1 00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:02,960 Speaker 1: I'm Will Lucas and this podcast, if you haven't heard, 2 00:00:03,160 --> 00:00:05,960 Speaker 1: has been nominated for an inn Double A CP Image Award, 3 00:00:06,000 --> 00:00:08,520 Speaker 1: and I need your help. The Double A CP has 4 00:00:08,520 --> 00:00:11,559 Speaker 1: recently opened up the opportunity for the public. That means 5 00:00:11,560 --> 00:00:15,040 Speaker 1: you to weigh in and vote on this category. Head 6 00:00:15,080 --> 00:00:17,840 Speaker 1: over to vote dot Double A CP Image Awards dot net. 7 00:00:18,160 --> 00:00:22,079 Speaker 1: Scroll to the Outstanding News and Information Podcast category and 8 00:00:22,160 --> 00:00:24,799 Speaker 1: vote for Black Tech Green Money. It's not often that 9 00:00:24,840 --> 00:00:28,200 Speaker 1: we see a podcast for us by us which highlights 10 00:00:28,200 --> 00:00:32,720 Speaker 1: the stories of black innovators, technologists, venture capitalists and angel investors, 11 00:00:32,960 --> 00:00:36,560 Speaker 1: scientists and engineers with this biggest spotlight. So I'm asking 12 00:00:36,600 --> 00:00:38,400 Speaker 1: for you to take a moment of your day and 13 00:00:38,520 --> 00:00:42,239 Speaker 1: vote for us. Do now. I'm Will Lucas and this 14 00:00:42,320 --> 00:00:49,960 Speaker 1: is Black Tech Green Money. Afro Techo Austin, Texas. Frederick Hudson, 15 00:00:50,120 --> 00:00:52,080 Speaker 1: co founder and CEO at Pigeon Ley is on the 16 00:00:52,120 --> 00:00:55,800 Speaker 1: main stage talking with Gravity co founder and CEO Jeff 17 00:00:55,840 --> 00:00:59,480 Speaker 1: Nelson Pageley. It's a simple, affordable way to stay in 18 00:00:59,520 --> 00:01:03,480 Speaker 1: touch with of once we are behind bars nationwide, let's 19 00:01:03,520 --> 00:01:06,360 Speaker 1: listening to the conversation that spence topics like Frederick's own 20 00:01:06,400 --> 00:01:09,880 Speaker 1: personal story starting a tech company as a felon raising 21 00:01:09,880 --> 00:01:14,400 Speaker 1: his first million is starting unsexy but lucrative companies, y'all 22 00:01:14,440 --> 00:01:16,960 Speaker 1: gonna be a little louder than that. Come on, where's 23 00:01:17,000 --> 00:01:20,560 Speaker 1: the energy further? You're doing? All right, man, I'm good. 24 00:01:20,640 --> 00:01:25,000 Speaker 1: It's uh, it's an honor to share this stage with you. Um. 25 00:01:25,040 --> 00:01:26,560 Speaker 1: And so we got a lot to dive into it. 26 00:01:26,720 --> 00:01:29,360 Speaker 1: Will kind of told you all a bit about what 27 00:01:29,720 --> 00:01:32,640 Speaker 1: pigeon Lely is if you didn't know, But is he 28 00:01:32,680 --> 00:01:37,520 Speaker 1: alluded to there? There's more than we know about ways 29 00:01:37,520 --> 00:01:40,560 Speaker 1: to stay in contact with our incarcerated love one. So 30 00:01:40,880 --> 00:01:43,959 Speaker 1: can you tell us in your words what is pigeon 31 00:01:44,040 --> 00:01:48,080 Speaker 1: Lely and why is the work you do necessary? Sure? So? 32 00:01:48,880 --> 00:01:50,800 Speaker 1: And the sentence what a pigeonally is as a platform 33 00:01:50,800 --> 00:01:53,720 Speaker 1: that allows people to search, fine and connect with the 34 00:01:53,800 --> 00:01:56,560 Speaker 1: incarcerated loved one, and they can do so with our 35 00:01:56,600 --> 00:02:00,200 Speaker 1: products that fit into three main categories. The first is 36 00:02:00,240 --> 00:02:03,640 Speaker 1: a telephone service which lowers the cost of expensive prison 37 00:02:03,640 --> 00:02:05,320 Speaker 1: phone calls. This is something that you see in the 38 00:02:05,320 --> 00:02:07,400 Speaker 1: news and media a lot with the predatory nature of 39 00:02:07,480 --> 00:02:10,919 Speaker 1: prison phone calls. Um. And then we have financial services 40 00:02:11,000 --> 00:02:14,160 Speaker 1: allows people to easily put money or funds on you 41 00:02:14,200 --> 00:02:16,800 Speaker 1: know a loved one's commensary account of phone account. And 42 00:02:16,800 --> 00:02:20,080 Speaker 1: then finally we have postal mail services. So this is 43 00:02:20,320 --> 00:02:23,400 Speaker 1: the ability to be able to send things like greeting cards, letters, photos, 44 00:02:23,400 --> 00:02:27,640 Speaker 1: etcetera directly from yourself phone, tablet, computer in an institution 45 00:02:27,680 --> 00:02:31,480 Speaker 1: approved process that allows them to receive that mail UM. 46 00:02:31,880 --> 00:02:34,840 Speaker 1: And then most recently over the past couple of years, 47 00:02:35,120 --> 00:02:37,400 Speaker 1: giving institutions of tools to be able to validate the 48 00:02:37,400 --> 00:02:39,639 Speaker 1: mail that they're getting to make sure doesn't have contraband 49 00:02:39,639 --> 00:02:42,079 Speaker 1: they don't have to be overly restrictive UM, which is 50 00:02:42,120 --> 00:02:46,240 Speaker 1: also a big problem. So that's important work and many 51 00:02:46,280 --> 00:02:48,640 Speaker 1: people don't know that that is a huge problem in 52 00:02:48,639 --> 00:02:51,600 Speaker 1: an area of opportunity. But but you found it and 53 00:02:51,639 --> 00:02:55,720 Speaker 1: tapped into it. And you've spoken before about how you 54 00:02:55,760 --> 00:03:01,520 Speaker 1: were incarcerated nearly five years long time, right, I want 55 00:03:01,560 --> 00:03:04,280 Speaker 1: to dig into that a little bit. So first, can 56 00:03:04,280 --> 00:03:07,880 Speaker 1: you talk about what led to what led to your incarceration. Yeah, 57 00:03:07,919 --> 00:03:13,160 Speaker 1: so when I was I wasn't at two thousand dams 58 00:03:13,400 --> 00:03:17,000 Speaker 1: so long twenty three, I wasn't dited for distribution to marijuana. 59 00:03:17,120 --> 00:03:20,079 Speaker 1: So I end up serving UM close to five years 60 00:03:20,080 --> 00:03:23,680 Speaker 1: in federalism distribution to marijuana the one thing, you know, 61 00:03:23,720 --> 00:03:25,200 Speaker 1: when I think about it now, I was way too 62 00:03:25,240 --> 00:03:27,240 Speaker 1: early because if you live in the city like mine, 63 00:03:27,680 --> 00:03:30,040 Speaker 1: you know the dispensaries on every corner like seven and 64 00:03:30,120 --> 00:03:34,400 Speaker 1: level live in Las Vegas. Okay, okay, so you were 65 00:03:34,400 --> 00:03:36,880 Speaker 1: ahead of it. I was way too early, way ahead 66 00:03:36,920 --> 00:03:38,840 Speaker 1: of my time, right, But that's back then it was 67 00:03:38,880 --> 00:03:42,200 Speaker 1: still illegal, still very illegal. Because I I really just 68 00:03:42,200 --> 00:03:43,680 Speaker 1: want to jump in there because you're hearting on a 69 00:03:43,680 --> 00:03:49,040 Speaker 1: good point. Um, you you were incarcerated for marijuana distribution, right, 70 00:03:49,760 --> 00:03:53,360 Speaker 1: Do you have any frustration now that you know that 71 00:03:53,440 --> 00:03:57,119 Speaker 1: there are industries? You know? I think what I see 72 00:03:57,120 --> 00:03:59,560 Speaker 1: the frustration is is that the policy. So a lot 73 00:03:59,560 --> 00:04:01,320 Speaker 1: of my work now goes into policy. So a matter 74 00:04:01,360 --> 00:04:04,600 Speaker 1: of fact, Um, just a few weeks ago, I had 75 00:04:04,640 --> 00:04:06,080 Speaker 1: a meeting with the White House, and what we were 76 00:04:06,080 --> 00:04:11,200 Speaker 1: talking about was um policy changes to allow felons to 77 00:04:11,200 --> 00:04:14,440 Speaker 1: be able to participate in the marijuana industry, because what's 78 00:04:14,520 --> 00:04:16,800 Speaker 1: end up happening is that they legalize it and then 79 00:04:16,839 --> 00:04:20,160 Speaker 1: all the people that's been marginalized by that same law 80 00:04:21,040 --> 00:04:24,440 Speaker 1: don't have the opportunity to participate in the industry. Right. So, Um, 81 00:04:24,480 --> 00:04:26,440 Speaker 1: that's some of the things that I always every opportunity 82 00:04:26,440 --> 00:04:28,359 Speaker 1: I get to talk about UM to bring that up, 83 00:04:28,360 --> 00:04:30,719 Speaker 1: because it doesn't make any sense, right, And so the 84 00:04:30,720 --> 00:04:32,640 Speaker 1: most frustrating thing I see is that you know, you 85 00:04:32,680 --> 00:04:35,279 Speaker 1: see wide America profiting from the same thing that Black 86 00:04:35,320 --> 00:04:37,640 Speaker 1: America was sent to prison for. And that's just another 87 00:04:37,680 --> 00:04:39,880 Speaker 1: echos you know a lot of things about you know, 88 00:04:40,040 --> 00:04:42,560 Speaker 1: that's how our country has been set up and run systematically. 