1 00:00:00,560 --> 00:00:03,159 Speaker 1: If we want to talk about innovation, show me somebody 2 00:00:03,160 --> 00:00:05,120 Speaker 1: more innovator on the planet than a single mother with 3 00:00:05,200 --> 00:00:08,520 Speaker 1: two kids making seventeen thousand dollars a year. There's innovative 4 00:00:08,720 --> 00:00:11,799 Speaker 1: thinking all around us. We just don't have the access 5 00:00:11,840 --> 00:00:14,920 Speaker 1: point to take advantage of that innovative thinking. We need 6 00:00:14,960 --> 00:00:18,400 Speaker 1: to understand what the mega trends are, where the opportunities are, 7 00:00:18,640 --> 00:00:21,880 Speaker 1: where the big problems of tomorrow are, and start putting 8 00:00:21,880 --> 00:00:25,239 Speaker 1: all of this black brilliance in ingenuity to effect to 9 00:00:25,280 --> 00:00:30,480 Speaker 1: start solving the big problems of tomorrow. 10 00:00:32,800 --> 00:00:35,199 Speaker 2: Hey, everybody, welcome to another episode of butter Nomics. Time 11 00:00:35,240 --> 00:00:37,879 Speaker 2: your host Brandon Butler, founding CEO of Butter atl And 12 00:00:37,920 --> 00:00:41,800 Speaker 2: today we have another very very special guest in the building. 13 00:00:42,200 --> 00:00:45,559 Speaker 2: I mean, look man like it speaks for herself. But 14 00:00:45,720 --> 00:00:47,320 Speaker 2: you know, I'm gona ahead and introduce this guy. He 15 00:00:47,320 --> 00:00:49,440 Speaker 2: doesn't need an induction, but some of y'all just need 16 00:00:49,440 --> 00:00:51,440 Speaker 2: to know. Y'all need to know this man more importantly, 17 00:00:51,920 --> 00:00:55,040 Speaker 2: the one and only mister J Bailey, President and CEO 18 00:00:55,120 --> 00:00:58,360 Speaker 2: of the Russell Innovation Center for Entrepreneurs. Jay, How you 19 00:00:58,480 --> 00:00:58,960 Speaker 2: doing this morning? 20 00:00:59,000 --> 00:01:01,480 Speaker 1: Man? Bro? This how much I love you? So I 21 00:01:01,560 --> 00:01:04,959 Speaker 1: literally woke up in Detroit this morning, hopped on a plane, 22 00:01:05,120 --> 00:01:07,600 Speaker 1: got off the plane, got in the traffic, drove straight 23 00:01:07,640 --> 00:01:09,840 Speaker 1: to you, straight to your microphone. Oh Man, for what 24 00:01:09,880 --> 00:01:13,200 Speaker 1: you're doing for this city. It was worth it. But man, Brandon, 25 00:01:13,280 --> 00:01:16,600 Speaker 1: thank you for how you lead and how you love 26 00:01:16,640 --> 00:01:18,759 Speaker 1: this city. So, Man, when you call, I'm always gonna 27 00:01:18,800 --> 00:01:19,120 Speaker 1: pick up. 28 00:01:19,240 --> 00:01:20,720 Speaker 2: I mean, I appreciate it. Now, you know we were 29 00:01:20,760 --> 00:01:22,480 Speaker 2: before we got on. We was in here reminiscing about 30 00:01:22,480 --> 00:01:23,920 Speaker 2: old Atlanta. We're not gonna get into some of the 31 00:01:23,959 --> 00:01:26,000 Speaker 2: stuff he was reminiscent about, but let me just tell you, 32 00:01:26,040 --> 00:01:28,600 Speaker 2: Like Jay, I think we both showed each other our 33 00:01:28,640 --> 00:01:30,360 Speaker 2: atl car. We both princk legit out here. 34 00:01:30,280 --> 00:01:33,640 Speaker 1: And Roban's platinum if not black card. You know what 35 00:01:33,760 --> 00:01:37,400 Speaker 1: I got. I got this Inurion version of the atl Card. 36 00:01:37,920 --> 00:01:40,840 Speaker 1: I'm always gonna wear it wherever I go because I 37 00:01:40,920 --> 00:01:42,520 Speaker 1: just think that this city is given so much to 38 00:01:42,600 --> 00:01:45,319 Speaker 1: so many of us, and how could I not. 39 00:01:46,080 --> 00:01:48,640 Speaker 2: Well, look, man, so you're doing amazing work for those 40 00:01:48,680 --> 00:01:50,080 Speaker 2: who don't know. Just tell them a little bit about 41 00:01:50,120 --> 00:01:51,960 Speaker 2: the Rustle Center or the Right Center, you know what 42 00:01:51,960 --> 00:01:54,280 Speaker 2: I mean. Like, y'all doing amazing work for entrepreneurs in 43 00:01:54,320 --> 00:01:56,680 Speaker 2: the city. But just get people, you know, the quick 44 00:01:56,800 --> 00:01:57,320 Speaker 2: version of it. 45 00:01:57,480 --> 00:01:59,400 Speaker 1: Yeah, I mean, and one, it's even hard to talk 46 00:01:59,400 --> 00:02:01,600 Speaker 1: about a work without giving a little bit about the man. 47 00:02:02,120 --> 00:02:04,040 Speaker 1: I mean, if you're blacking in business in Atlanta, you 48 00:02:04,080 --> 00:02:05,640 Speaker 1: got to give a nod to Herman Russell, one of 49 00:02:05,680 --> 00:02:08,799 Speaker 1: the most prolific entrepreneurs this city ever produced. This is 50 00:02:08,840 --> 00:02:10,480 Speaker 1: the guy that paved the way at the Chamber of 51 00:02:10,520 --> 00:02:13,320 Speaker 1: Commerce at the city and the state level, first minority 52 00:02:13,320 --> 00:02:15,520 Speaker 1: certified company in the state of Georgia, built half of 53 00:02:15,520 --> 00:02:18,920 Speaker 1: our skyline, build a community, call your Heights, underwrote the 54 00:02:18,960 --> 00:02:21,799 Speaker 1: civil rights movement. I mean, just a business of mine. 55 00:02:22,919 --> 00:02:25,400 Speaker 1: And when given the opportunity to carry on the legacy 56 00:02:25,440 --> 00:02:27,919 Speaker 1: of one of the greatest entrepreneurs Atlanta has ever produced, 57 00:02:28,280 --> 00:02:30,760 Speaker 1: I couldn't say no to it. But now we sit 58 00:02:30,800 --> 00:02:33,959 Speaker 1: as the largest center of the world dedicated to growing, scaling, 59 00:02:33,960 --> 00:02:37,360 Speaker 1: and developing black businesses. Over five hundred entrepreneurs we support 60 00:02:37,400 --> 00:02:40,399 Speaker 1: full time. We touch about ten thousand annually. And it's 61 00:02:40,440 --> 00:02:43,400 Speaker 1: just not mom and pop shops. Our entrepreneurs have contributed 62 00:02:43,440 --> 00:02:46,680 Speaker 1: over a half a billion dollars in new economic energy 63 00:02:46,680 --> 00:02:47,480 Speaker 1: in the city of Atlanta. 64 00:02:47,680 --> 00:02:50,440 Speaker 2: Yeah, and you all recently just you know, completed your 65 00:02:50,440 --> 00:02:53,120 Speaker 2: capital campaign and what was that forty four million? 66 00:02:53,520 --> 00:02:55,240 Speaker 1: We'll shout out to jay Z. I think I told 67 00:02:55,280 --> 00:02:57,280 Speaker 1: you that if we could even say names on a podcast, 68 00:02:57,360 --> 00:03:00,400 Speaker 1: But I remember coming up with the concept into his 69 00:03:00,480 --> 00:03:03,520 Speaker 1: four four four album. So the forty four point four 70 00:03:03,560 --> 00:03:07,760 Speaker 1: million dollar capital campaign was launched. And so no, you 71 00:03:07,800 --> 00:03:09,840 Speaker 1: know it has not been released. It's hot on the 72 00:03:09,880 --> 00:03:13,520 Speaker 1: press on buttonomics. But no, we just recently got a 73 00:03:13,560 --> 00:03:18,040 Speaker 1: commitment that closes our capital campaign, actually oversubscribes it, brother, 74 00:03:18,080 --> 00:03:20,120 Speaker 1: and we got a lot of good news to share 75 00:03:20,120 --> 00:03:20,760 Speaker 1: about what's to come. 76 00:03:20,880 --> 00:03:22,240 Speaker 2: That's good. Now, what are y'all planning to do with 77 00:03:22,240 --> 00:03:24,160 Speaker 2: that money? I know y'all invest in a lot of businesses. 78 00:03:24,240 --> 00:03:26,720 Speaker 2: You know, you have, you know, over twenty five million 79 00:03:26,720 --> 00:03:28,960 Speaker 2: that you just spend with black businesses, Alan plus, But like, 80 00:03:28,960 --> 00:03:30,400 Speaker 2: what's kind of the goal for that money? 