1 00:00:04,960 --> 00:00:07,280 Speaker 1: Welcome to Money Making Conversations. It's the show that she 2 00:00:07,320 --> 00:00:10,039 Speaker 1: has the secrets of success experience firsthand by marketing and 3 00:00:10,119 --> 00:00:13,039 Speaker 1: Brandon expert Rashan McDonald. I will know he's giving me 4 00:00:13,080 --> 00:00:15,400 Speaker 1: advice to many occasions. In the case you didn't notice, 5 00:00:15,800 --> 00:00:19,200 Speaker 1: I'm not broke, you know he'll be interview with celebrity CEOs, 6 00:00:19,480 --> 00:00:22,520 Speaker 1: entrepreneurs and industry decision makers. It's what he likes to do, 7 00:00:22,720 --> 00:00:25,079 Speaker 1: it's what he likes to share. Now it's time to 8 00:00:25,120 --> 00:00:29,120 Speaker 1: hear from my man, Rashan McDonald money Making Conversations. Here 9 00:00:29,160 --> 00:00:32,720 Speaker 1: we come. Welcome to Money Making Conversation. I am your host, 10 00:00:32,840 --> 00:00:36,000 Speaker 1: Roushan McDonald. It is important to stop reading other people's 11 00:00:36,000 --> 00:00:38,920 Speaker 1: success stories and really start writing your own. I always 12 00:00:38,920 --> 00:00:40,920 Speaker 1: tell people to leave with their gifts as meaning to 13 00:00:41,000 --> 00:00:43,519 Speaker 1: leave with your passion, your your belief, it what you 14 00:00:43,520 --> 00:00:45,960 Speaker 1: want to do, and don't let your age, friends, family 15 00:00:46,000 --> 00:00:48,680 Speaker 1: or coworkers stop you from planning or living your dreams. 16 00:00:49,040 --> 00:00:52,840 Speaker 1: My interviews I do on Money Making Conversation consists of celebrities, CEOs, 17 00:00:53,000 --> 00:00:57,760 Speaker 1: entrepreneurs and industry decision makers. My next guest is Lindsay Davis. 18 00:00:58,000 --> 00:00:59,880 Speaker 1: She is a best selling author of the world is 19 00:01:00,040 --> 00:01:03,520 Speaker 1: Awake and one Big Heart. In February, Lindsey was tapped 20 00:01:03,520 --> 00:01:07,120 Speaker 1: to anchor the weekend broadcast of ABC News World Tonight 21 00:01:07,600 --> 00:01:11,200 Speaker 1: and She's All And She also anchors ABC News Lifetime 22 00:01:11,480 --> 00:01:14,800 Speaker 1: Live Prime, Excuse Me, the network streaming even newscast. She's 23 00:01:14,840 --> 00:01:19,840 Speaker 1: also corresponding for World News Tonight, Good Morning America at Nightline. 24 00:01:19,920 --> 00:01:23,040 Speaker 1: Please welcome to Money Making Conversation. The anchor of ABC's 25 00:01:23,120 --> 00:01:27,280 Speaker 1: weekend World News Tonight and ABC News Live Prime, Lindsey 26 00:01:27,319 --> 00:01:30,760 Speaker 1: Davis Rushan, thank you so much for having me on. 27 00:01:30,920 --> 00:01:32,400 Speaker 1: I try to get it all in. I try to 28 00:01:32,440 --> 00:01:40,160 Speaker 1: get it all in because you know the thing about 29 00:01:40,200 --> 00:01:43,279 Speaker 1: our business business long enough to see faces like yours 30 00:01:43,319 --> 00:01:46,120 Speaker 1: that are not normal. They're normal now, but you know 31 00:01:46,240 --> 00:01:49,080 Speaker 1: one Pine in his time and his industry, they weren't normal, 32 00:01:49,160 --> 00:01:51,800 Speaker 1: especially if a female face being normal. And you know 33 00:01:51,960 --> 00:01:54,720 Speaker 1: Ed Bradley was our man at one time, and then 34 00:01:54,760 --> 00:01:57,080 Speaker 1: so as you start ascending, That's why I wanted to 35 00:01:57,120 --> 00:01:59,120 Speaker 1: make sure people saw the body of your work. And 36 00:01:59,160 --> 00:02:01,480 Speaker 1: this is only a small body of your work, but 37 00:02:01,560 --> 00:02:04,240 Speaker 1: it's an important body of work with yours. You as 38 00:02:04,280 --> 00:02:08,280 Speaker 1: a host, as an anchor, get to articulate our stories 39 00:02:08,320 --> 00:02:13,119 Speaker 1: and I'm pretty sure in as an African American, as 40 00:02:13,160 --> 00:02:15,639 Speaker 1: a female, and some of the stories that were put 41 00:02:15,680 --> 00:02:19,040 Speaker 1: out there, how are you able to balance the actual 42 00:02:19,320 --> 00:02:22,520 Speaker 1: reporting of the news and then the detachment of what 43 00:02:22,639 --> 00:02:26,240 Speaker 1: you were reporting? Well, you know what, Look, it's always 44 00:02:26,360 --> 00:02:30,160 Speaker 1: about the facts, and I think that it's also about 45 00:02:31,000 --> 00:02:33,080 Speaker 1: knowing what you don't know. And so I think that 46 00:02:33,120 --> 00:02:36,160 Speaker 1: when you don't have a lot of variation, a lot 47 00:02:36,200 --> 00:02:40,720 Speaker 1: of variety of perspectives and lenses and experiences at the 48 00:02:40,760 --> 00:02:45,000 Speaker 1: proverbial table, um, then you're missing some of the nuance 49 00:02:45,080 --> 00:02:49,400 Speaker 1: to the story, right, and some of the relevant facts, um, 50 00:02:49,639 --> 00:02:53,840 Speaker 1: get thrown aside. And so UM, I don't think that 51 00:02:53,960 --> 00:02:58,800 Speaker 1: I'm coloring it, if you will, with with anything except 52 00:02:58,919 --> 00:03:02,000 Speaker 1: that I do come with the perspective and the experience 53 00:03:02,040 --> 00:03:04,800 Speaker 1: of of being a black woman in America, and so 54 00:03:04,840 --> 00:03:07,480 Speaker 1: I think that I may have certain questions that I'm 55 00:03:07,520 --> 00:03:09,519 Speaker 1: going to ask or that I'm going to lean into 56 00:03:09,600 --> 00:03:13,880 Speaker 1: based on my own experience. UM. And I think of 57 00:03:13,960 --> 00:03:16,880 Speaker 1: as you talk about how we haven't had many people 58 00:03:16,880 --> 00:03:18,400 Speaker 1: who look like me. That was why it was so 59 00:03:18,440 --> 00:03:22,080 Speaker 1: important on my first night when I assumed the chair 60 00:03:22,120 --> 00:03:24,799 Speaker 1: of Weekend World News Tonight on Sundays. I had an 61 00:03:24,800 --> 00:03:27,160 Speaker 1: interview that I did with Carol Simpson, who was the 62 00:03:27,200 --> 00:03:31,480 Speaker 1: first black woman to anchor any network newscast back in 63 00:03:31,520 --> 00:03:34,080 Speaker 1: the eighties. And you know, I look forward to the 64 00:03:34,160 --> 00:03:36,840 Speaker 1: day my son is seven, and I look forward to 65 00:03:37,480 --> 00:03:40,000 Speaker 1: when he grows up that we won't still be talking about, well, 66 00:03:40,000 --> 00:03:42,720 Speaker 1: this was the first or the second, right, because hopefully 67 00:03:42,800 --> 00:03:46,800 Speaker 1: the idea and the ideal will be that enough people 68 00:03:46,840 --> 00:03:50,120 Speaker 1: at that point would would have ascended to various ranks 69 00:03:50,160 --> 00:03:53,920 Speaker 1: that it just becomes oh, another person, right. And and 70 00:03:53,960 --> 00:03:56,280 Speaker 1: so for my son, I really do look forward to 71 00:03:56,800 --> 00:03:59,960 Speaker 1: where it becomes so commonplace that we're not still counting, 72 00:04:00,400 --> 00:04:03,000 Speaker 1: you know, the first or or the second. You know, 73 00:04:03,040 --> 00:04:07,160 Speaker 1: it's really interesting, especially entertainment. You know, I remember when 74 00:04:07,160 --> 00:04:09,240 Speaker 1: Steve Harvey, now back way back in the eighty three, 75 00:04:09,280 --> 00:04:11,640 Speaker 1: when he had his first opportunity ABC offers in the 76 00:04:11,680 --> 00:04:14,520 Speaker 1: first sitcom. I remember we came to Mr Jian, ABC 77 00:04:14,640 --> 00:04:17,240 Speaker 1: wants me to do a sitcom. I went, you let 78 00:04:17,400 --> 00:04:19,280 Speaker 1: up because it was just it was just so far 79 00:04:19,360 --> 00:04:22,440 Speaker 1: I could not even fathom. Somebody I knew, black Man, 80 00:04:22,480 --> 00:04:25,080 Speaker 1: he was a comedian populic commedia was being offered a 81 00:04:25,160 --> 00:04:27,719 Speaker 1: TV show on ABC was a pilot at the time, 82 00:04:28,040 --> 00:04:31,120 Speaker 1: and then I fast forward and as you're aspiring to 83 00:04:31,240 --> 00:04:34,039 Speaker 1: these heights, I wanted to be on the news, wanted 84 00:04:34,040 --> 00:04:35,720 Speaker 1: to deliver the news, to be a face of the 85 00:04:35,720 --> 00:04:38,479 Speaker 1: news and faced in media. What was that? What was 86 00:04:38,520 --> 00:04:41,080 Speaker 1: that journey like in college and your friends and your 87 00:04:41,080 --> 00:04:42,880 Speaker 1: peer groups, when you're telling them this is what you 88 00:04:42,920 --> 00:04:46,360 Speaker 1: wanted to do. Sure, you know, I think that I've 89 00:04:46,480 --> 00:04:50,880 Speaker 1: had the luxury or the benefit of having especially within 90 00:04:51,000 --> 00:04:54,440 Speaker 1: my own uh my own home and so not just 91 00:04:54,600 --> 00:04:58,880 Speaker 1: my parents, um, but in the extended family as well, 92 00:04:58,960 --> 00:05:01,600 Speaker 1: where there was an expectation that you could do what 93 00:05:01,640 --> 00:05:04,640 Speaker 1: you wanted to do. And so I never felt limited 94 00:05:04,920 --> 00:05:08,599 Speaker 1: or constrained because of my race or gender, because there 95 00:05:08,720 --> 00:05:11,240 Speaker 1: was a mindset that if you want to do it, 96 00:05:11,360 --> 00:05:13,480 Speaker 1: if you want to run for president, run for president. 97 00:05:13,600 --> 00:05:16,800 Speaker 1: You know, no one was really telling me the likelihood 98 00:05:16,839 --> 00:05:19,120 Speaker 1: of success or how it was going to be so 99 00:05:19,200 --> 00:05:21,600 Speaker 1: much more difficult or so much harder, or no one 100 00:05:21,640 --> 00:05:24,680 Speaker 1: has done this before or whatever. It was just like, Hey, 101 00:05:24,760 --> 00:05:26,960 Speaker 1: you want to do that, here's some tools. We're gonna 102 00:05:27,000 --> 00:05:30,839 Speaker 1: give you, some exposures, some opportunities, and you run with 103 00:05:30,880 --> 00:05:32,480 Speaker 1: it and you take it as far as you can. 104 00:05:32,640 --> 00:05:35,600 Speaker 1: And so when I decided when I was in college 105 00:05:35,640 --> 00:05:38,240 Speaker 1: that I wanted to become a journalist at the time, 106 00:05:38,520 --> 00:05:42,360 Speaker 1: in particular reporter um. You know, my parents were just like, Okay, 107 00:05:42,400 --> 00:05:43,479 Speaker 1: what do we have to do? What do you have 108 00:05:43,520 --> 00:05:45,880 Speaker 1: to do? And so at the time, you still had 109 00:05:45,880 --> 00:05:49,480 Speaker 1: to get a college credit for an internship, and I 110 00:05:49,480 --> 00:05:51,520 Speaker 1: had missed that opportunity because I was about to graduate. 111 00:05:51,560 --> 00:05:53,840 Speaker 1: I was at University of Coregunitay. So then I I 112 00:05:53,880 --> 00:05:56,599 Speaker 1: did what I've I've told subsequently that I had my 113 00:05:56,680 --> 00:05:58,800 Speaker 1: parents pay fifty thou dollars so I could get an 114 00:05:58,800 --> 00:06:01,640 Speaker 1: internship because I went to n y U for for 115 00:06:01,680 --> 00:06:03,440 Speaker 1: grad school to get a master's. You don't need to 116 00:06:03,440 --> 00:06:05,520 Speaker 1: have a master's to be a journalist, but at the time, 117 00:06:05,920 --> 00:06:07,960 Speaker 1: I needed to get that extra year in order to 118 00:06:08,000 --> 00:06:10,680 Speaker 1: get an internship and to get credit for it um. 119 00:06:10,920 --> 00:06:14,680 Speaker 1: And so I would say that anything that I needed, 120 00:06:14,720 --> 00:06:18,680 Speaker 1: my parents were there right along with me, anticipating that, 121 00:06:18,800 --> 00:06:20,440 Speaker 1: you know, if I wanted to do this, it could 122 00:06:20,480 --> 00:06:23,240 Speaker 1: be done. And my friends never batted. And I I mean, 123 00:06:23,279 --> 00:06:27,720 Speaker 1: I think that there was just this mindset of if you, 124 00:06:27,720 --> 00:06:30,640 Speaker 1: you know, work hard and put your mind to it, 125 00:06:31,000 --> 00:06:34,760 Speaker 1: you know you can achieve and so I'm glad that 126 00:06:34,880 --> 00:06:39,719 Speaker 1: I didn't have um the naysayers uh too loudly in 127 00:06:39,760 --> 00:06:42,479 Speaker 1: my ear, But they are, they are, They have just 128 00:06:42,600 --> 00:06:44,920 Speaker 1: reciting some of my experiences. I remember when I left 129 00:06:44,920 --> 00:06:47,320 Speaker 1: IBM to pursue a career as a stand up comedian. 130 00:06:47,360 --> 00:06:49,920 Speaker 1: Of course it's totally otlers from the news. People look 131 00:06:49,920 --> 00:06:51,360 Speaker 1: at you're gonna be a comedian. I thought I would 132 00:06:51,360 --> 00:06:54,440 Speaker 1: be the next Eddie Murphus, somebody, somebody great like that. 133 00:06:54,520 --> 00:06:56,480 Speaker 1: Richard Pryor had it. Nobody could ever be him. He's 134 00:06:56,520 --> 00:06:59,159 Speaker 1: like the Michael Jordan of comedy. But then but you know, 135 00:06:59,200 --> 00:07:02,440 Speaker 1: but it was always you know, people I didn't stand 136 00:07:02,480 --> 00:07:05,120 Speaker 1: in my way, but they always went okay, okay. But 137 00:07:05,160 --> 00:07:08,520 Speaker 1: then you started seeing little little steps well in the way, 138 00:07:08,600 --> 00:07:12,000 Speaker 1: little crumbs of opportunity became a reality. And then people 139 00:07:12,040 --> 00:07:14,680 Speaker 1: started realizing, and you started and I started realizing, you know, 140 00:07:14,840 --> 00:07:17,280 Speaker 1: I think I can really do this. Because even though 141 00:07:17,320 --> 00:07:20,200 Speaker 1: you can dream something, that doesn't mean it's gonna come true. 142 00:07:20,600 --> 00:07:22,360 Speaker 1: So as you were starting to go up there, like 143 00:07:22,360 --> 00:07:24,000 Speaker 1: you said, you did the intern, you went up to 144 00:07:24,120 --> 00:07:26,520 Speaker 1: n y U and you know, got the masters. But 145 00:07:26,840 --> 00:07:29,440 Speaker 1: when did you start really starting to fall start to 146 00:07:29,520 --> 00:07:33,040 Speaker 1: fall in place for you, lindsay, sure. I mean, you know, 147 00:07:33,160 --> 00:07:34,800 Speaker 1: I think that there are a lot of baby steps 148 00:07:34,840 --> 00:07:39,120 Speaker 1: and milestones along the way. And I was just a 149 00:07:39,240 --> 00:07:41,920 Speaker 1: self starter in a way that I would say, Okay, 150 00:07:42,040 --> 00:07:43,800 Speaker 1: I'm gonna by the time I'm twenty five, i want 151 00:07:43,800 --> 00:07:46,400 Speaker 1: to be in the top market. By the time I'm thirty, 152 00:07:46,400 --> 00:07:48,000 Speaker 1: you want to be at the network. And I made 153 00:07:48,000 --> 00:07:50,160 Speaker 1: both of those. One the first goal by the skin 154 00:07:50,200 --> 00:07:52,200 Speaker 1: of my teeth, because I was just about to turn 155 00:07:52,240 --> 00:07:54,240 Speaker 1: twenty five and I made it to Indianapolis, which was 156 00:07:54,280 --> 00:07:57,760 Speaker 1: the market. Um. But then you know, a few months 157 00:07:57,760 --> 00:08:00,240 Speaker 1: shy my thirtieth birthday, I made it here to ABC 158 00:08:00,400 --> 00:08:04,680 Speaker 1: News and I've been here now for about fourteen years. Um. 159 00:08:04,760 --> 00:08:06,800 Speaker 1: And I would say when I was local news, I 160 00:08:06,840 --> 00:08:08,520 Speaker 1: was able to make a lot of jumps. So I 161 00:08:08,520 --> 00:08:11,320 Speaker 1: I started out in Syracuse it was market like eighty one, 162 00:08:11,400 --> 00:08:12,920 Speaker 1: and I went to Flit in Michigan it was market 163 00:08:12,920 --> 00:08:16,360 Speaker 1: sixty four that went to Indianapolis market. And so I 164 00:08:16,400 --> 00:08:19,560 Speaker 1: was able to make a lot of those um jumps 165 00:08:19,600 --> 00:08:23,080 Speaker 1: based on you know, my own goals that I had set. 166 00:08:23,360 --> 00:08:24,920 Speaker 1: And I would say once I got to the network, 167 00:08:24,920 --> 00:08:28,840 Speaker 1: it was a little bit harder to set a milestone 168 00:08:28,920 --> 00:08:31,680 Speaker 1: or set a goal and and then achieve it because 169 00:08:31,920 --> 00:08:33,640 Speaker 1: you know a lot of the people who make it 170 00:08:33,720 --> 00:08:36,640 Speaker 1: here are very talented, right and in some cases there 171 00:08:36,640 --> 00:08:39,120 Speaker 1: are some sharp elbows, or in some cases they may 172 00:08:39,160 --> 00:08:42,200 Speaker 1: have better relationships, or they may just be better positioned 173 00:08:42,240 --> 00:08:45,400 Speaker 1: for you know, opportunity or for growth. And so I 174 00:08:45,440 --> 00:08:49,560 Speaker 1: think that that did become a struggle for me kind 175 00:08:49,559 --> 00:08:52,480 Speaker 1: of finding my way once I got here to the network. 176 00:08:53,080 --> 00:08:55,720 Speaker 1: But I would say when I was given the opportunity 177 00:08:55,720 --> 00:08:58,000 Speaker 1: in September two thousand nineteen to be one of the 178 00:08:58,040 --> 00:09:04,080 Speaker 1: moderators at the Democratic Debate, that was career changing. That 179 00:09:04,080 --> 00:09:07,679 Speaker 1: that moment um, and that I went on to moderate 180 00:09:07,720 --> 00:09:10,920 Speaker 1: another debate again with David Neuir and George Stephanopolis in 181 00:09:10,960 --> 00:09:15,680 Speaker 1: February of the following year, and uh, in both cases, 182 00:09:15,720 --> 00:09:20,559 Speaker 1: you know, people gave very good feedback and reviews of 183 00:09:20,280 --> 00:09:24,160 Speaker 1: of my work um sitting there at the as a moderator, 184 00:09:24,400 --> 00:09:28,240 Speaker 1: and I think then that was the moment where people thought, oh, wow, 185 00:09:28,640 --> 00:09:30,480 Speaker 1: you know you could really do this. Now that was 186 00:09:30,559 --> 00:09:34,680 Speaker 1: many years in, right, Uh, it's the game that that 187 00:09:34,920 --> 00:09:38,080 Speaker 1: I finally kind of got that recognition that that I 188 00:09:38,120 --> 00:09:40,520 Speaker 1: believed that I was capable of, but you know, it 189 00:09:40,679 --> 00:09:44,000 Speaker 1: was really kind of waiting for the opportunity. Well, you know, 190 00:09:44,000 --> 00:09:47,240 Speaker 1: it's really interesting that we all involved in journeys, and 191 00:09:47,280 --> 00:09:49,960 Speaker 1: we all involved in trying to reach those dreams and 192 00:09:50,000 --> 00:09:53,720 Speaker 1: then but then then their sacrifice, like you mentioned Indianapolis, 193 00:09:53,840 --> 00:09:56,720 Speaker 1: Mrs Syracuse, I remember when I left I I reterally 194 00:09:56,760 --> 00:09:58,400 Speaker 1: got married and I moved to New York and my 195 00:09:58,440 --> 00:10:01,160 Speaker 1: wife was she still in left time. She stayed in Houston, 196 00:10:01,240 --> 00:10:03,160 Speaker 1: and so so I'm living New York. And then I 197 00:10:03,240 --> 00:10:05,040 Speaker 1: moved to l A and I lived there and she 198 00:10:05,120 --> 00:10:07,680 Speaker 1: still was staying in Houston. So they are sacrifices we 199 00:10:07,679 --> 00:10:11,000 Speaker 1: all make. And in those sacrifices, a lot of people 200 00:10:11,480 --> 00:10:13,680 Speaker 1: might call them selfish, but they're part of the goals. 201 00:10:13,679 --> 00:10:15,600 Speaker 1: They're part of the path that you gave. And then 202 00:10:15,640 --> 00:10:19,520 Speaker 1: you said, Richard, that was instrumental when you did the debates. 203 00:10:19,960 --> 00:10:22,400 Speaker 1: How first of all, how did they how did the 204 00:10:22,440 --> 00:10:25,400 Speaker 1: opportunity come to you? And then how did you prepare 205 00:10:25,440 --> 00:10:30,640 Speaker 1: for that opportunity because you knew it was big? Yes, Um, well, 206 00:10:31,360 --> 00:10:33,920 Speaker 1: I think that in part it was due to the 207 00:10:34,240 --> 00:10:39,000 Speaker 1: Democratic National Committee because they had set uh some rules 208 00:10:39,080 --> 00:10:45,080 Speaker 1: basically so that to prevent the moderator panels from uh 209 00:10:45,360 --> 00:10:49,720 Speaker 1: not being diverse. They they set some prerequisites basically where 210 00:10:49,760 --> 00:10:54,840 Speaker 1: you had to have diversity by gender, by race and so. UM. 211 00:10:54,880 --> 00:10:57,240 Speaker 1: I think because ABC had already decided that they were 212 00:10:57,240 --> 00:11:00,199 Speaker 1: going to have you know, David and George, and at 213 00:11:00,320 --> 00:11:02,960 Speaker 1: first debate in September that we had for ABC was 214 00:11:02,960 --> 00:11:06,440 Speaker 1: going to be at an HBCU, and so I think 215 00:11:06,480 --> 00:11:09,280 Speaker 1: that there was probably a feeling. No one ever told 216 00:11:09,280 --> 00:11:11,120 Speaker 1: me I wasn't in the room when the decision was 217 00:11:11,160 --> 00:11:14,240 Speaker 1: made that that I would be, you know, the third moderator, 218 00:11:14,320 --> 00:11:17,080 Speaker 1: but I would have to imagine that that both of 219 00:11:17,080 --> 00:11:20,200 Speaker 1: those played into it. Um. Look, I would say that 220 00:11:20,280 --> 00:11:24,079 Speaker 1: I probably never prepared more for anything in my life 221 00:11:24,480 --> 00:11:27,400 Speaker 1: than I had for that first debate in September two 222 00:11:27,440 --> 00:11:30,560 Speaker 1: thousand nineteen. You know, I I was kept trying to 223 00:11:30,600 --> 00:11:32,800 Speaker 1: minimize it in my mind so that I wouldn't over 224 00:11:33,200 --> 00:11:37,360 Speaker 1: hype myself and and and the let the anxiety run 225 00:11:37,400 --> 00:11:41,480 Speaker 1: two wild. Um. But I I it was September and 226 00:11:41,520 --> 00:11:44,720 Speaker 1: so August leading into it. I remember I had a 227 00:11:44,720 --> 00:11:47,240 Speaker 1: pre planned vacation and I was on the beach with 228 00:11:47,280 --> 00:11:52,040 Speaker 1: a big three two three ring binders. Um. Just studying 229 00:11:52,160 --> 00:11:57,600 Speaker 1: and researching and reading and preparing and um, it was 230 00:11:57,640 --> 00:12:00,760 Speaker 1: a lot. But the benefit of it was that by 231 00:12:00,760 --> 00:12:05,359 Speaker 1: the time that date came in September, I felt prepared. 232 00:12:06,040 --> 00:12:10,160 Speaker 1: And I think that that preparation gave me confidence that 233 00:12:10,280 --> 00:12:13,600 Speaker 1: in prayer I gotta say right, but um, but I 234 00:12:13,640 --> 00:12:17,920 Speaker 1: felt that I was ready on that day, and leading 235 00:12:18,000 --> 00:12:19,880 Speaker 1: up to it, I wasn't so sure. But I think 236 00:12:19,880 --> 00:12:26,280 Speaker 1: that there's you know, the preparation was key. And you know, 237 00:12:26,360 --> 00:12:30,640 Speaker 1: I couldn't express to anyone, you know, for whatever kind 238 00:12:30,640 --> 00:12:33,040 Speaker 1: of position you have, right, no matter what kind of 239 00:12:33,080 --> 00:12:35,920 Speaker 1: field you're entering into, I think that there's nothing that 240 00:12:36,000 --> 00:12:39,520 Speaker 1: beats feeling like you're ready. I know, it's it's uh 241 00:12:39,559 --> 00:12:41,880 Speaker 1: and even when you're ready, there's that fear that you're 242 00:12:41,920 --> 00:12:44,959 Speaker 1: not ready and and so and as you go along 243 00:12:45,000 --> 00:12:47,760 Speaker 1: and you start building this brand. And let me step 244 00:12:47,840 --> 00:12:50,480 Speaker 1: back and just talk about news in general, because I'm 245 00:12:50,520 --> 00:12:52,040 Speaker 1: kind of confused as to what is news and what 246 00:12:52,160 --> 00:12:55,240 Speaker 1: is commentary, you know, and like what I think this 247 00:12:55,320 --> 00:12:57,600 Speaker 1: is my perception, what I think what I see on 248 00:12:57,760 --> 00:13:01,520 Speaker 1: Fox is commentary are and I want you to educate 249 00:13:01,559 --> 00:13:04,240 Speaker 1: me too, And it's what I see you do, what 250 00:13:04,400 --> 00:13:06,360 Speaker 1: I see you know, do you did it? Lets the 251 00:13:06,400 --> 00:13:09,120 Speaker 1: Holts and the David Meirs of the world, you're doing news. 252 00:13:09,200 --> 00:13:12,400 Speaker 1: To me, what I see a lot of times on 253 00:13:12,400 --> 00:13:15,240 Speaker 1: on CNN and what I see on Fox is a 254 00:13:15,240 --> 00:13:18,400 Speaker 1: lot of commentary. Am I wrong in saying that? Or 255 00:13:18,480 --> 00:13:21,400 Speaker 1: it's a blend of news and commentary. You know, I 256 00:13:21,440 --> 00:13:25,160 Speaker 1: would say, wherever you're hearing a lot of opinions, then 257 00:13:25,440 --> 00:13:29,560 Speaker 1: that's more editorialized, right, that is more commentary. And so 258 00:13:29,800 --> 00:13:32,640 Speaker 1: that's I guess up to the viewers to decide, you know, 259 00:13:32,760 --> 00:13:34,960 Speaker 1: how they want to hear their news presented. Do they 260 00:13:35,000 --> 00:13:37,440 Speaker 1: want to just get the facts, ma'am so to speak, 261 00:13:37,880 --> 00:13:40,640 Speaker 1: or do you want to hear more of what you 262 00:13:40,720 --> 00:13:43,200 Speaker 1: already think, you know, for that to be reinforced by 263 00:13:43,240 --> 00:13:47,360 Speaker 1: the programming that you watch, um. And you know, Fox 264 00:13:47,400 --> 00:13:49,959 Speaker 1: News for example, has great ratings, and so I think 265 00:13:50,000 --> 00:13:51,880 Speaker 1: that in a lot of cases, people do want to 266 00:13:52,480 --> 00:13:56,400 Speaker 1: hear and get their ideas seconded and get support for 267 00:13:56,559 --> 00:13:59,559 Speaker 1: you know, certain arguments, um that they believe are true. 268 00:13:59,679 --> 00:14:02,280 Speaker 1: And they may be true. You know that that's again 269 00:14:02,720 --> 00:14:05,480 Speaker 1: up to the viewers to to really decide. But you know, 270 00:14:06,040 --> 00:14:09,960 Speaker 1: my understanding and what I learned in journalism school was 271 00:14:10,080 --> 00:14:15,760 Speaker 1: always about just presenting what cannot be debated really right. 272 00:14:15,840 --> 00:14:19,000 Speaker 1: And so certain facts of let's say a house fire, 273 00:14:19,720 --> 00:14:24,200 Speaker 1: um cannot be distorted or changed based on your opinion. 