1 00:00:04,960 --> 00:00:07,280 Speaker 1: Welcome to Money Making Conversations. It's the show that she 2 00:00:07,320 --> 00:00:10,039 Speaker 1: has the secrets of success experience firsthand by marketing and 3 00:00:10,119 --> 00:00:13,039 Speaker 1: Brandon expert Rashan McDonald. I will know he's giving me 4 00:00:13,080 --> 00:00:16,640 Speaker 1: advice to many occasions. In occasion didn't notice, I'm not broke. 5 00:00:17,160 --> 00:00:20,560 Speaker 1: You know. He'll be interviewing celebrity CEOs, entrepreneurs and industry 6 00:00:20,600 --> 00:00:22,959 Speaker 1: decision makers. It's what he likes to do, it's what 7 00:00:23,040 --> 00:00:25,520 Speaker 1: he likes to share. Now it's time to hear from 8 00:00:25,520 --> 00:00:31,160 Speaker 1: my man, Rashan McDonald. Money Making Conversations. Here we come. Yes, Yes, 9 00:00:31,240 --> 00:00:34,639 Speaker 1: Welcome to Money Making Conversation. I am your host, Rashan McDonald. 10 00:00:34,960 --> 00:00:37,720 Speaker 1: I recognized that we all have different definitions of success. 11 00:00:38,000 --> 00:00:41,320 Speaker 1: For some insuscisable paycheck, Mine is helping people wake up 12 00:00:41,360 --> 00:00:43,879 Speaker 1: and inspiring them to accomplish their goals and live their 13 00:00:44,000 --> 00:00:46,559 Speaker 1: very best life. These are my passions and that's what 14 00:00:46,640 --> 00:00:48,200 Speaker 1: I want to do with you. That's why I created 15 00:00:48,240 --> 00:00:50,760 Speaker 1: money Making Conversation dot com. I want you to stop 16 00:00:50,760 --> 00:00:53,720 Speaker 1: tripping over small challenges and prepare to rise above the 17 00:00:53,720 --> 00:00:57,760 Speaker 1: bigger obstacles that life will present to you. My next guest, 18 00:00:57,760 --> 00:01:00,360 Speaker 1: there's two of them. Uh. First one is Jacqueline Rodgers 19 00:01:00,440 --> 00:01:04,160 Speaker 1: has over fourteen years experience and consumer package goods from 20 00:01:04,240 --> 00:01:07,000 Speaker 1: nest Lee, Mars and Wrigley and as a graduate from 21 00:01:07,000 --> 00:01:12,880 Speaker 1: Clark Atlantic University. Compadre partner in Crime. Sean Rogers received 22 00:01:12,959 --> 00:01:16,240 Speaker 1: his undergraduate degree from more House College and NBA from 23 00:01:16,280 --> 00:01:19,680 Speaker 1: Duke University. They are co founders of the hugely popular 24 00:01:19,720 --> 00:01:24,000 Speaker 1: and successful holiday decor and apparel company green Top Gifts. 25 00:01:24,400 --> 00:01:28,160 Speaker 1: The company brand signature character in African American Santa Claus, 26 00:01:28,200 --> 00:01:33,000 Speaker 1: affectionately known as Clarence Clause, has quickly cubmitted green Tops 27 00:01:33,040 --> 00:01:36,680 Speaker 1: Gift place in African American and families of color households 28 00:01:36,760 --> 00:01:40,000 Speaker 1: who looked for representation during the holiday season. To provide 29 00:01:40,000 --> 00:01:44,080 Speaker 1: that verse options with four holiday collections of products, Please 30 00:01:44,120 --> 00:01:47,680 Speaker 1: welcome the money making conversation the creators of Clarence Clause, 31 00:01:49,320 --> 00:01:52,440 Speaker 1: Jacqueline and Sean Rogers. How are you two doing great? 32 00:01:52,480 --> 00:01:57,040 Speaker 1: How are you I'm excited to talk to two creative minds. 33 00:01:57,200 --> 00:01:59,320 Speaker 1: Um for Let's talk about a little bit of we 34 00:01:59,400 --> 00:02:02,600 Speaker 1: talked about you, Jackie, when your your history from a 35 00:02:02,680 --> 00:02:06,040 Speaker 1: corporate standpoint, talk about how you made that transition an 36 00:02:06,160 --> 00:02:09,639 Speaker 1: HBCU grad and we know during the pandemic HBCUs we're 37 00:02:09,720 --> 00:02:13,440 Speaker 1: really thust out finally in a positive life of the 38 00:02:13,880 --> 00:02:17,240 Speaker 1: Vice president elect. She's from hbc U school, Kamala Harris. 39 00:02:17,240 --> 00:02:20,240 Speaker 1: So talk about that from a female's perspective, what it 40 00:02:20,240 --> 00:02:22,639 Speaker 1: means to you that's going on right now in this 41 00:02:22,880 --> 00:02:26,080 Speaker 1: history making time for hbc USED and women of color. 42 00:02:27,360 --> 00:02:30,079 Speaker 1: It's a great day to be a product of HBCU. 43 00:02:30,200 --> 00:02:33,840 Speaker 1: It's always a great day, but now so more people 44 00:02:33,840 --> 00:02:36,480 Speaker 1: are seeing their representation really matters. And it's so great 45 00:02:36,560 --> 00:02:39,760 Speaker 1: to see hbc USED thrust to the forefront. And as 46 00:02:39,800 --> 00:02:42,840 Speaker 1: an hbc grad we both have long lineage of HBCU 47 00:02:42,919 --> 00:02:46,440 Speaker 1: graduates in our family. Were so excited to see it. Um, 48 00:02:47,000 --> 00:02:49,800 Speaker 1: and I say, from my background, as I went to 49 00:02:49,880 --> 00:02:52,480 Speaker 1: Clarkland University, I knew I wanted to get some corporate 50 00:02:52,480 --> 00:02:56,480 Speaker 1: experience before I jumped into entrepreneurship and it was the 51 00:02:56,520 --> 00:03:00,480 Speaker 1: best decision. Our network of HBCU graduates is really helped 52 00:03:00,480 --> 00:03:03,880 Speaker 1: our business. And Um, we're so grateful to our network 53 00:03:03,919 --> 00:03:07,360 Speaker 1: of hbc is awesome. Now, Sean, you have the best 54 00:03:07,360 --> 00:03:10,720 Speaker 1: of both worlds. You have HBCU degree masses at Duke. 55 00:03:10,760 --> 00:03:14,160 Speaker 1: I got several friends who are very successful graduates of 56 00:03:14,720 --> 00:03:17,959 Speaker 1: Duke University, not just from athletics but academic side. How 57 00:03:18,000 --> 00:03:20,359 Speaker 1: has that been a blessing for you to have to 58 00:03:20,600 --> 00:03:24,720 Speaker 1: basically master both worlds both worlds? Um, it's been great. 