May 13, 2022 • 26 mins
Angel is a two-time Olympic gold medalist and a forward for the WNBA's Minnesota Lynx. She joins the podcast to talk about her journey in basketball, advice for aspiring entrepreneurs, and her future business pursuits.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hey, Money Movers. Welcome back to Money Moves, the daily
podcast determined to give you the keys to the Kingdom
of financial stability, wealth and abundance. Today's guest is a
professional basketball player for the w NBA's Minnesota Lakes and
(00:22):
who has also played for our own Atlanta Dream Team.
She is also a two time Olympic gold medalist and additionally,
she's an entrepreneur and owner of an ice cream shop
as well as a production company. Money Movers, Please welcome
to the podcast. W NBA's Angel in the Cultrey, Hi Angel,
How are you? What's up? How's everything? Welcome, Welcome, Welcome.
(00:44):
I'm so excited to have you here. Thank you so
much for having me. It's a pleasure. So where are
you based right now? I know you had a long
career with the Atlanta Dream what of Atlanta in the
four oh four? But now you're playing in another in
another town. But we'll still claim you as an Atlanta team.
So where are you coming? Where are you today? But
you know I still live here. I'm still based in Atlanta.
(01:05):
I'm still active in the community. Things like that. Um,
of course, plan in Minnesota. Um, thank god this season
is in the summertime. You can say that again and
this summer yeah and play but always here in Atlanta
is still based here. We love it, we love it.
We'll welcome to the podcast. I want to give our
audience a chance to get to little know a little
bit more about you. You've had an illustrious career, um
(01:27):
the w n b A. So talk about growing up
and how you got your start into athletics and how
that sort of informed your mindset for achieving success in life. Yeah,
I'm just it's a credible story. Um, I know we
nobody achieves anything without ups and downs. Um started playing
basketball eight years old in Baltimore, Merlin would up be more?
(01:50):
And yeah? And literally you just I love playing and
I was the only girl out there, so you get labor.
What the tomboy name? Yeah? I hate it? Um, But
one day, UM, the fellas were like, Yo, it's this
thing called the w b A. It's like the NBA
for the girls. And I was like, what's that. I
started watching on TV and I fell in love because
(02:11):
I got to see tall girls who were like me
and who did what I love. So, Um, the rest
was history. But had I imagined that I would be
an Olympian and all that I've never imagined. So that's
kind of awesome. That's kind of awesome. So you started
hustling away, you're practicing playing, and then did you go
to school? Yeah, I went to university loyal go cards
(02:33):
and um, had an amazing career there. We went to
the final four and UM wow, great experien Yeah, great experience. Man.
I feel like you've hit all these like amazing goals
in the final four drafted into the w n B A.
You've played over one number one Atlanta. I mean it's amazing. Yeah,
(02:54):
it's amazing on Olympic teams. That's really awesome. And now
so you've had a long career there. Want to talk
about money because oftentimes, you know, we have a lot
of really successful people in all different facets of life,
from athletics to music, entertainment, technology, and I want to
talk about sort of the early days. So for young Angel,
how did you sort of look at money? Saving money?
(03:17):
Was this something that was talked about in your house
or did you sort of fall into it a little
bit later in life. Yeah, So we grew up in
the area where social media wasn't big. You know, you
asked mom a question, go look it up in the cyclopedia. Yeah,
you guys remember that. You remember those days, right, So
things weren't really I didn't know about credit. I didn't
know much of those things on what to college and
(03:41):
was getting my first cell phone and he was like, well,
do you have a credit card? You have credit? And
I'm like, what's that? I didn't even know what it was.
And it sounds funny like when we say it now,
but like for real, most people, it was when they
got to college and they sort of had to set
it on their own and realize like, hey, do you
have a credit card? Do you have a credit history?
All of these things were so foreign to so many
(04:02):
of us exactly, and and to me it was and
I'm like, okay, so I gotta get this thing called
a credit card. I gotta get up credit. And then
I had my first bill, which was a cell phone
that came every month, and then it was taught to me, Okay,
I gotta pay this one time every month, right, so
the credit will be good. So that's when I started
kind of learning on my own. But imagine if I
was prepared for them to know these details, you know
(04:24):
what I mean, how much more prepared I would be UM.
So that's when I kind of I kind of learned
it on my own. Um. And that's why it's important
for the kids, the youth. I think it's to be
taught in schools. Let's teach the kids what is credit,
how to write, to check, um, all those details that
they're gonna need. I know, X Y to the Z, right, Yeah,
(04:45):
does anybody really use that? I don't know. Yeah, I'm
not sure. I don't think any I mean, your simple, Matthew,
you need your time stables, your your plus minus, but
that X Y to the Z. I rather learn about credit,
how to spend money, how to save, what's invest teach
the kids that, yea, what is going on? I don't know.
I mean I do think it's changing. I think a
lot of times, you know, we're doing better than our
(05:07):
parents did for us, and so they're trying to teach us.
There's like things like this podcast, but you have to
go do the work. I also think that absolutely you
were right when you talk about changing curriculum. So for example,
I'm gonna date myself, y'all. I had homemac, I had typing,
I had like stuff like that in high school that
we're like, why are you still teaching us how to
(05:28):
like so, which okay is cool if you wanted to
be a fashion designer, but it was very gender oriented.
So like, now we need I think it has to
be like finance one oh one, you know in high school,
in grade school, where it's like this is how to say,
this is how to open up a bank account, this
is how not to destroy your credit in the first
year of college? Is a mortgage? Right? You know? How
(05:52):
do I? Yeah? All that like none of that is
has been taught um and I think that the curriculum
needs to change a little bit. Hopefully that's the dicussion
is being had, so implement more of these important things
that are more essential to life. Yeah, just to living
a good life. So because like you said, what are
the percentages of somebody learning how to sew that they're
(06:13):
going to be a fashion designer? The percentages are right.