274 00:14:24,680 --> 00:14:26,640 Speaker 1: You know, it was either a three alarm fire or 275 00:14:26,800 --> 00:14:29,480 Speaker 1: was not. It either went up in flames at twelve 276 00:14:29,480 --> 00:14:33,240 Speaker 1: o'clock on Brady Avenue or it did not. And so 277 00:14:33,360 --> 00:14:37,360 Speaker 1: there are certain um uh styles. I guess that that 278 00:14:37,520 --> 00:14:41,240 Speaker 1: some of the networks take, especially the cable news outlet's take. 279 00:14:41,320 --> 00:14:44,880 Speaker 1: But um but for us, it is very much just 280 00:14:45,320 --> 00:14:48,800 Speaker 1: what the facts, the facts of whatever it is that 281 00:14:48,840 --> 00:14:52,200 Speaker 1: we're presented. Now. I mentioned two of your children's books 282 00:14:52,240 --> 00:14:54,520 Speaker 1: at the top of your intro, and now you have 283 00:14:54,560 --> 00:14:56,800 Speaker 1: a third one. It came out stayed this way forever, 284 00:14:57,160 --> 00:14:59,960 Speaker 1: came out in February of this year. How how did 285 00:15:00,040 --> 00:15:02,760 Speaker 1: that developed? How did you know I would? I'm gonna 286 00:15:02,760 --> 00:15:07,240 Speaker 1: just say to your hard charging news that the facts, ma'am, 287 00:15:07,360 --> 00:15:10,240 Speaker 1: just the facts, ma'am to a children was a popular 288 00:15:10,520 --> 00:15:15,440 Speaker 1: bestselling author in the children's genre. How did that come about? So? 289 00:15:15,520 --> 00:15:18,800 Speaker 1: I again, I have a son who's seven, and when 290 00:15:18,840 --> 00:15:21,920 Speaker 1: I was reading books to him early on, I was thinking, 291 00:15:21,960 --> 00:15:24,960 Speaker 1: well I could do this, and over time that could 292 00:15:25,720 --> 00:15:28,280 Speaker 1: became should I should do this because I was having 293 00:15:28,320 --> 00:15:31,400 Speaker 1: a hard time finding books that had characters who look 294 00:15:31,520 --> 00:15:33,960 Speaker 1: like him, and I felt that that was really important. 295 00:15:34,320 --> 00:15:38,400 Speaker 1: And while in general terms, you know, the news industry 296 00:15:38,520 --> 00:15:41,880 Speaker 1: is very different from you know, authoring children's books, at 297 00:15:41,880 --> 00:15:44,240 Speaker 1: the heart, at my center, I consider myself to be 298 00:15:44,280 --> 00:15:48,520 Speaker 1: a storyteller, and so UM, I felt like it wouldn't 299 00:15:48,560 --> 00:15:50,760 Speaker 1: be that much of a stretch for me to kind 300 00:15:50,760 --> 00:15:53,480 Speaker 1: of let my creative juices flow and talk about the 301 00:15:53,520 --> 00:15:57,200 Speaker 1: good news, really and uplifting because quite often what I 302 00:15:57,240 --> 00:15:59,320 Speaker 1: do with news, which was also kind of part and 303 00:15:59,360 --> 00:16:01,320 Speaker 1: parcel to this, because my son would want to see 304 00:16:01,400 --> 00:16:03,680 Speaker 1: Mommy doing the news, and I felt like, you know, 305 00:16:04,040 --> 00:16:06,920 Speaker 1: quite often the subject matter what we're talking about is 306 00:16:07,000 --> 00:16:10,880 Speaker 1: just too much for um, a young person like he 307 00:16:11,000 --> 00:16:14,200 Speaker 1: is at this at this young age, and so writing 308 00:16:14,200 --> 00:16:16,240 Speaker 1: books I felt was something that I could just share 309 00:16:16,320 --> 00:16:20,800 Speaker 1: with him one without any kind of filter or concern 310 00:16:21,080 --> 00:16:24,120 Speaker 1: about the messaging that was being you know, instilled in him. 311 00:16:24,240 --> 00:16:26,200 Speaker 1: But I could use it as a tool to inspire him, 312 00:16:26,240 --> 00:16:30,760 Speaker 1: and so UM, initially I really focused on the mirror aspect. 313 00:16:30,960 --> 00:16:32,720 Speaker 1: There was an essay a while ago that talked about 314 00:16:32,720 --> 00:16:36,800 Speaker 1: how you need mirrors, windows, and sliding glass doors in 315 00:16:36,920 --> 00:16:39,240 Speaker 1: all children's books. The idea of mirrors so kids can 316 00:16:39,240 --> 00:16:41,560 Speaker 1: see themselves reflected in the pages of the books, windows 317 00:16:41,600 --> 00:16:44,240 Speaker 1: so they can perhaps pure into a world that's unfamiliar 318 00:16:44,280 --> 00:16:46,960 Speaker 1: to their own. And if that sliding glass door is 319 00:16:47,000 --> 00:16:49,240 Speaker 1: to really be effective, it can serve as a way 320 00:16:49,240 --> 00:16:52,560 Speaker 1: to transport them into an unfamiliar world. So with the 321 00:16:52,560 --> 00:16:55,040 Speaker 1: first book, it was really a matter of, Okay, let 322 00:16:55,080 --> 00:16:58,520 Speaker 1: me provide more mirrors for my son. But ultimately it 323 00:16:58,600 --> 00:17:01,560 Speaker 1: really became about and this was before George and the 324 00:17:01,600 --> 00:17:06,119 Speaker 1: first book protests called racial reckoning, was that the was 325 00:17:06,160 --> 00:17:08,480 Speaker 1: that the One Big Heart or The World Is Awake? 326 00:17:08,520 --> 00:17:10,720 Speaker 1: Which one was the was the first one. The first 327 00:17:10,760 --> 00:17:13,879 Speaker 1: one was The World Is Awake. The second one was 328 00:17:13,960 --> 00:17:16,840 Speaker 1: One Big Heart. And that was where I really talked 329 00:17:16,880 --> 00:17:21,040 Speaker 1: about the need for or I felt the need for 330 00:17:21,240 --> 00:17:24,400 Speaker 1: windows in the book so that kids would be able 331 00:17:24,440 --> 00:17:27,000 Speaker 1: to be exposed to kids who don't look like them, 332 00:17:27,040 --> 00:17:29,320 Speaker 1: because I think quite often parents look at books that 333 00:17:29,320 --> 00:17:31,720 Speaker 1: have black and brown characters and they think, oh, they're 334 00:17:31,720 --> 00:17:34,000 Speaker 1: just for black and brown children, and that couldn't be 335 00:17:34,040 --> 00:17:37,280 Speaker 1: further from the truth, really, because it does no benefit 336 00:17:37,480 --> 00:17:41,359 Speaker 1: to your child if They're only seeing mirrors all around them, right, 337 00:17:41,440 --> 00:17:43,600 Speaker 1: and they only see their own reflection in their books 338 00:17:43,600 --> 00:17:45,760 Speaker 1: and their toys and in their neighborhood and their church 339 00:17:45,800 --> 00:17:48,160 Speaker 1: and their place of worship or you know, school ors 340 00:17:48,200 --> 00:17:51,800 Speaker 1: place of worship. And so I felt like parents can 341 00:17:51,800 --> 00:17:54,600 Speaker 1: start with books and with toys that they're looking to 342 00:17:54,640 --> 00:17:58,879 Speaker 1: expose themselves or expose their children to more diverse people. 343 00:17:59,240 --> 00:18:01,960 Speaker 1: And this was something that you heard, especially during the 344 00:18:02,080 --> 00:18:04,760 Speaker 1: summer and the so called racial reckoning, where parents were saying, 345 00:18:04,760 --> 00:18:07,440 Speaker 1: you know, what kind of conversations can I have? How 346 00:18:07,440 --> 00:18:10,159 Speaker 1: can I raise more empathetic children? And I think you 347 00:18:10,160 --> 00:18:13,359 Speaker 1: can start by giving them a book that has a 348 00:18:13,440 --> 00:18:16,240 Speaker 1: character who doesn't look like them, right. And my son 349 00:18:16,320 --> 00:18:19,040 Speaker 1: has such a diverse book collection that he never talks 350 00:18:19,040 --> 00:18:22,399 Speaker 1: about the race of the characters who are in the books. 351 00:18:22,400 --> 00:18:24,680 Speaker 1: And I would venture to say that most kids won't. 352 00:18:24,680 --> 00:18:27,360 Speaker 1: You know, parents will often say like, oh, kids don't 353 00:18:27,359 --> 00:18:30,119 Speaker 1: see color. Kids do absolutely see dou see color. They 354 00:18:30,160 --> 00:18:32,679 Speaker 1: just don't assign a value to to color. You know. 355 00:18:32,720 --> 00:18:35,920 Speaker 1: It's adults who do that. Um. But I think that 356 00:18:36,080 --> 00:18:39,919 Speaker 1: early on, if they're all used to and accustomed to 357 00:18:39,960 --> 00:18:44,480 Speaker 1: seeing a variety of shades and hair, colors and features 358 00:18:44,480 --> 00:18:47,400 Speaker 1: in their books. They're they're not going to point out 359 00:18:47,480 --> 00:18:49,840 Speaker 1: it is being so far and unusual because they're used 360 00:18:49,880 --> 00:18:52,960 Speaker 1: to being exposed to it. So that's now what I 361 00:18:53,240 --> 00:18:56,280 Speaker 1: kind of shifted from. In addition to focusing on the mirror, 362 00:18:56,280 --> 00:19:00,480 Speaker 1: I've found additional value in the window as well. Now 363 00:19:00,520 --> 00:19:03,359 Speaker 1: they stay away forever. That that's the third book. Stay 364 00:19:03,400 --> 00:19:05,840 Speaker 1: this way Forever? What is that? What? What? What lineup 365 00:19:05,840 --> 00:19:08,840 Speaker 1: communication are you trying to get out through that book? Yes? 366 00:19:08,960 --> 00:19:12,119 Speaker 1: So so stay this Way Forever? Is really any parent 367 00:19:12,200 --> 00:19:15,200 Speaker 1: I think will relate Who's ever thought, boy, I wish 368 00:19:15,200 --> 00:19:17,000 Speaker 1: I could just freeze this moment in time and press 369 00:19:17,040 --> 00:19:20,719 Speaker 1: the pause button and you know, savor these moments that 370 00:19:20,800 --> 00:19:23,920 Speaker 1: you know are fleeting right that are gonna uh leave 371 00:19:24,000 --> 00:19:29,040 Speaker 1: the playground of childhood. And one thing that I would 372 00:19:29,040 --> 00:19:30,679 Speaker 1: say there, you know half the things that you know 373 00:19:30,760 --> 00:19:33,200 Speaker 1: your kids are gonna outgrow. But I would also venture 374 00:19:33,240 --> 00:19:34,800 Speaker 1: to say, there are a lot of qualities that you 375 00:19:34,880 --> 00:19:37,959 Speaker 1: hope that they bring with them into adulthood. So you know, 376 00:19:38,040 --> 00:19:41,760 Speaker 1: my son's curiosity or his creativity and his joy, you know, 377 00:19:41,800 --> 00:19:44,720 Speaker 1: all the nights that he says tells me his plans 378 00:19:44,720 --> 00:19:46,359 Speaker 1: for the next day, and sometimes I'll say tomorrow is 379 00:19:46,359 --> 00:19:48,560 Speaker 1: gonna be the best day ever. And I hope that 380 00:19:48,560 --> 00:19:51,200 Speaker 1: he keeps that with him into adulthood, where he's excited 381 00:19:51,280 --> 00:19:55,200 Speaker 1: about the possibilities of of tomorrow. But this was really 382 00:19:55,280 --> 00:19:58,520 Speaker 1: kind of a way of journaling all the different moments, 383 00:19:58,560 --> 00:20:00,440 Speaker 1: because you never know what it's gonna be the last 384 00:20:00,480 --> 00:20:02,679 Speaker 1: time and a child, you know, falls asleep in your 385 00:20:02,720 --> 00:20:05,480 Speaker 1: lap or reaches for your hand to hold, or a 386 00:20:05,520 --> 00:20:07,439 Speaker 1: peter patter of feet before they, you know, jump in 387 00:20:07,480 --> 00:20:09,720 Speaker 1: bed with you in the morning. And so this was 388 00:20:09,840 --> 00:20:14,320 Speaker 1: kind of paying tribute to all the different stages of childhood. 389 00:20:14,640 --> 00:20:16,800 Speaker 1: And the theme that has kind of been consistent through 390 00:20:16,840 --> 00:20:19,120 Speaker 1: my books is the idea of love. The first book 391 00:20:19,200 --> 00:20:21,240 Speaker 1: is basically, know that you're loved by God, the second 392 00:20:21,280 --> 00:20:23,560 Speaker 1: one is love each other, you know, love your neighbor, 393 00:20:23,600 --> 00:20:25,919 Speaker 1: and this one is no, You're loved by your parents 394 00:20:26,000 --> 00:20:28,960 Speaker 1: and your grandparents. And I hope that kids will read 395 00:20:29,000 --> 00:20:30,800 Speaker 1: it and not only know that their loved, but just 396 00:20:31,040 --> 00:20:34,199 Speaker 1: how much they're cherished and adored, and and especially for 397 00:20:34,280 --> 00:20:37,080 Speaker 1: the cute little little things that they do at these 398 00:20:37,240 --> 00:20:40,199 Speaker 1: various stages of childhood. My daughter, she's twenty three nine, 399 00:20:40,200 --> 00:20:42,920 Speaker 1: and I always remember I always tell my favorite moment 400 00:20:43,040 --> 00:20:45,320 Speaker 1: one years old when she was just laying on my chest. 401 00:20:45,359 --> 00:20:48,320 Speaker 1: She hadn't yet had the ability to push off. She 402 00:20:48,440 --> 00:20:51,359 Speaker 1: just fell aslips I know exactly. And listen as you 403 00:20:51,400 --> 00:20:53,720 Speaker 1: go through that moment, it just takes me back to 404 00:20:53,760 --> 00:20:57,480 Speaker 1: a place where you know, I'm glad my daughter has grown, 405 00:20:57,560 --> 00:21:01,359 Speaker 1: but it's always those precious moments of being able to 406 00:21:01,359 --> 00:21:04,000 Speaker 1: experience when trying to set her up to take pictures 407 00:21:04,000 --> 00:21:05,919 Speaker 1: in the spine wasn't strong enough and you have that 408 00:21:06,359 --> 00:21:08,679 Speaker 1: pillows on both sides to get that picture that you 409 00:21:08,720 --> 00:21:11,879 Speaker 1: want to that they stay with you forever. And but 410 00:21:12,040 --> 00:21:14,080 Speaker 1: I wanted to before I get out of here, I 411 00:21:14,080 --> 00:21:15,840 Speaker 1: wanted to say, like, you have a lot of rhymes 412 00:21:15,840 --> 00:21:18,280 Speaker 1: in your book. Now, I grew up with them. Function function, 413 00:21:18,720 --> 00:21:22,280 Speaker 1: what's your junk confunction? So what are these rhymes? And 414 00:21:22,280 --> 00:21:24,359 Speaker 1: that's that that little flavor there that you that we 415 00:21:24,400 --> 00:21:26,600 Speaker 1: can go read out loud, your little raps in the book. 416 00:21:26,600 --> 00:21:31,320 Speaker 1: We're gonna one day function? Come on, now, come on, 417 00:21:31,400 --> 00:21:33,119 Speaker 1: let's when we got here. I think these rymes, so 418 00:21:33,160 --> 00:21:37,920 Speaker 1: you're wrapping up growing up the books that I read, 419 00:21:38,000 --> 00:21:41,040 Speaker 1: you know, shel Silverstein and Doctor since they were rhyming books, 420 00:21:41,200 --> 00:21:47,360 Speaker 1: and I just wanted I love it my whole thing. 421 00:21:47,400 --> 00:21:49,440 Speaker 1: I just wanted to give my audience a look at you, 422 00:21:49,440 --> 00:21:52,680 Speaker 1: your your special talent. Let's let's put that way. And 423 00:21:52,680 --> 00:21:54,240 Speaker 1: and how did you get that? I wanted. I'm glad 424 00:21:54,280 --> 00:21:56,840 Speaker 1: you are willing to share a part of that story 425 00:21:56,880 --> 00:21:58,440 Speaker 1: how you get there, because so many people just see 426 00:21:58,440 --> 00:22:01,600 Speaker 1: the end results, and that in results doesn't really tell 427 00:22:01,640 --> 00:22:03,760 Speaker 1: the journey. And like I said, I have a journey, 428 00:22:03,840 --> 00:22:06,640 Speaker 1: and uh, Stephen A. Smith, Josey Harvards, so many people 429 00:22:06,640 --> 00:22:08,280 Speaker 1: that like Nick Cannon has a journey. Is a great 430 00:22:08,320 --> 00:22:11,320 Speaker 1: job you did on Solo Nation with that interview with him, 431 00:22:11,640 --> 00:22:13,560 Speaker 1: and that I love seeing you and I want to 432 00:22:13,600 --> 00:22:16,280 Speaker 1: see more interviews out of you create and pulling out 433 00:22:16,320 --> 00:22:20,520 Speaker 1: information and very uncomfortable information and maintaining a very comfortable 434 00:22:20,680 --> 00:22:23,359 Speaker 1: environment when you get in those situations. Telling my audience 435 00:22:23,400 --> 00:22:25,360 Speaker 1: as we close out this interview, what are you trying 436 00:22:25,359 --> 00:22:28,280 Speaker 1: to accomplish the most when you're doing sit down, one 437 00:22:28,280 --> 00:22:32,399 Speaker 1: on one interviews. You know, I'm a very curious person 438 00:22:32,440 --> 00:22:36,040 Speaker 1: by nature, and so anybody can go and google somebody 439 00:22:36,119 --> 00:22:38,680 Speaker 1: and kind of see a bio or some statements they've made. 440 00:22:38,720 --> 00:22:41,160 Speaker 1: But I really want to know what was beyond that. 441 00:22:41,280 --> 00:22:44,800 Speaker 1: You know, what motivates you, what caused you to say that, 442 00:22:44,920 --> 00:22:47,800 Speaker 1: what caused you to feel that way? Help us to 443 00:22:48,000 --> 00:22:54,160 Speaker 1: understand and explain, you know, beyond just the superficial surface 444 00:22:54,160 --> 00:22:56,680 Speaker 1: stuff that we see. So I really want to engage. 445 00:22:56,720 --> 00:23:00,440 Speaker 1: I want to have in depth conversation. I always say 446 00:23:00,480 --> 00:23:02,800 Speaker 1: in my personal life, I never know what questions are 447 00:23:02,840 --> 00:23:06,439 Speaker 1: appropriate or now because in my professional work life I'm 448 00:23:06,480 --> 00:23:09,680 Speaker 1: able to kind of delve in and ask whatever, um. 449 00:23:09,720 --> 00:23:14,760 Speaker 1: But I love having that kind of interaction and engagement 450 00:23:14,880 --> 00:23:20,359 Speaker 1: with with someone just to help us as humans just 451 00:23:20,600 --> 00:23:25,480 Speaker 1: get to understand why people think, or feel or say 452 00:23:25,600 --> 00:23:28,040 Speaker 1: the things that that we do. I think that it's 453 00:23:28,080 --> 00:23:31,320 Speaker 1: a benefit to us all when we hear, you know, 454 00:23:31,600 --> 00:23:35,359 Speaker 1: the diverse um perspectives that are out there. Well, I 455 00:23:35,359 --> 00:23:37,480 Speaker 1: want to thank you Lindsay for coming on my show, 456 00:23:37,520 --> 00:23:41,160 Speaker 1: money making conversation and sharing your story and again the book. 457 00:23:41,440 --> 00:23:43,520 Speaker 1: Please tell your people to send me some. I got 458 00:23:43,600 --> 00:23:46,400 Speaker 1: a weekly newsletter goes out in eighty thousand people every Thursday, 459 00:23:46,480 --> 00:23:49,040 Speaker 1: nine am, and I got a little popular social media 460 00:23:49,080 --> 00:23:51,800 Speaker 1: following over a million. I love the post your book 461 00:23:51,840 --> 00:23:54,560 Speaker 1: and your banners. Just to additionally put out the brand 462 00:23:54,560 --> 00:23:56,640 Speaker 1: of you, because you are a great brand and your 463 00:23:56,680 --> 00:23:59,119 Speaker 1: brand that a lot of young ladies like my daughter 464 00:23:59,200 --> 00:24:01,840 Speaker 1: look up to. Okay, thank you so much for Sean. 465 00:24:01,880 --> 00:24:04,879 Speaker 1: I appreciate you talking with me. It's finally here, the 466 00:24:04,960 --> 00:24:08,320 Speaker 1: season of celebration. And no matter how you celebrate with 467 00:24:08,359 --> 00:24:11,680 Speaker 1: family and friends, whether you're preparing for Reis Magos or 468 00:24:11,720 --> 00:24:15,760 Speaker 1: Karamu lighting the Manura, are going to midnight Mass, Coals 469 00:24:15,800 --> 00:24:18,840 Speaker 1: has just what you need to make those traditions special. 470 00:24:19,200 --> 00:24:22,280 Speaker 1: Plus you'll find gifts for all your loved ones. 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So this season, give with all 480 00:24:55,240 --> 00:24:58,679 Speaker 1: your heart with great gifts from Coals or Coals dot com. 481 00:24:58,840 --> 00:25:01,760 Speaker 1: Look for your children's eyes to see the true magic 482 00:25:01,920 --> 00:25:05,320 Speaker 1: of a forest. It's a storybook world for them. You 483 00:25:05,440 --> 00:25:08,440 Speaker 1: look and see a tree. They see the wrinkled face 484 00:25:08,480 --> 00:25:11,880 Speaker 1: of a wizard with arms outstretched to the sky. They 485 00:25:11,880 --> 00:25:15,080 Speaker 1: see treasure and pebbles. They see a windy path that 486 00:25:15,119 --> 00:25:19,439 Speaker 1: could lead to adventure, and they see you. They're fearless. Guide. 487 00:25:19,640 --> 00:25:22,919 Speaker 1: Is this fascinating world? Find a forest near you and 488 00:25:22,960 --> 00:25:26,000 Speaker 1: start exploring a Discover the Forest dot org brought to 489 00:25:26,000 --> 00:25:28,560 Speaker 1: you by the United States Force Service and the AD Council. 490 00:25:29,080 --> 00:25:32,000 Speaker 1: Look to your children's eyes to see the true magic 491 00:25:32,160 --> 00:25:35,560 Speaker 1: of a forest. It's a storybook world for them. You 492 00:25:35,680 --> 00:25:38,680 Speaker 1: look and see a tree. They see the wrinkled face 493 00:25:38,720 --> 00:25:42,120 Speaker 1: of a wizard with arms outstretched to the sky. They 494 00:25:42,119 --> 00:25:45,320 Speaker 1: see treasure in pebbles. They see a windy path that 495 00:25:45,359 --> 00:25:49,679 Speaker 1: could lead to adventure, and they see you. They're fearless. Guide. 496 00:25:49,880 --> 00:25:53,159 Speaker 1: Is this fascinating world? Find a forest near you and 497 00:25:53,200 --> 00:25:56,240 Speaker 1: start exploring a Discover the Forest dot org brought to 498 00:25:56,240 --> 00:25:58,800 Speaker 1: you by the United States Force Service and the AD Council. 499 00:25:59,119 --> 00:26:01,760 Speaker 1: Hi right, Richard All, the host of Money Making Conversations 500 00:26:01,800 --> 00:26:04,520 Speaker 1: dot com. The Cafe Morcha Swag Award is a celebrating 501 00:26:04,560 --> 00:26:06,439 Speaker 1: the black men who are making a difference in our 502 00:26:06,480 --> 00:26:10,320 Speaker 1: community by empowering others to reach their life goals. Fromcifically, 503 00:26:10,359 --> 00:26:14,240 Speaker 1: there's businessman, activists, celebrities, and everyday dads. The Kafee Mocha 504 00:26:14,280 --> 00:26:17,840 Speaker 1: Swag Award winning this week years Mark Lennon. After Mark 505 00:26:17,960 --> 00:26:21,040 Speaker 1: was inspired by video feature Steve Harvey, he decided to 506 00:26:21,080 --> 00:26:23,960 Speaker 1: follow his passion and started baking. He took that passion 507 00:26:23,960 --> 00:26:27,040 Speaker 1: and started his business, Brother Bakes. Brother Bakes is an 508 00:26:27,040 --> 00:26:30,399 Speaker 1: online bakery based out of Houston, Texas. He specializes in 509 00:26:30,480 --> 00:26:32,560 Speaker 1: cakes in the jar that can be shipped all over 510 00:26:32,560 --> 00:26:35,000 Speaker 1: the country. I just want to say to people, go 511 00:26:35,200 --> 00:26:37,119 Speaker 1: for it. You know. I talked to people all the 512 00:26:37,160 --> 00:26:39,320 Speaker 1: time and they they're always talking about how you did it. 513 00:26:39,720 --> 00:26:42,600 Speaker 1: I just went for it. Everybody has a dream. You're 514 00:26:42,600 --> 00:26:45,040 Speaker 1: currently not doing your dream, so why not give it 515 00:26:45,040 --> 00:26:47,400 Speaker 1: a try. If it works out, great, I mean if 516 00:26:47,440 --> 00:26:49,520 Speaker 1: it doesn't and you're still not living your dream. But 517 00:26:49,600 --> 00:26:52,440 Speaker 1: if it does happen and then it changes your life. 518 00:26:52,640 --> 00:26:55,600 Speaker 1: The Cafe Morcha Swag Award represents men who have strength, 519 00:26:55,880 --> 00:26:59,040 Speaker 1: whose wisdom is assertive, and who is genuine in their spirit. 520 00:26:59,320 --> 00:27:03,720 Speaker 1: Welcome back to Money Making Conversations with your host Rashwan McDonald. 521 00:27:04,040 --> 00:27:07,200 Speaker 1: My next guest on Money Making Conversation is Denise Water. 522 00:27:07,640 --> 00:27:11,000 Speaker 1: She is the founder and CEO of Partake and line 523 00:27:11,040 --> 00:27:15,040 Speaker 1: of nationally distributed allergy friendly snacks. Inspired by her daughter's 524 00:27:15,040 --> 00:27:19,480 Speaker 1: experience with food allergies, launched the seventeen Partake products, which 525 00:27:19,520 --> 00:27:22,280 Speaker 1: includes cookies and baking mix, can be found in more 526 00:27:22,280 --> 00:27:27,800 Speaker 1: than six thousand retailers nationwide, including Targets, Sprouts, Whole food Markets. 527 00:27:28,000 --> 00:27:30,520 Speaker 1: Will be and we will be discussing her growing business. 528 00:27:30,760 --> 00:27:33,240 Speaker 1: And I also ordered her Partake five and one baking 529 00:27:33,320 --> 00:27:35,040 Speaker 1: mix by the way, you know, because I love her 530 00:27:35,040 --> 00:27:36,920 Speaker 1: the cook y'all don't know my history by cooking and 531 00:27:36,960 --> 00:27:40,000 Speaker 1: desserts always on my Facebook. You can get fat watching 532 00:27:40,040 --> 00:27:42,920 Speaker 1: my timeline. Please work with the money Making Conversation. I'm 533 00:27:42,920 --> 00:27:44,959 Speaker 1: gonna calling my good friends. She's out of New Jersey. 534 00:27:45,119 --> 00:27:48,800 Speaker 1: Denise Water, How you doing great? Good morning? How are 535 00:27:48,840 --> 00:27:52,639 Speaker 1: you awesome? Seventeen? I was just gonna be real about this. 536 00:27:52,920 --> 00:27:55,960 Speaker 1: You launched in twenty seventeen. Here we are. We had 537 00:27:55,960 --> 00:28:00,200 Speaker 1: a pandemic year, we're in one and you in more 538 00:28:00,240 --> 00:28:05,440 Speaker 1: than six thousand retailers. Come on that. That's uh that's 539 00:28:05,440 --> 00:28:08,200 Speaker 1: a crazy number in a good way. Talk to tell 540 00:28:08,280 --> 00:28:11,399 Speaker 1: us about how how can you launch in seventeen and 541 00:28:11,440 --> 00:28:15,080 Speaker 1: then being six thousand retailers but roughly les in four years. 542 00:28:16,040 --> 00:28:19,880 Speaker 1: Baby steps we started in August of seen with three 543 00:28:19,920 --> 00:28:23,239 Speaker 1: flavors of cookies. Um Our business was self funded, so 544 00:28:23,280 --> 00:28:26,199 Speaker 1: I was dipping into my family's savings account and it 545 00:28:26,240 --> 00:28:28,600 Speaker 1: was self distributed, which meant I was selling cookies out 546 00:28:28,640 --> 00:28:30,880 Speaker 1: of my car to natural food stores in New York 547 00:28:30,880 --> 00:28:33,680 Speaker 1: and New Jersey. And I did that for nearly a year, 548 00:28:33,800 --> 00:28:36,680 Speaker 1: and it was the most valuable time UM I spent 549 00:28:36,760 --> 00:28:38,760 Speaker 1: in the company, I think, because it allowed me to 550 00:28:38,760 --> 00:28:41,920 Speaker 1: meet our customers, to understand who who are consumer was, 551 00:28:42,000 --> 00:28:43,960 Speaker 1: who they weren't, what they liked about the product, what 552 00:28:44,000 --> 00:28:46,120 Speaker 1: they didn't, so that we could listen and we could 553 00:28:46,120 --> 00:28:48,760 Speaker 1: make changes. And then in the summer of eighteen a 554 00:28:48,840 --> 00:28:51,440 Speaker 1: year later, we launched a region of Whole Foods and 555 00:28:51,480 --> 00:28:54,120 Speaker 1: we launched Wegmans, and that was our next baby step. 556 00:28:54,200 --> 00:28:57,520 Speaker 1: You know, go into these eight stores, prove ourselves, understand 557 00:28:57,600 --> 00:29:00,640 Speaker 1: what's different about this than in the independent New York market. 