September 12, 2023 • 10 mins
In this episode, entrepreneur Vanessa Simmons, known for her role on MTV's 'RUN'S HOUSE,' invites us into her remarkable journey of entrepreneurship and legacy-building. Despite coming from a family of abundance, Vanessa was resolute in creating her unique pathway through entrepreneurship. She embarked on this journey by initially exploring the world of acting and later transitioning to build a brand, Pastry, alongside her sister Angela at the age of 22. Vanessa passionately shares her driving force behind entrepreneurship: the desire to create a brand that offers valuable services to people and establishes meaningful connections with her audience.
Host IG:@itstanyatime
Guest IG: @vanessajsimmons
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
You know, there's that saying that your parents like. You know,
you think that money grows on trees, and you know,
I think that I was naive in that way. I
didn't really understand what it took to really acquire money,
save money, you know, and make it work for you.
I would say that I was naive. I was young,
I was living life, and sometimes I miss those young days.
Speaker 2 (00:25):
You're listening to Money Moves powered by Greenwood, a finance
podcast dedicated to dropping all the knowledge and gems from
the world's leading celebrities, entrepreneurs and experts, and tech, business
and more. I'm your host, angel investor, technology enthusiast, and
media personality Tanya Sam. Each week, we talk with guests
who are making significant strides in their fields and learn
(00:46):
how they are making their money move. If you're someone
who's looking to make your money move, you're in the
right place. So open up your notes app and lock
us in, because this podcast will give you the keys
to the kingdom of financial stability, wealth and abundance you
so rightly deserve. Before we start the episode, I'd like
to remind you to check us out at gobreenwood dot
com and follow us on social media. At Greenwood and
(01:09):
me on all Things social at It's Tanya time to
stay locked in too new episodes. I want you to
get ready for an extraordinary guest today on Money Moves,
She's not just a devoted mother, business owner, model actors.
She is a powerhouse of positive energy and a true inspiration.
But what truly sets her apart from her commitment to
(01:31):
cultivating a healthy mindset, lifestyles and achieving balance, is that
she personally disposes that into every aspect of her life.
Please join us today and welcoming the incredible Vanessa Simmons
to the show. Vanessa, Welcome, Welcome, Welcome, thank.
Speaker 1 (01:46):
You, thank you for such an amazing introduction. I'm really
excited to be here with you and discuss all these things.
Speaker 2 (01:52):
Wow, that was easy, that was all you. I just
love to allow shine and you know, really show off
our and I'm really excited to chat with you today.
But on Money Moves, what we love to do is
talk about everything from how you're making your money move
to mindset to how we can really focus on helping
our community build generational wealth. And I want to start
(02:13):
back at the beginning of like young Vanessa, you know
you were born into a very famous family. You know
that was fortunate. You've graced our TV screens for you know, years.
But I want to talk about the early days of
like how you really viewed money and wealth and your family.
Was it something that you know, you guys talked about.
(02:34):
Was it something that you know, looking back, you would
have done things differently as you start to raise your children.
What does early money moving look like in your household?
Speaker 1 (02:45):
That's such a like deep question to like go back
to like a younger Yeah, to go back to like
younger me and think about what I thought about money.
You know, you know there's that saying that your parents like,
you know, you think that money grows on trees, and
you know, I think that I was naive in that way.
I didn't really understand what it took to really acquire.
Speaker 3 (03:07):
Money, save money, you know, and make it work for you.
I would say that I was naive. I was young.
Speaker 1 (03:14):
I was living life, And sometimes I miss those young
days where we can just like wake up, roll out
of bed and just be like, what am I gonna do?
You know, Sky's the limit, you know, it's that innocence.
It's gonna pay, Yeah, who's gonna you know? I can
get whatever I want. So, like, you know, I think
that my parents really didn't have those conversations with us
(03:37):
back then. I feel like the generational wealth conversation is
kind of something new, and that's why it's so important
that we talk about it and we do share with
our kids how important it is and saving and all
of those things. When I was a young girl, though,
it wasn't you know, I was thinking of, you know,
what I wanted to be when I got older, but
(03:58):
I never equated money with that.
Speaker 3 (04:00):
It was just always I want.
Speaker 1 (04:01):
To do something that I love and that makes me excited.
Speaker 3 (04:06):
Money really wasn't like a heavy conversation in our household.
Speaker 2 (04:10):
I find that super fascinated because I feel like mine
was a little bit of the same, and I remember
my parents being like, mine don't grow on trees. But
I still, like, I don't think I got what that meant,
because it kind of did exactly, well, can I have
a new Super Nintendo because everybody else has a new
Super Nintendo or whatever, And like I understood, maybe if
I did some chores, I'd get a couple of dollars
(04:31):
sort of thing. But I think it's it's you know,
your point is really true. Like nowadays we're so much
more intentional with you know, setting our kids up with
bank accounts and really making them understand what money is,
despite whether or not there is privilege, right, I think
that's exactly the difference.
