1 00:00:00,240 --> 00:00:03,520 Speaker 1: Afro Tech is back in Austin, Texas this November is 2 00:00:03,560 --> 00:00:06,160 Speaker 1: the place for all things black, tech and Web three. 3 00:00:06,280 --> 00:00:09,360 Speaker 1: The in person afro Tech Conference experience is bridging the 4 00:00:09,360 --> 00:00:14,840 Speaker 1: worlds of afro technologists, innovators, investors, corporations, musicians, and everyone 5 00:00:14,880 --> 00:00:17,520 Speaker 1: in between. So pull up, grab your crew, and grab 6 00:00:17,520 --> 00:00:20,360 Speaker 1: your tickets and join us at the largest black professional 7 00:00:20,400 --> 00:00:23,720 Speaker 1: conference of the gear. This experienced the afro Tech Dot 8 00:00:23,720 --> 00:00:27,280 Speaker 1: count to learn more. Okay, simon Seattle, as I kick 9 00:00:27,360 --> 00:00:31,160 Speaker 1: off my end of Q three into Q for Traveling 10 00:00:31,280 --> 00:00:34,519 Speaker 1: Sprint's typically the busiest time year for me, as I'm 11 00:00:34,560 --> 00:00:38,000 Speaker 1: back on road doing all the things. I'm not in 12 00:00:38,040 --> 00:00:40,960 Speaker 1: the studio this week Mountain Streets, but the show you 13 00:00:41,040 --> 00:00:44,519 Speaker 1: Better Believe goes on. Currently. I'm here in the Emerald 14 00:00:44,600 --> 00:00:47,480 Speaker 1: City of Seattle as a mentor for some black owned 15 00:00:47,479 --> 00:00:50,440 Speaker 1: businesses and startups working to accelerate. Next week, I'm in 16 00:00:50,560 --> 00:00:54,480 Speaker 1: l A for afro Tech Executive, a prestigious event for 17 00:00:54,520 --> 00:00:57,120 Speaker 1: black leaders in business, and I'm super excited about that, 18 00:00:57,160 --> 00:00:59,720 Speaker 1: and it's not too late to get your tickets to 19 00:00:59,760 --> 00:01:01,880 Speaker 1: be there as well so we can meet each other. 20 00:01:02,720 --> 00:01:05,039 Speaker 1: So this week's episode, I'm actually throwing it back to 21 00:01:05,080 --> 00:01:08,200 Speaker 1: what I did with Courtney Adelaia, who was CEO and 22 00:01:08,400 --> 00:01:12,199 Speaker 1: founder at the main choice of black wellness and hair 23 00:01:12,319 --> 00:01:15,640 Speaker 1: care brand. Because I speak to so many consumer package 24 00:01:15,680 --> 00:01:19,000 Speaker 1: good companies and the health and wellness space, even though 25 00:01:19,000 --> 00:01:21,240 Speaker 1: it with hair care products like I'm doing this week 26 00:01:21,560 --> 00:01:24,839 Speaker 1: here in seattle't I want to run this conversation back 27 00:01:25,000 --> 00:01:28,520 Speaker 1: for anyone who missed it because there's so many gyms 28 00:01:28,560 --> 00:01:31,640 Speaker 1: in it. It's full of thoughtful insights on why it's 29 00:01:31,880 --> 00:01:34,319 Speaker 1: so hard to break from the pack, of all the 30 00:01:34,360 --> 00:01:38,640 Speaker 1: people formulating hair and skincare products in the kitchens and basements, 31 00:01:39,160 --> 00:01:42,480 Speaker 1: to how to get on the shelves of major retailers 32 00:01:42,520 --> 00:01:46,720 Speaker 1: like Target. There's so much here and the content from 33 00:01:46,840 --> 00:01:50,480 Speaker 1: Courtney's advice is so timeless that I'm proud to have 34 00:01:50,680 --> 00:01:54,000 Speaker 1: this in the archives. So join me and then joining 35 00:01:54,000 --> 00:02:04,360 Speaker 1: this runback. Afro Tech, San Francisco, California, Frederick Hudson, co 36 00:02:04,480 --> 00:02:07,280 Speaker 1: founder and CEO at Pigeon Ley of technology that helps 37 00:02:07,320 --> 00:02:10,720 Speaker 1: you affordably stay connected with your inmate from any phone, tablet, 38 00:02:10,800 --> 00:02:13,800 Speaker 1: or computer. It's on the afro Tech stage telling the 39 00:02:13,840 --> 00:02:16,880 Speaker 1: story of how he and his co founder, Alfonso Brooks, 40 00:02:17,320 --> 00:02:21,360 Speaker 1: realized the opportunity for improving communications between loved ones and 41 00:02:21,440 --> 00:02:25,280 Speaker 1: state confederal inmates, and found success by leaning into their 42 00:02:25,360 --> 00:02:28,320 Speaker 1: unique perspective on the world. I'm gonna tell you how 43 00:02:28,360 --> 00:02:34,720 Speaker 1: we hustled from idea to a product market fit. Essentially, Uh, 44 00:02:34,800 --> 00:02:37,320 Speaker 1: the idea started with me. I started close to five 45 00:02:37,360 --> 00:02:40,320 Speaker 1: years in federal prison for distribution to marijuana. Don't feel 46 00:02:40,320 --> 00:02:41,959 Speaker 1: bad for me. It was lots and lots and lots 47 00:02:41,960 --> 00:02:52,040 Speaker 1: and lots of lots of marijuana and um. And it 48 00:02:52,080 --> 00:02:54,239 Speaker 1: was during that time I saw it this huge population 49 00:02:54,280 --> 00:02:57,320 Speaker 1: of people that no one is paying attention to, and 50 00:02:57,400 --> 00:03:00,079 Speaker 1: we all had the same problem. It was incredibly for 51 00:03:00,240 --> 00:03:03,480 Speaker 1: cool and super expensive to stay in touch with your loves. 52 00:03:04,320 --> 00:03:06,880 Speaker 1: So while I wasn't nice, I like to send the ladder. 53 00:03:06,880 --> 00:03:09,600 Speaker 1: It's like, y'all got this idea. We're just gonna we're 54 00:03:09,600 --> 00:03:11,560 Speaker 1: gonna make a million dollars. We're just gonna make it 55 00:03:11,600 --> 00:03:15,000 Speaker 1: real easy for people to send photos and to the 56 00:03:15,080 --> 00:03:17,360 Speaker 1: lowest in prison. No one's really done that yet. So 57 00:03:17,440 --> 00:03:19,400 Speaker 1: we get to the halfway house. I hit the mouther 58 00:03:19,400 --> 00:03:21,440 Speaker 1: and says, yeah, I'm with it. We take his student 59 00:03:21,440 --> 00:03:28,520 Speaker 1: loan money. We take his student loan money, and we 60 00:03:28,520 --> 00:03:31,119 Speaker 1: start building a product and you know, I just want 61 00:03:31,120 --> 00:03:32,560 Speaker 1: to go through some of the steps and some of 62 00:03:32,600 --> 00:03:34,960 Speaker 1: the things that we learned along the way, taking that 63 00:03:35,160 --> 00:03:37,280 Speaker 1: grand idea that you have in your head to actually 64 00:03:37,320 --> 00:03:40,160 Speaker 1: get something that has product market fit or more importantly, 65 00:03:40,160 --> 00:03:42,840 Speaker 1: that can get some traction. Because early on I made 66 00:03:43,160 --> 00:03:45,600 Speaker 1: the classics found of mistake. I thought my problem was 67 00:03:45,600 --> 00:03:47,000 Speaker 1: I needed to get money. I need to get fund 68 00:03:47,000 --> 00:03:47,960 Speaker 1: and I need to get fun, and I need to 69 00:03:47,960 --> 00:03:50,000 Speaker 1: get fun. I spent a lot of my time chasing dollars. 