89 00:04:43,080 --> 00:04:45,680 Speaker 1: But I do think that change is coming. UM. There's 90 00:04:45,680 --> 00:04:47,720 Speaker 1: a lot of there's a lot more conversations that's going 91 00:04:47,760 --> 00:04:50,920 Speaker 1: on about that, UM, and so I'm hopeful that you 92 00:04:50,920 --> 00:04:53,960 Speaker 1: know that we would be able to participate, at least, 93 00:04:53,960 --> 00:04:57,239 Speaker 1: particularly to people who's been you know, incarcerated forward or 94 00:04:57,640 --> 00:05:00,360 Speaker 1: or you know, in their communities, UM, be able to 95 00:05:00,400 --> 00:05:02,440 Speaker 1: participate in the upside of the issue as well. You 96 00:05:02,480 --> 00:05:06,680 Speaker 1: know that that's it's fascinating, UM. Your story is fascinating, 97 00:05:06,680 --> 00:05:09,559 Speaker 1: but it's also inspiring, and I hope everybody here draws 98 00:05:09,600 --> 00:05:14,240 Speaker 1: that inspiration to be incarcerated in and I say, lose right, 99 00:05:14,279 --> 00:05:16,479 Speaker 1: lose you know, nearly five years of your life, but 100 00:05:16,520 --> 00:05:18,960 Speaker 1: now to be in a position where you are the 101 00:05:18,960 --> 00:05:21,039 Speaker 1: CEO of a company and pigeon le that has this 102 00:05:21,160 --> 00:05:24,640 Speaker 1: impact and you're at the White House meeting with the 103 00:05:24,640 --> 00:05:28,919 Speaker 1: administration talking about policy change. You were incarcerated, and and 104 00:05:28,960 --> 00:05:31,400 Speaker 1: the question I have is, you know, do you regret 105 00:05:31,440 --> 00:05:33,240 Speaker 1: that experience or do you view were just sort of 106 00:05:33,279 --> 00:05:36,160 Speaker 1: like this necessary launch pad to the work that you're 107 00:05:36,200 --> 00:05:38,679 Speaker 1: doing now that it is so impactful. Nah, I don't. 108 00:05:38,800 --> 00:05:41,400 Speaker 1: I mean, I think again, if if I regret anything, 109 00:05:41,520 --> 00:05:46,240 Speaker 1: it's just my time and a little too soon. But now, 110 00:05:46,240 --> 00:05:48,000 Speaker 1: for the most part, I'm a firm believer in the journey, 111 00:05:48,080 --> 00:05:50,599 Speaker 1: right and and I'm I'm a firm believer in the 112 00:05:50,680 --> 00:05:54,680 Speaker 1: journey and whatever bumps, whatever, whatever that journey looks like 113 00:05:54,720 --> 00:05:57,080 Speaker 1: as a result of decisions you make that uh, the 114 00:05:57,160 --> 00:05:58,760 Speaker 1: right decision, you make, all the wrong decisions you make. 115 00:05:59,080 --> 00:06:01,520 Speaker 1: Whatever that journey is, I think it really shapes who 116 00:06:01,560 --> 00:06:04,040 Speaker 1: you are, and it shapes your perspective, and it shapes 117 00:06:04,160 --> 00:06:05,960 Speaker 1: you know what you do and how you do it. 118 00:06:06,320 --> 00:06:09,520 Speaker 1: Um So I'm less, I'm less worried about you know, 119 00:06:09,600 --> 00:06:12,320 Speaker 1: what's behind me, and I'm more focused about all of 120 00:06:12,320 --> 00:06:14,680 Speaker 1: that made up and gives me a very unique perspective 121 00:06:14,680 --> 00:06:17,560 Speaker 1: and the unique opportunity to be in rooms that I 122 00:06:17,680 --> 00:06:20,200 Speaker 1: may not have been in had I not went through that, Yeah, 123 00:06:20,240 --> 00:06:23,880 Speaker 1: definitely not regress to. So you started pigeon ly um 124 00:06:23,920 --> 00:06:26,960 Speaker 1: after being incarcerated. Can you talk about the moment if 125 00:06:26,960 --> 00:06:30,800 Speaker 1: you remember when when the idea really sat with you 126 00:06:30,880 --> 00:06:33,760 Speaker 1: and and and you felt that conviction that this is 127 00:06:34,120 --> 00:06:37,880 Speaker 1: a needed solution to this problem. I'm the person to 128 00:06:37,960 --> 00:06:40,640 Speaker 1: do it, and I'm gonna do it. So I think 129 00:06:41,400 --> 00:06:44,400 Speaker 1: that moment really was when I was thinking about what 130 00:06:44,440 --> 00:06:46,159 Speaker 1: I was gonna do after. Right. So once you when 131 00:06:46,160 --> 00:06:48,120 Speaker 1: you first get there, you like you're trying to you's 132 00:06:48,160 --> 00:06:50,360 Speaker 1: all settling in. You're like, Okay, you know I'm gonna 133 00:06:50,360 --> 00:06:51,960 Speaker 1: do this time, not less time, do me or whatever, 134 00:06:52,000 --> 00:06:54,000 Speaker 1: you know, all that, and then you you kind of 135 00:06:54,040 --> 00:06:56,640 Speaker 1: start thinking about what's next. Right, and then part of 136 00:06:56,640 --> 00:06:59,680 Speaker 1: that conversation about what's next is the last thing I 137 00:06:59,680 --> 00:07:01,360 Speaker 1: want to do is have to rely on somebody to 138 00:07:01,360 --> 00:07:03,560 Speaker 1: give me an opportunity. So I knew I was gonna 139 00:07:03,560 --> 00:07:05,359 Speaker 1: create my own not at the time, it wasn't super 140 00:07:05,400 --> 00:07:07,360 Speaker 1: clear what that would look like, but I just knew 141 00:07:07,360 --> 00:07:10,080 Speaker 1: I was gonna create my own opportunity, whatever that may be. Um. 142 00:07:10,280 --> 00:07:11,800 Speaker 1: And then I just started looking around me and to 143 00:07:11,840 --> 00:07:14,640 Speaker 1: see what problems existed, And you know, that was just 144 00:07:14,680 --> 00:07:16,920 Speaker 1: the glaring problems in my face. I just started noticing 145 00:07:16,960 --> 00:07:18,960 Speaker 1: that the people who didn't have the financial means and 146 00:07:19,000 --> 00:07:21,040 Speaker 1: ability to stay in touch with the loved ones, those 147 00:07:21,040 --> 00:07:22,360 Speaker 1: are people that I would see come back, and the 148 00:07:22,400 --> 00:07:24,280 Speaker 1: people who did the people I didn't see come back. Right. 149 00:07:24,320 --> 00:07:26,880 Speaker 1: So it wasn't until I got out that I realized 150 00:07:26,920 --> 00:07:29,239 Speaker 1: that my general observation was backed by you know, forty 151 00:07:29,280 --> 00:07:32,480 Speaker 1: something as of research that clearly shows that communication and 152 00:07:32,600 --> 00:07:36,200 Speaker 1: education the two most important factors that impact residivism. So 153 00:07:36,440 --> 00:07:38,360 Speaker 1: so you just drop out the real gym, And I 154 00:07:38,400 --> 00:07:41,840 Speaker 1: want to make sure everybody heard that and understood it. 155 00:07:42,320 --> 00:07:44,120 Speaker 1: What you said was when you were thinking about what 156 00:07:44,160 --> 00:07:46,400 Speaker 1: happens next, you said, you knew you were going to 157 00:07:46,440 --> 00:07:50,120 Speaker 1: create your own right. You knew that for you you 158 00:07:50,160 --> 00:07:53,160 Speaker 1: needed to be a founder, you needed to create something. 159 00:07:53,480 --> 00:07:55,920 Speaker 1: And then you looked around your environment and you saw 160 00:07:55,920 --> 00:08:00,720 Speaker 1: a problem. Right, you came up with a solution, and 161 00:08:00,760 --> 00:08:02,760 Speaker 1: then you went and saw that. But other people have 162 00:08:02,800 --> 00:08:06,200 Speaker 1: noticed this problem. But I've got this unique perspective that's 163 00:08:06,280 --> 00:08:10,040 Speaker 1: very important for everybody to know. For all our aspiring entrepreneurs. 164 00:08:10,560 --> 00:08:13,920 Speaker 1: Um if you have that conviction that you want to 165 00:08:14,000 --> 00:08:15,880 Speaker 1: you want to start something, you want to be a founder. 166 00:08:16,320 --> 00:08:19,000 Speaker 1: Look around you and see what the problems are, right, 167 00:08:19,600 --> 00:08:21,560 Speaker 1: and think about how you can solve those things. That 168 00:08:21,680 --> 00:08:25,320 Speaker 1: that's super important. And I wonder where that conviction of like, hey, 169 00:08:25,400 --> 00:08:27,400 Speaker 1: I want to I need to start something, I want 170 00:08:27,400 --> 00:08:29,520 Speaker 1: to be a founder, where does that come from? Right? 171 00:08:29,520 --> 00:08:33,880 Speaker 1: Because Pigeionley wasn't your first business. Now you started, right, 172 00:08:34,120 --> 00:08:37,199 Speaker 1: So what were some of your earlier entrepreneurial pursuits and 173 00:08:37,200 --> 00:08:39,280 Speaker 1: and how did those go? What you learn from those? 