Two-time Emmy and three-time NAACP Image Award-winning television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Suli Salaam. His Paint Your Heaven company’s unique combination of technical expertise and design skills experience makes him an ideal creator for web, app, and software design and development.
• Why did you name your company Paint Your Heaven?
• What are your skills?
• Where were you trained?
• Where are you based?
• What is the big picture?
• Competing with overseas programmers
• How do you set your rate?
• Why should someone contact you?
The CEO of Paint Your Heaven is a highly skilled and experienced full-stack developer and UI designer with over 5 years of experience in both fields. With over ten years of experience in UI design, the CEO brings a unique perspective and skill set to the development process, ensuring that each project is visually appealing, user-friendly, and highly functional.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:05):
Welcome to the show.
Speaker 2 (00:06):
I am Rashan McDonald, the host of Money Making Conversations Masterclass,
where we encourage people to stop reading other people's success
stories and start planning their own. Listen up as I
interview entrepreneurs from around the country, talk to celebrities and
ask them how they are running their companies, and speak
with dog profits who are making a difference in their
(00:26):
local communities. Now, sit back and listen as we unlock
the secrets to their success on Money Making Conversations Masterclass.
Speaker 1 (00:36):
Hi, there, this is Rushan McDonald. Welcome another day. Some people,
depending on what part of the country you are living
in a rainy day. But again I'm here providing information
I feel will be useful to you. Is up to
you to grade the usefulness of it. But again, I
try to bring individuals on the show that I engage
(00:57):
in their life, their success story, their secrets to success,
and in the process of revealing those pathways or those journeys,
it may drop some information in your direction that can
help you figure out something or expand on an idea
or concept that you may be stumped on. Or you
may contact them personally because they may have a task
(01:17):
or maybe doing something that engages you to want to
know more information because I always ask them for their
contact information. Again, this is Rashaan McDonald. I host this
weekly Money Making Conversation Masterclass show. The interviews and information
that this show provides are for everyone. It's time to
stop reading other people's success stories and start living your own.
And if you want to be a guest on Money
(01:39):
Making Conversation Master Class, just go to money Making Conversations
dot com and click the be a Guest button, fill
out the information press submit. That information will come to
me and if it's information I feel, will warrant an
opportunity to be interviewing on this show, and you provide
an information that will make other people's lives better. Who
listen to the show, you'll be sitting right now next
(02:00):
to me or calling in next to me. Let's get
this show started with my guests. My guests created the
company Paint Your Heaven. He's based in Kansas City. His
company's unique combination of technical expertise and design skills experience
makes him an idea creator for web, app and software
design as well as development. Please welcome to the Money
(02:22):
Making Conversations Masterclass. Sulely Salom how you doing, Sully?
Speaker 3 (02:26):
Every day is a good day. How you doing today?
Speaker 1 (02:29):
Pretty good? Now, paint your heaven. Let's start off with
that name right there. Where did that name come from?
For your business? Paint your heaven? Well?
Speaker 3 (02:38):
It was a phrase that really inspired me as a
young man of getting right into adulthood. I wanted to
spread that message that as long as you have a
clear vision of what you want in life, you know
you can, you know, make it happen. And this is
how we're being an asset to other companies helping them
(03:01):
bring their visions to life as well.
Speaker 1 (03:03):
Now what age?
Speaker 4 (03:05):
I know?
Speaker 1 (03:05):
Like a certain times I always tell people, you know,
a young mind, you can provide information that can stay
there forever. How old were you when you were impacted
by this phrase?
Speaker 3 (03:16):
Twenty two years old? Twenty two years old. I just
got into the self help books learning about the law
of attractions and the power of the mind and positive
thinking and coming from you know, a challenging neighborhood as
a child, you know, learning the positive or positive thinking
(03:40):
really transform my mind in my life.
Speaker 1 (03:42):
You know, really when I talked to him, talk to Suley,
an incredible developer web designs, and I don't want to
insult him because there's a lot of people who designed
webs websites. He does more than that, he programs. He's
a stacked developer. Isn't that correct, Suley?
Speaker 3 (03:58):
Yes, sir, full stack developer, front and back in.
Speaker 1 (04:00):
Okay, explain to people the difference, because there are a
lot of people out there. They claim to do websites,
but then when you start trying to get into their
full stack end, that's when they run off and they disappear.
So tell everybody about the full stack development aspect of
your abilities.
Speaker 3 (04:17):
So full stack is more so for example, creating an
app like foover, whereas basic web design would be like
your landing page or a small businesses and so forth.
We can go as far as the mind can imagine.
Speaker 1 (04:34):
Now when you say that, because I want to make
sure you separate yourself, because there's a lot of people
out there getting business. Have frustrated me. Okay, I sit
down with them. They claim they do something else, and
basically they're doing a knockoff of a template in some ways.
In some ways, you can do it yourself. I'm saying,
not just me, I'm talking about not referencing you, but
(04:56):
anybody out there could do that because they have templates
out there, and and so when you say full staff,
that means that someone can come to you. Sule I'm
just being a person that's talking because I have done
business for Suley. He has, and I'm just let everybody
know that. That's why I brought him on the show.
I wouldn't bring a stranger on the show that I
didn't do any business with because of the fact that
(05:18):
what he's offering and what he brings to the table is
a very unique skill set, especially from an African American standpoint?
Am I correct?
Speaker 3 (05:26):
Yes, sir?
Speaker 1 (05:27):
Why do you think there are not enough black full
stack developers in the game.
Speaker 3 (05:35):
Self belief? I think that in our community it's actually
still very rare for us to be extremely confident in
what we're able to accomplish.