It was very I think old school, like they were
teaching these like gender based guys did shop, women did homemac.
And so now we've moved past that. I think we're
getting a little smarter. And here we are being like,
how do we really change the curriculum for students? But
(06:33):
I say it's I have a question for you. So
as you entered into the n b A, you know,
it's this professional organization where their tools and courses that
helps you, know, these aspiring athletes that you were you
know you were going to make some significant money. Now. Um,
we can talk about disparities between like the NBA and
the w n BY on another episode, but we're their
tools that the organization helps you to to give you guys. Yeah,
(06:59):
and as you said, we know that you know, the
NBA is here as far as they're paying, we're a
little bit here, which this is growing. And like you said,
that's a number conversation. So with the woman making less,
way it less. Okay, I have to be even smarter.
I have to make more money because think about a
lot of women in the gum being they are wives, kids,
(07:19):
you know, they have husbands or whatever, you know, families
and then so there work horses, I think, but not
they're more now than then we're back there. Yeah, So
I'll put it like that. So I had to learn
with me, I had to kind of go through a
lot of mistakes to really learn. And I hear a
lot of successful people say that it's okay, to make
(07:40):
some financial mistakes to get to that point of success. Absolutely,
you know what I mean, absolutely, Which is also why
I appreciate people being candid about it because I think, again,
when we talk about and I know you do a
lot of work with the kids in the high schools
and this, you know, a lot of kids really look
at it and they're like, oh my gosh, it was
like a magic wand everything disappeared. You know, you weren't
shooting in the gym um, as Drake would say, all night.
(08:03):
It was just all of a sudden, you got this
contract and you had some money, and that was sort
of the end of the story. And it only goes
up from there. But so many people have had such
great losses, great wins, and I think that's where, you know,
true perseverance and success comes from sharing those with people,
so that people know sharing those yeah, and what I
wish I would have done, and kids really listen to this.
(08:24):
Young people get a mentor because if I was smart
enough when I was making you know, my money, I
think years ago, stuff now was so cheap in real estate,
and I really wish I would have somebody told me,
but I really didn't listen. But I wish I hadn't
mentor to really get on my case say hey, you're
gonna buy a couple of pieces of real estate now
and then you're gonna watch it grow. And if I would,
(08:44):
if I would have done that while I was only
fifty tho a hundred thousand, now it's almost eight d yes, right,
So those are the things that we should be learning,
and someone should be on our case. You making good money,
do this, and do that. I promise you it's going
to pay off. So those things. So I I love
that angel because I feel the same way. And oftentimes
I think people have these conversations. I'm like, oh, it's
(09:06):
too late, it's too late, right, And I think especially
in our community, Yeah, absolutely, real estate has taken off.
And I wish I had bought that property. You know.
I lived in New York for a bit and they
were like, there's these stories in New York. They're like
old wives tales. When people were trying to revitalize Brooklyn
and they were selling town homes for a dollar. I
was like, why didn't I buy a town home in
Brooklyn for a dollar? Because it was a bad neighborhood
(09:28):
or etcetera. But I think also we have to recognize
now that opportunity opportunities are still there. Sure, you might
not be able to buy in like the heart of Buckhead,
you know, but there's other areas that we're seeing um
a lot of great investment potential come out of and
still buy um. So you know, I never want people
to think they've missed their whole chance, because there's still
(09:50):
opportunities doing the work to find like the areas and
pockets of like great investment. Absolutely, I would say the
opportunities are never dead. Who's there. There's always something new
going on. Now people are in an n f T crypto,
so stuff is always gonna be right. There's always new
stuff coming, new things for us to learn. It's never
gonna end um. So I would encourage people to continue
(10:12):
to learn, continue to stay updated with everything. Get that
mentor or ask questions. We gotta ask more questions. We
have to ask more questions. Oh, let's talk mentorship, because
you know this is something that you've already spoken of,
you're obviously very passionate about. I find that people calling
all the time and they'll be like, well, how do
I find a mentor? Or you know, where do I
find someone who's gonna help me? What? What? How have
(10:35):
you found some of your greatest mentors asking questions? So literally,
when you just start that conversation, you will you'll it's
amazing the knowledge that some have in their own way.
You know, I can learn something from him, but she
can have the same knowledge but add a little bit more,
you know what I mean. So when you start to
open your mouth, you start to learn these things, and
(10:55):
then people are You'll be surprised of how many people
are really willing to help and give, you know, that
bit of advice or mentorship. And if someone doesn't have time,
guess what, just continue to ask questions all around. YouTube
teaches you everything you know. And here's another thing. I
know this is a whole another subject, but I know, kids, yeah, kids,
you know you got a hundred thousand dollars and loans
(11:18):
coming out of school. Do you really want that to
make a thirty dollarge job? Four thousands of job starting
off and have these loans? I mean, could you learn
the same thing on YouTube and still get that same job.
I'm just saying, I'm just controversial topics. We love it
and it's not it's just some smart gems because life
has changed so much, the way we educate ourselves, the
(11:39):
way we have access to knowledge, education and fact, it's
dramatically changed, right, So it's like, why I put yourself
like that. Here's another little gym on my drop. When y'all, Okay,
I met a young lady and I was in Puerto
Rico on vacation, and she's going to school to be
a doctor. Well, were there. They don't have all the
you know, loan or doesn't costly to go to school there.
(12:03):
She says, her degree holds up in the States, so
she can still be a doctor and not have the loans.