59 00:03:24,840 --> 00:03:28,040 Speaker 1: It's been great, as I tell people all the time. Uh, Duke, 60 00:03:28,680 --> 00:03:31,920 Speaker 1: it's sort of what helped me accelerate my career, but 61 00:03:32,040 --> 00:03:34,560 Speaker 1: more House made me who I am. So I think 62 00:03:34,680 --> 00:03:37,120 Speaker 1: you know, both both of them were important, But it 63 00:03:37,240 --> 00:03:40,760 Speaker 1: started at the HBCU. I mean I remember, you know, 64 00:03:40,880 --> 00:03:43,480 Speaker 1: conversations going on in the dorm at three am when 65 00:03:43,520 --> 00:03:48,119 Speaker 1: we're talking about everything from football to the original man, 66 00:03:48,280 --> 00:03:51,360 Speaker 1: you know, all everything, the entire spectrum. Uh. And that's 67 00:03:51,360 --> 00:03:53,560 Speaker 1: that's kind of what made me who I am. But 68 00:03:53,600 --> 00:03:56,360 Speaker 1: then I realized I needed to sort of round out 69 00:03:56,400 --> 00:03:59,440 Speaker 1: my education UM, so decided to go back to Duke 70 00:03:59,480 --> 00:04:01,800 Speaker 1: get my m a UM and that set me on 71 00:04:01,840 --> 00:04:04,560 Speaker 1: a different kind of path professionally, being able to go 72 00:04:04,640 --> 00:04:06,680 Speaker 1: from there to Wall Street and work several years on 73 00:04:06,720 --> 00:04:10,280 Speaker 1: Wall Street. So it has been beneficially and both of 74 00:04:10,320 --> 00:04:13,840 Speaker 1: those communities have helped us as we've been trying to 75 00:04:14,480 --> 00:04:17,240 Speaker 1: build a Greenhop into what it is. So I couldn't 76 00:04:17,279 --> 00:04:20,040 Speaker 1: be more grateful to both more House and and do 77 00:04:20,240 --> 00:04:24,040 Speaker 1: let's talk about green Toop. What did that name come from? Greenop? So, 78 00:04:24,320 --> 00:04:30,279 Speaker 1: my grandfather was a entrepreneur and my father worked with 79 00:04:30,360 --> 00:04:32,840 Speaker 1: him there at Greenhops. So Greenhop was a restaurant bar 80 00:04:32,880 --> 00:04:35,279 Speaker 1: in the forties and fifties, and it was here in Hillsboro, 81 00:04:35,360 --> 00:04:38,040 Speaker 1: North Carolina, and it was a place that African Americans 82 00:04:38,040 --> 00:04:41,960 Speaker 1: could go and celebrate and fellowship and it was a 83 00:04:42,000 --> 00:04:45,120 Speaker 1: source of celebration in our community. And so when we 84 00:04:45,160 --> 00:04:48,640 Speaker 1: started a company, we were thinking of names, and Greenhop 85 00:04:48,760 --> 00:04:51,760 Speaker 1: was really just it seemed like the right thick because 86 00:04:51,760 --> 00:04:55,279 Speaker 1: it honored the entrepreneurship background of our families. It's powerful. 87 00:04:55,320 --> 00:04:59,000 Speaker 1: I really appreciate hearing that now when we talk about business. 88 00:04:59,040 --> 00:05:01,280 Speaker 1: I would tell people like when I started my first 89 00:05:01,320 --> 00:05:04,839 Speaker 1: business in ninety two, you know, I was a comedy club. 90 00:05:04,960 --> 00:05:07,280 Speaker 1: You know, I just basically turned on the lights and 91 00:05:07,320 --> 00:05:10,799 Speaker 1: got the licenses that I needed and started accepting money. 92 00:05:11,000 --> 00:05:12,960 Speaker 1: You know, that was my rule. And so obviously I 93 00:05:13,000 --> 00:05:14,960 Speaker 1: made a lot of mistakes. You know, I didn't I 94 00:05:14,960 --> 00:05:17,800 Speaker 1: didn't look at the whole the bookkeeping aspect of it. 95 00:05:17,880 --> 00:05:19,800 Speaker 1: I did look at the accounting aspect of it. I 96 00:05:19,839 --> 00:05:22,400 Speaker 1: didn't have a I didn't have a business plan or 97 00:05:22,440 --> 00:05:24,480 Speaker 1: did I have a business plan for the next six months. 98 00:05:24,520 --> 00:05:26,800 Speaker 1: I just wanted to get in business. And so I 99 00:05:26,839 --> 00:05:30,159 Speaker 1: always talk about how we make mistakes because when I 100 00:05:30,160 --> 00:05:33,479 Speaker 1: say me sometimes about entrepreneurs, especially entrepreneurs of color, because 101 00:05:33,520 --> 00:05:36,120 Speaker 1: we don't look at the forecast the reality because we're 102 00:05:36,160 --> 00:05:38,280 Speaker 1: such dreamers, you know, we don't you know, once you 103 00:05:38,400 --> 00:05:40,520 Speaker 1: hear the reality, it can kind of hurt your dreams, 104 00:05:40,960 --> 00:05:43,839 Speaker 1: and so you kind of like ignore the possibility of 105 00:05:43,880 --> 00:05:47,679 Speaker 1: failure and put a lot of your opportunities in faith. 106 00:05:48,000 --> 00:05:51,400 Speaker 1: You're planning in faith and not planning in numbers. So 107 00:05:51,400 --> 00:05:53,839 Speaker 1: I'm gonna turn to you, Mr Nba. Okay, when you 108 00:05:53,880 --> 00:05:55,840 Speaker 1: opened this green Top, she gave me that great name 109 00:05:55,920 --> 00:05:57,719 Speaker 1: and they had great history. Great land is you know, 110 00:05:58,200 --> 00:06:01,600 Speaker 1: you know, obviously inspired. Okay, somebody had to have the 111 00:06:01,680 --> 00:06:04,000 Speaker 1: number somewhere. I'm not saying she was involved in the number, 112 00:06:04,000 --> 00:06:05,560 Speaker 1: but I'm gonna go to the NBA on this one. 113 00:06:05,680 --> 00:06:09,800 Speaker 1: Mr Nba, Mr Mr Waan Street, Mr Waan Street. I mean, 114 00:06:09,839 --> 00:06:12,720 Speaker 1: that's that, That's exactly what happened. I mean, I'll give 115 00:06:12,720 --> 00:06:15,640 Speaker 1: you the quick story. She came and she said, look, 116 00:06:15,800 --> 00:06:17,839 Speaker 1: you know, I want this wrapping paper. It doesn't exist. 117 00:06:17,920 --> 00:06:21,599 Speaker 1: I'm gonna, you know, do with my stuff, and she 118 00:06:21,680 --> 00:06:24,360 Speaker 1: will tell you. I was like, no, you're not, that's 119 00:06:24,360 --> 00:06:28,840 Speaker 1: not gonna happen. We're not about to investor playing and 120 00:06:28,880 --> 00:06:31,640 Speaker 1: so you know, she was she was persistent, and she said, no, 121 00:06:31,680 --> 00:06:34,080 Speaker 1: I'm gonna research and I found the manufacturer all this stuff, 122 00:06:34,360 --> 00:06:35,960 Speaker 1: and I said, okay, well, let me do a little research. 123 00:06:36,240 --> 00:06:40,040 Speaker 1: And I found one number that made me say we 124 00:06:40,080 --> 00:06:42,240 Speaker 1: can do this. I look, I had no idea the 125 00:06:42,320 --> 00:06:46,960 Speaker 1: size of the wrapping paper market. So in the United States, uh, 126 00:06:47,160 --> 00:06:51,240 Speaker 1: Americans spend almost seven billion dollars seven billion with a 127 00:06:51,320 --> 00:06:54,520 Speaker 1: B on wrapping paper every single year. So I saw 128 00:06:54,600 --> 00:06:57,120 Speaker 1: that number and I said, okay, wait a minute, seven billion. 129 00:06:57,800 --> 00:07:00,479 Speaker 1: There's nothing for black people out there with you know, 130 00:07:00,520 --> 00:07:02,200 Speaker 1: images that look like us on it. I said, we 131 00:07:02,200 --> 00:07:04,600 Speaker 1: can probably make this work. Right, So the numbers just 132 00:07:04,680 --> 00:07:06,560 Speaker 1: from the size of the market, because you I'm sure 133 00:07:06,600 --> 00:07:08,960 Speaker 1: you know that's where everything starts from. What is the 134 00:07:09,000 --> 00:07:11,920 Speaker 1: size of your market. And so once I saw what 135 00:07:12,000 --> 00:07:15,280 Speaker 1: the size of the market was, now it was about execution, 136 00:07:15,480 --> 00:07:17,800 Speaker 1: right because the market was there. There was a you know, 137 00:07:17,840 --> 00:07:20,720 Speaker 1: the window was cracked for us to get in. Um 138 00:07:21,200 --> 00:07:23,600 Speaker 1: as people of color and providing something for people of color. 