1 00:00:00,120 --> 00:00:01,440 Speaker 1: So I think that's what you gotta do. 2 00:00:01,480 --> 00:00:03,880 Speaker 2: It's not just about oh, my cousin knows TikTok and 3 00:00:03,960 --> 00:00:06,240 Speaker 2: so he can do it. It's no, you should be 4 00:00:06,280 --> 00:00:09,680 Speaker 2: going on TikTok. Let's use the hoodie example. You know, 5 00:00:10,160 --> 00:00:12,119 Speaker 2: if you have a hoodie company, you should be on 6 00:00:12,160 --> 00:00:15,840 Speaker 2: TikTok finding out who makes dope content about hoodies. You 7 00:00:15,840 --> 00:00:19,280 Speaker 2: should be looking at every hoodie hashtag, you know, every 8 00:00:19,440 --> 00:00:23,360 Speaker 2: hoodie rated brand, every creator that's making jokes about you know, 9 00:00:23,440 --> 00:00:26,920 Speaker 2: the girls stealing your hoodies or its hoodie season, and 10 00:00:27,320 --> 00:00:30,440 Speaker 2: you will find somebody in there that probably resonates with you. 11 00:00:30,600 --> 00:00:32,760 Speaker 2: And then that's how you find somebody that can make 12 00:00:32,800 --> 00:00:33,720 Speaker 2: you hoodie content. 13 00:00:43,600 --> 00:00:45,880 Speaker 3: I'm well, lookas this is black tach green money. 14 00:00:47,080 --> 00:00:47,480 Speaker 1: Hey look. 15 00:00:47,520 --> 00:00:50,800 Speaker 3: Brandon Butler is Partner in Chief, Culture and Innovation Officer 16 00:00:50,840 --> 00:00:55,880 Speaker 3: at Majority in CEO at Butter atl in Atlanta based 17 00:00:55,920 --> 00:01:01,120 Speaker 3: media company covering all things Atlanta from sports, news, music. 18 00:01:02,640 --> 00:01:06,679 Speaker 3: His storytelling about communities is a high ROI play which 19 00:01:06,720 --> 00:01:09,960 Speaker 3: feeds ecosystem. And when the ecosystem is strong for black 20 00:01:10,080 --> 00:01:13,160 Speaker 3: entrepreneurship and culture, are people thrive. 21 00:01:14,560 --> 00:01:15,679 Speaker 1: I just believe that. 22 00:01:15,760 --> 00:01:19,440 Speaker 3: All companies in organizations should see themselves as media companies 23 00:01:19,640 --> 00:01:23,160 Speaker 3: and put the work in to tell authentic stories. Butter 24 00:01:23,240 --> 00:01:26,559 Speaker 3: Atl believes this also and puts this philosophy to work 25 00:01:26,600 --> 00:01:29,959 Speaker 3: for the city. So I asked Brandon how this came about. 26 00:01:30,280 --> 00:01:33,040 Speaker 2: Yeah, you know, it started with this idea that some 27 00:01:33,120 --> 00:01:37,000 Speaker 2: of the most successful companies and brands tend to operate 28 00:01:37,040 --> 00:01:39,880 Speaker 2: as media companies. The example that always kind of references 29 00:01:39,959 --> 00:01:42,760 Speaker 2: Red Bull. You see Red Bull doing all kind of 30 00:01:42,760 --> 00:01:46,000 Speaker 2: crazy stuff. You see guys, you know, jumping from outer space. 31 00:01:46,440 --> 00:01:49,320 Speaker 2: You know, you see them doing race cars. And you've 32 00:01:49,400 --> 00:01:52,600 Speaker 2: never really seen like a Red Bull commercial though, You've 33 00:01:52,600 --> 00:01:54,400 Speaker 2: never really seen a commercial with somebody holding the Red 34 00:01:54,400 --> 00:01:56,360 Speaker 2: Bull saying like go buy this or drink it. Right, 35 00:01:56,360 --> 00:01:59,000 Speaker 2: So they've associated their brand with this idea that just 36 00:01:59,560 --> 00:02:02,680 Speaker 2: you know, content and media and being associated with it, 37 00:02:02,720 --> 00:02:04,640 Speaker 2: you know, will give people what they need to know 38 00:02:04,720 --> 00:02:06,200 Speaker 2: that this thing exists. 39 00:02:06,200 --> 00:02:08,519 Speaker 1: And so for us, we kind. 40 00:02:08,360 --> 00:02:10,120 Speaker 2: Of had the same that same belief right that the 41 00:02:10,160 --> 00:02:12,760 Speaker 2: most successful brands operated that way, and and so we 42 00:02:12,840 --> 00:02:14,520 Speaker 2: kind of started looking around and at first, you know, 43 00:02:14,600 --> 00:02:16,960 Speaker 2: there was this idea that you know, maybe we do 44 00:02:17,000 --> 00:02:20,760 Speaker 2: it for like the culture at large, you know, So 45 00:02:20,800 --> 00:02:23,000 Speaker 2: it's just what's trending what's in pop culture right now, 46 00:02:23,080 --> 00:02:25,000 Speaker 2: and and I mean we we did that for a 47 00:02:25,000 --> 00:02:27,800 Speaker 2: little while, but honestly, it just didn't feel it didn't 48 00:02:27,800 --> 00:02:30,959 Speaker 2: feel right, didn't feel super authentic, you know, as my 49 00:02:31,200 --> 00:02:33,639 Speaker 2: uh as my gud Bame Joiner, one of the founders 50 00:02:33,680 --> 00:02:37,040 Speaker 2: of Atlanta influences Everything, says Atlanta influences everything. And so 51 00:02:37,480 --> 00:02:39,240 Speaker 2: you know, based on that idea and really based on 52 00:02:39,240 --> 00:02:43,200 Speaker 2: this idea that Atlanta is a really special place. You know, 53 00:02:43,280 --> 00:02:45,520 Speaker 2: I always say, I think our number one export in 54 00:02:45,520 --> 00:02:49,399 Speaker 2: Atlanta's culture. Uh you know, why not kind of turn 55 00:02:49,520 --> 00:02:53,120 Speaker 2: that that lens inward and and and really find ways 56 00:02:53,120 --> 00:02:55,520 Speaker 2: to kind of highlight and and tell stories and just 57 00:02:55,560 --> 00:02:58,680 Speaker 2: showcase the city that honestly has been overlooked in so 58 00:02:58,680 --> 00:03:01,880 Speaker 2: many different ways. You know, It's always funny to me, 59 00:03:02,120 --> 00:03:04,600 Speaker 2: right like when you go back and you look, you've 60 00:03:04,680 --> 00:03:06,680 Speaker 2: noticed that these brands would come in from you know, 61 00:03:06,720 --> 00:03:09,440 Speaker 2: the New York, LA and Chicago and they would want 62 00:03:09,440 --> 00:03:11,560 Speaker 2: to kind of give us permission to talk about Atlanta. 63 00:03:11,639 --> 00:03:13,840 Speaker 2: They'd come down here and say, hey, you know, we 64 00:03:13,960 --> 00:03:16,160 Speaker 2: heard y'all like Lemon Pepper wings down there. Can you 65 00:03:16,160 --> 00:03:18,720 Speaker 2: tell us about Lemon Pepper wings Man y'all don't eat 66 00:03:18,760 --> 00:03:20,280 Speaker 2: limp pepper wings in New York, you know what I mean, 67 00:03:20,360 --> 00:03:23,600 Speaker 2: y'all eat, y'all eat buffalo wings, whatever those are, and 68 00:03:23,280 --> 00:03:25,640 Speaker 2: so and so again, it was like, why do we 69 00:03:25,680 --> 00:03:28,280 Speaker 2: need to wait for somebody from another city or state 70 00:03:28,320 --> 00:03:30,120 Speaker 2: to come down here and ask us about that and 71 00:03:30,160 --> 00:03:33,600 Speaker 2: then take that story back home and say, so I 72 00:03:33,639 --> 00:03:35,400 Speaker 2: went down to Atlanta, and this is what I learned. 73 00:03:35,800 --> 00:03:38,120 Speaker 2: You know, if we're really leading in all elements of 74 00:03:38,160 --> 00:03:41,160 Speaker 2: you know, culture and media and all these different things, 75 00:03:41,600 --> 00:03:43,440 Speaker 2: why not be able to tell those stories ourselves? And 76 00:03:43,440 --> 00:03:45,200 Speaker 2: then even thinking about it even more, you know, when 77 00:03:45,320 --> 00:03:47,560 Speaker 2: is the last time you've seen a brand or a 78 00:03:47,600 --> 00:03:50,800 Speaker 2: media company really focus in specifically on a city like this? 79 00:03:50,880 --> 00:03:54,440 Speaker 2: And so, you know, for me, it was kind of 80 00:03:54,480 --> 00:03:56,440 Speaker 2: just an opportunity that was kind of hidden in plain sight, 81 00:03:57,200 --> 00:03:59,760 Speaker 2: and we very quickly, you know, I think we maybe 82 00:04:00,080 --> 00:04:01,680 Speaker 2: did the national thing for like a week or two, 83 00:04:01,760 --> 00:04:04,840 Speaker 2: but we very quickly said, you know what, let's just 84 00:04:04,880 --> 00:04:06,920 Speaker 2: focus this thing on what we think is the coolest, 85 00:04:06,960 --> 00:04:10,520 Speaker 2: most interesting, most you know, cultural relevant city in the 86 00:04:10,840 --> 00:04:14,400 Speaker 2: world really, which we think is Atlanta. And you know, 87 00:04:14,480 --> 00:04:16,520 Speaker 2: it just again, it really resonated with people connected with 88 00:04:16,520 --> 00:04:19,240 Speaker 2: people really quickly. You know, people down here we have 89 00:04:19,320 --> 00:04:20,880 Speaker 2: a tendency to kind of protect the culture in a 90 00:04:20,880 --> 00:04:22,960 Speaker 2: lot of the senses because we know how special it is, 91 00:04:23,600 --> 00:04:26,920 Speaker 2: and I think that, well, we both put that lens 92 00:04:26,960 --> 00:04:29,200 Speaker 2: on it. But then also people realize that the person 93 00:04:29,200 --> 00:04:32,320 Speaker 2: that was doing it was from here that understood those 94 00:04:32,360 --> 00:04:35,159 Speaker 2: kind of nuances about the city. There was just a 95 00:04:35,160 --> 00:04:38,120 Speaker 2: whole different level of appreciation for it. You know, I 96 00:04:39,000 --> 00:04:42,960 Speaker 2: always loved Atlanta on FX by Donald Glover because it 97 00:04:43,040 --> 00:04:44,640 Speaker 2: was kind of the same way. You know, if you're 98 00:04:44,640 --> 00:04:47,040 Speaker 2: from Atlanta. Even if you're not from Atlanta, you can 99 00:04:47,080 --> 00:04:50,200 Speaker 2: appreciate that as a good show. But if you're from Atlanta, 100 00:04:50,680 --> 00:04:53,640 Speaker 2: there's this additional level of appreciation you have for it 101 00:04:53,680 --> 00:04:56,560 Speaker 2: because they shoot that show in places that you've been to. 102 00:04:57,120 --> 00:04:59,800 Speaker 2: They shoot that show, and you know, you'll see things 103 00:05:00,080 --> 00:05:03,520 Speaker 2: allude to things that just you recognize instantly. And so 104 00:05:03,880 --> 00:05:05,760 Speaker 2: that was kind of how we approach Butter was you know, 105 00:05:05,800 --> 00:05:07,560 