Selling The Vision w/ Arian Simone

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Speaker 1: Calling all my sweeties to the forefront.

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Speaker 2: I'm your host, Christophe.

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Speaker 1: And this is to Keep It Positive Sweetie Show. Hello and welcome to this episode of the Keep It Positive, Sweetish Show. I'm your host CHRISTOPHINEE. Hazelt, and today we have a powerhouse joining us. She's an entrepreneur, investor, author, and co founder of The Fearless Fun Kiss Family. Let's give a warm welcome to Arian Simone. Arian, thank you so much for coming by, literally coming by because you're right there. Yes, Oh my goodness, I know you were so close. Yes, and you have to come by more often.

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Speaker 2: Yes, I'd love to. But thank you for having me. I've been wanting.

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Speaker 1: To talk to you. I've been so fascinated with everything you had going on. So to get yes you so to get this opportunity, I'm just super grateful. So thank you so much.

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Speaker 2: Thank you.

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Speaker 1: Yes, absolutely so. There's been so many things that people know about you, from your your story to what you've done lately with the Fearless Fun very dynamic woman, but I want to get to the root of who you are from the beginning. You've been very open about going from homelessness to being an entrepreneur. Tell me about that journey.

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Speaker 3: She didn't took me back. Okay, christ take it bag and they were gonna come. Yes, it was truly a moment where how should I put it, I was just more so out of alignment with my assignment and what I'm.

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Speaker 2: Supposed to do in the earth.

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Speaker 3: Yes, I was a college student at Florida and M University, and I owned a store while I was there in the mall, and I made a promise to myself while I had the store that one day I was gonna be the business investor I had been looking for.

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Speaker 2: The promise.

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Speaker 3: Of course, looks like the fearless fun today. But the journey there, of course, took a lot of adventure. And there was a time when I gave up.

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Speaker 2: On the store. Days you'd have fifty thousand dollars.

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Speaker 3: Some days you're kind as negative, and I'm like, am I good at this? Or what is happening here? And I stopped, and I keep that on my computer, the financials from the store. Because business was actually profitable. I look back now and laugh because I wasn't failing.

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Speaker 2: I just wasn't patient.

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Speaker 3: Who ooh, And I just needed patience. But what clothes women's apparel amazing. Yes, in college, Yes, that's huge.

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Speaker 1: Yes, I was working at the clothing store. I didn't own one. Yes, it was a.

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Speaker 3: Lot being a colleerepreneur. It was definitely a lot. And me giving up on that, I moved to Los Angeles actually with the job. The only job I've had in my adult life, cause everything else I've done, I've worked for myself.

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Speaker 2: And it was Nellie's Apple Bottoms and I worked for thirty days. Yes, those Apple Bottoms boots.

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Speaker 4: With the first yes what And I worked for that company for thirty days doing product placement, placed product on Jessica Simpson and Tyra Banks, and I even found Oprah put the genes on her and she had 'em on the show.

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Speaker 3: So when the president said, Harry and we I'd like to meet with you, I'm thinking, like, of course I've changed, I've turned the company around.

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Speaker 2: You wanna meet with me? And she said, unfortunately, have to let you go. And I was like, let me go.

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Speaker 3: She said, if it was based on performance, you'd be the first to stay.

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Speaker 2: I said, what is this based on I was twenty three at the time.

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Speaker 3: Yeah, she said, well, the company's being sold. Everybody has to go. We're g they're having a new team come in. You just having to be the last hired, you're the first fired. So yes, And at that time, my parents were in an unfortunate divorce case called back and I never knew I would never be able to not call back home. I grew up middle class, so I was like, what do you mean. They were like, hey, finances are not good here right now. And I said, you know, don't worry about me. I'll figure out life.

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Speaker 2: Ye y'all worry about my sister. I'm i'm'a keep going.

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Speaker 3: And I ran out of cash and then they put on the notice on the door that says pay rent or quit.

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Speaker 2: I said, well, shoot, I guess I gotta quit.

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Speaker 3: I don't us to give you wow, And I moved from my apartment to my car.

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Speaker 2: My mom's best friend paid for my storage. I was like, I'll just figure it out. Do I look sad? I'm here, you are here.

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Speaker 3: And I was without a place to stay for seven months, welfare, food stamps, selling my clothes so I could eat, put gas in the car, et cetera. But my optimism, for the most part of my faith kept me. I never knew it was gonna take seven months. I get up every day time, but oh, this is the last day. This the last day, This the last day. And I have a whole bunch of funny stories I tell about what happened during that time. There was a moment where I did do I did crash Like. I was like, this cannot be happening to me. Yeah, this is not I'm probably you know, months in and I'm like, wait a minute.

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Speaker 2: I went to school, I got good grades. What did I do wrong?

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Speaker 1: Yeah?

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Speaker 2: And I was like, okay, am I being punished? What is this? So?

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Speaker 3: But luckily somebody called me. They sought me out to do some PR marketing work. They saw my work at Apple Bottoms. So I'm like, but you've called months ago, right, And it was to do some PR marketing work for their spouse. And they referred me to somebody, who referred me to somebody who referred me to somebody I looked up. I was like, okay, I got a business mm. And I found that so interesting because the moment that got started, it happened with such flowing ease MM. And I said, there and you were creative to do business in this earth, and the moment you stepped out of that, you caused yourself more chaos and more headache than when you had the store.

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Speaker 2: Like, the ups and downs at the store.

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Speaker 3: Were nothing like me having no trying to figure out how i'm'a eat the next day, right, you know?

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Speaker 2: I was like, you have to stay.

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Speaker 3: In alignment with your purpose and you're calling in this earth, cause even if it has ups and down, it's nothing like being outside of that.

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Speaker 1: Yes, exactly. So what happened after you got that call?

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Speaker 3: Oh? I ended up building a pr and marketing company from the ground up, servicing clients like from the Sony Pictures to the Walt Disneys of the World and what Universal and everything else. Yeah, we worked on Blockbuster movies. So Will Packer at the time was not the Will Packer. I called him when I was living out of my office space. So I went from the car to the office and I said, well, I've started this company.

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Speaker 2: This is what I do.

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Speaker 3: I found out that Studio was actually outsourced PR and marketing companies. He said, Aaron, your timing couldn't have been more better. Wow, And I said, what's going on? He said, we are getting ready to release our first big theatrical movie and we're going to produce it in Atlanta and I said what is it? And he said Stepping. That was the working title. It's known as Stop the Art.

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Speaker 1: Which was my first and that was.

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Speaker 2: Their first big theatrical release. Wow, exactly. So she had The Gospel before me.

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Speaker 3: That was the first big one and the movie was number one two weekends in a row. So my phone starts ringing with all the studio.

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Speaker 2: I bet they're like, she did this. We need what's going on? So?

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Speaker 1: Yeah, that is incredible.

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Speaker 2: Thank you.

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Speaker 1: So at that point, did you move from Los Angeles to Atlanta or did you stay?

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Speaker 2: No, I had to come out.

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Speaker 3: To Atlanta to for when it was being filmed, but I didn't just move to Atlanta from there.

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Speaker 2: Now.

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Speaker 1: Yes, oh my goodness. It's funny because Will Packer's married to my cousin now and Heather's my cousin.

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Speaker 2: Yeah, oh Tennessee, yes, Oh my god.

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Speaker 3: Yeah, I'm like, yes, oh my gosh, yes, I love that.

