1 00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:02,680 Speaker 1: Welcome to my show. I'm Rashon McDonald, a host of 2 00:00:02,759 --> 00:00:06,120 Speaker 1: Money Making Conversations Masterclass. Well, we encourage people to stop 3 00:00:06,120 --> 00:00:10,000 Speaker 1: reading other people's success stories and start planning your own. Now, 4 00:00:10,000 --> 00:00:12,200 Speaker 1: you don't want to miss an episode, so please take 5 00:00:12,200 --> 00:00:14,800 Speaker 1: a moment right now to follow or subscribe to Money 6 00:00:14,800 --> 00:00:16,400 Speaker 1: Making Conversations Masterclass. 7 00:00:16,600 --> 00:00:17,239 Speaker 2: It's free. 8 00:00:17,440 --> 00:00:21,400 Speaker 1: You can follow me on the iHeartRadio app, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, 9 00:00:21,520 --> 00:00:24,439 Speaker 1: or wherever you listen to your podcast. New Money Making 10 00:00:24,440 --> 00:00:28,120 Speaker 1: Conversations Masterclass episodes drop daily. I want to keep you 11 00:00:28,160 --> 00:00:30,720 Speaker 1: on alert because my guests provide tips on how you 12 00:00:30,720 --> 00:00:34,839 Speaker 1: can uplift your community, improve your financial planning, motivation, or 13 00:00:34,880 --> 00:00:38,440 Speaker 1: advice on how to be a successful entrepreneur. Now, let's 14 00:00:38,479 --> 00:00:41,760 Speaker 1: get this podcast started. My guest is a manufacturer and 15 00:00:41,880 --> 00:00:45,440 Speaker 1: executive and technology consultant with more than thirty years of 16 00:00:45,520 --> 00:00:49,159 Speaker 1: experience in the apparel industry. She is the author of 17 00:00:49,400 --> 00:00:53,479 Speaker 1: No Money Startup, How to Build an Apparel Manufacturing Company, 18 00:00:53,880 --> 00:00:57,520 Speaker 1: and she is the founder and CEO of Crescent Consulting Group, Inc. 19 00:00:58,000 --> 00:01:03,640 Speaker 1: And Swah Apparel, the Atlanta based woman owned apparel manufacturing company. 20 00:01:03,880 --> 00:01:08,759 Speaker 1: Please work on the Money Making Conversation Masterclass. Shamiya Samiya Rashi. 21 00:01:08,880 --> 00:01:10,319 Speaker 1: How you doing, Samiya, I'm doing well. 22 00:01:10,319 --> 00:01:10,880 Speaker 3: How are you? 23 00:01:11,120 --> 00:01:13,920 Speaker 1: First of all, you said woman owned? Was that important 24 00:01:13,920 --> 00:01:14,920 Speaker 1: to say that in your intro? 25 00:01:15,600 --> 00:01:19,440 Speaker 3: Yes, it is important because in our industry it's male dominated. 26 00:01:20,400 --> 00:01:24,039 Speaker 3: In the intimate apparel and in the outer wear apparel 27 00:01:24,360 --> 00:01:27,240 Speaker 3: it's male dominated. So there are very few women on 28 00:01:27,319 --> 00:01:30,360 Speaker 3: this side of the table that own the complete process. 29 00:01:30,440 --> 00:01:33,600 Speaker 3: So I felt it was important to make that distinction, you. 30 00:01:33,520 --> 00:01:37,200 Speaker 1: Know, because it's really like almost kind of like because 31 00:01:37,400 --> 00:01:39,280 Speaker 1: when you say that, you say on this side of 32 00:01:39,319 --> 00:01:42,399 Speaker 1: the table, which means is the leadership side from the 33 00:01:42,560 --> 00:01:48,680 Speaker 1: actual application of the putting the material together, the closing together, 34 00:01:48,720 --> 00:01:51,280 Speaker 1: I'm assuming that's dominated by female. 35 00:01:51,680 --> 00:01:53,320 Speaker 3: No, it's dominated by males. 36 00:01:53,400 --> 00:01:57,480 Speaker 1: So on both sides, the actual leadership side, right, and 37 00:01:57,520 --> 00:02:01,720 Speaker 1: the distribution side, and you actual manufacturer is not by males. 38 00:02:02,280 --> 00:02:06,040 Speaker 3: Is that you know? I don't know. I don't know 39 00:02:06,160 --> 00:02:09,440 Speaker 3: why men dominate in that area because you would think 40 00:02:10,520 --> 00:02:12,400 Speaker 3: as women, we like. 41 00:02:12,360 --> 00:02:16,160 Speaker 1: To especially on the on the manufacturing inside, you know, 42 00:02:16,639 --> 00:02:21,560 Speaker 1: the distribution. I got it because men dominating the boys club. 43 00:02:21,919 --> 00:02:24,480 Speaker 1: It's a voice and it also becomes so vinistic. You know, 44 00:02:24,480 --> 00:02:27,079 Speaker 1: I want to want to do business with a game, Okay, 45 00:02:27,240 --> 00:02:30,840 Speaker 1: but when a manufacturer application of putting the material together, 46 00:02:31,360 --> 00:02:35,400 Speaker 1: whether it's shield shirt, shoes, t shirts or whatever, I 47 00:02:35,440 --> 00:02:37,480 Speaker 1: would think that would have been women would have a 48 00:02:37,520 --> 00:02:38,280 Speaker 1: major play in that. 49 00:02:39,320 --> 00:02:41,600 Speaker 3: And that's across the world too. I mean it's not 50 00:02:41,720 --> 00:02:44,239 Speaker 3: just here in the United States because when I first 51 00:02:44,280 --> 00:02:47,359 Speaker 3: got started, I mean, I know how to sew from 52 00:02:47,560 --> 00:02:51,600 Speaker 3: home and economics, but that's a different type of sewing. 53 00:02:51,760 --> 00:02:55,079 Speaker 3: That's home sewing. So now that you're talking about processes, 54 00:02:55,160 --> 00:02:59,639 Speaker 3: production planning, you know, putting pieces together, that's dominated by men. 55 00:02:59,680 --> 00:03:02,400 Speaker 3: Now the women. Now you may have sewing operators that 56 00:03:02,440 --> 00:03:07,960 Speaker 3: are the women, but when it comes to the production planning, forecasting, 57 00:03:08,120 --> 00:03:11,520 Speaker 3: and the leadership, that's male dominated. And I've met a 58 00:03:11,520 --> 00:03:15,799 Speaker 3: couple of women in China that actually run large factories 59 00:03:15,880 --> 00:03:17,359 Speaker 3: in some mid factory. 60 00:03:17,560 --> 00:03:19,360 Speaker 2: So you know, I'm not bragging. 61 00:03:19,480 --> 00:03:23,840 Speaker 1: I wear custom made clothes, shirts, suits, all my suits, 62 00:03:24,000 --> 00:03:27,600 Speaker 1: eat my shoes are custom made because I've learned a 63 00:03:27,639 --> 00:03:31,920 Speaker 1: long time ago, and especially for my shoes, wearing cheap 64 00:03:31,960 --> 00:03:36,920 Speaker 1: shoes can hurt your feet. And I've also learned that 65 00:03:37,280 --> 00:03:39,800 Speaker 1: buying a certain shoe at a certain price can last longer, 66 00:03:40,120 --> 00:03:41,640 Speaker 1: so you're not replacing it that much. 67 00:03:41,720 --> 00:03:42,280 Speaker 3: That's correct. 68 00:03:42,560 --> 00:03:47,320 Speaker 1: So is that the metaphor with people in clothes, they 69 00:03:47,360 --> 00:03:50,520 Speaker 1: go cheap and they really wind up paying a price. 70 00:03:50,240 --> 00:03:53,440 Speaker 3: For Yeah, because cheap cost she is very expensive. 