1 00:00:04,960 --> 00:00:07,280 Speaker 1: Welcome to Money Making Conversations. It's the show that she 2 00:00:07,320 --> 00:00:10,039 Speaker 1: has the secrets of success experience firsthand by Marketing and 3 00:00:10,119 --> 00:00:13,039 Speaker 1: Brandon expert Rashan McDonald. I will know he's giving me 4 00:00:13,080 --> 00:00:16,000 Speaker 1: advice to many occasions. In incase you didn't notice, I'm 5 00:00:16,040 --> 00:00:20,000 Speaker 1: not broke, you know, he'll be interviewing celebrity CEOs, entrepreneurs 6 00:00:20,000 --> 00:00:22,480 Speaker 1: and industry decision makers. It's what he likes to do, 7 00:00:22,720 --> 00:00:25,079 Speaker 1: it's what he likes to share. Now it's time to 8 00:00:25,120 --> 00:00:29,120 Speaker 1: hear from my man, Rashan McDonald. Money Making Conversations. Here 9 00:00:29,160 --> 00:00:33,400 Speaker 1: we go. Welcome to Money Making Conversations. I am your host, 10 00:00:33,479 --> 00:00:37,120 Speaker 1: Rashan McDonald. I recognize that we all have different definitions 11 00:00:37,120 --> 00:00:40,320 Speaker 1: of success. For some, it's a sizeable paycheck. Mine is 12 00:00:40,360 --> 00:00:42,879 Speaker 1: helping people wake up and inspiring them to accomplish their 13 00:00:42,880 --> 00:00:45,600 Speaker 1: goals and live their very best life. These are my 14 00:00:45,640 --> 00:00:47,519 Speaker 1: passions and that's what I'm going to do for you. 15 00:00:47,840 --> 00:00:50,239 Speaker 1: I want you to stop tripping over small challenges and 16 00:00:50,280 --> 00:00:52,920 Speaker 1: prepare to rise above the bigger obstacles that life will 17 00:00:52,960 --> 00:00:56,520 Speaker 1: present to you. My next guest, Maul and Evans, receives 18 00:00:56,560 --> 00:00:59,520 Speaker 1: his BA and Political Science and m A and Sociology. 19 00:00:59,560 --> 00:01:02,440 Speaker 1: From Stand For University were competed on the football and 20 00:01:02,480 --> 00:01:07,399 Speaker 1: Track football treating Track and Football team. Marland was named 21 00:01:07,440 --> 00:01:11,080 Speaker 1: CEO of next qu, an investor that creates and accelerates 22 00:01:11,120 --> 00:01:15,160 Speaker 1: front frontier tech companies with an emphasis on digital health 23 00:01:15,200 --> 00:01:17,920 Speaker 1: and financial tech. He's on the show. So that discussed 24 00:01:17,959 --> 00:01:20,720 Speaker 1: being a minority entrepreneur, something I am and something we 25 00:01:20,760 --> 00:01:23,480 Speaker 1: discussed on the regular basis on Money Making Conversation, the 26 00:01:23,480 --> 00:01:27,120 Speaker 1: story behind the Next Cube HBCU Founders Program, and the 27 00:01:27,120 --> 00:01:31,440 Speaker 1: importance of black wealth creation and generational wealth through entrepreneurship. 28 00:01:31,680 --> 00:01:36,119 Speaker 1: Please welcome to Money Making Conversation, my man, fellow sociology major. 29 00:01:36,800 --> 00:01:41,840 Speaker 1: I'm a minor, Marlon Evans. How doing well? Thanks appreciate 30 00:01:41,920 --> 00:01:43,840 Speaker 1: you having me on. Well, you know, first of all, 31 00:01:43,920 --> 00:01:45,959 Speaker 1: let's let's go back to a couple of things. When 32 00:01:46,000 --> 00:01:49,200 Speaker 1: I when I read through your bio, I love policy. 33 00:01:49,280 --> 00:01:51,880 Speaker 1: I think my degree is in mathematics, but policy was 34 00:01:52,280 --> 00:01:55,000 Speaker 1: something I fell in love with. I actually memorized the 35 00:01:55,920 --> 00:01:59,560 Speaker 1: Constitution and because it was just such a fascinating read 36 00:01:59,640 --> 00:02:03,400 Speaker 1: for me. And then so that's policide of me that 37 00:02:03,400 --> 00:02:05,720 Speaker 1: that I lend myself to you, that's what you got 38 00:02:05,760 --> 00:02:08,680 Speaker 1: your degree in. And then your masters and sociology. That's 39 00:02:08,720 --> 00:02:11,040 Speaker 1: my minor. If I had to do it all over again, 40 00:02:11,600 --> 00:02:14,079 Speaker 1: I would not have gotten a degree in mathematics. I 41 00:02:14,080 --> 00:02:16,320 Speaker 1: would have gotten a degree in sociology because it really 42 00:02:16,360 --> 00:02:19,880 Speaker 1: opened my live, my mind on how information is being 43 00:02:19,880 --> 00:02:23,040 Speaker 1: disseminating in this country and how black people are denied. 44 00:02:23,160 --> 00:02:28,680 Speaker 1: There are their story in America. Correct. No, absolutely, just 45 00:02:28,720 --> 00:02:31,440 Speaker 1: from a structural perspective, and we don't have to go 46 00:02:31,600 --> 00:02:34,440 Speaker 1: through the entire entire history of it. I think it's 47 00:02:34,440 --> 00:02:38,000 Speaker 1: all well well documented. But you know, when I was 48 00:02:38,040 --> 00:02:41,400 Speaker 1: first starting within political science, I thought I was heading 49 00:02:41,400 --> 00:02:44,680 Speaker 1: down the law the law school path as a way 50 00:02:44,720 --> 00:02:49,600 Speaker 1: to help perform some of those inequities, and quickly quickly 51 00:02:49,639 --> 00:02:52,880 Speaker 1: realized that I think being being a lawyer was it 52 00:02:53,000 --> 00:02:56,120 Speaker 1: what was in the cards? Uh, you know for me. 53 00:02:56,160 --> 00:03:00,240 Speaker 1: I mean I enjoyed those those classes, but really like 54 00:03:00,240 --> 00:03:03,560 Speaker 1: I could have a greater impact by working directly with 55 00:03:03,560 --> 00:03:05,400 Speaker 1: with people, and that's kind of how I got my 56 00:03:06,000 --> 00:03:09,360 Speaker 1: I got my start along this time. Now when you 57 00:03:09,400 --> 00:03:11,800 Speaker 1: say path, what what? What path? Are we talking about? 58 00:03:11,800 --> 00:03:14,200 Speaker 1: Because like I said, there's so many different layers to you. 59 00:03:14,240 --> 00:03:16,079 Speaker 1: I don't want to like think that we're just over 60 00:03:16,120 --> 00:03:18,880 Speaker 1: there talking because everybody has a journey. You know, when 61 00:03:18,919 --> 00:03:21,240 Speaker 1: I got I left IBM and I became a stand 62 00:03:21,320 --> 00:03:24,160 Speaker 1: up comic, and then I then I became a nightclub 63 00:03:24,200 --> 00:03:27,040 Speaker 1: owner a very popular comedy club. Then I became a 64 00:03:27,560 --> 00:03:30,200 Speaker 1: sitcom writer, and then I came to manager of Steve Harvey. 