81 00:03:30,520 --> 00:03:33,359 Speaker 1: Well, you know, it's about creating space. And so we're 82 00:03:33,360 --> 00:03:36,240 Speaker 1: adding another eighteen thousand square feet to the Russell Center 83 00:03:36,920 --> 00:03:39,200 Speaker 1: will continue to support businesses or the money that we 84 00:03:39,240 --> 00:03:42,440 Speaker 1: spend on construction, ninety eight percent of every dollars going 85 00:03:42,480 --> 00:03:45,680 Speaker 1: into a black company. As you notice, man, like from 86 00:03:45,720 --> 00:03:47,600 Speaker 1: the watch I'm wearing the shirt, I'm wearing. Where I 87 00:03:47,640 --> 00:03:51,320 Speaker 1: bought this hat, our general contractor, our architect held the 88 00:03:51,360 --> 00:03:54,080 Speaker 1: water we drink all from black businesses. We spend more 89 00:03:54,120 --> 00:03:57,480 Speaker 1: with black businesses the most fortune one thousand companies. We're 90 00:03:57,520 --> 00:03:59,800 Speaker 1: a four and a half year old nonprofit organization, so 91 00:04:00,520 --> 00:04:02,720 Speaker 1: there's a long list of amenities that we're going to 92 00:04:02,760 --> 00:04:04,880 Speaker 1: build out. Because we didn't want to build a center 93 00:04:04,880 --> 00:04:07,840 Speaker 1: to teach entrepreneurship. We needed to build a space that 94 00:04:08,000 --> 00:04:10,720 Speaker 1: was designed to be a tool for the entrepreneur, hence 95 00:04:10,760 --> 00:04:14,200 Speaker 1: the name the Russell Innovation Center for Entrepreneurs. 96 00:04:14,600 --> 00:04:16,400 Speaker 2: Well that's important too, because I think one of the 97 00:04:16,440 --> 00:04:18,120 Speaker 2: things you kind of hear all the time is, you know, 98 00:04:18,720 --> 00:04:23,320 Speaker 2: black businesses getting mentored to death. Right, there's no hesitation 99 00:04:23,640 --> 00:04:26,680 Speaker 2: or missives like mentorship or advice. But it's actually the 100 00:04:26,720 --> 00:04:28,599 Speaker 2: capital and things like that we need. And that's why 101 00:04:28,680 --> 00:04:30,880 Speaker 2: you know that that money is so important, just out 102 00:04:30,920 --> 00:04:32,960 Speaker 2: of curiosity, like like what's it like to actually go 103 00:04:32,960 --> 00:04:34,359 Speaker 2: out and raise that kind of money? Like you have 104 00:04:34,400 --> 00:04:36,160 Speaker 2: this idea, you want to go put it in the place, 105 00:04:36,200 --> 00:04:37,279 Speaker 2: Like what are some of the first things you do? 106 00:04:37,320 --> 00:04:39,560 Speaker 2: Will you even kind of make that capital campaign come 107 00:04:39,560 --> 00:04:39,880 Speaker 2: to life? 108 00:04:39,920 --> 00:04:42,360 Speaker 1: Well, you know, brother, it's all about data too, and 109 00:04:42,400 --> 00:04:44,160 Speaker 1: we had it. We got it the hard way. We 110 00:04:44,160 --> 00:04:47,919 Speaker 1: were black before George Floyd, and so when nobody believed 111 00:04:47,960 --> 00:04:51,080 Speaker 1: that that pathway. I mean, if I showed you our feasibility, 112 00:04:51,080 --> 00:04:54,000 Speaker 1: study it, break your heart, sell the building, donate the 113 00:04:54,040 --> 00:04:56,119 Speaker 1: money to charity. We don't think there are a hundred 114 00:04:56,120 --> 00:04:58,760 Speaker 1: black entrepreneurs in Atlanta that could benefit from such a platform. 115 00:04:59,320 --> 00:05:01,680 Speaker 1: Don't make the build too nice, because the demographic you're 116 00:05:01,680 --> 00:05:03,720 Speaker 1: trying to serve may not feel too comfortable in it 117 00:05:03,720 --> 00:05:06,000 Speaker 1: if you make it too nice. And this is our 118 00:05:06,040 --> 00:05:09,040 Speaker 1: philanthropic and corporate community, the people that actually make grants. 119 00:05:09,720 --> 00:05:15,000 Speaker 1: So you know, it's been really looking at the way 120 00:05:15,000 --> 00:05:16,839 Speaker 1: that I've always looked at it. If we made a 121 00:05:16,880 --> 00:05:21,720 Speaker 1: business case for black economic prosperity in the city of Atlanta, 122 00:05:21,839 --> 00:05:25,320 Speaker 1: that people will fall suit. Ninety seven percent of black 123 00:05:25,360 --> 00:05:28,960 Speaker 1: businesses only have one employee, or fifty plus percent of 124 00:05:28,960 --> 00:05:31,040 Speaker 1: the population, but only account for eight percent of the 125 00:05:31,080 --> 00:05:34,479 Speaker 1: economic growth through small business. What if that number was fifteen, 126 00:05:35,000 --> 00:05:37,520 Speaker 1: What if that number was twenty. All the things that 127 00:05:37,520 --> 00:05:41,479 Speaker 1: we gripe about housing, poverty, wealth gap, education, you name 128 00:05:41,520 --> 00:05:44,839 Speaker 1: it all start to decrease when we start to increase 129 00:05:45,360 --> 00:05:47,640 Speaker 1: the black prosperity in our city. And I don't just 130 00:05:47,640 --> 00:05:50,839 Speaker 1: say wealth gap because prosperity is a different kind of 131 00:05:50,880 --> 00:05:54,200 Speaker 1: construct that we want to bring to the table. And yeah, man, 132 00:05:54,240 --> 00:05:58,119 Speaker 1: it's all been data driven. It's look, your company will 133 00:05:58,120 --> 00:06:00,240 Speaker 1: benefit from being a part of what we're doing doing 134 00:06:00,839 --> 00:06:03,640 Speaker 1: in multiple ways. So rather than looking at it through 135 00:06:03,680 --> 00:06:05,680 Speaker 1: a charity lens, as I'm a firm believer you cannot 136 00:06:05,680 --> 00:06:08,760 Speaker 1: see empowerment through a charity lens. We've never taken a 137 00:06:08,839 --> 00:06:12,120 Speaker 1: charity of approach. We've taken an economic approach. We've looked 138 00:06:12,120 --> 00:06:14,880 Speaker 1: at it like capitalists, and we deal with other capitalists 139 00:06:14,920 --> 00:06:17,360 Speaker 1: to see an opportunity through the Russell Center so they invest. 140 00:06:17,839 --> 00:06:19,599 Speaker 2: Now, what are some of the people that have benefited, 141 00:06:19,680 --> 00:06:22,520 Speaker 2: you know, those those businesses, those small business though entrepreneurs 142 00:06:22,520 --> 00:06:24,320 Speaker 2: that have come through the Russell Center and benefited. Like, 143 00:06:24,360 --> 00:06:24,960 Speaker 2: who are some of. 144 00:06:24,880 --> 00:06:26,440 Speaker 1: Those Oh, you know, I love it, man. I just 145 00:06:26,520 --> 00:06:29,200 Speaker 1: got back from Bntonville, Arkansas. I flew out there after 146 00:06:29,480 --> 00:06:32,960 Speaker 1: being somewhere else in the country. But we sent fourteen 147 00:06:33,120 --> 00:06:36,160 Speaker 1: entrepreneurs to Bendonville, Arkansas to pitch their ideas to go 148 00:06:36,200 --> 00:06:39,080 Speaker 1: on Walmart shelves. You know, one of the terms we 149 00:06:39,200 --> 00:06:42,240 Speaker 1: use is uncommon access. How can we look at access, 150 00:06:42,279 --> 00:06:46,839 Speaker 1: opportunity and exposure at scale. For those companies on the spot, 151 00:06:46,880 --> 00:06:49,440 Speaker 1: got a golden ticket, their products will go on Shells 152 00:06:49,920 --> 00:06:52,279 Speaker 1: One got a purchase order right there on demand. But 153 00:06:52,320 --> 00:06:54,720 Speaker 1: they also got to meet David john. They also got 154 00:06:54,760 --> 00:06:58,039 Speaker 1: to meet the executives from Walmart. So more than just 155 00:06:58,080 --> 00:07:01,000 Speaker 1: a program to be informative, our goal has always been 156 00:07:01,040 --> 00:07:05,760 Speaker 1: to be transformative. And so be it from evolved contractors 157 00:07:05,800 --> 00:07:08,760 Speaker 1: who now has a fourteen million dollar kind of backlog 158 00:07:08,839 --> 00:07:10,560 Speaker 1: of work that they need to do, who is born 159 00:07:10,640 --> 00:07:14,120 Speaker 1: out of the Russell Center, to a Gerald Washington who 160 00:07:14,160 --> 00:07:16,960 Speaker 1: now cleans all the Chase Bank branches in the Southeast 161 00:07:17,160 --> 00:07:20,280 Speaker 1: because of a relationship with the Russell Center. Again, it's 162 00:07:20,320 --> 00:07:23,240 Speaker 1: that uncommon access. To your point about being mentored to death. 