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Speaker 1: She's she is she that is my girl, She's everything.

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Speaker 2: Oh my gosh. Wait a minute.

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Speaker 1: Yes, small word, very small world, but something. R two the sequel was my very first film that I worked in as an extra. I'm like, so, yeah, I got my star with That was before Heather and it was years later when we found out that they were together. But yeah, small world.

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Speaker 2: I worked many in films with Packer. Yes, he's incredible.

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Speaker 1: Yeah, I love that. So what was the pivot to what you're doing? Now? How did you even get into venture capital?

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Speaker 2: Okay?

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Speaker 3: So I started meeting people who were in the space. I took a meeting at Gary Vaynerchuk's office, vayner Media, with Gary v himself.

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Speaker 2: He's a social entrepreneur person.

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Speaker 3: Known on even you know, on the Internet, And in the meeting, me and my friends were pitching to him a ten million dollar basically pitch, wow, girl, we ain't get it, but it's okay, she's a wow. And we did not know at the time he only had a twenty five million dollar fund and the fun had been deployed. So we find us out after the pitch, which was so funny. But afterwards, remember standing on the streets in New York just froze and my friend he looked at me sitting here in he said, you want to be on the other side of the table.

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Speaker 2: I said, I do. I said, this is.

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Speaker 3: How I get to make good on the promise I made to myself in college.

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Speaker 1: Come on.

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Speaker 3: And from there, having that awareness, I just started meeting other people in venture capital at different events. I started, let me tell you, it's fearless, funy with people. Know today it was words.

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Speaker 1: Wow.

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Speaker 3: I was like, I'm building a fund. I'm building this fund. It's for women of color. I was going around telling everybody, Girl, there wasn't a cent in the bit, right. I opened a bank account at Citizens Trust. This is a true story. I went there and met with the manager and I said, I'm building a multi million dollar fund and.

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Speaker 2: I told her all about it.

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Speaker 3: I said, and I'm gonna open it up with this hundred dollars. I know, I said, I know this person may have thought I was crazy. They're one of my biggest advocates now. But I'm like, I said, I wonder, what tell you. I'm thinking, like she's like, this girl's nuts.

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Speaker 1: But I got one hundred dollars, I'll say, you're right, We're gonna set this account up.

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Speaker 2: I mean she saw a year later the millions coming in. She said, this girl really did what she said she was gonna do.

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Speaker 1: That is incredible. So how did you go about it? Like you said, it just started with words. What were you telling people to make? Because I was.

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Speaker 2: Telling people my Where's mine?

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Speaker 3: I was telling people my vision and they were buying into the vision. And I told I ran into somebody named Rodney Sampson, known in Atlanta and like the tech space Tracy Gray. These people ended up being on our advisory board. But I just started telling people my vision and they were like, Okay, it's a little far fetched, but if you believe, and you sound like you believe, we'll rock with you.

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Speaker 1: Wow. Now, what were some of the hurdles as you're building us? I want to get into that because people will see where you are now and it's like, well, it's.

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Speaker 3: Capital intensity that's first and foremost. You need securities attorneys to even set it up, and you're talking about a setup feed that's probably six figures. Yeah, a setup fee you could find. I figured out how to cut every corner.

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Speaker 2: Trust me.

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Speaker 3: I was like, okay, can we figure out how to set this stick for like fifteen.

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Speaker 2: I'm like, let me step this thing.

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Speaker 3: But as I was selling the vision, I started to raise money and started to raise it from individuals at first, and then from there I was at a family homecoming and ran into somebody and I sold the vision again and they were like, hey, we'll have our company come down and meet with you. And they were our first institutional investor, so it was a risk. And then after LISK was like fifth third and I think Costco.

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Speaker 2: But the names were there, and when.

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Speaker 3: The wake of George Floyd hit in, a lot of the commitments to the black community took place. We were literally the right people in the right place at the right time, doing the right thing.

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Speaker 2: Yes, so now Inbound is happening. So but mindra, I.

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Speaker 3: Spent three years of grinding, two years plus of no salary, just trying to figure it out.

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Speaker 2: To get there.

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Speaker 3: So yeah, it was a lot of years of still selling a vision.

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Speaker 1: Yes, And can you explain for people who don't know exactly the mission of the Fearless Fund.

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Speaker 2: Yes, thank you, absolutely.

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Speaker 3: The Fearless Fund is the nation's first, or even the world's first venture capital fund that's built by women of color for women of color. Yes, we invest in women of color co founded companies. And the reason why is because women of color are the fastest growing entrepreneur demographic, but unfortunately the least funded. You're talking only zero point three nine percent of venture capital funds are going to women of color in the US, while.

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Speaker 2: May it's over twenty percent of the US population.

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Speaker 3: So the stats are ridiculous.

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Speaker 2: That's why we do what we do.

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Speaker 1: Yes, And then you guys hit a roadblock, a huge roadblock with the lawsuits.

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Speaker 2: That's an understatement, huge rob blake.

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Speaker 1: It's like, what is happening in that moment when it's all happening, What is arian and Simone thinking, well, when.

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Speaker 3: Everything hit, if we have time, I'm gonna tex walking through the day. So on August second, twenty twenty three, the staff starts reaching out saying, these the reporters are calling us about a.

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Speaker 2: Lawsuit we have said, I have no lawsuit. Like I was just calm.

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Speaker 3: I said, you know what, just don't answer the phones, keep going on with your day.

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Speaker 2: And they kept calling. I said, y'all, this is chat GPT.

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Speaker 3: They have us mixed up with somebody clearly like I'm up here, blame it on chat GPT literally wow. And I was like, they've got I said, it'll fix itself because we don't have a lawsuit. Then they're like Ariyan and we are beginning caused by the Wall Street Journal and rots and very credible media outlets.

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Speaker 2: We're all over the news right now. And I was just like, if there's a filing, can you find it? Because lawsuits are public. They got a file it and.

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Speaker 3: Forty five minutes I got a call to have found the filing.

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Speaker 1: Now, is that something your lawyer should have called like when it happened or.

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Speaker 2: You just technically know?

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Speaker 3: So since COVID you don't have to serve people in person, you can serve.

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Speaker 2: Them through email.

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Speaker 3: Wow, which I had not opened the email where they were sending emails at it all. And even then I still didn't open it. I found out much later. I was just like, oh, I was being served through the internet.

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Speaker 2: I said, who does this?

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Speaker 3: You're like okay, But then I knew because I hadn't accepted being served, that they were aggressively of course, also looking for me. Yes, that's scary, it very very.

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Speaker 2: But I used my rights. Yes, I'm well equipped. I used my rights.

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Speaker 3: So that day they found the filing and I saw the top of the filing and it said unite State's district. And that's when I said, oh my gosh, we have a federal case. So I text Ben Crump emergency. I'm hitting up everybody. I'm hitting up Derek Johnson, head of the NAACP.

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Speaker 2: I'm like, y'all got to help. So I'm just going on.

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Speaker 3: Yes, I was like, I don't even know what happened. Then I said who is this? And they're like Ed Bloom and I was like, I know that name. They're like the guy who stopped a.

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Speaker 2: Firmative action, I said at the Supreme Court. And I was like, oh my gosh.

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Speaker 3: So I was thrust into this just overnight, like what is going on?

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Speaker 2: So it was very abrupt.