65 00:03:30,280 --> 00:03:32,919 Speaker 1: So there's always a journey to this conversation. Now I'm 66 00:03:32,960 --> 00:03:35,960 Speaker 1: the host of Money Making Conversation, one of several platforms 67 00:03:35,960 --> 00:03:38,760 Speaker 1: that are important in my life. So let's talk about 68 00:03:38,760 --> 00:03:41,120 Speaker 1: your journey. You know, athletes have been an athlete played 69 00:03:41,120 --> 00:03:44,240 Speaker 1: a major role in your life, and so was you 70 00:03:44,240 --> 00:03:46,960 Speaker 1: a scholarship athlete? Talk about that and then being able 71 00:03:47,000 --> 00:03:53,520 Speaker 1: to to balance academics and athletics at a school like Stanford. Yeah, no, 72 00:03:53,680 --> 00:03:56,280 Speaker 1: I was. I was blessed to receiver scholarship to play 73 00:03:56,680 --> 00:03:59,320 Speaker 1: play football at Stanford. And one of the things about 74 00:03:59,320 --> 00:04:02,240 Speaker 1: being in that environment, it's like just the rising tide 75 00:04:02,480 --> 00:04:05,320 Speaker 1: lifts all boats. So I just felt like I was 76 00:04:05,400 --> 00:04:09,360 Speaker 1: just trying to, you know, hit the level of expectation 77 00:04:09,520 --> 00:04:14,120 Speaker 1: that my peers were, Um, we're kind of setting for themselves. 78 00:04:14,160 --> 00:04:16,920 Speaker 1: I'm like, wow, you know, they're the bars that they're setting. 79 00:04:16,960 --> 00:04:20,080 Speaker 1: Tiger Woods is walking through the training room. You know 80 00:04:20,560 --> 00:04:24,279 Speaker 1: someone like Jenny Thompson, Olympic swimmer, who's who's just around 81 00:04:24,320 --> 00:04:27,440 Speaker 1: and you see the dedication that they put to their 82 00:04:27,720 --> 00:04:30,920 Speaker 1: their craft and it just inspires you to you to 83 00:04:31,040 --> 00:04:35,600 Speaker 1: do more. So the lessons learned on the athletic field 84 00:04:36,240 --> 00:04:40,120 Speaker 1: of what you need to do to be not just successful, 85 00:04:40,160 --> 00:04:43,640 Speaker 1: but to be at the highest fliest level, I carry 86 00:04:43,680 --> 00:04:47,920 Speaker 1: those with me into my daily life as a as 87 00:04:47,920 --> 00:04:51,559 Speaker 1: a professional, waking up a little bit earlier that everybody else, 88 00:04:51,680 --> 00:04:55,279 Speaker 1: putting in a little bit of extra extra time, making 89 00:04:55,320 --> 00:04:59,440 Speaker 1: sure that everything you do is that that utmost kind 90 00:04:59,440 --> 00:05:02,960 Speaker 1: of level of excellence that you expect for yourself. All 91 00:05:03,000 --> 00:05:06,120 Speaker 1: of that I learned is as an athlete, because that 92 00:05:06,240 --> 00:05:09,520 Speaker 1: after being an athlete, gave you the discipline to really 93 00:05:09,600 --> 00:05:14,760 Speaker 1: understand and also the ability to become a leader work 94 00:05:14,800 --> 00:05:17,000 Speaker 1: with people. And that's been important to know because it's 95 00:05:17,080 --> 00:05:19,039 Speaker 1: because it's interesting. I look at your resume. You know, 96 00:05:19,080 --> 00:05:21,039 Speaker 1: football and then track and fear because track can be 97 00:05:21,680 --> 00:05:23,680 Speaker 1: can you say track is much more on an individual 98 00:05:23,720 --> 00:05:27,880 Speaker 1: sport football I mean a team sport. So yeah, you 99 00:05:27,960 --> 00:05:30,160 Speaker 1: have two different mindsets. You was working at working with 100 00:05:30,279 --> 00:05:32,720 Speaker 1: you know, you had you on the track, you kind 101 00:05:32,720 --> 00:05:35,440 Speaker 1: of like push yourself. On a football team, you have 102 00:05:35,600 --> 00:05:39,320 Speaker 1: teammates who can push you. Correct. Yeah, I know. I 103 00:05:39,360 --> 00:05:41,040 Speaker 1: had to be a little bit careful because my wife 104 00:05:41,080 --> 00:05:45,560 Speaker 1: is a tract coach, so I can't say too much 105 00:05:45,680 --> 00:05:48,040 Speaker 1: on that because she will say it's a team, it's 106 00:05:48,040 --> 00:05:51,760 Speaker 1: a team sport. Um. But yeah, there's it's obviously more 107 00:05:52,120 --> 00:05:55,160 Speaker 1: individual in terms of you know, it's just you at 108 00:05:55,279 --> 00:05:58,560 Speaker 1: that star Was you running around that oval? Come on? Now? 109 00:05:58,760 --> 00:06:02,000 Speaker 1: Is is you when when they say go? You going 110 00:06:02,120 --> 00:06:05,760 Speaker 1: by yourself? Brother? Unless you're gonna you go? Is nobody? 111 00:06:06,120 --> 00:06:07,680 Speaker 1: Come on? Brother? I got you back. If you missed 112 00:06:07,680 --> 00:06:10,520 Speaker 1: that tackle, I got you. Nobody is telling you. They 113 00:06:10,560 --> 00:06:13,320 Speaker 1: tell you if you slow down, you slow down, you 114 00:06:13,360 --> 00:06:15,560 Speaker 1: speed up, you speed up, you get tired, you get 115 00:06:15,560 --> 00:06:17,320 Speaker 1: a cramp. I am string is all on you, brother, 116 00:06:18,160 --> 00:06:20,480 Speaker 1: So and so I got debater, but see your wife. 117 00:06:20,520 --> 00:06:22,880 Speaker 1: So I want to be okay because trying to get 118 00:06:22,880 --> 00:06:26,840 Speaker 1: through this interview with you missed Evans. Okay. Well, I 119 00:06:26,880 --> 00:06:29,720 Speaker 1: think what you what you raised is so so important, 120 00:06:29,800 --> 00:06:35,479 Speaker 1: especially especially now where like um, it's this idea of 121 00:06:35,480 --> 00:06:39,520 Speaker 1: of hard work, kind of pushing yourself beyond what you 122 00:06:39,520 --> 00:06:42,840 Speaker 1: you think you can do, just from a physical standpoint 123 00:06:43,600 --> 00:06:48,520 Speaker 1: is I think society has kind of said, well, what's 124 00:06:48,560 --> 00:06:51,880 Speaker 1: the easiest path, or how can we create something that 125 00:06:52,000 --> 00:06:54,480 Speaker 1: gives you five shortcuts to get to where you need 126 00:06:54,560 --> 00:06:58,200 Speaker 1: to be, Whereas the learning that you get from going 127 00:06:58,279 --> 00:07:02,359 Speaker 1: through those struggles really defines who you are and built 128 00:07:02,520 --> 00:07:06,640 Speaker 1: that that character. So I have two daughters of of 129 00:07:06,680 --> 00:07:09,520 Speaker 1: my own, and I'm I'm always encouraging them to kind 130 00:07:09,520 --> 00:07:12,600 Speaker 1: of when it gets hard, that's the good part. That's 131 00:07:12,640 --> 00:07:15,080 Speaker 1: when you want to lean in because it teaches you 132 00:07:15,160 --> 00:07:19,000 Speaker 1: so much about about yourself and met kind of self 133 00:07:19,040 --> 00:07:22,520 Speaker 1: discovery that happens in athletics is the same thing that 134 00:07:22,600 --> 00:07:28,400 Speaker 1: happens in entrepreneurship, where you're starting something from scratch. You 135 00:07:28,520 --> 00:07:31,760 Speaker 1: have naysayers, just like you do in athletic though you 136 00:07:31,800 --> 00:07:33,680 Speaker 1: really