174 00:08:39,600 --> 00:08:42,400 Speaker 1: You know, highs, low success and failures, et cetera. Yeah, 175 00:08:42,440 --> 00:08:48,320 Speaker 1: I mean so my first first business, I would say, Um, 176 00:08:48,360 --> 00:08:52,319 Speaker 1: you know, I was a kid in high school, and um, 177 00:08:52,360 --> 00:08:56,120 Speaker 1: I noticed my neighborhood would have like dirty windows and 178 00:08:56,320 --> 00:08:58,680 Speaker 1: need o jabs, and I will see other kids doing 179 00:08:58,679 --> 00:09:01,400 Speaker 1: the work. Right, So I quickly learned that, hey, you 180 00:09:01,440 --> 00:09:03,160 Speaker 1: are already doing this. What if I could find other 181 00:09:03,160 --> 00:09:04,800 Speaker 1: people can do this for and we split the money, 182 00:09:04,840 --> 00:09:06,640 Speaker 1: and you could do it and I'll find I'll find 183 00:09:06,720 --> 00:09:08,679 Speaker 1: your customer and we can split the money. Already doing it. 184 00:09:08,679 --> 00:09:10,559 Speaker 1: You already got the long mowers, you already cleaned the windows, 185 00:09:10,559 --> 00:09:13,079 Speaker 1: You already doing all this. And that's just how it started. 186 00:09:13,120 --> 00:09:14,760 Speaker 1: So I was very early I think I was, you know, 187 00:09:14,800 --> 00:09:18,439 Speaker 1: maybe fifteen or fourteen at the time or something like that, 188 00:09:18,800 --> 00:09:21,880 Speaker 1: and it was just again just seeing something and saying, hey, 189 00:09:22,080 --> 00:09:24,480 Speaker 1: you want to do more of this, um, you know, 190 00:09:24,679 --> 00:09:26,600 Speaker 1: and I can find the people that want this and 191 00:09:26,679 --> 00:09:28,120 Speaker 1: you can do it, and then you know, we split 192 00:09:28,120 --> 00:09:29,880 Speaker 1: the money. So that was the first one. Then it 193 00:09:29,880 --> 00:09:31,920 Speaker 1: elevated from there. So other things I've done is I've 194 00:09:32,000 --> 00:09:35,960 Speaker 1: had window tanning shops and um uh cell phone stores 195 00:09:36,040 --> 00:09:37,520 Speaker 1: and things like that. That was back when you know, 196 00:09:37,559 --> 00:09:40,319 Speaker 1: he had single wireless things like that. And again, these 197 00:09:40,320 --> 00:09:43,240 Speaker 1: are just things that had just come across and you 198 00:09:43,280 --> 00:09:45,480 Speaker 1: know I was exposed to and said, okay, this this 199 00:09:45,559 --> 00:09:47,960 Speaker 1: might can make sense. It's Michael work. Um. But it 200 00:09:48,000 --> 00:09:50,440 Speaker 1: wasn't until you know, I started gett into what I 201 00:09:50,480 --> 00:09:53,320 Speaker 1: do now that I started really understanding like logistics and 202 00:09:53,640 --> 00:09:57,400 Speaker 1: hiring and managing multiple people in different areas and and 203 00:09:57,520 --> 00:10:00,360 Speaker 1: you know, you know, product supply chains and things like that. 204 00:10:00,360 --> 00:10:02,440 Speaker 1: Then they got a lot more sophisticated. But you know, 205 00:10:02,480 --> 00:10:04,640 Speaker 1: the concepts are the same, right so you know, the 206 00:10:04,640 --> 00:10:08,000 Speaker 1: product might be different, um, the landscape might be different, 207 00:10:08,000 --> 00:10:10,840 Speaker 1: but it's the same principles regardless of what business. You know, 208 00:10:11,000 --> 00:10:14,199 Speaker 1: as a CEO. You you have to if it's a 209 00:10:14,240 --> 00:10:16,040 Speaker 1: weird position of being right because you you sort of 210 00:10:16,080 --> 00:10:21,600 Speaker 1: have to be able to to know about all parts 211 00:10:21,600 --> 00:10:24,280 Speaker 1: of the business. But you're not the best person at 212 00:10:24,320 --> 00:10:26,000 Speaker 1: all parts of the business, right, And some people will 213 00:10:26,040 --> 00:10:28,720 Speaker 1: say you shouldn't be the best uh person for most 214 00:10:28,720 --> 00:10:30,280 Speaker 1: of the business, right you should hire people who are 215 00:10:30,320 --> 00:10:33,240 Speaker 1: better than you. I am curious for you. What are 216 00:10:33,240 --> 00:10:35,520 Speaker 1: the aspects of your job that are like necessary evil? 217 00:10:35,520 --> 00:10:38,720 Speaker 1: Its just like, ah, you know this isn't This isn't 218 00:10:39,120 --> 00:10:41,400 Speaker 1: the aspect that I love, but it's necessary. But and 219 00:10:41,400 --> 00:10:43,360 Speaker 1: then what are the parts of it that you do 220 00:10:43,480 --> 00:10:46,000 Speaker 1: enjoy that you do look forward to? So I'll start 221 00:10:46,000 --> 00:10:48,280 Speaker 1: with I enjoy I enjoyed products. So I like I 222 00:10:48,280 --> 00:10:50,320 Speaker 1: spend a lot of time with the product team you know, 223 00:10:50,840 --> 00:10:54,200 Speaker 1: um and either outlining and designing and figuring out how 224 00:10:54,240 --> 00:10:55,920 Speaker 1: the product is supposed to work, making sure that us 225 00:10:55,960 --> 00:10:58,720 Speaker 1: working and meeting you know, my customers needs. Um. I 226 00:10:58,760 --> 00:11:00,079 Speaker 1: spend a lot of time on that. The next so 227 00:11:00,240 --> 00:11:02,800 Speaker 1: evil from me is dealing with people. I'm not like. 228 00:11:04,000 --> 00:11:06,040 Speaker 1: The bigger the bigger you get, the more complicated to 229 00:11:06,080 --> 00:11:08,640 Speaker 1: get as far as teams and employees, And it's just 230 00:11:08,880 --> 00:11:11,040 Speaker 1: you just have a lot of stuff right when it 231 00:11:11,080 --> 00:11:13,920 Speaker 1: comes that comes with that, and and you know it 232 00:11:14,000 --> 00:11:16,360 Speaker 1: just gets you know, you have to you know, beginning 233 00:11:16,360 --> 00:11:18,000 Speaker 1: when you have a small team, you don't have to 234 00:11:18,000 --> 00:11:20,880 Speaker 1: spend that much time managing people. But then as you grow, 235 00:11:20,920 --> 00:11:23,640 Speaker 1: you spend a significant of time managing people. Um and 236 00:11:23,679 --> 00:11:26,280 Speaker 1: then you know you're dealing with somebody's issues at home 237 00:11:26,360 --> 00:11:28,520 Speaker 1: and you're dealing with you know, just it's just all 238 00:11:28,600 --> 00:11:31,160 Speaker 1: random things that that you that doesn't really have anything 239 00:11:31,160 --> 00:11:32,839 Speaker 1: to do what you guys are there to do, but 240 00:11:32,960 --> 00:11:34,719 Speaker 1: it's part of what you have to do and deal with. Right. 241 00:11:34,760 --> 00:11:37,680 Speaker 1: So you know, you becomes people counselors, You become people's 242 00:11:37,679 --> 00:11:40,559 Speaker 1: sounding boards, and that's just part of it, you know 243 00:11:40,559 --> 00:11:42,520 Speaker 1: what I'm saying. As as you know, you just get 244 00:11:42,800 --> 00:11:47,120 Speaker 1: you know, those types of those types of conversations. That's facts. Right. 245 00:11:47,200 --> 00:11:51,079 Speaker 1: So again, founders, right, listen to this. When you are 246 00:11:51,120 --> 00:11:53,040 Speaker 1: early on right, you want to be close to the product. 247 00:11:53,280 --> 00:11:57,160 Speaker 1: Usually the product is your vision, it's your passion. But 248 00:11:57,240 --> 00:11:59,280 Speaker 1: then once that thing turns into a real company, you 249 00:11:59,280 --> 00:12:02,000 Speaker 1: get real company problems, right, And even when you you 250 00:12:02,080 --> 00:12:05,959 Speaker 1: hire staff and operational teams to deal with that, you 251 00:12:06,000 --> 00:12:08,000 Speaker 1: still have to be able to to sort of lean 252 00:12:08,040 --> 00:12:10,720 Speaker 1: in and support your people, UM and and be the 253 00:12:10,720 --> 00:12:12,720 Speaker 1: face of the company and do everything that comes along 254 00:12:12,760 --> 00:12:15,360 Speaker 1: with that. So that's that's important to remember. But it's 255 00:12:15,360 --> 00:12:18,800 Speaker 1: a good problem to have, I suppose, UM. So so 256 00:12:18,840 --> 00:12:22,960 Speaker 1: to be someone who didn't have any formal business training. Right, 257 00:12:22,960 --> 00:12:25,679 Speaker 1: You've talked a little bit about how you now with 258 00:12:25,800 --> 00:12:28,400 Speaker 1: pasionally you sort of learned this stuff right, some of 259 00:12:28,400 --> 00:12:31,319 Speaker 1: the operational things, some of the some of the logistical things. 