October 21, 2025 • 43 mins
Heartbreak. A move across the country. A food blog that blew up. Alex Hill turned every plot twist into a plateful of possibility. Rodney and Travis dig in on how she built her Just Add Hot Sauce brand from her kitchen table, found financial freedom without a formula, and learned that the real flex isn’t the partnership—it’s the peace of mind.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
It's Rodney Williams, co founder of The Wealth Break. Listen.
Speaker 2 (00:04):
I know firsthand that building wealth can feel like everyone's
playing a game you never got.
Speaker 1 (00:09):
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(00:34):
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Soak up those insights and get clear, actionable strategies you
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Speaker 1 (00:49):
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Speaker 2 (00:51):
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from getting with yours. Visit the wealthbreak dot com today
and start changing the game for yourself.
Speaker 1 (01:18):
Welcome to the Wealth Break.
Speaker 2 (01:19):
This is where we unlock stories of financial success, pushing,
breaking down odds, being yourself, and ending it in a
way which we hope closes the wealth gap. Hello everyone,
(01:41):
Welcome to the Wealth Break. I'm Rodney Williams, I'm Travis Hollaway,
and today we have an incredible conversation about community culture
and what it takes to personify wealth and we're here
was the incredible Alex Hill.
Speaker 1 (01:56):
I'm gonna call her her government name, not her Instagram name.
Speaker 2 (02:01):
Yes, incredible self talk cook, entrepreneur, risk taker, community builder,
world traveler. You know what I mean.
Speaker 1 (02:12):
LA looks good on you, mix Hill. Welcome to the Welthfrid.
Thank you for having we.
Speaker 3 (02:17):
Thank you for having we.
Speaker 2 (02:19):
You know, it's been incredible to number one meet you
when you took your risk from corporate and come to
this is the big city.
Speaker 1 (02:27):
I know they say big city. That's New York, right,
I get each city. Yeah, that's the city. And this
is not me on New York.
Speaker 2 (02:33):
I'm just saying, like, you know, that was a coming
to LA to double down on something you believe in.
Speaker 1 (02:41):
That's probably a wealth building journey for you.
Speaker 3 (02:43):
Yeah. Well, I mean I was in New York for
almost ten years, but I was working in corporate during
that time, and when I went through like a major
life change, I decided to well a breakup.
Speaker 4 (02:53):
Yeahah, all that that's usually what it is, right for
being honest, that's usually what it is. It is.
Speaker 3 (02:58):
So I went through a breakup and I decided to
take to leave of faith and just move here because
I was coming back and forth for different opportunities. I
was like, well let me just try it out. So
and it's been three years so I love it.
Speaker 4 (03:10):
Wow, How has La changed for you since when you
got here? Originally? Because a few years ago was like
super popular, everyone was coming here. Now it feels like
everybody's leaving.
Speaker 3 (03:19):
Everyone is leaving. Yeah, I feel like what they said
the Grand Exodus or whatever. I like it. I mean,
I think it's really good for my lifestyle now. Like
I'm in my am, I my late I'm thirty seven?
Is that later mid? Well, you guys are old.
Speaker 4 (03:32):
I'm gonna call it. I'm thirty seven, okay, so don't pay.
Speaker 1 (03:35):
Me, right.
Speaker 2 (03:38):
Jesus, I wasn't even even part of this conversation over there.
Speaker 4 (03:43):
I would say we were mid and then thirty eight.
Speaker 1 (03:46):
Is like l late seven is late?
Speaker 3 (03:50):
No, I think thirty seven, thirty seven's.
Speaker 4 (03:52):
Mid, or maybe thirty four to thirty six is made
like thirty seven.
Speaker 3 (03:58):
I'm in my late ish me too, thirties. So I
feel like it's different from like not being in New York.
So it's a good settled.
Speaker 4 (04:06):
I tell everyone like La for your thirties and particularly
your late thirties, New York for your twenties.
Speaker 3 (04:11):
Absolutely, and that's exactly what. Yeah, and I loved every second.
Speaker 2 (04:14):
Yeah, Yeah, I'm so happy to be with my late
he mad No, no, no, you know Jesus. I mean,
first of all, I feel good to be forty. So
whatever you want to call it. You know what I'm saying,
I think you should. You should embrace whatever age you Yes, I'm.
Speaker 3 (04:29):
Excited for when whenever I turned forty.
Speaker 1 (04:31):
Yeah, I mean it's not much different, you know what
I mean.
Speaker 2 (04:33):
I think you have to make a decision on how
you want your life to be and continue to work.
So to me, it feels like business as usual. I don't,
I don't know. To be honest, I don't. I don't really,
I don't really know.
Speaker 4 (04:43):
But He've been waiting for his moment to say how
forty is from No.
Speaker 2 (04:47):
It's just you know, because something I think people get
caught up in the wrong aspect of forty. And what
I mean by that is like everything that we tend
to live through can actually define us or you just
make the choice for it not to. Yeah, write your location, relationship, money, jobs, success,
all the things that you said was supposed to happen,
(05:07):
and it didn't happen. And I think sometimes like we
are our own greatest critic to the things that don't
work out. Yeah, And I just think that some people
got this thing about like getting forty or getting whatever age,
like you had it when you.
Speaker 1 (05:20):
Was thirty, or we had it when we was twenty five.
Speaker 2 (05:22):
Yeah, I was supposed to do this thing, and then
this thing doesn't happen, and they're like, oh my god,
I'm a failure.
Speaker 3 (05:27):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (05:28):
Absolutely, I don't know. I think you're not a failure.
But I do think one thing about forty. So I
tell people, like I've said it a couple of times,
not on this podcast, but my mother. I remember when
she turned forty, like it was yesterday. She cried, she cried,
she cried, she cried.
Speaker 3 (05:44):
I think it's different from women, to be honest.
Speaker 4 (05:46):
Yeah. But she had like two kids, she had been
married for twenty years already, like.
Speaker 3 (05:50):
She she was like single.
Speaker 4 (05:52):
She was like like she had all the things right, yeah,
and I remember we got a fax machine that was
her gift for her fortyeth birthday, So this is like,
but she cried and mom, I know you'll see this,
but yeah, she cried a lot and it was crazy,
it was almost traumatic. But there used to be this
like saying, like over the hill when you turn forty,
and like there was this big thing about turning forty
(06:14):
and like whether or not you know, basically on the
second half of your life, right, so everything is like downhill.
I think that I no longer think that's true. I
think people are making forty look better than ever before
now or some people Rodney you are, I'm gonna give
you some credit, But I think for a lot of people,
(06:34):
if you haven't figured out what your thing is going
to be by forty, I think it's going to get
really really hard for you. Like if you haven't figured
out a career, if you haven't figured out what you're
passionate about and how to derive some type of like
income and lifestyle from that, by the time you hit forty,
I think that it becomes significantly more challenging to figure
it out over forty. And I'm scared for people. And
(06:58):
we know some people who haven't figured it out yet
who are approaching that, and I don't I think forty
to fifty is going to go by like that, and
your life's not going to look much different, and then
after that it's going to.
Speaker 1 (07:08):
Get really scary. Yeah, that's about right, that's about right. Yeah,
you know, I think I think that's probably a good
segue into your journey.
Speaker 2 (07:17):
Regardless of the reason. You actually do hit your stride
in your forties. And what people don't understand is when
you look at all of the data, usually your greatest
earning potential, like when you start to separate yourself as
actually forties and fifties, Yeah, is when you start to
separate yourself, and that means you have to go into
your forties understanding what you're here to do and why
you're gonna gotten do.
Speaker 1 (07:38):
So I think you're right on Tom.
Speaker 3 (07:40):
I think so too.
Speaker 1 (07:41):
Long story show too.
Speaker 3 (07:43):
I'm right where I'm supposed to be.
Speaker 2 (07:45):
Let's talk about it though, for someone that's completely outside
looking in, how did you decide that you're going to
create this world for yourself?
Speaker 3 (07:54):
Well, I was working. I went to school Hampton University HBCU. Yeah,
I went to school for a public relation whatever.
Speaker 4 (08:03):
Oh, I was waiting for that one. I'm not a
I don't have a horse in this race.
Speaker 3 (08:07):
Listen, all love to all the HBCUs, especially Howard and
Hampton all that. But I went to school for marketing PR.
I originally wanted to go to culinary school, but my
mom said absolutely not. She was like, if you think
about it after school, then you can, Like, then we'll
talk about it. I got a job in New York,
but food always followed me, and I decided in twenty
seventeen to just start something for myself because I was
(08:30):
doing the whole marketing nine to five and I was like, well,
I kind of want to do something for myself within
my past. Like I knew food was my passion, but
I didn't really know what to do. So I started
a food blog in twenty seventeen. Lots of starts and
stops because imposter syndrome kicks in. You're kind of like,
I didn't know how to start a website. I don't
know how to take food pictures. I didn't know how to
(08:51):
edit anything. And you just kind of learn along the way.
And then this is like a long story, very short.
But then in twenty twenty, when the pandemic happened and
it was a stay at home order, you know, everyone
was like home and they couldn't eat out so they
just kept coming to my page because I was posting
like a maniac, Like I was posting food recipes like
(09:11):
every day. Like my food bill was like a thousand
dollars during the pandemic, Like it was crazy crazy. And
then my following started to grow and I got my
first partnership of five hundred dollars. I remember, I was like,
oh my gosh, so you can make money from them.
I was like five hundred dollars. And then cause I
was working at my dream job team Epiphany, and we
(09:32):
were really busy, and then it was like January twenty
twenty one, I had a really bad panic attack and
I was like, I don't think I can do this anymore.
I don't think I can juggle like work and just
add hot sauce. And then I decided to quit with
twenty it was twenty five k in my savings. That
was like six months of expenses. And then yeah, I
(09:53):
was like, I don't have a plan, but I'm going
to figure it out.
Speaker 4 (09:57):
You stepped out on a face.
Speaker 3 (09:58):
Yeah, it's gonna be five years next year.
Speaker 4 (10:00):
That's amazing. So that's amazing. How did your mother react
when you said I'm leaving to do this thing.
Speaker 3 (10:07):
So I didn't tell them. I didn't tell my mom
because my dad's a lawyer and my mom was in
like corporate for like however long, and I didn't tell
them until I quit, So until like I actually left
my job.
Speaker 1 (10:18):
I called my mom.
Speaker 3 (10:19):
I was like, okay, so I have something to tell you,
and she was like what, and I was like, I
quit and they both just said they're like okay. They're
like okay. And I told myself because I'm also a
tourist and very steven, I was like, I'm not going
to ask them for money. And I have not asked
them for money.
Speaker 4 (10:33):
That's amazing.
Speaker 3 (10:34):
And I was that just something for me. But I
think my mom knew and my dad was. I think
my dad still doesn't understand what I do, which is fine.
Speaker 4 (10:43):
Like like he's like, oh, yeah, she's doing so.
Speaker 3 (10:48):
And then when I got my cookbook deal, that's when
he was like, oh, like you're doing something.
Speaker 1 (10:53):
I'm like, yeah, that's amazing.
Speaker 3 (10:55):
So they both said they were like okay, They're like,
if this is what you want to do, like we'll
support you emotionally.
Speaker 4 (11:01):
So how important was budgeting pre leaving your job and
starting this new journey and how important did it become post?
Speaker 3 (11:10):
Okay, so post we're still working on budgeting.
