1 00:00:01,639 --> 00:00:08,399 Speaker 1: Afro Tech San Francisco, California. Rodney Williams, co founder and 2 00:00:08,480 --> 00:00:11,600 Speaker 1: chief commercial officer at Listener, is giving a lightning talk 3 00:00:11,640 --> 00:00:15,800 Speaker 1: on the main stage. Listeners and audio technology company that 4 00:00:15,840 --> 00:00:21,119 Speaker 1: transmits data like payment information authentication information over sound waves. 5 00:00:22,120 --> 00:00:25,079 Speaker 1: He talks here about the value the black perspective and 6 00:00:25,079 --> 00:00:27,720 Speaker 1: now he continues to challenge himself to remain authentic to 7 00:00:27,760 --> 00:00:30,960 Speaker 1: who he is in this industry which is infested by 8 00:00:30,960 --> 00:00:36,960 Speaker 1: all birds and Patagonia authenticity a virtue. He challenges us 9 00:00:37,120 --> 00:00:40,120 Speaker 1: to also embrace the other message that's really important is 10 00:00:40,120 --> 00:00:42,199 Speaker 1: that even at pn G, I don't think I was myself. 11 00:00:42,640 --> 00:00:45,200 Speaker 1: I started to try to play their game. I wore 12 00:00:45,280 --> 00:00:50,840 Speaker 1: slacks and sperris and um sweaters and cardigans. There's nothing 13 00:00:50,840 --> 00:00:53,320 Speaker 1: wrong if that's what you do. But I don't do 14 00:00:53,400 --> 00:00:55,680 Speaker 1: that right. I'm you know, I got to too, STAPs, 15 00:00:55,680 --> 00:01:02,279 Speaker 1: so he get it. I did. And you know when 16 00:01:02,320 --> 00:01:03,800 Speaker 1: I and I, when I first started the company, I 17 00:01:03,840 --> 00:01:07,560 Speaker 1: would also show up a Silicon Valley, not myself. And 18 00:01:07,880 --> 00:01:12,080 Speaker 1: something happened. After a long list of people telling me 19 00:01:12,080 --> 00:01:14,399 Speaker 1: they weren't gonna give me money out of the city, 20 00:01:14,959 --> 00:01:18,039 Speaker 1: I started to embrace who I was. I started to 21 00:01:18,040 --> 00:01:21,800 Speaker 1: remember everything that I always that I've been through. There's 22 00:01:21,800 --> 00:01:23,600 Speaker 1: something that I learned with one of my investors and 23 00:01:23,760 --> 00:01:27,240 Speaker 1: is while we were talking about Batman. And if you 24 00:01:27,280 --> 00:01:31,000 Speaker 1: all watch Batman, remember bang Banis has this mask on. 25 00:01:31,160 --> 00:01:36,640 Speaker 1: He's beating up Batman and bang uh. Batman goes, we're 26 00:01:36,640 --> 00:01:40,600 Speaker 1: from the same place, and bang says, No, I was 27 00:01:40,680 --> 00:01:48,280 Speaker 1: born in it. You adopted it. That's us. Like, it's 28 00:01:48,320 --> 00:01:51,320 Speaker 1: not a shield of disgrace. It's not something that we 29 00:01:51,360 --> 00:01:54,000 Speaker 1: should be nervous about, Like we should walk in the 30 00:01:54,080 --> 00:01:57,800 Speaker 1: room and eat your face like and that's how we 31 00:01:57,840 --> 00:02:01,800 Speaker 1: should all act. So anyway, bracing yourself and bracing who 32 00:02:01,840 --> 00:02:05,240 Speaker 1: you are and being confident in that is extremely important. 33 00:02:10,120 --> 00:02:13,359 Speaker 1: I'm with Lucas and this is Black Tech, Green Money. 34 00:02:13,880 --> 00:02:15,919 Speaker 1: I'm gonna introduce you to some of the biggest names, 35 00:02:16,120 --> 00:02:19,840 Speaker 1: some of the brightest minds in brilliant ideas. If you're 36 00:02:19,880 --> 00:02:22,680 Speaker 1: black in building or simply using tech to secure your bag, 37 00:02:23,200 --> 00:02:31,080 Speaker 1: this podcast is for you. Lifestyle specialist Kenny Burns is 38 00:02:31,080 --> 00:02:35,200 Speaker 1: a twenty plus year music and entertainment industry influencers and executive. 39 00:02:35,760 --> 00:02:39,399 Speaker 1: He was Senior vice president of brand Development at Combs Enterprises. 40 00:02:39,680 --> 00:02:43,360 Speaker 1: The entrepreneurial arm for Sean P. Diddy Combs and launched 41 00:02:43,400 --> 00:02:46,079 Speaker 1: Revolt TV while managing This I Rock and Delhi, a 42 00:02:46,160 --> 00:02:49,800 Speaker 1: tequila brands for Combs as well. I ask Kenny about 43 00:02:49,840 --> 00:02:52,480 Speaker 1: authenticity and the statement he made that he's come to 44 00:02:52,520 --> 00:02:56,120 Speaker 1: be known for get paid to be yourself. When I 45 00:02:56,160 --> 00:02:59,600 Speaker 1: first made the statement, um, you know, I think in 46 00:03:00,040 --> 00:03:03,160 Speaker 1: traditional business, across the board, you're expected to be a 47 00:03:03,200 --> 00:03:06,320 Speaker 1: certain way, um, whether you go to wall screen or 48 00:03:06,360 --> 00:03:10,240 Speaker 1: you go to the entertainment business. And for me, you know, 49 00:03:10,360 --> 00:03:14,200 Speaker 1: there's just certain things, integral things that I'm just not 50 00:03:14,320 --> 00:03:18,560 Speaker 1: willing to do to to gain in life. Right Like 51 00:03:18,600 --> 00:03:23,640 Speaker 1: I'm uh, you know, I'm I'm I'm firm and who 52 00:03:23,720 --> 00:03:26,480 Speaker 1: I am, I'm firm in the and who I want 53 00:03:26,480 --> 00:03:29,200 Speaker 1: to grow to be. I mean, we all have layers 54 00:03:29,200 --> 00:03:31,640 Speaker 1: to pill off as we assin. But I think, you know, 55 00:03:32,200 --> 00:03:35,520 Speaker 1: when I made that statement, it rained true for so 56 00:03:35,560 --> 00:03:38,680 Speaker 1: many people, man, because you get putting these these boxes, 57 00:03:38,680 --> 00:03:42,960 Speaker 1: and you get putting these circumstantial moments when you apply 58 00:03:43,120 --> 00:03:46,280 Speaker 1: for jobs or attaining jobs, and or you think you 59 00:03:46,320 --> 00:03:49,280 Speaker 1: have to be a certain way going into this particular profession. 60 00:03:49,320 --> 00:03:51,320 Speaker 1: And I just think that you can be you and 61 00:03:51,360 --> 00:03:55,560 Speaker 1: if you are yourself long enough authentically yourself, um, and 62 00:03:55,640 --> 00:03:58,200 Speaker 1: show people you know, obviously you have to show people 63 00:03:58,280 --> 00:04:01,960 Speaker 1: doing that that uh, that time that you know you 64 00:04:02,000 --> 00:04:04,520 Speaker 1: have a specific skill set and you can do the 65 00:04:04,560 --> 00:04:06,240 Speaker 1: things you say you can do. It's not like you 66 00:04:06,240 --> 00:04:10,240 Speaker 1: can just be an asshole and expect to win in life. Um. 67 00:04:10,280 --> 00:04:12,960 Speaker 1: But if you are authentically yourself, you have a unique 68 00:04:12,960 --> 00:04:15,520 Speaker 1: skill set. You know, you can create your own blueprint. 69 00:04:15,560 --> 00:04:19,560 Speaker 1: You don't have to follow others in tech. Um, we've 70 00:04:19,600 --> 00:04:24,719 Speaker 1: idolized fairly or unfairly, uh, stereotypical Ivy League school drop out, 71 00:04:24,760 --> 00:04:28,920 Speaker 1: the hoodie you know where. Um. And it wasn't until 72 00:04:29,000 --> 00:04:34,200 Speaker 1: I met Paul Judge about seven years ago that I 73 00:04:34,320 --> 00:04:36,600 Speaker 1: realized you didn't have to wear a hoodie in tech 74 00:04:36,680 --> 00:04:41,240 Speaker 1: to be successful, right Um. Paul was that representation for me. 75 00:04:41,360 --> 00:04:44,520 Speaker 1: And likewise, you on the branding side of the marketing side, 76 00:04:45,120 --> 00:04:49,200 Speaker 1: talk to me about what you see our perspective as 77 00:04:49,279 --> 00:04:52,960 Speaker 1: black people that value that that has in an industry 78 00:04:53,000 --> 00:04:57,280 Speaker 1: like technology. I just think presentation is everything. I think 79 00:04:57,360 --> 00:05:01,520 Speaker 1: you know, you show up how you want to be received. Um. 80 00:05:01,560 --> 00:05:04,680 Speaker 1: You know before I always tell that now that people 81 00:05:04,760 --> 00:05:07,240 Speaker 1: used to judge me so much by my pictures, right, 82 00:05:07,279 --> 00:05:11,000 Speaker 1: Like you see this guy, he's you know, couch surfing, 83 00:05:11,120 --> 00:05:14,320 Speaker 1: he's with you know, celebrities, he's flying private he's just 84 00:05:14,400 --> 00:05:17,440 Speaker 1: then the third. But you don't know the human right 85 00:05:17,480 --> 00:05:20,960 Speaker 1: Like you don't know that my same friends have been 86 00:05:21,000 --> 00:05:23,360 Speaker 1: my friends since the sand box. You don't know that 87 00:05:23,920 --> 00:05:27,080 Speaker 1: I've been married twenty one year since October coming. Um, 88 00:05:27,160 --> 00:05:30,200 Speaker 1: you don't know that I have thousands of men tees. 89 00:05:30,279 --> 00:05:33,320 Speaker 1: You don't know. And I think you know that can 90 00:05:33,360 --> 00:05:36,040 Speaker 1: be tricky. You can be judged basically on the way 91 00:05:36,080 --> 00:05:38,360 Speaker 1: you look, you know, the way you But I I 92 00:05:38,400 --> 00:05:42,320 Speaker 1: believe if you, you know, show up in business ready 93 00:05:42,360 --> 00:05:47,599 Speaker 1: to handle your business, looking smelling, feeling like money, nine 94 00:05:47,640 --> 00:05:49,280 Speaker 1: times I'll attend you're gonna get what you came for. 95 00:05:49,360 --> 00:05:51,440 Speaker 1: So I don't. I don't get into you know, and 96 00:05:51,480 --> 00:05:53,320 Speaker 1: I know in tech, like you know, it's that whole 97 00:05:53,400 --> 00:05:55,839 Speaker 1: where flip you know, thunk flip flops and you have 98 00:05:55,920 --> 00:05:58,160 Speaker 1: these creative ideas and you can do whatever. I mean, 99 00:05:58,160 --> 00:06:01,359 Speaker 1: that's cool, And that's some people's thing. I think is 100 00:06:01,400 --> 00:06:05,960 Speaker 1: I want to show up, um, you know, dress ready 101 00:06:06,000 --> 00:06:08,640 Speaker 1: to impress. And that's just the way I was, you know, 102 00:06:08,720 --> 00:06:12,080 Speaker 1: I was brought up and not impressing like we need validation. 