- 6 months ago
Category
🛠️
LifestyleTranscript
00:00I
01:00Come on, listen it all.
01:12Yeah, Spider-Man and Frieza in full effect.
01:16You ready, Ron? I'm ready.
01:18You ready, dude? I'm ready, Slick, are you?
01:20Oh, yeah. Take it down.
01:22Girl, I must warn you.
01:26I sense something strange in my mind.
01:29Listen up, listen up, listen up.
01:31We have got a special treat about to kick off in just a moment.
01:37I cannot tell you, you've got just a few moments to get over here.
01:42Because what's about to happen on this stage, if you are an entrepreneur, I assure you that you need it.
01:49So, again, even if you aren't in the apparel business, the lady that's about to grace the stage, you need it in your life.
01:57What song is it? I need it in my life.
01:59That's what you need in your life, right?
02:01So, again, we're about to kick off this stage in just a moment.
02:05That's why it's hard for me to find.
02:18Can't get it out of my head.
02:22Miss her, kiss her, love her.
02:25Fat girl is...
02:27DJ, DJ, DJ, DJ Block
02:36You turn me on
02:41I just need your body, baby
02:46From dust to snow
02:49You don't need experience
02:54To tell me I did
02:58Just leave it all home to me
03:02I'm gonna show you what it's all about
03:07You don't have to be rich to be my girl
03:12You don't have to be cool to rule my world
03:16Ain't no particular sign I'm more compatible with
03:20I just want your extra time and your
03:24Kiss
03:26Ninos Generous
03:38Hi, everybody
03:39넣'いきます
03:39In the kitchen
03:40I just wanna hit myself
03:41I just need my bro
03:42And then when I work
03:43I just need your Rebecca
03:44I just need your help
03:44This kitchen
03:45I just need your table
03:46I just need your Đức
03:47Who we need them
03:47You can need a doll
03:49A pipe
03:49A pipe
03:49My
03:50jumps
03:51as
03:52I've
03:53A pipe
03:54A pipe
03:55Nano
03:55You treat me right
04:05I'll be good to you
04:07You treat me right
04:25Everybody get up
04:39All right, folks
04:45All right, all right, all right
04:47Listen
04:47One more time
04:49You need to make your way
04:51Over here
04:52To this corner
04:53Coming to the stage
04:55To moderate our panel
04:56On how to scale
04:58Your apparel business
04:59And I cannot tell it enough
05:01It does not matter what business
05:03You need to hear
05:04From this person
05:05Tracy of Hairbrella
05:08She is here
05:10In human form
05:12Let's give it up for Tracy
05:13Hey, everybody
05:17How are y'all doing?
05:20I am so excited to be here
05:22As she said, my name is Tracy Pickett
05:24I'm the founder
05:24Of Hairbrella
05:26I invented a rain hat
05:27That solves the problem
05:28Of women running around
05:29With bags on their heads
05:30Right
05:30And we are all about
05:32Creating innovative
05:33And elevated solutions
05:35To cover your hair
05:35So I hope you check out
05:37Hairbrella
05:37But it's not about me today
05:39We have some amazing
05:40Amazing panelists
05:41Coming out
05:42So I'm going to ask them
05:43To come to the stage
05:44We have Milan
05:46Lanny
05:47And Khalila
05:49And Khalila coming out
05:50Y'all give them a hand
05:51We're going to drop
05:53Some gems today
05:54I'm so excited
05:55So how many entrepreneurs
05:56Do we have in the house?
05:58Raise your hand
05:58All right
05:59How many of you are thinking
06:01About entrepreneurship?
06:03All right, good
06:04We've got a good crowd
06:05In here
06:05So I just want to hear
06:07I mean, these guys
06:08Have done amazing
06:09With their businesses
06:10But we're going to talk
06:11About what it really takes
06:13To scale your business
06:14Now how many have
06:15Apparel businesses
06:16Raise your hand
06:17Okay, service businesses
06:19Raise your hand
06:19All right
06:21So we're going to get
06:21Into a lot of things
06:23That everybody can apply
06:23To their own businesses
06:24But first
06:25Thank you guys
06:26For joining us
06:27Thank you for having me
06:28And tell us
06:29How you got started
06:29And what is
06:30Your conviction
06:31For your brand
06:33What made you get started?