Speaker 1 (05:50):
And when you say that, Sulely, you know something triggered you. Now, okay,
because you said earlier, maybe in much detail, you said,
look where I grew up in the neighborhood I grew
up in, and they wasn't motivating you, they wasn't encouraging you.
There'd be more people tell you what you can do
versus what you can do. Tell us about your upbringing
(06:12):
that allows you to be the person and you're very inspirational.
You're always motivating everybody I ever spoke to you. You've
always been upbeating and you may have had some bad
days when you've spoken to me, but you always maintain
that upbeat personality.
Speaker 3 (06:25):
Talk about your background, Yeah, so I come from humble
beginnings to parents that I really admire and have a
lot of respect for. I have to really give my
mom a lot of credit for the self belief that
I have as a kid. A lot of moms tell
(06:45):
you that you can do whatever you put your mind to,
and I believe my mom when she said that. You know,
when you walk outside into the you know from the
you know, in the neighborhood that I grew up in,
there's a lot of negativity going on. So everything that
you went outside extremely excited about, you know, your friends
(07:07):
and you know people around are you know, shooting down
your ideas just from a place of unhappiness, like a
self belief on armed on their end, which is understandable,
and the circumstances that we were growing up in. My
whole thing was just putting a play together where I
(07:27):
contained the trajectory of my family, your assets, that my
parents and you know, everyone that I care about, and
also the world just making sure that my bistance makes
it different.
Speaker 1 (07:41):
That's those are powerful statements. And I and I come
from that neighborhood, you know, filth Forward, Houston, Texas, a
community where you know, if I went back, it's not
a friend of mine who I grew up with, if
they stayed in that neighborhood, they were They are not
alive today. It was just that type of neighborhood. You
don't worry, you don't live long in those neighborhoods, reach
hire in those neighborhoods. Those neighborhoods wear you down and
(08:04):
basically kill you because of distress, the community, the type
of environment. There's no upward mobility tied to those communities.
There's no positivity, you know, the outreach is very limited,
and so you have to be around people who think
you can be better than what you are. And it
(08:24):
started with your mom, and then then you had to
go to school. Somebody in the adulthood of academia saw you,
Souley and said, you can do this. Who is that person?
Speaker 3 (08:36):
I think the first person I would like to credit
is my teacher, mister Oldham. I've always been a very
creative kid, and especially during the high school, I was,
you know, a visual artist and also a creative writer.
And my teacher believed in me so much, and I
(08:57):
did a lot of music. Uh, and he used to
write notes for me to skip class and watch Tucac
documentaries just to try to sounds funny, but it's real,
you know. He would do that, you know, and remind
me that tucoc was no longer here, and how easy
(09:22):
it is for me to go in the wrong direction,
and how I can actually do something with my creative mind.
Speaker 1 (09:27):
Wow. Wow, you know when I when I think about you,
please tell the people name your website because I want
them as we talk they have time to go to
your website take and see the creative mind and the
personality that I'm talking to. What's your website Paintureheaven dot
com and uh, paintrehavn dot com. And on that website
we will find.
Speaker 3 (09:46):
What you'll find examples of some of the work that
we've created.
Speaker 1 (09:53):
And how when when when one brings an idea to you,
like I brought an idea to you and sat down
sketched it out some of it. It was pretty detailed,
and then you come back to us. So if somebody's
listening on this call, they said, you know something, I
won't I won't paint your heaven to design a website
to me, or I won't paint your heaven to develop
an app for me, because you do apps as well. Correct, Yes,
(10:17):
Now I want to I want you to explain something
to me. You have a you have an app. You
have a website, right, do you have a mobile version
of that website? Correct? Yes, and then you have an app.
What is the difference between the mobile version of that
website and the app.
Speaker 3 (10:35):
Well, the difference is this native functionalities. So when you
go on a mobile version of an app, you typically
aren't able to use space size, you know, Apple pay,
push notification, uh, so on and so forth, like GPS,
like build location. Those are the difference, like having no
(11:00):
functionalities natively in the you know, working with within with
the phone.
Speaker 1 (11:08):
And that's really important. So you would encourage anybody who
has a business to have an app.
Speaker 3 (11:17):
I would encourage I would. I wouldn't say anyone who
has it depends on the size of the business, Yes, sir, Yes, sir,
depending on the size of the business. If you're looking
at scale, definitely m.
Speaker 1 (11:35):
And so when you say skills, you know, there are
a lot of competition out there, especially overseas. You know,
I know that the Indian market, uh, in the India
is very competitive, if I'm mistaken, in the program in
the world, very competitive in the programming world. I'm just
(11:55):
going to ask this question, why do you think that's
like that? Why do you think is that? Is that
something that a difficult question for me to ask you
because I'm just taking aback when I know that's for
a fact that that that programming over there is it's
kind of like second nature.
Speaker 3 (12:12):
Yeah, like it's it's very common there. I think it's
uh the culture, you know, it's it's something that they
can see a future end and a lot of them
trained in it early on and get into it right away.
And I think that's the big difference, you know. I
think that we're getting more into it here in the
(12:35):
States now, right right. I think they've been doing that
for a while, I know.
Speaker 1 (12:39):
And it's really it's really it's like a six hour
swing hour time difference and things like that. So I'm
talking to Sule Salm. He's the creator, developer, and the
owner of Paint Your Heaven. His website is Paintohaven dot
com if you want to see some of his work
web app and software design and development. And when when
you talk about you yourself, sir, you know you just
(13:01):
started from scratch, Yes, sir twenty two, he was motivated
by Paint you Heaven. That's part of your company name.
There's your company name, your brand, your thought process. How
did you know you had skills for this?
