WEBVTT - No One Is Self-Made: How to Build Villages (Not Networks)

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<v Speaker 1>Hey ba fam, Welcome to Brown Ambition. Today at the

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<v Speaker 1>Brown Table. We have two incredible guests, and all I

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<v Speaker 1>can say is that Brown Ambition we are not going

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<v Speaker 1>to be the kind of podcast where you're going to

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<v Speaker 1>get the latest news and headlines about the economy, about finances,

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<v Speaker 1>about business.

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<v Speaker 2>This is where you're going to find hope.

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<v Speaker 1>This is going to be a space where I use

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<v Speaker 1>this platform to tell stories that inspire, to tell stories

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<v Speaker 1>and to give space to people who can help us

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<v Speaker 1>all tap into that little tiny nugget of optimism that

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<v Speaker 1>we need to be pouring into. We need to be

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<v Speaker 1>watering that seed to get us through everything that we

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<v Speaker 1>know is happening, all the fed up stuff we know

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<v Speaker 1>y'all know, I know, bea fam, y'all read the news.

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<v Speaker 1>You understand what's happening in the world. When you come

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<v Speaker 1>to Brown Ambition, I want this to be the warm,

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<v Speaker 1>cozy blanket, the mug of tea, the glass of wine

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<v Speaker 1>that your sister friend pours for you at the end

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<v Speaker 1>of a long week, a long day, and for y'all

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<v Speaker 1>to just feel like, Okay, when I'm here, I am

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<v Speaker 1>going to feel poured into, I'm gonna feel inspired, I'm

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<v Speaker 1>going to feel hopeful.

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<v Speaker 2>I'm going to get some value.

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<v Speaker 1>I'm gonna walk forward with maybe an additional tool, resource,

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<v Speaker 1>or a bit of knowledge that can help make me

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<v Speaker 1>more resilient in the face of what we will, what

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<v Speaker 1>we've always had to endure, right and what we will

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<v Speaker 1>continue to endure. So I just want to reset that

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<v Speaker 1>tone for brown ambition. Let y'all know how I'm approaching

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<v Speaker 1>this podcast, always have and will continue to do so.

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<v Speaker 2>And with that, let me tell you about these queens.

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<v Speaker 1>Okay, two incredible women join me on the show today.

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<v Speaker 1>One is doctor Lakeisha Key Hallman, so you'll hear me

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<v Speaker 1>call her doctor Key because we're cool like that. And

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<v Speaker 1>she is the founder of the Village Market. Since it

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<v Speaker 1>was founded, the Village Market served over one thousand, four

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<v Speaker 1>hundred and forty businesses. It has managed to create eight

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<v Speaker 1>point eight million dollars in direct sales to black owned enterprises,

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<v Speaker 1>and they have distributed eight hundred thousand dollars in grants

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<v Speaker 1>to support the businesses that are part of this marketplace.

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<v Speaker 1>If you're in Atlanta, go visit it, check out the

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<v Speaker 1>vendors and the businesses that they feature. That's also a

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<v Speaker 1>direct solution and answer to the economic disparities that we

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<v Speaker 1>see among black business owners.

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<v Speaker 2>Tell me why.

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<v Speaker 1>Data shows black businesses in Atlanta. This blew my mind

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<v Speaker 1>when I read this are valued at only fifty eight

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<v Speaker 1>thousand dollars compared to LATINX businesses which are valued at

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<v Speaker 1>four hundred and fifty seven thousand dollars, and white owned

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<v Speaker 1>businesses which are valued at six hundred and fifty eight

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<v Speaker 1>thousand dollars. I'm talking about if you're owned by a

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<v Speaker 1>black owner in Atlanta, ten times less value to the

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<v Speaker 1>marketplace than a Latin or white owned business. Like, I

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<v Speaker 1>don't make it make sense. So it is a struggle, right,

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<v Speaker 1>It is a struggle to build a business in the

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<v Speaker 1>best of environments. So imagine being a black owned business

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<v Speaker 1>in Atlanta where you're dealing with this kind of disparity.

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<v Speaker 1>Doctor Hollman is also going to talk about her book,

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<v Speaker 1>and I want y'all to run out and get a copy,

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<v Speaker 1>especially if you're someone who is feeling down at a

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<v Speaker 1>time like this and you need a reminder of the

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<v Speaker 1>importance of community. This is the book for you. Her

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<v Speaker 1>book is called No One Is Self Made. I'm going

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<v Speaker 1>to put a link in the show notes and just

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<v Speaker 1>wait till you hear her voice because something about doctor Key.

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<v Speaker 1>I had to stop and ask her, like you got

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<v Speaker 1>like Baptist preacher in your blood or what? Because when

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<v Speaker 1>you talk, I just want to be like, hey man,

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<v Speaker 1>it really brings out my roots, you know. And we

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<v Speaker 1>are joined by the wonderful Renee blew It. So last

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<v Speaker 1>time Tiffany and I hung out in person, Oh that's

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<v Speaker 1>not true. I saw her in New Year's before that.

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<v Speaker 1>Tip invited me to this event in Brooklyn that she

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<v Speaker 1>had been gushing about. She's like, girl, this is Black

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<v Speaker 1>Girl Holiday Bazaar. It's only black owned businesses, mostly owned

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<v Speaker 1>by women, and it's called that she did that bizarre

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<v Speaker 1>And I was like, okay, I'm going to finally go

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<v Speaker 1>see what this is all about. And they only host

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<v Speaker 1>it once a year, the holiday market. So I packed

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<v Speaker 1>the baby up, I went down to Brooklyn and had

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<v Speaker 1>my mind blown. It was such a beautiful event and

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<v Speaker 1>Renee blew It is the founder of this incredible community.

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<v Speaker 1>It's not just the holiday Bazaar. She's also working on

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<v Speaker 1>expanding this to other marketplaces, like she's going to be

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<v Speaker 1>doing a food and beverage marketplace in New York come

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<v Speaker 1>this spring. She's worked with the Culture con she's worked

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<v Speaker 1>with curl Fest, and she'll talk about how she's built

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<v Speaker 1>this business and how she, you know, transitioned from her

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<v Speaker 1>career in PR to now sort of being this through

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<v Speaker 1>line between black owned, minority owned, women owned businesses and

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<v Speaker 1>the access to the community they need to thrive and

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<v Speaker 1>also to the customers they need to thrive, and to

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<v Speaker 1>the business opportunities that they need to thrive. And I

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<v Speaker 1>just I love this conversation because you'll hear Renee doctor Key,

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<v Speaker 1>who didn't really know each other that well before we

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<v Speaker 1>started this conversation, just support one another. It's just amazing

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<v Speaker 1>to be witnessed to that. I hope y'all are left

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<v Speaker 1>feeling encouraged if you're someone who has a business and

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<v Speaker 1>you're struggling and you feel like you're the only one struggling,

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<v Speaker 1>or all you hear about is how difficult it is

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<v Speaker 1>to thrive as a business owner. But walk away from

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<v Speaker 1>listening to this episode of Brown Ambition having an action

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<v Speaker 1>plan for how you're gonna build community. You're gonna go

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<v Speaker 1>research she did that. You're going to go research the

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<v Speaker 1>village market in Atlanta. You're going to look these women up,

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<v Speaker 1>you're going to buy doctor Key's book, You're going to

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<v Speaker 1>find out how you can be a part of those communities.

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<v Speaker 1>Or if you're not in Atlanta or New York, which

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<v Speaker 1>I know many of y'all aren't, there are other incredible

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<v Speaker 1>entrepreneurs and marketplaces like this that maybe even in your

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<v Speaker 1>own local area that maybe one thing you do after

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<v Speaker 1>you listen to the show is you go look them up.

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<v Speaker 1>You find out how to become a vendor, you find

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<v Speaker 1>out how to get in community with them, to attend

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<v Speaker 1>one of their events, and just leave here understanding that,

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<v Speaker 1>like doctor Key says in her book, no one is

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<v Speaker 1>self made. We all need support and community to achieve

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<v Speaker 1>these incredible dreams ambitions.

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<v Speaker 3>That we have.

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<v Speaker 1>And so I'm really proud to bring this episode to

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<v Speaker 1>y'all today.

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<v Speaker 2>Be a fan. I hope you enjoy it.

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<v Speaker 1>And here are Renee blew It and Doctor Key Holman

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<v Speaker 1>joining me at the Brown table.

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<v Speaker 2>I took a gamble, I took a risk.

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<v Speaker 1>This is the first Brown table I've ever had where

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<v Speaker 1>the two guests didn't know each other really before. But

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<v Speaker 1>I just had a feeling. I'm like, there's no way

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<v Speaker 1>that these two women have been doing the work that

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<v Speaker 1>they're doing and haven't like crosspaths or at least at

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<v Speaker 1>the very least support one other is doing. So we

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<v Speaker 1>have doctor Key Hollman, who is joining us from Atlanta. Welcome,

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<v Speaker 1>And we have Renee is it blew It?

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<v Speaker 2>Yes, blew it, Renee blew It. Who You're in New

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<v Speaker 2>York right?

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<v Speaker 3>Yes?

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<v Speaker 1>In Brooklyn, based in Brooklyn where all the black girls happens.

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<v Speaker 2>It's fine.

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<v Speaker 1>I'm just over here, just fading away in Westchester. But

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<v Speaker 1>we're so far, so close, yest, so far. Welcome to

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<v Speaker 1>the Brown Table. Welcome to Brown Ambition.

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<v Speaker 3>Thank you so much for having us, Yes, thank you.

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<v Speaker 4>Yeah, to be a great conversation.

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<v Speaker 1>How are y'all feeling. Let's just start there. How are

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<v Speaker 1>y'all feeling right now at a time like this in

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<v Speaker 1>the country. And what's kind of giving you hope right now?

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<v Speaker 2>Doctor Key? Y'all start with you.

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<v Speaker 4>Good thing.

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<v Speaker 5>I'm first, thank you for asking. I'm feeling the multitude

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<v Speaker 5>of things I can say presently in my body. I'm

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<v Speaker 5>a balance of anxious but also calm. I have both

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<v Speaker 5>a sense of hope and resolve, and I think I

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<v Speaker 5>can operate in this dualities because I really am serious

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<v Speaker 5>about boundaries, and that's boundaries of how much news I

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<v Speaker 5>take in, how much social media taken, because I have

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<v Speaker 5>to be well in my body and spirit.

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<v Speaker 4>But it's a lot of operations going on over here.

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<v Speaker 5>But what gives me hope is being able to have

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<v Speaker 5>conversations like this with like minds.

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<v Speaker 4>This is where our superpower exists.