Speaker 2: if we tell this story, but we also just really 106 00:05:07,600 --> 00:05:10,279 Speaker 2: authentic and truth to the culture, people will hear it. 107 00:05:10,360 --> 00:05:13,440 Speaker 2: You know, people will hear the drawl in my voice 108 00:05:13,440 --> 00:05:15,600 Speaker 2: when I speak. You know, people will see the references 109 00:05:15,600 --> 00:05:17,080 Speaker 2: that we make the things that are authentic, and I 110 00:05:17,120 --> 00:05:19,680 Speaker 2: think a combination of all those things just really kind 111 00:05:19,680 --> 00:05:21,679 Speaker 2: of helped put Butter in a really special place for us. 112 00:05:22,200 --> 00:05:23,680 Speaker 3: I want to go back to something you talked about 113 00:05:23,680 --> 00:05:25,280 Speaker 3: in the beginning, that you talked about the Red Bull 114 00:05:25,320 --> 00:05:27,600 Speaker 3: story and how they don't really do commercials about Red 115 00:05:27,640 --> 00:05:30,360 Speaker 3: Bull saying hey buy this, and there's such a key 116 00:05:30,400 --> 00:05:33,280 Speaker 3: there that a lot of small brands that you know, 117 00:05:33,400 --> 00:05:36,720 Speaker 3: are trying to get traction, trying to find their fit 118 00:05:36,760 --> 00:05:40,000 Speaker 3: in the marketplace. That's an investment to do what Red 119 00:05:40,040 --> 00:05:43,520 Speaker 3: Bull is doing because it's not necessarily a direct pitch 120 00:05:43,600 --> 00:05:47,159 Speaker 3: to by the thing, it's explicitly an indirect one. And 121 00:05:47,240 --> 00:05:50,760 Speaker 3: so how do you admonish or encourage people who have 122 00:05:51,200 --> 00:05:54,120 Speaker 3: a hoodie line or you know, a hair you know, 123 00:05:54,160 --> 00:05:57,000 Speaker 3: a shade butter and they're trying to make sales because 124 00:05:57,040 --> 00:05:59,679 Speaker 3: they need that to keep going at all and don't 125 00:05:59,680 --> 00:06:02,400 Speaker 3: have the marketing budget like a Red Bull would have 126 00:06:02,920 --> 00:06:06,080 Speaker 3: to actually find different ways to tell their story or 127 00:06:06,120 --> 00:06:08,279 Speaker 3: to show what people who buy that thing do. 128 00:06:09,640 --> 00:06:12,680 Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean, the beautiful thing about where we're at 129 00:06:12,760 --> 00:06:14,880 Speaker 2: right now just in content and media is I think 130 00:06:15,080 --> 00:06:18,480 Speaker 2: the bar has been significantly lowered, which is making it 131 00:06:18,480 --> 00:06:18,800 Speaker 2: a lot. 132 00:06:18,680 --> 00:06:19,880 Speaker 1: Of easier folks to get involved. 133 00:06:19,920 --> 00:06:22,080 Speaker 2: Right, Like, everybody's got a cell phone, and all cell 134 00:06:22,120 --> 00:06:24,000 Speaker 2: phones pretty much shoot in HD quality. 135 00:06:24,480 --> 00:06:25,480 Speaker 1: So there's your camera. 136 00:06:26,400 --> 00:06:28,440 Speaker 2: You know, you can get a why I saw a 137 00:06:28,440 --> 00:06:31,320 Speaker 2: wireless microphone on sale on TikTok for ten bucks, right like, 138 00:06:31,320 --> 00:06:33,000 Speaker 2: you can get a wireless mic for your cell phones. 139 00:06:33,040 --> 00:06:36,039 Speaker 2: And now you got audio, You've got good video. What's 140 00:06:36,080 --> 00:06:37,479 Speaker 2: the only thing you need beyond that is just a 141 00:06:37,480 --> 00:06:40,640 Speaker 2: good idea? And you know, and even when you kind 142 00:06:40,640 --> 00:06:42,520 Speaker 2: of think about it, you know, there are trends that 143 00:06:42,560 --> 00:06:44,160 Speaker 2: go on. So I think it's I think it's kind 144 00:06:44,200 --> 00:06:45,160 Speaker 2: of easy to jump in. 145 00:06:45,920 --> 00:06:46,320 Speaker 1: You know what. 146 00:06:46,360 --> 00:06:49,080 Speaker 2: I what I noticed and I've really noticed is over 147 00:06:49,120 --> 00:06:51,359 Speaker 2: the last you know, Butter's been around now for you know, 148 00:06:51,480 --> 00:06:54,560 Speaker 2: five plus years, and we make content every single day. 149 00:06:54,640 --> 00:06:58,080 Speaker 2: So the thing I've noticed making content every day for 150 00:06:58,120 --> 00:07:00,760 Speaker 2: the last five years is that at the end of 151 00:07:00,760 --> 00:07:03,960 Speaker 2: the day, it's all about just continuing to kind of 152 00:07:04,000 --> 00:07:06,280 Speaker 2: throw you know. The thing I would tell my team 153 00:07:06,440 --> 00:07:09,560 Speaker 2: is if you if you ever watch a person that 154 00:07:09,640 --> 00:07:15,720 Speaker 2: knows how to juggle, everybody always watches, you know, the 155 00:07:16,400 --> 00:07:18,040 Speaker 2: hand that they kind of like they always kind of 156 00:07:18,080 --> 00:07:19,600 Speaker 2: just watch the person they watch the hand that they 157 00:07:19,600 --> 00:07:22,760 Speaker 2: catch with. The trick with juggling, though, is to wash 158 00:07:22,800 --> 00:07:25,480 Speaker 2: the hand that they throw with because if you keep throwing, 159 00:07:25,960 --> 00:07:27,880 Speaker 2: the ball is gonna land in the right place every 160 00:07:27,920 --> 00:07:30,320 Speaker 2: single time. And so what I what I use that 161 00:07:30,360 --> 00:07:32,960 Speaker 2: to say is with most people, most entrepreneurs, no matter 162 00:07:33,000 --> 00:07:35,760 Speaker 2: how big or small your budget is. My my thing 163 00:07:35,800 --> 00:07:38,680 Speaker 2: to you is just start throwing. You never know what 164 00:07:38,720 --> 00:07:41,160 Speaker 2: the thing is gonna be. I can tell you right now, 165 00:07:41,200 --> 00:07:45,000 Speaker 2: there are you know, one of our most successful pieces 166 00:07:45,000 --> 00:07:48,280 Speaker 2: of content on Butter was a photograph of some chicken 167 00:07:48,320 --> 00:07:52,400 Speaker 2: wings that I took inside a cafeteria. That photograph ended 168 00:07:52,480 --> 00:07:55,280 Speaker 2: up on us what was it, Good Morning America, and 169 00:07:55,400 --> 00:07:58,800 Speaker 2: ended up on Complex, ended up on you know, all 170 00:07:58,840 --> 00:08:02,040 Speaker 2: these different channels. And it was a literally a picture 171 00:08:02,080 --> 00:08:05,200 Speaker 2: of some chicken wings that we took with no photo editing. 172 00:08:05,360 --> 00:08:07,040 Speaker 2: You know, I think maybe we cropped the photo and 173 00:08:07,080 --> 00:08:09,640 Speaker 2: that's it, so you never know the thing is gonna be. 174 00:08:09,720 --> 00:08:11,920 Speaker 2: And like that created so much, you know, a claim 175 00:08:12,000 --> 00:08:13,120 Speaker 2: and visibility for us. 176 00:08:13,160 --> 00:08:13,320 Speaker 1: You know. 177 00:08:13,400 --> 00:08:17,120 Speaker 2: Another thing we did was a post about you know, 178 00:08:17,200 --> 00:08:20,280 Speaker 2: different types of sneakers, which again it was a super 179 00:08:20,280 --> 00:08:24,160 Speaker 2: simple post, but that led to a conversation with Killer Mike, 180 00:08:24,640 --> 00:08:26,360 Speaker 2: which you know, a year later, year and a half 181 00:08:26,400 --> 00:08:29,600 Speaker 2: later he became a partner with butter and so again. 182 00:08:29,640 --> 00:08:31,440 Speaker 2: But all that comes from, just like I said, throwing, 183 00:08:31,600 --> 00:08:34,840 Speaker 2: Like you know, we put stuff out, everything doesn't go viral, 184 00:08:34,920 --> 00:08:37,120 Speaker 2: and that's totally fine with me. A lot of times 185 00:08:37,120 --> 00:08:39,040 Speaker 2: I put stuff out just to see what will happen 186 00:08:39,080 --> 00:08:42,040 Speaker 2: because I'm kind of past this place, and oh well 187 00:08:42,080 --> 00:08:44,600 Speaker 2: it didn't work, take it down. So the biggest, yeah, 188 00:08:44,600 --> 00:08:46,640 Speaker 2: the biggest advice I would give the people that they 189 00:08:46,640 --> 00:08:48,920 Speaker 2: feel like they don't have a budget is you don't 190 00:08:48,960 --> 00:08:51,120 Speaker 2: really need that much of a budget. You just need, 191 00:08:51,160 --> 00:08:53,440 Speaker 2: you know, some ideas. And at the same time, again, 192 00:08:53,480 --> 00:08:54,880 Speaker 2: you just need to just kind of start getting your 193 00:08:54,880 --> 00:08:58,200 Speaker 2: stuff out there and throwing and and again I'm a 194 00:08:58,200 --> 00:09:00,760 Speaker 2: big believer in frameworks, you know, whether you're kind of 195 00:09:00,760 --> 00:09:05,360 Speaker 2: doing the the Gary v jab jab jab hook or 196 00:09:05,400 --> 00:09:07,840 Speaker 2: what I like to say is, you know, candy, vitamin 197 00:09:07,840 --> 00:09:10,920 Speaker 2: and painkillers, right, Like, I think there's certain kinds of 198 00:09:10,960 --> 00:09:14,680 Speaker 2: content that's candy. In other words, you know, everybody loves candy, 199 00:09:14,800 --> 00:09:17,880 Speaker 2: but too much candy or rocket teeth, you know, I 200 00:09:17,880 --> 00:09:20,840 Speaker 2: think that there is a content that is vitamins, and 201 00:09:20,880 --> 00:09:22,280 Speaker 2: that's the that's where I kind of put a lot 202 00:09:22,280 --> 00:09:24,480 Speaker 2: of the Gary V content at like, no shade to him, 203 00:09:24,480 --> 00:09:27,280 Speaker 2: but he can yell at you about hustling all day 204 00:09:27,320 --> 00:09:30,640 Speaker 2: long until you actually go out and do something. It's 205 00:09:30,720 --> 00:09:32,920 Speaker 2: just the pep talk, right, but you're getting that motivation, 206 00:09:33,000 --> 00:09:34,439 Speaker 2: but you still have to actually do the work. It's 207 00:09:34,480 --> 00:09:37,040 Speaker 2: no different than taking vitamins every day and not going 208 00:09:37,040 --> 00:09:39,000 Speaker 2: to the gym, right like you said, to do the work. 209 00:09:39,040 --> 00:09:41,480 Speaker 2: And then there's then there's painkiller content. There's content that 210 00:09:41,520 --> 00:09:44,840 Speaker 2: like solves the problem. It has very high utility, right like, 211 00:09:44,880 --> 00:09:47,720 Speaker 2: and I tell that by the number of saves that 212 00:09:47,760 --> 00:09:49,440 Speaker 2: we get on the post particularly, right. So I think 213 00:09:49,440 --> 00:09:51,280 Speaker 2: you know, again, when you start thinking about content from 214 00:09:51,280 --> 00:09:54,600 Speaker 2: the standpoint of again whether jab jab jab hook or 215 00:09:54,679 --> 00:09:57,760 Speaker 2: candy vitamins painkillers, you'll see that, you know, the really 216 00:09:57,800 --> 00:09:59,600 Speaker 2: the only thing that's kind of stopping you from you 217 00:09:59,720 --> 00:10:01,600 Speaker 2: is is is really you know what you think people 218 00:10:01,640 --> 00:10:04,160 Speaker 2: want to see. And I can guarantee you that the 219 00:10:04,200 --> 00:10:05,959 Speaker 2: only way to find that is by putting out enough 220 00:10:05,960 --> 00:10:08,400 Speaker 2: stuff to really start to get good insights. 