Speaker 3 (13:22):
It's that So starting off, there is nothing that I
could point to that would say that would actually make
sense for me to know that I had feelings in it.
So when I first started off, I just knew that
I could do anything I put my mind to. So
I wanted to create an app for myself, okay, and
(13:45):
I was able to complete it. And I used the
Wicks actually for my first you know, big development project
for myself. And I built the social media app using
with this platform for the website. Then I developed native
(14:07):
functionalities and actually released the app into the Apple Store.
And also Android Wigs corporate called me and said they've
never seen anyone do this with a platform for and
you know, let me know that anything I need, you know,
they're here to support me. They appreciate using their platform,
(14:30):
so on and so forth, and you know, I became
a partner with them, and you know, that's kind of
the moment where I knew like, okay, I might be
special a little bit.
Speaker 1 (14:44):
So so that that please give me a little bit
more background in the software social media app that you
designed through the WIGS platform, which is a very popular
website based design platform that people use a lot of
Uh people go there for templates. It's very very designed friendly.
(15:05):
And so you sat down and you designed something that
they had never seen before, the company Wicks and now
all these programmers they have over there and nope, not
a program over there had ever thought of this concept
that you put out there. That they called you and went, wow,
uh you know, uh, what's your name, sir? Uh call
us next time you start thinking real hard, because we
(15:25):
want to talk to you. That's basically what they said, right, Wow,
when we come back, we're gonna I'm gonna go through
I'm gonna ask mister Suley some questions. You know, how
to be a really good developed I'm the Raucheon McDonald test.
Speaker 4 (15:51):
Please don't go anywhere. We'll be right back with more
money Making Conversations Masterclass. Welcome back to the Money Making
Conversations Masterclass hosted by Rashan McDonald. Money Making Conversations Masterclass
(16:12):
continues online at Moneymakingconversations dot com and follow money Making
Conversations Masterclass on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Speaker 1 (16:21):
Did everybody know how talented this young man is? Paint
Your Heaven. That's the name of his company, Paintreheaven dot
Com is the name is the website where you can
see some of his work. My name is Rashan McDonald
and you're listening to Money Making Conversations master Class. Don't
go nowhere. We're talking to somebody I've never had on
my shore at the show before. A full stack development
now the website development. A full stack developer, front end
(16:44):
and back end. Come right back, Come back, please my
full stack developer, Suley Salom Suley your company Paint Your Heaven.
I got one text came in, had this question for you.
What does native functionality mean?
Speaker 3 (16:59):
Native functionality an example is push notifications would be the
simple uh you know answer for that. Push notifications on
your phone. So if you have an Uber Tarboro on
your way and you get a notification that says it's
five minutes away. Right, that is a native function.
Speaker 1 (17:20):
Okay, cool, I think that's been answered. Now when we
go from the big picture, when you started your company
as you are right now, what is the big picture
of your company? What what's the destination? What's the landing
you want to be because you're based in Kansas City, right, yes, okay?
What is the big picture of Paint your Heaven?
Speaker 3 (17:38):
We want to serve businesses worldwide from startup to establish
businesses looking to scale. And then we also want to
launch the non for profit side where we go into
inner city communities and teach the power of the law
of attraction and positive thinking.
Speaker 1 (17:55):
Now does this also include AI? Yeah?
Speaker 3 (18:00):
Yes, yes, yes it is.
Speaker 1 (18:02):
And now how do you work AI? Which is artificial intelligence?
And that's the big buzz word nowadays, and I've been
I went to an AI seminar last Thursday, and it
just blew me away from the same point of all
these platforms you have out there that allow you to
just just read documents and it will tell you what's
(18:22):
valuable key points in the document. You don't have to
read documents anymore to tell you look at the could
look up insurance keywords in this document, tell me what
they are. They to tell you what the document is.
How do you incorporate AI into your full stack development?
Speaker 3 (18:37):
Well, fortunately, uh, there's so there's such a big pool
of developers now. A lot of the AI tools and
stuff that we incorporate into our project are via API.
So we're able to kind of piggyback off of some
of the work that some developers have already got to
this point, and then we can tap into their API, right,
(19:01):
and we can h expand upon it if that makes sense.
Speaker 1 (19:06):
Okay, cool, Now when you expand on it, and I'm
gonna just tell you this, Suley, you know you know
the language. Now we start saying API that if I
person text me about that nativecality, you really dumb this down, Okay.
Speaker 3 (19:21):
It's essentially one web application talking to another. Okay, So
say that. So say chat chat GPT has an API, right,
and I want to create an avatar version of myself
that has the knowledge of chat GPT. I can use
(19:43):
chat GPT's APR to connect it with my avatar, Okay.
Speaker 1 (19:51):
And so when you do that, it's important that we
maintain some type of level of communication So let's go
from day one, day one. Why would somebody contact paint
your heaven? What's the reason to be contacting you?
Speaker 3 (20:06):
You have a big idea, you want to a quick
turnaround in someone who's flexible and how they work with you?
Speaker 1 (20:16):
Okay, okay, So when they present that idea, what do
you give back to them? Do they do you put
down or retain? I'm just trying to say the process
so people will know they just can't just it might
be five people. I got an idea, I got an
idea of just be contacting you, Sue. You go, oh,
you may have heard me. It don't work that way.
This is how I do business. You know you can
you send me a proposal. Just don't just don't call
(20:38):
to me talking about an idea. Send me a proposal.
How does that work?
Speaker 3 (20:44):
Yeah? I would say, yeah, send a proposal. Make sure
you already have a budget in mind. Oh what you what?
You have a loted for this project?
Speaker 1 (20:52):
Yes, sir?