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<v Speaker 5>So I'm feeling very hopeful all this brown girl magic

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<v Speaker 5>that's happening. It really feels my cover.

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<v Speaker 2>Nae, how are you doing?

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<v Speaker 4>Thank you for.

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<v Speaker 3>Asking too, I appreciate it.

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<v Speaker 6>Similar to doctor Hallman, quite a few feelings happening over here.

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<v Speaker 6>I will start with, you know what a lot of

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<v Speaker 6>people are feeling, which is a bit of overwhelm. You know,

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<v Speaker 6>I would not be human if I didn't identify that feeling.

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<v Speaker 6>But also incredibly activated right now. This is our time,

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<v Speaker 6>you know, and it's unfortunate that, you know, things are

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<v Speaker 6>unfolding the way they are, but the people who are

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<v Speaker 6>doing this work are not shocked, and in moments like this,

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<v Speaker 6>I'm really proud of myself, proud of women like doctor Hallman,

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<v Speaker 6>because we have been doing this work long before it

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<v Speaker 6>was a trending topic, and we've been committed to this

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<v Speaker 6>work in a way that you know, when moments like

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<v Speaker 6>this happened, it's just like, okay, it's time to double down,

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<v Speaker 6>like heard, you got it. And so that's you know

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<v Speaker 6>a little bit of what I'm feeling right now. And

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<v Speaker 6>these conversations, like she said, are so empowering and just

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<v Speaker 6>really give me the fuel to keep going. So I'm

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<v Speaker 6>looking forward to digging in.

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<v Speaker 1>Yeah, there's no need to call what we've done like

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<v Speaker 1>I've been doing this for ten years with Brian Ambition,

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<v Speaker 1>and it's like y'all have been in the game for

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<v Speaker 1>a long time too, doctor Kie, you've been When did

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<v Speaker 1>you start villaging?

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<v Speaker 5>Almost ten years ago? So ten years the idea came

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<v Speaker 5>to me fifteen. I launched it in twenty sixteen.

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<v Speaker 1>And you know the rest of the sister Yeah, no

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<v Speaker 1>special initiative post twenty twenty, like this is you know

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<v Speaker 1>and independent too. When y'all started your ventures, Renee, it

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<v Speaker 1>started for you, Ah she did that? Was that the

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<v Speaker 1>documentary that was the beginning? Or was it the bizarre?

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<v Speaker 3>No?

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<v Speaker 6>Actually fun fact it started with me within her shoes.

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<v Speaker 6>I had a blog back in the day. In two

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<v Speaker 6>thousand and nine.

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<v Speaker 3>I launched this blog.

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<v Speaker 6>Okay, I was blogging about black women founders. You know,

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<v Speaker 6>when the blog is sphere was relatively new, when all

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<v Speaker 6>of your favorite blogs were about gossip, fashion, you know,

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<v Speaker 6>sports style, all those things beauty. But I was really

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<v Speaker 6>focused on talking about black women entrepreneurs. So that website

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<v Speaker 6>is still alive to me. It's almost like an archive

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<v Speaker 6>of Black women entrepreneurs and our journeys, and every once

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<v Speaker 6>in a while, I'll go back just to kind of

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<v Speaker 6>reflect on who we were featuring back then and what

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<v Speaker 6>they're up to now. But my work started then, and

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<v Speaker 6>In her Shoes led me to she did that?

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<v Speaker 1>Okay, So how was that transition and did you were

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<v Speaker 1>you treating In her Shoes as a business, were you,

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<v Speaker 1>like me, making money off of that or were you

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<v Speaker 1>working corporate at the same time.

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<v Speaker 6>So when I launched In Her Shoes, I was working

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<v Speaker 6>in a PR agency doing PR in like the multicultural

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<v Speaker 6>space in a general market agency, and then I was

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<v Speaker 6>also moonlighting as a consultant to a lot of black

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<v Speaker 6>women own beauty brands. Back when the natural you know,

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<v Speaker 6>hair movement, well, I don't want to call the movement

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<v Speaker 6>because it's just a lifestyle, but when the whole natural

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<v Speaker 6>hair conversation started. I was doing pr for a lot

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<v Speaker 6>of your favorite natural haircare brands, and that was kind

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<v Speaker 6>of my I would say. The blog was kind of

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<v Speaker 6>like my you know, I had my nine to five

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<v Speaker 6>and then I had my five two whenever, And it

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<v Speaker 6>did get monetized a bit, but quite honestly, I didn't

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<v Speaker 6>start it for that purpose. I did it because I

0:11:53.600 --> 0:11:57.840
<v Speaker 6>just wanted to share more black women founder stories. Back then,

0:11:57.920 --> 0:12:00.800
<v Speaker 6>we were way like under represented.

0:12:01.120 --> 0:12:02.120
<v Speaker 4>We were not in.

0:12:02.080 --> 0:12:06.320
<v Speaker 6>This space now where entrepreneurs are like rock stars, right.

0:12:06.520 --> 0:12:08.719
<v Speaker 6>Like the women that I was writing about back then

0:12:09.360 --> 0:12:13.320
<v Speaker 6>were doing the work but not getting the exposure they needed,

0:12:13.360 --> 0:12:15.880
<v Speaker 6>and that was the inspiration behind the blog.

0:12:16.679 --> 0:12:18.920
<v Speaker 1>Yeah, they couldn't go on TikTok and go viral and

0:12:19.200 --> 0:12:23.280
<v Speaker 1>no no fair. I feel like crossroads when it comes

0:12:23.320 --> 0:12:26.640
<v Speaker 1>to launching a business, where it's like where does the

0:12:26.679 --> 0:12:30.400
<v Speaker 1>service and capitalism where do they marry? Like how can

0:12:30.440 --> 0:12:34.240
<v Speaker 1>we create brands and businesses that serve? But then also

0:12:34.920 --> 0:12:38.200
<v Speaker 1>like can support ourselves with it? You know, if you

0:12:38.240 --> 0:12:41.160
<v Speaker 1>get those types of questions like where do I merge

0:12:41.160 --> 0:12:44.080
<v Speaker 1>my need to serve with my need to put food

0:12:44.080 --> 0:12:44.600
<v Speaker 1>on the table.

0:12:44.720 --> 0:12:48.120
<v Speaker 5>Yeah, I'm a social entrepreneur, so you're you're talking to

0:12:48.640 --> 0:12:51.600
<v Speaker 5>how I started my business. I have a book coming

0:12:51.640 --> 0:12:53.960
<v Speaker 5>out Fibru or Fourth No One is Stuff Made, and

0:12:54.080 --> 0:12:56.760
<v Speaker 5>I write in one of the chapters that those that

0:12:56.800 --> 0:13:00.520
<v Speaker 5>do the work should also be economically liberated. I am

0:13:00.600 --> 0:13:04.080
<v Speaker 5>working to ensure the entrepreneurs that that's a part of

0:13:04.080 --> 0:13:06.160
<v Speaker 5>the village market, that's a part of our village name it,

0:13:06.200 --> 0:13:08.600
<v Speaker 5>that's a part of my retail stor village retail, are

0:13:08.679 --> 0:13:13.600
<v Speaker 5>economically liberated. I also need to be economically liberated to

0:13:13.640 --> 0:13:15.920
<v Speaker 5>continue to further the work and the mission and also

0:13:16.400 --> 0:13:20.200
<v Speaker 5>the trajectory of the generational wealth that I'm hoping to

0:13:20.280 --> 0:13:23.840
<v Speaker 5>leave to my nephews and their children and their children

0:13:23.960 --> 0:13:26.840
<v Speaker 5>children and so on and so forth. But there is

0:13:26.880 --> 0:13:31.880
<v Speaker 5>a sense of conscious capitalism. I think that we have

0:13:31.960 --> 0:13:35.520
<v Speaker 5>to be for those that are producers in creating things

0:13:35.520 --> 0:13:39.360
<v Speaker 5>and selling things. What I am more called and drawn

0:13:39.440 --> 0:13:42.640
<v Speaker 5>to is asking and what are you creating? Is it

0:13:42.679 --> 0:13:45.280
<v Speaker 5>healthy for the mind? Is it conscious? What people are

0:13:45.280 --> 0:13:48.839
<v Speaker 5>wearing on their bodies? Is it good for the body?

0:13:48.920 --> 0:13:51.160
<v Speaker 5>Is it good for the soul? That is the charge

0:13:51.200 --> 0:13:54.320
<v Speaker 5>that I push for all the brands in the village market.

0:13:54.440 --> 0:13:58.160
<v Speaker 5>I want us to have high quality, organic products that's

0:13:58.200 --> 0:14:01.079
<v Speaker 5>not harmful to the skin, to the body, so on

0:14:01.160 --> 0:14:03.079
<v Speaker 5>and so forth. If we're making a pair of it

0:14:03.120 --> 0:14:07.360
<v Speaker 5>should be conscious. Everything for me is about being our

0:14:07.480 --> 0:14:11.840
<v Speaker 5>best and highest vibrations, and so I take a holistic approach.

0:14:11.880 --> 0:14:15.240
<v Speaker 5>But yes, for entrepreneurs and for folks like Rene and I,

0:14:15.360 --> 0:14:18.240
<v Speaker 5>we need to make money. And for every entrepreneur that

0:14:18.280 --> 0:14:20.800
<v Speaker 5>we serve, they should have a we have a social

0:14:20.840 --> 0:14:24.080
<v Speaker 5>impact lens. I push entrepreneurs to also have a social

0:14:24.120 --> 0:14:26.840
<v Speaker 5>impact lens because it's not just good for us to

0:14:26.920 --> 0:14:28.000
<v Speaker 5>individually do well.

0:14:28.200 --> 0:14:29.800
<v Speaker 4>It has to flow to the community as well.

0:14:29.840 --> 0:14:31.520
<v Speaker 2>And how does that help with the profitability?

0:14:31.680 --> 0:14:35.520
<v Speaker 4>Yes? Quality, Uh, yeah, absolutely quality.

0:14:36.280 --> 0:14:38.000
<v Speaker 5>You know, the thing is, I don't know if we

0:14:38.080 --> 0:14:42.040
<v Speaker 5>go into certain retail stores and we even question the

0:14:42.120 --> 0:14:44.480
<v Speaker 5>cost of it. We just know that this is a

0:14:44.560 --> 0:14:46.760
<v Speaker 5>quality brand and we buy it. When you go to

0:14:47.160 --> 0:14:50.080
<v Speaker 5>you know, high end retail stores, because I work with

0:14:50.120 --> 0:14:53.800
<v Speaker 5>retailers high end retail stores, we maybe we question the

0:14:53.840 --> 0:14:55.960
<v Speaker 5>const but not really because we know that we're getting

0:14:56.000 --> 0:14:58.840
<v Speaker 5>something that's high quality brand and also unique.