06:36For me
06:37I'm a former athlete
06:38I grew up playing basketball
06:39I tore my knee up
06:4133 days after signing
06:43My first NBA contract
06:44Which was a non-guaranteed contract
06:46So it wasn't like
06:47I had a safety net
06:49To fall back on
06:50And as I was trying
06:52To think about
06:52What I want to do next
06:53With my life
06:53I thought about
06:54How much I grew up
06:55Wearing sports apparel
06:56And so I wanted
06:58To create a brand
06:59That had some meaning
07:00And message to it
07:01Along with the sports apparel
07:02So the first brand
07:03I launched
07:03Was called Active Faith
07:04It was a faith-based
07:05Sports apparel brand
07:06And then in 2020
07:07I launched Actively Black
07:08Which is
07:10The premium
07:12Black-owned
07:12Athleisure wear brand
07:13That uplifts
07:14And reinvests
07:15Back into the black community
07:16That's amazing
07:17Give them a hand for that
07:18Alright
07:20Milan
07:20Hi everybody
07:22I am Milan Harris
07:23I am the CEO
07:24And founder
07:24Of Milano DeRouge
07:26The Woman Air Club
07:27The Mama Air Club
07:28A real estate investor
07:29A philanthropist
07:31And a good person
07:32Period
07:32All the things
07:33All the things
07:34I started Milano DeRouge
07:36Out the trunk of my car
07:38I didn't know
07:39What it was
07:39I wanted to do
07:40But I knew the woman
07:41That I wanted to be
07:42And I wanted to be
07:43A woman that was fly
07:44About her money
07:45And about her business
07:46So I literally
07:47Started with two sweatshirts
07:48I wore one
07:49And I sold the other one
07:50And the money I made
07:51From that one
07:52That I sold
07:53I flipped it
07:54And I bought five sweatshirts
07:55And then I continuously
07:56Invested
07:57In myself
07:58And in my business
08:00And I grew Milano DeRouge
08:01To a multi-million dollar company
08:02Give it up
08:04Multi-millions
08:06Yes
08:07Hi everyone
08:08My name is Kalila Wright
08:09I am the owner
08:10And founder of
08:11Mess in a Bottle
08:11So Mess in a Bottle
08:13We're a t-shirt company
08:14We put messages
08:15On t-shirts
08:15And they come packaged
08:16In a reusable bottle
08:17And so for me
08:19My story's a little bit different
08:20I started because of
08:21Activism in a sense
08:23So Freddie Gray
08:24In an African-American male
08:26He died while in police custody
08:27In 2015
08:28And that really sparked
08:30Riots in my book
08:31Baltimore City community
08:32And I was an architect
08:34At the time
08:34Making more than six figures
08:36And I really felt like
08:37I had to do something
08:38That was more purpose driven
08:40So that is how
08:41Mess in a Bottle
08:42Was developed
08:42And it's really
08:44A space in which
08:45It became like more of
08:47Where I'm giving a voice
08:48To the voiceless
08:48Like people need a message
08:50And so when you wear
08:51Mess in a Bottle
08:52It helps to empower you
08:53And make you feel amazing
08:55And it also allows people
08:56To you know
08:58Be able to stand
08:59In solidarity
08:59With one another
09:00That's awesome
09:02Amazing
09:02So I want to know
09:04And you talked about
09:05Being a former athlete
09:07Right
09:07You talked about starting
09:08With just a couple
09:09Of t-shirts
09:10Right
09:10But what were the resources
09:11That you feel like
09:12You had to have
09:13To get from
09:15Alright I've got this
09:16Small business
09:16I'm selling out of my trunk
09:17To the point where
09:18You're actually making
09:19Like your first million
09:20Like what was it
09:21That made it possible
09:23What was the catalyst
09:24For your first million
09:25In sales
09:25For your business
09:26Well I'll say this
09:28I didn't have any
09:29I don't have any background
09:30In design
09:31In apparel
09:32I never had a job
09:34Other than playing basketball
09:35So for me
09:36I had to humble myself
09:37I tell everybody
09:38I went to YouTube University
09:39So I taught myself
09:41How to code my own website
09:42When I first
09:43Was getting started
09:44I was trying to find
09:45Somebody to design
09:46A website
09:47And they were charging
09:47Ten thousand
09:48Twenty thousand dollars
09:49Which I didn't have
09:50So it forced me
09:52To have to be resourceful
09:53And invest in myself
09:54And learn
09:55I would say that
09:57The biggest thing
09:57For me
09:58In scaling my business
10:00From the start
10:01To where it is now
10:02Is building an audience
10:03Right
10:03Building a community
10:04I think a lot of people
10:06They'll build a product
10:08And then they'll try
10:09To go find somebody
10:10To sell it to
10:10I kind of reverse engineered
10:13That
10:13And I found audiences
10:15And built a product
10:16That spoke to them
10:17So
10:18One of the most
10:20Important things
10:20To scale
10:21In order to get
10:21To a million dollars
10:22Is you have to have
10:23Repeat customers
10:23You have to have
10:24People who are going
10:25To be brand ambassadors
10:28For your company
10:29For your product
10:30So when they feel like
10:31They're wearing something
10:32That represents them
10:33They don't feel like
10:34They're a walking billboard
10:35For you
10:36They feel like
10:36They're wearing something
10:37That represents them
10:37So it's much easier
10:38For them to share it
10:39And that's how you get
10:41Some of the virality
10:42Of people sharing it
10:43And the word of mouth
10:44Is still
10:45The best form of marketing
10:46But I will say
10:47The tools that are
10:48Available now
10:49On Instagram
10:50On TikTok
10:51On YouTube
10:52To be able to advertise
10:53And target
10:54Your specific audience
10:56That's really what
10:58Has helped me
10:59To scale
10:59Going from zero
11:00To the multiple millions
11:02That we've been able
11:02To be blessed with
11:03That's gold
11:04That's gold
11:05We're going to get