103 00:06:12,480 --> 00:06:14,840 Speaker 1: But this is what I love. I love to dress 104 00:06:14,920 --> 00:06:17,920 Speaker 1: and I love, you know, to show up smelling amazing 105 00:06:18,000 --> 00:06:23,119 Speaker 1: and people be like, wait, what's that right? You know? So, yeah, 106 00:06:24,080 --> 00:06:26,520 Speaker 1: we use this word culture fit a lot. Is this 107 00:06:26,680 --> 00:06:29,880 Speaker 1: tech buzz word for people who for finding people who 108 00:06:29,960 --> 00:06:31,840 Speaker 1: talk like we talk, you know, are interested in a 109 00:06:31,880 --> 00:06:34,599 Speaker 1: lot a lot of the same things. And Um, as 110 00:06:34,640 --> 00:06:37,760 Speaker 1: we make progress black people in tech and in business, 111 00:06:37,800 --> 00:06:42,080 Speaker 1: you know, climbing the these ladders inside corporations, starting companies 112 00:06:42,120 --> 00:06:45,680 Speaker 1: and looking for funding, largely for people who don't look 113 00:06:45,720 --> 00:06:48,960 Speaker 1: like us. Um, how do we hold onto that truth 114 00:06:49,839 --> 00:06:52,400 Speaker 1: in those instances? Because again, I see people like that. 115 00:06:52,480 --> 00:06:54,159 Speaker 1: When I met Paul, it was at like a tech 116 00:06:54,160 --> 00:06:56,479 Speaker 1: crunch event. Everybody's in there, it's got a T shirt 117 00:06:56,560 --> 00:06:59,440 Speaker 1: or hoodie on it. He's getta you know, Hugo boss 118 00:06:59,440 --> 00:07:02,360 Speaker 1: suit or whatever. Where he was a weird at the time. Um, 119 00:07:02,400 --> 00:07:06,279 Speaker 1: But how do we hold on when that value may 120 00:07:06,279 --> 00:07:09,279 Speaker 1: not always be appreciated when we're trying, when we need 121 00:07:09,360 --> 00:07:12,600 Speaker 1: something from the other folks. Yeah, I mean I think 122 00:07:12,680 --> 00:07:16,200 Speaker 1: it's kind of Um. I think that you have to 123 00:07:16,320 --> 00:07:20,280 Speaker 1: have and offering, you know, I think if you're offering 124 00:07:20,680 --> 00:07:25,360 Speaker 1: is um special enough, they have no choice. And I, 125 00:07:25,440 --> 00:07:28,760 Speaker 1: you know, I came into a business that I honestly 126 00:07:28,800 --> 00:07:31,440 Speaker 1: didn't like after getting into it, but I was so 127 00:07:31,520 --> 00:07:34,840 Speaker 1: good at connecting pieces and putting pieces together. And then 128 00:07:35,360 --> 00:07:38,320 Speaker 1: when I had, you know, became, I came to my 129 00:07:38,320 --> 00:07:40,400 Speaker 1: wits and I was like, it's over. I don't want 130 00:07:40,400 --> 00:07:43,000 Speaker 1: to be in the music business anymore. I pivoted, not 131 00:07:43,680 --> 00:07:47,560 Speaker 1: far from what I loved about the creative process or 132 00:07:47,840 --> 00:07:52,040 Speaker 1: putting things together. I just tap more into my marketing 133 00:07:52,080 --> 00:07:54,960 Speaker 1: skills set. And then, you know, obviously fashion was a 134 00:07:54,960 --> 00:07:57,520 Speaker 1: part of mine, my offering, so I became a second 135 00:07:57,520 --> 00:08:00,600 Speaker 1: black designer ever in Sactionthato. These were all organic and 136 00:08:00,680 --> 00:08:04,000 Speaker 1: authentic steps. It wasn't like I had to step outside 137 00:08:04,000 --> 00:08:07,840 Speaker 1: of myself too, you know, to to continue the journey. 138 00:08:07,840 --> 00:08:09,840 Speaker 1: And I think when you do that, that's when you 139 00:08:09,880 --> 00:08:12,840 Speaker 1: lose people. If you are you know, I'm sure you've 140 00:08:12,880 --> 00:08:15,360 Speaker 1: met people in the tech world that has had this 141 00:08:15,520 --> 00:08:18,160 Speaker 1: one idea and they won't let go of this one 142 00:08:18,240 --> 00:08:21,080 Speaker 1: idea until it pops. Now. I don't suggest people do 143 00:08:21,160 --> 00:08:24,120 Speaker 1: that in life, but you know, when you see that person, 144 00:08:25,320 --> 00:08:27,800 Speaker 1: you're gonna hear that pitch. It's gonna be a little 145 00:08:27,840 --> 00:08:30,760 Speaker 1: adapted to justin that has happened since the last But 146 00:08:30,920 --> 00:08:32,840 Speaker 1: you know, but but you can respect that. And I 147 00:08:32,880 --> 00:08:37,480 Speaker 1: think that ultimately, you know, respect has earned and and 148 00:08:37,480 --> 00:08:41,439 Speaker 1: a lot of times, you know, you get overlooked for 149 00:08:41,559 --> 00:08:46,120 Speaker 1: being black, for being less talented, for whatever the case. Maybe, Um, 150 00:08:46,240 --> 00:08:49,520 Speaker 1: those are two extremes and not equally yoked in that 151 00:08:49,640 --> 00:08:52,800 Speaker 1: particular h offering. But you know, I just think that 152 00:08:52,840 --> 00:08:55,120 Speaker 1: people if you're good, you're good, they're gonna see it. 153 00:08:55,160 --> 00:08:57,720 Speaker 1: And they don't, that's their loss. But you know, to 154 00:08:57,880 --> 00:09:01,280 Speaker 1: stop because someone else doesn't see you, Um, is a 155 00:09:01,320 --> 00:09:06,240 Speaker 1: detriment to your your possibilities. Yeah, I got familiar with you. Um, 156 00:09:06,440 --> 00:09:09,880 Speaker 1: I was back in the day on the radio, and um, 157 00:09:09,960 --> 00:09:12,040 Speaker 1: Ryan Glover and I were getting close because he was 158 00:09:12,360 --> 00:09:14,959 Speaker 1: supportive of some things I were. I was doing the 159 00:09:15,040 --> 00:09:19,520 Speaker 1: radio back in the noontime days, right, yes, yes, And 160 00:09:19,640 --> 00:09:22,079 Speaker 1: you know you had the Ryan Kenney fashion label what 161 00:09:22,200 --> 00:09:25,960 Speaker 1: you just referenced with him, Um, coming up in this game, like, 162 00:09:26,000 --> 00:09:28,240 Speaker 1: there wasn't a lot of technology you could lean on 163 00:09:28,400 --> 00:09:32,400 Speaker 1: to build that brand awareness. And if you think about 164 00:09:32,640 --> 00:09:36,360 Speaker 1: who Kenny Burns is today and if you were to 165 00:09:36,360 --> 00:09:38,320 Speaker 1: have to come up in this type of era, with 166 00:09:38,360 --> 00:09:41,240 Speaker 1: the tools that are available, how would you have how 167 00:09:41,240 --> 00:09:44,520 Speaker 1: would you evolve those strategies that you use back then 168 00:09:44,559 --> 00:09:48,880 Speaker 1: to be relevant today? Well, I mean you were there. 169 00:09:49,120 --> 00:09:52,959 Speaker 1: Imagine if Kenny Burns had the Internet or social media. 170 00:09:53,160 --> 00:09:57,400 Speaker 1: I mean, could you imagine the level of promotion, marketing 171 00:09:57,440 --> 00:09:59,439 Speaker 1: assault that would have happened to the world. I think, 172 00:09:59,600 --> 00:10:01,800 Speaker 1: you know again, and it's it's you know, I think 173 00:10:02,160 --> 00:10:05,920 Speaker 1: my gift of people would allow me to connect in 174 00:10:05,960 --> 00:10:08,000 Speaker 1: a way where you know, and allows me to connect 175 00:10:08,000 --> 00:10:09,680 Speaker 1: in the way where people have to be involved with 176 00:10:09,679 --> 00:10:12,160 Speaker 1: what I'm doing. If you look at like the Kenny 177 00:10:12,160 --> 00:10:14,280 Speaker 1: Burns show, like two days into the quarantine, I lost 178 00:10:14,320 --> 00:10:18,160 Speaker 1: two twenty five dollars in events in the next three months, 179 00:10:18,200 --> 00:10:20,800 Speaker 1: and I'm like, wait, I have to figure out how 180 00:10:20,800 --> 00:10:23,440 Speaker 1: to get you know what I mean? So, and and 181 00:10:23,559 --> 00:10:26,080 Speaker 1: all I did was something I always do, But I 182 00:10:26,160 --> 00:10:28,920 Speaker 1: just sat down and did it on my phone, versus 183 00:10:28,960 --> 00:10:31,880 Speaker 1: having direct one on ones or speaking to you know, 184 00:10:31,920 --> 00:10:34,120 Speaker 1: tens of thousands of people through you know, through my 185 00:10:34,160 --> 00:10:38,400 Speaker 1: hostings or speaking engagements. And so you know, I wouldn't 186 00:10:38,520 --> 00:10:40,640 Speaker 1: you know, I wouldn't change my approach. I think my 187 00:10:40,640 --> 00:10:45,000 Speaker 1: my ability to connect with human beings would be well 188 00:10:45,080 --> 00:10:47,240 Speaker 1: received in the tech space, you know what I mean, 189 00:10:47,280 --> 00:10:51,040 Speaker 1: like the just the blueprint of like I'm a person 190 00:10:51,160 --> 00:10:55,440 Speaker 1: that I will never let the algorithm take over the feeling. 