139 00:07:23,680 --> 00:07:27,080 Speaker 1: So for me, from there, you know, the numbers made sense. 140 00:07:27,320 --> 00:07:29,280 Speaker 1: We just had to go execute out a very I love. 141 00:07:29,400 --> 00:07:32,120 Speaker 1: That's the part of the conversation, the execute part, the 142 00:07:32,240 --> 00:07:37,800 Speaker 1: creative side, you know good creating, original artwork, original designs. 143 00:07:38,080 --> 00:07:40,240 Speaker 1: How did that part start to lay? It? To have ove? 144 00:07:40,280 --> 00:07:42,040 Speaker 1: Because you know, we have a great idea I want 145 00:07:42,080 --> 00:07:45,160 Speaker 1: to do. I want to do, uh, wrapping paper for 146 00:07:45,240 --> 00:07:47,960 Speaker 1: people of color? People can look like? What are the 147 00:07:48,040 --> 00:07:51,520 Speaker 1: designs and the looks? Does either what you have skills? 148 00:07:51,880 --> 00:07:55,240 Speaker 1: Art skills are? Are we just big personalities I'm talking 149 00:07:55,280 --> 00:07:58,840 Speaker 1: to here. I would say that I've been creative, but 150 00:07:59,000 --> 00:08:02,560 Speaker 1: I don't draw. So I do love all things holiday. 151 00:08:02,720 --> 00:08:06,480 Speaker 1: I love to decorate. I love him do hearts and 152 00:08:06,520 --> 00:08:09,760 Speaker 1: cracks and hobbies. With drawing and creating the actual character 153 00:08:09,920 --> 00:08:12,240 Speaker 1: I did not do. We worked with an illustrator and 154 00:08:12,280 --> 00:08:14,239 Speaker 1: I knew what I wanted to look like. I wanted 155 00:08:14,280 --> 00:08:16,240 Speaker 1: him to appeal to children. I wanted him to appeal 156 00:08:16,280 --> 00:08:18,520 Speaker 1: to adult and I wanted him to definitely look black, 157 00:08:19,120 --> 00:08:22,480 Speaker 1: and I wanted him to be jolly and magical. I 158 00:08:22,520 --> 00:08:25,040 Speaker 1: thought it was really important for him to connect with 159 00:08:25,360 --> 00:08:28,280 Speaker 1: children and adults. Um. So we worked with an illustrator 160 00:08:28,360 --> 00:08:30,920 Speaker 1: and the first iteration that came back and it was perfect, 161 00:08:31,200 --> 00:08:33,160 Speaker 1: and that was the image that we went with. That 162 00:08:33,360 --> 00:08:36,199 Speaker 1: players call Now what is the name Clarence Clone? That 163 00:08:36,280 --> 00:08:38,720 Speaker 1: which is which makes me smile every time I said, 164 00:08:38,760 --> 00:08:41,319 Speaker 1: you know, my staff came to me, they created Clarence clothes. 165 00:08:41,360 --> 00:08:44,080 Speaker 1: I go, I said, just on that alone, we got 166 00:08:43,760 --> 00:08:46,040 Speaker 1: to talk to him. It just makes me smile. You know, 167 00:08:46,120 --> 00:08:48,840 Speaker 1: I come from inner city fil for the six sisters, 168 00:08:48,840 --> 00:08:51,800 Speaker 1: two brothers. Grew up in a two bedroom shotgun house. 169 00:08:51,840 --> 00:08:54,599 Speaker 1: So that's my that's my my, my, my lifestyle. And 170 00:08:54,720 --> 00:08:57,360 Speaker 1: I grew up in a graduated from Universe Houston with 171 00:08:57,440 --> 00:09:00,440 Speaker 1: a math degree minor in sociology. So in some ways, 172 00:09:00,480 --> 00:09:02,400 Speaker 1: you know, I I mirror some of the things if 173 00:09:02,400 --> 00:09:04,800 Speaker 1: you've accomplished in your life from a male perspective. Sean 174 00:09:05,280 --> 00:09:07,720 Speaker 1: and I do a lot of work with HBCU schools 175 00:09:08,080 --> 00:09:09,880 Speaker 1: now to try to uplift them. Have done a lot 176 00:09:09,920 --> 00:09:12,400 Speaker 1: of things. I managed Stephen Smith who is a graduate 177 00:09:12,440 --> 00:09:15,480 Speaker 1: of What's in Salem, States. So I have a strong 178 00:09:15,559 --> 00:09:19,320 Speaker 1: heart and a strong brand association with HBCU schools. But 179 00:09:19,440 --> 00:09:24,319 Speaker 1: Clarence Clause that CC that's my man. CC. It's funny. 180 00:09:24,360 --> 00:09:26,960 Speaker 1: It's funny you say that. So when we were when 181 00:09:27,000 --> 00:09:29,760 Speaker 1: we were coming up with the idea, we knew he 182 00:09:29,760 --> 00:09:35,079 Speaker 1: needed a name, and I said to Jackison, man, but 183 00:09:35,120 --> 00:09:37,840 Speaker 1: he needs a black man. He needna here they go, 184 00:09:38,200 --> 00:09:41,960 Speaker 1: that's a black man, right, um. And so we're throwing 185 00:09:42,000 --> 00:09:44,040 Speaker 1: around names and and to your point, c C, we 186 00:09:44,040 --> 00:09:48,679 Speaker 1: were like, it needs to flow, and then everything kind 187 00:09:48,679 --> 00:09:53,040 Speaker 1: of connects with family. So her father's name was Clarence. 188 00:09:54,040 --> 00:09:56,320 Speaker 1: One day I said, what do we just call him 189 00:09:56,400 --> 00:10:00,200 Speaker 1: Clarence Clarence Clause And then it just stuck, you know, 190 00:10:00,240 --> 00:10:02,600 Speaker 1: it kind of as you're saying, when you heard it, 191 00:10:02,600 --> 00:10:05,920 Speaker 1: it just kind of I loved it, but I loved it. 192 00:10:05,960 --> 00:10:09,520 Speaker 1: I like it just it sounds so many uncles, so 193 00:10:09,640 --> 00:10:13,440 Speaker 1: many as sounds. It sounds black, it sounds soulful. It 194 00:10:13,520 --> 00:10:18,280 Speaker 1: sounds like, you know, the Thanksgiving then the crist the 195 00:10:18,360 --> 00:10:23,040 Speaker 1: summer barbecues, Clarence clones, my man. It sounds like like 196 00:10:23,040 --> 00:10:25,280 Speaker 1: you're happy. It sounds like you're gonna have a good time. 197 00:10:25,360 --> 00:10:27,880 Speaker 1: But it made you smile. So so so that was 198 00:10:27,920 --> 00:10:30,040 Speaker 1: the way it was happening. Everybody said thumbs up on 199 00:10:30,080 --> 00:10:33,120 Speaker 1: Clarence clause. Okay, now that now we've got the thumbs 200 00:10:33,240 --> 00:10:35,680 Speaker 1: up on clans clause. Now taking it to the market, 201 00:10:35,920 --> 00:10:38,680 Speaker 1: how is that working out? And how did it first 202 00:10:38,720 --> 00:10:43,840 Speaker 1: get introduced and how was their initial reactions. So it 203 00:10:43,920 --> 00:10:46,600 Speaker 1: really started as I was working full time working on 204 00:10:46,640 --> 00:10:49,720 Speaker 1: that idea at night, creating the website, and then we 205 00:10:49,800 --> 00:10:52,400 Speaker 1: got the inventory. It was sitting in our garage and 206 00:10:52,440 --> 00:10:56,920 Speaker 1: I said, we're