11:06Into some of the
11:06Repeat purchase
11:07Because I think
11:07That's one of the things
11:08That is very tactical
11:10That I didn't know
11:11When I started
11:12That that is critical
11:13To your business
11:13But what about you Milan
11:14What was the catalyst
11:15For your first million
11:16In sales
11:17What was the most
11:17Important thing
11:18So when I started
11:19I didn't have a lot
11:21Of money
11:21I didn't have much
11:22Resources
11:23And I didn't have
11:24Any mentorship
11:25But I had the will
11:26To win
11:27And literally
11:28I went to YouTube
11:29University
11:29Like my boy over here
11:31And I was just
11:32Trying to learn
11:33As much as I can
11:34And I was watching
11:35So many success stories
11:36Because I wanted
11:37To see people
11:38That started from the bottom
11:39And I knew that
11:40If they could win
11:41I could win too
11:42Me getting to my first million
11:44It was literally
11:45Me investing every dollar
11:47Back into my company
11:48So I remember when
11:50I was making money
11:52But I wasn't seeing it
11:53I went to go visit
11:54My dad in prison
11:55And he was like
11:57He hear everybody
11:58Bragging about Milano DeRouge
12:00And I'm like
12:00Yeah it's doing good
12:01But I'm not really
12:02Seeing the money
12:03And he was like
12:03Explain to me your process
12:04I said every time
12:06I buy shirts
12:07They sell out
12:08He said
12:08How long does it take
12:09For you to get new inventory
12:10When they sell out
12:11I said it takes
12:12About three weeks
12:12He said
12:13So that's what's happening
12:14And the time that
12:15It's sold out
12:15In those three weeks
12:16All you're doing
12:18Is spending money
12:18And you don't got
12:19No money coming in
12:19So it was like
12:20I was running around
12:21In a circle
12:22It was like a rat race
12:23He said
12:24Your goal
12:24Is to never sell out
12:25And literally
12:26I made that my mission
12:27So once I bought
12:29Some inventory
12:29I would double it
12:30And then I would triple it
12:31And then I would quadruple it
12:32The products that people like
12:34That's what I invested more into
12:36The products that the people
12:37Didn't like
12:38I literally would figure out
12:40A way to promote it
12:40Or put it on sale
12:41But I wouldn't buy back
12:42Into that inventory
12:43So that was my strategy
12:44My strategy was to never sell out
12:46And I just started to watch
12:48The business scale
12:48And grow
12:49Can I answer that as well
12:51I was going to say
12:52I see so many people
12:53In the audience
12:54And if you are really
12:56Interested in apparel
12:57And you know
12:58I came to Essence
12:59Probably five years ago
13:00You know
13:01In between the pandemic
13:02And literally
13:03I was on
13:04In a seat
13:05Or standing in an audience
13:06And saying
13:07Dag
13:07I want that to be me
13:08And what I would do
13:10Is I would
13:12We have a bottle
13:13And I would
13:14See who's on stage
13:15See what places
13:17I could be
13:17Position myself at doors
13:19Ask people to take pictures
13:21With my brand
13:21And that's what I would
13:22Then post on social media
13:24So if anybody
13:24Has been following my story
13:26For seven years
13:26They would know
13:27Like I grinded
13:29To actually be on the stage
13:31Because I made sure
13:32That I wanted
13:33And I set goals
13:35And I said
13:35I want to go from there
13:36To here
13:36And I literally
13:38Made that my footsteps
13:39And I made sure
13:40That every room I was in
13:42I would wear my jackets
13:43I didn't have the money
13:44To buy inventory
13:45I wore my jackets
13:46I wore stuff
13:47I had friends
13:48Who threw one of my bottles
13:50On stage
13:50To Queen Latifah
13:51And to Lena Waithe
13:53On an Essence stage
13:54And Lena Waithe
13:55Wore it to the
13:56Like NAACP awards
13:58And she was voted
13:59Best dressed
13:59By People's Magazine
14:01And my stuff
14:02Was all over the internet
14:04So that is how
14:06I made millions
14:07Of dollars in my business
14:08I grinded
14:09I drove a truck
14:10My third year
14:11Doing Essence Fest
14:12From Baltimore, Maryland
14:14To New Orleans
14:15Having a vending machine
14:17And putting it
14:18And now we're here
14:19And now I was able
14:19To have somebody
14:20Drive for me this year
14:21And fly
14:21So this is
14:23It's a process
14:24It's not a
14:25It's not a speed race
14:26At all
14:27I just want to say
14:28Something
14:29Because you bring up
14:30A good point
14:31We all started
14:32From the very beginning
14:34Right
14:35And I think
14:35A lot of times
14:36Entrepreneurs
14:38Get into the habit
14:38Of comparing themselves
14:39To other people
14:40Especially
14:41You know
14:41With social media
14:42Right
14:42Social media
14:43Is all highlight reel
14:44You don't see
14:45What goes on
14:46Behind the scenes
14:47I know for me
14:49I'll speak for myself
14:50But I'm sure
14:50Y'all can attest to this
14:51I went years
14:53Without even paying myself
14:54Being able to pay myself
14:56It was that sacrifice
14:57Of reinvesting everything
14:58Back into the business
14:59So that it could grow
15:01And that's one of the things
15:03That I think people miss
15:04Is appreciating
15:06Those humble moments
15:07Not even just for us
15:08But a company
15:10As big as Nike
15:10Phil Knight
15:11Started Nike
15:12He was selling shoes
15:13Out of his trunk
15:13At track meets
15:14A lot of people
15:15Don't know
15:15That's how Nike started
15:16So something as big as that
15:18Still starts from
15:19Humble beginnings
15:20And those who have
15:22That dream
15:22And that drive
15:23And are willing
15:24To go through
15:24That sacrifice
15:25Often times
15:26That's how you
15:27Make it to the next level
15:28Absolutely
15:29And I love what you said too
15:30About the hustle
