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00:00Attorney again. Good morning. Good morning, Mason. How you doing today? Good morning. Good morning. I am good. Tell them
00:05about the Black Business Alliance. Yes, absolutely. I'm Charity Dean, President and CEO of the Michigan Black Business Alliance. You
00:11can find us at 28 West Adams. Every single day we exist to help close the racial wealth gap through
00:18our programs, our policy advocacy. We want to make sure that we see thriving black owned businesses in the state
00:24of Michigan. There we go. Candice, you own what business?
00:28I am the owner of two state firm insurance agencies. Wow. So you don't work there? I do work there
00:38every single day. You're originally from Detroit? I am. I am a proud Detroiter. I grew up on Seven Mile
00:48and Otter Drive. That's my hood. That's your hood? 48234. I was on Ward, baby. Okay. 48234. What high school?
00:5648235. I actually, so I transitioned. I went to Mount Clemens High School and then I moved back and am
01:03a proud warrior, Wayne State. Wow. Yes. Oh, I didn't know you was a Wayne State, Candice. Wow. So where
01:10are your state firms?
01:11So I have my legacy location is in Ferndale. I've been there since January. Where in Ferndale? On Nine Mile
01:18and Hilton. Because I think my parents was with State Farm. Yeah. Really? And they tried to keep me till
01:23I, you know. Well, you had to come back. Okay. Yeah. She does. She actually worked for State Farm for
01:28three years, but that's a different subject. A whole nother story. Okay.
01:31Okay. So the legacy office is Ferndale. It's Ferndale. I've been there since January of 2017. Wow. And then I
01:43opened my second location in January of 2023 in Roseville. Congratulations. Get it, girl. Get it, girl. She looks like
01:50she 18. Yes. So she didn't get it. That was a joke when I said, so you worked it. Right.
01:57All right. I thought that was cute. Yeah. One, two, she didn't go over, though. Angie. What's the most difficulty
02:06of running two insurance agencies? Yeah. I mean, when you think about, you know, what insurance is, you are at
02:16times working with people in some of the most challenging situations in their lives. So that is sometimes difficult because
02:25you deal with, you know,
02:27customers that are frustrated, customers that are frustrated, that are sad, that have had tremendous loss, but it does allow
02:33us to be there and deliver on our promise. So that is, I would say, the most difficult thing, but
02:40it's rewarding at the same time.
02:43You work with your husband.
02:46No. So my husband is a huge supporter.
02:48No kidding. So he's not part of the insurance business.
02:51No, he's not. He's not.
02:52Okay. Do you mind if I ask what he does?
02:54Yes. So my husband actually is the director of quality at Borg Warner, which is an auto manufacturing company.
03:03Wow. Beautiful.
03:04Yes. He does an amazing job. He actually is over global quality.
03:11Whoa.
03:11So he travels a lot, but, you know, he's the guy that if you need it to be fixed, he's
03:17going to figure it out.
03:18That's beautiful. He is, Angie, from Honey's Neighborhood in Dayton.
03:25He's from Dayton, Ohio.
03:26Wow.
03:27Yeah. That's great.
03:28That is beautiful.
03:30You, you, you know, go ahead.
03:32Why insurance?
03:34That's a great question.
03:35So originally, like I said, I graduated from Wayne State, my bachelor's in clinical lab science.
03:42Wow.
03:42Yes.
03:43That's not insurance.
03:44It's not anywhere near insurance. And so I worked at Detroit Receiving for 10 years in the stat lab in
03:52the ER.
03:53Woo!
03:53Yeah. Down in the ER on midnights, right? So you can imagine, you know, what I've seen working there.
04:00And it was a really, really great experience. But it started to become where I knew I needed to do
04:08something different.
04:08Because, you know, unfortunately, when you're in that type of environment, loss and death becomes just a part of, you
04:16know, what you see every day.
04:17Been there.
04:18And it was just, it was extremely challenging because, you know, you're in a position where you're helping to potentially
04:25save people that are coming in from extremely tragic situations.
04:29And a lot of times, you know, you don't save them.
04:33They don't make it, right?
04:34And, you know, in that situation, you just see families grieving and it's just so much.
04:40It war on your spirit.
04:41It's so heavy. It's so heavy.
04:43And so, you know, in that predicament, you know, you can do the best you can, but you can't always
04:48save people.
04:49So, crazy enough, so after working there for about nine years, I was driving home one morning and I was
04:57just so full.
04:58And I said, you know, I have to figure out something else.