70 00:03:50,440 --> 00:03:52,760 Speaker 1: What I realized is if I focus more on the product, 71 00:03:53,080 --> 00:03:55,320 Speaker 1: all those other things come a lot easier. Whatever you're 72 00:03:55,320 --> 00:03:57,320 Speaker 1: working on has to be personal. You have to have 73 00:03:57,400 --> 00:03:59,640 Speaker 1: that strong way to win. For me, it was really 74 00:03:59,640 --> 00:04:01,760 Speaker 1: personal because I lived in and I had that experience. 75 00:04:02,000 --> 00:04:04,280 Speaker 1: I knew how it felt to be there. I knew 76 00:04:04,280 --> 00:04:06,520 Speaker 1: how it felt too, how important it was. And I 77 00:04:06,520 --> 00:04:08,600 Speaker 1: saw the direct connection between people being able to staying 78 00:04:08,600 --> 00:04:11,200 Speaker 1: in touch with the loaves on the prison and not 79 00:04:11,400 --> 00:04:14,240 Speaker 1: returning back to prison. There was a direct connection between 80 00:04:14,280 --> 00:04:17,000 Speaker 1: communication and the recitizens a break. And you need that 81 00:04:17,040 --> 00:04:19,400 Speaker 1: when those things gives out, because when it gets funky, 82 00:04:19,440 --> 00:04:22,719 Speaker 1: and it will get funky, you need that really strong wine, 83 00:04:22,760 --> 00:04:25,000 Speaker 1: that that real hard desire to win to kind of 84 00:04:25,000 --> 00:04:27,440 Speaker 1: get you to those moments, because ship will go sideways 85 00:04:28,040 --> 00:04:31,719 Speaker 1: more than you think. You gotta look for your unfair advantage. 86 00:04:32,640 --> 00:04:35,240 Speaker 1: For me, it was I was there, I understood it. 87 00:04:35,880 --> 00:04:39,160 Speaker 1: I've been there. I was the best person to fix 88 00:04:39,160 --> 00:04:41,360 Speaker 1: that problem because I knew what people needed. I knew 89 00:04:41,360 --> 00:04:44,280 Speaker 1: what they wanted, I knew what the market needed. Sometimes, 90 00:04:44,279 --> 00:04:46,159 Speaker 1: when we were early on, we went to our first 91 00:04:46,200 --> 00:04:49,720 Speaker 1: investors that our first pictures, Uh, people couldn't really wrap 92 00:04:49,760 --> 00:04:52,440 Speaker 1: the around or the brain around investing in number one 93 00:04:52,760 --> 00:04:54,920 Speaker 1: a black men, Number two a black men. That's also 94 00:04:54,960 --> 00:04:57,600 Speaker 1: a feling. I never went to college, so I had 95 00:04:57,640 --> 00:05:00,400 Speaker 1: to use my unfair advantage of because I knew this 96 00:05:00,440 --> 00:05:02,120 Speaker 1: market better than anyone else, I was the best person 97 00:05:02,200 --> 00:05:05,520 Speaker 1: suited to fix and adjust this problem. Your unfair advantage 98 00:05:05,560 --> 00:05:07,839 Speaker 1: can't be copied, that it can't be bought as uniquely yours. 99 00:05:08,520 --> 00:05:10,560 Speaker 1: Figure out and look internally and figure out what is 100 00:05:10,560 --> 00:05:12,480 Speaker 1: your unfair advantage or whatever idea of problem met you're 101 00:05:12,520 --> 00:05:18,039 Speaker 1: looking to solve and leverage that. I'm Will Lucas and 102 00:05:18,040 --> 00:05:21,320 Speaker 1: this is black tech, green money. I'm gonna introduce you 103 00:05:21,320 --> 00:05:23,320 Speaker 1: to some of the biggest names, some of the brightest 104 00:05:23,320 --> 00:05:26,680 Speaker 1: minds and brilliant ideas. If you're black, in building, or 105 00:05:26,720 --> 00:05:29,919 Speaker 1: simply using tech to secure your bag, this podcast is 106 00:05:29,960 --> 00:05:37,599 Speaker 1: for you. As founder and CEO of the main choice, 107 00:05:37,880 --> 00:05:40,559 Speaker 1: Courtney adelaide A Build her Hair empired in that sales 108 00:05:40,600 --> 00:05:43,279 Speaker 1: of over twenty five million her the last reports we 109 00:05:43,279 --> 00:05:46,919 Speaker 1: could find from September twenty nine. The company was acquired 110 00:05:46,960 --> 00:05:50,000 Speaker 1: by Math Beauty Brands. Her products are sold in over 111 00:05:50,040 --> 00:05:53,039 Speaker 1: twenty tho retail stores and boast a lineup of more 112 00:05:53,080 --> 00:05:56,880 Speaker 1: than ninety hair treatments vitamins. I asked Courtney about how 113 00:05:56,920 --> 00:05:59,520 Speaker 1: to scale of health, hair care or beauty brand and 114 00:05:59,640 --> 00:06:03,880 Speaker 1: remain profitable when the consumer is increasingly particular and highly 115 00:06:03,920 --> 00:06:07,320 Speaker 1: interested in the chemicals involved in making the products. I 116 00:06:07,360 --> 00:06:10,120 Speaker 1: think it's it's very important just to stay true to, 117 00:06:10,800 --> 00:06:13,719 Speaker 1: you know, really where you started. I think, you know, 118 00:06:14,640 --> 00:06:17,800 Speaker 1: different companies have a different initiative and how they get 119 00:06:17,839 --> 00:06:20,440 Speaker 1: to that growth. And a lot of companies say, well, 120 00:06:20,440 --> 00:06:23,760 Speaker 1: we'll get to that growth by changing the product a 121 00:06:23,760 --> 00:06:26,560 Speaker 1: little bit, making it more economical. Someone said, well, we'll 122 00:06:26,560 --> 00:06:29,640 Speaker 1: get to that growth by going international, by doing other things. 123 00:06:30,000 --> 00:06:32,400 Speaker 1: So for me, it's about staying true to what I 124 00:06:32,600 --> 00:06:35,760 Speaker 1: what I started saying two to my products and look 125 00:06:35,800 --> 00:06:39,040 Speaker 1: at those races to grow that we're not just jeopardized 126 00:06:39,200 --> 00:06:41,279 Speaker 1: or you know, paying to any type of thing that 127 00:06:41,320 --> 00:06:44,000 Speaker 1: I started, you know with the actual product itself. So 128 00:06:44,320 --> 00:06:46,960 Speaker 1: you really have to know your growth strategy and there's 129 00:06:46,960 --> 00:06:49,719 Speaker 1: different ways to get there. But you know, changing the 130 00:06:49,800 --> 00:06:52,320 Speaker 1: product for me that was never that was you know, 131 00:06:52,920 --> 00:06:55,960 Speaker 1: something that I just wouldn't stand for. When you look 132 00:06:56,000 --> 00:07:00,080 Speaker 1: at the field of black women and men who are 133 00:07:00,160 --> 00:07:03,800 Speaker 1: often beauty health wellness companies, do you think they go 134 00:07:03,880 --> 00:07:06,159 Speaker 1: hard enough? Like