71 00:03:53,760 --> 00:03:55,839 Speaker 2: Okay, yes, talk to us about that. 72 00:03:55,960 --> 00:04:00,720 Speaker 3: Well, chip is expensive because you know, there's downtime, there's 73 00:04:00,920 --> 00:04:07,000 Speaker 3: lost fabric, there's displaced fabric, you know, labor problems. And 74 00:04:07,080 --> 00:04:09,280 Speaker 3: so when a factory says, oh, I can do it 75 00:04:09,280 --> 00:04:12,400 Speaker 3: for you cheap, please really tell I'm a nickel and 76 00:04:12,480 --> 00:04:14,400 Speaker 3: dime you and I'm gonna get all your money because 77 00:04:14,400 --> 00:04:18,440 Speaker 3: see there's a they're hidden costs behind that. So for me, now, 78 00:04:18,480 --> 00:04:20,479 Speaker 3: people come to me and they say, well, you know, 79 00:04:20,560 --> 00:04:22,400 Speaker 3: I get my things made in China. I get my 80 00:04:22,440 --> 00:04:24,880 Speaker 3: things made in India, and I want you to meet 81 00:04:24,920 --> 00:04:28,760 Speaker 3: this price. But I politely tell them I live in Atlanta, Georgia, 82 00:04:29,120 --> 00:04:31,760 Speaker 3: My workers are here in Atlanta, Georgia, and I pay 83 00:04:31,880 --> 00:04:35,479 Speaker 3: us prices. So I am not paying Chinese you on 84 00:04:35,600 --> 00:04:38,880 Speaker 3: and I'm not paying Indian rupees, so my price is 85 00:04:38,920 --> 00:04:42,279 Speaker 3: going to be a little bit higher. I compete with 86 00:04:42,360 --> 00:04:45,080 Speaker 3: the Chinese, but I don't compete with them on dollars. 87 00:04:45,360 --> 00:04:48,080 Speaker 3: I compete with them on speed to market and quality. 88 00:04:48,720 --> 00:04:52,640 Speaker 3: I can run circles around it, and they know. I mean, 89 00:04:52,680 --> 00:04:55,520 Speaker 3: my customers have never sent anything back to me because 90 00:04:55,560 --> 00:04:58,240 Speaker 3: they say, wow, your you know your custom your your 91 00:04:58,279 --> 00:04:59,000 Speaker 3: work is good. 92 00:04:59,160 --> 00:05:01,160 Speaker 2: The vision is to me, what clothes do you do? 93 00:05:01,320 --> 00:05:02,200 Speaker 2: What type of styles? 94 00:05:02,240 --> 00:05:08,960 Speaker 3: So I started out in well, chunky girls dresses and 95 00:05:09,320 --> 00:05:11,760 Speaker 3: I used to do two suits, Paul. I used to 96 00:05:11,760 --> 00:05:14,560 Speaker 3: call them church my church lady dresses, and I sold 97 00:05:14,560 --> 00:05:19,240 Speaker 3: them all over the Southeast. But then you found a niche. Yes, okay, 98 00:05:19,240 --> 00:05:19,839 Speaker 3: that's my niche. 99 00:05:20,600 --> 00:05:24,080 Speaker 1: That's that's what in this business. Chick fil A found 100 00:05:24,120 --> 00:05:27,400 Speaker 1: a niche. Okay, chicken sandwiches. Everybody wanted us to buy 101 00:05:27,400 --> 00:05:28,120 Speaker 1: their chicken sandwich. 102 00:05:28,200 --> 00:05:28,640 Speaker 2: Okay. 103 00:05:28,720 --> 00:05:30,440 Speaker 1: So the reason I say that because you when you 104 00:05:30,480 --> 00:05:33,040 Speaker 1: said chucky girl dress, you kind of like dip down 105 00:05:33,279 --> 00:05:34,200 Speaker 1: like that was a bad thing. 106 00:05:34,640 --> 00:05:35,400 Speaker 2: It's not a bad thing. 107 00:05:35,839 --> 00:05:40,240 Speaker 1: People are selling shoes for people with twenty Besides twenty shoes, 108 00:05:40,400 --> 00:05:43,240 Speaker 1: that's a niche. So you found that? How were we 109 00:05:43,279 --> 00:05:45,400 Speaker 1: able to find that from a marketing stand up? 110 00:05:45,480 --> 00:05:50,400 Speaker 3: Well, you know I found it because I sat back 111 00:05:50,440 --> 00:05:51,640 Speaker 3: and looked at the market. 112 00:05:51,839 --> 00:05:54,120 Speaker 2: Okay, I talk, Yeah. 113 00:05:53,960 --> 00:05:56,839 Speaker 3: I stepped back and I looked at the retail market, 114 00:05:57,080 --> 00:06:03,200 Speaker 3: and I thought, where are the gaps. What's missing? Where 115 00:06:03,200 --> 00:06:06,920 Speaker 3: can we plug into? So I began to look at 116 00:06:06,960 --> 00:06:09,080 Speaker 3: the ladies. You know, I see him. They lived on 117 00:06:09,080 --> 00:06:11,000 Speaker 3: my streets. You know, I see them going to church, 118 00:06:11,080 --> 00:06:14,440 Speaker 3: and you know they looked okay, but they didn't look 119 00:06:14,640 --> 00:06:16,200 Speaker 3: to me. I said, you don't look. 120 00:06:17,520 --> 00:06:18,640 Speaker 2: Right, want to look good. 121 00:06:19,320 --> 00:06:22,920 Speaker 3: I didn't see that. I saw fluffy, you know, moon 122 00:06:22,960 --> 00:06:27,200 Speaker 3: mood type things. I said, Okay, there's a market right there. 123 00:06:27,240 --> 00:06:29,359 Speaker 3: And I talked my mother and my father into this. 124 00:06:29,440 --> 00:06:31,080 Speaker 3: I said, there's a market right there and we could 125 00:06:31,160 --> 00:06:31,480 Speaker 3: do this. 126 00:06:32,160 --> 00:06:32,720 Speaker 2: I would tell you. 127 00:06:32,760 --> 00:06:37,200 Speaker 1: So when I was manager Steve Harvey, he dropped a 128 00:06:37,240 --> 00:06:42,880 Speaker 1: female clothing line we did for full figured women. So 129 00:06:42,920 --> 00:06:44,920 Speaker 1: that's why I was just letting you know, is that 130 00:06:45,000 --> 00:06:48,680 Speaker 1: strategically what you were doing was absolutely correct. You go 131 00:06:48,800 --> 00:06:52,119 Speaker 1: where the market allows you to have an opportunity. Yes, 132 00:06:52,360 --> 00:06:54,640 Speaker 1: and we saw that. You know, it didn't turn out 133 00:06:54,680 --> 00:06:57,200 Speaker 1: because we were a man trying to sell a female brand. 134 00:06:57,200 --> 00:06:59,480 Speaker 2: We brought us daughters in, but it still didn't work. 135 00:07:00,120 --> 00:07:02,240 Speaker 2: We saw that niche market at. 136 00:07:02,080 --> 00:07:06,640 Speaker 1: That because slender women, petite women, they got all the fashion. 137 00:07:07,080 --> 00:07:08,080 Speaker 3: That's exactly great. 138 00:07:08,320 --> 00:07:09,760 Speaker 2: I got a size twelve foot. 139 00:07:09,840 --> 00:07:20,880 Speaker 1: Okay, a size nine is always on that shelf. 140 00:07:17,440 --> 00:07:19,920 Speaker 3: That looks good, but not for you. 141 00:07:20,560 --> 00:07:23,960 Speaker 4: Twelvees look a little bit different, and they're all gone 142 00:07:24,040 --> 00:07:27,200 Speaker 4: because they know there's a popular size that they can 143 00:07:27,360 --> 00:07:31,080 Speaker 4: sell consistently versus the odd size of twelve and up. 144 00:07:31,640 --> 00:07:37,360 Speaker 1: So from a marketing standpoint, what helps you more observation 145 00:07:37,720 --> 00:07:38,280 Speaker 1: or research? 146 00:07:39,200 --> 00:07:39,520 Speaker 2: Both? 147 00:07:40,280 --> 00:07:44,600 Speaker 3: But it was more observation because what I did was 148 00:07:44,640 --> 00:07:49,560 Speaker 3: when when identified the niche, I actually talked. I got 149 00:07:49,560 --> 00:07:52,760 Speaker 3: a part time job and I talked to the guy 150 00:07:52,760 --> 00:07:54,840 Speaker 3: into paying me full time money. And I worked four 151 00:07:54,880 --> 00:08:02,880 Speaker 3: hours and by should if you're watching the show, wait 152 00:08:02,920 --> 00:08:03,800 Speaker 3: wit backtrack. 