191 00:10:55,600 --> 00:10:57,720 Speaker 1: I am the type of person I will never let 192 00:10:57,720 --> 00:11:01,040 Speaker 1: the robot take over the human. And I mean that 193 00:11:01,040 --> 00:11:03,920 Speaker 1: whole hardly because I think there's a certain connection with 194 00:11:04,040 --> 00:11:06,800 Speaker 1: humans and I would just you know, figure out the 195 00:11:06,800 --> 00:11:11,559 Speaker 1: way the best do with socially and technology technologically. Yeah, 196 00:11:11,679 --> 00:11:13,200 Speaker 1: let me let me dig deep on that. Because I 197 00:11:13,240 --> 00:11:16,200 Speaker 1: was listening to um an interview D Nice did with 198 00:11:16,280 --> 00:11:18,920 Speaker 1: the Breakfast Club, and he was talking about how when 199 00:11:18,960 --> 00:11:22,200 Speaker 1: he's turned on, you know, that first couple of nights 200 00:11:22,200 --> 00:11:25,400 Speaker 1: of him spending on Instagram, you know, he would get 201 00:11:25,440 --> 00:11:27,080 Speaker 1: a couple of thousand here, a few thousand there, and 202 00:11:27,080 --> 00:11:29,440 Speaker 1: then it just one night. It was just magic. And 203 00:11:29,480 --> 00:11:31,440 Speaker 1: he said, but he really, I'll tell you what that 204 00:11:31,520 --> 00:11:35,600 Speaker 1: happened and why it was the human connection he had 205 00:11:35,679 --> 00:11:38,240 Speaker 1: he got lit. I don't know, you know, he was 206 00:11:38,400 --> 00:11:41,119 Speaker 1: he was, you know, doing what he does with his playlist, 207 00:11:41,840 --> 00:11:45,720 Speaker 1: and you know he was talking like D Nice. You 208 00:11:45,760 --> 00:11:49,439 Speaker 1: hadn't heard him publicly talking like that. He was telling you, 209 00:11:49,480 --> 00:11:53,200 Speaker 1: thank you, He was filling the energy from you know whatever, 210 00:11:53,360 --> 00:11:56,920 Speaker 1: And it was such a vulnerable human moment that you 211 00:11:56,960 --> 00:12:00,760 Speaker 1: couldn't help but like lock in and and and because 212 00:12:00,800 --> 00:12:04,439 Speaker 1: of that, it was like, yo, we're stuck the word travel, 213 00:12:04,520 --> 00:12:06,400 Speaker 1: like where can we go? And just kind of because 214 00:12:06,400 --> 00:12:08,840 Speaker 1: you know, this is like this is unheard of for 215 00:12:08,880 --> 00:12:12,520 Speaker 1: our generation. We've never been stuck nowhere, like I mean, 216 00:12:12,640 --> 00:12:14,560 Speaker 1: I've never been in the house for four months right 217 00:12:14,800 --> 00:12:17,920 Speaker 1: in my life. Um. And so when you look at 218 00:12:17,960 --> 00:12:21,120 Speaker 1: what he did, man, it was the vulnerability that connected 219 00:12:21,120 --> 00:12:23,240 Speaker 1: the dots fan because he was already he was already 220 00:12:23,280 --> 00:12:27,120 Speaker 1: the musical maestro, you know what I mean. Like, so 221 00:12:27,160 --> 00:12:28,720 Speaker 1: it was it was about it was about let me 222 00:12:28,720 --> 00:12:30,400 Speaker 1: get to know you. And that's even when my wife 223 00:12:30,520 --> 00:12:33,240 Speaker 1: told me, she's like, Kenny, like people see your pictures, 224 00:12:33,240 --> 00:12:35,040 Speaker 1: they don't really know you. Like people that come to 225 00:12:35,080 --> 00:12:38,079 Speaker 1: your seminars, people that are loyal listen, want to get 226 00:12:38,120 --> 00:12:40,440 Speaker 1: to know you, know you, he said. But this Internet, 227 00:12:40,880 --> 00:12:43,800 Speaker 1: I'm sorry, this social media gives you an opportunity to 228 00:12:43,840 --> 00:12:45,840 Speaker 1: be that. I just was never the guy that wanted 229 00:12:45,840 --> 00:12:48,400 Speaker 1: to be like, oh I don't feel good and I'm sad, 230 00:12:48,640 --> 00:12:54,360 Speaker 1: and but you know this, this in the controlled way 231 00:12:54,920 --> 00:12:58,320 Speaker 1: can do wonders for your business for sure. Yeah, I'm 232 00:12:58,320 --> 00:13:00,280 Speaker 1: gonna I'm gonna come back to that point. I think 233 00:13:00,280 --> 00:13:03,679 Speaker 1: that's a very salient point. Um. And he mentioned that, 234 00:13:03,720 --> 00:13:08,400 Speaker 1: you know, it was thirty years leading up to that moment, right, 235 00:13:08,960 --> 00:13:12,719 Speaker 1: And so I think about when you talk about the 236 00:13:12,840 --> 00:13:16,760 Speaker 1: evolved Kenny Burns in this era coming up. Um. I 237 00:13:16,760 --> 00:13:19,880 Speaker 1: actually even had this conversation with Tombasa on a different episode. 238 00:13:19,880 --> 00:13:21,520 Speaker 1: He was He's like, you gotta find a way do 239 00:13:21,559 --> 00:13:26,480 Speaker 1: you commodified your presence on the internet? Right? And I would, 240 00:13:26,520 --> 00:13:28,360 Speaker 1: I would ask you to go and go in, go 241 00:13:28,440 --> 00:13:32,040 Speaker 1: in on your point of um, being the guy all 242 00:13:32,080 --> 00:13:33,959 Speaker 1: over social media, et cetera, because there's a lot of 243 00:13:33,960 --> 00:13:37,040 Speaker 1: people trying. When the quarantine first hit, everybody was alive 244 00:13:37,559 --> 00:13:41,960 Speaker 1: on instan everybody. So how does how do you break 245 00:13:42,000 --> 00:13:44,360 Speaker 1: through without having to go through that thirty year period 246 00:13:44,440 --> 00:13:47,520 Speaker 1: like the United with that year period like Kenny Burns 247 00:13:47,520 --> 00:13:50,959 Speaker 1: to be able to break through these days in your mind? Yeah, 248 00:13:51,000 --> 00:13:53,280 Speaker 1: I mean, you know, it's all happens things. I don't 249 00:13:53,320 --> 00:13:55,960 Speaker 1: think that there's any rhyme or reason to it. You know, 250 00:13:56,120 --> 00:13:59,920 Speaker 1: you could have a rant one day. Um, you know, 251 00:14:00,080 --> 00:14:01,800 Speaker 1: I don't like the way of treating black women. This 252 00:14:01,840 --> 00:14:04,240 Speaker 1: guy hit the girl in the face, skateboard through the 253 00:14:04,240 --> 00:14:06,880 Speaker 1: girl and trying stand and you can take a stance 254 00:14:06,960 --> 00:14:10,320 Speaker 1: that day. Um, that just carries you on a journey 255 00:14:10,360 --> 00:14:13,200 Speaker 1: you never thought you were coming into. But that's the 256 00:14:13,200 --> 00:14:16,319 Speaker 1: the mystery of social media. D Nice didn't plan that 257 00:14:16,920 --> 00:14:20,960 Speaker 1: thirty years of working his I mean, you know, I've 258 00:14:21,000 --> 00:14:24,480 Speaker 1: imagined this thirty years of your life. You go back 259 00:14:24,480 --> 00:14:27,600 Speaker 1: and forth on the journey. You get money, you know, 260 00:14:27,640 --> 00:14:30,640 Speaker 1: you have a nice life, you raise children right, and 261 00:14:30,680 --> 00:14:33,880 Speaker 1: then all of a sudden it changes. It's not because 262 00:14:34,280 --> 00:14:36,560 Speaker 1: it changes right then and there. And it was you know, 263 00:14:36,960 --> 00:14:41,320 Speaker 1: the stars, moon and quasars aligned, and your work, what 264 00:14:41,520 --> 00:14:43,800 Speaker 1: you've done all that time. The fact that you were 265 00:14:43,800 --> 00:14:46,040 Speaker 1: able to get Michelle Oban, the fact that you were 266 00:14:46,080 --> 00:14:48,640 Speaker 1: able to get these people, that is you know. But 267 00:14:48,920 --> 00:14:53,640 Speaker 1: there's no formula for the internet. The internet is smoking mirrors. 268 00:14:53,720 --> 00:14:58,560 Speaker 1: Like I could probably go ham Sandwich with all the 269 00:14:59,320 --> 00:15:02,000 Speaker 1: you know what what the blogs a t that I 270 00:15:02,040 --> 00:15:04,480 Speaker 1: have on people I know, but I'm not I had 271 00:15:04,800 --> 00:15:07,479 Speaker 1: real great times with these people. They might have shortcomings, 272 00:15:07,520 --> 00:15:09,840 Speaker 1: but that's not on me to dish. So I think, 273 00:15:09,840 --> 00:15:12,280 Speaker 1: you know, there are people that come to the social 274 00:15:12,320 --> 00:15:16,000 Speaker 1: space to tell it all because they you know, that's 275 00:15:16,000 --> 00:15:17,880 Speaker 1: all they have to really offer. When you look at 276 00:15:17,920 --> 00:15:20,920 Speaker 1: like how I did it in the quarantine, All I 277 00:15:20,960 --> 00:15:23,600 Speaker 1: did is all I've been doing. Just like with Derek, 278 00:15:23,680 --> 00:15:25,480 Speaker 1: all he did is what he's been doing. I just 279 00:15:25,560 --> 00:15:29,120 Speaker 1: became we just became more vulnerable in our offering. When 280 00:15:29,120 --> 00:15:33,560 Speaker 1: you listen to me, talk to her. Her is two 281 00:15:33,640 --> 00:15:37,120 Speaker 1: years old, and she's been here before. But if you 282 00:15:37,160 --> 00:15:39,800 Speaker 1: don't know anything about life, if you haven't lived enough 283 00:15:39,920 --> 00:15:44,120 Speaker 1: life too, you know, tell her about her superpower and 284 00:15:44,200 --> 00:15:46,760 Speaker 1: have her tell you about her superpower and have that 285 00:15:46,840 --> 00:15:50,360 Speaker 1: mix of gumbo and festive conversation and love fess. But 286 00:15:50,440 --> 00:15:52,320 Speaker 1: the person I've never even met in my life. I 287 00:15:52,360 --> 00:15:54,840 Speaker 1: knew her manager, but you would have thought I've known 288 00:15:54,920 --> 00:15:59,280 Speaker 1: her twenty five years. But but but just like Ludicrous 289 00:15:59,480 --> 00:16:02,040 Speaker 1: or just like Kevin Hard, or just like somebody I 290 00:16:02,120 --> 00:16:05,000 Speaker 1: have known, and you have the same type of conversation. 