15:31Then created the opportunity
15:33Right
15:34A lot of times
15:35People see like
15:35Oh wow
15:36You're being warned
15:37By celebrities
15:37But it was grinding
15:39Taking chances
15:40Leading up to that opportunity
15:41That's amazing
15:42So what would you guys say
15:43Is like the amount of time
15:45It takes for a business
15:45To become profitable
15:47Because I think sometimes
15:48The expectation is
15:49Oh man
15:50You know
15:51Well we did 10,000 this month
15:52But I still don't have any money
15:53Or they haven't learned cash flow
15:55So what are the pitfalls
15:56Kind of during that journey
15:57And how long does it take
15:59To be profitable
15:59And kind of what
16:00What were the things
16:01That you had to figure out
16:02About your business
16:02To make it profitable
16:03I was just going to say real quick
16:06A business is a baby
16:07One of my mentors
16:09Alfred Edmonds
16:10He had to explain that to me
16:11Because my second
16:12And third year in business
16:13I kept on being like
16:14Dad same feeling
16:15I'm not making the money
16:16I'm selling a lot
16:17People know about us
16:18But it didn't feel like
16:19I was making the money
16:20You know
16:20And so he told me
16:21A business is a baby
16:22He's like
16:23Why would you want a toddler
16:24To be able to pay you already
16:26And I was like
16:27Dad I didn't really think
16:28About that that way
16:29It's because it takes years
16:31It takes time
16:32It takes like
16:33You know
16:33And you have to understand
16:34Your margins
16:35You have to understand
16:36Your numbers
16:36We sell t-shirts
16:37So t-shirts are lower
16:39Hanging fruit
16:40Like that item price
16:41Might be $26
16:42$30
16:43You have to sell millions
16:45For it to really
16:46Not only break even
16:47But then to be able
16:48To pay you a salary
16:49Pay for your staff
16:50Like there's so much
16:52That I think that
16:53We negate
16:54When it comes to
16:54Business
16:55And understanding business
16:57And that word of cash flow
16:59Of really understanding
17:00Your numbers
17:01It is integral
17:02For you to really
17:03Know how much
17:04Products are costing
17:05And what it is
17:06To just make the product
17:08And also sell the product
17:09And even market
17:10And promote the product
17:11What about you?
17:13So when I started
17:15Milano DeRouge
17:15It really wasn't
17:16About the money
17:17It literally was
17:18I started Milano DeRouge
17:19To make a difference
17:20In my life
17:21So I just wanted to
17:22Listening to Beyonce's song
17:24I was here
17:25She said
17:26She wanted to leave
17:27Her footprints in the sand
17:28The time
17:29To leave something
17:29To remember
17:30So they won't forget
17:31And I was like
17:31Okay how can I leave
17:33Something for people
17:33To remember
17:34So I started
17:35Milano DeRouge
17:36It more so
17:36Was a passion
17:37Project for me
17:38So when I started
17:39I had no idea
17:41About financial literacy
17:42I literally was just
17:43Doing what I love
17:44And as I was
17:44Enjoying the process
17:45The money started
17:47To come in
17:47I was promoting
17:48The behind the scenes
17:49Because Milano DeRouge
17:51Means making dreams
17:51Reality
17:52So I was sharing
17:53My journey
17:53I was sharing
17:54The ups and the downs
17:55Because I wanted
17:56To inspire people
17:57To dream
17:58Not just about the money
18:00Because I feel like
18:00If you truly care
18:02About what you're doing
18:03And you truly love it
18:04You can turn that passion
18:04Into a paycheck
18:05And that's what I did
18:06Like he said
18:08I took that sacrifice
18:09Where in March 2016
18:11I decided that
18:12I'm no longer
18:12Going to pay myself
18:13Until I grow my team
18:14I wrote my check
18:15And I put it in the bible
18:16And I didn't cash it
18:17Until March 2017
18:18Because I knew
18:20That I did not want
18:21To sit in a store
18:22In Philadelphia
18:22And just do
18:23Hand to hand merchandise
18:24I didn't want
18:25A mom and pop shop
18:27I wanted Milano DeRouge
18:29To be a brand
18:30That inspires people
18:30That whatever they want
18:32In their life
18:32They can accomplish it
18:34If they truly believe it
18:35So I feel like
18:37The
18:38Like me growing my brand
18:40It was more from passion
18:42And once I really started
18:43To see money
18:43I'm like wait
18:44Oh damn
18:45We hit a million dollars
18:46I had no idea
18:47That we hit a million dollars
18:49We were probably
18:50At like 1.3 million dollars
18:51When I finally found out
18:52Because I wasn't really
18:53Looking at my numbers
18:55Like I should have been
18:56But once I realized
18:57That I'm like
18:57Oh damn
18:58This is a real business
18:59I gotta start
18:59Taking this seriously
19:00So now I'm starting
19:01To read financial literacy books
19:04You know
19:04Now I'm starting
19:05To talk to my accountant
19:05And sitting side by side
19:07With her
19:07So I can understand
19:08Like alright
19:08What I'm supposed
19:09To do with this
19:10I definitely think
19:12One of the most
19:12Important things to do
19:13Is make sure
19:15You pay your taxes
19:16Make sure you have
19:17A good attorney
19:18Make sure you have
19:19A great accountant
19:19And make sure
19:20You understand
19:21What your accountant
19:22Is doing too
19:23Because sometimes
19:24When people know
19:25That you don't know
19:25Your stuff
19:26They can take
19:27Advantage of you
19:27I'm so grateful
19:28That I had a good team
19:29That was willing
19:30To sit and teach me
19:32As I was going
19:33So I definitely think
19:36That will be my pointers
19:37And what about you
19:38In terms of
19:39Becoming profitable
19:40What were the pitfalls
19:41What did you have
19:42To figure out
19:43About your business
19:44That got it over that hump
19:46Because a lot of people