260 00:12:31,640 --> 00:12:33,840 Speaker 1: But how did you do it right? Are there practical 261 00:12:33,840 --> 00:12:37,120 Speaker 1: ways or specific things that you did to immerse yourself 262 00:12:37,840 --> 00:12:41,800 Speaker 1: in running a business, being a CEO and making it successful. 263 00:12:42,240 --> 00:12:45,120 Speaker 1: So I think one of the traits of every entrepboeurs 264 00:12:45,120 --> 00:12:47,240 Speaker 1: that you just have to learn extremely fast. UM. You 265 00:12:47,280 --> 00:12:49,520 Speaker 1: have to pay attention and be able to seek out 266 00:12:50,080 --> 00:12:52,920 Speaker 1: UM information and and have a cute awareness of what 267 00:12:53,000 --> 00:12:54,720 Speaker 1: you don't know. That's really important to really know and 268 00:12:54,800 --> 00:12:56,520 Speaker 1: understand what you don't know so that you can try 269 00:12:56,559 --> 00:12:59,280 Speaker 1: to seek it out. And it's been my experiences UM 270 00:12:59,360 --> 00:13:02,760 Speaker 1: that you know, when when I'm comfortable saying when I 271 00:13:02,760 --> 00:13:05,000 Speaker 1: don't know something, I can usually find that information and that 272 00:13:04,960 --> 00:13:07,080 Speaker 1: that information comes to me right because I'm actually open 273 00:13:07,120 --> 00:13:10,120 Speaker 1: to it. I'm actively looking for it, um. And so 274 00:13:10,280 --> 00:13:11,880 Speaker 1: you know, I learned from a lot of mentors and 275 00:13:11,960 --> 00:13:13,960 Speaker 1: people that I meet along the way along the journey. 276 00:13:14,080 --> 00:13:15,960 Speaker 1: I learned from my peers, other founders that are running 277 00:13:15,960 --> 00:13:17,480 Speaker 1: companies on side of me. They may say something, Hey, 278 00:13:17,559 --> 00:13:20,000 Speaker 1: this is how we dealt with this employee situation, this 279 00:13:20,120 --> 00:13:22,480 Speaker 1: is how we dealt with this sales problem. Um. So 280 00:13:22,559 --> 00:13:24,880 Speaker 1: you learn a lot from your peers, UM. And I 281 00:13:24,920 --> 00:13:27,360 Speaker 1: think the biggest thing is to really just be comfortable 282 00:13:27,520 --> 00:13:30,000 Speaker 1: open about talking about whatever is you're dealing with because 283 00:13:30,400 --> 00:13:32,720 Speaker 1: the founder path is it can be a very lonely 284 00:13:32,720 --> 00:13:35,520 Speaker 1: and isolated path because most people are not doing what 285 00:13:35,559 --> 00:13:37,520 Speaker 1: you're doing at your level. So you have to be 286 00:13:37,520 --> 00:13:39,960 Speaker 1: able to identify the other founders that are also building 287 00:13:39,960 --> 00:13:42,959 Speaker 1: companies that you can share information with. And a lot 288 00:13:42,960 --> 00:13:45,160 Speaker 1: of my support comes from, you know, my fellow founders 289 00:13:45,160 --> 00:13:49,640 Speaker 1: and you know the entrepreneurs that I've known along my journey. Yeah, 290 00:13:49,720 --> 00:13:52,000 Speaker 1: it's a it's a community of people who are who 291 00:13:52,000 --> 00:13:53,680 Speaker 1: are kind of going through the same thing right and 292 00:13:54,160 --> 00:13:56,920 Speaker 1: trying to figure it out in real time. Yeah. Um, 293 00:13:57,200 --> 00:14:00,280 Speaker 1: And for you you've talked about earlier, you talk about 294 00:14:00,280 --> 00:14:03,240 Speaker 1: how being formally inccarcerated is in some ways kind of 295 00:14:03,240 --> 00:14:07,120 Speaker 1: superpower specifically for this this work here, do you find 296 00:14:07,120 --> 00:14:09,360 Speaker 1: that there's still stigma that you have took him back 297 00:14:10,280 --> 00:14:14,719 Speaker 1: because because you're formally incarcerated in being an entrepreneur or 298 00:14:14,760 --> 00:14:17,160 Speaker 1: just trying to sort of navigate in and shift the 299 00:14:17,160 --> 00:14:19,160 Speaker 1: world closer to your ultimate division of what you want 300 00:14:19,160 --> 00:14:22,880 Speaker 1: to see. I mean, I mean, yeah, I mean it happens. 301 00:14:22,880 --> 00:14:26,400 Speaker 1: I mean, it doesn't matter, you know, but it definitely happens, right, 302 00:14:26,440 --> 00:14:28,880 Speaker 1: So you definitely come across you know. I remember so 303 00:14:28,960 --> 00:14:30,320 Speaker 1: when it was first when I when I raised my 304 00:14:30,360 --> 00:14:34,800 Speaker 1: first million UM. This was back in and you know, 305 00:14:35,040 --> 00:14:36,600 Speaker 1: I was presented us I forget who I was an 306 00:14:36,600 --> 00:14:38,600 Speaker 1: invest as prince and he said, He's like, I actually 307 00:14:38,640 --> 00:14:41,320 Speaker 1: can't get past the fact that you're felling and you know, 308 00:14:41,320 --> 00:14:43,640 Speaker 1: it's just not my thing, right, So you have to 309 00:14:43,960 --> 00:14:45,320 Speaker 1: deal with that, and then you have to be okay 310 00:14:45,320 --> 00:14:47,680 Speaker 1: with that. And one of the things that at least 311 00:14:47,720 --> 00:14:49,760 Speaker 1: for me, is that I'm trying to get to somebody 312 00:14:49,760 --> 00:14:51,400 Speaker 1: who's gonna say no as quickly as possible because I 313 00:14:51,400 --> 00:14:52,840 Speaker 1: don't want to waste more time on him than I 314 00:14:52,840 --> 00:14:55,520 Speaker 1: need to. UM. So you know, that's how I handle that. 315 00:14:55,600 --> 00:14:58,240 Speaker 1: But I think in general, um you have to just 316 00:14:58,280 --> 00:15:00,280 Speaker 1: own your experience. You have to own your story, right, 317 00:15:00,360 --> 00:15:02,760 Speaker 1: So you can't really you know, I never took the 318 00:15:02,760 --> 00:15:05,800 Speaker 1: approach of trying to not really talk about or not 319 00:15:05,840 --> 00:15:08,560 Speaker 1: being open about my experience because I always said, you know, 320 00:15:09,080 --> 00:15:11,760 Speaker 1: I'm gonna take every advantage that I have and I'm 321 00:15:11,760 --> 00:15:13,680 Speaker 1: gonna make use of it. And one of my bad 322 00:15:13,720 --> 00:15:16,480 Speaker 1: advantages are that I have personal, live experience, right, So 323 00:15:16,720 --> 00:15:18,600 Speaker 1: that makes me one of the best people to address 324 00:15:18,640 --> 00:15:21,400 Speaker 1: what I'm addressing. Um So in that regard, you know, 325 00:15:21,520 --> 00:15:23,640 Speaker 1: I I leveraged that all the way, so you know, 326 00:15:23,680 --> 00:15:26,240 Speaker 1: I haven't really let that impact anything that I've done 327 00:15:26,320 --> 00:15:29,040 Speaker 1: or coming away that that's so real, um and I 328 00:15:29,080 --> 00:15:33,160 Speaker 1: and I often talked to aspiring founders who when they 329 00:15:33,200 --> 00:15:36,360 Speaker 1: pitched themselves and and they try to pitch their their 330 00:15:36,400 --> 00:15:39,640 Speaker 1: history and what they're doing, they want this perfect story na, right, 331 00:15:40,120 --> 00:15:44,160 Speaker 1: and one beside that you know that being boring, um too, 332 00:15:44,600 --> 00:15:47,320 Speaker 1: there's no passion there, right. People can get behind things 333 00:15:47,320 --> 00:15:50,720 Speaker 1: where you have some sort of personal connection. So whether 334 00:15:50,720 --> 00:15:53,920 Speaker 1: it's failure, own that, whether it's a mistake, you may 335 00:15:54,000 --> 00:15:57,120 Speaker 1: own that, own your journey and and sort of commit 336 00:15:57,200 --> 00:15:59,640 Speaker 1: to that and be authentic and and leverage that to 337 00:15:59,760 --> 00:16:01,600 Speaker 1: then say, well, how can I use that for the 338 00:16:01,640 --> 00:16:03,160 Speaker 1: greater good? How can I use that to push the 339 00:16:03,200 --> 00:16:05,440 Speaker 1: world forward? Um? How can I use that to make 340 00:16:05,480 --> 00:16:08,000 Speaker 1: a positive change? Right? So, so I'm glad you shared 341 00:16:08,080 --> 00:16:12,000 Speaker 1: that and you mentioned fundraising. Uh. And in addition to 342 00:16:13,400 --> 00:16:15,600 Speaker 1: raising around, you know, going out and raising around the 343 00:16:15,640 --> 00:16:19,560 Speaker 1: funding you've done some of the top incubators and accelerators, 344 00:16:19,560 --> 00:16:22,840 Speaker 1: including Y Combinator. Show hands, anybody in the audience ever 345 00:16:22,880 --> 00:16:25,720 Speaker 1: apply to Y Combinator? All right? I see a couple 346 00:16:25,720 --> 00:16:28,160 Speaker 1: of hands up. Uh. You know why combinators like the 347 00:16:28,800 --> 00:16:30,720 Speaker 1: cream of the crop when it when it comes to 348 00:16:30,760 --> 00:16:35,120 Speaker 1: accelerator programs and you got in? How did you do it? What? What? What? 349 00:16:35,120 --> 00:16:40,200 Speaker 1: What's the secret? So my mind, my white COMBEDATY stories 350 00:16:40,440 --> 00:16:44,600 Speaker 1: was a little different because when we when we went through, um, 351 00:16:44,640 --> 00:16:46,840 Speaker 1: I didn't know why combinator was right. And one of 352 00:16:47,080 --> 00:16:50,280 Speaker 1: Michael Cybelum, which is one of the partners there, um, 353 00:16:50,280 --> 00:16:51,840 Speaker 1: he who I said, you guys really should apply you 354 00:16:51,840 --> 00:16:53,800 Speaker 1: guys to do something interesting. I said, okay, I'll do it. 355 00:16:53,880 --> 00:16:56,160 Speaker 1: And we we you know, went through the hell application 356 00:16:56,200 --> 00:16:58,920 Speaker 1: process not really knowing what you need or don't need. 357 00:16:59,000 --> 00:17:01,840 Speaker 1: We just did with what we had. And because during 358 00:17:01,840 --> 00:17:03,640 Speaker 1: that time, we had a lot, right, So we had 359 00:17:03,680 --> 00:17:05,840 Speaker 1: most of we had more than what our peers had, right. 