05:01Like, I just really don't enjoy what I'm doing anymore.
05:05So, I have to figure out something else.
05:07So, I called my dad, got arrested.
05:09So, he was in the mortgage industry at the time.
05:13He had a mortgage company and it was about 8 o'clock.
05:15And I called him and I said, I don't like my job anymore.
05:19And I really don't know what I'm going to do.
05:23Before you go any further, I just want to say, we always talk about mothers.
05:32Imagine a dad having to answer this.
05:35Yes.
05:36He has a successful daughter doing a successful thing and she's now putting the question to him.
05:44And as a father, he's got to be right because she's going to follow his advice.
05:50Yeah, I really did trust his advice because he was a business owner and, you know, and he said, well,
05:56and at the time, for about six of those 10 years, I also sold real estate, but I did it
06:01part-time.
06:01It was fun.
06:02And that was something I didn't really feel comfortable transitioning to full-time.
06:07It just didn't feel right.
06:08And so I literally was just crying.
06:12I'm driving on the freeway and he's like, well, what do you like to do, Candace?
06:18Like, what do you like to do?
06:19And I'm like, you know me, you know, I like to talk to people and I like to, you know,
06:23just interact.
06:24And he said, well, what about insurance?
06:28He literally said that.
06:29What about insurance?
06:30And I said, I don't know.
06:32I mean, I pay my insurance.
06:34Yeah.
06:34I don't know anything about insurance.
06:36What do they do?
06:37What do you mean?
06:38And so he said, well, when you go home, just research it a little bit.
06:42And he said, because I think that would be a good fit for you.
06:45Wow.
06:46I did.
06:46And so I drove home and I got home and I was talking to my husband.
06:50I said, you know, I was talking to my dad and he said, what about insurance?
06:54And then he said, oh, my college roommate, my frat brother, his wife has a state farm agency
07:03in Akron, Ohio.
07:05Whoa.
07:06And he said, you need to talk to her.
07:08And so I talked to her, Eudora Robinson.
07:12I talked to her and one of my husband's other friends actually was a very successful agent.
07:20And by the time I talked to both of them, I was sold.
07:23He was ready.
07:23I was sold.
07:24And I said, you know what?
07:26I have no idea how I'm going to figure this out, but I'm going to figure it out.
07:32And so I had to get licensed, which took a little bit of time.
07:38And then, you know, I had to, State Farm is a little bit different.
07:43A lot of people think it's a franchise and it's not.
07:45So you can't just go in and purchase an agency.
07:48You actually have to be accepted to own an agency.
07:54So that was a whole process in itself.
07:57I had to interview and that was something I just was not ready for because I hadn't interviewed
08:04for a job in 10 years and I had only interviewed for one job.
08:09So while I was going through the process, you know, my husband and his friend, they're like,
08:13listen, you got to interview for this.
08:16Like you trying to, you know, be the coach of the Golden State Warriors.
08:19They were the championship team at the time.
08:22That's fascinating.
08:23Yes.
08:23And he said, you got to get, you know, because he was used to interviewing and hiring and
08:27firing people.
08:28So we went through this process and, oh, I was mad at him.
08:31I was mad.
08:32I was mad because he took me through it.
08:34He's like, nope, start over.
08:35That's horrible.
08:36That's terrible.
08:37You know, and so.
08:38It's a movie.
08:38Yeah.
08:39And so he really just got me really prepared, you know, for the process.
08:45And, you know, initially when I went in, when I was thinking about the interview, I'm like,
08:49okay, I'm dependable.
08:50I'm smart.
08:51I'm this.
08:52And he's like, no, tell a story.
08:55Like, why, why do you want to do this?
08:57Like, are you, are you disciplined?
08:59I'm like, I'm extremely disciplined.
09:01And he's like, well, what, what's the story behind you being disciplined?
09:05Like, where did you learn that?
09:07And then I thought back and my mom, she made me vacuum my room every day, every single
09:14day.
09:14And at the time, like, I did not understand why am I vacuuming?
09:19I'm the only one in this room.
09:21I'm neat.
09:22Why am I vacuuming in this room every single day?
09:24Why does she have to come in and see lines in my carpet?
09:27Like, why does that matter?
09:28But I didn't understand at the time, but it was teaching me discipline.
09:31Yeah.
09:32Right.
09:32It was, it was simply teaching me discipline.
09:34And that's something that, you know, when I was interviewing, I told that story.
09:39Ah, beautiful.
09:41Yeah.
