WEBVTT - Ep. 167 — Forget Mentors. Here's Why You Need a 'Sponsor'. 0:00:16.120 --> 0:00:21.160 Hey, Hey, Hey, you know I add a little extra, 0:00:21.280 --> 0:00:22.239 you know, because you know. 0:00:24.000 --> 0:00:24.520 Tiffany. 0:00:24.920 --> 0:00:29.160 Hey, guys, Happy Brian and Vision Wednesday. Officially it's Mandy. 0:00:30.120 --> 0:00:34.240 Yeah. Oh anything new coming up? Oh you're gonna miss 0:00:34.240 --> 0:00:35.600 me in a minute, Mandy, I'm gonna be gone for 0:00:35.640 --> 0:00:36.280 two whole weeks. 0:00:36.280 --> 0:00:37.080 How would you deal? 0:00:37.320 --> 0:00:38.880 I know, I think that we're going to be okay. 0:00:38.960 --> 0:00:40.880 I mean, we love you and the show would be 0:00:40.920 --> 0:00:43.680 nothing without you obviously, But like I said, we've got 0:00:43.720 --> 0:00:46.000 some really good guests lined up for the next couple 0:00:46.000 --> 0:00:48.320 of weeks. Next week, we're going to have our fairy 0:00:48.640 --> 0:00:53.480 fairy money godmother herself, Lynette Califani Cox joining the show 0:00:54.160 --> 0:00:57.120 and we'll talk about all kinds of fun stuff. I 0:00:57.120 --> 0:00:59.440 think her biggest episode with us so far has been 0:00:59.480 --> 0:01:02.320 about the power negotiating and she gets real real like 0:01:02.720 --> 0:01:04.840 first of all, like talk about life experience. She has 0:01:04.880 --> 0:01:08.120 the most amazing stories about actual times she has gotten 0:01:08.160 --> 0:01:11.639 more of herself, not to mention launching, you know, running 0:01:11.680 --> 0:01:14.680 this huge business that she has as the money coach, 0:01:14.720 --> 0:01:18.280 which she's had for like a decade now or more so. 0:01:19.040 --> 0:01:20.920 Lynette will be on next week, and then we have 0:01:21.080 --> 0:01:24.840 our fave Sandy Smith from Yes I Am Cheap joining 0:01:24.880 --> 0:01:28.400 the show, and Sandy has made a name for herself 0:01:28.440 --> 0:01:30.640 with all the side hustles and showing how you can 0:01:31.120 --> 0:01:33.880 you can have a stable life, stable nine to five 0:01:33.920 --> 0:01:37.040 and then also bring inside income. And I'm really excited 0:01:37.080 --> 0:01:39.440 to have her on Social Beyond next next week. 0:01:40.280 --> 0:01:42.480 I love them both, honestly, they're so dope. Speaking of 0:01:42.520 --> 0:01:44.000 like Lynette, you know, she was like one of my 0:01:44.160 --> 0:01:48.960 very first mentors in the space. And actually, you know, 0:01:49.280 --> 0:01:52.000 it's only recently like that folks have been talking about 0:01:52.000 --> 0:01:54.360 the difference between mentor and sponsor. Have you been like 0:01:54.480 --> 0:01:56.560 listening to kind of like that not debate, but that 0:01:56.640 --> 0:01:57.640 kind of that discussion. 0:01:58.120 --> 0:02:01.360 No sponsor, like I just thought of like alcoholics anonymous 0:02:01.440 --> 0:02:01.760 or something. 0:02:02.520 --> 0:02:05.080 No, So apparently like your mentor is a person that 0:02:05.160 --> 0:02:07.000 kind of like gives you advice, like, hey girl, don't 0:02:07.000 --> 0:02:09.639 worry that you look crazy. You know, Hey girl, don't 0:02:09.639 --> 0:02:11.520 talk to boss like that you're going to get fired, 0:02:11.560 --> 0:02:14.639 you know. But your sponsor is like, I'm in the room, 0:02:14.639 --> 0:02:17.799 and I really think that Mandy deserves this race, Mandy, 0:02:18.080 --> 0:02:20.440 you know, like, for example, Lynette, I didn't realize I 0:02:20.560 --> 0:02:23.520 used to call Lynette my mentor, but honestly, she was 0:02:23.520 --> 0:02:26.760 like both a mentor and a sponsor. I remember when 0:02:26.760 --> 0:02:29.799 I first met Lynnette. I was at this Black Enterprise event. 