1 00:00:00,840 --> 00:00:03,960 Speaker 1: Welcome to another episode of Eating While Broke. Today we 2 00:00:04,040 --> 00:00:07,520 Speaker 1: have sisters, Crystal Jones and Kendrill Settle, owners of uplift 3 00:00:07,600 --> 00:00:11,240 Speaker 1: us Marketplace. Uplift Us Marketplace is a retail store that 4 00:00:11,240 --> 00:00:15,079 Speaker 1: dedicates ad of its shelf space to black entrepreneurs to 5 00:00:15,160 --> 00:00:18,159 Speaker 1: probably sell their products while offering consumers a place to 6 00:00:18,239 --> 00:00:20,600 Speaker 1: actually shop black. You don't have to go all over 7 00:00:20,640 --> 00:00:23,079 Speaker 1: the internet, guys. You can go to one store and 8 00:00:23,480 --> 00:00:29,400 Speaker 1: you can actually buy their buy online online. Yes, yes, today, 9 00:00:29,400 --> 00:00:33,360 Speaker 1: what do you have us eating? So? Today we're making um, 10 00:00:33,400 --> 00:00:36,480 Speaker 1: actually a meal that I still love. It's tuna cast 11 00:00:36,640 --> 00:00:39,400 Speaker 1: role and it came back from when I was I 12 00:00:39,440 --> 00:00:42,040 Speaker 1: had three kids by time I was twenty four, so 13 00:00:42,280 --> 00:00:44,600 Speaker 1: I used to make this because it's good and it 14 00:00:44,640 --> 00:00:47,360 Speaker 1: goes a long way. Yes, and it's affordable. I think 15 00:00:47,360 --> 00:00:50,920 Speaker 1: this mail costs roughly five six bucks at the most. 16 00:00:51,120 --> 00:00:53,559 Speaker 1: And it's got a white sauce, so it looks like 17 00:00:53,600 --> 00:00:56,160 Speaker 1: it's gonna taste really good. Um, can you tell us 18 00:00:56,240 --> 00:01:01,360 Speaker 1: what are the ingredients? Yes? So the ingredients our egg noodles, 19 00:01:02,440 --> 00:01:07,120 Speaker 1: Campbell's cream of Mushroom soup, a can of tuna, and 20 00:01:07,200 --> 00:01:10,120 Speaker 1: cheddar cheese. Awesome. So did you come up with this 21 00:01:10,280 --> 00:01:13,759 Speaker 1: yourself or did you google it? You know what, Honestly, 22 00:01:13,800 --> 00:01:16,560 Speaker 1: I don't know. Mom made this when we were little too. 23 00:01:17,240 --> 00:01:20,759 Speaker 1: Our mom used to make it when we were little. Okay, okay, okay, awesome, 24 00:01:21,160 --> 00:01:23,920 Speaker 1: So why don't you start us off? Okay, So first 25 00:01:23,920 --> 00:01:27,479 Speaker 1: I'm going to take the egg noodles and put them 26 00:01:27,520 --> 00:01:31,600 Speaker 1: in this pot. And just so you guys know that's listening, 27 00:01:31,680 --> 00:01:34,399 Speaker 1: we pre cooked them a little bit so we will 28 00:01:34,480 --> 00:01:37,920 Speaker 1: eat faster because it's only a thirty forty minute shoot, 29 00:01:37,959 --> 00:01:40,520 Speaker 1: but on average the meal the noodles only took like 30 00:01:40,560 --> 00:01:44,360 Speaker 1: eight minutes to cook. Yeah, exactly. So you just um, 31 00:01:44,440 --> 00:01:47,600 Speaker 1: you know, boil the noodles, drain the water, which it's 32 00:01:47,640 --> 00:01:49,640 Speaker 1: already done here, so I'm just kind of heating it 33 00:01:49,680 --> 00:01:54,360 Speaker 1: back up the pot, and then I'll take the tuna first, 34 00:01:55,400 --> 00:01:58,960 Speaker 1: so tuna goes first, and then I'll take the tuna 35 00:01:59,120 --> 00:02:01,280 Speaker 1: I'm getting in years so that can get heated at 36 00:02:02,160 --> 00:02:04,640 Speaker 1: Usually it's just for a pack of egg noodles. It's 37 00:02:04,680 --> 00:02:09,359 Speaker 1: just one can't larger can of tuna and mix that in. Man, 38 00:02:09,880 --> 00:02:13,080 Speaker 1: that sounds a little crazy, but no, no, no, I 39 00:02:13,160 --> 00:02:17,040 Speaker 1: used to mix my tuna with mac and cheese. I 40 00:02:17,080 --> 00:02:20,799 Speaker 1: don't know. Yeah, today in my house, my husband looks 41 00:02:20,800 --> 00:02:24,240 Speaker 1: at me like I'm white. So I don't like dragging 42 00:02:24,280 --> 00:02:27,519 Speaker 1: about it. But it actually it's really good. Yeah, you 43 00:02:27,560 --> 00:02:29,799 Speaker 1: know what. My husband thanks the same thing actually about 44 00:02:29,800 --> 00:02:36,840 Speaker 1: this meal. But I like it, k So, yeah, it 45 00:02:36,919 --> 00:02:42,399 Speaker 1: looks like it's it looks like quality for budget, yeah exactly. 46 00:02:42,919 --> 00:02:45,639 Speaker 1: And I've never had the couple of mushrooms soup or 47 00:02:45,680 --> 00:02:48,680 Speaker 1: any of that, so I used for actually a lot 48 00:02:48,720 --> 00:02:52,680 Speaker 1: of things. Yeah. So yes, I have a little bit 49 00:02:52,680 --> 00:02:54,840 Speaker 1: of Lowry's seasoning salt just to give it a little 50 00:02:54,880 --> 00:02:57,160 Speaker 1: bit of flavor. You don't want it, you know, to 51 00:02:57,240 --> 00:03:00,120 Speaker 1: be bland. You can add pepper if you want. I 52 00:03:00,160 --> 00:03:02,160 Speaker 1: will add a little bit of that as well. So 53 00:03:02,520 --> 00:03:05,480 Speaker 1: when was the last time you ate this dish? You know? 54 00:03:05,600 --> 00:03:10,320 Speaker 1: It's funny because my uh my daughter who's twenty one, 55 00:03:10,480 --> 00:03:13,320 Speaker 1: still ask for me to make it. Okay, So I 56 00:03:13,400 --> 00:03:18,280 Speaker 1: made it maybe about a month ago, about a month ago. 57 00:03:18,320 --> 00:03:21,280 Speaker 1: I don't make it very often now, but it is 58 00:03:21,280 --> 00:03:24,640 Speaker 1: requested from times to time. So so you said this, 59 00:03:24,919 --> 00:03:28,679 Speaker 1: You made this when you were twenty four, you were 60 00:03:28,760 --> 00:03:32,240 Speaker 1: your mom? Is this when you started your entrepreneurship because 61 00:03:32,280 --> 00:03:35,680 Speaker 1: I know you you've been an entrepreneur for quite some time, 62 00:03:35,720 --> 00:03:40,320 Speaker 1: both of you guys, we started an entrepreneurship a little bit, well, no, 63 00:03:40,440 --> 00:03:44,839 Speaker 1: actually run around then. Maybe when I was right, Yeah, 64 00:03:44,840 --> 00:03:47,240 Speaker 1: I think so, because I had chat I was about 65 00:03:47,240 --> 00:03:55,440 Speaker 1: twenty seven. Indoor play center time together. We've been partners forever, yes, yes, 66 00:03:55,880 --> 00:04:00,200 Speaker 1: and I had and I had two little boys when 67 00:04:00,200 --> 00:04:04,560 Speaker 1: we opened the first business, so it seemed like were 68 00:04:04,600 --> 00:04:07,880 Speaker 1: you guys trying to fill a need? Then? You know, 69 00:04:08,000 --> 00:04:11,280 Speaker 1: we've just always had the entrepreneurship bug, like we just 70 00:04:11,320 --> 00:04:13,320 Speaker 1: always came up with these great ideas. I think one 71 00:04:13,360 --> 00:04:15,360 Speaker 1: day we were just talking and I had an idea 72 00:04:15,520 --> 00:04:19,640 Speaker 1: of like, let's open an indoor play center, and she 73 00:04:19,760 --> 00:04:22,640 Speaker 1: got excited by the idea, and you know what, our 74 00:04:22,760 --> 00:04:24,640 Speaker 1: energy just kind of bounces off of each other to 75 00:04:24,680 --> 00:04:26,680 Speaker 1: where we get excited and we just go for it. 76 00:04:26,839 --> 00:04:29,280 Speaker 1: So one little spark of an idea, then all of 77 00:04:29,320 --> 00:04:30,760 Speaker 1: a sudden we're like, oh, we can do this, we 78 00:04:30,760 --> 00:04:33,160 Speaker 1: can do that. And then next thing, you know, so 79 00:04:33,560 --> 00:04:36,800 Speaker 1: how do you fund these ideas when you're like, Okay, 80 00:04:36,839 --> 00:04:42,080 Speaker 1: I have this idea, let's go right yeah, well, tiny 81 00:04:42,160 --> 00:04:45,280 Speaker 1: town we actually funded that with loans. We did, and 82 00:04:45,720 --> 00:04:47,760 Speaker 1: thankfully we had like really good credit, so we were 83 00:04:47,800 --> 00:04:50,240 Speaker 1: able to get a loan to open it and it 84 00:04:50,920 --> 00:04:53,640 Speaker 1: didn't take a lot um. The cost wasn't too high 85 00:04:53,640 --> 00:04:55,599 Speaker 1: to open it because we just had to rent a 86 00:04:55,920 --> 00:04:59,240 Speaker 1: you know, an empty space. Yeah, rent an empty a 87 00:04:59,360 --> 00:05:03,200 Speaker 1: large empty space. It's like four square feet and we 88 00:05:03,320 --> 00:05:07,400 Speaker 1: just filled it with fun things, jumpers, and because we 89 00:05:07,440 --> 00:05:09,800 Speaker 1: had little kids and you know, we were always doing 90 00:05:09,839 --> 00:05:12,280 Speaker 1: other things, we really kept the parents in mind. So 91 00:05:12,360 --> 00:05:15,400 Speaker 1: we set it up to where the parents could sit relaxed, 92 00:05:15,400 --> 00:05:17,719 Speaker 1: watch TV, drink coffee, and watch their kids play with 93 00:05:17,839 --> 00:05:22,640 Speaker 1: nice Of course, the parents loved it, so you were 94 00:05:22,680 --> 00:05:27,080 Speaker 1: definitely filling a need. Filling a need. Okay. So now 95 00:05:27,400 --> 