1 00:00:00,560 --> 00:00:02,880 Speaker 1: The right team is key because you're like, yo, I 2 00:00:02,920 --> 00:00:04,840 Speaker 1: got people. You know what I'm saying, like, yeah, I 3 00:00:04,840 --> 00:00:06,760 Speaker 1: know this versus they can do this right, you know, 4 00:00:07,000 --> 00:00:10,119 Speaker 1: like yeah, let me you know, I need a full team. Yes, 5 00:00:11,039 --> 00:00:14,080 Speaker 1: you can do it by yourself up to a certain degree. 6 00:00:14,320 --> 00:00:17,000 Speaker 1: It is being pushed right now that you need a team. 7 00:00:17,040 --> 00:00:19,040 Speaker 1: You gotta have a CPA. You got to have a lawyer. 8 00:00:19,760 --> 00:00:23,360 Speaker 1: You got to start first, start first, and then figure 9 00:00:23,360 --> 00:00:25,760 Speaker 1: out what you are good at and then figure out 10 00:00:25,800 --> 00:00:28,560 Speaker 1: what you're not good at to find those people. And 11 00:00:28,640 --> 00:00:30,480 Speaker 1: you got to have the right people, and it has 12 00:00:30,520 --> 00:00:33,960 Speaker 1: to be very aligned to Yes, everybody want to be paid, 13 00:00:34,040 --> 00:00:36,920 Speaker 1: everybody want to make money, but it's like, ultimately, while 14 00:00:36,920 --> 00:00:39,680 Speaker 1: we're making this money, you got to have a passion 15 00:00:40,000 --> 00:00:43,040 Speaker 1: for what we're building too, because if you don't, it 16 00:00:43,080 --> 00:00:48,920 Speaker 1: ain't gonna work. 17 00:00:50,760 --> 00:00:53,280 Speaker 2: What's going on, y'all? Welcome to another episode of butter Nomics. 18 00:00:53,320 --> 00:00:55,200 Speaker 2: I am your host, Brandon Butler, and we have a 19 00:00:55,320 --> 00:00:59,360 Speaker 2: special special guest in here today, a friend, a homie, 20 00:00:59,600 --> 00:01:02,440 Speaker 2: my boy, Joe Rawlins of abl Joe. How you doing man, 21 00:01:02,480 --> 00:01:04,840 Speaker 2: I'm doing good man, Thanks for having me. Hey man, 22 00:01:04,920 --> 00:01:06,680 Speaker 2: glad to pull up. Now, you know a lot of 23 00:01:06,680 --> 00:01:09,039 Speaker 2: folks know me and Job. We work together on a 24 00:01:09,040 --> 00:01:10,800 Speaker 2: couple of things. A little thing called four or four day. 25 00:01:10,840 --> 00:01:12,920 Speaker 2: We got some more stuff up, a little something something. 26 00:01:13,000 --> 00:01:15,920 Speaker 2: We were talking about some other stuff right now. Man, Job, 27 00:01:16,000 --> 00:01:18,200 Speaker 2: he runs a ton of brands, a ton of companies 28 00:01:18,240 --> 00:01:20,920 Speaker 2: around Atlanta, and they're all over the place. But you know, 29 00:01:20,920 --> 00:01:23,120 Speaker 2: you're probably most known for ABL. Josh So, like, just 30 00:01:23,160 --> 00:01:24,920 Speaker 2: tell people real quick, how did that get started? 31 00:01:25,120 --> 00:01:28,680 Speaker 1: Yeah? So ABL is now twelve years old. We're celebrating 32 00:01:28,680 --> 00:01:32,880 Speaker 1: our twelve summer this year. Congratulations, appreciate it. Man. So 33 00:01:33,640 --> 00:01:37,240 Speaker 1: growing up originally from New York, obviously basketball is king 34 00:01:37,280 --> 00:01:39,959 Speaker 1: in New York, especially in the summer, and I always 35 00:01:40,000 --> 00:01:44,880 Speaker 1: just envision like creating my own tournament. Really growing up, 36 00:01:44,920 --> 00:01:46,399 Speaker 1: I didn't know what that was gonna be. I just 37 00:01:46,440 --> 00:01:48,720 Speaker 1: always when I played in tournaments, I was always the 38 00:01:48,720 --> 00:01:50,919 Speaker 1: guy that was like, damn, how they put this together? 39 00:01:51,000 --> 00:01:53,920 Speaker 1: How they get all these teams, you know, like teams 40 00:01:53,920 --> 00:01:56,480 Speaker 1: coming from all over the place. And then when I 41 00:01:56,520 --> 00:01:58,760 Speaker 1: moved to Atlanta to come here to play college basketball 42 00:01:58,800 --> 00:02:02,520 Speaker 1: at Georgia Perimeter, I was like, hemn, Atlanta's missing something 43 00:02:02,520 --> 00:02:05,240 Speaker 1: in the summer. I was like, music is hot. You know, 44 00:02:05,600 --> 00:02:08,320 Speaker 1: black power entrepreneurship. You know, you see a lot of 45 00:02:08,320 --> 00:02:12,280 Speaker 1: wealthy people, celebrities. We call it black Hollywood. So I'm like, man, 46 00:02:12,360 --> 00:02:16,280 Speaker 1: the Hawks there are NBA franchise, but they don't necessarily 47 00:02:16,360 --> 00:02:19,680 Speaker 1: do summer basketball. So I was like, man, I want 48 00:02:19,720 --> 00:02:21,480 Speaker 1: to bring what I grew up in New York to 49 00:02:21,560 --> 00:02:26,080 Speaker 1: Atlanta where I confused the music, sports, and community together. 50 00:02:26,280 --> 00:02:28,840 Speaker 1: So twelve years ago, Man I was working at the 51 00:02:28,880 --> 00:02:32,639 Speaker 1: Atlanta Hawks by way doing basketball development, and I was like, man, 52 00:02:32,840 --> 00:02:34,520 Speaker 1: I really just want to get out and do my 53 00:02:34,560 --> 00:02:37,480 Speaker 1: own thing and really see if I can take basketball 54 00:02:37,560 --> 00:02:41,480 Speaker 1: to a new height and start an ABL organization. People 55 00:02:41,480 --> 00:02:43,720 Speaker 1: don't know ABEL is a nonprofit. I know we work 56 00:02:43,800 --> 00:02:47,679 Speaker 1: with a lot of big brands, but we are nonprofit organization. 57 00:02:48,240 --> 00:02:51,679 Speaker 1: Our first event was actually a celebrity charity game where 58 00:02:51,840 --> 00:02:54,320 Speaker 1: it was the first time people had sort of migos. 59 00:02:54,680 --> 00:02:56,720 Speaker 1: So we did it at Grady High School which is 60 00:02:56,760 --> 00:03:00,000 Speaker 1: now Midtown High School, and we had everybody come out, 61 00:03:00,080 --> 00:03:02,840 Speaker 1: all the celebrities, and once I seen that, I was like, yeah, 62 00:03:02,880 --> 00:03:04,720 Speaker 1: I know, I'm gonna do this summer league. So the 63 00:03:04,840 --> 00:03:08,400 Speaker 1: next year, that was twenty twelve. Christmas twenty thirteen, we 64 00:03:08,480 --> 00:03:10,400 Speaker 1: launched the Pro am League man, So. 65 00:03:11,040 --> 00:03:13,040 Speaker 2: And how just so folks know, like when you're putting 66 00:03:13,080 --> 00:03:15,320 Speaker 2: this league together, like how'd you find players? Like how 67 00:03:15,320 --> 00:03:16,880 Speaker 2: do you go from zero to one on something like that? 68 00:03:17,040 --> 00:03:18,720 Speaker 1: Yeah, I mean it. Just like I said, I was 69 00:03:18,760 --> 00:03:21,720 Speaker 1: already in the basketball community. You know, I coached AAU, 70 00:03:21,800 --> 00:03:23,280 Speaker 1: so I knew a lot of the guys that were 71 00:03:23,280 --> 00:03:26,680 Speaker 1: going to college are playing pro. And then I reached 72 00:03:26,680 --> 00:03:28,360 Speaker 1: out to the guys that I kind of came up 73 00:03:28,400 --> 00:03:31,440 Speaker 1: with that were either coaches, you know, on the collegiate 74 00:03:31,480 --> 00:03:33,880 Speaker 1: level or agents or whatever. And I was like, y'all 75 00:03:33,919 --> 00:03:36,280 Speaker 1: really want to do this, and you know, our first 76 00:03:36,320 --> 00:03:41,000 Speaker 1: real support man. And I really try to let people 77 00:03:41,080 --> 00:03:42,800 Speaker 1: know that these people help us get it off the 78 00:03:42,840 --> 00:03:46,839 Speaker 1: ground with awareness. So like Lou Will, who is one 79 00:03:46,880 --> 00:03:48,800 Speaker 1: of our guys who've been with us from the beginning. 80 00:03:49,040 --> 00:03:51,960 Speaker 1: You know, Lou was Lou six man, Lou you know, 81 00:03:52,080 --> 00:03:56,120 Speaker 1: every the NBA star's favorite star, you know. And then 82 00:03:56,840 --> 00:04:00,160 Speaker 1: shout out the Streeter X and two Chains, Trinidad James, 83 00:04:00,200 --> 00:04:03,200 Speaker 1: like k Camp, Like I said to Migos, those guys 84 00:04:03,240 --> 00:04:05,400 Speaker 1: were kind of with us at the beginning. So you 85 00:04:05,440 --> 00:04:07,480 Speaker 1: got to think, if I'm creating a basketball league and 86 00:04:07,480 --> 00:04:09,960 Speaker 1: then I already got these guys that people know and 87 00:04:10,000 --> 00:04:12,480 Speaker 1: they're pulling up. You know, people just was like, Yo, 88 00:04:12,520 --> 00:04:14,560 Speaker 1: we need to go play. But I will say the 89 00:04:14,560 --> 00:04:18,000 Speaker 1: first two years man out the Gate. My vision was 90 00:04:18,360 --> 00:04:21,919 Speaker 1: to create an outdoor summer basketball league, just like the 91 00:04:22,000 --> 00:04:24,240 Speaker 1: Rugy of New York. You know. The first year we 92 00:04:24,240 --> 00:04:26,760 Speaker 1: played straight the asphalt. You know, we just put out 93 00:04:26,800 --> 00:04:29,680 Speaker 1: call out. Social media had just became a big thing, 94 00:04:29,720 --> 00:04:32,560 Speaker 1: so we like, yo, you want to play ABL, come out, 95 00:04:32,800 --> 00:04:35,040 Speaker 1: So players would come out. You obviously, the teams that 96 00:04:35,080 --> 00:04:37,400 Speaker 1: we had in they knew players or they have a 97 00:04:37,400 --> 00:04:41,360 Speaker 1: network of players. Second year, you know, my big mind 98 00:04:41,360 --> 00:04:43,320 Speaker 1: and my big dreams that I got, Bro, I brought 99 00:04:43,360 --> 00:04:47,080 Speaker 1: out the hardwood that's like at State Farm Arena to 100 00:04:47,200 --> 00:04:49,560 Speaker 1: Central Park, getting the fourth ward, you know what I mean. 101 00:04:50,640 --> 00:04:54,240 Speaker 1: And crazy enough, Bro, that was like one of the 102 00:04:54,320 --> 00:04:58,119 Speaker 1: like pivotal points in ABL because man, that court probably 103 00:04:58,160 --> 00:05:02,360 Speaker 1: because like fifty thousand had to pay like I want 104 00:05:02,400 --> 00:05:04,680 Speaker 1: to say, somewhere between fifteen hundred and eighteen hundred a 105 00:05:04,720 --> 00:05:07,560 Speaker 1: weekend because the city wouldn't let us keep it down, 106 00:05:08,160 --> 00:05:09,679 Speaker 1: so I had to keep taking it up and putting 107 00:05:09,680 --> 00:05:14,200 Speaker 1: it down every weekend. And then the weather so as 108 00:05:14,240 --> 00:05:17,839 Speaker 1: you know, it can be ninety degrees and the damn 109 00:05:18,160 --> 00:05:21,119 Speaker 1: you know, the sun of disappearing and then world drop 110 00:05:21,160 --> 00:05:24,840 Speaker 1: out in Atlanta. So it rained every other weekend. So 111 00:05:24,880 --> 00:05:27,720 Speaker 1: what I realized, I was like, yo, I don't really 112 00:05:27,800 --> 00:05:30,480 Speaker 1: want to go inside. I mean I thought it every week. Man. 113 00:05:31,040 --> 00:05:33,839 Speaker 1: My team was like, yo, just let's go inside. I'm like, nah, 114 00:05:34,040 --> 00:05:37,640 Speaker 1: we wait until six o'clock, you know, to see if 115 00:05:37,640 --> 00:05:40,240 Speaker 1: this is going rain or not. And literally every we 116 00:05:40,279 --> 00:05:42,960 Speaker 1: only got to play three weekends on the court out 117 00:05:43,000 --> 00:05:45,400 Speaker 1: of six weeks or seven weekends because we used to 118 00:05:45,440 --> 00:05:48,640 Speaker 1: go seven weekends. But when we went in that gym, 119 00:05:48,880 --> 00:05:51,000 Speaker 1: it turned into a whole different thing. Because Atlanta or 120 00:05:51,120 --> 00:05:56,240 Speaker 1: Georgia is known for more indoor basketball. High Flyers, New York, Chicago, 121 00:05:56,279 --> 00:05:59,400 Speaker 1: you know, the bigger basketball cities in the sense are 122 00:05:59,520 --> 00:06:02,440 Speaker 1: used to playing outdoor, you know. So when we did that, Man, 123 00:06:02,560 --> 00:06:04,760 Speaker 1: when when that vision shifted to go to the gym 124 00:06:04,800 --> 00:06:07,839 Speaker 1: a little bit, I think it changed the whole scope 125 00:06:07,880 --> 00:06:10,760 Speaker 1: of what we now know as abl Now. 126 00:06:10,880 --> 00:06:13,000 Speaker 2: Job man, look man, now you know good and will 127 00:06:13,040 --> 00:06:15,120 Speaker 2: these folks in Atlanta down here, Like I remember when 128 00:06:15,120 --> 00:06:16,839 Speaker 2: the Falcons was getting ready to build that new stadium 129 00:06:17,160 --> 00:06:18,640 Speaker 2: and they were like, Oh, it's gonna be open air. 130 00:06:18,680 --> 00:06:20,960 Speaker 2: I said, let me tell y'all something. Ain't nobody going 131 00:06:20,960 --> 00:06:23,440 Speaker 2: to the football game in Atlanta open air? Like people 132 00:06:23,440 --> 00:06:24,000 Speaker 2: coming out there. 