360 00:17:05,840 --> 00:17:08,240 Speaker 1: So we had a working product, we have customers, we 361 00:17:08,280 --> 00:17:10,200 Speaker 1: had revenue, we had all those things, just because when 362 00:17:10,200 --> 00:17:12,080 Speaker 1: we built our company in the very beginning, we was 363 00:17:12,119 --> 00:17:14,159 Speaker 1: building it for survival. We wasn't building it with the 364 00:17:14,200 --> 00:17:17,560 Speaker 1: idea or or or that you know, investor is gonna 365 00:17:17,560 --> 00:17:20,199 Speaker 1: give us money to help this thing grow or become something. Right, 366 00:17:20,240 --> 00:17:22,160 Speaker 1: So we started from day one that we had to 367 00:17:22,200 --> 00:17:24,960 Speaker 1: make a self sufficient as quickly as possible on our own. Um. 368 00:17:25,080 --> 00:17:27,320 Speaker 1: So by the time we did do the application, you know, 369 00:17:27,359 --> 00:17:29,240 Speaker 1: application stood out a lot because we had a lot 370 00:17:29,280 --> 00:17:31,879 Speaker 1: of what other applications did not have, right. So, and 371 00:17:31,920 --> 00:17:34,199 Speaker 1: then part of that was not just having you know, 372 00:17:34,359 --> 00:17:36,760 Speaker 1: you know, some of the basics, whether it's understanding your 373 00:17:36,760 --> 00:17:38,800 Speaker 1: market and all that kind of stuff, but it was 374 00:17:38,840 --> 00:17:41,800 Speaker 1: also having traction to be able to understand what you're doing, 375 00:17:41,840 --> 00:17:43,040 Speaker 1: why are you doing it, why are you the best 376 00:17:43,080 --> 00:17:45,119 Speaker 1: person to do it? What's the results do you expect 377 00:17:45,119 --> 00:17:46,680 Speaker 1: to get. So we had a lot of those inside 378 00:17:46,680 --> 00:17:47,840 Speaker 1: because we had been doing it for a couple of 379 00:17:47,880 --> 00:17:51,000 Speaker 1: years before then. UM. So I think the best thing 380 00:17:51,080 --> 00:17:53,800 Speaker 1: that you can do UM applying to any accelerators, just 381 00:17:53,800 --> 00:17:56,400 Speaker 1: you really know your business. You really understand your product. 382 00:17:56,480 --> 00:17:58,640 Speaker 1: You know, if you haven't built your product out, UM, 383 00:17:58,720 --> 00:18:01,040 Speaker 1: do whatever you can to be able to have UM 384 00:18:01,160 --> 00:18:04,280 Speaker 1: realistic UM or at least a good understanding of what 385 00:18:04,400 --> 00:18:06,359 Speaker 1: traction should look like, what your market should look like, 386 00:18:06,400 --> 00:18:08,480 Speaker 1: what's gonna take for you to get to your market. 387 00:18:08,600 --> 00:18:10,840 Speaker 1: Just have a really good understand of that, because that 388 00:18:10,920 --> 00:18:13,040 Speaker 1: really shows how well you know what you're doing. And 389 00:18:13,080 --> 00:18:14,879 Speaker 1: no one's going to know more than you in whatever 390 00:18:14,920 --> 00:18:16,399 Speaker 1: lane that you're in, right, so they don't really know 391 00:18:16,440 --> 00:18:17,840 Speaker 1: if you're right or wrong. The point is you just 392 00:18:17,880 --> 00:18:19,919 Speaker 1: have to know that this is what I'm doing, this 393 00:18:19,960 --> 00:18:21,359 Speaker 1: is why I'm doing it, this is what I expect 394 00:18:21,400 --> 00:18:23,240 Speaker 1: to happen, and this is why you got your care 395 00:18:23,560 --> 00:18:25,240 Speaker 1: And I think being able to tell that story very 396 00:18:25,240 --> 00:18:29,399 Speaker 1: clearly is important. Man, that's so important. You're driving gym's. 397 00:18:29,760 --> 00:18:31,640 Speaker 1: This is conversation and I want to make sure y'all 398 00:18:32,000 --> 00:18:36,040 Speaker 1: y'all listening right where you said. And it's so important 399 00:18:36,080 --> 00:18:38,800 Speaker 1: is that you all built the business from day one 400 00:18:39,440 --> 00:18:41,240 Speaker 1: to be a business, right you didn't. You didn't sort 401 00:18:41,240 --> 00:18:43,520 Speaker 1: of build this and like, well, let's build this thing 402 00:18:43,760 --> 00:18:45,639 Speaker 1: and get money so that we can then run it. 403 00:18:45,960 --> 00:18:49,200 Speaker 1: You built it saying we don't need investor dollars. Let's 404 00:18:49,280 --> 00:18:51,320 Speaker 1: let's build it in a way where we can generate revenue, 405 00:18:51,320 --> 00:18:54,200 Speaker 1: we can get customers, we get traction, and then if 406 00:18:54,200 --> 00:18:56,719 Speaker 1: investors want to take this and help scale it up 407 00:18:56,720 --> 00:18:59,879 Speaker 1: and accelerate it, great, right, Um, but that was so 408 00:19:00,000 --> 00:19:01,680 Speaker 1: important for you all to be able to then go 409 00:19:02,080 --> 00:19:04,879 Speaker 1: to a y combinator and you checked all the boxes 410 00:19:04,920 --> 00:19:06,880 Speaker 1: of what they looked for. Um, it was an easy 411 00:19:06,880 --> 00:19:09,720 Speaker 1: decision for him. So that that's that's that's great advice. 412 00:19:10,160 --> 00:19:13,399 Speaker 1: And as a result of that, it sounds like hy 413 00:19:13,480 --> 00:19:16,800 Speaker 1: Combinator wasn't essential to your journey, right because you all 414 00:19:16,840 --> 00:19:20,639 Speaker 1: were doing it. But I am curious what what was 415 00:19:20,720 --> 00:19:24,960 Speaker 1: the the benefit and the advantage that going through that 416 00:19:25,040 --> 00:19:29,119 Speaker 1: program gave you all? Yeah, I mean it taught me 417 00:19:29,160 --> 00:19:33,000 Speaker 1: a lot about UM structure, and it taught me a 418 00:19:33,040 --> 00:19:36,240 Speaker 1: lot about you know, how to structure a company for scaling, right, 419 00:19:36,320 --> 00:19:37,840 Speaker 1: what did that should look like? It taught me a 420 00:19:37,840 --> 00:19:40,960 Speaker 1: lot um of how to leveraging us network because again, 421 00:19:41,119 --> 00:19:44,159 Speaker 1: my default sometime is just staying my own little circle 422 00:19:44,200 --> 00:19:46,200 Speaker 1: and bubble and figure things out of my own. But 423 00:19:46,720 --> 00:19:49,119 Speaker 1: going through that program is really about expanding that and 424 00:19:49,240 --> 00:19:51,720 Speaker 1: leveraging your peers and leveraging the relationship with your peers, 425 00:19:51,760 --> 00:19:53,600 Speaker 1: and your leveraging the network because they're really big on 426 00:19:53,680 --> 00:19:56,840 Speaker 1: leverage in the network, right. Um, And so that was 427 00:19:56,880 --> 00:19:59,560 Speaker 1: a big part of what I learned from that experience. Um. 428 00:19:59,640 --> 00:20:02,359 Speaker 1: And then also being able to talk to someone, to 429 00:20:02,400 --> 00:20:06,280 Speaker 1: have access to someone that has you know, seen thirty 430 00:20:06,280 --> 00:20:07,919 Speaker 1: companies do. Is that's what you're trying to do and 431 00:20:07,960 --> 00:20:10,520 Speaker 1: be able to learn from those dirty companies without you feel, 432 00:20:10,640 --> 00:20:12,920 Speaker 1: you know, you having to go through those same learning curves. Right. 