So wow, maybe, hey, you look internationally to go to
school and not have all that hundreds of thousands of
American debt absolutely and your and your degree holds up
over here. A little chill, you know. I think those
are like such great gems because sometimes it's like you've
(12:23):
got to really look outside, you know, your own yard
for ideas and ways to like create wealth in your
own life. You know, if it's decreasing your student loans,
if it's finding other opportunities to get grants, scholarships, or
going to school in places outside the US, which I
think is not a popular opinion because you know you guys,
I'm Canadians, so don't screwing me for me. But the
(12:44):
US always wants people to think that this is the
only place to do it. In Puerto Rico is of
course in the US, but like there's I've met a
bunch of really smart and brilliant doctors that went to
school in the Caribbean, the Granada, etcetera. So lots of
ways to get capital gyms and what y'all call it
the Canada Uni. Yes, if you call it Uni, we
call it UNI. And it's so much cheaper actually, and
(13:04):
really great schools. But you gotta brave the coal guys.
Think about that, Like the gyms were dropping right now.
Really think about what we're talking about, because you can
save yourself so much money and then you coming out
of school gaining instead of losing. Let's let's change the game.
Let's change the game. Okay, So let's I want to
bring it back to entrepreneurship. So you're still playing, but
(13:27):
you're also multitasking as an entrepreneur. You've opened up your
own ice cream shop, which speaks to my heart and
love of ice cream. You're also opening production company. Let's
start with the ice cream because I love all things
sweet and ice cream. How did that come about? Um?
It was an idea. I think most things that you
want to do start with that idea. And it's like, okay,
(13:49):
could I do this? You do the research and you
said you know what you don't you don't let anything
stop you. Um. Did I have to close for COVID? Yes,
But that's just a learning experience of what business is
all about. I would say one of the main things
I've learned about business is, Okay, you want to have
a good team of people around you, your employees. That
team of people you trust is so important. It is
(14:09):
so key. I always use Lebron James as an example.
He has such a great team of people working around him.
That's why you see so much success. His team is great.
And then you can see other NBA players. You hear
they went broke or this is that is because they
have people who are stealing or or doing the you know,
you're just not That's the most important thing. The right people,
(14:29):
you know, they say most the right people. The most
businesses fail because people are stealing from the business. That's
that's the number one reason, So the right people, guys,
trustworthy people. And the second thing is, um, your customer service.
What does that look like? Right? So I always compare
it to basketball. It's like, Okay, I go play ball.
(14:50):
Nobody wants to see me play lazy, and you know,
like I don't care or like I don't feel like
being Yeah, and like fans pick up on that real fast.
And she was tired. She didn't give it her all.
I came to see Angel give it her all or
she wasn't mentally there tonight. They know that. So and
the same thing in business. When you come in my business,
(15:10):
I want you to see energetic people that are happy,
that make you feel like, wow, I want to come back.
So most of the two main components in business. I
love that, okay. And then ice cream? Why ice cream?
Because it feels like a dream come true for me? Yes, Um,
I love ice cream. I'm a sweets girl. I can
just oh my god, I can eat sweets every day,
which I know I probably need shouldn't. So yeah, and
(15:33):
I love the brand of it. You know, it was
something that was able to get back at the same time,
something I love. Another key, whatever you're doing, make sure
you're passionate about it, right, The passion behind it makes
sure you like it. What you do. Of Americans wake
up every morning not loving what they do. For better
(15:53):
lack of a better word, it sucks. It sucks, and
it sucks. It's something that you know, people always say that.
And I think for young people. You know, our podcast
audience is a very diverse range of ages, colors, everything.
But you know, I think a lot of people, you know,
they raise their eye when they're like, oh my gosh,
be passionate about something. The money will come. How do
(16:16):
you find that passion? Like, we're grinding day to day,
and it's it's really hard. I recognize for a lot
of people, like it is very hard, and it is
a gift. If you can wake up and say I
love what I do every day, it's a gift. It's
a gift. But I implore you to find it. That
is the most beautiful thing in the world, to wake
up and love what you do. Right. And I'm fortunate
(16:36):
and blessed to have it. I know you are too,
because we get to wake up. I get to play
basketball for a living, right, that's really cool. Fun. You
get to do things like this and interview people. So guys,
why not wake up loving what you do? Right? So
that means we're living in the world. Just talk about
America where so many people are miserable because you wake
up every day Like, right, here's another thing. Most heart
(16:58):
attacks happened on the day, statistically proven right, So crazy, right,
I could see. It's just like it's Monday, right, So
you're talking about most heart attacks proven to happen on Monday.
That goes to show the stress and the miserable, you know,
mindset of waking up on a Monday, like, oh, I
(17:19):
gotta why not change that and love what you do? Yes,
it's hard, so what that's what makes it beautiful. My
coach used to tell me if basketball was easy, then
everybody would do it. I love that expression that it
spans for so many things, entrepreneurship, like being successful in general.
If it was easy, everybody would do it. So that's right,
(17:41):
the whole world would play basketball and it wouldn't be
it wouldn't be interesting because everybody could just do it.
But I think we're so jaded sometimes because people like
turn into social media. They watched like I used the
example of the Facebook movie about Mark Zuckerberg in ninety minutes,
the kid became a billionaire, but it's actually like a
ten year history of him in the trenches, slugging it out,
building this like empire. But we're like, oh, ninety minutes, y'all,
(18:05):
y'all hear that she just said. Success takes years. It's
never kids, stop comparing yourself on Instagram to a one
minute picture or whatever that just shows a moment of time,
like ten seconds. Listen, Success takes years. So that's why
I always tell the kids, get started now. Yeah, I
(18:25):
get started now. It at least takes a year get started.
And I say that to people all the time, like
I'll be like, um, you know, I'll make jokes about
something like we were talking about Wikipedia or you know,
going to the Encyclopedia's versus like Wikipedia. I'm like, yeah,
I'm in my forties. Really, I can't believe that. I
was like, yeah, this is not overnight. There's decades of work, right,
(18:48):
And so I love reminding people of that because they're like, oh,
and I was like, yeah, this is four decades in
the game here doing whatever you love to do, for sure,
which is some of the most successful people guys. And
this is what I've learned to do. I'd like to go, um,
look at people's stories of how they made it. So
I'll go on Wikipedia and look up different like look
up Kanye West. You see his doc. Nobody took him seriously.