00:05:32,600 Speaker 1: fast forward to uplift us Marketplace. What was going on 96 00:05:32,640 --> 00:05:35,440 Speaker 1: at the time where you guys decided we're going to 97 00:05:35,520 --> 00:05:38,119 Speaker 1: create this retail store and we're gonna support a hundred 98 00:05:38,160 --> 00:05:41,560 Speaker 1: percent black owned businesses. Okay. So that was during them. 99 00:05:41,720 --> 00:05:43,640 Speaker 1: It was during the pandemic. You know, we were all 100 00:05:43,680 --> 00:05:47,160 Speaker 1: home and you know, everything was happening. It was a 101 00:05:47,160 --> 00:05:53,159 Speaker 1: major movement at that time with George Floyd everything going on. Yeah, exactly, BLM, 102 00:05:53,240 --> 00:05:56,520 Speaker 1: and we were trying to be really conscious about shopping black, 103 00:05:56,680 --> 00:05:59,280 Speaker 1: you know, and it had to be online. Um, and 104 00:05:59,320 --> 00:06:02,720 Speaker 1: it was difficult. It was I'm sorry, Yeah, you can 105 00:06:02,760 --> 00:06:06,039 Speaker 1: go at the same time. One day, I just like 106 00:06:06,160 --> 00:06:08,640 Speaker 1: VEGGI out on TV because we were home doing the pandemic, 107 00:06:08,680 --> 00:06:13,520 Speaker 1: and I watched like a ton of documentaries on Black 108 00:06:13,520 --> 00:06:17,400 Speaker 1: Wall Street. And as I was watching those documentaries, one 109 00:06:17,440 --> 00:06:21,200 Speaker 1: I was just so moved by seeing the images of 110 00:06:21,240 --> 00:06:23,960 Speaker 1: Black Wall Street years ago and then just hearing the 111 00:06:24,040 --> 00:06:27,800 Speaker 1: statistics now about Um, you know how long the black 112 00:06:27,839 --> 00:06:31,400 Speaker 1: dollar circulates, which is only six hours, unfortunately, and that's 113 00:06:31,440 --> 00:06:36,080 Speaker 1: compared to the white dollar, compared to any other community, 114 00:06:36,480 --> 00:06:40,000 Speaker 1: any other white which circulates for thirty forty five days. 115 00:06:40,120 --> 00:06:45,240 Speaker 1: So you know, that creates a huge, huge gap in 116 00:06:45,240 --> 00:06:48,800 Speaker 1: our communities in just everything that we have. Now. I 117 00:06:48,800 --> 00:06:51,240 Speaker 1: was a little confused when that, Like I was doing 118 00:06:51,240 --> 00:06:55,440 Speaker 1: some research and and you talk about the black dollars circulating. 119 00:06:56,800 --> 00:06:59,120 Speaker 1: I guess my question comes in, like, if the black 120 00:06:59,400 --> 00:07:02,320 Speaker 1: market has so much buying power, why is it circulating 121 00:07:02,320 --> 00:07:04,719 Speaker 1: at such a small time frame. Well, that's not where 122 00:07:04,760 --> 00:07:08,239 Speaker 1: we're spending our money. Yeah, we have the second highest 123 00:07:08,279 --> 00:07:11,560 Speaker 1: spending power in the United States. But when you look 124 00:07:11,720 --> 00:07:14,960 Speaker 1: at the products in any major retailers or even small retailers, 125 00:07:15,000 --> 00:07:17,840 Speaker 1: we only have three percent of the shelf space. So 126 00:07:17,920 --> 00:07:20,440 Speaker 1: when you go, when you're spending your money nine times 127 00:07:20,440 --> 00:07:23,400 Speaker 1: out of team, you're spending it on you know, products 128 00:07:23,440 --> 00:07:26,160 Speaker 1: made by other people, which there's nothing wrong with that, 129 00:07:26,280 --> 00:07:30,120 Speaker 1: but we found that, you know, it's just difficult to 130 00:07:30,160 --> 00:07:32,280 Speaker 1: find the products that are made by us because they're 131 00:07:32,320 --> 00:07:35,720 Speaker 1: not on the shelf. Right, Yeah, so, but this also 132 00:07:35,760 --> 00:07:38,920 Speaker 1: goes back to, you know, before George Floyd, you know, 133 00:07:39,880 --> 00:07:42,320 Speaker 1: I think targets started to pick up black brands, but 134 00:07:42,320 --> 00:07:44,840 Speaker 1: when they did, you saw the hate mail come through 135 00:07:45,040 --> 00:07:48,119 Speaker 1: for them picking up a black brand. I know, after 136 00:07:48,200 --> 00:07:51,440 Speaker 1: Black Lives Matter, brands started to become conscious. And I 137 00:07:51,520 --> 00:07:54,360 Speaker 1: honestly think that the only reason why George Floyd had 138 00:07:54,440 --> 00:07:56,520 Speaker 1: like such a positive impact was we were in a pandemic. 139 00:07:56,560 --> 00:07:59,680 Speaker 1: There were no sports too to fluff us over right, 140 00:08:00,200 --> 00:08:02,360 Speaker 1: people literally had to face music. Because this has been 141 00:08:02,400 --> 00:08:05,240 Speaker 1: going on for years. For years, black black people have 142 00:08:05,280 --> 00:08:09,239 Speaker 1: asked for equal opportunities in retail and have been producing. 143 00:08:09,320 --> 00:08:11,160 Speaker 1: It's not like these products don't exist. It's not like 144 00:08:11,160 --> 00:08:14,000 Speaker 1: black entrepreneurs don't exist. It's not like our dollars don't exist, 145 00:08:14,000 --> 00:08:17,760 Speaker 1: our buying power doesn't exist, and there's high quality black 146 00:08:17,800 --> 00:08:21,000 Speaker 1: products out there to use, hair care, there's even toothpaste. 147 00:08:21,000 --> 00:08:25,440 Speaker 1: That's absolutely It's definitely not from a lack of quality 148 00:08:25,600 --> 00:08:28,440 Speaker 1: or lack of availability. It's just being able to have 149 00:08:28,600 --> 00:08:32,000 Speaker 1: the opportunity and and find it. Yeah, and it's well, 150 00:08:32,440 --> 00:08:35,079 Speaker 1: I guess the problem area would be the lack of distribution. 151 00:08:35,720 --> 00:08:38,880 Speaker 1: And that's where uplift us marketplace. You know, I'll tell 152 00:08:38,920 --> 00:08:41,240 Speaker 1: you from experience. I was walking through the Fox Hills Mall. 153 00:08:41,840 --> 00:08:44,120 Speaker 1: You know, I'm used to seeing your typical brands, your 154 00:08:44,160 --> 00:08:48,240 Speaker 1: full lockers or champs, you know, whatever traditional stores we 155 00:08:48,280 --> 00:08:50,920 Speaker 1: all grew up with, and I came across your store 156 00:08:50,920 --> 00:08:53,040 Speaker 1: and it was like we support you know. I think 157 00:08:53,040 --> 00:08:56,760 Speaker 1: it was like over of your products in your store 158 00:08:56,800 --> 00:09:01,960 Speaker 1: are black owned, and I was a hundred percent black 159 00:09:02,000 --> 00:09:06,600 Speaker 1: owned and over eighty brands, and I stopped in my 160 00:09:06,640 --> 00:09:10,000 Speaker 1: tracks as, oh my gosh, you know, and I remember, 161 00:09:10,040 --> 00:09:13,000 Speaker 1: you know, when the Black Lives Matter movement, I did 162 00:09:13,000 --> 00:09:16,120 Speaker 1: have the urge to say I want to shop black, 163 00:09:16,480 --> 00:09:19,720 Speaker 1: but shopping black wasn't as easy and accessible. You know, 164 00:09:19,840 --> 00:09:21,720 Speaker 1: you have your one or two brands that got picked 165 00:09:21,800 --> 00:09:25,559 Speaker 1: up by major retailers since you know, George Floyd and 166 00:09:25,559 --> 00:09:29,080 Speaker 1: and honestly, for me, it's just really not authentic enough 167 00:09:29,120 --> 00:09:31,560 Speaker 1: for me. I feel like we almost had to like 168 00:09:31,960 --> 00:09:36,160 Speaker 1: literally die to get that distribution and to be to 169 00:09:36,320 --> 00:09:38,600 Speaker 1: walk into your store. Of course, I was like, Okay, 170 00:09:38,640 --> 00:09:41,120 Speaker 1: this is great that it has all these black products. 171 00:09:41,360 --> 00:09:43,400 Speaker 1: So IM merely walked over to your you know, I 172 00:09:43,480 --> 00:09:45,800 Speaker 1: checked out the products. The products were amazing, everything you 173 00:09:45,840 --> 00:09:51,040 Speaker 1: could imagine, from food to clothing too, bonnets to a 174 00:09:51,040 --> 00:09:52,839 Speaker 1: whole bunch of different items. By the way, me and 175 00:09:52,880 --> 00:09:58,800 Speaker 1: my daughter now have matching bonnets, and uh and uh. 176 00:09:58,920 --> 00:10:02,000 Speaker 1: What I thought was I wanted to ask the person 177 00:10:02,040 --> 00:10:05,160 Speaker 1: that worked there. I just had to know because of 178 00:10:05,280 --> 00:10:07,720 Speaker 1: what happened with Target. And I'm not trying to sing 179 00:10:07,760 --> 00:10:10,360 Speaker 1: out Target or any major retailer, but I felt like 180 00:10:10,480 --> 00:10:13,800 Speaker 1: their obligation to support us was more out of obligation. 