291 00:16:05,320 --> 00:16:08,760 Speaker 1: It's not about Kenny Burns. It's about culture. It's about 292 00:16:08,800 --> 00:16:14,200 Speaker 1: framing cultures, about regurgitating something that you haven't felt, showing 293 00:16:14,200 --> 00:16:16,960 Speaker 1: you something about someone like Damon John. I had him 294 00:16:17,000 --> 00:16:20,440 Speaker 1: on the day and he was giving you information. I mean, 295 00:16:20,640 --> 00:16:24,240 Speaker 1: this is a guy who started in hip hop and fashion, 296 00:16:24,680 --> 00:16:27,960 Speaker 1: went all the way to Shark Tank and got into 297 00:16:28,040 --> 00:16:31,040 Speaker 1: tech and everything else. But he was you know, he 298 00:16:31,080 --> 00:16:34,800 Speaker 1: grew up with the Supreme Team, a notorious gainst the 299 00:16:34,920 --> 00:16:37,520 Speaker 1: drug card telling it. So, my thing is like you 300 00:16:37,560 --> 00:16:41,880 Speaker 1: don't know things you know? With me, you get an 301 00:16:41,920 --> 00:16:45,480 Speaker 1: opportunity to see people in a different realm. I'm probably 302 00:16:45,520 --> 00:16:50,000 Speaker 1: the best in our culture of framing culture and repackaging 303 00:16:50,040 --> 00:16:54,280 Speaker 1: it and repurposing it back to to the people. I 304 00:16:54,320 --> 00:16:56,480 Speaker 1: love that. Um, I kind of want to dig in on. 305 00:16:56,600 --> 00:17:00,360 Speaker 1: You talked about, you know, showing more of yourself in 306 00:17:00,400 --> 00:17:03,240 Speaker 1: this world, and Steve Jobs had this quote says, you 307 00:17:03,280 --> 00:17:05,760 Speaker 1: can't connect the dots looking forward, you can only connect 308 00:17:05,800 --> 00:17:09,640 Speaker 1: them looking backwards. Um. So when you think about becoming 309 00:17:09,640 --> 00:17:12,800 Speaker 1: a person to influence, what do too many of us 310 00:17:12,840 --> 00:17:16,439 Speaker 1: get wrong about the strategy we may use to build 311 00:17:16,560 --> 00:17:20,119 Speaker 1: that influence. Um? Well, first of all, I don't know 312 00:17:20,160 --> 00:17:23,679 Speaker 1: if I agree with Steve Jobs. I mean, as brilliant 313 00:17:23,720 --> 00:17:26,119 Speaker 1: as he is, and I know that's that's blasphemous to 314 00:17:26,200 --> 00:17:31,919 Speaker 1: saying the test, but you know, looking back, and I 315 00:17:31,960 --> 00:17:34,720 Speaker 1: don't know Steve, never met him in my life, but 316 00:17:34,880 --> 00:17:39,040 Speaker 1: you know, watching the movie, um, you know, seeing reading 317 00:17:39,080 --> 00:17:44,080 Speaker 1: about him obviously witnessing the creation of of what what 318 00:17:44,080 --> 00:17:49,160 Speaker 1: what apple is? Um? You know, the past was detrimental 319 00:17:49,200 --> 00:17:51,560 Speaker 1: for him. The past was painful for him, although it 320 00:17:51,600 --> 00:17:55,560 Speaker 1: might have been a driving force and ultimately you know, 321 00:17:56,000 --> 00:18:01,800 Speaker 1: um creating his own ecosystem. Um, it was very painful. 322 00:18:01,840 --> 00:18:06,080 Speaker 1: And I I actually doing COVID, got a chance to 323 00:18:06,119 --> 00:18:08,280 Speaker 1: peel back some of the layers on my childhood trauma 324 00:18:08,280 --> 00:18:10,320 Speaker 1: from the things I saw at a very young age 325 00:18:10,680 --> 00:18:13,520 Speaker 1: and had to go through. Um. You know, I was 326 00:18:13,560 --> 00:18:17,199 Speaker 1: taught to compartmentalize, put it away, compart, you know, but 327 00:18:17,320 --> 00:18:21,160 Speaker 1: you had to because you know, when you think seeing 328 00:18:21,160 --> 00:18:23,760 Speaker 1: people do drugs is normal, or living this type of 329 00:18:23,800 --> 00:18:26,720 Speaker 1: life is normal, you become a little off. UM. So 330 00:18:27,000 --> 00:18:29,520 Speaker 1: I wouldn't say go back. What I would suggest, though, 331 00:18:30,200 --> 00:18:34,080 Speaker 1: is that own who you are, own what you what 332 00:18:34,240 --> 00:18:36,239 Speaker 1: you saw, and who your people are like. You know. 333 00:18:36,640 --> 00:18:39,000 Speaker 1: The thing I never I never did, no matter no 334 00:18:39,000 --> 00:18:43,879 Speaker 1: matter the dysfunction. I never like rope my people off. 335 00:18:44,280 --> 00:18:46,760 Speaker 1: You know, even now in culture, I don't you could 336 00:18:46,800 --> 00:18:48,720 Speaker 1: have done something to me bad and business. I'm not 337 00:18:48,720 --> 00:18:51,080 Speaker 1: gonna write you off. I'm gonna hold you accountable, but 338 00:18:51,160 --> 00:18:53,840 Speaker 1: I'm not gonna write you off. Because what I feel 339 00:18:53,960 --> 00:18:59,399 Speaker 1: is to ultimately grow and be whole as a human being, 340 00:19:00,040 --> 00:19:02,760 Speaker 1: you have to accept all of your gifts as well 341 00:19:02,800 --> 00:19:06,040 Speaker 1: as all of your faults. And it's not about, you know, 342 00:19:06,119 --> 00:19:07,879 Speaker 1: the past. This is one thing. Like my wife and 343 00:19:07,960 --> 00:19:13,239 Speaker 1: now you know, I made sure that the disappointments in 344 00:19:13,320 --> 00:19:16,800 Speaker 1: her life from men, right, I would I would not 345 00:19:16,920 --> 00:19:21,720 Speaker 1: repeat those things, and she could be she could count 346 00:19:21,760 --> 00:19:26,320 Speaker 1: on me to not, like, you know, be a reflection 347 00:19:26,359 --> 00:19:27,680 Speaker 1: of that, you know, I mean, so we wouldn't have 348 00:19:27,760 --> 00:19:29,640 Speaker 1: to live in that space because you know, we all 349 00:19:29,800 --> 00:19:32,119 Speaker 1: often here like sometimes you go forward in life and 350 00:19:32,119 --> 00:19:35,760 Speaker 1: you meet somebody like somebody and then you stuff you know, 351 00:19:35,880 --> 00:19:38,439 Speaker 1: or you or you go into business you work with 352 00:19:38,480 --> 00:19:40,240 Speaker 1: people in this space and you're go in this space 353 00:19:40,280 --> 00:19:42,239 Speaker 1: and you deal with the same type of people. You 354 00:19:42,280 --> 00:19:44,520 Speaker 1: have to be willing to let that ship go because 355 00:19:44,600 --> 00:19:48,399 Speaker 1: carrying it into each relationship ends up mirroring to me 356 00:19:49,240 --> 00:19:52,159 Speaker 1: um the possibilities of it arise and they get all 357 00:19:52,160 --> 00:19:54,600 Speaker 1: those people being the same. No, that's that's fair. That's fair. 358 00:19:54,640 --> 00:19:56,760 Speaker 1: And I think what I took from that quote was 359 00:19:57,520 --> 00:20:00,840 Speaker 1: you it's only looking backwards that you can see why 360 00:20:00,960 --> 00:20:04,760 Speaker 1: things made sense instead of looking out in the future 361 00:20:04,760 --> 00:20:09,160 Speaker 1: and trying to make it happen. But oftentimes a lot 362 00:20:09,160 --> 00:20:13,960 Speaker 1: of people aren't that thoughtful or smart. Um and and 363 00:20:13,760 --> 00:20:15,960 Speaker 1: and we don't this is this is not a we're 364 00:20:15,960 --> 00:20:18,600 Speaker 1: not fingerpoint. We're just you know, it's just like somebody 365 00:20:18,840 --> 00:20:20,760 Speaker 1: when when the primaries were here in Georgia, I gave 366 00:20:20,800 --> 00:20:23,240 Speaker 1: a list of people to you know, vote for, because 367 00:20:23,520 --> 00:20:25,400 Speaker 1: some people go and look for a black last name. 368 00:20:25,520 --> 00:20:28,520 Speaker 1: Some people go and and guests or just do all 369 00:20:28,560 --> 00:20:31,159 Speaker 1: Democrats when there's multiple options and you should know the 370 00:20:31,160 --> 00:20:36,600 Speaker 1: best options. So but you know, again tomato tomato. Um. 371 00:20:36,600 --> 00:20:40,040 Speaker 1: But yeah, very good, very good. Um. How do you 372 00:20:40,080 --> 00:20:43,720 Speaker 1: think about monetizing your personal brand? So what is the 373 00:20:43,760 --> 00:20:46,639 Speaker 1: strategy people should be thinking about if they've got a 374 00:20:46,720 --> 00:20:50,239 Speaker 1: thousand followers on Instagram five thousand, twenty thousand followers. So 375 00:20:50,520 --> 00:20:53,080 Speaker 1: it's not just y'all look at that twenty thou followers, 376 00:20:53,080 --> 00:20:56,320 Speaker 1: but it actually means something. What are you doing with 377 00:20:56,359 --> 00:20:59,120 Speaker 1: that twenty thousand followers? Like what would you as a marketer? 378 00:20:59,480 --> 00:21:03,000 Speaker 1: How do you think about Okay, let's actually make this meaningful, 379 00:21:03,800 --> 00:21:06,240 Speaker 1: no question. I mean if you have a thousand followers 380 00:21:06,240 --> 00:21:09,320 Speaker 1: and those thousand followers move when you say move it's 381 00:21:09,359 --> 00:21:11,959 Speaker 1: better than having a million followers that you get a 382 00:21:12,000 --> 00:21:15,320 Speaker 1: thousand followers to move. Um. And I think a lot 383 00:21:15,359 --> 00:21:19,560 Speaker 1: of times, you know, we look at numbers like you know, oh, 384 00:21:19,760 --> 00:21:22,280 Speaker 1: you know, Kenny has two hundred and fifty thousand followers 385 00:21:22,320 --> 00:21:25,080 Speaker 1: and he's it's easy. No, No, that's not that's not 386 00:21:25,119 --> 00:21:28,240 Speaker 1: necessarily the truth. UM. I have a great you know, 387 00:21:28,359 --> 00:21:31,960 Speaker 1: support system in my community, that the ecosystem that I've created. 388 00:21:32,320 --> 00:21:34,439 Speaker 1: But you know, you should be able to move the 389 00:21:34,480 --> 00:21:36,400 Speaker 1: way you move. I mean you can look at engagement 390 00:21:36,440 --> 00:21:39,600 Speaker 1: with someone with a thousand followers that gets eight hundred 391 00:21:39,640 --> 00:21:44,159 Speaker 1: likes and that's you know, engagement. So you know, I 392 00:21:44,520 --> 00:21:48,760 Speaker 1: never I want people to always remember it's not about 393 00:21:48,880 --> 00:21:51,920 Speaker 1: what everybody else is doing. It's about what you're doing 394 00:21:52,119 --> 00:21:55,880 Speaker 1: and how well you're doing it. You know, we all 395 00:21:55,960 --> 00:21:59,240 Speaker 1: have been guilty of UM. You know, when I was 396 00:21:59,280 --> 00:22:01,920 Speaker 1: coming up, it's like, you know, puff did this by 397 00:22:01,920 --> 00:22:04,080 Speaker 1: this age. I gotta do this by this age. And 398 00:22:04,080 --> 00:22:06,240 Speaker 1: then it got to the point where I wasn't keeping up, 399 00:22:06,560 --> 00:22:08,639 Speaker 1: and then I was like wait, But then it was 400 00:22:08,680 --> 00:22:11,679 Speaker 1: nothing wrong with that because that man's journeys his journey. 