(19:12):
He was on trying to get the deal in Rockfellow.
He kept working for himself and creating opportunities for heself.
He didn't give up. That's years of him years. So
start talking. Google people that you love, whether it be
an actor, doctor, or somebody that you inspired by. Go
read their stories and you'll see no one has ever
done it overnight, no one. It doesn't exist. It doesn't exist.
(19:35):
I don't know. There's no overnight story. No there is not.
I mean even a lot But you know what, I
will say, Well, the person who comes in, but what
about the person who won the lottery? Okay, and where
are they now? But still, what's that backstory? They probably
spend all the money, like who knows? Yeah, what's that
they I'm sure they've had a hard life or something
(19:56):
like you know, so it's always still a backstory to that. Yeah,
you know. So Okay, I'm gonna I'm gonna take us
on a totally different tangent something that's very close to
my heart. I hear that you have spent some time
and hosted the first ever all female basketball camp in Ghana,
West Africa. I love this because I'm actually from Ghana.
Um my dad is there. I've spent so much time
(20:18):
going back and forth to Ghana. So tell me about
that experience. Oh my god, I had no idea. They
never had like just all female basketball camp like stuff
we just do all the time, right, So when I went,
they didn't believe I was coming because they had never
had nothing like that. I mean literally, guys, it was
like one of the most breathtaking experiences that changed my life.
(20:42):
And that's another key component. When you do make it
and you're you're where you're at in life, what do
you do you get back? Yeah, yea yeah, And it
feels so good. It feels so good to give back, Like, honestly,
it's such it enriches your life. It enriches your life,
feels Yeah, it feels so good, guys. And it's just
(21:03):
like you're able to give back because you work so
hard and then you don't understand like whose life you change?
You know, like you're changing lives, you're you're you're inspiring,
You're helping um add something to the world, because every
little bit hunts, right. We see so much negativity out here,
wars and this like that, but sometimes you don't think
it does. But just stuff that we we don't we
(21:23):
don't even need to see it, you know, even if
we don't see it on it don't need to be shown.
The little compliment. All these little things help the world,
every little bit away. I don't know. I'm I'm like
one of those people that I love all the warm
and fuzzies. So it really makes a big difference in
not just my life, but other people's lives as well.
And I know you do spend a lot of time
talking going into the high school is talking to kids,
(21:46):
helping motivate and guide them. What are some of the
other things that you do to really give back you
know there's a long laugh. Yeah, yeah, sides giving back
to the high schools, Um, I try to teach kids
the game actually is a good idea. We're doing, like
to be able to talk more fun financial kind of things.
I think all you just encourage me to give yes, yeah, no,
(22:09):
I mean this is the big thing about money moves.
We're just trying to really help create a strong foundation
for people of color women, UM, to really have these
conversations out loud to talk about money, talk about how
we can save money with the goal of helping create
like long term generational wealth in our community. UM, in
ways that I think our parents, like I look back
to how my parents were and they, you know, they said,
(22:31):
save your money, don't spend too much money. But you know,
being able to very tactically give the next generation the
tools and the tips to actually build wealth and come
at it from a younger age than I think a
lot of us did. Yeah, and that's we need more
conversations like this because they're not, like you said, they're
not here in the school. And it's like, Okay, you're
(22:52):
telling me mom and dad, save my money. But why
it needs to be more explained and death of why
and how the discipline and how the discipline behind it,
you know, so so important. UM. All right, so let's
go back to your entertainment or production company. Tell us
a little bit about that you seem to have where
so many hats. Yeah, you know, I was trying to
(23:16):
figure out, Okay, if basketball was to end, now, what
am I gonna do and that first when I got injured. Yeah,
I toward my cell and I was out and it
was the first time I never played. I'm like, oh
my god, how do I make money outside of bath?
So that's when it started happening. Okay, let me start
with out businesses and learning about how this stuff works
and UM production UM came from UM just storytelling. I
(23:41):
think that it's amazing that we to be able to UM.
You know, in our brains we have these stories to
bring them to life. I think it's so cool and
for people to see UM. So that's where I'm at
right now. I do want a lot of scripts and
storytelling and stuff stuff would becoming because it takes some
time time. It's okay, we're we're we are not for
(24:02):
the overnight sensations. We appreciate the grind and the drive
that takes to create something special. Yeah. So I've been
working on a script for about two or three years
now and this is in the process of just being
finished and UM in the process of being pitched two
different networks and things like that. So we're getting there. Wow,
I'm I'm I'm clapping my hands for a love in
(24:22):
basketball too. UM, It's time for one of those. Though
it's time. We haven't had one of those. I feel
like we haven't. Oh my goodness. Well, Angel, before you leave,
thank you so much for coming on our podcast. We're
gonna be cheering you on next season listening you all
the best, um, and please, before you leave, tell our
(24:43):
audience where they can find you on social media and
also where they can find your ice cream shop. Actually
me tell me where I can find your actually for
the ice cream shop because we closed for COVID with
the missed of funding another location, So stay two for that, Okay,
but you can catch up and keep up with everything.
I have gone all my social media at mccautrey m
c c o U g H t r y my
(25:05):
last name at mccautrey. All right, you guys, make sure
to check her out. Make sure to cheer her on
UM as she starts the season with the Minnesota When
do you guys start Minnesota? When does the season start
for the w This may you can catch us at
a sit in your youth, all right. Make sure you
support guys. If you have not been to a w
NBA game, they are incredible. I love the energy. It's
(25:26):
just such a vibe. Such a great time, so we
will be there cheering you on, happy to support. Thank
you so much for coming to the podcast Angel. Make
sure to follow her on all her social media handles.