Speaker 4 (11:15):
Okay, you know so you were you were budgeting more
in your former career than you are now. Yeah, so
that means you must make so much more money now.
Speaker 3 (11:25):
Well yeah, like, well this is well I didn't I
need to start making six figures until I left my job. Wow, Okay,
Like I left my job making I think I ended
at ninety k and that was twenty yeah, twenty twenty one.
Look like that was well.
Speaker 2 (11:45):
You know, I always talk about this that, like, you know,
there's a lot of careers that you can work for
twenty five years.
Speaker 1 (11:51):
Yeah, and it's not a real wealth building career story,
oh for sure.
Speaker 2 (11:55):
Like, like I think Creatives is one of those like
if you don't ultimately end up, I mean I don't, Yeah,
like something's like that, Like it's just not a lucrative
place for you, and there's.
Speaker 1 (12:06):
No equity in it and there's nothing that's yours.
Speaker 3 (12:09):
Yeah, I mean, like I budgeted great when I had
nine to five and then also like my savings went
into like skyrocket because I was home during the pandemic
and I wasn't traveling for work like and I had,
I wasn't using my not what's called what's that thing?
A corporate card? Oh my god, a corporate card, a
corper card. Oh my god, I miss my corporate card.
(12:30):
That's great, but like, yeah, so I really learned how
to budget because like that's what I was making. So
post is like we're still a work in progress, but
I did. My mom made me sign up to Uh,
they're probably be like this choosing how to budget.
Speaker 4 (12:46):
It was called I don't know.
Speaker 3 (12:48):
Oh my god, no no, no, it's through like Charles Schwab.
Speaker 4 (12:53):
Oh so like a retirement account like or like.
Speaker 3 (12:56):
Yeah, when I left my job, I went from four
to one k to rock is a rock rock? Yeah,
I but I did it through her financial advisor.
Speaker 4 (13:08):
Yeah, so they probably so they probably converted your four
one k into an IRA. And how you contribute to
your IRA?
Speaker 3 (13:14):
Yes, because like the max every year is like seven
what is that seventh thout?
Speaker 4 (13:17):
I should really know this, Yeah, I mean it goes up.
I want to say maybe six or seven.
Speaker 2 (13:22):
You're doing it contributed, that's that's like way past the normal.
Speaker 1 (13:28):
Oh really, well new entrepreneur ish. Yeah, to be honest,
I'll be clear.
Speaker 4 (13:32):
Yeah, most entrepreneurs.
Speaker 3 (13:34):
Actually, well, I'm celebrating five years working for myself next year.
I didn't really start, like I didn't really transfer into
like a year ago because I was just like I
don't know what the fuck I'm doing like every month.
Speaker 4 (13:47):
You know.
Speaker 3 (13:47):
And then also when you're on social media, like it's
like you know, ups and downs.
Speaker 4 (13:52):
How do you juggle being so visible right on social
and feeling like you have to always have content? So
like maybe it's like even your background, people like oh man,
she cooking in that kitchen with the white refrigerator.
Speaker 3 (14:08):
Or white refrigerator my first apartment.
Speaker 4 (14:10):
Yeah, but like people judge like the the things that
people say on social and then it's like all right,
Like now do I have to go over extend myself
to get like a nicer place because I'm trying to
create like these esthetics with these visuals. Then it's like
all right, Like I'm a brand, I'm a personal brand,
so like now I need to be in all of
these places something it's expensive, Like how do you handle that?
Speaker 3 (14:31):
I will say my mom really raised me to be
like do not focus on what everyone else is doing,
like focus on like what you can afford, and like
what because I think also when you move to LA
it's the glitz and the glamour and all that thing.
But it's just like when I first moved here, I
couldn't afford because I was going through a breakup. I
should say divorced because I should venmo him for so
(14:53):
much money, but like like I was like I was
deep in just like moving expenses and like we were
going through a breakup. So it was just like a
lot of money just like all over the place. So
when I moved here, I was like, this is what
I can afford, Like I'm not And I had to
get a car.
Speaker 1 (15:10):
Yeah that and I.
Speaker 3 (15:12):
Never bought a car before until I moved here because
I was in New York for ten years, so I
was on the subway. So I think I was just
like I can't get caught up in what everyone is
doing and what everyone is buying, Like this is what
I can afford, and I'm going to let you in
on this journey because where I am right now, I
was in a white refrigerator apartment. And now because I've
been here what two three years, I was like, oh,
(15:34):
I can move, I'm making more money, like I've balanced,
Like what's incoming and like how much I've saved. So
it's like, Okay, I can move into a home now.
But I think if you let social media get to you,
you can you can be like whoa, and then those
taxes are still about to come every year.
Speaker 4 (15:54):
YEA. Was that a surprise to you? Taxes in this world?
Speaker 3 (15:59):
Taxes, taxis. I was like, you have to pay like
I knew that, but I was like, whoa, that is
a lot of money.
Speaker 2 (16:09):
When you look at your platform and your community. Obviously,
I know you have a book coming out, You're progressing
in a direction. Yeah, what does that vision look like?
Speaker 3 (16:19):
Oh? I mean, like I like, right now, ninety percent
of my income is through content creation, so through brand
partnerships on social media. But eventually, like I want to
own a small cafe coffee shop with the cooking school
attached and slowly getting away from content creation because that's
(16:41):
not I think it's such a saturated place right now,
and it's very like everyone there's no traffic in your lane,
but everyone wants to be like on the internet and
make money from the internet. But that's not like they
always say, like my managers always like content creators have
a three to five year lifespan. I'm coming up in
my five years and it was great that I got
(17:02):
a cookbook deal. So it's like, my vision is to
be a household name within cooking and food and all
of that, but not solely rely on social media as
income first.
Speaker 2 (17:13):
That's incredibly insightful to give yourself the lifespan. On the
flip side, we usually have this conversation with like a
celebrity or an example and someone who gets a record
deal and I don't know why they think that that's
going to be a twenty five year career. Yeah, of
that same income maybe year one, two, three, four, when
it's actually going to be inconsistent across the life of
(17:34):
that career and you may always do parts of it,
but like you do have to plan on something that
is more consistent.
Speaker 3 (17:42):
Yeah, like social media making mynew on social media is
not consistent. If you see like Jackie, she's a big YouTuber, Jackie.
I don't know our parents, Aina, Aina, you know what
I'm talking about. Okay, Well, she was huge on YouTube,
content creator all that, and she eventually she started like
a candle line and now she has like a perfume mind.
So even she knows, like, Okay, I have this community,
(18:04):
I have this brand, so what else can I do
with it?
Speaker 4 (18:07):
You got to like transition. The best ones, I think
do transition into selling product. Yeah, like their own product,
because they've been so good at selling other people's product, right,
doing content, so product brick and mortar. So cafe, it's like,
all right, cool, when we go to La we got
to go to just add hot sauces. Yeah, cafe because
we know the food will be fired and it's like
a good vibe, et cetera. So like that transition absolutely
(18:30):
makes a lot of sense. Yeah, from a travel perspective, obviously,
two weeks in Paris, Yeah, how important is travel to you?
And yeah, how do you kind of transition some of
your worldly experiences into what you do in the brand
that you're building.
Speaker 3 (18:44):
Well, I love traveling, and I didn't really like I
literally said to myself, and I think twenty twenty two,
I was like, I really want to use my passport
more to just travel and I don't want to wait on,
you know, a relationship to do that, because I think
with social media it's very much like vacation all the things.
But it's like I just wanted to go for myself,
So For me, I think it takes time to really
(19:05):
just be like how can I refuel myself? You know,
because I think in the day and day of like
you're just it's a rat race of like work, and
like for me, traveling is just like refueling. And so
like when I went to Paris this time, I had
a speaking engagement through this woman's group that reached out
to me because they're like, oh, I've seen you on substack,
Like would you love for you to speak up the
(19:27):
women's group? And then I also had a brand partnership
for a girl's solo dinner. So it's like I think
through just authentically showing who I am on the internet,
like my community sees that and like, oh how can
travel be a part of Yeah. So like now me
and my manager are trying to do a Paris trip
for me in my community.
Speaker 1 (19:49):
So yeah, how did you budget? Like how did you?
Speaker 3 (19:53):
Okay, I did not budget for Paris.
Speaker 4 (19:55):
Better question is how you go to Paris without a budget?
Speaker 1 (19:58):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (19:58):
Right, I did not.
Speaker 4 (20:01):
What are the things that you splurge on when you're
on vacation and what are the things that you skimp on?
Speaker 1 (20:08):
Food?
Speaker 3 (20:09):
I will always splurge on food. And I will always
promise myself like one big thing. Like when I went
in February by my first Chanel person, I was like
like it was like a big thing. So I was
like that's what I'm going like, I will buy like
one big purchase and then yeah, I think I'll save
(20:31):
a little bit on like hotels because I'm like not
in the hotel all the time. But yeah, the air
beingbe I do more research on Airbanb's.
Speaker 2 (20:44):
Hotels okay, and food. You won't catch me at a museum.
I want cultural anything I'm talking about.
Speaker 3 (20:56):
Since I've been in Paris, I've been three times this year.
No museum. I don't want to go to the museum. Yeah,
I don't want to go to the loof to look
at the small mona Lisa. I'll do like food for
me is like my art.
Speaker 4 (21:09):
Yeah. Yeah, I'm the same way. Don't don't ask tours, Yeah,
no excursions, no tours, but I budget my trips.
Speaker 3 (21:18):
You're also in like finance, Yeah, I'll be budgeting.
Speaker 2 (21:21):
I just think you know, so you know, when you budget,
it doesn't mean that you don't break the budget.
Speaker 1 (21:25):
Yeah, it just means you.
Speaker 4 (21:26):
Have got an idea. Yeah, I got an idea about
what it's going to look like. Yeah, and then when
something we go a little too crazy one night, I'm like,
I want to self correct. I'm not no.
Speaker 3 (21:38):
Yeah, I did budget, yeah, but I knew my advance
from the book deal was coming, so I was like,
oh my god, it look you know. So I was like,
I'm gonna go a little crazy. But that was like
the last time doing that.
Speaker 4 (21:48):
Yeah, So tell us about the book. Okay, Yeah, so
(22:09):
how did it come about? And what is your vision?
Speaker 3 (22:12):
So it came okay, So I've always wanted a cookbook,
I will say I said that since I was younger.
I've always wanted a cookbook. And I got my cookbook
deal in May.
Speaker 1 (22:23):
Congratulations, thank you.
Speaker 3 (22:26):
But it is a single subject cookbook based off spice,
but not spicy food. So it's like bold, vibrant flavors,
heavily spiced meals, kind of based around like just ad
hot sauce and my black and Puerto Rican culture. But yeah,
it was a journey to get there. It took it
took me a year to find a literary agent, because
that's the first step, finding a literary agent to believe
(22:49):
in you and sign you, and then It took about
a year to get it pitched and the deal.
Speaker 4 (22:59):
That's amazing. Yeah, do you have a release date for it?
Speaker 3 (23:01):
It is Spring twenty twenty seven. It takes two years
to make a cookbook. Wow, yeah, it takes two years.
Speaker 1 (23:07):
Wow, what's the process? Are you going to go off
in the lab and the attic and pop out with
a book?
Speaker 3 (23:13):
So it's like, so I have to get my recipes approved. Okay,
So that's we're in the process of doing that now.