Speaker 3 (20:53):
And then on a ri N we can let you
know how realistic it is for us to get the
entire project ELM within that with that within that budget
right or and also let you know what we can
do within.
Speaker 1 (21:08):
Cool so when you're when you're producing these workable software
packages and your team player, you keep updating. You already
said they got you know got things you can tap
in APIs you can tap into that already. You know
this work, so you can use it to your process
so you're not you don't have to go through this
learning process of this learning curve because this particular plug
(21:29):
in that you can add into the programming will make
it work. So what is the most can you share
with us a couple of concepts that you have done
that's available, Like you shared with us these social media
platform that you created with Wicks that we can go
to and see some of your work. As that that's
too private.
Speaker 3 (21:49):
And I want to share, okay, uh, I would just
talk about.
Speaker 1 (21:56):
The concept, Just talk about the concept with not in generalities,
so we'll know just some of the range of work
that you've done. I apologize.
Speaker 3 (22:04):
Now, behind the scenes, we're working on a project that
simplifies the post audio production process. So whether it's podcasts, uh, movies, music,
so on and so forth. Essentially you'll be able to
cut your time down you know, and have as far
(22:27):
as how long it takes you to be ready for
market so that's something that we're working on.
Speaker 1 (22:33):
Now, So what do you what do you mean You're
you're designing something? I got a podcast? So how would
it work for me?
Speaker 3 (22:42):
So how it would work for you? Would It's essentially
one button technology? Okay, so instead of having to go
through and EQ your voice and set up the compression,
I'm sure you have a template. Now let's say you're
in a new environment and you're getting an echo and
you click the button, echo is gone.
Speaker 1 (23:08):
So it cleans up the audio for you?
Speaker 3 (23:10):
Yes, it does.
Speaker 1 (23:11):
No, Now this is helpful for me. Now I'm a novice.
Now I got I got hired, I got full time employees.
So if I'm just a guy, regular guy, I start
my podcast, I don't know how to edit or any
of these things. I definitely don't know how to do, uh,
you know with the pro tools. I think that's the
term they use for audio cleanup, you know. And so
(23:34):
so just this packet, is this something you're building for somebody,
or you're building it within your office, within your company.
Paint your heaven so you can make available to people
who want to use it.
Speaker 3 (23:46):
This is something that I'm building for another company, Okay,
that I'm actually involved in as well.
Speaker 1 (23:52):
Okay, and you see a need for that.
Speaker 3 (23:55):
It's a huge need for So on the side, you
can upload your stems are like your musical instruments tracked out.
You know, your your vocals tracked out, so on and
so forth. Click the button. You're ready for marketing.
Speaker 1 (24:15):
Wow. Yes, so let me tell you something true. You know,
I don't know if you're just super confident. Oh you
don't know that. That's pretty huge what you just said.
You know, you're they're they're major corporation. There are labels
out there. They're going. Okay, now we got a problem
with this. Cut this cut the middle man and the
(24:38):
side man and the third person out. This is straight
to market. This is somebody in their bathroom cut music
and now they distributing it and they're selling it. And
they don't need a board man, they don't need a studio,
they don't need anything.
Speaker 3 (24:53):
That's what you're saying, right, It doesn't cut out the engine.
Speaker 1 (25:00):
Okay.
Speaker 3 (25:01):
So I'm an audio engineer as well. Okay, I was
I one like third in the big competition coming straight
out of high school and audio engineering. I'm extremely passionate
about it. This is more of an asset to the
audio engineers. Okay, okay, So then cutting the matters the creature.
Speaker 1 (25:20):
Okay, cool, okay, cool. But these are the type of
creative ideas that you come up with at paint you're
having and when you are you are you're a solo man?
You got a full staff? Are you working over there?
Speaker 4 (25:29):
Man?
Speaker 1 (25:29):
What's what's the company you look like over there?
Speaker 3 (25:32):
Yes, we have a team. I can't take credit for everything.
Speaker 1 (25:38):
Well you're right to take So take credit, my friend.
And so the big picture is, like you said, is
being able to set the rate, being able to be creative.
You do website development, you do app development, you do
full stack development. The area that we talked about earlier,
not enough people of color, especially not enough African America
(26:00):
and participating. You know the country of India as a
dominant voice in the full stack programming. I know that
for a fact. I've been knowing that for years. It
always amazes me. Sometimes you will call one eight hundred
numbers and guess what they're connecting you into India for
technical service and technical advice. That's true, you can just
(26:23):
you've heard it yourself personally. And that's the interesting that
in a sense like he said, if we can just
make our community like that, if we can start creating,
you know, neighborhoods where young black kids can become just
like they're doing in India, it's not that hard. But
we have to start understanding the value of STEM programming,
STEM education. That's the next step. AI should not be
(26:45):
something that we run from. We should run towards it.
If you had to give any advice as we close
out this interview, Sol, what would it be to our
young people and our adults for that matter, when it
comes to programming as well as AI.
Speaker 3 (27:00):
I would like to say, I almost want to piggyback
off what you just said and say, run towards chain.
You know, don't be afraid of it. So no matter
if you're in this industry or whatever industry that you're in,
you know, always run towards the change. Don't be afraid
of it.
Speaker 1 (27:20):
Wow, I appreciate you, my friend. We're gonna talk soon
of course again. Paintreourhaven dot com. Please visit it if
you have time and just see the creative mind of
Sulei Salom. Thank you for coming on money making conversation
my brother, and you know, I know I can't see
it known for that good barbecue. So you know, when
I'm in barbecue country, I'm gonna stop buy and say hi.
Speaker 3 (27:39):
There we go.