221 00:10:08,200 --> 00:10:10,320 Speaker 3: That's so key there. And I want to dig into 222 00:10:10,320 --> 00:10:12,400 Speaker 3: that a little bit because you know, and I have 223 00:10:12,480 --> 00:10:14,720 Speaker 3: a couple of small businesses also, And to your point 224 00:10:14,760 --> 00:10:16,760 Speaker 3: of like when things work and when they don't, I 225 00:10:16,800 --> 00:10:19,520 Speaker 3: tell you this quick story. So last last Thanksgiving, this 226 00:10:19,559 --> 00:10:22,120 Speaker 3: would have been twenty twenty two, the coffee house was 227 00:10:22,160 --> 00:10:24,480 Speaker 3: like a year old, and there were still so many 228 00:10:24,520 --> 00:10:27,360 Speaker 3: people in the community who didn't know that we existed. 229 00:10:27,400 --> 00:10:31,520 Speaker 3: And so Thanksgiving the Black Friday, Black Friday morning, we 230 00:10:31,520 --> 00:10:34,440 Speaker 3: were open and I found I'm like, oh, I got 231 00:10:34,520 --> 00:10:36,080 Speaker 3: to tell the community we're open. So I just went 232 00:10:36,120 --> 00:10:39,040 Speaker 3: through my photo album real quick on my phone, found 233 00:10:39,080 --> 00:10:41,120 Speaker 3: the first photo I could find, put it up, say hey, 234 00:10:41,120 --> 00:10:44,120 Speaker 3: we're open today. Just so you know, I didn't know 235 00:10:44,200 --> 00:10:48,160 Speaker 3: this Sunday morning. It had twelve hundred shares on it 236 00:10:48,280 --> 00:10:51,839 Speaker 3: on Facebook. And if I would have spent any time 237 00:10:51,920 --> 00:10:54,679 Speaker 3: thinking about that post, I would not have used the 238 00:10:54,760 --> 00:10:57,000 Speaker 3: picture that I used because there was nobody in it. 239 00:10:57,000 --> 00:10:59,200 Speaker 3: It looked empty, you know, it was an angle that 240 00:10:59,280 --> 00:11:01,000 Speaker 3: was just it was just a random fhotto because I 241 00:11:01,040 --> 00:11:03,320 Speaker 3: just needed to get something up. But to your point 242 00:11:03,400 --> 00:11:06,240 Speaker 3: of you don't know what to work and what doesn't. 243 00:11:06,760 --> 00:11:08,320 Speaker 3: If it wouldn't have worked, I would have taken it 244 00:11:08,360 --> 00:11:11,520 Speaker 3: down on Monday. So how do you get old? 245 00:11:11,679 --> 00:11:12,440 Speaker 1: I guess the question. 246 00:11:12,520 --> 00:11:14,760 Speaker 3: A better question is what are you looking at in 247 00:11:14,800 --> 00:11:18,080 Speaker 3: a post metrics wise or otherwise. If you're saying just 248 00:11:18,080 --> 00:11:21,480 Speaker 3: put up shots, what are you looking for it to do? 249 00:11:23,240 --> 00:11:24,880 Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean I think that's something that people have 250 00:11:24,960 --> 00:11:28,640 Speaker 2: to think about. Right again, I'm a big believer in 251 00:11:28,880 --> 00:11:30,679 Speaker 2: kind of starting with the end in mind for things. 252 00:11:31,400 --> 00:11:34,400 Speaker 2: There are certain types of posts that we make that 253 00:11:34,480 --> 00:11:39,040 Speaker 2: are specifically created to drive comments. I literally do not 254 00:11:39,200 --> 00:11:41,520 Speaker 2: care if they don't get a ton of likes. I 255 00:11:41,520 --> 00:11:44,880 Speaker 2: am more interested in the comments, and we engineer our 256 00:11:44,880 --> 00:11:46,800 Speaker 2: content like that. You know, we did a post the 257 00:11:46,800 --> 00:11:50,680 Speaker 2: other week about you know, I'm so old Atlanta, I 258 00:11:50,760 --> 00:11:52,679 Speaker 2: remember X, Y and Z and ask people to kind 259 00:11:52,720 --> 00:11:55,000 Speaker 2: of fill that out. Well, the thing is that thing 260 00:11:55,040 --> 00:11:57,840 Speaker 2: got like a thousand comments on it. And the beautiful 261 00:11:57,840 --> 00:12:00,480 Speaker 2: thing about those comments is if you start to think about, 262 00:12:00,480 --> 00:12:02,640 Speaker 2: just like marketing is now, you go on those comments, 263 00:12:02,640 --> 00:12:04,560 Speaker 2: you start to kind of go through and read, you 264 00:12:04,600 --> 00:12:08,000 Speaker 2: get ideas for new content. You see, you know, when 265 00:12:08,040 --> 00:12:11,320 Speaker 2: people somebody mentions something and gets a bunch of likes now, 266 00:12:11,400 --> 00:12:14,120 Speaker 2: or there's a whole bunch of replies to it, that 267 00:12:14,160 --> 00:12:16,040 Speaker 2: should be a signal that goes off to you and 268 00:12:16,040 --> 00:12:18,319 Speaker 2: says oh wow, there's an engagement around this. Maybe I 269 00:12:18,320 --> 00:12:22,160 Speaker 2: could build more content around that, right. You know, again, 270 00:12:22,200 --> 00:12:23,800 Speaker 2: when you think about stuff, you know, I would always 271 00:12:23,800 --> 00:12:25,760 Speaker 2: say like if you you know, it depends on what 272 00:12:25,800 --> 00:12:27,160 Speaker 2: you want to do. If you want to create content 273 00:12:27,200 --> 00:12:30,440 Speaker 2: that drives shares, you want to share like a really 274 00:12:30,440 --> 00:12:32,800 Speaker 2: interesting fact or something like that, you know what I mean? 275 00:12:33,240 --> 00:12:36,720 Speaker 2: Like something again, like people share content because it represents 276 00:12:36,720 --> 00:12:39,040 Speaker 2: them or helps them kind of tell a story. There's 277 00:12:39,080 --> 00:12:41,720 Speaker 2: this whole idea of like, you know, I always get 278 00:12:41,760 --> 00:12:44,160 Speaker 2: the example of, you know, there's certain pieces of content 279 00:12:44,200 --> 00:12:47,000 Speaker 2: that people send because it helps them prove a point. 280 00:12:47,280 --> 00:12:49,200 Speaker 2: You know, Like somebody sends a post is like see, 281 00:12:49,200 --> 00:12:51,000 Speaker 2: this is exactly what I was talking about, right, So 282 00:12:51,600 --> 00:12:53,760 Speaker 2: that's kind of that is this is so me kind 283 00:12:53,800 --> 00:12:57,480 Speaker 2: of content. Right, So I think you know, or again, 284 00:12:57,520 --> 00:12:59,000 Speaker 2: if you want to, if you want to, if you 285 00:12:59,040 --> 00:13:02,480 Speaker 2: want to drive you know, follows or likes. Again, you 286 00:13:02,520 --> 00:13:04,800 Speaker 2: want to create a content that has a like I said, 287 00:13:04,840 --> 00:13:07,360 Speaker 2: either tip in it or it's just something like really 288 00:13:07,400 --> 00:13:09,320 Speaker 2: fun and engaging. Right, So again, I think what you 289 00:13:09,320 --> 00:13:10,880 Speaker 2: have to do is just start to kind of think 290 00:13:10,880 --> 00:13:14,480 Speaker 2: about what you want and also again understand that it's 291 00:13:14,520 --> 00:13:15,600 Speaker 2: not any one post. 292 00:13:15,679 --> 00:13:16,520 Speaker 1: It's kind of again the. 293 00:13:16,480 --> 00:13:18,960 Speaker 2: Totality of all the things you do that really kind 294 00:13:18,960 --> 00:13:22,400 Speaker 2: of help you figure out what the real insight is. Again, 295 00:13:22,400 --> 00:13:24,760 Speaker 2: I would tell people, if you really want to figure 296 00:13:24,760 --> 00:13:27,199 Speaker 2: it out, you know, get get you know, get thirty 297 00:13:27,240 --> 00:13:30,080 Speaker 2: shots up, get thirty posts up, and then just start 298 00:13:30,120 --> 00:13:31,800 Speaker 2: to go back and look and figure out again what 299 00:13:31,880 --> 00:13:34,640 Speaker 2: are the things that absolutely worked what doesn't work? Again, 300 00:13:34,679 --> 00:13:37,000 Speaker 2: I can tell you a little trick, especially on social media, 301 00:13:37,160 --> 00:13:41,560 Speaker 2: is when something's gonna work, it works immediately. There are 302 00:13:41,679 --> 00:13:44,720 Speaker 2: very few things that I've seen go out to where 303 00:13:44,840 --> 00:13:47,160 Speaker 2: it sits dormant for like a day or two, and 304 00:13:47,200 --> 00:13:49,840 Speaker 2: then all of a sudden it takes off. In my 305 00:13:50,000 --> 00:13:54,160 Speaker 2: in my experience, the things that work work almost it's 306 00:13:54,240 --> 00:13:56,559 Speaker 2: crazy how it happens. I have some theories about why 307 00:13:56,600 --> 00:13:58,520 Speaker 2: that might be like that, but that's all different conversation. 308 00:13:59,080 --> 00:14:01,640 Speaker 2: But you know, it's like so so it's like, when 309 00:14:01,679 --> 00:14:04,240 Speaker 2: you see the things that are working, you do those things. 