September 7, 2025 ā¢ 26 mins
In 2017, two-time Emmy and three-time NAACP Image Award-winning television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald launched his podcast, Money Making Conversations Master Class.
š Core Message: Understanding Your Value Proposition
Rushion emphasizes the importance of knowing your value proposition—both in your career and personal life. He defines it as:
A declarative statement that explains what makes you unique, why you're the best choice, and what justifies your advancement or compensation.
š§ Key Concepts & Lessons 1. Value Proposition in Career
- Without a clear value proposition, you risk being overlooked for promotions and raises.
- Employers need to know what you want and what you bring to the table.
- Rashawn shares his own experience at IBM, where not knowing his value proposition led to stagnation until he clarified his goals.
2. The PLAN Framework
Rushion introduces a motivational acronym for success:
- P – Prepare
- L – Learn
- A – Adjust
- N – Navigate
This framework is essential for setting goals and achieving success.
3. "Why Not Me?" Mindset
- Encourages listeners to challenge self-doubt and embrace their potential.
- This phrase is meant to be a daily affirmation to inspire action and confidence.
4. Avoiding Negativity
- Rashawn warns against surrounding yourself with negative people who gossip or discourage ambition.
- Instead, seek out like-minded individuals who support growth.
5. Age Is Not a Barrier
- Success is not limited by age—whether you're 19 or 65, it's never too late to define your value and pursue your goals.
š Notable Quotes
- “You can't be successful unless you have a plan.”
- “Don't wait around for an opportunity. Just do it.”
- “Your greatness can be achieved by your own personal effort.”
#BEST
#STRAW
#SHMS
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hi.
Speaker 2 (00:00):
I am Rashan McDonald host the 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. If you want
to be a guest on my show, please visit our website,
Moneymakingconversations dot com and click to be a guest button
(00:21):
Chris submit and information will come directly to me. Now,
let's get this show started. Last week I promoted heavily
that we'll be talking about value proposition. Those two words
are very magical in my life. Now I didn't understand them.
My wife challenged me to find out what my value
proposition was in my business and my personal life, and
(00:42):
I really didn't know what she was talking about. I
really didn't because of the fact that I have been
going through life naturally achieving success tied to my willingness
to work hard or outwork you, my willingness to set goals.
But I didn't understand the word value proposition. And let
me give you quick definition of value proposition because we're
(01:04):
gonna do two things that we're going to talk about
the career side or your job using value proposition and
next week you're going to talk about your business or
your product using value proposition. A quick example of value
proposition on the business side is when you promote something,
some people use slogans just do it.
Speaker 3 (01:24):
That's a slogan.
Speaker 2 (01:25):
I don't want to tell you what that brands associated
with it because they market it. You know now. But
products and service are tied to value proposition. For instance,
just as an example, we know they have a great
chicken sandwich, but when you see their commercials, they're always
talking about their customer service. And when you go in,
(01:48):
you know what I'm talking about because you see it,
you understand it. And so when brands that put themselves
in the position that way where you can just talk
about what they do, then you automatically know that the
marketing that they're putting in place is winning.
Speaker 3 (02:03):
And so.
Speaker 2 (02:05):
When you go to their place, they talk about great service.
It's what you get good service there. That's what it is.
Has to happen to you as an individual when you
go to work.
Speaker 3 (02:15):
But what what prevents you from being successful?
Speaker 2 (02:18):
And I want you to get a pain out today
because I'm just gonna get I'm gonna drop some nuggets
on you I'm gonna drop some phrases on you. I'm
gonna drop some things that you want to put on
your mirror, that you want to you want to share
with people because of the fact that this is information
I've been storing in my life and I've been being
I now have been successful as an individual. I've been
successful as a business owner. I've been successful as a
(02:42):
manager because of talent and because.
Speaker 3 (02:46):
Of the fact that I was just doing it. I
was just working it.
Speaker 2 (02:49):
But isn't life a lot easier if you know why
you're successful, If you can start thinking like a corporation,
if you can start telling people from jump, this is
what my value proposition is, and then they can understand
how much they should pay you. Because if you don't
have a value proposition on the job that you're doing
forty hours a week, then you're going to be frustrated.
(03:12):
You're not going to get promoted, you're not going to
get a raise, and you're going to be a complainer
at your job, which will only diminish your value proposition.
Speaker 3 (03:21):
So what's yot?
Speaker 2 (03:22):
What's a value proposition is a declative statement. This is
from the This is a definition that explains why you
should pursue your product a build on it. It clearly
explains what differentiates you, makes you're offering unique. What are
you doing at your job that justifies a raise? What
are you doing at your job that justifies a promotion?
(03:46):
And while you are the best choice for that opportunity
right there, let me show you an example of that.
When I got first hired at IBM, and I worked
two and a half years and ib AM and then
I worked fortunately two and a half years full time.
When I got hired, the first thing that they did
(04:08):
was brought me into office and they asked me what
were my goals? What were my dreams? What did I
want to do? What IBM?
Speaker 3 (04:19):
You know what?
Speaker 2 (04:20):
I told them, I don't know. Right there, the guy
was asking me for my value proposition. He didn't say
those words, but that's what he was asking me for.