Speaker 1 (27:41):
This has been another edition of Money Making Conversation Masterclass
posted by me Rashaun McDonald. Thank you to our guests
on the show today and thank you. I'll listening to
the audience now. If you want to listen to any
episode I want to be a guest on the show,
visit Moneymaking Conversations dot com. Our social media handle is
money Making Conversation. Join us next week and remember to
(28:02):
always leave with your gifts. Keep winning.
Speaker 2 (28:05):
Mm hmmm.
Welcome to the show.
Speaker 2 (00:06):
I am Rashan McDonald, the host of Money Making Conversations Masterclass,
where we encourage people to stop reading other people's success
stories and start planning their own. Listen up as I
interview entrepreneurs from around the country, talk to celebrities and
ask them how they are running their companies, and speak
with dog profits who are making a difference in their
(00:26):
local communities. Now, sit back and listen as we unlock
the secrets to their success on Money Making Conversations Masterclass.
Speaker 1 (00:36):
Hi, there, this is Rushan McDonald. Welcome another day. Some people,
depending on what part of the country you are living
in a rainy day. But again I'm here providing information
I feel will be useful to you. Is up to
you to grade the usefulness of it. But again, I
try to bring individuals on the show that I engage
(00:57):
in their life, their success story, their secrets to success,
and in the process of revealing those pathways or those journeys,
it may drop some information in your direction that can
help you figure out something or expand on an idea
or concept that you may be stumped on. Or you
may contact them personally because they may have a task
(01:17):
or maybe doing something that engages you to want to
know more information because I always ask them for their
contact information. Again, this is Rashaan McDonald. I host this
weekly Money Making Conversation Masterclass show. The interviews and information
that this show provides are for everyone. It's time to
stop reading other people's success stories and start living your own.
And if you want to be a guest on Money
(01:39):
Making Conversation Master Class, just go to money Making Conversations
dot com and click the be a Guest button, fill
out the information press submit. That information will come to
me and if it's information I feel, will warrant an
opportunity to be interviewing on this show, and you provide
an information that will make other people's lives better. Who
listen to the show, you'll be sitting right now next
(02:00):
to me or calling in next to me. Let's get
this show started with my guests. My guests created the
company Paint Your Heaven. He's based in Kansas City. His
company's unique combination of technical expertise and design skills experience
makes him an idea creator for web, app and software
design as well as development. Please welcome to the Money
(02:22):
Making Conversations Masterclass. Sulely Salom how you doing, Sully?
Speaker 3 (02:26):
Every day is a good day. How you doing today?
Speaker 1 (02:29):
Pretty good? Now, paint your heaven. Let's start off with
that name right there. Where did that name come from?
For your business? Paint your heaven? Well?
Speaker 3 (02:38):
It was a phrase that really inspired me as a
young man of getting right into adulthood. I wanted to
spread that message that as long as you have a
clear vision of what you want in life, you know
you can, you know, make it happen. And this is
how we're being an asset to other companies helping them
(03:01):
bring their visions to life as well.
Speaker 1 (03:03):
Now what age?
Speaker 4 (03:05):
I know?
Speaker 1 (03:05):
Like a certain times I always tell people, you know,
a young mind, you can provide information that can stay
there forever. How old were you when you were impacted
by this phrase?
Speaker 3 (03:16):
Twenty two years old? Twenty two years old. I just
got into the self help books learning about the law
of attractions and the power of the mind and positive
thinking and coming from you know, a challenging neighborhood as
a child, you know, learning the positive or positive thinking
(03:40):
really transform my mind in my life.
Speaker 1 (03:42):
You know, really when I talked to him, talk to Suley,
an incredible developer web designs, and I don't want to
insult him because there's a lot of people who designed
webs websites. He does more than that, he programs. He's
a stacked developer. Isn't that correct, Suley?
Speaker 3 (03:58):
Yes, sir, full stack developer, front and back in.
Speaker 1 (04:00):
Okay, explain to people the difference, because there are a
lot of people out there. They claim to do websites,
but then when you start trying to get into their
full stack end, that's when they run off and they disappear.
So tell everybody about the full stack development aspect of
your abilities.
Speaker 3 (04:17):
So full stack is more so for example, creating an
app like foover, whereas basic web design would be like
your landing page or a small businesses and so forth.
We can go as far as the mind can imagine.
Speaker 1 (04:34):
Now when you say that, because I want to make
sure you separate yourself, because there's a lot of people
out there getting business. Have frustrated me. Okay, I sit
down with them. They claim they do something else, and
basically they're doing a knockoff of a template in some ways.
In some ways, you can do it yourself. I'm saying,
not just me, I'm talking about not referencing you, but
(04:56):
anybody out there could do that because they have templates
out there, and and so when you say full staff,
that means that someone can come to you. Sule I'm
just being a person that's talking because I have done
business for Suley. He has, and I'm just let everybody
know that. That's why I brought him on the show.
I wouldn't bring a stranger on the show that I
didn't do any business with because of the fact that
(05:18):
what he's offering and what he brings to the table is
a very unique skill set, especially from an African American standpoint?
Am I correct?
Speaker 3 (05:26):
Yes, sir?
Speaker 1 (05:27):
Why do you think there are not enough black full
stack developers in the game.
Speaker 3 (05:35):
Self belief? I think that in our community it's actually
still very rare for us to be extremely confident in
what we're able to accomplish.
Speaker 1 (05:50):
And when you say that, Sulely, you know something triggered you. Now, okay,
because you said earlier, maybe in much detail, you said,
look where I grew up in the neighborhood I grew
up in, and they wasn't motivating you, they wasn't encouraging you.
There'd be more people tell you what you can do
versus what you can do. Tell us about your upbringing
(06:12):
that allows you to be the person and you're very inspirational.