310 00:14:04,280 --> 00:14:06,640 Speaker 2: I think too much with people, like we have this 311 00:14:06,679 --> 00:14:08,360 Speaker 2: weird thing about oh, you got to work on this 312 00:14:08,400 --> 00:14:11,319 Speaker 2: stuff you're not good at. Nah, forget that. There's a 313 00:14:11,360 --> 00:14:12,839 Speaker 2: lot of stuff I'm not good at. I don't want 314 00:14:12,840 --> 00:14:14,400 Speaker 2: to spend all day trying to get better that I 315 00:14:14,400 --> 00:14:16,040 Speaker 2: want to get better than things I'm already good at. 316 00:14:16,720 --> 00:14:19,640 Speaker 2: And so again, I think it's figuring out, Like I said, 317 00:14:19,640 --> 00:14:23,120 Speaker 2: what works by putting up shots and just being really 318 00:14:23,160 --> 00:14:25,640 Speaker 2: honest about what are you seeing? What's the feedback? Like, 319 00:14:25,680 --> 00:14:28,400 Speaker 2: what are people saying reading the comments? You know, I 320 00:14:28,440 --> 00:14:32,360 Speaker 2: tell people when we first launched Butter, I actually put 321 00:14:32,360 --> 00:14:35,800 Speaker 2: a post up one day and said, hey, you know, 322 00:14:35,840 --> 00:14:38,640 Speaker 2: I think we had maybe ten thousand followers at that point, 323 00:14:38,680 --> 00:14:41,600 Speaker 2: and I said, hey, you know, thank y'all for following Butter. 324 00:14:41,720 --> 00:14:45,600 Speaker 2: Look we have some questions for y'all. So if y'all 325 00:14:45,600 --> 00:14:47,720 Speaker 2: are interested in, like, you know, being a part of 326 00:14:47,760 --> 00:14:50,960 Speaker 2: our user group, fill out this form and I'll call you. 327 00:14:51,480 --> 00:14:53,480 Speaker 1: And I literally called like fifty people. 328 00:14:53,920 --> 00:14:56,440 Speaker 2: Yeah, and it was like, hey, hey, this is Brandon 329 00:14:56,440 --> 00:14:59,280 Speaker 2: from Butter atl They were like, you're really calling me? Yep, Yeah, 330 00:14:59,280 --> 00:15:01,520 Speaker 2: you filled the format, you put your phone number on there. 331 00:15:02,040 --> 00:15:04,480 Speaker 2: But I literally asked them, hey, what made you follow Butter? 332 00:15:05,560 --> 00:15:08,000 Speaker 2: Just out of curiosity? What made you click the follow button? 333 00:15:08,080 --> 00:15:10,360 Speaker 2: What made you how did you find out about the page? 334 00:15:10,360 --> 00:15:12,080 Speaker 2: And I'm just what I'm saying, like even that level 335 00:15:12,120 --> 00:15:15,200 Speaker 2: of insight is informed things that I do to this day. 336 00:15:15,280 --> 00:15:16,840 Speaker 2: Like I'm not really in a position to do that 337 00:15:16,960 --> 00:15:19,280 Speaker 2: right now, but like I said, it's that whole idea 338 00:15:19,280 --> 00:15:20,640 Speaker 2: of like do things that don't scale. 339 00:15:20,840 --> 00:15:21,040 Speaker 3: Yep. 340 00:15:21,400 --> 00:15:23,440 Speaker 2: And that was one of those things to where you know, 341 00:15:23,600 --> 00:15:28,200 Speaker 2: actually talking to people having those conversations, even with those folks, 342 00:15:28,240 --> 00:15:29,840 Speaker 2: you know, those are some of our early followers. So 343 00:15:29,840 --> 00:15:31,120 Speaker 2: I feel like those are the folks who were really 344 00:15:31,160 --> 00:15:33,280 Speaker 2: rocking with us right out the gate. But to kind 345 00:15:33,280 --> 00:15:34,880 Speaker 2: of go back and ask them, like, what do you 346 00:15:34,920 --> 00:15:37,720 Speaker 2: want to see? It just gave me more perspective in 347 00:15:38,280 --> 00:15:39,720 Speaker 2: what kind of things people were looking for, and then 348 00:15:39,720 --> 00:15:41,520 Speaker 2: we just gave them more of that stuff over time. 349 00:15:42,520 --> 00:15:45,040 Speaker 3: There was an interview I saw where you did and 350 00:15:45,080 --> 00:15:46,920 Speaker 3: there was a quote from you where you said, we're 351 00:15:46,960 --> 00:15:49,120 Speaker 3: most proud of our ability to tell the story of 352 00:15:49,160 --> 00:15:53,040 Speaker 3: Atlanta's culture with high quality, intentional content. This was some 353 00:15:53,120 --> 00:15:56,120 Speaker 3: time ago when you said that, so, and I wonder 354 00:15:56,160 --> 00:15:58,200 Speaker 3: if it's still true in this way. Is because it 355 00:15:58,200 --> 00:16:03,000 Speaker 3: seems like today there's this battle between high quality production 356 00:16:03,760 --> 00:16:08,680 Speaker 3: and raw and where produced content may not get be 357 00:16:08,760 --> 00:16:11,120 Speaker 3: as valuable, not that it's not good, but it may 358 00:16:11,160 --> 00:16:14,440 Speaker 3: not be as valuable to the mainstream audience that consumed 359 00:16:14,480 --> 00:16:16,720 Speaker 3: social media content. What do you say to that? 360 00:16:17,960 --> 00:16:20,080 Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean, I don't remember when I made that comment, 361 00:16:20,120 --> 00:16:22,320 Speaker 2: but I think the thing that probably changed a lot 362 00:16:22,320 --> 00:16:26,040 Speaker 2: of that stuff was, honestly, COVID. I think the pandemic. 363 00:16:26,080 --> 00:16:27,840 Speaker 2: You know, I told people coming out of the pandemic because 364 00:16:27,880 --> 00:16:30,080 Speaker 2: my backgrounds actually in tech. I spent the first half 365 00:16:30,120 --> 00:16:33,400 Speaker 2: of my career as a engineer and a solution architect, 366 00:16:33,440 --> 00:16:34,960 Speaker 2: so I just kind of have a different perspective when 367 00:16:35,000 --> 00:16:36,520 Speaker 2: it comes to a lot of this stuff. But coming 368 00:16:36,560 --> 00:16:38,400 Speaker 2: out of the pandemic, I told people like, look, this 369 00:16:38,440 --> 00:16:41,000 Speaker 2: thing moved us ahead four years. I don't know if 370 00:16:41,040 --> 00:16:43,040 Speaker 2: y'all realize it or not, but again, when we went in, 371 00:16:43,240 --> 00:16:45,640 Speaker 2: nobody was using video conference, and we came out, even 372 00:16:45,760 --> 00:16:48,120 Speaker 2: my mom was using video conference, and you know, we 373 00:16:48,160 --> 00:16:51,800 Speaker 2: went in, nobody wanted to use QR codes. Now everybody 374 00:16:51,880 --> 00:16:54,400 Speaker 2: uses QR codes, right, So it really like moved us 375 00:16:54,440 --> 00:16:57,000 Speaker 2: ahead in a very short period of time. And I 376 00:16:57,040 --> 00:17:00,880 Speaker 2: think in that again, what started to happen was, yeah, 377 00:17:00,880 --> 00:17:04,679 Speaker 2: they're like, produced content is good, but it's very easy 378 00:17:04,720 --> 00:17:07,880 Speaker 2: to over engineer something. And I think, you know, again, 379 00:17:07,920 --> 00:17:11,879 Speaker 2: people get just sense authenticity they can sense, you know, 380 00:17:11,920 --> 00:17:15,679 Speaker 2: when you've probably gone through uh you know, a table 381 00:17:15,720 --> 00:17:18,000 Speaker 2: read and getting the script created and all that kind 382 00:17:18,040 --> 00:17:20,200 Speaker 2: of stuff and getting the perfect shot. I think there 383 00:17:20,240 --> 00:17:22,720 Speaker 2: are times for that. But you know, again, I think 384 00:17:22,760 --> 00:17:24,119 Speaker 2: just in a day and age, and also just the 385 00:17:24,240 --> 00:17:26,200 Speaker 2: volume of content that we kind of have out there, 386 00:17:26,920 --> 00:17:29,840 Speaker 2: just honestly, the expectation of people is a little bit lower. 387 00:17:29,920 --> 00:17:32,639 Speaker 2: So even what that means for us is that means 388 00:17:32,640 --> 00:17:34,160 Speaker 2: that it's not as important for us to go. 389 00:17:34,080 --> 00:17:35,680 Speaker 1: Out and shoot stuff on red cameras. 390 00:17:36,080 --> 00:17:37,639 Speaker 2: It's not as important for us to go out and 391 00:17:38,720 --> 00:17:41,679 Speaker 2: you know again, uh, you know, create a create a 392 00:17:41,800 --> 00:17:44,280 Speaker 2: deck in a script about a thing. Sometimes we just 393 00:17:44,359 --> 00:17:46,880 Speaker 2: kind of turn the camera on and start going. Sometimes 394 00:17:46,880 --> 00:17:48,879 Speaker 2: we just make a piece of content and we're not 395 00:17:49,119 --> 00:17:52,800 Speaker 2: you know, overly worried about is it pixel perfect, because 396 00:17:52,800 --> 00:17:54,120 Speaker 2: again I know at the end of the day, we're 397 00:17:54,160 --> 00:17:56,520 Speaker 2: gonna be right back at it. So uh, you know, 398 00:17:56,560 --> 00:17:59,120 Speaker 2: I think it's I think it's not as important now, 399 00:17:59,160 --> 00:18:01,280 Speaker 2: and I think it's actually a good thing because again now, 400 00:18:01,280 --> 00:18:03,879 Speaker 2: which is it's lowered the barrier to entry for so 401 00:18:03,920 --> 00:18:06,560 Speaker 2: many other people to kind of create opportunities and content 402 00:18:06,640 --> 00:18:08,920 Speaker 2: and get their stuff out there. That it should really 403 00:18:09,440 --> 00:18:13,560 Speaker 2: hopefully not intimidate people and really want to enable them 404 00:18:13,560 --> 00:18:14,879 Speaker 2: to kind of stick their toe in the water and 405 00:18:14,920 --> 00:18:16,640 Speaker 2: start doing what they need to do to get their 406 00:18:16,720 --> 00:18:20,119 Speaker 2: selves or their brand out there. So, because you also 407 00:18:20,240 --> 00:18:23,600 Speaker 2: managed creative talent today, what are you looking for in 408 00:18:23,600 --> 00:18:28,280 Speaker 2: that talent? Because I imagine. 409 00:18:27,000 --> 00:18:29,960 Speaker 3: The portfolio matters. But and I want you to answer 410 00:18:29,960 --> 00:18:33,120 Speaker 3: this from the perspective of small businesses, medium sized businesses 411 00:18:33,119 --> 00:18:34,919 Speaker 3: who are looking to bring people on their team and 412 00:18:34,960 --> 00:18:37,600 Speaker 3: see themselves as a media company, because what they might 413 00:18:37,640 --> 00:18:40,040 Speaker 3: say is, hey, my nephew knows how to do TikTok, 414 00:18:40,119 --> 00:18:43,400 Speaker 3: let's give him the keys to the thing. So how 415 00:18:43,440 --> 00:18:43,960 Speaker 3: do you do this? 416 00:18:45,400 --> 00:18:48,040 Speaker 1: Yeah? You know what really, So it's a couple of things. 