163 00:07:24,360 --> 00:07:28,200 Speaker 1: The other piece, capital is one attribute of growth. Access 164 00:07:28,280 --> 00:07:29,480 Speaker 1: is really at the center of it all. 165 00:07:30,160 --> 00:07:32,160 Speaker 2: Why do you think access is so limited? A lot 166 00:07:32,160 --> 00:07:34,880 Speaker 2: of times when it comes to black business and entrepreneurs. 167 00:07:34,320 --> 00:07:36,960 Speaker 1: We have a deficit of relationships, and so when we 168 00:07:37,000 --> 00:07:40,920 Speaker 1: look at the sphere of influence, the circles of networks, 169 00:07:40,960 --> 00:07:43,880 Speaker 1: it is literally connecting the dots. You know, you've heard 170 00:07:44,000 --> 00:07:47,679 Speaker 1: recruiters you've heard procurement folks say, well, we just can't 171 00:07:47,720 --> 00:07:50,480 Speaker 1: find the talent or we just can't find the company 172 00:07:50,480 --> 00:07:52,720 Speaker 1: that can do the work. Well, it's time to connect 173 00:07:52,720 --> 00:07:55,320 Speaker 1: the dots because obviously the relationship circle isn't wide enough. 174 00:07:56,200 --> 00:07:59,480 Speaker 1: So we've been able to, with a significant amount of fortune, 175 00:07:59,520 --> 00:08:02,720 Speaker 1: five hundred companies connect our entrepreneurs to the Amazons, to 176 00:08:02,760 --> 00:08:04,600 Speaker 1: the Chasers of the world, to the Walt Disneys of 177 00:08:04,640 --> 00:08:07,600 Speaker 1: the world. Where these entrepreneurs are taken down six, seven 178 00:08:07,640 --> 00:08:11,360 Speaker 1: and sometimes eight figure contracts, all they needed was the access. 179 00:08:11,560 --> 00:08:14,040 Speaker 1: They were ready and it's our job to create the 180 00:08:14,040 --> 00:08:17,200 Speaker 1: platform where they ready to do business at the next level. Well, 181 00:08:17,200 --> 00:08:19,160 Speaker 1: when we can certify that they're ready to do business 182 00:08:19,240 --> 00:08:21,680 Speaker 1: at the next level, it's our job to give them 183 00:08:21,720 --> 00:08:22,560 Speaker 1: the access to fly. 184 00:08:22,960 --> 00:08:25,160 Speaker 2: Yeah. Now, for a lot of companies, I don't think 185 00:08:25,200 --> 00:08:27,600 Speaker 2: people you know, really see and understand the full impact 186 00:08:27,680 --> 00:08:29,360 Speaker 2: of what AI is getting ready to do. I think, 187 00:08:29,440 --> 00:08:31,320 Speaker 2: especially when it comes to black owned businesses. You know, 188 00:08:31,400 --> 00:08:33,720 Speaker 2: what's interesting is a lot of our businesses, you know, 189 00:08:33,760 --> 00:08:35,920 Speaker 2: seem to be almost service based a lot of times, right, 190 00:08:35,960 --> 00:08:37,839 Speaker 2: and so I feel like there's a big opportunity for 191 00:08:37,880 --> 00:08:39,920 Speaker 2: those to be disrupted and even more with that, you 192 00:08:39,960 --> 00:08:41,839 Speaker 2: know everything's going to get disrupted because what's going to 193 00:08:41,880 --> 00:08:44,440 Speaker 2: start to happen with AI is the marginal costs of 194 00:08:44,480 --> 00:08:47,320 Speaker 2: generating content is going to go to zero. So you know, 195 00:08:47,320 --> 00:08:50,280 Speaker 2: knowledge work, you know people that are lawyers, accountants, all 196 00:08:50,280 --> 00:08:52,800 Speaker 2: that kind of stuff that could easily charge three hundred 197 00:08:52,800 --> 00:08:54,280 Speaker 2: dollars an hour. There's going to be a point where 198 00:08:54,280 --> 00:08:55,680 Speaker 2: you're going to be able to go and talk to 199 00:08:55,840 --> 00:08:57,760 Speaker 2: AI that can do that. Yep, you know how you 200 00:08:57,760 --> 00:09:00,160 Speaker 2: think that Russell Center can help entrepreneurs prepare for that 201 00:09:00,360 --> 00:09:01,640 Speaker 2: mass about disruption? 202 00:09:01,840 --> 00:09:04,200 Speaker 1: You know, I think the one if we want to 203 00:09:04,200 --> 00:09:07,480 Speaker 1: talk about innovation, show me somebody more innovative on the 204 00:09:07,480 --> 00:09:09,800 Speaker 1: planet than a single mother with two kids making seventeen 205 00:09:09,840 --> 00:09:14,640 Speaker 1: thousand dollars a year. There's innovative thinking all around us. 206 00:09:15,240 --> 00:09:17,320 Speaker 1: We just don't have the access point to take advantage 207 00:09:17,320 --> 00:09:20,000 Speaker 1: of that innovative thinking. I'm a firm believer that you 208 00:09:20,080 --> 00:09:21,720 Speaker 1: become what you behold, and if you could show me 209 00:09:21,720 --> 00:09:23,520 Speaker 1: where the hockey puck is going, we can train the 210 00:09:23,520 --> 00:09:27,000 Speaker 1: next way. In Gretzky to score, we need to understand 211 00:09:27,040 --> 00:09:30,320 Speaker 1: what the mega trends are, where the opportunities are, where 212 00:09:30,320 --> 00:09:33,439 Speaker 1: the big problems of tomorrow are and start putting all 213 00:09:33,440 --> 00:09:37,000 Speaker 1: of this black brilliance in ingenuity to effect to start 214 00:09:37,000 --> 00:09:39,840 Speaker 1: solving the big problems of tomorrow. Again, it's a point 215 00:09:39,880 --> 00:09:43,400 Speaker 1: of access. If we really knew and understood what was coming, 216 00:09:44,120 --> 00:09:47,240 Speaker 1: apply some of the ingenuity that already exists, and now 217 00:09:47,280 --> 00:09:49,959 Speaker 1: we start seeing companies grow to meet the big problems 218 00:09:49,960 --> 00:09:52,280 Speaker 1: of tomorrow. But we've never had that level of insight 219 00:09:52,360 --> 00:09:55,560 Speaker 1: and access. And so you know, in Detroit when I 220 00:09:55,640 --> 00:09:58,440 Speaker 1: just left, it was a conference. It was a black 221 00:09:58,480 --> 00:10:01,400 Speaker 1: tech conference and a I was all over it. And 222 00:10:01,440 --> 00:10:04,640 Speaker 1: even though I'm pretty red in some of the stuff 223 00:10:04,640 --> 00:10:08,280 Speaker 1: that they were talking around medical and energy, blew my 224 00:10:08,360 --> 00:10:10,520 Speaker 1: mind around what AI is going to be able to 225 00:10:10,559 --> 00:10:14,080 Speaker 1: do in the very near term future. Yeah, so, brother, 226 00:10:14,120 --> 00:10:16,640 Speaker 1: we better get ready. And I think institutions have the 227 00:10:16,720 --> 00:10:20,080 Speaker 1: opportunity to galvanize the support of the big corpus that 228 00:10:20,120 --> 00:10:22,480 Speaker 1: we have, the business leaders that we have to make 229 00:10:22,520 --> 00:10:25,640 Speaker 1: sure that black entrepreneurs have a fair shot at prosperity 230 00:10:25,679 --> 00:10:39,600 Speaker 1: through creating opportunities to saw big challenges of tomorrow. 231 00:10:40,600 --> 00:10:42,720 Speaker 2: Atlanta is like a blueprint for so many places. I mean, 232 00:10:42,760 --> 00:10:44,480 Speaker 2: people say it's the Black mecca. You know, you see 233 00:10:44,480 --> 00:10:46,439 Speaker 2: people traveling here all the time. I mean it's a 234 00:10:46,520 --> 00:10:49,120 Speaker 2: unique space. You know, when I get off at the airport, 235 00:10:49,160 --> 00:10:50,280 Speaker 2: I tell people all the time, when you get off 236 00:10:50,320 --> 00:10:52,320 Speaker 2: of the airport in Atlanta, look around. Yeah, you don't 237 00:10:52,360 --> 00:10:54,440 Speaker 2: see what you see in Atlanta. Where you land, you 238 00:10:54,440 --> 00:10:56,920 Speaker 2: see you know, black people, all kinds of people, but 239 00:10:57,000 --> 00:10:59,679 Speaker 2: especially black people at all different levels, you know, from 240 00:10:59,800 --> 00:11:02,240 Speaker 2: the pilots to the janitors to the people that are 241 00:11:02,480 --> 00:11:04,120 Speaker 2: like everybody in between. And you don't see that in 242 00:11:04,120 --> 00:11:06,480 Speaker 2: a lot of places. Like how do you think Atlanta's 243 00:11:06,520 --> 00:11:10,200 Speaker 2: culture around entrepreneurship, you know, is helped position the Russell 244 00:11:10,200 --> 00:11:12,520 Speaker 2: Centers almost a blueprint for what's possible. 