Thanks guys, and if we helps you make your money move,
make sure to let us know by sending us a like,
sharing the knowledge, and or leaving us a review. On
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(25:50):
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(26:14):
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Hey, Money Movers. Welcome back to Money Moves, the daily
podcast determined to give you the keys to the Kingdom
of financial stability, wealth and abundance. Today's guest is a
professional basketball player for the w NBA's Minnesota Lakes and
(00:22):
who has also played for our own Atlanta Dream Team.
She is also a two time Olympic gold medalist and additionally,
she's an entrepreneur and owner of an ice cream shop
as well as a production company. Money Movers, Please welcome
to the podcast. W NBA's Angel in the Cultrey, Hi Angel,
How are you? What's up? How's everything? Welcome, Welcome, Welcome.
(00:44):
I'm so excited to have you here. Thank you so
much for having me. It's a pleasure. So where are
you based right now? I know you had a long
career with the Atlanta Dream what of Atlanta in the
four oh four? But now you're playing in another in
another town. But we'll still claim you as an Atlanta team.
So where are you coming? Where are you today? But
you know I still live here. I'm still based in Atlanta.
(01:05):
I'm still active in the community. Things like that. Um,
of course, plan in Minnesota. Um, thank god this season
is in the summertime. You can say that again and
this summer yeah and play but always here in Atlanta
is still based here. We love it, we love it.
We'll welcome to the podcast. I want to give our
audience a chance to get to little know a little
bit more about you. You've had an illustrious career, um
(01:27):
the w n b A. So talk about growing up
and how you got your start into athletics and how
that sort of informed your mindset for achieving success in life. Yeah,
I'm just it's a credible story. Um, I know we
nobody achieves anything without ups and downs. Um started playing
basketball eight years old in Baltimore, Merlin would up be more?
(01:50):
And yeah? And literally you just I love playing and
I was the only girl out there, so you get labor.
What the tomboy name? Yeah? I hate it? Um, But
one day, UM, the fellas were like, Yo, it's this
thing called the w b A. It's like the NBA
for the girls. And I was like, what's that. I
started watching on TV and I fell in love because
(02:11):
I got to see tall girls who were like me
and who did what I love. So, Um, the rest
was history. But had I imagined that I would be
an Olympian and all that I've never imagined. So that's
kind of awesome. That's kind of awesome. So you started
hustling away, you're practicing playing, and then did you go
to school? Yeah, I went to university loyal go cards
(02:33):
and um, had an amazing career there. We went to
the final four and UM wow, great experien Yeah, great experience. Man.
I feel like you've hit all these like amazing goals
in the final four drafted into the w n B A.
You've played over one number one Atlanta. I mean it's amazing. Yeah,
(02:54):
it's amazing on Olympic teams. That's really awesome. And now
so you've had a long career there. Want to talk
about money because oftentimes, you know, we have a lot
of really successful people in all different facets of life,
from athletics to music, entertainment, technology, and I want to
talk about sort of the early days. So for young Angel,
how did you sort of look at money? Saving money?
(03:17):
Was this something that was talked about in your house
or did you sort of fall into it a little
bit later in life. Yeah, So we grew up in
the area where social media wasn't big. You know, you
asked mom a question, go look it up in the cyclopedia. Yeah,
you guys remember that. You remember those days, right, So
things weren't really I didn't know about credit. I didn't
know much of those things on what to college and
(03:41):
was getting my first cell phone and he was like, well,
do you have a credit card? You have credit? And
I'm like, what's that? I didn't even know what it was.
And it sounds funny like when we say it now,
but like for real, most people, it was when they
got to college and they sort of had to set
it on their own and realize like, hey, do you
have a credit card? Do you have a credit history?
All of these things were so foreign to so many
(04:02):
of us exactly, and and to me it was and
I'm like, okay, so I gotta get this thing called
a credit card. I gotta get up credit. And then
I had my first bill, which was a cell phone
that came every month, and then it was taught to me, Okay,
I gotta pay this one time every month, right, so
the credit will be good. So that's when I started
kind of learning on my own. But imagine if I
was prepared for them to know these details, you know
(04:24):
what I mean, how much more prepared I would be UM.
So that's when I kind of I kind of learned
it on my own. Um. And that's why it's important
for the kids, the youth. I think it's to be
taught in schools. Let's teach the kids what is credit,
how to write, to check, um, all those details that
they're gonna need. I know, X Y to the Z, right, Yeah,
(04:45):
does anybody really use that? I don't know. Yeah, I'm
not sure. I don't think any I mean, your simple, Matthew,
you need your time stables, your your plus minus, but
that X Y to the Z. I rather learn about credit,
how to spend money, how to save, what's invest teach
the kids that, yea, what is going on? I don't know.
I mean I do think it's changing. I think a
lot of times, you know, we're doing better than our
(05:07):
parents did for us, and so they're trying to teach us.
There's like things like this podcast, but you have to
go do the work. I also think that absolutely you
were right when you talk about changing curriculum. So for example,
I'm gonna date myself, y'all. I had homemac, I had typing,
I had like stuff like that in high school that
we're like, why are you still teaching us how to
(05:28):
like so, which okay is cool if you wanted to
be a fashion designer, but it was very gender oriented.
So like, now we need I think it has to
be like finance one oh one, you know in high school,
in grade school, where it's like this is how to say,
this is how to open up a bank account, this
is how not to destroy your credit in the first
year of college? Is a mortgage? Right? You know? How
(05:52):
do I? Yeah? All that like none of that is
has been taught um and I think that the curriculum
needs to change a little bit. Hopefully that's the dicussion
is being had, so implement more of these important things
that are more essential to life. Yeah, just to living
a good life. So because like you said, what are
the percentages of somebody learning how to sew that they're
(06:13):
going to be a fashion designer? The percentages are right.
It was very I think old school, like they were
teaching these like gender based guys did shop, women did homemac.