0:02:29.840 --> 0:02:31.600 It had to be like seven years ago. 0:02:32.520 --> 0:02:33.120 She was so nice. 0:02:33.280 --> 0:02:35.239 We were following each other on Twitter, but I didn't 0:02:35.280 --> 0:02:37.880 know what she looked like. I mean, well, he's not 0:02:37.919 --> 0:02:41.600 in person, so I didn't recognize her. Meanwhile, my cheeky 0:02:41.680 --> 0:02:43.760 self asked her to take a picture of me and 0:02:43.960 --> 0:02:45.880 Sola Dad O'Brien. I was like, oh, hey, lady, don't 0:02:45.919 --> 0:02:47.280 know who you are. Can't get the picture of me. 0:02:49.280 --> 0:02:51.880 She was so nice, and then afterwards she's like I 0:02:51.919 --> 0:02:53.639 tipped me. I was like, oh, hey, you know my name? 0:02:54.000 --> 0:02:56.360 Because I stood up like you could ask like a 0:02:56.440 --> 0:02:58.600 question to like Sola Dad. There was like a panel 0:02:58.639 --> 0:03:00.080 and I stood up. I said, Hi, I'm Tiffany. You 0:03:00.120 --> 0:03:01.880 have a business called the Budgeanisa. So that's told she 0:03:01.960 --> 0:03:03.840 knew because she didn't know what I looked like either. 0:03:04.240 --> 0:03:06.000 So she came over. She's like, hey, Tiffany, you know 0:03:06.040 --> 0:03:06.800 you're the Bunchanisa. 0:03:06.840 --> 0:03:07.400 I was like yes. 0:03:07.760 --> 0:03:10.000 I was like, look, someone recognizes me. Meanwhile, I stood 0:03:10.040 --> 0:03:12.200 up and said I am Sifney the bunch of sa 0:03:12.320 --> 0:03:15.000 and so she was like, oh, I'm Lynette cor fiddy car. 0:03:15.200 --> 0:03:18.000 I melted on the floor. I was like, oh my gosh, 0:03:18.040 --> 0:03:18.760 I'm so sorry. 0:03:19.000 --> 0:03:20.440 I'm so sorry. I asked you to take a picture 0:03:20.480 --> 0:03:20.799 with her. 0:03:22.440 --> 0:03:24.560 Because like, so that a browny was cool, but like 0:03:24.639 --> 0:03:28.680 I stand for Lynette, like you know, she was just 0:03:28.720 --> 0:03:31.320 so nice to via Twitter. She was just so knowledgeable, 0:03:31.440 --> 0:03:35.760 and so that day she Lynette. She since moved, but 0:03:35.840 --> 0:03:38.400 she used to live in Mountainside, New Jersey, which is 0:03:38.440 --> 0:03:40.920 like right next to the city where my parents lived 0:03:40.960 --> 0:03:44.360 on Westfield, And she was going headed back to Jersey 0:03:44.440 --> 0:03:45.840 and she said, you know, how'd you get out here? 0:03:45.840 --> 0:03:47.880 I said the train? She said, you want to ride back? 0:03:47.880 --> 0:03:50.960 And I was like what, uh yeah, And so we 0:03:51.080 --> 0:03:53.400 drove back. There was so much traffic. What would have 0:03:53.440 --> 0:03:55.800 been a forty five minute drive ended up being like 0:03:55.800 --> 0:03:58.160 a two hour drive. And she proceeded to poor, I mean, 0:03:58.800 --> 0:04:00.920 everything into me so much, so I took out a 0:04:00.920 --> 0:04:05.720 notebook so much so. So that's mentoring, right, yeahic advice. 0:04:06.040 --> 0:04:08.400 But what she did that was even more amazing. She said, 0:04:08.400 --> 0:04:10.520 have you ever been on TV? And I was like no. 0:04:10.840 --> 0:04:11.840 She's like, do you want to be? 0:04:11.880 --> 0:04:15.600 And I said, yeah, She made a phone call right 0:04:15.640 --> 0:04:17.920 there in the car to pix eleven News, which is 0:04:17.960 --> 0:04:21.200 a local New York Like you know, pix eleven local 0:04:21.240 --> 0:04:22.960 New York kind of like I guess try state area, right, 0:04:22.960 --> 0:04:25.320 would you say pix eleven is Mandy? 0:04:25.360 --> 0:04:26.760 Have you ever watched pix eleven News. 0:04:26.800 --> 0:04:29.120 I've done pix eleven. I don't know where they broadcast. 0:04:29.120 --> 0:04:31.400 I don't assume they broadcast it somewhere I never checked. 0:04:32.080 --> 0:04:34.560 I think sounds about. 