And I told him I don't know. So if I
don't know what my value proposition is, how am I
going to get a raise? How I'm going to get promoted? Well,
guess what happened six months later. The two guys who
(04:44):
was hired simultaneously I used to work at the same
time that I was hired, they were moving in front
of me. They were doing things I was not doing.
So guess what I started hanging out with the people
use the word like it, and they happened to be white. Okay,
(05:06):
so guess what I started saying, Well, you know it's
a white thing, you know, you know it's a racial
thing going on here, you know, because we got hired
at the same time. And look what they're doing. They're
doing stuff they won't even let me do because I
did not tell anybody or did I understand my value proposition.
(05:30):
So guess what. I marched into the office with my supervisor,
the same supervisor who asked me six months earlier.
Speaker 3 (05:39):
What I wanted to do, and.
Speaker 2 (05:41):
IBM so, I said, sir, And I was trying to
be politically correct, but I wanted to let him know
I wasn't happy. I said, sir, you know, just by
mentioning the two guys with two guys, I said, they
seem to be doing more than I'm doing, and I
don't think that's fair.
Speaker 3 (06:02):
I used to work fair.
Speaker 2 (06:06):
He said, Uh, what do you mean? He said, who shout?
You still have not told me what you want to do.
I said, what do you mean? It's not as you
six months ago, what do you want to do at
this company? And you failed to tell me. I failed
to tell him my value proposition. I failed to tell
(06:30):
him my ability to work and how I wanted to
work and how I wanted to achieve success. I did
not create a plan. I don't care what you're doing.
You could be a baker as a plan. You could
be a garbage truck working on a there's a plan,
and you can be promoted if you have a plan.
Speaker 3 (06:51):
But if you sit around.
Speaker 2 (06:53):
And you just act frustrated because you want somebody magically.
Speaker 3 (07:00):
To drop some money on you, magically promote you, but
they don't even know what you want to do.
Speaker 2 (07:07):
That was Rashaan McDonald. I did not understand value proposition
for me.
Speaker 3 (07:13):
So guess what happened.
Speaker 2 (07:16):
I told him what I wanted to do, and guess
what happened. The positive things started happening in my life.
But I had to do more for those positive things
to happen at the same salary. That's the whole thing
about it. If you want to clown climb mount effest,
(07:38):
you know you're gonna have to put effort into it.
It's a lot of people want to climb mount efforts.
A lot of people don't make it. They get tired,
come back down. Ooh that's how I ain't know it
that high? I take the photos?
Speaker 3 (07:52):
Can we can?
Speaker 2 (07:52):
We can?
Speaker 3 (07:53):
We just do a.
Speaker 2 (07:54):
Helicopter ride up there? That ain't climb any Some people,
you go by their house, they have pictures of I
got a picture of the Grand Canyon on my house,
big old picture on my I've never been to the
Grand Canyon because my value proposition was it's better to
buy picture than to go. So that's that short changing myself.
(08:17):
They just show value proposition for that moment.
Speaker 3 (08:19):
But in life, I.
Speaker 2 (08:21):
Have to talk to you to stop this madness because
there are three words why not me? Write that down?
I can say why not you? But guess what.
Speaker 3 (08:38):
You're looking in the mirror, so you should be saying
why not me.
Speaker 2 (08:42):
It all comes down to how much effort you want
to do to achieve success.
Speaker 3 (08:48):
Write this down. You can't be successful unless you have
a plan. What does plans stand for?
Speaker 2 (08:55):
And rashon McDonald's lane of success pe for prepare, A
for learn, a for adjust, and for navigate. Okay, cool,
let's go back to that story I told you about
and IBM When I didn't tell my man what I
wanted to do. When I got hired. I wasn't prepared.
(09:18):
I wasn't willing to learn, I wasn't willing to adjust,
and I definitely didn't navigate. And when you say navigate,
that means you have to do more. So when I
told them what I wanted to do, that means when
I came to work, I had a different attitude. I
wasn't just coming to work to get a check. I
(09:40):
was coming to work because I had goals, because I
had a plan. See, you can't set goals unless you
have a plan. Write that down. I'm somebody writing this
down because I'm telling you you got to go through
the Why not me? You got a plan which is prepared, learn, adjust,
to navigate, and then you can start setting goals. And
(10:03):
now when you start setting goals, guess what you can
start doing? Asking for stuff, asking to be evaluated. But
there's a lot of people out there that don't want
to be evaluated, afraid of what they might hear, Afraid
they might hear.
Speaker 3 (10:22):
Something negative, Afraid somebody might.
Speaker 2 (10:25):
Tell you you're not doing enough.
Speaker 3 (10:31):
So guess what happens to you?
Speaker 2 (10:33):
You get passed up, You become a frustrated employee, you
about the water cooler, complaining, and that's when the racial
thing starts popping up if you're a person of color.
So I can't I can only speak of my side.
I can only speak of the conversation I have because
I've been a person of color all my life. There
might be some white people over there, they might have
(10:53):
the same story. I don't know, but I'm just telling
you about my story and how I can't let you
do things that will prevent you from being successful because
you've decided to limit your ability to be great. Which
(11:14):
is this event where I was honored, called Kings and Priests,
Great honor, great event. It was a summit, men's summit.