0:14:59.040 --> 0:15:01.200
<v Speaker 4>So we don't know necessarily.

0:15:00.640 --> 0:15:06.040
<v Speaker 5>Over explain, explain why something costs what it does. What

0:15:06.080 --> 0:15:09.560
<v Speaker 5>we do is produce a high quality experience high quality

0:15:11.200 --> 0:15:14.880
<v Speaker 5>a product and people are more so excited to have it.

0:15:15.080 --> 0:15:17.560
<v Speaker 5>We in the village retail, we're not really seeing people

0:15:17.600 --> 0:15:20.400
<v Speaker 5>that's saying, why does this candle cost that much?

0:15:21.320 --> 0:15:23.360
<v Speaker 4>They know that it's a good quality candle.

0:15:23.440 --> 0:15:26.640
<v Speaker 1>I have recently become an adult in my candle purchases,

0:15:26.760 --> 0:15:28.960
<v Speaker 1>Like they're not all the five dollar ones. I get

0:15:28.960 --> 0:15:32.800
<v Speaker 1>a home goods like a quality candles expensive renee. When

0:15:32.800 --> 0:15:35.840
<v Speaker 1>you walk into the she did that holiday bazaar, you

0:15:36.160 --> 0:15:37.920
<v Speaker 1>felt that. I love the way that you had. You

0:15:37.960 --> 0:15:42.400
<v Speaker 1>had this like greenery, you had the boys section. He

0:15:42.520 --> 0:15:45.480
<v Speaker 1>did that, you had the little shame moisture section. I'm

0:15:45.480 --> 0:15:47.720
<v Speaker 1>sure that's evolved over time. But what kind of how

0:15:47.760 --> 0:15:49.640
<v Speaker 1>important is it to you as well to like create

0:15:49.680 --> 0:15:52.880
<v Speaker 1>that experience where you're like, you know, you're creating like

0:15:52.880 --> 0:15:56.960
<v Speaker 1>like doctor Key said, an environment where it just oozes.

0:15:57.360 --> 0:15:59.040
<v Speaker 2>This is high quality. No one's in a question.

0:15:59.080 --> 0:16:01.120
<v Speaker 3>It's very intentional.

0:16:02.200 --> 0:16:05.640
<v Speaker 6>In fact, every year when we're curating, you know, the

0:16:05.680 --> 0:16:11.640
<v Speaker 6>brands that are participating, that quality, that intention, that love

0:16:11.880 --> 0:16:16.720
<v Speaker 6>that these founders are pouring into their products is really

0:16:16.880 --> 0:16:19.120
<v Speaker 6>the top of the list when we're thinking about who

0:16:19.160 --> 0:16:24.560
<v Speaker 6>we want to invite into this community. It's I'm a

0:16:24.640 --> 0:16:28.479
<v Speaker 6>virgo too, so I'm very like I know what I like,

0:16:28.480 --> 0:16:31.720
<v Speaker 6>Like it just feels good to walk into a room

0:16:31.800 --> 0:16:34.640
<v Speaker 6>and just know that, like, wow, a black woman created

0:16:34.680 --> 0:16:37.800
<v Speaker 6>this with love, and you know, now I get a

0:16:37.880 --> 0:16:40.600
<v Speaker 6>chance to purchase it and bringing it into my home.

0:16:41.480 --> 0:16:43.560
<v Speaker 6>But before I go further, I just want to stop

0:16:43.600 --> 0:16:46.600
<v Speaker 6>and thank you for pointing out that.

0:16:47.400 --> 0:16:48.440
<v Speaker 3>What was the term you use.

0:16:48.520 --> 0:16:50.640
<v Speaker 6>I think you said you want the brands that you

0:16:50.720 --> 0:16:54.680
<v Speaker 6>feature and also yourself to be economically liberated.

0:16:55.200 --> 0:16:56.440
<v Speaker 4>Yeah, that was a word.

0:16:57.280 --> 0:16:59.920
<v Speaker 3>That was a word that resonated with.

0:17:00.120 --> 0:17:05.119
<v Speaker 6>Me because I think the misconception is that people like

0:17:05.320 --> 0:17:08.960
<v Speaker 6>us who are of service to our community are like,

0:17:09.760 --> 0:17:14.359
<v Speaker 6>you know, doing pro bono work. You know, like like ye,

0:17:14.840 --> 0:17:19.160
<v Speaker 6>if the brands are monetized and need to be profitable,

0:17:19.320 --> 0:17:24.120
<v Speaker 6>so do the platforms and organizations that are elevating them

0:17:24.160 --> 0:17:29.679
<v Speaker 6>and pushing them forward and creating opportunities and bridging the gap.

0:17:29.840 --> 0:17:31.679
<v Speaker 6>And so when you said that, I was like, oh

0:17:31.720 --> 0:17:34.639
<v Speaker 6>my gosh, we probably have to have an offline conversation

0:17:34.720 --> 0:17:36.840
<v Speaker 6>about that because I'm constantly.

0:17:39.280 --> 0:17:41.680
<v Speaker 3>I feel like I am constantly.

0:17:43.160 --> 0:17:46.119
<v Speaker 6>Making that clear that like wait wait wait, wait, wait pause,

0:17:46.240 --> 0:17:48.200
<v Speaker 6>this is a business.

0:17:48.320 --> 0:17:50.760
<v Speaker 1>Right, So you're not, like, so, is that because vendors

0:17:50.800 --> 0:17:53.159
<v Speaker 1>don't want to pay for placement at the bazaar?

0:17:53.280 --> 0:17:54.720
<v Speaker 2>Sometimes are they question it?

0:17:54.720 --> 0:17:59.080
<v Speaker 6>It's not even so much the vendors, But it could

0:17:59.080 --> 0:18:03.919
<v Speaker 6>be a plethora of things. It could be a brand,

0:18:03.960 --> 0:18:08.720
<v Speaker 6>for example, inviting me to come and speak during Women's

0:18:08.760 --> 0:18:13.800
<v Speaker 6>History Month or Black History Month and not really having

0:18:13.840 --> 0:18:16.600
<v Speaker 6>a budget for it. Like this time of year, and

0:18:16.640 --> 0:18:20.000
<v Speaker 6>I'm sure you're inbox is also flooded. We have Black

0:18:20.080 --> 0:18:23.440
<v Speaker 6>History Month coming up, we have Women's History coming up.

0:18:23.320 --> 0:18:24.760
<v Speaker 3>And I am just.

0:18:26.200 --> 0:18:29.720
<v Speaker 6>Floored every year by some of the requests. I'm like, okay, wait,

0:18:29.800 --> 0:18:32.280
<v Speaker 6>you want me to leave my home, which I love.

0:18:32.960 --> 0:18:34.960
<v Speaker 6>You want me to leave my city, You want me

0:18:35.000 --> 0:18:37.760
<v Speaker 6>to leave my work for the day of travel, the

0:18:37.840 --> 0:18:41.000
<v Speaker 6>day of your event, the return, and you don't have

0:18:41.000 --> 0:18:45.320
<v Speaker 6>a budget. Make it make sense, you know? And so

0:18:46.240 --> 0:18:49.160
<v Speaker 6>don't get me wrong. Not everything that I do has

0:18:49.200 --> 0:18:51.960
<v Speaker 6>to be transactional. There are a lot of things that

0:18:52.000 --> 0:18:55.480
<v Speaker 6>I do that are just you know, because of the

0:18:55.520 --> 0:18:58.320
<v Speaker 6>heart that I have for the work that I have

0:18:58.480 --> 0:19:02.200
<v Speaker 6>committed my life to. But at the point where brands

0:19:02.240 --> 0:19:05.280
<v Speaker 6>are asking you to leave your city and leave your

0:19:06.680 --> 0:19:09.160
<v Speaker 6>your business for a couple of days, I'm like, oh

0:19:09.200 --> 0:19:13.000
<v Speaker 6>my godness, there has to be a disconnect here about

0:19:13.000 --> 0:19:15.320
<v Speaker 6>the fact that this is, in fact my career.

0:19:15.520 --> 0:19:17.639
<v Speaker 3>This is how I make a living.

0:19:17.720 --> 0:19:20.760
<v Speaker 5>And I think it's the like, are we humanizing right?

0:19:20.840 --> 0:19:22.960
<v Speaker 5>I think it's important for folks to know that we're

0:19:23.000 --> 0:19:27.199
<v Speaker 5>real people. We're in the service of something that is

0:19:27.280 --> 0:19:31.400
<v Speaker 5>much higher than us. It's a calling we're fulfilling, almost

0:19:31.440 --> 0:19:37.439
<v Speaker 5>like a spiritual obligation that everyone gets the vision to

0:19:37.480 --> 0:19:41.560
<v Speaker 5>create these models, to create bizaarres, to create marketplaces, and

0:19:41.600 --> 0:19:45.199
<v Speaker 5>we do so for the betterment of our people. But

0:19:46.200 --> 0:19:50.960
<v Speaker 5>if the vessel is never filled or supported, then the

0:19:51.040 --> 0:19:54.200
<v Speaker 5>visionary the visions will begin to dry up. That is

0:19:55.359 --> 0:19:57.440
<v Speaker 5>not what we are aiming to do here. But we're

0:19:57.480 --> 0:20:01.200
<v Speaker 5>full of people with responsibility with people that also rely

0:20:01.359 --> 0:20:05.960
<v Speaker 5>on us. I am one of the centerpieces for my family,

0:20:06.520 --> 0:20:09.000
<v Speaker 5>and so I think what I lead with it is

0:20:09.080 --> 0:20:11.760
<v Speaker 5>just that I'm a human being serving a higher calling.

0:20:12.320 --> 0:20:15.359
<v Speaker 4>But because of that, this is now my career pathway.

0:20:15.880 --> 0:20:17.600
<v Speaker 5>I am one of those that if I had if

0:20:17.600 --> 0:20:20.080
<v Speaker 5>I was so fortunate to do it for free, i would.

0:20:20.040 --> 0:20:21.240
<v Speaker 4>But I'm not so fortunate.

0:20:21.760 --> 0:20:24.240
<v Speaker 5>I have to be able to survive, and I don't

0:20:24.240 --> 0:20:26.960
<v Speaker 5>want survival to be the end goal for any of us.

0:20:27.240 --> 0:20:30.399
<v Speaker 5>We should be in a consistent place of thriving. That

0:20:30.560 --> 0:20:32.600
<v Speaker 5>is the vibration that I want us to be on.