09:41Because it was different from me saying I'm a person that's disciplined.
09:44It was me telling a story about myself.
09:46And so the way State Firm, you know, chooses candidates to own agencies, you can either be
09:53what's called an external candidate, which I was, so I had no experience in the industry.
09:59Um, or you can be someone that actually works for an agent, was called an agent aspirant.
10:05So they, and I had an agent aspirant in my office and he opened up an agency a couple
10:10years ago, but you can come from either pool.
10:12And so being an external, you know, it's a little bit more challenging because they're
10:16like, she doesn't have experience.
10:18So I want to say, if I can remember correctly, I interviewed up against nine other candidates
10:25and they all were agent aspirants.
10:28So they all had experience.
10:31And so, you know, I sat outside that room and I said, Lord, I know you're not going to
10:37lead me in the wrong direction.
10:38So whether I get this or I don't, I know that I'm following your lead and whatever you
10:43have for me is for me.
10:45And when I tell you, I walked out of that interview and I said, I'm getting this agency.
10:50Wow.
10:51Because I felt so good about, you know, everything that I had worked towards up to that point.
10:58And it's been, it's been amazing ever since.
11:02I have to ask, what does your husband say about you now?
11:05He's so proud.
11:07I know.
11:07He bragged all day.
11:10He bragged.
11:11He's so proud.
11:12But I have to give him credit because he was a huge part of that process.
11:15I love this story.
11:16I don't think that I would have been honestly as well prepared without, you know, his guidance
11:22and his, you know, leadership in that area and him already understanding, you know, what
11:27it takes in that process.
11:29So it's a love story.
11:31But yeah, that's right.
11:33How your mate can be, can help you.
11:35And you guys can help each other.
11:36I just love that.
11:37Yeah.
11:37We have a great partnership.
11:38Yeah.
11:39So he pushed what no one else.
11:41There you go.
11:41He wasn't afraid to push.
11:43Yeah.
11:43He wasn't afraid to push.
11:45He wasn't afraid to tell me when it was bad, when I wasn't doing amazing.
11:50Like, he's just not a person that's going to pat me on my shoulder and say, oh, you're
11:53doing amazing.
11:54And we do that for each other, honestly.
11:56Wow.
11:57That's great.
11:59How do you meet Attorney Charity Jean?
12:02Oh, my God.
12:02This is a great story.
12:03So my cousin.
12:06Her stories are good as mine.
12:07I know.
12:08So my cousin actually is an attorney, Kiana Evans.
12:13She's now in Seattle working for Microsoft.
12:16And she had a birthday brunch down at the apparatus room.
12:21And she invited me.
12:22And she said, you're going to meet a lot of my friends from law school.
12:25And I said, OK, that'll be cool.
12:27So I went and Charity and I sat next to each other.
12:30Oh, no kidding.
12:32And this was actually before the Black Business Alliance.
12:35Way before.
12:36Way before the Black Business Alliance.
12:37This is when I'm in law school.
12:40I think you were in law school.
12:42You were getting ready to graduate.
12:44Wow.
12:45And Candace is on our board of the Black Business Alliance.
12:48So she has been around.
12:49She actually helped us start the organization.
12:52Wow.
12:52Yeah.
12:53Wow.
12:54That is fascinating.
12:56Charity called me and she said, I'm doing this thing.
13:00And I want to talk to you about it.
13:01Amazing thing, yeah.
13:02And, I mean, she embodies, you know, Black excellence and supporting Black businesses.
13:10And she really does wake up every day and think about how she can drive, you know, Black excellence in
13:18Detroit.
13:18So when she called me and she said that this was something that she wanted to do, I said, count
13:23me in.
13:24Let's do it.
13:24That is beautiful.
13:25Charity's not bringing us, like, people that just had a silver spoon.
13:29It was instant success.
13:30It was a story.
13:32It was a struggle, man.
13:33It was a journey.
13:34And through the journey, the Michigan Black Business Alliance was able to help.
13:39And they light up every time they talk about the help that the Michigan, yeah, that the Alliance gave them.
13:46And that's what I love.
13:47Yeah.
13:47You know, because I see a lot of businesses, and I've been in radio for a long time, and they
13:53start off good.
13:55Big, big, pretty buildings and grand opening, perfect.
13:59But then they're closed in six months.
14:01Yeah.
14:01Right?
14:01And they don't know the things that you're teaching.
14:04Yes.
14:04Absolutely.
14:05And that's why I stress to business owners out there, if you're not already a member, become a member.