133 00:06:23,880 --> 00:06:26,200 Speaker 1: And they heels on showtime. 134 00:06:26,279 --> 00:06:28,400 Speaker 2: It's showtime, right, So you know, it was one thing 135 00:06:28,400 --> 00:06:30,120 Speaker 2: when you were out there outside. When you moved in, 136 00:06:30,160 --> 00:06:33,240 Speaker 2: it feels like that's what, But no, the crazy thing 137 00:06:33,400 --> 00:06:34,560 Speaker 2: is no man like. 138 00:06:35,279 --> 00:06:37,400 Speaker 1: I think the women really liked it because it was 139 00:06:37,440 --> 00:06:40,839 Speaker 1: the you know, the summer flair, like they can sit courtside. 140 00:06:40,960 --> 00:06:44,640 Speaker 1: So when I say I think the the narrative ship. 141 00:06:44,680 --> 00:06:46,760 Speaker 1: It was more for the players. The fans loved it. 142 00:06:46,839 --> 00:06:49,440 Speaker 1: People to this day asking us when y'all gonna do 143 00:06:49,480 --> 00:06:53,479 Speaker 1: another outdoor league or outdoor tournament. I think it was 144 00:06:53,520 --> 00:06:55,719 Speaker 1: the players because they weren't used to playing in the 145 00:06:55,800 --> 00:06:58,240 Speaker 1: open air, you know, like New York or like the 146 00:06:58,240 --> 00:07:01,159 Speaker 1: street ball vibe, like it's it's a thing. Now in 147 00:07:01,240 --> 00:07:03,320 Speaker 1: Atlanta we do a lot like Red Bull, you know, 148 00:07:03,320 --> 00:07:06,000 Speaker 1: we do three on three outside whatever. But back then 149 00:07:06,080 --> 00:07:08,520 Speaker 1: it was still like we play indoors with air condition. 150 00:07:08,760 --> 00:07:11,600 Speaker 1: We ain't outside with the heat. The people enjoyed it 151 00:07:11,640 --> 00:07:13,320 Speaker 1: because they can come, they can see it. You ain't 152 00:07:13,320 --> 00:07:15,080 Speaker 1: got to be all the way in the mix. And 153 00:07:15,120 --> 00:07:18,960 Speaker 1: then the women. I mean, obviously ABL is dominated by 154 00:07:19,120 --> 00:07:21,720 Speaker 1: you know, the women, Atlanta is dominated by women, but 155 00:07:22,520 --> 00:07:24,720 Speaker 1: I think it was more so the players, you know. 156 00:07:24,920 --> 00:07:27,400 Speaker 2: No man, and so you talked about some of people 157 00:07:27,400 --> 00:07:29,480 Speaker 2: that pulled up like there was a moment when Kyrie 158 00:07:29,560 --> 00:07:30,640 Speaker 2: came out there, Like what was that? 159 00:07:30,720 --> 00:07:33,680 Speaker 1: Like it was what took us to where we are now? 160 00:07:33,760 --> 00:07:36,679 Speaker 1: For sure. I feel like that. You know, Lou Chains, 161 00:07:36,800 --> 00:07:40,400 Speaker 1: Migos kkm are city guys kind of help us start 162 00:07:40,480 --> 00:07:43,800 Speaker 1: the first five years. He came on the sixth year 163 00:07:44,400 --> 00:07:47,000 Speaker 1: and I still tell people to this day, bro, like 164 00:07:47,640 --> 00:07:51,239 Speaker 1: that was only God, Bro, because what are the chances 165 00:07:51,280 --> 00:07:56,320 Speaker 1: of this? Think about this. Kyrie's in Atlanta shooting a movie, right, 166 00:07:56,360 --> 00:07:59,280 Speaker 1: he was shooting Uncle Drew. Yeah, he pulls up to 167 00:07:59,320 --> 00:08:01,960 Speaker 1: the ABL. It wasn't playing. We didn't know. I had 168 00:08:02,000 --> 00:08:04,720 Speaker 1: talked to him and his sister, and you know, he 169 00:08:04,760 --> 00:08:06,760 Speaker 1: already had knew about ABEL because he's seen all of 170 00:08:06,760 --> 00:08:09,600 Speaker 1: the other NBA guys playing in it. But he comes 171 00:08:09,600 --> 00:08:13,640 Speaker 1: in place. He's in a green uniform. Think about this, bro, 172 00:08:13,880 --> 00:08:17,160 Speaker 1: He's in a green uniform on Monday after he wins 173 00:08:17,200 --> 00:08:20,040 Speaker 1: the championship, he gets traded to the boss of Celtics. 174 00:08:20,920 --> 00:08:24,000 Speaker 1: It's no way that happened, bro, Like, you couldn't even 175 00:08:24,080 --> 00:08:28,080 Speaker 1: we couldn't plan that even if he told me, like, yo, man, 176 00:08:28,160 --> 00:08:30,840 Speaker 1: you know Monday, I'm getting traded to the Boys and Celtics. 177 00:08:31,200 --> 00:08:33,920 Speaker 1: I can't be like, yo, you know what on this weekend, 178 00:08:33,960 --> 00:08:35,679 Speaker 1: we're gonna put him on the team that's in green. 179 00:08:36,000 --> 00:08:37,800 Speaker 1: We didn't know that that team was gonna win. That 180 00:08:37,880 --> 00:08:40,760 Speaker 1: team just happened to be Lou Wills team, you know. 181 00:08:40,960 --> 00:08:45,000 Speaker 1: So when Kyrie came in, I would say, for me, 182 00:08:45,360 --> 00:08:49,080 Speaker 1: there's three guys that has come to our league outside 183 00:08:49,080 --> 00:08:51,280 Speaker 1: of our guys that you know, the Lou Wills and 184 00:08:51,360 --> 00:08:54,880 Speaker 1: Jaylen Brown's that always support us. When Kyrie came in, 185 00:08:55,160 --> 00:08:59,280 Speaker 1: he took every picture, he signed, every autograph, he played 186 00:08:59,320 --> 00:09:01,880 Speaker 1: with the kids while they were on the court. He's 187 00:09:01,880 --> 00:09:05,440 Speaker 1: stuck around after the game, like, and you talking about Kyrie, Kyrie, 188 00:09:05,480 --> 00:09:07,720 Speaker 1: this is Kyrie at the height, you know what I mean? Like, 189 00:09:08,720 --> 00:09:11,040 Speaker 1: you don't really see that. Man. Most guys have come, 190 00:09:11,480 --> 00:09:13,520 Speaker 1: you know, play and then they like yo, I gotta go. 191 00:09:13,720 --> 00:09:15,880 Speaker 1: They might even leave before the game is over. So 192 00:09:15,960 --> 00:09:18,520 Speaker 1: I feel like that moment for us as a league 193 00:09:18,559 --> 00:09:22,520 Speaker 1: and as representing Atlanta Basketball, showed the city what we 194 00:09:22,520 --> 00:09:25,320 Speaker 1: were coming with. But it also showed me that like 195 00:09:26,160 --> 00:09:28,160 Speaker 1: you don't really got to bage people, you know what 196 00:09:28,160 --> 00:09:30,199 Speaker 1: I'm saying, Like if they want to really do community 197 00:09:30,240 --> 00:09:31,880 Speaker 1: and they want to be about it, they want to 198 00:09:31,920 --> 00:09:35,240 Speaker 1: show up and give back in their way, that's the example. 199 00:09:35,360 --> 00:09:38,160 Speaker 1: You know. So man, we haven't looked back since, you know, 200 00:09:38,440 --> 00:09:41,600 Speaker 1: so it's been exciting to see you know, this league 201 00:09:41,640 --> 00:09:45,960 Speaker 1: grow into It's actually grown tremendously faster than I thought 202 00:09:45,960 --> 00:09:47,480 Speaker 1: it would. I'll be honest with you. 203 00:09:47,559 --> 00:09:49,680 Speaker 2: What's that like for the players Because you got again, 204 00:09:49,720 --> 00:09:51,679 Speaker 2: you got these you know, amateur and I'm not say 205 00:09:51,679 --> 00:09:53,280 Speaker 2: an amateur in a bad way, but you got guys 206 00:09:53,320 --> 00:09:55,120 Speaker 2: you know, they're pro semi probe and all of a 207 00:09:55,120 --> 00:09:57,080 Speaker 2: sudden they see a Kyrie pull up or lou Will 208 00:09:57,120 --> 00:09:59,679 Speaker 2: pull up. Like just from a players standpoint, yeah, are 209 00:09:59,679 --> 00:10:00,480 Speaker 2: they trying the buses? 210 00:10:00,559 --> 00:10:00,839 Speaker 1: Ass? 211 00:10:01,360 --> 00:10:01,560 Speaker 2: Yeah? 212 00:10:03,000 --> 00:10:05,600 Speaker 1: Every and and and shout out to Trey Young. But 213 00:10:06,200 --> 00:10:08,800 Speaker 1: when we so we scheduled trade like we knew what 214 00:10:08,920 --> 00:10:11,480 Speaker 1: day he was coming, we knew who he was gonna play. 215 00:10:11,960 --> 00:10:17,400 Speaker 1: Like one of our guys, Chris CHRAMARTI that something may 216 00:10:17,440 --> 00:10:20,160 Speaker 1: know Chris has been in the league, you know, since 217 00:10:20,200 --> 00:10:23,160 Speaker 1: we started it. I mean, Chris went crazy on them, 218 00:10:23,280 --> 00:10:25,959 Speaker 1: like he was like, I'm gonna prove my point, Like yeah, 219 00:10:26,000 --> 00:10:29,120 Speaker 1: you're Trey Young, the guy for the Hogs. But when 220 00:10:29,160 --> 00:10:32,120 Speaker 1: it comes to this city basketball, were going at your neck. 221 00:10:32,559 --> 00:10:35,320 Speaker 1: So all the guys, any NBA players that come through 222 00:10:35,520 --> 00:10:38,960 Speaker 1: a bl we always match him up against our best 223 00:10:39,120 --> 00:10:41,400 Speaker 1: and they go they go hard against him, and not 224 00:10:41,520 --> 00:10:44,160 Speaker 1: in a way that like we don't respect you, but like, yo, 225 00:10:44,160 --> 00:10:46,400 Speaker 1: I'm gonna earn my respect too. And that's our model. 226 00:10:46,400 --> 00:10:48,760 Speaker 1: And that's what all of our guys breed. We earned. 227 00:10:48,880 --> 00:10:51,440 Speaker 1: Our model has earned your name. So when you come 228 00:10:51,480 --> 00:10:52,880 Speaker 1: we don't care of you in the NBA. You got 229 00:10:52,880 --> 00:10:54,880 Speaker 1: to earn your name. You got to get the respect 230 00:10:54,880 --> 00:10:56,959 Speaker 1: from the city. You gotta get the respect from the 231 00:10:57,000 --> 00:10:59,080 Speaker 1: players in our league. You know. Now when you go 232 00:10:59,160 --> 00:11:01,120 Speaker 1: off and we root for you in the in the 233 00:11:01,320 --> 00:11:04,280 Speaker 1: in the NBA, that's a whole different thing. But yeah, man, 234 00:11:04,320 --> 00:11:07,000 Speaker 1: the guys they take it serious and they want people 235 00:11:07,040 --> 00:11:08,880 Speaker 1: to know that our league is the best program in 236 00:11:08,920 --> 00:11:09,400 Speaker 1: the country. 237 00:11:09,720 --> 00:11:11,800 Speaker 2: Now, now you said something interesting I want to kind 238 00:11:11,800 --> 00:11:13,400 Speaker 2: of go back to for a second. You said, in 239 00:11:13,440 --> 00:11:16,400 Speaker 2: the beginning that ABL is a nonprofit, Yes, sir, was 240 00:11:16,400 --> 00:11:17,079 Speaker 2: that intentional? 241 00:11:17,760 --> 00:11:21,360 Speaker 1: No? I think for me, I before I even really 242 00:11:21,640 --> 00:11:24,640 Speaker 1: scaled that I was going to create a league, I 243 00:11:24,679 --> 00:11:28,600 Speaker 1: was always thinking about using basketball for the community, you know, 244 00:11:28,720 --> 00:11:32,640 Speaker 1: like creating leagues and tournaments for kids doing camp. So 245 00:11:32,679 --> 00:11:34,080 Speaker 1: I'm like, if I'm going to do that, I need 246 00:11:34,120 --> 00:11:36,480 Speaker 1: to do it by way of being a nonprofit where 247 00:11:36,480 --> 00:11:40,679 Speaker 1: I can get help and support from organizations or large corporations. 