You're always motivating everybody I ever spoke to you. You've
always been upbeating and you may have had some bad
days when you've spoken to me, but you always maintain
that upbeat personality.
Speaker 3 (06:25):
Talk about your background, Yeah, so I come from humble
beginnings to parents that I really admire and have a
lot of respect for. I have to really give my
mom a lot of credit for the self belief that
I have as a kid. A lot of moms tell
(06:45):
you that you can do whatever you put your mind to,
and I believe my mom when she said that. You know,
when you walk outside into the you know from the
you know, in the neighborhood that I grew up in,
there's a lot of negativity going on. So everything that
you went outside extremely excited about, you know, your friends
(07:07):
and you know people around are you know, shooting down
your ideas just from a place of unhappiness, like a
self belief on armed on their end, which is understandable,
and the circumstances that we were growing up in. My
whole thing was just putting a play together where I
(07:27):
contained the trajectory of my family, your assets, that my
parents and you know, everyone that I care about, and
also the world just making sure that my bistance makes
it different.
Speaker 1 (07:41):
That's those are powerful statements. And I and I come
from that neighborhood, you know, filth Forward, Houston, Texas, a
community where you know, if I went back, it's not
a friend of mine who I grew up with, if
they stayed in that neighborhood, they were They are not
alive today. It was just that type of neighborhood. You
don't worry, you don't live long in those neighborhoods, reach
hire in those neighborhoods. Those neighborhoods wear you down and
(08:04):
basically kill you because of distress, the community, the type
of environment. There's no upward mobility tied to those communities.
There's no positivity, you know, the outreach is very limited,
and so you have to be around people who think
you can be better than what you are. And it
(08:24):
started with your mom, and then then you had to
go to school. Somebody in the adulthood of academia saw you,
Souley and said, you can do this. Who is that person?
Speaker 3 (08:36):
I think the first person I would like to credit
is my teacher, mister Oldham. I've always been a very
creative kid, and especially during the high school, I was,
you know, a visual artist and also a creative writer.
And my teacher believed in me so much, and I
(08:57):
did a lot of music. Uh, and he used to
write notes for me to skip class and watch Tucac
documentaries just to try to sounds funny, but it's real,
you know. He would do that, you know, and remind
me that tucoc was no longer here, and how easy
(09:22):
it is for me to go in the wrong direction,
and how I can actually do something with my creative mind.
Speaker 1 (09:27):
Wow. Wow, you know when I when I think about you,
please tell the people name your website because I want
them as we talk they have time to go to
your website take and see the creative mind and the
personality that I'm talking to. What's your website Paintureheaven dot
com and uh, paintrehavn dot com. And on that website
we will find.
Speaker 3 (09:46):
What you'll find examples of some of the work that
we've created.
Speaker 1 (09:53):
And how when when when one brings an idea to you,
like I brought an idea to you and sat down
sketched it out some of it. It was pretty detailed,
and then you come back to us. So if somebody's
listening on this call, they said, you know something, I
won't I won't paint your heaven to design a website
to me, or I won't paint your heaven to develop
an app for me, because you do apps as well. Correct, Yes,
(10:17):
Now I want to I want you to explain something
to me. You have a you have an app. You
have a website, right, do you have a mobile version
of that website? Correct? Yes, and then you have an app.
What is the difference between the mobile version of that
website and the app.
Speaker 3 (10:35):
Well, the difference is this native functionalities. So when you
go on a mobile version of an app, you typically
aren't able to use space size, you know, Apple pay,
push notification, uh, so on and so forth, like GPS,
like build location. Those are the difference, like having no
(11:00):
functionalities natively in the you know, working with within with
the phone.
Speaker 1 (11:08):
And that's really important. So you would encourage anybody who
has a business to have an app.
Speaker 3 (11:17):
I would encourage I would. I wouldn't say anyone who
has it depends on the size of the business, Yes, sir, Yes, sir,
depending on the size of the business. If you're looking
at scale, definitely m.
Speaker 1 (11:35):
And so when you say skills, you know, there are
a lot of competition out there, especially overseas. You know,
I know that the Indian market, uh, in the India
is very competitive, if I'm mistaken, in the program in
the world, very competitive in the programming world. I'm just
(11:55):
going to ask this question, why do you think that's
like that? Why do you think is that? Is that
something that a difficult question for me to ask you
because I'm just taking aback when I know that's for
a fact that that that programming over there is it's
kind of like second nature.
Speaker 3 (12:12):
Yeah, like it's it's very common there. I think it's
uh the culture, you know, it's it's something that they
can see a future end and a lot of them
trained in it early on and get into it right away.
And I think that's the big difference, you know. I
think that we're getting more into it here in the
(12:35):
States now, right right. I think they've been doing that
for a while, I know.
Speaker 1 (12:39):
And it's really it's really it's like a six hour
swing hour time difference and things like that. So I'm
talking to Sule Salm. He's the creator, developer, and the
owner of Paint Your Heaven. His website is Paintohaven dot
com if you want to see some of his work
web app and software design and development. And when when
you talk about you yourself, sir, you know you just
(13:01):
started from scratch, Yes, sir twenty two, he was motivated
by Paint you Heaven. That's part of your company name.
There's your company name, your brand, your thought process. How
did you know you had skills for this?
Speaker 3 (13:22):
It's that So starting off, there is nothing that I
could point to that would say that would actually make
sense for me to know that I had feelings in it.
So when I first started off, I just knew that
I could do anything I put my mind to. So
I wanted to create an app for myself, okay, and
(13:45):
I was able to complete it. And I used the
Wicks actually for my first you know, big development project
for myself. And I built the social media app using
with this platform for the website. Then I developed native
(14:07):
functionalities and actually released the app into the Apple Store.