245 00:11:12,640 --> 00:11:15,480 Speaker 1: Well, I mean I've gone on record multiple times I 246 00:11:15,480 --> 00:11:19,080 Speaker 1: think Atlanta has the possibility of being the most consequent 247 00:11:19,240 --> 00:11:21,840 Speaker 1: city of the next one hundred years. You know, just 248 00:11:21,880 --> 00:11:24,679 Speaker 1: coming from Detroit, I've spent significant time on the West Coast, 249 00:11:24,800 --> 00:11:28,400 Speaker 1: La Oakland. You go to Austin, you go to Dallas, Houston, 250 00:11:28,480 --> 00:11:31,520 Speaker 1: New York, d C, Miami. None of them have the 251 00:11:31,520 --> 00:11:34,280 Speaker 1: colleges that we have. None of them have the corporations 252 00:11:34,320 --> 00:11:37,400 Speaker 1: that we have. They're more corporate innovation centers headquartered in 253 00:11:37,440 --> 00:11:40,880 Speaker 1: Atlanta than any other city in the country. They're more 254 00:11:40,920 --> 00:11:43,439 Speaker 1: black and roll college students in Atlanta, Georgia than any 255 00:11:43,480 --> 00:11:47,080 Speaker 1: other place in the country. Our culture, our creative class, 256 00:11:47,160 --> 00:11:49,160 Speaker 1: like all, you start to add up all of these 257 00:11:49,200 --> 00:11:51,560 Speaker 1: assets and you start to create a distance that I 258 00:11:51,559 --> 00:11:53,480 Speaker 1: don't see another city being able to catch up to. 259 00:11:54,440 --> 00:11:58,640 Speaker 1: And so when you add that entrepreneurial construct underneath, you 260 00:11:58,679 --> 00:12:01,520 Speaker 1: get something really powerful. Bro I mean, think about the companies. 261 00:12:01,640 --> 00:12:04,480 Speaker 1: H J Rustling Company is one, but the companies who 262 00:12:04,480 --> 00:12:07,200 Speaker 1: were born out of Atlanta. You know, Chick fil a 263 00:12:07,240 --> 00:12:09,439 Speaker 1: Will started as the dwarf house and a guy serving 264 00:12:09,520 --> 00:12:12,480 Speaker 1: up sandwiches to the factory across the street. Now it's 265 00:12:12,480 --> 00:12:15,160 Speaker 1: one of the most prolific success stories of fast service 266 00:12:15,240 --> 00:12:19,120 Speaker 1: food in the world. You know, when Pinky Cold comes 267 00:12:19,160 --> 00:12:22,600 Speaker 1: here to come up with a very provocative concept for 268 00:12:22,640 --> 00:12:26,679 Speaker 1: a restaurant, it starts in Atlanta and it reverberates throughout 269 00:12:27,559 --> 00:12:30,560 Speaker 1: the country. Shout out to Babe and the whole crew. 270 00:12:30,600 --> 00:12:34,360 Speaker 1: But Atlanta does influence everything, and I think as entrepreneurship 271 00:12:34,400 --> 00:12:38,240 Speaker 1: is at the core of where creativity meets innovation meets 272 00:12:38,280 --> 00:12:40,240 Speaker 1: capital game over. 273 00:12:40,720 --> 00:12:42,320 Speaker 2: But how do we protect that though with all the 274 00:12:42,320 --> 00:12:44,559 Speaker 2: things that are happening with all the change with gentrification, 275 00:12:44,800 --> 00:12:47,200 Speaker 2: with challenges with home ownership, Like, what do you think 276 00:12:47,240 --> 00:12:48,920 Speaker 2: is important to kind of help protect and make sure 277 00:12:48,920 --> 00:12:50,760 Speaker 2: that Atlanta stays relevant. 278 00:12:50,400 --> 00:12:53,800 Speaker 1: For the No. I think it's leaning into culture, brother culture, 279 00:12:53,800 --> 00:12:57,200 Speaker 1: and community. I was saying that I always want Atlanta 280 00:12:57,240 --> 00:13:00,280 Speaker 1: to be that space where people can still be for 281 00:13:00,280 --> 00:13:05,520 Speaker 1: no economic reason, that we protect the notion of community 282 00:13:06,240 --> 00:13:11,080 Speaker 1: looking diverse, not just one way that we fiercely and 283 00:13:11,120 --> 00:13:15,160 Speaker 1: intentionally create spaces And shout out to our Mayor Andre Dickens, 284 00:13:15,200 --> 00:13:17,760 Speaker 1: who is like a dog on a bone when it 285 00:13:17,800 --> 00:13:20,800 Speaker 1: looks at creating spaces to ensure that people are able 286 00:13:20,800 --> 00:13:23,480 Speaker 1: to live in Atlanta. And one of the places one 287 00:13:23,520 --> 00:13:26,160 Speaker 1: of the ways we hope to contribute is a concept 288 00:13:26,200 --> 00:13:28,360 Speaker 1: of affordable business. How do we lower the bearer to 289 00:13:28,520 --> 00:13:31,560 Speaker 1: entry to actually start a business so the next h. J. Russell, 290 00:13:31,640 --> 00:13:34,560 Speaker 1: the next you doesn't move to another city because they 291 00:13:34,559 --> 00:13:37,520 Speaker 1: can't afford to start their business in Atlanta. That be 292 00:13:37,600 --> 00:13:40,040 Speaker 1: a tragedy. But you know, the crazy part to kind 293 00:13:40,040 --> 00:13:42,600 Speaker 1: of realize is we were two kids growing up in 294 00:13:42,600 --> 00:13:45,320 Speaker 1: Atlanta and telling the stories of when we were kids. 295 00:13:46,160 --> 00:13:49,280 Speaker 1: The craziest reality is now we're the adults that have 296 00:13:49,400 --> 00:13:52,480 Speaker 1: to be responsible for keeping that culture going. And it's 297 00:13:52,520 --> 00:13:55,720 Speaker 1: on us, it's our turn at bat to ensure those 298 00:13:55,720 --> 00:13:59,160 Speaker 1: things that were most special about our city remain in 299 00:13:59,200 --> 00:14:00,720 Speaker 1: this city absolutely. 300 00:14:01,240 --> 00:14:04,160 Speaker 2: Now switching gears a little bit, you know, as a CEO, 301 00:14:04,240 --> 00:14:05,720 Speaker 2: as a leader, I think a lot of people have, 302 00:14:05,840 --> 00:14:08,439 Speaker 2: you know, misconceptions about you know, what that job entails. 303 00:14:08,480 --> 00:14:12,320 Speaker 2: We see we see like so many celebrity CEOs nowadays, right, like, 304 00:14:12,360 --> 00:14:14,120 Speaker 2: you know you're doing the work too. What is what 305 00:14:14,160 --> 00:14:15,880 Speaker 2: do you think the job of a CEO? What is 306 00:14:15,880 --> 00:14:17,720 Speaker 2: specifically is your job as it relates to rustle, Like, 307 00:14:17,720 --> 00:14:19,160 Speaker 2: what do you do on a day to day basis? 308 00:14:19,320 --> 00:14:23,480 Speaker 1: Brother, the ship sinks, it's the CEO that has to 309 00:14:23,520 --> 00:14:26,400 Speaker 1: take all the water in, right, So you know my 310 00:14:26,520 --> 00:14:29,000 Speaker 1: team knows, and anybody's ever been in the Russell Center, brother, 311 00:14:29,040 --> 00:14:31,360 Speaker 1: I go from washing windows to picking up trash and 312 00:14:31,440 --> 00:14:35,760 Speaker 1: parking lots. There's no job that is above or below 313 00:14:35,800 --> 00:14:39,240 Speaker 1: the CEO. You're responsible for it all. If there's no 314 00:14:39,440 --> 00:14:43,760 Speaker 1: coffee in a boardroom, yeah maybe somebody else's responsibility, but 315 00:14:43,800 --> 00:14:46,360 Speaker 1: it is your job to ensure that it's there. And 316 00:14:46,440 --> 00:14:50,040 Speaker 1: I think ultimately, on paper, a CEO's job is to 317 00:14:50,080 --> 00:14:57,880 Speaker 1: be the kind of chief rainmaker, chief culture creator, chief ideator. Right, 318 00:14:58,600 --> 00:15:02,040 Speaker 1: But the best CEOs I've ever met take a humble position. 