248 00:11:41,000 --> 00:11:45,200 Speaker 1: But man, like I said, after the first two years, 249 00:11:45,200 --> 00:11:48,400 Speaker 1: seeing my vision come to life, I just really was like, 250 00:11:48,840 --> 00:11:51,280 Speaker 1: you know, I got to make this bigger. So that's 251 00:11:51,320 --> 00:11:54,880 Speaker 1: why we don't really push in nonprofit nonprofit because we 252 00:11:55,000 --> 00:11:58,600 Speaker 1: know that like people sometimes take that as your bagging 253 00:11:58,840 --> 00:12:03,080 Speaker 1: or you you want something, until I really started understanding that, like, no, 254 00:12:03,080 --> 00:12:06,720 Speaker 1: nonprofits are also corporations that operate a lot of big 255 00:12:06,720 --> 00:12:10,360 Speaker 1: companies that people don't know is nonprofits. You know. But 256 00:12:10,480 --> 00:12:14,360 Speaker 1: we've been blessed. We've had some amazing corporate partners over 257 00:12:14,360 --> 00:12:17,640 Speaker 1: the years. You know. We just did a huge deal, 258 00:12:17,840 --> 00:12:20,480 Speaker 1: like a one of a kind unique thing with Turbo 259 00:12:20,559 --> 00:12:24,800 Speaker 1: Tax this summer with Turbo Tax is official type response 260 00:12:24,840 --> 00:12:28,319 Speaker 1: of ABL. We did the name patch on the jerseys, 261 00:12:29,080 --> 00:12:32,320 Speaker 1: So we've really been pushing that angle for you know, 262 00:12:32,440 --> 00:12:33,680 Speaker 1: basketball in this city. 263 00:12:34,120 --> 00:12:36,439 Speaker 2: Yeah, man, that's that's that's dope on the partnership. And look, 264 00:12:36,480 --> 00:12:37,880 Speaker 2: one thing I know about you, John, you stayed with 265 00:12:37,880 --> 00:12:40,080 Speaker 2: the partnerships, bro, Like, let me tell you, y'all stay. 266 00:12:40,440 --> 00:12:42,880 Speaker 2: I don't know how you work these but just tell people, like, 267 00:12:43,360 --> 00:12:45,560 Speaker 2: you know, how how do you find these these brands 268 00:12:45,559 --> 00:12:47,840 Speaker 2: and partners actually work with? Like how does that relationship 269 00:12:47,920 --> 00:12:48,400 Speaker 2: kind of start? 270 00:12:48,600 --> 00:12:52,840 Speaker 1: Yeah? So for me it is very relationship driven. I've 271 00:12:52,840 --> 00:12:55,640 Speaker 1: been in the marketing advertising space for about eighteen plus 272 00:12:55,720 --> 00:13:00,880 Speaker 1: years now. I've interned or have contract work with majority 273 00:13:00,920 --> 00:13:04,680 Speaker 1: of all the major agencies at some point to kind 274 00:13:04,679 --> 00:13:07,520 Speaker 1: of learn that was like my entry point to this 275 00:13:08,000 --> 00:13:11,280 Speaker 1: side of the business. But for me, it's very relationship driven, 276 00:13:11,520 --> 00:13:14,320 Speaker 1: making sure that I'm always serviceable to people, you know, 277 00:13:14,480 --> 00:13:16,760 Speaker 1: asking them about like what they have going on, not 278 00:13:16,880 --> 00:13:19,600 Speaker 1: always coming to them with like, hey I got something 279 00:13:19,640 --> 00:13:22,840 Speaker 1: on Hey can you sponsor something? People don't know that 280 00:13:23,040 --> 00:13:26,240 Speaker 1: you know. Even when I was doing or creating ABL, 281 00:13:26,320 --> 00:13:28,280 Speaker 1: I used to be the brand partnership manager for a 282 00:13:28,400 --> 00:13:33,080 Speaker 1: three c hiby festival, so I kind of got my 283 00:13:33,920 --> 00:13:37,840 Speaker 1: relationships from there along with like all other stuff that 284 00:13:37,880 --> 00:13:40,240 Speaker 1: I was doing. I've been working with artists, a lot 285 00:13:40,280 --> 00:13:43,560 Speaker 1: of the Atlanta artists that are you know, hot or big. Now, 286 00:13:43,720 --> 00:13:45,640 Speaker 1: I was working with them when they first started to 287 00:13:45,679 --> 00:13:50,000 Speaker 1: help them leverage their brands, you know. But it's to me, 288 00:13:50,040 --> 00:13:53,280 Speaker 1: it's very relationship driven. And then I also research a lot, 289 00:13:53,400 --> 00:13:56,840 Speaker 1: you know, I'm always paying attention to these corporate brand trends, 290 00:13:57,280 --> 00:14:00,040 Speaker 1: what they're trying to attack, like who's their own for 291 00:14:00,120 --> 00:14:02,160 Speaker 1: the answer, because I know that, like, in order to 292 00:14:02,200 --> 00:14:04,160 Speaker 1: work with them, in order to get money, I got 293 00:14:04,200 --> 00:14:06,200 Speaker 1: to know who they're trying to target, you know, So 294 00:14:06,280 --> 00:14:07,800 Speaker 1: I put a lot of resource, so a lot of 295 00:14:07,840 --> 00:14:10,079 Speaker 1: people like man, you know, like you said, like man, 296 00:14:10,120 --> 00:14:12,240 Speaker 1: you work with all these brands. It's like I know 297 00:14:12,920 --> 00:14:15,400 Speaker 1: everything that I need to know about these brands before 298 00:14:15,400 --> 00:14:18,520 Speaker 1: I approach them to say, hey, let's work or if 299 00:14:18,600 --> 00:14:21,040 Speaker 1: hey can how can I help you? And typically I 300 00:14:21,160 --> 00:14:23,160 Speaker 1: lead with that, it's like, how can I help you? 301 00:14:23,240 --> 00:14:25,760 Speaker 1: What are you trying to do in Atlanta or the 302 00:14:25,840 --> 00:14:30,160 Speaker 1: Southeast I mean now our agency services, you know, brands 303 00:14:30,160 --> 00:14:33,400 Speaker 1: throughout the country, But it's always hey, how can I 304 00:14:33,400 --> 00:14:36,520 Speaker 1: help you? First? What can I do to lend my resources? 305 00:14:36,800 --> 00:14:39,720 Speaker 1: And knowledge and experience to you, and then that turned 306 00:14:39,720 --> 00:14:43,080 Speaker 1: into an ongoing relationship that benefits us both, you know. 307 00:14:43,200 --> 00:14:45,840 Speaker 1: So that's how I've been successful in that space. I've 308 00:14:45,880 --> 00:14:48,360 Speaker 1: taken some brands that you know, some people know, some 309 00:14:48,400 --> 00:14:52,400 Speaker 1: people don't to hold new heights that they've never really 310 00:14:52,480 --> 00:14:55,120 Speaker 1: even thought about going to. And then I've also helped 311 00:14:55,160 --> 00:14:57,840 Speaker 1: some brands that people may not really think that we 312 00:14:57,960 --> 00:15:01,000 Speaker 1: could work with as a culture, as black people, right 313 00:15:01,240 --> 00:15:03,720 Speaker 1: and say, yo, let's really do something. Let's make some 314 00:15:03,760 --> 00:15:06,440 Speaker 1: dope stuff happen in our city. And when I go 315 00:15:06,480 --> 00:15:08,800 Speaker 1: in these rooms, man, you know, and I know I 316 00:15:08,880 --> 00:15:11,760 Speaker 1: joke a lot about this, is that being from New York, 317 00:15:12,200 --> 00:15:14,280 Speaker 1: somebody that moved to Atlanta, you know, I know the 318 00:15:14,320 --> 00:15:16,800 Speaker 1: stigma is that, you know, everybody moved to Atlanta and 319 00:15:16,800 --> 00:15:18,800 Speaker 1: then tried to do their own thing. But I did 320 00:15:18,800 --> 00:15:21,440 Speaker 1: the exact opposite when I came here to go to 321 00:15:21,520 --> 00:15:24,760 Speaker 1: college and play college basketball and then moved into the 322 00:15:24,960 --> 00:15:29,320 Speaker 1: entrepreneur small business, you know, marketing space. I always went 323 00:15:29,360 --> 00:15:32,000 Speaker 1: and represented Atlanta, no matter if I was walking in 324 00:15:32,280 --> 00:15:37,600 Speaker 1: Nike Headquarters, Puma, Adidas, Papa John's, Jack Dais whoever, I'm 325 00:15:37,640 --> 00:15:41,520 Speaker 1: always talking about Atlanta. Who's making moves, who's doing different 326 00:15:41,520 --> 00:15:44,480 Speaker 1: things that need to be supported in celebrated. So I 327 00:15:44,560 --> 00:15:46,720 Speaker 1: never looked at it like as a job thing, and 328 00:15:46,760 --> 00:15:52,480 Speaker 1: I think truly that's what helped that representation because fifteen 329 00:15:52,560 --> 00:15:56,440 Speaker 1: years ago, nobody was really doing sponsorship. People didn't know 330 00:15:56,480 --> 00:15:58,520 Speaker 1: what that was. It was like almost like an air quote, 331 00:15:58,600 --> 00:16:01,160 Speaker 1: like how did you get smartship? You know what I mean? 332 00:16:01,320 --> 00:16:05,680 Speaker 1: Me and Mike Wahlberg former you know, owner and director 333 00:16:05,840 --> 00:16:07,840 Speaker 1: of A three C We you know, me and Mike 334 00:16:07,960 --> 00:16:10,320 Speaker 1: used to be in the trenches. You get what I'm saying, Like, 335 00:16:10,360 --> 00:16:12,040 Speaker 1: people don't know if I can, like when I do 336 00:16:12,200 --> 00:16:15,520 Speaker 1: tell a story about how I got to that point 337 00:16:15,560 --> 00:16:18,680 Speaker 1: where it's like working with brands and sponsorships are like 338 00:16:18,800 --> 00:16:21,080 Speaker 1: super easy because you got to know those things. You 339 00:16:21,080 --> 00:16:23,440 Speaker 1: gotta know the relationship. It's key. You gotta know what 340 00:16:23,480 --> 00:16:27,560 Speaker 1: they want. PBR, Red Bull, you know, like little brands 341 00:16:27,560 --> 00:16:29,920 Speaker 1: that were giving us like five hundred thousand dollars, but 342 00:16:29,960 --> 00:16:31,920 Speaker 1: we made it look like they was giving us ten 343 00:16:31,960 --> 00:16:35,000 Speaker 1: and fifteen thousand dollars and then it just took off 344 00:16:35,000 --> 00:16:38,480 Speaker 1: from there. Man. So you know, it's been an amazing 345 00:16:38,560 --> 00:16:40,800 Speaker 1: journey man, and I ain't done yet though. 346 00:16:54,960 --> 00:16:56,960 Speaker 2: Now with all this What was it like in the 347 00:16:56,960 --> 00:16:58,600 Speaker 2: early days though, before you started bringing these brands on, 348 00:16:58,680 --> 00:16:59,920 Speaker 2: because you said you were paying for this stuff out 349 00:16:59,960 --> 00:17:01,920 Speaker 2: of pocket? Like when did it really kind of like 350 00:17:01,960 --> 00:17:03,720 Speaker 2: when was that moment where things kind of start to 351 00:17:03,800 --> 00:17:06,040 Speaker 2: change and you know you weren't you weren't spending as 352 00:17:06,119 --> 00:17:06,680 Speaker 2: much money. 353 00:17:06,520 --> 00:17:09,159 Speaker 1: As you work before. Yeah, so I think I think 354 00:17:09,200 --> 00:17:13,359 Speaker 1: for me, like definitely empty my bank account, you know, 355 00:17:13,480 --> 00:17:15,880 Speaker 1: couldn't pay my mortgage. She went all in, Yeah, man, 356 00:17:16,040 --> 00:17:18,480 Speaker 1: I was like, I really believe in that model, man, 357 00:17:18,600 --> 00:17:20,159 Speaker 1: Like you know, I say it all the time. I 358 00:17:20,280 --> 00:17:24,400 Speaker 1: really bet on myself. I just knew this was gonna work. Look, 359 00:17:24,480 --> 00:17:27,199 Speaker 1: I left a good paying job at the Atlanta Hawks. 360 00:17:27,640 --> 00:17:31,840 Speaker 1: I stopped coaching AAU basketball which three of my guys 361 00:17:31,840 --> 00:17:34,720 Speaker 1: are in the NBA now Malcolm Brock then being one 362 00:17:34,720 --> 00:17:36,200 Speaker 1: of them. I was like, now I don't want to 363 00:17:36,240 --> 00:17:37,359 Speaker 1: do that, no one. I don't want to be a 364 00:17:37,560 --> 00:17:41,120 Speaker 1: like high school college coach, a coaching the NBA and whatever. 