think you can make it to the NFL, come on, 137 00:07:33,960 --> 00:07:37,239 Speaker 1: what are the chances? The same thing happens that starts 138 00:07:37,280 --> 00:07:39,559 Speaker 1: you really think you could be the next Facebook or 139 00:07:39,840 --> 00:07:42,280 Speaker 1: or Uber. Come on, that's you know, it's once in 140 00:07:42,280 --> 00:07:45,040 Speaker 1: a lifetime type thing. And so you have to hear 141 00:07:45,080 --> 00:07:47,120 Speaker 1: a lot of nose, a lot of people saying you 142 00:07:47,200 --> 00:07:50,520 Speaker 1: can't do it, and you still need to be able 143 00:07:50,560 --> 00:07:54,000 Speaker 1: to kind of push through that and I think we 144 00:07:54,160 --> 00:07:58,360 Speaker 1: as a society, getting back to sociology and now more 145 00:07:58,520 --> 00:08:02,360 Speaker 1: with the advent of technology, are trying to make it 146 00:08:02,400 --> 00:08:05,040 Speaker 1: so you don't have to work hard, which I think 147 00:08:05,120 --> 00:08:09,679 Speaker 1: is ultimately not what's in the best interests of assess 148 00:08:09,760 --> 00:08:13,680 Speaker 1: people and as a community at at large, you know, 149 00:08:13,680 --> 00:08:15,480 Speaker 1: there's really we're gonna get to the story behind the 150 00:08:15,520 --> 00:08:18,280 Speaker 1: next cube HBC, you found a program, But I wanted 151 00:08:18,280 --> 00:08:21,640 Speaker 1: to bring up something about working hard and being able 152 00:08:21,680 --> 00:08:24,200 Speaker 1: to push yourself because you know, we always want to 153 00:08:24,320 --> 00:08:26,560 Speaker 1: push ourselves and want to stride out, stride to the 154 00:08:26,560 --> 00:08:28,880 Speaker 1: next level of success. And sometimes I look at my 155 00:08:28,960 --> 00:08:32,520 Speaker 1: life and I always tell people and my opening UH 156 00:08:32,600 --> 00:08:35,200 Speaker 1: introduction I've talking about everybody has a different version of 157 00:08:35,200 --> 00:08:39,800 Speaker 1: what success. Some people are a sizeable paycheck. I don't 158 00:08:39,800 --> 00:08:44,480 Speaker 1: know if I'm if satisfaction UH is in the language 159 00:08:44,480 --> 00:08:46,760 Speaker 1: of a person who's successful, Because if you have a billionaire, 160 00:08:46,800 --> 00:08:48,280 Speaker 1: they want to make two BILLI you know you have 161 00:08:48,320 --> 00:08:50,280 Speaker 1: a millionaire, they want to be upcome a billionaire. You 162 00:08:50,360 --> 00:08:52,160 Speaker 1: want a person who has one nice car, they might 163 00:08:52,200 --> 00:08:54,599 Speaker 1: want two cars, they might want three houses. And that 164 00:08:54,760 --> 00:08:58,000 Speaker 1: satisfaction what drives you to be successful. Like every morning 165 00:08:58,000 --> 00:09:00,040 Speaker 1: you talk about work up, wake up early. I it 166 00:09:00,160 --> 00:09:02,520 Speaker 1: up at four o'clock Monday to Friday. I'm up at 167 00:09:02,559 --> 00:09:06,080 Speaker 1: four am for m and that's part of my mantra 168 00:09:06,160 --> 00:09:08,560 Speaker 1: to be successful. I don't I can't hit snooze. I 169 00:09:08,600 --> 00:09:11,800 Speaker 1: can't wake up at four o'clock on Monday and two o'clock. 170 00:09:11,800 --> 00:09:13,680 Speaker 1: I work on Twoday. I wake up at seven o'clock. 171 00:09:13,840 --> 00:09:16,400 Speaker 1: That's no, that's my whole world of trying to be 172 00:09:16,440 --> 00:09:19,280 Speaker 1: successful is incorrect. And know I was talking to John 173 00:09:19,280 --> 00:09:21,520 Speaker 1: O'Brien and we were talking about from nine to five, 174 00:09:21,840 --> 00:09:24,959 Speaker 1: you work five and nine? Is on you nine and nine? 175 00:09:25,240 --> 00:09:27,720 Speaker 1: That's that's mailbox money, and that's the goals of what 176 00:09:27,760 --> 00:09:29,680 Speaker 1: you're talking about. You're trying to take advantage of that 177 00:09:29,720 --> 00:09:32,760 Speaker 1: twenty four hours. And that's what the HBC. You found 178 00:09:32,800 --> 00:09:35,040 Speaker 1: this program that you're putting together. Let's talk about that. 179 00:09:35,080 --> 00:09:37,800 Speaker 1: It's about wealth, Black wealth creation, which we all talk 180 00:09:37,840 --> 00:09:41,800 Speaker 1: about the rally experience. Because you're interesting in the sense 181 00:09:41,880 --> 00:09:45,439 Speaker 1: Moreland because as a as a black athlete, if if 182 00:09:45,480 --> 00:09:51,800 Speaker 1: black people, especially athletes, had the same entrepreneurial spirit and athleticism, 183 00:09:51,840 --> 00:09:54,120 Speaker 1: because black people really believe when they're go in the 184 00:09:54,160 --> 00:09:57,040 Speaker 1: BACKCA I played basketball I don't care what ag. I 185 00:09:57,120 --> 00:09:59,160 Speaker 1: really believe I can make the NBA. I really believe 186 00:09:59,160 --> 00:10:01,160 Speaker 1: I could probably play and NBA even though I may 187 00:10:01,200 --> 00:10:04,080 Speaker 1: not have had the talent. Same thing with football, you 188 00:10:04,160 --> 00:10:07,000 Speaker 1: felt you could be or the NFL player. Okay, if 189 00:10:07,000 --> 00:10:10,359 Speaker 1: we had the same mentality when it came to academics 190 00:10:10,480 --> 00:10:12,880 Speaker 1: and feel that we could be the next doctor to 191 00:10:13,000 --> 00:10:16,800 Speaker 1: mix scientists, the next Bill Gates, the next Warren Buffett. 192 00:10:17,160 --> 00:10:21,040 Speaker 1: That's where your program is really center on trying to 193 00:10:21,160 --> 00:10:27,319 Speaker 1: change that mantra from athleticism to entrepreneurism. Correct, Yeah, No, 194 00:10:27,440 --> 00:10:31,840 Speaker 1: it's it's a it's a mindset, right, this this idea 195 00:10:31,960 --> 00:10:35,840 Speaker 1: that you not only do you have the capacity and 196 00:10:35,920 --> 00:10:40,960 Speaker 1: the and the talent, but you have to then also 197 00:10:41,040 --> 00:10:45,720 Speaker 1: be able to kind of think creatively and say, all right, 198 00:10:46,000 --> 00:10:49,200 Speaker 1: if this is um if this is something that I 199 00:10:49,240 --> 00:10:53,559 Speaker 1: am passionate about, you know solving, is there another way 200 00:10:53,600 --> 00:10:57,960 Speaker 1: to go about doing that? And that's the innovation component 201 00:10:57,960 --> 00:11:01,800 Speaker 1: of entrepreneurship is what I think is is the most exciting. 