153 00:08:05,440 --> 00:08:08,080 Speaker 2: You get your kitchen, she goes, get all your food. 154 00:08:11,080 --> 00:08:13,880 Speaker 3: So by eleven o'clock, I was out on the street 155 00:08:13,960 --> 00:08:15,880 Speaker 3: taking measurements. So I would go up to these women, 156 00:08:15,960 --> 00:08:19,080 Speaker 3: I say, you look like a perfect specimen for my project. 157 00:08:19,120 --> 00:08:19,960 Speaker 3: May I measure you? 158 00:08:20,200 --> 00:08:20,720 Speaker 2: Okay? 159 00:08:20,800 --> 00:08:23,560 Speaker 3: And I did, and I started collecting. Back then it 160 00:08:23,600 --> 00:08:26,760 Speaker 3: was just spreadsheet, but I began to see it plateaued 161 00:08:27,160 --> 00:08:29,559 Speaker 3: and I began to see the numbers and see how 162 00:08:29,600 --> 00:08:34,160 Speaker 3: how body shapes were working. So then I went to 163 00:08:34,280 --> 00:08:37,679 Speaker 3: buyers like oh, I was trying to I think that 164 00:08:38,000 --> 00:08:40,679 Speaker 3: the avenue or whoever they were, and so I showed 165 00:08:40,760 --> 00:08:43,320 Speaker 3: up with these spreadsheets and these numbers in there like 166 00:08:43,880 --> 00:08:48,120 Speaker 3: lady go away. But see, I would go in their stores. 167 00:08:48,200 --> 00:08:51,720 Speaker 3: I knew when they had their deliveries. When their deliveries 168 00:08:51,760 --> 00:08:55,520 Speaker 3: came in, they had sizes twenty twenty two, twenty four 169 00:08:55,520 --> 00:08:59,120 Speaker 3: to twenty six, and they had about six thirty two's. 170 00:09:00,440 --> 00:09:02,960 Speaker 3: I noticed that thirty twos were always gone by the 171 00:09:03,000 --> 00:09:04,920 Speaker 3: next day, that I would next two days, I would 172 00:09:04,920 --> 00:09:08,360 Speaker 3: go back in and check the inventory. They were gone. 173 00:09:08,720 --> 00:09:10,839 Speaker 3: I checked the twenty fourths. They were the next ones 174 00:09:10,880 --> 00:09:17,480 Speaker 3: to go. I said, okay, so a shortage. So I 175 00:09:17,559 --> 00:09:21,560 Speaker 3: began to take those notes. So then we weren't sewing 176 00:09:21,640 --> 00:09:24,480 Speaker 3: at that time. We weren't manufacturing. We were buying out 177 00:09:24,480 --> 00:09:27,160 Speaker 3: of la and shipping them back here and you know, 178 00:09:27,280 --> 00:09:30,720 Speaker 3: selling them. But what really pushed us into the manufacturing 179 00:09:30,800 --> 00:09:34,880 Speaker 3: area was the shortage and the fact that we couldn't 180 00:09:34,880 --> 00:09:38,640 Speaker 3: get the dresses that we wanted and in a timely manner. 181 00:09:39,280 --> 00:09:44,680 Speaker 3: So actually we backed into manufacture. I mean, like I said, 182 00:09:44,679 --> 00:09:47,680 Speaker 3: I have a sewing background, a home sewing background. But 183 00:09:47,720 --> 00:09:49,640 Speaker 3: then a friend of mine, she said, look, you're gonna 184 00:09:49,679 --> 00:09:53,560 Speaker 3: need contractors, you gotta need pattern makers. Then I hired 185 00:09:53,559 --> 00:09:55,560 Speaker 3: a designer who kept hanging up on me, and I 186 00:09:55,559 --> 00:09:57,280 Speaker 3: finally told her, I said, can you teach me how 187 00:09:57,280 --> 00:10:01,640 Speaker 3: to do this? She said no, Okay. I called her back, 188 00:10:03,440 --> 00:10:05,440 Speaker 3: I said, she said okay. She said, I'll take you on, 189 00:10:06,480 --> 00:10:08,920 Speaker 3: and we became friends. I would fly up to New 190 00:10:09,000 --> 00:10:11,320 Speaker 3: York and hang out with her. And she started, you know, 191 00:10:11,440 --> 00:10:16,120 Speaker 3: really showing me about stitching. And I said, well, why 192 00:10:16,160 --> 00:10:19,240 Speaker 3: does hermione's closed. Why why do they She said, it's 193 00:10:19,240 --> 00:10:21,840 Speaker 3: a stitching dollar and she said, look at the stitching. 194 00:10:22,640 --> 00:10:23,320 Speaker 2: Stay with us. 195 00:10:23,559 --> 00:10:31,880 Speaker 1: More money Making Conversation mastic Lass coming up next. Welcome 196 00:10:31,880 --> 00:10:35,439 Speaker 1: back to money Making Conversation mastic Lass with me, Rashaun McDonald. 197 00:10:35,640 --> 00:10:37,200 Speaker 2: You know that's why I always tell me, let me 198 00:10:37,280 --> 00:10:38,160 Speaker 2: just set the stage. 199 00:10:38,200 --> 00:10:41,040 Speaker 1: I'm talking to Yah where she you know, she's the 200 00:10:41,040 --> 00:10:43,200 Speaker 1: author of the book No Money Start Up, How to 201 00:10:43,280 --> 00:10:47,000 Speaker 1: Build an Apparel Manufacturing Company, and she's also founding the 202 00:10:47,080 --> 00:10:51,680 Speaker 1: CEO of Cresting Consulting Group. You know, I've been fortunate 203 00:10:51,679 --> 00:10:53,600 Speaker 1: that I've lived in New York. I love going to 204 00:10:53,640 --> 00:10:58,400 Speaker 1: the fashion District Chicago, Los Angeles, be Black and Sons, 205 00:10:58,440 --> 00:11:02,360 Speaker 1: which is one of the famous material outlets in the country. 206 00:11:02,760 --> 00:11:05,560 Speaker 1: I got my material from that I've had people tailing 207 00:11:05,600 --> 00:11:06,160 Speaker 1: my clothes. 208 00:11:06,840 --> 00:11:07,960 Speaker 2: I'm a big guy. 209 00:11:08,600 --> 00:11:11,640 Speaker 1: I love going in looking at fabric, you know, I 210 00:11:11,679 --> 00:11:15,160 Speaker 1: love I love seeing the different styles because you learn 211 00:11:15,200 --> 00:11:19,920 Speaker 1: about you know, you know what type of material is 212 00:11:19,920 --> 00:11:21,240 Speaker 1: from London and from France. 213 00:11:21,240 --> 00:11:23,440 Speaker 2: They all make It's a big difference. It makes a 214 00:11:23,480 --> 00:11:27,040 Speaker 2: difference what you buy, you know, and how long it lasts. 215 00:11:27,080 --> 00:11:30,520 Speaker 2: You know. What is your favorite material to work with. 216 00:11:31,920 --> 00:11:36,000 Speaker 3: My favorite material to work with is actually silk. 217 00:11:36,559 --> 00:11:36,839 Speaker 2: Silk. 218 00:11:38,280 --> 00:11:42,079 Speaker 3: I like working with silk because of the field. I'm 219 00:11:42,120 --> 00:11:45,880 Speaker 3: a tactical person. So when I'm in the wholesale markets 220 00:11:45,960 --> 00:11:50,000 Speaker 3: or in the mills. An Italian guy noticed what I 221 00:11:50,120 --> 00:11:53,560 Speaker 3: was doing. Because I take the fabric and I rub 222 00:11:53,640 --> 00:12:00,240 Speaker 3: it over my face. I have to feel good. It 223 00:12:00,320 --> 00:12:03,880 Speaker 3: has to feel silky to me. And once that happens, 224 00:12:03,960 --> 00:12:05,480 Speaker 3: and so the guy he was like, oh, do you 225 00:12:05,480 --> 00:12:07,520 Speaker 3: want to Then he backed up off of me. He 226 00:12:07,640 --> 00:12:10,160 Speaker 3: was at the show and I go twice a year 227 00:12:10,200 --> 00:12:14,360 Speaker 3: to Paris to the larger ratio. So he backed up 228 00:12:15,120 --> 00:12:19,160 Speaker 3: because he understood what I was doing. He said, okay, 229 00:12:19,840 --> 00:12:22,760 Speaker 3: he said, now I know what you want. I said, 230 00:12:22,760 --> 00:12:25,280 Speaker 3: all right, I said, now you can bring me the pieces. 