365 00:17:41,680 --> 00:17:44,680 Speaker 1: I literally depleted my bank account zero. I mean, I'm 366 00:17:45,040 --> 00:17:47,440 Speaker 1: scrambling acting friends like yo, can you help me out 367 00:17:47,440 --> 00:17:51,040 Speaker 1: this month? For about six months, man, and then I 368 00:17:51,119 --> 00:17:53,560 Speaker 1: really was like, yo, I gotta make this work, Like, 369 00:17:53,640 --> 00:17:56,080 Speaker 1: if anything is gonna work for me, this gotta be 370 00:17:56,160 --> 00:17:58,399 Speaker 1: it and then I can take care of everything later. 371 00:17:58,960 --> 00:18:01,679 Speaker 1: And I you know, first, I would say the first 372 00:18:01,760 --> 00:18:04,720 Speaker 1: three first three and a half years, everything was out 373 00:18:04,720 --> 00:18:07,960 Speaker 1: of my pocket. You know, I was moving. We were 374 00:18:08,040 --> 00:18:11,239 Speaker 1: not profitable yet, you know, we were like really like 375 00:18:11,359 --> 00:18:13,879 Speaker 1: right at the low end the negative, you know, like 376 00:18:13,920 --> 00:18:17,360 Speaker 1: we just were scratching bringing even. But I knew it 377 00:18:17,400 --> 00:18:20,080 Speaker 1: was worth it, you know. And then shout out the 378 00:18:20,080 --> 00:18:22,399 Speaker 1: Red Bull because Red Bull has been a supporter of 379 00:18:22,480 --> 00:18:26,080 Speaker 1: ABL since day one, so they kind of gave me 380 00:18:26,119 --> 00:18:28,720 Speaker 1: a little leverage to be able to start doing more 381 00:18:28,800 --> 00:18:31,919 Speaker 1: basketball that could create revenue for me. But I would 382 00:18:31,960 --> 00:18:35,040 Speaker 1: say that that major deal that like set it apart 383 00:18:35,680 --> 00:18:40,680 Speaker 1: was two thousand and fifteen, sixteen, we signed a five 384 00:18:40,760 --> 00:18:44,160 Speaker 1: year deal with Pepsi where Pepsi was pushing Mountain dude, 385 00:18:44,200 --> 00:18:47,520 Speaker 1: they had just signed the NBA deal, And that was 386 00:18:47,640 --> 00:18:51,200 Speaker 1: what like turned the knob where it was like, all right, okay, 387 00:18:51,400 --> 00:18:54,000 Speaker 1: we can make some money now, you know, we can't 388 00:18:54,000 --> 00:18:57,880 Speaker 1: get comfortable. But it set me up for the next 389 00:18:58,000 --> 00:19:00,760 Speaker 1: really the next three to five years to be able 390 00:19:00,800 --> 00:19:03,600 Speaker 1: to work with operate in budget and what about reinvesting 391 00:19:03,600 --> 00:19:05,480 Speaker 1: because again, a lot of people, man, people think that 392 00:19:05,560 --> 00:19:07,399 Speaker 1: you know, when they hear about companies making millions of 393 00:19:07,400 --> 00:19:09,160 Speaker 1: dollars that like all that money is just going into 394 00:19:09,320 --> 00:19:11,240 Speaker 1: the CEO and the owners pocket and they don't really 395 00:19:11,320 --> 00:19:13,919 Speaker 1: understand like they do. You might have a million top line, right, 396 00:19:13,920 --> 00:19:16,080 Speaker 1: you know, your expenses might be nine hundred and niney 397 00:19:16,119 --> 00:19:19,360 Speaker 1: nine thousand, right, So like from a reinvestment standpoint, what's 398 00:19:19,400 --> 00:19:21,040 Speaker 1: your perspective on that where you're saying, you know what, 399 00:19:21,040 --> 00:19:22,719 Speaker 1: we got this deal from PEPSI. Now we got these 400 00:19:22,720 --> 00:19:25,360 Speaker 1: partners coming in, Like I'm a I'm a hold off 401 00:19:25,400 --> 00:19:27,320 Speaker 1: on you know, paying myself fully what I'm worth. I'm 402 00:19:27,320 --> 00:19:29,520 Speaker 1: gonna make sure my team is taken care of or 403 00:19:29,560 --> 00:19:31,280 Speaker 1: did you just say, you know what, we gotta check 404 00:19:31,320 --> 00:19:33,680 Speaker 1: were gonna have a good time along with Noah till 405 00:19:33,680 --> 00:19:36,560 Speaker 1: this day. You know, I pay myself last, you know, 406 00:19:36,680 --> 00:19:39,600 Speaker 1: and sometimes I don't even pay myself if it's meaning 407 00:19:39,680 --> 00:19:41,920 Speaker 1: that my team got to get eat, you know, they 408 00:19:41,960 --> 00:19:44,639 Speaker 1: have to eat or we need to reinvest in the community. 409 00:19:44,960 --> 00:19:47,399 Speaker 1: That is very, very priority to everything that we do 410 00:19:47,480 --> 00:19:51,320 Speaker 1: at ABL. I think to date we've probably spent over 411 00:19:51,400 --> 00:19:55,040 Speaker 1: half a million dollars in community investment over the twelve years, 412 00:19:55,359 --> 00:19:57,760 Speaker 1: making sure that kids don't have to pay for basketball, 413 00:19:58,080 --> 00:20:01,359 Speaker 1: you know, going to camps, our kids to the Hawkes 414 00:20:01,440 --> 00:20:06,280 Speaker 1: games or Falcons games. Making sure that our volunteer coaches 415 00:20:06,320 --> 00:20:09,600 Speaker 1: and stuff have the resources that they need. So for us, 416 00:20:09,680 --> 00:20:13,520 Speaker 1: it's always reinvest into our brand so we can continue 417 00:20:13,560 --> 00:20:16,359 Speaker 1: to grow. Make sure that your team is taken care of. 418 00:20:16,440 --> 00:20:18,880 Speaker 1: And again, you're right, a lot of people look at 419 00:20:18,880 --> 00:20:21,720 Speaker 1: my personal social media and they're like, man, look at 420 00:20:21,720 --> 00:20:24,480 Speaker 1: his cars and he always traveling and he's doing this. 421 00:20:24,600 --> 00:20:27,400 Speaker 1: But but you don't realize is that I'm a serial entrepreneur. 422 00:20:27,640 --> 00:20:31,440 Speaker 1: So ABL actually isn't the breadwinner. ABL is just a 423 00:20:31,560 --> 00:20:33,960 Speaker 1: vehicle that I want to use for the community. As 424 00:20:33,960 --> 00:20:37,080 Speaker 1: a businessman, I'm doing tons of other things that allowed 425 00:20:37,119 --> 00:20:39,440 Speaker 1: me to use that lifestyle. And I had to really 426 00:20:39,440 --> 00:20:42,080 Speaker 1: start building my team in that way because they were 427 00:20:42,080 --> 00:20:44,480 Speaker 1: looking at it like, well, damn, you know you got 428 00:20:44,520 --> 00:20:47,320 Speaker 1: all this money, and I'm like, nah, I'm building to 429 00:20:47,400 --> 00:20:49,639 Speaker 1: the money and you guys are part of it. So 430 00:20:50,160 --> 00:20:52,680 Speaker 1: you know, as we've been going these last twelve years, 431 00:20:52,680 --> 00:20:55,880 Speaker 1: I would say like the last seven years to be exact, 432 00:20:56,160 --> 00:20:59,280 Speaker 1: is when we've really started like bringing on full time 433 00:20:59,320 --> 00:21:01,800 Speaker 1: and part times staff. You know, making sure that we 434 00:21:01,880 --> 00:21:04,879 Speaker 1: have a three sixty five approach where there's always a 435 00:21:04,920 --> 00:21:07,640 Speaker 1: working capital for whatever we want to do. Like if 436 00:21:07,640 --> 00:21:09,840 Speaker 1: we like Yo, B, we're gonna link up with butter 437 00:21:10,000 --> 00:21:12,960 Speaker 1: and we're gonna go feed the community. Notice I'm never 438 00:21:13,080 --> 00:21:15,200 Speaker 1: like we don't got no money. It's like, B, let's go, 439 00:21:15,480 --> 00:21:17,119 Speaker 1: let's go do it and then we'll figure out what 440 00:21:17,119 --> 00:21:19,240 Speaker 1: we need to do on the back end. So ABL 441 00:21:19,680 --> 00:21:22,880 Speaker 1: our businesses just as a whole, me as a businessman, 442 00:21:23,440 --> 00:21:27,520 Speaker 1: I'm taken that approach of you last right, if you 443 00:21:27,600 --> 00:21:29,000 Speaker 1: do it the way that you're supposed to do it, 444 00:21:29,040 --> 00:21:31,600 Speaker 1: you're gonna eat. You're gonna eat regardless, and you're gonna 445 00:21:31,600 --> 00:21:33,919 Speaker 1: be able to set yourself up for future success. So 446 00:21:34,400 --> 00:21:36,640 Speaker 1: you know, that's priority to us to make sure that 447 00:21:37,160 --> 00:21:40,520 Speaker 1: our staff, our community, and the people that are kind 448 00:21:40,520 --> 00:21:44,000 Speaker 1: of in the ABL community are supported. You know, that's 449 00:21:44,040 --> 00:21:47,640 Speaker 1: what our sponsorships and you know we don't people don't 450 00:21:47,640 --> 00:21:49,239 Speaker 1: know this a lot of times. That's why I think 451 00:21:49,280 --> 00:21:51,919 Speaker 1: they don't come to ABL all the time, is that 452 00:21:51,960 --> 00:21:54,280 Speaker 1: it's free to get in. Yeah, we don't charge, we 453 00:21:54,320 --> 00:21:57,040 Speaker 1: don't charge for parking, we don't charge for entry, So 454 00:21:57,160 --> 00:21:59,400 Speaker 1: sometimes that can be missed kind of like because you're 455 00:21:59,400 --> 00:22:02,119 Speaker 1: like it's free or I can go whenever, you know 456 00:22:02,160 --> 00:22:04,879 Speaker 1: what I mean. But if we can't because we are 457 00:22:05,040 --> 00:22:08,760 Speaker 1: NBA sanctioned league, and what that means is we're basically 458 00:22:08,840 --> 00:22:11,920 Speaker 1: just like NBA Summer League in Vegas. We're just based 459 00:22:11,920 --> 00:22:15,240 Speaker 1: in Atlanta and they allow us to have their shield 460 00:22:15,840 --> 00:22:19,479 Speaker 1: for NBA players NWNBA players now to come play at 461 00:22:19,480 --> 00:22:23,960 Speaker 1: the league. And then we're also NCAA sanction which allows 462 00:22:24,000 --> 00:22:26,479 Speaker 1: the college players to come and play, so we can't 463 00:22:26,760 --> 00:22:30,680 Speaker 1: charge entry or parking. What people also don't know about 464 00:22:30,760 --> 00:22:35,000 Speaker 1: ABL is that the reason why I created the whole 465 00:22:35,040 --> 00:22:38,480 Speaker 1: mantra of free and it for the community is because 466 00:22:38,480 --> 00:22:40,600 Speaker 1: when you're a kid growing up in the hood and 467 00:22:40,640 --> 00:22:43,240 Speaker 1: your mom and dad don't have it, you can't go 468 00:22:43,359 --> 00:22:47,480 Speaker 1: to us a hawked game to see your favorite NBA player, 469 00:22:47,680 --> 00:22:50,320 Speaker 1: You can't go to a concert to see the artists 470 00:22:50,320 --> 00:22:52,919 Speaker 1: that you love. So we bring those people to the 471 00:22:52,960 --> 00:22:56,400 Speaker 1: community for free, you know. And that's really like why 472 00:22:56,440 --> 00:22:59,359 Speaker 1: ABL is so special, man. It's you know, Keisha said it, 473 00:22:59,680 --> 00:23:02,960 Speaker 1: what she gave us our proclamation is that ABL has 474 00:23:03,040 --> 00:23:06,159 Speaker 1: become the fabric of the Atlanta community because we're the 475 00:23:06,200 --> 00:23:09,440 Speaker 1: centerfold that brings all of it together. You know. There's 476 00:23:09,480 --> 00:23:11,919 Speaker 1: not too many places that can do that. Yeah. Man. 477 00:23:12,040 --> 00:23:14,080 Speaker 2: You know what's interesting too, is you talked about like 478 00:23:14,119 --> 00:23:15,879 Speaker 2: how you came down here from New York and you 479 00:23:16,160 --> 00:23:18,399 Speaker 2: kind of embraced Atlanta. I think a lot of people whatever, 480 00:23:18,400 --> 00:23:20,240 Speaker 2: they come from out of town and they look at 481 00:23:20,320 --> 00:23:21,520 Speaker 2: us like, oh man, these folks are slow. 482 00:23:21,600 --> 00:23:22,159 Speaker 1: They don't get it. 483 00:23:22,240 --> 00:23:23,520 Speaker 2: I'm gonna come down here and show them how to 484 00:23:23,560 --> 