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Speaker 3: They filed three things against our company, a temporary straining order. I thought those were for like crazy ex boyfriends or ex girlfriends. No, you can file a tro on somebody's business and put them out of business. Yes, they wanted us shutting down operations by August seventeenth, and I said what. They were like, do y'all have an event coming up the attorney's ass I said yeah, I said it's the eighteenth. They said that said I said, oh my gosh, I said, why am I serving these people? This is literally that's when you know it's a spirit of fear. Yes, this is literally a trillion dollar financial disparity as far as funding to people of color. Yeah, you're worried about in the big scheme of things. I am so proud of what we've done. But you're worried about a couple hundred million. Yeah, Like, you've got to be kidding me. This is a trillion dollar issue. We're not even making a dip in this statistic. Like, you've got to be kidding me. I'm that much of a threat that you want to shut this down. But prior to the Fearless Fund, the average fundraise for a black woman was only thirty thousand dollars. Oh yeah, we came on the scene cutting seven figure checks. So it was very disruptive, but very needed.

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Speaker 1: Yes, yes, so this is man blowing all this is happening. And then so you have to cut off everything. Yeah.

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Speaker 3: So if anybody doesn't know, the court case was for alleged discrimination. They said we were being discriminatory, we were investing in black and brown women and not white businesses.

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Speaker 1: You are kidding me.

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Speaker 3: And they said we were violating They claimed we were violating a civil rights law.

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Speaker 2: I thought that was still part of the hoax.

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Speaker 3: Hello, I said, I did, I said civil rights. I was like civil rights were put in place for black people. What you're talking about? I said, Oh, this is gonna get dismissed. They have this wrong. Yeah, oh my goodness.

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Speaker 1: And now with d DEI being cut everywhere, we tried to warn everybody, did you yes?

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Speaker 3: I kept a post like yes, because we were the first deiks. I said, sound the alarm, I said, we are inaugural defendants and one of the most defining lawsuits of our time. Please let people know this is real and this is happening.

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Speaker 1: Oh my goodness. What happened with all the black women that you were helping with their businesses?

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Speaker 2: But they still got their money? I know that's right.

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Speaker 3: And during the court case, I was still deploying. I was still cutting checks left and right. I said, hey, we're gonna keep this thing. Yes, I was still cutting checks.

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Speaker 1: Well, so where is fearless?

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Speaker 2: Woon? We still come checks now too? For the lawsuit is permanently dismiss Praise God?

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Speaker 1: All good?

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Speaker 2: Okay, yes, permanently dismissed.

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Speaker 3: When was that September twenty twenty four, So it was thirteen months, yes.

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Speaker 2: Of a federal court case.

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Speaker 3: So just mind you people here and they see what went on in the media. I said, people have no clue that fall was one of the hardest seasons of my life. Yeah, that makes living out the car like a piece of cakes.

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Speaker 1: Listen, I can. I can't imagine, but I can.

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Speaker 3: One of the hardest seasons of my life. Oh, I had people coming from me, honey that looked just like me and you. It was a mess. Oh, it was a mess.

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Speaker 1: I can't imagine what in those moments. I know you you speak very openly about your faith. How did you lean in on those because I know You're like, Lord, Okay, now, I know I'm.

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Speaker 3: Strong, but I knew the moment it hit when I realized we had something real, I was like, God, your hand is on this.

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Speaker 1: Oh.

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Speaker 3: I was like, I grew up around Rosa Parks. I grew up around Coredas Scott King, I grew up around Betty Shabba's.

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Speaker 2: I said, your hand.

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Speaker 1: You grew up around all those Yes, what.

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Speaker 2: Civil rights icons, just women's women in the movement. I said, this is not my happen state.

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Speaker 3: I think it's crazy too, because now I sit back and I'm like, I would have asked y'all so.

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Speaker 1: Many more questions, right, yeah, this, yes, And I was a kid.

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Speaker 3: I will get I will go back to give me two seconds you think is no, I'm in. So there was one moment when I remember being about fourteen and my mom was like I always travel with my parents. They were like, you know what We're going down ahead you and ask you it come down after us. And I was like okay. They were like, you're coming to Alabama and I freaked out. I said, I don't go to Alabama.

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Speaker 1: No.

00:19:45
Speaker 3: At this point, I'm well traveled. I've traveled country states, all of it. There, I said, missus Parks has told me about the clan and all these crazy people.

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Speaker 2: I said, I don't want to see mysel MoMA. Do you have a gun down there? Like what is going on?

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Speaker 3: Like I don't like this, Like I didn't want to go for anything, she said. She said, arian Coreta Scott King, Juanita Abernathy, and Rosa Parks.

00:20:04
Speaker 2: Are waiting on you.

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Speaker 3: And I told her I can see those old women anytime, Lord forgive me.

00:20:10
Speaker 2: But I was young and I had no appreciation of.

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Speaker 3: It at the time because this was just my life.

00:20:16
Speaker 2: She was like a grandmother to me.

00:20:17
Speaker 3: I'm checking on her after school, bringing groceries and stuff like that. So this is not even like, oh my gosh, it's my normal.

00:20:25
Speaker 1: Yes.

00:20:26
Speaker 2: Wow, And she.

00:20:27
Speaker 3: Was like, Arian Simone, reed, you will get your behind on that plane. So I got my behind on that plane.

00:20:33
Speaker 2: How old were you then? I think I was like fourteen? Yeah, yeah, I was fourteen.

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Speaker 3: Oh this was an anniversary for one of the Montgomery Bust boycotts.

00:20:40
Speaker 2: But yeah, I pulled on that. So yeah, my faith is strong.

00:20:44
Speaker 3: When it happened, I knew God's hand was on it, and I was just like I knew my steps.

00:20:48
Speaker 2: Had been ordered. I knew I was covered.

00:20:51
Speaker 3: I said, okay, Lord, no weapon form against me shall prosper. I said, any tongue that rises up against me, I shall condemn. I said, okay, I'm gonna stand on your word. I said, I believe you.

00:21:02
Speaker 2: Yeah, I believe you.

00:21:03
Speaker 3: Watch over it to make sure it's performed. I said, I'm with you. So yes, my faith got me through because I had no clue that through something like that that even other people would try to attack you because they think you're vulnerable. I was like, oh my gosh, that's but we had a lot of support, So we're gonna keep it positive, Sweetie. Always we had a lot of support through the process, and I'm so grateful.

00:21:30
Speaker 1: Now have you seen those people that came after you since then and see and they see that it didn't work and no weapon formed against you, so prospered.

00:21:40
Speaker 2: He lays the table.

00:21:45
Speaker 1: Yes, and yeah, I know that's right. Oh my god. So let's go back to Rosa Parks Corretta Scott King what, Yeah, this is crazy, Like it's funny. I was on the phone yesterday with a friend and he was like, you's looking like Rosa Parks And I looked at the camera and I was like, oh, well, I can see it because my glasses on and my hair was like it wasn't like slick bgg, it was kind of like. I was like, come on, biopic, Rosa.

00:22:19
Speaker 2: It's funny you said that.

00:22:21
Speaker 1: And then the moment says you're a child not realizing the I mean that you're like around and everage to do what you're doing. Now, God makes no mistakes. It was already written. Oh my gosh. So where you are now, you're still writing checks, the fearless fun is still thriving. What are the initiatives that you're going after now that you're over that hurdle?