where what keeps them from achieving the 135 00:07:06,200 --> 00:07:09,200 Speaker 1: type of level of success you've achieved in this industry 136 00:07:09,520 --> 00:07:13,360 Speaker 1: generally speaking, do I think they go hard enough? I would, 137 00:07:13,520 --> 00:07:15,800 Speaker 1: I would have to Unfortunately, I would have to say no. 138 00:07:16,640 --> 00:07:19,840 Speaker 1: I think for some reason, people think that when you 139 00:07:19,920 --> 00:07:23,640 Speaker 1: operate on an average level, or if you're able to 140 00:07:23,720 --> 00:07:27,600 Speaker 1: excel um by just giving average. I think sometimes people 141 00:07:27,680 --> 00:07:31,120 Speaker 1: think that's enough. But in order to really scale something 142 00:07:31,160 --> 00:07:33,880 Speaker 1: and take it to the next level, it is going 143 00:07:33,960 --> 00:07:37,640 Speaker 1: to require blood, sweat and tears that I've come to 144 00:07:37,680 --> 00:07:41,600 Speaker 1: the conclusion most people are not willing willing to do, 145 00:07:42,320 --> 00:07:46,200 Speaker 1: you know, or they think that giving normal or average 146 00:07:46,360 --> 00:07:49,400 Speaker 1: is okay and it's not. What are some of those 147 00:07:49,440 --> 00:07:52,840 Speaker 1: mistakes that people cut corners on that keep them from like, 148 00:07:52,880 --> 00:07:55,440 Speaker 1: what are some of the typical things you see? I 149 00:07:55,440 --> 00:07:58,920 Speaker 1: think some of the typical things, uh, just the initiative. 150 00:07:59,560 --> 00:08:02,440 Speaker 1: You know, when I say you have to layer things on, 151 00:08:03,160 --> 00:08:06,000 Speaker 1: I mean you have to be from a social perspective, 152 00:08:06,400 --> 00:08:08,560 Speaker 1: you have to be you know, you have to put 153 00:08:08,600 --> 00:08:12,000 Speaker 1: yourself out there from a personal perspective, run your personal 154 00:08:12,440 --> 00:08:15,120 Speaker 1: social media as if it was a business, with strategy 155 00:08:15,200 --> 00:08:18,680 Speaker 1: and timing and win and professionalism. And then on the 156 00:08:18,720 --> 00:08:20,560 Speaker 1: flip side, you have the business, you have to do 157 00:08:20,640 --> 00:08:23,720 Speaker 1: the exact same way. So there's a lot of bells 158 00:08:23,720 --> 00:08:26,920 Speaker 1: and whistles that goes along with it that can be achieved, 159 00:08:27,280 --> 00:08:30,520 Speaker 1: but you just can't corners in regards to like the time, 160 00:08:30,960 --> 00:08:34,000 Speaker 1: it's twenty four hours a day. I have never since 161 00:08:34,040 --> 00:08:37,160 Speaker 1: I've been in business. But they do not disturb I'm 162 00:08:37,160 --> 00:08:40,480 Speaker 1: out of town email, you know what I mean. I 163 00:08:40,600 --> 00:08:44,360 Speaker 1: just never have I'm going to respond to it or 164 00:08:44,760 --> 00:08:46,400 Speaker 1: you know, I'm gonna get to it a little bit later. 165 00:08:46,440 --> 00:08:50,600 Speaker 1: But it's it's just NonStop. It's always, it's continuous. Now, 166 00:08:50,640 --> 00:08:53,440 Speaker 1: I love that you talked about the personal input, like 167 00:08:53,559 --> 00:08:56,080 Speaker 1: the personal profiles and et ceterer because I wanted to know, like, 168 00:08:56,120 --> 00:08:59,800 Speaker 1: how do you build a sellable asset, a sellable brand 169 00:09:00,000 --> 00:09:02,600 Speaker 1: without becoming so core to it that if you're not 170 00:09:02,640 --> 00:09:05,160 Speaker 1: the face of it any longer, it no longer works. 171 00:09:05,200 --> 00:09:07,280 Speaker 1: How do you do that? You got to look at 172 00:09:07,320 --> 00:09:09,760 Speaker 1: the bigger picture. I think for me, it was always 173 00:09:09,800 --> 00:09:14,840 Speaker 1: about building a business, building businesses and have an ability 174 00:09:15,000 --> 00:09:18,160 Speaker 1: to actually scale them, you know. So for me when 175 00:09:18,160 --> 00:09:21,120 Speaker 1: I work on the project, you know, I never get 176 00:09:21,160 --> 00:09:23,719 Speaker 1: into it like, Okay, I'm about to build this thing 177 00:09:23,800 --> 00:09:26,680 Speaker 1: to sell. But to be honest, this is how big 178 00:09:26,720 --> 00:09:31,360 Speaker 1: business goes. Like there's companies has created strategically how do 179 00:09:31,400 --> 00:09:35,040 Speaker 1: we position this thing to sell? But I think for 180 00:09:35,080 --> 00:09:37,480 Speaker 1: a lot of people entrepreneurs, it really doesn't work that 181 00:09:37,520 --> 00:09:41,400 Speaker 1: way because you have to attach yourself from a passion perspective, 182 00:09:41,720 --> 00:09:44,360 Speaker 1: and if you're constantly thinking I'm gonna sell it one day, 183 00:09:44,559 --> 00:09:48,080 Speaker 1: it's not going to necessarily do what you wanted to do, 184 00:09:48,120 --> 00:09:49,480 Speaker 1: you know what I mean. So you have to keep 185 00:09:49,480 --> 00:09:52,959 Speaker 1: your enterprize, which is it's being passionate about what it 186 00:09:53,000 --> 00:09:55,760 Speaker 1: is that you're working on and just again just give it, 187 00:09:55,760 --> 00:10:00,360 Speaker 1: give it your all. Is direct to consumer um a 188 00:10:00,440 --> 00:10:02,960 Speaker 1: better opportunity. These days, I think about, like, what what 189 00:10:03,120 --> 00:10:05,280 Speaker 1: is the process like to get into retail? Like so 190 00:10:05,360 --> 00:10:07,959 Speaker 1: many times you hear companies who spent thousands of dollars 191 00:10:08,240 --> 00:10:11,520 Speaker 1: getting boots at conventions and traveling the shows to you know, 192 00:10:11,800 --> 00:10:14,160 Speaker 1: do the Dog and Pony show. How is it really 193 00:10:14,200 --> 00:10:16,320 Speaker 1: accomplished to get into retail? Like how do you set 194 00:10:16,320 --> 00:10:19,480 Speaker 1: yourself apart when you got I think the most the 195 00:10:19,760 --> 00:10:22,680 Speaker 1: best way to think about getting into retail is to 196 00:10:22,760 --> 00:10:26,079 Speaker 1: not think about getting into retail. If you start your 197 00:10:26,120 --> 00:10:29,199 Speaker 1: business and you're constantly thinking what can I do to 198 00:10:29,440 --> 00:10:33,839 Speaker 1: solely get into retail, retailers are looking for businesses who 199 00:10:33,920 --> 00:10:37,600 Speaker 1: are actually popping outside of retail, so you have to 200 00:10:37,600 --> 00:10:40,560 Speaker 1: think about it. These are regular people, these buyers, There 201 00:10:40,559 --> 00:10:43,040 Speaker 1: are people just like you and me. They're taking a 202 00:10:43,200 --> 00:10:46,600 Speaker 1: chance on you. This is their job. So if you 203 00:10:46,800 --> 00:10:50,160 Speaker 1: have not shown that you can succeed outside of retail, 204 00:10:50,679 --> 00:10:52,760 Speaker 1: because some for some reason, people think that when you 205 00:10:52,760 --> 00:10:54,880 Speaker 1: get on the shelf, oh my god, not a retail 206 00:10:54,960 --> 00:10:57,680 Speaker 1: is gonna take off, the gonna advertise for you. You 207 00:10:57,800 --> 00:11:00,959 Speaker 1: have to drive your own business. So if you can't 208 00:11:00,960 --> 00:11:05,239 Speaker 1: survive outside of retail, you won't be able to survive inside. 