00:23:25,919 Speaker 2: do it the right way. But you know, always say, like, 485 00:23:26,440 --> 00:23:29,480 Speaker 2: you know, Atlanta will support you if you embit yourself 486 00:23:29,480 --> 00:23:31,959 Speaker 2: from the community and if you build something in public 487 00:23:31,960 --> 00:23:33,080 Speaker 2: and you do it the right way. 488 00:23:33,480 --> 00:23:36,119 Speaker 1: Is that kind of what your experience is. Yeah? Yeah, 489 00:23:35,600 --> 00:23:38,399 Speaker 1: I think when I came I definitely didn't come with 490 00:23:38,440 --> 00:23:41,320 Speaker 1: that mantra because I was already in the South. So 491 00:23:41,640 --> 00:23:44,760 Speaker 1: I finished school and finished college in South Carolina, which 492 00:23:44,800 --> 00:23:48,119 Speaker 1: is way slow it in yeah, Atlanta, you know. So 493 00:23:48,240 --> 00:23:52,040 Speaker 1: when I got here, what I saw was a lot 494 00:23:52,080 --> 00:23:56,200 Speaker 1: of successful black people that all come from different walks 495 00:23:56,200 --> 00:23:59,359 Speaker 1: of life, similar to myself growing up in New York. 496 00:23:59,800 --> 00:24:03,359 Speaker 1: I saw a lot of like support. It seemed like 497 00:24:03,440 --> 00:24:05,879 Speaker 1: everybody rock with each other. It was so like it 498 00:24:05,920 --> 00:24:08,560 Speaker 1: was unified. It was like no matter what events you 499 00:24:08,640 --> 00:24:11,280 Speaker 1: went to, it was like you And that's literally probably 500 00:24:11,280 --> 00:24:13,360 Speaker 1: how me and you met was like just seeing each 501 00:24:13,359 --> 00:24:16,200 Speaker 1: other at multiple events. So for me, it was like, 502 00:24:16,920 --> 00:24:20,760 Speaker 1: I'm very strategic in figuring out where I can approach 503 00:24:20,840 --> 00:24:23,960 Speaker 1: things that need to be done. So when I came, 504 00:24:24,280 --> 00:24:26,480 Speaker 1: it was like, all right, music is thing I love. 505 00:24:26,920 --> 00:24:28,200 Speaker 1: I always thought I was going to be in the 506 00:24:28,280 --> 00:24:30,280 Speaker 1: music industry as well. It was like either make it 507 00:24:30,280 --> 00:24:32,760 Speaker 1: to the NBA or be in the music industry. So 508 00:24:33,119 --> 00:24:36,000 Speaker 1: when I came and I started kind of networking in 509 00:24:36,040 --> 00:24:39,880 Speaker 1: the music space. I interned that grand hustle with Atlantic Records, 510 00:24:40,640 --> 00:24:42,879 Speaker 1: you know, I started my own management company where we 511 00:24:42,880 --> 00:24:46,880 Speaker 1: were supporting local artists and producers, helping them bridge out 512 00:24:46,880 --> 00:24:49,800 Speaker 1: of Atlanta. I saw the open it. I was like, 513 00:24:50,200 --> 00:24:52,760 Speaker 1: but you know, my real love and passion is basketball, 514 00:24:53,080 --> 00:24:56,439 Speaker 1: and I don't see community basketball in this city the 515 00:24:56,520 --> 00:24:59,080 Speaker 1: way that I would have seen it, you know, like 516 00:24:59,280 --> 00:25:02,600 Speaker 1: growing up in New So I think for me it 517 00:25:02,640 --> 00:25:05,240 Speaker 1: was more like, let me make something big for this 518 00:25:05,359 --> 00:25:08,719 Speaker 1: city using basketball. That was literally like I still got 519 00:25:08,760 --> 00:25:11,120 Speaker 1: my little marble notebook that I wrote it down. It 520 00:25:11,160 --> 00:25:14,280 Speaker 1: was like, make basketball better in Atlanta, cause I don't 521 00:25:14,400 --> 00:25:15,960 Speaker 1: like it. Like when I go to the gyms, it 522 00:25:16,040 --> 00:25:19,800 Speaker 1: don't it's no energy. They we did have Nike Pro 523 00:25:19,920 --> 00:25:22,600 Speaker 1: City League here while I was in college. I forget 524 00:25:22,600 --> 00:25:25,679 Speaker 1: what years stopped, but it was almost private, and I 525 00:25:25,720 --> 00:25:29,440 Speaker 1: mean iverson shack. Everybody was playing, but it was like, 526 00:25:29,800 --> 00:25:33,320 Speaker 1: whatn't nobody in the stands. I'm like, bro, this feels 527 00:25:33,359 --> 00:25:36,959 Speaker 1: like like a morning run than a league, you know 528 00:25:37,000 --> 00:25:39,160 Speaker 1: what I'm saying. So, and I mean they of course 529 00:25:39,160 --> 00:25:41,840 Speaker 1: they had their like height end weekends or whatever, but 530 00:25:42,400 --> 00:25:45,399 Speaker 1: I just knew that, like whatever I built, I wanted 531 00:25:45,400 --> 00:25:48,080 Speaker 1: it to be for Atlanta because this city helped me 532 00:25:48,600 --> 00:25:51,359 Speaker 1: get my dreams out. You know, I don't think people 533 00:25:51,359 --> 00:25:52,760 Speaker 1: say all the time, do you think you could have 534 00:25:52,760 --> 00:25:55,840 Speaker 1: did this in New York? Yeah, but it's fifteen million 535 00:25:55,880 --> 00:25:59,080 Speaker 1: basketball leagues in New York. Literally every neighborhood has their 536 00:25:59,119 --> 00:26:02,359 Speaker 1: own basketball leage. In Atlanta, we didn't have that. So 537 00:26:02,560 --> 00:26:05,320 Speaker 1: I think this city, even though we get kind of 538 00:26:05,359 --> 00:26:08,200 Speaker 1: tied up only to music, I think I saw the 539 00:26:08,240 --> 00:26:11,040 Speaker 1: bigger part of just being able to level and get 540 00:26:11,080 --> 00:26:12,920 Speaker 1: to where I wanted to be as a black man 541 00:26:12,960 --> 00:26:16,440 Speaker 1: and a business owner that this city provided so I've 542 00:26:16,480 --> 00:26:19,560 Speaker 1: always respected and you know, obviously I'm fighting for it 543 00:26:19,600 --> 00:26:21,920 Speaker 1: now too, you know. So, Nah, I definitely think this 544 00:26:22,000 --> 00:26:24,720 Speaker 1: city kind of helped me get to where I'm at 545 00:26:24,760 --> 00:26:25,160 Speaker 1: for sure. 546 00:26:25,520 --> 00:26:27,239 Speaker 2: No, that's one of the beautiful things about Atlanta. Man, 547 00:26:27,240 --> 00:26:29,760 Speaker 2: in Atlanta, it's still possible, you know what I mean. 548 00:26:29,840 --> 00:26:32,560 Speaker 2: I think for a lot of places you travel, you 549 00:26:32,600 --> 00:26:34,600 Speaker 2: go around, whether you're trying to buy a house or 550 00:26:34,680 --> 00:26:36,399 Speaker 2: you know, start a family, it's hard in some of 551 00:26:36,440 --> 00:26:38,560 Speaker 2: these bigger cities. You know, it's hard to go buy 552 00:26:38,600 --> 00:26:40,119 Speaker 2: a house in New York and kind of you know, 553 00:26:40,320 --> 00:26:42,159 Speaker 2: lock in. It's tell it's hard to get an apartment 554 00:26:42,160 --> 00:26:44,119 Speaker 2: in the Years Act, you know what I'm saying. But again, 555 00:26:44,160 --> 00:26:46,640 Speaker 2: I think when you when you think about Atlanta, even 556 00:26:46,640 --> 00:26:48,600 Speaker 2: though we joke around and say we're full and all 557 00:26:48,640 --> 00:26:51,119 Speaker 2: this stuff, there's just still so much potential down here. 558 00:26:51,400 --> 00:26:53,080 Speaker 2: You just got to tap into it. Yeah, And like 559 00:26:53,119 --> 00:26:54,680 Speaker 2: I said before, if you do it the right way, 560 00:26:54,800 --> 00:26:57,040 Speaker 2: the city will support you. Like, things are much more 561 00:26:57,080 --> 00:26:59,879 Speaker 2: accessible down here than they are in other places. And 562 00:27:00,040 --> 00:27:02,840 Speaker 2: plus you got people you have again, people with jobs 563 00:27:02,840 --> 00:27:04,440 Speaker 2: down here with money that can come in and support 564 00:27:04,480 --> 00:27:06,920 Speaker 2: it and do stuff. But again, it's it's much more 565 00:27:06,960 --> 00:27:08,520 Speaker 2: possible down here than it is in a lot of 566 00:27:08,560 --> 00:27:24,000 Speaker 2: other places. Now, one of the things you were talking 567 00:27:24,000 --> 00:27:26,280 Speaker 2: about too, was, you know, putting your team together. And 568 00:27:26,280 --> 00:27:27,639 Speaker 2: that's something I've kind of heard from a lot of 569 00:27:27,640 --> 00:27:29,919 Speaker 2: people is that's been one of the hardest parts of 570 00:27:30,040 --> 00:27:32,000 Speaker 2: kind of building this business, like kind of putting that 571 00:27:32,000 --> 00:27:34,280 Speaker 2: core team together, people that you can support and trust. 572 00:27:34,760 --> 00:27:36,840 Speaker 2: How's that been. Where did you find those people at? 573 00:27:36,880 --> 00:27:38,600 Speaker 2: Have you had to kind of like go through different 574 00:27:38,880 --> 00:27:40,879 Speaker 2: iterations of it, or has there been something else that's 575 00:27:40,920 --> 00:27:42,680 Speaker 2: been a little bit more difficult than like building a 576 00:27:42,720 --> 00:27:44,520 Speaker 2: team to help get ABO to where it's at. 577 00:27:44,640 --> 00:27:47,440 Speaker 1: Yeah, I think it's a combination of it all. Man. 578 00:27:47,480 --> 00:27:50,520 Speaker 1: I think that the right team is key. You know, 579 00:27:50,560 --> 00:27:53,560 Speaker 1: I hear and and this is coming from like just 580 00:27:53,600 --> 00:27:56,840 Speaker 1: going through it and cause you're like, yo, I got people. 581 00:27:57,000 --> 00:27:58,399 Speaker 1: You know what I'm saying, like, yeah, I know this 582 00:27:58,400 --> 00:28:01,920 Speaker 1: is Mary right. Yeah, let me you know, I need 583 00:28:01,960 --> 00:28:05,840 Speaker 1: a full team. Yes, you can do it by yourself 584 00:28:06,119 --> 00:28:08,840 Speaker 1: up to a certain degree. I do believe in that, 585 00:28:08,880 --> 00:28:13,200 Speaker 1: and I do want to share that expression to other entrepreneurs, 586 00:28:13,280 --> 00:28:16,000 Speaker 1: is that it is being pushed right now that you 587 00:28:16,160 --> 00:28:18,000 Speaker 1: need a team. You gotta have a CPA. You got 588 00:28:18,119 --> 00:28:21,800 Speaker 1: to have a lawyer. You got to start first, start first, 589 00:28:22,240 --> 00:28:24,600 Speaker 1: and then figure out what you are good at and 590 00:28:24,640 --> 00:28:26,960 Speaker 1: then figure out what you're not good at to find 591 00:28:27,040 --> 00:28:29,639 Speaker 1: those people. And you got to have the right people, 592 00:28:29,680 --> 00:28:32,960 Speaker 1: and it has to be very aligned to Yes, everybody 593 00:28:33,040 --> 00:28:35,240 Speaker 1: want to be paid, everybody want to make money, but 594 00:28:35,320 --> 00:28:38,520 Speaker 1: it's like, ultimately, while we're making this money, you got 595 00:28:38,560 --> 00:28:41,400 Speaker 1: to have a passion for what we're building too, because 596 00:28:41,400 --> 00:28:44,320 Speaker 1: if you don't, it ain't gonna work. Not for me. 597 00:28:44,560 --> 00:28:47,880 Speaker 1: Now for other business structures it may. It may I 598 00:28:47,920 --> 00:28:51,280 Speaker 1: need employees to show up, be here physically, clock in, 599 00:28:51,400 --> 00:28:53,920 Speaker 1: clock out, and go on with yourself. For me, I 600 00:28:53,960 --> 00:28:55,840 Speaker 1: can't do that. You got to believe in it. You 601 00:28:55,920 --> 00:28:58,080 Speaker 1: got to understand where we're trying to go. And I 602 00:28:58,120 --> 00:29:01,640 Speaker 1: think the hardest part for me and I literally this 603 00:29:01,680 --> 00:29:03,920 Speaker 1: is almost like an epiphany right now that I'm talking 604 00:29:03,920 --> 00:29:07,320 Speaker 1: to you about this, because I said, as many people 605 00:29:07,640 --> 00:29:10,440 Speaker 1: that have come through the ABL brand, and I could 606 00:29:10,440 --> 00:29:12,880 Speaker 1: probably name twenty of them right off the top that 607 00:29:12,960 --> 00:29:16,200 Speaker 1: are now super successful and really doing good and what 608 00:29:16,240 --> 00:29:19,160 Speaker 1: they're doing. I say that like, if I knew what 609 00:29:19,240 --> 00:29:21,959 Speaker 1: I knew now, I could have walked away from this 610 00:29:22,000 --> 00:29:24,840 Speaker 1: business a long time ago and let them run it. 611 00:29:25,440 --> 00:29:27,800 Speaker 1: But we all were learning. We didn't know. We were 612 00:29:27,800 --> 00:29:29,920 Speaker 1: trying to figure things out. Like if I knew what 613 00:29:29,960 --> 00:29:32,120 Speaker 1: I knew now, I was like, yo, Jo, you don't 614 00:29:32,160 --> 00:29:36,000 Speaker 1: got to be there every day and do everything. Do 615 00:29:36,080 --> 00:29:39,440 Speaker 1: what you're good at, which is your partnerships, the business development, 616 00:29:39,720 --> 00:29:41,560 Speaker 1: you know, working behind the scenes and make sure the 617 00:29:41,640 --> 00:29:44,880 Speaker 1: relationships with the players are good and let these people 618 00:29:44,960 --> 00:29:47,640 Speaker 1: run it. You know, I'm not very tactical, and I 619 00:29:47,680 --> 00:29:50,280 Speaker 1: tell people that all the time. I'm more strategic, so 620 00:29:50,880 --> 00:29:54,200 Speaker 1: I think and I go right by the time you 621 00:29:54,240 --> 00:29:57,400 Speaker 1: see me do something, the strategy was created way before 622 00:29:57,440 --> 00:29:59,800 Speaker 1: you saw it. Whereas you got to have people that 623 00:29:59,840 --> 00:30:03,800 Speaker 1: can fold in between, like the passion. They want to 624 00:30:03,800 --> 00:30:06,600 Speaker 1: get paid and they see the big picture too. And 625 00:30:06,640 --> 00:30:09,760 Speaker 1: I think, unfortunately we're in the generation where everybody's like, 626 00:30:09,960 --> 00:30:12,200 Speaker 1: I want it now, I want to be the boss 627 00:30:12,640 --> 00:30:15,840 Speaker 1: right there. It's no more internship, it's no more development. 628 00:30:16,120 --> 00:30:18,840 Speaker 1: It's like I got an idea, I'm going you know, 629 00:30:18,920 --> 00:30:21,840 Speaker 1: and then those same people come back to you and 630 00:30:21,880 --> 00:30:24,080 Speaker 1: then they're like, I need an opportunity, and I'm like, well, 631 00:30:24,080 --> 00:30:26,760 Speaker 1: you got to start from scratch. Yeah, you might be 632 00:30:26,800 --> 00:30:29,520 Speaker 1: successful over here, but with us, you got to start 633 00:30:29,520 --> 00:30:31,640 Speaker 1: from scratch. And I think any of my staff will 634 00:30:31,640 --> 00:30:35,400 Speaker 1: tell you that that everybody at ABL that's getting paid 635 00:30:35,440 --> 00:30:40,320 Speaker 1: now started for free. It's just our way. It's because 636 00:30:40,320 --> 00:30:42,120 Speaker 1: I got to know that you believe in it the 637 00:30:42,120 --> 00:30:44,080 Speaker 1: way we believe in it. You might not have my 638 00:30:44,160 --> 00:30:46,880 Speaker 1: safe vision because I'm the brains, but you got to 639 00:30:46,960 --> 00:30:49,520 Speaker 1: believe in it in your way, like your thing, Like 640 00:30:49,520 --> 00:30:51,360 Speaker 1: my god, that's right there behind you with the camera 641 00:30:51,760 --> 00:30:55,560 Speaker 1: started for free, came and shot our games, edited, cut it. 642 00:30:55,960 --> 00:30:57,800 Speaker 1: I'd be like, yo, show up, I'm going to radio. 643 00:30:57,880 --> 00:31:00,000 Speaker 1: He coming. I'm going to do this with my son 644 00:31:00,200 --> 00:31:02,800 Speaker 1: at this football game. He come in. So now it's 645 00:31:02,840 --> 00:31:04,800 Speaker 1: like when I'm going to look for money and I'm 646 00:31:04,840 --> 00:31:07,400 Speaker 1: going to try to find ways to bring revenue in. 647 00:31:07,560 --> 00:31:10,560 Speaker 1: I'm thinking about those people, like how can I may 648 00:31:10,600 --> 00:31:12,520 Speaker 1: not be able to give you everything. And I think 649 00:31:12,560 --> 00:31:15,080 Speaker 1: that's the part that I also want to express it 650 00:31:15,120 --> 00:31:20,000 Speaker 1: that your value one place may not be the same 651 00:31:20,080 --> 00:31:22,960 Speaker 1: somewhere else. You got to go with the people who 652 00:31:23,080 --> 00:31:25,600 Speaker 1: value you. They may not have all the money. You 653 00:31:25,600 --> 00:31:27,680 Speaker 1: get what I'm saying, And I preach that a lot 654 00:31:27,840 --> 00:31:29,680 Speaker 1: because I deal with it. I'm sure you deal with 655 00:31:29,720 --> 00:31:32,200 Speaker 1: it where we know what I should be making a 656 00:31:32,200 --> 00:31:34,360 Speaker 1: million dollars every time I talk to you. You get 657 00:31:34,400 --> 00:31:36,440 Speaker 1: what I'm saying, But I know that may not be 658 00:31:36,520 --> 00:31:39,360 Speaker 1: your budget. I know you may not have that right now. 659 00:31:39,720 --> 00:31:42,480 Speaker 1: And to go back to your point about the relationships 660 00:31:42,680 --> 00:31:46,440 Speaker 1: with the sponsors, I've done things for one thousand dollars. 661 00:31:46,840 --> 00:31:49,840 Speaker 1: That's somebody that does not have had the experience that 662 00:31:49,920 --> 00:31:53,200 Speaker 1: I have or the knowledge or the relationships are charging 663 00:31:53,240 --> 00:31:57,080 Speaker 1: you twenty thousand dollars for so guess what you charge 664 00:31:57,080 --> 00:32:00,000 Speaker 1: a twenty just because you're like, I'm worth twenty thousand 665 00:32:00,160 --> 00:32:03,080 Speaker 1: dollars and they like, we don't got it, and you're 666 00:32:03,080 --> 00:32:06,400 Speaker 1: not willing to budge or be flexible. They told me 667 00:32:06,400 --> 00:32:09,640 Speaker 1: they had a thousand. I made it work. Guess what. 668 00:32:10,360 --> 00:32:12,400 Speaker 1: I made it work so good that they trust me 669 00:32:12,520 --> 00:32:15,400 Speaker 1: now that now they got a million dollars and they like, 670 00:32:15,440 --> 00:32:17,959 Speaker 1: give it to him. You see what I'm saying, because 671 00:32:18,080 --> 00:32:20,640 Speaker 1: he save my model. My model is a lot of 672 00:32:20,640 --> 00:32:23,440 Speaker 1: these corporate brands model, and I get it. We fight 673 00:32:23,480 --> 00:32:25,400 Speaker 1: against it all the time because we like, we know 674 00:32:25,520 --> 00:32:28,480 Speaker 1: y'all got money. You get what I'm saying, But sometimes 675 00:32:28,720 --> 00:32:31,120 Speaker 1: we're not the only person they're doing business with. So 676 00:32:31,160 --> 00:32:33,200 Speaker 1: I try to take that same approach that I take 677 00:32:33,280 --> 00:32:36,520 Speaker 1: on the marketing and the advertising side and really do 678 00:32:36,600 --> 00:32:39,560 Speaker 1: that with my team. Like, man, I ain't got ten 679 00:32:39,640 --> 00:32:42,320 Speaker 1: g's to give you right now, I ain't got but seven. 680 00:32:42,920 --> 00:32:46,040 Speaker 1: But if you believe in trusting what we're doing, I'm 681 00:32:46,080 --> 00:32:48,600 Speaker 1: gonna go get you ten more. You get what I'm saying. 682 00:32:48,600 --> 00:32:50,520 Speaker 1: You might not get it right then and there on 683 00:32:50,560 --> 00:32:53,240 Speaker 1: that project you're working on, but the next project, we 684 00:32:53,360 --> 00:32:54,960 Speaker 1: gonna double down and we're gonna get more money, and 685 00:32:54,960 --> 00:32:57,120 Speaker 1: I'm gonna look out for you. So I think now 686 00:32:57,760 --> 00:33:02,480 Speaker 1: businesses are so social media too, because everybody it's a 687 00:33:02,560 --> 00:33:05,880 Speaker 1: highlight reel. So everybody look like they're getting money, right, 688 00:33:06,240 --> 00:33:07,959 Speaker 1: So then when you go to hire somebody and they 689 00:33:08,000 --> 00:33:10,719 Speaker 1: go to your Instagram, they're like, oh, he got money. 690 00:33:11,080 --> 00:33:13,800 Speaker 1: But yeah, I got money, But my business is still 691 00:33:14,120 --> 00:33:16,959 Speaker 1: growing and developing and I'm still investing in it. But 692 00:33:17,080 --> 00:33:19,320 Speaker 1: it's a growth thing. And then you got to pay. 693 00:33:20,120 --> 00:33:22,760 Speaker 1: I tell my kids, the kids that are around me 694 00:33:22,920 --> 00:33:25,479 Speaker 1: who want to be entrepreneurs, you got to put your 695 00:33:25,520 --> 00:33:29,280 Speaker 1: skin in the game by helping somebody else. It's okay, 696 00:33:29,680 --> 00:33:32,240 Speaker 1: you're going to be a boss. Too help somebody else, 697 00:33:32,280 --> 00:33:35,440 Speaker 1: bill help them navigate to their dreams. Because guess what, 698 00:33:35,560 --> 00:33:39,000 Speaker 1: in some capacities you can get I don't know every capacity, 699 00:33:39,040 --> 00:33:42,080 Speaker 1: but some capacities you can get paid to learn on 700 00:33:42,160 --> 00:33:46,560 Speaker 1: the job, and or you're learning free gain that nobody 701 00:33:46,560 --> 00:33:49,400 Speaker 1: else can get and that will help you so you 702 00:33:49,400 --> 00:33:51,880 Speaker 1: don't got to pay for it later. And I think 703 00:33:51,960 --> 00:33:54,760 Speaker 1: that's where I really try to dive in and really 704 00:33:54,800 --> 00:33:59,320 Speaker 1: double down on. Like how I build my team, I 705 00:33:59,360 --> 00:34:02,240 Speaker 1: try to build with people who are very smart, you know, 706 00:34:02,280 --> 00:34:05,640 Speaker 1: a lot of time smarter than me in places, have 707 00:34:05,720 --> 00:34:09,080 Speaker 1: a passion in a drive and assertiveness to go out 708 00:34:09,080 --> 00:34:11,920 Speaker 1: and get it right, whatever that realm is. And then 709 00:34:12,080 --> 00:34:15,239 Speaker 1: also believe in the unified front of what we're trying 710 00:34:15,239 --> 00:34:18,520 Speaker 1: to accomplish, because you can accomplish anything with a dope team. 711 00:34:19,040 --> 00:34:21,000 Speaker 1: We did it, you know what I'm saying. We're all 712 00:34:21,040 --> 00:34:24,080 Speaker 1: successful in our own right and we came together and 713 00:34:24,120 --> 00:34:26,799 Speaker 1: now we're looking to even double our pockets, you know 714 00:34:26,800 --> 00:34:29,520 Speaker 1: what I'm saying. But while we're doing good and creating 715 00:34:29,560 --> 00:34:32,319 Speaker 1: more jobs so people, you know, some people will be like, nah, 716 00:34:32,360 --> 00:34:35,360 Speaker 1: that's not the right way, but everybody's approach is different. 