417 00:18:49,400 --> 00:18:50,960 Speaker 1: What really worked for me was. 418 00:18:52,800 --> 00:18:54,760 Speaker 2: Find some you know, if you want if you want 419 00:18:54,760 --> 00:18:57,080 Speaker 2: to find people that, if you want to find good people, 420 00:18:57,680 --> 00:19:00,639 Speaker 2: find the good work and then find the people that 421 00:19:00,760 --> 00:19:01,080 Speaker 2: made it. 422 00:19:02,280 --> 00:19:02,399 Speaker 1: So. 423 00:19:03,119 --> 00:19:05,119 Speaker 2: I remember when we first kind of launched Butter we 424 00:19:05,119 --> 00:19:08,320 Speaker 2: were doing this post on the Clairemont Lounge here in Atlanta. 425 00:19:08,359 --> 00:19:12,000 Speaker 2: It's a iconic establishment. I'll let your audience look it. 426 00:19:12,040 --> 00:19:14,919 Speaker 1: Up one day. But you know, I was I was 427 00:19:14,920 --> 00:19:15,240 Speaker 1: coming up. 428 00:19:15,280 --> 00:19:16,760 Speaker 2: I was looking for ideas, and I said, you know, 429 00:19:16,880 --> 00:19:18,760 Speaker 2: let me jump on ig for some inspiration. And so 430 00:19:18,800 --> 00:19:22,480 Speaker 2: I kind of started clicking on the Clairemont Lounge hashtag 431 00:19:22,880 --> 00:19:25,120 Speaker 2: and I'm just scrolling and then I see this post 432 00:19:25,200 --> 00:19:28,680 Speaker 2: that somebody made about the Claremont Lounge and I just said, 433 00:19:28,720 --> 00:19:30,840 Speaker 2: you know what, that is what I was looking like, 434 00:19:30,880 --> 00:19:34,040 Speaker 2: I want that. So what I did was I literally 435 00:19:34,160 --> 00:19:36,200 Speaker 2: DM the person that made it and was like, yo, 436 00:19:37,080 --> 00:19:39,680 Speaker 2: my name is Brandon. I got this company called Butter. 437 00:19:39,800 --> 00:19:42,040 Speaker 2: I'm not crazy, but I saw you make this post 438 00:19:42,080 --> 00:19:44,919 Speaker 2: about the Clairemont Lounge and I'm actually working on some 439 00:19:44,960 --> 00:19:47,840 Speaker 2: content very similar. Would you be interested in work with 440 00:19:47,920 --> 00:19:50,120 Speaker 2: me on this content? And they were like, yeah, well 441 00:19:50,119 --> 00:19:52,080 Speaker 2: that ended up. Person ended up working on that thing. 442 00:19:52,160 --> 00:19:54,160 Speaker 2: It went well. Then I ended up hiring them full time. 443 00:19:54,160 --> 00:19:57,320 Speaker 2: They worked with me for three years, right, And so 444 00:19:57,520 --> 00:19:59,600 Speaker 2: I think again, if you want to find so I 445 00:19:59,680 --> 00:20:00,919 Speaker 2: think that that's what you got to do. It's not 446 00:20:00,960 --> 00:20:03,399 Speaker 2: just about oh, my cousin knows TikTok and so he 447 00:20:03,480 --> 00:20:04,399 Speaker 2: can do it. 448 00:20:04,400 --> 00:20:07,280 Speaker 1: It's no, you should be going on TikTok. Let's use 449 00:20:07,280 --> 00:20:08,160 Speaker 1: the hoodie example. 450 00:20:08,640 --> 00:20:11,080 Speaker 2: You know, if you have a hoodie company, you should 451 00:20:11,080 --> 00:20:14,280 Speaker 2: be on TikTok finding out who makes dope content about hoodies. 452 00:20:14,920 --> 00:20:18,040 Speaker 2: You should be looking at every hoodie hashtag, you know, 453 00:20:18,160 --> 00:20:21,959 Speaker 2: every hoodie rated brand, every creator that's making jokes about 454 00:20:22,320 --> 00:20:25,399 Speaker 2: you know, the girls stealing your hoodies or its hoodie season, 455 00:20:26,040 --> 00:20:29,359 Speaker 2: and you will find somebody in there that probably resonates 456 00:20:29,359 --> 00:20:31,600 Speaker 2: with you. And then that's how you find somebody that 457 00:20:31,600 --> 00:20:32,879 Speaker 2: can make you hoodie content. 458 00:20:33,480 --> 00:20:33,679 Speaker 1: You know. 459 00:20:33,800 --> 00:20:36,119 Speaker 2: Again, like so, and even with the portfolios and stuff 460 00:20:36,119 --> 00:20:38,600 Speaker 2: like your portfolio, you know, I don't need to see 461 00:20:38,640 --> 00:20:43,680 Speaker 2: your overly crafted, curated online portfolio. I can look at 462 00:20:43,680 --> 00:20:46,600 Speaker 2: your Instagram and your TikTok because if you're really making stuff, 463 00:20:47,000 --> 00:20:49,200 Speaker 2: it should be on there. So I wouldn't trust anybody 464 00:20:49,280 --> 00:20:52,280 Speaker 2: that's a maker that isn't making stuff and putting it 465 00:20:52,320 --> 00:20:54,199 Speaker 2: on there in their free time, right because again, if 466 00:20:54,200 --> 00:20:55,760 Speaker 2: you're doing this, a lot of these folks are like 467 00:20:55,840 --> 00:20:58,240 Speaker 2: really in this for a living, and even when they're 468 00:20:58,280 --> 00:21:01,000 Speaker 2: not making stuff for their job, they're making stuff for fun. 469 00:21:01,040 --> 00:21:02,600 Speaker 1: They're making things that inspire them. Right. 470 00:21:02,720 --> 00:21:05,240 Speaker 2: You want people like that because if they can get 471 00:21:05,240 --> 00:21:07,840 Speaker 2: inspired on their own, they can definitely get inspired and 472 00:21:07,920 --> 00:21:10,520 Speaker 2: it comes to kind of working for you. The other thing, 473 00:21:10,560 --> 00:21:12,560 Speaker 2: I kind of tell people too, is like, you can't 474 00:21:12,600 --> 00:21:15,199 Speaker 2: work for me until you work for me. So you know, 475 00:21:15,240 --> 00:21:18,560 Speaker 2: when you find that person that's doing good work, give 476 00:21:18,600 --> 00:21:21,640 Speaker 2: them a project. You know, I tell you the only 477 00:21:21,680 --> 00:21:23,119 Speaker 2: way to find out how somebody works is to give 478 00:21:23,560 --> 00:21:25,159 Speaker 2: give them a project. And what I what I like 479 00:21:25,240 --> 00:21:28,120 Speaker 2: to do is I actually will depending on the kind 480 00:21:28,119 --> 00:21:31,240 Speaker 2: of job, but I actually give people like test projects. 481 00:21:31,359 --> 00:21:32,800 Speaker 1: Just to see how they're going to react to stuff. 482 00:21:32,840 --> 00:21:34,639 Speaker 2: So you know, I had I was looking for a 483 00:21:35,840 --> 00:21:38,800 Speaker 2: video editor and I kind of came down to three candidates, 484 00:21:39,240 --> 00:21:40,800 Speaker 2: and so I gave them a couple of things. 485 00:21:40,800 --> 00:21:42,680 Speaker 1: I said, look, i'll pay you. I said, here's the rate. 486 00:21:42,800 --> 00:21:44,520 Speaker 2: I'll pay you this rate, which I think is more 487 00:21:44,560 --> 00:21:46,879 Speaker 2: than fair because it shouldn't take you more than this 488 00:21:47,040 --> 00:21:48,520 Speaker 2: much time to do this work. Like I don't want 489 00:21:48,520 --> 00:21:50,720 Speaker 2: you to spending a week on this, but I need 490 00:21:50,800 --> 00:21:52,920 Speaker 2: you know, a video about this. I need a video 491 00:21:53,000 --> 00:21:55,919 Speaker 2: about this, and I need you to go on my 492 00:21:55,960 --> 00:21:58,560 Speaker 2: social media and give me your feedback. And even with 493 00:21:58,600 --> 00:22:01,119 Speaker 2: the videos I gave them, it wasn't the best video, 494 00:22:01,200 --> 00:22:03,639 Speaker 2: but I want to see how what they were gonna 495 00:22:03,640 --> 00:22:05,639 Speaker 2: make with it. I can tell if you're just gonna 496 00:22:05,680 --> 00:22:08,520 Speaker 2: stick stuff together on a timeline and just put some 497 00:22:08,560 --> 00:22:10,840 Speaker 2: fades between it or if you actually did something with it. 498 00:22:11,359 --> 00:22:13,159 Speaker 2: And so again I think you know, we should do it. 499 00:22:13,200 --> 00:22:14,879 Speaker 2: Is the only way to see how people work is 500 00:22:14,880 --> 00:22:16,359 Speaker 2: to actually get them to work for you. And I 501 00:22:16,400 --> 00:22:21,159 Speaker 2: would much rather pay somebody for a project. See what 502 00:22:21,200 --> 00:22:23,640 Speaker 2: they work like, See how we interact, you know, see 503 00:22:23,640 --> 00:22:25,720 Speaker 2: how long they take the turn stuff around, See if 504 00:22:25,720 --> 00:22:27,800 Speaker 2: they do the minimum, if they go above and beyond, 505 00:22:28,359 --> 00:22:30,280 Speaker 2: and if you know, if you're amazing, I have no 506 00:22:30,400 --> 00:22:33,760 Speaker 2: issue whatsoever, and in paying you and keeping you around. 507 00:22:33,760 --> 00:22:35,760 Speaker 2: But again if you don't, if you don't knock it 508 00:22:35,800 --> 00:22:38,880 Speaker 2: out the park, and that that's cool. It's no issues. 509 00:22:38,880 --> 00:22:41,680 Speaker 2: You've got paid, I got something. But you know, we're 510 00:22:41,680 --> 00:22:44,399 Speaker 2: probably not gonna work together. And so like, those are 511 00:22:44,440 --> 00:22:46,680 Speaker 2: the ways I've seen, especially kind of in this again 512 00:22:46,760 --> 00:22:50,000 Speaker 2: world where like everybody's just making stuff or some hacks 513 00:22:50,000 --> 00:22:52,159 Speaker 2: that I found to kind of like find talent, but 514 00:22:52,200 --> 00:22:53,200 Speaker 2: also find the right. 515 00:22:53,080 --> 00:22:54,560 Speaker 1: Folks, because again, you just have to. 516 00:22:54,600 --> 00:22:57,680 Speaker 2: It's it's a continuous effort to find the right people 517 00:22:57,680 --> 00:22:59,240 Speaker 2: to kind of get on the bus to get it 518 00:22:59,640 --> 00:23:02,159 Speaker 2: that understand what you're trying to accomplish. That they have 519 00:23:02,240 --> 00:23:04,200 Speaker 2: their own goals and it all works together. So you 520 00:23:04,720 --> 00:23:07,000 Speaker 2: have to always kind of have your antenna up for 521 00:23:07,040 --> 00:23:09,120 Speaker 2: talent once you kind of get into that game as well. 522 00:23:10,280 --> 00:23:13,159 Speaker 3: So what does it mean to be chief culture and 523 00:23:13,200 --> 00:23:14,119 Speaker 3: innovation officer? 