gonna launch in October October sixteen. Um. 207 00:10:57,000 --> 00:11:00,120 Speaker 1: We worked with one of my sorority sisters. Actually, she 208 00:11:01,120 --> 00:11:03,199 Speaker 1: came and videoed and came up was kind of our 209 00:11:03,600 --> 00:11:05,840 Speaker 1: story of the origin, how we started it, and she's 210 00:11:05,840 --> 00:11:08,559 Speaker 1: a great storyteller, and so she developed this minute thirty 211 00:11:08,559 --> 00:11:11,520 Speaker 1: second video, um, and that's kind of how we shared 212 00:11:11,520 --> 00:11:14,560 Speaker 1: it on Facebook and social media. And that video just 213 00:11:14,600 --> 00:11:16,400 Speaker 1: told the story of the need and why it was 214 00:11:16,440 --> 00:11:19,240 Speaker 1: important for us as black parents, and it really just 215 00:11:19,520 --> 00:11:22,000 Speaker 1: captured the essence of why it was so important for 216 00:11:22,040 --> 00:11:24,040 Speaker 1: black children to see images that looked like them. And 217 00:11:24,080 --> 00:11:26,360 Speaker 1: that video, I won't say it went viral, but it 218 00:11:26,400 --> 00:11:28,480 Speaker 1: did pretty get numbers and people shared it and that's 219 00:11:28,520 --> 00:11:31,400 Speaker 1: kind of what got us out there and people found 220 00:11:31,400 --> 00:11:34,520 Speaker 1: out about our website. We were packing orders in our 221 00:11:34,559 --> 00:11:38,920 Speaker 1: house up until Black Friday of that year. And you 222 00:11:38,960 --> 00:11:40,840 Speaker 1: know I was working full time, as was Sewan. So 223 00:11:40,920 --> 00:11:43,280 Speaker 1: we get home at night, we packed orders, We put 224 00:11:43,280 --> 00:11:44,640 Speaker 1: the kids down to eat dinner, and we packed the 225 00:11:44,679 --> 00:11:47,160 Speaker 1: orders until we were about passed out. And then the 226 00:11:47,600 --> 00:11:50,000 Speaker 1: orders just kept coming and coming. And said, I think 227 00:11:50,040 --> 00:11:51,640 Speaker 1: we need a fulfillment company, and I don't think we 228 00:11:51,679 --> 00:11:55,240 Speaker 1: can kind of cross anymore. Um, And so we switched 229 00:11:55,240 --> 00:11:57,160 Speaker 1: on the filming company and they packed our orders for us. 230 00:11:57,160 --> 00:12:01,240 Speaker 1: But that's just kind of how it started, you John, 231 00:12:01,559 --> 00:12:05,040 Speaker 1: I was gonna say, you talked earlier about UM HBCUs. 232 00:12:05,240 --> 00:12:08,480 Speaker 1: We talked a lot about hbc US and we first launched, 233 00:12:09,080 --> 00:12:14,360 Speaker 1: we really leaned on that hbc U UH network. You know, 234 00:12:14,600 --> 00:12:18,960 Speaker 1: we launched, we got all of our HBCU you know, classmates, friends, 235 00:12:19,000 --> 00:12:22,000 Speaker 1: the schools we went to U when that first year, 236 00:12:22,400 --> 00:12:26,080 Speaker 1: we basically created street teams to go to these homecomings, UM, 237 00:12:26,360 --> 00:12:28,080 Speaker 1: and we gave them T shirts and they were passing 238 00:12:28,080 --> 00:12:31,880 Speaker 1: out flyers and buttons. So we really leaned on hbc 239 00:12:32,040 --> 00:12:34,800 Speaker 1: USED to help get that first year off the ground 240 00:12:34,800 --> 00:12:37,760 Speaker 1: and get some success behind it then. And HBCUs came 241 00:12:37,760 --> 00:12:39,679 Speaker 1: through for us in a big way. I mean, they 242 00:12:39,720 --> 00:12:42,040 Speaker 1: supported as they say, they showed up and showed out 243 00:12:42,559 --> 00:12:44,760 Speaker 1: Clarence clause. So it was it was it was huge. 244 00:12:44,840 --> 00:12:47,480 Speaker 1: It was huge. Well also was you was being featured, 245 00:12:47,720 --> 00:12:50,240 Speaker 1: you know when you get these featured moments in Essence 246 00:12:50,280 --> 00:12:54,679 Speaker 1: and the old Oprah magazine. You know, you know back 247 00:12:54,720 --> 00:12:56,840 Speaker 1: in the old school days when you when you put 248 00:12:56,880 --> 00:12:58,880 Speaker 1: out a record, you hear your record on the radio, 249 00:13:00,000 --> 00:13:02,840 Speaker 1: come over right, And so when you start seeing your 250 00:13:03,000 --> 00:13:06,560 Speaker 1: product being featured in prominent magazines like Essence and oh, 251 00:13:06,679 --> 00:13:09,400 Speaker 1: what would your reaction? Did you have your frame? Did 252 00:13:09,520 --> 00:13:12,480 Speaker 1: or did you is the magazine still sitting on your countertop? 253 00:13:12,920 --> 00:13:15,240 Speaker 1: Well did you post to those social media? How did 254 00:13:15,320 --> 00:13:17,679 Speaker 1: you react and how did you use that, you know 255 00:13:18,160 --> 00:13:21,199 Speaker 1: to your advantage. We had some praise and worship in 256 00:13:21,240 --> 00:13:26,400 Speaker 1: the living room, well we got the phone call from Oprah. 257 00:13:26,400 --> 00:13:29,280 Speaker 1: I definitely was shouting and screaming, come on girl, come 258 00:13:29,320 --> 00:13:31,760 Speaker 1: on girl, come on girl about the open team. We 259 00:13:31,880 --> 00:13:36,760 Speaker 1: put on some got some music and danced around. Um. 260 00:13:36,760 --> 00:13:39,280 Speaker 1: But when we got NBC News, that was probably the 261 00:13:39,320 --> 00:13:41,800 Speaker 1: first big press that we got, and the order started 262 00:13:41,840 --> 00:13:43,800 Speaker 1: to flood in and it was picked up by some 263 00:13:43,880 --> 00:13:48,160 Speaker 1: local television network news networks and it's great. You know, 264 00:13:48,160 --> 00:13:49,800 Speaker 1: it's one thing when you think it's something important for 265 00:13:49,840 --> 00:13:52,160 Speaker 1: your own child, but when other people see it invalidate 266 00:13:52,240 --> 00:13:55,160 Speaker 1: it and and say it's important as well. So the 267 00:13:55,200 --> 00:13:57,680 Speaker 1: features in the press have been wonderful to help, you know, 268 00:13:57,800 --> 00:14:00,480 Speaker 1: get a brand awareness out there, and we're so grateful 269 00:14:00,520 --> 00:14:02,839 Speaker 1: for all of them. So, you know, we're we're we're 270 00:14:02,880 --> 00:14:05,080 Speaker 1: talking about wrapping people talk about Clarence Clause and then 271 00:14:05,120 --> 00:14:07,240 Speaker 1: Clarence Clause has kind of become a bigger than like 272 00:14:07,440 --> 00:14:09,520 Speaker 1: character that you guys didn't even mix back to, you know. 273 00:14:09,679 --> 00:14:12,160 Speaker 1: So that's usually how great ideas come about. You know, 274 00:14:12,240 --> 00:14:14,880 Speaker 1: it comes from it come from passion, but there's something 275 00:14:14,920 --> 00:14:17,280 Speaker 1: you believe in and and when when you tell your story, 276 