1 00:00:00,480 --> 00:00:05,040 Speaker 1: Everybody thinks you have to be just a legit entrepreneurial, right, 2 00:00:05,760 --> 00:00:07,840 Speaker 1: and that's like you just going out starting your own 3 00:00:07,880 --> 00:00:11,360 Speaker 1: business and you grow up whatever. But there's also an 4 00:00:11,480 --> 00:00:14,080 Speaker 1: entrepreneur route, try to Patrick Bick dave Man. I got 5 00:00:14,080 --> 00:00:16,279 Speaker 1: that term from him. It's like you can go into 6 00:00:16,280 --> 00:00:20,040 Speaker 1: a smaller business as an employee, grow that business exponentially 7 00:00:20,239 --> 00:00:21,920 Speaker 1: and then go back to the owners and say, hey, look, 8 00:00:21,960 --> 00:00:23,800 Speaker 1: you know I've grown these visions, I got the relationships, 9 00:00:23,800 --> 00:00:26,000 Speaker 1: et cetera, et cetera. You know, I want equity in 10 00:00:26,000 --> 00:00:28,160 Speaker 1: the company. Just give me equity in the company, and 11 00:00:28,440 --> 00:00:30,280 Speaker 1: if you're doing your job, they'll give it to you. 12 00:00:30,920 --> 00:00:33,520 Speaker 1: If not, you know, they'll just throw you to the side. 13 00:00:33,880 --> 00:00:35,760 Speaker 1: But typically they do though, you know, and I didn't 14 00:00:35,760 --> 00:00:37,199 Speaker 1: have to do that with you know, my partners. It 15 00:00:37,280 --> 00:00:38,839 Speaker 1: was you know, they just saw it and gave it 16 00:00:38,880 --> 00:00:40,599 Speaker 1: to me. But again, this is a route that some 17 00:00:40,640 --> 00:00:43,200 Speaker 1: people can't go into, John to be a business owner. 18 00:00:48,320 --> 00:00:50,720 Speaker 2: Everybody, welcome to another episode of button On. I'm your host, 19 00:00:50,760 --> 00:00:54,040 Speaker 2: Brandan Butler, and today we got another special guest up 20 00:00:54,080 --> 00:00:59,280 Speaker 2: in the studio, my guy, the CEO of soul Play, TJ. 21 00:00:59,320 --> 00:01:01,280 Speaker 3: Bennett, j hig doing Man I'm doing pretty good. Man. 22 00:01:01,320 --> 00:01:03,080 Speaker 3: How about yourself, I'm good man. It's good to see 23 00:01:03,080 --> 00:01:03,440 Speaker 3: you out. 24 00:01:03,320 --> 00:01:06,160 Speaker 1: Here, man, to see you, And I'm honest. I'm pretty 25 00:01:06,160 --> 00:01:07,520 Speaker 1: sure people say this all the time and get on 26 00:01:07,520 --> 00:01:10,039 Speaker 1: the pot, but I'm super honored to be here because 27 00:01:10,040 --> 00:01:12,720 Speaker 1: I love which Even before we met, I was watching 28 00:01:12,760 --> 00:01:14,640 Speaker 1: from a far of everything that she was doing for Atlanta, 29 00:01:15,080 --> 00:01:17,800 Speaker 1: the culture of Atlanta, and I've always admired it. So 30 00:01:18,080 --> 00:01:20,160 Speaker 1: thank you for even having me on the podcast. Man, 31 00:01:20,200 --> 00:01:21,400 Speaker 1: looking forward to a great conversation. 32 00:01:21,520 --> 00:01:23,759 Speaker 3: Oh TJ Man, lookow Man, I appreciate it. First of all. 33 00:01:23,840 --> 00:01:26,400 Speaker 2: I appreciate it. You know you're doing the work too, man. 34 00:01:26,440 --> 00:01:29,080 Speaker 2: I mean, you know, we've collaborated on a few things. 35 00:01:29,120 --> 00:01:31,640 Speaker 2: I've done some stuff at you know, some of your 36 00:01:31,640 --> 00:01:33,920 Speaker 2: locations before. Man, how's everything going, Man? 37 00:01:34,000 --> 00:01:36,920 Speaker 1: Everything is going good man. You know again, going into 38 00:01:37,000 --> 00:01:40,160 Speaker 1: Q four, you know things are you know, things are 39 00:01:40,360 --> 00:01:42,120 Speaker 1: catching up, I would say, because Q three was a 40 00:01:42,160 --> 00:01:43,119 Speaker 1: little shaky for us. 41 00:01:43,240 --> 00:01:44,320 Speaker 3: Yeah, and I don't know why. 42 00:01:44,360 --> 00:01:45,640 Speaker 1: I don't know if it's just the market just in 43 00:01:45,680 --> 00:01:47,880 Speaker 1: general and in retail, but it was a little shaky. 44 00:01:47,920 --> 00:01:50,600 Speaker 1: But going in the fourth quarter, things are picking up great, man. 45 00:01:50,680 --> 00:01:52,320 Speaker 1: So everything is going good for now. So we're just 46 00:01:52,320 --> 00:01:53,320 Speaker 1: trying to close out strong. 47 00:01:53,560 --> 00:01:55,320 Speaker 3: Now. For those that don't know what is soul play, 48 00:01:55,440 --> 00:01:57,640 Speaker 3: Oh okay, so this is what I really do, man. 49 00:01:57,640 --> 00:02:01,160 Speaker 1: I always tell people soul Play is the community impact store, 50 00:02:01,240 --> 00:02:03,680 Speaker 1: right first and foremost. So what we do is we 51 00:02:03,760 --> 00:02:06,280 Speaker 1: leverage our brand influence and our partnerships to you know, 52 00:02:06,360 --> 00:02:09,560 Speaker 1: help impact communities that we serve on a daily basis. Right, 53 00:02:10,080 --> 00:02:11,519 Speaker 1: he was, okay, well, look how are you impact in 54 00:02:11,560 --> 00:02:14,280 Speaker 1: these communities? All right, Well, it's three things that we 55 00:02:14,360 --> 00:02:17,760 Speaker 1: typically focus on. We focused on mental health awareness, financial literacy, 56 00:02:18,160 --> 00:02:21,720 Speaker 1: stem slash gaming, and these three things. Because again, when 57 00:02:21,760 --> 00:02:24,360 Speaker 1: I was growing up, you know, in Phoenix City, Alabama, 58 00:02:24,360 --> 00:02:27,119 Speaker 1: shotut of Phoenix City City, we didn't. 59 00:02:26,840 --> 00:02:29,040 Speaker 3: Have access to those things. Right. 60 00:02:29,080 --> 00:02:31,480 Speaker 1: We didn't talk about mental health awareness, we didn't talk 61 00:02:31,480 --> 00:02:33,840 Speaker 1: about financial literacy. I didn't learn about that stuff until 62 00:02:33,880 --> 00:02:37,160 Speaker 1: I was, you know, grown. So I said, okay, look 63 00:02:37,280 --> 00:02:39,520 Speaker 1: now we have all these shoes that the coach in 64 00:02:39,520 --> 00:02:42,359 Speaker 1: the community rocks with, right, so how can we use 65 00:02:42,440 --> 00:02:44,919 Speaker 1: that and leverage that again just to impact the community. 66 00:02:45,080 --> 00:02:47,239 Speaker 3: So that's the ways that we that we typically do it. Man. 67 00:02:47,560 --> 00:02:49,280 Speaker 3: We draw them in with the sneakers. We love fashion, 68 00:02:49,280 --> 00:02:50,080 Speaker 3: we love sneakers. 69 00:02:50,320 --> 00:02:51,680 Speaker 1: We draw them in with that, and then we give 70 00:02:51,720 --> 00:02:54,079 Speaker 1: them the education on the financial literacy, mental health awareness, 71 00:02:54,200 --> 00:02:55,680 Speaker 1: stam gaming on the back end. 72 00:02:55,760 --> 00:02:57,839 Speaker 2: So so they come in and trying to buy some 73 00:02:57,840 --> 00:02:59,880 Speaker 2: some j's, Yeah, and they walk out with all kind 74 00:02:59,919 --> 00:03:01,000 Speaker 2: of information everything. 75 00:03:01,080 --> 00:03:02,800 Speaker 1: There you go there, you're going out the cater location. 76 00:03:02,840 --> 00:03:04,440 Speaker 1: You have to state of the art gaming facility. So 77 00:03:04,520 --> 00:03:06,679 Speaker 1: not only do we talk about it, we actually show 78 00:03:06,760 --> 00:03:08,520 Speaker 1: you and again great the access point you know. 79 00:03:08,639 --> 00:03:11,040 Speaker 2: So yeah, man, you've done a lot of stuff. But 80 00:03:11,080 --> 00:03:12,799 Speaker 2: I remember the Nike event up there. You know, there's 81 00:03:12,919 --> 00:03:14,200 Speaker 2: other activations up there. 82 00:03:14,639 --> 00:03:14,880 Speaker 3: Now. 83 00:03:15,240 --> 00:03:17,440 Speaker 2: The other location is in Alabama's in Phoenix. Where is 84 00:03:17,440 --> 00:03:20,320 Speaker 2: it that It's in Dothan, Alabama? So, like, what's the 85 00:03:20,320 --> 00:03:22,200 Speaker 2: difference between the two stores, Like, is that of the 86 00:03:22,200 --> 00:03:23,679 Speaker 2: stores it the same thing? Does it have like the 87 00:03:23,720 --> 00:03:25,600 Speaker 2: gaming aspect to it too, or is that more than 88 00:03:25,560 --> 00:03:26,160 Speaker 2: the one out here? 89 00:03:26,360 --> 00:03:31,040 Speaker 1: No, So the Doting location and the Lawrenceville location they 90 00:03:31,080 --> 00:03:33,120 Speaker 1: have actual bar in it, so it's more of a 91 00:03:33,160 --> 00:03:36,360 Speaker 1: social social vibe there. You got a bar out there, 92 00:03:36,400 --> 00:03:39,839 Speaker 1: man on shot take a shot with us. But but yeah, 93 00:03:39,920 --> 00:03:42,240 Speaker 1: so in the Decatur location again has the state of 94 00:03:42,280 --> 00:03:44,440 Speaker 1: the art gaming facility, no alcohol and nothing like that. 95 00:03:44,680 --> 00:03:46,280 Speaker 1: But it's a dope it's a dope spot. But you 96 00:03:46,280 --> 00:03:47,920 Speaker 1: gotta come out to Lawrenceville, man, check it out. 97 00:03:48,000 --> 00:03:49,040 Speaker 3: Yeah, gotta check it out, man. 98 00:03:49,200 --> 00:03:51,320 Speaker 2: So when people come in and they and they're trying 99 00:03:51,320 --> 00:03:52,600 Speaker 2: to get these shoes, like, what are some of the 100 00:03:53,000 --> 00:03:54,960 Speaker 2: programs that y'all have in place to like give them 101 00:03:55,000 --> 00:03:57,320 Speaker 2: information about financial literacy and some of the other things. 102 00:03:57,720 --> 00:04:00,360 Speaker 1: So the biggest thing we do is say, if we have, 103 00:04:00,680 --> 00:04:02,640 Speaker 1: you know, a hot shoe coming out. I don't want 104 00:04:02,640 --> 00:04:03,920 Speaker 1: to name a brand, but say we have a hot 105 00:04:03,920 --> 00:04:05,840 Speaker 1: shoe coming out, and one of the things to give 106 00:04:05,840 --> 00:04:07,720 Speaker 1: you early access to the shoe is say, hey, look, 107 00:04:07,720 --> 00:04:10,160 Speaker 1: you have to come to this financial literacy workshop. And 108 00:04:10,160 --> 00:04:11,800 Speaker 1: a lot of people might say, okay, well look the 109 00:04:11,880 --> 00:04:13,680 Speaker 1: only reason they're coming is to get the shoe. 110 00:04:13,880 --> 00:04:15,280 Speaker 3: Yeah, true enough, right. 