558 00:29:01,000 --> 00:29:03,240 Speaker 1: And we did that for nearly a year. And then 559 00:29:03,360 --> 00:29:05,640 Speaker 1: in the summer of twenty nineteen, we raised a million 560 00:29:05,640 --> 00:29:08,040 Speaker 1: dollars seed round of funding that was led by Marcy 561 00:29:08,160 --> 00:29:10,600 Speaker 1: Venture Partners, of which Jay z is a co founder. 562 00:29:11,000 --> 00:29:13,080 Speaker 1: That really gave us the capital we needed to begin 563 00:29:13,120 --> 00:29:14,960 Speaker 1: to scale the business a bit more, to begin to 564 00:29:15,080 --> 00:29:18,000 Speaker 1: hire UM and then we knew it was going to 565 00:29:18,040 --> 00:29:20,440 Speaker 1: be a big year. UM but in all the ways 566 00:29:20,440 --> 00:29:23,280 Speaker 1: that it surprised us, it also surprised our business. And 567 00:29:23,320 --> 00:29:25,880 Speaker 1: we started the year and about three hundred and fifty stores, 568 00:29:25,960 --> 00:29:28,000 Speaker 1: and now you can find us in about six thousand 569 00:29:28,040 --> 00:29:30,960 Speaker 1: stores who closed to five million dollars Series A at 570 00:29:30,960 --> 00:29:34,240 Speaker 1: the end of have lots of new products coming out 571 00:29:34,280 --> 00:29:37,240 Speaker 1: that are not just cookies, and so really excited about 572 00:29:37,360 --> 00:29:40,760 Speaker 1: what we're building here. Wow, you you just said that's 573 00:29:40,800 --> 00:29:44,160 Speaker 1: so smooth, and you just smooth. You're just a smooth operator. 574 00:29:44,160 --> 00:29:47,040 Speaker 1: You just rand long that information, not just hurt by heat. 575 00:29:47,720 --> 00:29:50,600 Speaker 1: The success is the rapid rate of success. When you 576 00:29:50,680 --> 00:29:52,600 Speaker 1: say because a lot of people, you know, they try 577 00:29:52,640 --> 00:29:55,239 Speaker 1: to get any store like Whole Foods and Targets and 578 00:29:55,240 --> 00:29:58,320 Speaker 1: things like that, there, it is met with some success. 579 00:29:58,680 --> 00:30:00,760 Speaker 1: But when you say you listened to the customer, was 580 00:30:00,800 --> 00:30:03,959 Speaker 1: it tied to the packaging or some of your cookies 581 00:30:03,960 --> 00:30:06,760 Speaker 1: you thought were your favorites. They didn't like them because 582 00:30:06,800 --> 00:30:08,239 Speaker 1: you was on the ground, Like you said, you were 583 00:30:08,280 --> 00:30:11,000 Speaker 1: hands on, and talk to us about that process because 584 00:30:11,000 --> 00:30:15,000 Speaker 1: you said you had eight stores initially and then that 585 00:30:15,120 --> 00:30:16,760 Speaker 1: was like a test. They are either going to test 586 00:30:16,760 --> 00:30:19,160 Speaker 1: you online or they're gonna test you in the limited 587 00:30:19,160 --> 00:30:22,560 Speaker 1: store distribution. Tell us about that process and how nerve 588 00:30:22,680 --> 00:30:26,480 Speaker 1: racking that was. So in talking to the customers on 589 00:30:26,520 --> 00:30:29,160 Speaker 1: the ground, I thought, because I started the company as 590 00:30:29,200 --> 00:30:32,440 Speaker 1: a food allergy mom, that that's who our primary consumer 591 00:30:32,480 --> 00:30:36,000 Speaker 1: would be. And I realized very quickly that was actually 592 00:30:36,000 --> 00:30:38,000 Speaker 1: the customer who wouldn't touch our product with a ten 593 00:30:38,040 --> 00:30:40,920 Speaker 1: foot pole because they didn't know us, they didn't trust us. 594 00:30:40,960 --> 00:30:43,520 Speaker 1: We hadn't build any credibility with them, and so they 595 00:30:43,520 --> 00:30:46,600 Speaker 1: were like, oh, we love the idea. However, my allergiest 596 00:30:46,600 --> 00:30:48,480 Speaker 1: hasn't told me about this. I haven't seen it in 597 00:30:48,520 --> 00:30:52,520 Speaker 1: my Facebook mom group for people with food allergies, so UM, 598 00:30:52,520 --> 00:30:54,560 Speaker 1: not going to try it. But they were thankfully much 599 00:30:54,600 --> 00:30:57,280 Speaker 1: broader consumer groups. People who wanted to support our women 600 00:30:57,360 --> 00:31:00,760 Speaker 1: or minority owned business people who were exploring plant based 601 00:31:00,840 --> 00:31:04,080 Speaker 1: or gluten free diet for other reasons. UM moms whose 602 00:31:04,160 --> 00:31:06,960 Speaker 1: kids didn't have allergies, but needed a school safe snack 603 00:31:07,040 --> 00:31:09,440 Speaker 1: to take to school to share with other kids. And 604 00:31:09,480 --> 00:31:11,560 Speaker 1: so that's how we got that information, and that's the 605 00:31:11,560 --> 00:31:14,440 Speaker 1: type of information that we learned. Got lots of feedback 606 00:31:14,480 --> 00:31:16,920 Speaker 1: on the packaging. UM. You know, as a mom, I 607 00:31:16,960 --> 00:31:19,240 Speaker 1: thought the idea of trying to sneak fruits and vegetables 608 00:31:19,240 --> 00:31:22,640 Speaker 1: in would be really interesting. We realized people just want cookies. 609 00:31:22,680 --> 00:31:25,160 Speaker 1: They don't they want under ingredients they can understand, but 610 00:31:25,200 --> 00:31:26,880 Speaker 1: they didn't like that idea of me trying to sneak 611 00:31:27,200 --> 00:31:29,560 Speaker 1: carrots and beats into their cookies. And so we took 612 00:31:29,640 --> 00:31:33,160 Speaker 1: all of that data, updated our packaging, updated our formulas, 613 00:31:33,240 --> 00:31:36,440 Speaker 1: and updated our marketing strategy to reflect that. And then 614 00:31:36,480 --> 00:31:40,720 Speaker 1: to go into Whole Foods and Wagmans, we specifically picked 615 00:31:40,800 --> 00:31:43,160 Speaker 1: retailers that would allow us to do demos because we 616 00:31:43,160 --> 00:31:44,680 Speaker 1: had done that in the New York market and we 617 00:31:44,720 --> 00:31:46,840 Speaker 1: knew that when people tried the product, when they heard 618 00:31:46,880 --> 00:31:49,800 Speaker 1: the story, they converted to customers and they told their 619 00:31:49,800 --> 00:31:53,720 Speaker 1: friends about it. And to get into Whole Foods and Wagmans, um, 620 00:31:53,760 --> 00:31:56,800 Speaker 1: it was a lot of nose for our whole Foods relationship. 621 00:31:57,080 --> 00:32:00,680 Speaker 1: I cold emailed our LinkedIn message every single person on 622 00:32:00,720 --> 00:32:03,960 Speaker 1: LinkedIn I could find that had Whole Foods category manager 623 00:32:04,040 --> 00:32:07,040 Speaker 1: and their job title. And thankfully, a gentleman out of Boulder, 624 00:32:07,080 --> 00:32:09,600 Speaker 1: Colorado took pity on me and pointed me in the 625 00:32:09,600 --> 00:32:12,040 Speaker 1: direction of the right person. And that's how our relationship 626 00:32:12,080 --> 00:32:15,280 Speaker 1: with Whole Foods started. Oh that's so I always tell 627 00:32:15,320 --> 00:32:17,600 Speaker 1: people by LinkedIn LinkedIn, I always tell people if you 628 00:32:17,600 --> 00:32:19,720 Speaker 1: don't have a website, have a LinkedIn account. It is 629 00:32:19,760 --> 00:32:23,080 Speaker 1: your version of a website. Plus you can create relationships 630 00:32:23,080 --> 00:32:27,240 Speaker 1: and plus you can message people. Depending on the premium 631 00:32:27,320 --> 00:32:29,240 Speaker 1: level of your account. You know it can it give 632 00:32:29,320 --> 00:32:31,400 Speaker 1: you a limited on the messaging and you can message 633 00:32:31,440 --> 00:32:35,520 Speaker 1: people who who will friend you. I want you to 634 00:32:35,560 --> 00:32:37,600 Speaker 1: follow you or follow you, then you can friend the 635 00:32:37,880 --> 00:32:39,640 Speaker 1: message them all the time. But you can go to 636 00:32:39,680 --> 00:32:41,800 Speaker 1: a certain level you can buy and it gives you 637 00:32:41,800 --> 00:32:46,360 Speaker 1: a limited premium requested you can direct message these individuals. 638 00:32:46,600 --> 00:32:49,920 Speaker 1: So with your success, you know you. I love when 639 00:32:49,920 --> 00:32:52,600 Speaker 1: you say you try to sneak veggies into these uh 640 00:32:52,720 --> 00:32:55,400 Speaker 1: these into these cookies. You try to be slick, and 641 00:32:55,400 --> 00:32:58,440 Speaker 1: I see these commercial whether they try to. Kids are smart, 642 00:32:58,520 --> 00:33:01,160 Speaker 1: and then parents are also that I have a daughter 643 00:33:01,480 --> 00:33:04,080 Speaker 1: she's grown now, but I can remember giving my daughter 644 00:33:04,160 --> 00:33:07,200 Speaker 1: that that the green the green baby food that they 645 00:33:07,280 --> 00:33:09,720 Speaker 1: always spit up. You know, I don't care. I don't 646 00:33:09,720 --> 00:33:11,719 Speaker 1: care if you put a little apple sauce on top over, 647 00:33:11,720 --> 00:33:14,240 Speaker 1: they're gonna spit that right back out. So what was 648 00:33:14,280 --> 00:33:16,720 Speaker 1: your whole process? I know? And when can I ask? 649 00:33:16,760 --> 00:33:19,720 Speaker 1: What was the allergy that your daughter was tattooed? It 650 00:33:19,800 --> 00:33:23,240 Speaker 1: really inspired this, uh, this this line of baking and 651 00:33:23,280 --> 00:33:28,440 Speaker 1: a cookie cookie cookie cookie samples. Sure. So it was 652 00:33:28,560 --> 00:33:31,400 Speaker 1: actually the combination of allergies that she has. So she's 653 00:33:31,400 --> 00:33:35,800 Speaker 1: allergic to eggs, tree nuts, corn, and bananas, and so 654 00:33:35,840 --> 00:33:37,880 Speaker 1: it made it really hard because often like if you 655 00:33:37,920 --> 00:33:39,920 Speaker 1: don't put egg in something, you mash up a banana 656 00:33:39,960 --> 00:33:43,800 Speaker 1: to be the substitute. Um, if you don't eat corn, 657 00:33:43,800 --> 00:33:45,480 Speaker 1: if we don't eat a lot of gluten in our house, 658 00:33:45,520 --> 00:33:48,280 Speaker 1: and oftentimes they use corn flour as the substitute. And 659 00:33:48,320 --> 00:33:51,160 Speaker 1: so it was a combination of allergies that she had 660 00:33:51,200 --> 00:33:52,960 Speaker 1: that made it so hard for me to find things 661 00:33:53,040 --> 00:33:56,920 Speaker 1: that tasted good that I felt good about nutritionally. Wow. 662 00:33:57,160 --> 00:34:00,120 Speaker 1: So with that being said, you you go through in 663 00:34:00,160 --> 00:34:02,160 Speaker 1: six thousand stores now and you said you have more 664 00:34:02,160 --> 00:34:06,440 Speaker 1: product coming out. We've talked about the funding rounds. Now, 665 00:34:06,960 --> 00:34:08,319 Speaker 1: let's go back that a little bit because a lot 666 00:34:08,360 --> 00:34:10,960 Speaker 1: of people who ask me that question, because what exactly 667 00:34:11,000 --> 00:34:14,520 Speaker 1: does that presentation look like? Is it of the one seeter? 668 00:34:14,840 --> 00:34:17,640 Speaker 1: Is it ten pages? Is it did you hire somebody 669 00:34:17,680 --> 00:34:19,600 Speaker 1: to help you put it together or usually sat down 670 00:34:19,600 --> 00:34:21,359 Speaker 1: with your power point and did it on your own. 671 00:34:21,560 --> 00:34:24,200 Speaker 1: How did that work out? Well? I just sat down 672 00:34:24,200 --> 00:34:25,839 Speaker 1: with my power point and did it on my own. 673 00:34:25,880 --> 00:34:28,200 Speaker 1: It was important to me that we put every dollar 674 00:34:28,239 --> 00:34:30,120 Speaker 1: back into the business, and so the deck we have, 675 00:34:30,320 --> 00:34:32,319 Speaker 1: I still sat down at a computer and did my 676 00:34:32,320 --> 00:34:35,040 Speaker 1: power point because I figure any investor that wants to 677 00:34:35,120 --> 00:34:37,560 Speaker 1: partner with us wants us to be investing in the business, 678 00:34:37,560 --> 00:34:40,640 Speaker 1: not investing in pretty graphic designs to try to try 679 00:34:40,680 --> 00:34:42,799 Speaker 1: to get money. Um. And so that's how we did 680 00:34:42,840 --> 00:34:45,680 Speaker 1: the presentation. It was about ten pages, and it was 681 00:34:45,760 --> 00:34:47,759 Speaker 1: really just me and Google trying to figure out what 682 00:34:47,800 --> 00:34:50,360 Speaker 1: a traditional pitch deck looked like. You know, what's the 683 00:34:50,400 --> 00:34:54,759 Speaker 1: problem you're addressing, what's the market opportunity? Who are your competitors? 684 00:34:54,760 --> 00:34:56,839 Speaker 1: What makes you better than the competitors? But I think 685 00:34:56,880 --> 00:34:59,440 Speaker 1: the most important thing is trying to get either a 686 00:34:59,480 --> 00:35:02,279 Speaker 1: warm in trow or get time with those investors, because 687 00:35:02,280 --> 00:35:04,520 Speaker 1: it's really when you sit down as a founder and 688 00:35:04,560 --> 00:35:07,680 Speaker 1: share why you're doing what you're doing, what inspires you, 689 00:35:07,840 --> 00:35:09,960 Speaker 1: what your mission is behind the company that I think 690 00:35:10,000 --> 00:35:12,920 Speaker 1: really gets investors to buy in at the earliest of state, 691 00:35:13,040 --> 00:35:15,680 Speaker 1: at the earliest stages of the business. Not you know, 692 00:35:15,800 --> 00:35:18,360 Speaker 1: not information on a piece of paper, but you in 693 00:35:18,400 --> 00:35:21,640 Speaker 1: the money making business. So now you know the great 694 00:35:21,640 --> 00:35:24,160 Speaker 1: thing about is your daughter inspired this, But you're in 695 00:35:24,200 --> 00:35:26,520 Speaker 1: the money making business. You're a cookie making business. So 696 00:35:26,880 --> 00:35:29,120 Speaker 1: these cookies. Talk tell us about the cookies, and then 697 00:35:29,160 --> 00:35:30,919 Speaker 1: we're going to talk about the five and one mix 698 00:35:31,040 --> 00:35:32,960 Speaker 1: that I ordered online, which by the way, was a 699 00:35:33,000 --> 00:35:36,080 Speaker 1: really good experience. And just tell everybody went online and 700 00:35:36,080 --> 00:35:39,080 Speaker 1: then they give you an option of a discount. If 701 00:35:39,080 --> 00:35:42,200 Speaker 1: you put in your your email and your telephone no information, 702 00:35:42,280 --> 00:35:45,600 Speaker 1: you can get discount on your purchase. I opted not 703 00:35:45,719 --> 00:35:47,920 Speaker 1: to do that, so I went on and just bought 704 00:35:47,960 --> 00:35:50,000 Speaker 1: one package. I think it was twenty three dollars and 705 00:35:50,080 --> 00:35:53,560 Speaker 1: something for I think you said three and I experienced 706 00:35:53,560 --> 00:35:55,279 Speaker 1: that and it was and then the receipt came to 707 00:35:55,360 --> 00:35:57,759 Speaker 1: me afterwards, and then another email came saying, hey, you 708 00:35:57,840 --> 00:36:01,560 Speaker 1: forgot to buy cookies, and so it's really so it 709 00:36:01,640 --> 00:36:05,000 Speaker 1: really was a fun experience and also more importantly, a 710 00:36:05,080 --> 00:36:08,480 Speaker 1: professional experience. And I think that's really important because I 711 00:36:08,600 --> 00:36:11,560 Speaker 1: was not you know, you can you go online, and 712 00:36:11,600 --> 00:36:14,239 Speaker 1: sometimes it can be frustrating, especially for new businesses. They 713 00:36:14,280 --> 00:36:17,319 Speaker 1: think they got the Shopify the shopping car set up 714 00:36:17,320 --> 00:36:20,600 Speaker 1: correctly and it's not. But your your shopping car was fun. 715 00:36:21,080 --> 00:36:23,000 Speaker 1: What what was the approach and what was the mindset 716 00:36:23,000 --> 00:36:26,759 Speaker 1: behind that shopping car design? Because again, after I made 717 00:36:26,760 --> 00:36:29,000 Speaker 1: my purchase, it came back and said, hey, you forgot 718 00:36:29,000 --> 00:36:31,239 Speaker 1: to buy cookies, And I thought that was cute, and 719 00:36:31,360 --> 00:36:33,200 Speaker 1: I said, well, I wasn't thinking about buying cookie, but 720 00:36:33,239 --> 00:36:34,960 Speaker 1: not that you think about it. I went back and 721 00:36:35,000 --> 00:36:37,640 Speaker 1: looked at your cookies. So it did drive me back 722 00:36:37,680 --> 00:36:40,000 Speaker 1: to your website, even though all I wanted was the 723 00:36:40,080 --> 00:36:44,160 Speaker 1: five and one baking mix. Talk to us about that. Sure. 724 00:36:44,200 --> 00:36:46,400 Speaker 1: So when we first launched, we launched our website on 725 00:36:46,520 --> 00:36:50,400 Speaker 1: Squarespace and it was a much simpler website. But similarly, 726 00:36:50,440 --> 00:36:53,360 Speaker 1: I think it's really important to get feedback from people 727 00:36:53,360 --> 00:36:56,080 Speaker 1: who are your potential customers, from other brands that have 728 00:36:56,160 --> 00:36:58,279 Speaker 1: had success, from other brands that might not have had 729 00:36:58,320 --> 00:37:00,640 Speaker 1: success and wish they would have done things friendly. So 730 00:37:00,840 --> 00:37:03,400 Speaker 1: I'm a big fan of kind of sharing where we 731 00:37:03,480 --> 00:37:06,479 Speaker 1: are and asking for feedback on what can make things better. 732 00:37:06,800 --> 00:37:09,319 Speaker 1: We moved our website over to Shopify when we start 733 00:37:09,400 --> 00:37:12,080 Speaker 1: to focus more heavily on e commerce in late twenty 734 00:37:12,160 --> 00:37:17,080 Speaker 1: nineteen UM and very similarly, feedback, feedback, feedback, But also 735 00:37:17,200 --> 00:37:19,400 Speaker 1: now we have the capital to be able to invest 736 00:37:19,440 --> 00:37:22,480 Speaker 1: in data to understand you know, what points up what 737 00:37:22,600 --> 00:37:25,160 Speaker 1: pages on our website, our customers spending more time on 738 00:37:25,400 --> 00:37:28,000 Speaker 1: what products are they often buying together? How can we 739 00:37:28,080 --> 00:37:31,160 Speaker 1: then tell them, you know, they forgot something or offer 740 00:37:31,280 --> 00:37:33,440 Speaker 1: or somebody who doesn't make a purchase, you know, offer 741 00:37:33,560 --> 00:37:36,040 Speaker 1: some incentive to come back and make a purchase. And 742 00:37:36,080 --> 00:37:39,520 Speaker 1: then how do we keep sharing content that's relevant, that's engaging, 743 00:37:39,600 --> 00:37:41,920 Speaker 1: so that the customers that do sign up with their 744 00:37:41,960 --> 00:37:44,319 Speaker 1: email or phone number are interested and want to hear 745 00:37:44,360 --> 00:37:46,520 Speaker 1: from us, and that it's not just sales tactics that 746 00:37:46,560 --> 00:37:49,440 Speaker 1: were actually providing a value to our customers. Well you 747 00:37:49,480 --> 00:37:52,080 Speaker 1: I have fun with it, in fact, like I told 748 00:37:52,080 --> 00:37:55,440 Speaker 1: you are in my previous conversation though that were discussing, 749 00:37:55,840 --> 00:37:57,879 Speaker 1: I went back and looked at the cookies and I'm 750 00:37:57,880 --> 00:38:00,560 Speaker 1: a big girl Scout cookie so so I would like 751 00:38:00,760 --> 00:38:02,759 Speaker 1: the boxes were cute, and like I said, I was 752 00:38:02,800 --> 00:38:04,880 Speaker 1: just not interested in buying because I went on for 753 00:38:04,920 --> 00:38:07,279 Speaker 1: the five and one. Now the five and one I 754 00:38:07,320 --> 00:38:10,160 Speaker 1: found rather interesting. I've asked you are you are you? 755 00:38:10,520 --> 00:38:13,240 Speaker 1: Are you? Are you a chelf or your pastry shaff 756 00:38:13,320 --> 00:38:16,680 Speaker 1: or your chelf with the school? Are you a how do? 757 00:38:16,760 --> 00:38:18,960 Speaker 1: What did your skill level come from to get into 758 00:38:18,960 --> 00:38:23,080 Speaker 1: this business? Well, I will say that thirty nine dollars 759 00:38:23,160 --> 00:38:26,000 Speaker 1: a month for the LinkedIn premium subscription is the best 760 00:38:26,040 --> 00:38:29,120 Speaker 1: money I've spent because I failed horribly when I got 761 00:38:29,120 --> 00:38:31,480 Speaker 1: into the kitchen and tried to develop the cookies. But 762 00:38:31,600 --> 00:38:34,600 Speaker 1: thankfully I was able to find a product developer food 763 00:38:34,600 --> 00:38:38,719 Speaker 1: scientists who had experience in allergy friendly UM products who 764 00:38:38,760 --> 00:38:41,440 Speaker 1: was willing to take a leap and work with us, 765 00:38:41,440 --> 00:38:43,720 Speaker 1: and we still work with her to this day. UM. 766 00:38:43,760 --> 00:38:46,920 Speaker 1: I think on my background is more in the consumer 767 00:38:46,960 --> 00:38:49,160 Speaker 1: package good space. So I spent nearly a decade at 768 00:38:49,200 --> 00:38:52,520 Speaker 1: Coca Cola prior to starting Partake, and most recently in 769 00:38:52,600 --> 00:38:55,160 Speaker 1: my time there, I was able to lead sales for 770 00:38:55,200 --> 00:38:58,440 Speaker 1: a segment of their venture and venturing an Emerging Brands division, 771 00:38:58,480 --> 00:39:00,960 Speaker 1: so brands that Coke had a A fied to invest 772 00:39:01,040 --> 00:39:04,719 Speaker 1: in or acquire, I was leading sales and helping integrate 773 00:39:04,719 --> 00:39:07,319 Speaker 1: those brands into the Coca Cola system. And so my 774 00:39:07,360 --> 00:39:10,120 Speaker 1: background really leans much more heavily on the sales and 775 00:39:10,160 --> 00:39:13,279 Speaker 1: marketing side of consumer package goods UM. And then I'm 776 00:39:13,320 --> 00:39:15,279 Speaker 1: a food allergy mom. So like our five and one 777 00:39:15,320 --> 00:39:17,920 Speaker 1: baking mix came to life because of a problem my 778 00:39:17,960 --> 00:39:22,560 Speaker 1: family was facing during UM quarantine. Are my daughter's favorite 779 00:39:22,560 --> 00:39:24,319 Speaker 1: baking mix that we used to make all of our 780 00:39:24,360 --> 00:39:27,680 Speaker 1: pancakes and waffles got discontinued And I called our product 781 00:39:27,680 --> 00:39:29,799 Speaker 1: developer frantically, and I was like, what do I do? 782 00:39:29,880 --> 00:39:33,080 Speaker 1: There's literally nothing she can safely eat. And she whipped 783 00:39:33,120 --> 00:39:35,279 Speaker 1: up something that we thought was just so wonderful that 784 00:39:35,320 --> 00:39:37,160 Speaker 1: we needed to share it with our customers too. And 785 00:39:37,200 --> 00:39:39,839 Speaker 1: that's how our baking like baking mixed line came to be. 786 00:39:40,160 --> 00:39:43,919 Speaker 1: Okay again, you're so smooth. You just say all these 787 00:39:43,920 --> 00:39:47,880 Speaker 1: things so quickly and so articulately. Articularly is so fantastic. 788 00:39:47,920 --> 00:39:52,360 Speaker 1: So five and one mix, okay, is cake? Is muffins? 789 00:39:52,600 --> 00:39:55,239 Speaker 1: What waffles? And it was two other things? What were 790 00:39:55,280 --> 00:39:58,840 Speaker 1: the pancakes and banana back. Can't pancakes and banana bretta 791 00:39:58,960 --> 00:40:01,160 Speaker 1: um round out the five Okay? Cool? Now you said 792 00:40:01,200 --> 00:40:04,080 Speaker 1: your daughter is allergic to bananas, right, yes, so she 793 00:40:04,200 --> 00:40:07,360 Speaker 1: cannot do banana bread. So we've been experimenting with different 794 00:40:07,360 --> 00:40:09,360 Speaker 1: ways to just turn that into like a more of 795 00:40:09,360 --> 00:40:12,879 Speaker 1: a coffeecake option. Okay, cool. So I when I get 796 00:40:13,239 --> 00:40:16,160 Speaker 1: when I get the five and one micks Okay, off air, 797 00:40:16,239 --> 00:40:18,160 Speaker 1: you said, Rochelle, you gotta make this. What are your 798 00:40:18,200 --> 00:40:21,560 Speaker 1: favorites to make out of the five and one mis muffins? 799 00:40:21,600 --> 00:40:23,759 Speaker 1: I woke up this morning at five thirty because my 800 00:40:23,840 --> 00:40:25,480 Speaker 1: daughter let me know that she would love to. She 801 00:40:25,520 --> 00:40:28,200 Speaker 1: wanted to have fresh baked muffins for breakfast this morning. 802 00:40:28,640 --> 00:40:31,080 Speaker 1: So easy. The pancakes and waffles we do a lot 803 00:40:31,360 --> 00:40:34,000 Speaker 1: because those are just add water and even with the 804 00:40:34,040 --> 00:40:38,200 Speaker 1: complicated recipes of muffins, it's just pantry staples or kitchen 805 00:40:38,239 --> 00:40:41,720 Speaker 1: staples like butter um, sugar and water that you're adding 806 00:40:41,760 --> 00:40:43,560 Speaker 1: to it. So they're all you know, you can whip 807 00:40:43,600 --> 00:40:45,760 Speaker 1: them up in five minutes or less, which is really nice, 808 00:40:46,040 --> 00:40:48,040 Speaker 1: and they all have ingredients that you can feel really 809 00:40:48,040 --> 00:40:50,160 Speaker 1: good about and they can be shared really easily no 810 00:40:50,200 --> 00:40:52,759 Speaker 1: matter who's coming over for breakfast or brunch, because they're 811 00:40:52,760 --> 00:40:56,200 Speaker 1: free of the top eight allergens, they're gluten free, they're vegan, 812 00:40:56,239 --> 00:40:58,719 Speaker 1: their non gmo there kosher, and so they meet most 813 00:40:58,719 --> 00:41:02,880 Speaker 1: people's kind of diet Harry restrictions. Now, I love I 814 00:41:02,880 --> 00:41:05,560 Speaker 1: always see recipes and say add water. I always want 815 00:41:05,560 --> 00:41:07,640 Speaker 1: to add my two percent milk. Would that change the 816 00:41:07,640 --> 00:41:09,879 Speaker 1: recipe if I added two percent milk instead of water. 817 00:41:10,760 --> 00:41:13,080 Speaker 1: We have one of our investors at Oat Milk, and 818 00:41:13,160 --> 00:41:15,920 Speaker 1: he had very good results, So I think that you're safe. 819 00:41:15,960 --> 00:41:17,960 Speaker 1: I will say I haven't tried it. I'm gonna put 820 00:41:17,960 --> 00:41:20,440 Speaker 1: that disclaimer out there. I just add water, but I 821 00:41:20,480 --> 00:41:23,480 Speaker 1: know that oat milk works. I'm assuming that two trying. 