231 00:12:25,679 --> 00:12:29,680 Speaker 3: So I typically work with my Va Luise line. I 232 00:12:29,720 --> 00:12:32,079 Speaker 3: work with silk linen. 233 00:12:33,360 --> 00:12:35,120 Speaker 2: The linen girl. 234 00:12:36,000 --> 00:12:38,719 Speaker 1: As long as you're standing straight up, yeah right, the 235 00:12:38,760 --> 00:12:40,840 Speaker 1: best materia in the world. 236 00:12:41,280 --> 00:12:44,400 Speaker 2: Girl. So as you sit down, you just try to. 237 00:12:46,040 --> 00:12:47,600 Speaker 3: Do something good. 238 00:12:48,240 --> 00:12:51,600 Speaker 2: Now. But if you do a silk and linen bland, 239 00:12:53,000 --> 00:12:53,880 Speaker 2: that's fantastic. 240 00:12:55,400 --> 00:12:57,160 Speaker 3: We'll have to talk, but I may have to take 241 00:12:57,200 --> 00:12:59,920 Speaker 3: you along on my field trip. Okay. I'm a going 242 00:13:00,440 --> 00:13:02,840 Speaker 3: to Italy in a couple of months to go to product. 243 00:13:02,960 --> 00:13:04,200 Speaker 2: I just got back from Italy. 244 00:13:04,400 --> 00:13:09,680 Speaker 3: Did you go to product? Going to the mills because 245 00:13:10,600 --> 00:13:14,480 Speaker 3: I fell in love with see Italian Blendz Okay. 246 00:13:14,240 --> 00:13:18,720 Speaker 1: Which I do for my Suitskay, the Italian Blendz I love. 247 00:13:18,880 --> 00:13:23,520 Speaker 2: I love those. They're rich and plus they're year round suits. 248 00:13:24,440 --> 00:13:26,240 Speaker 1: I don't want to get too much into because I 249 00:13:26,240 --> 00:13:28,559 Speaker 1: want people to stay with us on this interview and 250 00:13:28,640 --> 00:13:30,360 Speaker 1: this interview. A reason I brought you on the show 251 00:13:30,440 --> 00:13:36,280 Speaker 1: is that your advice I thought was very tied to 252 00:13:36,360 --> 00:13:39,440 Speaker 1: common sense. But I've learned that people don't have common sense. 253 00:13:39,480 --> 00:13:39,920 Speaker 2: Okay. 254 00:13:40,160 --> 00:13:42,240 Speaker 1: You know, and one of the questions you had, and 255 00:13:42,240 --> 00:13:43,880 Speaker 1: I'm gonna go through a series of questions that you 256 00:13:43,920 --> 00:13:46,200 Speaker 1: presented to me that I want the audience to hear 257 00:13:46,240 --> 00:13:49,959 Speaker 1: your reaction to you said, how can entrepreneurs identify hidden 258 00:13:50,000 --> 00:13:52,160 Speaker 1: opportunities in their industries? 259 00:13:52,840 --> 00:13:54,520 Speaker 3: All you have to do is be observant. 260 00:13:55,400 --> 00:13:55,880 Speaker 2: That's it. 261 00:13:56,920 --> 00:13:59,240 Speaker 3: And I find a lot of people make it hard. 262 00:14:00,200 --> 00:14:04,640 Speaker 3: And just like you know, you understand the niche very well. 263 00:14:04,920 --> 00:14:08,760 Speaker 3: You understand fabric, you understand what you want. You know 264 00:14:08,800 --> 00:14:13,600 Speaker 3: what you want. But a lot of entrepreneurs starting out, 265 00:14:14,280 --> 00:14:16,679 Speaker 3: you know, oh you know, they do the pie in 266 00:14:16,720 --> 00:14:21,640 Speaker 3: the sky thing. I'm down at the sidewalk, I'm watching 267 00:14:21,880 --> 00:14:28,040 Speaker 3: what the customer wears. I ask the customer questions, what 268 00:14:28,080 --> 00:14:31,760 Speaker 3: are your pain points? What frustrates you, what don't you like, 269 00:14:32,160 --> 00:14:34,400 Speaker 3: what aren't you getting? What do you want to see? 270 00:14:36,000 --> 00:14:39,920 Speaker 3: And the customer tells you what to do. So I 271 00:14:40,000 --> 00:14:43,720 Speaker 3: don't care what industry it's in. All you have to 272 00:14:43,760 --> 00:14:47,280 Speaker 3: do is step back and be observant and ask questions. 273 00:14:47,440 --> 00:14:47,920 Speaker 3: That's it. 274 00:14:48,280 --> 00:14:50,000 Speaker 2: And then most people don't do that. 275 00:14:50,320 --> 00:14:52,600 Speaker 3: Why if I had that answer? 276 00:14:52,640 --> 00:14:59,080 Speaker 1: I asked that question because I think that sometimes it's 277 00:14:59,080 --> 00:15:02,360 Speaker 1: out an embarrassment because nobody wants to say what they 278 00:15:02,360 --> 00:15:04,720 Speaker 1: don't know, but they want to act like they do know. 279 00:15:04,880 --> 00:15:08,000 Speaker 3: Oh no, no, because you make a bigger fool of 280 00:15:08,040 --> 00:15:10,360 Speaker 3: yourself if you act like you know what you don't know, 281 00:15:10,960 --> 00:15:13,760 Speaker 3: because see they're gonna shoot holes in you. I mean, 282 00:15:13,800 --> 00:15:19,640 Speaker 3: you're gonna expose yourself. I always ask questions. There is 283 00:15:19,720 --> 00:15:23,800 Speaker 3: no dumb question. If I don't understand, I said, please, 284 00:15:23,920 --> 00:15:25,760 Speaker 3: I said, can you explain it to me? Now? My 285 00:15:25,880 --> 00:15:28,720 Speaker 3: point is if you can't explain a technical issue and 286 00:15:28,840 --> 00:15:30,240 Speaker 3: layman's turn that you don't know. 287 00:15:30,600 --> 00:15:34,280 Speaker 2: Yeah, that's very true. That's very true. Please don't go anywhere. 288 00:15:34,480 --> 00:15:37,560 Speaker 1: We'll be right back with more Money Making Conversations Masterclass. 289 00:15:38,080 --> 00:15:40,640 Speaker 1: No need for you to do me a favor right 290 00:15:40,680 --> 00:15:44,360 Speaker 1: now to follow or subscribe to Money Making Conversation. It's 291 00:15:44,400 --> 00:15:48,400 Speaker 1: free and you can find it on the iHeartRadio app, Spotify, 292 00:15:48,760 --> 00:15:52,600 Speaker 1: Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Please do 293 00:15:52,680 --> 00:16:00,240 Speaker 1: me that favor, follow or subscribe money Making Conversations. Come 294 00:16:00,240 --> 00:16:03,120 Speaker 1: back to Money Making Conversation master Class hosted by me 295 00:16:03,400 --> 00:16:04,360 Speaker 1: Rashawn McDonald. 296 00:16:04,560 --> 00:16:07,760 Speaker 2: Let's get back into it. How do you turn expertise 297 00:16:08,120 --> 00:16:08,840 Speaker 2: into income? 298 00:16:09,400 --> 00:16:14,680 Speaker 3: Ah? I like this one so you can monetize any skill. 299 00:16:15,240 --> 00:16:17,200 Speaker 3: Anything you have could be monetized. 300 00:16:18,360 --> 00:16:18,560 Speaker 2: Now. 301 00:16:18,600 --> 00:16:25,360 Speaker 3: For us, we turned our skill of cutting, sewing, pattern making, 302 00:16:26,040 --> 00:16:29,680 Speaker 3: technical design. We've turned those skills into money, so those 303 00:16:30,120 --> 00:16:32,360 Speaker 3: people can come to us all a cart if they can. 304 00:16:32,440 --> 00:16:35,720 Speaker 3: Don't want complete manufacturing, they say, well, I just need 305 00:16:35,760 --> 00:16:39,040 Speaker 3: help with pattern making. I have a dollar amount for that, 306 00:16:39,720 --> 00:16:42,120 Speaker 3: because everything has a dollar everything has a worth that 307 00:16:42,160 --> 00:16:45,480 Speaker 3: everything has a dollar amount tied to it. And a 308 00:16:45,480 --> 00:16:47,760 Speaker 3: lot of people don't think they have work. That's what 309 00:16:48,280 --> 00:16:52,360 Speaker 3: it really kind of frustrates me. There's so many talented people, and. 310 00:16:52,640 --> 00:16:56,240 Speaker 1: In process of putting your book together, you know, I 311 00:16:56,640 --> 00:16:57,760 Speaker 1: understood two things. 