181 00:10:14,600 --> 00:10:17,760 Speaker 1: And I had to know if uplift us marketplace was 182 00:10:17,800 --> 00:10:20,720 Speaker 1: black owned, because you do see that a lot. Yes, 183 00:10:20,960 --> 00:10:24,760 Speaker 1: you know, try and represent right exactly. Yeah, And that's 184 00:10:24,760 --> 00:10:27,679 Speaker 1: what we were finding also finding because in our mission, 185 00:10:27,760 --> 00:10:30,200 Speaker 1: once our consciousness was raised and we were trying to 186 00:10:30,200 --> 00:10:32,800 Speaker 1: seek out black products, some things weren't and we were like, 187 00:10:32,840 --> 00:10:34,800 Speaker 1: oh my gosh, I bought this thinking you know, that 188 00:10:35,200 --> 00:10:38,280 Speaker 1: party and it wasn't and then of course shooting fees 189 00:10:38,360 --> 00:10:41,120 Speaker 1: and everything, and that's where the idea came from, like, 190 00:10:41,160 --> 00:10:43,240 Speaker 1: you know what, we need a space that we can 191 00:10:43,240 --> 00:10:46,920 Speaker 1: go to r Yeah. And it's so funny because when 192 00:10:46,920 --> 00:10:51,120 Speaker 1: she had the idea, I immediately thought like, um, I 193 00:10:51,120 --> 00:10:53,480 Speaker 1: thought of the space. I was thinking, I wanted to 194 00:10:53,559 --> 00:10:56,760 Speaker 1: be beautiful, like I wanted to be just like that 195 00:10:56,880 --> 00:11:00,319 Speaker 1: farmhouse look, just something that people wouldn't expect. And it's 196 00:11:00,320 --> 00:11:02,360 Speaker 1: so funny because when we started telling people like, oh, 197 00:11:02,360 --> 00:11:05,160 Speaker 1: we're opening a store that sells, you know, all black 198 00:11:05,160 --> 00:11:07,600 Speaker 1: owned products, and everyone's reaction was, oh, you're opening the 199 00:11:07,600 --> 00:11:13,880 Speaker 1: swat meat, right, that's what they were picturing, right exactly, 200 00:11:14,000 --> 00:11:16,640 Speaker 1: And no, we wanted to raise the bar like you know, 201 00:11:16,800 --> 00:11:19,360 Speaker 1: it's going to be a space where it's absolutely beautiful 202 00:11:19,960 --> 00:11:24,040 Speaker 1: and when you walk in, your surprised and um, you're 203 00:11:24,080 --> 00:11:30,400 Speaker 1: proud experience. Yeah, exactly, the shop there, but kind of 204 00:11:30,440 --> 00:11:32,920 Speaker 1: going back to what you said, and you could definitely service. 205 00:11:33,000 --> 00:11:41,080 Speaker 1: While we're discussing this feel hungry. That's I agree with 206 00:11:41,120 --> 00:11:43,640 Speaker 1: you in the sense where people thought, okay, swap meat, 207 00:11:43,679 --> 00:11:46,480 Speaker 1: because I think maybe a part of the reason why 208 00:11:46,520 --> 00:11:48,600 Speaker 1: I even asked if it was black owned or what 209 00:11:48,720 --> 00:11:51,000 Speaker 1: have you could have been the fact that it was 210 00:11:51,080 --> 00:11:54,760 Speaker 1: such a nice store to walk into. It was like, okay, 211 00:11:55,000 --> 00:11:58,400 Speaker 1: is this really and that's I guess that's kind of bad, 212 00:11:59,400 --> 00:12:03,119 Speaker 1: but you know it's it's it's reality. It's reality exactly, 213 00:12:03,440 --> 00:12:06,480 Speaker 1: and we want to change that whole because also, and 214 00:12:07,120 --> 00:12:10,320 Speaker 1: this is just to be quite honest, sometimes um, even 215 00:12:10,360 --> 00:12:12,840 Speaker 1: talking to people about trying to shop black, I would 216 00:12:13,000 --> 00:12:15,559 Speaker 1: people say I tried to support a black business and 217 00:12:15,640 --> 00:12:18,520 Speaker 1: I got attitude. I didn't have good customer service. We 218 00:12:18,559 --> 00:12:22,240 Speaker 1: want to change that perception that it's not right. Black 219 00:12:22,360 --> 00:12:26,160 Speaker 1: entrepreneurs out here working hard, creating quality products and we'll 220 00:12:26,200 --> 00:12:27,920 Speaker 1: give you the service. So we figured, you know what, 221 00:12:28,040 --> 00:12:30,800 Speaker 1: we'll be that standard. We'll make a place where we 222 00:12:30,920 --> 00:12:33,760 Speaker 1: know we're gonna be. Yeah, it was. It's beautiful. It's 223 00:12:33,760 --> 00:12:37,560 Speaker 1: a beautiful experience. The customer service was above par. Now 224 00:12:37,600 --> 00:12:39,920 Speaker 1: as we get into this meeting, I have to have 225 00:12:40,080 --> 00:12:45,120 Speaker 1: to sample. You're eating more, all right, let's see here 226 00:12:45,160 --> 00:12:53,440 Speaker 1: we go. Mm hmmmmm. It's pretty tasty, right, very tasty. 227 00:12:54,320 --> 00:12:58,320 Speaker 1: Mm hmm. I'm gonna going for a second bite. And 228 00:12:58,360 --> 00:13:02,640 Speaker 1: this is an easy Is this your first time having 229 00:13:02,840 --> 00:13:04,880 Speaker 1: This is my very first time having to astroom. So 230 00:13:05,000 --> 00:13:09,560 Speaker 1: what about a twenty minute meal? Yeah, really quick. You 231 00:13:09,600 --> 00:13:11,240 Speaker 1: can't put it in the event if you want, but 232 00:13:11,800 --> 00:13:15,560 Speaker 1: still task. I got see why your daughters still asked 233 00:13:15,559 --> 00:13:19,959 Speaker 1: for It's affordable. We all you college students out there. 234 00:13:23,240 --> 00:13:26,800 Speaker 1: It's a good alternative to Ramen versus us tweaking Ramen 235 00:13:26,840 --> 00:13:32,360 Speaker 1: all the time. So when you were creating uplift marketplace, UM, 236 00:13:32,400 --> 00:13:35,720 Speaker 1: I'm pretty sure you guys had some hard milestones, Toad 237 00:13:36,240 --> 00:13:38,360 Speaker 1: or some challenges. Can you share with us what some 238 00:13:38,400 --> 00:13:43,520 Speaker 1: of those challenges were. UM? I think probably the startup 239 00:13:43,559 --> 00:13:47,640 Speaker 1: costs was probably the first challenge. Um. We ended up 240 00:13:47,640 --> 00:13:50,679 Speaker 1: funding everything ourselves. We got help, We got some help 241 00:13:50,720 --> 00:13:53,360 Speaker 1: from some family and friends. UM, but just trying to 242 00:13:54,520 --> 00:13:56,800 Speaker 1: I would think it the funds to start the business 243 00:13:57,160 --> 00:14:00,079 Speaker 1: would be on the business side of it hard this 244 00:14:00,240 --> 00:14:02,400 Speaker 1: thing because you know, we were a business coming out 245 00:14:02,400 --> 00:14:06,280 Speaker 1: of nowhere, so loans and everything. They're like, yeah, but 246 00:14:06,400 --> 00:14:12,079 Speaker 1: you're in business with yourselves, especially during people the pandemic, 247 00:14:12,240 --> 00:14:17,640 Speaker 1: Like you're opening a business during the pandemic, and when 248 00:14:17,679 --> 00:14:20,520 Speaker 1: you were hit with those hurdles, no part of you 249 00:14:20,680 --> 00:14:23,200 Speaker 1: was like, maybe we should wait till the world opens up. 250 00:14:24,080 --> 00:14:27,080 Speaker 1: You know what. We laugh at ourselves all the time. 251 00:14:27,120 --> 00:14:29,120 Speaker 1: We're just not geared that way. Once we have an 252 00:14:29,160 --> 00:14:33,120 Speaker 1: idea and we think it's good, we go and we 253 00:14:33,240 --> 00:14:38,200 Speaker 1: go hard. So you started ironically, I would have thought 254 00:14:38,280 --> 00:14:40,480 Speaker 1: that you would have started e commerce, but you wouldn't 255 00:14:40,480 --> 00:14:44,720 Speaker 1: directly into retail. Yes, during a pandemic, I have to 256 00:14:44,760 --> 00:14:48,360 Speaker 1: stress that journey. You're like, hey, guys, I know it's 257 00:14:48,360 --> 00:14:50,880 Speaker 1: gonna cost you a lot of money. We're gonna invest 258 00:14:50,960 --> 00:14:54,400 Speaker 1: our personal dollars, husband and you know, husbands and children. 259 00:14:54,400 --> 00:14:57,480 Speaker 1: We're gonna invest our personal into a retail store to 260 00:14:57,600 --> 00:15:00,440 Speaker 1: support black old businesses in the at all of a 261 00:15:00,480 --> 00:15:02,480 Speaker 1: pandemic when people are locked in their house, right, I 262 00:15:02,520 --> 00:15:04,240 Speaker 1: want to I just want to know the thought process. 263 00:15:04,240 --> 00:15:07,040 Speaker 1: We felt like everyone was hungry for the same thing because, 264 00:15:07,320 --> 00:15:10,040 Speaker 1: like you said before, sports was going on, and everyone's 265 00:15:10,040 --> 00:15:12,520 Speaker 1: attention was on what was happening in the United States 266 00:15:12,560 --> 00:15:15,240 Speaker 1: when it came to you know, the black lives and 267 00:15:15,320 --> 00:15:17,600 Speaker 1: just everything that was going on. So we felt like 268 00:15:17,680 --> 00:15:20,520 Speaker 1: this is the time it, you know, despite the pandemic 269 00:15:20,560 --> 00:15:24,440 Speaker 1: everything else, everyone's awareness is heightened right now and we 270 00:15:24,480 --> 00:15:28,560 Speaker 1: had to jump on that. Um also launching e commerce first. 271 00:15:28,560 --> 00:15:30,920 Speaker 1: It's like that was part of our hurdle at first. 272 00:15:30,960 --> 00:15:35,080 Speaker 1: It's finding everything online, not seeing the quality, feeling it, Yeah, exactly. 273 00:15:35,120 --> 00:15:36,680 Speaker 1: So we wanted them to see it and fill it. 274 00:15:36,760 --> 00:15:39,920 Speaker 1: And honestly, we were thinking a lot smaller when we 275 00:15:39,960 --> 00:15:42,080 Speaker 1: had the idea. We were thinking of maybe we'd have 276 00:15:42,200 --> 00:15:45,920 Speaker 1: fifteen companies in the store. How do you find these companies? Right? 