It was by enhance you mentally, enhance you mentally, spiritually, physically,
and emotionally. You know, one of my great walkaways was
that these men were there to be motivated and to
(11:34):
find answers, because that's all we're looking for out there
in life is answers. So when I say why not me,
I'm saying that not to challenge you, for you to
look into the possibility of how big you can be
in life. So when I asked you to plan your goal.
Then I'm expecting you to have that in place in
(11:57):
order for you to achieve success. When we get down
to the bottom line, the number one lesson you have
to say, I don't care if you're eighteen, twenty five,
forty fifty or sixty five. Do not let your age
be an excuse. That's number one lesson. You've heard that
you're too young. You've heard that you're too old. You've
(12:21):
heard that why are you doing that? You have no dreams?
You should just give up. You can't start that. Now.
These people right here, these negative people right here, you
can allow them to have a role.
Speaker 3 (12:39):
In your life.
Speaker 2 (12:39):
And these people are people you know, could be your wife,
could be your children, could be your co workers.
Speaker 3 (12:54):
Now have I struck a nerve yet?
Speaker 2 (12:58):
Are you surrounded people who will not allow you to win?
Speaker 3 (13:03):
Because you work.
Speaker 2 (13:04):
At a place where you go to lunch, you hang
out with all this negative spirit. All they want to
do is talk about each other. All they want to
do is gossip about each other. All they want to
do is learn about your personal life. So guess what,
so they can share with everybody else Because you did
(13:27):
not understand your value proposition, Because what happens is once
you understand your value proposition, you don't hang out with
people like that. You ever heard the word like minded?
You hang out with people like minded. Now you heard
the word stuck up, hordy tody think they all that? Well,
(13:52):
that's what value proposition is. You can't run for president
and hang out with drug dealer. Two different value.
Speaker 3 (14:02):
Propositions, but.
Speaker 2 (14:08):
A popular phrase that is out there in the streets
every day.
Speaker 3 (14:12):
Keeping it real. Well, we're gonna keep it real today.
Speaker 2 (14:16):
If you don't have a value proposition, you better get
one when I come back.
Speaker 3 (14:21):
We're gonna get any more detail about this because I'm
not through. It's about your career. This is about you.
Speaker 2 (14:26):
I'm gonna start doing this more and more on my show.
I'm gonna start giving information and I want you to
write it down. And if you want to call police,
call because let's discuss your value proposition. Ideas that are
bothering you that you feel need to be changed today.
Knowing your value proposition, learn today, learn your plan.
Speaker 3 (14:44):
Learn why not me.
Speaker 2 (14:46):
We'll be right back with more money making conversation masterclass.
Speaker 1 (14:49):
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 Rashaan McDonald. Money Making Conversations Masterclass
continues online at Moneymakingconversations dot com and follow money Making
(15:13):
Conversations Masterclass on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Speaker 2 (15:17):
Right now, I want to I'm talking to you about
your career. Next week I'll be talking about your business,
your products and your value proposition. There plan again, the
four letters in plan. Prepare that's what peace stands for. Learn,
That's what the AL stands for. Adjust, that's what the
(15:38):
A stands for. Navigate, that's what the N stands for.
These lessons and well, what happens in social media. Social
media is really has proven to be a detriment in
our society in a lot of ways because it can
convince you that you can't win. It'll get you going
down a track of ignorance. I'll say the word ignorance
(15:58):
because if you go down that train, I can you
don't understand that. I'm gonna just give you an example
how racism and how people can just put out a
racial story just to be a story. One of the
biggest stories out there in sportsland is the relationship between
Travis Kelsey and Taylor Swift.
Speaker 3 (16:17):
I don't care if you don't follow football.
Speaker 2 (16:19):
You know about this, You know about the Swifties, you
know about Travis Kelsey. You know he got about five
thousand TV commercials. Every time I come on TV, I said,
I just can't miss this good handsome guy.
Speaker 3 (16:33):
He's thirty three, she's thirty three.
Speaker 2 (16:35):
Now what you have not heard according to this article
because of racism because he plays football and she has
she's a pop star, right, because the racism you not happen.
You have not received the same attention is Simone Biles
and her husband Jonathan Owes, who plays for the Green
(16:58):
Bay Packers. Hey making that issue out of that. Come
on there, Come on there, don't get caught up in there.
Don't caught up in there. One lady got two hundred
and seventy one million Instagram follows. I'm just at the instagrams.
Simone has seven million. One dude then host of Saturday
(17:21):
Night Live. I've already told you he got fifteen thousand
TV commercials. He is the number one podcast. He's got
to get inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame
when he retires, and he's a defendant super Bowl champan
not taking any name away from my mind. He's a
really good football player because they're telling him a check
(17:41):
at the Green Bay Packers. But we're talking apples and oranges.
But people, and these are the people who work with you,
will get you bit out in the road direction instead
of you, focus on you. That's what the value proposition
is all about. I'm trying to get you to be
focused on you. What did it takes for you to win?
(18:05):
What's it gonna take for you to find your voice?
Stop talking to the wrong people. Stop talking to the
wrong people. I've shared this, throw the shares the story
right now. Value proposition, which I did not know, and
my wife will tell you. She took this amazing course
of Cornell. She came back way smarter than I wanted
(18:26):
her to be, because she kept asking me questions I
refuse to answer out of frustration, such as what you do?