0:20:34.920 --> 0:20:36.400
<v Speaker 2>Yes, thank you for saying that.

0:20:37.080 --> 0:20:40.800
<v Speaker 1>I want to talk a little bit about how community

0:20:41.240 --> 0:20:44.160
<v Speaker 1>and how y'all have harnessed I know, doctor.

0:20:43.920 --> 0:20:47.840
<v Speaker 2>Key, your bookt one is self made. Thank you. Hold

0:20:47.880 --> 0:20:48.560
<v Speaker 2>it up for people.

0:20:49.320 --> 0:20:52.800
<v Speaker 1>No one is, so congratulations, Wait, hold it up a

0:20:52.800 --> 0:20:54.480
<v Speaker 1>little bit longer so I can take a little good

0:20:54.480 --> 0:20:57.320
<v Speaker 1>screenshot for social Okay, no one is self made. Build

0:20:57.359 --> 0:21:01.240
<v Speaker 1>your village to flourish and build it and bussiness and life.

0:21:01.720 --> 0:21:02.080
<v Speaker 2>Okay.

0:21:02.280 --> 0:21:04.919
<v Speaker 1>This is the thing that I will not shut up

0:21:04.920 --> 0:21:08.040
<v Speaker 1>about is how post election, how do we you know,

0:21:08.080 --> 0:21:08.760
<v Speaker 1>how are we coping?

0:21:08.800 --> 0:21:10.840
<v Speaker 2>What are we going to do? Community? Community? Community?

0:21:11.280 --> 0:21:13.480
<v Speaker 1>And I want to hear from y'all like how has

0:21:13.520 --> 0:21:18.520
<v Speaker 1>community driven business success for you? And yeah, say a

0:21:18.520 --> 0:21:20.360
<v Speaker 1>word on that she did that would.

0:21:20.160 --> 0:21:26.399
<v Speaker 6>Not exist without community, like point blank period. And the

0:21:26.400 --> 0:21:29.480
<v Speaker 6>beautiful thing about the community that we've built around this

0:21:29.600 --> 0:21:33.800
<v Speaker 6>brand is that we are in service to each other

0:21:34.640 --> 0:21:39.000
<v Speaker 6>all year round, you know, Like there's so much connection

0:21:39.240 --> 0:21:43.800
<v Speaker 6>that happens behind the scenes, so many collaborations, so much

0:21:44.400 --> 0:21:45.920
<v Speaker 6>support and Council.

0:21:46.160 --> 0:21:47.080
<v Speaker 3>It makes me proud.

0:21:47.359 --> 0:21:49.639
<v Speaker 6>You know, every time I hear about one of the

0:21:49.680 --> 0:21:53.199
<v Speaker 6>brands that we're working with doing something in partnership with

0:21:53.240 --> 0:21:57.200
<v Speaker 6>another brand, I'm like, yes, that is what we're here for.

0:21:57.520 --> 0:22:01.240
<v Speaker 3>Like every single time a CEA is planted.

0:22:00.880 --> 0:22:04.440
<v Speaker 6>And you know, it flourishes, whether it's immediately or later,

0:22:04.720 --> 0:22:08.280
<v Speaker 6>I'm just grateful that the work we're doing is really

0:22:08.320 --> 0:22:12.760
<v Speaker 6>making an impact. And the thing about community that I

0:22:12.880 --> 0:22:15.400
<v Speaker 6>want a lot of us to remember is that it's

0:22:15.440 --> 0:22:18.840
<v Speaker 6>not something that we tap in during times of need, right,

0:22:19.080 --> 0:22:23.320
<v Speaker 6>Like we have to be mindful and just very committed

0:22:23.400 --> 0:22:27.280
<v Speaker 6>to consistently checking in with people, not when they are

0:22:27.320 --> 0:22:30.040
<v Speaker 6>doing something for you, not when you need something, but

0:22:30.280 --> 0:22:33.600
<v Speaker 6>just in general because you just never know, you know

0:22:34.040 --> 0:22:36.720
<v Speaker 6>what can come out of those connections, what people are

0:22:36.760 --> 0:22:40.919
<v Speaker 6>going through, and how you can really just help someone

0:22:41.000 --> 0:22:41.800
<v Speaker 6>to move forward.

0:22:42.840 --> 0:22:45.560
<v Speaker 1>Yeah, and also don't wait until they like doctor key

0:22:45.600 --> 0:22:47.760
<v Speaker 1>you holding up the book. It's like I wrote a

0:22:47.760 --> 0:22:50.080
<v Speaker 1>book and then you get a flurry of text like congratulations,

0:22:50.160 --> 0:22:51.719
<v Speaker 1>d da da da. I'm like, where were you like

0:22:51.800 --> 0:22:54.440
<v Speaker 1>ten months ago when I and I'm writing a book

0:22:54.520 --> 0:22:56.800
<v Speaker 1>right now, So sorry to project this on you, but

0:22:56.840 --> 0:22:58.479
<v Speaker 1>I'm like where were you at four am when I

0:22:58.520 --> 0:23:00.280
<v Speaker 1>was down here hiding from like trying to get my

0:23:00.320 --> 0:23:02.400
<v Speaker 1>two hours of writing time for the kids wake up,

0:23:02.880 --> 0:23:05.600
<v Speaker 1>and like struggling fighting for my life. I could have

0:23:05.720 --> 0:23:09.000
<v Speaker 1>used like a go girl, you.

0:23:08.880 --> 0:23:11.399
<v Speaker 5>Know at a time like that, you know, peekbag on

0:23:11.440 --> 0:23:14.480
<v Speaker 5>something that Renee said, I think, what's so beautiful when

0:23:14.480 --> 0:23:18.920
<v Speaker 5>you build community when we are experiencing times that we're

0:23:18.960 --> 0:23:22.960
<v Speaker 5>experiencing now, we're not searching for anyone, We already have

0:23:23.119 --> 0:23:29.080
<v Speaker 5>each other. You build community as to be proactive, not reactionary,

0:23:30.000 --> 0:23:34.280
<v Speaker 5>because those reactionary communities are not sustainable. We're here too,

0:23:34.960 --> 0:23:37.080
<v Speaker 5>we're all mad at the same time, we're all hurt

0:23:37.119 --> 0:23:41.440
<v Speaker 5>at the same time, but we want healthy, viable relationships.

0:23:41.800 --> 0:23:44.679
<v Speaker 5>So it what's so beautiful about have a community. It

0:23:44.680 --> 0:23:47.920
<v Speaker 5>gives you this safe place to land. For the entrepreneurs

0:23:48.000 --> 0:23:50.639
<v Speaker 5>of the village market, I wanted it to be a

0:23:50.760 --> 0:23:55.080
<v Speaker 5>multi prong multi vested approach. I shouldn't be the only

0:23:55.160 --> 0:23:58.800
<v Speaker 5>person that they see that's talking about entrepreneurship and helping

0:23:58.840 --> 0:24:01.200
<v Speaker 5>them to think through brand and I did any identity

0:24:01.240 --> 0:24:04.600
<v Speaker 5>and things like that. I have foot soldiers of other

0:24:04.760 --> 0:24:08.320
<v Speaker 5>like brilliant, brilliant people who are part of the fortress

0:24:08.400 --> 0:24:11.159
<v Speaker 5>of the village. So these entrepreneurs are not relying or

0:24:11.320 --> 0:24:14.440
<v Speaker 5>not seeing anyone as a singular hero, none of us.

0:24:14.520 --> 0:24:17.560
<v Speaker 5>That should not be our goal. When when people think

0:24:17.600 --> 0:24:20.400
<v Speaker 5>of the community, they should be thinking of Renee, doctor Key,

0:24:20.480 --> 0:24:23.359
<v Speaker 5>and we can name a litnia of other people. But

0:24:23.640 --> 0:24:27.000
<v Speaker 5>the community is built for viability, so we can be

0:24:27.040 --> 0:24:29.800
<v Speaker 5>there during those dark hours. And also moment is a

0:24:29.800 --> 0:24:34.400
<v Speaker 5>celebration because everything about the community is not dark. Everything

0:24:34.520 --> 0:24:36.879
<v Speaker 5>is not about community is only being in a place

0:24:36.920 --> 0:24:41.000
<v Speaker 5>of her. I can tell you my community. Thinking about

0:24:41.000 --> 0:24:45.040
<v Speaker 5>this book, everybody's so excited because I've been nurturing this

0:24:45.119 --> 0:24:48.600
<v Speaker 5>relationship for years now. And so the central focus of

0:24:48.680 --> 0:24:51.840
<v Speaker 5>the book is community. How to build it, how to

0:24:51.840 --> 0:24:54.679
<v Speaker 5>build it responsibly, How to make sure you do your

0:24:54.760 --> 0:24:56.760
<v Speaker 5>own healing and self work so you can be an

0:24:56.800 --> 0:25:00.760
<v Speaker 5>active participant in the community where it's not just strictly transactional,

0:25:01.040 --> 0:25:03.840
<v Speaker 5>not when you only communicating with people because you want

0:25:03.880 --> 0:25:04.680
<v Speaker 5>something from them.

0:25:05.160 --> 0:25:05.919
<v Speaker 4>But community.

0:25:05.960 --> 0:25:07.919
<v Speaker 5>How do we build it, how do we sustain it,

0:25:08.000 --> 0:25:10.440
<v Speaker 5>How do we grow our economies, how do we grow

0:25:10.480 --> 0:25:13.600
<v Speaker 5>our overall the beloved community that doctor Martin Luther King

0:25:13.680 --> 0:25:16.600
<v Speaker 5>talked about, it takes to stay focused. In my book,

0:25:16.880 --> 0:25:21.600
<v Speaker 5>chapter by chapter talks about that, and every chapter ends

0:25:21.600 --> 0:25:24.840
<v Speaker 5>with reflection questions. Because I'm a former educator, I don't

0:25:24.880 --> 0:25:26.480
<v Speaker 5>want to just talk to talk. I think you have

0:25:26.520 --> 0:25:29.760
<v Speaker 5>to give people a blueprint on how to and what

0:25:29.840 --> 0:25:33.520
<v Speaker 5>are the outcomes if we stay consistent, discipline and focus

0:25:33.920 --> 0:25:34.520
<v Speaker 5>on building.

0:25:34.600 --> 0:25:36.680
<v Speaker 1>What tips would you guys have or what are some like,

0:25:37.119 --> 0:25:39.760
<v Speaker 1>you know, concrete steps someone could take today if they

0:25:39.800 --> 0:25:42.680
<v Speaker 1>feel like they haven't built the community that will help

0:25:42.720 --> 0:25:43.840
<v Speaker 1>them thrive yet.