111 00:04:15,680 --> 00:04:18,799 Speaker 1: But the people that you would know that's like, Okay, 112 00:04:18,800 --> 00:04:20,680 Speaker 1: this person just really wanted you. They ain't really interested 113 00:04:20,680 --> 00:04:22,080 Speaker 1: in the knowledge and nothing like that. Those would be 114 00:04:22,120 --> 00:04:24,200 Speaker 1: the ones that come up to us afterwards and be like, Yo, 115 00:04:24,360 --> 00:04:27,279 Speaker 1: look I really appreciate y'all doing this. It was super dope. 116 00:04:27,480 --> 00:04:29,400 Speaker 1: When you're gonna have the next ones like just thank you, 117 00:04:29,440 --> 00:04:32,120 Speaker 1: thank you, thank you. So it's super effective on how 118 00:04:32,120 --> 00:04:34,200 Speaker 1: we do things, even though it might not look like 119 00:04:34,279 --> 00:04:35,599 Speaker 1: it from the outside looking in. 120 00:04:35,839 --> 00:04:37,200 Speaker 3: So yeah, okay, I didn't. 121 00:04:37,240 --> 00:04:38,960 Speaker 2: Okay, I see I see the model now, Yeah, I 122 00:04:39,000 --> 00:04:41,160 Speaker 2: see the model now. Now, like, how did you get 123 00:04:41,160 --> 00:04:41,800 Speaker 2: into the shoe game? 124 00:04:41,839 --> 00:04:43,880 Speaker 3: Man? How did you get started? Man? That's a long story. 125 00:04:44,760 --> 00:04:46,400 Speaker 3: I hope we got time, but no. 126 00:04:46,560 --> 00:04:50,760 Speaker 1: So when I was an undergrad man, my undergrad part 127 00:04:50,800 --> 00:04:53,880 Speaker 1: of grad school, I worked at a place called Stepping Style. 128 00:04:54,320 --> 00:04:55,560 Speaker 3: This was in Troy, Alabama. 129 00:04:55,680 --> 00:04:59,280 Speaker 1: Super small and first of all, Troy is small within itself, right, 130 00:05:00,040 --> 00:05:01,880 Speaker 1: but it's a small sneaker store, and it was like 131 00:05:01,880 --> 00:05:03,560 Speaker 1: the only sneaker store there. And I worked from the 132 00:05:04,000 --> 00:05:07,840 Speaker 1: Bennie business partner now own and then, and he used 133 00:05:07,839 --> 00:05:09,359 Speaker 1: to tell me all the time that, hey, look, you know, 134 00:05:09,400 --> 00:05:11,479 Speaker 1: whenever you you know, he said, whenever. I in a 135 00:05:11,480 --> 00:05:13,640 Speaker 1: few years, I'm going to open a store in Atlanta 136 00:05:13,760 --> 00:05:15,920 Speaker 1: called soul Play, and then you're gonna run for me 137 00:05:15,920 --> 00:05:19,520 Speaker 1: one day. And again, I'm an undergrad, so I'm like, okay, cool, whatever, 138 00:05:19,560 --> 00:05:21,480 Speaker 1: But in my mind I'm thinking, look, I'm gonna go corporate. 139 00:05:21,600 --> 00:05:23,640 Speaker 1: I'm gonna go to grad school, I'm finna lead this behind. 140 00:05:23,640 --> 00:05:25,160 Speaker 1: I ain't thinking nothing else about it, because people tell 141 00:05:25,160 --> 00:05:27,440 Speaker 1: you stuff all the time. Right, Yeah, So I left 142 00:05:27,600 --> 00:05:30,640 Speaker 1: went corporate, got fired from my first corporate job at 143 00:05:30,640 --> 00:05:33,880 Speaker 1: Coca Cola, went to another company called Snyder's Land, and 144 00:05:33,920 --> 00:05:35,560 Speaker 1: that was actually based in Atlanta. So when I got 145 00:05:35,600 --> 00:05:38,039 Speaker 1: the job out here, that's when he was building out 146 00:05:38,080 --> 00:05:41,840 Speaker 1: soul Play. And this is the one in Lawrenceville. And 147 00:05:42,560 --> 00:05:46,919 Speaker 1: I was battling with Snyders because the work life balance 148 00:05:47,040 --> 00:05:49,320 Speaker 1: was like super horrible. Coming from Coca Cola, it was cake. 149 00:05:49,839 --> 00:05:52,119 Speaker 1: Got to Snyder's Lance. I was driving the truck, selling 150 00:05:52,160 --> 00:05:54,480 Speaker 1: in the product merchandise, I was doing everything, and when 151 00:05:54,480 --> 00:05:56,960 Speaker 1: the Coca it was all divided. So I said, hey, look, 152 00:05:57,040 --> 00:05:59,400 Speaker 1: I said, you building out soul play. You know how 153 00:05:59,480 --> 00:06:00,920 Speaker 1: much can you what to pay me to do this 154 00:06:00,960 --> 00:06:03,360 Speaker 1: full time? He shot me a decent I mean, it 155 00:06:03,360 --> 00:06:04,880 Speaker 1: wasn't great, but I was like, you know what, let 156 00:06:04,920 --> 00:06:06,560 Speaker 1: me I'm just going hit and route when let's do it. 157 00:06:06,600 --> 00:06:07,200 Speaker 3: So I did it. 158 00:06:07,360 --> 00:06:10,039 Speaker 1: Hated it, right, So I hated it because you know, 159 00:06:10,200 --> 00:06:12,960 Speaker 1: corporate will definitely put you on the comfort zone because 160 00:06:12,960 --> 00:06:15,680 Speaker 1: you're getting a steady paycheck. You you your four one 161 00:06:15,760 --> 00:06:17,600 Speaker 1: K's and all that stuff is taken care of. You 162 00:06:17,640 --> 00:06:20,600 Speaker 1: ain't gotta really worry about too much becoming more an 163 00:06:20,880 --> 00:06:24,160 Speaker 1: entrepreneur entrepreneur route, it's stuff that you got to just 164 00:06:24,360 --> 00:06:26,800 Speaker 1: take care on yourself. And I get I was just 165 00:06:26,839 --> 00:06:28,400 Speaker 1: one foot in the corporate world, like do I need 166 00:06:28,480 --> 00:06:30,120 Speaker 1: to go back to corporate? Do I need to stay 167 00:06:30,120 --> 00:06:31,600 Speaker 1: over here? And I had one foot in soul play? 168 00:06:31,600 --> 00:06:33,440 Speaker 1: Do I need to stay soul play? So that's what 169 00:06:33,680 --> 00:06:36,800 Speaker 1: really was just had my mind boggle like crazy. So 170 00:06:36,839 --> 00:06:38,120 Speaker 1: I was like, look, I just woke up one there. 171 00:06:38,160 --> 00:06:39,839 Speaker 1: I said, look, I'm just going to go one hundred 172 00:06:39,839 --> 00:06:42,600 Speaker 1: percent in soul play. I'm gonna learn as much as 173 00:06:42,600 --> 00:06:45,440 Speaker 1: I possibly hand of my business, the shoe game, market, 174 00:06:45,520 --> 00:06:48,360 Speaker 1: in building relationships, et cetera. And I'm just gonna focus 175 00:06:48,360 --> 00:06:51,640 Speaker 1: on soul play. So I did that, and man shit, 176 00:06:51,720 --> 00:06:54,680 Speaker 1: it it took off. We took off. We went from 177 00:06:54,800 --> 00:06:57,120 Speaker 1: one store to now we have three stores. One in 178 00:06:57,200 --> 00:07:00,719 Speaker 1: Dowton wanted Decatter, Jordan, of course want Lawrence, but Georgia 179 00:07:01,080 --> 00:07:03,480 Speaker 1: and they've seen the growth and aget in mind you, 180 00:07:03,520 --> 00:07:05,440 Speaker 1: I'm just a store manager at this point, but they've 181 00:07:05,440 --> 00:07:07,400 Speaker 1: seen the amount of energy and effort that I put 182 00:07:07,440 --> 00:07:09,440 Speaker 1: into it, and they offered me equality in the business 183 00:07:09,440 --> 00:07:11,600 Speaker 1: and I became my owner. Oh man, that's still man, 184 00:07:11,680 --> 00:07:13,240 Speaker 1: Yeah yeah, And that's what I tell people, Man, you 185 00:07:13,240 --> 00:07:15,160 Speaker 1: don't have to always everybody thinks you have to be 186 00:07:16,000 --> 00:07:20,240 Speaker 1: just a legit entrepreneurial, right, and that's like you just 187 00:07:20,240 --> 00:07:22,920 Speaker 1: going out starting your own business and you grow it whatever. 188 00:07:23,440 --> 00:07:26,440 Speaker 1: But there's also an entrepreneur route. Shout out to Patrick 189 00:07:26,480 --> 00:07:28,880 Speaker 1: Bick David Man. I got that term from him. It's 190 00:07:28,920 --> 00:07:31,320 Speaker 1: like you can go into a smaller business as an employee, 191 00:07:31,800 --> 00:07:34,840 Speaker 1: grow that business exponentially, and then go back to the 192 00:07:34,840 --> 00:07:36,720 Speaker 1: owners and say, hey, look, you know I've grown these business, 193 00:07:36,720 --> 00:07:38,920 Speaker 1: I got the relationships, et cetera, et cetera. You know, 194 00:07:39,040 --> 00:07:40,880 Speaker 1: I want equity in the company. Just give me equity 195 00:07:40,880 --> 00:07:43,440 Speaker 1: in the company, and if you're doing your job, they'll 196 00:07:43,440 --> 00:07:46,440 Speaker 1: give it to you. If not, you know, they'll just 197 00:07:46,520 --> 00:07:46,880 Speaker 1: throw you. 198 00:07:46,840 --> 00:07:47,360 Speaker 3: To the side. 199 00:07:47,680 --> 00:07:49,560 Speaker 1: But the typically they do though. You know, I didn't 200 00:07:49,560 --> 00:07:51,160 Speaker 1: have to do that with you know, my partners. It was 201 00:07:51,200 --> 00:07:52,880 Speaker 1: you know, they just saw it and gave it to me. 202 00:07:52,960 --> 00:07:54,960 Speaker 1: But again, this is a route that some people can't 203 00:07:55,000 --> 00:07:57,120 Speaker 1: go into to be a business owner. 204 00:07:57,280 --> 00:07:59,320 Speaker 2: No, man, look that's super familiar. I mean that's how 205 00:07:59,360 --> 00:08:01,640 Speaker 2: I got started with you know, like even you know, 206 00:08:01,640 --> 00:08:03,360 Speaker 2: a lot of I've told this story before, but you know, 207 00:08:03,360 --> 00:08:05,040 Speaker 2: when I started Butter, I was working at a marketing 208 00:08:05,120 --> 00:08:07,840 Speaker 2: agency and I came over there as the head of 209 00:08:07,840 --> 00:08:10,320 Speaker 2: technology and project management. You know, my background is computer 210 00:08:10,360 --> 00:08:12,560 Speaker 2: science and web development and app development all that stuff, 211 00:08:13,080 --> 00:08:15,160 Speaker 2: and you know, we had this little side project that 212 00:08:16,040 --> 00:08:17,720 Speaker 2: we were kind of working on. We had this idea that, 213 00:08:17,760 --> 00:08:19,560 Speaker 2: you know, there should be a media company that's tied 214 00:08:19,560 --> 00:08:21,080 Speaker 2: in the culture, but it was still kind of becoming 215 00:08:21,120 --> 00:08:23,480 Speaker 2: some things, and it was kind of a little side project, 216 00:08:23,880 --> 00:08:26,280 Speaker 2: and through a couple of different things, it started happening. 217 00:08:26,320 --> 00:08:28,120 Speaker 2: I ended up kind of taking the project over. And 218 00:08:28,120 --> 00:08:31,000 Speaker 2: when I took it over, I remember seeing like the opportunity. 