And so now we've moved past that. I think we're
getting a little smarter. And here we are being like,
how do we really change the curriculum for students? But
(06:33):
I say it's I have a question for you. So
as you entered into the n b A, you know,
it's this professional organization where their tools and courses that
helps you, know, these aspiring athletes that you were you
know you were going to make some significant money. Now. Um,
we can talk about disparities between like the NBA and
the w n BY on another episode, but we're their
tools that the organization helps you to to give you guys. Yeah,
(06:59):
and as you said, we know that you know, the
NBA is here as far as they're paying, we're a
little bit here, which this is growing. And like you said,
that's a number conversation. So with the woman making less,
way it less. Okay, I have to be even smarter.
I have to make more money because think about a
lot of women in the gum being they are wives, kids,
(07:19):
you know, they have husbands or whatever, you know, families
and then so there work horses, I think, but not
they're more now than then we're back there. Yeah, So
I'll put it like that. So I had to learn
with me, I had to kind of go through a
lot of mistakes to really learn. And I hear a
lot of successful people say that it's okay, to make
(07:40):
some financial mistakes to get to that point of success. Absolutely,
you know what I mean, absolutely, Which is also why
I appreciate people being candid about it because I think, again,
when we talk about and I know you do a
lot of work with the kids in the high schools
and this, you know, a lot of kids really look
at it and they're like, oh my gosh, it was
like a magic wand everything disappeared. You know, you weren't
shooting in the gym um, as Drake would say, all night.
(08:03):
It was just all of a sudden, you got this
contract and you had some money, and that was sort
of the end of the story. And it only goes
up from there. But so many people have had such
great losses, great wins, and I think that's where, you know,
true perseverance and success comes from sharing those with people,
so that people know sharing those yeah, and what I
wish I would have done, and kids really listen to this.
(08:24):
Young people get a mentor because if I was smart
enough when I was making you know, my money, I
think years ago, stuff now was so cheap in real estate,
and I really wish I would have somebody told me,
but I really didn't listen. But I wish I hadn't
mentor to really get on my case say hey, you're
gonna buy a couple of pieces of real estate now
and then you're gonna watch it grow. And if I would,
(08:44):
if I would have done that while I was only
fifty tho a hundred thousand, now it's almost eight d yes, right,
So those are the things that we should be learning,
and someone should be on our case. You making good money,
do this, and do that. I promise you it's going
to pay off. So those things. So I I love
that angel because I feel the same way. And oftentimes
I think people have these conversations. I'm like, oh, it's
(09:06):
too late, it's too late, right, And I think especially
in our community, Yeah, absolutely, real estate has taken off.
And I wish I had bought that property. You know.
I lived in New York for a bit and they
were like, there's these stories in New York. They're like
old wives tales. When people were trying to revitalize Brooklyn
and they were selling town homes for a dollar. I
was like, why didn't I buy a town home in
Brooklyn for a dollar? Because it was a bad neighborhood
(09:28):
or etcetera. But I think also we have to recognize
now that opportunity opportunities are still there. Sure, you might
not be able to buy in like the heart of Buckhead,
you know, but there's other areas that we're seeing um
a lot of great investment potential come out of and
still buy um. So you know, I never want people
to think they've missed their whole chance, because there's still
(09:50):
opportunities doing the work to find like the areas and
pockets of like great investment. Absolutely, I would say the
opportunities are never dead. Who's there. There's always something new
going on. Now people are in an n f T crypto,
so stuff is always gonna be right. There's always new
stuff coming, new things for us to learn. It's never
gonna end um. So I would encourage people to continue
(10:12):
to learn, continue to stay updated with everything. Get that
mentor or ask questions. We gotta ask more questions. We
have to ask more questions. Oh, let's talk mentorship, because
you know this is something that you've already spoken of,
you're obviously very passionate about. I find that people calling
all the time and they'll be like, well, how do
I find a mentor? Or you know, where do I
find someone who's gonna help me? What? What? How have
(10:35):
you found some of your greatest mentors asking questions? So literally,
when you just start that conversation, you will you'll it's
amazing the knowledge that some have in their own way.
You know, I can learn something from him, but she
can have the same knowledge but add a little bit more,
you know what I mean. So when you start to
open your mouth, you start to learn these things, and
(10:55):
then people are You'll be surprised of how many people
are really willing to help and give, you know, that
bit of advice or mentorship. And if someone doesn't have time,
guess what, just continue to ask questions all around. YouTube
teaches you everything you know. And here's another thing. I
know this is a whole another subject, but I know, kids, yeah, kids,
you know you got a hundred thousand dollars and loans
(11:18):
coming out of school. Do you really want that to
make a thirty dollarge job? Four thousands of job starting
off and have these loans? I mean, could you learn
the same thing on YouTube and still get that same job.
I'm just saying, I'm just controversial topics. We love it
and it's not it's just some smart gems because life
has changed so much, the way we educate ourselves, the
(11:39):
way we have access to knowledge, education and fact, it's
dramatically changed, right, So it's like, why I put yourself
like that. Here's another little gym on my drop. When y'all, Okay,
I met a young lady and I was in Puerto
Rico on vacation, and she's going to school to be
a doctor. Well, were there. They don't have all the
you know, loan or doesn't costly to go to school there.
(12:03):
She says, her degree holds up in the States, so
she can still be a doctor and not have the loans.
So wow, maybe, hey, you look internationally to go to
school and not have all that hundreds of thousands of
American debt absolutely and your and your degree holds up
over here. A little chill, you know. I think those
are like such great gems because sometimes it's like you've
(12:23):
got to really look outside, you know, your own yard
for ideas and ways to like create wealth in your
own life. You know, if it's decreasing your student loans,
if it's finding other opportunities to get grants, scholarships, or
going to school in places outside the US, which I
think is not a popular opinion because you know you guys,
I'm Canadians, so don't screwing me for me. But the
(12:44):
US always wants people to think that this is the
only place to do it. In Puerto Rico is of
course in the US, but like there's I've met a
bunch of really smart and brilliant doctors that went to
school in the Caribbean, the Granada, etcetera. So lots of
ways to get capital gyms and what y'all call it
the Canada Uni. Yes, if you call it Uni, we
call it UNI. And it's so much cheaper actually, and
(13:04):
really great schools. But you gotta brave the coal guys.