312 00:16:57,840 --> 00:17:02,520 Speaker 2: You know you can what you're doing can be applied. 313 00:17:02,120 --> 00:17:05,560 Speaker 1: To so many different other professions because a lot of 314 00:17:05,600 --> 00:17:08,520 Speaker 1: people don't understand that. And I always tell people I 315 00:17:08,560 --> 00:17:11,840 Speaker 1: always love using Chick fil A as an example because 316 00:17:12,080 --> 00:17:14,760 Speaker 1: they really Chick fil air is not really about the chicken. 317 00:17:16,560 --> 00:17:19,879 Speaker 2: That's not their priority. Service to me is their priority. 318 00:17:20,280 --> 00:17:23,520 Speaker 3: And they've got it down. I've got it down to science. 319 00:17:23,600 --> 00:17:26,000 Speaker 2: You go to you say that, and so they understood 320 00:17:26,640 --> 00:17:29,359 Speaker 2: I can't sell a chicken if people can't buy it. 321 00:17:30,680 --> 00:17:34,760 Speaker 1: And that is a mistake that most people and the 322 00:17:34,840 --> 00:17:38,280 Speaker 1: entrepreneurs like you said, they want that pine and got opportunity, 323 00:17:38,320 --> 00:17:41,400 Speaker 1: they don't consider the work that's tied too that youal 324 00:17:41,520 --> 00:17:45,280 Speaker 1: research is tattoo. Because I'm constantly with my company, always 325 00:17:45,359 --> 00:17:48,560 Speaker 1: making changes. I try to make sure they understand that 326 00:17:48,760 --> 00:17:50,639 Speaker 1: just because we did it this way for three months 327 00:17:50,880 --> 00:17:54,280 Speaker 1: don't mean it's the right way or it doesn't come 328 00:17:54,320 --> 00:17:57,320 Speaker 1: with adjustments. And because of that, you know, how could 329 00:17:57,560 --> 00:17:59,680 Speaker 1: you know how or what role. 330 00:17:59,480 --> 00:18:00,600 Speaker 2: Does that to play? 331 00:18:01,280 --> 00:18:06,359 Speaker 1: And making money for the long term, it's too Data 332 00:18:06,359 --> 00:18:07,280 Speaker 1: to me is two things. 333 00:18:07,680 --> 00:18:11,879 Speaker 2: That's short term opportune, long term wealth. How do you 334 00:18:11,920 --> 00:18:12,760 Speaker 2: perceive data? 335 00:18:13,520 --> 00:18:17,440 Speaker 3: Well, I perceive data as the crux of my business. 336 00:18:17,560 --> 00:18:21,719 Speaker 3: And I mean I've worked with major apparel companies across 337 00:18:21,720 --> 00:18:25,480 Speaker 3: the country, working with their bottom line, working with them 338 00:18:25,640 --> 00:18:30,000 Speaker 3: and forecasting. So it was always important for me to 339 00:18:30,119 --> 00:18:33,040 Speaker 3: watch the numbers because the numbers will tell you where 340 00:18:33,080 --> 00:18:37,720 Speaker 3: you have leakages, where there are opportunities, and where you 341 00:18:37,760 --> 00:18:41,800 Speaker 3: can improve. My position is always how can we be better? 342 00:18:42,400 --> 00:18:44,760 Speaker 3: How can we have this? How can the data help 343 00:18:44,880 --> 00:18:50,040 Speaker 3: us be better? Well, for example, like major big box stores, 344 00:18:50,080 --> 00:18:56,080 Speaker 3: they send over data every week to apparel manufactured shoot manufacturers, 345 00:18:56,080 --> 00:19:00,439 Speaker 3: telling them every style, every color, every size, every store, 346 00:19:00,520 --> 00:19:05,040 Speaker 3: every department across the country. Now I have to take 347 00:19:05,080 --> 00:19:08,800 Speaker 3: that data for my client and aggregate it and say okay, 348 00:19:09,320 --> 00:19:12,120 Speaker 3: This is where you need to bulk up on your 349 00:19:12,119 --> 00:19:15,600 Speaker 3: production because see a lot of times, you know, you 350 00:19:15,640 --> 00:19:18,520 Speaker 3: see people just throwing things out on the market. Internet 351 00:19:18,640 --> 00:19:23,240 Speaker 3: is just sclutter. They're not reading their data, not at all. 352 00:19:23,560 --> 00:19:26,960 Speaker 3: Because see I pulled things off my website, and you know, 353 00:19:27,000 --> 00:19:28,920 Speaker 3: I started running the numbers, say how many did we sell, 354 00:19:28,960 --> 00:19:31,359 Speaker 3: what color did we sell, what size did we sell? 355 00:19:32,600 --> 00:19:35,680 Speaker 3: That helps me forecast how much fabric do I need 356 00:19:35,720 --> 00:19:39,840 Speaker 3: to order? When do we need to run production? How 357 00:19:39,920 --> 00:19:42,720 Speaker 3: much do we need to cut? Now if it's not 358 00:19:42,800 --> 00:19:46,320 Speaker 3: if those numbers are low, one person bought a size twelve, 359 00:19:47,240 --> 00:19:50,240 Speaker 3: I'm pulling it. And to me, that's common sense. The 360 00:19:50,320 --> 00:19:52,800 Speaker 3: data is going to talk to you all day long 361 00:19:53,520 --> 00:19:56,479 Speaker 3: and it's up to you to respond to Now, you 362 00:19:56,560 --> 00:20:00,800 Speaker 3: respond with your production, with you forecasting. 363 00:20:00,880 --> 00:20:04,480 Speaker 2: Forecasting is the main thing, right and you know, the 364 00:20:04,520 --> 00:20:07,480 Speaker 2: interesting thing about forecasting is two things that can happen. 365 00:20:08,400 --> 00:20:11,359 Speaker 2: It can make you nervous that you may have gotten 366 00:20:11,359 --> 00:20:14,520 Speaker 2: in the business that it's not going to generate the revenue. Right, 367 00:20:14,560 --> 00:20:18,600 Speaker 2: not forecasting. You can close doors and not know why. 368 00:20:19,400 --> 00:20:21,280 Speaker 1: I know in twenty twenty three that's why I always 369 00:20:21,320 --> 00:20:24,000 Speaker 1: go public about I was about to close the doors 370 00:20:24,040 --> 00:20:26,919 Speaker 1: of my business because guess what, I didn't forecast. I 371 00:20:26,960 --> 00:20:30,320 Speaker 1: didn't have a business plan that made I had a 372 00:20:30,320 --> 00:20:33,080 Speaker 1: business plan that worked for me, but didn't work for 373 00:20:33,119 --> 00:20:35,639 Speaker 1: the economics of keeping the doors open, and I had 374 00:20:35,680 --> 00:20:36,400 Speaker 1: to make changes. 375 00:20:36,880 --> 00:20:36,960 Speaker 2: Right. 376 00:20:37,119 --> 00:20:40,960 Speaker 1: So, when you're in a business, the fashion business, their 377 00:20:41,040 --> 00:20:44,480 Speaker 1: parel business, they're ups and downs. How do you determine 378 00:20:44,880 --> 00:20:48,080 Speaker 1: the right level of consistency to maintain a profit? 