Speaker 1 (04:50):
Yeah, there were chores, and you know, we'd make money
from doing that, but I didn't really grasp the importance
of what was being taught because it wasn't a conversation.
Speaker 3 (04:59):
It was just like, if you do this, you can
get five dollars. Yea, Like, oh, I.
Speaker 1 (05:02):
Can go to the store and I can get all
the candy from the corner store I want and a
bag of chips, and things were so much cheaper back
then five dollars because it's a really long way, you know.
So yeah, money really wasn't a conversation. It wasn't until
I got older that I really understood the importance of it.
Speaker 2 (05:19):
I wanted to ask you a little bit more because
one thing you also said, You're like, I knew I
wanted to grow up and be something, have a career,
or do something, but it wasn't really equated to money.
And I think that's really interesting too, because you know,
you came from a background where you had perhaps things right,
but it was always Hey, you got to be something.
You're not just gonna sit around and like lunch. And
(05:41):
I think you have definitely demonstrated that throughout, you know,
a long history of entrepreneurship, working so hard from like
a young age, So I think excellence was always the
underlying piece there. So I want to go back to
the early days and can you let our audience sort
of know about your history, like how do you get
into the business of entrepreneurship, acting, what came first, and
(06:04):
just give us a little bit of a rundown of
your background.
Speaker 1 (06:09):
Well, naturally, acting came first just because in school I
was into theater and all of those type.
Speaker 3 (06:17):
Of creative endeavors.
Speaker 1 (06:18):
And from an early age, I knew that I always
wanted to be creative. I always wanted to be involved
in the arts, and I always wanted to, you know,
evolve in front of the camera. It was something that
just always lived within me that I found to be
something I was passionate about.
Speaker 3 (06:34):
So acting was.
Speaker 1 (06:36):
Always something that I've wanted to do and knew that
I really wanted to pursue professionally. But as far as
entrepreneurship is something that really ran in my family, and
I got to see a lot of people within my
family start really successful brands, and it always really inspired
me to want to do the same thing, not only
for the money that it brings in, but the excitement
(06:58):
of building brands and being able to connect with people.
So entrepreneurship is something that I've honestly always wanted to
be involved in because you can be so impactful in
a way, you can connect with people, you can be
of service in some sort of capacity, and yeah, I've
I've always wanted to do it, and I got really
(07:19):
lucky at an early age that my sister and I
got to build this amazing brand Pastry.
Speaker 3 (07:24):
I think I was just twenty two or three. God
it was.
Speaker 1 (07:30):
It was such a long time ago and I was
so young, but like, there was so many valuable lessons
I learned as an entrepreneur. Yeah, it was an amazing
experience and it really was the catalyst for so many
more businesses to come out of me that I'm still
building to this day.
Speaker 2 (07:48):
You Know, it's funny because I interviewed a lot of
very successful people, both men and women, and Vanessa, I
would say, what's interesting is you're one of the few
women who were like, hey, I know was drawn to
entrepreneurship not only for like the brands that I can build,
but also for the money, like just too. And I
think this is something I really want women to feel
more comfortable saying like, we're out here building businesses because
(08:11):
it brings money in that's a way that we can
change our families lifestyles, like and not being afraid to
be like I did something for the money, because I
think women are sort of afraid to say, like, I'm
out here hustling because it makes me money. I can
feed my families, I can build wealth. You know. It's
it's empowering to be able to say that, and I
(08:31):
want more women to say it with conviction.
Speaker 1 (08:33):
Absolutely, I think that you're absolutely right. You know, sometimes
we're taught that talking about money as crafts or you know,
it's uncouth, but honestly, the things that money has the
power to do, to change our lives, to change our
families lives, and honestly build for generations beyond what we
can see, it's really powerful. And you know, we live
(08:54):
in a capitalist society. It just is what it is,
and we need money to live and you know what,
and we want to live fabulously.
Speaker 2 (09:02):
Exactly, money to live. We need money to live fabululely,
and there's no shame in that. And I also just
you know, appreciate you know. I think that the more
women have wealth and are empowered, the more this world
shifts in ways that I personally think are very positive.
Thanks for listening to today's episode. If we helped you
make your money move, please share it with your community,
(09:23):
subscribe and leave us a review on iHeartRadio and Apple podcasts.
Follow us on social media at Greenwood and visit us
at Gogreenwood dot com for more financial tips and remember,
money Movers, If this were easy, everyone would do it.
So take the lessons you've learned from this episode and
apply it to your life. Money Moves is an iHeartRadio
(09:44):
podcast powered by Greenwood Executive produced by Sunwise Media, Inc.