0:04:34.360 --> 0:04:36.960 New York, right, It's all like pretty local, but still 0:04:37.080 --> 0:04:39.520 like I mean, still a huge deal to me because 0:04:39.520 --> 0:04:42.000 I grew up watching pick eleven. And so she was 0:04:42.000 --> 0:04:44.200 like she called the producers and said, you know how 0:04:44.240 --> 0:04:46.480 I'm supposed to fawn next week? I have somebody else 0:04:46.480 --> 0:04:48.520 I would I think it should come on. She gave 0:04:48.560 --> 0:04:51.400 me her spot, Mandra, and I was like looking at 0:04:51.440 --> 0:04:53.400 her like, ma'am, I. 0:04:53.360 --> 0:04:57.880 Don't buppity boop to stare that money godmother real. 0:04:58.160 --> 0:05:01.760 And that's a sponsor. A spot gives you more than advice, 0:05:01.880 --> 0:05:04.640 you know what it is. A sponsor gives you opportunity, 0:05:04.800 --> 0:05:07.520 real opportunity. And it wasn't just she just said, hey, 0:05:08.120 --> 0:05:10.280 take my spot. Because Lynette is so confident like, girl, 0:05:10.360 --> 0:05:12.720 they will have me back whenever I want. She was like, 0:05:13.160 --> 0:05:15.520 right before you go on, I'll do some media training 0:05:15.520 --> 0:05:18.240 with you. Oh okay, stranger lady from Twitter. 0:05:18.880 --> 0:05:20.200 I couldn't believe it. She did. 0:05:20.320 --> 0:05:23.200 She she coached me so well, ended up doing well, 0:05:23.240 --> 0:05:25.440 and ended up going on fairly regularly. You know, once 0:05:25.520 --> 0:05:26.240 when Lynette was. 0:05:26.240 --> 0:05:27.440 Free was not free. 0:05:27.880 --> 0:05:29.760 They're like, girl, you cute, but we want Linette. I 0:05:29.760 --> 0:05:33.000 was like, I'm fine with that. But yeah, so it's 0:05:33.040 --> 0:05:34.800 not easy to find. Have you ever had like a 0:05:34.839 --> 0:05:36.320 sponsor sponsor. 0:05:36.880 --> 0:05:41.080 Like, no, no one or supports me like, oh man, 0:05:41.120 --> 0:05:41.560 I don't know. 0:05:41.640 --> 0:05:43.760 You know, sometimes there's there may be people, and I 0:05:43.760 --> 0:05:45.440 feel like to get where I am now, I must have. 0:05:46.040 --> 0:05:49.839 But I feel like sometimes it's people who do things 0:05:49.920 --> 0:05:53.600 on your to your benefit that don't necessarily shout about 0:05:53.600 --> 0:05:55.760 it or don't tell you like, hey, I vouched for you. 0:05:56.480 --> 0:05:58.600 I get the sense that I've definitely in the past 0:05:58.600 --> 0:06:01.560 couple of years had a specific exp who's always kind 0:06:01.560 --> 0:06:04.560 of looking out for me. But it's been like an 0:06:04.680 --> 0:06:08.040 unspoken thing. But I've never been trapped in the car 0:06:08.120 --> 0:06:09.680 with Lynette. That would be nice. 0:06:09.920 --> 0:06:12.120 Oh my gosh, Randy, when I tell you I literally 0:06:12.200 --> 0:06:15.400 had pages and pages. I've never met someone who was 0:06:15.440 --> 0:06:19.080 so I mean, I still aspire to that level of giving, 0:06:19.320 --> 0:06:20.960 you know what I mean. Like Lynette is someone who 0:06:21.000 --> 0:06:23.640 I actually model, like my not just like my business after, 0:06:23.680 --> 0:06:27.359 but like my life after. Lynette is so confident and 0:06:27.480 --> 0:06:30.360 just kind. But it's not just me. You're like, oh it, Tim, 0:06:30.400 --> 0:06:33.800 because you're so special. No, everyone has their Lynette is 0:06:33.800 --> 0:06:37.880 so kind to me. Story like she just everyone, whether 0:06:37.920 --> 0:06:41.599 you just started yesterday or your seasoned. She Like, there's 0:06:41.640 --> 0:06:43.440 certain people in my life who I'm like, you know, 0:06:44.000 --> 0:06:46.840 if I could get it's close to them as far 0:06:46.880 --> 0:06:49.560 as personality wise as possible. Lynette is one of them. 0:06:49.600 --> 0:06:50.640 And I'm yeah. 0:06:51.120 --> 0:06:52.880 I was watching this video about like how do you 0:06:52.920 --> 0:06:55.440 get