379 00:20:48,119 --> 00:20:51,720 Speaker 3: Marnch Well, See, one thing I don't do is follow trends, okay, 380 00:20:51,720 --> 00:20:56,439 Speaker 3: because see when they zig Isaac. Okay, So I like 381 00:20:56,520 --> 00:21:01,000 Speaker 3: to look at the again the pain points do women want? 382 00:21:01,040 --> 00:21:03,840 Speaker 3: Because women I still to this day, I still whole 383 00:21:03,880 --> 00:21:06,480 Speaker 3: focus groups. I still get on the phone and talk 384 00:21:06,520 --> 00:21:09,359 Speaker 3: to women. I you know, I have church groups, you know, 385 00:21:09,440 --> 00:21:13,879 Speaker 3: Muslim women. I talk to the customer. What's happening in 386 00:21:13,920 --> 00:21:19,600 Speaker 3: your life? What do you all need? They tell you 387 00:21:19,640 --> 00:21:23,560 Speaker 3: specifically what they want, how they want. 388 00:21:23,800 --> 00:21:28,000 Speaker 1: Right, Oh, okay, it's good, you know. So what's your 389 00:21:28,200 --> 00:21:30,240 Speaker 1: What is your definition of success? 390 00:21:30,840 --> 00:21:36,480 Speaker 3: My definition of success is generating value. That I'm talking 391 00:21:36,520 --> 00:21:40,840 Speaker 3: about long term value, you know, and you know, opening 392 00:21:40,880 --> 00:21:44,919 Speaker 3: the door for other people to come through behind me 393 00:21:46,320 --> 00:21:47,800 Speaker 3: just because I'm kicking. I don't want to be the 394 00:21:48,280 --> 00:21:53,000 Speaker 3: only one. No, you come through behind me and something 395 00:21:53,040 --> 00:21:57,480 Speaker 3: that is going to outlast me. I don't when I die. 396 00:21:57,600 --> 00:22:01,440 Speaker 3: I don't want my business to die. Okay, I don't 397 00:22:01,480 --> 00:22:06,440 Speaker 3: want my community to suffer. I wanted to still maintain 398 00:22:06,520 --> 00:22:10,320 Speaker 3: whether I'm here or not, that business needs to go on. 399 00:22:10,440 --> 00:22:13,480 Speaker 3: And to me, that's the success. So see I've brought 400 00:22:13,520 --> 00:22:15,320 Speaker 3: in now. It started with my son. Now I have 401 00:22:15,440 --> 00:22:18,959 Speaker 3: my grandsons coming up through the business and we're teaching. 402 00:22:19,040 --> 00:22:21,240 Speaker 3: I just started taking them on the road with me. 403 00:22:21,920 --> 00:22:24,520 Speaker 3: This is how you test fabric. This is what you 404 00:22:24,560 --> 00:22:27,439 Speaker 3: look for when you put your hand on it. I 405 00:22:27,480 --> 00:22:29,600 Speaker 3: also make them pick up needles. I make them pick 406 00:22:29,680 --> 00:22:32,040 Speaker 3: up three it I make them sweet. I said, this 407 00:22:32,080 --> 00:22:32,840 Speaker 3: is where you start. 408 00:22:34,280 --> 00:22:36,680 Speaker 2: Samia. I was speaking of Samia Rashid. 409 00:22:37,200 --> 00:22:39,800 Speaker 1: She used to author the book No Money Startup, How 410 00:22:39,840 --> 00:22:43,840 Speaker 1: to Build an Apparel Manufacturing Company. She's also founded a 411 00:22:43,880 --> 00:22:48,560 Speaker 1: CEO of Cressing Consulting Group and swh apparel? Are you 412 00:22:48,640 --> 00:22:50,200 Speaker 1: based in Atlanta? Why Atlanta? 413 00:22:51,520 --> 00:22:56,119 Speaker 3: Uh? Huh? Well, I came to Atlanta because I was 414 00:22:56,160 --> 00:22:57,640 Speaker 3: really tired of Los Angeles. 415 00:23:00,359 --> 00:23:02,479 Speaker 2: Is in Los Angeles? What part of Los Angeles were 416 00:23:02,520 --> 00:23:03,600 Speaker 2: you were? You tied up? 417 00:23:04,520 --> 00:23:11,119 Speaker 3: Well, Maria del Ray was that yeah, Maria Dale So, uh, 418 00:23:11,960 --> 00:23:14,600 Speaker 3: you know, I was just tired of the hustle and bustle. 419 00:23:14,320 --> 00:23:17,320 Speaker 2: In la is a different grind. 420 00:23:17,640 --> 00:23:19,840 Speaker 3: It's a grind. It was. It was really taking a 421 00:23:19,880 --> 00:23:21,720 Speaker 3: toll and we were you know, we didn't see ourselves. 422 00:23:21,800 --> 00:23:25,040 Speaker 3: Really we were hustling and grinding, but we didn't see 423 00:23:25,119 --> 00:23:29,480 Speaker 3: us making progress. So a friend of mine, she said, 424 00:23:29,720 --> 00:23:31,720 Speaker 3: her name is sub Me. She says to me, you 425 00:23:31,840 --> 00:23:37,320 Speaker 3: got to check out Atlanta, said, for God's need to go, 426 00:23:37,440 --> 00:23:40,200 Speaker 3: she said, don't come back to l A. I said, okay. 427 00:23:40,640 --> 00:23:43,320 Speaker 3: So we came and you know, we had a bit 428 00:23:43,320 --> 00:23:46,119 Speaker 3: of a culture shock, but we settled. 429 00:23:45,760 --> 00:23:48,240 Speaker 2: In culture shock about Atlanta. 430 00:23:48,320 --> 00:23:50,320 Speaker 3: Now you hold on, hold on. You know, I'm the 431 00:23:50,320 --> 00:23:54,040 Speaker 3: sushi kind of girl here. So it's like you were 432 00:23:54,119 --> 00:24:00,600 Speaker 3: eating black dyed peas at a restaurant. So my mother 433 00:24:00,680 --> 00:24:02,160 Speaker 3: told she says, you were the South here. 434 00:24:02,440 --> 00:24:03,959 Speaker 2: Absolutely absolutely. 435 00:24:05,440 --> 00:24:08,240 Speaker 3: So we got through all of that. We set up shop. 436 00:24:08,760 --> 00:24:11,159 Speaker 3: You know, we were still manually cutting with scissors and 437 00:24:11,240 --> 00:24:15,560 Speaker 3: the floor and you know, paper patterns. We were still there. 438 00:24:15,720 --> 00:24:17,840 Speaker 1: That's when you start in your business, right, yeah, So 439 00:24:17,880 --> 00:24:20,120 Speaker 1: how did you start your business with limited capital? 440 00:24:20,800 --> 00:24:24,120 Speaker 3: M You know, it's really just a lot of determination, 441 00:24:25,200 --> 00:24:29,919 Speaker 3: really and uh, asking questions and a willingness to learn 442 00:24:30,920 --> 00:24:34,560 Speaker 3: and just grit because we didn't have I think my 443 00:24:34,600 --> 00:24:38,160 Speaker 3: mother and I used five hundred dollars each to kind 444 00:24:38,160 --> 00:24:41,879 Speaker 3: of jumpstart ourselves. But it was just a lot of 445 00:24:42,480 --> 00:24:46,439 Speaker 3: asking questions, knocking on doors. I did a lot of 446 00:24:46,480 --> 00:24:49,920 Speaker 3: traveling because I didn't understand manufacturing. I knew we had 447 00:24:49,920 --> 00:24:52,480 Speaker 3: to grow, but I didn't under I didn't know what 448 00:24:52,600 --> 00:24:55,600 Speaker 3: manufacturing was. I said, well, who's still doing it in 449 00:24:55,640 --> 00:24:57,440 Speaker 3: this country? You know? 450 00:24:57,600 --> 00:25:00,679 Speaker 2: To me, I really, you know, because I you know, 451 00:25:02,000 --> 00:25:03,399 Speaker 2: I hear traveling in China. 452 00:25:03,600 --> 00:25:07,000 Speaker 1: Sometimes when you travel, you really are If you don't travel, 453 00:25:07,040 --> 00:25:10,960 Speaker 1: you really kind of stupid, because you don't understand how 454 00:25:11,000 --> 00:25:14,640 Speaker 1: the world works, you know, and stereotypes can really dominate 455 00:25:14,760 --> 00:25:18,320 Speaker 1: your thought process. So talk to us about the experience 456 00:25:18,359 --> 00:25:22,159 Speaker 1: of how you go about doing business in China. 