Speaker 3 (18:33):
You know you when you when you don't know?
Speaker 2 (18:34):
You? Just I don't feel like talking today. I ain't
got much to say. You know, you fight off ignorance
with uh more, ignorance with abruptness. You fight it off
with h I ain't got time statements or I'll get
with you later.
Speaker 3 (18:51):
That's how you fight off ignorance.
Speaker 2 (18:53):
You fight it off with more ignorance, instead of just
sitting down and looking up the word value proposition and
see if that word means something to you, See if
that word has been successful. Because she couple them into me,
she said, look, I think you could actually teach this
course based on what I know, you know and what
(19:16):
you have accomplished in life. But I couldn't teach the
course because I didn't know what value proposition was. I
didn't know how to apply. What was so special about me?
What was you?
Speaker 3 (19:29):
What was so unique about me?
Speaker 2 (19:32):
When I look at my career, I understand the uniqueness
because there's so many lanes of success. But what I
didn't know was how was I achieving that success? How
was I achieving that success as an employee? How was
I achieving this to get a raise? How was I
achieving that success to get promoted? That's where the value
(19:54):
proposition comes in, and I didn't understand that.
Speaker 3 (19:57):
So guess what I was like?
Speaker 2 (19:58):
Hood, I don't feel like talking, get with me later,
So I'm telling you to stop that. When I was
when I was twenty one years old, I was doing
value proposition and didn't even know it. Let me get
an example. When I was hard at IBM in college,
(20:22):
I left a full time job because I was wanted
to go and just be a college student. I wanted
to focus on my education. Well, they told me you
could only work here for one semester. I had other
job options that didn't have that restriction. They say, you
can work here as long as you want.
Speaker 3 (20:36):
You're really good.
Speaker 2 (20:38):
We want to bring in smart minded people like you.
Speaker 3 (20:41):
You just do it.
Speaker 2 (20:43):
But I saw that big blue on my resume. I
feel that would look good working for IBUM. That would
look good. But they told me you could only work
one semester here. So what I did was I started
working and I started getting to know it's called relationship,
finding my voice. I started finding my voice. I started
(21:06):
finding it. At the time, I didn't know that was
my value proper position, finding out what was unique, finding
out what I was going to offer to my fellow
co workers that no one else was going to offer.
So I went to them and I asked them what
didn't they want to do? And they told me, and
(21:26):
I said, I do it. I went to twenty people
on that floor. It was a big old floor just
in Houston, Texas, and I took all of their work
that they didn't want to do because I had to
underbeknown somebody's strategy. I was just doing something I thought
at the time, which is common sense, but at the
(21:48):
time was value proposition. I was creating a unique workspace
for me that nobody else wanted to do what I did,
So I was doing everybody's work. So guess what I
did it in September. I did it in October. Come
(22:10):
in November.
Speaker 3 (22:12):
I started letting them know.
Speaker 2 (22:14):
Guess what, I'll be gone in December. They're only going
to keep me for one semester. Now, according to this program,
they had never ever kept anybody beyond one semester. But
little that I know, at the time, I was exercising
my value proposition. I was creating a unique space. I
(22:39):
was creating a market share on that floor that nobody
else was doing.
Speaker 3 (22:45):
So guess what. I stayed there two and a half
years because.
Speaker 2 (22:50):
My value proposition that I created was unique and nobody
else could do it but me.
Speaker 3 (23:01):
Did I get paid extra money?
Speaker 2 (23:02):
No? But I got to work there for another two years.
And that's all I'm saying in this conversation. If you
hear me clearly on this, hear this, it's time for
you to understand.
Speaker 3 (23:15):
If you are not reaching your dreams, why not.
Speaker 2 (23:21):
Me needs to be put on your mirror every day
so you canna understand that that's what you want to
do now.
Speaker 3 (23:27):
If you don't have a plan, please put a plan in.
Speaker 2 (23:29):
Place, prepare, learn, or just navigate. Don't let age be
an excuse. I don't care if you're nineteen, I don't
care if you're sixty five. Do not let age be
an excuse. You find your voice by talking to positive people.
You do not find your voice sharing bad ideas with
other negative people. Stay away from negative people. So as
(23:54):
I said, don't talk to negative people. Stay away from
negative people. Negative people will not help you find your voice.
Set your goals, which I did not do immediately.
Speaker 3 (24:05):
When you're hired with.
Speaker 2 (24:06):
Your supervisor, I don't care if you're working for a
fast food restaurant. I don't care if you're working for
a Fortune five or on your company. Go in that office,
say thank you for hiring me.
Speaker 3 (24:15):
What do you want me to do?
Speaker 2 (24:16):
Don't be afraid of the work responsibility that person's going
to introduce in your life.
Speaker 3 (24:21):
But that's why you got hired.
Speaker 2 (24:23):
You can't set goals or put a plan in place
if you don't know what the aspect of you. Don't
wait around for an opportunity, just do it, and we
all know what that slogan is associated with.
Speaker 3 (24:38):
I've said this earlier.
Speaker 2 (24:40):
Not all opportunities when you're building your value proposition comes
with a check to finally know your work environment.
Speaker 3 (24:51):
That's what I'm talking about today, That's what I.