202 00:11:01,880 --> 00:11:05,280 Speaker 1: And we all have that in our in our heart, 203 00:11:05,320 --> 00:11:08,560 Speaker 1: in our kind of souls. Like most people if you 204 00:11:08,720 --> 00:11:10,240 Speaker 1: walk up to them and they say, yeah, I had 205 00:11:10,320 --> 00:11:13,160 Speaker 1: this amazing business idea, I didn't really do anything with 206 00:11:13,240 --> 00:11:16,240 Speaker 1: it because you know, I don't even I didn't even 207 00:11:16,280 --> 00:11:19,960 Speaker 1: know where to where to start um. And that kind 208 00:11:20,000 --> 00:11:26,000 Speaker 1: of uh fact that a lot of these great ideas 209 00:11:26,040 --> 00:11:29,040 Speaker 1: are dying on the sign is what inspired us to 210 00:11:29,120 --> 00:11:33,480 Speaker 1: watch the Founders program, where we can go into the 211 00:11:33,720 --> 00:11:37,880 Speaker 1: at early stage while there's still students. They have an 212 00:11:37,880 --> 00:11:40,960 Speaker 1: opportunity to take risks that they may not be able 213 00:11:41,000 --> 00:11:44,120 Speaker 1: to take two or three years out when they're trying 214 00:11:44,160 --> 00:11:47,480 Speaker 1: to pay bills and those types of things, UM and 215 00:11:47,559 --> 00:11:50,800 Speaker 1: inspire them at that point to say, here's here's a 216 00:11:50,840 --> 00:11:53,200 Speaker 1: process that you can go through if you do have 217 00:11:53,320 --> 00:11:57,840 Speaker 1: an idea. Here's a platform that can support you getting 218 00:11:58,400 --> 00:12:02,240 Speaker 1: your idea and turning it into uh, you know, into 219 00:12:02,320 --> 00:12:08,079 Speaker 1: reality and just by simply making that you know, connection. 220 00:12:08,200 --> 00:12:14,360 Speaker 1: Now we there's no guarantee, but at least the opportunity 221 00:12:14,440 --> 00:12:18,520 Speaker 1: won't just fade away because the person thought like they 222 00:12:18,520 --> 00:12:22,120 Speaker 1: didn't have access to the to the resources, and that's 223 00:12:22,120 --> 00:12:24,800 Speaker 1: what the resources all about. I was reading this by Diversity, 224 00:12:24,880 --> 00:12:27,640 Speaker 1: by Commitment to Diversity and launch of HBCU found this 225 00:12:27,720 --> 00:12:33,600 Speaker 1: program on January januine July All and Evans. There there 226 00:12:33,600 --> 00:12:35,400 Speaker 1: has to be a better way. You can always do 227 00:12:35,480 --> 00:12:39,120 Speaker 1: more when Facebook what feels like an unsummountable challenge. I 228 00:12:39,200 --> 00:12:41,200 Speaker 1: refer back to the message my dad chaired me as 229 00:12:41,240 --> 00:12:44,360 Speaker 1: a child, which he continues to reiterate to this day. 230 00:12:44,520 --> 00:12:46,480 Speaker 1: Growing up in Maryland as an African American in the 231 00:12:46,600 --> 00:12:50,199 Speaker 1: post Civil War Civil rights era, I was afforded opportunity 232 00:12:50,320 --> 00:12:53,240 Speaker 1: to just a decade before, we're all limits for Americans. 233 00:12:53,640 --> 00:12:57,840 Speaker 1: Now off limits for Americans with the pandemic. What's going 234 00:12:57,920 --> 00:13:01,559 Speaker 1: on with social change? What is not off of them? 235 00:13:01,559 --> 00:13:04,560 Speaker 1: It's anymore where can we go when you set for 236 00:13:04,800 --> 00:13:07,840 Speaker 1: a plan that you have in place that started in 237 00:13:07,920 --> 00:13:12,160 Speaker 1: the pandemic era? Yeah, well, I think you know, obviously 238 00:13:12,200 --> 00:13:16,640 Speaker 1: it's been a horrible situation. But where there's crisis, there's 239 00:13:16,720 --> 00:13:22,360 Speaker 1: also opportunity in the fact that things are so virtual now. 240 00:13:22,880 --> 00:13:27,240 Speaker 1: I mean, we can connect people in a way that 241 00:13:27,720 --> 00:13:30,120 Speaker 1: we weren't able to do, or we were always able 242 00:13:30,120 --> 00:13:33,800 Speaker 1: to do previously, but now people are hyper um you know, 243 00:13:33,840 --> 00:13:37,559 Speaker 1: alert to the fact that Okay, I can have an 244 00:13:37,600 --> 00:13:42,280 Speaker 1: impact on not just ten students, but hundreds of students, 245 00:13:42,320 --> 00:13:45,160 Speaker 1: three hundred students plus, which is what we have currently 246 00:13:45,200 --> 00:13:49,240 Speaker 1: signed up in the program, all through a virtual platform. 247 00:13:49,320 --> 00:13:51,760 Speaker 1: Where is if we if we needed to go to 248 00:13:51,880 --> 00:13:56,640 Speaker 1: each of the of the d HBCUs like step by step, 249 00:13:56,760 --> 00:13:59,440 Speaker 1: that we wouldn't be where we are right now and 250 00:13:59,480 --> 00:14:02,960 Speaker 1: be able to launch a full national program in the 251 00:14:03,040 --> 00:14:06,920 Speaker 1: course of four months. So that I think number one, 252 00:14:07,120 --> 00:14:10,800 Speaker 1: just the fact that the that the technology, the infrastructure 253 00:14:10,880 --> 00:14:13,800 Speaker 1: is there. And then I think number two, because we 254 00:14:13,840 --> 00:14:16,720 Speaker 1: have these two things going on. We have the global 255 00:14:16,760 --> 00:14:21,080 Speaker 1: pandemic and then we have the Black Lives Matter movement. 256 00:14:21,560 --> 00:14:25,200 Speaker 1: People are now sensitized to that fact of oh gosh, 257 00:14:25,560 --> 00:14:28,520 Speaker 1: I didn't even realize all of this that was going 258 00:14:28,560 --> 00:14:33,920 Speaker 1: on in the inequities. How can I get involved? Now? Know? 259 00:14:34,480 --> 00:14:36,560 Speaker 1: You just like me when they said that, I remember 260 00:14:36,600 --> 00:14:38,520 Speaker 1: I got so many phone calls from my white friends, go, 261 00:14:38,680 --> 00:14:42,680 Speaker 1: I didn't know how How did you operate? Well, yeah, 262 00:14:42,720 --> 00:14:46,800 Speaker 1: we just had to operate. So I'm not going to 263 00:14:46,920 --> 00:14:50,000 Speaker 1: tell you that I'm some hero. It's just the hand 264 00:14:50,040 --> 00:14:53,200 Speaker 1: that black people are dealt with, you know, have to. 265 00:14:53,720 --> 00:14:55,800 Speaker 1: You know, I do get nervous in the police office 266 00:14:55,800 --> 00:14:59,520 Speaker 1: supports me black and white. I get nervous because quite frankly, 267 00:14:59,520 --> 00:15:01,680 Speaker 1: I don't know they pulling me over, and frank frankly, 268 00:15:01,720 --> 00:15:04,000 Speaker 1: I don't know the story did I have to make 269 00:15:04,120 --> 00:15:06,680 Speaker 1: up to go home safely? And so so when I 270 00:15:06,720 --> 00:15:08,560 Speaker 1: hear when you when you start talking about I had 271 00:15:08,600 --> 00:15:11,560 Speaker 1: to interrupt you because you know, people when they when 272 00:15:11,560 --> 00:15:13,800 Speaker 1: they I just found out now we found out a 273 00:15:13,840 --> 00:15:19,640 Speaker 1: long time ago. Yeah, absolutely, and you know that's a 274 00:15:19,680 --> 00:15:22,800 Speaker 1: part of the education. But at least now they want 275 00:15:22,840 --> 00:15:26,600 Speaker 1: to have that conversation. And many corporates we've we've partnered 276 00:15:26,600 --> 00:15:29,320 Speaker 1: with with some they've been you know, this has been 277 00:15:29,360 --> 00:15:32,120 Speaker 1: a priority for them in the past, and now they're 278 00:15:32,160 --> 00:15:35,760 Speaker 1: doubling doubling down. So being able to tie up with 279 00:15:36,280 --> 00:15:39,200 Speaker 1: A T and T and and Morgan Stanley and there 280 00:15:39,240 --> 00:15:42,800 Speaker 1: are other corporates that are were in conversation with. They 281 00:15:42,840 --> 00:15:46,600 Speaker 1: realize that they need to be doing doing more as well, 282 00:15:46,640 --> 00:15:49,600 Speaker 1: and see our our Founders program as a way to 283 00:15:49,760 --> 00:15:54,120 Speaker 1: reach students and informed that they weren't otherwise. And the 284 00:15:54,160 --> 00:15:56,160 Speaker 1: reality is, and like you said, both of us aren't, 285 00:15:56,240 --> 00:16:00,800 Speaker 1: aren't HBCU grad. There are a few that get most 286 00:16:00,880 --> 00:16:04,280 Speaker 1: of the attention. You have, the Howards, the more House, 287 00:16:04,400 --> 00:16:08,520 Speaker 1: the Spellman's of the world that have you know, traditionally 288 00:16:08,680 --> 00:16:11,840 Speaker 1: that's where the corporates are going to, you know, to 289 00:16:11,960 --> 00:16:14,520 Speaker 1: recruit I was talking to a corporate the other day 290 00:16:14,560 --> 00:16:17,680 Speaker 1: and they said that these Spellman has something like seven 291 00:16:17,800 --> 00:16:24,200 Speaker 1: hundred and fifty corporate sponsors, which is fantastic, but you 292 00:16:24,240 --> 00:16:28,560 Speaker 1: know what those you know, those the rural HBCU in 293 00:16:28,640 --> 00:16:33,000 Speaker 1: Mississippi or Oklahoma or nashal like, are they getting that 294 00:16:33,120 --> 00:16:36,240 Speaker 1: same type of attention. So we were committed as a 295 00:16:36,280 --> 00:16:40,520 Speaker 1: part of this program to not only service those schools, 296 00:16:40,600 --> 00:16:44,200 Speaker 1: but we're now up to sixty hpc s I which 297 00:16:44,240 --> 00:16:47,640 Speaker 1: it was all a hundred hundred plus to make sure 298 00:16:47,760 --> 00:16:52,239 Speaker 1: that every student within the um one of the hbcs 299 00:16:52,280 --> 00:16:55,800 Speaker 1: feels like they have access to to our program. Yeah, 300 00:16:55,840 --> 00:16:58,880 Speaker 1: that's a hundred and fours by the way, And I 301 00:16:59,280 --> 00:17:01,920 Speaker 1: appalled that because like a lot of programs like I 302 00:17:02,200 --> 00:17:05,520 Speaker 1: point out this, they know what they The United Negro 303 00:17:05,640 --> 00:17:08,520 Speaker 1: College Fund doesn't fund a fund all one hundred and 304 00:17:08,560 --> 00:17:11,800 Speaker 1: four HBCU school. That's not how it works, you know. 305 00:17:11,840 --> 00:17:14,080 Speaker 1: It's like in the funds of what they considered the 306 00:17:14,119 --> 00:17:17,000 Speaker 1: top or they recommended schools that they have in their program, 307 00:17:17,359 --> 00:17:19,120 Speaker 1: and it goes from there. So you have to look 308 00:17:19,119 --> 00:17:21,919 Speaker 1: at schools. I was born and raised in Houston, Texas, 309 00:17:22,000 --> 00:17:24,760 Speaker 1: so I had Texas Southern in Houston, and I had 310 00:17:24,760 --> 00:17:26,399 Speaker 1: Prayer of View and m down the road and I 311 00:17:26,440 --> 00:17:29,199 Speaker 1: had Gramlin next over the next day in Louisiana, then 312 00:17:29,240 --> 00:17:33,000 Speaker 1: at Southern Universe. So the HPCU experience was always around me. 313 00:17:33,359 --> 00:17:35,080 Speaker 1: But I went to the University of Houston that was 314 00:17:35,119 --> 00:17:36,879 Speaker 1: a school, even though I went down to Prayer of 315 00:17:36,920 --> 00:17:38,679 Speaker 1: View or with all my friends were there. I went 316 00:17:38,720 --> 00:17:40,879 Speaker 1: to Texas. I went to Southern University, all my friends 317 00:17:40,880 --> 00:17:42,080 Speaker 1: were there. I said, well, I want to go somewhere 318 00:17:42,119 --> 00:17:45,160 Speaker 1: where I wanted a different experience. But that didn't mean 319 00:17:45,240 --> 00:17:48,120 Speaker 1: I lost my black identity. I lost my Black culture 320 00:17:48,480 --> 00:17:51,879 Speaker 1: because when I see HBCUs, I feel it's not only 321 00:17:52,000 --> 00:17:55,399 Speaker 1: a need for me to bring value. And also that 322 00:17:55,480 --> 00:17:57,520 Speaker 1: when I realized that eighty percent of the dentists come 323 00:17:57,560 --> 00:17:59,760 Speaker 1: from HBCUs who are black, you know, eight percent of 324 00:17:59,800 --> 00:18:02,359 Speaker 1: the teachers from hbc s are black. And for the 325 00:18:02,440 --> 00:18:06,360 Speaker 1: pent of the congressmen who are black in Congress are 326 00:18:06,400 --> 00:18:09,439 Speaker 1: from HBCU schools. All these numbers are not numbers are 327 00:18:09,480 --> 00:18:14,159 Speaker 1: making up the black stem graduates are from HBCU schools. 328 00:18:14,200 --> 00:18:17,959 Speaker 1: All these numbers are numbers that I have memorized and 329 00:18:18,040 --> 00:18:20,560 Speaker 1: I and I speak it out because people need to 330 00:18:21,160 --> 00:18:25,840 Speaker 1: people who don't know a shock huh yeah. Yeah. So 331 00:18:26,280 --> 00:18:27,960 Speaker 1: what I'm saying when I say that, mollin, is that 332 00:18:28,280 --> 00:18:31,720 Speaker 1: it's important that people don't act like they're doing a favor, 333 00:18:32,520 --> 00:18:36,520 Speaker 1: like you know, you know HBCUs you should be like 334 00:18:36,600 --> 00:18:40,760 Speaker 1: pumping billions of dollars into HBC used when you see 335 00:18:40,760 --> 00:18:45,760 Speaker 1: the results that's coming out of them, well you hit 336 00:18:45,760 --> 00:18:49,120 Speaker 1: it right on the head. Because we're I'm an investor, 337 00:18:49,359 --> 00:18:52,879 Speaker 1: like I have shareholders that I have to report back 338 00:18:52,920 --> 00:18:56,480 Speaker 1: to and they're looking for a return on on investment. 339 00:18:56,800 --> 00:19:00,480 Speaker 1: We're going into these these schools. Yes, there's a component 340 00:19:00,520 --> 00:19:03,520 Speaker 1: of their words. It's educationally. We want to make sure 341 00:19:03,640 --> 00:19:06,680 Speaker 1: that the students, would you know, who haven't had access 342 00:19:06,680 --> 00:19:10,960 Speaker 1: to understand what it means to be an entrepreneur will 343 00:19:11,040 --> 00:19:15,280 Speaker 1: make the mostake about it. This isn't just a theoretical exercise. 