1 00:00:11,280 --> 00:00:15,200 Speaker 1: Welcome to PM mood, the no Talking Points, no Bullshit 2 00:00:15,320 --> 00:00:18,880 Speaker 1: podcast that takes you behind the curtain, off the red carpet, 3 00:00:18,920 --> 00:00:21,880 Speaker 1: and to the front lines of progress with change makers 4 00:00:22,040 --> 00:00:24,880 Speaker 1: and innovators that are doing the work to shift our 5 00:00:24,880 --> 00:00:29,640 Speaker 1: culture and expand our social impact. I am so excited 6 00:00:29,760 --> 00:00:33,600 Speaker 1: to welcome to PM Mood Khalila Wright, who is the 7 00:00:33,840 --> 00:00:38,600 Speaker 1: founder and CEO of the expressive brand Meth in a Bottle. 8 00:00:39,240 --> 00:00:43,040 Speaker 1: I love Mess in a Bottle so much. If you 9 00:00:43,040 --> 00:00:46,920 Speaker 1: are not following them on Instagram, you should because the 10 00:00:47,040 --> 00:00:52,519 Speaker 1: quotes are funny, are insightful, are amazing. Khalila, Welcome to 11 00:00:52,600 --> 00:00:55,640 Speaker 1: PM Mood. Hi, thank you guys so much for having me. 12 00:00:55,960 --> 00:01:00,120 Speaker 1: So you are Jamaican, I am. I was born in 13 00:01:00,240 --> 00:01:03,560 Speaker 1: Jamaica and I migrated to the United States around five 14 00:01:03,640 --> 00:01:07,480 Speaker 1: years old. So I'm Jamaican. I don't know that. Yeah, 15 00:01:07,520 --> 00:01:12,440 Speaker 1: my parents came to the United States in nineteen seventy 16 00:01:12,560 --> 00:01:15,679 Speaker 1: so I was born in the States, but they Jamaican. Jamaican, 17 00:01:15,760 --> 00:01:22,960 Speaker 1: So you can up yourself. Yes, I love it. I 18 00:01:23,040 --> 00:01:27,760 Speaker 1: love it. So tell me about the idea behind Mess 19 00:01:27,760 --> 00:01:32,840 Speaker 1: and a Bottle. You are this incredible black woman entrepreneur. 20 00:01:33,280 --> 00:01:35,520 Speaker 1: Tell me how Mess and a bottle came to be 21 00:01:35,840 --> 00:01:39,800 Speaker 1: so mess and a Bottle we started in twenty sixteen 22 00:01:40,280 --> 00:01:45,200 Speaker 1: and in twenty fifteen the Freddy Gray Riots here in Baltimore, Maryland. 23 00:01:46,319 --> 00:01:50,520 Speaker 1: I really just wanted to figure out a way of 24 00:01:50,600 --> 00:01:55,120 Speaker 1: being expressive. And you know, after the Freddy Gray Riots, 25 00:01:55,160 --> 00:01:57,919 Speaker 1: people were kind of walking around like almost on shore 26 00:01:58,480 --> 00:02:01,760 Speaker 1: of how to say how they felt. And I think 27 00:02:01,800 --> 00:02:04,880 Speaker 1: that the riots made people a bit stifled, like they 28 00:02:04,920 --> 00:02:07,560 Speaker 1: didn't have a voice. So I created mess in a 29 00:02:07,560 --> 00:02:10,000 Speaker 1: Bottle as a way of giving a voice to the 30 00:02:10,120 --> 00:02:13,240 Speaker 1: voice less. And so I just started creating messages and 31 00:02:13,280 --> 00:02:17,160 Speaker 1: putting them on T shirts and people were very intrigued 32 00:02:17,200 --> 00:02:19,079 Speaker 1: and they were like, this is how I feel, Thank 33 00:02:19,120 --> 00:02:22,280 Speaker 1: you for saying it. So, you know, that was my 34 00:02:22,400 --> 00:02:25,360 Speaker 1: way of being able to give a voice to the 35 00:02:25,440 --> 00:02:29,040 Speaker 1: voice less and getting people to say something without saying 36 00:02:29,080 --> 00:02:32,760 Speaker 1: anything at all. I love the fact that your products 37 00:02:32,840 --> 00:02:35,799 Speaker 1: come in a bottle. Yes, tell me about that, because 38 00:02:35,840 --> 00:02:38,360 Speaker 1: that's so interesting. And one of the things that I 39 00:02:38,520 --> 00:02:41,480 Speaker 1: followed as I was following your Instagram was your first 40 00:02:41,560 --> 00:02:45,680 Speaker 1: visit to Essence Festival and your vending machine, and I 41 00:02:45,760 --> 00:02:48,760 Speaker 1: just thought this was, like, your concepts are so cool, 42 00:02:49,200 --> 00:02:51,160 Speaker 1: So tell me about how well about the idea of 43 00:02:51,200 --> 00:02:54,000 Speaker 1: putting the products, putting the shirts and everything inside of 44 00:02:54,040 --> 00:02:57,360 Speaker 1: an actual bottle. Well, that happens because I am an 45 00:02:57,480 --> 00:03:00,400 Speaker 1: architect and designer by trade, and I used to work 46 00:03:00,440 --> 00:03:03,080 Speaker 1: for under Armour. And while I was at under Armour, 47 00:03:03,520 --> 00:03:06,520 Speaker 1: I was listening to music and I had no idea 48 00:03:06,680 --> 00:03:09,200 Speaker 1: who the person was, what the album was. But when 49 00:03:09,200 --> 00:03:11,760 Speaker 1: I looked down at the screen, it was an album 50 00:03:11,800 --> 00:03:15,400 Speaker 1: called Surf from Chance to Wrapper and it had you know, 51 00:03:15,400 --> 00:03:17,600 Speaker 1: it was like a bottle in the ocean, in the sands, 52 00:03:17,600 --> 00:03:19,880 Speaker 1: and it was like a message in a bottle. And 53 00:03:19,960 --> 00:03:23,240 Speaker 1: it just really quick that these messages that I was 54 00:03:23,280 --> 00:03:27,160 Speaker 1: putting on a T shirt were my messages in a bottle. 