209 00:11:05,559 --> 00:11:08,079 Speaker 1: So if you treat your e commerce website as if 210 00:11:08,160 --> 00:11:12,839 Speaker 1: it was a legit retail resources, strategy, finding a team, 211 00:11:12,880 --> 00:11:16,520 Speaker 1: how to build it, scaling it, making an assessment you 212 00:11:16,640 --> 00:11:19,280 Speaker 1: it's easy to get into retail. They know who you are. 213 00:11:19,679 --> 00:11:22,440 Speaker 1: The demand is there, people are talking about it. But 214 00:11:22,520 --> 00:11:26,160 Speaker 1: if you think about it a little bit less and 215 00:11:26,280 --> 00:11:29,160 Speaker 1: concentrate on your brand, on the growth of your company, 216 00:11:29,520 --> 00:11:32,320 Speaker 1: then retail is gonna be inevitable. It's almost like a DJ. 217 00:11:32,720 --> 00:11:34,600 Speaker 1: If you got a hot song, he's gonna play it. 218 00:11:35,120 --> 00:11:37,360 Speaker 1: You know what, if it's hot, it's hot. So you 219 00:11:37,440 --> 00:11:39,960 Speaker 1: have to focus on making your brand that hot that 220 00:11:40,080 --> 00:11:43,120 Speaker 1: once the retailer here, it it's automatic, like you're coming 221 00:11:43,160 --> 00:11:46,360 Speaker 1: in here automatically, you know, because we've heard about this brand. 222 00:11:46,360 --> 00:11:49,560 Speaker 1: The customers are calling. Now we're gonna come back to 223 00:11:49,920 --> 00:11:51,440 Speaker 1: the main choice. But I do want to talk about 224 00:11:51,480 --> 00:11:54,880 Speaker 1: you've got a master class now and you're teaching people, 225 00:11:55,120 --> 00:11:58,160 Speaker 1: you know, all across the CpG particularly may be helping 226 00:11:58,520 --> 00:12:00,800 Speaker 1: your hair and et cetera, how to do this. What 227 00:12:00,880 --> 00:12:02,839 Speaker 1: can you give me like the elevator pitch for this 228 00:12:02,880 --> 00:12:04,960 Speaker 1: master class and what they well, people get out of it. 229 00:12:05,960 --> 00:12:08,440 Speaker 1: I will say what they get out of UM is 230 00:12:08,480 --> 00:12:14,559 Speaker 1: that one on one giving you what you need, that 231 00:12:14,559 --> 00:12:17,280 Speaker 1: that's basically different from the next person. I think it 232 00:12:17,360 --> 00:12:19,640 Speaker 1: was hard for me to say, let me prerecord this 233 00:12:19,679 --> 00:12:23,040 Speaker 1: stuff and just like sell some type of master class. 234 00:12:23,080 --> 00:12:26,560 Speaker 1: But everybody needs something that's different, something that's customized. I 235 00:12:26,640 --> 00:12:28,760 Speaker 1: work with people who have no idea how to operate 236 00:12:28,800 --> 00:12:31,240 Speaker 1: social media. I work with people who have no idea 237 00:12:31,280 --> 00:12:33,559 Speaker 1: what the E I N and entity form and the 238 00:12:33,679 --> 00:12:36,880 Speaker 1: entity is. I work with people who have no concept 239 00:12:37,040 --> 00:12:39,880 Speaker 1: at all of a business. I work with people who 240 00:12:39,880 --> 00:12:42,760 Speaker 1: have sold over a million dollars. So there's it's hard 241 00:12:42,800 --> 00:12:45,280 Speaker 1: for me to prerecord something to say, well, this is 242 00:12:45,320 --> 00:12:48,079 Speaker 1: a one size fit all. Is not a one size 243 00:12:48,160 --> 00:12:50,840 Speaker 1: at all when you look at the route that journey, 244 00:12:50,920 --> 00:12:53,040 Speaker 1: every journey is going to be a little bit different. 245 00:12:53,360 --> 00:12:55,280 Speaker 1: And the only way that I'm able to do that 246 00:12:55,559 --> 00:12:58,839 Speaker 1: is by me physically sitting down talking and answer actually 247 00:12:58,880 --> 00:13:03,000 Speaker 1: those questions individually, because the responses is going to change. 248 00:13:03,160 --> 00:13:06,160 Speaker 1: It's going to be different across the board. UM. And 249 00:13:06,200 --> 00:13:08,000 Speaker 1: as I mentioned, you grew up in Detroit, and I 250 00:13:08,040 --> 00:13:10,640 Speaker 1: think about the work that you've done based on your success, 251 00:13:10,640 --> 00:13:13,160 Speaker 1: like the philanthropy work that you getting involved in you know, 252 00:13:13,200 --> 00:13:16,600 Speaker 1: you started to pay my bill program. Um, how much 253 00:13:16,720 --> 00:13:20,400 Speaker 1: of you know, the work that you do today speaks 254 00:13:20,440 --> 00:13:22,400 Speaker 1: to where you come from, like being from Detroit, And 255 00:13:22,600 --> 00:13:25,240 Speaker 1: because I talked about this often, being from the Midwest, 256 00:13:25,280 --> 00:13:27,240 Speaker 1: you know, forty five minutes away from where you grew up, 257 00:13:27,679 --> 00:13:31,319 Speaker 1: we were so heavily innundated with the manufacturing and automotive 258 00:13:31,360 --> 00:13:34,520 Speaker 1: and etcetera. And at least in Toledo, maybe in Detroit 259 00:13:34,559 --> 00:13:38,400 Speaker 1: it was different. We didn't have that entrepreneurial spirit you know, 260 00:13:38,520 --> 00:13:42,400 Speaker 1: percolating around us. But the people who were successful were 261 00:13:42,440 --> 00:13:45,720 Speaker 1: successful because they worked at GM or G or etcetera. 262 00:13:46,240 --> 00:13:49,320 Speaker 1: How how do you see your role as you know, 263 00:13:49,480 --> 00:13:52,280 Speaker 1: a role model to you know, and the giving that 264 00:13:52,360 --> 00:13:55,600 Speaker 1: you do as impactful for people who want to want 265 00:13:55,679 --> 00:13:59,040 Speaker 1: to have the kind of success that you've achieved. Um, 266 00:13:59,080 --> 00:14:01,440 Speaker 1: I would definitely say, you know, one thing about you know, 267 00:14:01,520 --> 00:14:04,400 Speaker 1: being from Detroit. Even if we didn't have what we 268 00:14:04,440 --> 00:14:09,000 Speaker 1: consider like that traditional you know, entrepreneurial leadership, what we 269 00:14:09,120 --> 00:14:11,839 Speaker 1: did have and what we continuously have, and I think 270 00:14:11,880 --> 00:14:15,160 Speaker 1: it's the same thing where where you from is that hustle. 