219 00:08:31,040 --> 00:08:32,520 Speaker 2: I was like, you know, this could be something big. 220 00:08:32,559 --> 00:08:36,040 Speaker 2: But I was always concerned about, you know, putting so 221 00:08:36,120 --> 00:08:37,280 Speaker 2: much in my because I knew it was going to 222 00:08:37,360 --> 00:08:40,280 Speaker 2: take a lot of my work and my reputation and like, 223 00:08:40,640 --> 00:08:42,520 Speaker 2: you know, my credibility to kind of build that thing up. 224 00:08:42,559 --> 00:08:44,040 Speaker 2: So I was always kind of hesitant in the beginning 225 00:08:44,080 --> 00:08:46,320 Speaker 2: about like putting that much into something I didn't really own. 226 00:08:46,920 --> 00:08:49,320 Speaker 2: But you know, it kind of started growing, and I 227 00:08:49,320 --> 00:08:51,800 Speaker 2: had those conversations, yeah, you know, with the CEO at 228 00:08:51,840 --> 00:08:53,640 Speaker 2: that time of that agency that I was working for, 229 00:08:54,240 --> 00:08:56,559 Speaker 2: and you know, eventually I was able to when I 230 00:08:56,559 --> 00:08:58,520 Speaker 2: got ready to leave, I was able to basically negotiate, 231 00:08:58,600 --> 00:09:00,680 Speaker 2: you know, full ownership of the platform, got all my 232 00:09:00,760 --> 00:09:03,840 Speaker 2: IP you know, and it's like a totally different situation now, right, 233 00:09:03,880 --> 00:09:06,160 Speaker 2: And so you know, the beautiful part about that was like, yeah, 234 00:09:06,160 --> 00:09:08,920 Speaker 2: we were able to build something kind of incubated, and 235 00:09:09,120 --> 00:09:11,000 Speaker 2: that was something that I kind of struggled with in 236 00:09:11,040 --> 00:09:12,920 Speaker 2: full transparency. When I was getting ready to leave, I 237 00:09:12,960 --> 00:09:14,680 Speaker 2: was like, man, I don't want to leave this thing 238 00:09:15,240 --> 00:09:17,319 Speaker 2: that I built, because everybody knows that I built it, 239 00:09:17,679 --> 00:09:19,520 Speaker 2: and I don't want people thinking that, you know, I 240 00:09:19,640 --> 00:09:21,440 Speaker 2: was some kind of puppet or some kind of shill, 241 00:09:21,520 --> 00:09:24,200 Speaker 2: because like everything I did I did authentically. But I 242 00:09:24,320 --> 00:09:26,120 Speaker 2: just said, you know, if if I leave, I don't 243 00:09:26,160 --> 00:09:28,280 Speaker 2: have any control over what this thing becomes, and people 244 00:09:28,280 --> 00:09:30,240 Speaker 2: are going to still associate it with me, for sure. 245 00:09:30,320 --> 00:09:33,079 Speaker 2: And so I fought really hard. I fought really hard, 246 00:09:33,480 --> 00:09:35,560 Speaker 2: you know, to kind of go through that process of 247 00:09:35,640 --> 00:09:38,360 Speaker 2: acquiring you know, butter and full so that I can 248 00:09:38,400 --> 00:09:40,280 Speaker 2: kind of continue to run it and do the things 249 00:09:40,320 --> 00:09:41,600 Speaker 2: it needs to do. And like look at now now 250 00:09:41,600 --> 00:09:43,360 Speaker 2: we're on this podcast, not these things are happening right. 251 00:09:43,400 --> 00:09:46,000 Speaker 2: So to your point, if you're providing that kind of value, 252 00:09:46,040 --> 00:09:49,400 Speaker 2: there are definitely you know, non traditional routes to entrepreneurship, 253 00:09:49,440 --> 00:09:51,240 Speaker 2: I think to your point, like everybody really gets caught 254 00:09:51,320 --> 00:09:53,160 Speaker 2: up in I got to get it out the mud. 255 00:09:53,200 --> 00:09:55,600 Speaker 2: Start from zero shit, Like sometimes it's nice starting air. 256 00:09:57,800 --> 00:10:00,640 Speaker 2: It's nice to start with a chair, sit down, especially 257 00:10:00,679 --> 00:10:03,559 Speaker 2: if you can like see the opportunity right. So, and 258 00:10:03,600 --> 00:10:05,840 Speaker 2: then the other part about that it's interesting is because 259 00:10:05,880 --> 00:10:07,160 Speaker 2: you had a chance to do that, you got to 260 00:10:07,240 --> 00:10:10,000 Speaker 2: learn more about how the business runs. You know, it's 261 00:10:10,040 --> 00:10:12,040 Speaker 2: almost like you kind of got a you know, almost 262 00:10:12,080 --> 00:10:14,839 Speaker 2: like an NBA in this specific kind of business by 263 00:10:14,880 --> 00:10:16,760 Speaker 2: working behind the scenes and growing into that. Like how 264 00:10:16,800 --> 00:10:18,920 Speaker 2: do you think that helped you, you know, continue to 265 00:10:18,920 --> 00:10:20,320 Speaker 2: make the store successful and grow. 266 00:10:20,720 --> 00:10:23,959 Speaker 1: Man, it helps tremendously because again, you know, and the 267 00:10:24,320 --> 00:10:26,839 Speaker 1: thing with me, and I'm just gonna be transparent, I've 268 00:10:26,840 --> 00:10:31,640 Speaker 1: never been a big reader until I got into business, right, 269 00:10:31,720 --> 00:10:33,560 Speaker 1: And like you said, you know, it's it's like you 270 00:10:33,559 --> 00:10:35,520 Speaker 1: get your own NBA and after you read so many 271 00:10:35,520 --> 00:10:38,480 Speaker 1: business books from so many different CEOs and whatnot. You know, 272 00:10:38,640 --> 00:10:41,199 Speaker 1: you understand that business is pretty much the same. It's 273 00:10:41,200 --> 00:10:44,120 Speaker 1: the same formula. It's just the different industries and different 274 00:10:44,200 --> 00:10:47,400 Speaker 1: languages pertaining to So the car industry is going to 275 00:10:47,400 --> 00:10:48,920 Speaker 1: have a different language, the shoot inustry is gonna have 276 00:10:48,920 --> 00:10:51,600 Speaker 1: different linane. But the formula's success, I feel like it's 277 00:10:51,640 --> 00:10:54,320 Speaker 1: the exact same. And and again with me being that 278 00:10:54,320 --> 00:10:56,760 Speaker 1: that leading the charge with soul play and you know 279 00:10:56,840 --> 00:10:59,520 Speaker 1: everything ultimately, you know, I always put it on myself, 280 00:10:59,520 --> 00:11:00,880 Speaker 1: even if it's not on me, I always put it 281 00:11:00,920 --> 00:11:02,840 Speaker 1: on myself and feel like it's my responsibility to push 282 00:11:02,880 --> 00:11:06,400 Speaker 1: the business forward. And again that constant learning about business, 283 00:11:06,440 --> 00:11:09,640 Speaker 1: and you know, just for every evolving as a person. Man, 284 00:11:09,760 --> 00:11:12,439 Speaker 1: it's critical, it's critical for business success. 285 00:11:12,480 --> 00:11:26,680 Speaker 3: Man. What are some of the biggest business lesters You've learned? 286 00:11:27,960 --> 00:11:30,520 Speaker 1: The number one business less I've learned is that you 287 00:11:30,600 --> 00:11:33,559 Speaker 1: need a solid team. Yeah, you definitely need a solid 288 00:11:33,559 --> 00:11:35,440 Speaker 1: team around you because a lot of people might feel 289 00:11:35,480 --> 00:11:37,319 Speaker 1: like they might know everything and have all the answers, 290 00:11:37,960 --> 00:11:39,600 Speaker 1: but a lot of times, you know, we don't. You know, 291 00:11:39,760 --> 00:11:41,480 Speaker 1: and I understand where my strong points are and I 292 00:11:41,559 --> 00:11:43,880 Speaker 1: understand where my weaknesses are. So I make sure wherever 293 00:11:43,920 --> 00:11:46,079 Speaker 1: I'm weak I you know, tap in with people. I 294 00:11:46,200 --> 00:11:48,400 Speaker 1: work with people that you know, are stronger where I'm 295 00:11:48,440 --> 00:11:50,240 Speaker 1: weak at. So that was probably the number one thing 296 00:11:50,280 --> 00:11:52,000 Speaker 1: that I've I've realized, you know. 297 00:11:51,960 --> 00:11:53,439 Speaker 3: What, man, let's let's double click it on that. 298 00:11:53,880 --> 00:11:56,840 Speaker 2: Okay, talking offline about some of the things you had 299 00:11:57,240 --> 00:11:59,400 Speaker 2: to grow, you know, and and you were talking about 300 00:11:59,440 --> 00:12:01,920 Speaker 2: how much y'all are benefiting from doing more stuff around 301 00:12:02,120 --> 00:12:04,280 Speaker 2: you know, marketing and automation and stuff like that, that 302 00:12:04,360 --> 00:12:07,000 Speaker 2: we're gonna started talking about social just like, what's been 303 00:12:07,040 --> 00:12:10,000 Speaker 2: your experience as you've started putting money into marketing? Because 304 00:12:10,000 --> 00:12:11,959 Speaker 2: I always look at marketing for a business it's almost 305 00:12:12,040 --> 00:12:14,360 Speaker 2: like a game, right, It's almost like a jukebox in 306 00:12:14,360 --> 00:12:16,280 Speaker 2: a sense, like once you kind of figure out how 307 00:12:16,320 --> 00:12:18,920 Speaker 2: it works and you know what you're selling, it's almost 308 00:12:19,000 --> 00:12:20,440 Speaker 2: like I know, if I put this much money in, 309 00:12:20,559 --> 00:12:22,119 Speaker 2: I'll get this much money out. 310 00:12:22,240 --> 00:12:22,440 Speaker 3: You know. 311 00:12:22,480 --> 00:12:24,160 Speaker 2: Has that kind of been your experience that you've been 312 00:12:24,160 --> 00:12:25,079 Speaker 2: doing some of these things? 313 00:12:26,120 --> 00:12:29,480 Speaker 1: I would say as of late within the past six months, 314 00:12:29,559 --> 00:12:33,480 Speaker 1: I would say yes, because we've been more intentional about 315 00:12:33,520 --> 00:12:35,880 Speaker 1: our marketing. You know, we typically we used to just okay, 316 00:12:35,920 --> 00:12:39,960 Speaker 1: post on social media, to social media, be on Instagram, Twitter, 317 00:12:40,000 --> 00:12:42,000 Speaker 1: and just let that be pretty much it. But now 318 00:12:42,040 --> 00:12:43,840 Speaker 1: it's okay, look, how do we and I always think 319 00:12:43,880 --> 00:12:46,679 Speaker 1: like what if Twitter shuts down, what if Instagram shuts down? 320 00:12:46,679 --> 00:12:49,000 Speaker 1: How do we continue to stay in contact and build 321 00:12:49,000 --> 00:12:51,040 Speaker 1: a relationship with our community? And that's when we just 322 00:12:51,160 --> 00:12:55,040 Speaker 1: lean into you know, SMS marketing, email marketing and things 323 00:12:55,080 --> 00:12:57,600 Speaker 1: like that. And now I'm starting to see, okay, this 324 00:12:57,640 --> 00:12:59,760 Speaker 1: email might cost me. This is just hypotheticals, right, Yeah, 325 00:13:00,280 --> 00:13:03,320 Speaker 1: it's email campaign probably cost me two hundred bucks. And 326 00:13:03,320 --> 00:13:04,760 Speaker 1: out of the two hundred boks that it cost to 327 00:13:04,800 --> 00:13:07,360 Speaker 1: send it out to our consumers, we brought in four 328 00:13:07,400 --> 00:13:09,679 Speaker 1: thousand and five thousand whatever you can. So that that's 329 00:13:09,720 --> 00:13:11,800 Speaker 1: when you say, okay, like this really works, you know. 330 00:13:11,920 --> 00:13:15,400 Speaker 1: So now with me getting super intention and hyper focus 331 00:13:15,440 --> 00:13:17,480 Speaker 1: on that level of marketing, and now, of course you 332 00:13:17,480 --> 00:13:19,800 Speaker 1: know we're gonna contain the post on social media, but 333 00:13:19,920 --> 00:13:22,920 Speaker 1: just that little SMS and email is like our top 334 00:13:22,920 --> 00:13:23,720 Speaker 1: focus right now. 335 00:13:23,920 --> 00:13:27,240 Speaker 2: Yeah, well, you know, SMS is good, especially nowadays. I 336 00:13:27,240 --> 00:13:29,880 Speaker 2: think the stats somewhere around people open like eighty to 337 00:13:29,960 --> 00:13:31,960 Speaker 2: ninety percent of like every text message, right so you 338 00:13:32,000 --> 00:13:33,920 Speaker 2: think about it was also funny it is too. It's 339 00:13:33,920 --> 00:13:35,640 Speaker 2: like with a lot of you know, younger folks, I'm 340 00:13:35,720 --> 00:13:37,120 Speaker 2: kind of doing the air quotes right now. You know, 341 00:13:37,160 --> 00:13:40,040 Speaker 2: I'm a little bit older than the young folks. But 342 00:13:40,480 --> 00:13:42,800 Speaker 2: you know, it's interesting when I talk to people, they'll 343 00:13:42,840 --> 00:13:44,760 Speaker 2: stay such like I don't have a computer or I 344 00:13:44,760 --> 00:13:46,839 Speaker 2: don't use my email. Like I've noticed that a lot 345 00:13:46,880 --> 00:13:48,280 Speaker 2: when I talk to when I say young people, like 346 00:13:48,280 --> 00:13:49,440 Speaker 2: people in their twenties, and they're not. 347 00:13:49,679 --> 00:13:50,240 Speaker 3: It was interesting. 