433 00:20:12,960 --> 00:20:15,760 Speaker 1: So a big part of you know the benefit of 434 00:20:15,800 --> 00:20:18,560 Speaker 1: acceller programs is just really shortening your learning curve, which 435 00:20:18,600 --> 00:20:20,399 Speaker 1: can mean everything because in business, you know, you're on 436 00:20:20,480 --> 00:20:23,040 Speaker 1: borrow time from day one, right, so you start a business, right, 437 00:20:23,080 --> 00:20:24,600 Speaker 1: so you know, the more you can short and your 438 00:20:24,680 --> 00:20:27,320 Speaker 1: learn during the curve, the more you know probability you 439 00:20:27,359 --> 00:20:30,920 Speaker 1: increase of success. What was what was your early team? Um? 440 00:20:31,000 --> 00:20:34,000 Speaker 1: So so when you started this company, who were what 441 00:20:34,080 --> 00:20:36,400 Speaker 1: was the team like in the early days. Yeah, so 442 00:20:36,520 --> 00:20:38,520 Speaker 1: it was a handful of it as myself, my co 443 00:20:38,640 --> 00:20:44,400 Speaker 1: final fonso UM. We had our cto UM and our designer. 444 00:20:45,200 --> 00:20:48,320 Speaker 1: And how did you go about picking that early team? 445 00:20:48,320 --> 00:20:50,159 Speaker 1: Like was that a difficult thing or you know, no, 446 00:20:50,359 --> 00:20:52,679 Speaker 1: I mean it was in the beginning. You when you 447 00:20:52,720 --> 00:20:55,360 Speaker 1: have an idea, you just you want to anybody would 448 00:20:55,560 --> 00:20:58,280 Speaker 1: with you know what I'm saying. Like you you you 449 00:20:58,600 --> 00:21:00,320 Speaker 1: like if people if you talk to something and you 450 00:21:00,359 --> 00:21:03,119 Speaker 1: share your ideal with them and and they understand it, 451 00:21:03,200 --> 00:21:06,080 Speaker 1: and they and and they are supportive of it. You know, 452 00:21:06,080 --> 00:21:08,160 Speaker 1: when you're starting to beginning, you don't really have anything right, 453 00:21:08,200 --> 00:21:10,680 Speaker 1: So it's really people just really believing off the strength 454 00:21:10,720 --> 00:21:12,639 Speaker 1: of you. They're believing and what you're able to accomplish, 455 00:21:12,960 --> 00:21:15,000 Speaker 1: and they're willing to give their time and work for 456 00:21:15,040 --> 00:21:18,280 Speaker 1: free and and and putting those and make those sacrifices 457 00:21:18,320 --> 00:21:20,240 Speaker 1: as necessary to get something off the ground from zero 458 00:21:20,280 --> 00:21:23,080 Speaker 1: to one. UM, you know that becomes your early team, right, 459 00:21:23,119 --> 00:21:24,960 Speaker 1: So it was for me. Wasn't this why I just 460 00:21:25,080 --> 00:21:27,399 Speaker 1: was cherry picking who I thought the best people was? 461 00:21:27,440 --> 00:21:29,159 Speaker 1: It was really just sharing my idea and talking as 462 00:21:29,160 --> 00:21:31,200 Speaker 1: many people as I could. Here's what I was trying 463 00:21:31,200 --> 00:21:33,440 Speaker 1: to do. Here's I'm trying to accomplish and the people 464 00:21:33,480 --> 00:21:36,360 Speaker 1: that connected and resonated most was like, Okay, here, here's 465 00:21:36,359 --> 00:21:37,680 Speaker 1: what the value I can add to what you're doing. 466 00:21:37,720 --> 00:21:40,960 Speaker 1: Here can be supportive and then you start formally, you know, 467 00:21:41,000 --> 00:21:43,480 Speaker 1: formalizing your team around that. What would you say, is 468 00:21:43,520 --> 00:21:48,640 Speaker 1: your organizing the organizing principle of your vision? Right, so obviously, 469 00:21:48,680 --> 00:21:53,040 Speaker 1: but pigionally it's clear what the mission of the company 470 00:21:53,119 --> 00:21:55,760 Speaker 1: is and what what the focus of the work is today. 471 00:21:55,800 --> 00:21:59,040 Speaker 1: But if you were to resume out from just pasionally 472 00:21:59,040 --> 00:22:02,159 Speaker 1: and you think about that in conjunction with all the 473 00:22:02,200 --> 00:22:06,240 Speaker 1: other um An entrepreneurial projects that you've done, it's just 474 00:22:06,400 --> 00:22:09,080 Speaker 1: your life in general. What does that sort of north 475 00:22:09,119 --> 00:22:11,080 Speaker 1: star of your vision? How do you want to impact 476 00:22:11,080 --> 00:22:14,320 Speaker 1: this world? I think for me, um if I if 477 00:22:14,359 --> 00:22:16,760 Speaker 1: I look at the condom common theme and everything that 478 00:22:16,800 --> 00:22:19,120 Speaker 1: I've done, it's always been around solving a problem, right, 479 00:22:19,200 --> 00:22:23,200 Speaker 1: And I tend to I tend to be attracted and 480 00:22:23,600 --> 00:22:25,760 Speaker 1: look at, you know, the problems that most people aren't 481 00:22:25,760 --> 00:22:27,760 Speaker 1: paying attention to. So I tend to look at like 482 00:22:27,800 --> 00:22:29,679 Speaker 1: the problems that will be on sexy. You know, I'm 483 00:22:29,720 --> 00:22:32,000 Speaker 1: not really looking for the next thing that everyone else 484 00:22:32,040 --> 00:22:35,320 Speaker 1: was talking about. UM So for me, I think, I 485 00:22:35,359 --> 00:22:39,000 Speaker 1: think that's the opportunity. I also think a lot of 486 00:22:39,000 --> 00:22:41,320 Speaker 1: what what I've done has always been particular when it 487 00:22:41,320 --> 00:22:42,959 Speaker 1: comes to prisionally, is you know, how do you make 488 00:22:43,000 --> 00:22:45,639 Speaker 1: property less expensive? You know what I'm saying, because you know, 489 00:22:45,680 --> 00:22:47,639 Speaker 1: property in a lot of ways is extremely expensive for 490 00:22:47,840 --> 00:22:51,040 Speaker 1: for basic things, right, and and you know a big 491 00:22:51,080 --> 00:22:53,200 Speaker 1: part of what we do is is it really addresses 492 00:22:53,200 --> 00:22:55,520 Speaker 1: that and and handles that. And is other companies and 493 00:22:55,560 --> 00:22:57,320 Speaker 1: other companies out there that I know well that that 494 00:22:57,359 --> 00:22:58,720 Speaker 1: are doing the same thing. And I think there's a 495 00:22:58,760 --> 00:23:01,280 Speaker 1: lot of opportunity that people just look overlook because they're 496 00:23:01,280 --> 00:23:03,680 Speaker 1: not the sexiest thing. It's not the next buzzword type 497 00:23:03,680 --> 00:23:06,800 Speaker 1: of company, but it addresses a real problem in real need, 498 00:23:06,960 --> 00:23:09,120 Speaker 1: and it creates a lot of value for people. Um. 499 00:23:09,320 --> 00:23:11,840 Speaker 1: And so I think for me personally, like whenever I'm 500 00:23:11,840 --> 00:23:14,720 Speaker 1: looking at something, I'm always looking at you know, if 501 00:23:14,720 --> 00:23:16,960 Speaker 1: there's a person that has a problem, and if I 502 00:23:16,960 --> 00:23:19,000 Speaker 1: can solve that problem, if I'm and if I solve 503 00:23:19,040 --> 00:23:20,600 Speaker 1: it well enough and you're willing to pay me for it, 504 00:23:20,640 --> 00:23:22,639 Speaker 1: and there's enough of you to have the same problem, 505 00:23:22,680 --> 00:23:25,280 Speaker 1: then you probably have a good business there. Yeah, that's 506 00:23:25,359 --> 00:23:27,720 Speaker 1: that's true. UM, I did a talk yesterday and I 507 00:23:28,320 --> 00:23:31,760 Speaker 1: told people that pretty much is focused on solving problems. 508 00:23:31,760 --> 00:23:34,320 Speaker 1: So you echoed it. You've got more credibility to me, 509 00:23:34,400 --> 00:23:38,359 Speaker 1: so hopefully, hopefully, hopefully that that will resonate with people. 510 00:23:38,760 --> 00:23:43,639 Speaker 1: And so with um pigionly, how are you tracking your success? Right? Like, 511 00:23:43,680 --> 00:23:45,760 Speaker 1: what are the KPIs that you all care about, what 512 00:23:45,840 --> 00:23:48,239 Speaker 1: are the what are the ways of impact that you 513 00:23:48,280 --> 00:23:50,040 Speaker 1: all look at on a regular basis to know that 514 00:23:50,080 --> 00:23:53,200 Speaker 1: the work you're doing is actually impact in the world 515 00:23:53,200 --> 00:23:56,399 Speaker 1: and how you want wanted to Yeah, so you know, 516 00:23:56,560 --> 00:23:59,000 Speaker 1: part of our business will definitely impact business, right, So 517 00:23:59,040 --> 00:24:01,000 Speaker 1: over a little with full profit company, you know, impact 518 00:24:01,119 --> 00:24:03,000 Speaker 1: is built into the core of what we do UM 519 00:24:03,200 --> 00:24:05,399 Speaker 1: And one of the big things that we look at 520 00:24:05,480 --> 00:24:08,040 Speaker 1: is two things UM. First is the amount of people 521 00:24:08,080 --> 00:24:11,520 Speaker 1: are able to connect and then to UM the ratio 522 00:24:11,560 --> 00:24:14,200 Speaker 1: of the people that we connect that rectivate. Right. So 523 00:24:14,680 --> 00:24:16,560 Speaker 1: the idea is that the more we can keep you 524 00:24:16,560 --> 00:24:18,640 Speaker 1: in touch with your support network and outside the people, 525 00:24:18,680 --> 00:24:20,399 Speaker 1: that's going to be able to give you the capsule 526 00:24:20,440 --> 00:24:21,879 Speaker 1: sleep on when you get released, or take you to 527 00:24:21,920 --> 00:24:23,639 Speaker 1: that first job interview and help you get your driver's 528 00:24:23,680 --> 00:24:25,680 Speaker 1: license and just all the basic things that you need 529 00:24:26,119 --> 00:24:27,880 Speaker 1: that we was able to help you stay in touch 530 00:24:27,880 --> 00:24:29,320 Speaker 1: with that you didn't lose touch with that person that's 531 00:24:29,359 --> 00:24:31,840 Speaker 1: going to be your support. Never when you release UM, 532 00:24:31,880 --> 00:24:34,959 Speaker 1: you know you're less likely to ultimately real fan. Right. 