Think about that, Like the gyms were dropping right now.
Really think about what we're talking about, because you can
save yourself so much money and then you coming out
of school gaining instead of losing. Let's let's change the game.
Let's change the game. Okay, So let's I want to
bring it back to entrepreneurship. So you're still playing, but
(13:27):
you're also multitasking as an entrepreneur. You've opened up your
own ice cream shop, which speaks to my heart and
love of ice cream. You're also opening production company. Let's
start with the ice cream because I love all things
sweet and ice cream. How did that come about? Um?
It was an idea. I think most things that you
want to do start with that idea. And it's like, okay,
(13:49):
could I do this? You do the research and you
said you know what you don't you don't let anything
stop you. Um. Did I have to close for COVID? Yes,
But that's just a learning experience of what business is
all about. I would say one of the main things
I've learned about business is, Okay, you want to have
a good team of people around you, your employees. That
team of people you trust is so important. It is
(14:09):
so key. I always use Lebron James as an example.
He has such a great team of people working around him.
That's why you see so much success. His team is great.
And then you can see other NBA players. You hear
they went broke or this is that is because they
have people who are stealing or or doing the you know,
you're just not That's the most important thing. The right people,
(14:29):
you know, they say most the right people. The most
businesses fail because people are stealing from the business. That's
that's the number one reason, So the right people, guys,
trustworthy people. And the second thing is, um, your customer service.
What does that look like? Right? So I always compare
it to basketball. It's like, Okay, I go play ball.
(14:50):
Nobody wants to see me play lazy, and you know,
like I don't care or like I don't feel like
being Yeah, and like fans pick up on that real fast.
And she was tired. She didn't give it her all.
I came to see Angel give it her all or
she wasn't mentally there tonight. They know that. So and
the same thing in business. When you come in my business,
(15:10):
I want you to see energetic people that are happy,
that make you feel like, wow, I want to come back.
So most of the two main components in business. I
love that, okay. And then ice cream? Why ice cream?
Because it feels like a dream come true for me? Yes, Um,
I love ice cream. I'm a sweets girl. I can
just oh my god, I can eat sweets every day,
which I know I probably need shouldn't. So yeah, and
(15:33):
I love the brand of it. You know, it was
something that was able to get back at the same time,
something I love. Another key, whatever you're doing, make sure
you're passionate about it, right, The passion behind it makes
sure you like it. What you do. Of Americans wake
up every morning not loving what they do. For better
(15:53):
lack of a better word, it sucks. It sucks, and
it sucks. It's something that you know, people always say that.
And I think for young people. You know, our podcast
audience is a very diverse range of ages, colors, everything.
But you know, I think a lot of people, you know,
they raise their eye when they're like, oh my gosh,
be passionate about something. The money will come. How do
(16:16):
you find that passion? Like, we're grinding day to day,
and it's it's really hard. I recognize for a lot
of people, like it is very hard, and it is
a gift. If you can wake up and say I
love what I do every day, it's a gift. It's
a gift. But I implore you to find it. That
is the most beautiful thing in the world, to wake
up and love what you do. Right. And I'm fortunate
(16:36):
and blessed to have it. I know you are too,
because we get to wake up. I get to play
basketball for a living, right, that's really cool. Fun. You
get to do things like this and interview people. So guys,
why not wake up loving what you do? Right? So
that means we're living in the world. Just talk about
America where so many people are miserable because you wake
up every day Like, right, here's another thing. Most heart
(16:58):
attacks happened on the day, statistically proven right, So crazy, right,
I could see. It's just like it's Monday, right, So
you're talking about most heart attacks proven to happen on Monday.
That goes to show the stress and the miserable, you know,
mindset of waking up on a Monday, like, oh, I
(17:19):
gotta why not change that and love what you do? Yes,
it's hard, so what that's what makes it beautiful. My
coach used to tell me if basketball was easy, then
everybody would do it. I love that expression that it
spans for so many things, entrepreneurship, like being successful in general.
If it was easy, everybody would do it. So that's right,
(17:41):
the whole world would play basketball and it wouldn't be
it wouldn't be interesting because everybody could just do it.
But I think we're so jaded sometimes because people like
turn into social media. They watched like I used the
example of the Facebook movie about Mark Zuckerberg in ninety minutes,
the kid became a billionaire, but it's actually like a
ten year history of him in the trenches, slugging it out,
building this like empire. But we're like, oh, ninety minutes, y'all,
(18:05):
y'all hear that she just said. Success takes years. It's
never kids, stop comparing yourself on Instagram to a one
minute picture or whatever that just shows a moment of time,
like ten seconds. Listen, Success takes years. So that's why
I always tell the kids, get started now. Yeah, I
(18:25):
get started now. It at least takes a year get started.
And I say that to people all the time, like
I'll be like, um, you know, I'll make jokes about
something like we were talking about Wikipedia or you know,
going to the Encyclopedia's versus like Wikipedia. I'm like, yeah,
I'm in my forties. Really, I can't believe that. I
was like, yeah, this is not overnight. There's decades of work, right,
(18:48):
And so I love reminding people of that because they're like, oh,
and I was like, yeah, this is four decades in
the game here doing whatever you love to do, for sure,
which is some of the most successful people guys. And
this is what I've learned to do. I'd like to go, um,
look at people's stories of how they made it. So
I'll go on Wikipedia and look up different like look
up Kanye West. You see his doc. Nobody took him seriously.
(19:12):
He was on trying to get the deal in Rockfellow.