457 00:25:23,200 --> 00:25:27,800 Speaker 3: Well, I I actually when I found this guy on 458 00:25:27,840 --> 00:25:30,840 Speaker 3: the internet and I said where do you live? And 459 00:25:30,960 --> 00:25:32,760 Speaker 3: he said, I live in hung y'all. I said, how 460 00:25:32,760 --> 00:25:34,560 Speaker 3: do you get there? I said, how far is it 461 00:25:34,600 --> 00:25:37,600 Speaker 3: from Shanghai? He says, we're three hours and he explained 462 00:25:37,600 --> 00:25:39,919 Speaker 3: to me wrote it in Chinese, mailed it to me. 463 00:25:40,000 --> 00:25:47,200 Speaker 3: I went over and I met him. Yeah, he says, 464 00:25:47,240 --> 00:25:50,119 Speaker 3: he says, I mean, we've know how I've known Jerry 465 00:25:50,160 --> 00:25:53,360 Speaker 3: twelve thirteen years. He says, I am your Chinese son. 466 00:25:53,400 --> 00:25:54,919 Speaker 3: I said, I'm a teacher, just like family too. 467 00:25:57,240 --> 00:25:58,240 Speaker 2: That's fantastic. 468 00:25:58,400 --> 00:26:00,600 Speaker 3: That's how I mean, that's how I got started. I mean, 469 00:26:00,640 --> 00:26:03,560 Speaker 3: that's the honest truth. There was no research. I didn't know. 470 00:26:03,920 --> 00:26:08,119 Speaker 3: I had no background in Chinese. So Jerry started teaching 471 00:26:08,160 --> 00:26:10,480 Speaker 3: me the market, and he was connected. He's connected in 472 00:26:10,560 --> 00:26:15,040 Speaker 3: the apparel industry. So he started taking me behind the scenes. 473 00:26:15,080 --> 00:26:17,840 Speaker 3: See most people go to the little malls, and he 474 00:26:17,920 --> 00:26:20,760 Speaker 3: took me behind the scenes. It started showing me how 475 00:26:20,800 --> 00:26:21,280 Speaker 3: it worked. 476 00:26:21,359 --> 00:26:22,640 Speaker 2: It worked, which is really key. 477 00:26:22,680 --> 00:26:24,800 Speaker 1: So one of the reasons I brought you on the 478 00:26:24,840 --> 00:26:27,960 Speaker 1: show is that you know there, like I said, when 479 00:26:27,960 --> 00:26:29,919 Speaker 1: I was with Steve Harvey, you know, we went and 480 00:26:29,960 --> 00:26:33,480 Speaker 1: we designed the line and got just sold in major, 481 00:26:34,119 --> 00:26:36,720 Speaker 1: you know, department stores around the country. But there are 482 00:26:36,760 --> 00:26:41,280 Speaker 1: also some brands out there where it's already especially in 483 00:26:41,320 --> 00:26:44,840 Speaker 1: the leisurewear line, the Casualwet it's just a casualwear that's 484 00:26:45,400 --> 00:26:50,840 Speaker 1: T shirts, shaws, jumpsuits that are really popular. If you 485 00:26:50,840 --> 00:26:53,960 Speaker 1: want to know what casualwear is. It made Pdedy rich, 486 00:26:54,640 --> 00:26:58,760 Speaker 1: It made Jay Z rich, you know, and Dame Dash 487 00:26:58,800 --> 00:27:00,920 Speaker 1: when he was his partner was at the time too. 488 00:27:01,400 --> 00:27:04,800 Speaker 1: So that is a great outlift too, because people buy 489 00:27:05,000 --> 00:27:07,879 Speaker 1: multiple gym pan or gym socks or T shirt. 490 00:27:08,440 --> 00:27:09,920 Speaker 2: We found Steve Hargan, I. 491 00:27:09,880 --> 00:27:12,760 Speaker 1: Found that black people, these black men, they buy a suit, 492 00:27:12,840 --> 00:27:14,960 Speaker 1: that suit might stay with them three four years, forty 493 00:27:14,960 --> 00:27:19,600 Speaker 1: by another one even though they they they wear to death. Okay, 494 00:27:19,960 --> 00:27:23,879 Speaker 1: and Proclaim is a Steve Harvey suit, but it was 495 00:27:23,880 --> 00:27:26,200 Speaker 1: only one in their closet where they may have had 496 00:27:26,720 --> 00:27:29,480 Speaker 1: four or five or six outfits that were tied to 497 00:27:29,520 --> 00:27:33,960 Speaker 1: a P. Diddy brand like that nature And to my understanding, 498 00:27:34,000 --> 00:27:37,359 Speaker 1: there are brands out there that that you could just put. 499 00:27:37,200 --> 00:27:37,760 Speaker 2: A label on. 500 00:27:38,240 --> 00:27:42,520 Speaker 3: Yeah, because it's what we call blanket because we do it. 501 00:27:42,600 --> 00:27:45,520 Speaker 3: I mean, we just make blanket things and we don't 502 00:27:45,560 --> 00:27:48,679 Speaker 3: put our label in it. So we let the consume, 503 00:27:48,880 --> 00:27:50,880 Speaker 3: you know, they come to us, we say, okay, if 504 00:27:50,920 --> 00:27:55,600 Speaker 3: you buy two hundred dollars worth or three hundred dollars worth, 505 00:27:55,800 --> 00:27:59,880 Speaker 3: we'll sow your label in. Oh okay, yeah, it's just blanket. 506 00:28:01,400 --> 00:28:04,000 Speaker 1: Awesome, awesome, awesome, you know. I wouldn't think it was 507 00:28:04,000 --> 00:28:06,520 Speaker 1: that easy. But you can do that in Atlanta. 508 00:28:07,280 --> 00:28:09,000 Speaker 3: Yeah, because we don't put the label in it. I mean, 509 00:28:09,000 --> 00:28:13,119 Speaker 3: as long as it's through our our styles, you know, 510 00:28:13,200 --> 00:28:15,280 Speaker 3: so the like the gym shorts, so like we do 511 00:28:15,520 --> 00:28:18,400 Speaker 3: a line. We have an active wear line and we're 512 00:28:18,760 --> 00:28:23,600 Speaker 3: resurrecting it again too. So when we're running production, we 513 00:28:23,720 --> 00:28:26,320 Speaker 3: may do like five hundred pieces. We say, okay, two 514 00:28:26,359 --> 00:28:28,600 Speaker 3: hundred and fifty is for us. Two hundred and fifty 515 00:28:28,600 --> 00:28:32,119 Speaker 3: will leave blank. Wow. So they're out there. So if 516 00:28:32,160 --> 00:28:34,800 Speaker 3: you order them, you come and say, well here's my label. 517 00:28:34,880 --> 00:28:37,159 Speaker 3: No problem because for years, you know, we were the 518 00:28:37,200 --> 00:28:39,200 Speaker 3: people behind the scenes so on these labels in I mean, 519 00:28:39,200 --> 00:28:42,120 Speaker 3: these people are bringing thousands of pieces of from China 520 00:28:42,200 --> 00:28:43,960 Speaker 3: and they were dumping them on us, and all we 521 00:28:44,000 --> 00:28:46,360 Speaker 3: did rip the labeled label and we were just sowing 522 00:28:46,360 --> 00:28:46,880 Speaker 3: the labels in. 523 00:28:47,840 --> 00:28:51,800 Speaker 2: Wow. You know, washing someone read your book. 524 00:28:53,840 --> 00:28:57,200 Speaker 3: They should want to read my book because it's going 525 00:28:57,240 --> 00:29:00,920 Speaker 3: to give you insight into a world that as many 526 00:29:00,960 --> 00:29:04,760 Speaker 3: people think it's a black hole, a magic bullet, you know, 527 00:29:04,800 --> 00:29:10,120 Speaker 3: the Wizard of Oz, it's not. It's processes people, the 528 00:29:10,160 --> 00:29:15,280 Speaker 3: PP system. But I opened it up so people could 529 00:29:15,320 --> 00:29:18,920 Speaker 3: see the real world of manufacturing and then understand that 530 00:29:19,160 --> 00:29:21,640 Speaker 3: it's not as hard as you think it is. I mean, 531 00:29:21,680 --> 00:29:23,880 Speaker 3: it's hard, but you got to have the grit say 532 00:29:23,920 --> 00:29:26,920 Speaker 3: I'm not giving up, right, I'm not going to back up. 533 00:29:27,040 --> 00:29:29,640 Speaker 3: I'm going to do this, which. 