533 00:24:35,040 --> 00:24:37,239 Speaker 1: So UM, those are the two things we look at 534 00:24:37,480 --> 00:24:39,840 Speaker 1: and UM that's how we measure how successful and how 535 00:24:39,840 --> 00:24:42,200 Speaker 1: well we're doing. Is the more people we used to 536 00:24:42,240 --> 00:24:44,360 Speaker 1: keep in touch, UM we can see in our data, 537 00:24:44,440 --> 00:24:46,560 Speaker 1: the less people return. Right, So those two things are 538 00:24:46,560 --> 00:24:52,000 Speaker 1: always connected in what I guess like, how are you 539 00:24:52,600 --> 00:24:54,680 Speaker 1: talk to me a little bit more about the product 540 00:24:54,720 --> 00:24:58,680 Speaker 1: and how you're cultivating that community, how you're collecting that data? 541 00:24:59,080 --> 00:25:00,320 Speaker 1: You know, what are some of the ways and you're 542 00:25:00,359 --> 00:25:03,400 Speaker 1: you're refusing that in the product experience. Yeah. So one 543 00:25:03,440 --> 00:25:05,200 Speaker 1: of the core things that we that we built we 544 00:25:05,280 --> 00:25:08,800 Speaker 1: first started was um in a data but same a locator. 545 00:25:08,880 --> 00:25:12,040 Speaker 1: So basically it's a tool that can aggregate and organize 546 00:25:12,119 --> 00:25:14,879 Speaker 1: all the criminal justice records to figure out who's in 547 00:25:14,880 --> 00:25:18,800 Speaker 1: prison aware because that's something that didn't exist. So you know, 548 00:25:19,560 --> 00:25:22,439 Speaker 1: states and counties and federal they don't talk to each other, right, 549 00:25:22,480 --> 00:25:24,880 Speaker 1: so Texas doesn't know what Florida is doing. Florida doesn't 550 00:25:24,880 --> 00:25:27,200 Speaker 1: know what Michigan is doing, and so on and so forth. UM. 551 00:25:27,320 --> 00:25:29,600 Speaker 1: And what that created was an issue where even attorneys 552 00:25:29,640 --> 00:25:32,359 Speaker 1: would be looking for their loved one and or love 553 00:25:32,400 --> 00:25:35,119 Speaker 1: when their client and that's been moved around for facility facility, 554 00:25:35,119 --> 00:25:38,080 Speaker 1: they wouldn't know what that person is. UM. So when 555 00:25:38,200 --> 00:25:40,359 Speaker 1: when we started, you know, I knew that one of 556 00:25:40,400 --> 00:25:42,960 Speaker 1: the pain points just from my experiences that hey, you 557 00:25:42,960 --> 00:25:44,520 Speaker 1: know it, I know he was at like I wanted 558 00:25:44,520 --> 00:25:46,800 Speaker 1: to write you, but I couldn't find you. Right, So 559 00:25:46,880 --> 00:25:48,680 Speaker 1: we started with that, right. So when we once we 560 00:25:48,760 --> 00:25:50,880 Speaker 1: built that, what that ended up creating was not only 561 00:25:50,920 --> 00:25:53,600 Speaker 1: a tool that allowed our users and customers to be 562 00:25:53,600 --> 00:25:55,560 Speaker 1: able to find out where their loved one is, or 563 00:25:55,600 --> 00:25:57,280 Speaker 1: client is, or whoever they were trying to connect with 564 00:25:57,359 --> 00:25:59,480 Speaker 1: was so they can connect with them. Um. It also 565 00:25:59,560 --> 00:26:01,440 Speaker 1: gave us the data to be able to see who's 566 00:26:01,440 --> 00:26:03,360 Speaker 1: coming in and out. So we started to be able 567 00:26:03,359 --> 00:26:05,000 Speaker 1: to draw the connection between the people that I was 568 00:26:05,040 --> 00:26:08,160 Speaker 1: staying in touch and had you know, strong connections on outside. 569 00:26:08,320 --> 00:26:10,520 Speaker 1: Those people we didn't see can go back into people 570 00:26:10,520 --> 00:26:12,040 Speaker 1: who did not have those same connections with people that 571 00:26:12,080 --> 00:26:14,439 Speaker 1: we say did. UM. So that's that's what So we 572 00:26:14,480 --> 00:26:16,840 Speaker 1: didn't start out thinking that was gonna do that, but 573 00:26:16,920 --> 00:26:20,000 Speaker 1: it just turned into um, it just turned into like 574 00:26:20,200 --> 00:26:22,480 Speaker 1: you know, a corebo business is really around data, collecting data, 575 00:26:22,560 --> 00:26:25,240 Speaker 1: organizing data, um and then using the data to drive 576 00:26:25,280 --> 00:26:28,200 Speaker 1: the products. Yeah, I mean it's important, Like you all 577 00:26:28,320 --> 00:26:31,399 Speaker 1: followed the problem, right and you've chased the solution and 578 00:26:31,440 --> 00:26:34,719 Speaker 1: that's where it led you to in in you know 579 00:26:35,000 --> 00:26:37,240 Speaker 1: even here you're talking about it now, is it's super 580 00:26:37,240 --> 00:26:41,800 Speaker 1: powerful just thinking that people who want to stay in 581 00:26:41,880 --> 00:26:44,320 Speaker 1: touch with their loved ones or people on the inside 582 00:26:44,720 --> 00:26:48,200 Speaker 1: who want to have those connections things beyond their control. 583 00:26:48,760 --> 00:26:51,280 Speaker 1: They get moved around and then they may think, well 584 00:26:51,320 --> 00:26:55,000 Speaker 1: like nobody cares, right, people may be sending letters and 585 00:26:55,000 --> 00:26:56,720 Speaker 1: then thinking like, oh, like I'm doing what I need 586 00:26:56,760 --> 00:27:00,920 Speaker 1: to do. And so it's just powerful for a simple problem, 587 00:27:01,000 --> 00:27:05,520 Speaker 1: which is all these cities, states, like all these different 588 00:27:05,640 --> 00:27:08,800 Speaker 1: systems are not connected. I mean you already keep we're 589 00:27:08,840 --> 00:27:11,560 Speaker 1: able to key in on that. That's uh, that's amazing, 590 00:27:11,880 --> 00:27:14,920 Speaker 1: amazing working what's next? Right? What is the future hold 591 00:27:14,960 --> 00:27:16,840 Speaker 1: for pigeon Ley? What is the future hold for you? 592 00:27:16,880 --> 00:27:21,000 Speaker 1: What are you thinking about short, mid, long term? Um, 593 00:27:21,080 --> 00:27:24,400 Speaker 1: So we've we've we've transitioned over over the past couple years, 594 00:27:24,400 --> 00:27:26,399 Speaker 1: We've transitioned not only to be a consumer company, but 595 00:27:26,400 --> 00:27:29,199 Speaker 1: we also UM more government focused. So we do a 596 00:27:29,240 --> 00:27:33,520 Speaker 1: lot um UM with governments directly UM and doing a 597 00:27:33,560 --> 00:27:36,800 Speaker 1: lot more as far as like you know, UM influencing 598 00:27:36,800 --> 00:27:40,440 Speaker 1: policy change when it comes to UM rules for either 599 00:27:40,480 --> 00:27:43,399 Speaker 1: returning citizens or people while they're currently incarcerated. So that's 600 00:27:43,400 --> 00:27:45,760 Speaker 1: a big part of what we're doing now UM. And 601 00:27:46,200 --> 00:27:48,440 Speaker 1: you know what the future I see is, you know, 602 00:27:48,760 --> 00:27:50,520 Speaker 1: as far as which I don't wanna take too much 603 00:27:50,520 --> 00:27:54,720 Speaker 1: time on it, but the industries within institutions are really 604 00:27:54,760 --> 00:27:58,560 Speaker 1: are very profit driven, and the way the industry is 605 00:27:58,560 --> 00:28:00,760 Speaker 1: set up is that the family is in paying the 606 00:28:00,760 --> 00:28:03,960 Speaker 1: bulk of that cost. And it's because the mechanics of 607 00:28:04,359 --> 00:28:06,280 Speaker 1: who gets a contract and who doesn't get a contract 608 00:28:06,359 --> 00:28:08,560 Speaker 1: is driven by what the institution is going to get 609 00:28:08,560 --> 00:28:11,119 