00:22:45
Speaker 3: Before we got to My staff even has me on video talking about this. I didn't even notice it was coming around the corner. I told them, mat I retreat, I said, you all. When we finished raising fun too, I said, I'm gonna actually take a step back and get into more afficacy work. I said, I have to stand up for this kind of work that we're doing. I said, because we don't need the Fearless fund. We need fearless funds, I said, we need more people having the opportunity to do what it is that I do. I said, So I'm gonna get into some more advocacy work, I said, and we're going to have to make sure that people are aware of what this racial disparity is.

00:23:18
Speaker 2: And how do we actually fix it.

00:23:21
Speaker 3: So I had no clue that this would turn into the way it has and giving me a platform to have a voice to speak about it more.

00:23:29
Speaker 1: So, that's incredible. Yeah, are you do you do like mentorship programs or young entrepreneurs that are trying to start their own business.

00:23:38
Speaker 3: Not necessarily try to start their own business, but the second they have and we have a program called get Venture Ready. Okay, so people who have started their business and they're looking to get venture dollars. We have programs for them so they can learn about their options and venture capitals.

00:23:52
Speaker 2: Not for everybody.

00:23:53
Speaker 3: It's very aggressive and it's very fast venture capital. To those of you all who are listening, it looks like Shark Tank. So people say, hey, yeah, can you give me five hundred thousand dollars. I'll give you ten percent ownership of my business. And that's exactly what it looks like, just like Shark Tank. Now that's some semi aggressive because we're looking for you to exit in five to seven years.

00:24:14
Speaker 2: Whereas we also have a loan program.

00:24:17
Speaker 3: We have a two hundred million dollar loan program and people can apply for five thousand dollars up to two hundred and fifty thousand dollars if you just have fifty thousand in revenue credit score six hundred.

00:24:28
Speaker 2: So that's the criteria for that program.

00:24:31
Speaker 3: And then at our foundation we have grants, so we have multiple financing options depending on where you're at and what is your desire to get done.

00:24:40
Speaker 1: So say, y'all, as an entrepreneur, you are here we go and I was coming to you to present my business looking for funding. What are you looking for? Because I know people like, but what do I need to be prepared for when I go ask for this money in this capital.

00:24:58
Speaker 2: Well, there's four indicators.

00:25:00
Speaker 3: Especially on the venture side. We do look for a good brand story because you got to be to sell it. Like I sold the vision and now we're here with the fun. You got to be to sell it. You need to have a strong team because that's nice. Once you sell that story, it's like, okay, are you all equipped to actually go execute on what you're selling to us. You want to have a good product and you want to have traction. So traction can look like anything. So we invest in CpG, which is a consumer package good and any type of products. We also invest in technology, but with that being said, technology is very capital intensive, so people may not have the revenue to say is traction. They may have Oh my email list has fifty thousand people on this wait list, that's traction.

00:25:41
Speaker 1: Got it.

00:25:42
Speaker 3: I've had this many downloads, that's traction. I've got this many social media followers, that's traction. We know you have people who are interested in what you're talking about.

00:25:50
Speaker 1: Yeah, oh wow, okay, so let's be tun to the person who's just got an idea before they even can even get to you. What are some things that they can do to build that social media presence, to build the traction, to get the emails.

00:26:04
Speaker 2: And you'd be surprised ideas get funded every day.

00:26:08
Speaker 3: Wow, those are our four indicators we look at.

00:26:11
Speaker 2: But ideas do get funded every day.

00:26:14
Speaker 1: Wow. Okay, it's good to know you guys. Listen, you need to hip airing up or hit the fearless found up. So how would you define success when it comes to being an entrepreneur because so many people feel like, well, I'm not where Aaron is, or I'm not where Crystal is or I'm not here. But where would you define success so people can understand there's different levels and you don't have to be oh.

00:26:38
Speaker 3: Completely, but it's whatever your field of I wouldn't say like field of influences. I define it as you know, just impact. If you've changed one person's life, you know, just by your presence and by what it is that you're doing.

00:26:53
Speaker 2: That's impactful.

00:26:54
Speaker 1: No, for sure, Yeah, that is impactful. Has your ideal of success evolved over the years?

00:27:01
Speaker 2: Has it evolved?

00:27:05
Speaker 1: It?

00:27:05
Speaker 2: Probably has?

00:27:06
Speaker 1: I know for me, like I remember where I would say ten year.

00:27:10
Speaker 2: Twenties and successful like a dollar amount.

00:27:12
Speaker 1: Yeah, that was success. And then where I am now, I'm like, that was nowhere near what I thought success was. And then still today I'm like, I still have so much further to go.

00:27:21
Speaker 2: You know that is true.

00:27:23
Speaker 3: I've always looked at it like, of course I'm always growing, always evolving, always achieving always, Yes, but I still think every level was successful.

00:27:35
Speaker 1: Yeah.

00:27:35
Speaker 3: So I get what you're meaning, what you're saying, like, oh, no, I feel like I haven't made it.

00:27:40
Speaker 2: I'm doing this, doing that, but you're successful. Yes, you've been successful.

00:27:44
Speaker 3: Yes, maybe because I just operate from like a pure place of gratitude.

00:27:50
Speaker 1: Yeah.

00:27:51
Speaker 3: So yeah, I think so that was where I was. Saber has evolved, Okay, I love that.

00:27:56
Speaker 2: Yeah.

00:27:56
Speaker 3: I wouldn' up said that was successful all those times, but now I look back and say all of that was success.

00:28:02
Speaker 2: Yeah, I love Yeah, what.

00:28:04
Speaker 1: Actually inspired you to even create the Fearless Fun?

00:28:07
Speaker 3: Was it just seeing that promise I made to myself in college? I had the experience of going to pitch as a college student.

00:28:14
Speaker 2: What was your major? I was a business major, but I majored in business in high school.

00:28:19
Speaker 3: Like we had went to a high school that had majors too. So going through that process and seeing investors do not look like you going through that process and I'm talking about it.

00:28:30
Speaker 2: I'm suited and booted.

00:28:31
Speaker 3: Even as a college kid, and I'm giving them my best at that time business plan. This before decks quote unquote, we're around and I was like, this is not working. I was like, there's got to be somebody who can understand my story. There's got to be somebody who's going to believe in me. And I sat there on that floor amongst the inventory, and now, Sarah, don't you worry about it, because one day you're going to be the business investor you were looking for us.

00:28:57
Speaker 1: I love that. Can you share a success story of a business or entrepreneur that you guys have sewn into and invested in? Oh honey, Plenty, please share it because I'm excited to hear about.

00:29:07
Speaker 3: You said, Plenty, I mean, we're investors. You know these companies partake the lip bars Vegan. I mean, oh yeah, I we got the hit list. Okay, we got the hot roster.

00:29:18
Speaker 2: I didn't know that. Oh yeah, we got all the success stories.

00:29:22
Speaker 1: Yes, that is amazing. So how did Pinky come come in?

00:29:28
Speaker 2: I don't think she came in.

00:29:29
Speaker 3: I was probably a uh slutified whatever they call it.

00:29:38
Speaker 2: Oh. Yes.

00:29:40
Speaker 3: And then I heard through her manager at the time that they were having around a funding and I was like, oh, you're gonna cut me in.

00:29:45
Speaker 1: I know that's right.

00:29:47
Speaker 2: He was like, I got you. I was like cool. So that's how that happened.

00:29:50
Speaker 1: Okay. And then Marissa the lip bar I just saw her.

00:29:54
Speaker 3: She actually came to us, but I was there probably baby. I don't know if it's week one, two or three. I pledge Melissa, we have the same yep, we're a Delta's.