19:46Don't know
19:47It takes time
19:48Sometimes for a business
19:49To be profitable
19:49It can be years
19:51Especially if you have
19:52VC capital
19:52And you're leveraging that
19:54To grow your business
19:55But then at some point
19:56You've got to figure out
19:57Those KPIs
19:57That you're talking about
19:58You've got to know
19:58What your margins are
19:59You've got to know
20:00Even how long it takes
20:01To get inventory
20:01All those types of things
20:02But what was the biggest
20:03Thing that you figured out
20:04That got it over that hump
20:06I think for me
20:08One, understanding
20:09My unit economics
20:10Right
20:10So understanding
20:11How much did it cost
20:13For me to produce
20:13This product
20:14What kind of margins
20:16What kind of price
20:17Do I need to sell this at
20:18So that I can make a profit
20:19But one of the things
20:20That people forget to calculate
20:22Is the cost to acquire
20:23Your customers
20:24Right
20:24So whether you're advertising
20:26On social media
20:28Whether you have a street team
20:29Whatever you're doing
20:30You have to factor
20:31Those costs
20:32Into the entire equation
20:35If not
20:35You get lost into it
20:37And you don't really
20:37See the profit
20:38So like she said
20:40Paying attention to the numbers
20:41That's one of the things
20:42That often times
20:43We get excited about
20:44Promoting the product
20:45We get excited about
20:46Launching a website
20:47And all that kind of stuff
20:48But the foundation
20:50Is the numbers
20:51And in order for your business
20:52To grow
20:53You have to be able
20:54To turn a profit
20:55Love it
20:56Alright so I want y'all
20:57To tell me
20:58The biggest mistake
21:00You have made
21:02On this journey
21:03In your business
21:04In growing your company
21:05And then what did you do
21:07What did you learn from that
21:08And how were you able
21:10To turn it around
21:11Alright
21:13Long story short
21:15I've made so many mistakes
21:17In this company
21:18And I'm still making mistakes
21:20I feel like
21:21If you're going to fail
21:21Fail fast
21:22One of the biggest mistakes
21:24I made was
21:26In January 2018
21:27So I started with
21:29Sweatshirts and t-shirts
21:30And I wanted to go
21:32Into button up shirts
21:34And literally
21:35When I started
21:36We were just buying
21:36Product wholesale
21:37And screen printing
21:38Our logo on top
21:39Of the product
21:40When I wanted to go
21:41Into like more
21:42Button up shirts
21:43We went to the wholesale
21:45And the garment
21:46That I wanted
21:47It just didn't fit
21:48And it wasn't quality
21:49And it wasn't the fashion
21:50Look that I wanted
21:51So I ended up
21:52Spending three times
21:53As much on the shirt
21:55By going to H&M
21:56I remember it went viral
21:58On Instagram
21:59Because someone saw
22:01That the inside of the tag
22:02Said H&M
22:02Mind you
22:04This hurt my heart
22:05So bad
22:06Because this is something
22:07That I didn't want exposed
22:08And I felt like
22:09I'm paying three times
22:10As much
22:10Because I wanted you guys
22:11To have a quality product
22:12Like I wanted it
22:13To fit good
22:13But it
22:14So
22:16That right there
22:18Was one of the hardest things
22:19But it actually taught me
22:21A valuable lesson
22:22So I remember
22:22On Instagram
22:23It went viral
22:24So many people
22:24Started looking
22:25At the inside of their shirt
22:26And it was like
22:27Milano de Rouge
22:27Milano de Rouge
22:28Is a scammer
22:29X, Y, and Z
22:30And I remember
22:31I was going to the mall
22:33I typically was
22:34Going to the stores
22:35By myself
22:36So I'm by myself
22:37And I'm about to walk
22:38Into the mall
22:38And right before
22:40I got off the car
22:40I'm looking at my Instagram
22:41And it was so much hate
22:43And I'm like wait
22:44If I go into this mall
22:46And I see someone
22:47It may take me back
22:48To a level
22:49That I leveled up from
22:50Prior to Milano de Rouge
22:51I was literally
22:52Getting in fights
22:53I wasn't the most
22:53Positive person
22:54Like I'm literally
22:55From the hood
22:55So I was like
22:56Sitting in this car
22:58And I was having
22:58A debate with myself
23:00Like do I want to go back
23:02Or do I just
23:03Want to move forward
23:04And that was a
23:05That was a tough
23:06Thing for me
23:07So I remember
23:08Sitting in the car
23:08Crying and I prayed
23:09To God
23:10I said God
23:10Whatever this meant
23:11To teach me
23:12Or prepare me for
23:13I opened up my heart
23:15To learn a lesson
23:16And then I started
23:17Posting on my Instagram
23:18All of the work
23:20That I ever done
23:20And I remember
23:22Someone commenting
23:22On my page
23:23She said I came
23:24For the hate
23:24But I found a woman
23:26Of substance
23:26And I'm going
23:27To support you
23:28I backed out
23:29Of that parking spot
23:30And I drove
23:30Straight to my office
23:31By the time
23:32I got to my office
23:32My orders tripled
23:33Because they saw
23:35That I had a genuine
23:36Heart in my
23:37Intentions was good
23:38And that taught me
23:39Sometimes what the
23:40Double meant for bad
23:41God meant for good
23:42Because the valuable
23:43Lesson in that was
23:44I had to get my
23:45Stuff together
23:46Because I didn't
23:47Realize people
23:48Looked at me
23:48As big as they saw me
23:50Because I looked at me
23:51As that girl from the hood
23:52That just started
23:53My clothing brand
23:53With screen printed shirts
23:54So now all of our
23:56Items are cut and sew
23:57Now we got a really
23:59Great quality product
24:00But that right there
24:01That story
24:02It built my character
24:03It let me know
24:04That I cannot let
24:06The opinions of others
24:07Stop what God
24:08Has prepared me for
24:09Love that
24:10Absolutely
24:11What about you?