55 00:03:27,360 --> 00:03:29,760 Speaker 1: And so this was my way of kind of giving 56 00:03:29,760 --> 00:03:33,080 Speaker 1: a form of communication in the twenty first century way 57 00:03:33,320 --> 00:03:36,640 Speaker 1: of like this three hundred and ten DC concepts of 58 00:03:36,720 --> 00:03:40,600 Speaker 1: receiving a message in the ocean. And so, you know, 59 00:03:40,720 --> 00:03:42,920 Speaker 1: I decided, I was like, okay, I want to name 60 00:03:42,960 --> 00:03:46,040 Speaker 1: the company message in a bottle. But of course, you know, 61 00:03:46,480 --> 00:03:50,920 Speaker 1: brand wise, there's a lot of messages. Ian quickly realized 62 00:03:51,000 --> 00:03:54,240 Speaker 1: that I'm a mess, Like this is a mess is 63 00:03:54,560 --> 00:03:57,440 Speaker 1: you know behind the message? I decided to name the 64 00:03:57,480 --> 00:04:00,000 Speaker 1: company Mess in a Bottle, and I was like, okay, well, 65 00:04:00,240 --> 00:04:01,840 Speaker 1: you know, such a mess and a bottle, you gotta 66 00:04:01,880 --> 00:04:05,160 Speaker 1: have it in a bottle. So initially when we started out, 67 00:04:05,280 --> 00:04:08,440 Speaker 1: we did these glass bottles from Ikea with like a 68 00:04:08,600 --> 00:04:13,280 Speaker 1: round mouth, and we quickly then within probably a year 69 00:04:13,360 --> 00:04:16,880 Speaker 1: after starting, after launching, we then ended up, you know, 70 00:04:16,960 --> 00:04:20,880 Speaker 1: manufacturing our own plastic bottles. And that is how Mess 71 00:04:20,880 --> 00:04:23,479 Speaker 1: and a Bottle was birth. I just I love it 72 00:04:23,480 --> 00:04:26,920 Speaker 1: so much because, you know, it conjures up memories of 73 00:04:26,960 --> 00:04:29,680 Speaker 1: my childhood going to the beach. I grew up on 74 00:04:29,720 --> 00:04:32,719 Speaker 1: Eastern Long Island going to the beach as a little kid. 75 00:04:32,760 --> 00:04:34,960 Speaker 1: Like I literally did this was you know, before we 76 00:04:35,040 --> 00:04:38,000 Speaker 1: understood you know, pollution is bad, but I did. I 77 00:04:38,040 --> 00:04:40,919 Speaker 1: didn't put messages in bottles and throw them into the 78 00:04:40,920 --> 00:04:42,719 Speaker 1: ocean because I felt like it was like, you know, 79 00:04:42,760 --> 00:04:45,680 Speaker 1: my little time capsule. At some point it'll wash up 80 00:04:45,720 --> 00:04:48,160 Speaker 1: somewhere and somebody will open it. So I just I 81 00:04:48,240 --> 00:04:51,600 Speaker 1: love the concept behind it, and I love the idea. 82 00:04:51,839 --> 00:04:55,120 Speaker 1: I was so excited for you and for your brand 83 00:04:55,680 --> 00:05:00,359 Speaker 1: when Serena Williams wore one of your jackets, Queen what it? Queen? 84 00:05:00,400 --> 00:05:02,520 Speaker 1: Don't be afraid to rule like a king. Tell me 85 00:05:02,600 --> 00:05:06,920 Speaker 1: about that particular message. And then also you're feeling that 86 00:05:07,000 --> 00:05:09,760 Speaker 1: moment when you saw that she was rocking your coat. 87 00:05:09,960 --> 00:05:14,320 Speaker 1: So you know, the whole evolution of Serena, it's quite 88 00:05:14,320 --> 00:05:17,560 Speaker 1: an interesting journey, and it's a good one. I think. 89 00:05:17,600 --> 00:05:19,560 Speaker 1: You know, I had a run in with her at 90 00:05:19,600 --> 00:05:22,799 Speaker 1: one point and I wasn't able to give her any products. 91 00:05:23,120 --> 00:05:25,960 Speaker 1: And then I have a really good friend who's now 92 00:05:25,960 --> 00:05:30,160 Speaker 1: a friend, Bozoma Saint John. She is great friends with Serena, 93 00:05:30,200 --> 00:05:34,239 Speaker 1: and so Bozoma had on my queens don't be afraid 94 00:05:34,279 --> 00:05:36,960 Speaker 1: to rule like a king jacket. And you know, she 95 00:05:37,040 --> 00:05:39,720 Speaker 1: worked to Coachella, So when she worked to Coachella, of 96 00:05:39,800 --> 00:05:42,320 Speaker 1: course Serena being her friend, was like, I want that, 97 00:05:43,040 --> 00:05:46,760 Speaker 1: And that is exactly how the connection happened. And so 98 00:05:46,839 --> 00:05:51,400 Speaker 1: the message itself, you know, I create these messages and 99 00:05:51,440 --> 00:05:53,680 Speaker 1: the queens don't be afraid to rule like a king. 100 00:05:54,040 --> 00:05:57,800 Speaker 1: It's really a message that's saying like the strength of 101 00:05:57,839 --> 00:06:01,520 Speaker 1: a woman should not be minish because you're not a man. 102 00:06:01,960 --> 00:06:04,240 Speaker 1: And I think a lot of the times, you know, 103 00:06:04,760 --> 00:06:08,120 Speaker 1: women get a bad rap for really like ruling and 104 00:06:08,240 --> 00:06:11,200 Speaker 1: being strong and their strength. You know, we've been taught 105 00:06:11,560 --> 00:06:13,760 Speaker 1: for most of our lives to be you know, very 106 00:06:13,760 --> 00:06:16,880 Speaker 1: subtle and very like scene and not heard, and you 107 00:06:16,880 --> 00:06:19,680 Speaker 1: know all these things. And so my jacket is saying, 108 00:06:19,839 --> 00:06:23,159 Speaker 1: don't be afraid to rule just like a king might rule. 109 00:06:23,640 --> 00:06:27,719 Speaker 1: Don't apologize for that, be unapologetic. So I think that 110 00:06:27,800 --> 00:06:30,760 Speaker 1: Serena she realized, like you know, the message itself was 111 00:06:31,040 --> 00:06:39,440 Speaker 1: very powerful, especially in exactly in Tennis, where I think 112 00:06:39,480 --> 00:06:42,320 Speaker 1: that she really resonated with the