277 00:15:46,000 --> 00:15:47,480 Speaker 1: So we start we kind of just put the word 278 00:15:47,480 --> 00:15:49,560 Speaker 1: out there. We were looking on Instagram. We reached out 279 00:15:49,600 --> 00:15:51,560 Speaker 1: to a few companies that looked like they had like 280 00:15:51,680 --> 00:15:55,600 Speaker 1: really good products, something unique, you know, right, We set 281 00:15:55,680 --> 00:15:58,800 Speaker 1: up meetings, met with them, and we're spread. Next thing, 282 00:15:58,840 --> 00:16:02,880 Speaker 1: you know, we had sixty We had hundreds of companies 283 00:16:02,880 --> 00:16:05,320 Speaker 1: contact us to get into the store. That shows how 284 00:16:05,360 --> 00:16:09,200 Speaker 1: big the demand was. Exactly hundreds you said, hundreds of 285 00:16:09,240 --> 00:16:14,880 Speaker 1: companies reach out to hundreds and still they d right now. Yeah, yeah, 286 00:16:15,600 --> 00:16:18,240 Speaker 1: so that's that is part of what sparked us. And 287 00:16:18,240 --> 00:16:21,240 Speaker 1: then seeing them come in and these people they didn't 288 00:16:21,240 --> 00:16:24,640 Speaker 1: know us from a cannidy and build the space, but 289 00:16:24,720 --> 00:16:26,800 Speaker 1: they believed in the idea too, and they were willing 290 00:16:26,840 --> 00:16:30,360 Speaker 1: to put their products there. When we were like this 291 00:16:30,400 --> 00:16:33,480 Speaker 1: is and it felt good, It felt right. You know, 292 00:16:33,560 --> 00:16:36,640 Speaker 1: once we start filling everyone's energy to our next thing. 293 00:16:36,680 --> 00:16:39,240 Speaker 1: You know, we had sixty brands that we narrowed it 294 00:16:39,280 --> 00:16:42,160 Speaker 1: down to to start with. And when I say our 295 00:16:42,280 --> 00:16:46,840 Speaker 1: grand opening, it was phenomenal. There were it was. It 296 00:16:46,920 --> 00:16:50,200 Speaker 1: opened at what twelve, It went from twelve to fives, 297 00:16:50,680 --> 00:16:52,240 Speaker 1: It was supposed to go from twelve to five. We 298 00:16:52,320 --> 00:16:56,040 Speaker 1: had a line wrapped around the corner and the entire 299 00:16:56,160 --> 00:17:01,040 Speaker 1: day it was overwhelming. So the demand was for surely 300 00:17:01,120 --> 00:17:03,760 Speaker 1: there was there. And it's crazy because you feel now 301 00:17:03,840 --> 00:17:07,880 Speaker 1: hearing this, you feel like, I, for lack of better word, 302 00:17:07,920 --> 00:17:10,879 Speaker 1: I feel like there's chains. There's still those barrier of 303 00:17:10,960 --> 00:17:14,800 Speaker 1: chains that's wrapped around black and brown folks. Because here 304 00:17:14,880 --> 00:17:17,880 Speaker 1: you open a store, over a hundred brands are reaching 305 00:17:17,920 --> 00:17:20,399 Speaker 1: out like please give me the distribution, and then you 306 00:17:20,440 --> 00:17:23,639 Speaker 1: have customers, please sell me the product. And then you 307 00:17:23,720 --> 00:17:25,680 Speaker 1: look at our buying power, which is what one point 308 00:17:25,720 --> 00:17:28,119 Speaker 1: seven billion you said, are on one point seven billion 309 00:17:28,119 --> 00:17:32,600 Speaker 1: dollar buying power, and yet only three of our products 310 00:17:32,600 --> 00:17:35,240 Speaker 1: are in the market available to us. And you guys 311 00:17:35,240 --> 00:17:38,200 Speaker 1: had to literally look on the rocks and softly you 312 00:17:38,600 --> 00:17:41,160 Speaker 1: spread the word, but the word spread all on its own. 313 00:17:41,840 --> 00:17:43,800 Speaker 1: The great thing about is because we have all of 314 00:17:43,800 --> 00:17:46,840 Speaker 1: these businesses within our business, they're all spreading the word 315 00:17:46,880 --> 00:17:52,159 Speaker 1: about so it's a great collaboration and we see it 316 00:17:52,320 --> 00:17:58,359 Speaker 1: going very far. Because I had so much pride and 317 00:17:58,480 --> 00:18:00,919 Speaker 1: like love and I can't even described the motion when 318 00:18:00,960 --> 00:18:03,639 Speaker 1: I saw your store, I said, oh, you know, I 319 00:18:03,680 --> 00:18:06,800 Speaker 1: was with my daughter. I feel like I had been 320 00:18:06,880 --> 00:18:09,480 Speaker 1: locked out of a room with the steak and the 321 00:18:09,680 --> 00:18:13,040 Speaker 1: inside and I had been starving and here it's like yo, 322 00:18:14,080 --> 00:18:17,560 Speaker 1: just a glass wall between us and the door opened, 323 00:18:17,840 --> 00:18:20,359 Speaker 1: and it was it was a sense of pride, you know, 324 00:18:20,720 --> 00:18:23,520 Speaker 1: And that's what we want to give. Want the businesses 325 00:18:23,600 --> 00:18:25,639 Speaker 1: to be proud to have their stuff there, and we 326 00:18:25,680 --> 00:18:28,359 Speaker 1: want every customer to feel proud when they come in. 327 00:18:29,040 --> 00:18:32,560 Speaker 1: And you know, we have all nationalities coming in shopping 328 00:18:32,600 --> 00:18:36,080 Speaker 1: and all of them are feeling that same pride and 329 00:18:36,359 --> 00:18:40,960 Speaker 1: export you're excited. I don't. I don't think I even 330 00:18:41,000 --> 00:18:42,960 Speaker 1: looked at the price that I said, is it You 331 00:18:43,040 --> 00:18:45,680 Speaker 1: just feel like this is a mission based price? Yeah, 332 00:18:45,760 --> 00:18:48,199 Speaker 1: you know, Yeah, you're shopping with purpose, you know. And 333 00:18:48,280 --> 00:18:50,480 Speaker 1: because the products are, like I said, they're high quality 334 00:18:50,520 --> 00:18:53,840 Speaker 1: practice therefore everyone they're made by black people, but they're 335 00:18:53,920 --> 00:18:57,920 Speaker 1: for every everyone. Yeah, and and really our price points 336 00:18:57,960 --> 00:19:01,120 Speaker 1: are really good. I would say, no, one's really jacking 337 00:19:01,119 --> 00:19:03,920 Speaker 1: their prices up or we're not their good prices. And 338 00:19:04,880 --> 00:19:07,879 Speaker 1: they're all small businesses on top of black owned businesses, 339 00:19:07,920 --> 00:19:10,760 Speaker 1: so it is a purpose every sell. I mean, we're 340 00:19:10,840 --> 00:19:17,200 Speaker 1: excited every sell is making a difference. So what would 341 00:19:17,200 --> 00:19:21,040 Speaker 1: you say? And I hate the point like focus on 342 00:19:21,080 --> 00:19:23,280 Speaker 1: pain points, but I know as an entrepreneur, it's like, 343 00:19:23,359 --> 00:19:25,600 Speaker 1: we walk up, we see this beautiful store location, we 344 00:19:25,640 --> 00:19:28,800 Speaker 1: see sisters that actually get along, which shout out to 345 00:19:28,840 --> 00:19:31,760 Speaker 1: my sister because you know, she barely enswers my phone 346 00:19:31,760 --> 00:19:36,120 Speaker 1: calls right now. But we have sisters, you know, and 347 00:19:36,200 --> 00:19:38,600 Speaker 1: everything looks great from the outside. But I kind of 348 00:19:38,640 --> 00:19:42,840 Speaker 1: want to unpackaged some kind of the weeds to how 349 00:19:42,840 --> 00:19:46,840 Speaker 1: you boom to flowers sort of say, um, as far 350 00:19:46,880 --> 00:19:49,720 Speaker 1: as our journey open, Yeah, well, I will say again, 351 00:19:49,800 --> 00:19:54,760 Speaker 1: because we're working mothers. That is hard trying to find 352 00:19:54,840 --> 00:19:57,520 Speaker 1: that balance to put in enough time to make the 353 00:19:57,560 --> 00:20:01,880 Speaker 1: business successful and enough time doing all the mother things, 354 00:20:01,960 --> 00:20:04,440 Speaker 1: white things, everything that you need to do. It's it's 355 00:20:04,480 --> 00:20:07,320 Speaker 1: a constant struggle. It is. I don't know when that 356 00:20:07,400 --> 00:20:09,960 Speaker 1: will go away. But we're in the middle of that field, 357 00:20:10,080 --> 00:20:11,960 Speaker 1: right man. I have a question as a mom, I 358 00:20:12,000 --> 00:20:16,440 Speaker 1: have two questions. Okay, do you where do you? I 359 00:20:16,480 --> 00:20:18,520 Speaker 1: would say, lose your balance? Like I know, for me, 360 00:20:18,640 --> 00:20:20,760 Speaker 1: like cooking has like I don't even remember the last 361 00:20:20,760 --> 00:20:23,399 Speaker 1: time I cooked. My husband has became the chef, like 362 00:20:23,440 --> 00:20:26,520 Speaker 1: he's cooking. He's cooking things that I'm like, oh, the 363 00:20:26,600 --> 00:20:30,320 Speaker 1: housemas like you became a chef, you know. So it 364 00:20:30,400 --> 00:20:33,000 Speaker 1: is that, like I'm sure something has to give right 365 00:20:33,000 --> 00:20:36,680 Speaker 1: where the sacrifice does. That's definitely been one of the 366 00:20:36,720 --> 00:20:39,959 Speaker 1: sacrifices for me. Think goods. My husband enjoys cooking and cooks, 367 00:20:39,960 --> 00:20:42,800 