a sponsor, and it's like two parts. You get 0:06:55.480 --> 0:06:59.359 a sponsor through your work, right or through relationships, meaning 0:06:59.440 --> 0:07:02.040 like so one if you're just killing it, like oh 0:07:02.040 --> 0:07:04.719 my gosh, you know someone's like yo, I like Mandy, 0:07:04.760 --> 0:07:07.720 Like like I suspect that your sponsors, Like Mandy works 0:07:07.760 --> 0:07:10.960 really hard, Mandy's super smart, she's ambitious, she's killing it. 0:07:11.160 --> 0:07:12.880 I'm gonna put her on when I get into this room. 0:07:13.280 --> 0:07:15.200 So that like that's one way and the other way 0:07:15.280 --> 0:07:19.560 is through relationships, so meaning like you know, like I 0:07:19.640 --> 0:07:21.880 used to, like almost everyone typically has like a work mom. 0:07:22.120 --> 0:07:24.560 I remember when I was like getting my internships, I 0:07:24.600 --> 0:07:26.800 had a work mom, and so she and I became 0:07:26.840 --> 0:07:29.240 really close, and so she used to put me on 0:07:29.320 --> 0:07:32.160 because she we had a relationship. Not that I was like, 0:07:32.240 --> 0:07:34.440 you know, some amazing intern. I mean, I guess I 0:07:34.480 --> 0:07:37.160 was fine, but because she actually liked me and we 0:07:37.200 --> 0:07:41.000 had developed a true relationship, then like you know, she 0:07:41.000 --> 0:07:44.240 she was the executive assistant to the CEO where I 0:07:44.320 --> 0:07:47.000 was interning, and so she would be like Tifnany's amazing, 0:07:47.040 --> 0:07:49.320 She's so great, blah blah blah. But that's because of 0:07:49.360 --> 0:07:51.240 our relationships. Because people ask me all the time, how 0:07:51.280 --> 0:07:53.760 do you get a sponsor? And it's not like something 0:07:53.800 --> 0:07:56.520 that you know, just like I haven't had a sponsor 0:07:56.720 --> 0:08:00.760 from what I could tell, well, at least the sponsor 0:08:00.800 --> 0:08:02.760 like Lynette. I mean, I'm sure there's people behind the scenes. 0:08:03.680 --> 0:08:07.240 And so Lynette's was more relationship based because I mean 0:08:07.360 --> 0:08:08.640 she didn't know if I was going to be good 0:08:08.640 --> 0:08:11.160 on TV. And the other sponsors that I've probably had 0:08:11.200 --> 0:08:14.280 behind the scenes are more work work based. So I 0:08:14.360 --> 0:08:17.120 just think that's just the interesting content mentor versus sponsor, 0:08:17.120 --> 0:08:18.559 and how do you attract both. 0:08:19.120 --> 0:08:21.720 Yeah, and especially if you're like in corporate America, you're 0:08:21.720 --> 0:08:23.160 working for a company that I don't know has more 0:08:23.200 --> 0:08:26.120 than fifty people, and you don't feel like there's anyone. 0:08:26.520 --> 0:08:29.120 I don't know, let's say you're middle management or senior management, 0:08:29.120 --> 0:08:31.600 and there's not someone because you're you have you're managing 0:08:31.640 --> 0:08:33.960 people and you don't necessarily want to talk to them about, 0:08:34.200 --> 0:08:36.440 you know, your career ambitions or how to move up 0:08:36.440 --> 0:08:39.520 in the company, and it may not be clear to you, 0:08:39.520 --> 0:08:41.160 you know, who what your company you can talk to. 0:08:41.440 --> 0:08:44.520 That's that's one of the challenges I think I've encountered, 0:08:44.559 --> 0:08:46.560 and then I've heard from other people, is not really 0:08:46.559 --> 0:08:48.520 knowing who to go to and if you're especially if 0:08:48.559 --> 0:08:52.600 you don't have a Some HR organizations do a really 0:08:52.600 --> 0:08:56.720 good job where they have in company mentoring programs, and 0:08:56.760 --> 0:08:58.960 I guess it's a form of sponsorship, but where you 0:08:59.040 --> 0:09:03.360 match sort of some employees with with people who can 0:09:03.679 --> 0:09:05.200 who have been at the company for a long time, 0:09:05.280 --> 0:09:07.240 maybe in a like a level or two higher or 0:09:07.280 --> 0:09:08.800 on parity with them, and just say, you know, this 0:09:08.880 --> 0:09:10.320 is your buddy. This is a person who you can 0:09:10.400 --> 0:09:12.560 check in with who is not your boss, not your 0:09:12.600 --> 0:09:15.760 direct report, just sort of an objective person. 