And also Android Wigs corporate called me and said they've
never seen anyone do this with a platform for and
you know, let me know that anything I need, you know,
they're here to support me. They appreciate using their platform,
(14:30):
so on and so forth, and you know, I became
a partner with them, and you know, that's kind of
the moment where I knew like, okay, I might be
special a little bit.
Speaker 1 (14:44):
So so that that please give me a little bit
more background in the software social media app that you
designed through the WIGS platform, which is a very popular
website based design platform that people use a lot of
Uh people go there for templates. It's very very designed friendly.
(15:05):
And so you sat down and you designed something that
they had never seen before, the company Wicks and now
all these programmers they have over there and nope, not
a program over there had ever thought of this concept
that you put out there. That they called you and went, wow,
uh you know, uh, what's your name, sir? Uh call
us next time you start thinking real hard, because we
(15:25):
want to talk to you. That's basically what they said, right, Wow,
when we come back, we're gonna I'm gonna go through
I'm gonna ask mister Suley some questions. You know, how
to be a really good developed I'm the Raucheon McDonald test.
Speaker 4 (15:51):
Please don't go anywhere. We'll be right back with more
money Making Conversations Masterclass. Welcome back to the Money Making
Conversations Masterclass hosted by Rashan McDonald. Money Making Conversations Masterclass
(16:12):
continues online at Moneymakingconversations dot com and follow money Making
Conversations Masterclass on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Speaker 1 (16:21):
Did everybody know how talented this young man is? Paint
Your Heaven. That's the name of his company, Paintreheaven dot
Com is the name is the website where you can
see some of his work. My name is Rashan McDonald
and you're listening to Money Making Conversations master Class. Don't
go nowhere. We're talking to somebody I've never had on
my shore at the show before. A full stack development
now the website development. A full stack developer, front end
(16:44):
and back end. Come right back, Come back, please my
full stack developer, Suley Salom Suley your company Paint Your Heaven.
I got one text came in, had this question for you.
What does native functionality mean?
Speaker 3 (16:59):
Native functionality an example is push notifications would be the
simple uh you know answer for that. Push notifications on
your phone. So if you have an Uber Tarboro on
your way and you get a notification that says it's
five minutes away. Right, that is a native function.
Speaker 1 (17:20):
Okay, cool, I think that's been answered. Now when we
go from the big picture, when you started your company
as you are right now, what is the big picture
of your company? What what's the destination? What's the landing
you want to be because you're based in Kansas City, right, yes, okay?
What is the big picture of Paint your Heaven?
Speaker 3 (17:38):
We want to serve businesses worldwide from startup to establish
businesses looking to scale. And then we also want to
launch the non for profit side where we go into
inner city communities and teach the power of the law
of attraction and positive thinking.
Speaker 1 (17:55):
Now does this also include AI? Yeah?
Speaker 3 (18:00):
Yes, yes, yes it is.
Speaker 1 (18:02):
And now how do you work AI? Which is artificial intelligence?
And that's the big buzz word nowadays, and I've been
I went to an AI seminar last Thursday, and it
just blew me away from the same point of all
these platforms you have out there that allow you to
just just read documents and it will tell you what's
(18:22):
valuable key points in the document. You don't have to
read documents anymore to tell you look at the could
look up insurance keywords in this document, tell me what
they are. They to tell you what the document is.
How do you incorporate AI into your full stack development?
Speaker 3 (18:37):
Well, fortunately, uh, there's so there's such a big pool
of developers now. A lot of the AI tools and
stuff that we incorporate into our project are via API.
So we're able to kind of piggyback off of some
of the work that some developers have already got to
this point, and then we can tap into their API, right,
(19:01):
and we can h expand upon it if that makes sense.
Speaker 1 (19:06):
Okay, cool, Now when you expand on it, and I'm
gonna just tell you this, Suley, you know you know
the language. Now we start saying API that if I
person text me about that nativecality, you really dumb this down, Okay.
Speaker 3 (19:21):
It's essentially one web application talking to another. Okay, So
say that. So say chat chat GPT has an API, right,
and I want to create an avatar version of myself
that has the knowledge of chat GPT. I can use
(19:43):
chat GPT's APR to connect it with my avatar, Okay.
Speaker 1 (19:51):
And so when you do that, it's important that we
maintain some type of level of communication So let's go
from day one, day one. Why would somebody contact paint
your heaven? What's the reason to be contacting you?
Speaker 3 (20:06):
You have a big idea, you want to a quick
turnaround in someone who's flexible and how they work with you?
Speaker 1 (20:16):
Okay, okay, So when they present that idea, what do
you give back to them? Do they do you put
down or retain? I'm just trying to say the process
so people will know they just can't just it might
be five people. I got an idea, I got an
idea of just be contacting you, Sue. You go, oh,
you may have heard me. It don't work that way.
This is how I do business. You know you can
you send me a proposal. Just don't just don't call
(20:38):
to me talking about an idea. Send me a proposal.
How does that work?
Speaker 3 (20:44):
Yeah? I would say, yeah, send a proposal. Make sure
you already have a budget in mind. Oh what you what?
You have a loted for this project?
Speaker 1 (20:52):
Yes, sir?
Speaker 3 (20:53):
And then on a ri N we can let you
know how realistic it is for us to get the
entire project ELM within that with that within that budget
right or and also let you know what we can
do within.