0:25:45.119 --> 0:25:48.600
<v Speaker 6>One thing I would say is when you are looking

0:25:48.760 --> 0:25:53.240
<v Speaker 6>to build community and whatever word we want to use

0:25:53.280 --> 0:25:55.320
<v Speaker 6>in place of network, because I know for some people

0:25:55.359 --> 0:26:00.800
<v Speaker 6>that's cringey. I like to always think about approaching these

0:26:00.840 --> 0:26:04.920
<v Speaker 6>people with something in hand, right, Like you know how

0:26:04.960 --> 0:26:07.760
<v Speaker 6>we were raised to if you're coming to someone's home,

0:26:07.800 --> 0:26:08.840
<v Speaker 6>you're going to bring something.

0:26:08.840 --> 0:26:11.960
<v Speaker 3>You're not going to come empty handed. The same thing should.

0:26:11.720 --> 0:26:14.960
<v Speaker 6>Be applied when you are reaching out to someone and

0:26:15.000 --> 0:26:18.160
<v Speaker 6>you're ready to make a connection with them, think about

0:26:18.200 --> 0:26:21.879
<v Speaker 6>what is it that you can bring forth to add

0:26:21.960 --> 0:26:26.560
<v Speaker 6>value to what they're doing, to maybe provide some additional

0:26:26.600 --> 0:26:30.239
<v Speaker 6>insight or support. I think that is one of the

0:26:30.240 --> 0:26:33.800
<v Speaker 6>best ways to kind of like unlock those type of

0:26:33.840 --> 0:26:39.240
<v Speaker 6>relationships because so often I think we've been conditioned to

0:26:39.320 --> 0:26:41.720
<v Speaker 6>think that, you know, if you're networking, especially when you

0:26:41.760 --> 0:26:45.560
<v Speaker 6>think about platforms like LinkedIn, people like us are getting

0:26:45.640 --> 0:26:49.920
<v Speaker 6>flooded with you know, inquiries and I'd love to connect

0:26:50.000 --> 0:26:53.520
<v Speaker 6>and there's no context there, and it's like I wish

0:26:53.520 --> 0:26:57.399
<v Speaker 6>I had time to connect with strangers. But if someone

0:26:57.480 --> 0:27:00.560
<v Speaker 6>is reaching out to me and there is something that

0:27:00.600 --> 0:27:03.720
<v Speaker 6>they could do that, you know, it could possibly help

0:27:03.760 --> 0:27:07.800
<v Speaker 6>me move my mission forward, the chances of me looking

0:27:07.840 --> 0:27:11.000
<v Speaker 6>at that and responding, you know, even if there's no connection,

0:27:11.200 --> 0:27:15.600
<v Speaker 6>it's significantly higher, because, as you mentioned before, entrepreneurship can

0:27:15.680 --> 0:27:19.560
<v Speaker 6>be a lonely journey. It can be overwhelming at times.

0:27:19.680 --> 0:27:22.480
<v Speaker 6>And whenever we feel like there is some level of

0:27:22.520 --> 0:27:25.159
<v Speaker 6>support there, we're likely to open the door and at

0:27:25.240 --> 0:27:28.360
<v Speaker 6>least like peek our head in and see, like who

0:27:28.520 --> 0:27:31.439
<v Speaker 6>is this person, and you know, what are they about

0:27:31.480 --> 0:27:33.280
<v Speaker 6>and what are they working on and how can we

0:27:33.320 --> 0:27:34.080
<v Speaker 6>support each other?

0:27:34.119 --> 0:27:37.919
<v Speaker 1>And I'm also thinking about the importance of like making

0:27:37.920 --> 0:27:41.000
<v Speaker 1>a memory with someone and I talk a lot about

0:27:41.200 --> 0:27:43.000
<v Speaker 1>so I hear what you're saying, Renee, and I think

0:27:43.080 --> 0:27:45.920
<v Speaker 1>when the bit of resistance that I imagine some people feel

0:27:46.000 --> 0:27:47.679
<v Speaker 1>is like, well, I don't know what to offer, and

0:27:47.760 --> 0:27:49.520
<v Speaker 1>like how do I even offer it? Am I going

0:27:49.600 --> 0:27:52.480
<v Speaker 1>to run into someone? It's like we'll put yourself in

0:27:52.720 --> 0:27:56.280
<v Speaker 1>a situation where you could encounter that person and like.

0:27:56.520 --> 0:27:59.000
<v Speaker 2>Have some don't even focus on what.

0:27:59.160 --> 0:28:01.560
<v Speaker 1>To give them or like what you could like where

0:28:01.560 --> 0:28:04.399
<v Speaker 1>this could lead, but try to be so present, like

0:28:04.600 --> 0:28:07.399
<v Speaker 1>just have a good interaction in the women's bathroom, you know,

0:28:07.600 --> 0:28:09.320
<v Speaker 1>Like that's what I'm talking about.

0:28:09.359 --> 0:28:10.480
<v Speaker 2>Just like I love your shoes.

0:28:10.480 --> 0:28:14.080
<v Speaker 1>That's amazing, Like forget almost like you know what the

0:28:14.080 --> 0:28:17.240
<v Speaker 1>future can hold, and just like have a really good

0:28:17.280 --> 0:28:21.000
<v Speaker 1>experience and then you know, if in six months you've

0:28:21.040 --> 0:28:23.000
<v Speaker 1>run into each other again or you come across it's like, oh,

0:28:23.000 --> 0:28:23.760
<v Speaker 1>I know you.

0:28:23.760 --> 0:28:24.880
<v Speaker 2>You know at that event you.

0:28:24.880 --> 0:28:27.080
<v Speaker 1>Mentioned you're working on this, I just had an idea

0:28:27.119 --> 0:28:28.600
<v Speaker 1>and you have that like a little bit of a

0:28:28.640 --> 0:28:31.000
<v Speaker 1>seed of a connection, you know.

0:28:31.920 --> 0:28:32.560
<v Speaker 3>I like that.

0:28:32.960 --> 0:28:37.119
<v Speaker 6>I like that, and I like the thought of taking

0:28:37.160 --> 0:28:41.320
<v Speaker 6>the time constraints out of it. I think that we

0:28:41.320 --> 0:28:43.760
<v Speaker 6>we do live in a world of like instant gratification,

0:28:44.000 --> 0:28:46.280
<v Speaker 6>so we think that the first time we see someone,

0:28:46.960 --> 0:28:50.040
<v Speaker 6>you know, this is like the beginning of this relationship.

0:28:50.520 --> 0:28:53.880
<v Speaker 6>How about just seeing them and like you said, Mandy,

0:28:54.040 --> 0:28:58.840
<v Speaker 6>having an authentic, genuine, real conversation and then seeing them

0:28:58.840 --> 0:29:01.440
<v Speaker 6>again somewhere and then maybe you see them on social

0:29:01.920 --> 0:29:04.240
<v Speaker 6>you know, like we shouldn't put so much pressure on

0:29:04.320 --> 0:29:08.040
<v Speaker 6>ourselves and other people to like immediately make this connection.

0:29:08.320 --> 0:29:11.120
<v Speaker 6>And like you, like, I meet so many people that

0:29:11.680 --> 0:29:14.560
<v Speaker 6>I'm more likely to remember that face that i'm seeing,

0:29:14.680 --> 0:29:17.200
<v Speaker 6>like oh you showed up at my event, or now

0:29:17.200 --> 0:29:20.720
<v Speaker 6>I'm seeing seeing you on Instagram or on TikTok or

0:29:21.280 --> 0:29:24.360
<v Speaker 6>at this event. And so those are the ways that,

0:29:24.520 --> 0:29:28.120
<v Speaker 6>like I think we could really make those genuine connections

0:29:28.160 --> 0:29:29.680
<v Speaker 6>that could lead to something.

0:29:29.400 --> 0:29:30.280
<v Speaker 3>Bigger or not.

0:29:30.680 --> 0:29:34.520
<v Speaker 5>And I think that we have to trust abundance, right,

0:29:34.680 --> 0:29:37.160
<v Speaker 5>I think when we meet people and we feel that

0:29:37.200 --> 0:29:39.520
<v Speaker 5>we have to get it all out right now, and

0:29:39.720 --> 0:29:41.480
<v Speaker 5>I think we're afraid it would never see those people

0:29:41.520 --> 0:29:44.640
<v Speaker 5>again or we'll never have that opportunity again. So we

0:29:44.760 --> 0:29:49.320
<v Speaker 5>have to trust abundance. Yeah, we have to recognize scarcity.

0:29:49.360 --> 0:29:52.480
<v Speaker 5>We have to recognize that if you met this person,

0:29:52.520 --> 0:29:54.840
<v Speaker 5>it's a good chance if you make an impression, a

0:29:54.920 --> 0:29:59.840
<v Speaker 5>genuine connection, you will see that person again. But I know,

0:30:00.120 --> 0:30:02.080
<v Speaker 5>and I have a great deal of empathy, you know,

0:30:02.120 --> 0:30:04.560
<v Speaker 5>for people who are in a state of survival right now.

0:30:05.080 --> 0:30:07.000
<v Speaker 5>When you're in the state of survival, you feel like

0:30:07.080 --> 0:30:08.400
<v Speaker 5>I have.

0:30:08.320 --> 0:30:09.400
<v Speaker 4>To be time bound.

0:30:09.720 --> 0:30:11.760
<v Speaker 5>I'm going to go to the future today and miss

0:30:11.800 --> 0:30:15.360
<v Speaker 5>the present moment of even asking them how they're doing,

0:30:15.560 --> 0:30:17.840
<v Speaker 5>the present moment of actually fully seeing them.

0:30:17.880 --> 0:30:19.240
<v Speaker 4>So I have empathy for that.