0:09:16.679 --> 0:09:17.240 That's good. 0:09:17.800 --> 0:09:19.000 And Yeah, it's the thing that. 0:09:18.960 --> 0:09:22.440 I feel like a lot of a lot of people 0:09:22.520 --> 0:09:26.280 could benefit from. And and especially because like it's it's 0:09:26.280 --> 0:09:29.480 one thing having a sponsor maybe you know more generally 0:09:29.520 --> 0:09:32.000 who's not necessarily doing your job or not working at 0:09:32.040 --> 0:09:33.760 your company, But to have someone in the place where 0:09:33.800 --> 0:09:35.760 you're working, especially if you see yourself being there for 0:09:35.760 --> 0:09:40.040 a long time, who can help you maneuver, I mean, 0:09:40.080 --> 0:09:40.920 for better or for worse. 0:09:40.960 --> 0:09:41.480 There is some. 0:09:41.400 --> 0:09:44.840 Maneuvering in corporate and and and you know in corporations 0:09:44.840 --> 0:09:46.680 and stuff, so to how do how do you move around? 0:09:46.800 --> 0:09:49.560 How do you remove roadblocks? To have someone like that? 0:09:50.200 --> 0:09:52.720 Yeah, that be really have you ever been a sponsor 0:09:52.760 --> 0:09:53.400 for someone? 0:09:53.960 --> 0:09:55.920 I mean, now that you're saying it, I'm one. I 0:09:55.960 --> 0:09:57.720 feel like I'm at the Academy Awards and I'm not 0:09:57.760 --> 0:09:59.439 doing a good job thinking of who I should think. 0:10:01.240 --> 0:10:03.360 I'm like, damn, someone's gonna listen to this. 0:10:03.960 --> 0:10:07.640 For myself, I'm like, I've. 0:10:06.360 --> 0:10:09.760 Definitely I've definitely gone to bat. I was in my 0:10:09.880 --> 0:10:14.760 review of my performance review this time around, well good 0:10:14.840 --> 0:10:17.800 and bade. One of the things was you care so 0:10:17.880 --> 0:10:20.600 much about your people, like you're constantly defending that not defending, 0:10:20.640 --> 0:10:23.079 but like going to bat for them and I And 0:10:23.120 --> 0:10:25.080 as a manager, I've learned like if you don't ask 0:10:25.160 --> 0:10:27.960 for things like promotions and raises and stay the hell 0:10:28.080 --> 0:10:31.280 on your HR team, like it may not happen for 0:10:31.360 --> 0:10:34.160 that person. And I've learned how to really advocate and 0:10:34.280 --> 0:10:36.880 be a loud, squeaky wheel when it comes to getting 0:10:36.880 --> 0:10:39.480 those types of things from my people, especially in leaner times, 0:10:39.480 --> 0:10:42.120 like when a company's not thrown around money, it can 0:10:42.160 --> 0:10:45.199 be even more challenging. So I take that upon myself 0:10:45.240 --> 0:10:46.640 because one I want people. 0:10:46.440 --> 0:10:47.439 To be appostorship. 0:10:47.679 --> 0:10:51.600 So you've been yeah, yeah, you know, I certainly feel 0:10:51.600 --> 0:10:54.600 like for someone to say, hey, hello, you know, reporter, 0:10:54.760 --> 0:10:57.560 you should definitely come run a whole content team. That 0:10:57.720 --> 0:11:01.120 is a form of sponsorship, like seeing potential in someone 0:11:01.600 --> 0:11:03.920 even if they don't have a proven track record. And 0:11:03.960 --> 0:11:06.719 that's something that like, So for example, I'm recruiting, I'm 0:11:06.720 --> 0:11:09.280 always recruiting. I'm always hiring different roles and stuff. It 0:11:09.320 --> 0:11:13.120 seems like when I'm reviewing resumes, I think because of 0:11:13.160 --> 0:11:15.520 what I have been given, which