401 00:22:11,960 --> 00:22:14,359 Speaker 1: My journey is my journey, and I have to appreciate it. 402 00:22:14,400 --> 00:22:16,879 Speaker 1: And I tell my mentees all the time, if you 403 00:22:16,880 --> 00:22:21,159 Speaker 1: don't appreciate the journey, you won't appreciate what's at the 404 00:22:21,320 --> 00:22:23,280 Speaker 1: end of that. And a lot of times it's not 405 00:22:23,359 --> 00:22:26,040 Speaker 1: your actual dream, you know what I mean, It's not 406 00:22:26,119 --> 00:22:28,760 Speaker 1: the actual you know, your in game, what you thought 407 00:22:28,800 --> 00:22:31,200 Speaker 1: it was gonna be. And even as you grow businesses, 408 00:22:31,240 --> 00:22:33,800 Speaker 1: you're gonna you know, for me, what I have ever thought, 409 00:22:33,920 --> 00:22:36,840 Speaker 1: Uncle Nearest, would be the biggest investment I ever made 410 00:22:36,840 --> 00:22:39,240 Speaker 1: out of all the amazing things that I've done and 411 00:22:39,280 --> 00:22:41,960 Speaker 1: been a part of. But today it's probably the best 412 00:22:42,040 --> 00:22:45,280 Speaker 1: investment that I made. Now, is it over? No? But 413 00:22:45,400 --> 00:22:47,280 Speaker 1: you know, you have to be open to receive, and 414 00:22:47,320 --> 00:22:50,960 Speaker 1: I think sometimes we are so you know, it has 415 00:22:51,000 --> 00:22:52,760 Speaker 1: to be this. We gotta do this, And if I 416 00:22:52,760 --> 00:22:55,119 Speaker 1: don't have this many followers, then oh man, I'm bad. No, 417 00:22:55,520 --> 00:22:57,919 Speaker 1: you have to appreciate what you have and make that 418 00:22:57,960 --> 00:23:14,960 Speaker 1: work for you. Back in the day, Kenny launched his 419 00:23:15,000 --> 00:23:19,639 Speaker 1: own company music and monopolized Atlanta's party scene in the 420 00:23:19,640 --> 00:23:23,840 Speaker 1: mid nineties during the era of Freaknick. His clothing line 421 00:23:24,080 --> 00:23:27,080 Speaker 1: Ryan Kenney, which launched a two thousand four gardenered him 422 00:23:27,119 --> 00:23:30,000 Speaker 1: the recognition of being the second black designer in sax 423 00:23:30,080 --> 00:23:35,120 Speaker 1: Cat Avenue. Kenny also served as an executive at Rockefeller Records. 424 00:23:35,640 --> 00:23:40,200 Speaker 1: Today he's a master marketer, making deals throughout the entertainment industry, 425 00:23:40,520 --> 00:23:43,040 Speaker 1: hosting The Kenney Burns Show with streams live on I 426 00:23:43,160 --> 00:23:46,639 Speaker 1: G t V, mentoring up and comers, and investing in 427 00:23:46,720 --> 00:23:52,000 Speaker 1: companies like Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey. Very often entrepreneurs get 428 00:23:52,040 --> 00:23:55,320 Speaker 1: stuck in analysis paralysis, the time when we're working so 429 00:23:55,359 --> 00:23:58,000 Speaker 1: hard to get a strategy designed that we may overlook 430 00:23:58,040 --> 00:24:02,200 Speaker 1: more fundamental issues. Kenny Burns speaks on it. I think 431 00:24:02,280 --> 00:24:06,800 Speaker 1: strategy is a must, but without the product. I mean, 432 00:24:07,119 --> 00:24:09,560 Speaker 1: you gotta think about like what you're selling, right, Like 433 00:24:09,600 --> 00:24:11,320 Speaker 1: if I came to you and I was like, Yo, 434 00:24:11,800 --> 00:24:15,919 Speaker 1: I got this whiskey and it's the best whiskey. Is 435 00:24:15,960 --> 00:24:18,880 Speaker 1: that enough? You know what I'm saying, It's not enough. 436 00:24:19,520 --> 00:24:23,960 Speaker 1: I have to have Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey, the slave 437 00:24:24,080 --> 00:24:27,400 Speaker 1: that taught Jack Daniels how to distill. Once I give 438 00:24:27,440 --> 00:24:31,600 Speaker 1: you that the story then because oh yeah, the house 439 00:24:31,600 --> 00:24:35,480 Speaker 1: on the bottle is where the orphan, uh Jack Daniels came, 440 00:24:35,480 --> 00:24:38,879 Speaker 1: which is actually the dan Call farm where Uncle Niars 441 00:24:38,960 --> 00:24:41,520 Speaker 1: was a master distiller. Oh yeah, by the way, we 442 00:24:41,560 --> 00:24:46,000 Speaker 1: own that three hundred and thirty acres. Oh yeah, by 443 00:24:46,080 --> 00:24:49,200 Speaker 1: the way. Uh Jack Daniels and and Brown Foreman thought 444 00:24:49,240 --> 00:24:52,800 Speaker 1: it was a distillery number six team. We have uncovered 445 00:24:52,880 --> 00:24:55,760 Speaker 1: the farm. We was uncovered information that that says it 446 00:24:55,880 --> 00:25:00,760 Speaker 1: was distillery number seven. Like you gotta, you gotta, you know. 447 00:25:00,840 --> 00:25:03,720 Speaker 1: I think people get so caught up in strategy as 448 00:25:03,720 --> 00:25:06,480 Speaker 1: far as like and that's the thing back to humans, right, 449 00:25:06,520 --> 00:25:08,400 Speaker 1: like if you have a product, how am I gonna 450 00:25:08,400 --> 00:25:10,400 Speaker 1: move the product? When I met far we even like, fine, 451 00:25:10,720 --> 00:25:12,800 Speaker 1: I could do a hundred thousand cases. This is what 452 00:25:12,840 --> 00:25:17,440 Speaker 1: I needed. It's like, Kenny, wait, there's a pertnage of 453 00:25:17,440 --> 00:25:19,480 Speaker 1: whiskey drinkers that we have to get first before we 454 00:25:19,520 --> 00:25:23,160 Speaker 1: can go Pam sound and I'm like, well, look, you came. 455 00:25:23,720 --> 00:25:25,760 Speaker 1: You know you you you your partner with the lifestyles. 456 00:25:26,840 --> 00:25:29,240 Speaker 1: I moved a needle. You know, I want you to 457 00:25:29,280 --> 00:25:32,240 Speaker 1: move the needle. You know, the breakfast club thing you're doing, 458 00:25:32,400 --> 00:25:34,040 Speaker 1: like all those things. We need all that to get 459 00:25:34,040 --> 00:25:37,359 Speaker 1: depressed it down. But bro, when I tell you her 460 00:25:37,400 --> 00:25:42,760 Speaker 1: strategy worked, you know, but that was when strategy was necessary. Kenny, 461 00:25:42,840 --> 00:25:46,320 Speaker 1: Let's go after of the whiskey drinkers first, once we 462 00:25:46,359 --> 00:25:48,920 Speaker 1: get them, and it becomes about the actual liquid in 463 00:25:48,960 --> 00:25:50,239 Speaker 1: the bottle of the story is gonna do what it's 464 00:25:50,280 --> 00:25:51,960 Speaker 1: gonna do when it comes about it, then we could 465 00:25:51,960 --> 00:25:55,000 Speaker 1: go and double down on on what we are and 466 00:25:55,040 --> 00:25:58,600 Speaker 1: who we are. So I think, man, you know, strategies necessary, man, 467 00:25:58,600 --> 00:26:00,399 Speaker 1: but it's about what you're selling ultimate at least that 468 00:26:00,440 --> 00:26:04,280 Speaker 1: will give you the energy to create a proper strategy. 469 00:26:04,440 --> 00:26:07,040 Speaker 1: And you know, and and listen, any business you're going into, 470 00:26:07,280 --> 00:26:11,320 Speaker 1: there's a blueprint. You're gonna follow the blueprint of many 471 00:26:11,359 --> 00:26:14,320 Speaker 1: different people along the way. Right, So I'm not again, 472 00:26:14,359 --> 00:26:16,760 Speaker 1: don't get don't get a mistaken like you don't have 473 00:26:16,840 --> 00:26:19,160 Speaker 1: to have strategy, But I'm just giving you common sense. 474 00:26:19,200 --> 00:26:21,760 Speaker 1: Any business you get into, there is a strategy that 475 00:26:21,840 --> 00:26:23,639 Speaker 1: has been prepared for you. How are you gonna make 476 00:26:23,680 --> 00:26:26,720 Speaker 1: it yours? How are you gonna effectively execute it and win? 477 00:26:27,280 --> 00:26:30,280 Speaker 1: But it all goes back to the product. How important 478 00:26:30,359 --> 00:26:32,640 Speaker 1: is this moment then? And you know, with all things 479 00:26:32,680 --> 00:26:35,520 Speaker 1: that are going on, um, with kind of a blank 480 00:26:35,560 --> 00:26:37,840 Speaker 1: slate of what the future is gonna look like for 481 00:26:37,880 --> 00:26:41,879 Speaker 1: our economy, Um, how is how important is this moment? 