822 00:41:23,640 --> 00:41:25,480 Speaker 1: You know, we we're for friends now, so I'll let 823 00:41:25,480 --> 00:41:28,400 Speaker 1: you know how it goes. Because I love adding that 824 00:41:28,520 --> 00:41:30,840 Speaker 1: extra little flavor because water is just water. You know, 825 00:41:31,239 --> 00:41:33,840 Speaker 1: Milk give you a little texture, a little flavor and 826 00:41:33,840 --> 00:41:35,799 Speaker 1: stuff like that. And I'm not allergic to milk, so 827 00:41:36,120 --> 00:41:38,400 Speaker 1: I enjoy milk on everything that I cook with. So 828 00:41:38,440 --> 00:41:41,400 Speaker 1: I'm gonna add little milk to mine and muffins. So 829 00:41:41,400 --> 00:41:43,600 Speaker 1: so now that now, now you just listen to me, 830 00:41:43,680 --> 00:41:46,719 Speaker 1: so I'm not allergic to anything right now, other so 831 00:41:46,800 --> 00:41:48,840 Speaker 1: that I know of. So I'm running across something this 832 00:41:49,120 --> 00:41:51,839 Speaker 1: just send me send me south yet, but I will 833 00:41:51,880 --> 00:41:54,080 Speaker 1: tell you. So if I take your muffins and I 834 00:41:54,080 --> 00:41:57,680 Speaker 1: can add some cons in it, right can id? I 835 00:41:57,680 --> 00:42:01,680 Speaker 1: can add blueberries? We did? I typically do blueberries, or 836 00:42:01,840 --> 00:42:04,719 Speaker 1: add chocolate chips. You can add whatever your heart desires. 837 00:42:04,840 --> 00:42:08,000 Speaker 1: Oh my god, I'm tasting blueberry muffins or the bomb. Okay, 838 00:42:08,040 --> 00:42:10,120 Speaker 1: So so okay, So what I'm gonna do is I'm 839 00:42:10,120 --> 00:42:13,000 Speaker 1: gonna this this week. I'm gonna take some pictures. I'm 840 00:42:13,000 --> 00:42:15,320 Speaker 1: gonna do your mix. Whenever I get it. It should 841 00:42:15,320 --> 00:42:17,920 Speaker 1: be if it comes this week, because I ordered it yesterday, 842 00:42:18,040 --> 00:42:20,000 Speaker 1: it should come this week. Okay, So when it comes, 843 00:42:20,160 --> 00:42:23,319 Speaker 1: I'm gonna immediately I'm gonna do some blueberries. I'm gonna 844 00:42:23,320 --> 00:42:24,880 Speaker 1: do the milk things. Just show you have fun with 845 00:42:25,000 --> 00:42:27,480 Speaker 1: I'm not trying. I'm not no, I'm not no food doctor. 846 00:42:27,600 --> 00:42:29,560 Speaker 1: You know where I just disseminate things to go. Well, 847 00:42:29,560 --> 00:42:31,719 Speaker 1: it just just not work that I'm just going to 848 00:42:31,800 --> 00:42:33,400 Speaker 1: do it. I like to have fun. And so I 849 00:42:33,400 --> 00:42:35,600 Speaker 1: have a TV show that I'm launching, and uh, the 850 00:42:35,640 --> 00:42:38,000 Speaker 1: Atlanta market isn't gonna be in two million homes. I 851 00:42:38,120 --> 00:42:40,400 Speaker 1: love to be able to introduce your product on that 852 00:42:40,480 --> 00:42:43,600 Speaker 1: because I love doing simple things that can. My whole 853 00:42:43,600 --> 00:42:46,160 Speaker 1: thing is about So I'm not a guy who sits around. 854 00:42:46,160 --> 00:42:48,480 Speaker 1: I'm like my degrees in mathematics, I have not I'm 855 00:42:48,480 --> 00:42:52,560 Speaker 1: not a trained pastry chef and mother train cook or chef. 856 00:42:52,800 --> 00:42:55,920 Speaker 1: I just have natural gifts. And so so what I 857 00:42:55,960 --> 00:42:58,919 Speaker 1: do is I like to do things were fast. So 858 00:42:59,320 --> 00:43:01,799 Speaker 1: I would like instead of going to the apple pie, 859 00:43:01,880 --> 00:43:04,000 Speaker 1: I go get the cans on the shelf and put 860 00:43:04,040 --> 00:43:05,680 Speaker 1: that in my apple pie. You know, some people lose 861 00:43:05,680 --> 00:43:07,719 Speaker 1: their mind over there at the knees. Oh my god, 862 00:43:08,080 --> 00:43:13,120 Speaker 1: theseus can apples. Hey, hey, calm down the people out 863 00:43:13,160 --> 00:43:15,560 Speaker 1: there there on this shift. Obviously for a reason because 864 00:43:15,600 --> 00:43:18,839 Speaker 1: somebody out there by okay, So with your product, I 865 00:43:18,880 --> 00:43:20,719 Speaker 1: feel that your products to say way, some people are 866 00:43:20,719 --> 00:43:22,920 Speaker 1: looking at it. Go I've and one. You know it's 867 00:43:22,960 --> 00:43:24,800 Speaker 1: not you know, it's not breaking it down. But there's 868 00:43:24,840 --> 00:43:27,040 Speaker 1: a customer out there that wants to use your product 869 00:43:27,040 --> 00:43:29,359 Speaker 1: because they don't have time, or they may have never 870 00:43:29,880 --> 00:43:33,440 Speaker 1: experienced that level of shop or baking ability. And so 871 00:43:33,800 --> 00:43:35,799 Speaker 1: that's why I'm really excited about your product? Was that 872 00:43:35,880 --> 00:43:38,239 Speaker 1: the thought process? I know you were saying, hey, your daughter, 873 00:43:38,600 --> 00:43:41,520 Speaker 1: the the battery they was using for your daughter was 874 00:43:41,520 --> 00:43:45,160 Speaker 1: not available. What is really driving you as a business owner? 875 00:43:45,360 --> 00:43:48,319 Speaker 1: Are you trying to other than the allergy free? You know, 876 00:43:48,360 --> 00:43:51,920 Speaker 1: because you're black sea or your female, your entrepreneur, it's 877 00:43:51,920 --> 00:43:54,080 Speaker 1: a certain degree of passion that is driving you behind 878 00:43:54,080 --> 00:43:57,560 Speaker 1: all this, this whole food industry that you're right now 879 00:43:57,680 --> 00:43:59,839 Speaker 1: doing very well because you're in six thousand stores nation. 880 00:44:01,560 --> 00:44:03,800 Speaker 1: I will say that when I started the company, the 881 00:44:03,920 --> 00:44:06,799 Speaker 1: name Partake came from the idea of people with food 882 00:44:06,840 --> 00:44:10,000 Speaker 1: allergies like my daughter being able to partake, but as 883 00:44:10,120 --> 00:44:13,400 Speaker 1: a woman, as a person of color, as a first 884 00:44:13,440 --> 00:44:15,719 Speaker 1: time founder of first time My parents didn't go to 885 00:44:15,840 --> 00:44:19,080 Speaker 1: graduate from high school like first time college generation first 886 00:44:19,600 --> 00:44:22,600 Speaker 1: do you know what I mean? First generation college graduate? 887 00:44:22,640 --> 00:44:26,280 Speaker 1: Excuse me? Um, I realized that there were a lot 888 00:44:26,320 --> 00:44:31,160 Speaker 1: more people who needed an opportunity to partake um pun intended. 889 00:44:31,480 --> 00:44:33,880 Speaker 1: And so what our business is really all about is 890 00:44:33,920 --> 00:44:37,000 Speaker 1: inclusivity and lifting as we climb. And the way that 891 00:44:37,040 --> 00:44:39,479 Speaker 1: we bring that to life is you know, as we've 892 00:44:39,840 --> 00:44:41,880 Speaker 1: grown the business, the thing that's made me the most 893 00:44:41,920 --> 00:44:44,400 Speaker 1: excited is the impact that we're able to have on 894 00:44:44,800 --> 00:44:49,640 Speaker 1: underfunded and underestimated and underrepresented groups of people. UM. And 895 00:44:49,680 --> 00:44:53,120 Speaker 1: so those partnerships have been We partner with a group 896 00:44:53,160 --> 00:44:56,319 Speaker 1: called the Food and Food Equality Initiative UM. It was 897 00:44:56,360 --> 00:44:59,160 Speaker 1: a it was It's a nonprofit that was started by 898 00:44:59,400 --> 00:45:02,440 Speaker 1: UM Emily around a black woman that's based in Kansas 899 00:45:02,440 --> 00:45:05,839 Speaker 1: City and her family was experiencing food and securities and 900 00:45:05,880 --> 00:45:08,360 Speaker 1: they had the double whammy of her children also have 901 00:45:08,440 --> 00:45:11,240 Speaker 1: food allergies, and they went to their local food pantry 902 00:45:11,239 --> 00:45:13,440 Speaker 1: and there was literally only two things her kids can 903 00:45:13,520 --> 00:45:17,080 Speaker 1: safely eat, tomatoes and potatoes. UM and food allergies have 904 00:45:17,200 --> 00:45:20,480 Speaker 1: a much higher incidents in the Black and Latino communities, 905 00:45:20,840 --> 00:45:23,839 Speaker 1: and so how do we get foods like hours that 906 00:45:23,960 --> 00:45:26,560 Speaker 1: everyone deserves to eat. How do we get education and 907 00:45:26,640 --> 00:45:29,160 Speaker 1: advocacy for these communities? And so we've been able to 908 00:45:29,200 --> 00:45:32,399 Speaker 1: partner with Emily's group and feed thousands of family through 909 00:45:32,480 --> 00:45:37,200 Speaker 1: monetary donations, through product donations UM and the other UH 910 00:45:37,520 --> 00:45:40,839 Speaker 1: cause that we're really really working a champion is diversity 911 00:45:40,880 --> 00:45:43,719 Speaker 1: in the food space. I think that far, far too long, 912 00:45:44,080 --> 00:45:46,160 Speaker 1: there have been folks who don't look like us who 913 00:45:46,400 --> 00:45:48,840 Speaker 1: are making decisions about what we put into our bodies, 914 00:45:48,920 --> 00:45:54,520 Speaker 1: and so how do we create a more diverse food industry? Um, 915 00:45:54,560 --> 00:45:56,759 Speaker 1: you know, companies that startups it seems like we all 916 00:45:56,800 --> 00:45:59,680 Speaker 1: started New York and San Francisco are Austin and giving 917 00:45:59,680 --> 00:46:02,680 Speaker 1: acts us to founders from all over, giving access to 918 00:46:02,760 --> 00:46:05,320 Speaker 1: college students to get the entry level positions, whether it 919 00:46:05,360 --> 00:46:08,040 Speaker 1: be at startups, are big CpG companies to help make 920 00:46:08,080 --> 00:46:10,719 Speaker 1: the decisions and grow into the leadership roles that are 921 00:46:10,719 --> 00:46:14,040 Speaker 1: going to change and shape our food economy moving forward. 922 00:46:14,400 --> 00:46:17,719 Speaker 1: And so we launched a fellowship program in called the 923 00:46:17,760 --> 00:46:20,560 Speaker 1: Black Futures and Food and Beverage Fellowship. We partnered with 924 00:46:20,600 --> 00:46:25,040 Speaker 1: five HBCUs. We selected eight fellows and we provided an 925 00:46:25,040 --> 00:46:27,120 Speaker 1: eight week curriculum of the nuts and bolts of the 926 00:46:27,160 --> 00:46:30,799 Speaker 1: CpG industry and then it culminated with an opportunity to 927 00:46:31,080 --> 00:46:34,120 Speaker 1: either get a full time interns of summer internship or 928 00:46:34,200 --> 00:46:37,239 Speaker 1: full time entry level job. And I'm really excited for 929 00:46:37,280 --> 00:46:40,080 Speaker 1: that program to be even bigger. This there, we're partnering 930 00:46:40,080 --> 00:46:42,680 Speaker 1: with several most more schools, hoping to be able to 931 00:46:42,719 --> 00:46:45,120 Speaker 1: impact more fellows. And so, you know, how do we 932 00:46:45,160 --> 00:46:48,080 Speaker 1: provide access, how do we leave the door a little 933 00:46:48,120 --> 00:46:50,960 Speaker 1: bit wider open than it was when we started. Partake Well, 934 00:46:50,960 --> 00:46:53,800 Speaker 1: Partake has the Black Futures and Food and Beverage Fellowship 935 00:46:53,800 --> 00:46:59,960 Speaker 1: Program for the active HBCU students. HBCUs became the fourth 936 00:47:00,000 --> 00:47:02,360 Speaker 1: on a lot of news, a lot of high profile 937 00:47:02,400 --> 00:47:06,680 Speaker 1: corporate executives and firms decided to donate the hpc US 938 00:47:07,160 --> 00:47:08,960 Speaker 1: or what is when you say the Black Futures and 939 00:47:09,040 --> 00:47:12,719 Speaker 1: Food and Beverage Fellowship Program, what exactly is that? So 940 00:47:12,800 --> 00:47:15,080 Speaker 1: we were fortunate enough to be a part of a 941 00:47:15,480 --> 00:47:20,480 Speaker 1: Tabanis incubator program back in ten and the founder of Tavani, 942 00:47:20,600 --> 00:47:25,120 Speaker 1: Hamdi Ulakaya wanted to make it easier for food startups 943 00:47:25,160 --> 00:47:27,719 Speaker 1: to bring better food to more people. And he had 944 00:47:27,719 --> 00:47:29,680 Speaker 1: been on this journey you know that took ten years 945 00:47:29,719 --> 00:47:31,440 Speaker 1: to build a billion dollar brand, and he was like, 946 00:47:31,480 --> 00:47:33,640 Speaker 1: what can I do to make y'all's journey a little 947 00:47:33,640 --> 00:47:37,200 Speaker 1: bit shorter? And so similarly, I'm coming from big CpG 948 00:47:37,520 --> 00:47:39,839 Speaker 1: and now I'm out of food startup. And the thing 949 00:47:39,880 --> 00:47:42,759 Speaker 1: that has remained true across both is, unfortunately there aren't 950 00:47:42,800 --> 00:47:45,520 Speaker 1: that many black or brown folks in leadership roles. So 951 00:47:45,719 --> 00:47:49,640 Speaker 1: how can I provide access, whether it's through education or 952 00:47:49,680 --> 00:47:54,000 Speaker 1: through social capital through introductions, through access to executives in 953 00:47:54,000 --> 00:47:57,880 Speaker 1: the CpG space to help these students get the opportunities 954 00:47:57,920 --> 00:48:00,319 Speaker 1: and the education that they need to throw even the 955 00:48:00,320 --> 00:48:03,680 Speaker 1: food industry. And so for us, that was we opened 956 00:48:03,719 --> 00:48:07,360 Speaker 1: up an application process. We ran an eight week curriculum 957 00:48:07,400 --> 00:48:09,840 Speaker 1: where we taught, you know, all the different facets of 958 00:48:09,840 --> 00:48:13,040 Speaker 1: the food industry in a condensed period of time, supply chain, 959 00:48:13,200 --> 00:48:16,400 Speaker 1: food safety, UM, E commerce. Because I know that when 960 00:48:16,440 --> 00:48:18,919 Speaker 1: I was in college, I assumed that if you worked 961 00:48:18,960 --> 00:48:21,239 Speaker 1: for a big food company you could do marketing. I 962 00:48:21,280 --> 00:48:23,799 Speaker 1: didn't think about all the other aspects that it takes 963 00:48:23,840 --> 00:48:25,880 Speaker 1: to run a food business. And so we want to 964 00:48:25,880 --> 00:48:29,520 Speaker 1: give those students that education. And then it culminates with 965 00:48:29,600 --> 00:48:32,040 Speaker 1: a virtual Career Day, which we hope to be in 966 00:48:32,080 --> 00:48:35,880 Speaker 1: person this year UM and we had attendees from companies 967 00:48:35,880 --> 00:48:38,680 Speaker 1: like Ubani, from Beyond Meat, from Once Upon a Farm 968 00:48:38,760 --> 00:48:42,000 Speaker 1: that we're there to give the students internships or job 969 00:48:42,040 --> 00:48:44,359 Speaker 1: offers and to learn more about the students, and so 970 00:48:44,800 --> 00:48:47,440 Speaker 1: it was really exciting to see how that turned into 971 00:48:47,520 --> 00:48:51,200 Speaker 1: something actionable. I think often women and people of color 972 00:48:51,280 --> 00:48:54,200 Speaker 1: are over mentored and not there's not enough action. Like 973 00:48:54,400 --> 00:48:57,040 Speaker 1: I always go to the simple phrase of send the 974 00:48:57,080 --> 00:48:59,239 Speaker 1: wire or make the higher and so that's what we're 975 00:48:59,239 --> 00:49:01,479 Speaker 1: trying to do. We're trying to be action oriented to health. 976 00:49:01,480 --> 00:49:05,080 Speaker 1: The students get jobs or you're fantastic. And uh, I 977 00:49:05,120 --> 00:49:07,480 Speaker 1: know I've talked a little bit about your five and 978 00:49:07,520 --> 00:49:09,480 Speaker 1: one baking mix, but we didn't talk about the cookies. 979 00:49:09,520 --> 00:49:11,239 Speaker 1: So I want to talk about the different cookies, and 980 00:49:11,239 --> 00:49:13,279 Speaker 1: they also want to talk about the future products that 981 00:49:13,360 --> 00:49:15,600 Speaker 1: you have coming out. Let's talk about the cookies that 982 00:49:15,960 --> 00:49:18,479 Speaker 1: I have not ordered yet that I will be ordered 983 00:49:18,480 --> 00:49:21,560 Speaker 1: because I've been reminded politely I forgot to buy the cookies. 984 00:49:21,760 --> 00:49:24,239 Speaker 1: So tell us about the cookie line. Well, you might 985 00:49:24,280 --> 00:49:28,680 Speaker 1: get another email. You're gonna come back to me the 986 00:49:28,680 --> 00:49:31,839 Speaker 1: way that our system is. But the cookies, we have 987 00:49:32,080 --> 00:49:36,080 Speaker 1: eight flavors, um, five crunchy flavors, three soft baked flavors. 988 00:49:36,160 --> 00:49:40,000 Speaker 1: Everything's free of the top eight allergens. Everything's gluten free 989 00:49:40,120 --> 00:49:43,440 Speaker 1: and vegan and made with less sugar than our competitors. 990 00:49:43,440 --> 00:49:46,000 Speaker 1: And the gluten free and vegan space made with really 991 00:49:46,040 --> 00:49:49,040 Speaker 1: simple ingredients that you can understand. And then we have 992 00:49:49,080 --> 00:49:51,080 Speaker 1: two seasonal We're actually going to come out with three 993 00:49:51,080 --> 00:49:53,560 Speaker 1: seasonal varieties this year. So we have a pumpkin spice 994 00:49:53,600 --> 00:49:56,319 Speaker 1: and then two seasonal varieties that come closer to the 995 00:49:56,360 --> 00:50:01,040 Speaker 1: Christmas holidays. Um and that was our first flagship products. 996 00:50:01,040 --> 00:50:02,799 Speaker 1: So we have three flavors when we launch. So it's 997 00:50:02,800 --> 00:50:06,080 Speaker 1: been exciting to see that grow to ten flavors of cookies. Well, 998 00:50:06,120 --> 00:50:09,799 Speaker 1: you know, I am a dessert nut. Everybody knows I 999 00:50:09,880 --> 00:50:12,200 Speaker 1: eat my dessert for eat my meal from in a restaurant. 1000 00:50:12,239 --> 00:50:15,400 Speaker 1: You sit down with the nies before when you auder 1001 00:50:15,440 --> 00:50:17,759 Speaker 1: your honest, excuse me, I need to dessert men. That's 1002 00:50:17,800 --> 00:50:19,799 Speaker 1: how much of a dessert person. I am. So so 1003 00:50:19,840 --> 00:50:22,240 Speaker 1: when I'm so, I'm excited about these cookies now because 1004 00:50:22,640 --> 00:50:24,440 Speaker 1: you know, I like to crumble up my cookies and 1005 00:50:24,480 --> 00:50:26,640 Speaker 1: I like to put some nice ice cream on top, 1006 00:50:26,680 --> 00:50:28,360 Speaker 1: and I put a little whooped cream and put a 1007 00:50:28,400 --> 00:50:30,480 Speaker 1: little I put a lot of extra that comes on 1008 00:50:30,560 --> 00:50:32,799 Speaker 1: top of it. So, so what do you because are 1009 00:50:32,840 --> 00:50:35,279 Speaker 1: you are? You? Are? You are a fan of your 1010 00:50:35,280 --> 00:50:37,160 Speaker 1: cookies From the standpoint, do you what do you do 1011 00:50:37,200 --> 00:50:38,680 Speaker 1: with your cookies? You do it with what do you 1012 00:50:38,719 --> 00:50:42,480 Speaker 1: eat your cookies? Just eat them individually. I eat them 1013 00:50:42,520 --> 00:50:44,960 Speaker 1: individually in the afternoon for like a pick me up 1014 00:50:45,040 --> 00:50:47,879 Speaker 1: with like a coffee or tea. I do crumble them 1015 00:50:47,880 --> 00:50:50,439 Speaker 1: on top of ice cream sometimes sometimes I make ice 1016 00:50:50,440 --> 00:50:53,759 Speaker 1: cream sandwiches with them. Um, I used them for a 1017 00:50:53,760 --> 00:50:56,640 Speaker 1: cookie for a pie crust before, like our our carrot 1018 00:50:56,640 --> 00:51:01,000 Speaker 1: cake arch and just sumer there. So I do lots 1019 00:51:01,000 --> 00:51:03,400 Speaker 1: of stuff with So you say you you crumbling them 1020 00:51:03,480 --> 00:51:06,520 Speaker 1: up for as a crust. That sounds which which brand 1021 00:51:06,520 --> 00:51:08,200 Speaker 1: do you use? What brand of cookie do you use 1022 00:51:08,280 --> 00:51:11,239 Speaker 1: as your crust? So we have a ginger snap and 1023 00:51:11,280 --> 00:51:13,279 Speaker 1: we have a carrot cake, and so they make a 1024 00:51:13,320 --> 00:51:15,960 Speaker 1: really nice substitute for like a Graham cracker crust. So 1025 00:51:15,960 --> 00:51:18,680 Speaker 1: if you just, like um, crumble the cookies up and 1026 00:51:18,760 --> 00:51:22,040 Speaker 1: mix it with like a melted butter melted and you 1027 00:51:22,120 --> 00:51:24,360 Speaker 1: kind of pack it in, you can create a pot crust. 1028 00:51:24,840 --> 00:51:28,399 Speaker 1: Wow you really? So you're really excited me about because 1029 00:51:28,440 --> 00:51:30,759 Speaker 1: because I I do a cheesecake, I think that'd be 1030 00:51:30,760 --> 00:51:32,600 Speaker 1: cool to use as my cheesecakes. I have a lot 1031 00:51:32,600 --> 00:51:35,719 Speaker 1: of like I got about eighty different recipes in my 1032 00:51:35,840 --> 00:51:38,279 Speaker 1: recipe app and I think they're using that as because 1033 00:51:38,600 --> 00:51:40,240 Speaker 1: I just put that in the mix and just ground 1034 00:51:40,280 --> 00:51:42,759 Speaker 1: it up and it becomes very fine. And now can 1035 00:51:42,800 --> 00:51:44,680 Speaker 1: I put sugar with that and you do you put 1036 00:51:44,719 --> 00:51:46,960 Speaker 1: sugar with the crust, with the butter or do you 1037 00:51:47,000 --> 00:51:48,799 Speaker 1: just lose just the butter and the crust when you 1038 00:51:48,840 --> 00:51:51,239 Speaker 1: grind it up. I'm talking about the ginger snaps. I 1039 00:51:51,400 --> 00:51:53,839 Speaker 1: use just the butter and the crust. I'll send you 1040 00:51:53,840 --> 00:51:55,920 Speaker 1: since we're friendly now, I'll send you a recipe. And 1041 00:51:55,960 --> 00:51:57,919 Speaker 1: we actually did one with the cheesecake, so I'll send 1042 00:51:57,920 --> 00:52:00,000 Speaker 1: you the recipe that we use. But I don't typically 1043 00:52:00,080 --> 00:52:03,200 Speaker 1: add extra sugar. Um, but you totally could. Yeah, send 1044 00:52:03,239 --> 00:52:05,280 Speaker 1: me that recipe and I do it on my show. Okay, 1045 00:52:05,400 --> 00:52:08,040 Speaker 1: because it sounds the man is because are your person? 1046 00:52:08,760 --> 00:52:12,879 Speaker 1: Does your recipe include sour cream? Is no sour cream? 1047 00:52:12,920 --> 00:52:15,520 Speaker 1: It doesn't have sour creamy just because we try to 1048 00:52:15,560 --> 00:52:18,839 Speaker 1: avoid dairy. We can see me and you, Saint Paige. 1049 00:52:18,880 --> 00:52:21,160 Speaker 1: I do not put sour cream in my cheese, in 1050 00:52:21,239 --> 00:52:23,120 Speaker 1: my and my and my cheesecakes at all. I don't 1051 00:52:23,160 --> 00:52:25,239 Speaker 1: know why you're gonna add all. You gotta add extra 1052 00:52:25,280 --> 00:52:28,000 Speaker 1: sugar to offset the sour So we're on the same 1053 00:52:28,000 --> 00:52:29,800 Speaker 1: page right there. I'm gonna stuff it with some apples. 1054 00:52:30,040 --> 00:52:31,640 Speaker 1: I'm gonna do you up right and make you proud 1055 00:52:31,640 --> 00:52:33,719 Speaker 1: of me when I do my cheesecake your way, So 1056 00:52:33,760 --> 00:52:35,759 Speaker 1: send that recipe to me, it would be great. And 1057 00:52:35,800 --> 00:52:38,160 Speaker 1: then closing, what's what's the future. You have six thousand 1058 00:52:38,239 --> 00:52:40,920 Speaker 1: stores and we're talking about worldwide. You're you're you're fantastic 1059 00:52:41,040 --> 00:52:45,240 Speaker 1: post person. Uh, your incredible mom, incredible young business person. 1060 00:52:45,560 --> 00:52:47,719 Speaker 1: I love the mentorship campaigns that you have out there, 1061 00:52:47,800 --> 00:52:52,600 Speaker 1: especially involved in HBCUs. What is the future Partake? My 1062 00:52:52,800 --> 00:52:56,040 Speaker 1: goal is that will continue to grow across multiple product 1063 00:52:56,160 --> 00:52:59,040 Speaker 1: lines that one day you'll see Partake in every isle 1064 00:52:59,080 --> 00:53:01,840 Speaker 1: of your grocery store, are UM and in stores around 1065 00:53:01,840 --> 00:53:04,399 Speaker 1: the country. While six thousand is a big jump from 1066 00:53:04,440 --> 00:53:07,239 Speaker 1: where we were, I think there's a ton of opportunity 1067 00:53:07,320 --> 00:53:09,680 Speaker 1: ahead of us UM. So we're excited to grow the 1068 00:53:09,719 --> 00:53:12,320 Speaker 1: business and along the way, continue to grow the impact 1069 00:53:12,400 --> 00:53:15,480 Speaker 1: that we're having on our community. Okay, cool, here's our relationship. 1070 00:53:15,640 --> 00:53:19,360 Speaker 1: You O your Mia cheesecake recipe. Okay Cool, I've ordered 1071 00:53:19,360 --> 00:53:22,640 Speaker 1: my five and one mix, so I owe you some 1072 00:53:22,640 --> 00:53:26,040 Speaker 1: some pictures at least of me making the product. I'm 1073 00:53:26,040 --> 00:53:28,759 Speaker 1: gonna do Blueblirer Muffriends, I gotta do. I've yet to 1074 00:53:28,800 --> 00:53:31,000 Speaker 1: do Blueberry Muffriends, so I'm gonna I'm gonna take your 1075 00:53:31,080 --> 00:53:33,359 Speaker 1: mix and do a blueberry mums. I've done the banana nuts, 1076 00:53:33,400 --> 00:53:36,320 Speaker 1: I've done all the crumbles and all that, the apple crumbles. 1077 00:53:36,400 --> 00:53:40,280 Speaker 1: Now blueberries. I'm excited about that because you warm blueberry 1078 00:53:40,360 --> 00:53:43,560 Speaker 1: muffin for breakfast is like outstanding. I'm gonna do that 1079 00:53:43,800 --> 00:53:46,239 Speaker 1: and so and from there, we're gonna go first and 1080 00:53:46,280 --> 00:53:48,520 Speaker 1: we just see where our relationship goes from there. Is 1081 00:53:48,520 --> 00:53:51,560 Speaker 1: that cool? That sounds like a plan. I appreciate you 1082 00:53:51,640 --> 00:53:54,520 Speaker 1: having me. It was wonderful chatting with you. Okay, thank you, 1083 00:53:54,560 --> 00:53:57,640 Speaker 1: and thank you Dennis Water for coming on money making conversations. 1084 00:53:58,040 --> 00:54:01,400 Speaker 1: And we're live here outside the Perez family home, just 1085 00:54:01,600 --> 00:54:04,600 Speaker 1: waiting for the and there they go, almost on time. 1086 00:54:04,640 --> 00:54:07,400 Speaker 1: This morning. Mom is coming out the front door strong 1087 00:54:07,440 --> 00:54:10,000 Speaker 1: with a double arm kid carry. Looks like dad has 1088 00:54:10,040 --> 00:54:13,239 Speaker 1: the bags. Daughter is bringing up the rear. Oh, but 1089 00:54:13,360 --> 00:54:17,839 Speaker 1: the diaper bag wasn't closed. Diapers and toys are everywhere. 1090 00:54:19,200 --> 00:54:22,280 Speaker 1: But mom has just nailed the perfect car seat buckle 1091 00:54:22,400 --> 00:54:25,479 Speaker 1: for the toddler. And now the eldest daughter, who looks 1092 00:54:25,480 --> 00:54:28,160 Speaker 1: to be about nine or ten, has secured herself in 1093 00:54:28,160 --> 00:54:31,640 Speaker 1: the booster seat. Dad zips the bag clothes and they're off. 1094 00:54:32,719 --> 00:54:35,080 Speaker 1: But looks like Mom doesn't realize her coffee cup is 1095 00:54:35,080 --> 00:54:39,279 Speaker 1: still on the roof of the car, and there it goes. Oh, 1096 00:54:39,719 --> 00:54:42,680 Speaker 1: that's a shame that mug was a fan favorite. Don't 1097 00:54:42,719 --> 00:54:45,239 Speaker 1: sweat the small stuff, just nailed the big stuff, like 1098 00:54:45,320 --> 00:54:47,120 Speaker 1: making sure your kids are buckled correctly in the right 1099 00:54:47,160 --> 00:54:49,279 Speaker 1: seat for their agent's eyes. Learn more n h t 1100 00:54:49,480 --> 00:54:52,040 Speaker 1: s A dot gov slash the Right Seat visits h 1101 00:54:52,719 --> 00:54:56,000 Speaker 1: s A dot gov Slash the Right Seat, brought to 1102 00:54:56,000 --> 00:54:59,400 Speaker 1: you by MIZZA and the AD Council. What grows in 1103 00:54:59,440 --> 00:55:03,400 Speaker 1: the forest trees, Sure no one else grows in the forest. 