is an opportunity to 0:11:15.640 --> 0:11:18.680 prove myself in a way that maybe my resume didn't 0:11:18.679 --> 0:11:21.920 show that I was prepared for. I when I'm looking 0:11:21.960 --> 0:11:25.360 at resumes, I'm looking at them differently, you know, especially 0:11:25.400 --> 0:11:28.640 for roles that are maybe more entry level or maybe 0:11:28.640 --> 0:11:30.719 it would be a step up for someone even if 0:11:30.720 --> 0:11:33.560 their resume doesn't say they've had X number of years 0:11:33.559 --> 0:11:35.880 experience and this is why you should apply for jobs. 0:11:35.880 --> 0:11:37.760 I think that you don't have the number of you know, 0:11:38.000 --> 0:11:40.360 stated experience years that they want. 0:11:40.760 --> 0:11:43.480 I'm thinking, like, okay. 0:11:42.880 --> 0:11:45.679 This is a I literally have a label on the 0:11:45.679 --> 0:11:48.560 way that I organize my red recruiting, as I have labels, 0:11:48.600 --> 0:11:51.720 and I'll put wildcard by some people if I think, 0:11:52.120 --> 0:11:54.160 if I think there's something about this person, they don't 0:11:54.200 --> 0:11:56.680 have it's not on paper, but let's give them this test. 0:11:56.760 --> 0:11:59.040 Let's have them come in, let's see what they have 0:11:59.160 --> 0:12:00.360 to give, and. 0:12:00.320 --> 0:12:01.760 I literally get that card. 0:12:02.240 --> 0:12:06.720 Yeah, And I've given people. I've given people second stabs 0:12:07.160 --> 0:12:09.400 at a test. So you know, if I'm testing editors 0:12:09.480 --> 0:12:11.600 or writers, I've given people a second go round. If 0:12:11.600 --> 0:12:13.959 I felt like the first go round wasn't good, I've 0:12:14.000 --> 0:12:17.320 annihilated them in my remarks to them and told them 0:12:17.360 --> 0:12:19.360 how poor it was, just to see how they would 0:12:19.400 --> 0:12:20.960 react and then give them another chance. 0:12:21.000 --> 0:12:22.440 And I don't know. 0:12:22.520 --> 0:12:26.120 I so I think in that way, I try to sponsor, 0:12:26.120 --> 0:12:29.000 try and get people the benefit of the doubt and 0:12:29.520 --> 0:12:31.719 a chance, the chance to kind of prove themselves. 0:12:31.760 --> 0:12:33.760 Awesome. I feel like you did. So. 0:12:33.760 --> 0:12:35.600 So it's like it's not that you necessarily have this 0:12:35.640 --> 0:12:37.800 one core person that you're like, I'm always sponsoring, but 0:12:37.840 --> 0:12:41.840 it's like when the when the situation arises, you know 0:12:41.920 --> 0:12:46.040 where you're like, Okay, this situation requires sponsorship if I 0:12:46.080 --> 0:12:48.520 really want to see this person get this raise or 0:12:48.960 --> 0:12:51.280 you know, help navigate or remove a roadblock. 0:12:51.360 --> 0:12:54.880 No, So that's honestly, you're in a you're in a position. 0:12:54.640 --> 0:12:58.560 Of power, I mean, for lack of a better word. 0:12:58.960 --> 0:13:01.040 And so yeah, that's it's good to know. 0:13:01.559 --> 0:13:03.880 And so I'm thinking about, like, you know, just this 0:13:03.920 --> 0:13:06.079 conversation just has to be thinking like how I can 0:13:06.120 --> 0:13:09.480 do a better job, because it's different in my company 0:13:09.480 --> 0:13:13.600 because I'm the CEO, so I'm you know, I try 0:13:13.640 --> 0:13:16.800 to be conscious and I actually encourage my team members 0:13:16.840 --> 0:13:19.480 to sponsor each other because there are certain people that 0:13:19.520 --> 0:13:21.560 I work with all the time, like, oh, you know, 0:13:21.679 --> 0:13:21.959 I know. 0:13:22.000 --> 0:13:24.680 Logan is killing a Tamra's killing it, Karen's killing it. 0:13:24.720 --> 0:13:27.440 But that's my lead team. Rachel's killing it. I might 0:13:27.480 --> 0:13:31.000 not know that Comeone, who works on customer success and 0:13:31.000 --> 0:13:34.680 customer support, she's been killing it because she works on 0:13:34.720 --> 0:13:39.400 Tamra's team. So Tamor is her lead, and so you know, 0:13:39.440 --> 0:13:41.440 Tamor might have to be like, uh, just so you know, 0:13:41.880 --> 0:13:43.920 Comeone has been killing these last couple of weeks. So 0:13:44.120 --> 0:13:46.920 I really encourage that because I don't want to miss 0:13:47.000 --> 0:13:50.920 someone's excellence because we don't connect on a daily basis. 