348 00:13:50,240 --> 00:13:52,000 Speaker 2: I remember I was talking to this one young lady 349 00:13:52,280 --> 00:13:54,960 Speaker 2: and she was talking about she had to send a 350 00:13:55,000 --> 00:13:57,320 Speaker 2: resume to somebody, and I said, okay, well you know, 351 00:13:57,640 --> 00:13:59,320 Speaker 2: you know fill it out whooped, whoop, and then you know, 352 00:13:59,520 --> 00:14:01,840 Speaker 2: open up your laptop and email it. She was like, well, 353 00:14:01,840 --> 00:14:03,800 Speaker 2: I don't have a laptop. And I was like, I 354 00:14:03,800 --> 00:14:06,400 Speaker 2: don't know, you're like twenty seven, Like do you not 355 00:14:06,440 --> 00:14:08,840 Speaker 2: have a laptop? And then she responded I'm not in college. 356 00:14:09,400 --> 00:14:10,920 Speaker 2: And it made me think for a second, it was 357 00:14:10,960 --> 00:14:12,839 Speaker 2: like wow, Like and the way I look at those 358 00:14:12,880 --> 00:14:16,400 Speaker 2: kind of things is I'm like, okay, I recognize that 359 00:14:16,600 --> 00:14:18,880 Speaker 2: truth that maybe I didn't see from my perspective. So 360 00:14:18,920 --> 00:14:20,720 Speaker 2: that means that there's a lot of people that literally 361 00:14:21,200 --> 00:14:23,760 Speaker 2: just look at this and they really and truly do 362 00:14:23,920 --> 00:14:26,160 Speaker 2: use this cell phone for everything, right, and they don't 363 00:14:26,160 --> 00:14:28,440 Speaker 2: think about I need a laptop for certain things. And 364 00:14:28,480 --> 00:14:30,240 Speaker 2: this is a couple of years ago, so I can 365 00:14:30,280 --> 00:14:32,520 Speaker 2: only imagine what it is now. So you know, my 366 00:14:32,600 --> 00:14:34,960 Speaker 2: guests would be you know, on the on the SMS side, 367 00:14:35,000 --> 00:14:38,120 Speaker 2: you're probably getting a lot more engagement on that because 368 00:14:38,160 --> 00:14:39,960 Speaker 2: even on the email side, the email side is good, 369 00:14:39,960 --> 00:14:41,920 Speaker 2: but email typically those like people that a little bit older, 370 00:14:42,480 --> 00:14:43,920 Speaker 2: like people that have the check have a reason to 371 00:14:43,960 --> 00:14:46,760 Speaker 2: check their email, right, Like if y'all seeing any difference 372 00:14:46,800 --> 00:14:49,240 Speaker 2: in those two areas, like email versus text, is one 373 00:14:49,320 --> 00:14:49,920 Speaker 2: like that better? 374 00:14:50,240 --> 00:14:53,120 Speaker 1: Yeah, you know we we're probably right at a forty 375 00:14:53,160 --> 00:14:54,480 Speaker 1: five open rate. 376 00:14:54,760 --> 00:14:57,479 Speaker 3: It's good. It's with email, yeah, and I believe. 377 00:14:57,200 --> 00:14:59,320 Speaker 1: It, like, like you said, sixty to seventy percent, maybe 378 00:14:59,320 --> 00:15:02,880 Speaker 1: even eighty with with SMS. But the thing with SMS 379 00:15:03,000 --> 00:15:05,640 Speaker 1: is the amount of time it takes to get to 380 00:15:05,680 --> 00:15:08,480 Speaker 1: that seventy and eighty percent quicker versus you know, we 381 00:15:08,480 --> 00:15:10,760 Speaker 1: shoot emails. It takes a day, day and a half 382 00:15:10,800 --> 00:15:12,680 Speaker 1: to get to that forty to fifty percent. Yeah, So 383 00:15:12,840 --> 00:15:14,640 Speaker 1: like you to your point like it is, you're absolutely 384 00:15:14,680 --> 00:15:16,960 Speaker 1: right because a lot of people don't. People check email, 385 00:15:17,080 --> 00:15:18,920 Speaker 1: but it's not as you know, when you got that 386 00:15:19,000 --> 00:15:20,720 Speaker 1: phone man, you're on it twenty four to seven. So 387 00:15:21,000 --> 00:15:23,720 Speaker 1: your SMS is definitely you know, has been our bread 388 00:15:23,760 --> 00:15:24,360 Speaker 1: winning for sure. 389 00:15:24,360 --> 00:15:26,840 Speaker 3: Have you ever heard of ab testing before? Av I 390 00:15:26,840 --> 00:15:27,240 Speaker 3: have not. 391 00:15:27,680 --> 00:15:29,440 Speaker 2: So what ab testing is is this is something that 392 00:15:29,480 --> 00:15:31,440 Speaker 2: you can do in your email, right. What ab testing 393 00:15:31,560 --> 00:15:34,560 Speaker 2: is is a lot of times you're sending out one 394 00:15:34,600 --> 00:15:36,280 Speaker 2: email to a group of people. So what you're trying 395 00:15:36,280 --> 00:15:38,840 Speaker 2: to do, what you're trying to basically appeal one message 396 00:15:38,840 --> 00:15:41,000 Speaker 2: to a large amount of folks. One of the hardest 397 00:15:41,000 --> 00:15:43,120 Speaker 2: things do in email is actually write the subject line 398 00:15:43,360 --> 00:15:45,280 Speaker 2: because that's what gets people to actually open the email up. 399 00:15:45,280 --> 00:15:47,120 Speaker 2: So there's lots of different tricks and strategy you can 400 00:15:47,240 --> 00:15:49,000 Speaker 2: use and like open up your subject lines, you know 401 00:15:49,040 --> 00:15:50,960 Speaker 2: what I mean. I remember I sent one out a 402 00:15:51,000 --> 00:15:52,960 Speaker 2: couple of weeks ago for a contest. It was like 403 00:15:53,520 --> 00:15:56,440 Speaker 2: do you want free tickets to this concert? And like 404 00:15:56,480 --> 00:15:59,400 Speaker 2: that was phone that was all it was. It was like, 405 00:15:59,400 --> 00:16:01,520 Speaker 2: well what free tickets to what? And it was like 406 00:16:01,600 --> 00:16:03,280 Speaker 2: you click it. It was like okay, well in this contest 407 00:16:03,320 --> 00:16:05,040 Speaker 2: for Chase to win. Right, But like that you can 408 00:16:05,080 --> 00:16:08,360 Speaker 2: see how that, like you know, drives engagement rate. So 409 00:16:08,400 --> 00:16:10,360 Speaker 2: what ab testing allows you to do is it allows 410 00:16:10,400 --> 00:16:14,680 Speaker 2: you to basically create multiple headlines or multiple subject lines. 411 00:16:14,680 --> 00:16:17,640 Speaker 2: At a minimum. You can also create multiple different emails 412 00:16:17,680 --> 00:16:19,320 Speaker 2: if you want to. But like you literally create a 413 00:16:19,320 --> 00:16:23,440 Speaker 2: subject line that says, hey, ladies, open this, another one 414 00:16:23,440 --> 00:16:26,240 Speaker 2: that says hey, fellas, open this. Another one says hey 415 00:16:26,280 --> 00:16:29,360 Speaker 2: at aliens, open this. Because what you'll find is that 416 00:16:29,400 --> 00:16:32,560 Speaker 2: the closer you can make the email feel personal to 417 00:16:32,600 --> 00:16:35,400 Speaker 2: a person, like, the more you engagement you'll get with it. So, 418 00:16:35,480 --> 00:16:37,280 Speaker 2: like one trick you could do on the email marketing 419 00:16:37,360 --> 00:16:40,080 Speaker 2: side is to try something like ab testing a little bit. 420 00:16:40,680 --> 00:16:42,240 Speaker 3: There's ways to get crazy with it. I'm not saying 421 00:16:42,320 --> 00:16:45,240 Speaker 3: get crazy and I think we've sorry to cut you off. Yeah, 422 00:16:45,320 --> 00:16:47,720 Speaker 3: we might be doing that. I just didn't know the terminology. 423 00:16:48,000 --> 00:16:48,840 Speaker 3: Don't hold that against me. 424 00:16:49,680 --> 00:16:54,560 Speaker 1: So we'll do like an exclusive drop limited edition because again, 425 00:16:55,160 --> 00:16:56,600 Speaker 1: most of the people that would send a message to 426 00:16:57,000 --> 00:16:59,720 Speaker 1: are you know, sneakerheads and fashion people, right, yeah, so 427 00:17:00,120 --> 00:17:06,360 Speaker 1: always around again, limit edition, early access new Nike Kobe Bryant. Really, 428 00:17:06,359 --> 00:17:07,800 Speaker 1: you know what I'm saying things that you know that 429 00:17:07,880 --> 00:17:09,639 Speaker 1: again that'll oh, let me go ahead and see what's 430 00:17:09,640 --> 00:17:11,320 Speaker 1: going on. We're going and get this shoot so to 431 00:17:11,400 --> 00:17:13,639 Speaker 1: a certain extent, Yeah, we're dibbling and dabbling in a 432 00:17:13,680 --> 00:17:14,000 Speaker 1: little bit. 433 00:17:14,119 --> 00:17:14,280 Speaker 3: Yeah. 434 00:17:14,320 --> 00:17:15,720 Speaker 2: So what a lot of brands will do is they'll 435 00:17:15,800 --> 00:17:18,479 Speaker 2: they'll literally say, again, say you got make it up 436 00:17:18,560 --> 00:17:21,840 Speaker 2: a thousand people your email marketing database. Right, They'll take 437 00:17:22,200 --> 00:17:25,119 Speaker 2: seventy five of those people and they'll email, you know, 438 00:17:25,240 --> 00:17:29,080 Speaker 2: twenty five groups one subject line, twenty five the next, 439 00:17:29,240 --> 00:17:32,040 Speaker 2: and then twenty five the next, and they'll use that 440 00:17:32,200 --> 00:17:34,680 Speaker 2: information to say, Okay, this one performed the best. So 441 00:17:34,760 --> 00:17:38,680 Speaker 2: we're gonna now send out email number two to the 442 00:17:38,960 --> 00:17:41,680 Speaker 2: entire audience now, because now we have data that says, 443 00:17:41,720 --> 00:17:44,320 Speaker 2: out of these three different ones that we came up with, like, 444 00:17:44,480 --> 00:17:46,600 Speaker 2: this is the one that got the most engagement open rate. 445 00:17:46,680 --> 00:17:48,280 Speaker 2: So now the way that we can increase our open 446 00:17:48,400 --> 00:17:50,760 Speaker 2: rate is by then using that one that the tests 447 00:17:50,800 --> 00:17:52,399 Speaker 2: at the best to send it out to our whole audience. 448 00:17:52,440 --> 00:17:55,800 Speaker 3: Again, I'm just telling you, I love that. No, no, no, 449 00:17:55,880 --> 00:17:57,080 Speaker 3: that's great information though. 