344 00:19:15,400 --> 00:19:21,360 Speaker 1: We anticipate that by getting connected into these these schools 345 00:19:21,400 --> 00:19:24,760 Speaker 1: and helping develop some of these ideas, some ideas coming 346 00:19:24,800 --> 00:19:26,119 Speaker 1: out of it are going to be ones that we 347 00:19:26,160 --> 00:19:29,119 Speaker 1: want to invest in, and we're going to be first 348 00:19:29,119 --> 00:19:32,400 Speaker 1: in line because we were there at the at the beginning, 349 00:19:32,440 --> 00:19:36,080 Speaker 1: and that's what all investors want. They want that proprietary 350 00:19:36,440 --> 00:19:39,600 Speaker 1: deal flow that they get to see first before you know, 351 00:19:39,680 --> 00:19:42,840 Speaker 1: everybody else, you know, jumps on the bandwagon. And and 352 00:19:42,880 --> 00:19:49,320 Speaker 1: we feel a hundred percent convinced that as one, two, three, 353 00:19:49,320 --> 00:19:54,280 Speaker 1: and the numbers start picking up of really successful startups 354 00:19:54,320 --> 00:19:57,399 Speaker 1: coming out of HBTs, then everybody is going to be 355 00:19:57,400 --> 00:20:00,840 Speaker 1: flooding the you know, flooding the doors to get you 356 00:20:01,119 --> 00:20:03,840 Speaker 1: access and be on the front lines of it, which 357 00:20:03,880 --> 00:20:06,800 Speaker 1: is again going to be this rising tie that lifts, 358 00:20:07,080 --> 00:20:11,160 Speaker 1: that lifts everything. And and so we're playing are hopefully 359 00:20:11,240 --> 00:20:15,120 Speaker 1: a part in that to ignite that spark and then 360 00:20:15,160 --> 00:20:19,480 Speaker 1: once it's once it's lift, and we anticipate other folks 361 00:20:19,520 --> 00:20:23,040 Speaker 1: coming around and saying, huh, I didn't realize that there 362 00:20:23,119 --> 00:20:26,119 Speaker 1: is just that level of talent there, Maybe I should 363 00:20:26,119 --> 00:20:29,520 Speaker 1: take a second look. And that's what I was getting at, 364 00:20:29,600 --> 00:20:33,960 Speaker 1: you know, not realizing and then being surprised. But then 365 00:20:34,720 --> 00:20:36,600 Speaker 1: and I just really want to know when I when 366 00:20:36,600 --> 00:20:39,720 Speaker 1: I read about you know, Netflix making their donation and 367 00:20:41,760 --> 00:20:46,560 Speaker 1: to the hbc U schools, and you know, I mean, 368 00:20:46,560 --> 00:20:50,040 Speaker 1: I'm just trying to say it, right, is that these 369 00:20:50,080 --> 00:20:53,920 Speaker 1: donations along what would you let me say that won't Secondly, 370 00:20:54,080 --> 00:20:56,880 Speaker 1: if you just sit back and realize when I saw 371 00:20:57,000 --> 00:21:00,760 Speaker 1: no or whenever here President Trump, you like he's done 372 00:21:00,760 --> 00:21:03,119 Speaker 1: a favor, like I've done more for black people. Stop 373 00:21:03,480 --> 00:21:09,240 Speaker 1: stop stop, Okay, Look, we're not asking for favors. And 374 00:21:09,280 --> 00:21:11,359 Speaker 1: that's why I think Black people have started have to 375 00:21:11,359 --> 00:21:14,720 Speaker 1: start trumpeting their success. And that's why I was talking 376 00:21:14,720 --> 00:21:17,119 Speaker 1: about earlier when I was talking about athleticism in the 377 00:21:17,119 --> 00:21:20,560 Speaker 1: black community, we trumpet that, you know, we see that 378 00:21:20,600 --> 00:21:22,680 Speaker 1: as a real opportunity to get out of the hood, 379 00:21:22,920 --> 00:21:24,840 Speaker 1: and a lot of times we don't see that academics 380 00:21:25,000 --> 00:21:27,720 Speaker 1: is really the real opportunity to get out of the 381 00:21:27,760 --> 00:21:31,240 Speaker 1: hood and stay out of the hoods through academics. And 382 00:21:31,320 --> 00:21:34,040 Speaker 1: that's what you're doing with this pro with this Founders program, 383 00:21:34,240 --> 00:21:38,000 Speaker 1: is moving academics to the forefront and then letting everybody 384 00:21:38,040 --> 00:21:41,280 Speaker 1: know the value of HBCUs am I hitting on the am, 385 00:21:41,280 --> 00:21:44,280 Speaker 1: I speaking in the right direction. You are? You are? 386 00:21:44,359 --> 00:21:47,960 Speaker 1: I mean, just and that the whole which you just 387 00:21:48,040 --> 00:21:53,399 Speaker 1: mentioned around athletes and entertainers kind of being put on 388 00:21:53,440 --> 00:21:57,760 Speaker 1: a pedestal, which is great, and just thrilling down into 389 00:21:57,800 --> 00:22:01,160 Speaker 1: that a little bit just to make the point of well, 390 00:22:01,160 --> 00:22:04,399 Speaker 1: why why were they successful? Because there was a level 391 00:22:04,720 --> 00:22:07,119 Speaker 1: start at the beginning of our conversation of hard work, 392 00:22:07,560 --> 00:22:12,120 Speaker 1: of hustle, of ingenuity, of you know, the Chips may 393 00:22:12,119 --> 00:22:13,960 Speaker 1: have been against it, but they figured out a way. 394 00:22:14,040 --> 00:22:16,919 Speaker 1: I mean, all of that is entrepreneurship. There were some 395 00:22:16,920 --> 00:22:19,480 Speaker 1: students I was talking to over the weekend. It was 396 00:22:19,520 --> 00:22:21,679 Speaker 1: a Saturday and the Sunday, and they were involved in 397 00:22:21,720 --> 00:22:25,840 Speaker 1: this program with the Black Venture Capital Consortium, and I said, 398 00:22:26,359 --> 00:22:28,520 Speaker 1: first of all, let me just give you guys a 399 00:22:28,560 --> 00:22:32,520 Speaker 1: shout out for the grind. It's a Saturday, it's a Sunday, 400 00:22:32,520 --> 00:22:35,359 Speaker 1: and you you all are sitting in here listening to 401 00:22:36,119 --> 00:22:39,960 Speaker 1: me share about this, about this program, trying to better yourself. 