For more podcasts on iHeartRadio, visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts,
or wherever you get your podcasts from. Make sure to
tune in Monday, Wednesday and Friday and subscribe to the
Money Moves podcast powered by Greenwood so that you too
can have the keys to financial freedom you so rightly deserve.
(10:05):
Until next time,
You know, there's that saying that your parents like. You know,
you think that money grows on trees, and you know,
I think that I was naive in that way. I
didn't really understand what it took to really acquire money,
save money, you know, and make it work for you.
I would say that I was naive. I was young,
I was living life, and sometimes I miss those young days.
Speaker 2 (00:25):
You're listening to Money Moves powered by Greenwood, a finance
podcast dedicated to dropping all the knowledge and gems from
the world's leading celebrities, entrepreneurs and experts, and tech, business
and more. I'm your host, angel investor, technology enthusiast, and
media personality Tanya Sam. Each week, we talk with guests
who are making significant strides in their fields and learn
(00:46):
how they are making their money move. If you're someone
who's looking to make your money move, you're in the
right place. So open up your notes app and lock
us in, because this podcast will give you the keys
to the kingdom of financial stability, wealth and abundance you
so rightly deserve. Before we start the episode, I'd like
to remind you to check us out at gobreenwood dot
com and follow us on social media. At Greenwood and
(01:09):
me on all Things social at It's Tanya time to
stay locked in too new episodes. I want you to
get ready for an extraordinary guest today on Money Moves,
She's not just a devoted mother, business owner, model actors.
She is a powerhouse of positive energy and a true inspiration.
But what truly sets her apart from her commitment to
(01:31):
cultivating a healthy mindset, lifestyles and achieving balance, is that
she personally disposes that into every aspect of her life.
Please join us today and welcoming the incredible Vanessa Simmons
to the show. Vanessa, Welcome, Welcome, Welcome, thank.
Speaker 1 (01:46):
You, thank you for such an amazing introduction. I'm really
excited to be here with you and discuss all these things.
Speaker 2 (01:52):
Wow, that was easy, that was all you. I just
love to allow shine and you know, really show off
our and I'm really excited to chat with you today.
But on Money Moves, what we love to do is
talk about everything from how you're making your money move
to mindset to how we can really focus on helping
our community build generational wealth. And I want to start
(02:13):
back at the beginning of like young Vanessa, you know
you were born into a very famous family. You know
that was fortunate. You've graced our TV screens for you know, years.
But I want to talk about the early days of
like how you really viewed money and wealth and your family.
Was it something that you know, you guys talked about.
(02:34):
Was it something that you know, looking back, you would
have done things differently as you start to raise your children.
What does early money moving look like in your household?
Speaker 1 (02:45):
That's such a like deep question to like go back
to like a younger Yeah, to go back to like
younger me and think about what I thought about money.
You know, you know there's that saying that your parents like,
you know, you think that money grows on trees, and
you know, I think that I was naive in that way.
I didn't really understand what it took to really acquire.
Speaker 3 (03:07):
Money, save money, you know, and make it work for you.
I would say that I was naive. I was young.
Speaker 1 (03:14):
I was living life, And sometimes I miss those young
days where we can just like wake up, roll out
of bed and just be like, what am I gonna do?
You know, Sky's the limit, you know, it's that innocence.
It's gonna pay, Yeah, who's gonna you know? I can
get whatever I want. So, like, you know, I think
that my parents really didn't have those conversations with us
(03:37):
back then. I feel like the generational wealth conversation is
kind of something new, and that's why it's so important
that we talk about it and we do share with
our kids how important it is and saving and all
of those things. When I was a young girl, though,
it wasn't you know, I was thinking of, you know,
what I wanted to be when I got older, but
(03:58):
I never equated money with that.
Speaker 3 (04:00):
It was just always I want.
Speaker 1 (04:01):
To do something that I love and that makes me excited.
Speaker 3 (04:06):
Money really wasn't like a heavy conversation in our household.
Speaker 2 (04:10):
I find that super fascinated because I feel like mine
was a little bit of the same, and I remember
my parents being like, mine don't grow on trees. But
I still, like, I don't think I got what that meant,
because it kind of did exactly, well, can I have
a new Super Nintendo because everybody else has a new
Super Nintendo or whatever, And like I understood, maybe if
I did some chores, I'd get a couple of dollars
(04:31):
sort of thing. But I think it's it's you know,
your point is really true. Like nowadays we're so much
more intentional with you know, setting our kids up with
bank accounts and really making them understand what money is,
despite whether or not there is privilege, right, I think
that's exactly the difference.
Speaker 1 (04:50):
Yeah, there were chores, and you know, we'd make money
from doing that, but I didn't really grasp the importance
of what was being taught because it wasn't a conversation.