Speaker 2 (24:53):
Wanted to talk about today, and I hopefully I achieved
that with everybody who's listened to the show today in
this first half hour. This first half hours about tapping
you on your shoulder and letting you know that your
greatness can be achieved by your own personal effort, but
it also can be not achieved by your own lack
of effort, and the lack of effort is always tied
(25:16):
to your plan, because if you don't have a plan,
you will never ever set a goal. If you don't
achieve a goal, you will not win. This has been
another edition of Money Making Conversation Masterclass posted by me
Rashaun McDonald. Thank you to our guests on the should
today and thank you our listening to audience now. If
you want to listen to any episode I want to
(25:38):
be a guest on the show, visit Moneymakingconversations dot com.
Our social media handle is money Making Conversation. Join us
next week and remember to always leave with your gifts.
Keep winning.
Hi.
Speaker 2 (00:00):
I am Rashan McDonald host the 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. If you want
to be a guest on my show, please visit our website,
Moneymakingconversations dot com and click to be a guest button
(00:21):
Chris submit and information will come directly to me. Now,
let's get this show started. Last week I promoted heavily
that we'll be talking about value proposition. Those two words
are very magical in my life. Now I didn't understand them.
My wife challenged me to find out what my value
proposition was in my business and my personal life, and
(00:42):
I really didn't know what she was talking about. I
really didn't because of the fact that I have been
going through life naturally achieving success tied to my willingness
to work hard or outwork you, my willingness to set goals.
But I didn't understand the word value proposition. And let
me give you quick definition of value proposition because we're
(01:04):
gonna do two things that we're going to talk about
the career side or your job using value proposition and
next week you're going to talk about your business or
your product using value proposition. A quick example of value
proposition on the business side is when you promote something,
some people use slogans just do it.
Speaker 3 (01:24):
That's a slogan.
Speaker 2 (01:25):
I don't want to tell you what that brands associated
with it because they market it. You know now. But
products and service are tied to value proposition. For instance,
just as an example, we know they have a great
chicken sandwich, but when you see their commercials, they're always
talking about their customer service. And when you go in,
(01:48):
you know what I'm talking about because you see it,
you understand it. And so when brands that put themselves
in the position that way where you can just talk
about what they do, then you automatically know that the
marketing that they're putting in place is winning.
Speaker 3 (02:03):
And so.
Speaker 2 (02:05):
When you go to their place, they talk about great service.
It's what you get good service there. That's what it is.
Has to happen to you as an individual when you
go to work.
Speaker 3 (02:15):
But what what prevents you from being successful?
Speaker 2 (02:18):
And I want you to get a pain out today
because I'm just gonna get I'm gonna drop some nuggets
on you I'm gonna drop some phrases on you. I'm
gonna drop some things that you want to put on
your mirror, that you want to you want to share
with people because of the fact that this is information
I've been storing in my life and I've been being
I now have been successful as an individual. I've been
successful as a business owner. I've been successful as a
(02:42):
manager because of talent and because.
Speaker 3 (02:46):
Of the fact that I was just doing it. I
was just working it.
Speaker 2 (02:49):
But isn't life a lot easier if you know why
you're successful, If you can start thinking like a corporation,
if you can start telling people from jump, this is
what my value proposition is, and then they can understand
how much they should pay you. Because if you don't
have a value proposition on the job that you're doing
forty hours a week, then you're going to be frustrated.
(03:12):
You're not going to get promoted, you're not going to
get a raise, and you're going to be a complainer
at your job, which will only diminish your value proposition.
Speaker 3 (03:21):
So what's yot?
Speaker 2 (03:22):
What's a value proposition is a declative statement. This is
from the This is a definition that explains why you
should pursue your product a build on it. It clearly
explains what differentiates you, makes you're offering unique. What are
you doing at your job that justifies a raise? What
are you doing at your job that justifies a promotion?
(03:46):
And while you are the best choice for that opportunity
right there, let me show you an example of that.
When I got first hired at IBM, and I worked
two and a half years and ib AM and then
I worked fortunately two and a half years full time.
When I got hired, the first thing that they did
(04:08):
was brought me into office and they asked me what
were my goals? What were my dreams? What did I
want to do? What IBM?
Speaker 3 (04:19):
You know what?
Speaker 2 (04:20):
I told them, I don't know. Right there, the guy
was asking me for my value proposition. He didn't say
those words, but that's what he was asking me for.
And I told him I don't know. So if I
don't know what my value proposition is, how am I
going to get a raise? How I'm going to get promoted? Well,
guess what happened six months later. The two guys who
(04:44):
was hired simultaneously I used to work at the same
time that I was hired, they were moving in front
of me. They were doing things I was not doing.
So guess what I started hanging out with the people
use the word like it, and they happened to be white. Okay,
(05:06):
so guess what I started saying, Well, you know it's
a white thing, you know, you know it's a racial
thing going on here, you know, because we got hired
at the same time. And look what they're doing. They're
doing stuff they won't even let me do because I
did not tell anybody or did I understand my value proposition.
(05:30):
So guess what. I marched into the office with my supervisor,
the same supervisor who asked me six months earlier.
Speaker 3 (05:39):
What I wanted to do, and.