00:14:17,520 --> 00:14:19,960 Speaker 1: it just connects, you know, the Green Top story connects 277 00:14:19,960 --> 00:14:23,520 Speaker 1: and Clarence story connects, you know, and it all feels 278 00:14:23,600 --> 00:14:27,360 Speaker 1: very organic and real. And so how big can Clarence 279 00:14:27,400 --> 00:14:29,920 Speaker 1: call Clans Clause become? How big can he become? Do 280 00:14:30,280 --> 00:14:33,160 Speaker 1: do Macy's Day Parade? One day? I see a Clarence 281 00:14:33,200 --> 00:14:36,240 Speaker 1: Clause up there, floating up there next to Snoop Pik 282 00:14:36,280 --> 00:14:38,320 Speaker 1: And can you get that big? That shot? Come on? 283 00:14:38,880 --> 00:14:44,840 Speaker 1: Absolutely get that, you know, because that's because that's that's 284 00:14:44,880 --> 00:14:47,040 Speaker 1: the dream big and you get that big. So what 285 00:14:47,040 --> 00:14:50,120 Speaker 1: what what additional marketing techniques are you guys using? And 286 00:14:50,520 --> 00:14:53,760 Speaker 1: I know you've had grants tied to black women, Uh Jack, 287 00:14:53,840 --> 00:14:55,920 Speaker 1: What I wanted to talk about that that you've been awarded. 288 00:14:56,320 --> 00:14:58,360 Speaker 1: Talk about the grants and the funding that has come 289 00:14:58,440 --> 00:15:02,240 Speaker 1: into to to benefit you guys in your brand and 290 00:15:02,240 --> 00:15:06,920 Speaker 1: your company growth. Definitely, we have really benefited from some 291 00:15:06,960 --> 00:15:10,480 Speaker 1: grants this year with Beyonce and her foundation be Good. 292 00:15:11,120 --> 00:15:13,480 Speaker 1: Um as awarded us ten thousand dollar grant that we're 293 00:15:13,600 --> 00:15:16,720 Speaker 1: very excited about. Um in partnership with Double A CP 294 00:15:17,440 --> 00:15:19,720 Speaker 1: and we also ever see the grant from Visa and 295 00:15:19,840 --> 00:15:23,240 Speaker 1: I Fund Women and that's a great opportunity for us 296 00:15:23,240 --> 00:15:26,400 Speaker 1: because Visa, I mean, Visa is huge and I found 297 00:15:26,400 --> 00:15:28,440 Speaker 1: Women does this great work to help like own and 298 00:15:28,520 --> 00:15:31,960 Speaker 1: women businesses um really grow and give them the tools 299 00:15:31,960 --> 00:15:35,800 Speaker 1: they need. And so those two grants have really given us, 300 00:15:36,120 --> 00:15:39,840 Speaker 1: you know, exposure to larger networks, has helped us internally 301 00:15:39,920 --> 00:15:43,440 Speaker 1: with that funding, and they've provided us with resources that 302 00:15:43,440 --> 00:15:46,720 Speaker 1: were really right before Okay, green typ grift lines include 303 00:15:47,120 --> 00:15:51,840 Speaker 1: gift bags, holiday accessories of pails such as socks, face mask, 304 00:15:52,320 --> 00:15:54,480 Speaker 1: which is very smart, means you pivoted, you saw a 305 00:15:54,520 --> 00:15:57,880 Speaker 1: need and you pivoted right there. Dad Hats. Their paral 306 00:15:57,960 --> 00:16:01,640 Speaker 1: line includes T shirts, sweaters, baby one disease, and pajama 307 00:16:01,640 --> 00:16:04,000 Speaker 1: sets for the whole family that were newly added this 308 00:16:04,080 --> 00:16:06,320 Speaker 1: year and available for pre order. Right now, let's talk 309 00:16:06,360 --> 00:16:09,640 Speaker 1: about the pre order. Let's talk about the whole facial mask. 310 00:16:10,600 --> 00:16:13,160 Speaker 1: Was that just something you saw you had, that you 311 00:16:13,240 --> 00:16:15,800 Speaker 1: had the ability at we're pointing this whole pandemic because 312 00:16:15,800 --> 00:16:17,920 Speaker 1: we got shut down in March, that you felt you 313 00:16:17,960 --> 00:16:21,960 Speaker 1: should get in the facial mask market. It was very 314 00:16:21,960 --> 00:16:24,640 Speaker 1: early on. People reached out to us and said, you 315 00:16:24,640 --> 00:16:26,720 Speaker 1: guys are gonna do Christmas mask right, you know, I 316 00:16:26,760 --> 00:16:29,040 Speaker 1: mean it was people. It was June and July and 317 00:16:29,080 --> 00:16:30,840 Speaker 1: people were realizing that, you know, we're gonna be in 318 00:16:30,880 --> 00:16:33,200 Speaker 1: this for a while. And I had a lot of 319 00:16:33,240 --> 00:16:34,880 Speaker 1: friends that were like, you guys want to do masks, 320 00:16:34,880 --> 00:16:36,120 Speaker 1: And I was like, yeah, we could do masks. We 321 00:16:36,200 --> 00:16:45,200 Speaker 1: do masks for sure. So I like our attitude mask. Yeah, 322 00:16:45,720 --> 00:16:52,640 Speaker 1: we got that on the agenda mask get the mask number. Yeah, 323 00:16:52,640 --> 00:16:54,640 Speaker 1: the masks are going well, they're selling. My mom and 324 00:16:54,680 --> 00:16:56,800 Speaker 1: I have been out wearing ours and people are stopping 325 00:16:56,840 --> 00:16:59,880 Speaker 1: up and asking where'd you get those masks? Right right? So, 326 00:17:00,160 --> 00:17:02,000 Speaker 1: like I said earlier prior to our call, you know, 327 00:17:02,120 --> 00:17:04,720 Speaker 1: I love to feature you guys and my my shopping 328 00:17:04,800 --> 00:17:07,600 Speaker 1: zones all free. You know these are There'll know when 329 00:17:07,600 --> 00:17:10,040 Speaker 1: I see great opportunities. And that's how you get out there. 330 00:17:10,080 --> 00:17:12,280 Speaker 1: You always tell people, no, this is not the lottery. 331 00:17:12,320 --> 00:17:14,920 Speaker 1: You don't win in one location. You win and people 332 00:17:14,960 --> 00:17:16,560 Speaker 1: turn this way they see your brain. They turn that 333 00:17:16,640 --> 00:17:18,600 Speaker 1: way to see your brain. They turn this way they 334 00:17:18,600 --> 00:17:20,919 Speaker 1: hear your brain. And so, like I said, have a 335 00:17:20,960 --> 00:17:22,879 Speaker 1: mailing list goes out there when they any. Thousands of 336 00:17:22,880 --> 00:17:25,680 Speaker 1: my fan club members love to put you there. Post 337 00:17:25,680 --> 00:17:29,040 Speaker 1: you get my social media, which is uh money making 338 00:17:29,080 --> 00:17:31,880 Speaker 1: Conversation dot com. And then I have my personal social media, 339 00:17:31,920 --> 00:17:35,000 Speaker 1: which is ra Sean McDonald which has almost a million 340 00:17:35,040 --> 00:17:37,000 Speaker 1: social media followers. I think it would be very fun 341 00:17:37,080 --> 00:17:39,920 Speaker 1: to post Clarence Clause and get some pre orders. But 342 00:17:39,960 --> 00:17:42,840 Speaker 1: how does the pre ordered process work for Green Top? 343 00:17:43,920 --> 00:17:46,320 Speaker 1: So for our family pajamas, we're doing pre order. They 344 00:17:46,359 --> 00:17:49,160 Speaker 1: come in sizes from infants to an adult to