450 00:17:57,080 --> 00:17:58,959 Speaker 1: That's definitely so if I have, like you said, one 451 00:17:58,960 --> 00:18:04,080 Speaker 1: thousand I got email subscribers it'll send out eight hundred 452 00:18:04,480 --> 00:18:06,800 Speaker 1: subject line to this, I mean, send the subject line 453 00:18:06,840 --> 00:18:08,960 Speaker 1: to this eight hundred in this subject line to this 454 00:18:09,080 --> 00:18:11,680 Speaker 1: two hundred, and based off the data, it'll show you 455 00:18:11,760 --> 00:18:12,359 Speaker 1: which one is. 456 00:18:12,560 --> 00:18:14,720 Speaker 2: The yeah, which one, which one had the highest like 457 00:18:14,840 --> 00:18:16,920 Speaker 2: open engage rate and things like that. Because there's a 458 00:18:16,920 --> 00:18:18,679 Speaker 2: couple of things you want to test on emails. One 459 00:18:18,760 --> 00:18:21,280 Speaker 2: it's engagement so I'm sorry, it's click through rate. So 460 00:18:21,320 --> 00:18:23,359 Speaker 2: the first thing is like open rate or clickbo open rate, 461 00:18:23,760 --> 00:18:26,160 Speaker 2: like who even opened the email up right? The next 462 00:18:26,240 --> 00:18:28,480 Speaker 2: thing is click rate if again, if I remember correctly, 463 00:18:28,480 --> 00:18:30,159 Speaker 2: I think click through rates on average like one to 464 00:18:30,240 --> 00:18:33,080 Speaker 2: two percent, you know what I mean. But again, to 465 00:18:33,200 --> 00:18:35,439 Speaker 2: have like a you know, forty fifty percent open rate 466 00:18:35,560 --> 00:18:37,639 Speaker 2: that shows that people are opening the email, right, so 467 00:18:37,720 --> 00:18:39,359 Speaker 2: like you get them to open the email the next party. 468 00:18:39,440 --> 00:18:40,000 Speaker 3: So that's what I'm saying. 469 00:18:40,040 --> 00:18:42,199 Speaker 2: That's all these things work together, right, you come up 470 00:18:42,240 --> 00:18:44,199 Speaker 2: with And that's where I think, like things like chat, 471 00:18:44,280 --> 00:18:46,639 Speaker 2: GBT and AI are great for Like now all of 472 00:18:46,640 --> 00:18:49,560 Speaker 2: a sudden, you can idy eight fifty different subject lines. 473 00:18:49,640 --> 00:18:51,200 Speaker 1: And that's why I was about to ask you, you 474 00:18:51,320 --> 00:18:54,840 Speaker 1: do you leverage chat GPT to help with those subject lines? 475 00:18:54,880 --> 00:18:55,880 Speaker 3: And things like that. Yeah. 476 00:18:55,920 --> 00:18:58,119 Speaker 2: The trick with that stuff though, is that you have 477 00:18:58,240 --> 00:18:59,600 Speaker 2: to train it. So I think but a lot of 478 00:18:59,600 --> 00:19:02,000 Speaker 2: people don't understand when it comes to AI and tools 479 00:19:02,040 --> 00:19:03,920 Speaker 2: like chat gbts. They think that you just type in 480 00:19:04,040 --> 00:19:06,840 Speaker 2: give me some subject lines and it just spits the 481 00:19:06,880 --> 00:19:08,879 Speaker 2: stuff out. What you actually need to do is you 482 00:19:08,920 --> 00:19:10,800 Speaker 2: actually need to train it first. So what you'll actually 483 00:19:10,800 --> 00:19:12,840 Speaker 2: do is you'll go in. You can either you know, 484 00:19:12,880 --> 00:19:15,520 Speaker 2: you can do anything. You can go Google search and say, 485 00:19:15,640 --> 00:19:19,120 Speaker 2: you know, type in Google find me the top one 486 00:19:19,240 --> 00:19:23,399 Speaker 2: hundred highest engagement driving subject lines, right, and then you 487 00:19:23,440 --> 00:19:25,919 Speaker 2: open up chat GP and you say, look, you give 488 00:19:25,960 --> 00:19:27,679 Speaker 2: it a job. So there's a whole framework you can 489 00:19:27,760 --> 00:19:29,359 Speaker 2: kind of do with this thing, but you basically tell it. 490 00:19:29,440 --> 00:19:31,440 Speaker 2: You be like, okay, in this thread, this is what 491 00:19:31,600 --> 00:19:33,840 Speaker 2: you do. So in this thread, you are a email 492 00:19:33,920 --> 00:19:37,240 Speaker 2: subject line writer and you write amazing email subject lines 493 00:19:37,680 --> 00:19:40,280 Speaker 2: and you're an amazing copywriter, and you know all the 494 00:19:40,359 --> 00:19:42,280 Speaker 2: strategies and tricks on how to do it. And what 495 00:19:42,320 --> 00:19:43,840 Speaker 2: I'm also going to do is I'm going to feed 496 00:19:44,000 --> 00:19:47,560 Speaker 2: you here's one hundred really you know, subject lines that 497 00:19:47,600 --> 00:19:50,600 Speaker 2: are tested to already work really well. Okay, so now 498 00:19:50,680 --> 00:19:53,440 Speaker 2: you understand chat GBT what you are. You understand in 499 00:19:53,520 --> 00:19:55,960 Speaker 2: this thread you're email subject line writer and you're the 500 00:19:56,000 --> 00:19:58,520 Speaker 2: best person's ever done it. You also understand here's a 501 00:19:58,600 --> 00:19:59,960 Speaker 2: hundred examples of subject lines. 502 00:20:00,119 --> 00:20:00,760 Speaker 3: Right now. 503 00:20:00,880 --> 00:20:03,120 Speaker 2: Let me tell you about my business. My business soul play, 504 00:20:03,160 --> 00:20:04,920 Speaker 2: it does this, it does that. These are the things 505 00:20:05,000 --> 00:20:06,880 Speaker 2: we kind of have. This is our value proposition boom. 506 00:20:06,920 --> 00:20:08,280 Speaker 2: Then this is what we're selling. You train it, you 507 00:20:08,320 --> 00:20:11,040 Speaker 2: give it all that information. Then you say, based off 508 00:20:11,119 --> 00:20:14,000 Speaker 2: of that and what I want to accomplish, Now, write 509 00:20:14,080 --> 00:20:16,439 Speaker 2: me twenty subject lines that I can use for email. 510 00:20:17,119 --> 00:20:19,080 Speaker 3: You see what I'm saying being very granular with like 511 00:20:19,200 --> 00:20:21,240 Speaker 3: just getting down to it, like to the t. 512 00:20:22,160 --> 00:20:24,080 Speaker 2: The best prompt on average is seven hundred and nine 513 00:20:24,119 --> 00:20:26,240 Speaker 2: hundred words. I think a lot of people don't realize that, 514 00:20:26,560 --> 00:20:29,160 Speaker 2: like the best prompts need to be about seven hundred 515 00:20:29,160 --> 00:20:31,280 Speaker 2: and nine hundred words. Now, what's good about this is, 516 00:20:31,440 --> 00:20:33,680 Speaker 2: you know on chat GIBT is you can actually talk 517 00:20:33,760 --> 00:20:36,040 Speaker 2: to it and they'll transcribe it. So when I say 518 00:20:36,080 --> 00:20:38,160 Speaker 2: seven hundred words, I'm not saying you have the types 519 00:20:38,160 --> 00:20:39,359 Speaker 2: seven hundred words you can speak. 520 00:20:39,400 --> 00:20:40,320 Speaker 3: You literally open up. 521 00:20:40,359 --> 00:20:42,600 Speaker 2: It's a little microphone icons you get a little microphone 522 00:20:42,720 --> 00:20:44,760 Speaker 2: icon and then you just talk and then you just 523 00:20:44,840 --> 00:20:46,600 Speaker 2: tell it everything I just told you, and you say, 524 00:20:46,880 --> 00:20:48,199 Speaker 2: this is what I want you to do. Here's who 525 00:20:48,280 --> 00:20:50,960 Speaker 2: you are, here's the background, here's how you do it. 526 00:20:50,960 --> 00:20:52,720 Speaker 2: So you want to just talk to it for a minute, 527 00:20:52,800 --> 00:20:54,879 Speaker 2: five minutes, doesn't matter. You give as much background infas 528 00:20:55,000 --> 00:20:56,640 Speaker 2: you want to give it. Then you say, now, I'm 529 00:20:56,680 --> 00:20:58,840 Speaker 2: going to also give you some more information. Information I'm 530 00:20:58,840 --> 00:21:00,679 Speaker 2: going to give you now is information about my brand. 531 00:21:01,119 --> 00:21:04,200 Speaker 2: Here's my website, here's my about us page. You know, 532 00:21:04,359 --> 00:21:06,879 Speaker 2: here's what we're trying to sell, right like, And then 533 00:21:06,920 --> 00:21:10,200 Speaker 2: you say, based off all that stuff, now give me 534 00:21:10,320 --> 00:21:13,800 Speaker 2: something tailored to me, because if not, it's just all 535 00:21:13,960 --> 00:21:16,639 Speaker 2: all that stuff does it basically just predicts what the 536 00:21:16,720 --> 00:21:18,560 Speaker 2: next word is going to be. And so if you 537 00:21:18,600 --> 00:21:19,960 Speaker 2: don't give it a lot of good information on the 538 00:21:20,000 --> 00:21:22,760 Speaker 2: way in, it's hard to predict what the next word 539 00:21:22,840 --> 00:21:24,720 Speaker 2: is going to be randomly because you didn't train it. 540 00:21:25,440 --> 00:21:27,960 Speaker 2: But when you look at AI like a trainer or 541 00:21:28,040 --> 00:21:30,359 Speaker 2: like an assistant, and you take the time and I 542 00:21:30,440 --> 00:21:32,920 Speaker 2: have about it, I'm I have about one hundred different 543 00:21:33,080 --> 00:21:35,440 Speaker 2: you know, chechid threads and stuff that I do but 544 00:21:35,520 --> 00:21:37,240 Speaker 2: I do it like that. I literally spend the first 545 00:21:37,280 --> 00:21:39,280 Speaker 2: half training it and telling it, this is what you're for. 546 00:21:39,480 --> 00:21:42,760 Speaker 2: I have one just for my emails, because you know, 547 00:21:42,800 --> 00:21:45,359 Speaker 2: after grad school, I hated writing long emails, right, So 548 00:21:45,480 --> 00:21:47,480 Speaker 2: what I did was I went and found a bunch 549 00:21:47,520 --> 00:21:49,200 Speaker 2: of emails that I've written over the years that I 550 00:21:49,320 --> 00:21:51,680 Speaker 2: just liked. I felt like they were very clear, concise, 551 00:21:51,760 --> 00:21:53,880 Speaker 2: they had my voice and tone in it. And I said, 552 00:21:53,960 --> 00:21:56,600 Speaker 2: you are Brandon's email writer. And so the first thing 553 00:21:56,640 --> 00:21:58,440 Speaker 2: I'm going to do, you write all my emails. What 554 00:21:58,480 --> 00:21:59,639 Speaker 2: I'm going to do is I'm going to write in 555 00:22:00,000 --> 00:22:01,720 Speaker 2: a couple of bullet points or a couple of lines. 556 00:22:01,720 --> 00:22:03,119 Speaker 2: I want you to then write an email and my 557 00:22:03,240 --> 00:22:05,200 Speaker 2: voice in tone. Let me tell you what my voice 558 00:22:05,240 --> 00:22:08,200 Speaker 2: in tone is. Here are ten examples of emails that 559 00:22:08,240 --> 00:22:10,840 Speaker 2: I've written over the years, and you can literally just 560 00:22:10,880 --> 00:22:13,040 Speaker 2: screenshot it because now it does image text recognitions, so 561 00:22:13,040 --> 00:22:14,320 Speaker 2: you ain't got to copy and paste and stuff. You 562 00:22:14,400 --> 00:22:16,440 Speaker 2: just screenshot it and just dump it in and just 563 00:22:16,520 --> 00:22:18,280 Speaker 2: throw it in. It'll go back and read the emails 564 00:22:18,320 --> 00:22:21,119 Speaker 2: and just say, Okay, I now write like Brandon. Then 565 00:22:21,160 --> 00:22:23,200 Speaker 2: when I want to send an email, I just write, Hey, Hey, y'all, 566 00:22:23,400 --> 00:22:25,760 Speaker 2: this this and this boop and just put it in it. 567 00:22:26,040 --> 00:22:29,080 Speaker 2: It's out just like just like a whole paragraph, like 568 00:22:29,160 --> 00:22:31,200 Speaker 2: I just wrote it, I go through, I copy edited. 