Speaker 2 (05:41):
IBM so, I said, sir, And I was trying to
be politically correct, but I wanted to let him know
I wasn't happy. I said, sir, you know, just by
mentioning the two guys with two guys, I said, they
seem to be doing more than I'm doing, and I
don't think that's fair.
Speaker 3 (06:02):
I used to work fair.
Speaker 2 (06:06):
He said, Uh, what do you mean? He said, who shout?
You still have not told me what you want to do.
I said, what do you mean? It's not as you
six months ago, what do you want to do at
this company? And you failed to tell me. I failed
to tell him my value proposition. I failed to tell
(06:30):
him my ability to work and how I wanted to
work and how I wanted to achieve success. I did
not create a plan. I don't care what you're doing.
You could be a baker as a plan. You could
be a garbage truck working on a there's a plan,
and you can be promoted if you have a plan.
Speaker 3 (06:51):
But if you sit around.
Speaker 2 (06:53):
And you just act frustrated because you want somebody magically.
Speaker 3 (07:00):
To drop some money on you, magically promote you, but
they don't even know what you want to do.
Speaker 2 (07:07):
That was Rashaan McDonald. I did not understand value proposition
for me.
Speaker 3 (07:13):
So guess what happened.
Speaker 2 (07:16):
I told him what I wanted to do, and guess
what happened. The positive things started happening in my life.
But I had to do more for those positive things
to happen at the same salary. That's the whole thing
about it. If you want to clown climb mount effest,
(07:38):
you know you're gonna have to put effort into it.
It's a lot of people want to climb mount efforts.
A lot of people don't make it. They get tired,
come back down. Ooh that's how I ain't know it
that high? I take the photos?
Speaker 3 (07:52):
Can we can?
Speaker 2 (07:52):
We can?
Speaker 3 (07:53):
We just do a.
Speaker 2 (07:54):
Helicopter ride up there? That ain't climb any Some people,
you go by their house, they have pictures of I
got a picture of the Grand Canyon on my house,
big old picture on my I've never been to the
Grand Canyon because my value proposition was it's better to
buy picture than to go. So that's that short changing myself.
(08:17):
They just show value proposition for that moment.
Speaker 3 (08:19):
But in life, I.
Speaker 2 (08:21):
Have to talk to you to stop this madness because
there are three words why not me? Write that down?
I can say why not you? But guess what.
Speaker 3 (08:38):
You're looking in the mirror, so you should be saying
why not me.
Speaker 2 (08:42):
It all comes down to how much effort you want
to do to achieve success.
Speaker 3 (08:48):
Write this down. You can't be successful unless you have
a plan. What does plans stand for?
Speaker 2 (08:55):
And rashon McDonald's lane of success pe for prepare, A
for learn, a for adjust, and for navigate. Okay, cool,
let's go back to that story I told you about
and IBM When I didn't tell my man what I
wanted to do. When I got hired. I wasn't prepared.
(09:18):
I wasn't willing to learn, I wasn't willing to adjust,
and I definitely didn't navigate. And when you say navigate,
that means you have to do more. So when I
told them what I wanted to do, that means when
I came to work, I had a different attitude. I
wasn't just coming to work to get a check. I
(09:40):
was coming to work because I had goals, because I
had a plan. See, you can't set goals unless you
have a plan. Write that down. I'm somebody writing this
down because I'm telling you you got to go through
the Why not me? You got a plan which is prepared, learn, adjust,
to navigate, and then you can start setting goals. And
(10:03):
now when you start setting goals, guess what you can
start doing? Asking for stuff, asking to be evaluated. But
there's a lot of people out there that don't want
to be evaluated, afraid of what they might hear, Afraid
they might hear.
Speaker 3 (10:22):
Something negative, Afraid somebody might.
Speaker 2 (10:25):
Tell you you're not doing enough.
Speaker 3 (10:31):
So guess what happens to you?
Speaker 2 (10:33):
You get passed up, You become a frustrated employee, you
about the water cooler, complaining, and that's when the racial
thing starts popping up if you're a person of color.
So I can't I can only speak of my side.
I can only speak of the conversation I have because
I've been a person of color all my life. There
might be some white people over there, they might have
(10:53):
the same story. I don't know, but I'm just telling
you about my story and how I can't let you
do things that will prevent you from being successful because
you've decided to limit your ability to be great. Which
(11:14):
is this event where I was honored, called Kings and Priests,
Great honor, great event. It was a summit, men's summit.
It was by enhance you mentally, enhance you mentally, spiritually, physically,
and emotionally. You know, one of my great walkaways was
that these men were there to be motivated and to
(11:34):
find answers, because that's all we're looking for out there
in life is answers. So when I say why not me,
I'm saying that not to challenge you, for you to
look into the possibility of how big you can be
in life. So when I asked you to plan your goal.
Then I'm expecting you to have that in place in
(11:57):
order for you to achieve success. When we get down
to the bottom line, the number one lesson you have
to say, I don't care if you're eighteen, twenty five,
forty fifty or sixty five. Do not let your age
be an excuse. That's number one lesson. You've heard that
you're too young. You've heard that you're too old. You've
(12:21):
heard that why are you doing that? You have no dreams?
You should just give up. You can't start that. Now.
These people right here, these negative people right here, you
can allow them to have a role.
Speaker 3 (12:39):
In your life.