So I have to come up with like what's.
Speaker 4 (23:20):
That look like? So like do you have to cook
the food and someone taste the food?
Speaker 3 (23:24):
But first you get it approved by your editor and
they're like, okay, this is balanced like chapters of like breakfast, lunch, dinner,
all that, And then you start testing. But then I
can't test it. A recipe developer has to test it
to make sure it's like okay, like someone can actually
do this, because if I test, I'm like, yeah, someone
(23:45):
can do this. I'm testing, but we have to have
a second person to be like okay, like no, this
is good. So then I write my manuscript and that's
due in June of thirty thousand words.
Speaker 1 (23:56):
Wow, but all right, but they're testing the recipe.
Speaker 2 (24:00):
Yeah, but you're you're you're making the food as well,
so you know it's a good recipe.
Speaker 3 (24:04):
Yeah, So I may I come up with the seventy
five recipes. I make it, they test it, and then
once it goes back and it's all approved, then we
start to shoot the cookbook and then it goes into
like the book tour mode.
Speaker 1 (24:17):
Is it all new or is it old? Faith? Are
you gonna have a breakfast sandwich?
Speaker 3 (24:21):
Yes, breakfast there, you'll be there, So some will be
like ten to twenty percent are kind of like your ogs,
and then the rest are new.
Speaker 1 (24:30):
Yeah, that's probably just something I wanted to ask you
because you're coming from Paris.
Speaker 2 (24:33):
But what's like the top mill you've eaten in your
most recent steak?
Speaker 3 (24:39):
I'm not going to say this, right, steak a poo
bah steak in the peppercorn sauce in France, In France,
it's amazing.
Speaker 1 (24:47):
What's what's the location?
Speaker 3 (24:49):
There is a place called Bistro Paul Bear that I
go to every time.
Speaker 1 (24:53):
Okay, guys go to bistro.
Speaker 3 (24:55):
Bistro Paul Paul bert or Bear.
Speaker 1 (24:57):
And I'm not going to owe her a check.
Speaker 4 (24:59):
Yeah, she holds us a check.
Speaker 3 (25:02):
It's delicious.
Speaker 2 (25:04):
When you think about your next big purchase, are you
going to plan it's time?
Speaker 4 (25:09):
Yes?
Speaker 3 (25:10):
So my So this is how God works. My next
big purchase will be another not another car, a car
because my book comes out in twenty twenty seven. Because
at first I was like, oh, I'm going to do
it when I get like my book advance. But then
I got I was like that's not responsible. I was like,
I don't think I should do that.
Speaker 4 (25:27):
I like it. I like it.
Speaker 3 (25:28):
Yeah, I was like I don't think I should do
because I have like two more years in my least.
So I was like, I don't think I should do that,
but I really wanted to. So now that my next
big purchase is going to be a new cart when
the year of my cookbook comes out. So is that
like God works in a serious.
Speaker 4 (25:42):
Nas So when you cook as much as you.
Speaker 3 (25:46):
Do, yeah, do I budget?
Speaker 1 (25:47):
No? Okay?
Speaker 4 (25:48):
How do that?
Speaker 3 (25:49):
I don't?
Speaker 4 (25:50):
How do you?
Speaker 3 (25:51):
But I can write something?
Speaker 4 (25:52):
How are you efficient with cooking so frequently? Like how
do you like not waste food? And then separately, how
do you like keep off of you? Okay? Cooking so much?
Speaker 3 (26:03):
So with recipe testing and all that. Well, I moved.
I'm renting a house now in West Adams. But when
I was at my apartment, my neighbor, I would share
my food with my neighbor because it's like, I don't
want that food to go to waste. You're a good neighbor,
So I would like share the food with her, and
she would also bounce stuff off of I'd like be like,
how does this taste? So she would actually help me
(26:24):
with that. So now it's a little bit harder. So
I am eating a lot of leftovers, even though I
hate leftovers. And then I also have a compost so
I don't feel bad as like wasting food if I
if I throw it away yeah, or I'll take it
to my neighbors. Now, Like I made a cake a
couple months ago that I was like, I'm not going
to eat all this, but like, do you want some?
Speaker 4 (26:43):
Saw me up for the big good left wa?
Speaker 3 (26:45):
I got you, I got you, And then you have
to work out Yeah, I.
Speaker 4 (26:49):
Just you know, people who are single, like they oftentimes
say they don't want to cook because yeah, they just
don't want to cook for one and then you have
all this food and then you know, I grew up
in a soho where it's like you gotta eat it
because it's there. Yeah, so you didn't really throw away much. Yeah,
and then people who live by that rule, they tend
to weigh a lot, you know.
Speaker 3 (27:10):
After you turn I think really for women after you
turn thirty five, like the metabolism is not the same.
So for me, like I knew that I had to
work out. Yeah, so that's like my second highest bill
is my workout. Yeah, it's like rent and then like
working out, it's like a very high expense. But it's
like for me, I can't I can't eat all this
(27:33):
food and then not work out.
Speaker 4 (27:34):
Yeah, you know, one hundred percent so per.
Speaker 3 (27:38):
And also cooking with whole ingredients is very important, Like
I do not cook with processed food. I don't like
I shop almost exclusively at the farmer's market, which also
is a privilege in itself because it's a little bit
more expensive. But it's like it's important to me to
eat whole and knowing was going in your body.
Speaker 4 (27:55):
Yeah. I guess when you don't eat out as much,
it is also easier to keep off because of all
the extra stuff they put in.
Speaker 1 (28:02):
The food is more affordable it is.
Speaker 2 (28:05):
Eating out is still significantly more expensive than you know,
the biggest at home buddies.
Speaker 3 (28:12):
Yeah, and then also drinking puts on weight too. I
love a good cocktail and wine, but.
Speaker 2 (28:18):
Like you know, that's my actually, my favorite save money
cheat code is I just don't drink that week. Yeah,
whatever you're going to spend, it drops by like fifty percent.
Speaker 3 (28:29):
Yeah, Like I won't drink during the week.
Speaker 4 (28:31):
Yeah, yeah, I.
Speaker 3 (28:33):
Almost never do unless I'm going on a dath and
like I can't.
Speaker 4 (28:37):
I'm mad at it.
Speaker 3 (28:38):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (28:39):
How did you start cooking? Is that something that was
big in your household when you were growing up?
Speaker 3 (28:43):
My mom? Yeah, my mom, she's Puerto Rican from Brooklyn,
like grew up with a huge family. And I think
everyone says it's about their moms, like they just float
effortlessly in the kitchen and I just love watching her cook.
And she noticed that I liked cooking, and she was like,
do you want to cook a recipe a weekend? And
I was like yeah. Because I was a kid watching
(29:04):
Food Network, I wasn't doing ballet or anything like that.
Like I was very shy and no one believes me,
but like that was I.
Speaker 1 (29:10):
Can't believe it. Yeah, I know.
Speaker 3 (29:11):
Yeah, probably I was very shy, and cooking for me
is just a way that I expressed myself, and so
I just fell in love with it.
Speaker 4 (29:20):
So how did you get comfortable? If you so you
were shy, You're not shy. How did you grow out
of that? Especially becoming like a personal brand?
Speaker 3 (29:29):
Oh, I should know, I guess maybe high school or college.
Speaker 1 (29:33):
Yeah, I don't know.
Speaker 3 (29:34):
I think you just you you get to know yourself more.
So maybe probably.
Speaker 1 (29:39):
High school got it's when you came out the shell.
Speaker 3 (29:43):
Maybe I think. I don't know.
Speaker 1 (29:47):
I think I was always at the shell?
Speaker 4 (29:49):
Was I know?
Speaker 3 (29:49):
I was very shy when I was younger. I was
very attached to my mom. And then I went to
college and I became a party girl. So I was like, yeah,
well I was a party girl in high school. Yeah,
so I was drinking this smart advices. I was getting
drunk off.
Speaker 4 (30:03):
Oh my gosh, it was it was four locos, Nah,
fur Loco for you his age that was after you.
Speaker 2 (30:11):
No, but I had two Loco was like me. I
had two academic lives. So the West Virginia and the
d C. D C was four local Okay, West Virginia
was mad Dog twenty Bad Dog that was twenty Yeah,
that's what.
Speaker 4 (30:23):
That's what it was, both y'all. So without that's crazy.
That's where you go to school.
Speaker 1 (30:30):
That what going on?
Speaker 2 (30:30):
Ohio way, you were the only group that drank Rossie.
Yeah exactly, That's what I said.
Speaker 4 (30:36):
Carlos Rossi is is like the the Yeah. Yeah, so
we did box one first and then we did the Rossie.
Speaker 1 (30:44):
But that was something about the Rossie.
Speaker 4 (30:47):
Yeah, it was. It was a thing. University of Society.
It was a thing. It was.
Speaker 1 (30:53):
It was. I was like, yeah, getting drunk off a wine.
Speaker 4 (30:55):
Yeah, it was red Classic, isn't MD twenty twenty one?
What a liqu what's the uh wow Irish? No, not
wis what's the red roses?
Speaker 1 (31:09):
Roses?
Speaker 4 (31:11):
One of those?
Speaker 1 (31:12):
Uh mine?
Speaker 4 (31:13):
Though? Yeah yeah yeah yeah I never did that. That
was you don't love yourself. Yeah, we had a party.
Speaker 2 (31:22):
We used to have parties and uh to get into
our party you have to take a.
Speaker 1 (31:25):
Shot at one fifty one.
Speaker 3 (31:26):
That's crazy.
Speaker 1 (31:27):
It was that type of party in West Virginia.
Speaker 3 (31:30):
Well in West Virginia that was the problem.
Speaker 4 (31:33):
Yeah, no is it wild hours rolls? What is that?
Speaker 3 (31:36):
What is it?
Speaker 4 (31:37):
That one? It's like it's like the two dollars one
that all my old uncles and aunts would be like.
Speaker 2 (31:44):
Yeah, like the name sounds very familiar, but you know,
spending my my brief time in Ohio.
Speaker 1 (31:49):
Ohio did have its own set of things.
Speaker 2 (31:53):
Yeah, Like it wasn't East Coast, it wasn't it wasn't wet,
it wasn't West side or West West Coast.
Speaker 1 (31:58):
It was definitely like the Midwest. It was the Midwest.
Speaker 4 (32:02):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (32:02):
And they had their drinks, they had their songs, they
had their vocabulary, and I was like, all right, okay.
Speaker 4 (32:08):
Yeah wild horish rose. Yes it is one, and it
went up. It's not five. Oh, it's win is wine
and in the same category as MT twenty twenty it's
like this and that. Yeah, y'all in this category. Nah,
y'all are crazy.
Speaker 1 (32:23):
Yeah, empty was insane.
Speaker 4 (32:26):
So what are you most excited about twenty twenty six? Yeah,
leading into your big year of twenty twenty seven, So like,
what's next on the agenda? Few?
Speaker 3 (32:38):
I think just being present and writing the book. I think, yeah,
I think just being in that journey and just seeing
how it unfolds and writing it because I've never written
a book.
Speaker 1 (32:51):
Where do you think you're going to go to draw inspiration.
Speaker 3 (32:53):
Paris back to Paris? Sure, Paris is magical?
Speaker 4 (32:58):
Is that your favorite place to travel?
Speaker 3 (33:00):
Right now?