271 00:14:15,800 --> 00:14:17,640 Speaker 1: At the end of the day, we're gonna find a 272 00:14:17,640 --> 00:14:20,920 Speaker 1: way to make ends meet, We're gonna find a way 273 00:14:21,000 --> 00:14:24,240 Speaker 1: to feed our family, you know, And I know for sure, 274 00:14:24,760 --> 00:14:28,920 Speaker 1: uh my foundation being from Detroit and just not giving up, 275 00:14:28,960 --> 00:14:32,840 Speaker 1: knowing that there's other opportunities that this door says, uh 276 00:14:33,000 --> 00:14:36,240 Speaker 1: it's closed, or as someone says, no, there's another opportunity 277 00:14:36,280 --> 00:14:38,240 Speaker 1: out there. So I may can't do it here, but 278 00:14:38,280 --> 00:14:41,240 Speaker 1: I can go around you and find someone else. So 279 00:14:41,440 --> 00:14:45,040 Speaker 1: I definitely believe, you know, having that that that whustle 280 00:14:45,680 --> 00:14:48,520 Speaker 1: um that I grew up in definitely helped achieved to 281 00:14:48,600 --> 00:14:51,440 Speaker 1: kind of you know where I am today. Sure, Yeah, 282 00:14:51,560 --> 00:14:53,400 Speaker 1: And I read that you a registered nurse, you know, 283 00:14:53,440 --> 00:14:57,200 Speaker 1: are in by background, and I imagine you probably didn't 284 00:14:57,240 --> 00:14:59,400 Speaker 1: imagine that that you would be doing what you're doing today, 285 00:14:59,720 --> 00:15:02,440 Speaker 1: Like how does that how do those looking back, how 286 00:15:02,440 --> 00:15:06,840 Speaker 1: do those steps piece together to allow you? Yeah, I 287 00:15:06,880 --> 00:15:09,720 Speaker 1: definitely believe having my my science background. One thing about 288 00:15:09,800 --> 00:15:13,320 Speaker 1: nursing is we're so rare around it, Like we have 289 00:15:13,440 --> 00:15:17,440 Speaker 1: to do science, chemistry, statistics, sociology, like there's so many 290 00:15:17,480 --> 00:15:20,200 Speaker 1: things that we have to go through, um, just to 291 00:15:20,240 --> 00:15:22,880 Speaker 1: become a nurse. And sometimes we hear about the nursing 292 00:15:22,920 --> 00:15:26,040 Speaker 1: shortage out there is not really a nursing shortage. It's 293 00:15:26,080 --> 00:15:28,760 Speaker 1: just that the people who are nurses are not entrepreneurs 294 00:15:29,000 --> 00:15:31,400 Speaker 1: and they're doing something else. It's one of the only 295 00:15:31,440 --> 00:15:33,960 Speaker 1: fields you can go in. And the day you graduate 296 00:15:34,400 --> 00:15:38,760 Speaker 1: and start working, you're now responsible for like many people live, 297 00:15:39,080 --> 00:15:41,640 Speaker 1: so you grow up overnight. Now you're thinking has to 298 00:15:41,720 --> 00:15:44,120 Speaker 1: be crisp, you have to be on point. You can't 299 00:15:44,160 --> 00:15:46,720 Speaker 1: make mistakes. There is no you a fresh new nurse, 300 00:15:47,440 --> 00:15:49,680 Speaker 1: We're gonna allow you room to have a mistake. Like, 301 00:15:49,840 --> 00:15:53,200 Speaker 1: that's not an option. So I know for sure, having 302 00:15:53,200 --> 00:15:57,120 Speaker 1: my medical background, just understanding even learning here from a 303 00:15:57,160 --> 00:16:00,240 Speaker 1: science perspective, I'm like, can we grow hair? Can black 304 00:16:00,320 --> 00:16:03,080 Speaker 1: women grow long hair? I never thought that I could 305 00:16:03,120 --> 00:16:05,280 Speaker 1: have hair all the way down to my waist. I 306 00:16:05,280 --> 00:16:08,160 Speaker 1: didn't think it was possible. But as I as I 307 00:16:08,160 --> 00:16:11,560 Speaker 1: started to mature and just really um just doing research, 308 00:16:11,640 --> 00:16:14,320 Speaker 1: I'm like, yeah, we can't achieve it if we do 309 00:16:14,480 --> 00:16:17,080 Speaker 1: things a little bit different. So now my science bright 310 00:16:17,160 --> 00:16:19,960 Speaker 1: ground is kicking in. Now I'm mixing things and and 311 00:16:19,960 --> 00:16:22,000 Speaker 1: and and testing things, and I'm like, no, we can 312 00:16:22,040 --> 00:16:25,600 Speaker 1: grow hair. And to grow my hair from here. All 313 00:16:25,640 --> 00:16:28,200 Speaker 1: my life as an adult, it's been here too, down 314 00:16:28,280 --> 00:16:31,920 Speaker 1: to my waist definitely tells me that there's a science 315 00:16:31,960 --> 00:16:48,920 Speaker 1: to it. We all know somebody who started their health 316 00:16:48,920 --> 00:16:52,280 Speaker 1: and wellness company, whether it be haircare or skincare, and 317 00:16:52,320 --> 00:16:53,880 Speaker 1: there's a point to where it makes sense for them 318 00:16:53,920 --> 00:16:56,840 Speaker 1: to make the products in their kitchens. There's also a 319 00:16:56,840 --> 00:16:58,680 Speaker 1: point to where it makes sense to go big and 320 00:16:58,720 --> 00:17:02,640 Speaker 1: find the manufacturer. But how do you know which manufacturers 321 00:17:02,640 --> 00:17:05,640 Speaker 1: a copactors to trust when the wrong batch can ruin 322 00:17:05,680 --> 00:17:09,960 Speaker 1: your brand for good. Courtney speaks on it. One thing 323 00:17:10,040 --> 00:17:13,200 Speaker 1: for me, um and that could say, you know, different folks, 324 00:17:13,200 --> 00:17:16,800 Speaker 1: different strokes. When it comes to anything that's like chemical 325 00:17:17,040 --> 00:17:21,040 Speaker 1: bound water base, I have to have that stuff done here, 326 00:17:21,240 --> 00:17:24,960 Speaker 1: Like when it comes to international I never felt comfortable 327 00:17:25,040 --> 00:17:29,320 Speaker 1: when necessarily doing any type of chemicals elsewhere. I made 328 00:17:29,320 --> 00:17:31,760 Speaker 1: this stuff in my kitchen. If someone is going to 329 00:17:31,880 --> 00:17:34,200 Speaker 1: duplicate it for me on the on the largest scale, 330 00:17:34,560 --> 00:17:37,520 Speaker 1: I must have the ability to walk in to see 331 00:17:37,560 --> 00:17:39,760 Speaker 1: if they're doing the right thing, using the right thing. 