Speaker 2 (12:39):
And these people are people you know, could be your wife,
could be your children, could be your co workers.
Speaker 3 (12:54):
Now have I struck a nerve yet?
Speaker 2 (12:58):
Are you surrounded people who will not allow you to win?
Speaker 3 (13:03):
Because you work.
Speaker 2 (13:04):
At a place where you go to lunch, you hang
out with all this negative spirit. All they want to
do is talk about each other. All they want to
do is gossip about each other. All they want to
do is learn about your personal life. So guess what,
so they can share with everybody else Because you did
(13:27):
not understand your value proposition, Because what happens is once
you understand your value proposition, you don't hang out with
people like that. You ever heard the word like minded?
You hang out with people like minded. Now you heard
the word stuck up, hordy tody think they all that? Well,
(13:52):
that's what value proposition is. You can't run for president
and hang out with drug dealer. Two different value.
Speaker 3 (14:02):
Propositions, but.
Speaker 2 (14:08):
A popular phrase that is out there in the streets
every day.
Speaker 3 (14:12):
Keeping it real. Well, we're gonna keep it real today.
Speaker 2 (14:16):
If you don't have a value proposition, you better get
one when I come back.
Speaker 3 (14:21):
We're gonna get any more detail about this because I'm
not through. It's about your career. This is about you.
Speaker 2 (14:26):
I'm gonna start doing this more and more on my show.
I'm gonna start giving information and I want you to
write it down. And if you want to call police,
call because let's discuss your value proposition. Ideas that are
bothering you that you feel need to be changed today.
Knowing your value proposition, learn today, learn your plan.
Speaker 3 (14:44):
Learn why not me.
Speaker 2 (14:46):
We'll be right back with more money making conversation masterclass.
Speaker 1 (14:49):
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 Rashaan McDonald. Money Making Conversations Masterclass
continues online at Moneymakingconversations dot com and follow money Making
(15:13):
Conversations Masterclass on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Speaker 2 (15:17):
Right now, I want to I'm talking to you about
your career. Next week I'll be talking about your business,
your products and your value proposition. There plan again, the
four letters in plan. Prepare that's what peace stands for. Learn,
That's what the AL stands for. Adjust, that's what the
(15:38):
A stands for. Navigate, that's what the N stands for.
These lessons and well, what happens in social media. Social
media is really has proven to be a detriment in
our society in a lot of ways because it can
convince you that you can't win. It'll get you going
down a track of ignorance. I'll say the word ignorance
(15:58):
because if you go down that train, I can you
don't understand that. I'm gonna just give you an example
how racism and how people can just put out a
racial story just to be a story. One of the
biggest stories out there in sportsland is the relationship between
Travis Kelsey and Taylor Swift.
Speaker 3 (16:17):
I don't care if you don't follow football.
Speaker 2 (16:19):
You know about this, You know about the Swifties, you
know about Travis Kelsey. You know he got about five
thousand TV commercials. Every time I come on TV, I said,
I just can't miss this good handsome guy.
Speaker 3 (16:33):
He's thirty three, she's thirty three.
Speaker 2 (16:35):
Now what you have not heard according to this article
because of racism because he plays football and she has
she's a pop star, right, because the racism you not happen.
You have not received the same attention is Simone Biles
and her husband Jonathan Owes, who plays for the Green
(16:58):
Bay Packers. Hey making that issue out of that. Come
on there, Come on there, don't get caught up in there.
Don't caught up in there. One lady got two hundred
and seventy one million Instagram follows. I'm just at the instagrams.
Simone has seven million. One dude then host of Saturday
(17:21):
Night Live. I've already told you he got fifteen thousand
TV commercials. He is the number one podcast. He's got
to get inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame
when he retires, and he's a defendant super Bowl champan
not taking any name away from my mind. He's a
really good football player because they're telling him a check
(17:41):
at the Green Bay Packers. But we're talking apples and oranges.
But people, and these are the people who work with you,
will get you bit out in the road direction instead
of you, focus on you. That's what the value proposition
is all about. I'm trying to get you to be
focused on you. What did it takes for you to win?
(18:05):
What's it gonna take for you to find your voice?
Stop talking to the wrong people. Stop talking to the
wrong people. I've shared this, throw the shares the story
right now. Value proposition, which I did not know, and
my wife will tell you. She took this amazing course
of Cornell. She came back way smarter than I wanted
(18:26):
her to be, because she kept asking me questions I
refuse to answer out of frustration, such as what you do?
Speaker 3 (18:33):
You know you when you when you don't know?
Speaker 2 (18:34):
You? Just I don't feel like talking today. I ain't
got much to say. You know, you fight off ignorance
with uh more, ignorance with abruptness. You fight it off
with h I ain't got time statements or I'll get
with you later.
Speaker 3 (18:51):
That's how you fight off ignorance.
Speaker 2 (18:53):
You fight it off with more ignorance, instead of just
sitting down and looking up the word value proposition and
see if that word means something to you, See if
that word has been successful. Because she couple them into me,
she said, look, I think you could actually teach this
course based on what I know, you know and what
(19:16):
you have accomplished in life. But I couldn't teach the
course because I didn't know what value proposition was. I
didn't know how to apply. What was so special about me?