Speaker 4 (33:00):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (33:01):
Right now? But I know now because I went for
two weeks and I didn't leave, Like now, I know
I'm going to like leave to like go to London
or like other places.
Speaker 4 (33:09):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (33:10):
So yeah, Paris is just a magical I've only been
to London on a layover. Yeah, likewise, like for a
ten hour LA left and it was terrible. I was like,
why are we doing this?
Speaker 1 (33:20):
I love Europe for a thousand different reasons.
Speaker 3 (33:22):
It's great and you can eat anything and you won't
gain any weight.
Speaker 2 (33:25):
That's also I haven't realized that it's the only place
I eat a ton of bread and I don't feel
the way I feel.
Speaker 1 (33:31):
I can't eat grains here.
Speaker 2 (33:33):
No, I don't know why, but obviously you know their
food quality has a completely different standard.
Speaker 3 (33:38):
Well, I was. I took a croissant making class. That's
an excursion I will do. I will do a cooking class.
But like she was talking about the flour here in
America that has like metal in it or something like that,
and she was like, yeah, like you can't. She was like,
we don't do anything from America. She was like, if
you're gonna make croissants at home, only use French flour
(33:59):
because of the shit it that is in flour.
Speaker 2 (34:01):
Here is that in the water. They set something about
our water isn't isn't whatever.
Speaker 3 (34:07):
It's Yeah, it's a lot. And I went to a
regenerative farm that was a whole eye opening experience. So
like you should farm. So it's basically all the all
the crops kind of work in tandem together to create
like a healthier crop. And so like even like the
(34:28):
cows on the farm like are eating those crops that
are that don't have like pesticides in them. So like
when you go to the farmer's market or the grocery store,
you should be buying like regenerative milk and like meat
and all of that because that's good. That's really good.
Speaker 1 (34:46):
I just didn't know what it was.
Speaker 3 (34:47):
Yeah, you should be buying regeneritive. It's more expensive, which
is the whole thing, and like our community doesn't have
access to that.
Speaker 5 (34:54):
But like you know, we're gonna go into our brief
trivia row trivia, Okay.
Speaker 2 (35:04):
So diving into a few questions. Yeah, I'm gonna start
with the first one because it's.
Speaker 3 (35:09):
Like a rapid fire kind of. Oh okay, I hope,
So okay.
Speaker 2 (35:13):
What's the world's most expensive spice by weight? A vanilla, B, cardamom, C,
saffron D.
Speaker 1 (35:24):
Cloth by weight?
Speaker 3 (35:25):
You said by weight?
Speaker 2 (35:27):
Yes, so I guess if you go like you buy
it just the place and you weigh it.
Speaker 1 (35:32):
What's the one now? Ron ding dang ding ding ding ding.
You know your stuff.
Speaker 4 (35:38):
She's a real one. She's a real one. I thought
she was an imposta.
Speaker 1 (35:41):
Thought she ain't really cooking.
Speaker 4 (35:44):
Oh my god. Next question, I don't even know what
soffron is.
Speaker 3 (35:48):
It's a it's a spice spice, but it's it's kind
of like floral, but it's using a lot in Persian cooking.
Got it for the color and flavor?
Speaker 1 (35:58):
What's the color?
Speaker 3 (35:59):
It's like yellow? Yeah kind of?
Speaker 1 (36:03):
But yeah.
Speaker 2 (36:04):
What country is credited with inventing fine dining as we
know it? A? Italy, B, France, C, Japan, D.
Speaker 3 (36:14):
Spain not America. France.
Speaker 4 (36:18):
Spain was the last one.
Speaker 1 (36:19):
Yes, had the final answer.
Speaker 4 (36:22):
Are you sure?
Speaker 1 (36:23):
Okay?
Speaker 3 (36:23):
Well that wrong?
Speaker 1 (36:24):
No, you're right? Is like I didn't want you to
go to for two youse gotta get harder or maybe
I know my ship.
Speaker 2 (36:35):
What does Dane literally to the bit damn ding ding
ding ding, and then they had to go through the
other ones.
Speaker 4 (36:44):
All right, she's a professional. I think we've established we
gotta do the final question.
Speaker 1 (36:48):
Mm hmm. This is actually interesting. If you had to
pair fried chicken with fine wine champagne. Damn, that's the thing.
Speaker 3 (36:58):
Yeah, where because if you like imagine like it's a
fried chicken is like a very rich like taste, and
fried food goes really well with champagne. Really, the bubbles
and the fried food goes.
Speaker 2 (37:14):
I've just never gone anywhere and seeing fried chicken and like, hey,
you should get some champagne.
Speaker 4 (37:19):
That's a real thing.
Speaker 3 (37:20):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (37:21):
At the Penjuri in DC, Yeah, they have on I
think it's Monday or tuesdays. You guys owe me a
check for this. They have fried chicken. It's actually the
best deal in DC. It's like fried chicken, like a
bucket of fried chicken and a bottle of klcko for
seventy five dollars. Yeah, it's nuts. Yeah, it gets chicken
for two in a bottle of champagne. Fantastic.
Speaker 3 (37:42):
Also, if you get Popeyes and like a good bottle
of like champagne. It's delicious, delicious.
Speaker 4 (37:49):
What are your three favorite restaurants in La ever or
in La you pick?
Speaker 1 (37:57):
I say both.
Speaker 3 (37:58):
Okay, there's a really great restaurant and I can't it's
not East Hollywood called Antiko.
Speaker 4 (38:06):
My favorite rest I wish she didn't say it because
I don't want anybody to go. Yeah, that's that's my
favorite restaurant and all of LA I've been telling you
that for two years.
Speaker 3 (38:14):
Delicious, it's the best.
Speaker 1 (38:17):
I just don't do Italian much.
Speaker 3 (38:19):
But Italians so big here.
Speaker 1 (38:21):
It's a lot of pasta.
Speaker 3 (38:23):
Oh right, are you good? I shouldn't say that you're
when you go to France, you should have pasta.
Speaker 1 (38:29):
I have read I do.
Speaker 4 (38:31):
I did I do?
Speaker 2 (38:31):
Because I also don't. I feel completely different. See yeah,
I eat pasta over there, and I don't come back
looking crazy.
Speaker 1 (38:38):
Yeah, I just look normal.
Speaker 4 (38:39):
Yeah, all right, So that's one.
Speaker 3 (38:42):
Okay, Antigo Nuovo. Here in d C, because we are
coming for these large cities, there's a place called I'm
not going to pronounce it, Ladarante. It's also Italian. It's
really good.
Speaker 4 (38:56):
I feel like I'm familiar, but I haven't been.
Speaker 3 (38:58):
It's like, I guess it's like you no nom they
call it. Yep, that's really good. And then oh that's hard.
That's really third one third one third one restaurant or
carry out or restaurant.
Speaker 4 (39:18):
Yeah to you.
Speaker 3 (39:19):
There's this Jamaican spot Okay, I shouldn't say that because
you're a Jamaican. But like in New York, like on
the corner where my best friend used to live, that
is delicious and I don't remember the name, but like
it's just delicious and they have great goat.
Speaker 1 (39:36):
I believe that.
Speaker 4 (39:37):
Yeah, give us the block the streets.
Speaker 3 (39:39):
No string and I think, no Stran. What is that street? Fulton,
Notion and Fulton, I think pretty sure.
Speaker 1 (39:49):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (39:51):
Right, so that's like downtown Brookline. No, it's not Flatbush.
Speaker 3 (39:59):
It's Bedsty.
Speaker 1 (40:00):
My favorite staurant right now remains to be done more.
Speaker 3 (40:03):
Duns Moore is really good. That is really good. Still
that is a that is delicious. Yeah, you know what
else is good? Cafe tele grama over it's technically over here,
there's delicious pancakes.
Speaker 2 (40:18):
Well, I've been to the little Italian place at a
connected to Yeah, that's good.
Speaker 3 (40:24):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (40:25):
See, I go a couple of places all right.
Speaker 4 (40:28):
I had to. I had to ask the real cook,
the good restaurant. So yeah, but that's the one I
gotta go. That's the one. See, I've been telling him
for two years, you have to. I don't go to
many Italian places, so it has nothing to do they
make their do they make their own possibly Italian food.
All the time, I said, you go to Italian places.
(40:50):
I don't know many Italian places.
Speaker 2 (40:51):
Like if I go out to eat, it's going to
be like a duns More American or it's going to
be like Asian preferred because it's meat for it.
Speaker 3 (41:00):
You know what, what's that place?
Speaker 1 (41:03):
My favorite restaurant the talent I like a lot is Funk.
Speaker 4 (41:05):
I was just about to say, your favorite restaurant right
now Italians.
Speaker 1 (41:09):
No, no, No, Dunsmore is my favorite. Funk Is just
like I really like Funk. But I like that.
Speaker 3 (41:14):
It's also a great date night spot. It's like dark
and it's like yeah, and the wine is really good.
Speaker 4 (41:20):
It's the one one still, It's just the one.
Speaker 1 (41:22):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (41:23):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (41:23):
I tried out, guys, and look at some great pasta
that I can enjoy?
Speaker 4 (41:27):
You can?
Speaker 3 (41:28):
I think so made? I really do think it's.
Speaker 1 (41:30):
Pasta and I don't do cheese. Oh you see what
I'm saying. You're very la you see what I'm saying.
Speaker 2 (41:35):
Like, that's why I go to the menu and I'm like,
this is an incredible pasta cheese dish.
Speaker 1 (41:40):
Wow, I would eat that.
Speaker 4 (41:42):
He moved here and got real weird or real healthy or.
Speaker 3 (41:46):
Weird or not weird. Well, if you go to if
you go overseas, you know you can eat anything. So
it's technically what America is making serving us.
Speaker 4 (41:55):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (41:56):
Yeah, I think we got to be honest for ourselves
that the food here doesn't set you up for success
like it does in other places.
Speaker 1 (42:03):
No, it doesn't. And you can't really eat a lot
of things here.
Speaker 3 (42:08):
No, or you shop at the farmers really smart, or you.
Speaker 1 (42:13):
Like work out, you do all the things so that
you can't eat it. Yeah, but like in the absence
of that, you know, you just don't eat it.
Speaker 2 (42:20):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (42:20):
Well yeah, or that mm hmm, so yeah, I'm gonna
eat it.
Speaker 4 (42:25):
Same.
Speaker 1 (42:26):
Well.
Speaker 2 (42:27):
It was such a pleasure to catch up with you.
We're all excited here for the book and just at
hot Sauce. I do want you to leave until our
audience something. I got a tip, what budget no, feed
what feeds You?
Speaker 3 (42:44):
That's a good one. Feed what feeds You? And also
pre order my cookbook when it comes when I drop it,
pre order because New York Times. That's all an author,
I'm coming for you.
Speaker 4 (42:52):
That let's do exactly. Shout out to you.
Speaker 1 (42:54):
Thank you, thank you for coming, thank you for having me,
Thanks for listening. Everyone.
Speaker 2 (43:04):
The hosts of The Wealth Break are Me, Rodney Williams,
and Travis Holloway.
Speaker 1 (43:08):
If you want to stay connected, follow.
Speaker 2 (43:10):
Us at the Wealth Break on all platforms, and be
sure to visit the wealthbreak dot com for additional resources
to help you on your journey to building wealth. Our
executive producers are Ryan Marx and Malik Soka, with Meredith
Barnes as our supervising producer.
Speaker 1 (43:28):
Catch you next time on The Wealth Break.