332 00:17:40,240 --> 00:17:43,479 Speaker 1: Nothing is changing, no chemicals, no extra chemicals, And I 333 00:17:43,520 --> 00:17:46,679 Speaker 1: think it's really about finding the right partner. This is 334 00:17:47,480 --> 00:17:52,320 Speaker 1: you literally can google right now a manufacturer and every 335 00:17:52,320 --> 00:17:54,320 Speaker 1: one of the biggest players in the game is going 336 00:17:54,359 --> 00:17:57,280 Speaker 1: to pop up. The problem is people don't sit down 337 00:17:57,280 --> 00:18:00,119 Speaker 1: and do the research and actually interview because at the 338 00:18:00,200 --> 00:18:03,160 Speaker 1: end of the day, they're working for you now. So 339 00:18:03,200 --> 00:18:05,560 Speaker 1: I think sometimes we feel a little intimidated, like, oh 340 00:18:05,600 --> 00:18:07,359 Speaker 1: my god, who do I reach out to. They're not 341 00:18:07,359 --> 00:18:10,359 Speaker 1: gonna think I'm big enough? But you're paying them. They 342 00:18:10,400 --> 00:18:13,800 Speaker 1: shouldn't have that. They can't change anything without your ability 343 00:18:13,840 --> 00:18:18,000 Speaker 1: to do so. Unfortunately, I was able to pay attention 344 00:18:18,040 --> 00:18:21,040 Speaker 1: to my e commerce dot com before I really needed 345 00:18:21,040 --> 00:18:24,240 Speaker 1: to go mass manufacturing because I was able to make 346 00:18:24,280 --> 00:18:27,200 Speaker 1: a lot of money right at home without necessarily cutting 347 00:18:27,200 --> 00:18:29,600 Speaker 1: the check to someone else. So when we look at 348 00:18:29,640 --> 00:18:32,359 Speaker 1: what is a tech to actually scale and to lose money. 349 00:18:32,560 --> 00:18:35,399 Speaker 1: But by this point, fortunately I have enough money to 350 00:18:35,440 --> 00:18:38,520 Speaker 1: start doing testing and making sure that chemists are doing 351 00:18:38,560 --> 00:18:41,040 Speaker 1: what they're doing. But I ran my company at home 352 00:18:41,119 --> 00:18:43,920 Speaker 1: for three years. I made ten million dollars at home, 353 00:18:44,000 --> 00:18:46,960 Speaker 1: so I'm gonna I'm gonna correct the twenty five because 354 00:18:47,280 --> 00:18:49,399 Speaker 1: I got to do that. So we hit a hundred 355 00:18:49,440 --> 00:18:55,040 Speaker 1: We hit a hundred million sales, but I was able 356 00:18:55,119 --> 00:18:58,160 Speaker 1: to do a lot of that at home. Like so again, 357 00:18:58,600 --> 00:19:01,400 Speaker 1: this is why if you don't let me express anything, 358 00:19:02,080 --> 00:19:05,000 Speaker 1: pay attention to your dot com that is just as 359 00:19:05,119 --> 00:19:09,119 Speaker 1: vital today as a retailer. It's even more vital today. 360 00:19:09,560 --> 00:19:12,800 Speaker 1: So so is it important that these people, women and 361 00:19:12,880 --> 00:19:17,440 Speaker 1: men who are building these wellness, haircare, beauty brands be 362 00:19:17,800 --> 00:19:21,000 Speaker 1: just as good at the craft as they are at 363 00:19:21,040 --> 00:19:25,640 Speaker 1: they at social media and marketing. How do you do that? 364 00:19:25,640 --> 00:19:27,800 Speaker 1: That's that's the tough part, and I think that was 365 00:19:27,840 --> 00:19:30,960 Speaker 1: one of my initiatives. But even having like the master classes, 366 00:19:31,359 --> 00:19:35,760 Speaker 1: because I understand that everybody may not have everything, and 367 00:19:35,800 --> 00:19:38,399 Speaker 1: I can say I have everything, but one thing about me. 368 00:19:38,440 --> 00:19:41,360 Speaker 1: When I look to expand my team, I'm looking at 369 00:19:41,680 --> 00:19:44,879 Speaker 1: the areas where I know are my weaknesses, you know 370 00:19:44,880 --> 00:19:46,760 Speaker 1: what I mean. So instead of me looking for to 371 00:19:46,840 --> 00:19:49,480 Speaker 1: hire someone to do what I do, I don't necessarily 372 00:19:49,480 --> 00:19:52,680 Speaker 1: need that. You if you if you know you're struggling 373 00:19:52,720 --> 00:19:54,879 Speaker 1: in some areas. And one thing about social media is this. 374 00:19:55,320 --> 00:19:58,199 Speaker 1: Sometimes they scare as people and they said, well, you know, 375 00:19:58,280 --> 00:20:00,320 Speaker 1: let me hire your social media manage I'm like, note, 376 00:20:00,560 --> 00:20:02,480 Speaker 1: if you tell my massive class, I'm like, no, we're 377 00:20:02,480 --> 00:20:04,600 Speaker 1: gonna learn it because this is the one of the 378 00:20:04,680 --> 00:20:08,080 Speaker 1: areas that you can do for free. The key is 379 00:20:08,200 --> 00:20:11,239 Speaker 1: necessarily sometimes not how much money you make, but how 380 00:20:11,320 --> 00:20:13,960 Speaker 1: much you can keep so if you don't necessarily have 381 00:20:14,040 --> 00:20:16,880 Speaker 1: to pay extra people to do these things. I want 382 00:20:16,920 --> 00:20:19,600 Speaker 1: to teach you how to run this thing yourself. And 383 00:20:19,680 --> 00:20:22,399 Speaker 1: once you start needing some help at this point, it 384 00:20:22,400 --> 00:20:24,520 Speaker 1: should be a man power help because you've got so 385 00:20:24,560 --> 00:20:27,879 Speaker 1: many orders you physically can't ship them yourself. But for 386 00:20:28,000 --> 00:20:30,920 Speaker 1: the things that you can do do I think people 387 00:20:30,960 --> 00:20:34,560 Speaker 1: can learn them? Yes, is it? It's it gonna be harder, Yes, 388 00:20:35,560 --> 00:20:38,560 Speaker 1: it's gonna take extra time. Yes. So I don't like to, 389 00:20:38,760 --> 00:20:40,760 Speaker 1: you know, tell people get them like false holds, like 390 00:20:40,800 --> 00:20:43,720 Speaker 1: this is so easy. It's not easy, but this is doable. 391 00:20:44,160 --> 00:20:46,440 Speaker 1: So if I if I can do it, I'm legit 392 00:20:47,160 --> 00:20:49,560 Speaker 1: telling you you can do it too. You can learn 393 00:20:49,600 --> 00:20:52,640 Speaker 1: how to do it too. Definitely, I'm glad you bring 394 00:20:52,640 --> 00:20:55,800 Speaker 1: this up because I've I've seen a lot of people 395 00:20:55,920 --> 00:20:58,680 Speaker 1: you know, with shape butter companies and lotion companies and 396 00:20:58,840 --> 00:21:01,399 Speaker 1: hair companies in the center, and I'd like you to 397 00:21:01,440 --> 00:21:04,560 Speaker 1: speak to like knowing your numbers a little bit, because 398 00:21:04,600 --> 00:21:07,199 Speaker 1: like how do you price in early? How do you 399 00:21:07,240 --> 00:21:09,960 Speaker 1: get to figuring out what those unit costs out? Like 400 00:21:10,000 --> 00:21:12,960 Speaker 1: what does it cost to make one bottle? Right? That 401 00:21:13,119 --> 00:21:17,240 Speaker 1: is such an interesting conversation and topic because it's the 402 00:21:17,320 --> 00:21:19,760 Speaker 1: number one pain point when I do the master classes, 403 00:21:20,520 --> 00:21:23,280 Speaker 1: I ask somebody their costs. Most people can't answer it. 404 00:21:23,800 --> 00:21:26,080 Speaker 1: How much does it cost you to make this this product? 