1104 00:55:03,600 --> 00:55:07,560 Speaker 1: Our imagination, our sense of wonder, and our family bonds 1105 00:55:07,600 --> 00:55:13,120 Speaker 1: grow too, because when we disconnect from this and connect 1106 00:55:13,160 --> 00:55:17,799 Speaker 1: with this, we reconnect with each other. The forest is 1107 00:55:17,840 --> 00:55:20,839 Speaker 1: closer than you think. Find a forest near you and 1108 00:55:20,880 --> 00:55:24,200 Speaker 1: start exploring. I Discover the Forest dot org, brought to 1109 00:55:24,239 --> 00:55:28,760 Speaker 1: you by the United States Forest Service and the AD Council. Hi, everyone, 1110 00:55:28,920 --> 00:55:31,480 Speaker 1: I'll roker here as a guy with his own catchphrase. 1111 00:55:31,600 --> 00:55:36,200 Speaker 1: I appreciate that Smokey's only said only you can prevent wildfires, 1112 00:55:36,239 --> 00:55:39,040 Speaker 1: but I'm filling in because there's a lot more to report, 1113 00:55:39,440 --> 00:55:42,239 Speaker 1: like when they're parched or windy conditions out there, you 1114 00:55:42,440 --> 00:55:45,520 Speaker 1: gotta be extra careful with things like burning yard waste. 1115 00:55:46,040 --> 00:55:49,600 Speaker 1: After all, wildfires can start anywhere, even in your neck 1116 00:55:49,600 --> 00:55:52,080 Speaker 1: of the woods. Go to Smokey Bear dot com to 1117 00:55:52,200 --> 00:55:55,239 Speaker 1: learn more about wildfire prevention. Brought to you by the U. S. 1118 00:55:55,320 --> 00:55:58,560 Speaker 1: Forest Service, your state Forester, and the AD Council. Today, 1119 00:55:58,600 --> 00:56:00,160 Speaker 1: my guest is one of my favorite people on the 1120 00:56:00,160 --> 00:56:03,200 Speaker 1: Food Network Challenge. Any challenge deals with food, it's Duff Golden. 1121 00:56:03,760 --> 00:56:06,200 Speaker 1: When he when his dream of rock starting wasn't playing 1122 00:56:06,320 --> 00:56:08,720 Speaker 1: paying the bills, like my dream of being a comedian 1123 00:56:08,760 --> 00:56:11,480 Speaker 1: wasn't paying the bill, he turned his pastry talents and 1124 00:56:11,560 --> 00:56:14,279 Speaker 1: found the Charm City Cakes in Baltimore, Maryland in two 1125 00:56:14,280 --> 00:56:17,040 Speaker 1: thousand two. He's an entrepreneur. His cakes are soldo on 1126 00:56:17,080 --> 00:56:21,279 Speaker 1: gold Belly and are available nationwide. Do shipping and you 1127 00:56:21,360 --> 00:56:24,200 Speaker 1: also can buy Duff cake mix. He really released his 1128 00:56:24,280 --> 00:56:27,520 Speaker 1: first kids cookbook, Super Good Baking for Kids, and in 1129 00:56:27,600 --> 00:56:32,040 Speaker 1: two thousand twenty one he became a proud paper which 1130 00:56:32,080 --> 00:56:34,880 Speaker 1: I love to talk about. Boy changes your life. I 1131 00:56:34,960 --> 00:56:37,080 Speaker 1: got the only daughter and changed my life. Duff is 1132 00:56:37,120 --> 00:56:39,440 Speaker 1: on the show to talk about his new Discovery Plus 1133 00:56:39,440 --> 00:56:44,040 Speaker 1: original series, Duff's Happy fun Baked Time premier April Tune 1134 00:56:44,040 --> 00:56:47,520 Speaker 1: in eight on Discovery Plus. Please walking the money Made conversation. 1135 00:56:47,560 --> 00:56:49,560 Speaker 1: He's gonna make a smile. I know he is duff. 1136 00:56:50,440 --> 00:56:56,279 Speaker 1: Now you got you just marketing it all. You got 1137 00:56:56,280 --> 00:56:57,680 Speaker 1: the T shirt all. I don't know what kind of 1138 00:56:57,719 --> 00:56:59,600 Speaker 1: bull you got on your shirt. You're just doing it 1139 00:57:01,960 --> 00:57:05,279 Speaker 1: looking good man, A proud proper to talk about that, 1140 00:57:05,320 --> 00:57:08,719 Speaker 1: being a proud paper man. Oh man. So we have 1141 00:57:08,760 --> 00:57:11,480 Speaker 1: a daughter and she is three months old, and I 1142 00:57:11,520 --> 00:57:14,719 Speaker 1: feel like I feel like I finally have proposed in 1143 00:57:14,800 --> 00:57:18,200 Speaker 1: my life. There I understand now the reason why they 1144 00:57:18,560 --> 00:57:21,280 Speaker 1: put me on this earth. It was to be a daddy. 1145 00:57:21,760 --> 00:57:25,280 Speaker 1: I love it. I just love it. It's really amazing, 1146 00:57:25,320 --> 00:57:27,360 Speaker 1: you know, I know, I you know, fortunate to have 1147 00:57:27,400 --> 00:57:30,960 Speaker 1: a daughter, you know, and as well and just the 1148 00:57:30,960 --> 00:57:34,120 Speaker 1: the you know, it's it's just unconditional love, you know. 1149 00:57:34,240 --> 00:57:36,439 Speaker 1: And then and then you get to that part stuff 1150 00:57:36,480 --> 00:57:38,400 Speaker 1: where you know you you can't hurt them, you know, 1151 00:57:38,440 --> 00:57:40,200 Speaker 1: even though they followed, they can't sit up because they 1152 00:57:40,200 --> 00:57:42,520 Speaker 1: don't have a spine yet strong enough to hold them up. 1153 00:57:43,080 --> 00:57:45,880 Speaker 1: And the whole processes is it really does give you 1154 00:57:45,920 --> 00:57:47,960 Speaker 1: a sense of purpose, man, you know, because I'm not 1155 00:57:48,000 --> 00:57:50,920 Speaker 1: saying you don't have it, but it gives you a future. 1156 00:57:50,920 --> 00:57:53,160 Speaker 1: It becomes part of your what what you know, you 1157 00:57:53,200 --> 00:57:57,280 Speaker 1: have a purpose of planning this young child eighteen years 1158 00:57:57,320 --> 00:57:59,360 Speaker 1: all the years that you had in your head about 1159 00:57:59,400 --> 00:58:01,680 Speaker 1: your life to people have talked about now as being 1160 00:58:01,720 --> 00:58:05,840 Speaker 1: transferred into this child. Tell us about it. Well, you know, 1161 00:58:05,960 --> 00:58:09,400 Speaker 1: if there's something about like raising a child and then 1162 00:58:09,440 --> 00:58:12,280 Speaker 1: you think about like my own childhood and I'm like, Okay, 1163 00:58:12,360 --> 00:58:14,840 Speaker 1: what do I like about myself? And how do I 1164 00:58:15,160 --> 00:58:18,520 Speaker 1: foster that into her? And what what would I like 1165 00:58:18,600 --> 00:58:21,440 Speaker 1: to not have? Like you know, there's we all have 1166 00:58:21,560 --> 00:58:24,560 Speaker 1: things where we're critical of ourselves, and how do you 1167 00:58:24,840 --> 00:58:26,640 Speaker 1: when you're raising a child, like how do you make 1168 00:58:26,680 --> 00:58:29,200 Speaker 1: sure that you know they are equipped with the things 1169 00:58:29,240 --> 00:58:32,160 Speaker 1: that will help them through those problems better than you 1170 00:58:32,200 --> 00:58:34,240 Speaker 1: were when you know, you were trying to figure that 1171 00:58:34,240 --> 00:58:36,840 Speaker 1: out and just trying to understand, like how do I 1172 00:58:37,080 --> 00:58:40,800 Speaker 1: articulate these things to my child as she's growing up? 1173 00:58:40,920 --> 00:58:43,760 Speaker 1: You know, Yeah, that's that's important because you know, you're 1174 00:58:43,840 --> 00:58:47,240 Speaker 1: you're moving your your industry has always been adult driven. 1175 00:58:47,400 --> 00:58:50,320 Speaker 1: It's not kind of moving in that direction of children. 1176 00:58:50,480 --> 00:58:52,080 Speaker 1: And I'm gonna tell you some I've watched the show 1177 00:58:52,120 --> 00:58:53,960 Speaker 1: we're gonna talk about, and I'm gonna jump around little 1178 00:58:53,960 --> 00:58:56,400 Speaker 1: bit because I'm talking really moving into the dulf happy 1179 00:58:56,440 --> 00:58:58,560 Speaker 1: fun bag time because they see me a bunch of 1180 00:58:58,560 --> 00:59:00,960 Speaker 1: clips on the show because the premier you know this, 1181 00:59:01,600 --> 00:59:06,320 Speaker 1: And so when I watched the clips, who audience are you? 1182 00:59:06,360 --> 00:59:08,080 Speaker 1: Let me ask you first? What audience are you shooting 1183 00:59:08,080 --> 00:59:11,720 Speaker 1: folk for the show? Let me ask you that first. So, um, 1184 00:59:11,760 --> 00:59:14,880 Speaker 1: I really want everybody to watch it. I want kids 1185 00:59:14,880 --> 00:59:17,680 Speaker 1: to watch it. I want their parents to watch it 1186 00:59:17,760 --> 00:59:21,440 Speaker 1: with them. I wanted it to be like not just tolerable, 1187 00:59:21,520 --> 00:59:24,560 Speaker 1: but really enjoyable for adults. But I want people who 1188 00:59:24,600 --> 00:59:27,760 Speaker 1: don't have kids to watch it too. And my last 1189 00:59:27,760 --> 00:59:31,440 Speaker 1: cookbook was for kids, and I wrote that book especially 1190 00:59:31,520 --> 00:59:34,640 Speaker 1: so if kids get it, they're gonna be stoked. If 1191 00:59:34,680 --> 00:59:37,000 Speaker 1: adults get it, they're going to be stoked too, because 1192 00:59:37,000 --> 00:59:39,640 Speaker 1: all the recipes are real. I tend to find that 1193 00:59:39,760 --> 00:59:43,080 Speaker 1: if I talk to kids an adults the same, like 1194 00:59:43,080 --> 00:59:45,480 Speaker 1: like if I talk to the kids like adults, kids 1195 00:59:45,480 --> 00:59:48,680 Speaker 1: respond much better. You know, when you when you really 1196 00:59:48,760 --> 00:59:51,439 Speaker 1: kind of like slow it way down and really talked 1197 00:59:51,480 --> 00:59:53,400 Speaker 1: down the kids too, Now they're like, I don't got 1198 00:59:53,400 --> 00:59:56,840 Speaker 1: time to that, you know, and so um hopefully for 1199 00:59:57,000 --> 01:00:00,480 Speaker 1: dust Happy Fund Big Time. I hope everybody a fross 1200 01:00:00,800 --> 01:00:06,720 Speaker 1: across the spectrum was that high school kids, college kids, adults, kids, parents, everybody. Well, 1201 01:00:06,720 --> 01:00:08,560 Speaker 1: I think it's gonna be a big hit with millennials 1202 01:00:08,760 --> 01:00:11,280 Speaker 1: because millennials are into that, you know, you know, do 1203 01:00:11,360 --> 01:00:14,560 Speaker 1: it yourself. They they are used to the podcast. They 1204 01:00:14,600 --> 01:00:17,080 Speaker 1: grew up on the video, the YouTube, so they used 1205 01:00:17,120 --> 01:00:20,400 Speaker 1: to watching stuff and being told what to do through 1206 01:00:20,400 --> 01:00:23,200 Speaker 1: a screen and also until some adult telling them what 1207 01:00:23,240 --> 01:00:25,680 Speaker 1: to do. But I'm gonna tell you watching the videos, 1208 01:00:25,720 --> 01:00:28,360 Speaker 1: one thing I did notice this it's really good, is 1209 01:00:28,400 --> 01:00:31,840 Speaker 1: that because you're moving kind of slow, you know, because 1210 01:00:31,960 --> 01:00:34,840 Speaker 1: because you're dealing with Jim Hanson characters around, you have 1211 01:00:34,920 --> 01:00:38,000 Speaker 1: to respond back to them. It really helped me and 1212 01:00:38,040 --> 01:00:40,240 Speaker 1: I can bake it. I can cook. But when I 1213 01:00:40,280 --> 01:00:42,760 Speaker 1: normally watch TV, you guys are so smooth, You're so 1214 01:00:42,880 --> 01:00:45,200 Speaker 1: fast that sometimes you know you have to put pause, 1215 01:00:45,640 --> 01:00:48,080 Speaker 1: and really watching you, you don't have to put them 1216 01:00:48,200 --> 01:00:50,840 Speaker 1: you you almost follow you and bake it at the 1217 01:00:50,880 --> 01:00:54,520 Speaker 1: same time. Right, It's good, you know. One of the 1218 01:00:54,600 --> 01:00:56,280 Speaker 1: things that I try to do and we do it 1219 01:00:56,320 --> 01:00:59,960 Speaker 1: on Happy for Big time too. Whatever I'm cooking on television, 1220 01:01:00,520 --> 01:01:03,560 Speaker 1: I always tell them leaves the mistakes, and if you 1221 01:01:03,760 --> 01:01:06,720 Speaker 1: make a mistake, I want everybody to see it and 1222 01:01:06,760 --> 01:01:10,200 Speaker 1: then they can hear me talk myself through it. And 1223 01:01:10,320 --> 01:01:12,760 Speaker 1: that way, like when I'm learning, if I if I 1224 01:01:12,800 --> 01:01:14,720 Speaker 1: do something, I'm like, okay, I messed this thing up. 1225 01:01:14,960 --> 01:01:17,120 Speaker 1: I need to think about my process. I need to 1226 01:01:17,120 --> 01:01:19,720 Speaker 1: think about what I'm doing. I do it out loud, 1227 01:01:19,800 --> 01:01:22,800 Speaker 1: and I talked through my thought process and that way 1228 01:01:22,840 --> 01:01:26,320 Speaker 1: everybody at home understand how I'm thinking about that, and 1229 01:01:26,360 --> 01:01:30,520 Speaker 1: it goes. It doesn't. It becomes an opportunity. They're not 1230 01:01:30,600 --> 01:01:33,840 Speaker 1: a mistake anymore, and now everybody's learning good. Well you 1231 01:01:33,880 --> 01:01:35,760 Speaker 1: know that that thought that was really important that I 1232 01:01:35,880 --> 01:01:38,400 Speaker 1: got that out to you because you know videos of 1233 01:01:38,520 --> 01:01:41,040 Speaker 1: you know, you have these little quick videos on buzz 1234 01:01:41,040 --> 01:01:42,920 Speaker 1: and all buzz feed and all that stuff. You know, 1235 01:01:43,080 --> 01:01:45,680 Speaker 1: they moved so fast you have to pause, pause, pause 1236 01:01:45,760 --> 01:01:48,720 Speaker 1: pause watching your show. Are the clips that they sent 1237 01:01:48,800 --> 01:01:51,080 Speaker 1: to me of your show. I was like, wow, I 1238 01:01:51,120 --> 01:01:54,920 Speaker 1: could actually simultaneously do this as he as he doing it, 1239 01:01:54,960 --> 01:01:57,560 Speaker 1: and I'm adult. So that's why I asked you earlier, 1240 01:01:57,720 --> 01:01:59,880 Speaker 1: who are you really playing too? If you plan for Key. 1241 01:02:00,040 --> 01:02:03,000 Speaker 1: It's I think a lot of adults are gonna glob into, 1242 01:02:03,400 --> 01:02:06,480 Speaker 1: you know, gonna watch this show because I can follow 1243 01:02:06,480 --> 01:02:10,320 Speaker 1: it and it's very important. Yeah, yeah, I think so. 1244 01:02:10,400 --> 01:02:13,920 Speaker 1: I mean I really think that. Um, the tone of it, 1245 01:02:13,920 --> 01:02:16,920 Speaker 1: it's very funny. Uh. You know, my sort of biggest 1246 01:02:16,960 --> 01:02:21,400 Speaker 1: influences are, like, I like everything absurdists, So you know, money, Python, 1247 01:02:22,000 --> 01:02:24,520 Speaker 1: kids in the hall, things like that. Um, I love 1248 01:02:24,560 --> 01:02:27,040 Speaker 1: Pewee's Playhouse growing up. You know, that was another sort 1249 01:02:27,040 --> 01:02:29,320 Speaker 1: of big influence, you know, and I just you know, 1250 01:02:29,480 --> 01:02:32,440 Speaker 1: just Pewee's you know, Paul Rubin's just imagination. It's just 1251 01:02:32,520 --> 01:02:34,480 Speaker 1: through the roof. I just love the way he thinks. 1252 01:02:34,640 --> 01:02:37,360 Speaker 1: And so you know, there's a lot of those kind 1253 01:02:37,360 --> 01:02:40,680 Speaker 1: of influences really went into the show. When you watch it, 1254 01:02:40,760 --> 01:02:45,560 Speaker 1: there's some really absurd, silly fun stuff like there's, um, 1255 01:02:45,560 --> 01:02:49,440 Speaker 1: there are six eggs in the refrigerator that are puppets. 1256 01:02:49,720 --> 01:02:52,520 Speaker 1: Each one of them is a different grandmother and so 1257 01:02:52,600 --> 01:02:55,920 Speaker 1: any anytime I opened the fridge, all the grandmother's you know, 1258 01:02:55,960 --> 01:02:58,360 Speaker 1: they kind of you know, yell at me. And it's 1259 01:02:58,520 --> 01:03:01,800 Speaker 1: really funny. It's really Okay, Well you gotta start. Let's 1260 01:03:01,800 --> 01:03:04,760 Speaker 1: talk about these characters. You got cous cous, Dizzy Eggers 1261 01:03:04,880 --> 01:03:08,440 Speaker 1: later dragging oven, and your boy Jeff. So let's talk 1262 01:03:08,440 --> 01:03:10,760 Speaker 1: about it, look like, let's Jeff, let's talk about each 1263 01:03:10,760 --> 01:03:13,160 Speaker 1: one of those characters because off area and I gotta 1264 01:03:13,160 --> 01:03:14,800 Speaker 1: bring it on the air. You know, I'm a little 1265 01:03:14,920 --> 01:03:17,480 Speaker 1: older than you. It reminded me of watching a great 1266 01:03:18,080 --> 01:03:23,080 Speaker 1: cooking version of uh Mr Rodgers Neighborhood. It reminded me 1267 01:03:23,200 --> 01:03:27,040 Speaker 1: of Captain Kangaroo, and you know, so it was refreshing 1268 01:03:27,120 --> 01:03:29,919 Speaker 1: watching this show. But I also know, you know, it's 1269 01:03:29,920 --> 01:03:32,680 Speaker 1: a risk too, because people can come across as silly 1270 01:03:32,680 --> 01:03:35,280 Speaker 1: and can come what is he doing? It looks crazy, 1271 01:03:35,320 --> 01:03:37,920 Speaker 1: but it really comes across as entertaining. And you have 1272 01:03:38,000 --> 01:03:42,560 Speaker 1: a really good sense of humor and perfect comic timing, 1273 01:03:42,720 --> 01:03:47,320 Speaker 1: perfect comic time than you know. I grew up listening 1274 01:03:47,360 --> 01:03:50,720 Speaker 1: to like comedic records. You know, my parents had a 1275 01:03:50,760 --> 01:03:53,000 Speaker 1: lot of comedy on records that he used to listen 1276 01:03:53,000 --> 01:03:55,320 Speaker 1: to him over and over again. And I think I 1277 01:03:55,400 --> 01:03:58,320 Speaker 1: developed like comedic time and relatively early without even think 1278 01:03:58,320 --> 01:04:02,400 Speaker 1: thinking about it. So, like all the characters there, let's 1279 01:04:02,400 --> 01:04:06,440 Speaker 1: start with Jeff. So, Jeff is my real life, you know, 1280 01:04:06,480 --> 01:04:08,880 Speaker 1: a partner chef de cuisine. I mean he's been my 1281 01:04:08,920 --> 01:04:12,320 Speaker 1: sux chef since you know, almost day one. Um, you know, 1282 01:04:12,360 --> 01:04:14,480 Speaker 1: I started Charge to the Case in two thousand two. 1283 01:04:14,560 --> 01:04:16,960 Speaker 1: Jeff started working for me in two thousand three, and 1284 01:04:17,040 --> 01:04:19,000 Speaker 1: we've known each other since college, you know, I mean 1285 01:04:19,040 --> 01:04:22,840 Speaker 1: we've been friends forever. And um, so Jeff is also 1286 01:04:22,880 --> 01:04:25,200 Speaker 1: a musicians and I'm a musician. A lot of the 1287 01:04:25,240 --> 01:04:27,040 Speaker 1: people when we started Charging to the Case, it was 1288 01:04:27,040 --> 01:04:29,760 Speaker 1: all my friends who were in band who needed a job, 1289 01:04:29,800 --> 01:04:31,800 Speaker 1: and so we started this bakery so we could all work. 1290 01:04:32,400 --> 01:04:35,920 Speaker 1: And so, um, Jeff is in in happy fun daytime. 1291 01:04:36,240 --> 01:04:39,760 Speaker 1: He's the purveyors. So whenever I need ingredients, flower but 1292 01:04:39,920 --> 01:04:41,960 Speaker 1: or whatever, Jeff shows up and brings it to me. 1293 01:04:42,320 --> 01:04:46,160 Speaker 1: Jeff is also an amazing singer songwriter, So every time 1294 01:04:46,240 --> 01:04:48,840 Speaker 1: Jeff comes and drops off the groceries, he pulls out 1295 01:04:48,840 --> 01:04:52,040 Speaker 1: a guitar or ukulele or something and he sings a 1296 01:04:52,120 --> 01:04:54,760 Speaker 1: song about whatever it is that we're doing in the kitchen. 1297 01:04:55,080 --> 01:04:56,439 Speaker 1: And it was just kind of like a fun way 1298 01:04:56,480 --> 01:04:59,800 Speaker 1: to sort of like get Jeff like other talents that 1299 01:05:00,160 --> 01:05:02,280 Speaker 1: cake decorating, you know, as part of the show. The 1300 01:05:02,480 --> 01:05:05,960 Speaker 1: music is a big, big part of it. Yeah, and 1301 01:05:06,000 --> 01:05:09,000 Speaker 1: now we have you, now, Jim Hedson, we cannot forget. 1302 01:05:09,080 --> 01:05:12,400 Speaker 1: Let's let's go back to all these all these puppets 1303 01:05:12,480 --> 01:05:16,520 Speaker 1: that are powered by Jim Hidson's genius, his brand genius, 1304 01:05:16,880 --> 01:05:19,840 Speaker 1: and now you doff. Okay, did the idea come to 1305 01:05:20,040 --> 01:05:22,920 Speaker 1: you or did you pitch the idea to them? And 1306 01:05:22,920 --> 01:05:25,720 Speaker 1: then let's talk about these characters that were developed around 1307 01:05:25,760 --> 01:05:30,080 Speaker 1: you while you doing these cooking sessions and baking sessions. Yeah. 1308 01:05:30,200 --> 01:05:33,240 Speaker 1: So I was in my apartment and I was baking, 1309 01:05:33,280 --> 01:05:37,760 Speaker 1: and I was watching Esthome Streets. Um, I watched a 1310 01:05:37,760 --> 01:05:41,160 Speaker 1: lot of kids shows, like just I really do enjoy them, 1311 01:05:41,200 --> 01:05:43,800 Speaker 1: like not just as research or anything. I just I 1312 01:05:43,880 --> 01:05:46,800 Speaker 1: like watching Testhme Street. It's fantastic show. And so I 1313 01:05:46,840 --> 01:05:49,400 Speaker 1: was baking and watching TV and baking, and I'm like 1314 01:05:49,440 --> 01:05:51,960 Speaker 1: looking at it and I was like, you know, this 1315 01:05:52,000 --> 01:05:55,120 Speaker 1: would be a really good idea, right, baking and you know, 1316 01:05:55,320 --> 01:05:57,800 Speaker 1: having puppets and like being able to do all like 1317 01:05:57,840 --> 01:06:01,600 Speaker 1: the really conceptual view the full artwork that that they 1318 01:06:01,680 --> 01:06:04,760 Speaker 1: did on Sesame Street. So I wrote basically like a 1319 01:06:05,120 --> 01:06:08,280 Speaker 1: like I wrote the first episode, right. My wife and 1320 01:06:08,320 --> 01:06:10,560 Speaker 1: I created these characters and we kind of came up 1321 01:06:10,600 --> 01:06:13,160 Speaker 1: with like how we're explaining the science of how an 1322 01:06:13,200 --> 01:06:16,480 Speaker 1: egg works. And then um, I wrote this whole thing 1323 01:06:16,880 --> 01:06:19,840 Speaker 1: and I brought it to Jim Henson, h the Jim 1324 01:06:19,880 --> 01:06:22,440 Speaker 1: Henson Company, and I was like, Hey, here's my idea 1325 01:06:22,680 --> 01:06:25,640 Speaker 1: and I kind of like act it out the whole show, 1326 01:06:26,240 --> 01:06:28,920 Speaker 1: and uh, they were like, yes, we're gonna we want 1327 01:06:28,960 --> 01:06:31,760 Speaker 1: to make that. And then we brought the Food Network, 1328 01:06:32,000 --> 01:06:34,200 Speaker 1: and we brought to Discovery and we're like, hey, I 1329 01:06:34,200 --> 01:06:36,600 Speaker 1: got this idea. It's not like, you know, there's no 1330 01:06:36,640 --> 01:06:40,080 Speaker 1: scripted television on Food Network or really on any Discovery. 1331 01:06:40,120 --> 01:06:41,960 Speaker 1: And I was like, I really want to do this show. 1332 01:06:42,080 --> 01:06:44,520 Speaker 1: I think it's great. They're like, we do two, let's 1333 01:06:44,560 --> 01:06:46,920 Speaker 1: make it. I'm like, oh my goodness. Yeah, like you 1334 01:06:47,000 --> 01:06:49,640 Speaker 1: understand how this business works. Like the fact that something 1335 01:06:50,280 --> 01:06:54,520 Speaker 1: this different and kind of you know, just like there's 1336 01:06:54,560 --> 01:06:56,720 Speaker 1: not really a model for what we did. The fact 1337 01:06:56,760 --> 01:06:59,560 Speaker 1: that something like this got made is I mean, it's 1338 01:06:59,560 --> 01:07:03,400 Speaker 1: a million one and you know, well that's the power. 1339 01:07:03,800 --> 01:07:06,120 Speaker 1: That's the power of streaming television, because you know, it 1340 01:07:06,200 --> 01:07:08,320 Speaker 1: was like if it was on the where we slopped 1341 01:07:08,320 --> 01:07:10,840 Speaker 1: this on the Cooking Channel, why do we slopped this 1342 01:07:10,880 --> 01:07:13,720 Speaker 1: on the Food network, but in streaming, you know, it's 1343 01:07:13,760 --> 01:07:16,480 Speaker 1: everything is a category and your and your brand. So 1344 01:07:16,520 --> 01:07:18,720 Speaker 1: they go, well, this is a duff new show. And 1345 01:07:19,040 --> 01:07:21,120 Speaker 1: I just love the fact that you know, I know, 1346 01:07:21,240 --> 01:07:24,080 Speaker 1: you said Sesame Street. And the reason I went with 1347 01:07:24,360 --> 01:07:27,320 Speaker 1: Captain Kangaroo and I went with, uh, you know, Mr 1348 01:07:27,440 --> 01:07:31,080 Speaker 1: Rogers neighborhood is because there was an individuals and individuals 1349 01:07:31,360 --> 01:07:33,200 Speaker 1: and I was just saying, it's just me just talking 1350 01:07:33,200 --> 01:07:36,400 Speaker 1: about your talent, and you was just a curismatic, fun 1351 01:07:36,600 --> 01:07:39,120 Speaker 1: entertaining guy, you know, And we're gonna talk about charm 1352 01:07:39,200 --> 01:07:42,200 Speaker 1: City in a minute. Because the fact that that evolved 1353 01:07:42,240 --> 01:07:44,880 Speaker 1: around just just just individuals who just thought out of 1354 01:07:44,920 --> 01:07:47,320 Speaker 1: the box and the kitchen is amazing to me. But 1355 01:07:47,680 --> 01:07:50,440 Speaker 1: that's why I thought that it was special, because you know, 1356 01:07:50,800 --> 01:07:53,400 Speaker 1: every every era, every twenty years, you know, there's a 1357 01:07:53,440 --> 01:07:56,560 Speaker 1: new individual that comes along that just really separates himself 1358 01:07:56,960 --> 01:07:59,520 Speaker 1: in that educational platform because this is what this really 1359 01:07:59,560 --> 01:08:02,640 Speaker 1: is a cation for the young people to make them 1360 01:08:02,720 --> 01:08:04,720 Speaker 1: understand and be safe in the kitchen because you teach 1361 01:08:04,760 --> 01:08:07,560 Speaker 1: all those tips and you have all these devices that 1362 01:08:07,880 --> 01:08:10,400 Speaker 1: the oven talks and and all these things, and the 1363 01:08:10,480 --> 01:08:12,640 Speaker 1: robots sitting right next to you with the big eyeballs 1364 01:08:12,720 --> 01:08:15,200 Speaker 1: and all these different things. And Slater, you know, the 1365 01:08:15,240 --> 01:08:18,240 Speaker 1: slow movie Sloth is over there, just just you know, 1366 01:08:18,280 --> 01:08:20,880 Speaker 1: hanging off on you. That that really and and it 1367 01:08:21,520 --> 01:08:23,320 Speaker 1: helps me out. And I think that because you're a 1368 01:08:23,400 --> 01:08:26,800 Speaker 1: new father now, you know, this is even more exciting 1369 01:08:26,840 --> 01:08:29,599 Speaker 1: because of the fact that it's gonna repeat, repeat, repeat, 1370 01:08:29,840 --> 01:08:31,599 Speaker 1: and your child's gonna grow up on this and you're 1371 01:08:31,600 --> 01:08:34,400 Speaker 1: gonna have a whole new army of bakers and cooks 1372 01:08:34,439 --> 01:08:38,080 Speaker 1: because of you do. I love it. I love it. 1373 01:08:38,200 --> 01:08:40,800 Speaker 1: I love it well you know, it's it's nice like 1374 01:08:40,880 --> 01:08:43,240 Speaker 1: so with all the other characters. So couscous is my 1375 01:08:43,320 --> 01:08:48,000 Speaker 1: sous chef, and she issus is really in charge of 1376 01:08:48,040 --> 01:08:49,960 Speaker 1: the kids. And she is a robot that I made 1377 01:08:49,960 --> 01:08:52,960 Speaker 1: out of old kitchen part and she kind of keeps 1378 01:08:52,960 --> 01:08:54,840 Speaker 1: the rest of it to mind because everybody else is 1379 01:08:54,840 --> 01:08:58,960 Speaker 1: a little crazy, including me. Um. So there is uh, 1380 01:08:59,000 --> 01:09:03,040 Speaker 1: there's a there's a blue crab from you know, chest Peak, Babe. 1381 01:09:03,120 --> 01:09:05,360 Speaker 1: You know, I wanted to give a little nod to Baltimore. 