message. And just to 113 00:06:42,520 --> 00:06:45,040 Speaker 1: answer as well in regards to the vending machine and 114 00:06:45,120 --> 00:06:48,200 Speaker 1: the bottle, you know, that was also something where when 115 00:06:48,240 --> 00:06:51,039 Speaker 1: I created the T shirts and in the bottle, I 116 00:06:51,160 --> 00:06:54,560 Speaker 1: had the vision of being able to spread and share 117 00:06:54,640 --> 00:06:57,719 Speaker 1: my messages all over the world. And so that is 118 00:06:57,720 --> 00:07:00,560 Speaker 1: how the vending machine also played into part. I did 119 00:07:00,600 --> 00:07:03,040 Speaker 1: not know until I was prepping to talk to you 120 00:07:03,279 --> 00:07:06,480 Speaker 1: that you are an architect by trade. I am, And 121 00:07:06,560 --> 00:07:08,719 Speaker 1: so how did you make that or do you feel 122 00:07:08,760 --> 00:07:13,400 Speaker 1: like it's even a transition from designer of buildings right 123 00:07:13,520 --> 00:07:16,520 Speaker 1: to clothing. You know, when I was in high school 124 00:07:16,640 --> 00:07:19,640 Speaker 1: and trying to figure out my profession, I loved fashion, 125 00:07:20,120 --> 00:07:24,400 Speaker 1: but I told myself that doing architecture will probably get 126 00:07:24,440 --> 00:07:27,840 Speaker 1: me to be a well rounded designer. And I think 127 00:07:27,880 --> 00:07:31,880 Speaker 1: that that is actually what happened, where now I became 128 00:07:31,920 --> 00:07:35,600 Speaker 1: a great designer. So of course creating buildings is different 129 00:07:35,640 --> 00:07:38,320 Speaker 1: than creating you know, fashion and design and all this 130 00:07:38,400 --> 00:07:42,560 Speaker 1: other stuff. But I think that within architecture I can 131 00:07:42,640 --> 00:07:45,960 Speaker 1: now use you know, my background. Where for the vending machines, 132 00:07:46,000 --> 00:07:49,000 Speaker 1: we've design certain things, and I need to have certain 133 00:07:49,080 --> 00:07:52,559 Speaker 1: architectural drawings, and you know, for our bottle design, again 134 00:07:52,640 --> 00:07:55,000 Speaker 1: we have to have elevations of the bottle, how does 135 00:07:55,000 --> 00:07:57,680 Speaker 1: it look, where does the cap? How tall is the cap? 136 00:07:57,960 --> 00:08:01,240 Speaker 1: So those are all things that architecture really has helped me, 137 00:08:01,560 --> 00:08:04,160 Speaker 1: you know, even with spacing and figuring out like okay, 138 00:08:04,160 --> 00:08:07,360 Speaker 1: well where the position you know, the machines, or how 139 00:08:07,400 --> 00:08:09,720 Speaker 1: to lay out a space when I'm vending. So I 140 00:08:09,760 --> 00:08:12,480 Speaker 1: think all of those things have really played a part 141 00:08:12,760 --> 00:08:15,679 Speaker 1: within my career and it's a lot more well rounded. 142 00:08:16,000 --> 00:08:18,240 Speaker 1: I just think that that's extraordinary, the fact that you 143 00:08:18,520 --> 00:08:22,400 Speaker 1: have all of that spatial understanding and all of those things, 144 00:08:22,400 --> 00:08:25,160 Speaker 1: and how art kind of translates into all of these 145 00:08:25,160 --> 00:08:29,600 Speaker 1: different spaces, from buildings to you know, creating the vending 146 00:08:29,600 --> 00:08:33,120 Speaker 1: machine to your actual clothing and home decore products. I 147 00:08:33,120 --> 00:08:37,079 Speaker 1: just think that that's so incredibly cool. As a black 148 00:08:37,120 --> 00:08:42,800 Speaker 1: woman entrepreneur, What are some of the obstacles, if any, 149 00:08:43,080 --> 00:08:45,320 Speaker 1: that you have had to face over the past couple 150 00:08:45,320 --> 00:08:48,320 Speaker 1: of years since launching in twenty sixteen. You know, I 151 00:08:48,320 --> 00:08:52,320 Speaker 1: would think that the biggest obstacle, I mean, everyone you 152 00:08:52,320 --> 00:08:55,880 Speaker 1: know knows it. It's capital, and I asked us to capital. 153 00:08:56,240 --> 00:08:59,800 Speaker 1: I think that that especially as a woman own you know, 154 00:09:00,120 --> 00:09:03,400 Speaker 1: black women owned business, it's different because you know, you 155 00:09:03,559 --> 00:09:07,640 Speaker 1: know that there is a lot of capital available, but 156 00:09:07,679 --> 00:09:11,720 Speaker 1: then within our sector, it just feels like we aren't 157 00:09:11,760 --> 00:09:14,120 Speaker 1: growing as fast and as big. We don't have as 158 00:09:14,200 --> 00:09:17,959 Speaker 1: much access. We're not you know, so that becomes really difficult, 159 00:09:18,160 --> 00:09:20,640 Speaker 1: you know, to build a business. And I think that's why, 160 00:09:20,760 --> 00:09:23,000 Speaker 1: also just being a black woman, so many people root 161 00:09:23,080 --> 00:09:25,320 Speaker 1: for us because we know how much odds, you know, 162 00:09:25,440 --> 00:09:28,199 Speaker 1: there is to actually get to the point that we're at, 163 00:09:28,320 --> 00:09:31,079 Speaker 1: especially with nothing. I started this company with less than 164 00:09:31,080 --> 00:09:33,440 Speaker 1: five hundred dollars and I am where I am today 165 00:09:33,480 --> 00:09:35,800 Speaker 1: and I'm four years you know, we've been in business 166 00:09:35,800 --> 00:09:38,840 Speaker 1: for four years and still standing. You started the company 167 00:09:38,880 --> 00:09:42,360 Speaker 1: with five hundred dollars, less than less than five hundred 168 00:09:42,400 --> 00:09:45,880 Speaker 1: dollars and a two year old right as a single mom. 169 00:09:46,840 --> 00:09:51,120 Speaker 1: So yes, I did. Yeah, that's extraordinary. That's that Jamaican 170 00:09:51,200 --> 00:09:54,960 Speaker 1: hustle right there. All the way, all the way you 171 00:09:55,040 --> 00:09:58,200 Speaker 1: refer to your sons. Is he your co CEO? He's 172 00:09:58,200 --> 00:10:01,360 Speaker 1: a CEO. I don't run this thing. I'm the oldest thing. 