0:13:51.000 --> 0:13:51.680 That's not your fault. 0:13:51.760 --> 0:13:53.760 You didn't do anything wrong because we don't because I'm 0:13:53.800 --> 0:13:56.560 not watching you work because you already have your team lead. 0:13:56.880 --> 0:13:59.480 And so I don't necessarily think a sponsorship in my company, 0:13:59.679 --> 0:14:03.520 but I do try to think of like, well, what 0:14:03.559 --> 0:14:06.199 can I do with like other people, especially in the 0:14:06.240 --> 0:14:09.560 brown financial space, you know, like how can I put 0:14:09.600 --> 0:14:12.320 folks on? Yeah, because I we're all just so dope. 0:14:12.360 --> 0:14:12.720 So I know. 0:14:12.760 --> 0:14:14.600 One of the things is like with the Literature Academy, 0:14:15.240 --> 0:14:17.840 if I see someone who's really dope, like I try 0:14:17.880 --> 0:14:20.080 to be like Hey, you want to teach a class, 0:14:20.240 --> 0:14:24.240 because yes, the students benefit, but honestly, like the members, 0:14:24.320 --> 0:14:28.520 these members have been like raised and molded for like 0:14:28.560 --> 0:14:30.800 the last some of them for like the last seven years, 0:14:31.280 --> 0:14:34.320 and they are primed and ready to invest further. 0:14:34.840 --> 0:14:35.640 And so you come on. 0:14:35.720 --> 0:14:37.720 I mean, I've had people make you know, in a 0:14:37.800 --> 0:14:40.240 month from the people in my online school in like 0:14:40.240 --> 0:14:42.760 a one of my friends teaches people how to take 0:14:42.760 --> 0:14:45.880 their invention from idea to the shelves of like Walmart 0:14:45.880 --> 0:14:49.040 and Target. I've had she made like sixty thousand dollars 0:14:49.120 --> 0:14:52.520 from people who then invested further into her business, like 0:14:52.800 --> 0:14:55.000 as far as like you know, hiring her to do 0:14:55.080 --> 0:14:57.440 whatever it is that you know, like whatever her service 0:14:57.520 --> 0:14:59.920 or whatever is. And so that's kind of like my 0:15:00.040 --> 0:15:02.520 way to be like because I want I want them, 0:15:03.400 --> 0:15:05.920 the people that we serve, the dream catchers and dream builders, 0:15:05.920 --> 0:15:09.720 to have access to like top tier folks that look 0:15:09.840 --> 0:15:12.400 like them. And then this is my opportunity to put 0:15:12.400 --> 0:15:14.480 on top tier folks that you might they might not 0:15:14.560 --> 0:15:18.240 otherwise run into you, you know, So like kind of 0:15:18.320 --> 0:15:19.960 like that's that's what I do for now, But I 0:15:20.040 --> 0:15:22.600 feel like I don't know, like I want to be 0:15:22.680 --> 0:15:25.239 more pointed with it, like that's pretty appointed. 0:15:26.960 --> 0:15:30.040 You're putting them in front of your vast audience. Is 0:15:30.040 --> 0:15:32.520 a is a gift? You're like a little see your 0:15:32.560 --> 0:15:33.480 fairy godmother too. 0:15:34.400 --> 0:15:36.240 No, but I feel like there's some people, like, for example, 0:15:36.240 --> 0:15:38.320 I love Tila holcome right, I'm like, what can I 0:15:38.360 --> 0:15:41.400 do for Tila? I just love just so you know, 0:15:41.520 --> 0:15:43.800 so like when things come up, I'm like, like, I 0:15:43.840 --> 0:15:46.000 wasn't able to do the speaking tour and I feel 0:15:46.040 --> 0:15:48.920 so bad, and you know what, they ended up asking Tila. 0:15:49.480 --> 0:15:50.680 And because I'm like, I can't do it, and I 0:15:50.680 --> 0:15:52.560 talk to myself, why did I talk them about Tila? 0:15:52.720 --> 0:15:54.920 Like I should have? Like, you know, cause that's something 0:15:54.960 --> 0:15:56.760 that Patrice taught me. Patrise Washington. You know we all 0:15:56.800 --> 0:15:59.320 love her. She was one of our guests. So Patrice 0:15:59.360 --> 0:16:01.120 taught me that, and I forgot. She was like that 0:16:01.200 --> 0:16:03.800 when she can't do something, someone reaches out and said, hey, 0:16:03.840 --> 0:16:05.840 we love for you to do this. She never let 0:16:05.920 --> 0:16:09.840 that that opportunity leave without making a suggestion that sponsorship. 0:16:10.200 --> 0:16:11.360 And I was kicking myself. 0:16:11.400 --> 0:16:13.280 I'm glad that I ended up reaching out to Tila, 0:16:13.360 --> 0:16:15.480 but I was kicking myself and like all I said 0:16:15.480 --> 0:16:17.640 basically was like, oh, I'm unable to do is so sorry, 0:16:17.640 --> 0:16:19.520 I have a conflict. It should have been like, but 0:16:19.760 --> 0:16:22.280 I have somebody amazing who could take my place, And 0:16:22.360 --> 0:16:24.800 that's something I'm trying to remember that if I can't 0:16:24.800 --> 0:16:26.280 do that, that's like the Patris rule. 0:16:26.520 --> 0:16:28.000 If you can't do a girl, don't. 0:16:27.840 --> 0:16:31.120 Let them leave with that at least looking into someone 0:16:31.120 --> 0:16:32.600 that you know that it's dull, so you could put 0:16:32.600 --> 0:16:33.240 someone else on. 0:16:33.360 --> 0:16:37.000 You know, what would Patrice slash Lynette do exactly? 0:16:37.920 --> 0:16:39.080 Touch? Don't people that we know? 0:16:39.520 --> 0:16:42.000 Yeah, for real, there's so few and you know, personal 0:16:42.000 --> 0:16:45.400 finance journalism too, is not the most diverse field. But 0:16:45.920 --> 0:16:48.480 I recently got I didn't realize there was this this. 0:16:50.160 --> 0:16:51.600 I must have known in the back of my mind 0:16:51.600 --> 0:16:53.400 that something like this must have existed. But there's like 0:16:53.400 --> 0:16:56.480 a network of black financial journalists. And I finally got 0:16:56.480 --> 0:16:58.560 the top of my shoulder to join the email chain 0:16:59.680 --> 0:17:02.760 to me up with these you know, other black financial journalists. 0:17:02.800 --> 0:17:06.119 So I'm excited about about that because you know, I've 0:17:06.200 --> 0:17:09.000 I've tried to recruit a very as diverse a team 0:17:09.040 --> 0:17:12.119 as I can, but still it's a small it's a 0:17:12.160 --> 0:17:13.200 small little world. 0:17:13.280 --> 0:17:13.720 Out here. 0:17:14.400 --> 0:17:16.359 But if you don't have to like sponsor in big ways, 0:17:17.560 --> 0:17:19.159 you know, if it doesn't have to you know, you 0:17:19.160 --> 0:17:20.560 don't have to feel like, oh I can't give you 0:17:20.600 --> 0:17:24.199 a job or like a monetary opportunity. But just like 0:17:24.280 --> 0:17:26.360 what I love about my team is we're constantly doing 0:17:26.359 --> 0:17:28.760 shout outs, like like it's like you said, when you 0:17:28.760 --> 0:17:30.800 don't when your team is growing and getting bigger and 0:17:30.800 --> 0:17:33.080 you've got layers of management in between you and the 0:17:33.200 --> 0:17:36.080 and and people who are working for you, you may not 0:17:36.160 --> 0:17:38.080 understand who the rock stars are and you need that 0:17:38.119 --> 0:17:41.400 feedback from you know, your middle management to to tell 0:17:41.440 --> 0:17:43.359 you and so to make that part of their daily 0:17:43.400 --> 0:17:45.800 goal and expectation, like you tell me how everyone's doing 0:17:45.800 --> 0:17:49.200 and who the who's doing very well, so that you're 0:17:49.240 --> 0:17:52.480