Speaker 1: but I mean I'm so exhausted by time. I mean, 368 00:20:42,840 --> 00:20:44,480 Speaker 1: if he asked, what's for dinner? I try to play 369 00:20:44,520 --> 00:20:52,240 Speaker 1: it like you're like, I'm great at ordering. But yes, 370 00:20:52,359 --> 00:20:56,439 Speaker 1: that's definitely one of the things that that I just 371 00:20:56,480 --> 00:20:59,760 Speaker 1: don't do like I used to. And my day is 372 00:20:59,800 --> 00:21:02,080 Speaker 1: just alone. I'm going to be it later because that's 373 00:21:02,119 --> 00:21:03,880 Speaker 1: my time when the kids are sleep to say, okay, 374 00:21:03,960 --> 00:21:05,359 Speaker 1: let me work on this, let me work on that. 375 00:21:05,680 --> 00:21:08,800 Speaker 1: And I would say for me, thankfully, during the pandemic, 376 00:21:08,800 --> 00:21:11,080 Speaker 1: while we were home, I taught my boys who are 377 00:21:11,119 --> 00:21:14,840 Speaker 1: fourteen and eighteen, how to cook. So we kind of 378 00:21:14,920 --> 00:21:17,920 Speaker 1: that that has been They have been so helpful with 379 00:21:17,960 --> 00:21:20,280 Speaker 1: this because like, if I come home exhausted, I say, 380 00:21:20,359 --> 00:21:22,320 Speaker 1: you know, I'll buy something for one of them to cook, 381 00:21:22,400 --> 00:21:25,360 Speaker 1: which is great, But I would say the biggest struggle 382 00:21:25,400 --> 00:21:28,679 Speaker 1: struggle comes in where when I'm exhausted and my fourteen 383 00:21:28,760 --> 00:21:30,840 Speaker 1: year old and he's help with his homework and I 384 00:21:30,840 --> 00:21:33,679 Speaker 1: am tired, you know, and before I would have the 385 00:21:33,800 --> 00:21:36,720 Speaker 1: energy for that, but you know, they're understanding. I just 386 00:21:36,760 --> 00:21:40,120 Speaker 1: feel bad that sometimes I just don't have the energy. 387 00:21:41,480 --> 00:21:43,800 Speaker 1: It's like, if you're giving all your energy at one 388 00:21:43,840 --> 00:21:45,479 Speaker 1: point to the business, then you feel bad at home. 389 00:21:45,560 --> 00:21:47,920 Speaker 1: If if you shift that, now you're giving most of 390 00:21:47,960 --> 00:21:50,120 Speaker 1: your energy at home, you're like, oh, the business will 391 00:21:50,119 --> 00:21:52,320 Speaker 1: be doing better if I did. So it's really just 392 00:21:52,359 --> 00:21:55,960 Speaker 1: trying to find that balance being easy on ourselves and 393 00:21:56,080 --> 00:21:58,840 Speaker 1: for me. All my kids are you know, pretty much 394 00:21:58,880 --> 00:22:01,680 Speaker 1: old enough to understand, so communicating with them, Let's say, 395 00:22:01,760 --> 00:22:03,359 Speaker 1: you know, I'm here if you need me, if something 396 00:22:03,440 --> 00:22:10,919 Speaker 1: is important that this is also something working. Has the 397 00:22:10,960 --> 00:22:14,320 Speaker 1: business hit the all the milestones you imagine, didn't exceed 398 00:22:14,359 --> 00:22:18,760 Speaker 1: it or didn't miss a couple we're still working at Yeah, 399 00:22:18,840 --> 00:22:21,000 Speaker 1: like we're really trying to build our online business. We 400 00:22:21,080 --> 00:22:23,960 Speaker 1: just launched that February first, So that's been a lot 401 00:22:23,960 --> 00:22:26,880 Speaker 1: of work because that's what does marketplace dot com exactly 402 00:22:28,640 --> 00:22:33,720 Speaker 1: dot com amazing products, online, fast shipping. Um, So trying 403 00:22:33,720 --> 00:22:36,120 Speaker 1: to grow that part of it has been a challenge. 404 00:22:36,840 --> 00:22:39,439 Speaker 1: Um the marketing, you know, things like that. So we 405 00:22:39,480 --> 00:22:42,960 Speaker 1: haven't hit because we don't have the funds to hire 406 00:22:43,000 --> 00:22:45,680 Speaker 1: someone to do our marketing and hire build our website 407 00:22:45,720 --> 00:22:47,480 Speaker 1: to I mean, have you reached out to some of 408 00:22:47,480 --> 00:22:51,040 Speaker 1: our influencer friends out there are black and brown not 409 00:22:52,280 --> 00:22:58,320 Speaker 1: we need to some of them? Please do yes them 410 00:22:58,600 --> 00:23:00,719 Speaker 1: because that does help we do need. Course, you look 411 00:23:00,720 --> 00:23:05,320 Speaker 1: at fashion Nova and they Fashionova actually where we tape 412 00:23:05,560 --> 00:23:08,639 Speaker 1: for all you listeners in the Panorama City Mall. Fashion Nova, 413 00:23:08,960 --> 00:23:10,679 Speaker 1: the young man that owns it, who just bought like 414 00:23:10,720 --> 00:23:14,639 Speaker 1: the most expensive home in l A. His founding store 415 00:23:14,720 --> 00:23:18,080 Speaker 1: is actually here in Panama City mall. And so ownership 416 00:23:18,240 --> 00:23:20,679 Speaker 1: of the mall always jokes with me about when Fashionova, 417 00:23:20,680 --> 00:23:22,960 Speaker 1: when he couldn't even pay his bills and when he 418 00:23:23,000 --> 00:23:25,760 Speaker 1: had to lie about his sales, and they used he 419 00:23:25,760 --> 00:23:27,359 Speaker 1: would always tell them like one day I'm to be 420 00:23:27,400 --> 00:23:29,800 Speaker 1: big and they would all laugh because he was always struggling, 421 00:23:30,280 --> 00:23:33,240 Speaker 1: and he struggled for over ten years before he's now 422 00:23:33,440 --> 00:23:37,400 Speaker 1: obviously a kazillionaire. Um, but a lot of people don't 423 00:23:37,400 --> 00:23:40,000 Speaker 1: realize that struggle behind Fashion Nova. But it was the 424 00:23:40,040 --> 00:23:43,200 Speaker 1: digital platform and it was social media, social media air 425 00:23:43,200 --> 00:23:45,920 Speaker 1: forces that stepped up and really helped his brands all. 426 00:23:45,960 --> 00:23:49,960 Speaker 1: Definitely the struggle we're still in. I mean, it's doing 427 00:23:49,960 --> 00:23:52,760 Speaker 1: great obviously, and it's growing. Everyday. New people were finding 428 00:23:52,760 --> 00:23:57,040 Speaker 1: out about us, but we're definitely not yeah, exactly. Yeah, 429 00:23:57,080 --> 00:24:00,040 Speaker 1: it's the awareness that's kind of where well, that's what 430 00:24:00,119 --> 00:24:03,320 Speaker 1: we're doing this show, right, Absolutely, yes, thank you so 431 00:24:03,480 --> 00:24:08,200 Speaker 1: much so. Kim Kardashian recently issue to Stay bron I 432 00:24:08,240 --> 00:24:10,359 Speaker 1: don't know if you guys have seen it online where 433 00:24:10,359 --> 00:24:12,440 Speaker 1: she was like women, my advice as you go out 434 00:24:12,440 --> 00:24:16,520 Speaker 1: there and work. I was torn because I get what 435 00:24:16,640 --> 00:24:19,000 Speaker 1: she was saying, but I hate to say it, but 436 00:24:19,080 --> 00:24:22,080 Speaker 1: the messenger was kind of it was a little hard. 437 00:24:22,240 --> 00:24:24,359 Speaker 1: And then you know, I think Trevor Noah had issued 438 00:24:24,359 --> 00:24:27,280 Speaker 1: a statement saying, you know, not everyone, you know, some 439 00:24:27,440 --> 00:24:29,720 Speaker 1: of success is a little bit of luck. You know, 440 00:24:29,800 --> 00:24:32,320 Speaker 1: when I look at businesses, I look at you know, 441 00:24:32,359 --> 00:24:35,640 Speaker 1: all these elements that could contribute to it, the tipping 442 00:24:35,640 --> 00:24:39,240 Speaker 1: point you say, in your Guys case, you know, there 443 00:24:39,320 --> 00:24:42,680 Speaker 1: was a definite need that George Floyd's situation happened. The 444 00:24:42,760 --> 00:24:44,560 Speaker 1: kneed came up, the kneed kept coming up. The need 445 00:24:44,600 --> 00:24:47,400 Speaker 1: has been coming up for a while. But luckily because 446 00:24:47,400 --> 00:24:51,600 Speaker 1: of a pandemic. You know, again, a whole marriage of forces, 447 00:24:51,920 --> 00:24:54,080 Speaker 1: you know, allowed it to be successful. But then you 448 00:24:54,080 --> 00:24:56,600 Speaker 1: have people like say Kim Kardashian, that's like, women go 449 00:24:56,640 --> 00:24:58,680 Speaker 1: out there and work. What is your what was your 450 00:24:58,680 --> 00:25:02,959 Speaker 1: stance when you saw that? Yeah, I felt like, like 451 00:25:03,040 --> 00:25:06,320 Speaker 1: you said, the messenger, you know, you know, maybe she 452 00:25:06,400 --> 00:25:09,160 Speaker 1: had good intentions when she was saying that, but I mean, 453 00:25:09,200 --> 00:25:11,160 Speaker 1: not everyone is in the position to do that. There's 454 00:25:11,200 --> 00:25:14,399 Speaker 1: so many women that are working hard. They're working so hard, 455 00:25:14,440 --> 00:25:16,919 Speaker 1: and they just you know, they're not making nearly as 456 00:25:17,000 --> 00:25:19,879 Speaker 1: much money as someone else that's not working as hard, 457 00:25:20,160 --> 00:25:22,160 Speaker 1: you know, and that I mean I was in that 458 00:25:22,480 --> 00:25:24,840 Speaker 1: those shoes for a long time, working hard. I mean, 459 00:25:24,920 --> 00:25:30,240 Speaker 1: I am hard working, and you're doubling of my soul. 460 00:25:30,720 --> 00:25:33,560 Speaker 1: And it's just like if you don't have you know, 461 00:25:33,680 --> 00:25:38,679 Speaker 1: some of those those things handed to you. Yeah, I 462 00:25:38,720 --> 00:25:41,040 Speaker 1: felt I felt like for her it was just like 463 00:25:41,080 --> 00:25:44,399 Speaker 1: you were born into wealth, you know, your your playmates 464 00:25:44,400 --> 00:25:48,760 Speaker 1: were like Paris Hilton, you know, and added to that 465 00:25:48,880 --> 00:25:51,720 Speaker 1: like no disrespect to her, but you know she did 466 00:25:51,800 --> 00:25:56,119 Speaker 1: have this the video that came out that also helped 467 00:25:56,119 --> 00:25:59,960 Speaker 1: her correct and granted. I will never take anything awa 468 00:26:00,080 --> 00:26:03,920 Speaker 1: from the Kardashians and the generals. They worked hard hard. 469 00:26:03,960 --> 00:26:06,720 Speaker 1: But to say the message to other women is to 470 00:26:06,800 --> 00:26:10,040 Speaker 1: work hard is like we didn't have Senu waiting that 471 00:26:10,119 --> 00:26:12,680 Speaker 1: we're not working hard already and we are what I mean, 472 00:26:13,280 --> 00:26:15,600 Speaker 1: imagine how many stories we would have if we could say, 473 00:26:15,600 --> 00:26:19,120 Speaker 1: oh dad, can I have a million dollars? Or are resources? 474 00:26:19,200 --> 00:26:22,960 Speaker 1: We had all these celebrity friends that can't help. Not 475 00:26:23,080 --> 00:26:25,879 Speaker 1: everyone has the same resources no matter how hard they work. 476 00:26:26,040 --> 00:26:29,159 Speaker 1: I mean, what advice do you give to women like 477 00:26:29,200 --> 00:26:31,680 Speaker 1: yourselves that came from eating while broke days, that are 478 00:26:31,800 --> 00:26:35,359 Speaker 1: moms that are juggling mom, wife and food, you know, 479 00:26:35,440 --> 00:26:38,280 Speaker 1: putting food on the table and aspiring for their dreams? Like, 480 00:26:38,400 --> 00:26:42,800 Speaker 1: what advice do you give a woman? My advice would 481 00:26:42,800 --> 00:26:49,119 Speaker 1: be um to be easy on yourself because there's work hard, 482 00:26:49,359 --> 00:26:52,800 Speaker 1: have your dreams, but there's gonna be times when you 483 00:26:52,840 --> 00:26:54,840 Speaker 1: feel there's gonna be times when you're too tired. There's 484 00:26:54,840 --> 00:26:57,639 Speaker 1: gonna be certain times and a lot of times as women, 485 00:26:57,680 --> 00:27:00,240 Speaker 1: I think we hold ourselves to such a standard week. 486 00:27:00,600 --> 00:27:02,960 Speaker 1: We're really hard on ourselves that it can get us down. 487 00:27:02,960 --> 00:27:04,800 Speaker 1: I would say, be easy on yourself and go through 488 00:27:04,800 --> 00:27:07,960 Speaker 1: the journey because that's where you learn so much, and 489 00:27:08,000 --> 00:27:09,720 Speaker 1: that's where you grow so much, and there's so many 490 00:27:09,800 --> 00:27:12,960 Speaker 1: gyms in that. It's just enjoy the journey and be 491 00:27:13,000 --> 00:27:15,560 Speaker 1: easy on yourself for all the way right. And self care, 492 00:27:15,880 --> 00:27:18,040 Speaker 1: you know, self care is so important. You know sometimes 493 00:27:18,040 --> 00:27:20,399 Speaker 1: we grind and grind, but it's like we're not taking 494 00:27:20,400 --> 00:27:23,040 Speaker 1: care of our mental and you know, taking time for ourselves, 495 00:27:23,080 --> 00:27:25,280 Speaker 1: you burn out and then you know, when you say 496 00:27:25,280 --> 00:27:27,679 Speaker 1: self care, it kind of reminds me of like self 497 00:27:27,720 --> 00:27:31,240 Speaker 1: love and I when I describe self love to feed 498 00:27:31,480 --> 00:27:35,480 Speaker 1: other people. It took me almost thirty years, thirty three, 499 00:27:35,600 --> 00:27:37,879 Speaker 1: thirty five years to figure out what self love was. 500 00:27:38,119 --> 00:27:40,000 Speaker 1: I used to think it was just buying yourself some movies, 501 00:27:40,240 --> 00:27:42,240 Speaker 1: going to going on a date with yourself. Oh that's 502 00:27:42,240 --> 00:27:45,040 Speaker 1: self love. But really self love isn't really that. So 503 00:27:45,480 --> 00:27:48,399 Speaker 1: I'm curious when you say self care, what does self 504 00:27:48,440 --> 00:27:51,040 Speaker 1: care really look like I would say, well, first of all, 505 00:27:51,040 --> 00:27:53,480 Speaker 1: you have to have self love to not feel guilty 506 00:27:53,520 --> 00:27:56,400 Speaker 1: about self care. You know, like to where you know 507 00:27:56,840 --> 00:27:59,480 Speaker 1: if you need to say no, say no. If you know, 508 00:27:59,520 --> 00:28:02,520 Speaker 1: if you don't have the capacity when you know to 509 00:28:02,600 --> 00:28:05,000 Speaker 1: do something it's too much for you, it's okay to 510 00:28:05,040 --> 00:28:07,359 Speaker 1: say now and to take a break. And that's what 511 00:28:07,440 --> 00:28:10,000 Speaker 1: I mean. M'd be easier. I just can't do everything 512 00:28:10,040 --> 00:28:14,159 Speaker 1: and everything. And funny story is who taught me to 513 00:28:14,240 --> 00:28:17,359 Speaker 1: look at myself is my daughter. When she was about 514 00:28:18,160 --> 00:28:19,840 Speaker 1: I want to say, maybe eight years old. We were 515 00:28:19,880 --> 00:28:22,320 Speaker 1: driving in the car and I mean, I'm from the 516 00:28:22,359 --> 00:28:24,440 Speaker 1: time I had my oldest daughter. I was mom mode, 517 00:28:24,480 --> 00:28:28,320 Speaker 1: mom mode and my entire day consisted of that. And 518 00:28:28,359 --> 00:28:29,639 Speaker 1: we were driving one in I'm like, what do you 519 00:28:29,640 --> 00:28:31,480 Speaker 1: guys want to do today? And she says what do 520 00:28:31,520 --> 00:28:35,160 Speaker 1: you like to do? And I mean I literally sat 521 00:28:35,200 --> 00:28:42,480 Speaker 1: there driving silent, like I don't know, I hat write 522 00:28:42,520 --> 00:28:46,440 Speaker 1: about me and so long. And that was really a 523 00:28:46,520 --> 00:28:48,280 Speaker 1: changing point in my life where I started to think 524 00:28:48,320 --> 00:28:50,920 Speaker 1: about what I like to do and what makes me happy. 525 00:28:51,200 --> 00:28:53,640 Speaker 1: Other obviously being a mom made me happy, but their 526 00:28:53,680 --> 00:28:59,000 Speaker 1: stuff outside of that too. So yeah, now I as 527 00:28:59,040 --> 00:29:03,360 Speaker 1: a mom. Sometimes I'll have an opportunity, financial opportunity, and 528 00:29:03,400 --> 00:29:05,120 Speaker 1: I was say, man, I can't turn down that dollar. 529 00:29:05,160 --> 00:29:07,720 Speaker 1: I don't know when another dollar's comment, especially as entrepreneur, 530 00:29:08,000 --> 00:29:09,520 Speaker 1: I don't know if I can afford to turn it down. 531 00:29:09,720 --> 00:29:12,160 Speaker 1: But then I'm like, maybe putting too much on my plate? 532 00:29:12,640 --> 00:29:16,200 Speaker 1: When do you know to turn down the checks? Well, 533 00:29:15,840 --> 00:29:18,840 Speaker 1: I say, following your spirit, you know, And sometimes that 534 00:29:18,880 --> 00:29:21,240 Speaker 1: takes a lot of work to know how to listen 535 00:29:21,280 --> 00:29:23,440 Speaker 1: to that, How to follow your spirit when something doesn't 536 00:29:23,440 --> 00:29:26,120 Speaker 1: feel right, When something's nagging at you, no matter how 537 00:29:26,200 --> 00:29:29,360 Speaker 1: good it looks, but something your spirit just doesn't feel right, 538 00:29:29,400 --> 00:29:31,120 Speaker 1: you have to listen to it. Otherwise you'll find out 539 00:29:31,160 --> 00:29:34,080 Speaker 1: later that you should have no matter how. And I 540 00:29:34,240 --> 00:29:38,200 Speaker 1: also say to that, like when the opportunities for you, 541 00:29:38,720 --> 00:29:40,880 Speaker 1: it's for you, and it's going to be there if 542 00:29:40,880 --> 00:29:42,720 Speaker 1: you have to. You know, I can't do it today, 543 00:29:42,800 --> 00:29:44,600 Speaker 1: I have do it next week, or I can't do 544 00:29:44,680 --> 00:29:47,400 Speaker 1: it at all. When something's yours and it's your path, 545 00:29:47,440 --> 00:29:49,520 Speaker 1: it's going to be there. Yeah, it's smooth and it 546 00:29:49,560 --> 00:29:53,040 Speaker 1: feels right. Yeah, okay, okay, yeah, I like that. I 547 00:29:53,080 --> 00:29:58,280 Speaker 1: like that. I like that. So what are some of 548 00:29:58,280 --> 00:30:01,920 Speaker 1: the milestones you'd like to see happen for Uplift Marketplace. Oh, 549 00:30:02,680 --> 00:30:07,480 Speaker 1: we'd like to see UM awareness across the United States, 550 00:30:07,480 --> 00:30:09,680 Speaker 1: for one, you know. That's why another reason why we 551 00:30:09,800 --> 00:30:13,080 Speaker 1: launched our online store, because we want our products available 552 00:30:13,080 --> 00:30:15,840 Speaker 1: to everyone, you know, someone in New York or you know, 553 00:30:15,920 --> 00:30:19,440 Speaker 1: Atlanta or Houston wherever, to be able to purchase our 554 00:30:19,440 --> 00:30:21,960 Speaker 1: products and to be I guess kind of a household name, 555 00:30:22,480 --> 00:30:24,840 Speaker 1: like I know I've left us marketplace, you know. And 556 00:30:24,920 --> 00:30:28,960 Speaker 1: of course we would eventually UM like to open stores 557 00:30:29,000 --> 00:30:31,960 Speaker 1: and other locations because each store that we open, we 558 00:30:32,000 --> 00:30:35,200 Speaker 1: can provide that many more small businesses and black owned 559 00:30:35,200 --> 00:30:39,760 Speaker 1: businesses opportunity, you know, So to do that all across 560 00:30:39,840 --> 00:30:43,440 Speaker 1: the United States whenever possible. I like that. Now, as 561 00:30:43,440 --> 00:30:48,040 Speaker 1: you guys grow, have you have you been reached out 562 00:30:48,080 --> 00:30:50,800 Speaker 1: to by other entrepreneurs of other ethnicity saying please, I 563 00:30:50,840 --> 00:30:52,320 Speaker 1: would love to still be in your store. I have 564 00:30:52,360 --> 00:30:55,200 Speaker 1: a product that maybe caters to black, but I'm not 565 00:30:55,280 --> 00:30:58,800 Speaker 1: black owned. No, not really. I think most people get it. 566 00:30:59,120 --> 00:31:02,200 Speaker 1: They get the mission and it's it's not a knock too. 567 00:31:02,720 --> 00:31:05,680 Speaker 1: It's just in and I don't want to speak for 568 00:31:05,720 --> 00:31:09,040 Speaker 1: you guys, but the mission is to provide opportunity and 569 00:31:09,120 --> 00:31:14,400 Speaker 1: access correct and distribution. Um, it's not to omit or 570 00:31:14,520 --> 00:31:19,040 Speaker 1: to what it was the correct We're not repressed, right, 571 00:31:19,160 --> 00:31:25,440 Speaker 1: It's just I just want to necessarily other you know, 572 00:31:25,760 --> 00:31:31,760 Speaker 1: even though black topic, we just want to highlight them. 573 00:31:31,840 --> 00:31:34,160 Speaker 1: You know, it's not that and like we said, their 574 00:31:34,160 --> 00:31:36,320 Speaker 1: products for everyone. So there may be people that come 575 00:31:36,360 --> 00:31:39,600 Speaker 1: to our store that um that may not like the idea. 576 00:31:39,640 --> 00:31:41,920 Speaker 1: They come and they leave really quickly. Other nationals really 577 00:31:42,560 --> 00:31:46,920 Speaker 1: but yeah, or even some will come in question by 578 00:31:46,920 --> 00:31:49,479 Speaker 1: the time and they have a conversation with us and 579 00:31:49,640 --> 00:31:52,200 Speaker 1: ask us like, oh, you know, what's going on here, 580 00:31:52,520 --> 00:31:55,400 Speaker 1: And once we explain what we're doing, they love it. 581 00:31:55,680 --> 00:31:58,040 Speaker 1: They appreciate it. You know, most of them, they get it. 582 00:31:58,200 --> 00:32:02,440 Speaker 1: Have you had any negative feedback online? We've gotten a 583 00:32:02,480 --> 00:32:05,920 Speaker 1: couple of comments before that you know, we're again we're 584 00:32:05,920 --> 00:32:09,400 Speaker 1: excluding people and it's it's they're more about diversity and 585 00:32:09,440 --> 00:32:11,720 Speaker 1: that type of thing. And you know, that's okay. There's 586 00:32:11,720 --> 00:32:13,600 Speaker 1: always going to be those people because some people just 587 00:32:13,640 --> 00:32:16,120 Speaker 1: don't get it. They're coming from a place of opportunity, 588 00:32:16,480 --> 00:32:20,280 Speaker 1: so they don't understand us trying to create that opportunity 589 00:32:20,360 --> 00:32:22,800 Speaker 1: for ourselves. Do you point them back to the name 590 00:32:22,840 --> 00:32:28,440 Speaker 1: of the store, Yes, have you know, gone back and forth, 591 00:32:28,520 --> 00:32:31,720 Speaker 1: but you know, some people just want to get Yeah, 592 00:32:31,800 --> 00:32:34,960 Speaker 1: when you guys were coming up with the name, I'm 593 00:32:35,000 --> 00:32:37,080 Speaker 1: sure a bunch of names came around. How did you 594 00:32:37,120 --> 00:32:41,000 Speaker 1: guys land on uplift us? I think the word came 595 00:32:41,040 --> 00:32:44,280 Speaker 1: to me first word of lift, and and then we 596 00:32:44,280 --> 00:32:46,880 Speaker 1: played with the marketplace. I think when we set up 597 00:32:46,920 --> 00:32:48,680 Speaker 1: lift where like, that's it? Like, because that's what we're 598 00:32:48,680 --> 00:32:52,040 Speaker 1: doing and I don't even know. Yeah, we were just 599 00:32:52,080 --> 00:32:54,240 Speaker 1: bouncing things off. I was like, oh, I like that, 600 00:32:54,520 --> 00:32:55,960 Speaker 1: and then we have to kind of find a symbol 601 00:32:56,000 --> 00:33:00,160 Speaker 1: that went along with it, um and the hands just uplifting. 602 00:33:00,400 --> 00:33:02,480 Speaker 1: It just it just hit We just knew that was it. 603 00:33:02,480 --> 00:33:05,600 Speaker 1: This feels right, okay. And then when you guys got 604 00:33:05,640 --> 00:33:08,440 Speaker 1: into retail. For anyone that doesn't know brick and mortar, 605 00:33:09,520 --> 00:33:11,600 Speaker 1: what does that process look like? Do you have to 606 00:33:11,640 --> 00:33:14,000 Speaker 1: prove a lot of stuff to be able to say, 607 00:33:14,120 --> 00:33:16,080 Speaker 1: let me sign that least or do you have a 608 00:33:16,080 --> 00:33:21,000 Speaker 1: lot of g yes to where? Yeah? Halfway through I 609 00:33:21,040 --> 00:33:23,440 Speaker 1: called her, I said, what have we gotten ourselves into? Yeah? 610 00:33:23,480 --> 00:33:26,640 Speaker 1: We're like can we do this? I mean things that 611 00:33:26,680 --> 00:33:31,040 Speaker 1: we had never done before. Between plans and the stuff 612 00:33:31,080 --> 00:33:33,640 Speaker 1: you had to submit, it was the permit, the design 613 00:33:33,920 --> 00:33:39,440 Speaker 1: to have permits to buy retail space. Well in the 614 00:33:39,440 --> 00:33:42,760 Speaker 1: there's a lot of requirements that you have hit and insurances. Right, 615 00:33:43,120 --> 00:33:47,000 Speaker 1: all that was insurance crazy. I'm not gonna li when 616 00:33:47,040 --> 00:33:49,800 Speaker 1: people insts. I'm like, oh, who can fraud? Let me 617 00:33:49,840 --> 00:33:53,520 Speaker 1: create this paper money right if we're done in the 618 00:33:53,560 --> 00:33:57,320 Speaker 1: store and contractors and all that, because like my husband 619 00:33:57,400 --> 00:33:59,280 Speaker 1: is a very handy, he does all that kind of stuff. 620 00:33:59,320 --> 00:34:01,440 Speaker 1: So we're thinking, oh, we'll get the space and my 621 00:34:01,520 --> 00:34:04,040 Speaker 1: husband will go and do everything. And they're like, oh, no, 622 00:34:04,160 --> 00:34:07,320 Speaker 1: you need a contractor with all this millions of dollars 623 00:34:07,360 --> 00:34:10,000 Speaker 1: of insurance and stuff, and that of course changes the 624 00:34:10,000 --> 00:34:13,239 Speaker 1: budget drastically, and then just everything to go. Yeah, it 625 00:34:13,320 --> 00:34:15,640 Speaker 1: was over. We were looking at each other like st 626 00:34:15,920 --> 00:34:18,000 Speaker 1: and no. Part of me was like run for the hills, 627 00:34:18,080 --> 00:34:19,960 Speaker 1: Run for the hills, or did you already have the 628 00:34:20,040 --> 00:34:23,319 Speaker 1: money invested? And was like okay, point and we just 629 00:34:23,400 --> 00:34:26,239 Speaker 1: kept saying no, yeah because you know what I told 630 00:34:26,280 --> 00:34:29,680 Speaker 1: myself because as a whole, it just felt overwhelming. And 631 00:34:29,719 --> 00:34:31,960 Speaker 1: then I told myself, look, there's so many other stories 632 00:34:31,960 --> 00:34:33,839 Speaker 1: in this small if they can do it, we can 633 00:34:33,880 --> 00:34:36,440 Speaker 1: do it. I love it. And we have that conversation. 634 00:34:36,440 --> 00:34:38,760 Speaker 1: We said, okay, let's because they sent you this email 635 00:34:38,800 --> 00:34:41,799 Speaker 1: with like, yeah, it was like its incredible after we 636 00:34:41,840 --> 00:34:44,400 Speaker 1: had signed the least after we signed the LEAE and 637 00:34:44,480 --> 00:34:50,520 Speaker 1: then you gave him a check. Yes when my god. 638 00:34:50,760 --> 00:34:53,319 Speaker 1: So we told each other, Okay, you know, at our 639 00:34:53,360 --> 00:34:56,120 Speaker 1: breaking point where we're probably both ready ban tears, and 640 00:34:56,160 --> 00:34:58,680 Speaker 1: we said, let's break it up in pieces. Yeah exactly, 641 00:34:58,760 --> 00:35:01,600 Speaker 1: step by this small piece and we're just gonna eat 642 00:35:01,640 --> 00:35:04,440 Speaker 1: away at it and get it. Ignore everything else handle 643 00:35:04,520 --> 00:35:06,359 Speaker 1: this because I like you, look at it at a hole. 644 00:35:06,400 --> 00:35:08,879 Speaker 1: It was too overwhelming. You know, it's like, forget to check. 