00:30:07
Speaker 2: We have the same high school in common.

00:30:10
Speaker 3: We were both from the same side of town in Detroit, and then we both went to FAM You oh so y'all.

00:30:15
Speaker 2: So I was not in her diligence process because I said, y'all have to keep me honest.

00:30:18
Speaker 1: Yeah.

00:30:19
Speaker 3: Yeah, because I was like I was there week one when she was in her studio apartment in New York making Veigan lipstick from the stove. So I was like, I got to step aside on this one.

00:30:30
Speaker 2: No, there were times we think it was happening. She was like, spash, I don't think it's happening. I said, I don't know. They ain't giving me a good report right now.

00:30:37
Speaker 3: So it went on for like a couple of months, back and forth, legal diligence papers, and then she called.

00:30:44
Speaker 2: She said it's going to happen, and I cried.

00:30:47
Speaker 3: I had never cried and we had invested, but I said, this is somebody I saw day one built this business.

00:30:53
Speaker 2: I said, I am honored to cut this check.

00:30:56
Speaker 1: Oh see, I love hearing stories like that. And that was another thing that he designed that it was written since y'all were kids. Like what you know what I'm saying, Like, that's crazy, that is crazy. How can people if they want to get involved, if they have the money and they want to just even donate to the fun how can they do that?

00:31:16
Speaker 3: Donations to the foundation are at the Fearless Dot Foundation. Any information for the fund is Fearless Dot Fund f und.

00:31:27
Speaker 1: Okay, perfect, Yeah, because I'm sure people listening are gonna want to get behind this. Oh thank you, especially with everything that's going on with DEI and our funsy and cut everywhere you turn. How do you feel about the boycotts on different companies?

00:31:40
Speaker 2: Girl, don't get me started.

00:31:41
Speaker 3: I'm not on social It's much lately. Yeah, but when I have had to say a few things here and there, I have a lot of feelings. I have told even the black and brown brands at Target. I said, if you can walk off the shelf the same way they can cancel you, you can cancel them. Wow, I said, And you all probably need to walk in your power. I said, if I were you, I's in a collective letter expressing your concerns that when I entered into an agreement with your company, that these were.

00:32:13
Speaker 2: Your value systems.

00:32:15
Speaker 3: Yes, this is where things lined up. This is why I chose to be in partnership with you. I said, not have everybody sign it. And I said, because you have now changed your values and I've entered into this business agreement with you, my products are now being part of a boycott.

00:32:30
Speaker 2: That I wouldn't have wanted.

00:32:32
Speaker 3: So I may have to sue you for financial damages unless you want to change your values.

00:32:36
Speaker 1: Wow, I need you to look.

00:32:37
Speaker 2: So when we got to say how do I need to break this email?

00:32:42
Speaker 3: Oh, well, the bord of directors would have hurt from me had I been in that position, their board of directors in their c suites. You are sorry, and I would have had a meeting. I know this, and I would have had.

00:32:53
Speaker 2: A check too.

00:32:54
Speaker 1: Yeah, because I love I'm good friends with Tabith Brown, love her, and even Monique Rodriguez, their brands are both.

00:33:03
Speaker 2: On target Ship.

00:33:04
Speaker 1: These are all my girlfriends, everybody, and I've seen them get on Instagram and say, hey, guys, if you do if you're boycotting, you're boycotting us. So if you're going to go only shop black brands. But when I think about it, and I feel like, if you just bring in and make your own website and sell it yourself and get a.

00:33:24
Speaker 3: Josh say, y'all, can all walk out the door and go start tire baby. Listen, all walk out the door, all of them, and collectively, I said, you all make them millions millions of money. I said, stand in your voice, yes, stand in your voice exactly. So yeah, they Target would have had a new announcement by the time I had got done with them.

00:33:47
Speaker 2: We would have saw a whole new press conference. I already know.

00:33:50
Speaker 1: Oh my goodness, yeah I was. I see a lot of people doing the boycotts and pastors, everyone's getting behind it, and I think it's very important to let our voices be heard and show the power of our dollar as a community.

00:34:04
Speaker 3: Because even speaking of Rosa Parks, the Montgomery bus boycott did not just end due to morality, it ended due to economics.

00:34:10
Speaker 2: They bled them out, so they were like, oh, we're going to start this and fix some things.

00:34:14
Speaker 1: Yeah.

00:34:15
Speaker 3: So yeah, you exercise, you advocate with your dollars.

00:34:20
Speaker 2: And I tell that to people all the time.

00:34:22
Speaker 3: So if somebody does donate from watching this, thank you all so much because you advocate with your dollars.

00:34:28
Speaker 1: Exactly they do. How do you balance being a leader, a business woman and an entrepreneur like you do a lot of things and now you're in your advocacy bag and you're all of I can imagine how you even keep up with the day with everything you have going on. How do you balance it off?

00:34:44
Speaker 2: Well, I'm grateful for a great team. Yeah, I'm like you too.

00:34:47
Speaker 3: Yes, yes, I'm like we may be small, but we're mighty and lean.

00:34:52
Speaker 2: Yes, we are mighty.

00:34:54
Speaker 3: So I've been blessed with great people, great advisors, great team members. I have to really give it to them. They keep my life in order so I can move and flowing it.

00:35:04
Speaker 1: Yeah, because I always see you around them, like she's you always supporting everyone.

00:35:08
Speaker 2: Yeah.

00:35:09
Speaker 1: Years like we saw each other at Sarah James Roberts book signing. Yes, and I saw your Will's book signing.

00:35:15
Speaker 3: Yeah.

00:35:16
Speaker 1: So you're always supporting everybody.

00:35:18
Speaker 2: That's my joy I love.

00:35:20
Speaker 3: I love seeing people succeed and I love seeing dreams fulfilled. I love seeing people walking their purpose. Yes, yes, this is this Earth is fun.

00:35:31
Speaker 1: I love that what Roles has networking played in building everything you've built today. Because I'm not the best networker, I tell it, Sean all the time. I need you to come with me because I will sit in the corner and not talk to people.

00:35:44
Speaker 2: But it seems like you have seen how you have figured it out.

00:35:48
Speaker 3: You know.

00:35:50
Speaker 1: I even last night I went somewhere and somebody else had to like take me to meet the people because I'm not gonna be like, Hi, I'm Crystal, how are you doing this?

00:35:57
Speaker 2: And people know who you are?

00:36:01
Speaker 3: I said, somehow it has still worked out. But I get what you're saying. You're like, Okay, if you're not like aggressively extrovert, if you're not that, I think you I think you may have answered your own question because you're like, Okay, I'm gonna bring an advocate.

00:36:15
Speaker 1: With me that somebody that can say this is right. Yeah, that's true, because I do have an issue with that. A friend of mine said, you network. I'm like, no, not the bus networker, like, and I'm a really yes.

00:36:28
Speaker 2: The word itself doesn't sound organic, and I think that's my problem.

00:36:35
Speaker 3: I don't want to Yes, you don't want force relationships. So I wouldn't even approach it from a networking standpoint because I'm big on energy to if I rock with you, I rock with you, and if I don't, I don't and I'm really okay with it.

00:36:47
Speaker 2: Yeah, exactly. So I.

00:36:53
Speaker 3: Would just say I'm coming to make whatever genuine connections, yeah, or in the space.

00:36:59
Speaker 2: That are there for me.

00:37:00
Speaker 1: M I love that.