405 00:21:26,240 --> 00:21:28,000 Speaker 1: Or they'll tell me, oh, it's this. I'm like, wait 406 00:21:28,000 --> 00:21:31,080 Speaker 1: a minute, are we talking about the top, the bottle, 407 00:21:31,240 --> 00:21:34,120 Speaker 1: the lead, the ingredients? And they're like, okay, well you okay, 408 00:21:34,200 --> 00:21:37,040 Speaker 1: let me add the Wait a minute, who ship this stuff? 409 00:21:37,560 --> 00:21:39,640 Speaker 1: Did it shipped from there to you? And who paid 410 00:21:39,680 --> 00:21:41,960 Speaker 1: for this shipping? Why pay for it when you have 411 00:21:42,000 --> 00:21:44,520 Speaker 1: to put this shipping costs in there? So if you 412 00:21:44,640 --> 00:21:47,600 Speaker 1: don't know your numbers, if you don't price your stuff right, 413 00:21:48,040 --> 00:21:51,240 Speaker 1: I've seen it once and I would definitely say that 414 00:21:51,520 --> 00:21:54,560 Speaker 1: is one of the leading causes why people cannot scale 415 00:21:54,560 --> 00:21:57,040 Speaker 1: their company. There are some people out there who have 416 00:21:57,200 --> 00:22:01,480 Speaker 1: good products, good services, but this stuff is not price 417 00:22:01,600 --> 00:22:04,760 Speaker 1: right and they're like, oh my god, I Legit had 418 00:22:04,840 --> 00:22:07,679 Speaker 1: ten thousand dollars in sales this month, but I have 419 00:22:07,840 --> 00:22:12,160 Speaker 1: zero dollars in my account. How your numbers is not right. 420 00:22:12,920 --> 00:22:15,000 Speaker 1: You can't even afford to run a sale if you 421 00:22:15,080 --> 00:22:18,880 Speaker 1: wanted to. You can't even get off. You can't get 422 00:22:18,880 --> 00:22:21,600 Speaker 1: free shipping if your numbers is not price where it's 423 00:22:21,600 --> 00:22:24,720 Speaker 1: supposed to be. So I think that's that's that's that's 424 00:22:24,760 --> 00:22:41,560 Speaker 1: definitely up. There is number one. There's number one. So 425 00:22:41,720 --> 00:22:45,200 Speaker 1: does it require building a CpG company consumer package of 426 00:22:45,240 --> 00:22:47,840 Speaker 1: good company? Does it require venture funding? How they? How 427 00:22:47,840 --> 00:22:51,800 Speaker 1: can you bootstrap this? No? I think nowadays, and I like, 428 00:22:52,000 --> 00:22:54,919 Speaker 1: I got a philosophy that says grow as you go. 429 00:22:56,080 --> 00:22:58,919 Speaker 1: That means you could go out there on social media. 430 00:22:59,320 --> 00:23:01,280 Speaker 1: You can, And this is why it's important that I 431 00:23:01,359 --> 00:23:04,240 Speaker 1: teach how to run social media and grow it because 432 00:23:04,240 --> 00:23:07,280 Speaker 1: these are quote unquote free ways to market. If you 433 00:23:07,359 --> 00:23:09,359 Speaker 1: make a dollar, and this is one thing I was 434 00:23:09,400 --> 00:23:14,000 Speaker 1: always committed to for years. Every dollar that I made, 435 00:23:14,280 --> 00:23:18,000 Speaker 1: I put it right back into my company. You spend 436 00:23:18,160 --> 00:23:21,440 Speaker 1: to five thousand dollars to build your company. And let's 437 00:23:21,480 --> 00:23:26,200 Speaker 1: say you you had four thousand dollars worth to sell, Well, 438 00:23:26,240 --> 00:23:29,080 Speaker 1: you still haven't made any money yet, you know what 439 00:23:29,160 --> 00:23:34,200 Speaker 1: I mean, because you spend five So that again, that's 440 00:23:34,240 --> 00:23:36,760 Speaker 1: that's that's the tough part. But can you grow as 441 00:23:36,800 --> 00:23:39,720 Speaker 1: you go? You don't necessarily have to get funding, you know. 442 00:23:39,880 --> 00:23:42,639 Speaker 1: And the one thing I always say, especially African Americans, 443 00:23:42,840 --> 00:23:45,920 Speaker 1: we don't need funding. We need support. That's what we need. 444 00:23:46,080 --> 00:23:48,919 Speaker 1: We need support. And I think if you have a 445 00:23:48,920 --> 00:23:52,040 Speaker 1: good connection with your consumer, which is one thing that's 446 00:23:52,119 --> 00:23:55,240 Speaker 1: top of my priority, I'm gonna make sure I give 447 00:23:55,280 --> 00:23:58,640 Speaker 1: a good product, make sure I ship on time, make 448 00:23:58,680 --> 00:24:02,840 Speaker 1: sure I'm transparent if there's any hiccups along the way. 449 00:24:03,240 --> 00:24:05,480 Speaker 1: You have to be transparent with your consumer. We have 450 00:24:05,640 --> 00:24:08,080 Speaker 1: we all have them. I never asked for someone to 451 00:24:08,119 --> 00:24:10,240 Speaker 1: give me a pass or I need two weeks to 452 00:24:10,240 --> 00:24:12,320 Speaker 1: get this product to you. If there's a hiccup, I'm 453 00:24:12,320 --> 00:24:15,560 Speaker 1: going to come to you directly as the owner. We've 454 00:24:15,560 --> 00:24:18,280 Speaker 1: had a hiccup. This is how I'm going to resolve it. 455 00:24:18,920 --> 00:24:21,680 Speaker 1: And when you do that, no one can. They can't 456 00:24:21,680 --> 00:24:24,840 Speaker 1: help but to respect that and appreciate it and support you. 457 00:24:25,240 --> 00:24:27,840 Speaker 1: So do you have to have funding? You don't. You 458 00:24:27,920 --> 00:24:33,240 Speaker 1: just need to really learn communication and relationships. And I 459 00:24:33,280 --> 00:24:36,600 Speaker 1: think that's key. Love it, Love it. Um. There's a 460 00:24:36,640 --> 00:24:38,640 Speaker 1: company I won't mention their name, but you'll know who 461 00:24:38,680 --> 00:24:41,600 Speaker 1: I'm talking about. Um. They were recently sold about a 462 00:24:41,720 --> 00:24:43,399 Speaker 1: year or two ago, and they put they were a 463 00:24:43,400 --> 00:24:46,000 Speaker 1: black company, put a white put a white woman in 464 00:24:46,040 --> 00:24:48,959 Speaker 1: an ad and it kind of set their audience off, like, 465 00:24:49,000 --> 00:24:51,960 Speaker 1: you know, black people are, particularly black women are really 466 00:24:51,960 --> 00:24:54,800 Speaker 1: really loyal. Um, but they but they put a white 467 00:24:54,800 --> 00:24:56,840 Speaker 1: woman in an ad after they have been sold. And 468 00:24:57,200 --> 00:25:02,080 Speaker 1: as as as companies grow, how can they grow without 469 00:25:02,200 --> 00:25:05,840 Speaker 1: risking that loyalty from being jeopardized? Like? Is there enough 470 00:25:05,920 --> 00:25:09,720 Speaker 1: market inside black communities with black products where we don't 471 00:25:09,760 --> 00:25:13,960 Speaker 1: have to look at other demographics? Well, it's it's a twofold. 