1382 01:09:05,680 --> 01:09:09,360 Speaker 1: So there's a blue crab who's real crabby and another 1383 01:09:09,360 --> 01:09:12,160 Speaker 1: little nod to Baltimore. His name is Edgar after ed 1384 01:09:12,160 --> 01:09:16,080 Speaker 1: Ground Poe who was born in Baltimore. UM. And then 1385 01:09:16,200 --> 01:09:18,800 Speaker 1: let's see there's Slater, who's kind of like the slacker 1386 01:09:18,880 --> 01:09:21,640 Speaker 1: sloth who lives in the ceiling and he kind of 1387 01:09:21,680 --> 01:09:24,240 Speaker 1: comes down every once in a while. And Yeah, the 1388 01:09:24,760 --> 01:09:27,240 Speaker 1: nice thing about Slater is that he's the one that's 1389 01:09:27,240 --> 01:09:29,760 Speaker 1: asking a lot of questions. Right, He'll be like, why 1390 01:09:29,800 --> 01:09:32,960 Speaker 1: are you doing that? What's going on here? Why are 1391 01:09:33,000 --> 01:09:34,960 Speaker 1: we going to stick that thing in the mixture? You know, 1392 01:09:35,080 --> 01:09:38,760 Speaker 1: He's always asking questions. And so by asking questions, he 1393 01:09:38,800 --> 01:09:41,360 Speaker 1: gets me to to, you know, sort of like, you know, 1394 01:09:41,560 --> 01:09:43,880 Speaker 1: save the things that are really kind of the meat, 1395 01:09:44,240 --> 01:09:46,200 Speaker 1: you know of like, well, let me show you how 1396 01:09:46,200 --> 01:09:48,800 Speaker 1: eggs work. Let me show you how the gluten in 1397 01:09:48,960 --> 01:09:52,719 Speaker 1: flower makes pasta chewy, you know, things like that. Um. 1398 01:09:52,760 --> 01:09:57,320 Speaker 1: There's also our oven is a dragon and he based 1399 01:09:57,360 --> 01:09:59,920 Speaker 1: everything in his mouth. So when we need to base something, 1400 01:10:00,280 --> 01:10:02,760 Speaker 1: he gives a big roar and steen comes out. We 1401 01:10:02,840 --> 01:10:04,760 Speaker 1: put the food in his mouth, he closes it and 1402 01:10:04,800 --> 01:10:07,960 Speaker 1: he bakes it and pull it back out. I love 1403 01:10:08,000 --> 01:10:12,960 Speaker 1: that we do. The beauty of UM. The mixer is 1404 01:10:13,000 --> 01:10:14,960 Speaker 1: I was looking at my mixer and I was like, okay, 1405 01:10:15,000 --> 01:10:17,400 Speaker 1: you need a mixer, and I was kind of thinking 1406 01:10:17,520 --> 01:10:21,120 Speaker 1: of Cherry from TV's Playhouse Big Chair that talks. I 1407 01:10:21,240 --> 01:10:23,639 Speaker 1: trying to think of like what's like, what does mixture 1408 01:10:23,720 --> 01:10:25,960 Speaker 1: like look like? And I just thought, you know what 1409 01:10:26,040 --> 01:10:27,960 Speaker 1: if there was an elephant, right, like, you know, you 1410 01:10:28,000 --> 01:10:31,880 Speaker 1: can kind of this big years and then she would 1411 01:10:32,000 --> 01:10:36,240 Speaker 1: mix her and she mixes everything with her trunk. Yeah. 1412 01:10:37,640 --> 01:10:41,320 Speaker 1: I just say, this guy is really to engage with 1413 01:10:41,400 --> 01:10:45,080 Speaker 1: this show. But I am because I'm excited about what 1414 01:10:45,120 --> 01:10:47,160 Speaker 1: you're doing. Because first of all, it's a lot of 1415 01:10:47,160 --> 01:10:50,680 Speaker 1: hard work because the scripted and so a lot of 1416 01:10:50,920 --> 01:10:53,720 Speaker 1: so you you pitched the idea that really, unlike the 1417 01:10:53,760 --> 01:10:56,479 Speaker 1: other shows you've done, which is natural talent and prov 1418 01:10:57,160 --> 01:10:59,320 Speaker 1: you have a script that you have to memorize and 1419 01:11:00,000 --> 01:11:02,000 Speaker 1: because when you throw a joke, somebody got respond to 1420 01:11:02,040 --> 01:11:04,680 Speaker 1: the joke. How much work was that was involved in 1421 01:11:04,720 --> 01:11:06,920 Speaker 1: the in the in the table reason description of the 1422 01:11:07,000 --> 01:11:11,439 Speaker 1: stuff and you staying on point with your conversation. Um man, 1423 01:11:11,760 --> 01:11:15,240 Speaker 1: I gotta say it's it was very uncomfortable, you know 1424 01:11:15,240 --> 01:11:17,599 Speaker 1: what I mean, Like I really had to like, wow, 1425 01:11:17,640 --> 01:11:20,120 Speaker 1: I have to say a thing that I have to 1426 01:11:20,320 --> 01:11:22,439 Speaker 1: I have to I actually have to know what's about 1427 01:11:22,479 --> 01:11:24,559 Speaker 1: to come out of my mouth because like usually it's 1428 01:11:24,560 --> 01:11:26,960 Speaker 1: just you know, it's just coming out like now I 1429 01:11:27,040 --> 01:11:29,280 Speaker 1: have like a specific thing that I have to say. 1430 01:11:29,560 --> 01:11:32,080 Speaker 1: I'm not good at that, you know. And when it's funny, 1431 01:11:32,080 --> 01:11:35,040 Speaker 1: when I first pitched the show to Jim Hinson Company, 1432 01:11:35,600 --> 01:11:38,880 Speaker 1: I assume that somebody would be playing the head baker 1433 01:11:38,960 --> 01:11:41,200 Speaker 1: that you know, the person, and they're like, no, no, no no, 1434 01:11:41,360 --> 01:11:42,960 Speaker 1: it's got to be you. And I was like, not 1435 01:11:43,080 --> 01:11:46,760 Speaker 1: an actor, you know me, Like I'm a decorator, Like 1436 01:11:46,920 --> 01:11:49,360 Speaker 1: it has to be you. And I was like, I'll 1437 01:11:49,360 --> 01:11:52,080 Speaker 1: give it a shot, you know, um, and uh so 1438 01:11:52,240 --> 01:11:54,080 Speaker 1: you know we did, but it was it was it 1439 01:11:54,160 --> 01:11:58,200 Speaker 1: was really difficult. But it was also because the puppet 1440 01:11:58,280 --> 01:12:01,880 Speaker 1: heers are so amazing. They kind of remember like these 1441 01:12:01,920 --> 01:12:05,280 Speaker 1: are the best and the best in this industry. I mean, 1442 01:12:05,320 --> 01:12:08,719 Speaker 1: these guys like they were, um, you know what wanted. 1443 01:12:08,800 --> 01:12:11,960 Speaker 1: The puppet lead on Duff Topping Fund Baking Punt was 1444 01:12:12,120 --> 01:12:16,960 Speaker 1: also Augre in the Dark Crystal, And when I found 1445 01:12:16,960 --> 01:12:20,120 Speaker 1: that out, I'd like kind of like I got like 1446 01:12:20,160 --> 01:12:22,920 Speaker 1: a little star struck, you know, because I mean I 1447 01:12:23,080 --> 01:12:26,360 Speaker 1: just the puppeteers that were on the show was just 1448 01:12:26,560 --> 01:12:28,599 Speaker 1: really really good. And one of the things that They're 1449 01:12:28,760 --> 01:12:33,639 Speaker 1: great at is improv and you know, I am a 1450 01:12:33,680 --> 01:12:36,400 Speaker 1: total nubie. I've never acted. This is the first time 1451 01:12:36,439 --> 01:12:39,280 Speaker 1: I've had a learned lines and like, you know, interact 1452 01:12:39,320 --> 01:12:41,400 Speaker 1: with I've never worked with puppets before. I mean, this 1453 01:12:41,479 --> 01:12:45,439 Speaker 1: was all new to me. But they were so good 1454 01:12:45,479 --> 01:12:47,760 Speaker 1: at what they do. They could take somebody that had 1455 01:12:47,880 --> 01:12:52,160 Speaker 1: never been seen any of this world, you know, any 1456 01:12:52,200 --> 01:12:54,880 Speaker 1: of it, and they brought me in and just they 1457 01:12:55,040 --> 01:12:58,840 Speaker 1: made me good. You know, it was magic. You know. 1458 01:12:58,920 --> 01:13:01,679 Speaker 1: The thing about it is that, first of all, I'm 1459 01:13:01,760 --> 01:13:05,240 Speaker 1: excited for you. You were your great man. Uh, I 1460 01:13:05,280 --> 01:13:07,679 Speaker 1: love you. But it all started somewhere and then all 1461 01:13:07,720 --> 01:13:10,720 Speaker 1: started with a with a like a Madhouse genius. I'm 1462 01:13:10,760 --> 01:13:13,439 Speaker 1: gonna use that word, the Madhouse gez in two thousand 1463 01:13:13,520 --> 01:13:16,439 Speaker 1: two at Chalm City Cakes. Can you at least tell 1464 01:13:16,840 --> 01:13:19,960 Speaker 1: my listeners and viewers how did that come about? And 1465 01:13:20,120 --> 01:13:25,360 Speaker 1: then how did TV discover you? So? Um? I was 1466 01:13:25,960 --> 01:13:29,600 Speaker 1: I graduated culinary school in ninety seven, and I was 1467 01:13:29,720 --> 01:13:33,120 Speaker 1: working in hotels and restaurants, and I was I was 1468 01:13:33,160 --> 01:13:35,439 Speaker 1: basically just driving around the country and kind of bumming 1469 01:13:35,520 --> 01:13:38,599 Speaker 1: and and you know, doing different things, just trying things out. 1470 01:13:38,640 --> 01:13:40,720 Speaker 1: I didn't really know what I wanted to do. I know, 1471 01:13:40,880 --> 01:13:43,160 Speaker 1: I wanted to cook, but I wasn't sure like that, 1472 01:13:43,280 --> 01:13:45,160 Speaker 1: I want to be a Patriot chef at the hotel. 1473 01:13:45,280 --> 01:13:47,040 Speaker 1: Did I want to work in the bakery? Did I 1474 01:13:47,120 --> 01:13:48,439 Speaker 1: want to own a bakery? And then I want to 1475 01:13:48,479 --> 01:13:50,479 Speaker 1: work in the cake shop for a restaurant. They want 1476 01:13:50,479 --> 01:13:53,040 Speaker 1: to be the pastry chef in a five started you know, 1477 01:13:53,040 --> 01:13:55,439 Speaker 1: a really crazy place. I didn't know where I sit 1478 01:13:56,200 --> 01:13:59,720 Speaker 1: and um, eventually I got back to Baltimore. Um, and 1479 01:13:59,760 --> 01:14:02,720 Speaker 1: I was working as a personal chef for a family. Uh. 1480 01:14:02,800 --> 01:14:04,280 Speaker 1: And they had four kids, and I was, you know, 1481 01:14:04,320 --> 01:14:05,760 Speaker 1: I was really good with the kids. So that was 1482 01:14:05,880 --> 01:14:08,360 Speaker 1: kind of where I first realized. Was like, I don't 1483 01:14:08,400 --> 01:14:13,040 Speaker 1: know why, but for some reason, kids like responsively. But then, um, 1484 01:14:13,320 --> 01:14:17,200 Speaker 1: I kind of wanted to put my cooking career on 1485 01:14:17,360 --> 01:14:20,639 Speaker 1: hold because I'm also musician and I wanted to see 1486 01:14:20,640 --> 01:14:23,640 Speaker 1: a fact could actually make it as a working you know, 1487 01:14:24,040 --> 01:14:26,840 Speaker 1: musician in a rock band. So I quit my job 1488 01:14:27,000 --> 01:14:29,640 Speaker 1: and I started making cakes in my apartment so I 1489 01:14:29,680 --> 01:14:32,880 Speaker 1: could play the rent while I was becoming you know, 1490 01:14:33,080 --> 01:14:38,439 Speaker 1: a big famous rock star. And so, uh, I'm still 1491 01:14:38,560 --> 01:14:41,439 Speaker 1: I'm still a waiting for that to happen when, um so, 1492 01:14:41,840 --> 01:14:43,800 Speaker 1: I was just making cakes to my apartment, and like, 1493 01:14:44,120 --> 01:14:47,200 Speaker 1: Baltimore is not a big city, right, It's a you know, 1494 01:14:47,320 --> 01:14:50,360 Speaker 1: medium size city. And so when somebody who's like in 1495 01:14:50,400 --> 01:14:54,479 Speaker 1: their early twenties, covered in tattoos, who's in a rock band, 1496 01:14:55,120 --> 01:14:58,599 Speaker 1: is making you know, really beautiful wedding cakes, like people 1497 01:14:58,720 --> 01:15:01,360 Speaker 1: talk about it. They're like, well, that' weird. And then 1498 01:15:01,800 --> 01:15:04,519 Speaker 1: I started getting more business, and when people start realizing like, oh, 1499 01:15:04,600 --> 01:15:07,120 Speaker 1: this guy is actually good at what he does. And then, 1500 01:15:07,360 --> 01:15:09,280 Speaker 1: um so, then I hired my friend Jeff, and then 1501 01:15:09,320 --> 01:15:11,880 Speaker 1: I hired a bunch of other of my friends. Um 1502 01:15:12,000 --> 01:15:15,160 Speaker 1: some of them were going to art school in Baltimore, 1503 01:15:15,439 --> 01:15:17,400 Speaker 1: but they're all friends from the kind of the music 1504 01:15:17,520 --> 01:15:20,320 Speaker 1: and art community of Baltimore is very very sight community. 1505 01:15:21,000 --> 01:15:23,280 Speaker 1: Um well, then we got a call from Food Network. 1506 01:15:23,360 --> 01:15:25,840 Speaker 1: They wanted us to be to compete on one of 1507 01:15:25,880 --> 01:15:29,360 Speaker 1: the competition shows, and so Jeff and I were like, yeah, sure, 1508 01:15:29,439 --> 01:15:31,560 Speaker 1: let's do it. And so we went and we competed 1509 01:15:32,200 --> 01:15:33,760 Speaker 1: and like, you know, we failed, Like you know, I 1510 01:15:33,800 --> 01:15:36,360 Speaker 1: think we're out like third or fourth place, like did 1511 01:15:36,439 --> 01:15:38,400 Speaker 1: not make a big splash as far as like our 1512 01:15:38,479 --> 01:15:44,720 Speaker 1: cake decorating skills go. But we were really funny, so like, 1513 01:15:44,920 --> 01:15:46,560 Speaker 1: you know, we're just we kind of have like a 1514 01:15:46,680 --> 01:15:49,880 Speaker 1: very natural banter. We've known each other forever, and um, 1515 01:15:50,040 --> 01:15:51,760 Speaker 1: you know, so he's kind of like the straight man 1516 01:15:51,880 --> 01:15:54,800 Speaker 1: on the kind of wild man. And they liked this, like, hey, 1517 01:15:54,840 --> 01:15:56,720 Speaker 1: do you want to compete, you know, on another one? 1518 01:15:56,800 --> 01:15:58,720 Speaker 1: And I was like, well, we didn't win, and they're like, 1519 01:15:58,800 --> 01:16:00,680 Speaker 1: it doesn't matter. You guys are great, you're funny. So 1520 01:16:01,240 --> 01:16:04,760 Speaker 1: they kept having us on even though we never went right, 1521 01:16:04,840 --> 01:16:06,960 Speaker 1: we never won. We weren't even like, you know, the 1522 01:16:07,040 --> 01:16:09,519 Speaker 1: top three, like we were always you know, kind of 1523 01:16:09,680 --> 01:16:12,200 Speaker 1: floating around the middle. A couple of times we were 1524 01:16:12,200 --> 01:16:13,720 Speaker 1: all the way to buy them, like our cakes could 1525 01:16:13,720 --> 01:16:16,920 Speaker 1: fall apart, to catch on fire and stuff. But they're like, 1526 01:16:17,040 --> 01:16:19,599 Speaker 1: you got some great TV. So then they came they 1527 01:16:19,680 --> 01:16:22,200 Speaker 1: wanted to shoot some b roll. So in TV, b 1528 01:16:22,439 --> 01:16:25,160 Speaker 1: roll is like the kind of like the footage that 1529 01:16:25,280 --> 01:16:28,280 Speaker 1: somebody talks over and so if you're seeing a you know, 1530 01:16:28,800 --> 01:16:32,160 Speaker 1: a city state, but you hear somebody's voice, that's b roll, right, 1531 01:16:32,200 --> 01:16:34,360 Speaker 1: So they wanted to get some b roll in the bakery. 1532 01:16:34,479 --> 01:16:37,400 Speaker 1: And so when they came to the bakery, everybody in 1533 01:16:37,520 --> 01:16:40,640 Speaker 1: there was either in a like a rock band or 1534 01:16:40,880 --> 01:16:45,200 Speaker 1: was going to art school. So everybody was very unique. Right, 1535 01:16:45,320 --> 01:16:48,240 Speaker 1: A lot of tattoos, had a weird colored hair, a 1536 01:16:48,320 --> 01:16:50,280 Speaker 1: lot of you know people just dressed weird, like we're 1537 01:16:50,320 --> 01:16:53,080 Speaker 1: just you know, a bunch of weirdness. And so they 1538 01:16:53,160 --> 01:16:55,360 Speaker 1: were like filming, They're like, oh, there's a whole bunch 1539 01:16:55,400 --> 01:16:57,560 Speaker 1: of you guys. You know we should we should do 1540 01:16:57,640 --> 01:17:00,679 Speaker 1: a show in your bakery because we've never receiving anything 1541 01:17:00,760 --> 01:17:03,160 Speaker 1: like this. There's a bunch of weird art kids with 1542 01:17:03,439 --> 01:17:07,280 Speaker 1: you know, power tools on the wall making insane cake. Wow. 1543 01:17:07,880 --> 01:17:11,240 Speaker 1: Well you're you're a man. You're a genius. Discovery plus 1544 01:17:11,360 --> 01:17:15,240 Speaker 1: original serious. Duff's Half a Fund Bake Time premieres April 1545 01:17:15,240 --> 01:17:17,080 Speaker 1: Twining Name. Thank you for the conversation. Thank you for 1546 01:17:17,120 --> 01:17:20,479 Speaker 1: allowing me to speak to somebody I consider a genius 1547 01:17:20,520 --> 01:17:22,960 Speaker 1: in the baking, in the culin area, in that world 1548 01:17:23,040 --> 01:17:24,840 Speaker 1: that I aspire to. You said you want to be 1549 01:17:24,880 --> 01:17:26,240 Speaker 1: a rock star. I want to be a bake star. 1550 01:17:26,439 --> 01:17:31,200 Speaker 1: How about that? If you're ever out in l a man, 1551 01:17:31,280 --> 01:17:34,479 Speaker 1: look me out, come on over with appreciate you. You 1552 01:17:34,479 --> 01:17:36,640 Speaker 1: would be doing my boys Stephen a show today. Right, 1553 01:17:36,640 --> 01:17:38,840 Speaker 1: you're doing this show. That did this show right, Steven, Yeah, 1554 01:17:39,680 --> 01:17:41,920 Speaker 1: but that's my TV show too, executively douce that show. 1555 01:17:42,680 --> 01:17:48,000 Speaker 1: Oh cool, he's amazing. Yeah, I'm I got love for you, Duff, 1556 01:17:48,040 --> 01:17:51,880 Speaker 1: I got love for you. Okay, I appreciate I gotta 1557 01:17:51,920 --> 01:17:53,960 Speaker 1: let you go, man, they pressed me. I appreciate you. 1558 01:17:54,160 --> 01:17:57,800 Speaker 1: Talk soon. Bye bye, everybody. If I could be you 1559 01:17:58,360 --> 01:18:00,920 Speaker 1: and you could be me for just tw hour, if 1560 01:18:00,960 --> 01:18:04,360 Speaker 1: you could find a way to get inside each other's mind, 1561 01:18:04,840 --> 01:18:08,040 Speaker 1: walcome Mile in my shoes. Wacome Mile in my shoes, 1562 01:18:09,560 --> 01:18:12,640 Speaker 1: my shoes. We've all felt left out, and for some 1563 01:18:13,160 --> 01:18:16,439 Speaker 1: that feeling lasts more than a moment. We can change that. 1564 01:18:17,040 --> 01:18:19,880 Speaker 1: Learn how it Belonging begins with us dot org. Brought 1565 01:18:19,920 --> 01:18:23,840 Speaker 1: to you by the Act Council. Welcome Mile and the Shoes. 1566 01:18:27,280 --> 01:18:29,880 Speaker 1: Adoption of teams from foster care is a topic not 1567 01:18:30,080 --> 01:18:32,120 Speaker 1: enough people know about, and we're here to change that. 1568 01:18:32,439 --> 01:18:35,919 Speaker 1: I'm April Dinnuity, host of the new podcast Navigating Adoption, 1569 01:18:36,000 --> 01:18:39,639 Speaker 1: presented by adopt us Kids. Each episode brings you compelling, 1570 01:18:39,760 --> 01:18:42,800 Speaker 1: real life adoption stories told by the families that lived them, 1571 01:18:42,840 --> 01:18:46,599 Speaker 1: with commentary from experts. Visit adopt us Kids dot org. 1572 01:18:46,720 --> 01:18:50,479 Speaker 1: Slash podcast or subscribe to Navigating Adoption, presented by adopt 1573 01:18:50,560 --> 01:18:52,759 Speaker 1: Us Kids, brought to you by the U. S Department 1574 01:18:52,800 --> 01:18:55,519 Speaker 1: of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families 1575 01:18:55,600 --> 01:18:59,600 Speaker 1: and the ACT Council. What grows in the forest to 1576 01:19:00,439 --> 01:19:03,760 Speaker 1: sure you know what else? Girls in the forest? Our imagination, 1577 01:19:04,120 --> 01:19:07,200 Speaker 1: our sense of wonder, and our family bonds grow too, 1578 01:19:07,600 --> 01:19:12,600 Speaker 1: because when we disconnect from this and connect with this, 1579 01:19:14,040 --> 01:19:17,479 Speaker 1: we reconnect with each other. The forest is closer than 1580 01:19:17,560 --> 01:19:20,920 Speaker 1: you think. Find a forest near you and start exploring. 1581 01:19:21,080 --> 01:19:23,600 Speaker 1: I Discover the Forest dot org, brought to you by 1582 01:19:23,640 --> 01:19:27,280 Speaker 1: the United States Forest Service and the ad Council. Hi 1583 01:19:27,439 --> 01:19:30,360 Speaker 1: I am Rashan mcdonalerd host the Money Making Conversations dot com. 1584 01:19:30,840 --> 01:19:33,240 Speaker 1: The Cafee Mocha Swag Award is a celebration of black 1585 01:19:33,280 --> 01:19:35,599 Speaker 1: men who are making a difference in our community by 1586 01:19:35,680 --> 01:19:40,720 Speaker 1: empowering others to reach their life goals from civically this businessman, activists, celebrities, 1587 01:19:40,800 --> 01:19:43,760 Speaker 1: and everyday dad's. The Cafe Morka Swag Award winner this 1588 01:19:43,880 --> 01:19:46,920 Speaker 1: week is The black Man Project. The black Man Project 1589 01:19:46,960 --> 01:19:50,679 Speaker 1: founders are a filmmaker Brian Ellison, a sculptor, Anthony Super, 1590 01:19:50,760 --> 01:19:54,280 Speaker 1: an anthropologist, wall In Hall, they travel the nation archiving 1591 01:19:54,360 --> 01:19:57,160 Speaker 1: the storage Black men tell of masks and life's meeting. 1592 01:19:57,280 --> 01:20:00,479 Speaker 1: They're rooted in creating safe spaces for healthy conversation. Are 1593 01:20:00,560 --> 01:20:03,680 Speaker 1: exploring the many nuances that affect men of color. The 1594 01:20:03,800 --> 01:20:06,640 Speaker 1: need of of these conversations and this project. It is 1595 01:20:06,720 --> 01:20:10,160 Speaker 1: something that has gone for so long unnoticed. You know, 1596 01:20:10,200 --> 01:20:12,479 Speaker 1: a lot of us are, you know, suffering day to 1597 01:20:12,560 --> 01:20:14,639 Speaker 1: day and a lot of times, you know, we're moving 1598 01:20:14,840 --> 01:20:17,519 Speaker 1: without actually going anywhere, and so we're spending our wheels 1599 01:20:17,520 --> 01:20:19,920 Speaker 1: and essence when we need to tap into that, that 1600 01:20:20,040 --> 01:20:23,479 Speaker 1: inner self and be able to reflect and be mostly healthy. Really, 1601 01:20:23,600 --> 01:20:26,439 Speaker 1: the Cafe Morcha Squag Award represents men who have strength, 1602 01:20:26,479 --> 01:20:29,519 Speaker 1: whose wisdom is assertive, and who is genuine in their spirit. 1603 01:20:29,760 --> 01:20:34,120 Speaker 1: Welcome back to money making Conversations with your host, Rashaan McDonald. 1604 01:20:34,479 --> 01:20:37,160 Speaker 1: My next guest is an entrepreneur. Her name is Liz Rogers. 1605 01:20:37,400 --> 01:20:40,719 Speaker 1: She's the executive chef and CEO of the cream Elicious brand. 1606 01:20:40,800 --> 01:20:44,240 Speaker 1: That's right, cream Alicious brand, a might already owned business 1607 01:20:44,360 --> 01:20:48,240 Speaker 1: that is implementing their innovative approach to desert category. We're 1608 01:20:48,240 --> 01:20:51,120 Speaker 1: talking about ice cream. Y'all ice cream, everybody, I love 1609 01:20:51,160 --> 01:20:54,639 Speaker 1: ice crea ice cream chef. I know, I get excited. 1610 01:20:54,680 --> 01:20:57,200 Speaker 1: I'm sorry. Let me calm down. Chef le Rogers honed 1611 01:20:57,240 --> 01:21:00,000 Speaker 1: her passion for cooking and cooking for others growing up, 1612 01:21:00,040 --> 01:21:02,599 Speaker 1: and they're cleaning on higher area, you know, Steve Harvard Country, 1613 01:21:02,960 --> 01:21:06,240 Speaker 1: under the watchful eye of her mother and grandmother. She 1614 01:21:06,360 --> 01:21:09,439 Speaker 1: prides herself on being truly innovative with a two and one. 1615 01:21:09,479 --> 01:21:13,679 Speaker 1: Desserts that pair fresh based pastries with homemade ice cream, 1616 01:21:14,080 --> 01:21:17,479 Speaker 1: made with only the freshest agreements. Please welcome to money 1617 01:21:17,520 --> 01:21:20,000 Speaker 1: making conversations. I met her in person, she drove down, 1618 01:21:20,080 --> 01:21:21,960 Speaker 1: gave me some of that ice cream in person. Then 1619 01:21:22,040 --> 01:21:24,679 Speaker 1: I all just saw him online. The Queen of ice cream, 1620 01:21:24,720 --> 01:21:26,880 Speaker 1: that's what I call her, the Queen of ice cream. 1621 01:21:27,240 --> 01:21:30,880 Speaker 1: MS cream alicious herself, Liz Rogers, how you do on list? 1622 01:21:31,680 --> 01:21:34,840 Speaker 1: I'm great? Thank you so much for having me today. Cool? Uh, 1623 01:21:34,920 --> 01:21:39,000 Speaker 1: Liz um ice cream? Why ice cream? Ice cream is 1624 01:21:39,040 --> 01:21:42,320 Speaker 1: the world's number one dessert. Ice Cream makes people happy. 1625 01:21:42,600 --> 01:21:45,320 Speaker 1: It brings the world together. You know, we don't have to, 1626 01:21:45,800 --> 01:21:47,960 Speaker 1: you know, wonder what it is or what it tastes like. 1627 01:21:48,120 --> 01:21:50,560 Speaker 1: We just know that it's good. So ice cream just 1628 01:21:50,680 --> 01:21:53,800 Speaker 1: brings everybody together. So you can do so many whimsical 1629 01:21:53,920 --> 01:21:56,200 Speaker 1: things with it and just be as innovative as you 1630 01:21:56,240 --> 01:21:58,639 Speaker 1: want to be. Well, you know the word innovative, now, 1631 01:21:59,040 --> 01:22:00,639 Speaker 1: you know, I'm just I'm just gonna tell you, I'm 1632 01:22:00,640 --> 01:22:03,280 Speaker 1: just a guy who eats the ice cream. Okay, there's 1633 01:22:03,320 --> 01:22:05,960 Speaker 1: certain ice cream don't really like. I'm not going trash 1634 01:22:06,040 --> 01:22:08,280 Speaker 1: and ice cream that I don't like, but I'm a 1635 01:22:08,360 --> 01:22:10,599 Speaker 1: big fan of a certain ice creft come from Texas, 1636 01:22:11,000 --> 01:22:13,880 Speaker 1: which is blue Bell ice cream country, So I kind 1637 01:22:13,880 --> 01:22:16,080 Speaker 1: of like grew up on blue Bell ice cream. And 1638 01:22:16,200 --> 01:22:19,439 Speaker 1: then you came to town Atlanta, Georgia. That's my town 1639 01:22:20,000 --> 01:22:22,439 Speaker 1: with your creamer isious ice cream, you know, just out 1640 01:22:22,520 --> 01:22:25,120 Speaker 1: of the blue. A friend of mine Los Angeles recommended 1641 01:22:25,160 --> 01:22:30,160 Speaker 1: I should eat your ice cream and outstanding ice cream 1642 01:22:30,240 --> 01:22:34,000 Speaker 1: was outstanding, Liz. But you, but you, but you, But 1643 01:22:34,160 --> 01:22:36,600 Speaker 1: you knew that though, But you you you you have 1644 01:22:36,720 --> 01:22:38,920 Speaker 1: the confidence in yourself to know you have a top 1645 01:22:38,960 --> 01:22:42,880 Speaker 1: of the line brand. Correct. Well, I'm an executive chef 1646 01:22:42,960 --> 01:22:46,639 Speaker 1: by trade and restaurateur, and I really wanted to make 1647 01:22:46,720 --> 01:22:49,680 Speaker 1: sure that I worked with the top food scientists in 1648 01:22:49,720 --> 01:22:53,360 Speaker 1: the country to um just really bring my brand to light. 