Speaker 1 (21:08):
Cool so when you're when you're producing these workable software
packages and your team player, you keep updating. You already
said they got you know got things you can tap
in APIs you can tap into that already. You know
this work, so you can use it to your process
so you're not you don't have to go through this
learning process of this learning curve because this particular plug
(21:29):
in that you can add into the programming will make
it work. So what is the most can you share
with us a couple of concepts that you have done
that's available, Like you shared with us these social media
platform that you created with Wicks that we can go
to and see some of your work. As that that's
too private.
Speaker 3 (21:49):
And I want to share, okay, uh, I would just
talk about.
Speaker 1 (21:56):
The concept, Just talk about the concept with not in generalities,
so we'll know just some of the range of work
that you've done. I apologize.
Speaker 3 (22:04):
Now, behind the scenes, we're working on a project that
simplifies the post audio production process. So whether it's podcasts, uh, movies, music,
so on and so forth. Essentially you'll be able to
cut your time down you know, and have as far
(22:27):
as how long it takes you to be ready for
market so that's something that we're working on.
Speaker 1 (22:33):
Now, So what do you what do you mean You're
you're designing something? I got a podcast? So how would
it work for me?
Speaker 3 (22:42):
So how it would work for you? Would It's essentially
one button technology? Okay, so instead of having to go
through and EQ your voice and set up the compression,
I'm sure you have a template. Now let's say you're
in a new environment and you're getting an echo and
you click the button, echo is gone.
Speaker 1 (23:08):
So it cleans up the audio for you?
Speaker 3 (23:10):
Yes, it does.
Speaker 1 (23:11):
No, Now this is helpful for me. Now I'm a novice.
Now I got I got hired, I got full time employees.
So if I'm just a guy, regular guy, I start
my podcast, I don't know how to edit or any
of these things. I definitely don't know how to do, uh,
you know with the pro tools. I think that's the
term they use for audio cleanup, you know. And so
(23:34):
so just this packet, is this something you're building for somebody,
or you're building it within your office, within your company.
Paint your heaven so you can make available to people
who want to use it.
Speaker 3 (23:46):
This is something that I'm building for another company, Okay,
that I'm actually involved in as well.
Speaker 1 (23:52):
Okay, and you see a need for that.
Speaker 3 (23:55):
It's a huge need for So on the side, you
can upload your stems are like your musical instruments tracked out.
You know, your your vocals tracked out, so on and
so forth. Click the button. You're ready for marketing.
Speaker 1 (24:15):
Wow. Yes, so let me tell you something true. You know,
I don't know if you're just super confident. Oh you
don't know that. That's pretty huge what you just said.
You know, you're they're they're major corporation. There are labels
out there. They're going. Okay, now we got a problem
with this. Cut this cut the middle man and the
(24:38):
side man and the third person out. This is straight
to market. This is somebody in their bathroom cut music
and now they distributing it and they're selling it. And
they don't need a board man, they don't need a studio,
they don't need anything.
Speaker 3 (24:53):
That's what you're saying, right, It doesn't cut out the engine.
Speaker 1 (25:00):
Okay.
Speaker 3 (25:01):
So I'm an audio engineer as well. Okay, I was
I one like third in the big competition coming straight
out of high school and audio engineering. I'm extremely passionate
about it. This is more of an asset to the
audio engineers. Okay, okay, So then cutting the matters the creature.
Speaker 1 (25:20):
Okay, cool, okay, cool. But these are the type of
creative ideas that you come up with at paint you're
having and when you are you are you're a solo man?
You got a full staff? Are you working over there?
Speaker 4 (25:29):
Man?
Speaker 1 (25:29):
What's what's the company you look like over there?
Speaker 3 (25:32):
Yes, we have a team. I can't take credit for everything.
Speaker 1 (25:38):
Well you're right to take So take credit, my friend.
And so the big picture is, like you said, is
being able to set the rate, being able to be creative.
You do website development, you do app development, you do
full stack development. The area that we talked about earlier,
not enough people of color, especially not enough African America
(26:00):
and participating. You know the country of India as a
dominant voice in the full stack programming. I know that
for a fact. I've been knowing that for years. It
always amazes me. Sometimes you will call one eight hundred
numbers and guess what they're connecting you into India for
technical service and technical advice. That's true, you can just
(26:23):
you've heard it yourself personally. And that's the interesting that
in a sense like he said, if we can just
make our community like that, if we can start creating,
you know, neighborhoods where young black kids can become just
like they're doing in India, it's not that hard. But
we have to start understanding the value of STEM programming,
STEM education. That's the next step. AI should not be
(26:45):
something that we run from. We should run towards it.
If you had to give any advice as we close
out this interview, Sol, what would it be to our
young people and our adults for that matter, when it
comes to programming as well as AI.
Speaker 3 (27:00):
I would like to say, I almost want to piggyback
off what you just said and say, run towards chain.
You know, don't be afraid of it. So no matter
if you're in this industry or whatever industry that you're in,
you know, always run towards the change. Don't be afraid
of it.
Speaker 1 (27:20):
Wow, I appreciate you, my friend. We're gonna talk soon
of course again. Paintreourhaven dot com. Please visit it if
you have time and just see the creative mind of
Sulei Salom. Thank you for coming on money making conversation
my brother, and you know, I know I can't see
it known for that good barbecue. So you know, when
I'm in barbecue country, I'm gonna stop buy and say hi.
Speaker 3 (27:39):
There we go.
Speaker 1 (27:41):
This has been another edition of Money Making Conversation Masterclass
posted by me Rashaun McDonald. Thank you to our guests
on the show today and thank you. I'll listening to
the audience now. If you want to listen to any
episode I want to be a guest on the show,
visit Moneymaking Conversations dot com. Our social media handle is
money Making Conversation. Join us next week and remember to
(28:02):
always leave with your gifts. Keep winning.
Speaker 2 (28:05):
Mm hmmm.
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