0:30:19.600 --> 0:30:23.680
<v Speaker 5>But I want to encourage all the listeners to trust abundance,

0:30:24.360 --> 0:30:27.080
<v Speaker 5>to trust that if you are cross paths, you make

0:30:27.160 --> 0:30:30.640
<v Speaker 5>that genuine connection, you will see these people again at

0:30:30.640 --> 0:30:33.280
<v Speaker 5>a time when you have something more to offer. And

0:30:33.320 --> 0:30:36.640
<v Speaker 5>also life is about balance. There are some seasons where

0:30:36.640 --> 0:30:39.880
<v Speaker 5>you have more to give and other seasons whereas you

0:30:39.920 --> 0:30:43.160
<v Speaker 5>have the more to receive. We just when you're in

0:30:43.240 --> 0:30:45.960
<v Speaker 5>a position when you don't have much to give as

0:30:45.960 --> 0:30:48.640
<v Speaker 5>far as something tangibly you have to make, you have

0:30:48.720 --> 0:30:52.080
<v Speaker 5>to be dedicated to when your situation changes and you

0:30:52.120 --> 0:30:55.040
<v Speaker 5>meet someone that's in the same position as you, that

0:30:55.160 --> 0:30:59.080
<v Speaker 5>you give them the same humility and humanity that someone

0:30:59.160 --> 0:31:02.600
<v Speaker 5>offered you. That is how we sew a greater seed,

0:31:03.000 --> 0:31:05.360
<v Speaker 5>because I think sometimes we get to the place and

0:31:05.400 --> 0:31:09.240
<v Speaker 5>we forgot where we were. Remember where you were when

0:31:09.280 --> 0:31:12.160
<v Speaker 5>when you get to the pinnacle of your success and

0:31:12.240 --> 0:31:14.840
<v Speaker 5>still recognize the people that's on their growth journey.

0:31:14.960 --> 0:31:17.240
<v Speaker 1>Yeah, I mean, I wish I'd had that little pep

0:31:17.280 --> 0:31:19.200
<v Speaker 1>talk right before I went to this really fancy dinner

0:31:19.200 --> 0:31:21.840
<v Speaker 1>at Afrotech and I was sitting across from like some

0:31:22.040 --> 0:31:25.360
<v Speaker 1>incredible women, and I got a little scarce.

0:31:25.640 --> 0:31:28.560
<v Speaker 2>I'm not gonna lie like the key. I was feeling

0:31:28.600 --> 0:31:29.200
<v Speaker 2>that pressure.

0:31:29.240 --> 0:31:31.160
<v Speaker 1>I'm like, this dinner's going to be over soon, and

0:31:31.160 --> 0:31:33.080
<v Speaker 1>I haven't talked to everybody, and no, no, no, and

0:31:33.120 --> 0:31:35.960
<v Speaker 1>I lost it. And I've been reliving that, you know,

0:31:36.040 --> 0:31:39.200
<v Speaker 1>anxious mind. I'm working on it. But thank you for

0:31:39.280 --> 0:31:41.960
<v Speaker 1>reminding us. I almost think anytime you're about to go

0:31:42.040 --> 0:31:44.520
<v Speaker 1>to one of those events, just just say, I'll save this.

0:31:44.480 --> 0:31:46.680
<v Speaker 2>Little portion of this podcast and just like play it.

0:31:47.400 --> 0:31:49.880
<v Speaker 1>Remember you may encounter them again.

0:31:50.080 --> 0:31:51.760
<v Speaker 4>And remember you were at the table.

0:31:52.200 --> 0:31:55.120
<v Speaker 2>I know, I forgot. I was at the table. I

0:31:55.200 --> 0:31:55.880
<v Speaker 2>really could not.

0:31:56.160 --> 0:31:59.360
<v Speaker 1>I could not find my feet, man, I probably because

0:31:59.360 --> 0:32:00.760
<v Speaker 1>I were really young people shoes.

0:32:00.960 --> 0:32:04.160
<v Speaker 2>And that was the point I do not talk about pandemic.

0:32:04.200 --> 0:32:04.600
<v Speaker 2>I stopped.

0:32:04.760 --> 0:32:06.320
<v Speaker 1>I did not know how to wear a heel hardly

0:32:06.400 --> 0:32:07.920
<v Speaker 1>before and certainly not after.

0:32:08.440 --> 0:32:11.640
<v Speaker 2>Definitely, And yeah, it's okay.

0:32:11.680 --> 0:32:15.480
<v Speaker 1>Though I was at the table there'll be another one.

0:32:15.800 --> 0:32:19.000
<v Speaker 2>Scare anybody off. Now, I wanted to ask.

0:32:19.040 --> 0:32:20.640
<v Speaker 1>I wanted to give you a chance to talk about

0:32:21.880 --> 0:32:25.680
<v Speaker 1>the way that you've helped businesses raise capital. And you

0:32:25.720 --> 0:32:30.680
<v Speaker 1>know we've I've heard many many an entrepreneur highlight the child.

0:32:30.760 --> 0:32:33.400
<v Speaker 1>I mean, there's already been challenges trying to fund you know,

0:32:33.480 --> 0:32:36.240
<v Speaker 1>get black owned businesses, minority own business is funded, right,

0:32:36.880 --> 0:32:40.000
<v Speaker 1>And I want to hear how what your approach has been.

0:32:40.040 --> 0:32:41.680
<v Speaker 1>And if you cover that in the book, that's great,

0:32:41.720 --> 0:32:44.000
<v Speaker 1>But i'd love to get y'all's take on how businesses

0:32:44.000 --> 0:32:46.400
<v Speaker 1>can get the capital they need to grow at a

0:32:46.440 --> 0:32:47.000
<v Speaker 1>time like this.

0:32:47.440 --> 0:32:49.480
<v Speaker 5>I was hesitating because I feel like I just had

0:32:49.480 --> 0:32:56.040
<v Speaker 5>a long window answer. So will but but but what

0:32:56.120 --> 0:32:58.840
<v Speaker 5>we do at the Village Market, one of the things

0:32:58.880 --> 0:33:01.800
<v Speaker 5>I'm most proud of is that today we've been able

0:33:01.840 --> 0:33:04.680
<v Speaker 5>to generate eight point eight million dollars in direct sales

0:33:04.680 --> 0:33:07.840
<v Speaker 5>to black businesses. And the reason why I start with

0:33:07.880 --> 0:33:10.320
<v Speaker 5>that is because there was a time where I couldn't

0:33:10.320 --> 0:33:13.440
<v Speaker 5>assist entrepreneurs to give them grants, but I knew that

0:33:13.480 --> 0:33:16.040
<v Speaker 5>I could give them people. So my goal for the

0:33:16.120 --> 0:33:18.400
<v Speaker 5>Village Market, and I know this is Renee go for

0:33:18.480 --> 0:33:23.200
<v Speaker 5>the bazaars. I'm going you show up, you be operating excellence,

0:33:23.240 --> 0:33:25.080
<v Speaker 5>have high quality, and I'm going to bring you some

0:33:25.120 --> 0:33:27.960
<v Speaker 5>people that already value you, so you don't have to

0:33:28.000 --> 0:33:30.440
<v Speaker 5>do all that overextending and all the stuff that we

0:33:30.480 --> 0:33:33.280
<v Speaker 5>feel we have to do. I'm going to bring you people.

0:33:33.720 --> 0:33:36.600
<v Speaker 5>And so my model for the Village market was to

0:33:36.600 --> 0:33:39.240
<v Speaker 5>be people powered. And so we've had a big economic

0:33:39.240 --> 0:33:42.880
<v Speaker 5>push in the city of Atlanta. But since then, now

0:33:42.920 --> 0:33:45.880
<v Speaker 5>I have a program under my nonprofit, our Village and

0:33:45.920 --> 0:33:49.720
<v Speaker 5>named we work with entrepreneurs across.

0:33:49.400 --> 0:33:51.200
<v Speaker 4>Many many cities and many states.

0:33:51.560 --> 0:33:54.080
<v Speaker 5>And so we work with these entrepreneurs and incubator programs

0:33:54.080 --> 0:33:58.520
<v Speaker 5>and accelerated programs. We bring funders to the entrepreneurs and

0:33:58.560 --> 0:34:01.680
<v Speaker 5>so those funders can be CDA advise those funders can

0:34:01.720 --> 0:34:05.280
<v Speaker 5>be investors, angel investors, things like that. But also at

0:34:05.280 --> 0:34:08.440
<v Speaker 5>the end of our programs, we also have pitch contests

0:34:08.440 --> 0:34:09.640
<v Speaker 5>and we disseminate grants.

0:34:09.680 --> 0:34:11.320
<v Speaker 4>It has been incredible.

0:34:10.880 --> 0:34:13.600
<v Speaker 5>Last two years, were close to a million in grants

0:34:13.640 --> 0:34:16.160
<v Speaker 5>that we've been able to disseminate. And so I raise

0:34:16.239 --> 0:34:18.680
<v Speaker 5>the money and then I do micro grants for the

0:34:18.840 --> 0:34:22.960
<v Speaker 5>entrepreneurs we've been and yes, I write about this in

0:34:23.000 --> 0:34:25.680
<v Speaker 5>the book. But this book is only the lived experience

0:34:25.719 --> 0:34:29.800
<v Speaker 5>that I have. What I'm trying to inspire other folks

0:34:29.880 --> 0:34:33.840
<v Speaker 5>like me. You don't do not not start an idea

0:34:33.960 --> 0:34:36.319
<v Speaker 5>simply because you may not have the capital to be

0:34:36.360 --> 0:34:37.280
<v Speaker 5>an investor today.

0:34:37.880 --> 0:34:39.440
<v Speaker 4>There is power in people with.

0:34:39.560 --> 0:34:42.160
<v Speaker 5>Money who are ready to spend in buy and who

0:34:42.160 --> 0:34:46.440
<v Speaker 5>will be lifetime customers. Then also be innovative. Start partnering

0:34:46.520 --> 0:34:49.960
<v Speaker 5>with the people with money, build it around programming, and

0:34:50.000 --> 0:34:52.600
<v Speaker 5>then as I get grant dollars and I'm able to

0:34:52.640 --> 0:34:56.359
<v Speaker 5>disseminate more grant dollars from the grant dollars that I received. Yes,

0:34:56.440 --> 0:34:59.839
<v Speaker 5>I write about this in the book because I am

0:35:00.000 --> 0:35:03.480
<v Speaker 5>also writing to who I was ten years ago with

0:35:03.600 --> 0:35:07.480
<v Speaker 5>all these ideas of community, want to drive change and

0:35:07.600 --> 0:35:10.279
<v Speaker 5>enact change, but there was no book for me to read.

0:35:11.640 --> 0:35:15.239
<v Speaker 5>And Tawny Morrison told is, when if there's a book

0:35:15.280 --> 0:35:18.520
<v Speaker 5>that needs to be written and it's not out there,

0:35:18.719 --> 0:35:20.840
<v Speaker 5>go write it. So I wrote that book.

0:35:20.880 --> 0:35:23.399
<v Speaker 1>O Renee, Is there anything that y'all you have picked

0:35:23.440 --> 0:35:25.680
<v Speaker 1>up or any work that you're doing to bridge that

0:35:25.760 --> 0:35:30.399
<v Speaker 1>gap between businesses that have ideas, they have product, services, whatever,

0:35:30.520 --> 0:35:33.719
<v Speaker 1>they want to thrive, but they're missing like an investor.