Speaker 1: informed of a kickback or revenue share, etcetera. Right, so 610 00:28:11,160 --> 00:28:13,560 Speaker 1: then it's a cost us passed on. So the long 611 00:28:13,640 --> 00:28:15,680 Speaker 1: term vision I see is a different business model that 612 00:28:16,040 --> 00:28:18,840 Speaker 1: you know, leverages technology to bring all those costs down UM, 613 00:28:18,920 --> 00:28:21,280 Speaker 1: so that communication costs can be you know, you don't 614 00:28:21,320 --> 00:28:22,960 Speaker 1: think about what a phone call cost you, right, and 615 00:28:22,960 --> 00:28:24,760 Speaker 1: if it should be like that everywhere, right, it shouldn't 616 00:28:24,800 --> 00:28:27,800 Speaker 1: just be like that you know on on outside. So UM, 617 00:28:27,840 --> 00:28:29,320 Speaker 1: that's why I see the future of it is just 618 00:28:29,480 --> 00:28:32,440 Speaker 1: you know, updating and changing and leveraging technology to change 619 00:28:32,440 --> 00:28:36,240 Speaker 1: those business models UM, to remove that predatory component UM, 620 00:28:36,520 --> 00:28:38,720 Speaker 1: and then you know, building something that's more equitable and 621 00:28:38,760 --> 00:28:41,760 Speaker 1: scalable UM within that demographic and not only while you in, 622 00:28:41,840 --> 00:28:44,360 Speaker 1: but then also as you transition to the outside. So 623 00:28:44,400 --> 00:28:47,640 Speaker 1: you're here at the AFRO check we got over towar 624 00:28:47,760 --> 00:28:51,520 Speaker 1: thousand people here, maybe close to twenty tho people in 625 00:28:51,520 --> 00:28:55,360 Speaker 1: the city of Austin. Uh, that's the broader, the broader activation. 626 00:28:55,840 --> 00:29:00,200 Speaker 1: And and many people here are spiding entrepreneurs or they 627 00:29:00,240 --> 00:29:02,800 Speaker 1: are professionals who are either looking at transition in tech 628 00:29:03,040 --> 00:29:04,920 Speaker 1: or they aren't in tech and they're looking for the 629 00:29:05,040 --> 00:29:06,960 Speaker 1: next job, or they're looking to have an impact in 630 00:29:07,000 --> 00:29:08,960 Speaker 1: some way. What do you what do you need that 631 00:29:09,040 --> 00:29:11,360 Speaker 1: pigeon me right? Are you looking for talent? What are 632 00:29:11,400 --> 00:29:14,360 Speaker 1: ways that the people the AFRO tech community can help 633 00:29:14,360 --> 00:29:16,840 Speaker 1: and support you? Yeah, I mean we'll always looking for 634 00:29:16,880 --> 00:29:21,479 Speaker 1: talent um, you know, technicals, talent um, sales, talent um, 635 00:29:21,480 --> 00:29:24,560 Speaker 1: those always big, big big areas UM where you always 636 00:29:24,600 --> 00:29:26,680 Speaker 1: you know, as we grow, I mean we've we launched 637 00:29:26,960 --> 00:29:29,520 Speaker 1: UM some government offerings that you know, we basically double 638 00:29:29,560 --> 00:29:32,360 Speaker 1: dot tech team right def team, so you know that's 639 00:29:32,440 --> 00:29:34,640 Speaker 1: that's always a big thing UM. And then also sales, 640 00:29:34,760 --> 00:29:37,040 Speaker 1: right so you know, to big country to cover. So 641 00:29:37,560 --> 00:29:39,440 Speaker 1: there's a lot, a lot of meetings and a lot 642 00:29:39,440 --> 00:29:41,240 Speaker 1: of those meetings. I'm one myself and going from place 643 00:29:41,280 --> 00:29:44,120 Speaker 1: to place, city the city, so um, yeah, those are 644 00:29:44,120 --> 00:29:46,520 Speaker 1: the big things. Is that always you know, either UM 645 00:29:46,680 --> 00:29:49,440 Speaker 1: talent and then also just I think in general, you know, 646 00:29:49,560 --> 00:29:51,880 Speaker 1: support if you if it's what I think is what 647 00:29:52,000 --> 00:29:55,280 Speaker 1: one in ten people know someone has incarce rated or 648 00:29:56,400 --> 00:29:58,840 Speaker 1: are connect to someone's incars rated. I think it's important 649 00:29:58,840 --> 00:30:00,480 Speaker 1: just to reach out and just connect with your loved 650 00:30:00,480 --> 00:30:02,200 Speaker 1: ones and don't don't don't forget them. Whether it's our 651 00:30:02,200 --> 00:30:04,360 Speaker 1: platforms and the clamor doesn't matter. I think just that 652 00:30:04,400 --> 00:30:06,680 Speaker 1: connection is is a lot more meaningful than people realize. 653 00:30:06,920 --> 00:30:10,160 Speaker 1: So I think it's really important to to not forget UM, 654 00:30:10,200 --> 00:30:12,360 Speaker 1: even if it's something a postcard, or even if it's 655 00:30:12,360 --> 00:30:14,600 Speaker 1: a phone, you know, getting the phone call or whatever 656 00:30:14,640 --> 00:30:16,600 Speaker 1: it is. I think that's really important. It can make 657 00:30:16,600 --> 00:30:19,920 Speaker 1: a significant impactum, particularly in our communities more than others. Right, 658 00:30:19,920 --> 00:30:23,240 Speaker 1: So I think that's important. So so y'all y'all heard that, right? 659 00:30:23,280 --> 00:30:26,800 Speaker 1: If if y'all looking for a job, Pigeonally needs, they need, 660 00:30:26,840 --> 00:30:28,880 Speaker 1: they need people. It's a lot of work, a lot 661 00:30:28,920 --> 00:30:30,760 Speaker 1: of cool stuff on the horizon. So so make sure 662 00:30:30,760 --> 00:30:33,520 Speaker 1: you all check that out. I guess as we wrap up, 663 00:30:33,640 --> 00:30:35,320 Speaker 1: how can people keep in touch with you? Where can 664 00:30:35,360 --> 00:30:38,240 Speaker 1: they find you at either on socials, on the internet 665 00:30:38,280 --> 00:30:40,080 Speaker 1: or how can they learn more about Pigeonally and keep 666 00:30:40,160 --> 00:30:42,080 Speaker 1: up with the work you all are doing. Yeah, I'm 667 00:30:42,080 --> 00:30:45,280 Speaker 1: on Instagram, I'm on LinkedIn. It's probably easiest to two 668 00:30:45,280 --> 00:30:49,600 Speaker 1: places that I've probably checked the most cool. Yeah all right, well, Frederick, 669 00:30:49,840 --> 00:30:51,440 Speaker 1: thank you so much for being here at a row Tech. 670 00:30:51,760 --> 00:30:55,560 Speaker 1: I enjoyed this conversation. I'm inspired, Jess. I knew a 671 00:30:55,600 --> 00:30:58,040 Speaker 1: little bit, but now here you tell it. It's strut 672 00:30:58,080 --> 00:31:00,480 Speaker 1: the inspirational. So thank you for being here. Man said it. 673 00:31:02,320 --> 00:31:16,400 Speaker 1: Part of Black Tech Green Money is the production of 674 00:31:16,440 --> 00:31:19,000 Speaker 1: Black of the Afro Tech on the Black Effect podcast 675 00:31:19,080 --> 00:31:21,959 Speaker 1: Network and I Heeart Media. It's produced by Morgan Dubonne 676 00:31:21,960 --> 00:31:25,560 Speaker 1: and me Well Lucas with additional productive support by Sarah 677 00:31:25,600 --> 00:31:29,160 Speaker 1: Ergon and Rose McLucas. Special thank you to Michael Davis 678 00:31:29,320 --> 00:31:31,840 Speaker 1: and that's a Serrando. Learn more about my guests and 679 00:31:31,880 --> 00:31:34,520 Speaker 1: other Texas wealth That's innovatives at afro tech dot com. 680 00:31:35,560 --> 00:31:38,040 Speaker 1: Enjoy your Black Tech Green Money, leave us a five 681 00:31:38,080 --> 00:31:42,560 Speaker 1: star rating on iTunes. Gonna get your money piece of love. 682 00:31:55,480 --> 00:31:58,360 Speaker 1: I'm Will Lucas in this podcast. If you haven't heard, 683 00:31:58,640 --> 00:32:01,400 Speaker 1: has been nominated for an Double A CP Image Award 684 00:32:01,440 --> 00:32:03,920 Speaker 1: and I need your help. The Double A CP has 685 00:32:04,000 --> 00:32:06,960 Speaker 1: recently opened up the opportunity for the public. That means 686 00:32:07,040 --> 00:32:10,480 Speaker 1: you to weigh in and vote on this category. Head 687 00:32:10,520 --> 00:32:13,200 Speaker 1: over to vote dot Double A CP Image Awards dot net. 688 00:32:13,600 --> 00:32:17,480 Speaker 1: Scroll to the Outstanding News and Information Podcast category and 689 00:32:17,640 --> 00:32:20,200 Speaker 1: vote for Black Tech Green Money. It's not often that 690 00:32:20,280 --> 00:32:23,640 Speaker 1: we see a podcast for us by us, which highlights 691 00:32:23,680 --> 00:32:28,080 Speaker 1: the stories of black innovators, technologists, venture capitalists and angel investors, 692 00:32:28,440 --> 00:32:32,000 Speaker 1: scientists and engineers with this biggest spotlight. So I'm asking 693 00:32:32,080 --> 00:32:33,840 Speaker 1: for you to take a moment of your day and 694 00:32:33,960 --> 00:32:35,440 Speaker 1: vote for us. Do now,