717 00:34:35,640 --> 00:34:38,880 Speaker 1: My approach is to make sure that I'm also developing 718 00:34:38,960 --> 00:34:42,520 Speaker 1: the next entrepreneurs, the next leaders of our city, whether 719 00:34:42,520 --> 00:34:46,160 Speaker 1: they do basketball, music, marketing, whatever it may be. I 720 00:34:46,160 --> 00:34:50,319 Speaker 1: don't think there's and I'm a really humble brag on this. 721 00:34:51,480 --> 00:34:53,920 Speaker 1: I think that I've put more money in this city 722 00:34:54,360 --> 00:34:57,080 Speaker 1: in the last ten years than a lot of corporate 723 00:34:57,080 --> 00:35:01,120 Speaker 1: companies that are worth billions of dollars. Just because I share, 724 00:35:01,280 --> 00:35:03,200 Speaker 1: I don't I'm going to meet and be like, yeah, 725 00:35:03,200 --> 00:35:05,640 Speaker 1: hell yeah, caught Butter. That's my guy. You know what 726 00:35:05,640 --> 00:35:07,319 Speaker 1: I mean. I know he gonna do. Oh you want 727 00:35:07,320 --> 00:35:09,520 Speaker 1: to do this, you want to market, you want to 728 00:35:09,200 --> 00:35:12,680 Speaker 1: go to Butter. It ain't gonna cut my pocket. You 729 00:35:12,719 --> 00:35:15,239 Speaker 1: get what I'm saying. I'm calling and I've always done that, 730 00:35:15,320 --> 00:35:17,840 Speaker 1: and everybody in the city that is really the people 731 00:35:17,840 --> 00:35:20,960 Speaker 1: that we rock with, the leaders, will say your job 732 00:35:21,040 --> 00:35:24,160 Speaker 1: always look out. Now, I can't make brands do what 733 00:35:24,200 --> 00:35:27,120 Speaker 1: they don't want to do, but it don't matter. Be 734 00:35:27,239 --> 00:35:28,680 Speaker 1: you could come to me and say, Yo, bro, were 735 00:35:28,680 --> 00:35:31,279 Speaker 1: trying to do a Butter helicopter. I'm like, YO, to 736 00:35:31,440 --> 00:35:33,040 Speaker 1: give me a second. Let me let me see who 737 00:35:33,120 --> 00:35:35,560 Speaker 1: I can call that got a helicopter. It ain't gonna 738 00:35:35,640 --> 00:35:37,520 Speaker 1: hurt me, bro, And what it also I'm gonna do 739 00:35:37,600 --> 00:35:40,319 Speaker 1: is gonna build a lot of respect with you, and 740 00:35:40,360 --> 00:35:42,200 Speaker 1: it's gonna build respect with the people that we go 741 00:35:42,239 --> 00:35:45,239 Speaker 1: to because I'm like, damn, he did that easy, he 742 00:35:45,280 --> 00:35:47,840 Speaker 1: didn't like, yo, I need a commission off that. And 743 00:35:48,160 --> 00:35:50,520 Speaker 1: I just think, Man, for me, it's like I'm still 744 00:35:50,600 --> 00:35:53,719 Speaker 1: learning every day. Bro. I try to pay attention to 745 00:35:53,800 --> 00:35:56,759 Speaker 1: people who are doing unique things and that are successful 746 00:35:56,800 --> 00:35:59,319 Speaker 1: in their way and take bits and pieces of it. 747 00:35:59,560 --> 00:36:02,799 Speaker 1: And I think, ultimately, for me as I go into 748 00:36:02,840 --> 00:36:05,040 Speaker 1: this next phase of trying to go to the next level, 749 00:36:05,880 --> 00:36:08,359 Speaker 1: the key to it is having a great team, man. 750 00:36:08,760 --> 00:36:11,520 Speaker 2: You know, yeah, I mean like I think hustle culture, 751 00:36:11,760 --> 00:36:13,399 Speaker 2: you know, I think hustle culture has like really kind 752 00:36:13,400 --> 00:36:15,400 Speaker 2: of done a lot of people in this service. 753 00:36:15,400 --> 00:36:16,120 Speaker 1: Because I agree with. 754 00:36:16,080 --> 00:36:17,960 Speaker 2: You, man, Like I always tell people, I don't know 755 00:36:18,000 --> 00:36:20,520 Speaker 2: why everybody's so in a rush to be an entrepreneur. 756 00:36:20,640 --> 00:36:23,280 Speaker 2: First of all, this shit is hard, you know. Second 757 00:36:23,280 --> 00:36:26,719 Speaker 2: of all, I learned so much in corporate America while 758 00:36:26,760 --> 00:36:30,040 Speaker 2: getting paid, you know, to basically understand how to send 759 00:36:30,040 --> 00:36:32,400 Speaker 2: an email, to understand how to run a meeting, right, Like, 760 00:36:32,480 --> 00:36:36,520 Speaker 2: I can't imagine my career without having that experience. It's 761 00:36:36,560 --> 00:36:38,560 Speaker 2: like literally you getting paid to learn how to work. 762 00:36:38,920 --> 00:36:40,520 Speaker 2: And I think so many people kind of skip over 763 00:36:40,560 --> 00:36:41,839 Speaker 2: that part and all of a sudden you get them. 764 00:36:41,840 --> 00:36:43,120 Speaker 2: They don't know how to run a meeting, they can't 765 00:36:43,160 --> 00:36:44,560 Speaker 2: send an email, they don't know how to do followed, 766 00:36:44,560 --> 00:36:46,680 Speaker 2: they couldn't put a deck together because they literally got 767 00:36:46,760 --> 00:36:50,080 Speaker 2: no experience in But again why but they saw it online? 768 00:36:50,080 --> 00:36:51,239 Speaker 1: They think issues we're supposed to do. 769 00:36:51,320 --> 00:36:53,520 Speaker 2: And I think that's a big issue in Atlanta is 770 00:36:53,560 --> 00:36:54,799 Speaker 2: we got a lot of people that are just like 771 00:36:54,880 --> 00:36:58,400 Speaker 2: hustling trying to figure something out because they've discounted the 772 00:36:58,440 --> 00:37:01,800 Speaker 2: idea of like working or working for free or just learning. 773 00:37:02,160 --> 00:37:04,120 Speaker 2: But like, at the end of the day, there's a 774 00:37:04,120 --> 00:37:07,080 Speaker 2: lot of people out here that were probably really good. 775 00:37:07,280 --> 00:37:09,880 Speaker 2: You know, number two's number threes, Number four is in 776 00:37:09,920 --> 00:37:11,440 Speaker 2: a company, but they're so busy trying to be a 777 00:37:11,520 --> 00:37:13,759 Speaker 2: number one, and they don't know why they stressed out. 778 00:37:13,880 --> 00:37:15,400 Speaker 2: You stressed out because you should need to be in 779 00:37:15,400 --> 00:37:17,520 Speaker 2: that place in the first pot. You know, you stressed 780 00:37:17,520 --> 00:37:20,000 Speaker 2: out because you put yourself in a position to run 781 00:37:20,040 --> 00:37:22,319 Speaker 2: a business and to run I literally had somebody talk 782 00:37:22,360 --> 00:37:24,359 Speaker 2: to me the other week about how a company they 783 00:37:24,360 --> 00:37:27,719 Speaker 2: were working with, like the CEO basically disappeared because they 784 00:37:27,719 --> 00:37:30,040 Speaker 2: were running out of money and the CEO didn't even 785 00:37:30,080 --> 00:37:32,799 Speaker 2: know how to communicate to his team that we're dealing 786 00:37:32,840 --> 00:37:35,839 Speaker 2: with financial issues right now. And it really makes me wonder, 787 00:37:35,920 --> 00:37:38,239 Speaker 2: like that that person actually had that experience. Has he 788 00:37:38,320 --> 00:37:40,600 Speaker 2: been through that fire before or is he's figuring it 789 00:37:40,600 --> 00:37:43,279 Speaker 2: out now? He's taking it all personal, right, So, you know, 790 00:37:43,640 --> 00:37:44,920 Speaker 2: I tell people all the time because I get it 791 00:37:44,960 --> 00:37:47,799 Speaker 2: with Butter. All the time people come to me, oh, man, 792 00:37:47,840 --> 00:37:49,200 Speaker 2: I want to work with you. I want to help you. 793 00:37:49,200 --> 00:37:50,520 Speaker 2: It's like, all right, cool, And the first thing they 794 00:37:50,520 --> 00:37:52,239 Speaker 2: do is they have their hands out. Well, I got 795 00:37:52,280 --> 00:37:55,160 Speaker 2: to get paid though. Look I tell everybody the same thing. 796 00:37:55,400 --> 00:37:57,600 Speaker 2: You can't work for me until you work for me. 797 00:37:58,239 --> 00:37:59,799 Speaker 2: You know, I literally give so one of the things 798 00:37:59,800 --> 00:38:02,560 Speaker 2: I do is I give people little projects. I say, 799 00:38:02,600 --> 00:38:04,200 Speaker 2: you know what, I'll give you an option. You can 800 00:38:04,239 --> 00:38:06,480 Speaker 2: either be an intern or I'm gonna get this little 801 00:38:06,480 --> 00:38:08,359 Speaker 2: project and I'm gonna pay you one hundred bucks. I'm gonna 802 00:38:08,360 --> 00:38:10,120 Speaker 2: pay you for it. But I want to see what 803 00:38:10,160 --> 00:38:11,759 Speaker 2: your work product is like. I want to see if 804 00:38:11,760 --> 00:38:13,759 Speaker 2: you're gonna return these emails all. I do it all 805 00:38:13,800 --> 00:38:16,160 Speaker 2: the time. I give people a little project. I'll say, 806 00:38:16,160 --> 00:38:18,359 Speaker 2: you know, some light, I just want to see how 807 00:38:18,360 --> 00:38:20,080 Speaker 2: they come back to me. Is your stuff gonna be 808 00:38:20,160 --> 00:38:22,279 Speaker 2: organized or is it just gonna send me a bunch 809 00:38:22,320 --> 00:38:23,719 Speaker 2: of emails that don't make sense? 810 00:38:23,800 --> 00:38:23,960 Speaker 1: Right? 811 00:38:24,080 --> 00:38:26,959 Speaker 2: And it's again, you don't know how people work until 812 00:38:27,000 --> 00:38:29,799 Speaker 2: you actually see them work. And I think, especially as entrepreneurs, 813 00:38:30,280 --> 00:38:32,520 Speaker 2: that's a lot of risk on us because you know, 814 00:38:32,560 --> 00:38:35,680 Speaker 2: people don't understand that. When you hire somebody, that's one thing, 815 00:38:35,719 --> 00:38:38,840 Speaker 2: but losing a person can set you back because now 816 00:38:39,320 --> 00:38:42,279 Speaker 2: they done fucked up. Yeah, and they don't mess something up. 817 00:38:42,320 --> 00:38:43,800 Speaker 2: They didn't tell you it was broken and now you 818 00:38:43,880 --> 00:38:46,680 Speaker 2: got to fix it. So losing people can be even 819 00:38:46,960 --> 00:38:49,200 Speaker 2: more dangerous than hiring the right people. So you know, 820 00:38:49,200 --> 00:38:50,719 Speaker 2: that's a little trick that I try to do, is 821 00:38:51,040 --> 00:38:52,560 Speaker 2: you can't work for me until you work for me. 822 00:38:52,600 --> 00:38:54,200 Speaker 2: I'm gonna give you some kind of little project to 823 00:38:54,200 --> 00:38:56,560 Speaker 2: start off with. Yeah, I think that's fine. 824 00:38:56,560 --> 00:38:59,640 Speaker 1: I think I'm incorporating that because see, I'll be and 825 00:38:59,719 --> 00:39:02,960 Speaker 1: you know, and you know, because you you operated multiple channels, 826 00:39:03,280 --> 00:39:07,960 Speaker 1: but it's so hard to find people, bro So so 827 00:39:08,000 --> 00:39:09,960 Speaker 1: it's like when you finally get a person You're like, 828 00:39:09,960 --> 00:39:12,480 Speaker 1: well that come on, just good. You know, you seem 829 00:39:12,480 --> 00:39:14,719 Speaker 1: to you checked off the boxes. But you're right, man, 830 00:39:14,840 --> 00:39:18,040 Speaker 1: Like I'm actually, man, I'm gonna steal that from you. Man. 831 00:39:18,120 --> 00:39:20,279 Speaker 1: So when you start hearing me talk about you, like, yeah, 832 00:39:20,280 --> 00:39:22,480 Speaker 1: I told them on the podcasts, But yeah, man, I 833 00:39:22,520 --> 00:39:25,480 Speaker 1: think I think you're You're right because I think when 834 00:39:25,520 --> 00:39:27,920 Speaker 1: you actually realize. And that's why I say about my 835 00:39:28,400 --> 00:39:32,800 Speaker 1: the first phase of ABL team was all these people 836 00:39:32,880 --> 00:39:36,480 Speaker 1: now are successful doing their own thing, and I've always 837 00:39:36,520 --> 00:39:39,560 Speaker 1: stressed to them like, hey, use this platform to go 838 00:39:39,640 --> 00:39:43,319 Speaker 1: do you, but while you're here, do us, like, do 839 00:39:43,440 --> 00:39:45,799 Speaker 1: what you got to do here. And I think if 840 00:39:45,800 --> 00:39:48,680 Speaker 1: I could take that and bottle that up in some 841 00:39:48,760 --> 00:39:51,239 Speaker 1: way and for my next five years, take a little 842 00:39:51,239 --> 00:39:53,440 Speaker 1: bit of what you just said, I think I can 843 00:39:53,520 --> 00:39:58,480 Speaker 1: build the next generation of executives in sports. You get 844 00:39:58,520 --> 00:40:00,879 Speaker 1: what I'm saying, because they learned so much on the fly. 845 00:40:01,280 --> 00:40:03,680 Speaker 1: But a lot of these kids they see you and 846 00:40:03,719 --> 00:40:06,839 Speaker 1: they like, I can do that too, But they think 847 00:40:06,920 --> 00:40:08,920 Speaker 1: they can do it now, not like hey in a 848 00:40:08,920 --> 00:40:11,160 Speaker 1: couple of years, Joe, how long did it take you 849 00:40:11,200 --> 00:40:13,360 Speaker 1: to be able to do this? They like, well, you 850 00:40:13,480 --> 00:40:15,799 Speaker 1: do it. I can do it, and I'm like, it 851 00:40:15,840 --> 00:40:17,719 Speaker 1: don't work like that. And then as soon as you 852 00:40:17,760 --> 00:40:21,440 Speaker 1: give them the real that's the other misfortunate about this generation. 