24:12So I was going to say
24:14Failure is progress
24:15That's one of the messages
24:17That I live by
24:18But I actually learned
24:19Something great
24:20From you recently
24:21You said
24:22Hire slow
24:24Fire fast
24:25Hire is
24:27Hiring is guessing
24:28Firing is knowing
24:29Yes
24:29And so
24:31For me
24:32It was important
24:34Because
24:34I think that
24:36That's the hardest part
24:37I'm a people's person
24:38I love people
24:39I don't want to be
24:40The bad guy
24:41And so I hold on
24:43To people for too long
24:44And that can damage
24:46You and your business
24:48Yes
24:48And I am very
24:49Like I'm a
24:50I don't know
24:51I'm not big on signs
24:52But I'm a Pisces
24:52And so I'm like
24:53Emotionally driven
24:55So I go into spaces
24:57Thinking with my heart
24:58And not with my mind
24:59And my brain
25:00As much as I should
25:01And as a business owner
25:03I really learned
25:04That I had to stop
25:05Being so sensitive
25:06And also knowing
25:07That it's okay
25:09If it's time
25:09For someone to transition
25:11Like it's not
25:12A personal attack
25:13On you
25:13Your business
25:14Who you are
25:15Your character
25:15Anything
25:16So once I started
25:17Doing that
25:18And just being smarter
25:19And realizing like
25:20Hey this is not working
25:21This doesn't make sense
25:22For us
25:23And sometimes
25:23It could be the greatest
25:24Person who
25:25Even on paper
25:27Or it looks really good
25:28But like
25:29They're just not
25:30The right fit
25:31And it happens
25:32That's alright
25:32And so I think
25:33The faster you can
25:35Recognize things like that
25:36And cut that tie
25:38Because it's like
25:39What they say
25:39Like if you don't
25:40Cut off the snake
25:41Of the head first
25:42Like it will
25:43It becomes a cancer
25:44In your whole business
25:45And it will really
25:47Damage you
25:48So I've learned that
25:49Over the years
25:50Like you gotta
25:51You know
25:51Know what you're doing
25:52And be okay
25:53With letting go
25:54If it's not working
25:55That's a good one
25:57That's a good one
25:58I think
25:58I would definitely
25:59Agree with the
26:00Fire
26:01Fast
26:01Higher
26:02Slower
26:02What about you
26:04Man
26:06If I can
26:08If I can
26:09Wheel it down
26:10To just one mistake
26:10I've made so many
26:12But I would say
26:14With Actively Black
26:15We're about
26:1629 months old
26:17Right
26:18So we're still
26:18In our infancy
26:19But I'm
26:21I'm not a patient
26:22Person
26:22Right
26:23And sometimes
26:25I let my ambition
26:26Move me faster
26:28Than what I need
26:29To be moving
26:30And so
26:31I have this dream
26:32Of building a black
26:33Version of Nike
26:34Right
26:34And so
26:35Nike's got the gear
26:37But they've also
26:38Got the shoes
26:39And so I rushed
26:40Our first shoe
26:41Because I was like
26:42We gotta have the shoes
26:42We gotta be the black Nike
26:44We weren't even
26:45Two years old
26:46And I'm over here
26:46Trying to add the shoes
26:48To the product mix
26:49And the first shipment
26:51Of shoes that we got
26:52The quality was not
26:53Up to standard
26:54Of what people know
26:56Actively Black to be
26:57Of what they know
26:57Our apparel to be
26:58And I was really
27:00Disappointed in myself
27:01Because I allowed
27:03That ambition
27:03To push me
27:04To rush something
27:06Right
27:06And you know
27:07You talk about
27:08Trusting the process
27:09And I'm still
27:12Learning that
27:13I'm still learning
27:13How to pull myself
27:15Back
27:15And just trust
27:16The process
27:17Absolutely
27:18And I think
27:18One thing that
27:19The wisdom for me
27:20Was hey
27:21Sell one product
27:23Really really well
27:24In fact
27:24My mentor told me
27:25To sell one product
27:26Until I got to
27:27A million dollars
27:28Right
27:29And then add
27:30Other products
27:30So I think
27:31That's a bit of wisdom
27:32Because a lot of times
27:33It's like shiny object syndrome
27:34We want to do more
27:34And more and more
27:35But that's not
27:36Always possible
27:36So last question
27:37Last question
27:38This is about mindset
27:40I often think
27:42That sometimes
27:42We think about business
27:43As hustle hustle hustle
27:44But it's really about
27:45Who do I have to become
27:47To run a multi-million dollar business
27:50Who do I have to become
27:51To get investors
27:53Right
27:53Who do I have to become
27:55To inspire a community
27:57Of thousands and thousands of people
27:58So what practices
28:00Did you have every day
28:01Or what did you have to change
28:02About your mindset
28:03To expand
28:04To become the person
28:06That runs a multi-million dollar business
28:08And has scaled an apparel business
28:09So personally for me
28:12Recently
28:13I have adapted
28:14And accepted
28:15It's okay
28:16To fail
28:18And it's okay
28:19To walk away
28:20The reason that
28:22For me
28:22That has become a thing
28:23Because I've been a workhorse
28:25I've been a person
28:26I grind
28:27I'm currently pregnant
28:28And I'm still grinding
28:29I was here
28:30At 5.30 a.m.