569 00:22:31,240 --> 00:22:36,440 Speaker 2: I'm like, wow, Like that's how you use these tools 570 00:22:36,480 --> 00:22:38,159 Speaker 2: to scale this stuff up really quickly. So that I 571 00:22:38,200 --> 00:22:39,480 Speaker 2: was just saying, like, you know, I think when it 572 00:22:39,560 --> 00:22:42,119 Speaker 2: comes to I think it's amazing that y'all doing that 573 00:22:42,200 --> 00:22:43,720 Speaker 2: kind of stuff. I'm just I like to talk about 574 00:22:43,720 --> 00:22:45,440 Speaker 2: this stuff too, So you know, I'm just throwing out 575 00:22:45,480 --> 00:22:48,680 Speaker 2: some free game on you know, how you can one 576 00:22:49,560 --> 00:22:52,159 Speaker 2: drive up your engagement rates on emails by you know, 577 00:22:52,280 --> 00:22:56,160 Speaker 2: specifically tweaking and testing different subject lines that get people 578 00:22:56,200 --> 00:22:58,160 Speaker 2: to open it, and that you can use like AI 579 00:22:58,280 --> 00:23:00,560 Speaker 2: to help you do that kind of stuff. The next 580 00:23:00,640 --> 00:23:02,520 Speaker 2: part about it is when you get people to open it. 581 00:23:02,760 --> 00:23:04,800 Speaker 2: Are you familiar with like funnels and all that kind 582 00:23:04,800 --> 00:23:05,200 Speaker 2: of stuff? 583 00:23:05,920 --> 00:23:07,720 Speaker 3: Yeah, I believe, So let me let me let you 584 00:23:07,840 --> 00:23:08,679 Speaker 3: dive into it a little bit. 585 00:23:08,760 --> 00:23:10,160 Speaker 2: Well, no, it's the same thing, right, Like think about 586 00:23:10,160 --> 00:23:11,680 Speaker 2: a funnel, Like at the top you have a big 587 00:23:11,760 --> 00:23:13,520 Speaker 2: kind of opening and you're putting people in it, and 588 00:23:13,560 --> 00:23:15,399 Speaker 2: it's people kind of go through the funnel. You just 589 00:23:15,560 --> 00:23:17,480 Speaker 2: segment it out, you kind of segment them out or 590 00:23:17,480 --> 00:23:19,720 Speaker 2: there they're showing like different levels of interest, right, so 591 00:23:19,800 --> 00:23:21,960 Speaker 2: kind of ideas at the top of the funnel, maybe 592 00:23:21,960 --> 00:23:24,359 Speaker 2: there's like some kind of high level interest. As they 593 00:23:24,520 --> 00:23:27,680 Speaker 2: move through, they get closer and closer to hopefully actually buying. 594 00:23:28,160 --> 00:23:30,080 Speaker 3: Right, And then that's one of the things that we 595 00:23:30,200 --> 00:23:30,520 Speaker 3: try to do. 596 00:23:30,720 --> 00:23:32,840 Speaker 1: Right, It's like, Okay, we have a pool of people 597 00:23:33,280 --> 00:23:35,719 Speaker 1: that have purchased, a pool of people that have opened, 598 00:23:35,960 --> 00:23:37,240 Speaker 1: and a pool of people, like you said, they just 599 00:23:37,520 --> 00:23:40,360 Speaker 1: might be interested in and we try to not even 600 00:23:40,440 --> 00:23:43,760 Speaker 1: try we send different level of email to each one. 601 00:23:43,840 --> 00:23:45,840 Speaker 1: That's what the people that just open it, Okay, they 602 00:23:45,880 --> 00:23:47,440 Speaker 1: don't trust us enough, so like how can we tell 603 00:23:47,440 --> 00:23:48,920 Speaker 1: them a little bit more about soul play and build 604 00:23:48,960 --> 00:23:52,320 Speaker 1: that trust and convert them into a person that actually buys, 605 00:23:52,520 --> 00:23:54,200 Speaker 1: and then the person that buys will send you know, 606 00:23:54,880 --> 00:23:57,639 Speaker 1: new exclusive product, different sales, et cetera. So we definitely 607 00:23:57,720 --> 00:24:00,520 Speaker 1: try to, you know, communicate differently to each group of 608 00:24:00,560 --> 00:24:02,760 Speaker 1: people that we having our email threats. 609 00:24:14,480 --> 00:24:16,399 Speaker 2: You know, that's one side. So that's the email and 610 00:24:16,520 --> 00:24:19,800 Speaker 2: the text message and stuff. On the social side, we 611 00:24:19,880 --> 00:24:21,360 Speaker 2: were talking about that too, So you're are you all 612 00:24:21,400 --> 00:24:22,480 Speaker 2: doing like social art. 613 00:24:23,040 --> 00:24:24,840 Speaker 1: That's not that's where we get we can we can 614 00:24:24,880 --> 00:24:27,439 Speaker 1: definitely be a little bit better at and we've been 615 00:24:27,480 --> 00:24:30,159 Speaker 1: talking about it internally because again now we've just been 616 00:24:30,560 --> 00:24:32,520 Speaker 1: posting pictures just showing everything that we got going on, 617 00:24:32,680 --> 00:24:36,960 Speaker 1: any events, new arrivals, et cetera, et cetera. But we're 618 00:24:37,000 --> 00:24:39,680 Speaker 1: definitely leaning into Okay, how can we create a stronger 619 00:24:39,760 --> 00:24:41,560 Speaker 1: marketing campaign with our social media? 620 00:24:41,920 --> 00:24:43,480 Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean, I think when it comes to social 621 00:24:43,800 --> 00:24:45,520 Speaker 2: you know, one of the things I've just learned, even 622 00:24:45,600 --> 00:24:48,399 Speaker 2: with running Butter, is just one you just want to be, 623 00:24:48,560 --> 00:24:51,920 Speaker 2: you know, kind of culturally relevant where it makes sense. So, 624 00:24:52,240 --> 00:24:53,840 Speaker 2: I know, I think, what's so amazing about this kind 625 00:24:53,840 --> 00:24:56,040 Speaker 2: of stuff, y'all? Do you do stuff with shoes and cold? 626 00:24:56,119 --> 00:24:58,960 Speaker 2: Like shoes are you know, everybody's wearing you know, shoes now, 627 00:24:59,080 --> 00:25:01,520 Speaker 2: everybody's wearing nice nowadays, Like it's a part of culture. 628 00:25:01,840 --> 00:25:03,639 Speaker 2: You see them on TV. You see people, you know, 629 00:25:03,760 --> 00:25:05,760 Speaker 2: celebrities doing it, they wearing them with suits and all 630 00:25:05,800 --> 00:25:07,760 Speaker 2: that kind of stuff. So there's one way to kind 631 00:25:07,800 --> 00:25:09,440 Speaker 2: of showcase it on that side. You know, I think 632 00:25:09,520 --> 00:25:11,240 Speaker 2: what you what you want to kind of do on 633 00:25:11,359 --> 00:25:12,760 Speaker 2: social is you just want to kind of get that 634 00:25:12,840 --> 00:25:16,240 Speaker 2: first position in people's minds, right of Like if I 635 00:25:16,280 --> 00:25:17,920 Speaker 2: want to go get some shoes, why do I want 636 00:25:17,920 --> 00:25:20,119 Speaker 2: to go pick you all over a you know, a 637 00:25:20,240 --> 00:25:22,080 Speaker 2: corporate store or something like that. I can't call it 638 00:25:22,160 --> 00:25:25,440 Speaker 2: no corporate stores, but like the corporate store somewhere right. 639 00:25:25,840 --> 00:25:27,480 Speaker 2: And I think you all can offer like such a 640 00:25:27,520 --> 00:25:29,920 Speaker 2: community feel and some other elements you can like lean 641 00:25:30,000 --> 00:25:31,480 Speaker 2: into that part you can showcase. 642 00:25:31,680 --> 00:25:32,000 Speaker 3: Correct. 643 00:25:32,280 --> 00:25:34,320 Speaker 2: The biggest piece of advice that I would give you 644 00:25:34,320 --> 00:25:37,080 Speaker 2: about social especially if you which you have what you have, 645 00:25:37,400 --> 00:25:41,359 Speaker 2: which is a thing you can show off, is to 646 00:25:41,560 --> 00:25:44,640 Speaker 2: document it. I think where a lot of people overthink 647 00:25:44,720 --> 00:25:47,440 Speaker 2: social in my opinion as somebody that makes a whole 648 00:25:47,480 --> 00:25:49,600 Speaker 2: lot of social content every day for the last couple 649 00:25:49,600 --> 00:25:52,920 Speaker 2: of years. If you have a business, just like document 650 00:25:53,080 --> 00:25:56,000 Speaker 2: doing business, just like show what happens in there. You 651 00:25:56,080 --> 00:25:58,560 Speaker 2: don't have to create something with you know that's like 652 00:25:58,640 --> 00:26:01,840 Speaker 2: super edited and has scripts. You can mix that stuff in, yeah, 653 00:26:01,920 --> 00:26:03,720 Speaker 2: for sure. But I think what you can get away 654 00:26:03,760 --> 00:26:05,560 Speaker 2: with is you can just find ways to be like yo, 655 00:26:05,920 --> 00:26:07,520 Speaker 2: like have somebody again, I even look at you stuff 656 00:26:07,520 --> 00:26:08,879 Speaker 2: like have somebody just hold up a shoot and just 657 00:26:08,920 --> 00:26:09,240 Speaker 2: review it. 658 00:26:09,400 --> 00:26:10,600 Speaker 3: Yeah, And we do that. 659 00:26:10,760 --> 00:26:12,840 Speaker 1: Yeah, and that's the thing, you know, we we try 660 00:26:12,880 --> 00:26:16,000 Speaker 1: to focus when I say we can do better with 661 00:26:16,200 --> 00:26:18,320 Speaker 1: social media market it's more like ads and things like that. 662 00:26:18,560 --> 00:26:19,920 Speaker 3: So one of the biggest things that we try to 663 00:26:20,000 --> 00:26:22,040 Speaker 3: do is just build community. Right. 664 00:26:22,080 --> 00:26:24,720 Speaker 1: We try to build a and focus on a niche 665 00:26:24,920 --> 00:26:27,119 Speaker 1: community because right now, you know, we're big in the 666 00:26:27,200 --> 00:26:32,160 Speaker 1: game and this game ecosystem as a whole, so gaming, anime, streaming, 667 00:26:32,400 --> 00:26:34,399 Speaker 1: et cetera. So now we's like, okay, look, how can 668 00:26:34,480 --> 00:26:36,800 Speaker 1: we lean into this community, tell the stories of this 669 00:26:36,920 --> 00:26:40,120 Speaker 1: community in a way that intertwines with our product, right 670 00:26:40,520 --> 00:26:43,080 Speaker 1: and hopefully you know, the goal is, Okay, this this 671 00:26:43,359 --> 00:26:45,119 Speaker 1: sole play is for me. That's what we want this 672 00:26:45,280 --> 00:26:47,719 Speaker 1: community to look at soul play ads and then they 673 00:26:47,760 --> 00:26:50,080 Speaker 1: create enough energy and enough emotion behind it, then you know, 674 00:26:50,160 --> 00:26:52,520 Speaker 1: we get to this tipping point and then overflood us 675 00:26:52,520 --> 00:26:55,360 Speaker 1: out to the masses. So that's been our number one 676 00:26:55,440 --> 00:26:58,359 Speaker 1: strategy with you know, again, just growing and building our community, 677 00:26:58,440 --> 00:27:00,440 Speaker 1: just being there for these people when list in the 678 00:27:00,480 --> 00:27:04,080 Speaker 1: gaming ecosystem and then helping they lift us up, you know, 679 00:27:04,240 --> 00:27:06,720 Speaker 1: in their community to create a tipping point to you know, 680 00:27:06,840 --> 00:27:09,160 Speaker 1: to bleed out to you know, the masses of the world. 