853 00:40:22,040 --> 00:40:24,239 Speaker 1: When you give them that real conversation that we was 854 00:40:24,280 --> 00:40:26,880 Speaker 1: looking for from the ogs, like, yo, bro, tell me 855 00:40:26,960 --> 00:40:30,120 Speaker 1: I'm doing this wrong, so I can fix it, they disappear. 856 00:40:30,640 --> 00:40:32,799 Speaker 1: Yeah they can't. They don't. They can't. They can't. They 857 00:40:32,800 --> 00:40:34,799 Speaker 1: can't take it. They can't take the feedback yet, you know. 858 00:40:34,960 --> 00:40:38,640 Speaker 1: So that's that's been extremely hard, bro. But yeah, look man, 859 00:40:38,680 --> 00:40:39,640 Speaker 1: so again y'all. 860 00:40:39,680 --> 00:40:41,960 Speaker 2: The hardest thing out here for a lot of these businesses, 861 00:40:42,040 --> 00:40:43,720 Speaker 2: like Josh said, is building a team. 862 00:40:44,120 --> 00:40:46,600 Speaker 1: For getting the right team. I say this all the time. 863 00:40:47,000 --> 00:40:50,319 Speaker 2: A A PLUS team with even a decent idea will 864 00:40:50,360 --> 00:40:54,800 Speaker 2: go way farther than a C team with an amazing idea. 865 00:40:54,920 --> 00:40:57,000 Speaker 2: Like you have to have the people around you, and 866 00:40:57,000 --> 00:40:59,280 Speaker 2: you can only do so much as an entrepreneur by yourself, 867 00:40:59,600 --> 00:41:01,960 Speaker 2: you know. Think like I've learned that lesson many times. 868 00:41:02,000 --> 00:41:03,759 Speaker 2: I've been burnt out, you know, because I'm trying to 869 00:41:03,760 --> 00:41:05,600 Speaker 2: do everything. I'm trying to run over here and support 870 00:41:05,640 --> 00:41:07,880 Speaker 2: everybody and get all this stuff. But again, when you 871 00:41:07,920 --> 00:41:10,319 Speaker 2: start finding those people that can really do it, you know, 872 00:41:10,440 --> 00:41:12,400 Speaker 2: hold on to them, take care of them, and they 873 00:41:12,440 --> 00:41:14,280 Speaker 2: will just help you get your stuff to the next level. 874 00:41:14,360 --> 00:41:16,400 Speaker 2: So with all the stuff you got going on, Y're like, 875 00:41:16,440 --> 00:41:18,560 Speaker 2: what's next with ABL, Like, what's kind of your global 876 00:41:18,680 --> 00:41:20,359 Speaker 2: vision for for all the stuff you want? 877 00:41:20,440 --> 00:41:23,440 Speaker 1: Yeah? Man, So what's next for a b L is this, 878 00:41:23,600 --> 00:41:25,680 Speaker 1: and I have dropped it a little bit, is that 879 00:41:25,719 --> 00:41:30,320 Speaker 1: we we are working on creating like a G league 880 00:41:30,400 --> 00:41:33,160 Speaker 1: or minor league system for the w n b A. 881 00:41:34,120 --> 00:41:36,560 Speaker 1: I think that the women's game we've been in the 882 00:41:36,560 --> 00:41:39,759 Speaker 1: forefront of it. Obviously there's there's other people doing it 883 00:41:39,800 --> 00:41:41,960 Speaker 1: as well, but I don't think nobody doing it like 884 00:41:41,960 --> 00:41:42,759 Speaker 1: we do it out to. 885 00:41:42,760 --> 00:41:45,879 Speaker 2: Women too, because the NCAA even the gold medal game 886 00:41:46,360 --> 00:41:47,680 Speaker 2: for the Olympics. 887 00:41:47,760 --> 00:41:51,200 Speaker 1: Yeah, so you know, we're we're we're working on that. Actually, 888 00:41:51,360 --> 00:41:56,160 Speaker 1: wanted to put that into operations next going into next year, 889 00:41:56,920 --> 00:42:02,080 Speaker 1: probably right as March Madness is. It'll be something that 890 00:42:02,440 --> 00:42:04,960 Speaker 1: is kind of a subsidiary, but it will not be 891 00:42:05,080 --> 00:42:07,680 Speaker 1: the pro am. We'll still have our women's program, but 892 00:42:07,760 --> 00:42:10,960 Speaker 1: we'll have like a league that pays women. Hopefully, you know, 893 00:42:11,000 --> 00:42:13,440 Speaker 1: we'll get some investments and some people that believe in 894 00:42:13,800 --> 00:42:16,480 Speaker 1: where women's basketball is going, so we can pay these 895 00:42:16,520 --> 00:42:19,799 Speaker 1: women what they deserve. And then for US man, we're 896 00:42:20,280 --> 00:42:25,000 Speaker 1: already looking at a global opportunity to expand what our 897 00:42:25,040 --> 00:42:28,600 Speaker 1: footprints are. So we do the HBCU Elite one hundred, 898 00:42:28,920 --> 00:42:31,480 Speaker 1: which is a bridge to get high schools through the 899 00:42:31,520 --> 00:42:37,160 Speaker 1: athletes to HBCUs to play. We're talking with NBA Africa 900 00:42:37,480 --> 00:42:42,200 Speaker 1: about bringing that HBCU over to Africa to create a 901 00:42:42,280 --> 00:42:47,080 Speaker 1: program there. Obviously some other international countries have reached out 902 00:42:47,080 --> 00:42:50,000 Speaker 1: to us about it as well. So expanding beyond the 903 00:42:50,120 --> 00:42:53,000 Speaker 1: US is what's next for us. That's kind of in 904 00:42:53,040 --> 00:42:56,560 Speaker 1: my five year kind of global plan is to make 905 00:42:56,600 --> 00:43:00,359 Speaker 1: sure that we're touching multiple countries to bring is that 906 00:43:00,440 --> 00:43:04,680 Speaker 1: gap for basketball in the grassroots space. Obviously pro is 907 00:43:04,800 --> 00:43:07,040 Speaker 1: you know, they have pro leagues all over the world, 908 00:43:07,760 --> 00:43:11,160 Speaker 1: but they're missing that grassroot part. There's a lot of countries, 909 00:43:11,520 --> 00:43:15,240 Speaker 1: i e. Africa, the Virgin Islands that don't have those 910 00:43:15,520 --> 00:43:17,400 Speaker 1: you know, those resources, so we're going to try to 911 00:43:17,440 --> 00:43:21,000 Speaker 1: bring those to them. I'm super excited about our Career 912 00:43:21,080 --> 00:43:24,560 Speaker 1: Pathways program. It's a program where we take our college 913 00:43:24,760 --> 00:43:28,000 Speaker 1: high school students and we start developing them now so 914 00:43:28,040 --> 00:43:30,359 Speaker 1: they don't have to wait to do the internship after 915 00:43:30,400 --> 00:43:34,240 Speaker 1: school where they're learning media. They're learning marketing and game ops, 916 00:43:34,440 --> 00:43:39,080 Speaker 1: event management, pr all those type of things. So we've 917 00:43:39,320 --> 00:43:42,320 Speaker 1: had some huge success over the past two and a 918 00:43:42,360 --> 00:43:45,120 Speaker 1: half years. It will be going intop third year where 919 00:43:45,160 --> 00:43:47,640 Speaker 1: we place some people. A lot of my staff work 920 00:43:47,680 --> 00:43:51,839 Speaker 1: at Ote, Atlanta Hawks, Atlanta Dream, Nike, you name it. 921 00:43:51,880 --> 00:43:54,200 Speaker 1: You know, we got staff that has been with us 922 00:43:54,280 --> 00:43:57,120 Speaker 1: when they first started into their career journeys that are 923 00:43:57,160 --> 00:44:01,360 Speaker 1: in some really great positions. My form or executive assistant, 924 00:44:01,680 --> 00:44:05,359 Speaker 1: Jenessa is now the community direct at Nike, you know. 925 00:44:05,440 --> 00:44:07,960 Speaker 1: So I feel like we're doing a good job. Obviously, 926 00:44:08,040 --> 00:44:09,440 Speaker 1: I want to do a better job because I want 927 00:44:09,440 --> 00:44:11,879 Speaker 1: to be able to give more jobs out. But I'm 928 00:44:11,880 --> 00:44:15,400 Speaker 1: excited about that, man, and continuously just building a brand 929 00:44:15,600 --> 00:44:19,240 Speaker 1: to be looked at as a go to not just league, 930 00:44:19,239 --> 00:44:22,719 Speaker 1: but an organization in Atlanta in the country to serve 931 00:44:22,800 --> 00:44:26,720 Speaker 1: our community. Man. So that's really what's important to me. Obviously, 932 00:44:26,840 --> 00:44:29,880 Speaker 1: just continuing to build up these partnerships a lot of brands, 933 00:44:29,920 --> 00:44:32,359 Speaker 1: like you know, we have a big deal with Adidas 934 00:44:32,560 --> 00:44:34,799 Speaker 1: where we got our own shoe, you know. So it's 935 00:44:34,840 --> 00:44:37,919 Speaker 1: like continuing to make this a big brand where it's 936 00:44:37,960 --> 00:44:40,719 Speaker 1: respected and people like when you think of Atlanta Basketball, 937 00:44:40,760 --> 00:44:45,080 Speaker 1: you think of ABL. Yeah, that's that's really the vision. Man. No, man, 938 00:44:45,160 --> 00:44:45,680 Speaker 1: that's dope. Man. 939 00:44:45,719 --> 00:44:47,279 Speaker 2: Look before we get out of here, tell folks how 940 00:44:47,280 --> 00:44:50,160 Speaker 2: can they learn more about ABL the stuff you're working on. 941 00:44:50,200 --> 00:44:51,839 Speaker 2: How can they support how can they find y'all? 942 00:44:51,880 --> 00:44:55,759 Speaker 1: Yeah, So we love everyone's support by following us at 943 00:44:55,800 --> 00:45:00,520 Speaker 1: ABL Hoops. Our website is ABL hoops dot com. We 944 00:45:00,560 --> 00:45:04,040 Speaker 1: are celebrating our championship weekend this weekend at KIP Atlanta 945 00:45:04,040 --> 00:45:07,000 Speaker 1: Collegiate on the West Side every summer, every Saturday and 946 00:45:07,000 --> 00:45:10,120 Speaker 1: Sunday for eight weeks. As I said, it's always free 947 00:45:10,160 --> 00:45:13,120 Speaker 1: for the community and for me, man, just you know, 948 00:45:13,320 --> 00:45:15,839 Speaker 1: be a resource network with me, talk to me, let 949 00:45:15,840 --> 00:45:17,960 Speaker 1: me know what you're doing. See how we can help 950 00:45:18,000 --> 00:45:22,560 Speaker 1: each other on my social pages job a CEO on Instagram, 951 00:45:22,920 --> 00:45:25,840 Speaker 1: and let's just keep empowering our people man in this city. 952 00:45:26,160 --> 00:45:28,120 Speaker 1: And I think as long as we keep doing that, man, 953 00:45:28,200 --> 00:45:30,680 Speaker 1: the support for us to keep, you know, keep coming. 954 00:45:30,760 --> 00:45:33,799 Speaker 2: So yep, yo, shout out to John, Thanks for pulling 955 00:45:33,880 --> 00:45:36,640 Speaker 2: up man. This has been an amazing conversation and that's 956 00:45:36,640 --> 00:45:37,000 Speaker 2: the pod. 957 00:45:37,360 --> 00:45:38,400 Speaker 1: Appreciate you having me. 958 00:45:39,560 --> 00:45:41,800 Speaker 2: You've been listening to butter Nomics and I'm your host, 959 00:45:41,960 --> 00:45:44,640 Speaker 2: Brandon Butler, comments feedback. Want to be a part of 960 00:45:44,640 --> 00:45:47,200 Speaker 2: the show, Send us an email today at Hello at 961 00:45:47,200 --> 00:45:50,520 Speaker 2: butterdomics dot com. Butter Nomics is produced in Atlanta, Georgia 962 00:45:50,560 --> 00:45:53,839 Speaker 2: at iHeartMedia by Ramsey, with marketing support from Queen and Nike. 963 00:45:54,200 --> 00:45:55,720 Speaker 1: Music provided by mister Hanky. 964 00:45:56,200 --> 00:45:58,560 Speaker 2: If you haven't already, hit that subscribe button and never 965 00:45:58,560 --> 00:46:00,759 Speaker 2: missed an episode, and be sure to follow us on 966 00:46:00,800 --> 00:46:03,279 Speaker 2: all our social platforms at butter dot a t L. 967 00:46:04,200 --> 00:46:07,360 Speaker 2: Listen to button NoMix on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, 968 00:46:07,400 --> 00:46:08,960 Speaker 2: or wherever you get your podcasts.