173 00:10:01,720 --> 00:10:03,760 Speaker 1: Like I'm in the process of transferring at all and 174 00:10:03,880 --> 00:10:06,800 Speaker 1: making sure that his name is on everything. And so, 175 00:10:06,880 --> 00:10:10,760 Speaker 1: you know, I want my son to understand that he 176 00:10:11,160 --> 00:10:14,120 Speaker 1: can have ownership, you know, of his life of things. 177 00:10:14,520 --> 00:10:16,959 Speaker 1: And I want him to understand at a young age 178 00:10:16,960 --> 00:10:19,600 Speaker 1: that he is a boss. And so I think, you know, 179 00:10:19,679 --> 00:10:21,760 Speaker 1: some days I do have a lot of mommy guilt 180 00:10:21,800 --> 00:10:25,080 Speaker 1: about like maybe staying up LAIDs or not being able to, 181 00:10:25,679 --> 00:10:29,200 Speaker 1: you know, do certain things, And quickly friends and family 182 00:10:29,240 --> 00:10:32,080 Speaker 1: remind me that I'm giving him so much more. You know, 183 00:10:32,160 --> 00:10:36,040 Speaker 1: he's really learning about entrepreneurship. You know, he asked me like, 184 00:10:36,040 --> 00:10:38,840 Speaker 1: oh are the workers in today? What hours do they work? 185 00:10:38,960 --> 00:10:40,800 Speaker 1: You know, like there's a lot of things that he 186 00:10:41,040 --> 00:10:44,000 Speaker 1: taps into. You know, he's starting to understand certain things 187 00:10:44,000 --> 00:10:48,280 Speaker 1: about paying in voices and do it on a regular basis. 188 00:10:48,280 --> 00:10:49,760 Speaker 1: So he's like, you know, if we go to the 189 00:10:49,760 --> 00:10:52,600 Speaker 1: post office, he knows, like, you know, where to go, 190 00:10:52,720 --> 00:10:54,680 Speaker 1: what packages, like I tell him all the time, like 191 00:10:54,720 --> 00:10:57,480 Speaker 1: he's the male person. So he helps with you know, 192 00:10:57,760 --> 00:11:00,760 Speaker 1: trying to help me with the labels and sing labels 193 00:11:00,760 --> 00:11:03,560 Speaker 1: and putting stuff and packages and sending them out and 194 00:11:03,640 --> 00:11:05,800 Speaker 1: helping us, you know, when he's in the shop. You know, 195 00:11:05,840 --> 00:11:08,120 Speaker 1: at times I get him to do some work as well. 196 00:11:08,360 --> 00:11:11,240 Speaker 1: You know, that's so wonderful because I tell you, you know, 197 00:11:11,360 --> 00:11:15,559 Speaker 1: oftentimes people who are parents. I'm not a parent myself, 198 00:11:15,600 --> 00:11:18,760 Speaker 1: but people who are you know, keep such a distance 199 00:11:19,080 --> 00:11:22,840 Speaker 1: from their work and their family. So it's like they 200 00:11:22,920 --> 00:11:25,480 Speaker 1: leave the house, they go to work, but their kids 201 00:11:25,520 --> 00:11:28,600 Speaker 1: really have no idea what they're doing, right, Like they 202 00:11:28,640 --> 00:11:31,280 Speaker 1: have no investment in it. They don't understand it, and 203 00:11:31,280 --> 00:11:34,720 Speaker 1: it's never really explained to them. It's just like, oh, 204 00:11:34,760 --> 00:11:38,480 Speaker 1: you know, mommy or daddy or grandma whomever is at work, right, 205 00:11:38,520 --> 00:11:40,520 Speaker 1: but what does that actually mean? And so I love 206 00:11:40,559 --> 00:11:45,280 Speaker 1: the idea of teaching and showing at the same time. 207 00:11:45,440 --> 00:11:49,040 Speaker 1: You know, seeing those late hours I think is incredibly important, right, 208 00:11:49,120 --> 00:11:51,800 Speaker 1: Like things don't just happen, you know, you have to 209 00:11:51,840 --> 00:11:54,360 Speaker 1: make them happen, and I think that that's an incredible 210 00:11:54,400 --> 00:11:58,800 Speaker 1: message that you're sending to your son. Well, yes, what 211 00:11:58,920 --> 00:12:01,640 Speaker 1: was it like to go too? I tell you, I 212 00:12:01,679 --> 00:12:03,719 Speaker 1: felt like I was on the road with you when 213 00:12:03,840 --> 00:12:07,840 Speaker 1: you when you went to Essence fast. I loved your 214 00:12:08,320 --> 00:12:11,679 Speaker 1: telling everybody every step of the way what was happening, 215 00:12:11,720 --> 00:12:13,720 Speaker 1: so that we could feel like we were on this 216 00:12:13,840 --> 00:12:16,560 Speaker 1: major journey with you. What was it like to get there? 