472 00:25:14,000 --> 00:25:16,040 Speaker 1: First of all, I'm gonna say, obviously this is a 473 00:25:16,160 --> 00:25:21,000 Speaker 1: very it's a very uh sensitive topic. Let me just say, 474 00:25:21,119 --> 00:25:24,600 Speaker 1: let's start up by saying that two. I would say, 475 00:25:24,760 --> 00:25:27,560 Speaker 1: someone always told me you always want to begin with 476 00:25:27,640 --> 00:25:29,959 Speaker 1: the end in mind, and you don't know what that 477 00:25:30,000 --> 00:25:33,680 Speaker 1: necessarily is. The very first ad that I created when 478 00:25:33,680 --> 00:25:36,200 Speaker 1: I started out, had a black lady and a white 479 00:25:36,280 --> 00:25:40,240 Speaker 1: lady on the ad. My very first ad, I didn't 480 00:25:40,240 --> 00:25:42,720 Speaker 1: know what the future help for me. It was about 481 00:25:42,760 --> 00:25:46,880 Speaker 1: healthy hair, not necessarily a certain demographic. I'm African American, 482 00:25:46,960 --> 00:25:50,960 Speaker 1: so of course I'm going to get more African American support, right. 483 00:25:51,800 --> 00:25:54,880 Speaker 1: I think the problem happens is when you do something 484 00:25:55,040 --> 00:25:58,919 Speaker 1: abruptly out of the blue, never done it before, and 485 00:25:58,960 --> 00:26:01,760 Speaker 1: it's like, where where did this come from? Now it's 486 00:26:01,840 --> 00:26:05,760 Speaker 1: already sensitive, even if you haven't even even me having 487 00:26:05,760 --> 00:26:09,560 Speaker 1: that when the add day one is still sensitive. But 488 00:26:09,760 --> 00:26:11,760 Speaker 1: on the business side, I would like to flip it 489 00:26:11,800 --> 00:26:16,520 Speaker 1: and say this. I think sometimes people generally speaking, I'm 490 00:26:16,520 --> 00:26:18,720 Speaker 1: gonna have to sympathize a little bit with the beauty 491 00:26:18,760 --> 00:26:21,680 Speaker 1: industry because I think they go a little bit harder 492 00:26:21,680 --> 00:26:25,960 Speaker 1: on the beauty industry when you take entertainment. When you 493 00:26:26,000 --> 00:26:29,520 Speaker 1: go to these concerts and you see these tickets, Let's 494 00:26:29,560 --> 00:26:32,160 Speaker 1: say these tickets, you know they are best entertainers who 495 00:26:32,200 --> 00:26:38,359 Speaker 1: we love. Who's at the concerts? Is it just who's 496 00:26:38,680 --> 00:26:41,720 Speaker 1: who would it sell them to. I have yet seen 497 00:26:41,760 --> 00:26:45,240 Speaker 1: a billion dollar company that's not diverse, that doesn't sell 498 00:26:45,280 --> 00:26:49,320 Speaker 1: to more than one one demographic. I don't care who, 499 00:26:49,480 --> 00:26:52,280 Speaker 1: what color of the owner is. I have yet to 500 00:26:52,440 --> 00:26:57,280 Speaker 1: see it. Entertainment, liquor, you name it. But I think 501 00:26:57,320 --> 00:26:59,640 Speaker 1: what happens is and which which Which is cool? Because 502 00:26:59,680 --> 00:27:02,359 Speaker 1: I love the beauty industry. I think we're really passionate 503 00:27:02,520 --> 00:27:06,160 Speaker 1: when it comes to the beauty industry, especially hair care. 504 00:27:06,840 --> 00:27:08,840 Speaker 1: Hair care, you know, they're not giving us no passes. 505 00:27:11,040 --> 00:27:14,840 Speaker 1: That's pass They're like we we were like you know, cosmetic, 506 00:27:14,880 --> 00:27:17,920 Speaker 1: We'll go a little bit entertainment, clothing, but hair care, 507 00:27:19,720 --> 00:27:22,879 Speaker 1: it's suchy obviously, it's it's it's a very touchy and 508 00:27:22,960 --> 00:27:25,160 Speaker 1: I get it. At the end of the day. I'm 509 00:27:25,200 --> 00:27:28,239 Speaker 1: I am my consumer before anything. And I think if 510 00:27:28,240 --> 00:27:30,800 Speaker 1: a person know me, they know my initiative, they know 511 00:27:30,840 --> 00:27:33,600 Speaker 1: what I stand for, they know my track record. I 512 00:27:33,600 --> 00:27:38,040 Speaker 1: think it speaks for itself. Um. One thing about in business, 513 00:27:38,040 --> 00:27:41,480 Speaker 1: if you think about it, what's really a slap in 514 00:27:41,520 --> 00:27:43,920 Speaker 1: the face. And one thing I say about African American people. 515 00:27:43,960 --> 00:27:49,080 Speaker 1: Two things. What our shrimp is we're passionate. Our weakness 516 00:27:49,240 --> 00:27:54,520 Speaker 1: is we're passionate. You know what I mean. But but no, no, no, 517 00:27:54,680 --> 00:27:56,639 Speaker 1: Like I said, it's it's the beauty. It's it's a 518 00:27:56,720 --> 00:28:00,560 Speaker 1: very touchy. It's very touchy. Um. And the only thing 519 00:28:00,600 --> 00:28:03,439 Speaker 1: you can do is give your chee authentic self. And 520 00:28:03,480 --> 00:28:06,199 Speaker 1: again I think my track worker, you know, basically speaks 521 00:28:06,200 --> 00:28:21,879 Speaker 1: for itself. Black Tech Green Money is a production to 522 00:28:21,920 --> 00:28:24,720 Speaker 1: Black the Afro Tech and it's produced by Morgan Dubon 523 00:28:24,840 --> 00:28:28,360 Speaker 1: and meat Will Lucas, with additional production support by Love 524 00:28:28,440 --> 00:28:32,000 Speaker 1: Beach and Raven Nearport. Special thank you to Michael Davis. 525 00:28:32,040 --> 00:28:34,159 Speaker 1: It's the cars of Mine, Young you know, like the 526 00:28:34,160 --> 00:28:37,560 Speaker 1: wine and yes that's his real name. Learn more about 527 00:28:37,560 --> 00:28:40,200 Speaker 1: my guests and other tech disruptors and innovatives at afro 528 00:28:40,280 --> 00:28:44,160 Speaker 1: tech dot com. Go, get your money, peace and love. 529 00:28:49,000 --> 00:28:52,280 Speaker 1: Afro Tech is back in Austin, Texas this November is 530 00:28:52,320 --> 00:28:54,760 Speaker 1: the place for all things black, tech and web three. 531 00:28:55,040 --> 00:28:58,120 Speaker 1: The in person afro Tech Conference experience is bridging the 532 00:28:58,120 --> 00:29:03,560 Speaker 1: worlds of afro technologists, innovators, investors, corporations, musicians, and everyone 533 00:29:03,640 --> 00:29:06,280 Speaker 1: in between. So pull up, grab your crew, and grab 534 00:29:06,280 --> 00:29:09,120 Speaker 1: your tickets and join us at the largest black professional 535 00:29:09,160 --> 00:29:12,400 Speaker 1: conference of the gear. This experienced the afro Tech dot 536 00:29:12,480 --> 00:29:13,280 Speaker 1: coun To learn more