It's Rodney Williams, co founder of The Wealth Break. Listen.
Speaker 2 (00:04):
I know firsthand that building wealth can feel like everyone's
playing a game you never got.
Speaker 1 (00:09):
The rules for good information usually.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Locked behind paywalls full of fine print, or shared in
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The Wealth Break. It's way more than a podcast. It's
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and accessible to everyone. Want the inside stories, the secrets
(00:34):
successful people actually use, and those exclusive gems you won't
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Soak up those insights and get clear, actionable strategies you
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Speaker 1 (00:49):
No secrets, no gatekeepers, just.
Speaker 2 (00:51):
Real talk for real wealth. Don't let anyone keep you
from getting with yours. Visit the wealthbreak dot com today
and start changing the game for yourself.
Speaker 1 (01:18):
Welcome to the Wealth Break.
Speaker 2 (01:19):
This is where we unlock stories of financial success, pushing,
breaking down odds, being yourself, and ending it in a
way which we hope closes the wealth gap. Hello everyone,
(01:41):
Welcome to the Wealth Break. I'm Rodney Williams, I'm Travis Hollaway,
and today we have an incredible conversation about community culture
and what it takes to personify wealth and we're here
was the incredible Alex Hill.
Speaker 1 (01:56):
I'm gonna call her her government name, not her Instagram name.
Speaker 2 (02:01):
Yes, incredible self talk cook, entrepreneur, risk taker, community builder,
world traveler. You know what I mean.
Speaker 1 (02:12):
LA looks good on you, mix Hill. Welcome to the Welthfrid.
Thank you for having we.
Speaker 3 (02:17):
Thank you for having we.
Speaker 2 (02:19):
You know, it's been incredible to number one meet you
when you took your risk from corporate and come to
this is the big city.
Speaker 1 (02:27):
I know they say big city. That's New York, right,
I get each city. Yeah, that's the city. And this
is not me on New York.
Speaker 2 (02:33):
I'm just saying, like, you know, that was a coming
to LA to double down on something you believe in.
Speaker 1 (02:41):
That's probably a wealth building journey for you.
Speaker 3 (02:43):
Yeah. Well, I mean I was in New York for
almost ten years, but I was working in corporate during
that time, and when I went through like a major
life change, I decided to well a breakup.
Speaker 4 (02:53):
Yeahah, all that that's usually what it is, right for
being honest, that's usually what it is. It is.
Speaker 3 (02:58):
So I went through a breakup and I decided to
take to leave of faith and just move here because
I was coming back and forth for different opportunities. I
was like, well let me just try it out. So
and it's been three years so I love it.
Speaker 4 (03:10):
Wow, How has La changed for you since when you
got here? Originally? Because a few years ago was like
super popular, everyone was coming here. Now it feels like
everybody's leaving.
Speaker 3 (03:19):
Everyone is leaving. Yeah, I feel like what they said
the Grand Exodus or whatever. I like it. I mean,
I think it's really good for my lifestyle now. Like
I'm in my am, I my late I'm thirty seven?
Is that later mid? Well, you guys are old.
Speaker 4 (03:32):
I'm gonna call it. I'm thirty seven, okay, so don't pay.
Speaker 1 (03:35):
Me, right.
Speaker 2 (03:38):
Jesus, I wasn't even even part of this conversation over there.
Speaker 4 (03:43):
I would say we were mid and then thirty eight.
Speaker 1 (03:46):
Is like l late seven is late?
Speaker 3 (03:50):
No, I think thirty seven, thirty seven's.
Speaker 4 (03:52):
Mid, or maybe thirty four to thirty six is made
like thirty seven.
Speaker 3 (03:58):
I'm in my late ish me too, thirties. So I
feel like it's different from like not being in New York.
So it's a good settled.
Speaker 4 (04:06):
I tell everyone like La for your thirties and particularly
your late thirties, New York for your twenties.
Speaker 3 (04:11):
Absolutely, and that's exactly what. Yeah, and I loved every second.
Speaker 2 (04:14):
Yeah, Yeah, I'm so happy to be with my late
he mad No, no, no, you know Jesus. I mean,
first of all, I feel good to be forty. So
whatever you want to call it. You know what I'm saying,
I think you should. You should embrace whatever age you Yes, I'm.
Speaker 3 (04:29):
Excited for when whenever I turned forty.
Speaker 1 (04:31):
Yeah, I mean it's not much different, you know what
I mean.
Speaker 2 (04:33):
I think you have to make a decision on how
you want your life to be and continue to work.
So to me, it feels like business as usual. I don't,
I don't know. To be honest, I don't. I don't really,
I don't really know.
Speaker 4 (04:43):
But He've been waiting for his moment to say how
forty is from No.
Speaker 2 (04:47):
It's just you know, because something I think people get
caught up in the wrong aspect of forty. And what
I mean by that is like everything that we tend
to live through can actually define us or you just
make the choice for it not to. Yeah, write your location, relationship, money, jobs, success,
all the things that you said was supposed to happen,
(05:07):
and it didn't happen. And I think sometimes like we
are our own greatest critic to the things that don't
work out. Yeah, And I just think that some people
got this thing about like getting forty or getting whatever age,
like you had it when you.
Speaker 1 (05:20):
Was thirty, or we had it when we was twenty five.
Speaker 2 (05:22):
Yeah, I was supposed to do this thing, and then
this thing doesn't happen, and they're like, oh my god,
I'm a failure.
Speaker 3 (05:27):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (05:28):
Absolutely, I don't know. I think you're not a failure.
But I do think one thing about forty. So I
tell people, like I've said it a couple of times,
not on this podcast, but my mother. I remember when
she turned forty, like it was yesterday. She cried, she cried,
she cried, she cried.
Speaker 3 (05:44):
I think it's different from women, to be honest.
Speaker 4 (05:46):
Yeah. But she had like two kids, she had been
married for twenty years already, like.
Speaker 3 (05:50):
She she was like single.
Speaker 4 (05:52):
She was like like she had all the things right, yeah,
and I remember we got a fax machine that was
her gift for her fortyeth birthday, So this is like,
but she cried and mom, I know you'll see this,
but yeah, she cried a lot and it was crazy,
it was almost traumatic. But there used to be this
like saying, like over the hill when you turn forty,
and like there was this big thing about turning forty
(06:14):
and like whether or not you know, basically on the
second half of your life, right, so everything is like downhill.
I think that I no longer think that's true. I
think people are making forty look better than ever before
now or some people Rodney you are, I'm gonna give
you some credit, But I think for a lot of people,
(06:34):
if you haven't figured out what your thing is going
to be by forty, I think it's going to get
really really hard for you. Like if you haven't figured
out a career, if you haven't figured out what you're
passionate about and how to derive some type of like
income and lifestyle from that, by the time you hit forty,
I think that it becomes significantly more challenging to figure
it out over forty. And I'm scared for people. And
(06:58):
we know some people who haven't figured it out yet
who are approaching that, and I don't I think forty
to fifty is going to go by like that, and
your life's not going to look much different, and then
after that it's going to.
Speaker 1 (07:08):
Get really scary. Yeah, that's about right, that's about right. Yeah,
you know, I think I think that's probably a good
segue into your journey.
Speaker 2 (07:17):
Regardless of the reason. You actually do hit your stride
in your forties. And what people don't understand is when
you look at all of the data, usually your greatest
earning potential, like when you start to separate yourself as
actually forties and fifties, Yeah, is when you start to
separate yourself, and that means you have to go into
your forties understanding what you're here to do and why
you're gonna gotten do.
Speaker 1 (07:38):
So I think you're right on Tom.
Speaker 3 (07:40):
I think so too.
Speaker 1 (07:41):
Long story show too.
Speaker 3 (07:43):
I'm right where I'm supposed to be.
Speaker 2 (07:45):
Let's talk about it though, for someone that's completely outside
looking in, how did you decide that you're going to
create this world for yourself?
Speaker 3 (07:54):
Well, I was working. I went to school Hampton University HBCU. Yeah,
I went to school for a public relation whatever.
Speaker 4 (08:03):
Oh, I was waiting for that one. I'm not a
I don't have a horse in this race.
Speaker 3 (08:07):
Listen, all love to all the HBCUs, especially Howard and
Hampton all that. But I went to school for marketing PR.
I originally wanted to go to culinary school, but my
mom said absolutely not. She was like, if you think
about it after school, then you can, Like, then we'll
talk about it. I got a job in New York,
but food always followed me, and I decided in twenty
seventeen to just start something for myself because I was
(08:30):
doing the whole marketing nine to five and I was like, well,
I kind of want to do something for myself within
my past. Like I knew food was my passion, but
I didn't really know what to do. So I started
a food blog in twenty seventeen. Lots of starts and
stops because imposter syndrome kicks in. You're kind of like,
I didn't know how to start a website. I don't
know how to take food pictures. I didn't know how to
(08:51):
edit anything. And you just kind of learn along the way.
And then this is like a long story, very short.
But then in twenty twenty, when the pandemic happened and
it was a stay at home order, you know, everyone
was like home and they couldn't eat out so they
just kept coming to my page because I was posting
like a maniac, Like I was posting food recipes like
(09:11):
every day. Like my food bill was like a thousand
dollars during the pandemic, Like it was crazy crazy. And
then my following started to grow and I got my
first partnership of five hundred dollars. I remember, I was like,
oh my gosh, so you can make money from them.
I was like five hundred dollars. And then cause I
was working at my dream job team Epiphany, and we
(09:32):
were really busy, and then it was like January twenty
twenty one, I had a really bad panic attack and
I was like, I don't think I can do this anymore.
I don't think I can juggle like work and just
add hot sauce. And then I decided to quit with
twenty it was twenty five k in my savings. That
was like six months of expenses. And then yeah, I
(09:53):
was like, I don't have a plan, but I'm going
to figure it out.
Speaker 4 (09:57):
You stepped out on a face.
Speaker 3 (09:58):
Yeah, it's gonna be five years next year.
Speaker 4 (10:00):
That's amazing. So that's amazing. How did your mother react
when you said I'm leaving to do this thing.
Speaker 3 (10:07):
So I didn't tell them. I didn't tell my mom
because my dad's a lawyer and my mom was in
like corporate for like however long, and I didn't tell
them until I quit, So until like I actually left
my job.
Speaker 1 (10:18):
I called my mom.
Speaker 3 (10:19):
I was like, okay, so I have something to tell you,
and she was like what, and I was like, I
quit and they both just said they're like okay. They're
like okay. And I told myself because I'm also a
tourist and very steven, I was like, I'm not going
to ask them for money. And I have not asked
them for money.
Speaker 4 (10:33):
That's amazing.
Speaker 3 (10:34):
And I was that just something for me. But I
think my mom knew and my dad was. I think
my dad still doesn't understand what I do, which is fine.
Speaker 4 (10:43):
Like like he's like, oh, yeah, she's doing so.
Speaker 3 (10:48):
And then when I got my cookbook deal, that's when
he was like, oh, like you're doing something.
Speaker 1 (10:53):
I'm like, yeah, that's amazing.
Speaker 3 (10:55):
So they both said they were like okay, They're like,
if this is what you want to do, like we'll
support you emotionally.
Speaker 4 (11:01):
So how important was budgeting pre leaving your job and
starting this new journey and how important did it become post?
Speaker 3 (11:10):
Okay, so post we're still working on budgeting.