X 345 00:17:49,480 --> 00:17:51,399 Speaker 1: and if you order them now, they'll shift after the 346 00:17:51,440 --> 00:17:54,760 Speaker 1: first of December. But if you order any additional product 347 00:17:54,760 --> 00:17:57,040 Speaker 1: with it, like if you order a mask and pajamas 348 00:17:57,119 --> 00:17:59,639 Speaker 1: or a mask and um a parent set of rap 349 00:17:59,720 --> 00:18:02,320 Speaker 1: and page for the items that are in stock now 350 00:18:02,359 --> 00:18:04,680 Speaker 1: outside of the pajamas will ship immediately, and your family 351 00:18:04,720 --> 00:18:06,760 Speaker 1: pajamas will ship as soon as we have them all 352 00:18:06,840 --> 00:18:11,280 Speaker 1: packtrition already. Okay. Cool. So with that being said, uh uh, 353 00:18:11,400 --> 00:18:13,440 Speaker 1: you're doing any modeling? What your what? Do your what 354 00:18:13,560 --> 00:18:16,920 Speaker 1: your what? Your items? Or they just uh already been 355 00:18:16,920 --> 00:18:19,520 Speaker 1: photoed or how's it? How's the package being featured on 356 00:18:19,520 --> 00:18:22,840 Speaker 1: your website? So we have done a great family photo 357 00:18:22,880 --> 00:18:25,719 Speaker 1: shoot with tons of cute kids and our pajamas, and 358 00:18:25,760 --> 00:18:28,640 Speaker 1: that's on YouTube, it's on our website, it's on our 359 00:18:28,680 --> 00:18:31,119 Speaker 1: social media. There's tons of photos that you can see 360 00:18:31,280 --> 00:18:33,359 Speaker 1: and kind of get engaged and what the sizing looks 361 00:18:33,400 --> 00:18:36,120 Speaker 1: like and see the pajamas and the kids are having 362 00:18:36,160 --> 00:18:38,360 Speaker 1: a ball in the video. So it's just super joyful 363 00:18:38,400 --> 00:18:39,840 Speaker 1: to look at you know, I look at it. I 364 00:18:39,840 --> 00:18:42,159 Speaker 1: looked like I mentioned earlier that you was Nestleie was 365 00:18:42,280 --> 00:18:45,840 Speaker 1: you Mars and Wrigley and then John you mentioned World Street. 366 00:18:46,320 --> 00:18:49,200 Speaker 1: You know my background, I was IBM A. I work 367 00:18:49,240 --> 00:18:51,280 Speaker 1: for I BM two and a half years undergraduate, two 368 00:18:51,280 --> 00:18:53,480 Speaker 1: and a half years graduate, and the and the and 369 00:18:53,560 --> 00:18:57,080 Speaker 1: the the things I've learned from my five years i've 370 00:18:57,080 --> 00:19:00,000 Speaker 1: been my still used today, you know, from a marketing 371 00:19:00,080 --> 00:19:02,879 Speaker 1: stand from from being a professional, from being able to 372 00:19:02,960 --> 00:19:06,119 Speaker 1: how the management I can always clearly look at some 373 00:19:06,160 --> 00:19:09,000 Speaker 1: of the statements that how it was handled by by 374 00:19:09,040 --> 00:19:12,280 Speaker 1: supervisors to be successful work for me today and the 375 00:19:12,320 --> 00:19:16,040 Speaker 1: principles or me starting my own company, managing people along 376 00:19:16,080 --> 00:19:18,400 Speaker 1: the way and being able to you know, be able 377 00:19:18,440 --> 00:19:22,000 Speaker 1: to have goals of success. So started with you sewn 378 00:19:22,160 --> 00:19:24,879 Speaker 1: with your experience that you had. How how are you 379 00:19:24,960 --> 00:19:30,159 Speaker 1: incorporating that into greenop Oh man, It's uh, Well, the 380 00:19:30,200 --> 00:19:33,560 Speaker 1: first thing is is just making smart decisions. I've been fortunate. 381 00:19:34,280 --> 00:19:37,040 Speaker 1: I've been around a lot of smart people, h people 382 00:19:37,080 --> 00:19:39,560 Speaker 1: who've done some pretty incredible things and and typically their 383 00:19:39,600 --> 00:19:42,240 Speaker 1: success was rooted in they didn't always get it right, 384 00:19:42,640 --> 00:19:45,679 Speaker 1: but they use a lot of logic to make smart decisions. 385 00:19:45,960 --> 00:19:50,080 Speaker 1: UM and so I've tried to help Jackie UM and 386 00:19:50,200 --> 00:19:51,800 Speaker 1: helped each other, but I've tried to sort of bring 387 00:19:51,800 --> 00:19:54,080 Speaker 1: that the green top. It's like, is this a smart decision? 388 00:19:54,960 --> 00:19:57,000 Speaker 1: The numbers, like you said, at the beginning. Do the 389 00:19:57,119 --> 00:20:01,280 Speaker 1: numbers make sense? Does this mac add up right? Um? 390 00:20:01,359 --> 00:20:03,679 Speaker 1: And so that that's really what I've learned most you 391 00:20:03,760 --> 00:20:06,359 Speaker 1: touched on you said at IBM being a professional. I 392 00:20:06,359 --> 00:20:09,160 Speaker 1: mean that was something that the first day I walked 393 00:20:09,160 --> 00:20:11,600 Speaker 1: into Morgan Stanley. You know, you could just feel you 394 00:20:11,720 --> 00:20:14,120 Speaker 1: better be a professional in here, right, You're gonna get 395 00:20:14,119 --> 00:20:17,159 Speaker 1: walked out to doing it right. So so, uh, you know, 396 00:20:17,240 --> 00:20:19,240 Speaker 1: professional is a big part of it. I think sometimes 397 00:20:19,280 --> 00:20:23,640 Speaker 1: people overlook that. Um, how you carry yourself matters. Um. 398 00:20:23,640 --> 00:20:26,160 Speaker 1: I never forget. There was a guy who I worked with, 399 00:20:27,240 --> 00:20:30,160 Speaker 1: a guy who I worked with worked for at Morgan Stanley, 400 00:20:30,160 --> 00:20:32,560 Speaker 1: a gentleman by the name of David de Luca, and 401 00:20:32,800 --> 00:20:35,240 Speaker 1: this quote I will never forget. He said, why wait 402 00:20:35,320 --> 00:20:37,960 Speaker 1: until tomorrow to do what you can do today? Um? 403 00:20:38,000 --> 00:20:40,440 Speaker 1: And so I take that with me everywhere now, that 404 00:20:40,560 --> 00:20:43,159 Speaker 1: you just always get as much done today as you 405 00:20:43,240 --> 00:20:46,320 Speaker 1: possibly can, because we don't know what's gonna change the ball. 406 00:20:46,480 --> 00:20:48,280 Speaker 1: So those are the types of things that I've tried 407 00:20:48,320 --> 00:20:51,040 Speaker 1: to bring to Greentop, how we think about it, how 408 00:20:51,080 --> 00:20:54,320 Speaker 1: we approach it, making sure every decision is strategic, every 409 00:20:54,359 --> 00:20:57,360 Speaker 1: decision makes sense. Um. And I think it's benefited us, 410 00:20:57,760 --> 00:21:01,040 Speaker 1: uh to a large degree. It has the thing I 411 00:21:01,080 --> 00:21:03,720 Speaker 1: always after, you know, like when I left IBM to 412 00:21:03,760 --> 00:21:06,040 Speaker 1: pursue a career as a comedian. Okay, well, to a 413 00:21:06,040 --> 00:21:09,200 Speaker 1: lot of uncertainty because people are always like you the 414 00:21:09,240 --> 00:21:12,960 Speaker 1: next day the