681 00:27:09,359 --> 00:27:09,560 Speaker 3: Yeah. 682 00:27:09,600 --> 00:27:11,040 Speaker 2: One of the good things too that I noticed on 683 00:27:11,200 --> 00:27:13,479 Speaker 2: Instagram when Instagram ads lately is the added a new 684 00:27:13,520 --> 00:27:17,360 Speaker 2: feature where you can promote your content directly to your followers, 685 00:27:17,400 --> 00:27:19,560 Speaker 2: people that have engaged with your page, which is interesting. 686 00:27:20,720 --> 00:27:22,159 Speaker 2: So that's when I think it's helpful a lot of 687 00:27:22,200 --> 00:27:24,000 Speaker 2: times because you'll get people to engage with it. Everybody 688 00:27:24,000 --> 00:27:25,120 Speaker 2: follows you for a different reason. 689 00:27:25,720 --> 00:27:25,879 Speaker 3: You know. 690 00:27:25,920 --> 00:27:27,359 Speaker 2: One of the things that I even did in the 691 00:27:27,400 --> 00:27:29,080 Speaker 2: early days of butter is I actually asked people why 692 00:27:29,119 --> 00:27:31,240 Speaker 2: they followed us. That's good, you know, Like so I 693 00:27:31,280 --> 00:27:33,439 Speaker 2: would even say yeah, so I would even say too. 694 00:27:33,480 --> 00:27:33,639 Speaker 3: You know. 695 00:27:33,680 --> 00:27:35,560 Speaker 2: That's where you can also use some of that you know, 696 00:27:35,640 --> 00:27:37,879 Speaker 2: that email and that text message too, right, is like 697 00:27:38,000 --> 00:27:40,080 Speaker 2: put a survey on into some of that stuff and 698 00:27:40,200 --> 00:27:42,399 Speaker 2: be like, yo, fill this out for free, find all 699 00:27:42,400 --> 00:27:44,159 Speaker 2: a gifertificate or something like that or whatever it is 700 00:27:44,200 --> 00:27:47,160 Speaker 2: off you know, because data is I mean, it's always 701 00:27:47,359 --> 00:27:48,800 Speaker 2: if not, you're just making stuff up. And I think 702 00:27:48,840 --> 00:27:51,040 Speaker 2: that's what the hard part is for me personally, is 703 00:27:51,080 --> 00:27:52,399 Speaker 2: like being like, all right, what do I know? Like 704 00:27:52,480 --> 00:27:54,439 Speaker 2: what are the facts versus what am I just assuming 705 00:27:54,440 --> 00:27:55,119 Speaker 2: about my audience? 706 00:27:55,400 --> 00:27:57,359 Speaker 1: But again, the best thing right again with you is 707 00:27:57,440 --> 00:28:01,040 Speaker 1: that you you know, the community that you're serving. Yeah, right, 708 00:28:01,119 --> 00:28:02,920 Speaker 1: and that's you know the culture of Atlanta. And that's 709 00:28:03,000 --> 00:28:06,000 Speaker 1: that's the point with us. When we first started out again, 710 00:28:06,080 --> 00:28:08,200 Speaker 1: you know, it's just been growing and learning, right, we 711 00:28:08,280 --> 00:28:10,879 Speaker 1: would just like, okay, look, we're marketing to everybody. We 712 00:28:10,960 --> 00:28:12,440 Speaker 1: just want people to come in and buy shoes and 713 00:28:12,520 --> 00:28:14,399 Speaker 1: buy clothes. So now it's like, okay, look we got 714 00:28:14,480 --> 00:28:16,520 Speaker 1: to tone it down and be again just more intentional 715 00:28:17,000 --> 00:28:19,240 Speaker 1: about you know, the things that we communicat and how 716 00:28:19,320 --> 00:28:22,600 Speaker 1: we communicate our product and again specifically to which community. 717 00:28:22,800 --> 00:28:25,159 Speaker 1: And again that's something we just recently figured out to 718 00:28:25,280 --> 00:28:26,840 Speaker 1: do and now we're just again trying to grow it. 719 00:28:27,000 --> 00:28:28,960 Speaker 3: Yeah. I mean, yeah, I'm just you know, I'm just 720 00:28:29,040 --> 00:28:29,960 Speaker 3: always brainstorming. Man. 721 00:28:30,000 --> 00:28:33,040 Speaker 2: I just I always think, like I think about moments too, right, 722 00:28:33,119 --> 00:28:35,800 Speaker 2: Like I think about winter moments that people need shoes. 723 00:28:36,240 --> 00:28:38,920 Speaker 3: Who was important? You know, like back to school? 724 00:28:39,080 --> 00:28:42,000 Speaker 2: Like is there but is there like custom specific content 725 00:28:42,040 --> 00:28:43,280 Speaker 2: you could do not only to talk to kids, but 726 00:28:43,360 --> 00:28:45,360 Speaker 2: to the people that are like the parents, you know. 727 00:28:45,440 --> 00:28:47,680 Speaker 2: I think that's like as a parent, you know what 728 00:28:47,720 --> 00:28:49,200 Speaker 2: I mean, I don't want my daughter coming to meet 729 00:28:49,200 --> 00:28:50,760 Speaker 2: and just be like, Dad, buy me this shoe. 730 00:28:51,040 --> 00:28:52,000 Speaker 3: I mean, she's gonna do it. 731 00:28:52,080 --> 00:28:53,840 Speaker 2: But like, I think it would also be interesting to 732 00:28:53,920 --> 00:28:57,520 Speaker 2: be fun if I saw marketing from a you know, 733 00:28:57,600 --> 00:28:59,880 Speaker 2: a shoe store or shoe you know, shoe outlet or whatever, 734 00:29:00,040 --> 00:29:02,160 Speaker 2: peril brand like kind of marketing and me as a 735 00:29:02,280 --> 00:29:04,600 Speaker 2: parent and being like, you know, you know what your 736 00:29:04,640 --> 00:29:05,240 Speaker 2: kids look whack? 737 00:29:05,440 --> 00:29:09,200 Speaker 3: They mean? That would actually you know, like that actually 738 00:29:09,240 --> 00:29:09,719 Speaker 3: be interesting? 739 00:29:09,760 --> 00:29:11,000 Speaker 2: Man, Like I could you know, I just think about it, 740 00:29:11,080 --> 00:29:12,720 Speaker 2: gain like what are moments as of you know, who 741 00:29:12,760 --> 00:29:15,240 Speaker 2: are the people that actually have the money and spending it? 742 00:29:15,480 --> 00:29:17,440 Speaker 2: You know, and I get there are the collectors and 743 00:29:17,480 --> 00:29:19,400 Speaker 2: there's all, but I bet you there's a lot of 744 00:29:19,480 --> 00:29:21,520 Speaker 2: parents that are buying their kids shoes too. Of course, 745 00:29:21,680 --> 00:29:23,400 Speaker 2: I wonder what kind of you know, marketing and what 746 00:29:23,520 --> 00:29:26,800 Speaker 2: kind of information they would want to see from soul Player, 747 00:29:26,880 --> 00:29:27,880 Speaker 2: and it'll be more engaged. 748 00:29:27,960 --> 00:29:28,520 Speaker 3: That's interesting. 749 00:29:28,520 --> 00:29:29,920 Speaker 1: And we get a lot of of course, you know, 750 00:29:30,000 --> 00:29:32,160 Speaker 1: especially in our downtown to cater but all of our location, 751 00:29:32,240 --> 00:29:33,640 Speaker 1: we get a lot of parents, and so that'll be good, 752 00:29:33,680 --> 00:29:35,080 Speaker 1: you know, something to ask like what would you like 753 00:29:35,120 --> 00:29:36,760 Speaker 1: to see from a sneakable too that to speak to 754 00:29:36,840 --> 00:29:39,480 Speaker 1: you that will excite you enough to Okay, look, when 755 00:29:39,480 --> 00:29:41,800 Speaker 1: I'm buying my kids shoes, I'm going to sole play. 756 00:29:41,960 --> 00:29:44,160 Speaker 3: So that's that's all that. Yeah, especially when your kids 757 00:29:44,200 --> 00:29:46,880 Speaker 3: feet growing all the day. Time I bought myself some shoes, 758 00:29:46,880 --> 00:29:48,680 Speaker 3: he just grew up them things like a month and 759 00:29:48,720 --> 00:29:50,239 Speaker 3: a half. Man, I was like, bro, you out here 760 00:29:50,280 --> 00:29:55,080 Speaker 3: fronting me out man, this is crazy. Man. So what's 761 00:29:55,120 --> 00:29:56,959 Speaker 3: it been like? Man, how's the journey been overall? 762 00:29:57,520 --> 00:30:02,120 Speaker 1: Man? To be honest, I went through and like I 763 00:30:02,240 --> 00:30:04,120 Speaker 1: told you before, when I first started, man, I was 764 00:30:04,440 --> 00:30:06,640 Speaker 1: you know, depressed, stress, didn't know what I really wanted 765 00:30:06,680 --> 00:30:09,640 Speaker 1: to do to you know, trying to find my way 766 00:30:10,360 --> 00:30:13,080 Speaker 1: to finding my way and finding my purpose within what 767 00:30:13,160 --> 00:30:15,600 Speaker 1: I'm doing. And now it's you know, man, I wake 768 00:30:15,680 --> 00:30:17,360 Speaker 1: up happy every day to go to work. It's not 769 00:30:17,440 --> 00:30:19,840 Speaker 1: even worked to me, man, I work. I work all 770 00:30:19,960 --> 00:30:21,960 Speaker 1: day every day. It's just my life at this point. 771 00:30:22,040 --> 00:30:23,520 Speaker 1: And I used to always hear you know, a lot 772 00:30:23,560 --> 00:30:26,200 Speaker 1: of you know CEOs entrepreneurs. You know, I always say 773 00:30:26,200 --> 00:30:29,040 Speaker 1: there's no work life balance, and I didn't really understand, 774 00:30:29,080 --> 00:30:29,720 Speaker 1: you know, what it meant. 775 00:30:29,760 --> 00:30:30,240 Speaker 3: But now I do. 776 00:30:30,680 --> 00:30:32,640 Speaker 1: There is no work life balance. It's just you know, 777 00:30:33,080 --> 00:30:35,320 Speaker 1: work is my life and life is work, and of 778 00:30:35,360 --> 00:30:37,560 Speaker 1: course I got family. I take time for family and 779 00:30:37,680 --> 00:30:40,280 Speaker 1: kids and things like that. I'm not slacking there. But 780 00:30:40,520 --> 00:30:43,160 Speaker 1: you know again, it's I wake up every day excited, 781 00:30:43,320 --> 00:30:44,880 Speaker 1: motivated to go after it. Man. 782 00:30:44,960 --> 00:30:46,240 Speaker 3: So it's been good. It's been good. 783 00:30:46,480 --> 00:30:48,560 Speaker 2: Y'all have done some like dope partnerships of brands like 784 00:30:48,680 --> 00:30:50,880 Speaker 2: Teching and some other folks like yeah, what else you 785 00:30:50,920 --> 00:30:51,840 Speaker 2: got to get coming up next? 786 00:30:52,160 --> 00:30:53,960 Speaker 1: The biggest thing we got coming up next, and it's 787 00:30:54,000 --> 00:30:55,800 Speaker 1: it's actually going to be in twenty twenty five after 788 00:30:55,800 --> 00:30:58,320 Speaker 1: we wrap up this fourth quarter. We actually have a 789 00:30:58,360 --> 00:31:03,640 Speaker 1: Converse collaboration with Naruto. So the Converse has a Aruto 790 00:31:03,720 --> 00:31:07,160 Speaker 1: collaboration with about four or five different styles. So we're 791 00:31:07,160 --> 00:31:09,200 Speaker 1: gonna partner with them and do something very similar to 792 00:31:09,280 --> 00:31:11,160 Speaker 1: what we did with the Technics, but we're gonna do 793 00:31:11,240 --> 00:31:13,160 Speaker 1: that with Naruto. Man, that's gonna be it's gonna be 794 00:31:13,200 --> 00:31:15,160 Speaker 1: big because anime, I'm not sure if you're fai with anime, 795 00:31:15,200 --> 00:31:20,240 Speaker 1: and but the anime community man, and and and even 796 00:31:20,320 --> 00:31:22,840 Speaker 1: from a cultural standpoint, now it's like it's it's it's 797 00:31:22,920 --> 00:31:26,440 Speaker 1: super big. It's super dope. And shout out to Trap 798 00:31:26,480 --> 00:31:27,360 Speaker 1: Sushi with true. 799 00:31:28,000 --> 00:31:29,760 Speaker 3: You know, they they do. They do a lot of 800 00:31:29,840 --> 00:31:32,320 Speaker 3: things to just highlight the culture in anime. 