524 00:23:14,240 --> 00:23:14,320 Speaker 2: Like? 525 00:23:14,359 --> 00:23:16,040 Speaker 3: What is your what are your days like? 526 00:23:17,720 --> 00:23:17,960 Speaker 1: Yeah? 527 00:23:18,040 --> 00:23:20,840 Speaker 2: So so on the other side, So again for the 528 00:23:20,840 --> 00:23:23,560 Speaker 2: folks though, I actually I'm a co owner and partner 529 00:23:23,600 --> 00:23:25,440 Speaker 2: at the agency I here call majority. We started with 530 00:23:25,480 --> 00:23:28,119 Speaker 2: Shaquille O'Neil a couple of years ago. We do you know, 531 00:23:28,160 --> 00:23:31,560 Speaker 2: big creative work. And the whole idea behind the company 532 00:23:31,600 --> 00:23:34,159 Speaker 2: was founded on the idea that the reality is in 533 00:23:34,240 --> 00:23:37,400 Speaker 2: most agencies, you know, people of color are the minority, 534 00:23:37,920 --> 00:23:40,800 Speaker 2: but so much of the content that the agencies make 535 00:23:41,200 --> 00:23:44,080 Speaker 2: wants to land in culture. That and the culture at 536 00:23:44,080 --> 00:23:46,840 Speaker 2: a macro is you know, again more black and brown 537 00:23:46,880 --> 00:23:48,760 Speaker 2: than people want to admit. I mean, by twenty thirty, 538 00:23:48,840 --> 00:23:51,760 Speaker 2: the minority will become the majority in this country. So 539 00:23:51,840 --> 00:23:53,399 Speaker 2: the whole idea with us is that what if you 540 00:23:53,400 --> 00:23:55,520 Speaker 2: actually flip that model and made it so that you know, 541 00:23:56,280 --> 00:23:59,520 Speaker 2: seventy to eighty percent of the company, especially the leadership positions, 542 00:23:59,760 --> 00:24:02,920 Speaker 2: were you know, minorities, right, But we're also still making 543 00:24:02,960 --> 00:24:07,119 Speaker 2: general market work, and so because of that culture is 544 00:24:07,160 --> 00:24:10,080 Speaker 2: super important, especially in the city like Atlanta. You know, 545 00:24:10,080 --> 00:24:11,680 Speaker 2: what Butter has given me the ability to do is 546 00:24:11,720 --> 00:24:13,760 Speaker 2: be able to get into different rooms and just connect 547 00:24:13,760 --> 00:24:17,600 Speaker 2: with people. But also it's given me the opportunity to 548 00:24:17,680 --> 00:24:21,320 Speaker 2: kind of give people, to give people opportunities. Again, especially 549 00:24:21,359 --> 00:24:23,640 Speaker 2: in the agency world. You know, Atlanta's kind of looked 550 00:24:23,680 --> 00:24:26,399 Speaker 2: over the talent. It was always kind of considered this 551 00:24:26,480 --> 00:24:28,240 Speaker 2: is the place that you can't start a career at 552 00:24:28,280 --> 00:24:30,239 Speaker 2: if you were serious about working an agency, you had 553 00:24:30,240 --> 00:24:32,600 Speaker 2: to go to New York, LA, Chicago, Miami or something. 554 00:24:33,240 --> 00:24:35,320 Speaker 2: And so, you know, from from a keeping people down 555 00:24:35,320 --> 00:24:38,080 Speaker 2: here standpoint of keeping talent local, you know, one of 556 00:24:38,080 --> 00:24:40,000 Speaker 2: my biggest remits is really just to kind of go 557 00:24:40,080 --> 00:24:46,560 Speaker 2: out and engage with different you know, people, schools, talent creatives, 558 00:24:46,600 --> 00:24:48,359 Speaker 2: just anybody in that space around the city and just 559 00:24:48,400 --> 00:24:50,919 Speaker 2: kind of build relationships so that they know that at 560 00:24:50,960 --> 00:24:54,320 Speaker 2: the end of the day, that majority is is authentically 561 00:24:54,600 --> 00:24:57,000 Speaker 2: rooted and connected to the culture and it's a priority 562 00:24:57,000 --> 00:25:00,480 Speaker 2: for us. That means again making sure that we're you know, 563 00:25:00,480 --> 00:25:02,919 Speaker 2: again being proactive and going to the auc to make 564 00:25:02,960 --> 00:25:05,240 Speaker 2: sure that we're getting talent from the Atlanta University Center 565 00:25:05,280 --> 00:25:08,320 Speaker 2: and make sure that we're you know, doing things around 566 00:25:08,320 --> 00:25:10,720 Speaker 2: the seed to bring in people that might not have 567 00:25:10,840 --> 00:25:12,840 Speaker 2: had a traditional path. You know, everybody doesn't go to 568 00:25:12,880 --> 00:25:15,399 Speaker 2: college anymore, so how are we looking for people that 569 00:25:15,520 --> 00:25:17,520 Speaker 2: didn't go to school and can how how can they 570 00:25:17,520 --> 00:25:20,119 Speaker 2: get into this industry? And then on the innovation and 571 00:25:20,160 --> 00:25:23,639 Speaker 2: then also just again how do we even manage our 572 00:25:23,680 --> 00:25:26,199 Speaker 2: culture internally? You know, I'm not HR, but I'm a 573 00:25:26,200 --> 00:25:30,320 Speaker 2: big believer in you know again people people you know, 574 00:25:30,400 --> 00:25:33,080 Speaker 2: high achievers want to be around other high achievers, and 575 00:25:33,119 --> 00:25:35,040 Speaker 2: so you know, I really want to help us. I 576 00:25:35,119 --> 00:25:36,639 Speaker 2: work to kind of help us create a kind of 577 00:25:36,680 --> 00:25:39,960 Speaker 2: a high achieving atmosphere for our team. That's fund, it's engaging, 578 00:25:40,880 --> 00:25:42,879 Speaker 2: but you know, we also get stuff done. And then 579 00:25:42,920 --> 00:25:44,679 Speaker 2: on the innovation side, like I said before, you know, 580 00:25:44,720 --> 00:25:46,560 Speaker 2: my background's in tech. I always just have a love 581 00:25:46,560 --> 00:25:48,359 Speaker 2: for technology. I spent the first half of my career 582 00:25:48,359 --> 00:25:51,919 Speaker 2: in that. And so it's also about figuring out what 583 00:25:51,960 --> 00:25:53,800 Speaker 2: are the tools and things that we can use to 584 00:25:53,800 --> 00:25:57,040 Speaker 2: help innovate and make ourselves more efficient so that as 585 00:25:57,040 --> 00:26:00,119 Speaker 2: an agency, one again, we're just being more efficient so 586 00:26:00,119 --> 00:26:03,160 Speaker 2: we can create more opportunities. But We're also given our 587 00:26:03,240 --> 00:26:07,040 Speaker 2: people in employees access and experience to use, you know, 588 00:26:07,119 --> 00:26:09,080 Speaker 2: more cutting edge things that will just help them stay 589 00:26:09,080 --> 00:26:12,320 Speaker 2: competitive in their jobs. I'm I'm a big believer in AI, 590 00:26:12,480 --> 00:26:15,720 Speaker 2: but I think even with AI, for example, the people 591 00:26:15,720 --> 00:26:18,960 Speaker 2: that learn how to embrace it and integrate it into 592 00:26:19,000 --> 00:26:20,960 Speaker 2: their workflows are going to be the ones that are 593 00:26:21,000 --> 00:26:24,440 Speaker 2: the most successful. Like, it's very true that AI might 594 00:26:24,520 --> 00:26:27,440 Speaker 2: replace some jobs, but on the same time, I think 595 00:26:27,440 --> 00:26:29,520 Speaker 2: it's a lot like a computer, you know, Like there 596 00:26:29,560 --> 00:26:31,359 Speaker 2: was a time when everybody had typewriters, and now we 597 00:26:31,400 --> 00:26:34,560 Speaker 2: have computers. And so the folks that embraced learning how 598 00:26:34,560 --> 00:26:37,600 Speaker 2: to use email, learning how to use a computer, you know, 599 00:26:37,720 --> 00:26:39,760 Speaker 2: learning how just to use tech in general, had just 600 00:26:39,880 --> 00:26:43,640 Speaker 2: more opportunities than the folks that said, I'm only using 601 00:26:43,680 --> 00:26:46,040 Speaker 2: a typewriter. And so I think, you know, AI is 602 00:26:46,119 --> 00:26:48,040 Speaker 2: kind of that same thing, right, like the folks that 603 00:26:48,200 --> 00:26:50,600 Speaker 2: learn how to you know. I literally was just in 604 00:26:50,640 --> 00:26:52,760 Speaker 2: a meeting a little while ago with my creative team saying, 605 00:26:52,800 --> 00:26:54,800 Speaker 2: you know, how can we use AI to help make 606 00:26:54,880 --> 00:26:57,879 Speaker 2: us more efficient? Like, you know, is it recording all 607 00:26:57,920 --> 00:27:00,879 Speaker 2: our meetings, you know, with a tool like and then 608 00:27:01,440 --> 00:27:04,000 Speaker 2: you know, then sharing those meeting notes backed out to everybody, 609 00:27:04,040 --> 00:27:05,439 Speaker 2: so that somebody just have to do it, is it? 610 00:27:06,400 --> 00:27:08,840 Speaker 2: You know, using tools like mid Journey or you know, 611 00:27:08,880 --> 00:27:11,360 Speaker 2: Getty Images even has an AI generator now to help 612 00:27:11,440 --> 00:27:15,760 Speaker 2: us quickly ideate on you know, conceptual you know design 613 00:27:15,880 --> 00:27:17,840 Speaker 2: for clients to kind of just get stuff out the door, 614 00:27:17,960 --> 00:27:19,399 Speaker 2: not that they will ever go live, but it just 615 00:27:19,440 --> 00:27:21,679 Speaker 2: gets the juices for them. Right, How can we just 616 00:27:21,720 --> 00:27:24,320 Speaker 2: think about technology to help us be more efficient? So 617 00:27:24,400 --> 00:27:26,360 Speaker 2: you know, that's kind of what my day typically includes, 618 00:27:26,440 --> 00:27:29,160 Speaker 2: is that, and you know also a lot of spreadsheets 619 00:27:29,160 --> 00:27:30,320 Speaker 2: and budget stuff too. 620 00:27:32,200 --> 00:27:35,600 Speaker 3: So with Butter, I mean, you guys are covering every 621 00:27:35,800 --> 00:27:40,919 Speaker 3: category of the culture in Atlanta, and that's you know, sports, news, food, music, 622 00:27:40,960 --> 00:27:46,080 Speaker 3: and et cetera. What is so special about the black 623 00:27:46,320 --> 00:27:51,200 Speaker 3: entrepreneurial landscape and these particular verticals in Atlanta? 624 00:27:52,440 --> 00:27:55,800 Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean, you know, well, I always say Atlanta 625 00:27:55,880 --> 00:27:58,680 Speaker 2: is a special place in general, just because if you're 626 00:27:58,680 --> 00:28:00,760 Speaker 2: ever not clear why the once you get off the 627 00:28:01,880 --> 00:28:04,000 Speaker 2: get off your plane at the airport, you know, Atlanta 628 00:28:04,080 --> 00:28:06,800 Speaker 2: is different. I've been all over the world and that's 629 00:28:06,840 --> 00:28:08,440 Speaker 2: one of the few places I've ever been that when 630 00:28:08,480 --> 00:28:10,400 Speaker 2: you get off from the moment you kind of touch down. 631 00:28:10,440 --> 00:28:13,560 Speaker 2: You see people of color at all, you know, all 632 00:28:13,640 --> 00:28:16,160 Speaker 2: walks of life, from the pilots to the janitors, right, 633 00:28:16,280 --> 00:28:18,520 Speaker 2: you know, so and I think you know, the different 634 00:28:19,720 --> 00:28:21,640 Speaker 2: verticals around Atlanta are very much the same thing. 