1649 01:22:53,600 --> 01:22:57,880 Speaker 1: I am like I really did not want to go 1650 01:22:58,080 --> 01:23:01,840 Speaker 1: in and put my label on a private label, someone 1651 01:23:01,880 --> 01:23:06,479 Speaker 1: else's brand. I really wanted to create my own intellectual property, 1652 01:23:07,320 --> 01:23:10,559 Speaker 1: things and formulas that would be proprietary to crem Alicious. 1653 01:23:11,040 --> 01:23:13,120 Speaker 1: So I wanted to make sure that ice cream was 1654 01:23:13,200 --> 01:23:15,800 Speaker 1: extremely creamy. I wanted to make sure that all the 1655 01:23:15,880 --> 01:23:19,679 Speaker 1: pastries and the crust and everything was exactly the texture 1656 01:23:20,080 --> 01:23:22,240 Speaker 1: that it needed to be and it wasn't soggy. So 1657 01:23:22,720 --> 01:23:25,360 Speaker 1: there was just a lot of time and a lot 1658 01:23:25,439 --> 01:23:28,080 Speaker 1: of thought and a lot of research that went into 1659 01:23:28,160 --> 01:23:31,200 Speaker 1: creating the ice cream before UH this brand was actually 1660 01:23:31,880 --> 01:23:34,240 Speaker 1: created and able to go on the shelf. Now, before 1661 01:23:34,280 --> 01:23:37,760 Speaker 1: we get more detail about about your crew Relicious brand, 1662 01:23:37,840 --> 01:23:39,920 Speaker 1: there's always a journey to get here. You know, your 1663 01:23:39,960 --> 01:23:42,920 Speaker 1: four generations. You know we mentioned your mom and your 1664 01:23:42,920 --> 01:23:46,120 Speaker 1: grandmother talk about that relationship that led you to the 1665 01:23:46,240 --> 01:23:51,080 Speaker 1: life of being an executive chef. And I'm the oldest 1666 01:23:51,200 --> 01:23:54,320 Speaker 1: of of UH four, so I'm the big sister. I 1667 01:23:54,439 --> 01:23:56,960 Speaker 1: have three brothers, and my mom was a single parent. 1668 01:23:57,080 --> 01:23:59,680 Speaker 1: She was a welder, and so she taught me how 1669 01:23:59,720 --> 01:24:02,040 Speaker 1: to and I used to cook for my brothers and 1670 01:24:02,120 --> 01:24:04,320 Speaker 1: take care of them while she was at work. And 1671 01:24:04,439 --> 01:24:06,519 Speaker 1: so the really cool thing was I spent a lot 1672 01:24:06,560 --> 01:24:09,240 Speaker 1: of time with my grandmother and I noticed she made 1673 01:24:09,720 --> 01:24:12,680 Speaker 1: just everything from scratch as well. She just really made 1674 01:24:12,680 --> 01:24:14,880 Speaker 1: a lot of things from scratch. And we would make 1675 01:24:14,960 --> 01:24:17,720 Speaker 1: up stuff like pound cake and make jello and and 1676 01:24:17,880 --> 01:24:20,400 Speaker 1: top the pound cake with the jello with some whipped cream, 1677 01:24:20,920 --> 01:24:23,360 Speaker 1: just gave it a lot of different textures and flavors 1678 01:24:23,439 --> 01:24:25,840 Speaker 1: and just you know, we just did whatever we wanted 1679 01:24:25,880 --> 01:24:28,320 Speaker 1: to do. And that was my opportunity to really spend 1680 01:24:28,360 --> 01:24:31,200 Speaker 1: time with my family and my mom and my grandmother 1681 01:24:31,400 --> 01:24:34,320 Speaker 1: and just really just build a bond. And that was 1682 01:24:34,479 --> 01:24:37,000 Speaker 1: our way of communicating love. And it's it's just full 1683 01:24:37,040 --> 01:24:40,760 Speaker 1: of amazing memories for the both of them. Pound cake 1684 01:24:41,840 --> 01:24:47,240 Speaker 1: topic with jello and whipped cream, Girl, that sounds pretty 1685 01:24:47,280 --> 01:24:50,479 Speaker 1: good to me. It's just a light, delicious dessert. So 1686 01:24:50,560 --> 01:24:53,439 Speaker 1: it wasn't heavy and it was flavorful. So you you 1687 01:24:53,520 --> 01:24:56,080 Speaker 1: do the strawberry jello on top of a butter pound 1688 01:24:56,160 --> 01:24:59,160 Speaker 1: cake and some whipped cream, and it was just something 1689 01:24:59,280 --> 01:25:01,240 Speaker 1: we made that you know, we would sit on the 1690 01:25:01,280 --> 01:25:04,640 Speaker 1: porch when it rained. My grandmother, she uh, she she 1691 01:25:04,840 --> 01:25:07,599 Speaker 1: loved like all these plants. She had a green thumb, 1692 01:25:08,000 --> 01:25:09,760 Speaker 1: you know, and and we would sit there while it 1693 01:25:09,880 --> 01:25:12,040 Speaker 1: rained and you know, on the porch with like a 1694 01:25:12,120 --> 01:25:14,840 Speaker 1: thousand plants and eating this little dessert and it it 1695 01:25:14,960 --> 01:25:18,000 Speaker 1: may not be much today, but back then it was 1696 01:25:18,160 --> 01:25:20,920 Speaker 1: just a really big deal for me. Well, it's a 1697 01:25:20,960 --> 01:25:22,640 Speaker 1: big deal to me right now because I'm trying to 1698 01:25:22,640 --> 01:25:26,800 Speaker 1: figure out how I can get some Yeah. Well, the 1699 01:25:26,840 --> 01:25:28,960 Speaker 1: cool thing about is you have history and food. Now, 1700 01:25:29,280 --> 01:25:31,920 Speaker 1: you had a very popular restaurant in Hamilton, Ohio, believe 1701 01:25:31,960 --> 01:25:34,640 Speaker 1: with the name of it was Mahogany Now, now, what 1702 01:25:34,760 --> 01:25:37,240 Speaker 1: type of restaurant was that in the Ohio area? Tell 1703 01:25:37,280 --> 01:25:40,640 Speaker 1: me a little background on that. Mahogany's was like a 1704 01:25:40,720 --> 01:25:44,160 Speaker 1: Southern cuisine restaurant. We made everything from scratch, but it 1705 01:25:44,240 --> 01:25:47,400 Speaker 1: really um we we really we could give you an 1706 01:25:47,400 --> 01:25:50,120 Speaker 1: amazing plate of food, but it really was about the experiences. 1707 01:25:50,200 --> 01:25:54,280 Speaker 1: We had karaoke, live entertainment. It was very intimate, very 1708 01:25:54,400 --> 01:25:59,160 Speaker 1: small kitchen was probably smaller than a submarine kitchen, I feel, 1709 01:25:59,200 --> 01:26:01,600 Speaker 1: but we did so anything's out of there. And I 1710 01:26:01,720 --> 01:26:04,240 Speaker 1: think the big thing was we knew all of our 1711 01:26:04,320 --> 01:26:07,799 Speaker 1: customers names. We were able to provide just this amazing 1712 01:26:08,280 --> 01:26:11,720 Speaker 1: welcoming experience and people would come there and eat and 1713 01:26:11,800 --> 01:26:14,000 Speaker 1: it was almost like you were eating out of your 1714 01:26:14,439 --> 01:26:17,120 Speaker 1: mom or your grandmother's kitchen because that's how we cooked. 1715 01:26:17,560 --> 01:26:20,519 Speaker 1: So we peeled our our yams, We didn't cook any 1716 01:26:20,600 --> 01:26:23,599 Speaker 1: yams out of the can. We picked our collar greens um, 1717 01:26:24,000 --> 01:26:27,680 Speaker 1: we smoked our wings. We had amazing dry rubs, and 1718 01:26:28,160 --> 01:26:30,320 Speaker 1: it was just a real good experience. And you never 1719 01:26:30,400 --> 01:26:32,880 Speaker 1: knew who you were going to meet when you came there, 1720 01:26:32,920 --> 01:26:35,760 Speaker 1: and you just felt like you were home. Now, when 1721 01:26:35,800 --> 01:26:37,960 Speaker 1: you have something like that, it feels it's more of 1722 01:26:38,120 --> 01:26:41,880 Speaker 1: a passion tied to the bottom line. But you're an 1723 01:26:41,880 --> 01:26:44,680 Speaker 1: opportunity to the move to a new location. Now, why 1724 01:26:44,760 --> 01:26:48,479 Speaker 1: did you make that move? Because that new location it 1725 01:26:48,560 --> 01:26:50,439 Speaker 1: sounded like a good idea, but it turned out not 1726 01:26:50,560 --> 01:26:54,160 Speaker 1: to be the right idea. Correct. You know, as an entrepreneur, 1727 01:26:54,439 --> 01:26:57,200 Speaker 1: you know you you want to see your your brands 1728 01:26:57,240 --> 01:27:00,280 Speaker 1: make it. You want to see everything expand. And Um 1729 01:27:00,479 --> 01:27:02,920 Speaker 1: a year and a half after being open, um we 1730 01:27:03,040 --> 01:27:07,160 Speaker 1: became a really big destination. So it was Mahoganies in 1731 01:27:07,200 --> 01:27:10,600 Speaker 1: Hamilton's was in a very small area, residential area, not 1732 01:27:10,800 --> 01:27:14,960 Speaker 1: the best area, but Hamilton's was just an amazing, welcoming town. 1733 01:27:15,160 --> 01:27:17,439 Speaker 1: They really took a chance on me. I took a 1734 01:27:17,520 --> 01:27:20,439 Speaker 1: chance on them and had to really uh come to 1735 01:27:20,520 --> 01:27:22,880 Speaker 1: town and just we just made something together. I feel 1736 01:27:22,920 --> 01:27:25,479 Speaker 1: the community really supported it. So we ended up having 1737 01:27:25,560 --> 01:27:28,559 Speaker 1: people driving for two hours away and buses coming from 1738 01:27:28,640 --> 01:27:31,040 Speaker 1: Florida to come to this little bitty place and only 1739 01:27:31,080 --> 01:27:34,000 Speaker 1: had about thirty or forty seats. And I had the 1740 01:27:34,320 --> 01:27:37,759 Speaker 1: city of Cincinnati come to me and the mayor asking 1741 01:27:37,840 --> 01:27:41,920 Speaker 1: what I moved my brand to the banks of Cincinnati. 1742 01:27:42,360 --> 01:27:45,320 Speaker 1: So I ended up being uh the first male or 1743 01:27:45,400 --> 01:27:48,360 Speaker 1: female African American to be part of a major multi 1744 01:27:48,439 --> 01:27:52,320 Speaker 1: meandour development in the city of Cincinnati. UH. And I 1745 01:27:52,400 --> 01:27:57,080 Speaker 1: didn't take the the offer at first, but with some 1746 01:27:57,200 --> 01:27:59,280 Speaker 1: of the leadership in Cincinnati, they thought it would be 1747 01:27:59,360 --> 01:28:02,400 Speaker 1: a really great idea, and based on the packages and 1748 01:28:02,520 --> 01:28:04,840 Speaker 1: the different things that I was offered, I thought it 1749 01:28:04,880 --> 01:28:06,599 Speaker 1: would be a good idea too. But it it ended 1750 01:28:06,680 --> 01:28:09,960 Speaker 1: up not being the best business move. So I learned 1751 01:28:09,960 --> 01:28:12,160 Speaker 1: a lot of lessons, but for me, it didn't mean 1752 01:28:12,240 --> 01:28:14,960 Speaker 1: I had to live in my lessons and essentially just 1753 01:28:15,240 --> 01:28:18,439 Speaker 1: ended up making a really bad decision on expanding my 1754 01:28:18,600 --> 01:28:21,559 Speaker 1: brand and pretty much lost everything. So I always say, 1755 01:28:21,600 --> 01:28:24,720 Speaker 1: as an executive chef, I don't cook with politics, and 1756 01:28:25,040 --> 01:28:27,479 Speaker 1: you know, that was just something that I wasn't really 1757 01:28:27,560 --> 01:28:32,080 Speaker 1: familiar with and I pretty much ended up being extremely 1758 01:28:32,800 --> 01:28:36,280 Speaker 1: famous in town for taking that deal and uh losing 1759 01:28:36,360 --> 01:28:39,040 Speaker 1: everything and then coming back. Well know, that just shows 1760 01:28:39,040 --> 01:28:42,360 Speaker 1: about money making conversations also about advice is also I 1761 01:28:42,400 --> 01:28:45,240 Speaker 1: always like to take those little nuggets because you said 1762 01:28:45,240 --> 01:28:47,519 Speaker 1: you learned a couple of lessons about this. Because you 1763 01:28:47,600 --> 01:28:49,720 Speaker 1: want the show about the success of crem Malicious and 1764 01:28:50,160 --> 01:28:54,559 Speaker 1: storage nationwide, you to make an appearance on um Ellen Show, 1765 01:28:54,760 --> 01:28:58,240 Speaker 1: which is a national TV appearance. When you say, because 1766 01:28:58,240 --> 01:29:00,400 Speaker 1: I always tell people, you know, follow your roam, and 1767 01:29:00,640 --> 01:29:03,280 Speaker 1: a lot of times people will give your advice but 1768 01:29:03,400 --> 01:29:06,160 Speaker 1: they have no like you said, they have no bone 1769 01:29:06,200 --> 01:29:08,840 Speaker 1: in the fight or no financial commitment and fight. Did 1770 01:29:08,880 --> 01:29:11,960 Speaker 1: you got good ideas? So that seems to me what 1771 01:29:12,080 --> 01:29:13,959 Speaker 1: happened a lot of people with a lot of good ideas. 1772 01:29:14,479 --> 01:29:17,240 Speaker 1: And it's for sure the city is going to support you, 1773 01:29:17,880 --> 01:29:20,080 Speaker 1: you know, everybody. The traffic is going to be natural 1774 01:29:20,200 --> 01:29:22,320 Speaker 1: down there. What lessons did you learn? Because a lot 1775 01:29:22,360 --> 01:29:26,080 Speaker 1: of people get these these big opportunities and these good suggestions, 1776 01:29:26,200 --> 01:29:28,920 Speaker 1: but they need to do their homework on the suggestion. Correct, 1777 01:29:30,000 --> 01:29:32,400 Speaker 1: That's correct? You know you first of all, you need 1778 01:29:32,439 --> 01:29:36,599 Speaker 1: to to research things more. UM, it's about partnerships. Uh. 1779 01:29:36,680 --> 01:29:40,040 Speaker 1: If everyone in the partnership is a good steward and 1780 01:29:40,160 --> 01:29:43,160 Speaker 1: everyone's doing exactly what they committed to do and what 1781 01:29:43,240 --> 01:29:44,960 Speaker 1: they say that they're going to do, things should work 1782 01:29:45,000 --> 01:29:48,200 Speaker 1: out right. But when you have a partnership and there's 1783 01:29:48,400 --> 01:29:52,280 Speaker 1: uh other agendas and people aren't willing to make sure 1784 01:29:52,320 --> 01:29:55,320 Speaker 1: that you're successful, or maybe you were offered something just 1785 01:29:55,600 --> 01:29:59,280 Speaker 1: as upon maybe you were it was a token situation. 1786 01:30:00,400 --> 01:30:03,360 Speaker 1: Every business should have the opportunity to succeed or fail 1787 01:30:03,400 --> 01:30:05,880 Speaker 1: on its own merits. UM. I went through a lot 1788 01:30:06,520 --> 01:30:10,479 Speaker 1: being called the N word, a great amount of racism. UM. 1789 01:30:10,760 --> 01:30:13,320 Speaker 1: You know, I I struggled with a lot from uh 1790 01:30:13,760 --> 01:30:17,000 Speaker 1: the African American community, some that felt that, you know, 1791 01:30:17,160 --> 01:30:20,000 Speaker 1: perhaps I was leaving them behind when essentially I was 1792 01:30:20,080 --> 01:30:23,840 Speaker 1: really trying to expand my brand and really take care 1793 01:30:23,880 --> 01:30:26,320 Speaker 1: of my family. UH. Dealt with a lot with the 1794 01:30:26,520 --> 01:30:30,240 Speaker 1: Caucasian community that really felt like I didn't have the 1795 01:30:30,400 --> 01:30:33,280 Speaker 1: right to be on the banks on the riverfront with 1796 01:30:33,400 --> 01:30:36,200 Speaker 1: the beautiful restaurant. UM. So you know, I kind of 1797 01:30:36,280 --> 01:30:38,920 Speaker 1: caught it from both ends. But through all of that, 1798 01:30:39,120 --> 01:30:43,200 Speaker 1: I was able to create cremalicious and um, just deal 1799 01:30:43,280 --> 01:30:47,040 Speaker 1: with things on the other end and staying really really focused. 1800 01:30:47,080 --> 01:30:48,800 Speaker 1: So I always say that if you're going to be 1801 01:30:48,880 --> 01:30:51,880 Speaker 1: involved in something, understand the rules of the game. If 1802 01:30:51,880 --> 01:30:53,560 Speaker 1: you're gonna suit up. Because I didn't sit on the 1803 01:30:53,640 --> 01:30:55,760 Speaker 1: bench right I was in the game, you know, and 1804 01:30:56,000 --> 01:30:58,240 Speaker 1: I'm the type of entrepreneur I'm just gonna go for 1805 01:30:58,400 --> 01:31:01,280 Speaker 1: it and fear paralyzed as us. We have to understand 1806 01:31:01,400 --> 01:31:03,439 Speaker 1: that at the end of the day, you just got 1807 01:31:03,560 --> 01:31:05,400 Speaker 1: to go for your dreams. You know. You have to 1808 01:31:05,560 --> 01:31:08,400 Speaker 1: understand that these are the rules and they're not gonna 1809 01:31:08,439 --> 01:31:10,400 Speaker 1: be fair. And we can't sit around and say, oh, 1810 01:31:10,479 --> 01:31:12,240 Speaker 1: I didn't get the same treatment, because you're not gonna 1811 01:31:12,280 --> 01:31:15,599 Speaker 1: be be treated the same, especially as a minority business. 1812 01:31:15,680 --> 01:31:18,479 Speaker 1: And you have to own everything. I own all of 1813 01:31:18,560 --> 01:31:21,800 Speaker 1: my mistakes, I own all decisions I made. I'm a human, right, 1814 01:31:22,240 --> 01:31:25,800 Speaker 1: we all make mistakes. Um, we all are human. Uh. 1815 01:31:25,960 --> 01:31:30,320 Speaker 1: In business, we're learning said, my situation was a little 1816 01:31:30,360 --> 01:31:33,760 Speaker 1: bit more public, but I was able to really give 1817 01:31:33,880 --> 01:31:37,439 Speaker 1: a lot of minority chefs and opportunities to shine, give 1818 01:31:37,479 --> 01:31:41,719 Speaker 1: them a platform to be leaders, give them a platform 1819 01:31:41,800 --> 01:31:43,960 Speaker 1: to be a part of something great. So we have 1820 01:31:44,120 --> 01:31:47,360 Speaker 1: to understand that even if it's five seconds on the 1821 01:31:47,400 --> 01:31:49,599 Speaker 1: clock and I get the ball on the fifty yard line, 1822 01:31:49,640 --> 01:31:51,920 Speaker 1: I'm going for it. So I got a fifty fifty 1823 01:31:52,120 --> 01:31:54,720 Speaker 1: chance of either making a touchdown or I'm gonna get 1824 01:31:55,040 --> 01:31:56,840 Speaker 1: thrown to the ground. But at the end of the day, 1825 01:31:57,080 --> 01:31:59,760 Speaker 1: there's always another day to play, you know. And that's 1826 01:31:59,760 --> 01:32:02,760 Speaker 1: where on that well, you're fantastic. You're articulated as well 1827 01:32:02,840 --> 01:32:05,080 Speaker 1: as I would have wanted to articulated to people who 1828 01:32:05,120 --> 01:32:07,599 Speaker 1: are watching this or who were listening to its own podcast. 1829 01:32:07,880 --> 01:32:10,920 Speaker 1: It's about money making conversation. Now, your desserts and your 1830 01:32:11,320 --> 01:32:13,679 Speaker 1: and your bio say, you craft your desserts by harnessing 1831 01:32:13,760 --> 01:32:17,640 Speaker 1: the familiar experience that Southern comfort food brings blended with 1832 01:32:17,720 --> 01:32:20,360 Speaker 1: cooling airy artistry, which is your skill level. I'm just 1833 01:32:20,479 --> 01:32:23,040 Speaker 1: an eater, okay, But it's the art that you put 1834 01:32:23,120 --> 01:32:25,920 Speaker 1: it together. Because when I dug into your ice cream 1835 01:32:25,960 --> 01:32:29,400 Speaker 1: and you was watching me, you know, I saw I 1836 01:32:29,520 --> 01:32:33,439 Speaker 1: saw the vanilla waitfer, you know, I the red velvet 1837 01:32:33,640 --> 01:32:36,960 Speaker 1: tasted like red velvet. Talk about that whole process, because, 1838 01:32:36,960 --> 01:32:39,160 Speaker 1: like you said, you wanted to make sure that that 1839 01:32:39,320 --> 01:32:42,080 Speaker 1: cookie wasn't Sggy you wanted to make sure that the 1840 01:32:42,200 --> 01:32:45,400 Speaker 1: dessert felt like the dessert that you were selling on 1841 01:32:45,600 --> 01:32:47,719 Speaker 1: the as far as the brand of the name, because 1842 01:32:47,760 --> 01:32:49,639 Speaker 1: I'm gonna we're gonna get into the name of your 1843 01:32:49,760 --> 01:32:52,559 Speaker 1: funny dessert names that you put on here. But talk 1844 01:32:52,600 --> 01:32:55,080 Speaker 1: about that process and and then you know, because some 1845 01:32:55,160 --> 01:32:58,599 Speaker 1: people say, some people level of satisfaction could stop here, 1846 01:32:58,640 --> 01:33:02,160 Speaker 1: but you pushed it beyond death satisfaction to reach your 1847 01:33:02,280 --> 01:33:06,120 Speaker 1: standards correct, right, So Cremolitious, it's it's not just the 1848 01:33:06,200 --> 01:33:08,840 Speaker 1: dessertest and experience, you know, I want to take you 1849 01:33:09,080 --> 01:33:12,519 Speaker 1: on a journey where the storytellers, right we we want 1850 01:33:12,560 --> 01:33:16,400 Speaker 1: to take you to better times. There's so many unprecedented 1851 01:33:16,560 --> 01:33:19,360 Speaker 1: times that we're having, you know, in the world right now, 1852 01:33:19,439 --> 01:33:22,360 Speaker 1: and I just want to let people understand that, you know, 1853 01:33:22,479 --> 01:33:25,040 Speaker 1: we all have something in common. We're not that different. 1854 01:33:25,200 --> 01:33:27,800 Speaker 1: We all love ice cream, right of different variations of 1855 01:33:27,840 --> 01:33:31,240 Speaker 1: ice cream, whether we're vegan or lactose intolerant. We want 1856 01:33:31,240 --> 01:33:34,479 Speaker 1: to make sure that Cremolitious is in a dessert category 1857 01:33:34,560 --> 01:33:37,400 Speaker 1: of its own. There there is no other ice cream 1858 01:33:37,720 --> 01:33:40,760 Speaker 1: on the market like Cremolitious at this point, and I 1859 01:33:40,880 --> 01:33:43,920 Speaker 1: don't feel there will be because we all have our 1860 01:33:44,000 --> 01:33:46,680 Speaker 1: own niches, and I felt like I can carve my 1861 01:33:46,760 --> 01:33:50,680 Speaker 1: own niche by first of all being extremely authentic, um 1862 01:33:51,520 --> 01:33:56,160 Speaker 1: making sure that we have good comfort foods to basically 1863 01:33:56,280 --> 01:33:59,519 Speaker 1: comfort us during these crazy moments that we're having in life. 1864 01:33:59,600 --> 01:34:01,760 Speaker 1: You know, when you eat that slap your mom a 1865 01:34:01,800 --> 01:34:04,560 Speaker 1: banana pudding, it just makes you feel happy. Poward to 1866 01:34:04,640 --> 01:34:06,920 Speaker 1: the customers. They you know, it's just so funny in 1867 01:34:07,000 --> 01:34:09,519 Speaker 1: different parts of the world just looking at some of 1868 01:34:09,560 --> 01:34:13,600 Speaker 1: the video, they always say, oh my god, I just 1869 01:34:13,760 --> 01:34:16,600 Speaker 1: feel happy, right, And so you know, just taking that 1870 01:34:16,760 --> 01:34:20,080 Speaker 1: second to just enjoy your dessert, making sure that that's 1871 01:34:20,120 --> 01:34:23,479 Speaker 1: sweet potato pie taste exactly like a slice of sleep 1872 01:34:23,479 --> 01:34:27,479 Speaker 1: potato pie. You having those notes of nutmeg and cinnamon 1873 01:34:27,560 --> 01:34:30,880 Speaker 1: and fresh vanilla bean and a puree of uh sweet 1874 01:34:30,920 --> 01:34:34,320 Speaker 1: potato with the actual butter butter nut crush. I mean, 1875 01:34:34,400 --> 01:34:36,880 Speaker 1: you know, like we need that short red crust and 1876 01:34:37,080 --> 01:34:41,200 Speaker 1: and everything in that dessert is homemade and it's from 1877 01:34:41,520 --> 01:34:44,600 Speaker 1: an actual recipe that came from my mom and my 1878 01:34:44,680 --> 01:34:48,320 Speaker 1: grandmother's kitchen. So I just want people to experience that 1879 01:34:48,960 --> 01:34:51,439 Speaker 1: and not just have some ice cream and a pine. 1880 01:34:51,520 --> 01:34:53,960 Speaker 1: I just want to be a part of their lives 1881 01:34:54,000 --> 01:34:57,680 Speaker 1: and the experience at that moment. Now you need I 1882 01:34:57,720 --> 01:34:59,600 Speaker 1: gotta come on in. Now you kind of mentioned a 1883 01:34:59,640 --> 01:35:01,320 Speaker 1: little you teased us a little bit on some of 1884 01:35:01,360 --> 01:35:03,880 Speaker 1: those names. I almost lew everybody down. She was just 1885 01:35:04,000 --> 01:35:06,360 Speaker 1: not throwing out names to be funny. Those are some 1886 01:35:06,439 --> 01:35:09,840 Speaker 1: of the actual names on the actual cardins of if 1887 01:35:09,880 --> 01:35:12,400 Speaker 1: I can by now. This morning I got a prode 1888 01:35:12,479 --> 01:35:14,960 Speaker 1: to my interview with her. I ordered you can order 1889 01:35:15,040 --> 01:35:18,280 Speaker 1: what they called the seven Indulgent flavors. There's seven of them. 1890 01:35:18,320 --> 01:35:20,720 Speaker 1: You can order seven. Nice little discount you get on it. 1891 01:35:21,080 --> 01:35:25,080 Speaker 1: They ship it immediately via ups Already I ordered this morning. 1892 01:35:25,080 --> 01:35:28,280 Speaker 1: I already got my notice roughly four hours later that 1893 01:35:28,560 --> 01:35:31,799 Speaker 1: the shipment is on the way. That's how fast they operate. 1894 01:35:32,080 --> 01:35:35,120 Speaker 1: The packaging, that is fantastic. Let's let's let's go before 1895 01:35:35,120 --> 01:35:37,960 Speaker 1: I start getting into flavors. The packaging because and how 1896 01:35:38,040 --> 01:35:41,920 Speaker 1: did you come up with the name cream malicious? Because 1897 01:35:41,960 --> 01:35:44,719 Speaker 1: instead of delicious, I wanted it to be cream malicious, 1898 01:35:44,800 --> 01:35:47,720 Speaker 1: you know, um just whimsical, Like I didn't want it 1899 01:35:47,800 --> 01:35:49,960 Speaker 1: to upscale because it's an up scale dessert. But I 1900 01:35:50,040 --> 01:35:55,479 Speaker 1: feel like upscale casual um southern um mainly just a 1901 01:35:55,560 --> 01:35:59,519 Speaker 1: southern sojourn, you know, just like really like a Surrey 1902 01:35:59,680 --> 01:36:02,519 Speaker 1: where you're just like, you know, just having an amazing 1903 01:36:02,640 --> 01:36:07,040 Speaker 1: time and dancing and just just enjoying everything that there 1904 01:36:07,200 --> 01:36:10,200 Speaker 1: is to enjoy about this particular dessert and just the 1905 01:36:10,280 --> 01:36:13,560 Speaker 1: creaminess of it. It's really really creamy. Um. It's a 1906 01:36:13,640 --> 01:36:16,639 Speaker 1: lot more creamier than most and it's a super premium item, 1907 01:36:17,040 --> 01:36:21,960 Speaker 1: so it's it really is a very high high product 1908 01:36:22,040 --> 01:36:25,920 Speaker 1: that we've made very decadent and very indulgent as well, 1909 01:36:26,080 --> 01:36:28,320 Speaker 1: so we didn't spare on anything. We do not use 1910 01:36:28,439 --> 01:36:31,640 Speaker 1: any artificial flavoring or coloring. Um. We don't use a 1911 01:36:31,680 --> 01:36:34,519 Speaker 1: lot of high fruit toast, corn syrup or anything like that. So, 1912 01:36:35,040 --> 01:36:37,679 Speaker 1: you know, while it does have a lot of catt calories, 1913 01:36:37,720 --> 01:36:40,479 Speaker 1: I don't suggest eating a whole uh pint if you're 1914 01:36:40,680 --> 01:36:43,160 Speaker 1: looking out for those calories. But if you are going 1915 01:36:43,200 --> 01:36:45,439 Speaker 1: to cheat, I need you to cheat with cream Alicious. 