He kept working for himself and creating opportunities for heself.
He didn't give up. That's years of him years. So
start talking. Google people that you love, whether it be
an actor, doctor, or somebody that you inspired by. Go
read their stories and you'll see no one has ever
done it overnight, no one. It doesn't exist. It doesn't exist.
(19:35):
I don't know. There's no overnight story. No there is not.
I mean even a lot But you know what, I
will say, Well, the person who comes in, but what
about the person who won the lottery? Okay, and where
are they now? But still, what's that backstory? They probably
spend all the money, like who knows? Yeah, what's that
they I'm sure they've had a hard life or something
(19:56):
like you know, so it's always still a backstory to that. Yeah,
you know. So Okay, I'm gonna I'm gonna take us
on a totally different tangent something that's very close to
my heart. I hear that you have spent some time
and hosted the first ever all female basketball camp in Ghana,
West Africa. I love this because I'm actually from Ghana.
Um my dad is there. I've spent so much time
(20:18):
going back and forth to Ghana. So tell me about
that experience. Oh my god, I had no idea. They
never had like just all female basketball camp like stuff
we just do all the time, right, So when I went,
they didn't believe I was coming because they had never
had nothing like that. I mean literally, guys, it was
like one of the most breathtaking experiences that changed my life.
(20:42):
And that's another key component. When you do make it
and you're you're where you're at in life, what do
you do you get back? Yeah, yea yeah, And it
feels so good. It feels so good to give back, Like, honestly,
it's such it enriches your life. It enriches your life,
feels Yeah, it feels so good, guys. And it's just
(21:03):
like you're able to give back because you work so
hard and then you don't understand like whose life you change?
You know, like you're changing lives, you're you're you're inspiring,
You're helping um add something to the world, because every
little bit hunts, right. We see so much negativity out here,
wars and this like that, but sometimes you don't think
it does. But just stuff that we we don't we
(21:23):
don't even need to see it, you know, even if
we don't see it on it don't need to be shown.
The little compliment. All these little things help the world,
every little bit away. I don't know. I'm I'm like
one of those people that I love all the warm
and fuzzies. So it really makes a big difference in
not just my life, but other people's lives as well.
And I know you do spend a lot of time
talking going into the high school is talking to kids,
(21:46):
helping motivate and guide them. What are some of the
other things that you do to really give back you
know there's a long laugh. Yeah, yeah, sides giving back
to the high schools, Um, I try to teach kids
the game actually is a good idea. We're doing, like
to be able to talk more fun financial kind of things.
I think all you just encourage me to give yes, yeah, no,
(22:09):
I mean this is the big thing about money moves.
We're just trying to really help create a strong foundation
for people of color women, UM, to really have these
conversations out loud to talk about money, talk about how
we can save money with the goal of helping create
like long term generational wealth in our community. UM, in
ways that I think our parents, like I look back
to how my parents were and they, you know, they said,
(22:31):
save your money, don't spend too much money. But you know,
being able to very tactically give the next generation the
tools and the tips to actually build wealth and come
at it from a younger age than I think a
lot of us did. Yeah, and that's we need more
conversations like this because they're not, like you said, they're
not here in the school. And it's like, Okay, you're
(22:52):
telling me mom and dad, save my money. But why
it needs to be more explained and death of why
and how the discipline and how the discipline behind it,
you know, so so important. UM. All right, so let's
go back to your entertainment or production company. Tell us
a little bit about that you seem to have where
so many hats. Yeah, you know, I was trying to
(23:16):
figure out, Okay, if basketball was to end, now, what
am I gonna do and that first when I got injured. Yeah,
I toward my cell and I was out and it
was the first time I never played. I'm like, oh
my god, how do I make money outside of bath?
So that's when it started happening. Okay, let me start
with out businesses and learning about how this stuff works
and UM production UM came from UM just storytelling. I
(23:41):
think that it's amazing that we to be able to UM.
You know, in our brains we have these stories to
bring them to life. I think it's so cool and
for people to see UM. So that's where I'm at
right now. I do want a lot of scripts and
storytelling and stuff stuff would becoming because it takes some
time time. It's okay, we're we're we are not for
(24:02):
the overnight sensations. We appreciate the grind and the drive
that takes to create something special. Yeah. So I've been
working on a script for about two or three years
now and this is in the process of just being
finished and UM in the process of being pitched two
different networks and things like that. So we're getting there. Wow,
I'm I'm I'm clapping my hands for a love in
(24:22):
basketball too. UM, It's time for one of those. Though
it's time. We haven't had one of those. I feel
like we haven't. Oh my goodness. Well, Angel, before you leave,
thank you so much for coming on our podcast. We're
gonna be cheering you on next season listening you all
the best, um, and please, before you leave, tell our
(24:43):
audience where they can find you on social media and
also where they can find your ice cream shop. Actually
me tell me where I can find your actually for
the ice cream shop because we closed for COVID with
the missed of funding another location, So stay two for that, Okay,
but you can catch up and keep up with everything.
I have gone all my social media at mccautrey m
c c o U g H t r y my
(25:05):
last name at mccautrey. All right, you guys, make sure
to check her out. Make sure to cheer her on
UM as she starts the season with the Minnesota When
do you guys start Minnesota? When does the season start
for the w This may you can catch us at
a sit in your youth, all right. Make sure you
support guys. If you have not been to a w
NBA game, they are incredible. I love the energy. It's
(25:26):
just such a vibe. Such a great time, so we
will be there cheering you on, happy to support. Thank
you so much for coming to the podcast Angel. Make
sure to follow her on all her social media handles.
Thanks guys, and if we helps you make your money move,
make sure to let us know by sending us a like,
sharing the knowledge, and or leaving us a review. On
Apple Podcasts, make sure to tune into Money Moves Monday
(25:50):
to Friday and subscribe to the Money Moves podcast powered
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