 00:30:40,040 --> 00:30:41,880 Speaker 1: order for us to see lasting change. I've heard so 544 00:30:41,880 --> 00:30:44,440 Speaker 1: many people say, oh, well, there aren't that many executives 545 00:30:44,480 --> 00:30:47,160 Speaker 1: out there, Well, how could there be when they weren't 546 00:30:47,160 --> 00:30:50,960 Speaker 1: that many opportunities to begin with to even bring them 547 00:30:51,000 --> 00:30:53,880 Speaker 1: into this world, to allow them to learn what they 548 00:30:53,960 --> 00:30:56,280 Speaker 1: need to be to be great executives, and there are 549 00:30:56,360 --> 00:30:59,479 Speaker 1: tons of great executives out there, but um, you know, 550 00:31:00,440 --> 00:31:03,920 Speaker 1: when I look back on it, even now, the election, 551 00:31:04,000 --> 00:31:07,440 Speaker 1: I feel has almost started to turn the tide on 552 00:31:07,560 --> 00:31:12,120 Speaker 1: all of the you know, interest and excitement around people 553 00:31:12,120 --> 00:31:15,000 Speaker 1: of color and making sure that the barriers were finally 554 00:31:15,040 --> 00:31:18,120 Speaker 1: broken down once and for all, and that this wasn't 555 00:31:18,120 --> 00:31:21,640 Speaker 1: a revolving door situation, but really of kicking in the 556 00:31:21,680 --> 00:31:25,920 Speaker 1: door situation. I think it's still left to be seen. 557 00:31:27,640 --> 00:31:29,800 Speaker 1: Uh you know what if it if it called for 558 00:31:29,840 --> 00:31:33,600 Speaker 1: anybody kicking indoors, I would be behind you. Mona Scott Young. 559 00:31:33,920 --> 00:31:37,560 Speaker 1: Thank you so much for a great conversation. Thank you. 560 00:31:38,000 --> 00:31:40,960 Speaker 1: A big part of my agenda is making sure that 561 00:31:41,360 --> 00:31:43,920 Speaker 1: once I kicked that door, and I'm reaching back and 562 00:31:43,960 --> 00:31:47,200 Speaker 1: pulling as many you know, people of color, especially women 563 00:31:47,200 --> 00:31:49,240 Speaker 1: of color. Like you said, I think it's even harder 564 00:31:49,520 --> 00:31:52,720 Speaker 1: for us for them to find mentors and and opportunities. 565 00:31:52,720 --> 00:31:55,760 Speaker 1: So that's a massive agenda for me. So many talented 566 00:31:55,800 --> 00:31:57,960 Speaker 1: people out there who may never get a shot, and 567 00:31:58,000 --> 00:32:01,040 Speaker 1: if I can you know, provide the plat form the opportunity, 568 00:32:01,400 --> 00:32:03,840 Speaker 1: that's a massive and major part of the agenda at 569 00:32:03,840 --> 00:32:06,920 Speaker 1: Mona met And so you know again. Like I said 570 00:32:06,920 --> 00:32:09,280 Speaker 1: to the partners who reached out and wanted to have 571 00:32:09,360 --> 00:32:12,200 Speaker 1: these great conversations, I was like, look, put your money 572 00:32:12,240 --> 00:32:15,880 Speaker 1: where your mouth is and let's create some real, sustainable, lasting, 573 00:32:16,040 --> 00:32:20,880 Speaker 1: impactful change. Absolutely wanna thank you so much for your time. 574 00:32:20,880 --> 00:32:24,600 Speaker 1: It's been a great conversation and look forward to Thank 575 00:32:24,640 --> 00:32:26,640 Speaker 1: you so much. I appreciate this. Thank you so much 576 00:32:26,680 --> 00:32:29,360 Speaker 1: for your time and giving me the visibility. I'm excited 577 00:32:29,360 --> 00:32:38,920 Speaker 1: about this least thank you. Thanks for listening. Be sure 578 00:32:38,960 --> 00:32:41,840 Speaker 1: to leave us a review at Apple Podcasts. We love 579 00:32:41,920 --> 00:32:44,440 Speaker 1: to hear from listeners, and be sure to tune in 580 00:32:44,560 --> 00:32:47,080 Speaker 1: next week for another episode of Strictly Business.