Speaker 4 (11:15):
Okay, you know so you were you were budgeting more
in your former career than you are now. Yeah, so
that means you must make so much more money now.
Speaker 3 (11:25):
Well yeah, like, well this is well I didn't I
need to start making six figures until I left my job. Wow, Okay,
Like I left my job making I think I ended
at ninety k and that was twenty yeah, twenty twenty one.
Look like that was well.
Speaker 2 (11:45):
You know, I always talk about this that, like, you know,
there's a lot of careers that you can work for
twenty five years.
Speaker 1 (11:51):
Yeah, and it's not a real wealth building career story,
oh for sure.
Speaker 2 (11:55):
Like, like I think Creatives is one of those like
if you don't ultimately end up, I mean I don't, Yeah,
like something's like that, Like it's just not a lucrative
place for you, and there's.
Speaker 1 (12:06):
No equity in it and there's nothing that's yours.
Speaker 3 (12:09):
Yeah, I mean, like I budgeted great when I had
nine to five and then also like my savings went
into like skyrocket because I was home during the pandemic
and I wasn't traveling for work like and I had,
I wasn't using my not what's called what's that thing?
A corporate card? Oh my god, a corporate card, a
corper card. Oh my god, I miss my corporate card.
(12:30):
That's great, but like, yeah, so I really learned how
to budget because like that's what I was making. So
post is like we're still a work in progress, but
I did. My mom made me sign up to Uh,
they're probably be like this choosing how to budget.
Speaker 4 (12:46):
It was called I don't know.
Speaker 3 (12:48):
Oh my god, no no, no, it's through like Charles Schwab.
Speaker 4 (12:53):
Oh so like a retirement account like or like.
Speaker 3 (12:56):
Yeah, when I left my job, I went from four
to one k to rock is a rock rock? Yeah,
I but I did it through her financial advisor.
Speaker 4 (13:08):
Yeah, so they probably so they probably converted your four
one k into an IRA. And how you contribute to
your IRA?
Speaker 3 (13:14):
Yes, because like the max every year is like seven
what is that seventh thout?
Speaker 4 (13:17):
I should really know this, Yeah, I mean it goes up.
I want to say maybe six or seven.
Speaker 2 (13:22):
You're doing it contributed, that's that's like way past the normal.
Speaker 1 (13:28):
Oh really, well new entrepreneur ish. Yeah, to be honest,
I'll be clear.
Speaker 4 (13:32):
Yeah, most entrepreneurs.
Speaker 3 (13:34):
Actually, well, I'm celebrating five years working for myself next year.
I didn't really start, like I didn't really transfer into
like a year ago because I was just like I
don't know what the fuck I'm doing like every month.
Speaker 4 (13:47):
You know.
Speaker 3 (13:47):
And then also when you're on social media, like it's
like you know, ups and downs.
Speaker 4 (13:52):
How do you juggle being so visible right on social
and feeling like you have to always have content? So
like maybe it's like even your background, people like oh man,
she cooking in that kitchen with the white refrigerator.
Speaker 3 (14:08):
Or white refrigerator my first apartment.
Speaker 4 (14:10):
Yeah, but like people judge like the the things that
people say on social and then it's like all right,
Like now do I have to go over extend myself
to get like a nicer place because I'm trying to
create like these esthetics with these visuals. Then it's like
all right, Like I'm a brand, I'm a personal brand,
so like now I need to be in all of
these places something it's expensive, Like how do you handle that?
Speaker 3 (14:31):
I will say my mom really raised me to be
like do not focus on what everyone else is doing,
like focus on like what you can afford, and like
what because I think also when you move to LA
it's the glitz and the glamour and all that thing.
But it's just like when I first moved here, I
couldn't afford because I was going through a breakup. I
should say divorced because I should venmo him for so
(14:53):
much money, but like like I was like I was
deep in just like moving expenses and like we were
going through a breakup. So it was just like a
lot of money just like all over the place. So
when I moved here, I was like, this is what
I can afford, Like I'm not And I had to
get a car.
Speaker 1 (15:10):
Yeah that and I.
Speaker 3 (15:12):
Never bought a car before until I moved here because
I was in New York for ten years, so I
was on the subway. So I think I was just
like I can't get caught up in what everyone is
doing and what everyone is buying, Like this is what
I can afford, and I'm going to let you in
on this journey because where I am right now, I
was in a white refrigerator apartment. And now because I've
been here what two three years, I was like, oh,
(15:34):
I can move, I'm making more money, like I've balanced,
Like what's incoming and like how much I've saved. So
it's like, Okay, I can move into a home now.
But I think if you let social media get to you,
you can you can be like whoa, and then those
taxes are still about to come every year.
Speaker 4 (15:54):
YEA. Was that a surprise to you? Taxes in this world?
Speaker 3 (15:59):
Taxes, taxis. I was like, you have to pay like
I knew that, but I was like, whoa, that is
a lot of money.
Speaker 2 (16:09):
When you look at your platform and your community. Obviously,
I know you have a book coming out, You're progressing
in a direction. Yeah, what does that vision look like?
Speaker 3 (16:19):
Oh? I mean, like I like, right now, ninety percent
of my income is through content creation, so through brand
partnerships on social media. But eventually, like I want to
own a small cafe coffee shop with the cooking school
attached and slowly getting away from content creation because that's
(16:41):
not I think it's such a saturated place right now,
and it's very like everyone there's no traffic in your lane,
but everyone wants to be like on the internet and
make money from the internet. But that's not like they
always say, like my managers always like content creators have
a three to five year lifespan. I'm coming up in
my five years and it was great that I got
(17:02):
a cookbook deal. So it's like, my vision is to
be a household name within cooking and food and all
of that, but not solely rely on social media as
income first.
Speaker 2 (17:13):
That's incredibly insightful to give yourself the lifespan. On the
flip side, we usually have this conversation with like a
celebrity or an example and someone who gets a record
deal and I don't know why they think that that's
going to be a twenty five year career. Yeah, of
that same income maybe year one, two, three, four, when
it's actually going to be inconsistent across the life of
(17:34):
that career and you may always do parts of it,
but like you do have to plan on something that
is more consistent.
Speaker 3 (17:42):
Yeah, like social media making mynew on social media is
not consistent. If you see like Jackie, she's a big YouTuber, Jackie.
I don't know our parents, Aina, Aina, you know what
I'm talking about. Okay, Well, she was huge on YouTube,
content creator all that, and she eventually she started like
a candle line and now she has like a perfume mind.
So even she knows, like, Okay, I have this community,
(18:04):
I have this brand, so what else can I do
with it?
Speaker 4 (18:07):
You got to like transition. The best ones, I think
do transition into selling product. Yeah, like their own product,
because they've been so good at selling other people's product, right,
doing content, so product brick and mortar. So cafe, it's like,
all right, cool, when we go to La we got
to go to just add hot sauces. Yeah, cafe because
we know the food will be fired and it's like
a good vibe, et cetera. So like that transition absolutely
(18:30):
makes a lot of sense. Yeah, from a travel perspective, obviously,
two weeks in Paris, Yeah, how important is travel to you?
And yeah, how do you kind of transition some of
your worldly experiences into what you do in the brand
that you're building.
Speaker 3 (18:44):
Well, I love traveling, and I didn't really like I
literally said to myself, and I think twenty twenty two,
I was like, I really want to use my passport
more to just travel and I don't want to wait on,
you know, a relationship to do that, because I think
with social media it's very much like vacation all the things.
But it's like I just wanted to go for myself,
So For me, I think it takes time to really
(19:05):
just be like how can I refuel myself? You know,
because I think in the day and day of like
you're just it's a rat race of like work, and
like for me, traveling is just like refueling. And so
like when I went to Paris this time, I had
a speaking engagement through this woman's group that reached out
to me because they're like, oh, I've seen you on substack,
Like would you love for you to speak up the
(19:27):
women's group? And then I also had a brand partnership
for a girl's solo dinner. So it's like I think
through just authentically showing who I am on the internet,
like my community sees that and like, oh how can
travel be a part of Yeah. So like now me
and my manager are trying to do a Paris trip
for me in my community.
Speaker 1 (19:49):
So yeah, how did you budget? Like how did you?
Speaker 3 (19:53):
Okay, I did not budget for Paris.
Speaker 4 (19:55):
Better question is how you go to Paris without a budget?
Speaker 1 (19:58):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (19:58):
Right, I did not.
Speaker 4 (20:01):
What are the things that you splurge on when you're
on vacation and what are the things that you skimp on?
Speaker 1 (20:08):
Food?
Speaker 3 (20:09):
I will always splurge on food. And I will always
promise myself like one big thing. Like when I went
in February by my first Chanel person, I was like
like it was like a big thing. So I was
like that's what I'm going like, I will buy like
one big purchase and then yeah, I think I'll save
(20:31):
a little bit on like hotels because I'm like not
in the hotel all the time. But yeah, the air
beingbe I do more research on Airbanb's.
Speaker 2 (20:44):
Hotels okay, and food. You won't catch me at a museum.
I want cultural anything I'm talking about.
Speaker 3 (20:56):
Since I've been in Paris, I've been three times this year.
No museum. I don't want to go to the museum. Yeah,
I don't want to go to the loof to look
at the small mona Lisa. I'll do like food for
me is like my art.
Speaker 4 (21:09):
Yeah. Yeah, I'm the same way. Don't don't ask tours, Yeah,
no excursions, no tours, but I budget my trips.
Speaker 3 (21:18):
You're also in like finance, Yeah, I'll be budgeting.
Speaker 2 (21:21):
I just think you know, so you know, when you budget,
it doesn't mean that you don't break the budget.
Speaker 1 (21:25):
Yeah, it just means you.
Speaker 4 (21:26):
Have got an idea. Yeah, I got an idea about
what it's going to look like. Yeah, and then when
something we go a little too crazy one night, I'm like,
I want to self correct. I'm not no.
Speaker 3 (21:38):
Yeah, I did budget, yeah, but I knew my advance
from the book deal was coming, so I was like,
oh my god, it look you know. So I was like,
I'm gonna go a little crazy. But that was like
the last time doing that.
Speaker 4 (21:48):
Yeah, So tell us about the book. Okay, Yeah, so
(22:09):
how did it come about? And what is your vision?
Speaker 3 (22:12):
So it came okay, So I've always wanted a cookbook,
I will say I said that since I was younger.
I've always wanted a cookbook. And I got my cookbook
deal in May.
Speaker 1 (22:23):
Congratulations, thank you.
Speaker 3 (22:26):
But it is a single subject cookbook based off spice,
but not spicy food. So it's like bold, vibrant flavors,
heavily spiced meals, kind of based around like just ad
hot sauce and my black and Puerto Rican culture. But yeah,
it was a journey to get there. It took it
took me a year to find a literary agent, because
that's the first step, finding a literary agent to believe
(22:49):
in you and sign you, and then It took about
a year to get it pitched and the deal.
Speaker 4 (22:59):
That's amazing. Yeah, do you have a release date for it?
Speaker 3 (23:01):
It is Spring twenty twenty seven. It takes two years
to make a cookbook. Wow, yeah, it takes two years.
Speaker 1 (23:07):
Wow, what's the process? Are you going to go off
in the lab and the attic and pop out with
a book?
Speaker 3 (23:13):
So it's like, so I have to get my recipes approved. Okay,
So that's we're in the process of doing that now.
So I have to come up with like what's.