217 00:12:16,760 --> 00:12:19,679 Speaker 1: It was difficult, you know, like the vending machine or 218 00:12:19,800 --> 00:12:22,800 Speaker 1: was our first time bringing it on the road, as 219 00:12:22,840 --> 00:12:26,079 Speaker 1: well as just trying to figure certain things out packing up. 220 00:12:26,160 --> 00:12:29,280 Speaker 1: So Essence Fest is of course one of our favorite, 221 00:12:29,440 --> 00:12:31,839 Speaker 1: you know events, It's one of our things that we 222 00:12:31,960 --> 00:12:34,600 Speaker 1: love to do. This was our second year and launching 223 00:12:34,600 --> 00:12:38,000 Speaker 1: the vending machine, and it was a really good experience 224 00:12:38,200 --> 00:12:41,439 Speaker 1: until our truck you know, broke down like an hour 225 00:12:41,800 --> 00:12:44,480 Speaker 1: yeah before we got to Essence and it was like no, 226 00:12:45,600 --> 00:12:48,800 Speaker 1: and um, you know, I had my PR marketing person, Regina, 227 00:12:48,880 --> 00:12:51,800 Speaker 1: as well as one of my great girlfriends, Lavandre, and 228 00:12:51,840 --> 00:12:54,120 Speaker 1: we just got in a truck from VC and we 229 00:12:54,280 --> 00:12:58,120 Speaker 1: drove all the way AID to New Orleans and baby 230 00:12:58,120 --> 00:13:01,880 Speaker 1: it was it was hot. We have to know each other, 231 00:13:02,520 --> 00:13:06,320 Speaker 1: ye well, yeah, it was a road trip. Like we 232 00:13:06,440 --> 00:13:09,000 Speaker 1: got there, we were like, we need out of these clothes, 233 00:13:09,160 --> 00:13:11,720 Speaker 1: We need to you know, pull it all together. But 234 00:13:11,800 --> 00:13:15,040 Speaker 1: it was a great experience and I'm really happy that 235 00:13:15,120 --> 00:13:17,280 Speaker 1: I did it. It taught us a lot. And that's 236 00:13:17,280 --> 00:13:20,520 Speaker 1: what entrepreneurship is really about. You have to sometimes get 237 00:13:20,559 --> 00:13:22,760 Speaker 1: in the car and drive the vehicle and you know, 238 00:13:22,840 --> 00:13:25,280 Speaker 1: and gets to certain places and things will break down 239 00:13:25,320 --> 00:13:28,480 Speaker 1: and you know, shirts and stuff might go missing or 240 00:13:28,520 --> 00:13:30,920 Speaker 1: you can't find something. But it's really how you problem 241 00:13:30,960 --> 00:13:32,920 Speaker 1: solve and you figure things out. Do a lot of 242 00:13:33,080 --> 00:13:35,760 Speaker 1: women come to you now that you are four years 243 00:13:35,760 --> 00:13:37,400 Speaker 1: in Do a lot of folks come to you for 244 00:13:37,600 --> 00:13:40,800 Speaker 1: advice about how they start their business? Or many people 245 00:13:40,800 --> 00:13:43,160 Speaker 1: who are like, you know what, I don't have the money. 246 00:13:43,280 --> 00:13:46,920 Speaker 1: I know for a fact that denture capitalists, right, who 247 00:13:47,200 --> 00:13:50,720 Speaker 1: fund a lot of companies, a lot of businesses Black 248 00:13:50,760 --> 00:13:55,120 Speaker 1: women get zero point zero zero zero zero zero zero 249 00:13:55,320 --> 00:13:59,320 Speaker 1: one percent of the hundreds of millions of dollars that 250 00:13:59,320 --> 00:14:02,600 Speaker 1: are given out each year. And so what advice do 251 00:14:02,720 --> 00:14:06,920 Speaker 1: you provide to women and especially women of color who 252 00:14:07,480 --> 00:14:11,439 Speaker 1: want to do something but capital really is the obstacle 253 00:14:11,679 --> 00:14:14,120 Speaker 1: that they can't seem to get over Well, what I 254 00:14:14,200 --> 00:14:17,480 Speaker 1: do tell people all the time is your journey is 255 00:14:17,520 --> 00:14:19,960 Speaker 1: going to be your journey, and you really need to 256 00:14:20,040 --> 00:14:23,320 Speaker 1: feed on that path. I think sometimes people look at 257 00:14:23,400 --> 00:14:26,040 Speaker 1: others and feel like, oh, I want you know, I 258 00:14:26,080 --> 00:14:29,160 Speaker 1: can obtain the same success, and the truth says you can, 259 00:14:29,520 --> 00:14:32,720 Speaker 1: but it might be different. So you might unfortunately have 260 00:14:32,840 --> 00:14:34,720 Speaker 1: to stay at your nine to five a little bit 261 00:14:34,720 --> 00:14:37,400 Speaker 1: longer and get that to help fund your business a 262 00:14:37,400 --> 00:14:40,200 Speaker 1: little bit more. You might have to you know, volunteer 263 00:14:40,240 --> 00:14:43,160 Speaker 1: at certain places and get you know, almost funding through 264 00:14:43,200 --> 00:14:46,160 Speaker 1: that by letting them give you free space for certain things. 265 00:14:46,440 --> 00:14:48,680 Speaker 1: You know. I tell people to try to be flexible 266 00:14:49,120 --> 00:14:51,920 Speaker 1: and not think that their journey and story is gonna 267 00:14:52,000 --> 00:14:54,600 Speaker 1: be the same. And like, you know, my success at 268 00:14:54,600 --> 00:14:57,240 Speaker 1: all is not overnight. You know, it might have came 269 00:14:57,280 --> 00:14:59,720 Speaker 1: a little bit faster than others, but I've worked my 270 00:14:59,800 --> 00:15:02,560 Speaker 1: ta A law to accomplish it, and so you know, 271 00:15:02,800 --> 00:15:06,800 Speaker 1: I try to be transparent about my journey because I 272 00:15:06,840 --> 00:15:09,600 Speaker 1: want other people to realize, like, there's a lot of 273 00:15:09,680 --> 00:15:13,160 Speaker 1: work that is put into this for you to get 274 00:15:13,200 --> 00:15:16,360 Speaker 1: those results. And I think that you can't think that 275 00:15:16,640 --> 00:15:18,960 Speaker 1: what I've attained is going to be what you'll attain 276 00:15:19,040 --> 00:15:22,400 Speaker 1: because your journey and your story is going to look different. Yeah, 277 00:15:22,400 --> 00:15:25,600 Speaker 1: And I think that that's right. You know, oftentimes people 278 00:15:25,720 --> 00:15:29,760 Speaker 1: think they see people's success right, and they believe that 279 00:15:29,840 --> 00:15:33,040 Speaker 1: it happened overnight, that they believe like, oh, those people 280 00:15:33,080 --> 00:15:35,720 Speaker 1: are just lucky. What frustrates me is that people only 281 00:15:35,720 --> 00:15:39,080 Speaker 1: ever see the end product. They don't actually see the journey. 