14:10This is a gift from the universe to you to help you achieve your dreams.
14:15You ain't kidding.
14:16Come on.
14:17We're going on a roll.
14:19Hey.
14:20Tina Marie.
14:21You don't know what you don't know.
14:22Right, right.
14:22So, Candice, there are a lot of people who need insurance.
14:26They don't trust the people that they could be getting it from, nor that they trust the information that those
14:33people are giving them.
14:34Now they can come to you.
14:37How do they find you?
14:38Yes.
14:38So, you can find us.
14:40We are two locations, 2406 Hilton Road in Ferndale and 16970 East 13 Mile in Roseville.
14:50You can also find us at AgentCandice.com, and that's K-A-N-D-I-S-S, AgentCandice.com.
14:59And we are on Instagram at AgentCandice as well, or on Facebook.
15:05Okay.
15:06And do the Candice again.
15:07Spell it.
15:08K-A-N-D-I-S-S.
15:11Beautiful.
15:13Beautiful.
15:13Thank you very much for hanging out with us.
15:16Thanks for telling us.
15:16Listening to stories and telling us a great story.
15:19People out there calling, texting each other now.
15:21They're going to work together now.
15:22Now they're going to work together.
15:24Because what you've also done.
15:25Because then you ain't pushing me.
15:26Yeah, yeah.
15:27You got to challenge me.
15:28I love that.
15:28You've stopped some arguments.
15:30I love that story.
15:31You've stopped some arguments.
15:33You've now made sense to a lot of arguments.
15:36Come on.
15:36And now people are excited to get into it and won't be as offended as they were just 24 hours
15:45ago.
15:45When people love you, they push you.
15:47That's right.
15:47Real talk.
15:48They do.
15:48That's right.
15:49Yeah.
15:49They challenge you.
15:50Ooh, I got chills, Mace.
15:51Mace.
15:51You know, Charity, you can't keep doing this to me.
15:54Every time you come in and bring stars, you just keep bringing stars in.
15:59There you go.
15:59That's good.
15:59People will have it posted charity closing thoughts.
16:04Yes.
16:05So Angie's going to be at the Black Business Alliance on November the 5th, I believe.
16:10She ain't telling nobody that.
16:12Is it November 5th?
16:13Yep, that's it.
16:14November 5th at our all-member meeting, which is at 28 West Adams.
16:19We are on the 8th floor.
16:20We are excited to see her for our November.
16:22We're going to be talking about social media.
16:24We're going to be talking about marketing, advertising, all the things.
16:27I know people out there going, she on the radio.
16:29Yeah, what's she know about marketing it?
16:30It's social media, whatever.
16:31Angie started in sales.
16:33That's right.
16:34So excited to have Angie.
16:36Also, vote, people.
16:38Yes.
16:39Go out and exercise your right to vote one week from today.
16:43And then you can follow us at Black Biz Alliance on Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn.
16:47And that's B-I-Z, is it?
16:49At Black Biz Alliance, we are on Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, and Facebook.
16:53And just visit our website as well, www.blackbizalliance.com.
16:59Excellent.
16:59Candice, closing thoughts?
17:00Yes.
17:01I'm just so thankful to be here.
17:03And you guys do an amazing job of, I told Mason coming in, he's been a voice of Detroit
17:10as long as I can remember.
17:12So you embody Black excellence.
17:15Yes.
17:16And I really just want to say, you know, keep doing what you're doing.
17:19We appreciate you.
17:20We love you.
17:20Appreciate you all as well.
17:22Yeah.
17:22Thank you very much.
17:23And give your husband a hug from us.
17:24Yeah.
17:24I will.
17:25But she has to, because he's from Ohio.
17:27And say his name.
17:28Oh, yeah.
17:28And you're in acting.
17:29Okay.
17:30Fine.
17:30There we go.
17:31There we go.
17:32Our, our, um, we have a lot of Dayton people that have done so well in our area, including
17:39Honey.
17:40Yeah.
17:40Honey.
17:41Very smart people out of Dayton.
17:42You remember what high school was?
17:44Dayton Ralph?
17:45He actually is a graduate of Chaminade.
17:48Chaminade.
17:48Yeah.
17:49Ooh.
17:49Yeah, that good.
17:50Trust me.
17:52We've been married for a long time.
17:5420 years tomorrow.
17:56Oh, happy anniversary.
17:59Happy anniversary, Ken.
18:00Oh, that is cool.
18:0120 years.