Speaker 4 (23:20):
That look like? So like do you have to cook
the food and someone taste the food?
Speaker 3 (23:24):
But first you get it approved by your editor and
they're like, okay, this is balanced like chapters of like breakfast, lunch, dinner,
all that, And then you start testing. But then I
can't test it. A recipe developer has to test it
to make sure it's like okay, like someone can actually
do this, because if I test, I'm like, yeah, someone
(23:45):
can do this. I'm testing, but we have to have
a second person to be like okay, like no, this
is good. So then I write my manuscript and that's
due in June of thirty thousand words.
Speaker 1 (23:56):
Wow, but all right, but they're testing the recipe.
Speaker 2 (24:00):
Yeah, but you're you're you're making the food as well,
so you know it's a good recipe.
Speaker 3 (24:04):
Yeah, So I may I come up with the seventy
five recipes. I make it, they test it, and then
once it goes back and it's all approved, then we
start to shoot the cookbook and then it goes into
like the book tour mode.
Speaker 1 (24:17):
Is it all new or is it old? Faith? Are
you gonna have a breakfast sandwich?
Speaker 3 (24:21):
Yes, breakfast there, you'll be there, So some will be
like ten to twenty percent are kind of like your ogs,
and then the rest are new.
Speaker 1 (24:30):
Yeah, that's probably just something I wanted to ask you
because you're coming from Paris.
Speaker 2 (24:33):
But what's like the top mill you've eaten in your
most recent steak?
Speaker 3 (24:39):
I'm not going to say this, right, steak a poo
bah steak in the peppercorn sauce in France, In France,
it's amazing.
Speaker 1 (24:47):
What's what's the location?
Speaker 3 (24:49):
There is a place called Bistro Paul Bear that I
go to every time.
Speaker 1 (24:53):
Okay, guys go to bistro.
Speaker 3 (24:55):
Bistro Paul Paul bert or Bear.
Speaker 1 (24:57):
And I'm not going to owe her a check.
Speaker 4 (24:59):
Yeah, she holds us a check.
Speaker 3 (25:02):
It's delicious.
Speaker 2 (25:04):
When you think about your next big purchase, are you
going to plan it's time?
Speaker 4 (25:09):
Yes?
Speaker 3 (25:10):
So my So this is how God works. My next
big purchase will be another not another car, a car
because my book comes out in twenty twenty seven. Because
at first I was like, oh, I'm going to do
it when I get like my book advance. But then
I got I was like that's not responsible. I was like,
I don't think I should do that.
Speaker 4 (25:27):
I like it. I like it.
Speaker 3 (25:28):
Yeah, I was like I don't think I should do
because I have like two more years in my least.
So I was like, I don't think I should do that,
but I really wanted to. So now that my next
big purchase is going to be a new cart when
the year of my cookbook comes out. So is that
like God works in a serious.
Speaker 4 (25:42):
Nas So when you cook as much as you.
Speaker 3 (25:46):
Do, yeah, do I budget?
Speaker 1 (25:47):
No? Okay?
Speaker 4 (25:48):
How do that?
Speaker 3 (25:49):
I don't?
Speaker 4 (25:50):
How do you?
Speaker 3 (25:51):
But I can write something?
Speaker 4 (25:52):
How are you efficient with cooking so frequently? Like how
do you like not waste food? And then separately, how
do you like keep off of you? Okay? Cooking so much?
Speaker 3 (26:03):
So with recipe testing and all that. Well, I moved.
I'm renting a house now in West Adams. But when
I was at my apartment, my neighbor, I would share
my food with my neighbor because it's like, I don't
want that food to go to waste. You're a good neighbor,
So I would like share the food with her, and
she would also bounce stuff off of I'd like be like,
how does this taste? So she would actually help me
(26:24):
with that. So now it's a little bit harder. So
I am eating a lot of leftovers, even though I
hate leftovers. And then I also have a compost so
I don't feel bad as like wasting food if I
if I throw it away yeah, or I'll take it
to my neighbors. Now, Like I made a cake a
couple months ago that I was like, I'm not going
to eat all this, but like, do you want some?
Speaker 4 (26:43):
Saw me up for the big good left wa?
Speaker 3 (26:45):
I got you, I got you, And then you have
to work out Yeah, I.
Speaker 4 (26:49):
Just you know, people who are single, like they oftentimes
say they don't want to cook because yeah, they just
don't want to cook for one and then you have
all this food and then you know, I grew up
in a soho where it's like you gotta eat it
because it's there. Yeah, so you didn't really throw away much. Yeah,
and then people who live by that rule, they tend
to weigh a lot, you know.
Speaker 3 (27:10):
After you turn I think really for women after you
turn thirty five, like the metabolism is not the same.
So for me, like I knew that I had to
work out. Yeah, so that's like my second highest bill
is my workout. Yeah, it's like rent and then like
working out, it's like a very high expense. But it's
like for me, I can't I can't eat all this
(27:33):
food and then not work out.
Speaker 4 (27:34):
Yeah, you know, one hundred percent so per.
Speaker 3 (27:38):
And also cooking with whole ingredients is very important, Like
I do not cook with processed food. I don't like
I shop almost exclusively at the farmer's market, which also
is a privilege in itself because it's a little bit
more expensive. But it's like it's important to me to
eat whole and knowing was going in your body.
Speaker 4 (27:55):
Yeah. I guess when you don't eat out as much,
it is also easier to keep off because of all
the extra stuff they put in.
Speaker 1 (28:02):
The food is more affordable it is.
Speaker 2 (28:05):
Eating out is still significantly more expensive than you know,
the biggest at home buddies.
Speaker 3 (28:12):
Yeah, and then also drinking puts on weight too. I
love a good cocktail and wine, but.
Speaker 2 (28:18):
Like you know, that's my actually, my favorite save money
cheat code is I just don't drink that week. Yeah,
whatever you're going to spend, it drops by like fifty percent.
Speaker 3 (28:29):
Yeah, Like I won't drink during the week.
Speaker 4 (28:31):
Yeah, yeah, I.
Speaker 3 (28:33):
Almost never do unless I'm going on a dath and
like I can't.
Speaker 4 (28:37):
I'm mad at it.
Speaker 3 (28:38):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (28:39):
How did you start cooking? Is that something that was
big in your household when you were growing up?
Speaker 3 (28:43):
My mom? Yeah, my mom, she's Puerto Rican from Brooklyn,
like grew up with a huge family. And I think
everyone says it's about their moms, like they just float
effortlessly in the kitchen and I just love watching her cook.
And she noticed that I liked cooking, and she was like,
do you want to cook a recipe a weekend? And
I was like yeah. Because I was a kid watching
(29:04):
Food Network, I wasn't doing ballet or anything like that.
Like I was very shy and no one believes me,
but like that was I.
Speaker 1 (29:10):
Can't believe it. Yeah, I know.
Speaker 3 (29:11):
Yeah, probably I was very shy, and cooking for me
is just a way that I expressed myself, and so
I just fell in love with it.
Speaker 4 (29:20):
So how did you get comfortable? If you so you
were shy, You're not shy. How did you grow out
of that? Especially becoming like a personal brand?
Speaker 3 (29:29):
Oh, I should know, I guess maybe high school or college.
Speaker 1 (29:33):
Yeah, I don't know.
Speaker 3 (29:34):
I think you just you you get to know yourself more.
So maybe probably.
Speaker 1 (29:39):
High school got it's when you came out the shell.
Speaker 3 (29:43):
Maybe I think. I don't know.
Speaker 1 (29:47):
I think I was always at the shell?
Speaker 4 (29:49):
Was I know?
Speaker 3 (29:49):
I was very shy when I was younger. I was
very attached to my mom. And then I went to
college and I became a party girl. So I was like, yeah,
well I was a party girl in high school. Yeah,
so I was drinking this smart advices. I was getting
drunk off.
Speaker 4 (30:03):
Oh my gosh, it was it was four locos, Nah,
fur Loco for you his age that was after you.
Speaker 2 (30:11):
No, but I had two Loco was like me. I
had two academic lives. So the West Virginia and the
d C. D C was four local Okay, West Virginia
was mad Dog twenty Bad Dog that was twenty Yeah,
that's what.
Speaker 4 (30:23):
That's what it was, both y'all. So without that's crazy.
That's where you go to school.
Speaker 1 (30:30):
That what going on?
Speaker 2 (30:30):
Ohio way, you were the only group that drank Rossie.
Yeah exactly, That's what I said.
Speaker 4 (30:36):
Carlos Rossi is is like the the Yeah. Yeah, so
we did box one first and then we did the Rossie.
Speaker 1 (30:44):
But that was something about the Rossie.
Speaker 4 (30:47):
Yeah, it was. It was a thing. University of Society.
It was a thing. It was.
Speaker 1 (30:53):
It was. I was like, yeah, getting drunk off a wine.
Speaker 4 (30:55):
Yeah, it was red Classic, isn't MD twenty twenty one?
What a liqu what's the uh wow Irish? No, not
wis what's the red roses?
Speaker 1 (31:09):
Roses?
Speaker 4 (31:11):
One of those?
Speaker 1 (31:12):
Uh mine?
Speaker 4 (31:13):
Though? Yeah yeah yeah yeah I never did that. That
was you don't love yourself. Yeah, we had a party.
Speaker 2 (31:22):
We used to have parties and uh to get into
our party you have to take a.
Speaker 1 (31:25):
Shot at one fifty one.
Speaker 3 (31:26):
That's crazy.
Speaker 1 (31:27):
It was that type of party in West Virginia.
Speaker 3 (31:30):
Well in West Virginia that was the problem.
Speaker 4 (31:33):
Yeah, no is it wild hours rolls? What is that?
Speaker 3 (31:36):
What is it?
Speaker 4 (31:37):
That one? It's like it's like the two dollars one
that all my old uncles and aunts would be like.
Speaker 2 (31:44):
Yeah, like the name sounds very familiar, but you know,
spending my my brief time in Ohio.
Speaker 1 (31:49):
Ohio did have its own set of things.
Speaker 2 (31:53):
Yeah, Like it wasn't East Coast, it wasn't it wasn't wet,
it wasn't West side or West West Coast.
Speaker 1 (31:58):
It was definitely like the Midwest. It was the Midwest.
Speaker 4 (32:02):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (32:02):
And they had their drinks, they had their songs, they
had their vocabulary, and I was like, all right, okay.
Speaker 4 (32:08):
Yeah wild horish rose. Yes it is one, and it
went up. It's not five. Oh, it's win is wine
and in the same category as MT twenty twenty it's
like this and that. Yeah, y'all in this category. Nah,
y'all are crazy.
Speaker 1 (32:23):
Yeah, empty was insane.
Speaker 4 (32:26):
So what are you most excited about twenty twenty six? Yeah,
leading into your big year of twenty twenty seven, So like,
what's next on the agenda? Few?
Speaker 3 (32:38):
I think just being present and writing the book. I think, yeah,
I think just being in that journey and just seeing
how it unfolds and writing it because I've never written
a book.
Speaker 1 (32:51):
Where do you think you're going to go to draw inspiration.
Speaker 3 (32:53):
Paris back to Paris? Sure, Paris is magical?
Speaker 4 (32:58):
Is that your favorite place to travel?
Speaker 3 (33:00):
Right now?
Speaker 4 (33:00):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (33:01):
Right now? But I know now because I went for
two weeks and I didn't leave, Like now, I know
I'm going to like leave to like go to London
or like other places.