402 00:22:40,359 --> 00:22:45,800 Speaker 1: I mean that mentality is what makes for successful entrepreneurs 403 00:22:45,840 --> 00:22:48,200 Speaker 1: and we just want to flip that light and say, look, 404 00:22:48,240 --> 00:22:51,760 Speaker 1: you can do this as well. You've proven it, whether 405 00:22:51,760 --> 00:22:54,800 Speaker 1: it's on the athletic field or entertainment or the fact 406 00:22:54,880 --> 00:22:57,800 Speaker 1: that you're sitting there on a Saturday or Sunday. You've 407 00:22:57,800 --> 00:23:02,240 Speaker 1: proven you have that desire and at will. Now let's 408 00:23:02,240 --> 00:23:05,080 Speaker 1: just make sure it gets tied into the two resources 409 00:23:05,160 --> 00:23:07,720 Speaker 1: that can help that that grow. And that's what we're 410 00:23:08,320 --> 00:23:11,159 Speaker 1: we're hoping to do through the HBC founders program, and 411 00:23:11,200 --> 00:23:14,320 Speaker 1: that's a program. When I went to high school Marland, 412 00:23:14,720 --> 00:23:16,760 Speaker 1: I was I was just a gifted kid, you know, 413 00:23:16,800 --> 00:23:18,840 Speaker 1: academic because I just walking a room and see something 414 00:23:18,880 --> 00:23:20,920 Speaker 1: walk out the room. It was just in my head 415 00:23:21,520 --> 00:23:23,320 Speaker 1: and so I didn't want to pick up a book, 416 00:23:23,400 --> 00:23:26,840 Speaker 1: didn't care about college. I remember my daughter. My father 417 00:23:26,960 --> 00:23:29,720 Speaker 1: was a truck driver and so when he gave me 418 00:23:29,760 --> 00:23:35,600 Speaker 1: my first job opportunity, Uh, my mentors were forklift drivers 419 00:23:35,720 --> 00:23:37,679 Speaker 1: and black men who I loaded trucks. So that's what 420 00:23:37,760 --> 00:23:40,560 Speaker 1: I wanted to be. When I graduate from high school, 421 00:23:40,560 --> 00:23:43,560 Speaker 1: despite being in the top percentage of my class, I 422 00:23:43,640 --> 00:23:46,000 Speaker 1: went and got a job as a forklift driver because 423 00:23:46,000 --> 00:23:49,480 Speaker 1: that was my vision. That was my man. They had cars, 424 00:23:49,760 --> 00:23:51,400 Speaker 1: they can go in the grocery store by what they 425 00:23:51,400 --> 00:23:54,359 Speaker 1: want by and they were having a good time. I thought, 426 00:23:54,359 --> 00:23:56,840 Speaker 1: that's a that's that was good enough for me, and 427 00:23:56,880 --> 00:23:59,960 Speaker 1: it's about raising the standards. And so what happened well 428 00:24:00,320 --> 00:24:03,439 Speaker 1: at the simultaneously, I would live in that life. But 429 00:24:03,480 --> 00:24:06,640 Speaker 1: I had some teachers who said, this guy is really gifted, 430 00:24:07,080 --> 00:24:10,120 Speaker 1: and so they moved me into a small group of students. 431 00:24:10,119 --> 00:24:11,680 Speaker 1: By ten of us are one of my best friends, 432 00:24:11,840 --> 00:24:15,679 Speaker 1: Regina Rodney. She graduated from Rice and Shall Roberts she 433 00:24:15,800 --> 00:24:18,600 Speaker 1: graduated from Port University. I didn't know why they went 434 00:24:18,640 --> 00:24:20,520 Speaker 1: to those schools. I would like, that's how far away 435 00:24:20,560 --> 00:24:23,440 Speaker 1: I was from academics. And when I when I say, 436 00:24:23,600 --> 00:24:26,560 Speaker 1: individuals like me are those of those can be those 437 00:24:26,600 --> 00:24:30,320 Speaker 1: casualties if we don't do what you're doing with this program, 438 00:24:30,440 --> 00:24:33,359 Speaker 1: we don't put in and I think, like I said, 439 00:24:33,400 --> 00:24:37,320 Speaker 1: put blinders on opportunities that are real and focused kids 440 00:24:37,359 --> 00:24:40,159 Speaker 1: like me on real opportunities, and then we become the 441 00:24:40,200 --> 00:24:43,119 Speaker 1: stars of the community and we go give back because 442 00:24:43,200 --> 00:24:46,480 Speaker 1: academics are the key for long term success. As you know, 443 00:24:46,520 --> 00:24:49,840 Speaker 1: it's an athlete. God has giving you a window where 444 00:24:49,880 --> 00:24:52,440 Speaker 1: your athletic skill will shine after a while, they would 445 00:24:52,440 --> 00:24:56,879 Speaker 1: deteriorate year after year after year. Academically. I tell everybody, 446 00:24:57,040 --> 00:25:00,960 Speaker 1: you can't repull my degree, my degree, mathematics degree in 447 00:25:01,040 --> 00:25:03,840 Speaker 1: that wall. Nobody's going to report that. They can report 448 00:25:03,880 --> 00:25:07,159 Speaker 1: your call, they can reput with your house anything if 449 00:25:07,200 --> 00:25:09,320 Speaker 1: you don't have a position to be able to pay 450 00:25:09,359 --> 00:25:11,400 Speaker 1: for it. And that's why I want you to bring 451 00:25:11,440 --> 00:25:13,640 Speaker 1: you on the show to talk about this, because you're 452 00:25:13,680 --> 00:25:17,560 Speaker 1: stopping the repo opportunities in people's lives, especially in the 453 00:25:17,560 --> 00:25:22,760 Speaker 1: black community, if they get their academic story together. M H. Now, 454 00:25:22,760 --> 00:25:25,720 Speaker 1: I appreciate that. I appreciate that. Yeah, and we we 455 00:25:26,119 --> 00:25:30,680 Speaker 1: recognize that, um, we're not. We have to play our 456 00:25:31,160 --> 00:25:33,800 Speaker 1: our part, but it's eventually it's going to take a 457 00:25:33,920 --> 00:25:37,720 Speaker 1: larger kind of effort. And which is why we're pulling 458 00:25:37,760 --> 00:25:41,640 Speaker 1: in these these corporates and saying, hey, books, it's not 459 00:25:41,720 --> 00:25:46,320 Speaker 1: just about writing a check. We need you to engage, 460 00:25:46,400 --> 00:25:48,400 Speaker 1: we need you to mentor we need you to be 461 00:25:48,480 --> 00:25:52,440 Speaker 1: that example for these students to say, hey, maybe it's 462 00:25:52,560 --> 00:25:55,120 Speaker 1: I don't end up going on and launching a business, 463 00:25:55,160 --> 00:25:57,920 Speaker 1: but I can go work for a T and T 464 00:25:58,359 --> 00:26:01,560 Speaker 1: or word Morgan stand Lane and then maybe I do 465 00:26:01,680 --> 00:26:03,720 Speaker 1: that for a little while and then I remember all 466 00:26:03,800 --> 00:26:06,800 Speaker 1: the things that I learned as a as an entrepreneur, 467 00:26:06,880 --> 00:26:10,439 Speaker 1: and then I start my own business. But more and 468 00:26:10,560 --> 00:26:14,680 Speaker 1: more of us need to show up and say, look, 469 00:26:14,760 --> 00:26:20,080 Speaker 1: this is where, here's an example, here's a pathway for 470 00:26:20,119 --> 00:26:22,440 Speaker 1: you to to get there, and if this is something 471 00:26:22,480 --> 00:26:24,760 Speaker 1: that you're interested in, we're going to be here to 472 00:26:24,880 --> 00:26:28,320 Speaker 1: be supportive of that. My question before we leave the 473 00:26:28,440 --> 00:26:32,760 Speaker 1: name next queue, which there really any X word? Three? Uh? 474 00:26:32,880 --> 00:26:35,159 Speaker 1: Where did that come from because the name of the 475 00:26:35,160 --> 00:26:39,600 Speaker 1: coming next cube, even though it says any x three, yes, 476 00:26:39,880 --> 00:26:42,840 Speaker 1: it's uh, it's next cube. And part of it is 477 00:26:42,880 --> 00:26:46,879 Speaker 1: that there's kind of things often come in come in three. 478 00:26:47,040 --> 00:26:51,280 Speaker 1: So there's three aspects to our you know, to our business. 