319 00:15:02,200 --> 00:15:06,720 Speaker 1: There's nothing beneath their position. They are legitimately committed to 320 00:15:06,800 --> 00:15:10,400 Speaker 1: doing whatever it takes to see their company be successful. 321 00:15:11,760 --> 00:15:15,240 Speaker 1: And sometimes that takes a tremendous amount of humility. Sometimes 322 00:15:15,240 --> 00:15:18,120 Speaker 1: that takes a tremendous amount of confidence, and other times 323 00:15:18,120 --> 00:15:20,040 Speaker 1: it takes a tremendous amount of courage or maybe a 324 00:15:20,080 --> 00:15:22,560 Speaker 1: little bit of craziness to actually get it done. But 325 00:15:22,720 --> 00:15:26,720 Speaker 1: all of those of the recipe for a functional, positive 326 00:15:26,760 --> 00:15:29,160 Speaker 1: and productive CEO. Yeah, I mean, you got to see 327 00:15:29,160 --> 00:15:31,280 Speaker 1: things that don't exist, right, brother, it's a real thing, 328 00:15:31,400 --> 00:15:33,120 Speaker 1: and then you've got to convince other people that this 329 00:15:33,240 --> 00:15:36,760 Speaker 1: is possible. It's a people don't get that notion right 330 00:15:37,280 --> 00:15:39,600 Speaker 1: that most people have the opportunity to get a job. 331 00:15:39,640 --> 00:15:42,760 Speaker 1: They feed it, see a job description, they fill out 332 00:15:42,800 --> 00:15:47,000 Speaker 1: an application, and they may or may not get that job. Well, 333 00:15:47,040 --> 00:15:50,520 Speaker 1: there's an executive at some point that says that job 334 00:15:50,600 --> 00:15:52,960 Speaker 1: needs to be created, right, and it needs to look 335 00:15:53,000 --> 00:15:55,160 Speaker 1: this way, and it's going to serve this function for 336 00:15:55,240 --> 00:15:57,680 Speaker 1: this purpose, maybe for something that we don't even have 337 00:15:57,760 --> 00:16:00,880 Speaker 1: in place right now. It's a different kind of skill set, 338 00:16:00,880 --> 00:16:03,320 Speaker 1: but it's a different kind of crazy. It's a different 339 00:16:03,400 --> 00:16:05,600 Speaker 1: kind of thing that you go home with every night. 340 00:16:06,440 --> 00:16:08,200 Speaker 1: It's the different kind of thing that keeps you up 341 00:16:08,200 --> 00:16:11,400 Speaker 1: at night and stays with you throughout your days. CEO, 342 00:16:11,520 --> 00:16:14,160 Speaker 1: work ain't for everybody, and I think to your point 343 00:16:14,680 --> 00:16:18,120 Speaker 1: that we've celebritized it a bit, but brother, it is 344 00:16:18,160 --> 00:16:20,000 Speaker 1: hard work, just like entrepreneurship. 345 00:16:20,240 --> 00:16:21,760 Speaker 2: Yeah, I think there's a lot of people out here 346 00:16:21,760 --> 00:16:23,920 Speaker 2: that are trying to, you know, run and build businesses 347 00:16:23,920 --> 00:16:27,000 Speaker 2: that will be really good number two, number three, number 348 00:16:27,040 --> 00:16:29,240 Speaker 2: ten employees. Sure, so you're trying to be number one 349 00:16:29,280 --> 00:16:30,960 Speaker 2: because they think that's what they're supposed to do. Yeah, 350 00:16:31,040 --> 00:16:32,560 Speaker 2: that's something I've even dealt with in the past. Right, 351 00:16:32,600 --> 00:16:34,480 Speaker 2: It's like learning how to actually lead and be a 352 00:16:34,560 --> 00:16:35,800 Speaker 2: manager and a leader of people. 353 00:16:35,960 --> 00:16:37,760 Speaker 1: It takes work, and I think it's one of the 354 00:16:37,800 --> 00:16:40,120 Speaker 1: things that I hope that we become very good at 355 00:16:40,120 --> 00:16:43,360 Speaker 1: at the Russell Center that I think that the most 356 00:16:43,400 --> 00:16:46,600 Speaker 1: powerful thing we can do for an entrepreneur perspective. Entrepreneur 357 00:16:46,680 --> 00:16:50,320 Speaker 1: isn't just about growth, it's about helping them. See is 358 00:16:50,440 --> 00:16:53,240 Speaker 1: entrepreneurship really for you? Yeah, before you blow out your 359 00:16:53,240 --> 00:16:55,120 Speaker 1: four O one K. Before you blow out your savings, 360 00:16:55,160 --> 00:16:57,920 Speaker 1: before you mortgage your house, before you borrow money from 361 00:16:57,960 --> 00:17:00,160 Speaker 1: family members that you'll never be able to pay back, 362 00:17:00,240 --> 00:17:03,840 Speaker 1: you may ruin that familiar relationship. Let us help us 363 00:17:03,880 --> 00:17:07,080 Speaker 1: pressure test that idea. Let us pressure test it against 364 00:17:07,119 --> 00:17:10,200 Speaker 1: the marketplace. Let us test your metal as an individual 365 00:17:10,240 --> 00:17:13,399 Speaker 1: and your ability to lead, so we can identify and 366 00:17:13,480 --> 00:17:16,840 Speaker 1: you can make fel not us telling you before yourself. 367 00:17:16,880 --> 00:17:19,760 Speaker 1: You can make your own decision. Is this really for me? 368 00:17:20,680 --> 00:17:22,199 Speaker 1: And I think it's one of the greater things that 369 00:17:22,240 --> 00:17:24,320 Speaker 1: we'll be able to do when we really build out 370 00:17:24,600 --> 00:17:28,040 Speaker 1: our system, our institution the right way. I think it'll 371 00:17:28,040 --> 00:17:29,760 Speaker 1: be one of the most prolific things that we can 372 00:17:29,760 --> 00:17:31,560 Speaker 1: add to the entrepreneurial ecosystem. 373 00:17:31,760 --> 00:17:33,040 Speaker 2: What are some of the things y'all do at the 374 00:17:33,119 --> 00:17:35,360 Speaker 2: Russell Center to help pressure tests and help people kind 375 00:17:35,359 --> 00:17:37,159 Speaker 2: of figure out if they kind of have that in them. 376 00:17:37,480 --> 00:17:38,639 Speaker 2: Y'all have programs in place. 377 00:17:38,760 --> 00:17:43,800 Speaker 1: Yeah, I we stole the HPCU model that if I 378 00:17:43,840 --> 00:17:46,120 Speaker 1: can't pass English one on one in college, I don't 379 00:17:46,160 --> 00:17:48,680 Speaker 1: become a sophomore. And there's a reason for that, and 380 00:17:48,720 --> 00:17:51,440 Speaker 1: so our model big ideas from the very beginning inspired 381 00:17:51,480 --> 00:17:55,639 Speaker 1: develop execute, accelerate scale allows us to actually support companies 382 00:17:55,680 --> 00:17:59,120 Speaker 1: where they are, rather than starting every company one on one, 383 00:18:00,119 --> 00:18:02,480 Speaker 1: run two companies you've exited twice. You don't need to 384 00:18:02,560 --> 00:18:05,680 Speaker 1: understand what an LLC is, but you may look at 385 00:18:05,920 --> 00:18:09,639 Speaker 1: coming in at the scale phase or the accelerate phase. 386 00:18:10,040 --> 00:18:12,240 Speaker 1: And I think that that part makes it different because 387 00:18:12,280 --> 00:18:15,760 Speaker 1: I want it to be the anti incubator accelerator. I 388 00:18:15,800 --> 00:18:17,720 Speaker 1: wanted to look at a model that was different that 389 00:18:17,840 --> 00:18:19,960 Speaker 1: allowed companies to grow at the rate that they need 390 00:18:20,000 --> 00:18:22,520 Speaker 1: to grow. Because on any college campus or university campus, 391 00:18:22,800 --> 00:18:24,600 Speaker 1: you're not going to have PhD students in the same 392 00:18:24,600 --> 00:18:27,959 Speaker 1: class as freshmen. So there are metrics and so one 393 00:18:28,000 --> 00:18:30,760 Speaker 1: of the things that we hope to really provide is 394 00:18:30,800 --> 00:18:34,359 Speaker 1: creating these readiness indicators where yes, based on the scale 395 00:18:34,440 --> 00:18:36,440 Speaker 1: that you are, you're not going to move at any 396 00:18:36,520 --> 00:18:41,720 Speaker 1: pace just based on time. It is based on demonstrated acumen, mastery, 397 00:18:41,720 --> 00:18:43,880 Speaker 1: and an understanding of what you need to know at 398 00:18:43,880 --> 00:18:46,639 Speaker 1: that stage before you move to the next level. So 399 00:18:46,680 --> 00:18:48,439 Speaker 1: you and I may be partners. We started on the 400 00:18:48,480 --> 00:18:50,720 Speaker 1: same day that I mean, we're going to finish at 401 00:18:50,760 --> 00:18:51,280 Speaker 1: the same time. 402 00:18:51,840 --> 00:18:54,160 Speaker 2: Now, when it comes to the buildings, I'm sure there's 403 00:18:54,160 --> 00:18:58,200 Speaker 2: been challenges, should there's been setbacks, right, like you know, yeah, yeah, 404 00:18:58,359 --> 00:19:00,400 Speaker 2: but like what are some of the challenges we've dealt 405 00:19:00,440 --> 00:19:03,119 Speaker 2: with it like other you know, entrepreneurs could relate to, 406 00:19:03,240 --> 00:19:05,119 Speaker 2: especially again with you being such a leader in kind 407 00:19:05,160 --> 00:19:06,679 Speaker 2: of the black entrepreneurship space in Atlanta. 