282 00:15:39,400 --> 00:15:42,640 Speaker 1: Which is why I think I was so excited as 283 00:15:42,680 --> 00:15:45,360 Speaker 1: I became a part of the mess and a bottle 284 00:15:45,400 --> 00:15:48,920 Speaker 1: community on social media because I love the fact that 285 00:15:48,960 --> 00:15:52,360 Speaker 1: you were sharing all parts of your journey so that 286 00:15:52,400 --> 00:15:54,880 Speaker 1: people don't look at you and say, oh, this is 287 00:15:54,920 --> 00:15:57,840 Speaker 1: so easy, like it doesn't take any effort. And I 288 00:15:57,880 --> 00:16:01,120 Speaker 1: think that you sharing the way that you do really 289 00:16:01,120 --> 00:16:05,120 Speaker 1: opens up people's eyes to what effort really looks like. Right, Like, 290 00:16:05,200 --> 00:16:07,400 Speaker 1: I think one of my favorite pictures I think that 291 00:16:07,440 --> 00:16:10,160 Speaker 1: goes around on social media a lot is of a 292 00:16:10,240 --> 00:16:13,920 Speaker 1: ballerina looking, you know, absolutely beautiful, but then the next 293 00:16:13,920 --> 00:16:17,760 Speaker 1: shot is of her feet and it's like broken and 294 00:16:17,960 --> 00:16:20,880 Speaker 1: mangled and twisted, and it's like, this is what it 295 00:16:20,920 --> 00:16:23,920 Speaker 1: looks like. Like it may seem like it's beauty, but 296 00:16:24,000 --> 00:16:26,480 Speaker 1: this is the work. This is the literal blood, sweat 297 00:16:26,520 --> 00:16:31,200 Speaker 1: and tears that it takes other than telling people that 298 00:16:31,280 --> 00:16:33,560 Speaker 1: they need to keep at it and focus on the 299 00:16:33,600 --> 00:16:37,160 Speaker 1: fact that everybody's journey is going to be different. What 300 00:16:37,240 --> 00:16:41,040 Speaker 1: other advice specifically have you gotten that people have given you, 301 00:16:41,080 --> 00:16:45,320 Speaker 1: whether it's family members or friends that keep you going, 302 00:16:45,440 --> 00:16:48,560 Speaker 1: that continue to push you to be your best you 303 00:16:48,680 --> 00:16:51,400 Speaker 1: put out your best products and come up with bigger 304 00:16:51,440 --> 00:16:54,760 Speaker 1: and bolder ideas. What is some advice that has inspired you? 305 00:16:54,760 --> 00:16:57,840 Speaker 1: You know, I think that one of the biggest advice 306 00:16:58,280 --> 00:17:02,200 Speaker 1: that I probably haven't given is to like not be 307 00:17:02,280 --> 00:17:05,440 Speaker 1: afraid of change. I think that if you want to 308 00:17:05,440 --> 00:17:07,800 Speaker 1: get to the next level, if you want to, you know, 309 00:17:07,960 --> 00:17:11,919 Speaker 1: do something different, it does consist a level of concentration, 310 00:17:12,359 --> 00:17:16,439 Speaker 1: and it does consist you shifting and changing. And I 311 00:17:16,560 --> 00:17:19,120 Speaker 1: think that sometimes we kind of get so stuck in 312 00:17:19,119 --> 00:17:21,639 Speaker 1: our way and we see things working in a certain 313 00:17:21,960 --> 00:17:25,040 Speaker 1: vision that we already have implanted, that sometimes we don't 314 00:17:25,040 --> 00:17:28,679 Speaker 1: look ahead. So I think like being able to you know, 315 00:17:28,800 --> 00:17:31,199 Speaker 1: be able to adjust, and right now we live in 316 00:17:31,240 --> 00:17:34,360 Speaker 1: a time where things are changing at the minute, So 317 00:17:34,520 --> 00:17:37,360 Speaker 1: I think that that's probably one of the better advices 318 00:17:37,359 --> 00:17:40,040 Speaker 1: I've been getting. Yeah, I think that It's just so 319 00:17:40,240 --> 00:17:43,640 Speaker 1: important to keep pushing, to keep doing, to keep growing. 320 00:17:43,720 --> 00:17:46,560 Speaker 1: It's what makes you better. I'm looking at you at 321 00:17:46,600 --> 00:17:48,359 Speaker 1: your site and folks, you have to check it out. 322 00:17:48,440 --> 00:17:50,919 Speaker 1: Mess and a bottle dot com. Do you have a 323 00:17:51,000 --> 00:17:53,720 Speaker 1: favorite shirt? Do you have a favorite saying? Yeah? The 324 00:17:53,840 --> 00:17:56,560 Speaker 1: first one that I've created is probably one of my favorite. 