Speaker 3 (04:59):
It was just like, if you do this, you can
get five dollars. Yea, Like, oh, I.
Speaker 1 (05:02):
Can go to the store and I can get all
the candy from the corner store I want and a
bag of chips, and things were so much cheaper back
then five dollars because it's a really long way, you know.
So yeah, money really wasn't a conversation. It wasn't until
I got older that I really understood the importance of it.
Speaker 2 (05:19):
I wanted to ask you a little bit more because
one thing you also said, You're like, I knew I
wanted to grow up and be something, have a career,
or do something, but it wasn't really equated to money.
And I think that's really interesting too, because you know,
you came from a background where you had perhaps things right,
but it was always Hey, you got to be something.
You're not just gonna sit around and like lunch. And
(05:41):
I think you have definitely demonstrated that throughout, you know,
a long history of entrepreneurship, working so hard from like
a young age, So I think excellence was always the
underlying piece there. So I want to go back to
the early days and can you let our audience sort
of know about your history, like how do you get
into the business of entrepreneurship, acting, what came first, and
(06:04):
just give us a little bit of a rundown of
your background.
Speaker 1 (06:09):
Well, naturally, acting came first just because in school I
was into theater and all of those type.
Speaker 3 (06:17):
Of creative endeavors.
Speaker 1 (06:18):
And from an early age, I knew that I always
wanted to be creative. I always wanted to be involved
in the arts, and I always wanted to, you know,
evolve in front of the camera. It was something that
just always lived within me that I found to be
something I was passionate about.
Speaker 3 (06:34):
So acting was.
Speaker 1 (06:36):
Always something that I've wanted to do and knew that
I really wanted to pursue professionally. But as far as
entrepreneurship is something that really ran in my family, and
I got to see a lot of people within my
family start really successful brands, and it always really inspired
me to want to do the same thing, not only
for the money that it brings in, but the excitement
(06:58):
of building brands and being able to connect with people.
So entrepreneurship is something that I've honestly always wanted to
be involved in because you can be so impactful in
a way, you can connect with people, you can be
of service in some sort of capacity, and yeah, I've
I've always wanted to do it, and I got really
(07:19):
lucky at an early age that my sister and I
got to build this amazing brand Pastry.
Speaker 3 (07:24):
I think I was just twenty two or three. God
it was.
Speaker 1 (07:30):
It was such a long time ago and I was
so young, but like, there was so many valuable lessons
I learned as an entrepreneur. Yeah, it was an amazing
experience and it really was the catalyst for so many
more businesses to come out of me that I'm still
building to this day.
Speaker 2 (07:48):
You Know, it's funny because I interviewed a lot of
very successful people, both men and women, and Vanessa, I
would say, what's interesting is you're one of the few
women who were like, hey, I know was drawn to
entrepreneurship not only for like the brands that I can build,
but also for the money, like just too. And I
think this is something I really want women to feel
more comfortable saying like, we're out here building businesses because
(08:11):
it brings money in that's a way that we can
change our families lifestyles, like and not being afraid to
be like I did something for the money, because I
think women are sort of afraid to say, like, I'm
out here hustling because it makes me money. I can
feed my families, I can build wealth. You know. It's
it's empowering to be able to say that, and I
(08:31):
want more women to say it with conviction.
Speaker 1 (08:33):
Absolutely, I think that you're absolutely right. You know, sometimes
we're taught that talking about money as crafts or you know,
it's uncouth, but honestly, the things that money has the
power to do, to change our lives, to change our
families lives, and honestly build for generations beyond what we
can see, it's really powerful. And you know, we live
(08:54):
in a capitalist society. It just is what it is,
and we need money to live and you know what,
and we want to live fabulously.
Speaker 2 (09:02):
Exactly, money to live. We need money to live fabululely,
and there's no shame in that. And I also just
you know, appreciate you know. I think that the more
women have wealth and are empowered, the more this world
shifts in ways that I personally think are very positive.
Thanks for listening to today's episode. If we helped you
make your money move, please share it with your community,
(09:23):
subscribe and leave us a review on iHeartRadio and Apple podcasts.
Follow us on social media at Greenwood and visit us
at Gogreenwood dot com for more financial tips and remember,
money Movers, If this were easy, everyone would do it.
So take the lessons you've learned from this episode and
apply it to your life. Money Moves is an iHeartRadio
(09:44):
podcast powered by Greenwood Executive produced by Sunwise Media, Inc.
For more podcasts on iHeartRadio, visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts,
or wherever you get your podcasts from. Make sure to
tune in Monday, Wednesday and Friday and subscribe to the
Money Moves podcast powered by Greenwood so that you too
can have the keys to financial freedom you so rightly deserve.
(10:05):
Until next time,
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