408 00:19:06,800 --> 00:19:08,560 Speaker 1: I mean it runs a game, and I mean we 409 00:19:08,640 --> 00:19:11,479 Speaker 1: got payroll every two weeks, right, and our payroll has 410 00:19:11,480 --> 00:19:13,879 Speaker 1: gone from we had a zero budget with no money 411 00:19:13,880 --> 00:19:16,560 Speaker 1: four and a half years ago, will eclipsed nine and 412 00:19:16,600 --> 00:19:20,760 Speaker 1: a half ten million in you know, operating cost next year. 413 00:19:21,720 --> 00:19:23,960 Speaker 1: That doesn't account for the fifteen to twenty million in 414 00:19:24,000 --> 00:19:27,840 Speaker 1: construction costs that we have next year. And so everything 415 00:19:27,960 --> 00:19:31,760 Speaker 1: from choosing the right talent, to managing a balance sheet, 416 00:19:32,240 --> 00:19:36,399 Speaker 1: to making payroll to culture creation because you remember, we 417 00:19:36,440 --> 00:19:40,399 Speaker 1: had to build a curriculum, a culture, an actual structure 418 00:19:40,960 --> 00:19:44,040 Speaker 1: like a name, a brand, all of these things within 419 00:19:44,080 --> 00:19:45,760 Speaker 1: the past four and a half years. And none of 420 00:19:45,760 --> 00:19:47,600 Speaker 1: this has been easy. So we have been on the 421 00:19:47,640 --> 00:19:51,600 Speaker 1: truest entrepreneurial journey, really bootstrapping it out of the mud, 422 00:19:51,640 --> 00:19:53,800 Speaker 1: because we didn't start with a seed grant that allowed 423 00:19:53,880 --> 00:19:56,639 Speaker 1: us to hire the right people, build the logos and 424 00:19:56,680 --> 00:19:59,560 Speaker 1: everything else. We took the entrepreneurial ride. Shout out to 425 00:19:59,640 --> 00:20:03,000 Speaker 1: Ryan else in the gathering spot. He knew that every day. 426 00:20:03,119 --> 00:20:05,639 Speaker 1: While I didn't have an office or a room in 427 00:20:05,680 --> 00:20:08,640 Speaker 1: the Russell Center, just a big, gutted out building, I 428 00:20:08,680 --> 00:20:10,919 Speaker 1: was at the gathering spot actually dreaming up what the 429 00:20:10,960 --> 00:20:15,480 Speaker 1: Russell Center could be. And so it's it's been a journey, brother, 430 00:20:15,520 --> 00:20:17,760 Speaker 1: and some of it has been hard as hell. And 431 00:20:17,800 --> 00:20:20,640 Speaker 1: I think that part of what we try to communicate 432 00:20:20,720 --> 00:20:24,560 Speaker 1: to our entrepreneurs, which we call stakeholders, is let us 433 00:20:24,560 --> 00:20:26,640 Speaker 1: cut through the mythology of what you may have read 434 00:20:26,720 --> 00:20:32,920 Speaker 1: or seen. Entrepreneurship is hard, and it takes a tremendous toll. 435 00:20:33,680 --> 00:20:47,600 Speaker 1: And are you ready for this journey now? 436 00:20:47,600 --> 00:20:48,959 Speaker 2: One of the things you talk about all the time, too, 437 00:20:49,080 --> 00:20:51,399 Speaker 2: is the idea of uncommon access, Like where did that 438 00:20:51,480 --> 00:20:53,240 Speaker 2: idea come from? And what does that mean to you? 439 00:20:53,560 --> 00:20:57,639 Speaker 1: I sat Man, and you know we had had VP 440 00:20:57,840 --> 00:21:00,359 Speaker 1: Kamala Harris in the building. Jamie Diamond has been to 441 00:21:00,400 --> 00:21:05,040 Speaker 1: the building three or four times. Robert Smith, Dan Shulman, 442 00:21:05,080 --> 00:21:08,240 Speaker 1: you run down the list of billionaires and CEOs and 443 00:21:08,280 --> 00:21:12,160 Speaker 1: some of the world's most prolific business people in entrepreneurial minds, 444 00:21:12,160 --> 00:21:15,240 Speaker 1: and they had all been to the center. And when 445 00:21:15,240 --> 00:21:17,280 Speaker 1: you look at our partner base, like we're taking one 446 00:21:17,359 --> 00:21:20,760 Speaker 1: hundred entrepreneurs to Walt Disney and Carol Tomay from ups 447 00:21:20,880 --> 00:21:24,920 Speaker 1: is there and Microsoft and Coca Colon. You run down 448 00:21:24,960 --> 00:21:28,800 Speaker 1: this list five serve and their senior level executives, the 449 00:21:28,840 --> 00:21:32,040 Speaker 1: CEO of Elevon and the chairman of the US Bank. 450 00:21:32,640 --> 00:21:34,840 Speaker 1: And we started thinking, like, where else does this happen 451 00:21:35,600 --> 00:21:41,520 Speaker 1: where entrepreneurs have access at this level in their backyard, 452 00:21:42,119 --> 00:21:44,960 Speaker 1: where they're not traveling to go meet the CEO of 453 00:21:44,960 --> 00:21:48,800 Speaker 1: a company, they're on their turf, but where those CEOs 454 00:21:48,840 --> 00:21:52,439 Speaker 1: are meeting them on their turf. And so this notion 455 00:21:52,520 --> 00:21:55,960 Speaker 1: of uncommon access, Like again, even with the fourteen entrepreneurs 456 00:21:56,000 --> 00:21:59,199 Speaker 1: we took to Bntonville last week. Walmart's been doing this 457 00:21:59,240 --> 00:22:01,639 Speaker 1: for the past eighteen ten years and they've had the 458 00:22:01,720 --> 00:22:04,399 Speaker 1: road to Bentonville where each of their stops in a city, 459 00:22:04,400 --> 00:22:08,240 Speaker 1: they've given no more than two passes to go compete 460 00:22:08,280 --> 00:22:11,600 Speaker 1: at open call in Bentonville. When they came to Rice, 461 00:22:11,680 --> 00:22:15,960 Speaker 1: they gave away fourteen. It was unheard of. But our 462 00:22:16,119 --> 00:22:19,520 Speaker 1: entrepreneurs were what we call Rice ready to compete at 463 00:22:19,520 --> 00:22:23,000 Speaker 1: a very high level, and they were pitching and learning 464 00:22:23,080 --> 00:22:27,040 Speaker 1: from the merchants and the marketers and the buyers and 465 00:22:27,080 --> 00:22:30,480 Speaker 1: the procurement officers from Walmart about how to go on 466 00:22:30,560 --> 00:22:33,000 Speaker 1: Walmart stores. So when it was their time to shine, 467 00:22:33,040 --> 00:22:36,040 Speaker 1: they were ready. But they garnered that kind of uncommon 468 00:22:36,080 --> 00:22:40,359 Speaker 1: access that other entrepreneurs don't have the privilege of have it, 469 00:22:41,480 --> 00:22:43,679 Speaker 1: and so it's made a difference. And so we wanted 470 00:22:43,720 --> 00:22:46,159 Speaker 1: to really triple down on this concept of what is 471 00:22:46,200 --> 00:22:50,320 Speaker 1: the greatest difference maker in a company being good or great, 472 00:22:50,520 --> 00:22:53,080 Speaker 1: And it's how much access you have. So let us 473 00:22:53,119 --> 00:22:56,800 Speaker 1: focus on uncommon access more than just curriculum, because curriculum 474 00:22:56,880 --> 00:23:01,040 Speaker 1: can be agnostic more than just mentorship. Access to capital, 475 00:23:01,080 --> 00:23:05,640 Speaker 1: access to relationships, access to contracts, access to people, access 476 00:23:05,680 --> 00:23:08,560 Speaker 1: to executives, access to all of these things that take 477 00:23:08,600 --> 00:23:10,040 Speaker 1: a good company and make it great. 