00:37:01
Speaker 2: What is next for you? Oh God?

00:37:06
Speaker 1: Because I know it's something. I know you got something in your sleeve.

00:37:09
Speaker 3: I mean, if we're talking business, I would say I can sense a book.

00:37:15
Speaker 1: I did it literally when you was like what are you writing a book? If you were like, so, we need a book, area, we need a book, especially talking about groves of parks, and that was like your grandma.

00:37:27
Speaker 3: Well the book is it isn't in the book because the book is about picking up the mantle from where our civil rights icons left off and preparing a prosperous future for this generation.

00:37:39
Speaker 2: I love it.

00:37:40
Speaker 1: I absolutely love it. Do you have a title yet? Mm hmm? Can the kids family get a little sneaky?

00:37:49
Speaker 2: It's like not yet.

00:37:51
Speaker 3: It's my I don't mind sharing it because it's I know, even my agency is making an announcement.

00:37:57
Speaker 2: But it's called Freedom to Be Fearless.

00:37:59
Speaker 1: Amazing. Well, I have a like, it's not really announced as a book club, but I do one book a month, so I'll make sure I share that. Yes, absolutely, and we'll read it absolutely. A goal of mine this year was to read more because I just remember as a kid, I would read all the time. I would stay in my room and just like just going through the pages, and I'm like, I do not sit down and read anymore. So this year I started that and every month I do a book.

00:38:24
Speaker 2: Did that help you just dream?

00:38:25
Speaker 1: It? Did? It did? Especially being from a SMA small town like.

00:38:28
Speaker 3: My small town success stories out of magazines and the books I hear.

00:38:33
Speaker 1: I just I literally was. When we were in LA for Essence last week, I just said that I was like I was talking to one of the marketing executed Essence, and I said, Essence magazine was in my coffee table, and it was also at our bathrooms because back in the day, we would have these little baskets with magazines in it when you go to the bathroom, and it was Essence and Jed and Ebony. Those are the magazines in there. So that was where I found my style inspiration. That's where I knew what was going on in black culture because where I'm from, it's predominantly white, So I didn't have that exposure like all my friends were white, Like I was the black kids sitting at the table with all the white kids. So I didn't have that exposure to our culture through except for through bt MTV and the magazines. You're absolutely right, and it just it showed me a whole new world and it got my mind. I said, as soon as I can get out of here, I'm getting out of here. And I did. Oh my god, that's beautiful, thank you, thank you. You pour into everyone. How do you pour into yourself?

00:39:34
Speaker 2: Oh?

00:39:34
Speaker 1: I do, she said, Oh I do.

00:39:36
Speaker 2: Have I do often.

00:39:39
Speaker 3: I'm even about to take off on a whole wellness tripod wellness resorts. I'm talking resorts that make you sign a contract that you can't get on the phone.

00:39:47
Speaker 1: Oh I need to do that.

00:39:49
Speaker 2: Oh yes, we should do that, I think.

00:39:54
Speaker 1: Oh yeah, literally, I love this.

00:39:57
Speaker 2: Oh I do. And a shot of nose she got with one of her events.

00:40:00
Speaker 3: I send her gift her for season spots like go enjoy yourself. I said, go enjoy yourself. I'm very big on being restorative, yes, because I know if I'm gonna do all that, I have to pour into me.

00:40:13
Speaker 2: Yeah. So I'm very big on loving myself.

00:40:15
Speaker 3: I get up in the morning, I pray, I have a scripture, I meditate, I have affirmations, I say religiously.

00:40:24
Speaker 2: You know I am intentional about loving on me.

00:40:27
Speaker 1: I love that. Yeah, And I'm proud of you for that because I feel as black women, we pour poor, poor, poor poor, and then we're I know, you can run dry, literally run dry.

00:40:36
Speaker 2: Yes.

00:40:37
Speaker 1: So that's amazing that that you're intentional in that space. And before we get out, I wanted to ask you one last thing. Okay, you're a queen.

00:40:47
Speaker 3: I am the queen of Dawa and cultivoar. You are the queen of Dawa, yes and Cultivoar.

00:40:52
Speaker 1: Where's that?

00:40:53
Speaker 3: I'm the Ifer Coast it's right next door to Ghana, really, so you can apply direct to a cry and you can just hop on over.

00:40:59
Speaker 2: To ib Wow.

00:41:01
Speaker 1: So how did that happen?

00:41:03
Speaker 2: That's why I said.

00:41:03
Speaker 3: I knew I was gonna need some time if I was gonna discuss this, but I'm gonna give it to you. So I have always had an affinity for the continent, and when you're talking about just ordered steps and divinity, I never.

00:41:16
Speaker 2: Saw this coming. I would always go over there in.

00:41:18
Speaker 3: Big ball gowns and big head wraps and just enjoy the fact that we come from kings and queen's and I would just.

00:41:28
Speaker 2: Savor in it.

00:41:30
Speaker 3: And I remember one day I got this call from one of our team members and they sit Arian because I was building a school in Gotouvoir, and they said, when you land, Astylus is gonna meet you. And I was like, nah, I said, I'm wearing my hair naturally curly. I just want to feel like, you know, I'm in the Earth, Mother Earth. I'm just wearing my hair naturally curly. And she was like, well, no, it's for your outfit and I was like, oh no, when I get to.

00:42:01
Speaker 2: The school, I'm putting on jeans and you know, the polo top for the school. And she was like, oh my gosh, she said, you don't know.

00:42:09
Speaker 3: I said what she said, arian, they're crowning you queen, and I kind of laughed and.

00:42:14
Speaker 2: Got off the phone. I was said, oh, how cute. I didn't take it as for real.

00:42:20
Speaker 3: I took it as like this is an honor or an award or something like that. It wasn't until I got this long email that came through about the queen's ceremony and her coronation. And then the queen addresses her people. I'm reading this, said her people, A dresses her cortal. I was like, wait a minute, this is me addresses her. I was like, and then it's said in there that the chief had prayed to God. I have Christian territory. The chief had prayed to God and said this is her. And I was just like, what now, this isn't even spook you out. Much later I get ready to board this flight. Ain't on the iPhone they have like these news stories that pop up in the day. Yeah, the news story said five royal tribes that were captured in the slave trade. I was so freaked. I don't even read that art of the time. I went back and read it much later. Then a year about later at one of our family reunions.

00:43:14
Speaker 2: Now, mind you, I've done my DNA.

00:43:16
Speaker 3: I just I always I never focused on the West as much as I did the East. I was always so surprised how heavy East I was, considering most people, and yes, African Americans are very heavy West, yes, due to the Transatlantic slave trade. So the fact that I was like thirty five percent East of African, Ethiopian and Retreat and all this stuff over there, I was like, this is interesting.

00:43:36
Speaker 2: Yeah, I don't even look at the other side.

00:43:38
Speaker 3: So I'm at a family reunion and my family's like lineage, we go back eight generations and we're very heavy into our family history, and they're doing a DNA test and all that arie you know, we got Ivorian blood. And I look and I said, oh my gosh, like even if you see we have a family genealogist and you can see it going up and up and up and up, and I was.

00:43:59
Speaker 2: Like, oh, this is freaking me.

00:44:01
Speaker 1: Yeah, I was like, oh my goodness.

00:44:05
Speaker 2: What is this.