28:31Setting up my booth
28:32Still making sure
28:33Things were folded
28:34And you know
28:36Because I'm so meticulous
28:37And I want to make sure
28:38Everything is right
28:39But I had to learn
28:40And I think that
28:41One of my mindset shifts
28:43Is like
28:44It's okay
28:45If this isn't here tomorrow
28:46Because for me
28:47Though I love my business
28:49I've recognized
28:50That I made my business
28:52My business didn't make me
28:54So I could come up
28:55With a new idea tomorrow
28:56Create something else
28:58You know
28:58Put passion into something else
29:00If I wanted to cook
29:01Whatever that would be
29:02And I'm okay with that
29:04Because I think that
29:05Sometimes we get so caught up
29:07Chasing, chasing, chasing
29:08We don't even realize
29:10How much it's ruining us
29:11And I'm like
29:12And I woke up one day
29:13Like damn
29:14I love this business
29:15But I love me more
29:16My piece is important
29:17I love that
29:18My social media
29:19Yes you got a TikTok
29:20Shimmy all types of stuff
29:22But I'm like
29:23On the days when I got to
29:24Put down my phone
29:24And for me
29:25It's okay
29:26If like zero sales
29:28Came in for the day
29:28Because of that
29:29Because I had to
29:30Start prioritizing me
29:32And that became
29:33Really big
29:34On the days where
29:35I'm like
29:35I can't anymore
29:36Because I just felt like
29:37I was exerting so much energy
29:40And it made me think smarter
29:41It wasn't like
29:42I'm okay with no sales
29:44Or failing
29:45And all those other things
29:46But it's like
29:46What is the things
29:47That you're really doing
29:48To like be smarter about it
29:50So you're not hustling
29:52And chasing so much
29:53And it's ruined
29:54It started to ruin me
29:55And ruin the passion
29:56That I had
29:57And the love
29:57That I had for the business
29:58So for me
29:59That's what I started
30:01To pour into is me
30:02And I'm putting me first
30:03Like I'm a woman
30:04Like I believe in
30:05Womanaire and being a mom
30:06But I still put me first
30:08Because I know
30:09If I put me first
30:10Then my son
30:12My child
30:12Everybody will be good
30:14The business will be great
30:15If I take the moments
30:16That I need
30:17I love that
30:18Take care of yourself
30:19That's amazing
30:19Go ahead
30:20I had to look at
30:21Obstacles
30:23Like obstacles
30:24Are meant to be overcame
30:25I didn't want to be
30:26Defeated by obstacles
30:27And I had to change
30:28My mindset
30:29Every lesson I go through
30:31I look at it
30:32Like a blessing
30:32Like what is this meant
30:33To teach me
30:34Or prepare me for
30:35Because I didn't want
30:37My day to control me
30:38I wanted to control my day
30:39Sometimes people look at things
30:41When a lot of bad things happen
30:42They start to say
30:43I can't win for losing
30:44Like something always happening
30:46But when good things happen
30:47They never say that
30:48So if your mindset
30:49Is that way
30:50You're going to attract
30:51More negative things
30:52So me
30:53I typically
30:53I always try to focus
30:55On the positive
30:55I always see
30:56Where can I have
30:57Taken accountability
30:58Because my mindset
31:01Is literally
31:01What got me this far
31:03I set big shoes
31:04And big goals
31:05For Milano DeRouge
31:06In order for me
31:07To grow this company
31:09To where it is today
31:10I had to become
31:11A totally different person
31:12The old me
31:14Would have never made it
31:15I created a vision board
31:17For my life
31:17And I urge you all
31:18To do that when you leave
31:19And I don't want you
31:20To create just any vision board
31:22Think about
31:23The woman or man
31:24You want to become
31:25Think about the house
31:26You want to live in
31:27The car you want to drive
31:28The cities and places
31:29You want to travel to
31:30More importantly
31:31The impact you want to make
31:33On the lives of others
31:34And the legacy
31:35You want to leave
31:36When you leave
31:37Someone's presence
31:37What do you want them
31:38To say about you
31:39And I want you to look
31:41At that vision board
31:42Every day
31:43So you align
31:44Your steps accordingly
31:46I want you to go to bed
31:48With a purpose
31:48I want you to write
31:50A to-do list
31:51Before you go to sleep
31:52So you can go to bed
31:53With a goal
31:54And you can wake up
31:54With a purpose
31:55And you just execute
31:56Execute on that vision
31:58Of the person
31:58That you want to become
31:59Love it
32:00Wow
32:01First to piggyback
32:03On what you said
32:04Yes please
32:05Yeah give it up
32:06First and foremost
32:09Writing your goals
32:11And your dreams down
32:12Every single thing
32:13That I've been blessed