Murphy here ride right and so so. 415 00:21:13,000 --> 00:21:15,160 Speaker 1: But there's still that unknown. You know, when you walk 416 00:21:15,240 --> 00:21:18,160 Speaker 1: out into you walking away from medical benefits, you're walking 417 00:21:18,160 --> 00:21:21,040 Speaker 1: away from a consistent check. You're walking away from a 418 00:21:21,080 --> 00:21:23,879 Speaker 1: building that you know exist. You know so and and 419 00:21:24,240 --> 00:21:27,080 Speaker 1: then so in the world of doubt, you know, I'd 420 00:21:27,119 --> 00:21:29,879 Speaker 1: love to hear both of you guys reaction to you know, 421 00:21:29,920 --> 00:21:32,240 Speaker 1: overcoming and they are known and plus your team I 422 00:21:32,320 --> 00:21:34,919 Speaker 1: call I call you guys a power couple because the 423 00:21:34,960 --> 00:21:38,480 Speaker 1: decisions were made jointly, but then each decision was made 424 00:21:38,480 --> 00:21:41,280 Speaker 1: individually because you were working Jacklin and you was working 425 00:21:41,280 --> 00:21:44,040 Speaker 1: Sean okay, And some people say, well, you work until 426 00:21:44,080 --> 00:21:45,680 Speaker 1: we get up and running and then you come on 427 00:21:45,920 --> 00:21:50,399 Speaker 1: later on. How was that that commitment to the brand 428 00:21:50,440 --> 00:21:53,560 Speaker 1: of green Top handled within the household of the Rogers 429 00:21:55,720 --> 00:21:58,040 Speaker 1: um So it was. It was interesting. So we started 430 00:21:58,040 --> 00:22:01,200 Speaker 1: the company in twenty sixteen, and we were a tag team, 431 00:22:01,280 --> 00:22:04,199 Speaker 1: you know, we as Jackie said, we work late, we 432 00:22:04,320 --> 00:22:07,280 Speaker 1: packed orders, we do all that stuff. And probably two 433 00:22:07,400 --> 00:22:10,400 Speaker 1: years ago I started to push her a little bit 434 00:22:10,480 --> 00:22:13,240 Speaker 1: on if we really want this thing to grow and 435 00:22:13,240 --> 00:22:15,280 Speaker 1: blow up, you're gonna have to quit your job. You 436 00:22:15,440 --> 00:22:17,160 Speaker 1: have to quit it and do it full time, because 437 00:22:17,160 --> 00:22:19,840 Speaker 1: we're looking at some of our friends who have started businesses. 438 00:22:19,880 --> 00:22:21,359 Speaker 1: They're doing a full time and you can see the 439 00:22:21,400 --> 00:22:23,960 Speaker 1: business grow. And I said, if we if one of 440 00:22:24,040 --> 00:22:26,600 Speaker 1: us doesn't quit our job, it's always just gonna be 441 00:22:26,640 --> 00:22:31,640 Speaker 1: a side hustle versus being a real company. And so um, 442 00:22:31,680 --> 00:22:34,680 Speaker 1: I think we learned some harsh lessons in corporate America 443 00:22:34,760 --> 00:22:38,440 Speaker 1: to um, you know, and working for some of these companies. Jackie, 444 00:22:38,800 --> 00:22:40,720 Speaker 1: you know, worked for Nestlee. She worked there for a 445 00:22:40,760 --> 00:22:43,240 Speaker 1: long time and you know they later off, we don't 446 00:22:43,280 --> 00:22:45,840 Speaker 1: mind talking about that. And so she was a bit 447 00:22:45,960 --> 00:22:48,320 Speaker 1: fortunate enough talented enough to get the job at Mars. 448 00:22:48,359 --> 00:22:50,399 Speaker 1: But I think we realized from that experience and Nestle 449 00:22:50,520 --> 00:22:53,240 Speaker 1: that you know, to to a lot of these companies, 450 00:22:53,240 --> 00:22:56,000 Speaker 1: you're just a number. So you know, you've got an 451 00:22:56,000 --> 00:22:58,080 Speaker 1: opportunity to have your own company and grow it and 452 00:22:58,119 --> 00:23:00,840 Speaker 1: build it. Let's go after and so after me pushing 453 00:23:00,880 --> 00:23:02,960 Speaker 1: for a couple of years, in February of this year, 454 00:23:03,560 --> 00:23:05,400 Speaker 1: she made the decision, I'm gonna quit Mars. I'm gonna 455 00:23:05,440 --> 00:23:09,000 Speaker 1: do this full time. And um, that's kind of how 456 00:23:09,040 --> 00:23:11,440 Speaker 1: we balance it in our house, right. So I still 457 00:23:11,480 --> 00:23:13,960 Speaker 1: go to work and work my nine to five, uh, 458 00:23:14,040 --> 00:23:15,720 Speaker 1: so that we could keep the health insurance and the 459 00:23:15,760 --> 00:23:18,680 Speaker 1: benefits and all that stuff. But you know, she does 460 00:23:18,720 --> 00:23:20,840 Speaker 1: it full time, you know, all day long, and and 461 00:23:20,840 --> 00:23:24,439 Speaker 1: and some days most days she's doing more work than 462 00:23:24,480 --> 00:23:26,520 Speaker 1: I am with my nine to five. You know, she's 463 00:23:26,520 --> 00:23:29,639 Speaker 1: working from eight in the morning to midnight one am. 464 00:23:29,720 --> 00:23:33,600 Speaker 1: I'm I'm I'm watching the game, you know right well 465 00:23:33,640 --> 00:23:40,920 Speaker 1: when when star watching the game? Hey. But but yeah, 466 00:23:41,000 --> 00:23:42,760 Speaker 1: that's how we balanced in our house. You know. She 467 00:23:42,760 --> 00:23:45,000 Speaker 1: she she's done an incredible job. She quit, she's doing 468 00:23:45,000 --> 00:23:47,679 Speaker 1: a full time and now you know, it's it's growing. 469 00:23:48,040 --> 00:23:50,720 Speaker 1: So it's been been really cool in that in that 470 00:23:50,760 --> 00:23:53,199 Speaker 1: way when you say it's growing, Jacqueline, you know you 471 00:23:53,359 --> 00:23:56,760 Speaker 1: made that commitment, and as an individual, will you say 472 00:23:56,760 --> 00:24:00,720 Speaker 1: I'm going in and first of all, smart business decision. Okay, 473 00:24:01,359 --> 00:24:04,080 Speaker 1: you you do if you can put if you can 474 00:24:04,119 --> 00:24:06,960 Speaker 1: pull this off, then you do it. Because a lot 475 00:24:06,960 --> 00:24:10,160 Speaker 1: of stuff is online nowadays, you're not in the factory 476 00:24:10,200 --> 00:24:13,680 Speaker 1: pulling stuff down. You moved into a fulfillment location, so 477 00:24:13,840 --> 00:24:16,359 Speaker 1: that making sure your product line. So you're running the 478 00:24:16,440 --> 00:24:19,760 Speaker 1: company by yourself in a sense. So because it's set 479 00:24:19,840 --> 00:24:24,080 Speaker 1: up that way. So talk about the hours. I will 480 00:24:24,119 --> 00:24:25,720 Speaker 1: tell people that are twenty four hours in the day. 481 00:24:25,800 --> 00:24:27,960 Speaker 1: Learn to take advantage or use each hour. And that 482 00:24:28,000 --> 00:24:32,800 Speaker 1: seems to be what you're doing as a as an entrepreneur. Yes, um, 483 00:24:32,880 --> 00:24:34,880 Speaker 1: we have two small children on top of that. So 484 00:24:35,160 --> 00:24:37,440 Speaker 1: before I quit my job, I was working full