482 00:26:41,960 --> 00:26:45,600 Speaker 1: The resetting of where people spend their money, where people 483 00:26:45,640 --> 00:26:50,120 Speaker 1: spend their time, UM, where people live, et cetera. UM 484 00:26:50,240 --> 00:26:53,840 Speaker 1: for people who are trying to build an enterprise of 485 00:26:53,880 --> 00:26:57,080 Speaker 1: their own. You know, I think you have to pay 486 00:26:57,119 --> 00:27:01,760 Speaker 1: attention to what wasn't working pre COVID. Right. One of 487 00:27:01,760 --> 00:27:04,680 Speaker 1: the things I tell my mentees all the time, customer 488 00:27:04,800 --> 00:27:08,639 Speaker 1: service is a lost art. But I think customer service 489 00:27:08,720 --> 00:27:11,720 Speaker 1: was also a lost art because people just didn't care 490 00:27:12,440 --> 00:27:16,040 Speaker 1: about people. If you think about what COVID has done, 491 00:27:16,440 --> 00:27:19,120 Speaker 1: it has brought people together. You've never seen this many 492 00:27:19,119 --> 00:27:22,680 Speaker 1: white people speak out on behalf of black people. You've 493 00:27:22,680 --> 00:27:27,200 Speaker 1: never seen this many these many corporations, you know, get 494 00:27:27,320 --> 00:27:31,240 Speaker 1: rid of things I'm talking about, you know, and and 495 00:27:31,760 --> 00:27:35,440 Speaker 1: you've never seen this type of movement in our lifetime, 496 00:27:36,520 --> 00:27:39,920 Speaker 1: not even Civil Rights movement. I mean they did wonders, 497 00:27:40,000 --> 00:27:43,240 Speaker 1: but this movement right here they are. You know, it's 498 00:27:43,280 --> 00:27:45,160 Speaker 1: moving a different cause. White people are tired of those 499 00:27:45,200 --> 00:27:48,160 Speaker 1: kind of white people. So long story short, I think 500 00:27:48,200 --> 00:27:53,119 Speaker 1: that customer service UM being a lost art, will be 501 00:27:53,160 --> 00:27:56,920 Speaker 1: a huge business coming out of this. And you could see, 502 00:27:57,520 --> 00:27:59,800 Speaker 1: you know, the rise of uber lives. You can see 503 00:27:59,800 --> 00:28:02,640 Speaker 1: that we were posted postmates. You I mean, all the 504 00:28:02,640 --> 00:28:06,639 Speaker 1: service businesses that have to deal with people handing you something. 505 00:28:07,200 --> 00:28:09,840 Speaker 1: I think that's gonna even get bigger. UM. I don't 506 00:28:09,880 --> 00:28:12,800 Speaker 1: know what it is power to the person that does UM, 507 00:28:12,800 --> 00:28:15,160 Speaker 1: because you can make a killing. And I'm sure somebody 508 00:28:15,160 --> 00:28:18,360 Speaker 1: in tech is listening right now and probably has several 509 00:28:18,600 --> 00:28:22,480 Speaker 1: different ideas or concepts. But I think customer service, UM, 510 00:28:22,520 --> 00:28:26,760 Speaker 1: I think you know if you're going to you know, uh, 511 00:28:26,840 --> 00:28:29,120 Speaker 1: the organic industry. I don't know if you know who. 512 00:28:29,200 --> 00:28:32,000 Speaker 1: Don c is a very good friend of mine. UM. 513 00:28:32,080 --> 00:28:36,000 Speaker 1: He has a brand called just Don since, yes, since COVID, 514 00:28:36,440 --> 00:28:40,800 Speaker 1: before COVID he started, but he's been growing vegetables and 515 00:28:40,840 --> 00:28:44,840 Speaker 1: it's so interesting. It's like, all right, you know what 516 00:28:44,920 --> 00:28:47,760 Speaker 1: are we what are we doing? You're you're juicing that, 517 00:28:47,840 --> 00:28:49,840 Speaker 1: you know what I'm saying. So I think out of 518 00:28:49,880 --> 00:28:53,600 Speaker 1: this time My point is to your question, um, out 519 00:28:53,640 --> 00:28:56,720 Speaker 1: of this time, there's something that has identified with each 520 00:28:56,800 --> 00:29:01,080 Speaker 1: creative that makes you feel whole and makes you feel 521 00:29:01,080 --> 00:29:03,920 Speaker 1: excited about doing it. That's what you need to double 522 00:29:03,960 --> 00:29:06,800 Speaker 1: down on. The customer service piece. That was a freebee 523 00:29:06,800 --> 00:29:09,520 Speaker 1: for whoever, if you get really really paid, just remember 524 00:29:09,520 --> 00:29:12,600 Speaker 1: you heard it from the lifestyle specially there you go. UM. 525 00:29:12,640 --> 00:29:15,040 Speaker 1: I saw this meme earlier and I think it was 526 00:29:15,040 --> 00:29:17,800 Speaker 1: Isaac Hayes that might have posted it, but somebody in 527 00:29:17,880 --> 00:29:20,960 Speaker 1: that space posted it. Was it was talking about UM 528 00:29:21,280 --> 00:29:24,400 Speaker 1: longevity versus popularity and some of the artists that were 529 00:29:24,440 --> 00:29:27,080 Speaker 1: in the picture, people like Pushing T and people like 530 00:29:27,160 --> 00:29:29,760 Speaker 1: t I who have not always been the most popular people, 531 00:29:30,200 --> 00:29:32,680 Speaker 1: but they've been in the game for a long time. 532 00:29:32,720 --> 00:29:36,080 Speaker 1: And I think about, how how do you think about 533 00:29:37,200 --> 00:29:40,920 Speaker 1: UM because even again, pre social media, you were Kenny Burns, 534 00:29:41,360 --> 00:29:46,520 Speaker 1: And how do you think about how you evolve, stay relevant, 535 00:29:47,040 --> 00:29:52,160 Speaker 1: stay in the mix UM and not cloud Chase. Yeah, 536 00:29:52,240 --> 00:29:54,960 Speaker 1: you know, people are my game, Like my god given 537 00:29:55,000 --> 00:29:58,720 Speaker 1: gift was to connect with people. And you know, I'm 538 00:29:58,760 --> 00:30:02,480 Speaker 1: interested in our co like and not just interested, you 539 00:30:02,520 --> 00:30:07,400 Speaker 1: know when it's interesting. I love black folks. I love 540 00:30:07,480 --> 00:30:11,280 Speaker 1: people period, but my my people, and and the things 541 00:30:11,320 --> 00:30:15,920 Speaker 1: I learned about our people in their contribution to the world. 542 00:30:16,360 --> 00:30:21,320 Speaker 1: How we continuously take music and remix it and put 543 00:30:21,360 --> 00:30:23,280 Speaker 1: it out And I'm not literally meaning remix, but we 544 00:30:23,400 --> 00:30:27,720 Speaker 1: do things sonically and melodically. The music and the way 545 00:30:27,720 --> 00:30:31,040 Speaker 1: that we continue to find stories that were hidden from us, 546 00:30:31,280 --> 00:30:33,800 Speaker 1: and we take those stories and we amplify and we 547 00:30:33,960 --> 00:30:40,680 Speaker 1: create immovable history. You know we we we you know, 548 00:30:41,440 --> 00:30:45,160 Speaker 1: as a hip hop culture are quick to cancel. Uh, 549 00:30:45,240 --> 00:30:48,400 Speaker 1: we're quick to erase. You know, you said, you know 550 00:30:48,760 --> 00:30:53,280 Speaker 1: I've been I've been popping since you know, I'm so. 551 00:30:53,360 --> 00:30:56,920 Speaker 1: I graduated high school. I graduated high school in ninety one, 552 00:30:57,000 --> 00:31:00,000 Speaker 1: got we got lots of in ninety graduated high schoo 553 00:31:00,120 --> 00:31:05,520 Speaker 1: n um lost basketball scholars is all opportunity and to 554 00:31:05,600 --> 00:31:08,480 Speaker 1: do something I really loved. Had to pivot, but went 555 00:31:08,560 --> 00:31:11,560 Speaker 1: to you know, historically black college cluster like no other, 556 00:31:11,560 --> 00:31:15,040 Speaker 1: which is the a u C. Became this party promoter 557 00:31:15,680 --> 00:31:20,520 Speaker 1: and been effectively contributing to culture since I was twenty 558 00:31:20,600 --> 00:31:22,640 Speaker 1: years old. And I look at it, you know, I 559 00:31:22,680 --> 00:31:25,400 Speaker 1: looked twenty eight years almost right, And so when you 560 00:31:25,440 --> 00:31:27,280 Speaker 1: look at that, it's like, how did you stay? It 561 00:31:27,320 --> 00:31:30,920 Speaker 1: was the people I care what happens in my community. 562 00:31:31,000 --> 00:31:33,920 Speaker 1: When when it's time, you know, to speak up, I 563 00:31:33,920 --> 00:31:37,000 Speaker 1: mean puff and posted something the other week about you know, 564 00:31:37,320 --> 00:31:41,440 Speaker 1: I was, yeah, no, I mean, but but it's not 565 00:31:41,480 --> 00:31:43,320 Speaker 1: a distant him. It's just like, na, that's not what 566 00:31:43,480 --> 00:31:46,880 Speaker 1: we because I'm on the ground level. I had at 567 00:31:46,920 --> 00:31:49,480 Speaker 1: that to that point, I had Angela Rye see the guys, 568 00:31:49,520 --> 00:31:52,520 Speaker 1: Sean King all on my show. And I'm getting information 569 00:31:52,560 --> 00:31:54,280 Speaker 1: from people who are actually on the front line. And 570 00:31:54,360 --> 00:31:58,560 Speaker 1: although I don't believe, and everything they believe in or 571 00:31:58,640 --> 00:32:01,720 Speaker 1: practice what they I was affect them because they're at 572 00:32:01,760 --> 00:32:04,880 Speaker 1: it every day. They're at it every day. And so 573 00:32:05,160 --> 00:32:09,920 Speaker 1: when somebody comes into the pulpit for selfish reasons, you know, 574 00:32:10,080 --> 00:32:13,920 Speaker 1: I called that out. But I have tenure in culture. 575 00:32:14,080 --> 00:32:17,120 Speaker 1: I have a place in culture that I can do 576 00:32:17,160 --> 00:32:20,480 Speaker 1: that and nobody's gonna come check me. And because I'm 577 00:32:20,480 --> 00:32:21,880 Speaker 1: not even you know, and it's not even like what 578 00:32:21,880 --> 00:32:23,960 Speaker 1: you're gonna do. I mean, it's not any of that. 579 00:32:24,440 --> 00:32:28,680 Speaker 1: It's more about it's more about you know who I am, 580 00:32:28,760 --> 00:32:31,520 Speaker 1: you know what I'm about, and you know how real 581 00:32:31,640 --> 00:32:33,840 Speaker 1: I'm gonna keep it. I've been that way, and I 582 00:32:34,080 --> 00:32:38,800 Speaker 1: you know, I challenge people in life, you know, not 583 00:32:38,920 --> 00:32:41,840 Speaker 1: just to not walk to Brooklyn for cheesecake, but to 584 00:32:41,880 --> 00:32:45,800 Speaker 1: not let anybody turn you into something you're not. Because 585 00:32:45,840 --> 00:32:49,280 Speaker 1: when you gotta deal with that, that's a whole another thing. 