32:14To do I wrote down first
32:15And it's amazing
32:18When you get to look back
32:19At what you wrote down
32:20And see those things
32:21That you accomplished
32:22But I would say
32:23Part of the mindset
32:25That I've had to change
32:26As we're scaling
32:28To your point
32:29You're doing
32:30Multiple millions
32:31In revenue
32:31Is I had to learn
32:32How to delegate
32:33You know
32:36I launched this
32:37Shout out to my mom
32:37Mama put your hand up
32:38Please
32:39Give it up for mom
32:40Yes
32:40You know
32:43I launched
32:43I launched a brand
32:44Out of my mother's house
32:46And she allowed me
32:48To turn her house
32:49Into a warehouse
32:50I had inventory
32:51All over her
32:52All over her crib
32:52But growing up
32:55Watching her
32:56Hustle and grind
32:58And she was such
33:00A big inspiration for me
33:01I took that same
33:02Type of work ethic
33:02Right
33:03And so I'm always thinking
33:04I have to do it all myself
33:06But as you start to scale
33:07And you get bigger
33:08And you're doing
33:09These types of numbers
33:09And you're trying
33:10To hire a team
33:11I have to learn
33:12How to trust other people
33:13To execute on the vision
33:15That I give them
33:16Right
33:16I've got to be able
33:17To communicate this vision
33:18And trust them
33:19To execute on what
33:20I'm giving them
33:21Because we do have
33:22To protect our mental health
33:23We do have to protect
33:24Ourselves
33:25And when you think
33:26You have to carry
33:26This whole weight
33:27On your shoulders
33:28There's times where
33:30You can become
33:32Just mentally
33:33And emotionally fatigued
33:34And in order for me
33:35To continue to pour out
33:37Into the people
33:38That I'm trying to serve
33:39I've got to have
33:40A full cup as well
33:41You know
33:41You can't pour
33:42From an empty cup
33:43So that's what
33:44I'm still learning
33:45How to delegate
33:46And trust
33:47As I'm building my team
33:48So that we can scale
33:49To the next level
33:49That's awesome
33:51Well give it up
33:52For our panelists
33:52I mean
33:54I am so excited
33:56First of all
33:57I'm so excited
33:57For all of you guys
33:58That are building businesses
34:00What I love
34:01Is that we are in a space
34:03Full of black business owners
34:06Who are doing
34:07From whatever phase you're at
34:08If you're at your first
34:09Hundred thousand
34:09If you're at your millions
34:10Wherever you are
34:12We know now
34:13It is possible
34:14We know that there is
34:16No ceiling
34:17On what we are building
34:18And I am so grateful
34:20To you guys
34:20For coming here
34:21And sharing today
34:22Give it up again
34:22For our panelists
34:23Thank you
34:25And we want to wish
34:26All of you
34:26The best wishes
34:28In building your dreams
34:29Thank you so much
34:30For joining today
34:31One more time
34:34One more time
34:34Let's give it up
34:35For the millionaires
34:36On this stage
34:37Let me say it again
34:38Let's give it up
34:39For the millionaires
34:40Who started from the bottom
34:42Now they're here
34:43On the stage
34:44Again we are so
34:45So elated
34:46To have had the opportunity
34:47To listen
34:48To the hearts
34:49Of these amazing
34:51Entrepreneurs
34:52This afternoon
34:52Listen
34:53You don't have to leave
34:54We're going straight
34:55Into another marketplace
34:57But before we do
34:58Let's do a quick recap
34:59Quick recap
35:00What were some of the things
35:02That resonated with you
35:03From this panel
35:04About scaling your business
35:06Come on with it
35:07We in church
35:08Come on with it
35:09What you got
35:09She said
35:11I got to change my mindset
35:12If you learn anything
35:14From this panel session
35:15Yes
35:15Mindset
35:16Anybody else
35:17Listen
35:18I got three things
35:19You need some God
35:20You need some grit
35:22And you need some grace
35:24God, grit, and grace
35:27Again it's been a pleasure
35:28To have you here
35:29Give us just a moment
35:30We're flipping
35:31And we will start
35:32The marketplace again
35:33In just a moment
35:34Again
35:35Market moment
35:36In just a minute
35:36So
35:37I typed a text
35:38To a girl
35:39I used to see
35:39Saying that I chose
35:41This cutie power
35:41Whom I want to be
35:43And I apologize
35:44If this message
35:45Gets you down
35:46Then I cc'd every girl
35:47That I'd cc'd round town
35:49And hate to see y'all frown
35:50But I'd rather see her smiling
35:52It's all around me true
35:53But I'm no island
35:55Peninsula maybe
35:56Makes no sense
35:57I know crazy
35:57Give up all this
35:58Cat that's in my lap
36:00No looking back
36:00Spaceships
36:01Don't come equipped
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