time 485 00:24:37,520 --> 00:24:39,800 Speaker 1: and I said double dutching and doing this at night, 486 00:24:39,920 --> 00:24:42,480 Speaker 1: on the weekends and when I could. Um. And now 487 00:24:42,600 --> 00:24:44,000 Speaker 1: that since that you were, I've been working on it 488 00:24:44,080 --> 00:24:48,200 Speaker 1: full time. So the hours are every second is down 489 00:24:48,240 --> 00:24:50,200 Speaker 1: to a schedule on my calendar. If I don't put 490 00:24:50,200 --> 00:24:52,440 Speaker 1: it on my calendar and schedule it, it it doesn't get done. 491 00:24:52,480 --> 00:24:54,960 Speaker 1: And I have to be very strategic with my time 492 00:24:54,960 --> 00:24:56,640 Speaker 1: because we have a two year old and a six 493 00:24:56,720 --> 00:25:00,280 Speaker 1: year old and their home with virtual learning, so most 494 00:25:00,359 --> 00:25:02,359 Speaker 1: days we have a tutor that comes in and works 495 00:25:02,359 --> 00:25:04,600 Speaker 1: with our son, but we have to be really efficient 496 00:25:04,640 --> 00:25:07,879 Speaker 1: with getting work done before they wake up. During naptime, 497 00:25:08,400 --> 00:25:10,000 Speaker 1: I try to get a few hours then while they're 498 00:25:10,000 --> 00:25:11,840 Speaker 1: sitting and eating lunch, and then I do a lot 499 00:25:11,840 --> 00:25:13,640 Speaker 1: of work in the evening once they're down from bed. 500 00:25:13,840 --> 00:25:16,680 Speaker 1: So we balance off each other and work with each 501 00:25:16,680 --> 00:25:18,600 Speaker 1: other schedules to make calls work, and we're in the 502 00:25:18,640 --> 00:25:21,119 Speaker 1: house and COVID's kind of been a blessing because it 503 00:25:21,160 --> 00:25:24,800 Speaker 1: allows us to get things done even more efficiently. So um, 504 00:25:24,960 --> 00:25:28,960 Speaker 1: lots of scheduling and just working together to make it work, 505 00:25:29,119 --> 00:25:34,440 Speaker 1: but there there's no office hours. Get well well. First 506 00:25:34,440 --> 00:25:36,920 Speaker 1: of all, thank you for coming on the show, money 507 00:25:36,960 --> 00:25:39,960 Speaker 1: making conversation. Thank you for making me smile. When I 508 00:25:40,040 --> 00:25:43,520 Speaker 1: say smile, I've been really uh um. You know, I'm 509 00:25:43,600 --> 00:25:45,960 Speaker 1: much older than you guys, so I've I've experienced a 510 00:25:46,040 --> 00:25:49,720 Speaker 1: life without this type of diversity. As far as my daughter, 511 00:25:49,800 --> 00:25:53,320 Speaker 1: she's twenty four now and she's been graduating from college, 512 00:25:53,320 --> 00:25:56,480 Speaker 1: and I'm very excited about that, but more importantly giving 513 00:25:56,560 --> 00:25:58,520 Speaker 1: us a hope. All right, when I look at look 514 00:25:58,520 --> 00:26:02,080 Speaker 1: at what we sold said today night, that diversity, when 515 00:26:02,119 --> 00:26:04,560 Speaker 1: I look at the civil unrest and looking at white 516 00:26:04,600 --> 00:26:07,000 Speaker 1: people stepping up in a lot of situations saying that's 517 00:26:07,000 --> 00:26:09,800 Speaker 1: not right, and that that it's important to us as 518 00:26:09,800 --> 00:26:12,960 Speaker 1: we move forwards. Bless you. You You raising young people to 519 00:26:13,040 --> 00:26:15,560 Speaker 1: be better people in this life and people recognizing that 520 00:26:15,640 --> 00:26:18,400 Speaker 1: they want to be uh, they want the same dreams 521 00:26:18,400 --> 00:26:20,720 Speaker 1: that everybody else wants. Just we just have to be 522 00:26:20,800 --> 00:26:24,400 Speaker 1: different colors, and different colors should not matter in your dreams. 523 00:26:24,680 --> 00:26:27,080 Speaker 1: And I applaud you guys for for living your dreams. 524 00:26:27,119 --> 00:26:29,880 Speaker 1: I applaud this this lifestyle you guys are creating right now, 525 00:26:29,960 --> 00:26:33,119 Speaker 1: where Sean is hanging down in that white collar world 526 00:26:33,160 --> 00:26:35,760 Speaker 1: doing this thing, and you over there doing that entrepreneur spirit. 527 00:26:35,840 --> 00:26:38,320 Speaker 1: And I'm pretty sure next year we're gonna keep this relationship. 528 00:26:38,359 --> 00:26:40,879 Speaker 1: And next year might be full time both of you 529 00:26:40,920 --> 00:26:44,040 Speaker 1: guys out there flipping it might he might ask this 530 00:26:44,119 --> 00:26:49,560 Speaker 1: called we're looking like Clarence Claude, Right, That's all I'm saying. 531 00:26:49,560 --> 00:26:51,920 Speaker 1: I just know that in the world of animation, I 532 00:26:52,440 --> 00:26:54,520 Speaker 1: I just know that there's there's a there's a bright 533 00:26:54,640 --> 00:26:57,520 Speaker 1: future for a brand that makes people smile. There's a 534 00:26:57,560 --> 00:27:00,280 Speaker 1: bright future for people who and it's just then the 535 00:27:00,400 --> 00:27:02,400 Speaker 1: cute thing about it's just not people of color buying 536 00:27:02,400 --> 00:27:05,119 Speaker 1: your product. That's the beauty of that's the beauty of 537 00:27:05,160 --> 00:27:07,439 Speaker 1: what Clarence Clause is you know, it's it's it's it's 538 00:27:07,480 --> 00:27:10,760 Speaker 1: a charming. Are you guys doing our ornaments for Christmas 539 00:27:10,760 --> 00:27:13,719 Speaker 1: tree ornaments as well? Yet? Yeah, we have ornaments. I'll 540 00:27:13,760 --> 00:27:20,680 Speaker 1: be on the site shortly. Yeah, you thinking about blankets 541 00:27:20,760 --> 00:27:23,560 Speaker 1: and throws. We got it all because I want to 542 00:27:23,560 --> 00:27:25,439 Speaker 1: buy me some ornaments for my tree. You know, I 543 00:27:25,440 --> 00:27:27,520 Speaker 1: want to put it up. But again, on my end 544 00:27:27,560 --> 00:27:29,719 Speaker 1: of the table, my responsibility to you is to promote 545 00:27:29,720 --> 00:27:32,000 Speaker 1: your brand. So I get my staff to reach out 546 00:27:32,000 --> 00:27:36,320 Speaker 1: to you, get us some any videos or odd work 547 00:27:36,400 --> 00:27:38,399 Speaker 1: that we want to promote. Definitely want to promote Clarence 548 00:27:38,400 --> 00:27:41,680 Speaker 1: Clause as my man. He's close to my heart. I'm I'm, 549 00:27:41,800 --> 00:27:44,159 Speaker 1: I'm I'm putting out there promoting as much as I care. 550 00:27:44,240 --> 00:27:47,760 Speaker 1: But more importantly, good luck and keep winning. Okay, So 551 00:27:49,600 --> 00:27:53,320 Speaker 1: we talked soon. Bye bye. You want to hear more 552 00:27:53,359 --> 00:27:56,280 Speaker 1: money making conversations, please go to money Making Conversation dot 553 00:27:56,280 --> 00:28:01,640 Speaker 1: com and I'm ra Sean McDonald. I'm your host.