478 00:23:10,400 --> 00:23:12,719 Speaker 2: Yeah, Now, with all these amazing people that have come 479 00:23:12,720 --> 00:23:14,280 Speaker 2: through and you've connected with, have you ever had a 480 00:23:14,280 --> 00:23:16,920 Speaker 2: wow moment Like I can't believe I'm talking to this person, 481 00:23:17,000 --> 00:23:18,280 Speaker 2: this person is actually showing up? 482 00:23:18,400 --> 00:23:18,600 Speaker 1: Was it? 483 00:23:19,080 --> 00:23:21,720 Speaker 2: VP Kamala Harris was with somebody else like, well, you. 484 00:23:21,800 --> 00:23:24,000 Speaker 1: Know, I mean, we've had a couple of wild moments. 485 00:23:24,040 --> 00:23:27,600 Speaker 1: Bro and VP Kamala Harris was big. I mean they 486 00:23:27,640 --> 00:23:30,440 Speaker 1: shut the whole building down, they built the whole structure outside. 487 00:23:30,920 --> 00:23:33,040 Speaker 1: She was supposed to be there for thirty five minutes, 488 00:23:33,240 --> 00:23:34,880 Speaker 1: you know, she stayed over an hour and a half, 489 00:23:34,920 --> 00:23:38,000 Speaker 1: close to two hours, which was big for us, right 490 00:23:38,640 --> 00:23:41,520 Speaker 1: the Secretary of Commerce who launched the Build Back Better 491 00:23:41,600 --> 00:23:45,120 Speaker 1: campaign from the Russell Center. VP Kamala Harris who launched 492 00:23:45,160 --> 00:23:49,840 Speaker 1: her National Economic Opportunity Tour from the Russell Center, and Brother, 493 00:23:50,280 --> 00:23:53,480 Speaker 1: the biggest aha and the biggest wow almost happens every day, 494 00:23:53,560 --> 00:23:56,199 Speaker 1: even if it's not a big name coming through the building. 495 00:23:56,960 --> 00:23:59,600 Speaker 1: Because you got to remember four and a half years ago, Brandon, 496 00:24:00,119 --> 00:24:02,880 Speaker 1: none of this existed. Yeah, there were no floors, there 497 00:24:02,880 --> 00:24:05,320 Speaker 1: were no walls, there were no toilets. There was nowhere 498 00:24:05,320 --> 00:24:07,359 Speaker 1: for me to sit down and actually have a thought, 499 00:24:08,440 --> 00:24:10,760 Speaker 1: and for us to be at this stage so soon. 500 00:24:11,680 --> 00:24:13,880 Speaker 1: Every day's a wild moment. I don't care who's coming 501 00:24:13,880 --> 00:24:14,480 Speaker 1: through the building. 502 00:24:14,840 --> 00:24:16,960 Speaker 2: And I mean, again, you got this from the Russell family, right, 503 00:24:17,040 --> 00:24:18,600 Speaker 2: Like you're the ones that started this. This is their 504 00:24:18,640 --> 00:24:21,000 Speaker 2: old office and you kind of took it over, you know, 505 00:24:21,040 --> 00:24:23,840 Speaker 2: would inspire them to even you know, want to create this, 506 00:24:23,840 --> 00:24:24,879 Speaker 2: this this experience. 507 00:24:25,080 --> 00:24:27,240 Speaker 1: Yeah, but you know he gave me a gutted out building, 508 00:24:27,280 --> 00:24:31,399 Speaker 1: shut out to the family. But their father was the 509 00:24:31,440 --> 00:24:35,000 Speaker 1: consummate entrepreneur, and you know, it was a no brainer 510 00:24:35,040 --> 00:24:37,600 Speaker 1: for them that the way that they could honor their 511 00:24:37,640 --> 00:24:42,520 Speaker 1: father's legacy was to create opportunities for other entrepreneurs. And 512 00:24:42,560 --> 00:24:44,520 Speaker 1: that's when I came into the picture. They hired me 513 00:24:44,560 --> 00:24:48,159 Speaker 1: as the founding CEO to really dream up what we 514 00:24:48,200 --> 00:24:51,840 Speaker 1: would do with this shell, this blank slate. We won't 515 00:24:51,840 --> 00:24:53,479 Speaker 1: have a whole lot of money to give you cash, 516 00:24:53,880 --> 00:24:57,520 Speaker 1: but here's an opportunity to create history. And I could 517 00:24:57,560 --> 00:24:59,800 Speaker 1: not ignore the opportunity to do something that I knew 518 00:24:59,800 --> 00:25:03,520 Speaker 1: would last met They could potentially change the course of history. 519 00:25:03,960 --> 00:25:06,840 Speaker 1: But from Atlanta, in a building like this, building on 520 00:25:06,960 --> 00:25:10,320 Speaker 1: that legacy, perhaps being the best in the world at 521 00:25:10,320 --> 00:25:13,280 Speaker 1: something that we do, could not give that opportunity out. 522 00:25:13,480 --> 00:25:15,000 Speaker 2: Now, what kind of legacy do you want to leave 523 00:25:15,000 --> 00:25:16,359 Speaker 2: on Atlanta with all this stuff? Wow? 524 00:25:16,480 --> 00:25:20,640 Speaker 1: Man, you know it's different now. I got two daughters 525 00:25:21,160 --> 00:25:23,560 Speaker 1: and so my three year old Sage and my three 526 00:25:23,600 --> 00:25:26,359 Speaker 1: month old Skylar, So the way that I look at 527 00:25:26,400 --> 00:25:29,960 Speaker 1: legacy is different now. It's more internal thinking about what 528 00:25:30,080 --> 00:25:32,720 Speaker 1: kind of people will I produce that will continue to 529 00:25:32,760 --> 00:25:35,880 Speaker 1: carry the toward Ford in Atlanta for years to come. 530 00:25:36,000 --> 00:25:38,880 Speaker 1: My motto is plant seeds that will grow trees who 531 00:25:38,960 --> 00:25:41,640 Speaker 1: shade you may never sit under. Like, what are those 532 00:25:41,640 --> 00:25:44,680 Speaker 1: things that I'm doing right now that will impact seven generations? 533 00:25:44,720 --> 00:25:47,000 Speaker 1: Yet I'm born? You know, how can I be a 534 00:25:47,000 --> 00:25:50,440 Speaker 1: really dope great great grandfather? And I know that I'll 535 00:25:50,440 --> 00:25:53,120 Speaker 1: never meet those great great grandchildren, but their lives are 536 00:25:53,160 --> 00:25:56,919 Speaker 1: impacted by what their great great grandfather did. And I 537 00:25:56,960 --> 00:26:00,960 Speaker 1: think that that devil, you know, is the way that 538 00:26:01,040 --> 00:26:03,600 Speaker 1: I want to look at legacy through my own legacy. 539 00:26:04,280 --> 00:26:07,399 Speaker 1: But I think that for the city of Atlanta, you know, 540 00:26:07,440 --> 00:26:09,639 Speaker 1: playing our role to say that there are companies that 541 00:26:09,680 --> 00:26:12,200 Speaker 1: will be started under our watch at the Russell Center 542 00:26:12,840 --> 00:26:16,160 Speaker 1: that will impact the future of our city, that will 543 00:26:16,200 --> 00:26:18,919 Speaker 1: build the infrastructure of our city, that will build the 544 00:26:18,960 --> 00:26:21,639 Speaker 1: structures of our city, that will start to solve for 545 00:26:21,800 --> 00:26:25,919 Speaker 1: poverty and education and housing and all of these different 546 00:26:25,960 --> 00:26:29,200 Speaker 1: big problems that we're dealing with today. The hope is, yeah, 547 00:26:29,200 --> 00:26:31,080 Speaker 1: that a few of the companies that we're working with 548 00:26:31,160 --> 00:26:35,440 Speaker 1: today are the ones that literally tackle the biggest challenges 549 00:26:35,480 --> 00:26:36,400 Speaker 1: we have tomorrow. 