534 00:29:29,400 --> 00:29:31,360 Speaker 1: I think it's important, you know, because of the fact 535 00:29:31,400 --> 00:29:35,320 Speaker 1: that I always tell people, Man, it's some days I 536 00:29:35,320 --> 00:29:36,120 Speaker 1: don't want to get up. 537 00:29:36,400 --> 00:29:37,200 Speaker 3: Oh well, yeah, you. 538 00:29:37,200 --> 00:29:39,200 Speaker 1: Know what I'm saying, and I get up at four 539 00:29:39,240 --> 00:29:42,400 Speaker 1: thirty in the more and know. But I think that 540 00:29:42,520 --> 00:29:46,040 Speaker 1: it's tied to what is your dream? You know, what 541 00:29:46,080 --> 00:29:49,840 Speaker 1: are you're trying to accomplish if you're not happy? Because 542 00:29:49,880 --> 00:29:52,760 Speaker 1: I always believe that what eventually get to me out 543 00:29:52,800 --> 00:29:54,120 Speaker 1: of bed is what I want. 544 00:29:54,000 --> 00:29:54,720 Speaker 2: To do for that day. 545 00:29:55,440 --> 00:29:58,560 Speaker 1: Okay, that gets me out of that motivates me, and 546 00:29:58,600 --> 00:30:00,760 Speaker 1: then after a while, all that need is one thing 547 00:30:00,840 --> 00:30:02,800 Speaker 1: to trigger to get me out. I've never been a 548 00:30:02,880 --> 00:30:05,960 Speaker 1: person to hit this neooze button. I never understood that, 549 00:30:06,600 --> 00:30:11,600 Speaker 1: And I say, okay, staying to bed for timmy are 550 00:30:11,600 --> 00:30:13,200 Speaker 1: staying to bed for twenty additional meetings. 551 00:30:13,680 --> 00:30:14,760 Speaker 2: No, that's just not me. 552 00:30:15,280 --> 00:30:17,680 Speaker 1: But when you look at the ability that you have 553 00:30:19,080 --> 00:30:22,920 Speaker 1: you in the business to make money Yeah, what eventually 554 00:30:22,960 --> 00:30:26,800 Speaker 1: satisfies you besides money as an entrepreneur, you know, it's. 555 00:30:26,680 --> 00:30:30,840 Speaker 3: The accomplishment and it's the journey. And a lot of 556 00:30:30,840 --> 00:30:33,200 Speaker 3: people just want to skip over the journey and get 557 00:30:33,200 --> 00:30:37,200 Speaker 3: to the end. I do too, But for me, the 558 00:30:37,320 --> 00:30:41,760 Speaker 3: rush for me is the journey. It's a sweat. It's 559 00:30:41,800 --> 00:30:46,360 Speaker 3: getting too that goal, and then too it's the accomplishment 560 00:30:46,760 --> 00:30:50,480 Speaker 3: that Okay, you know, I actually fulfilled my goal. I said, 561 00:30:50,760 --> 00:30:52,040 Speaker 3: this is what I said I was going to do. 562 00:30:52,360 --> 00:30:55,120 Speaker 3: The money will come. A lot of people chase the money. 563 00:30:56,160 --> 00:30:57,960 Speaker 3: I just don't chase the money anyway. 564 00:30:58,000 --> 00:31:04,200 Speaker 1: I know, what is your biggest financial lesson as an 565 00:31:04,320 --> 00:31:06,800 Speaker 1: entrepreneur if we're not chasing money? 566 00:31:08,800 --> 00:31:12,600 Speaker 3: Oh my? You know, it was understanding the difference between 567 00:31:12,720 --> 00:31:21,240 Speaker 3: cash understanding cash flow operation management at my cost and revenue, 568 00:31:21,760 --> 00:31:29,840 Speaker 3: you know, and profitability because I thought revenue was my profit. Like, 569 00:31:30,520 --> 00:31:35,800 Speaker 3: uh no, you're broke. You're just broke, because see, if 570 00:31:35,840 --> 00:31:37,920 Speaker 3: you spend all your money trying to produce, if you 571 00:31:38,000 --> 00:31:42,720 Speaker 3: haven't made a dime. So that was it was real ugly, 572 00:31:42,880 --> 00:31:44,720 Speaker 3: you know, and it's kind of like I had to 573 00:31:44,720 --> 00:31:47,400 Speaker 3: sit down because I mean we at that point, we 574 00:31:47,400 --> 00:31:51,560 Speaker 3: were we were really financially hurting. We looked great on paper, 575 00:31:52,440 --> 00:31:57,320 Speaker 3: we looked really good on paper, but the reality is 576 00:31:57,320 --> 00:31:59,640 Speaker 3: the cash flow. It was just going. And at one 577 00:31:59,640 --> 00:32:03,160 Speaker 3: point my my dad came in from California, and you know, 578 00:32:03,200 --> 00:32:06,600 Speaker 3: he walked around my plan and he said, this is 579 00:32:06,640 --> 00:32:13,440 Speaker 3: a good operation. So he said, but are you making money? 580 00:32:13,520 --> 00:32:13,680 Speaker 2: Well? 581 00:32:13,800 --> 00:32:14,800 Speaker 3: Have that part right. 582 00:32:15,120 --> 00:32:16,920 Speaker 2: I wanted to talk to you about. 583 00:32:18,600 --> 00:32:21,200 Speaker 3: I love it, love it. 584 00:32:21,320 --> 00:32:23,080 Speaker 2: You know. I want to thank you for coming on 585 00:32:23,120 --> 00:32:23,960 Speaker 2: my show. Samia. 586 00:32:24,440 --> 00:32:26,000 Speaker 1: I know you were near this a little bit, but 587 00:32:26,120 --> 00:32:29,160 Speaker 1: your book I recommend it. She's the author of the 588 00:32:29,160 --> 00:32:33,200 Speaker 1: book No Money Startup, No Money Startup, How to Build 589 00:32:33,240 --> 00:32:36,600 Speaker 1: an apparel Manufacturing Company. She's the founder and CEO of 590 00:32:37,120 --> 00:32:40,560 Speaker 1: Crescent Crescent Consulting Group. How can we get in touch 591 00:32:40,600 --> 00:32:41,320 Speaker 1: with you? 592 00:32:41,320 --> 00:32:42,840 Speaker 3: You can get in touch with me by going to 593 00:32:42,880 --> 00:32:47,720 Speaker 3: our website, Aggressive Consulting Group, but it's g RP dot com, 594 00:32:47,960 --> 00:32:50,440 Speaker 3: or you could call us six seven eight two hundred 595 00:32:50,480 --> 00:32:55,239 Speaker 3: five eight zero nine. We give consultation on startup. I 596 00:32:55,280 --> 00:32:58,320 Speaker 3: have a checklist before you run off to India or 597 00:32:58,440 --> 00:33:01,840 Speaker 3: China and take them ten down dollars, but we will 598 00:33:01,840 --> 00:33:05,760 Speaker 3: help people walk through the process and understand what manufacturing is. 599 00:33:06,200 --> 00:33:08,680 Speaker 3: It's not just so incident. No, we're not saying down 600 00:33:08,720 --> 00:33:10,719 Speaker 3: so it's a process. 601 00:33:11,000 --> 00:33:13,920 Speaker 2: Cool, we're here. Thank you for coming on Money in Conversations. 602 00:33:14,320 --> 00:33:16,720 Speaker 3: Thank you for having me. I appreciate it. 603 00:33:17,600 --> 00:33:19,520 Speaker 2: Thank you for listening to this episode. 604 00:33:19,680 --> 00:33:21,320 Speaker 1: No, I need for you to do me a favor 605 00:33:22,040 --> 00:33:25,440 Speaker 1: right now to follow or subscribe to Money Making Conversation. 606 00:33:25,760 --> 00:33:30,000 Speaker 1: It's free and you can find it on the iHeartRadio app, Spotify, 607 00:33:30,360 --> 00:33:34,200 Speaker 1: Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Please do 608 00:33:34,280 --> 00:33:38,560 Speaker 1: me that favor, follow or subscribe Money Making Conversations. 609 00:33:38,880 --> 00:33:39,400 Speaker 2: Keep winning