Speaker 4 (33:09):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (33:10):
So yeah, Paris is just a magical I've only been
to London on a layover. Yeah, likewise, like for a
ten hour LA left and it was terrible. I was like,
why are we doing this?
Speaker 1 (33:20):
I love Europe for a thousand different reasons.
Speaker 3 (33:22):
It's great and you can eat anything and you won't
gain any weight.
Speaker 2 (33:25):
That's also I haven't realized that it's the only place
I eat a ton of bread and I don't feel
the way I feel.
Speaker 1 (33:31):
I can't eat grains here.
Speaker 2 (33:33):
No, I don't know why, but obviously you know their
food quality has a completely different standard.
Speaker 3 (33:38):
Well, I was. I took a croissant making class. That's
an excursion I will do. I will do a cooking class.
But like she was talking about the flour here in
America that has like metal in it or something like that,
and she was like, yeah, like you can't. She was like,
we don't do anything from America. She was like, if
you're gonna make croissants at home, only use French flour
(33:59):
because of the shit it that is in flour.
Speaker 2 (34:01):
Here is that in the water. They set something about
our water isn't isn't whatever.
Speaker 3 (34:07):
It's Yeah, it's a lot. And I went to a
regenerative farm that was a whole eye opening experience. So
like you should farm. So it's basically all the all
the crops kind of work in tandem together to create
like a healthier crop. And so like even like the
(34:28):
cows on the farm like are eating those crops that
are that don't have like pesticides in them. So like
when you go to the farmer's market or the grocery store,
you should be buying like regenerative milk and like meat
and all of that because that's good. That's really good.
Speaker 1 (34:46):
I just didn't know what it was.
Speaker 3 (34:47):
Yeah, you should be buying regeneritive. It's more expensive, which
is the whole thing, and like our community doesn't have
access to that.
Speaker 5 (34:54):
But like you know, we're gonna go into our brief
trivia row trivia, Okay.
Speaker 2 (35:04):
So diving into a few questions. Yeah, I'm gonna start
with the first one because it's.
Speaker 3 (35:09):
Like a rapid fire kind of. Oh okay, I hope,
So okay.
Speaker 2 (35:13):
What's the world's most expensive spice by weight? A vanilla, B, cardamom, C,
saffron D.
Speaker 1 (35:24):
Cloth by weight?
Speaker 3 (35:25):
You said by weight?
Speaker 2 (35:27):
Yes, so I guess if you go like you buy
it just the place and you weigh it.
Speaker 1 (35:32):
What's the one now? Ron ding dang ding ding ding ding.
You know your stuff.
Speaker 4 (35:38):
She's a real one. She's a real one. I thought
she was an imposta.
Speaker 1 (35:41):
Thought she ain't really cooking.
Speaker 4 (35:44):
Oh my god. Next question, I don't even know what
soffron is.
Speaker 3 (35:48):
It's a it's a spice spice, but it's it's kind
of like floral, but it's using a lot in Persian cooking.
Got it for the color and flavor?
Speaker 1 (35:58):
What's the color?
Speaker 3 (35:59):
It's like yellow? Yeah kind of?
Speaker 1 (36:03):
But yeah.
Speaker 2 (36:04):
What country is credited with inventing fine dining as we
know it? A? Italy, B, France, C, Japan, D.
Speaker 3 (36:14):
Spain not America. France.
Speaker 4 (36:18):
Spain was the last one.
Speaker 1 (36:19):
Yes, had the final answer.
Speaker 4 (36:22):
Are you sure?
Speaker 1 (36:23):
Okay?
Speaker 3 (36:23):
Well that wrong?
Speaker 1 (36:24):
No, you're right? Is like I didn't want you to
go to for two youse gotta get harder or maybe
I know my ship.
Speaker 2 (36:35):
What does Dane literally to the bit damn ding ding
ding ding, and then they had to go through the
other ones.
Speaker 4 (36:44):
All right, she's a professional. I think we've established we
gotta do the final question.
Speaker 1 (36:48):
Mm hmm. This is actually interesting. If you had to
pair fried chicken with fine wine champagne. Damn, that's the thing.
Speaker 3 (36:58):
Yeah, where because if you like imagine like it's a
fried chicken is like a very rich like taste, and
fried food goes really well with champagne. Really, the bubbles
and the fried food goes.
Speaker 2 (37:14):
I've just never gone anywhere and seeing fried chicken and like, hey,
you should get some champagne.
Speaker 4 (37:19):
That's a real thing.
Speaker 3 (37:20):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (37:21):
At the Penjuri in DC, Yeah, they have on I
think it's Monday or tuesdays. You guys owe me a
check for this. They have fried chicken. It's actually the
best deal in DC. It's like fried chicken, like a
bucket of fried chicken and a bottle of klcko for
seventy five dollars. Yeah, it's nuts. Yeah, it gets chicken
for two in a bottle of champagne. Fantastic.
Speaker 3 (37:42):
Also, if you get Popeyes and like a good bottle
of like champagne. It's delicious, delicious.
Speaker 4 (37:49):
What are your three favorite restaurants in La ever or
in La you pick?
Speaker 1 (37:57):
I say both.
Speaker 3 (37:58):
Okay, there's a really great restaurant and I can't it's
not East Hollywood called Antiko.
Speaker 4 (38:06):
My favorite rest I wish she didn't say it because
I don't want anybody to go. Yeah, that's that's my
favorite restaurant and all of LA I've been telling you
that for two years.
Speaker 3 (38:14):
Delicious, it's the best.
Speaker 1 (38:17):
I just don't do Italian much.
Speaker 3 (38:19):
But Italians so big here.
Speaker 1 (38:21):
It's a lot of pasta.
Speaker 3 (38:23):
Oh right, are you good? I shouldn't say that you're
when you go to France, you should have pasta.
Speaker 1 (38:29):
I have read I do.
Speaker 4 (38:31):
I did I do?
Speaker 2 (38:31):
Because I also don't. I feel completely different. See yeah,
I eat pasta over there, and I don't come back
looking crazy.
Speaker 1 (38:38):
Yeah, I just look normal.
Speaker 4 (38:39):
Yeah, all right, So that's one.
Speaker 3 (38:42):
Okay, Antigo Nuovo. Here in d C, because we are
coming for these large cities, there's a place called I'm
not going to pronounce it, Ladarante. It's also Italian. It's
really good.
Speaker 4 (38:56):
I feel like I'm familiar, but I haven't been.
Speaker 3 (38:58):
It's like, I guess it's like you no nom they
call it. Yep, that's really good. And then oh that's hard.
That's really third one third one third one restaurant or
carry out or restaurant.
Speaker 4 (39:18):
Yeah to you.
Speaker 3 (39:19):
There's this Jamaican spot Okay, I shouldn't say that because
you're a Jamaican. But like in New York, like on
the corner where my best friend used to live, that
is delicious and I don't remember the name, but like
it's just delicious and they have great goat.
Speaker 1 (39:36):
I believe that.
Speaker 4 (39:37):
Yeah, give us the block the streets.
Speaker 3 (39:39):
No string and I think, no Stran. What is that street? Fulton,
Notion and Fulton, I think pretty sure.
Speaker 1 (39:49):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (39:51):
Right, so that's like downtown Brookline. No, it's not Flatbush.
Speaker 3 (39:59):
It's Bedsty.
Speaker 1 (40:00):
My favorite staurant right now remains to be done more.
Speaker 3 (40:03):
Duns Moore is really good. That is really good. Still
that is a that is delicious. Yeah, you know what
else is good? Cafe tele grama over it's technically over here,
there's delicious pancakes.
Speaker 2 (40:18):
Well, I've been to the little Italian place at a
connected to Yeah, that's good.
Speaker 3 (40:24):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (40:25):
See, I go a couple of places all right.
Speaker 4 (40:28):
I had to. I had to ask the real cook,
the good restaurant. So yeah, but that's the one I
gotta go. That's the one. See, I've been telling him
for two years, you have to. I don't go to
many Italian places, so it has nothing to do they
make their do they make their own possibly Italian food.
All the time, I said, you go to Italian places.
(40:50):
I don't know many Italian places.
Speaker 2 (40:51):
Like if I go out to eat, it's going to
be like a duns More American or it's going to
be like Asian preferred because it's meat for it.
Speaker 3 (41:00):
You know what, what's that place?
Speaker 1 (41:03):
My favorite restaurant the talent I like a lot is Funk.
Speaker 4 (41:05):
I was just about to say, your favorite restaurant right
now Italians.
Speaker 1 (41:09):
No, no, No, Dunsmore is my favorite. Funk Is just
like I really like Funk. But I like that.
Speaker 3 (41:14):
It's also a great date night spot. It's like dark
and it's like yeah, and the wine is really good.
Speaker 4 (41:20):
It's the one one still, It's just the one.
Speaker 1 (41:22):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (41:23):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (41:23):
I tried out, guys, and look at some great pasta
that I can enjoy?
Speaker 4 (41:27):
You can?
Speaker 3 (41:28):
I think so made? I really do think it's.
Speaker 1 (41:30):
Pasta and I don't do cheese. Oh you see what
I'm saying. You're very la you see what I'm saying.
Speaker 2 (41:35):
Like, that's why I go to the menu and I'm like,
this is an incredible pasta cheese dish.
Speaker 1 (41:40):
Wow, I would eat that.
Speaker 4 (41:42):
He moved here and got real weird or real healthy or.
Speaker 3 (41:46):
Weird or not weird. Well, if you go to if
you go overseas, you know you can eat anything. So
it's technically what America is making serving us.
Speaker 4 (41:55):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (41:56):
Yeah, I think we got to be honest for ourselves
that the food here doesn't set you up for success
like it does in other places.
Speaker 1 (42:03):
No, it doesn't. And you can't really eat a lot
of things here.
Speaker 3 (42:08):
No, or you shop at the farmers really smart, or you.
Speaker 1 (42:13):
Like work out, you do all the things so that
you can't eat it. Yeah, but like in the absence
of that, you know, you just don't eat it.
Speaker 2 (42:20):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (42:20):
Well yeah, or that mm hmm, so yeah, I'm gonna
eat it.
Speaker 4 (42:25):
Same.
Speaker 1 (42:26):
Well.
Speaker 2 (42:27):
It was such a pleasure to catch up with you.
We're all excited here for the book and just at
hot Sauce. I do want you to leave until our
audience something. I got a tip, what budget no, feed
what feeds You?
Speaker 3 (42:44):
That's a good one. Feed what feeds You? And also
pre order my cookbook when it comes when I drop it,
pre order because New York Times. That's all an author,
I'm coming for you.
Speaker 4 (42:52):
That let's do exactly. Shout out to you.
Speaker 1 (42:54):
Thank you, thank you for coming, thank you for having me,
Thanks for listening. Everyone.
Speaker 2 (43:04):
The hosts of The Wealth Break are Me, Rodney Williams,
and Travis Holloway.
Speaker 1 (43:08):
If you want to stay connected, follow.
Speaker 2 (43:10):
Us at the Wealth Break on all platforms, and be
sure to visit the wealthbreak dot com for additional resources
to help you on your journey to building wealth. Our
executive producers are Ryan Marx and Malik Soka, with Meredith
Barnes as our supervising producer.
Speaker 1 (43:28):
Catch you next time on The Wealth Break.
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