550 00:26:36,600 --> 00:26:39,320 Speaker 2: Yeah, now what's next A rice like what big products 551 00:26:39,359 --> 00:26:40,120 Speaker 2: are coming up in the. 552 00:26:40,480 --> 00:26:45,120 Speaker 1: Exp and it's the building, like I said, getting an 553 00:26:45,160 --> 00:26:50,400 Speaker 1: eighteen thousand square foot facelift. You know, we'll probably eclipse 554 00:26:50,440 --> 00:26:53,200 Speaker 1: seven hundred and fifty entrepreneurs that we support full time 555 00:26:53,240 --> 00:26:57,520 Speaker 1: within the next twelve months. We're building out an incredible 556 00:26:57,560 --> 00:27:01,240 Speaker 1: digital platform using some gen Ai cons that I think 557 00:27:01,320 --> 00:27:04,000 Speaker 1: is going to be a game changer for supporting entrepreneurs 558 00:27:04,000 --> 00:27:08,400 Speaker 1: and literally leveraging the power of the universe to give 559 00:27:08,640 --> 00:27:13,480 Speaker 1: uncommon access to every entrepreneur that's on the platform. It's 560 00:27:13,520 --> 00:27:16,320 Speaker 1: growth and expansion, man. I think that we don't need 561 00:27:16,320 --> 00:27:19,119 Speaker 1: any more symbols of hope. We need institutions that manufacture 562 00:27:19,119 --> 00:27:23,160 Speaker 1: hope at scale. We hope to be that and so no, man, 563 00:27:23,200 --> 00:27:27,520 Speaker 1: it's it's more growth, it's more fearlessness, it's more fierce 564 00:27:27,560 --> 00:27:30,600 Speaker 1: intentionality and how we spend our dollar. But at the 565 00:27:30,800 --> 00:27:34,159 Speaker 1: core of it, it's we want to build community. We 566 00:27:34,240 --> 00:27:36,280 Speaker 1: want to build culture. We want to have a covenant 567 00:27:36,320 --> 00:27:39,720 Speaker 1: with the entrepreneurs that we support that they recognize how 568 00:27:39,800 --> 00:27:42,040 Speaker 1: pivotal and how critical they are to the success of 569 00:27:42,040 --> 00:27:44,919 Speaker 1: our communities. You know, who do you hire. Where do 570 00:27:44,960 --> 00:27:48,960 Speaker 1: you locate when you grow? What happens from then? And 571 00:27:49,240 --> 00:27:53,280 Speaker 1: I feel really good about the kind of cultural covenant 572 00:27:53,280 --> 00:27:55,919 Speaker 1: that we have with our stakeholders, that it's not just 573 00:27:56,000 --> 00:27:59,960 Speaker 1: about them their efforts, their success, is their wins, even 574 00:28:00,080 --> 00:28:02,919 Speaker 1: their failures. How is it helping the greater community and 575 00:28:02,920 --> 00:28:05,760 Speaker 1: the greater collaborative energy that we have in this city 576 00:28:05,800 --> 00:28:06,840 Speaker 1: that will make Atlanta great? 577 00:28:07,280 --> 00:28:09,760 Speaker 2: Absolutely now before we get out of here. You know, 578 00:28:09,800 --> 00:28:12,159 Speaker 2: I sometimes I ask people what advice they would have, 579 00:28:12,200 --> 00:28:13,560 Speaker 2: but I know you got plenty of my mass yourself 580 00:28:13,600 --> 00:28:15,600 Speaker 2: a little bit different. Yeah, if you could put a 581 00:28:15,600 --> 00:28:18,199 Speaker 2: billboard up in Atlanta and you can say whatever you 582 00:28:18,200 --> 00:28:19,399 Speaker 2: wanted to say. 583 00:28:19,240 --> 00:28:20,880 Speaker 1: The world is BMFS. 584 00:28:21,320 --> 00:28:25,920 Speaker 2: I remember those days. What a time if you could 585 00:28:25,920 --> 00:28:28,000 Speaker 2: put a billboard up in Atlanta that could just you know, 586 00:28:28,200 --> 00:28:30,840 Speaker 2: either either leave a message or some advice or just 587 00:28:31,280 --> 00:28:33,680 Speaker 2: kind of instill something. What would that billboard say in Atlanta? 588 00:28:34,080 --> 00:28:36,280 Speaker 1: Wow, and not so so deaf. 589 00:28:36,160 --> 00:28:39,360 Speaker 2: And not so so deaf, we shout out to JD. 590 00:28:41,640 --> 00:28:46,400 Speaker 1: Don't do it alone. I think that one of the 591 00:28:46,400 --> 00:28:50,720 Speaker 1: greatest mistakes that I ever made, where I squandered so 592 00:28:50,800 --> 00:28:53,320 Speaker 1: much of my twenties. I made my first million at 593 00:28:53,320 --> 00:28:55,480 Speaker 1: twenty three. I was homeless at twenty eight, living in 594 00:28:55,520 --> 00:28:58,160 Speaker 1: a nine by nine storage General Mountain Industrial Boulevard and 595 00:28:58,200 --> 00:29:01,080 Speaker 1: Tucker because I figure that I could do it on 596 00:29:01,120 --> 00:29:02,720 Speaker 1: my own. I have bought into this myth of this 597 00:29:02,840 --> 00:29:05,800 Speaker 1: self made man and this notion that every man is 598 00:29:05,840 --> 00:29:08,280 Speaker 1: an island and you don't need friends, no new friends. 599 00:29:08,360 --> 00:29:11,880 Speaker 1: Right Yeah, Relationships and community at the core of any 600 00:29:11,880 --> 00:29:18,120 Speaker 1: successful model and for any entrepreneur, anybody that inspire aspires 601 00:29:18,160 --> 00:29:20,840 Speaker 1: to be great in any endeavor, be it entrepreneurial, through 602 00:29:20,880 --> 00:29:23,479 Speaker 1: the corporate route or professional services, right, whatever it is, 603 00:29:24,560 --> 00:29:27,440 Speaker 1: find your tribe, do not do it by yourself. It 604 00:29:27,560 --> 00:29:30,840 Speaker 1: is it is critical that you have the community around 605 00:29:30,880 --> 00:29:34,160 Speaker 1: you that supports you, that won't allow you to fail, 606 00:29:34,560 --> 00:29:37,160 Speaker 1: that can fill in the voice that you may have personally, 607 00:29:37,720 --> 00:29:40,840 Speaker 1: that you can continue to pour in and grab energy from. 608 00:29:41,160 --> 00:29:44,680 Speaker 1: And when it gets tough, it's really hard to come 609 00:29:44,720 --> 00:29:48,040 Speaker 1: out of that closet by yourself, that you need those 610 00:29:48,040 --> 00:29:50,160 Speaker 1: people around you to help pull you out when you 611 00:29:50,240 --> 00:29:50,560 Speaker 1: need it. 612 00:29:51,400 --> 00:29:54,120 Speaker 2: Absolutely well. Now, this has been an amazing conversation, I 613 00:29:54,160 --> 00:29:56,040 Speaker 2: appreciate it. Before we get out of here, just let 614 00:29:56,040 --> 00:29:58,520 Speaker 2: people know how can they get more information about the 615 00:29:58,600 --> 00:30:00,520 Speaker 2: Russell Center. You know, how can they get contact with 616 00:30:00,560 --> 00:30:01,640 Speaker 2: you all and get involved? 617 00:30:01,720 --> 00:30:04,840 Speaker 1: Hey? Follow us online, man, go to Russell Center dot org. 618 00:30:04,960 --> 00:30:06,880 Speaker 1: Join our mailing list that keeps you up to date 619 00:30:06,960 --> 00:30:08,880 Speaker 1: on all the things we do for our stakeholders, but 620 00:30:08,920 --> 00:30:11,520 Speaker 1: all the things we do for the community. We host 621 00:30:11,560 --> 00:30:14,920 Speaker 1: a Saturday school every every month where people are able 622 00:30:14,920 --> 00:30:16,480 Speaker 1: to come in and get learning that don't have to 623 00:30:16,480 --> 00:30:19,120 Speaker 1: be a part of our full program. Follow us on 624 00:30:19,120 --> 00:30:23,840 Speaker 1: social media LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, all the Russell Center. We'd 625 00:30:23,880 --> 00:30:26,120 Speaker 1: love to connect with you absolutely well, Jay, thank you 626 00:30:26,160 --> 00:30:27,840 Speaker 1: so much for coming in and thank you for all 627 00:30:27,840 --> 00:30:29,440 Speaker 1: you're doing with the Russell Center for Atlanta. 628 00:30:29,840 --> 00:30:32,280 Speaker 2: We can't wait to see what happens next. And that's 629 00:30:32,280 --> 00:30:36,240 Speaker 2: the pod y'all. My man, Thanks beating, you've been listing 630 00:30:36,240 --> 00:30:39,760 Speaker 2: the butter Nomics and I'm your host, Brandon Butler. Comments feedback. 631 00:30:39,920 --> 00:30:41,520 Speaker 2: Want to be a part of the show, send us 632 00:30:41,520 --> 00:30:44,960 Speaker 2: an email today at Hello at Butterdomics dot com. Butter 633 00:30:45,000 --> 00:30:47,960 Speaker 2: Nomics is produced in Atlanta, Georgia at iHeartMedia by Ramsey, 634 00:30:48,240 --> 00:30:51,040 Speaker 2: with marketing support from Queen and Nike. Music provided by 635 00:30:51,080 --> 00:30:54,160 Speaker 2: mister Hanky. If you haven't already, hit that subscribe button 636 00:30:54,200 --> 00:30:56,480 Speaker 2: and never miss an episode, and be sure to follow 637 00:30:56,560 --> 00:30:59,280 Speaker 2: us on all our social platforms at butter dot Atl. 638 00:31:00,200 --> 00:31:03,320 Speaker 2: Listen to Better Nomis on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, 639 00:31:03,400 --> 00:31:04,840 Speaker 2: or wherever you get your podcasts.