586 00:32:49,480 --> 00:32:52,320 Speaker 1: That's a whole another thing. But that's how you stay 587 00:32:52,360 --> 00:32:56,040 Speaker 1: in play. You stay in play by being you m 588 00:32:56,480 --> 00:33:00,640 Speaker 1: That's it. That. Um. I know I remix that a 589 00:33:00,640 --> 00:33:03,240 Speaker 1: little bit, but I was flowing. I was, man, I'm 590 00:33:03,280 --> 00:33:09,560 Speaker 1: like water blow. Uh. When you're evaluating deals like whether 591 00:33:09,600 --> 00:33:13,200 Speaker 1: it's you know, you're being asked to get involved as 592 00:33:13,400 --> 00:33:16,080 Speaker 1: as the face of something or you're making an investment, 593 00:33:16,080 --> 00:33:18,000 Speaker 1: is something you said, Uncle Newars wasn't your first, but 594 00:33:18,040 --> 00:33:21,479 Speaker 1: it's obviously your biggest so far. Um, what are the 595 00:33:21,520 --> 00:33:24,800 Speaker 1: most important terms you're looking at that that I'm meaningful 596 00:33:24,840 --> 00:33:28,680 Speaker 1: for Kenny? Your father has been twenty one years. What's 597 00:33:28,720 --> 00:33:33,360 Speaker 1: important for you one this October? You know, my whole 598 00:33:33,440 --> 00:33:37,720 Speaker 1: model and credos to mean something to somebody. I've provided 599 00:33:37,840 --> 00:33:44,160 Speaker 1: experiences where people have met, gotten married, had kids realized 600 00:33:44,320 --> 00:33:49,240 Speaker 1: that they, you know, wanted to do something different with 601 00:33:49,280 --> 00:33:52,440 Speaker 1: their careers. I was just on the eighty five South 602 00:33:52,480 --> 00:33:58,080 Speaker 1: Show with DC Young fly Um and Chico being and 603 00:33:58,160 --> 00:34:02,800 Speaker 1: Chico being said to me it graduating college. He was stuck. 604 00:34:03,240 --> 00:34:06,400 Speaker 1: He ran into my documentary and it changed his life. 605 00:34:06,440 --> 00:34:08,600 Speaker 1: And that young man is killing the game. He happens 606 00:34:08,600 --> 00:34:11,239 Speaker 1: to be from D c Um. But the point I'm 607 00:34:11,239 --> 00:34:13,000 Speaker 1: trying to make it is like, you gotta mean something 608 00:34:13,040 --> 00:34:17,120 Speaker 1: to somebody. I think in life, you know, you know 609 00:34:17,239 --> 00:34:20,960 Speaker 1: you you don't realize that it's really about what you give. 610 00:34:22,239 --> 00:34:24,920 Speaker 1: You know, I'm saying, like receiving this cool. You know 611 00:34:24,920 --> 00:34:26,279 Speaker 1: what I'm saying. I always tell my I'm mentors. I 612 00:34:26,280 --> 00:34:28,680 Speaker 1: put myself in money's way. Money has never driven me, 613 00:34:29,280 --> 00:34:33,920 Speaker 1: but to give people the game that changes their trajectory 614 00:34:34,080 --> 00:34:37,600 Speaker 1: or changes their thought process, or putting someone in position 615 00:34:38,239 --> 00:34:42,439 Speaker 1: that allows them two, you know, flourish in a way 616 00:34:42,480 --> 00:34:45,080 Speaker 1: that they hadn't flourished before, so they could see the 617 00:34:45,120 --> 00:34:47,919 Speaker 1: possibilities and what that feels like to go to those 618 00:34:48,000 --> 00:34:51,239 Speaker 1: next levels. Um, And I'm getting off topic. What was 619 00:34:51,280 --> 00:34:53,839 Speaker 1: the question because I'm bringing it home. It's like when 620 00:34:53,840 --> 00:34:59,480 Speaker 1: you when you're evaluating opportunities, right, And so the way 621 00:34:59,520 --> 00:35:03,480 Speaker 1: that I feel about the way that I mentor um, 622 00:35:03,800 --> 00:35:06,120 Speaker 1: the you know, my mentees, the way that I feel 623 00:35:06,160 --> 00:35:08,920 Speaker 1: about my community, and how I want to mean something 624 00:35:08,960 --> 00:35:10,919 Speaker 1: I don't want. I don't want to just I want 625 00:35:10,960 --> 00:35:13,600 Speaker 1: the business opportunity to mean something as well. I think 626 00:35:13,600 --> 00:35:15,839 Speaker 1: we've all done things in our careers where we had 627 00:35:15,880 --> 00:35:17,760 Speaker 1: to get the money, you know what I mean, because 628 00:35:17,800 --> 00:35:20,719 Speaker 1: you gotta pay bills. But at the same time, as 629 00:35:20,719 --> 00:35:23,239 Speaker 1: you get older and you become more successful, you can 630 00:35:23,320 --> 00:35:27,359 Speaker 1: pick and choose instead of have to do UM and me. Now, 631 00:35:27,560 --> 00:35:30,360 Speaker 1: at this point in my life, I want to you know, 632 00:35:30,600 --> 00:35:33,480 Speaker 1: I gave the Spirits, you know, the Spirits world fifteen 633 00:35:33,520 --> 00:35:36,560 Speaker 1: years of my life before I ever got equity. Right, 634 00:35:37,040 --> 00:35:39,000 Speaker 1: So it's much like you know, so it's like, what 635 00:35:39,120 --> 00:35:43,080 Speaker 1: I deserve this right now? What other things and my 636 00:35:43,160 --> 00:35:46,040 Speaker 1: passionate about? You know, my sons are both creatives in 637 00:35:46,080 --> 00:35:48,359 Speaker 1: their own right. You know, I'm doing this Kenny Burn 638 00:35:48,480 --> 00:35:52,759 Speaker 1: show from my office, and you know I have you know, 639 00:35:52,800 --> 00:35:55,319 Speaker 1: these deals on the table now. But do I really 640 00:35:55,320 --> 00:35:58,080 Speaker 1: want to do sign something away? Or do I want 641 00:35:58,080 --> 00:36:00,760 Speaker 1: to go buy a building instead of using as ostead 642 00:36:00,760 --> 00:36:02,160 Speaker 1: that we were gonna do My wife and I were 643 00:36:02,160 --> 00:36:04,680 Speaker 1: gonna do a rental property. Instead of doing that, I'm 644 00:36:04,680 --> 00:36:07,680 Speaker 1: gonna buy a building. I'm gonna build a production many 645 00:36:07,719 --> 00:36:11,360 Speaker 1: production facilities Atlanta. I have clients like McDonald's, Coca Cola, 646 00:36:11,640 --> 00:36:13,799 Speaker 1: you know what I'm saying, Like they'll come renting it out, 647 00:36:14,040 --> 00:36:15,719 Speaker 1: they end up paying. So my thing is like when 648 00:36:15,719 --> 00:36:19,200 Speaker 1: I look at things, I'm looking at them more purposefully. 649 00:36:19,239 --> 00:36:22,200 Speaker 1: I want to have, you know, the legacy piece attached 650 00:36:22,200 --> 00:36:24,440 Speaker 1: to everything I do. Obviously, everything I look at now 651 00:36:24,520 --> 00:36:27,920 Speaker 1: has to involve some type of equity and then you know, 652 00:36:28,000 --> 00:36:29,880 Speaker 1: like I said, I want all of that at the 653 00:36:29,920 --> 00:36:32,680 Speaker 1: end of the day to meet something somebody, specifically my 654 00:36:32,760 --> 00:36:35,200 Speaker 1: community and my family. When you look back at how 655 00:36:35,239 --> 00:36:37,640 Speaker 1: you've vetted deals, you talked about this. You know, everybody's 656 00:36:37,640 --> 00:36:40,920 Speaker 1: got to pay the bills, right, Um, And I would 657 00:36:40,920 --> 00:36:43,759 Speaker 1: imagine you did some things. I'm making an assumption here 658 00:36:43,800 --> 00:36:45,920 Speaker 1: what I shouldn't do, but I'm imagining you probably did 659 00:36:45,960 --> 00:36:48,960 Speaker 1: some things earlier that we're less authentic because you were 660 00:36:49,000 --> 00:36:51,880 Speaker 1: trying to the only thing I've ever done, the only 661 00:36:51,920 --> 00:36:56,839 Speaker 1: thing I've ever done that I actually wasn't uncomfortable doing, 662 00:36:56,920 --> 00:37:00,040 Speaker 1: because you know, I pride myself in doing business with 663 00:37:00,160 --> 00:37:03,200 Speaker 1: companies that I actually participated in. Whether I created the 664 00:37:03,200 --> 00:37:07,280 Speaker 1: Heneken res star sold to drink Heneken like a month ago, uh, 665 00:37:07,360 --> 00:37:11,000 Speaker 1: you know, great goose More in Hennessey. Um. Anything I've 666 00:37:11,000 --> 00:37:14,880 Speaker 1: ever been a part of, I've always you know, use 667 00:37:15,000 --> 00:37:17,920 Speaker 1: the product and really supported the product or end or brand. 668 00:37:18,360 --> 00:37:21,520 Speaker 1: The one thing that I took fifty thousand, it was 669 00:37:21,520 --> 00:37:26,680 Speaker 1: like a h was from Cool Cigarettes. I will never 670 00:37:27,480 --> 00:37:31,960 Speaker 1: ever support anything tobacco other than Cuban cigars. If I 671 00:37:32,000 --> 00:37:35,160 Speaker 1: can manage to make myself. I love Cuban cigars, but 672 00:37:35,280 --> 00:37:38,960 Speaker 1: I wouldn't. I wouldn't do that again. Um, So you 673 00:37:39,000 --> 00:37:40,959 Speaker 1: don't have to do things you don't want to do. 674 00:37:41,200 --> 00:37:46,319 Speaker 1: Um again, that was something that I know, people that 675 00:37:46,400 --> 00:37:49,040 Speaker 1: smoked I kind of you know what I'm saying, like 676 00:37:49,239 --> 00:37:52,200 Speaker 1: use that as kind of the reasoning and it helped, 677 00:37:52,480 --> 00:37:54,480 Speaker 1: you know, like for my thirty fifth birthday part of 678 00:37:54,480 --> 00:37:57,560 Speaker 1: the Rosacchi mansion, I needed some of that coin to 679 00:37:57,719 --> 00:38:00,360 Speaker 1: all set some of the costs. Right. Um, but I 680 00:38:00,400 --> 00:38:02,480 Speaker 1: wouldn't do that again because I just don't believe. I 681 00:38:02,520 --> 00:38:05,640 Speaker 1: don't believe in cigarettes. Um but yeah, So how do 682 00:38:05,719 --> 00:38:08,000 Speaker 1: how do you advise people who feel like they're they're 683 00:38:08,000 --> 00:38:10,319 Speaker 1: they're they're the young Kenny Burns are today and they're 684 00:38:10,360 --> 00:38:12,120 Speaker 1: trying to get to that next step and there's this 685 00:38:12,160 --> 00:38:14,160 Speaker 1: opportunity that will give me a small bag or a 686 00:38:14,239 --> 00:38:17,600 Speaker 1: small billboard with my face on it or etcetera. How 687 00:38:17,640 --> 00:38:20,600 Speaker 1: does that You don't just don't just don't do cigarette 688 00:38:20,600 --> 00:38:23,680 Speaker 1: brun you know what I'm saying, Like, this is my thing. 