325 00:17:56,600 --> 00:18:00,000 Speaker 1: It says entrepreneur, a fancy word for a crazy person 326 00:18:00,080 --> 00:18:03,960 Speaker 1: been following their dream. And I think that that's probably 327 00:18:04,040 --> 00:18:07,960 Speaker 1: the epitome of what a true entrepreneur is. And I'm 328 00:18:08,000 --> 00:18:10,080 Speaker 1: just like a crazy girl that I'm like, look, I'm 329 00:18:10,080 --> 00:18:12,600 Speaker 1: going to continue following this dream no matter where it 330 00:18:12,640 --> 00:18:14,560 Speaker 1: takes me. So I think that that's one of my 331 00:18:14,600 --> 00:18:18,399 Speaker 1: favorite messages. I love that message because I feel the 332 00:18:18,400 --> 00:18:22,760 Speaker 1: exact same way. I also love the creative one as well, 333 00:18:23,160 --> 00:18:26,440 Speaker 1: which is a fancy word for a person who came 334 00:18:26,560 --> 00:18:29,400 Speaker 1: up with this shit you couldn't think of right, who 335 00:18:29,400 --> 00:18:34,000 Speaker 1: can't come up with it right exactly? I love it. Yeah, 336 00:18:34,040 --> 00:18:37,600 Speaker 1: I love that one so much as well as you're 337 00:18:37,840 --> 00:18:41,119 Speaker 1: one hundred percent black owned. Yeah, a black woman created this. 338 00:18:41,520 --> 00:18:43,600 Speaker 1: Like the list goes on, I like, I'm like, I 339 00:18:43,640 --> 00:18:46,400 Speaker 1: just love them all. Do these just pop into your head. 340 00:18:46,640 --> 00:18:49,680 Speaker 1: Do they come up in conversation with friends. No, they 341 00:18:49,760 --> 00:18:52,480 Speaker 1: really just thought, Like I go to sleep thinking of messages, 342 00:18:52,520 --> 00:18:54,600 Speaker 1: and things just come to me. The one that we 343 00:18:54,720 --> 00:18:58,320 Speaker 1: just mentioned, one hundred percent black owned. To me, that 344 00:18:58,359 --> 00:19:02,960 Speaker 1: one is so incredibly bald old, right, tell me a 345 00:19:03,000 --> 00:19:07,280 Speaker 1: bit about that particular one. So one hundred percent black owned. 346 00:19:07,400 --> 00:19:10,560 Speaker 1: I think I created that during Black History months. I 347 00:19:10,560 --> 00:19:12,320 Speaker 1: think it was just one of no, you know, I 348 00:19:12,320 --> 00:19:14,720 Speaker 1: think I was either heading maybe to an essence of them, 349 00:19:15,080 --> 00:19:18,120 Speaker 1: and I just really wanted a shirt with a message 350 00:19:18,119 --> 00:19:21,320 Speaker 1: that said exactly how I felt, and that was that 351 00:19:21,359 --> 00:19:24,160 Speaker 1: I was one hundred percent black owned. I think right now, 352 00:19:24,280 --> 00:19:27,320 Speaker 1: even you know, not that I wouldn't want investors and 353 00:19:27,400 --> 00:19:30,159 Speaker 1: all this stuff, you know, to expand the business, but 354 00:19:30,280 --> 00:19:32,880 Speaker 1: I think that it just says something to know them 355 00:19:33,359 --> 00:19:37,119 Speaker 1: I am and the company is one hundred percent black owned, 356 00:19:37,119 --> 00:19:39,040 Speaker 1: and I think it's a big deal. I do. I 357 00:19:39,080 --> 00:19:40,960 Speaker 1: think that it is really a big deal. And you know, 358 00:19:41,040 --> 00:19:44,240 Speaker 1: I often talk on the other shows that I host, 359 00:19:44,359 --> 00:19:49,800 Speaker 1: I talk a lot about race, about racism, about white supremacy, 360 00:19:49,800 --> 00:19:53,960 Speaker 1: and so for me, that shirt stands out so much 361 00:19:54,040 --> 00:19:58,280 Speaker 1: because we're told not to be proud of being black, right, 362 00:19:58,320 --> 00:20:01,640 Speaker 1: we're told not to be proud of our skin, of 363 00:20:01,680 --> 00:20:05,320 Speaker 1: our history, of our existence. And so when I saw 364 00:20:05,359 --> 00:20:08,440 Speaker 1: the one hundred percent black owned and also a black 365 00:20:08,480 --> 00:20:11,920 Speaker 1: woman created this, yes, that's probably one of my favorites. 366 00:20:11,960 --> 00:20:14,800 Speaker 1: It is just it's so much power, right, Like, it's 367 00:20:14,840 --> 00:20:18,160 Speaker 1: so much power in that message, and like you say, 368 00:20:18,520 --> 00:20:20,840 Speaker 1: you know, the whole point is that you're giving voice 369 00:20:20,880 --> 00:20:23,880 Speaker 1: to the voice list for people who you know, may 370 00:20:23,920 --> 00:20:26,800 Speaker 1: not have a platform right who have not created what 371 00:20:26,840 --> 00:20:29,840 Speaker 1: you have created, or don't feel like they can say 372 00:20:29,880 --> 00:20:32,320 Speaker 1: what they want to say, and you literally put it 373 00:20:32,359 --> 00:20:34,399 Speaker 1: on a shirt for them so that they can own 374 00:20:34,560 --> 00:20:37,639 Speaker 1: their blackness, they can own, you know, their womanness and 375 00:20:37,720 --> 00:20:39,720 Speaker 1: feel really good about that. And I just think that 376 00:20:39,760 --> 00:20:44,160 Speaker 1: it's so inspiring what you're doing. What are your plans 377 00:20:44,240 --> 00:20:46,640 Speaker 1: from Mess in a Bottle? What kind of upcoming events 378 00:20:46,680 --> 00:20:49,920 Speaker 1: and projects that you're most excited about. I think right now, 379 00:20:50,000 --> 00:20:53,560 Speaker 1: we've got a cool podcast happening and it's called What 380 00:20:53,680 --> 00:20:57,439 Speaker 1: a Mess. You can find it on Spotify and Apple 381 00:20:57,520 --> 00:21:00,920 Speaker 1: Music or Apple Podcasts and all that good stuff. As 382 00:21:00,920 --> 00:21:04,480 Speaker 1: well as we're just expanding and looking at the growth 383 00:21:04,560 --> 00:21:07,959 Speaker 1: of the brands. We have some great collaborations coming up, 384 00:21:08,200 --> 00:21:10,240 Speaker 1: so we just got stuff. We got a lot of 385 00:21:10,240 --> 00:21:13,119 Speaker 1: mess happening. You got a lot of mess happening. You know. 386 00:21:13,240 --> 00:21:17,040 Speaker 1: One of the questions that I ask everyone who joins 387 00:21:17,320 --> 00:21:21,639 Speaker 1: PM mood is what gets you in the PM mood 388 00:21:21,760 --> 00:21:24,400 Speaker 1: to change the world, because you are indeed doing that 389 00:21:24,920 --> 00:21:28,600 Speaker 1: with all of your mess, all of your mess in 390 00:21:28,640 --> 00:21:30,840 Speaker 1: a bottle. What gets you in the mood to do that? 391 00:21:31,200 --> 00:21:33,040 Speaker 1: You know? I think what gets me in the mood 392 00:21:33,080 --> 00:21:36,960 Speaker 1: the most is either a really long run, a quiet run, 393 00:21:37,119 --> 00:21:39,280 Speaker 1: or just being in a room alone, Like you know, 394 00:21:39,320 --> 00:21:41,840 Speaker 1: when I'm at my shop and I'm looking out into 395 00:21:41,880 --> 00:21:45,199 Speaker 1: the space and I'm seeing the clothing and there's no 396 00:21:45,280 --> 00:21:48,639 Speaker 1: staff here and I'm just looking that definitely gets me 397 00:21:48,680 --> 00:21:52,600 Speaker 1: in a space where I am I'm happy, where you know, 398 00:21:52,640 --> 00:21:55,120 Speaker 1: I'm just looking out at what I'm building. I just 399 00:21:55,240 --> 00:21:57,399 Speaker 1: you know, and I love the fact that everything is 400 00:21:57,480 --> 00:22:01,600 Speaker 1: done in Baltimore, in Maryland, that creating and shipping and 401 00:22:01,920 --> 00:22:04,680 Speaker 1: all of that is happening in the city of Baltimore. 402 00:22:05,200 --> 00:22:10,200 Speaker 1: You know, I talked about Baltimore and how Donald Trump 403 00:22:10,240 --> 00:22:13,680 Speaker 1: attacked your city in such a horrific way. How did 404 00:22:13,680 --> 00:22:17,640 Speaker 1: you feel about that? You know? How did I feel 405 00:22:17,640 --> 00:22:20,320 Speaker 1: about that? You know, I am from Brooklyn, New York, 406 00:22:20,400 --> 00:22:23,840 Speaker 1: but I've been in Baltimore for twelve years, so I 407 00:22:23,920 --> 00:22:29,440 Speaker 1: really call Baltimore home. And Donald Trump can't understand Baltimore, Maryland, 408 00:22:29,760 --> 00:22:32,240 Speaker 1: you know what I mean. Like so, I mean for me, 409 00:22:32,480 --> 00:22:35,000 Speaker 1: especially being the owner and founder of the company, I 410 00:22:35,080 --> 00:22:37,119 Speaker 1: try not so he is still the President of the 411 00:22:37,240 --> 00:22:39,480 Speaker 1: United States. But at the end of the day, like 412 00:22:39,560 --> 00:22:45,560 Speaker 1: you know, he's probably very disconnected. He's disconnected exactly is 413 00:22:46,080 --> 00:22:51,320 Speaker 1: he's disconnectually happening, especially an urban African American community such 414 00:22:51,320 --> 00:22:53,840 Speaker 1: as hours and so for me, I just look at 415 00:22:53,840 --> 00:22:57,360 Speaker 1: his comment like, you know, unfortunately as ignorance and just 416 00:22:57,440 --> 00:23:00,000 Speaker 1: not being here, not connecting with the city, not understand 417 00:23:00,080 --> 00:23:02,199 Speaker 1: ending the city. And so that's all I had for it. 418 00:23:02,280 --> 00:23:05,000 Speaker 1: With Mom, I was just like, you know, the same, 419 00:23:05,920 --> 00:23:08,639 Speaker 1: He's just, you know, he doesn't understand what's happening in 420 00:23:08,640 --> 00:23:10,880 Speaker 1: this city, So how can he comment he doesn't understand 421 00:23:10,880 --> 00:23:15,399 Speaker 1: what's happening, Just full stop, That's right. Khalila, thank you 422 00:23:15,480 --> 00:23:18,880 Speaker 1: so much for joining PM mood. Thank you for the 423 00:23:18,920 --> 00:23:22,560 Speaker 1: work that you're creating and the inspiration that you give me. 424 00:23:22,680 --> 00:23:25,680 Speaker 1: On a regular basis. I love to go to your 425 00:23:25,960 --> 00:23:29,960 Speaker 1: Instagram page. I love to see what message I'm getting today. 426 00:23:30,119 --> 00:23:32,720 Speaker 1: It's really a pure joy. Thank you so much. Thank 427 00:23:32,720 --> 00:23:35,520 Speaker 1: you guys for having me. Absolutely we'll have to have 428 00:23:35,640 --> 00:23:39,159 Speaker 1: you back again as you continue to grow and branch 429 00:23:39,200 --> 00:23:41,840 Speaker 1: out and develop new products and new things. So we 430 00:23:41,880 --> 00:23:45,959 Speaker 1: really appreciate you. Thank you so much, folks. I'm so 431 00:23:46,119 --> 00:23:49,800 Speaker 1: excited to announce a special gift that I have for 432 00:23:49,840 --> 00:23:52,960 Speaker 1: all of you. For the next three weeks, my daily 433 00:23:53,040 --> 00:23:56,400 Speaker 1: political talk show, Woke a F Daily, will be free. 434 00:23:56,600 --> 00:23:59,320 Speaker 1: That's right, you heard it free and you can hear 435 00:23:59,359 --> 00:24:02,560 Speaker 1: it right are on this podcast feed. This is my 436 00:24:02,640 --> 00:24:05,320 Speaker 1: gift to you as we all moved through this pandemic 437 00:24:05,400 --> 00:24:08,600 Speaker 1: together while separated in our own homes. So for the 438 00:24:08,680 --> 00:24:11,800 Speaker 1: next three weeks, if you're already subscribed to PM Mood, 439 00:24:12,000 --> 00:24:14,879 Speaker 1: you'll be getting Woke a F Daily in your feed 440 00:24:15,080 --> 00:24:18,679 Speaker 1: four free. Stay tuned by following me on Twitter and 441 00:24:18,720 --> 00:24:21,480 Speaker 1: Instagram at D two cents, d E E T W 442 00:24:21,760 --> 00:24:25,359 Speaker 1: O c E nts, and stay in the PM Mood 443 00:24:25,600 --> 00:24:27,000 Speaker 1: to change the world.