Building wealth while black has never been easy. In this episode, we review “The Banker”, a movie based on a true story of two ambitious black men who became bankers and landowners in the 1950’s. Fighting against racism and financial gatekeeping, we discuss the journey of Bernard Garrett and Joe Morris and key lessons learned that still apply to today’s business world. Tune in to hear our thoughts on the unsexy parts of business, vetting business partners, and knowing when and when not to stay in your lane. 

Legos, the classic interlocking blocks toy, wasn’t always a hit. First introduced in wooden form and later shifting into the colorful plastic blocks we know and love today, Legos went through tumultuous times to stay on top. From reviving the company after owing millions of dollars to overcoming PR nightmares, we discuss the countless (and largely unknown) challenges the company faced. We also cover how Legos persevered and remained successful by staying true to innovation, constantly listening to customers, and creating strategic licensing deals.

If you don’t prioritize your life, someone else will. With work-life balance at a premium, balancing priorities is a must. But the question is always, how? In this episode, we discuss Greg McKeown’s Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less, a book about directing your most precious resources (time and energy) on doing only what is essential. We review the power of saying no, the importance of routine, and why boundaries are so important to living an essential lifestyle.

Here’s some free legal advice: trademark your s**t.
If anyone knows anything about new business formation, it’s Ariana Smith. Founder and managing attorney of AC Smith Law Firm, Smith helps entrepreneurs and small businesses secure their intellectual property via trademarks, contracts, more. We sat down with Smith to discuss her legal journey, how she started two legal firms, and what key advice she has for the next wave of lawyers.

Most businesses fall into two buckets: those built for scale, and those built for maintaining a lifestyle. We peel back the layers of lifestyle businesses, a venture created solely for founders to maintain and enjoy a particular way of life. Breaking down the basic principles of creating a lifestyle business, we discuss key points to determine if this business type is right for you.

Consistent winners are also the biggest losers. We’re conditioned to think that great ideas always turn into successful businesses when in fact, entrepreneurs fail more times than most. In this humbling episode, we dig through our past to uncover lessons learned from every L and how we used them to come out closer to the top the next time around.

We discuss avoiding unnecessary stress with kill fee clauses and F.U money, to finding harmony in partnerships with the proper vetting techniques.

If you decide to leave a good job and start your own business, Mr. Hugh Johnson advises staying away from wet blankets. As founder and president of HAMJ accounting services, Mr. Johnson learned not to share his dreams with everyone, especially those that would deter him from pursuing them. We walk through how he started his business with limited capital and tight deadlines, and succeeded by keeping quality service top of mind in everything he did.

If the pandemic has shown us anything, it’s that there’s more than one way to work. But even pre-Covid, Tim Ferris was always in favor of dramatically changing the way we operate in the workplace. In this episode, we discuss Ferris’ best-selling book, 4 Hour Work Week, and the dramatic recommendations he suggests to improve your life. From reducing daily email checks to speed reading, we delve into the hacks that may (or may not) get you closer to working less and experiencing more.