1916 01:36:45,680 --> 01:36:47,400 Speaker 1: I'm just gonna let you know I did eat a 1917 01:36:47,479 --> 01:36:50,840 Speaker 1: whole paint. In fact, how many when you visited me? 1918 01:36:50,920 --> 01:36:55,000 Speaker 1: How many did you leave me? But seven? I left 1919 01:36:55,040 --> 01:36:59,840 Speaker 1: you the seven and dog pla. We have all two left, okay, 1920 01:37:00,120 --> 01:37:03,640 Speaker 1: my staff my staff ate one total, you know, we 1921 01:37:03,720 --> 01:37:05,519 Speaker 1: all sampled a little bit of but I'll just tell 1922 01:37:05,560 --> 01:37:08,759 Speaker 1: you they probably consume one. So so that statement about 1923 01:37:08,840 --> 01:37:12,800 Speaker 1: don't eat one consume when I've done that and I apologizically, 1924 01:37:12,920 --> 01:37:15,280 Speaker 1: was just that good, you know, I put it on. 1925 01:37:15,920 --> 01:37:17,880 Speaker 1: I even have fun. I had a slice of sweet 1926 01:37:17,880 --> 01:37:20,679 Speaker 1: potato pie and I put my little, my little cream 1927 01:37:20,720 --> 01:37:22,960 Speaker 1: alicious sweep potato pie right on the top, and then 1928 01:37:23,000 --> 01:37:25,160 Speaker 1: I had the slice of peach cobbler. I was just 1929 01:37:25,280 --> 01:37:27,240 Speaker 1: having fun with you because I can bake as well. 1930 01:37:27,320 --> 01:37:29,920 Speaker 1: So in my kitchen, I just happened, we got I 1931 01:37:30,040 --> 01:37:31,960 Speaker 1: happened to put it out there, and so I'm gonna 1932 01:37:31,960 --> 01:37:34,200 Speaker 1: post you on Monday under my motivation On Monday, I 1933 01:37:34,200 --> 01:37:37,400 Speaker 1: always post people on motivation about overcoming the arts, and 1934 01:37:37,439 --> 01:37:40,479 Speaker 1: I want to post you and recognize you overcoming an 1935 01:37:40,600 --> 01:37:43,920 Speaker 1: arts and now have established a national ice cream and 1936 01:37:44,040 --> 01:37:46,559 Speaker 1: you're the queen of ice cream. You're You're cream Alicious, 1937 01:37:46,600 --> 01:37:48,479 Speaker 1: your Liz Rodgers, and I want to I want to 1938 01:37:48,520 --> 01:37:50,320 Speaker 1: talk about that. But that's what you're trying to do 1939 01:37:50,479 --> 01:37:52,160 Speaker 1: right now. You're trying to get your brain out there. 1940 01:37:52,520 --> 01:37:54,400 Speaker 1: You're willing to become in the face of your ice 1941 01:37:54,439 --> 01:37:59,080 Speaker 1: cream brand, and that's important. Correct is very important. You can't. 1942 01:37:59,240 --> 01:38:02,960 Speaker 1: I'm definitely not ashamed of of anything. You know, everyone 1943 01:38:03,120 --> 01:38:06,160 Speaker 1: has a story. Um. You know, sometimes we just can't 1944 01:38:06,360 --> 01:38:09,519 Speaker 1: keep getting so caught up in the things that we read. 1945 01:38:09,560 --> 01:38:12,200 Speaker 1: I I just learned that just a regular person being 1946 01:38:12,240 --> 01:38:15,280 Speaker 1: a chef and just a regular person, just um, being 1947 01:38:15,360 --> 01:38:19,120 Speaker 1: involved with people writing stories and dealing with journalists and 1948 01:38:19,200 --> 01:38:21,519 Speaker 1: news and media and different things. That was a different 1949 01:38:21,560 --> 01:38:24,280 Speaker 1: world for me. That. You know, you can truly have 1950 01:38:24,400 --> 01:38:26,920 Speaker 1: an interview and then it turns into something else that 1951 01:38:27,479 --> 01:38:29,760 Speaker 1: and you know, you can be painted a different way. 1952 01:38:29,840 --> 01:38:32,040 Speaker 1: But I feel like the people that know me and 1953 01:38:32,200 --> 01:38:35,000 Speaker 1: understand these struggles and how hard it is to have 1954 01:38:35,120 --> 01:38:38,960 Speaker 1: a small business. Um, what I'm doing and what I'm 1955 01:38:39,000 --> 01:38:42,519 Speaker 1: trying to do, especially with the ice cream right now. Um, 1956 01:38:43,400 --> 01:38:46,160 Speaker 1: I the scream Alicious is it's bigger than me, you know, 1957 01:38:46,840 --> 01:38:49,360 Speaker 1: um being one of the first African American ice cream 1958 01:38:49,400 --> 01:38:52,800 Speaker 1: manufacturers and mass production in the whole world today. You know, 1959 01:38:53,000 --> 01:38:56,160 Speaker 1: I really want people to understand that this is really, 1960 01:38:56,240 --> 01:38:58,160 Speaker 1: really a big deal. There's a lot of ice creams 1961 01:38:58,200 --> 01:39:00,600 Speaker 1: out there on the shelf. Um. I went to a 1962 01:39:00,680 --> 01:39:04,120 Speaker 1: lot of different retailers and I had many many doors 1963 01:39:04,160 --> 01:39:06,920 Speaker 1: slammed in my face. You know, they were like, you know, hey, 1964 01:39:07,000 --> 01:39:09,080 Speaker 1: you're a minority business, so we're not going to take 1965 01:39:09,120 --> 01:39:11,799 Speaker 1: a chance on you, or they won't return your calls, 1966 01:39:11,920 --> 01:39:14,920 Speaker 1: and um, then they taste your ice cream and then 1967 01:39:15,280 --> 01:39:17,040 Speaker 1: there's all these things going on and then you start 1968 01:39:17,080 --> 01:39:20,360 Speaker 1: to get called. And I was really appreciative that Walmart 1969 01:39:20,520 --> 01:39:23,840 Speaker 1: and Meyer and Chinooks just really took a chance on me. 1970 01:39:24,680 --> 01:39:27,840 Speaker 1: Walmart is the biggest retailer in the world, and they 1971 01:39:27,960 --> 01:39:30,840 Speaker 1: just really really believed in what I was trying to do. 1972 01:39:31,400 --> 01:39:35,479 Speaker 1: Prior to everyone doing things for African American businesses, I 1973 01:39:35,600 --> 01:39:39,280 Speaker 1: really just wanted Cremolicious to stand on its own, you know. 1974 01:39:39,560 --> 01:39:41,360 Speaker 1: And I don't want to be a token. I want 1975 01:39:41,400 --> 01:39:43,880 Speaker 1: to earn my space on the shelf and compete just 1976 01:39:44,040 --> 01:39:46,720 Speaker 1: like anyone else. But I always say I'm going to 1977 01:39:46,840 --> 01:39:50,679 Speaker 1: compete with myself because I'm I'm innovative, I'm forever changing, 1978 01:39:51,320 --> 01:39:54,640 Speaker 1: going to ever be creative and really give the consumer 1979 01:39:55,120 --> 01:39:57,840 Speaker 1: something different every time. Well, you know, let's let's go 1980 01:39:57,960 --> 01:40:01,280 Speaker 1: down these indulge in flavors that I'm about to receive, 1981 01:40:01,640 --> 01:40:03,519 Speaker 1: and uh, I'm gonna say. What I'm gonna do is 1982 01:40:03,560 --> 01:40:05,120 Speaker 1: when I get them, I'm gonna stack them all up 1983 01:40:05,160 --> 01:40:06,439 Speaker 1: in front of me, and I'm gonna take a picture 1984 01:40:06,479 --> 01:40:08,240 Speaker 1: and send it to you. I'm gonna post it, you know, 1985 01:40:08,280 --> 01:40:12,160 Speaker 1: because everybody know I love switch. Now you have ain't Poonies, 1986 01:40:13,080 --> 01:40:18,840 Speaker 1: that's right, ponies, right, yeah, ain't poonies, caramel pound cake now, 1987 01:40:19,240 --> 01:40:22,360 Speaker 1: and then you have uh, then you have writer's rain, 1988 01:40:22,800 --> 01:40:31,160 Speaker 1: red velvet cheesecake, thick as thieves become pie slap your mama, 1989 01:40:31,600 --> 01:40:35,960 Speaker 1: banana pudding, porch like peach cobbler. We all know you 1990 01:40:36,040 --> 01:40:38,160 Speaker 1: in the hood. You know about that porch light. Boy, 1991 01:40:38,240 --> 01:40:40,760 Speaker 1: if you got home before that light that's on, we're 1992 01:40:40,800 --> 01:40:43,000 Speaker 1: gonna have problems. I had that conversation with my dad 1993 01:40:43,080 --> 01:40:47,800 Speaker 1: several times growing up. Uncle Charles Brown's sugar bourbon cake 1994 01:40:48,840 --> 01:40:56,040 Speaker 1: and then Grandma Ggs sweepertato pie. Now, those stories. You know, 1995 01:40:56,320 --> 01:41:00,320 Speaker 1: people need to understand the history of the South with 1996 01:41:00,439 --> 01:41:04,080 Speaker 1: the desserts. You know, the red velvet cake was considered 1997 01:41:04,120 --> 01:41:08,160 Speaker 1: a celebration cake when African Americans received their freedom. Uh, 1998 01:41:08,280 --> 01:41:10,600 Speaker 1: porch like peach cobblers. Just like what you said, you know, 1999 01:41:10,800 --> 01:41:13,679 Speaker 1: like we'll lead the light on for you. You're welcome. 2000 01:41:14,600 --> 01:41:17,240 Speaker 1: This house is safe. You know, it's it was just 2001 01:41:18,000 --> 01:41:21,200 Speaker 1: you know, it was just really a big thing. You know. Um, 2002 01:41:21,320 --> 01:41:23,439 Speaker 1: I have one called quite Cake that will be out 2003 01:41:23,479 --> 01:41:26,760 Speaker 1: this summer and it's a Southern white cake and it 2004 01:41:26,840 --> 01:41:28,320 Speaker 1: was one of the first cakes that they made in 2005 01:41:28,360 --> 01:41:31,080 Speaker 1: the South and it was considered a peace offering cake. 2006 01:41:31,560 --> 01:41:35,479 Speaker 1: Um Ponies caramel pound cake. She was my godmother and 2007 01:41:35,600 --> 01:41:38,280 Speaker 1: she actually made that pound cake and a cast and 2008 01:41:38,360 --> 01:41:42,200 Speaker 1: skillet that was passed down from generation to generation to 2009 01:41:42,280 --> 01:41:46,040 Speaker 1: her daughter Patricia, and they still have this cast aren't skillet. 2010 01:41:46,120 --> 01:41:49,720 Speaker 1: And then finally, um, Uncle Charles Brown sugar Bourbon. You know, 2011 01:41:49,880 --> 01:41:52,360 Speaker 1: everybody has the Uncle Charles that that was the cool 2012 01:41:52,520 --> 01:41:54,640 Speaker 1: uncle that you couldn't wait for him, the como re 2013 01:41:54,800 --> 01:41:57,839 Speaker 1: always had his brandy, always had his stash and his flask. 2014 01:41:57,960 --> 01:42:00,679 Speaker 1: He's always drinking. But he was that uncle that everybody 2015 01:42:00,800 --> 01:42:03,400 Speaker 1: loved and and couldn't wait to see at the holidays. So, 2016 01:42:03,920 --> 01:42:07,000 Speaker 1: you know, crimal Isious is each one of those brands. 2017 01:42:07,080 --> 01:42:11,559 Speaker 1: They're very authentic. They're about real people, real times, real stories, 2018 01:42:11,600 --> 01:42:14,479 Speaker 1: and we tell the stories where the storytellers. So people 2019 01:42:14,479 --> 01:42:16,679 Speaker 1: should know what they're eating, they should be a part 2020 01:42:17,200 --> 01:42:20,559 Speaker 1: of each one of those flavors. I feel that someone 2021 01:42:20,720 --> 01:42:23,880 Speaker 1: can actually relate to Uh, better times, you know, in 2022 01:42:23,960 --> 01:42:26,640 Speaker 1: their lives and their family. Now do you are we are? 2023 01:42:26,680 --> 01:42:29,599 Speaker 1: We do we see any cream Alicious ice cream stands 2024 01:42:29,600 --> 01:42:32,040 Speaker 1: and pop up stands? Uh? That's coming along the way 2025 01:42:32,080 --> 01:42:34,080 Speaker 1: because it sounds so fun. It sounds like in the 2026 01:42:34,160 --> 01:42:37,320 Speaker 1: middle of summer, I should see a Creamalious pop up 2027 01:42:37,400 --> 01:42:40,800 Speaker 1: somewhere just to surprise people. Are some of some quick 2028 01:42:40,880 --> 01:42:42,960 Speaker 1: stories that that will pop up during the summer selling 2029 01:42:43,040 --> 01:42:45,599 Speaker 1: this brand, of serving this brand because it's so fun 2030 01:42:45,720 --> 01:42:48,840 Speaker 1: that your storytelling is amazing and so authentic. That's what 2031 01:42:48,920 --> 01:42:50,720 Speaker 1: I love about it, because you know, like you said 2032 01:42:50,720 --> 01:42:53,680 Speaker 1: when you just said grandma, gig, I know, grandma, and 2033 01:42:53,760 --> 01:42:55,800 Speaker 1: then you have slap your mama. You know that's like 2034 01:42:55,880 --> 01:42:58,720 Speaker 1: a running to a ball at foods making one slap 2035 01:42:58,800 --> 01:43:01,160 Speaker 1: your mama. Boy, I'm telling you you know, and we 2036 01:43:01,320 --> 01:43:03,960 Speaker 1: know we've heard that so many times growing up, but 2037 01:43:04,160 --> 01:43:06,320 Speaker 1: every time we heard and we smiled, we laughed, And 2038 01:43:06,439 --> 01:43:08,479 Speaker 1: so that's what you were saying, Like you said, you know, 2039 01:43:08,880 --> 01:43:10,840 Speaker 1: love not hate. You want your ice team to bring 2040 01:43:10,960 --> 01:43:13,559 Speaker 1: people together, and that's part of your brand, and that's 2041 01:43:13,600 --> 01:43:15,760 Speaker 1: part of your mantra that you really believe it and 2042 01:43:15,840 --> 01:43:20,519 Speaker 1: you're really selling correct, right and I you know, it's 2043 01:43:20,600 --> 01:43:24,880 Speaker 1: it's it's crazy because you know, what is what is 2044 01:43:24,920 --> 01:43:27,599 Speaker 1: your purpose? You know, like if you open that top, 2045 01:43:27,840 --> 01:43:30,000 Speaker 1: it clearly says there's a dream in every scoop. And 2046 01:43:30,040 --> 01:43:33,719 Speaker 1: I really believe that because even though it was hard, 2047 01:43:33,840 --> 01:43:35,599 Speaker 1: you know, I felt like I wanted to give up, 2048 01:43:35,960 --> 01:43:39,160 Speaker 1: you know sometimes, and and I didn't, you know, I persevered. 2049 01:43:39,200 --> 01:43:42,920 Speaker 1: It's almost I always tell the story. Um, we all 2050 01:43:43,040 --> 01:43:46,120 Speaker 1: have driven in the card driving on fumes, hoping the 2051 01:43:46,160 --> 01:43:48,439 Speaker 1: goodness that we can get to the exit to get 2052 01:43:48,520 --> 01:43:51,320 Speaker 1: some gas before we run out. And that's what hope 2053 01:43:51,479 --> 01:43:55,320 Speaker 1: is hope for me, if you me, even when I 2054 01:43:55,479 --> 01:43:59,200 Speaker 1: went through so many failures and successes of launching my 2055 01:43:59,360 --> 01:44:02,080 Speaker 1: brands and my restaurants, you know, I was like, please 2056 01:44:02,160 --> 01:44:03,760 Speaker 1: just let me get to the exit and fill up, 2057 01:44:04,160 --> 01:44:06,680 Speaker 1: you know, on hope and so that I can get 2058 01:44:06,840 --> 01:44:08,960 Speaker 1: right back on the on the road. So for me, 2059 01:44:09,120 --> 01:44:12,080 Speaker 1: it wasn't about the destination because I know exactly what 2060 01:44:12,240 --> 01:44:14,800 Speaker 1: that destination is and where I'm going. It's more about 2061 01:44:14,880 --> 01:44:17,439 Speaker 1: the journey. Who am I meeting along the way. You know, 2062 01:44:17,520 --> 01:44:20,160 Speaker 1: I may stop off at this town, I may you know, 2063 01:44:20,320 --> 01:44:23,439 Speaker 1: meet this person, and maybe this person may even get 2064 01:44:23,520 --> 01:44:25,200 Speaker 1: in the car with me and ride with me to 2065 01:44:25,320 --> 01:44:27,240 Speaker 1: a town here and there, you know, a few miles, 2066 01:44:27,240 --> 01:44:28,360 Speaker 1: and then they got to get out of the car, 2067 01:44:28,400 --> 01:44:31,000 Speaker 1: and then I realized, you know what I'm dealing with. 2068 01:44:31,439 --> 01:44:34,519 Speaker 1: But even in those lessons, you know, you know what 2069 01:44:34,720 --> 01:44:37,920 Speaker 1: dead ends are, you know what street to turn down, 2070 01:44:38,040 --> 01:44:39,880 Speaker 1: you know what's gonna work and what's not. And then 2071 01:44:39,920 --> 01:44:43,560 Speaker 1: you're you're you're learning. And I'm praying to you know, 2072 01:44:43,720 --> 01:44:48,480 Speaker 1: launch my foundation, because that's essentially why I launched Crimalicious, 2073 01:44:49,040 --> 01:44:50,800 Speaker 1: Because there is a dream in every scoop and there 2074 01:44:50,840 --> 01:44:55,639 Speaker 1: are many entrepreneurs out there that they're afraid. They're afraid 2075 01:44:55,720 --> 01:44:58,559 Speaker 1: to fail, and I just want to say today, don't 2076 01:44:58,640 --> 01:45:02,040 Speaker 1: be afraid to fail. You have absolutely nothing to lose. 2077 01:45:02,240 --> 01:45:06,000 Speaker 1: You may make the more you try and the more 2078 01:45:06,120 --> 01:45:08,400 Speaker 1: you go for it, You're eventually gonna make it. And 2079 01:45:08,479 --> 01:45:10,280 Speaker 1: I just want you guys to know that I'm here. 2080 01:45:10,320 --> 01:45:13,640 Speaker 1: I'm looking for you, like Professor Xavier on x and 2081 01:45:13,680 --> 01:45:16,559 Speaker 1: then like I'm looking for those entrepreneurs that I can 2082 01:45:16,640 --> 01:45:20,840 Speaker 1: help build teams around them, give them resources. It's not 2083 01:45:20,960 --> 01:45:23,200 Speaker 1: like somebody can come and give you five million dollars, 2084 01:45:23,280 --> 01:45:26,000 Speaker 1: but that's not gonna guarantee your success. So that you're 2085 01:45:26,000 --> 01:45:29,599 Speaker 1: going to stand business right. Multimillion dollar brands have money 2086 01:45:29,680 --> 01:45:32,200 Speaker 1: injected into them all the time. What we need as 2087 01:45:32,280 --> 01:45:34,680 Speaker 1: minority businesses is we need c p a s. We 2088 01:45:34,760 --> 01:45:38,000 Speaker 1: need advisors, we need attorneys, we need people that's going 2089 01:45:38,040 --> 01:45:40,920 Speaker 1: to help us with our operations. We need to learn 2090 01:45:40,960 --> 01:45:43,600 Speaker 1: how to build teams. We need to learn and have 2091 01:45:43,960 --> 01:45:47,439 Speaker 1: resources that's going to sustain our business. And through buying 2092 01:45:47,479 --> 01:45:50,920 Speaker 1: a point, if you're buying a point, what I'm praying 2093 01:45:51,000 --> 01:45:55,680 Speaker 1: to build is you are inadvertently helping another entrepreneur with 2094 01:45:55,880 --> 01:45:57,680 Speaker 1: their dream. That's why I say there's a dream in 2095 01:45:57,720 --> 01:46:00,080 Speaker 1: every school. So I just want people to understand that 2096 01:46:00,160 --> 01:46:02,080 Speaker 1: they can be a part of something great through this 2097 01:46:02,280 --> 01:46:05,679 Speaker 1: pint because that's what it's all about for me. Wow, 2098 01:46:06,920 --> 01:46:09,880 Speaker 1: you are incredible. I'm just gonna tell you that right now. 2099 01:46:10,280 --> 01:46:14,400 Speaker 1: Interview with six people, the gems you're dropping, Dr George 2100 01:46:14,400 --> 01:46:16,439 Speaker 1: Fraser is the closest I've had on this show that 2101 01:46:16,520 --> 01:46:18,800 Speaker 1: come that has come to you as far as being 2102 01:46:18,840 --> 01:46:22,080 Speaker 1: able to recognize that the battles of being an entrepreneur 2103 01:46:22,160 --> 01:46:25,439 Speaker 1: and how to advise and also how to inspire, you 2104 01:46:25,520 --> 01:46:28,879 Speaker 1: are incredible. Now, Liz, before we leave the Cream Alicious 2105 01:46:29,000 --> 01:46:31,479 Speaker 1: brand is expanding. You said you have some vegan products 2106 01:46:31,520 --> 01:46:34,200 Speaker 1: that are coming out. Are the other line brands that 2107 01:46:34,280 --> 01:46:36,120 Speaker 1: we need to know about before we wrap up the interview. 2108 01:46:36,680 --> 01:46:39,160 Speaker 1: The pre Militias does have a vegan line coming out 2109 01:46:39,240 --> 01:46:43,720 Speaker 1: this summer and an additional seven flavors UM like the 2110 01:46:44,040 --> 01:46:47,400 Speaker 1: Apple Cobbler, the Piece and Quiet Cake. We have a 2111 01:46:47,439 --> 01:46:52,799 Speaker 1: strawberry crunch cake. We have a Mama Woes chocolate brownie. 2112 01:46:53,080 --> 01:46:56,280 Speaker 1: We have Baby Listen and that Baby Listen is a 2113 01:46:56,479 --> 01:46:59,400 Speaker 1: white chocolate brownie. So I don't know if you've ever 2114 01:46:59,520 --> 01:47:04,240 Speaker 1: had the Wilbe's white chocolate brownie. UM with the maple crema, 2115 01:47:04,640 --> 01:47:07,599 Speaker 1: I mean, we have some really amazing flavors. And then 2116 01:47:07,760 --> 01:47:11,400 Speaker 1: for the vegan line, UM, I pretty much developed a 2117 01:47:12,040 --> 01:47:16,080 Speaker 1: Southern mimosa and sangria line, so it's dairy free UM 2118 01:47:16,520 --> 01:47:20,519 Speaker 1: and it's completely made with fresh juices and fruit. So 2119 01:47:20,880 --> 01:47:23,840 Speaker 1: we'll have people that are a little bit more health 2120 01:47:23,920 --> 01:47:27,320 Speaker 1: conscious and vegan and if you're lactose intolerant, I just 2121 01:47:27,439 --> 01:47:30,000 Speaker 1: wanted to create a line for you as well. UM, 2122 01:47:30,080 --> 01:47:32,000 Speaker 1: and so we have some really amazing things and cream 2123 01:47:32,040 --> 01:47:35,040 Speaker 1: Alicius does have a complete frozen dessert line, so each 2124 01:47:35,080 --> 01:47:37,760 Speaker 1: one of those points that you have, they have a cake, 2125 01:47:37,840 --> 01:47:40,559 Speaker 1: a cobbra or pie to go with those points. Every 2126 01:47:40,960 --> 01:47:46,519 Speaker 1: every dessert is a match for the pint. Wow, thank you, 2127 01:47:47,120 --> 01:47:50,120 Speaker 1: You're incredible. Now you know when that line comes up, 2128 01:47:50,200 --> 01:47:54,360 Speaker 1: you got your boy? Okay, now you got me right, 2129 01:47:54,439 --> 01:47:57,280 Speaker 1: you got me right? Come on, because because I got 2130 01:47:57,400 --> 01:47:59,880 Speaker 1: this already, I got this already. It's coming this for 2131 01:48:00,200 --> 01:48:03,880 Speaker 1: I'm gonna take some photos putting on social media. More important. Congratulations, 2132 01:48:04,080 --> 01:48:06,240 Speaker 1: I'm a fan. I'll be there whenever you need this 2133 01:48:06,320 --> 01:48:08,920 Speaker 1: phone call of support. We're gonna sit down and talk 2134 01:48:08,960 --> 01:48:11,960 Speaker 1: about some marketing ideas because you really really are special 2135 01:48:12,400 --> 01:48:14,479 Speaker 1: and the world needs to hear your story. Okay, Liz, 2136 01:48:15,080 --> 01:48:18,200 Speaker 1: thank you sir, and I appreciate you and your team support. 2137 01:48:19,040 --> 01:48:22,000 Speaker 1: I just really wanna, you know, just ask that you know, 2138 01:48:22,200 --> 01:48:25,960 Speaker 1: everyone get behind us, because you know it's I can't 2139 01:48:26,040 --> 01:48:29,200 Speaker 1: change the world by myself, nor would I ever tried. 2140 01:48:29,320 --> 01:48:31,320 Speaker 1: But I can reach out and touch someone. I can 2141 01:48:31,360 --> 01:48:33,720 Speaker 1: make ripples in the pond. I can touch someone and 2142 01:48:33,760 --> 01:48:35,960 Speaker 1: they're reach can touch someone, and then before you know it, 2143 01:48:36,240 --> 01:48:38,920 Speaker 1: we're across the globe. You know, it's just about having 2144 01:48:38,960 --> 01:48:41,160 Speaker 1: purpose in life, and this is God's purpose. For me 2145 01:48:41,640 --> 01:48:43,439 Speaker 1: and my passion. I just want to get out here 2146 01:48:43,479 --> 01:48:46,680 Speaker 1: and help other entrepreneurs and inspire them to not just 2147 01:48:47,000 --> 01:48:49,800 Speaker 1: exist but start living. Whore you're doing that. Thank you 2148 01:48:49,880 --> 01:48:52,920 Speaker 1: for coming on Money Making Conversation. Liz Rogers, the Queen 2149 01:48:53,000 --> 01:48:56,760 Speaker 1: of ice cream Miss cream Malicious. Thank you. If you 2150 01:48:56,800 --> 01:48:58,679 Speaker 1: want to hear or see any interview as of Money 2151 01:48:58,720 --> 01:49:01,439 Speaker 1: Making Conversations, please go of Money Making Conversation dot com 2152 01:49:01,800 --> 01:49:05,000 Speaker 1: or subscribed to my YouTube chapel. I'm Rashan McDonald. I 2153 01:49:05,160 --> 01:49:09,800 Speaker 1: am your host. Please remember always leave with your gifts 2154 01:49:10,000 --> 01:49:13,400 Speaker 1: and don't let your age, friends, family, or co workers 2155 01:49:13,439 --> 01:49:16,880 Speaker 1: stop you from planning or living your dreams. In this 2156 01:49:17,000 --> 01:49:20,160 Speaker 1: season of giving, Coals has gifts for all your loved ones. 2157 01:49:20,439 --> 01:49:24,240 Speaker 1: For those who like to keep it cozy, find fleeces, sweaters, loungeware, 2158 01:49:24,320 --> 01:49:28,120 Speaker 1: blankets and throws, or support minority owned or founded brands 2159 01:49:28,240 --> 01:49:31,640 Speaker 1: by giving gifts from Human Nation and Shame Moisture and 2160 01:49:31,920 --> 01:49:35,040 Speaker 1: in the spirit of giving, Coals Cares is donating eight 2161 01:49:35,200 --> 01:49:39,200 Speaker 1: million dollars to local nonprofits nationwide. Give with all your 2162 01:49:39,240 --> 01:49:42,120 Speaker 1: heart this season with great gifts from Coals or Coals 2163 01:49:42,160 --> 01:49:45,120 Speaker 1: dot Com. I'm Tanya Sam, host of the Money Moves 2164 01:49:45,200 --> 01:49:48,559 Speaker 1: Podcast powered by Greenwood. This daily podcast will help give 2165 01:49:48,640 --> 01:49:51,519 Speaker 1: you the keys to the Kingdom of financial stability, wealth 2166 01:49:51,600 --> 01:49:55,160 Speaker 1: and abundance. The celebrity guests like Rick Ross, Amanda Sells, 2167 01:49:55,200 --> 01:49:58,719 Speaker 1: Angela Ye, Roland, Martin, JB. Smooth, and Terrell Owens tune 2168 01:49:58,760 --> 01:50:01,040 Speaker 1: in to learn how to turn live abilities into assets 2169 01:50:01,120 --> 01:50:06,439 Speaker 1: and make your money moves up. Subscribe to the Money 2170 01:50:06,479 --> 01:50:09,000 Speaker 1: Moves Podcast powered by Greenland on the I Heart Radio 2171 01:50:09,040 --> 01:50:11,880 Speaker 1: app or wherever you get your podcasts, and make sure 2172 01:50:11,960 --> 01:50:16,439 Speaker 1: you leave a review. Look for your children's eyes and 2173 01:50:16,600 --> 01:50:20,360 Speaker 1: you will discover the true magic of a forest. Find 2174 01:50:20,400 --> 01:50:23,360 Speaker 1: a forest near you and start exploring it. Discover the 2175 01:50:23,439 --> 01:50:26,160 Speaker 1: forest dot org brought to you by the United States 2176 01:50:26,240 --> 01:50:27,879 Speaker 1: Forest Service and the AD Council