645 00:35:09,920 --> 00:35:12,239 Speaker 1: And during all of this, none of you guys broke 646 00:35:12,239 --> 00:35:16,400 Speaker 1: out in a sister fight. But you know, it's so 647 00:35:16,480 --> 00:35:18,920 Speaker 1: hard to believe that there was no sister fight. It is. 648 00:35:19,080 --> 00:35:22,440 Speaker 1: It's our personalities and it just happens to just Mesh. 649 00:35:22,560 --> 00:35:25,279 Speaker 1: I'm super easy going. She's easy going to but I'm 650 00:35:25,320 --> 00:35:28,560 Speaker 1: like super easy going and I'm easy one for the 651 00:35:28,600 --> 00:35:31,080 Speaker 1: most part. When I really care about something, I really 652 00:35:31,160 --> 00:35:34,399 Speaker 1: care if she does okay, yeah, and you know, yeah, 653 00:35:34,440 --> 00:35:38,600 Speaker 1: we call her. We call her shook. Some fun Okay, 654 00:35:39,200 --> 00:35:44,160 Speaker 1: that's when I really care. And I have another question. 655 00:35:44,200 --> 00:35:46,799 Speaker 1: So there's this brand's helfare have you heard about it? 656 00:35:47,360 --> 00:35:51,279 Speaker 1: So what are the chances of you guys, because now 657 00:35:51,320 --> 00:35:54,239 Speaker 1: you've been in the market place and they're always in 658 00:35:54,320 --> 00:35:56,239 Speaker 1: high demand. Correct, Like you can't even get your hands 659 00:35:56,280 --> 00:35:58,600 Speaker 1: on their back. I feel like they need to like 660 00:35:58,680 --> 00:36:01,440 Speaker 1: work with you. I would let just because you was 661 00:36:01,480 --> 00:36:04,800 Speaker 1: there before. Right, we have we've talked about having Telfare 662 00:36:04,840 --> 00:36:06,520 Speaker 1: in the store. We had we would love it. But 663 00:36:06,560 --> 00:36:09,040 Speaker 1: I can say we do have a purse brand in 664 00:36:09,040 --> 00:36:13,560 Speaker 1: our store. It's called it's called Susu High Quality. Like 665 00:36:13,680 --> 00:36:17,279 Speaker 1: I feel like this purse brand should be on the 666 00:36:17,320 --> 00:36:20,759 Speaker 1: lines of Telfare and it's just it's okay, I love it. 667 00:36:20,880 --> 00:36:22,959 Speaker 1: I love it. I fell in love with this person. 668 00:36:23,080 --> 00:36:24,799 Speaker 1: I was like, we have to get these purses in here. 669 00:36:24,800 --> 00:36:27,160 Speaker 1: There's no reason why these are these are high quality, 670 00:36:27,239 --> 00:36:31,280 Speaker 1: high end person but people just you know, I want 671 00:36:31,480 --> 00:36:34,200 Speaker 1: to carry a purse that everyone knows about. Yeah, but 672 00:36:34,600 --> 00:36:39,479 Speaker 1: there was they started off that lay pretty car first. 673 00:36:40,200 --> 00:36:43,600 Speaker 1: I think Beyonce is the one that launched them into Yeah, 674 00:36:44,120 --> 00:36:45,680 Speaker 1: and that's what it's all about. But you know what, 675 00:36:45,840 --> 00:36:48,399 Speaker 1: it's what I love about uplift us is you're gonna 676 00:36:48,520 --> 00:36:50,399 Speaker 1: uplift some brands that are going to be the next 677 00:36:50,480 --> 00:36:54,359 Speaker 1: Telfares are, you know, and I get to we get 678 00:36:54,440 --> 00:36:57,239 Speaker 1: to talk about do you remember when such a was 679 00:36:57,360 --> 00:37:01,560 Speaker 1: Susu what was it Susan? When her person was in here, 680 00:37:02,080 --> 00:37:03,400 Speaker 1: you know, we were the first want to give her 681 00:37:03,400 --> 00:37:05,680 Speaker 1: a distribution? You know? That is our goal. It just 682 00:37:05,800 --> 00:37:07,320 Speaker 1: makes us so happy one so we just want to 683 00:37:07,360 --> 00:37:10,359 Speaker 1: see everyone wine, everyone win. It's it's really not even 684 00:37:10,400 --> 00:37:12,319 Speaker 1: about us. It's just like we want to see these 685 00:37:12,360 --> 00:37:15,440 Speaker 1: brands win and and launch and going into greatness. And 686 00:37:16,000 --> 00:37:18,840 Speaker 1: a lot of it is, you know, mindset to with 687 00:37:18,960 --> 00:37:23,560 Speaker 1: our people were very brand you know oriented, I guess, 688 00:37:23,640 --> 00:37:25,239 Speaker 1: and we have to get away from that a little 689 00:37:25,239 --> 00:37:28,839 Speaker 1: bit because there are some great quality products and things 690 00:37:28,880 --> 00:37:32,200 Speaker 1: that aren't necessarily named brand that you would know all 691 00:37:32,239 --> 00:37:34,640 Speaker 1: the time. But to feel proud carrying that person knowing 692 00:37:34,680 --> 00:37:37,400 Speaker 1: it's black owned inter Beautif and not to say you 693 00:37:37,440 --> 00:37:39,920 Speaker 1: can't still have brandow you know, brand name versus, but 694 00:37:40,160 --> 00:37:44,320 Speaker 1: switch it out. So now, if when this episode drops, 695 00:37:44,440 --> 00:37:47,120 Speaker 1: I'm sure there are gonna be a plethora of entrepreneurs 696 00:37:47,200 --> 00:37:50,200 Speaker 1: that aren't in your retail space that are going to 697 00:37:50,360 --> 00:37:54,239 Speaker 1: be like I want in. What does the process look 698 00:37:54,320 --> 00:37:56,880 Speaker 1: like for them to get in? Well, so what we 699 00:37:57,000 --> 00:37:59,200 Speaker 1: do is we get a lot of emails. UM, they'll 700 00:37:59,239 --> 00:38:01,600 Speaker 1: email us. They can go to our email, our website 701 00:38:01,719 --> 00:38:04,000 Speaker 1: and email us, and we just kind of go through 702 00:38:04,000 --> 00:38:06,360 Speaker 1: the emails. We tried too, and I apologize to anyone 703 00:38:06,400 --> 00:38:08,839 Speaker 1: who didn't get a response from us, but it's very 704 00:38:08,880 --> 00:38:12,480 Speaker 1: overwhelming to respond to everyone. But UM, we kind of 705 00:38:12,520 --> 00:38:15,040 Speaker 1: will go through the emails and kind of make note 706 00:38:15,120 --> 00:38:17,880 Speaker 1: of either something we don't have, if it looks if 707 00:38:17,920 --> 00:38:21,360 Speaker 1: it's unique, super high quality, UM will make a separate 708 00:38:21,440 --> 00:38:24,160 Speaker 1: list and once we have space for that product or 709 00:38:24,160 --> 00:38:26,440 Speaker 1: a need for it, UM, we'll just reach out to them, 710 00:38:26,960 --> 00:38:29,000 Speaker 1: you know, see if they're still interested. And then the 711 00:38:29,080 --> 00:38:32,880 Speaker 1: paperwork requirements and everything. Now does the brand have to 712 00:38:32,960 --> 00:38:37,080 Speaker 1: be a certain financial level to get in, Like, you know, 713 00:38:37,320 --> 00:38:40,080 Speaker 1: we really want to provide the opportunity for just as 714 00:38:40,400 --> 00:38:43,120 Speaker 1: if you have a good quality product and we'll we'll 715 00:38:43,160 --> 00:38:44,800 Speaker 1: look at it, we'll test it and all that stuff 716 00:38:44,840 --> 00:38:49,000 Speaker 1: to give our then we have space for it. They 717 00:38:49,040 --> 00:38:51,080 Speaker 1: could have just launched it and if it's phenomenal. A 718 00:38:51,160 --> 00:38:55,440 Speaker 1: lot of our businesses launched during the pandemic. Yeah, they're well. 719 00:38:55,520 --> 00:38:58,600 Speaker 1: Thank you both for coming by and feeding us. We 720 00:38:58,680 --> 00:39:01,080 Speaker 1: didn't really do a lot of eating. I will have 721 00:39:01,200 --> 00:39:06,239 Speaker 1: to reheat this um and thank you for sharing so 722 00:39:06,400 --> 00:39:09,280 Speaker 1: much insight on the black dollar and how to circulate 723 00:39:09,320 --> 00:39:11,640 Speaker 1: it and how you guys are helping circulate the black dollar. 724 00:39:11,920 --> 00:39:15,600 Speaker 1: Thank you. Than coming into our store to begin with 725 00:39:17,320 --> 00:39:19,480 Speaker 1: is a great opportunity. Thank you so much. They're going 726 00:39:19,520 --> 00:39:22,800 Speaker 1: to change so many people's lives by taking the chances 727 00:39:22,840 --> 00:39:26,080 Speaker 1: you guys took in acting upon them, like right when 728 00:39:26,160 --> 00:39:30,920 Speaker 1: that impulse hit and somehow you have to teach a 729 00:39:31,000 --> 00:39:34,319 Speaker 1: lesson on how sisters get a long on the next 730 00:39:34,360 --> 00:39:38,320 Speaker 1: episode of a Man Class on the House since just 731 00:39:38,440 --> 00:39:41,680 Speaker 1: get along. Thank you guys. Thank you to all our listeners. 732 00:39:42,600 --> 00:39:46,080 Speaker 1: Check out Eating Wall Broke wherever you get your podcast, Spotify, Apple, 733 00:39:46,600 --> 00:39:48,839 Speaker 1: Eating While Broke dot com. You can even watch our 734 00:39:48,960 --> 00:39:55,600 Speaker 1: live videos on YouTube. For more Eating Wall Broke from 735 00:39:55,640 --> 00:39:58,040 Speaker 1: I Heart Radio and The Black Effect, visit the I 736 00:39:58,200 --> 00:40:01,160 Speaker 1: Heart Radio app, Apple poc Ask, or wherever you listen 737 00:40:01,200 --> 00:40:05,000 Speaker 1: to your favorite shows in While Brooke Brooke, Brooke