0:35:33.920 --> 0:35:35.520
<v Speaker 2>Or. They think they're missing an investor.

0:35:35.680 --> 0:35:35.759
<v Speaker 3>Or.

0:35:35.880 --> 0:35:37.520
<v Speaker 2>They you know, they've.

0:35:37.360 --> 0:35:39.759
<v Speaker 1>Been doing all e commerce and maybe they're thinking of

0:35:39.840 --> 0:35:43.480
<v Speaker 1>like doing a market place to expand their reach, and

0:35:43.520 --> 0:35:46.680
<v Speaker 1>they're just not sure which channel to like press the

0:35:46.719 --> 0:35:51.200
<v Speaker 1>gas on a little bit to increase their revenue, their

0:35:51.440 --> 0:35:53.560
<v Speaker 1>customer base, all of those things.

0:35:54.200 --> 0:35:55.800
<v Speaker 6>A lot of the work that we dated in twenty

0:35:55.840 --> 0:36:00.279
<v Speaker 6>twenty four what gave me an opportunity to really leverage

0:36:00.440 --> 0:36:05.320
<v Speaker 6>like my PR and marketing experience, you know, brand connections

0:36:05.400 --> 0:36:10.920
<v Speaker 6>and bridge the gap between these larger corporations and small businesses.

0:36:11.520 --> 0:36:14.680
<v Speaker 6>And one partnership that I'm really proud of was and

0:36:14.719 --> 0:36:16.759
<v Speaker 6>you saw part of it at the Holiday Bazaar, was

0:36:16.840 --> 0:36:21.000
<v Speaker 6>with Shame Oyster. We created the Business that Bonds initiative

0:36:21.640 --> 0:36:26.759
<v Speaker 6>and really gave these small local businesses an opportunity to

0:36:26.920 --> 0:36:30.840
<v Speaker 6>show up in spaces that they typically wouldn't have access to.

0:36:31.200 --> 0:36:35.759
<v Speaker 6>So one was curl Fest. It's a huge festival that

0:36:35.880 --> 0:36:39.080
<v Speaker 6>happens here in New York City. We gave out micro

0:36:39.239 --> 0:36:44.560
<v Speaker 6>brands that covered each business's overhead expenses for showing up

0:36:44.600 --> 0:36:46.680
<v Speaker 6>in those spaces, so their.

0:36:46.560 --> 0:36:48.959
<v Speaker 3>Vendor fees, you know, we gave them.

0:36:49.440 --> 0:36:52.560
<v Speaker 6>We created all the marketing materials for them to promote it,

0:36:53.600 --> 0:36:57.040
<v Speaker 6>and I don't think people understand that for small business,

0:36:57.760 --> 0:37:01.479
<v Speaker 6>while you know it's not the heaviest lift, it could

0:37:01.520 --> 0:37:04.040
<v Speaker 6>be a heavy lift. You know, you think about like

0:37:04.600 --> 0:37:06.960
<v Speaker 6>the fees, Like I said, how do you market it?

0:37:07.120 --> 0:37:10.120
<v Speaker 6>How do you you know, do your merchandising, how do

0:37:10.160 --> 0:37:13.799
<v Speaker 6>you get that set up. We really supported them through

0:37:13.840 --> 0:37:16.359
<v Speaker 6>that journey so that they could show up at Curlfest.

0:37:16.840 --> 0:37:20.399
<v Speaker 6>They we did a huge activation with Shamee Moisture at

0:37:20.440 --> 0:37:25.720
<v Speaker 6>Culture Con which really exposed these small businesses to celebrities

0:37:25.800 --> 0:37:29.840
<v Speaker 6>and just all these really dope people that came out

0:37:29.880 --> 0:37:33.600
<v Speaker 6>just for the purpose of celebrating our culture. And then

0:37:33.680 --> 0:37:36.120
<v Speaker 6>we closed out the year with the Holiday Bazaar where

0:37:36.120 --> 0:37:39.600
<v Speaker 6>we introduced that he did that marketplace. That went over

0:37:39.719 --> 0:37:42.680
<v Speaker 6>really well and had a chance to kind of bring

0:37:42.719 --> 0:37:47.760
<v Speaker 6>men in the community because my you know, platform obviously

0:37:47.800 --> 0:37:50.880
<v Speaker 6>is about women, but it had been on my spirit

0:37:50.920 --> 0:37:54.000
<v Speaker 6>and on my heart for so long to bring men

0:37:54.160 --> 0:37:58.600
<v Speaker 6>into the conversation and into these spaces. So that is

0:37:59.160 --> 0:38:01.439
<v Speaker 6>something we're really proud of that we did last year.

0:38:01.880 --> 0:38:05.600
<v Speaker 6>We still get a lot of notes and just feedback

0:38:05.680 --> 0:38:08.600
<v Speaker 6>and reflections from some of the small businesses that we

0:38:08.600 --> 0:38:12.920
<v Speaker 6>were able to amplify with that. And then the next

0:38:13.160 --> 0:38:16.040
<v Speaker 6>event that we're working on is coming up in April,

0:38:16.440 --> 0:38:18.680
<v Speaker 6>and it is Queens of the New York City Food

0:38:18.719 --> 0:38:23.560
<v Speaker 6>and Beverage Scene, where we are specifically focusing on black

0:38:23.600 --> 0:38:27.360
<v Speaker 6>women in the food and beverage space, in the culinary space,

0:38:27.920 --> 0:38:32.040
<v Speaker 6>and just really making it, you know, a celebration of culture,

0:38:32.480 --> 0:38:39.320
<v Speaker 6>food and commerce. So creating these spaces that are intentionally

0:38:39.440 --> 0:38:44.800
<v Speaker 6>created for our brands to thrive is really what wakes

0:38:44.840 --> 0:38:47.160
<v Speaker 6>me up every day and just feeling like I want

0:38:47.160 --> 0:38:50.400
<v Speaker 6>to just dig deeper into this work, especially, like we

0:38:50.480 --> 0:38:53.720
<v Speaker 6>said at the top of the conversation, in this climate

0:38:53.760 --> 0:38:57.359
<v Speaker 6>we're in, it's like, Okay, we got us, we don't

0:38:57.360 --> 0:39:00.200
<v Speaker 6>need the other stuff. We got us, and this how

0:39:00.200 --> 0:39:01.040
<v Speaker 6>we're going to show up.

0:39:01.000 --> 0:39:01.520
<v Speaker 4>For each other.

0:39:01.840 --> 0:39:04.400
<v Speaker 1>There's something just about being in that space at the

0:39:04.400 --> 0:39:06.279
<v Speaker 1>holiday bazaar and I'm cooming to whatever you're doing.

0:39:06.320 --> 0:39:06.680
<v Speaker 2>I'm coming.

0:39:06.880 --> 0:39:08.520
<v Speaker 1>I'm on the milling I hope, I'm on the milling list.

0:39:09.040 --> 0:39:10.920
<v Speaker 1>I'll show up, I'll bring friends. I will not bring

0:39:10.960 --> 0:39:12.640
<v Speaker 1>the baby this time because last time.

0:39:15.160 --> 0:39:15.600
<v Speaker 6>The market.

0:39:17.200 --> 0:39:20.520
<v Speaker 1>But he was loving that DJ though he was like, hey,

0:39:20.760 --> 0:39:22.880
<v Speaker 1>my run me rou he's my little party animal.

0:39:23.200 --> 0:39:25.759
<v Speaker 2>I hope you had the vegan Dominican place. What was

0:39:25.800 --> 0:39:26.480
<v Speaker 2>that place.

0:39:26.239 --> 0:39:27.759
<v Speaker 3>Called Healthy as a Mother.

0:39:27.960 --> 0:39:32.680
<v Speaker 1>Yes, I'm talking about delicious vegan and pasta alitos.

0:39:32.680 --> 0:39:33.719
<v Speaker 2>I never knew that was a thing.

0:39:34.719 --> 0:39:37.120
<v Speaker 1>Anyway, I'm gonna get myself all the way off track,

0:39:37.560 --> 0:39:39.880
<v Speaker 1>but just being in that space, there's just something really

0:39:39.960 --> 0:39:43.760
<v Speaker 1>if you let yourself find your footing Amanda Woodruff talking

0:39:43.760 --> 0:39:48.759
<v Speaker 1>to myself and just soak up the prosperity, just soak

0:39:48.880 --> 0:39:52.800
<v Speaker 1>up the you know, women supporting women, and yes, invite

0:39:52.800 --> 0:39:56.960
<v Speaker 1>our boys. I've experimented. I made my friend Chris the

0:39:57.000 --> 0:39:59.200
<v Speaker 1>guinea pig for Brown Ambition. I was like, I'm gonna

0:39:59.239 --> 0:40:01.600
<v Speaker 1>have a boy on panel and see how ba fam

0:40:01.640 --> 0:40:02.600
<v Speaker 1>how we feel about it.

0:40:02.840 --> 0:40:03.880
<v Speaker 2>But I put them on watch.

0:40:03.920 --> 0:40:07.560
<v Speaker 1>I was like, this invitation could be rescinded because like

0:40:07.840 --> 0:40:10.400
<v Speaker 1>sometimes y'all trifle it and we need to, like, you know,

0:40:10.680 --> 0:40:14.520
<v Speaker 1>have a little bit of a space. But I felt,

0:40:14.560 --> 0:40:16.560
<v Speaker 1>I really felt when you said that was on your

0:40:16.600 --> 0:40:21.520
<v Speaker 1>spirit and yeah, you're right, just having these pockets to

0:40:21.560 --> 0:40:24.879
<v Speaker 1>just see us succeed. That's what Brad ambitions about. Doctor Key.

0:40:24.920 --> 0:40:27.200
<v Speaker 1>I think you were gonna you're gonna chine in. I

0:40:27.239 --> 0:40:27.959
<v Speaker 1>want to give you space.

0:40:28.520 --> 0:40:30.840
<v Speaker 5>I just want to make sure the readers like understand

0:40:30.880 --> 0:40:33.000
<v Speaker 5>the magnitude of what Renee just shared.

0:40:34.320 --> 0:40:36.400
<v Speaker 4>She's given people the Big three.

0:40:37.200 --> 0:40:42.759
<v Speaker 5>That's access, that's social resources, and people power that's going

0:40:42.840 --> 0:40:44.400
<v Speaker 5>to generate to capital.

0:40:44.960 --> 0:40:46.000
<v Speaker 4>That is the big three.