479 00:26:51,359 --> 00:26:55,040 Speaker 1: We we do our investing, we have some work we 480 00:26:55,080 --> 00:26:58,679 Speaker 1: do with our corporate partners, and then we work with 481 00:26:59,160 --> 00:27:01,880 Speaker 1: later stage companies. So those are kind of the three 482 00:27:01,880 --> 00:27:08,280 Speaker 1: main activities. But probably more, you know, symbolically is just 483 00:27:08,359 --> 00:27:13,600 Speaker 1: thinking about how we can provide kind of exponential um 484 00:27:13,760 --> 00:27:17,560 Speaker 1: growth for the companies that are that are working with us, 485 00:27:17,640 --> 00:27:20,679 Speaker 1: that you bring what you're bringing to the table, we 486 00:27:20,720 --> 00:27:22,680 Speaker 1: bring what we are bringing to the table, and then 487 00:27:22,720 --> 00:27:26,879 Speaker 1: that's going to generate even you know, exponential return. So 488 00:27:26,960 --> 00:27:30,000 Speaker 1: that that's a part of the the rationale behind the 489 00:27:30,080 --> 00:27:34,080 Speaker 1: name and um in the future because you know, I 490 00:27:34,119 --> 00:27:36,040 Speaker 1: know you said a T and T s on board. 491 00:27:36,600 --> 00:27:39,240 Speaker 1: You're working on Morgan Stanley to come on board these 492 00:27:39,280 --> 00:27:42,280 Speaker 1: financial commitments to be able to build a model that 493 00:27:42,359 --> 00:27:45,280 Speaker 1: has long term success and not success is not the 494 00:27:45,400 --> 00:27:48,320 Speaker 1: righting the tide of change which came about using the 495 00:27:48,400 --> 00:27:52,040 Speaker 1: George Floyd killing and people feeling there's a certain degree 496 00:27:52,080 --> 00:27:53,760 Speaker 1: of sympthy. This is what I want to make sure. 497 00:27:55,480 --> 00:27:58,400 Speaker 1: I don't want your sympathy, I want your I want 498 00:27:58,440 --> 00:28:01,240 Speaker 1: your support. I want your support because this is value. 499 00:28:01,320 --> 00:28:04,040 Speaker 1: This is like you know you, you know you you 500 00:28:03,600 --> 00:28:07,840 Speaker 1: you you mind, uh diamonds because it has value. You 501 00:28:08,359 --> 00:28:11,439 Speaker 1: use real for oil because it has value. I'm just 502 00:28:11,520 --> 00:28:15,000 Speaker 1: letting you you support these HPC use in the academic 503 00:28:15,040 --> 00:28:20,680 Speaker 1: opportunity because it adds value. Uh. It brings in corporate citizens, taxpayers, 504 00:28:21,160 --> 00:28:24,840 Speaker 1: good people who create highland value and also make this 505 00:28:24,960 --> 00:28:29,199 Speaker 1: country safe and academically less challenge and more competitive in 506 00:28:29,240 --> 00:28:32,480 Speaker 1: the global scale. That's why I want to make sure 507 00:28:32,800 --> 00:28:35,280 Speaker 1: people understand I don't need your sympathy. I just need 508 00:28:35,320 --> 00:28:39,120 Speaker 1: you to start mining and supporting the value that HBCUs 509 00:28:39,640 --> 00:28:44,160 Speaker 1: and African Americans in general bring to this country. Yeah. No, 510 00:28:45,240 --> 00:28:47,360 Speaker 1: and that's those are the conversations we're having with the 511 00:28:47,400 --> 00:28:50,160 Speaker 1: corporates and Morgan Stanley has signed on AT and T 512 00:28:50,400 --> 00:28:53,320 Speaker 1: has signed on others well, and what we're sharing with 513 00:28:53,360 --> 00:28:55,720 Speaker 1: them and they know this this this is just fact, 514 00:28:55,840 --> 00:28:59,959 Speaker 1: like more diverse companies are more successful companies. So they 515 00:29:00,080 --> 00:29:03,440 Speaker 1: know within their own institutions that they need to start 516 00:29:03,480 --> 00:29:07,120 Speaker 1: recruiting a more diverse pool of talent because that's going 517 00:29:07,160 --> 00:29:11,200 Speaker 1: to impact their shareholder value down the road. So they 518 00:29:11,280 --> 00:29:14,920 Speaker 1: understand it. They're just needing now to figure out how 519 00:29:14,920 --> 00:29:18,440 Speaker 1: do we do this on a more systematic way so 520 00:29:18,480 --> 00:29:21,959 Speaker 1: that we're reaching all of the all of the talent. 521 00:29:22,040 --> 00:29:24,280 Speaker 1: And they see our program is one piece of that. 522 00:29:24,360 --> 00:29:27,280 Speaker 1: There's other things obviously that they will they'll be doing 523 00:29:27,320 --> 00:29:32,280 Speaker 1: to help help dry those those goals. But yeah, this 524 00:29:32,360 --> 00:29:35,720 Speaker 1: isn't this is not a handout. This is a way 525 00:29:35,760 --> 00:29:39,960 Speaker 1: for you to create more shareholder value by tapping into 526 00:29:40,080 --> 00:29:43,840 Speaker 1: great talent that's going to help your your business. And 527 00:29:43,880 --> 00:29:46,560 Speaker 1: so we see it as a win. If the companies, 528 00:29:46,880 --> 00:29:49,480 Speaker 1: the students going through the program start a company or 529 00:29:49,480 --> 00:29:51,960 Speaker 1: if they go work for one of our partners, that's 530 00:29:51,960 --> 00:29:55,120 Speaker 1: also a win for us as well. Well, I know 531 00:29:55,240 --> 00:29:57,920 Speaker 1: you can appreciate it being an athlete who was recruited 532 00:29:57,960 --> 00:30:01,480 Speaker 1: to uh, you know, first tier tier one institution called 533 00:30:01,520 --> 00:30:04,200 Speaker 1: Stanford University, and you got that b A and the 534 00:30:04,200 --> 00:30:07,080 Speaker 1: political science and that masters and sociology, and that we 535 00:30:07,120 --> 00:30:09,120 Speaker 1: have a kinship, my friend, I want to I want 536 00:30:09,160 --> 00:30:10,600 Speaker 1: you to stay in touch with me. I've launched a 537 00:30:10,640 --> 00:30:16,560 Speaker 1: platform called HBCU Awards, will recognize uh, black excellence at 538 00:30:16,680 --> 00:30:20,000 Speaker 1: HBCUs and black people in general, and act in a business, 539 00:30:20,200 --> 00:30:25,200 Speaker 1: entertainment and entrepreneurship and so these are these are lanes 540 00:30:25,280 --> 00:30:27,000 Speaker 1: I want to be able to advance. And I just 541 00:30:27,000 --> 00:30:29,080 Speaker 1: wanted to bring you on the show, Mall and just 542 00:30:29,360 --> 00:30:31,160 Speaker 1: do your platform. But it's a platform you can use 543 00:30:31,200 --> 00:30:34,800 Speaker 1: anytime you feel like it. Okay, now, I appreciate thanks 544 00:30:34,800 --> 00:30:36,720 Speaker 1: for having me already. If you want to hear more 545 00:30:36,720 --> 00:30:39,480 Speaker 1: Money Making Conversations interviews, please go to Money Making Conversation 546 00:30:39,560 --> 00:30:42,240 Speaker 1: dot com. I'm Sean McDonald. I'm your host.