801 00:31:32,760 --> 00:31:34,240 Speaker 1: And I remember when I was growing up, you know, 802 00:31:34,280 --> 00:31:37,200 Speaker 1: an anime kid, especially black, you know anime black kids. 803 00:31:37,200 --> 00:31:39,200 Speaker 1: You know, we kind of you know, we kind of 804 00:31:39,200 --> 00:31:40,880 Speaker 1: picked them day. We're just kind of to theyself, you 805 00:31:40,920 --> 00:31:44,200 Speaker 1: know what I mean. I'm very emo. God, none wrong 806 00:31:44,240 --> 00:31:46,480 Speaker 1: with that, None wrong with it. But now it's you know, 807 00:31:46,560 --> 00:31:49,600 Speaker 1: it's it's definitely like culturally relevant. And I guess you 808 00:31:49,600 --> 00:31:53,440 Speaker 1: would say cool to to proudly be an anime fan. 809 00:31:53,640 --> 00:31:56,360 Speaker 3: And I love to see it. And again, I'm just 810 00:31:56,440 --> 00:31:57,320 Speaker 3: happy to be a part of that. 811 00:31:57,600 --> 00:32:01,440 Speaker 2: You know, what's what's the something about the sneaker industry 812 00:32:01,680 --> 00:32:02,800 Speaker 2: that would surprise people? 813 00:32:03,360 --> 00:32:06,760 Speaker 1: What's something about the sneaker industry that would surprise people 814 00:32:07,280 --> 00:32:07,600 Speaker 1: like y'all? 815 00:32:07,800 --> 00:32:09,480 Speaker 3: Y'all really be having three pairs of them shoes and 816 00:32:09,520 --> 00:32:12,000 Speaker 3: them drops, don't you? Yah all? 817 00:32:12,040 --> 00:32:13,520 Speaker 1: We do though, and a lot of times we do, 818 00:32:14,040 --> 00:32:16,080 Speaker 1: like you know, because we and people think we just 819 00:32:16,120 --> 00:32:18,840 Speaker 1: got hundreds and hundreds and units and the start. No, 820 00:32:19,080 --> 00:32:21,840 Speaker 1: it's like it's all allocated, it's all strategical place in 821 00:32:21,880 --> 00:32:23,840 Speaker 1: different stores, and the amount that you get in each 822 00:32:23,880 --> 00:32:27,720 Speaker 1: store might vary, right, So we might get a smaller 823 00:32:28,160 --> 00:32:29,960 Speaker 1: quantity and then this store over here might get a 824 00:32:29,960 --> 00:32:31,800 Speaker 1: bigger quantity, or vice versa, you know what I mean. 825 00:32:31,920 --> 00:32:34,080 Speaker 3: So, and I get it. You know, people do get mad, 826 00:32:34,240 --> 00:32:34,760 Speaker 3: Oh my god. 827 00:32:35,240 --> 00:32:37,239 Speaker 1: You know y'all just posted this and I got here, 828 00:32:37,360 --> 00:32:40,320 Speaker 1: y'all sold out in thirty It'd be like that sometimes. 829 00:32:40,400 --> 00:32:43,840 Speaker 3: So but yeah, it's it's it's all allocations. I want 830 00:32:43,840 --> 00:32:46,520 Speaker 3: people to know. It's alligate. Every store doesn't get everything 831 00:32:47,480 --> 00:32:50,920 Speaker 3: quantity and style. So so yeah, that stuff. Man, what 832 00:32:51,000 --> 00:32:52,640 Speaker 3: do you what do you see the soul Play brand 833 00:32:52,680 --> 00:32:54,239 Speaker 3: evolving to in the next couple of years. Oh? 834 00:32:54,360 --> 00:32:59,680 Speaker 1: Man, Again, it's just being super impactful, you know, even 835 00:32:59,720 --> 00:33:03,640 Speaker 1: bigg than you know, Atlanta or not bigger than that line, 836 00:33:03,720 --> 00:33:05,640 Speaker 1: just growing outside of the line and create more impacts. 837 00:33:05,640 --> 00:33:07,360 Speaker 1: So even right now we're in the process of building 838 00:33:07,400 --> 00:33:10,560 Speaker 1: out in es sports labs at the MLK Aquatic Center. 839 00:33:11,320 --> 00:33:12,920 Speaker 1: But as far as some wreck, you know, and again 840 00:33:13,600 --> 00:33:17,560 Speaker 1: on the surface is gaming, right, but with that is 841 00:33:17,720 --> 00:33:19,840 Speaker 1: crazy technology and we're also going to be bringing in 842 00:33:19,960 --> 00:33:22,320 Speaker 1: with the course partnership, it helps with parts of Wreck, 843 00:33:22,760 --> 00:33:26,720 Speaker 1: bringing in certification programs and that might be through Microsoft, 844 00:33:26,800 --> 00:33:28,640 Speaker 1: that might be through Google. So you know, kids that 845 00:33:28,720 --> 00:33:30,680 Speaker 1: might not want to go to traditional education route by 846 00:33:30,720 --> 00:33:33,000 Speaker 1: going to a four year college, you can still go here, 847 00:33:33,200 --> 00:33:36,640 Speaker 1: get your certification in Google, Microsoft, and still get you know, 848 00:33:36,960 --> 00:33:39,960 Speaker 1: a great paying job out of high school. Right, And 849 00:33:40,040 --> 00:33:41,600 Speaker 1: we want to do that not only here, but we 850 00:33:41,720 --> 00:33:43,600 Speaker 1: want to scale that out. So of course we don't 851 00:33:43,640 --> 00:33:46,080 Speaker 1: want to you know, be in the southeast area, probably 852 00:33:46,120 --> 00:33:48,080 Speaker 1: work our way up East coast and you know, eventually 853 00:33:48,120 --> 00:33:48,840 Speaker 1: go out to the West coast. 854 00:33:48,880 --> 00:33:50,880 Speaker 3: That's that's the biggest goal. But the biggest thing I 855 00:33:50,920 --> 00:33:52,080 Speaker 3: want to say, soul play Tokyo. 856 00:33:52,120 --> 00:33:53,880 Speaker 1: I've been telling everybody this, Okay, p would be like, 857 00:33:53,960 --> 00:33:55,920 Speaker 1: oh you so look, I'm to go in and put 858 00:33:55,960 --> 00:33:58,880 Speaker 1: it out there, soul play Tokyo because again, you know, 859 00:33:59,040 --> 00:34:03,400 Speaker 1: Tokyo is is is very streetwhear forward. They're very sneaker 860 00:34:03,440 --> 00:34:06,320 Speaker 1: for it, and of course gaming and anime is extremely 861 00:34:06,400 --> 00:34:08,480 Speaker 1: big out there, and again it just aligns with everything 862 00:34:08,520 --> 00:34:11,919 Speaker 1: that we're doing. So the biggest biggest goal on soul 863 00:34:11,960 --> 00:34:13,120 Speaker 1: play Tokyo for sure. 864 00:34:13,239 --> 00:34:16,520 Speaker 3: Oh man, I love it. Man. Going international for sure, 865 00:34:16,560 --> 00:34:18,600 Speaker 3: it got to got to man, I love it. Man. 866 00:34:18,640 --> 00:34:20,120 Speaker 2: We look TJ before we get out of here. Man, 867 00:34:20,160 --> 00:34:22,640 Speaker 2: how can folks find out more about soul Play. Support 868 00:34:22,760 --> 00:34:25,000 Speaker 2: y'all more poorly, come buy some sneakers, Like. 869 00:34:25,960 --> 00:34:28,759 Speaker 1: Yeah, you'all can find us at soul play a t 870 00:34:28,920 --> 00:34:30,600 Speaker 1: L s O L E p L A y A 871 00:34:30,760 --> 00:34:33,799 Speaker 1: t L on Twitter, same same handle at soul play 872 00:34:33,840 --> 00:34:34,279 Speaker 1: a t L. 873 00:34:34,360 --> 00:34:36,399 Speaker 3: And yeah, that's that's the bit. Oh and you can 874 00:34:36,800 --> 00:34:39,640 Speaker 3: shout for the address as let me add. 875 00:34:39,760 --> 00:34:42,879 Speaker 1: Okay, So our Decatur location is one zero six East 876 00:34:42,920 --> 00:34:46,839 Speaker 1: Ponce de Lyon, Decatur, Georgia. And our Lawrenceville location it's 877 00:34:46,920 --> 00:34:50,080 Speaker 1: nineteen fifty six the loose Highway squeek b one o 878 00:34:50,160 --> 00:34:52,560 Speaker 1: e O see it's it's a big sweet Lawrenceville, Georgia, 879 00:34:52,840 --> 00:34:55,960 Speaker 1: three zero zero four three ooh and. 880 00:34:56,040 --> 00:34:58,640 Speaker 3: I don't know that doting address. Look, it's only one 881 00:34:58,680 --> 00:35:01,520 Speaker 3: soul playing do today. You go right, it's only one 882 00:35:01,600 --> 00:35:03,719 Speaker 3: soul playing Dothan my bad Notthing team. 883 00:35:03,760 --> 00:35:06,880 Speaker 1: I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, but yeah, pull up 884 00:35:06,920 --> 00:35:09,879 Speaker 1: on us, buy some shoes, follow us on social Yeah, 885 00:35:09,920 --> 00:35:12,719 Speaker 1: and yeah, just help us with our community impact because 886 00:35:12,719 --> 00:35:15,120 Speaker 1: again I always tell people, it's bigger than sneakers and shoes. 887 00:35:15,920 --> 00:35:17,560 Speaker 3: We just used the sneakers and shoes to. 888 00:35:17,800 --> 00:35:21,520 Speaker 1: Again generate the revenue to gan to help impact our communities. 889 00:35:21,880 --> 00:35:23,919 Speaker 2: Well, that's dope with TJ Man. I appreciate you pulling 890 00:35:23,960 --> 00:35:24,680 Speaker 2: up for the pod man. 891 00:35:25,160 --> 00:35:27,160 Speaker 3: Thank you. Thanks coming to buttteron nomics and that's the 892 00:35:27,239 --> 00:35:28,800 Speaker 3: pod Jawn. We out appreciate it. 893 00:35:29,600 --> 00:35:31,840 Speaker 2: You've been listening to button Nomics and I'm your host, 894 00:35:32,040 --> 00:35:34,640 Speaker 2: Brandon Butler. Comments feedback. Want to be a part of 895 00:35:34,680 --> 00:35:37,200 Speaker 2: the show, Send us an email today at hello at 896 00:35:37,280 --> 00:35:40,560 Speaker 2: butterdomics dot com. Butter Nomics is produced in Atlanta, Georgia 897 00:35:40,600 --> 00:35:43,560 Speaker 2: at iHeartMedia by Ramsey, with marketing and support from Queen 898 00:35:43,640 --> 00:35:47,120 Speaker 2: and naked music provided by mister Hanky. If you haven't already, 899 00:35:47,239 --> 00:35:49,719 Speaker 2: hit that subscribe button and never missed an episode, and 900 00:35:49,960 --> 00:35:52,040 Speaker 2: be sure to follow us on all our social platforms 901 00:35:52,120 --> 00:35:55,279 Speaker 2: at butter dot at l. Listen to button Nomics on 902 00:35:55,320 --> 00:35:58,359 Speaker 2: the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your 903 00:35:58,400 --> 00:35:58,960 Speaker 2: podcasts 904 00:36:00,120 --> 00:36:02,680 Speaker 3: Out count count Pump