What was you?
Speaker 3 (19:29):
What was so unique about me?
Speaker 2 (19:32):
When I look at my career, I understand the uniqueness
because there's so many lanes of success. But what I
didn't know was how was I achieving that success? How
was I achieving that success as an employee? How was
I achieving this to get a raise? How was I
achieving that success to get promoted? That's where the value
(19:54):
proposition comes in, and I didn't understand that.
Speaker 3 (19:57):
So guess what I was like?
Speaker 2 (19:58):
Hood, I don't feel like talking, get with me later,
So I'm telling you to stop that. When I was
when I was twenty one years old, I was doing
value proposition and didn't even know it. Let me get
an example. When I was hard at IBM in college,
(20:22):
I left a full time job because I was wanted
to go and just be a college student. I wanted
to focus on my education. Well, they told me you
could only work here for one semester. I had other
job options that didn't have that restriction. They say, you
can work here as long as you want.
Speaker 3 (20:36):
You're really good.
Speaker 2 (20:38):
We want to bring in smart minded people like you.
Speaker 3 (20:41):
You just do it.
Speaker 2 (20:43):
But I saw that big blue on my resume. I
feel that would look good working for IBUM. That would
look good. But they told me you could only work
one semester here. So what I did was I started
working and I started getting to know it's called relationship,
finding my voice. I started finding my voice. I started
(21:06):
finding it. At the time, I didn't know that was
my value proper position, finding out what was unique, finding
out what I was going to offer to my fellow
co workers that no one else was going to offer.
So I went to them and I asked them what
didn't they want to do? And they told me, and
(21:26):
I said, I do it. I went to twenty people
on that floor. It was a big old floor just
in Houston, Texas, and I took all of their work
that they didn't want to do because I had to
underbeknown somebody's strategy. I was just doing something I thought
at the time, which is common sense, but at the
(21:48):
time was value proposition. I was creating a unique workspace
for me that nobody else wanted to do what I did,
So I was doing everybody's work. So guess what I
did it in September. I did it in October. Come
(22:10):
in November.
Speaker 3 (22:12):
I started letting them know.
Speaker 2 (22:14):
Guess what, I'll be gone in December. They're only going
to keep me for one semester. Now, according to this program,
they had never ever kept anybody beyond one semester. But
little that I know, at the time, I was exercising
my value proposition. I was creating a unique space. I
(22:39):
was creating a market share on that floor that nobody
else was doing.
Speaker 3 (22:45):
So guess what. I stayed there two and a half
years because.
Speaker 2 (22:50):
My value proposition that I created was unique and nobody
else could do it but me.
Speaker 3 (23:01):
Did I get paid extra money?
Speaker 2 (23:02):
No? But I got to work there for another two years.
And that's all I'm saying in this conversation. If you
hear me clearly on this, hear this, it's time for
you to understand.
Speaker 3 (23:15):
If you are not reaching your dreams, why not.
Speaker 2 (23:21):
Me needs to be put on your mirror every day
so you canna understand that that's what you want to
do now.
Speaker 3 (23:27):
If you don't have a plan, please put a plan in.
Speaker 2 (23:29):
Place, prepare, learn, or just navigate. Don't let age be
an excuse. I don't care if you're nineteen, I don't
care if you're sixty five. Do not let age be
an excuse. You find your voice by talking to positive people.
You do not find your voice sharing bad ideas with
other negative people. Stay away from negative people. So as
(23:54):
I said, don't talk to negative people. Stay away from
negative people. Negative people will not help you find your voice.
Set your goals, which I did not do immediately.
Speaker 3 (24:05):
When you're hired with.
Speaker 2 (24:06):
Your supervisor, I don't care if you're working for a
fast food restaurant. I don't care if you're working for
a Fortune five or on your company. Go in that office,
say thank you for hiring me.
Speaker 3 (24:15):
What do you want me to do?
Speaker 2 (24:16):
Don't be afraid of the work responsibility that person's going
to introduce in your life.
Speaker 3 (24:21):
But that's why you got hired.
Speaker 2 (24:23):
You can't set goals or put a plan in place
if you don't know what the aspect of you. Don't
wait around for an opportunity, just do it, and we
all know what that slogan is associated with.
Speaker 3 (24:38):
I've said this earlier.
Speaker 2 (24:40):
Not all opportunities when you're building your value proposition comes
with a check to finally know your work environment.
Speaker 3 (24:51):
That's what I'm talking about today, That's what I.
Speaker 2 (24:53):
Wanted to talk about today, and I hopefully I achieved
that with everybody who's listened to the show today in
this first half hour. This first half hours about tapping
you on your shoulder and letting you know that your
greatness can be achieved by your own personal effort, but
it also can be not achieved by your own lack
of effort, and the lack of effort is always tied
(25:16):
to your plan, because if you don't have a plan,
you will never ever set a goal. If you don't
achieve a goal, you will not win. This has been
another edition of Money Making Conversation Masterclass posted by me
Rashaun McDonald. Thank you to our guests on the should
today and thank you our listening to audience now. If
you want to listen to any episode I want to
(25:38):
be a guest on the show, visit Moneymakingconversations dot com.
Our social media handle is money Making Conversation. Join us
next week and remember to always leave with your gifts.
Keep winning.
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