689 00:38:23,719 --> 00:38:27,200 Speaker 1: If you drink, if you smoke, that's one thing. Like 690 00:38:27,239 --> 00:38:29,719 Speaker 1: you know I drink, So you know, I wanted to 691 00:38:29,719 --> 00:38:34,040 Speaker 1: be educated on the finest, you know, the finest drinks. 692 00:38:34,120 --> 00:38:38,879 Speaker 1: I mean I probably will stop drinking, honestly, and when 693 00:38:38,920 --> 00:38:42,000 Speaker 1: I do, I mean my shares and my investment will 694 00:38:42,040 --> 00:38:44,880 Speaker 1: be there. But I wouldn't any longer be you know, 695 00:38:45,520 --> 00:38:48,319 Speaker 1: saying I drink and then that what my point is, 696 00:38:48,880 --> 00:38:53,719 Speaker 1: find something you're you're attached to authentically, whatever you you know, 697 00:38:53,760 --> 00:38:55,640 Speaker 1: you like get involved with. You don't have to do 698 00:38:55,719 --> 00:38:57,920 Speaker 1: things you don't want to do. And I always tell 699 00:38:57,960 --> 00:38:59,480 Speaker 1: my son's that. You know, It's like my mom the 700 00:38:59,520 --> 00:39:02,440 Speaker 1: other day say of my sons need to suffer. I'm like, suffer. 701 00:39:02,840 --> 00:39:06,320 Speaker 1: That's such a deep statement. And it wasn't like suffer 702 00:39:06,400 --> 00:39:08,719 Speaker 1: like they needed to go just you know whatever. It 703 00:39:08,800 --> 00:39:11,800 Speaker 1: was more like you give them everything. I said, Well, no, 704 00:39:11,880 --> 00:39:14,600 Speaker 1: I support their dreams. My oldest son, who's now going 705 00:39:14,600 --> 00:39:17,880 Speaker 1: to kind Asta State University, played to play Division one basketball. 706 00:39:18,480 --> 00:39:21,440 Speaker 1: That has been his dream since the seventh grade. I 707 00:39:21,560 --> 00:39:24,520 Speaker 1: have given him the opportunity to work his ass off, 708 00:39:24,800 --> 00:39:27,239 Speaker 1: now mind you. Yeah, he went to Sierra Kenyon and 709 00:39:27,280 --> 00:39:30,319 Speaker 1: play with Marvin Bagley. Yeah, he went to Wheeler and 710 00:39:30,360 --> 00:39:32,160 Speaker 1: play you know what I'm saying with e J. And 711 00:39:32,560 --> 00:39:35,440 Speaker 1: But my point is he wanted to play I was 712 00:39:35,480 --> 00:39:37,920 Speaker 1: blessed up to put him into positions to earn what 713 00:39:38,000 --> 00:39:41,120 Speaker 1: he wanted to earn. That doesn't make him, you know, 714 00:39:41,160 --> 00:39:44,600 Speaker 1: just because he's not scrubbing floors and walking forty miles 715 00:39:44,640 --> 00:39:49,080 Speaker 1: or whatever. You know. My thing is like work ethic 716 00:39:49,680 --> 00:39:52,280 Speaker 1: is what you want to instill, you know what I'm saying, 717 00:39:52,480 --> 00:39:56,800 Speaker 1: in in your children and your employees and then your partners, 718 00:39:56,840 --> 00:39:59,760 Speaker 1: how hard they're willing to work. If you want something 719 00:39:59,800 --> 00:40:02,279 Speaker 1: BA had enough, you're gonna work to get it. And 720 00:40:02,320 --> 00:40:06,000 Speaker 1: working to get it doesn't mean sacrificing your soul or 721 00:40:06,000 --> 00:40:09,320 Speaker 1: putting yourself in a compromising situation, you know what I'm saying. 722 00:40:09,440 --> 00:40:11,960 Speaker 1: There's been plenty times in the music business there was 723 00:40:12,000 --> 00:40:15,239 Speaker 1: a door that I just didn't go into because you know, 724 00:40:15,239 --> 00:40:17,920 Speaker 1: it's the music business. You never know what's going on 725 00:40:18,040 --> 00:40:20,960 Speaker 1: behind door number eight and and so you know, my 726 00:40:21,000 --> 00:40:22,680 Speaker 1: point is that you don't have to do things you 727 00:40:22,719 --> 00:40:25,080 Speaker 1: don't want to do. You should never feel like there's 728 00:40:25,760 --> 00:40:28,919 Speaker 1: you know, pressure to go do something that just makes 729 00:40:28,960 --> 00:40:32,799 Speaker 1: you uncomfortable to to to gain you know, again, authentically 730 00:40:32,840 --> 00:40:35,359 Speaker 1: being yourself. You'll get there. If you're yourself long enough, 731 00:40:35,600 --> 00:40:38,920 Speaker 1: they will pay you to be Yeah, Um, I wouldn't 732 00:40:39,000 --> 00:40:41,520 Speaker 1: leave this here because you have um your cause you 733 00:40:41,560 --> 00:40:45,360 Speaker 1: know the dream is real, right, and UM, I'll define 734 00:40:45,400 --> 00:40:46,680 Speaker 1: that for me and then I'm gonna ask you to 735 00:40:47,239 --> 00:40:50,160 Speaker 1: spend how you think about it. So for me, it is, 736 00:40:50,719 --> 00:40:53,440 Speaker 1: you know, those visions that you have for yourself. You 737 00:40:53,520 --> 00:40:55,960 Speaker 1: talked about it. You know, get you view yourself long enough, 738 00:40:56,080 --> 00:40:58,000 Speaker 1: they'll pay you to be you. So that that dream 739 00:40:58,040 --> 00:41:01,239 Speaker 1: that you have, that personality that you have, that thing 740 00:41:01,320 --> 00:41:04,439 Speaker 1: that makes you uniquely you, if you lean into that, 741 00:41:04,840 --> 00:41:08,239 Speaker 1: the things that you dream for yourself are actually possible 742 00:41:08,440 --> 00:41:11,120 Speaker 1: for you if you are true and authentic to yourself. 743 00:41:11,480 --> 00:41:13,160 Speaker 1: So that's what it means to me when I hear 744 00:41:13,200 --> 00:41:16,400 Speaker 1: you say that, UM, what is it that you intend? 745 00:41:17,239 --> 00:41:21,840 Speaker 1: When you say that, UM, I mean really what you said. 746 00:41:22,360 --> 00:41:27,680 Speaker 1: I love saying it too. The dream is um. But yeah, 747 00:41:27,840 --> 00:41:31,920 Speaker 1: I UM, I just I didn't want to live in despair. 748 00:41:31,960 --> 00:41:34,720 Speaker 1: I didn't want to live in my circumstances. I didn't 749 00:41:34,760 --> 00:41:38,360 Speaker 1: want to be the person that you know, my father 750 00:41:38,480 --> 00:41:41,640 Speaker 1: is seventy something years old and been in Washington, in 751 00:41:41,719 --> 00:41:43,759 Speaker 1: DC his whole life. I just didn't want to be that, 752 00:41:43,880 --> 00:41:45,200 Speaker 1: you know. I mean it didn't really have a real 753 00:41:45,239 --> 00:41:47,520 Speaker 1: relationship with and but I didn't want to be you know, 754 00:41:47,520 --> 00:41:50,280 Speaker 1: when I got locked up arrested. Then my grandmother actually 755 00:41:51,000 --> 00:41:53,880 Speaker 1: did a year since her passing UM on the fourth 756 00:41:53,880 --> 00:41:57,120 Speaker 1: of July four You know, I'll never forget. She's like, baby, 757 00:41:57,320 --> 00:41:58,960 Speaker 1: you know you can still go work for you ps 758 00:41:59,000 --> 00:42:01,760 Speaker 1: so for that and and and get you a pension 759 00:42:01,760 --> 00:42:03,759 Speaker 1: in thirty years. And I'm like, Grandma, you think I 760 00:42:03,840 --> 00:42:07,920 Speaker 1: was selling though to wait thirty years to get what 761 00:42:07,960 --> 00:42:10,319 Speaker 1: I was saying. And I just I just always had 762 00:42:10,400 --> 00:42:12,319 Speaker 1: a drive man. And I know I get it from 763 00:42:12,320 --> 00:42:14,960 Speaker 1: my mother because she lived life for a living, you know, 764 00:42:15,200 --> 00:42:19,960 Speaker 1: on very little UM. I never felt poor. Um music 765 00:42:20,080 --> 00:42:23,719 Speaker 1: was always playing, you know, non chomp for instance. Like 766 00:42:23,760 --> 00:42:25,920 Speaker 1: I just I never felt out of whack. And I 767 00:42:26,400 --> 00:42:29,640 Speaker 1: I believed and still believe that the dream is real 768 00:42:29,719 --> 00:42:31,399 Speaker 1: and what you want from it. You know, I wanted 769 00:42:31,440 --> 00:42:34,040 Speaker 1: to be married at sixteen. I feel like because I 770 00:42:34,080 --> 00:42:36,640 Speaker 1: just didn't know what family was, so I I never 771 00:42:37,000 --> 00:42:39,680 Speaker 1: I never treated women bad, you know what I'm saying. 772 00:42:39,719 --> 00:42:42,719 Speaker 1: Everybody felt like you know that you know they got there, 773 00:42:42,840 --> 00:42:45,960 Speaker 1: you know whatever. And I feel that's always been my 774 00:42:46,040 --> 00:42:48,200 Speaker 1: thing be intent for I tell my sons, you were 775 00:42:48,200 --> 00:42:51,680 Speaker 1: walk on that court. Have intent, go out there and 776 00:42:52,160 --> 00:42:53,839 Speaker 1: get what you came for. And that's what I try 777 00:42:53,880 --> 00:42:55,759 Speaker 1: to I try to live by and that's the dream 778 00:42:55,840 --> 00:42:58,840 Speaker 1: is real to me. I think, you know, living with intent, 779 00:42:59,280 --> 00:43:02,840 Speaker 1: knowing that it's possible and and and getting what you 780 00:43:02,920 --> 00:43:27,880 Speaker 1: came for. Black Tach Green Money is the production of 781 00:43:27,920 --> 00:43:31,040 Speaker 1: blackt The afro Tech is produced by Morgan Dubon and 782 00:43:31,120 --> 00:43:35,240 Speaker 1: me Well Lucas, with additional production support by Love Beach, 783 00:43:35,520 --> 00:43:39,400 Speaker 1: Stephane y'all, Bogu, Raven near Born. Special thank you to 784 00:43:39,480 --> 00:43:43,040 Speaker 1: Michael Davis, Sakara savon Jan you know like the wine 785 00:43:43,200 --> 00:43:46,600 Speaker 1: and yes that's his real name. Learn more about Kenny 786 00:43:46,640 --> 00:43:49,600 Speaker 1: Burns and other tech disruptors and innovators at afro tech 787 00:43:49,680 --> 00:44:01,400 Speaker 1: dot com. Go get your money, peace and love. At 788 00:44:01,360 --> 00:44:06,920 Speaker 1: the Change the cout Boat could to the Podish