0:40:46.040 --> 0:40:51.280
<v Speaker 5>And when you're thinking of entrepreneurs, especially startups, they.

0:40:51.200 --> 0:40:52.919
<v Speaker 4>May have one of those things.

0:40:53.400 --> 0:40:55.520
<v Speaker 5>But the cost that it takes to be able to

0:40:56.080 --> 0:40:59.960
<v Speaker 5>walk through the door of access, to have high level celebrities,

0:41:00.040 --> 0:41:03.960
<v Speaker 5>social capital, or even community capital, to have these people

0:41:04.080 --> 0:41:07.240
<v Speaker 5>right there walking up to you is a cost.

0:41:07.320 --> 0:41:07.640
<v Speaker 3>That is.

0:41:09.239 --> 0:41:12.759
<v Speaker 5>What Renee is building. It is very hard to come

0:41:12.800 --> 0:41:15.880
<v Speaker 5>across for an entrepreneur. So it may not be the

0:41:16.000 --> 0:41:20.000
<v Speaker 5>million thousand dollars investment, but this investment, to me goes

0:41:20.080 --> 0:41:23.759
<v Speaker 5>further and longer because this can change the trajectory of

0:41:23.800 --> 0:41:26.200
<v Speaker 5>your business. But not just the trajectory of your business,

0:41:26.400 --> 0:41:29.200
<v Speaker 5>but the trajectory of your mindset to be in a

0:41:29.239 --> 0:41:32.120
<v Speaker 5>space that's so elevated and to know that your business

0:41:32.200 --> 0:41:35.520
<v Speaker 5>is there as well. And so that's the Big three,

0:41:35.560 --> 0:41:39.680
<v Speaker 5>and I'm hoping all the listeners understand how powerful that is.

0:41:39.719 --> 0:41:43.480
<v Speaker 5>And that is the model. So Renee' that is incredible.

0:41:43.480 --> 0:41:43.960
<v Speaker 4>Thank you.

0:41:44.239 --> 0:41:47.759
<v Speaker 6>First of all, thank you for even affirming me and

0:41:47.840 --> 0:41:50.880
<v Speaker 6>the work. And it's such an honor to be seen

0:41:51.000 --> 0:41:54.160
<v Speaker 6>by someone else who is in this space and just

0:41:54.200 --> 0:41:55.359
<v Speaker 6>as invested as I am.

0:41:55.400 --> 0:41:57.279
<v Speaker 3>So thank you so much for those kind words. I

0:41:57.320 --> 0:41:58.000
<v Speaker 3>appreciate you.

0:41:58.920 --> 0:41:59.719
<v Speaker 2>I love this so much.

0:41:59.760 --> 0:42:02.799
<v Speaker 1>I can I think anyone who's listening, and we do

0:42:02.880 --> 0:42:04.919
<v Speaker 1>have a lot of entrepreneurs, especially the nine to five

0:42:05.040 --> 0:42:08.000
<v Speaker 1>entrepreneurs shut out to my girls, I know that struggle.

0:42:08.440 --> 0:42:11.680
<v Speaker 1>Who may be wondering, you know what if I can

0:42:12.160 --> 0:42:15.239
<v Speaker 1>have a window in or an opportunity to join one

0:42:15.239 --> 0:42:17.239
<v Speaker 1>of these communities that y'all have already built. I think

0:42:17.239 --> 0:42:19.359
<v Speaker 1>that's such a great point that you made, doctor Key,

0:42:19.440 --> 0:42:21.680
<v Speaker 1>is that when you join communities like this, you go

0:42:21.760 --> 0:42:24.080
<v Speaker 1>to a you get in the you know she did

0:42:24.080 --> 0:42:26.440
<v Speaker 1>that bizarre or the Queens of Food and Beverage in

0:42:26.440 --> 0:42:30.359
<v Speaker 1>New York, or the village market in Atlanta. You're automatically

0:42:30.400 --> 0:42:32.799
<v Speaker 1>a part of a community. Like you can always say well,

0:42:32.840 --> 0:42:34.840
<v Speaker 1>I'm a village vendor and so are you. We have

0:42:34.920 --> 0:42:37.960
<v Speaker 1>something in common, you know. So how can people get

0:42:37.960 --> 0:42:40.799
<v Speaker 1>in touch and learn about how they potentially could be

0:42:40.800 --> 0:42:43.279
<v Speaker 1>a part of what y'all they are building sure thing

0:42:44.400 --> 0:42:45.520
<v Speaker 1>for me.

0:42:45.640 --> 0:42:47.880
<v Speaker 5>Go to the Village market dot com. If you're a

0:42:47.880 --> 0:42:51.040
<v Speaker 5>brand that's looking for retail placement, go to the Village

0:42:51.120 --> 0:42:53.960
<v Speaker 5>retail dot com. If you're a brand that is looking

0:42:54.080 --> 0:42:59.680
<v Speaker 5>for support, technical assistance, pro bono services. We support entrepreneurs

0:43:00.680 --> 0:43:05.600
<v Speaker 5>with their accounting, small all small business support, back end support.

0:43:05.920 --> 0:43:07.840
<v Speaker 4>Go to our village name it got bored.

0:43:08.880 --> 0:43:11.799
<v Speaker 5>We have something really special that we've been building now

0:43:11.880 --> 0:43:14.960
<v Speaker 5>for the last ten years, and I have to call

0:43:15.040 --> 0:43:18.319
<v Speaker 5>out how incredible my team is. So you hear my

0:43:18.520 --> 0:43:22.719
<v Speaker 5>voice on this podcast. But I'm a reflection of some

0:43:22.800 --> 0:43:26.120
<v Speaker 5>really brilliant people who decided to go on this journey

0:43:26.160 --> 0:43:28.960
<v Speaker 5>with me, and their faithfulness is the reason why we're

0:43:29.000 --> 0:43:33.880
<v Speaker 5>so impactful. So I have to champion my brilliant, incredible

0:43:33.880 --> 0:43:37.840
<v Speaker 5>team that's sum in Atlanta but sprawl across the United States.

0:43:37.880 --> 0:43:40.760
<v Speaker 5>Now I work with some really incredible folks.

0:43:43.320 --> 0:43:44.839
<v Speaker 1>Yes, I feel like every time you talk, I want

0:43:44.880 --> 0:43:47.040
<v Speaker 1>to say, Amen, were you were you a preacher?

0:43:47.120 --> 0:43:47.880
<v Speaker 2>Do you have like preacher?

0:43:48.120 --> 0:43:50.080
<v Speaker 5>I probably disagree with this is what happens when you

0:43:50.120 --> 0:43:54.360
<v Speaker 5>go to church all the time with your grandma.

0:43:55.520 --> 0:43:57.600
<v Speaker 1>Because I got a lot of family who's like Baptist preachers,

0:43:57.600 --> 0:43:59.000
<v Speaker 1>and I may not sound like it all the time,

0:43:59.040 --> 0:44:01.239
<v Speaker 1>but sometimes it comes out and I'm just like mm hm, yes,

0:44:01.320 --> 0:44:02.120
<v Speaker 1>ma'am amen.

0:44:02.680 --> 0:44:06.360
<v Speaker 3>And she has such a calming spirit, like her delivery.

0:44:06.040 --> 0:44:10.839
<v Speaker 6>Is very like whatever you can like, whatever you're putting down,

0:44:10.880 --> 0:44:13.239
<v Speaker 6>I'm picking it up, like, yes, I believe that.

0:44:13.680 --> 0:44:14.440
<v Speaker 4>I received that.

0:44:14.960 --> 0:44:18.400
<v Speaker 1>Thank you, Thank you, And Renee, what about all that

0:44:18.440 --> 0:44:20.920
<v Speaker 1>you're building? How can people be a part of it?

0:44:21.360 --> 0:44:23.719
<v Speaker 6>You can visit us at she did that dot co.

0:44:24.400 --> 0:44:27.319
<v Speaker 6>You can find us on social at she did that

0:44:27.480 --> 0:44:31.200
<v Speaker 6>dot co, or even follow me personally. I share a

0:44:31.200 --> 0:44:34.320
<v Speaker 6>lot of kind of what I'm doing before it becomes

0:44:34.360 --> 0:44:37.360
<v Speaker 6>the thing. They're on social and have connected with so

0:44:37.440 --> 0:44:41.480
<v Speaker 6>many incredible women. And my social handle is I am

0:44:41.600 --> 0:44:44.839
<v Speaker 6>a Renee blew it R E n A E B

0:44:45.040 --> 0:44:48.520
<v Speaker 6>l U I T T. And I'd also like to

0:44:48.520 --> 0:44:52.440
<v Speaker 6>take a moment to just give things for my small

0:44:52.480 --> 0:44:56.439
<v Speaker 6>but mighty team who not only believes in the work

0:44:56.440 --> 0:44:59.840
<v Speaker 6>that we're doing, but also believes in me and my leadership,

0:45:00.160 --> 0:45:05.320
<v Speaker 6>my vision. So thinking about women like Nico Watkins, Camille Cooper,

0:45:05.840 --> 0:45:08.439
<v Speaker 6>like I would not be able to do this work

0:45:08.480 --> 0:45:11.160
<v Speaker 6>without the support of these dynamic women.

0:45:11.320 --> 0:45:13.080
<v Speaker 3>So thank you, ladies. If you're listening.

0:45:14.560 --> 0:45:17.520
<v Speaker 1>Well, thank you both for just sharing your light and

0:45:17.600 --> 0:45:21.719
<v Speaker 1>your wisdom and yes, whatever magic sauce you have in

0:45:21.760 --> 0:45:24.080
<v Speaker 1>your voice, Doctor Key, thank you for that, for just

0:45:24.120 --> 0:45:27.719
<v Speaker 1>like sprinkling that on us. B A fam, Thank you

0:45:27.760 --> 0:45:30.560
<v Speaker 1>so much for listening. And I will put all of

0:45:30.600 --> 0:45:32.440
<v Speaker 1>the links, the links to all the things, the links

0:45:32.440 --> 0:45:35.400
<v Speaker 1>to get doctor Key's book. Got to support that. And

0:45:35.440 --> 0:45:38.399
<v Speaker 1>if you're watching on YouTube, you've seen the cover. Hold

0:45:38.400 --> 0:45:41.399
<v Speaker 1>it up one more time for the YouTubers, Doctor Key.

0:45:42.560 --> 0:45:45.680
<v Speaker 2>There we go. I love that in the circles in.

0:45:45.680 --> 0:45:47.400
<v Speaker 4>The middle, I see I did.

0:45:50.200 --> 0:45:51.760
<v Speaker 2>Thank y'all so so much.