00:44:07
Speaker 3: I know exactly, but it was definitely It's truly an honor. But it's not just a title, it's actually a responsibility. These people are looking to you for leadership, Yes, they are looking to you for vision. As queen, you work with the government to help improve the welfare of the people.

00:44:24
Speaker 2: So this is it's real.

00:44:27
Speaker 3: Wow. And especially in African traditions, we have so many thrones, like there's only I think twelve monarchs that are still in power in.

00:44:34
Speaker 2: The whole world now. But for Africans prior to colonialism, you know, these were tribal lands.

00:44:42
Speaker 3: Yes, this is being land that's governed by kings and queens, you know, and still it's respected today over there. So I land and paparazzis everywhere. I got on like a poncho some sweats. I'm like, okay, get to the hotel. They're like, what are you doing tomorrow? And I told somebody I was gonna have a spot day. I told you I was pour into me.

00:45:06
Speaker 1: M m.

00:45:07
Speaker 2: They said no.

00:45:08
Speaker 3: They said, the head rap lady will be to you at six point thirty and makeup is coming at six I said, huh, that said you fee on National news at eight am?

00:45:17
Speaker 2: Oh my, what exactly?

00:45:20
Speaker 3: I was like, what I said, you know what, You're gonna surrender? I said, just go with it. Yeah, I said, just go with it.

00:45:25
Speaker 2: I get out there luckily.

00:45:27
Speaker 3: On that trip, actually my first lady was with me, Pastor Danielle Murphy, and she actually gave the sermon in my ceremony and somebody translated it in French for the audience, and before I gave my address, And there was so many blooper moments, like oh, Christina Murray was there at that trip, like, oh what's you?

00:45:46
Speaker 2: Oh god.

00:45:46
Speaker 3: She was standing up at times and the government was like to sit down.

00:45:50
Speaker 2: She said to this, I said, Christina was supposed to be seen it right, Oh lord.

00:45:54
Speaker 3: So it's all these different bloopers. The girl greets me with these flowers, I curtsy right with her.

00:45:59
Speaker 2: The queen to stand so it was so funny. But I love the people.

00:46:09
Speaker 1: Did you have to like take like a crash course?

00:46:11
Speaker 2: Oh no. Yeah.

00:46:12
Speaker 3: The moment I realized that letter was real, they were like, you have government protocol tomorrow morning, because you need to know, of course, how to address people. I'm even still learning on the job to this day. I was just went to go visit one of my girlfriends over there for her brunch and she's like on arian and of course, you know, do your title.

00:46:27
Speaker 2: You're at the head table, and I was just like, okay, I'm thinking, like I just sit at the head table.

00:46:31
Speaker 3: I don't know that every time somebody speaks, I have to stand up and I have to greet them. Wow.

00:46:36
Speaker 2: So I'm always still.

00:46:38
Speaker 3: Like learning on the job because French culture is very big on protocol. Francophone countries and anglephone countries are a little bit different. Like when I go to China, I'm like all relaxed, just chilling.

00:46:50
Speaker 2: I'm over at Coochdvar. It's like, okay, I already know I have to be on wow. So but yes, it's my honor to serve those people.

00:46:58
Speaker 1: Yes, that is in Oh thank you, Oh my gosh. We are in the presence of a queen. It's so crazy.

00:47:05
Speaker 2: I was wondering.

00:47:06
Speaker 1: I was like, how did that happen? So how often do you have to go?

00:47:10
Speaker 2: I go? Technically I go.

00:47:13
Speaker 3: It seems like I'm in Africa so often, but I am there in Dawa at least once a year.

00:47:19
Speaker 2: I am on the continent sometimes every other month.

00:47:22
Speaker 1: Wow.

00:47:24
Speaker 3: We actually even at the fund and the foundation, so eighty percent of our funds are domestic, twenty percent or international. So I allocate grants through there. We have investments on the continent. So yes, it's it's it's wonderful.

00:47:38
Speaker 1: I love that. I do have a question. There's a big misconception that Africa is not a place that you want to move to. But I hear so many Americans going back to Africa. Ghana specifically Ghana has done a good job. How do you feel about that and is that something that you feel people should look into.

00:48:00
Speaker 3: Oh yeah, I even have Guanian citizenship. So Ghana has done a great job with just marketing the year of their return. And I would say this because they're like, and what did you think when you got here?

00:48:16
Speaker 2: And I was honest with them, you all oversold this place.

00:48:20
Speaker 1: Now.

00:48:21
Speaker 3: I've been back and forth to Ghana so many times since then, I said, only because I'm somebody who's traveled the continent. I said, I've been north, south, east west. I said, so I know what Africa has offered. I said, you all get enough so much tourism here. I said, I did expect your infrastructure to be a little bit better. I said, you go next door to Kotivoir and they said, we already know.

00:48:40
Speaker 2: It's gorgeous.

00:48:41
Speaker 3: So like Ibjina is called Paris of the West. Like I mean, it's Ivijian. I mean the beaches. Ivery coast is known for their white sand beaches, all of it.

00:48:49
Speaker 2: It's gorgeous.

00:48:52
Speaker 3: So I will say this, I think that any black person should have that experience of being on your own land. There's nothing like it. I think that they should know the culture, the history. It's part of who we are. Yes, So I do encourage that. I encourage even.

00:49:07
Speaker 2: If you want two places.

00:49:08
Speaker 3: You know, it may be inexpensive to have a summer home out on the continent and then come back, you know, So I definitely encourage it. And like I said, God has done a good job of making it easy for people.

00:49:21
Speaker 2: Right.

00:49:21
Speaker 1: What about safety? Because I went to Johannesburg with Tyler for the Global Citizens Festival and they were telling us, don't have EarPods in your ears, don't be on your phone in the car.

00:49:32
Speaker 3: I don't stop at the red lights after when it gets dark. Yes, I love Johannesburger a few times.

00:49:36
Speaker 2: Is it like that?

00:49:37
Speaker 1: And not even know if all Africa's like that? You have other parts where it's war no, whe I.

00:49:41
Speaker 3: Will say this, it's fifty four countries. So no, it's definitely not all like that. Africa has everything that you will find in the world. You're going to find paradise, you're going to find Third World and you're going to find city high skyscrapers oliver like you saw in Drouble.

00:49:55
Speaker 2: So you're going to see everything.

00:49:57
Speaker 1: You did see everything because job like thirty like to Suedo where YEP lives and then is like you're passing huts in like.

00:50:06
Speaker 3: Correct all of it. But the level of beauty is unmatched, you know. So you're going to see all of it and those of us who can and we can come and do things to help make it better. The investment opportunity is huge. I sit on the board of Steve Madden. Our number one store right now is our South African store, are you Yes, We've expanded to the continent and Steve Manner has some cute clothes.

00:50:31
Speaker 2: Now I didn't know that. Yeah, just started making there. It's on Revolve.

00:50:36
Speaker 1: I see it all the time.

00:50:37
Speaker 2: Yeah, I'm like Steve Madden.

00:50:39
Speaker 1: Yeah, y'all have some really keep it up. That's really cy.

00:50:43
Speaker 2: But I love serving on the board amazing I do.

00:50:47
Speaker 3: But Africa has so much to offer investments, opportunities.

00:50:52
Speaker 2: I even know people in your field.

00:50:54
Speaker 1: I have a friend, She's been very open. Gail Bean has a house in Acre.

00:50:59
Speaker 2: Yes, a cross.