635 00:28:21,680 --> 00:28:21,879 Speaker 1: You know. 636 00:28:21,920 --> 00:28:24,320 Speaker 2: It's it's it's a very unique thing that we can 637 00:28:24,359 --> 00:28:26,320 Speaker 2: go to these brands, go to these companies, go to 638 00:28:26,359 --> 00:28:29,400 Speaker 2: these large organizations, and the people that are making decisions 639 00:28:29,440 --> 00:28:32,520 Speaker 2: at the top, you know, look like you. And you 640 00:28:32,560 --> 00:28:34,680 Speaker 2: know what does that mean. It means that one, it's 641 00:28:34,680 --> 00:28:37,600 Speaker 2: easier for you to be your authentic self. You know, 642 00:28:37,640 --> 00:28:40,280 Speaker 2: it's easy for you to walk into certain conversations and say, 643 00:28:40,280 --> 00:28:41,400 Speaker 2: you know what, I don't have thought I have to 644 00:28:41,520 --> 00:28:44,480 Speaker 2: you know, overly code switch or be somebody I'm not. 645 00:28:44,560 --> 00:28:47,280 Speaker 2: I can actually be authentic. I could bring my whole 646 00:28:47,360 --> 00:28:50,680 Speaker 2: self in here to this conversation. But also what's amazing 647 00:28:50,720 --> 00:28:53,640 Speaker 2: about that is because you have people that you know 648 00:28:54,240 --> 00:28:56,560 Speaker 2: that are from the culture or or they get it 649 00:28:56,640 --> 00:28:59,400 Speaker 2: at the top making those decisions, you're just able to 650 00:28:59,440 --> 00:29:03,600 Speaker 2: do things that resonate more broadly because everybody's kind of 651 00:29:03,760 --> 00:29:04,360 Speaker 2: understanding it. 652 00:29:04,440 --> 00:29:04,600 Speaker 1: Right. 653 00:29:04,640 --> 00:29:08,400 Speaker 2: So again, you know, it's it's it's it's like again, 654 00:29:08,440 --> 00:29:10,480 Speaker 2: it's like, you know, when people would say, yeah, we 655 00:29:10,480 --> 00:29:12,200 Speaker 2: got to get an influencer on this, it's like, well, 656 00:29:12,200 --> 00:29:13,280 Speaker 2: why you know? 657 00:29:13,360 --> 00:29:14,560 Speaker 1: But but now when you have. 658 00:29:14,600 --> 00:29:17,960 Speaker 2: Somebody in there at the top that understands the nuances around, 659 00:29:17,960 --> 00:29:20,040 Speaker 2: I'm just gonna use it Atlanta as like Atlanta culture. 660 00:29:21,640 --> 00:29:23,560 Speaker 2: It's not like you're just you know, throwing things in 661 00:29:23,600 --> 00:29:25,000 Speaker 2: there to say we gotta do this, we gotta do this, 662 00:29:25,040 --> 00:29:27,600 Speaker 2: we gotta do this. It's really the conversations more often 663 00:29:27,720 --> 00:29:31,640 Speaker 2: not tend to leverage around what's impactful, what would really 664 00:29:31,840 --> 00:29:35,120 Speaker 2: you know, resonate, what would really help this be successful? 665 00:29:35,600 --> 00:29:37,120 Speaker 2: And then how can we kind of do that together? 666 00:29:37,160 --> 00:29:40,080 Speaker 2: And again it's just having that ability to be collaborative 667 00:29:40,960 --> 00:29:43,480 Speaker 2: while also just being your full self, I think is 668 00:29:43,520 --> 00:29:45,360 Speaker 2: what makes Atlanta really special and unique. 669 00:29:45,400 --> 00:29:47,080 Speaker 1: And again, having. 670 00:29:47,160 --> 00:29:49,280 Speaker 2: Traveled and worked all over the world, I I you know, 671 00:29:49,480 --> 00:29:51,200 Speaker 2: I've said that's not always been the case, and that's 672 00:29:51,200 --> 00:29:53,680 Speaker 2: why I think that again, that's why lant is such 673 00:29:53,680 --> 00:29:54,320 Speaker 2: a special place. 674 00:29:55,200 --> 00:29:58,480 Speaker 3: So if you think about what you guys have done 675 00:29:58,520 --> 00:30:01,680 Speaker 3: with butter Ato and how it's work for Atlanta, and 676 00:30:01,760 --> 00:30:05,480 Speaker 3: then giving the platform to people doing really great things 677 00:30:05,520 --> 00:30:09,760 Speaker 3: in Atlanta, what can other communities learn from that think 678 00:30:09,800 --> 00:30:14,800 Speaker 3: about Detroit, you know, Cleveland, Baltimore, Chattanooga. What can other 679 00:30:14,920 --> 00:30:18,920 Speaker 3: cities replicate that has worked well for Butter. 680 00:30:20,520 --> 00:30:22,800 Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean at the end of the day, you know, 681 00:30:22,880 --> 00:30:25,160 Speaker 2: every city. I think every city has a story. I mean, 682 00:30:25,240 --> 00:30:27,520 Speaker 2: use Detroit as an example, right, Like you think about 683 00:30:27,560 --> 00:30:30,959 Speaker 2: just the history from you know, the car companies, the 684 00:30:30,960 --> 00:30:33,440 Speaker 2: motown and everything in between. Right, Like, there's an element 685 00:30:33,480 --> 00:30:37,520 Speaker 2: of just having pride, you know, in your city, in 686 00:30:37,640 --> 00:30:39,320 Speaker 2: the place you live, in the place you call home. 687 00:30:39,400 --> 00:30:41,840 Speaker 2: And I think, you know, the great thing about that 688 00:30:41,960 --> 00:30:45,120 Speaker 2: pride is is that you can activate it and really 689 00:30:45,120 --> 00:30:49,680 Speaker 2: fun and interesting ways. Just recently, you know, just recently, 690 00:30:49,720 --> 00:30:52,520 Speaker 2: we did the very a very similar thing, right you know, 691 00:30:52,640 --> 00:30:57,160 Speaker 2: here in Atlanta, an announcement came out that the city 692 00:30:57,200 --> 00:31:01,240 Speaker 2: of Decatur schools had a path do balance of almost 693 00:31:01,280 --> 00:31:05,360 Speaker 2: eighty eight thousand dollars for student unpaid school lunches, and 694 00:31:05,400 --> 00:31:08,840 Speaker 2: because of that, they were going to start giving students 695 00:31:08,840 --> 00:31:12,480 Speaker 2: that had unpaid balances a cheese sandwich and a cart. 696 00:31:12,320 --> 00:31:12,760 Speaker 1: And of milk. 697 00:31:13,360 --> 00:31:15,080 Speaker 2: Now, there's a lot of common questions that come up 698 00:31:15,080 --> 00:31:17,160 Speaker 2: when you say that, like what if they're Lato's intolerant, 699 00:31:17,240 --> 00:31:20,600 Speaker 2: or you know, is that now singling out the people 700 00:31:20,760 --> 00:31:23,560 Speaker 2: who might be having issues at home. But what was 701 00:31:23,560 --> 00:31:26,240 Speaker 2: really interesting was, you know, we partnered with another amazing 702 00:31:26,320 --> 00:31:29,720 Speaker 2: entrepreneur right here called Jasmine, Jasmine Crow of Gooder, and 703 00:31:29,800 --> 00:31:31,800 Speaker 2: she had this idea to basically say, you know what, 704 00:31:32,200 --> 00:31:36,040 Speaker 2: because we're the people that you know, care about this city. 705 00:31:36,680 --> 00:31:40,680 Speaker 2: If the city of Decatur can't raise eighty eight thousand dollars, 706 00:31:41,080 --> 00:31:45,360 Speaker 2: why we can. And literally, in forty eight hours, we 707 00:31:45,480 --> 00:31:49,440 Speaker 2: raised eighty five eighty six thousand dollars on GoFundMe, enough 708 00:31:49,480 --> 00:31:54,920 Speaker 2: to pay off the entire outstanding Student Outstanding Student lunch 709 00:31:54,960 --> 00:31:56,920 Speaker 2: balance for the entire city of Decatur. 710 00:31:57,560 --> 00:31:57,760 Speaker 1: Right. 711 00:31:57,840 --> 00:32:00,480 Speaker 2: So I think that's where that whole city pride comes from, 712 00:32:00,600 --> 00:32:03,200 Speaker 2: right because why the people that followed Butter, they went 713 00:32:03,240 --> 00:32:05,320 Speaker 2: to school, Indicator, they went to school, they have kids, 714 00:32:05,320 --> 00:32:07,440 Speaker 2: they have family around there, they have pride in that sense. 715 00:32:07,520 --> 00:32:07,640 Speaker 1: Right. 716 00:32:07,720 --> 00:32:10,880 Speaker 2: So, while we have fun and we try to keep 717 00:32:10,920 --> 00:32:12,720 Speaker 2: it positive and we try to you know, do things 718 00:32:13,320 --> 00:32:17,000 Speaker 2: when we do need to activate our audience, our audiences 719 00:32:17,160 --> 00:32:20,240 Speaker 2: is very engaged and they want to see the city 720 00:32:20,280 --> 00:32:21,480 Speaker 2: and the culture be protected. 721 00:32:21,480 --> 00:32:23,440 Speaker 1: And so I was super proud for that. 722 00:32:23,320 --> 00:32:25,520 Speaker 2: Moment just and again it wasn't even my idea, it 723 00:32:25,520 --> 00:32:27,360 Speaker 2: was not that we helped out with, but the idea 724 00:32:27,400 --> 00:32:30,520 Speaker 2: that we had a huge audience and you know, just 725 00:32:30,520 --> 00:32:33,760 Speaker 2: putting this message out here drove tens of thousands of 726 00:32:33,760 --> 00:32:36,880 Speaker 2: dollars and you know, submissions literally in twenty four to 727 00:32:36,880 --> 00:32:40,760 Speaker 2: forty eight hours, you know where on Monday, you know, 728 00:32:40,880 --> 00:32:42,880 Speaker 2: they were saying this is what was going to happen. 729 00:32:43,520 --> 00:32:45,760 Speaker 2: Two three days later they're like, Okay, the balance is 730 00:32:45,800 --> 00:32:46,240 Speaker 2: paid off. 731 00:32:46,560 --> 00:32:46,760 Speaker 1: Right. 732 00:32:47,200 --> 00:32:50,520 Speaker 2: So I think that's the benefit of a butter like 733 00:32:50,560 --> 00:32:52,560 Speaker 2: object in other cities. Right, It's like there could be 734 00:32:52,600 --> 00:32:56,520 Speaker 2: moments where because government moves slow, or because it takes 735 00:32:56,560 --> 00:32:58,920 Speaker 2: a while to activate, like, how else can you just 736 00:32:58,960 --> 00:33:00,760 Speaker 2: get the best of a sty to kind of stand 737 00:33:00,800 --> 00:33:02,920 Speaker 2: up and say, you know what, we're all gonna get 738 00:33:02,960 --> 00:33:05,040 Speaker 2: behind this thing and make something happen right now. And 739 00:33:05,040 --> 00:33:07,280 Speaker 2: I think, you know, when you cultivate that audience by 740 00:33:07,760 --> 00:33:10,320 Speaker 2: providing them value, giving them an outlet, letting them have fun. 741 00:33:10,400 --> 00:33:12,320 Speaker 2: But then when you say hey, y'all, I need y'all 742 00:33:12,320 --> 00:33:13,840 Speaker 2: to step up and they do it, it's just an 743 00:33:13,880 --> 00:33:16,360 Speaker 2: amazing thing to kind of see. And so I think 744 00:33:16,360 --> 00:33:19,000 Speaker 2: that's something that again, all these other cities could really use, 745 00:33:19,640 --> 00:33:21,600 Speaker 2: you know, a very a very similar like I said, 746 00:33:21,600 --> 00:33:22,440 Speaker 2: Butter like object. 747 00:33:23,560 --> 00:33:26,800 Speaker 3: And then so when you started Butter, like this was 748 00:33:26,840 --> 00:33:29,320 Speaker 3: this design to be a business or was this design 749 00:33:29,360 --> 00:33:31,560 Speaker 3: to be something We care about the community, we want 750 00:33:31,600 --> 00:33:33,320 Speaker 3: to tell these stories, et cetera. And here's why I'm 751 00:33:33,360 --> 00:33:36,360 Speaker 3: asking this question is you know, I have the belief 752 00:33:36,400 --> 00:33:39,280 Speaker 3: that and maybe you agree that you can build You 753 00:33:39,280 --> 00:33:41,160 Speaker 3: can try to sell a product without a brand, and 754 00:33:41,160 --> 00:33:43,200 Speaker 3: you may sell something, but if you build a brand, 755 00:33:43,480 --> 00:33:47,000 Speaker 3: you can sell anything almost that aligns with your product, 756 00:33:47,040 --> 00:33:49,440 Speaker 3: it aligns with your you know, true north Like, think 757 00:33:49,480 --> 00:33:52,600 Speaker 3: about a Rihanna. Rihanna can sell almost anything. She can 758 00:33:52,640 --> 00:33:55,960 Speaker 3: sell many things. But if she just had didn't have 759 00:33:56,000 --> 00:33:58,160 Speaker 3: the name, but just had a product, she could sell 760 00:33:58,200 --> 00:34:01,120 Speaker 3: some product, maybe sell some fansy, maybe people will buy it, 761 00:34:01,120 --> 00:34:03,880 Speaker 3: maybe they don't, but they will follow her anywhere now 762 00:34:03,920 --> 00:34:06,520 Speaker 3: because she has a brand. And so my reason for 763 00:34:06,560 --> 00:34:09,160 Speaker 3: asking question about Butter is was this design to be 764 00:34:10,080 --> 00:34:15,160 Speaker 3: I guess was it more contributory, contributive to the community 765 00:34:15,480 --> 00:34:18,160 Speaker 3: and a business happened, or was like, Hey, we're going 766 00:34:18,200 --> 00:34:21,040 Speaker 3: to start a business and we're going to create content. 767 00:34:22,239 --> 00:34:25,000 Speaker 2: Yeah, So when we started Butter, I actually launched and 768 00:34:25,000 --> 00:34:27,239 Speaker 2: incubated it inside of an agency that I was working 769 00:34:27,239 --> 00:34:30,479 Speaker 2: out here in Atlanta. You know, in the beginning, folks 770 00:34:30,560 --> 00:34:32,359 Speaker 2: thought there was like some weird angle. I had people 771 00:34:32,400 --> 00:34:34,560 Speaker 2: hitting me up like, are y'all just trying to market 772 00:34:34,560 --> 00:34:36,840 Speaker 2: to black people? Or what are you selling? I said, no, honestly, 773 00:34:36,880 --> 00:34:39,880 Speaker 2: there's no hidden agenda. The only agenda is I'm just 774 00:34:39,880 --> 00:34:42,880 Speaker 2: trying to do cool shit for the city. But the 775 00:34:42,920 --> 00:34:46,080 Speaker 2: beautiful thing about that it kind of being incubated was 776 00:34:46,160 --> 00:34:48,960 Speaker 2: it allowed us for the first couple of years to 777 00:34:49,120 --> 00:34:52,440 Speaker 2: not worry about making money and just focus on the brand. 778 00:34:53,520 --> 00:34:55,719 Speaker 2: I think there was always an there was always a 779 00:34:55,760 --> 00:34:59,600 Speaker 2: goal or I think a vision that this could be something. 780 00:34:59,640 --> 00:35:01,279 Speaker 1: We just had kind of figure out what it was. 781 00:35:01,480 --> 00:35:04,080 Speaker 2: And you know, the trick is is, like I said, 782 00:35:04,320 --> 00:35:06,840 Speaker 2: when you actually have the ability to build an audience 783 00:35:06,840 --> 00:35:09,719 Speaker 2: and build a brand first, what you can then do 784 00:35:09,800 --> 00:35:11,239 Speaker 2: is you can then go to them and ask them 785 00:35:11,280 --> 00:35:14,240 Speaker 2: what they want, and then it's easy. Like that's honestly, 786 00:35:14,280 --> 00:35:16,920 Speaker 2: that's that's like almost the definition of marketing at its core, right, 787 00:35:16,960 --> 00:35:19,040 Speaker 2: It's like understanding your audience and just giving them what 788 00:35:19,080 --> 00:35:22,000 Speaker 2: they want. And so, you know, building up this brand, 789 00:35:22,080 --> 00:35:24,160 Speaker 2: building up this audience, is super just tied in and 790 00:35:24,200 --> 00:35:27,080 Speaker 2: resonated to Atlanta. You know, we would do little stuff 791 00:35:27,080 --> 00:35:28,719 Speaker 2: here and there to just kind of have fun, but 792 00:35:28,760 --> 00:35:31,040 Speaker 2: it was never kind of a you know, Okay, we 793 00:35:31,040 --> 00:35:32,800 Speaker 2: got to do this to pay the bills kind of situation. 794 00:35:33,560 --> 00:35:37,600 Speaker 2: When I left that agency and then fully acquired all 795 00:35:37,640 --> 00:35:40,680 Speaker 2: the IP for Butter, you know, I was like, Okay, 796 00:35:40,680 --> 00:35:42,680 Speaker 2: we have to do more of a business now. But again, 797 00:35:42,760 --> 00:35:44,719 Speaker 2: we already kind of knew because our audience and we 798 00:35:44,800 --> 00:35:47,439 Speaker 2: knew what they wanted, what are the things that would work? 799 00:35:47,480 --> 00:35:50,560 Speaker 2: And so for me, the fun part is is now 800 00:35:50,600 --> 00:35:52,440 Speaker 2: that I have such a good understanding of our audience, 801 00:35:52,800 --> 00:35:54,680 Speaker 2: the fun part is really figuring out, Okay, what are 802 00:35:54,680 --> 00:35:56,440 Speaker 2: the things that we could do to kind of do this, 803 00:35:56,520 --> 00:35:58,680 Speaker 2: because at the end of the day, you know, great 804 00:35:58,680 --> 00:36:01,840 Speaker 2: content needs a business model. You know, I'm not a 805 00:36:01,920 --> 00:36:04,440 Speaker 2: huge fan of the advertising business model in general, even 806 00:36:04,440 --> 00:36:06,680 Speaker 2: though I work in that space, but you know, I 807 00:36:06,719 --> 00:36:08,799 Speaker 2: do think for us, it's it's kind of similar to what. 808 00:36:08,760 --> 00:36:09,600 Speaker 1: You said about Rihanna. 809 00:36:09,640 --> 00:36:12,120 Speaker 2: What I'm looking at now is what are things that 810 00:36:12,200 --> 00:36:15,640 Speaker 2: only Butter could do and that could push out because 811 00:36:15,640 --> 00:36:18,719 Speaker 2: of our audience and they would just love this and 812 00:36:18,719 --> 00:36:20,319 Speaker 2: they would actually want to you know, buy it or 813 00:36:20,320 --> 00:36:22,760 Speaker 2: do something with it. So you know, I'm thinking about 814 00:36:22,800 --> 00:36:26,359 Speaker 2: you know, different you know, events, activations, we think about 815 00:36:26,400 --> 00:36:29,839 Speaker 2: actual real products. There's lots of stuff that we're kind 816 00:36:29,840 --> 00:36:31,800 Speaker 2: of working on right now with that idea that we 817 00:36:31,880 --> 00:36:33,840 Speaker 2: kind of came out of last year, with that realization 818 00:36:33,960 --> 00:36:36,040 Speaker 2: of Okay, the audience is here. We kind of we 819 00:36:36,080 --> 00:36:39,000 Speaker 2: have the distribution built in. Now, the question is what 820 00:36:39,040 --> 00:36:40,799 Speaker 2: do we put in front of them? What do they want? 821 00:36:40,840 --> 00:36:43,279 Speaker 2: And so that's going to really be the focus. You know, 822 00:36:43,320 --> 00:36:44,880 Speaker 2: that was the focus last year and going into this 823 00:36:44,960 --> 00:36:49,120 Speaker 2: year is you know, products and services that our audience 824 00:36:49,160 --> 00:36:50,560 Speaker 2: you know, we know they'd like that we could just 825 00:36:50,560 --> 00:36:52,200 Speaker 2: put right in front of them, and we know they 826 00:36:52,200 --> 00:36:53,919 Speaker 2: would just you know, snatch it up off the gate. 827 00:36:54,040 --> 00:36:56,560 Speaker 2: Because again, you know, in order to stick around, you 828 00:36:56,600 --> 00:36:58,560 Speaker 2: do got to make money. And you know, again that 829 00:36:58,640 --> 00:37:01,680 Speaker 2: money goes to help you know, fun, the salaries of 830 00:37:01,719 --> 00:37:03,600 Speaker 2: the team and everything else. And so that's why it's 831 00:37:03,600 --> 00:37:05,480 Speaker 2: important that we that we go out and create those 832 00:37:05,480 --> 00:37:08,960 Speaker 2: things so that this can exist one so we can 833 00:37:09,000 --> 00:37:12,240 Speaker 2: do things, but to the next time a Decatur Schools 834 00:37:12,280 --> 00:37:15,839 Speaker 2: type situation happens. There's a brand here that can also 835 00:37:15,880 --> 00:37:18,040 Speaker 2: help activate people and make stuff happen, you. 836 00:37:17,960 --> 00:37:37,480 Speaker 3: Know, black tech. Green money to production to Blavity, Afrotech 837 00:37:37,800 --> 00:37:40,399 Speaker 3: from the Black Effect Podcast Network and I Hire Media. 838 00:37:40,480 --> 00:37:44,920 Speaker 3: It's produced by Morgan Debonne and me Well Lucas. If 839 00:37:44,960 --> 00:37:48,200 Speaker 3: you got something out of this episode shared with somebody, 840 00:37:48,880 --> 00:37:49,720 Speaker 3: we'll get your money. 841 00:37:50,680 --> 00:37:51,279 Speaker 1: Piece of luck.