00:51:00
Speaker 3: But let me tell you there are people who couldn't get through the door here, but got through the door there. I'm talking folks you wouldn't know who they were. And now I got millions of followers, and I'm just like, oh my gosh because of the opportunities on the continent.

00:51:13
Speaker 1: And I love the TV and film industry. They're like that. Some of my favorite shows are in Africa. You a Blood and Water watch Oh my goodness, Pola. Yes, I met the other sister. I said, next time, Oh, I love it. Last year, yes, I love it.

00:51:29
Speaker 2: I'm like you, Yes, Blood and Water. I just watched it. She's like, yes, that's one of my favorite so good.

00:51:35
Speaker 1: Yeah. And the production quality is fantasy second to is incredible.

00:51:39
Speaker 3: Now South Africa, it's eighteen to one. I have a girlfriend there. Yes, she runs actually an agency, a talent agency. Used to work at Innerscope. Now that she's there, her and her husband and their kids. She said, Arian had I known I could get stuff at this level for this price, She said, I had three more kids. Wow, she said, I'm just past childbeard, but I would have had three more.

00:52:01
Speaker 2: Kids because she's like my house staff. You know, it is very expensive. They have so much help. Oh yeah.

00:52:06
Speaker 3: I walked in the door. They pulled off champagne everything. I'm at this gorgeous house of hers And I said, girl, what does this cost? She said about five hundred thousand, she said, but you know this over there in America would have been millions.

00:52:20
Speaker 1: Yes.

00:52:22
Speaker 3: Wow, so eighteen in Africa.

00:52:26
Speaker 2: That's not your favorite place where I am queen.

00:52:29
Speaker 3: I will say this, it's not a still it's a little midget midget less.

00:52:34
Speaker 2: No, it's midget less, but it's you don't see.

00:52:36
Speaker 3: It, so it's not you're going to get that feeling of Oh no, five hundred thousand.

00:52:40
Speaker 2: It's five hundred.

00:52:40
Speaker 1: Thousand, right, got it?

00:52:43
Speaker 2: God? Yes, wow, I love that, Aaron.

00:52:46
Speaker 1: I really enjoyed this conversation. I have to.

00:52:48
Speaker 3: I feel like we're just sitting in your house, Yes, just having us a good time in our pajamas.

00:52:54
Speaker 2: Yes, we'll have to do that again.

00:52:56
Speaker 1: Yeah, and really have a good time.

00:52:58
Speaker 3: Yes.

00:52:58
Speaker 1: Before we go, I want to play a game of this or That's okay?

00:53:03
Speaker 2: Are you ready.

00:53:04
Speaker 1: All right, let's see we got angel versus seed investment. You said angel, angel investment or seed investment.

00:53:15
Speaker 2: And I pick one one or the other. Yeah, okay, what's the outcome?

00:53:22
Speaker 1: She is such a business when she's like, no, what.

00:53:25
Speaker 2: Just say just pick one seed investment.

00:53:30
Speaker 1: Okay, success versus failure?

00:53:36
Speaker 2: Said, success versus failure.

00:53:38
Speaker 1: And this could be a have a caveat.

00:53:40
Speaker 2: I know, because people will pick failure because they actually get to learn from it.

00:53:44
Speaker 1: That's what I was thinking.

00:53:46
Speaker 2: She's like, I don't want to fail. It's not a bad thing though, so it's like, yikes, I'm gonna go for success. Keep going.

00:53:54
Speaker 1: Okay, let's do it. Cash versus crypto.

00:53:57
Speaker 3: Okash, I'm a old school I'm like cash, I'm real old.

00:54:01
Speaker 1: I have not gotten into I don't trust it.

00:54:03
Speaker 3: No.

00:54:03
Speaker 2: I did do crypto, and I made a lot of cash.

00:54:06
Speaker 3: Really yeah, I took most took most out. This was I was in it very early early on.

00:54:11
Speaker 2: Yeah, I don't know.

00:54:12
Speaker 1: It's something that I just really couldn't get into it. And I guess because I'm very old, I won't.

00:54:16
Speaker 2: Oh yeah, but it's cash. If I got you, I know, that's right.

00:54:19
Speaker 1: Okay. Investing versus saving.

00:54:22
Speaker 2: I already know I'm investing.

00:54:23
Speaker 1: Period.

00:54:23
Speaker 3: I don't have the discipline to save. I have the discipline to invest. Don't get me wrong, I have a saving yeah, but I am so disciplined. When I see that money going up, I just want to add, yeah, I have.

00:54:35
Speaker 2: A discipline for that, right.

00:54:37
Speaker 1: I love that last one sneakers versus heels. I think I know this one.

00:54:41
Speaker 2: I'm a heels.

00:54:42
Speaker 1: Yeah, I would say I know this one.

00:54:44
Speaker 2: Yes.

00:54:48
Speaker 1: So to end the show, we have what is called positive outcomes, where our listeners right into us and we give them advice. You ready, all right? So Carol Lee? Right? How can I balance my role as a give and continue supporting others while setting healthy boundaries to protect my own well being and foster a more positive dynamic within my family? So you are a giver and you're supporting, but you want to set boundaries. I've dealt with this where I'm constantly giving and giving and you realize that you're giving isn't helping people learn the lesson?

00:55:23
Speaker 2: Oh it could be enablement it very much, and then turn to entitlement.

00:55:26
Speaker 3: I don't think that people who are givers should ever stop giving because I'm a giver. Yeah, I think you have to be mindful of who you're giving to.

00:55:36
Speaker 1: That's it.

00:55:37
Speaker 3: Yes, because by default we're gonna give, absolutely, because that's just.

00:55:42
Speaker 2: Who we are and how we're wired to be. Yes, but you have to be mindful of who you're giving to.

00:55:48
Speaker 3: So I think the boundary more so is is where I'm giving going to bear fruit?

00:55:53
Speaker 2: Right? Yes? And if it is not, then that's not I'm not giving right right? Got it?

00:56:03
Speaker 1: Thank you so much, Thank you, my gosh, it's fascinating. Yes, thank you for sharing everything with us.

00:56:11
Speaker 2: I appreciate it. Thank you for having me. Of course I could be here all day.

00:56:15
Speaker 1: You know, I'm saying, I'm glad we did this because we have not gotten to talk. We've seen each other in passing so many times and never got to really sit down.

00:56:23
Speaker 2: This is amazing.

00:56:25
Speaker 1: Yes, yes, and we cannot wait for that book out that super excited you're thank you, my goodness. I absolutely enjoyed my conversation with Arian Simone. There were so many gems. I mean, she touched on financial literacy, she touched on entrepreneurship, she touched on adversity in her journey and how she kept pushing and I think my biggest takeaway from Arian would be to honestly look more into my heritage and my lineage to see where I'm from. Her talking about Africa and her being a queen in Africa was so inspiring and it inspired me to really look deeper into my ancestry. For all they say, you don't know where you're going until you know where you come from. Thank you so much for tuning into today's episode of Keep It Positive, Sweetie. Don't forget to subscribe, leave a review, and share this with someone who could use some positive energy. Also, don't forget to write into our Positive Outcomes listener letter. You can write in at keep It Positive Sweetie at gmail dot com. You can follow me on all social media platforms at love Chris Orinee, and you can follow our show and keep up with everything at Keep It Positive Sweetie. And remember, guys, no matter what life throws at you, stay focused, stay confident, and as always, keep it positive.

00:57:50
Speaker 2: Sweeties.

00:57:51
Speaker 1: I'll see you guys next time.