June 13, 2025 • 13 mins
Ann Ethe is a growing family-owned transportation company which prides itself on providing premiere transportation services. Reliable, convenient and affordable services is Ann-Ethe’s mission to its customers. There is no event too big or too small that they can’t service! Listed below are some of the main services offered, However, the list grows all the time. Please visit their website at annetheservices.com.
- Van Shuttle Services
- Airport drop offs and pickups
- Downtown tours
- Wedding drop offs and pick ups
- Bachelorette parties
- Bachelor parties
- Birthday parties
- Birthday event drop offs and pick ups
- Quinceanera party drop off and pick ups
- Holiday parties
- Family reunions
- Fraternity social events
- Sorority social events
- Special events
- Proms
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome to another episode of the Brandy Black Podcast. I'm
Danny d here today with James Jones. Absolutely listen, I'm
loving the energy already. You're my co host. You know,
he says he's a DJ, he.
Speaker 2 (00:15):
That do everything.
Speaker 1 (00:17):
But we are here to talk today about your wonderful business.
Speaker 2 (00:21):
Yes, I got a chance to talk a.
Speaker 1 (00:22):
Little bit about it before, you know, hopping on the microphone.
But and at services tell us all about it. But
first I gotta say I could have used you during
Beyonce weekend.
Speaker 3 (00:33):
But we were there.
Speaker 2 (00:34):
We were there, I bet you was.
Speaker 4 (00:35):
We were down there all all what three days or
four days? We were It was a madhouse, but we
were there.
Speaker 2 (00:41):
Yes, Well, tell us all about it. Why were you there?
What is your business?
Speaker 1 (00:44):
So?
Speaker 4 (00:44):
We are a transportation company. We provide high end transportation
down to I hate to say low end, but you
know we have luxury vehicles down to the regular van
and uh we service the Chicago Land area. That's what
we do. You can definitely call us. We go to airports, weddings,
baseball games, Ken Sierra's, whatever it is, we can make
(01:06):
it happen with any vehicle. We got a vehicle to
fit any size group. And if we don't have a vehicle,
we can get multiple vehicles to fit any size groups.
So yeah, we are that's what we do. Make it happen.
Speaker 1 (01:15):
Okay, so you've got party buses, yes, yes, escalades, the
Mercedes Ben sprinters for transits, just all kinds of vehicles
to uh, you know, like I said, get people safely
to where they're trying to go.
Speaker 4 (01:28):
What I love about us is we actually save lives.
Can you believe that? Because people like to be responsible
and I hope more and more people be responsible and
you should be able to go out and have a
good time, have a cocktail or two, and lead are
driving us. We'll get you there.
Speaker 1 (01:42):
That's what I like to hear. Absolutely, let's talk about it.
And F where did the name come from?
Speaker 4 (01:48):
So the name came from. First of all, we started
ten years ago, so to mix ten years congratulation, Thank
you so much. And is short for Anna, which is
my mother's mother who's deceased. And F is short for Ethel,
which is my father's mother who was deceased. Both of
these women helped make me the man I am today.
And when I was searching for a name again a
(02:10):
man of faith, this is the name that it kind
of stuck. And it's been definitely blossoming and booming these
last ten years. And it's it's unique because nobody can
even say it. That's why they gonna ask me.
Speaker 1 (02:25):
Absolutely correct, yep, no, I love that so obviously, you
know you're inspired by your grandparents, your family, your faith.
Speaker 2 (02:33):
What inspired this business though, so.
Speaker 3 (02:36):
You know it was.
Speaker 4 (02:37):
It's really funny again, ten years ago, Illinois passed a
concealed carry law. Well, I just got to say I
was the first one in line. And I was actually
sitting in the class with a guy who owned the
Limo bus and he was just telling me about it,
and for some reason I know now I didn't know then,
it's stuck with me and.
Speaker 3 (02:57):
I'm just like, why is this things sticking with me?
Speaker 4 (03:00):
So, needless to say, when the class ended a couple
months later, it was still in the back of my mind.
I did some research and Danny, I don't know what
happened the next thirty days, I had a bus in
a parking space and didn't know what to do what
And that's how this whole thing got started ten years ago.
And today we have over twenty vehicles in service.
Speaker 3 (03:20):
Taking care of the people, moving people safely.
Speaker 2 (03:23):
That your sign right, so you know, absolutely.
Speaker 3 (03:27):
Time, absolutely and that was the sign right there.
Speaker 4 (03:30):
And I just I'm still in awe ten years later,
like man, because I'm I stay humble because I know
where it started to where it is today.
Speaker 3 (03:38):
Absolutely.
Speaker 2 (03:39):
Yes, so you went from one vehicle.
Speaker 4 (03:40):
To one vehicle to twenty vehicles. Yes, we've even expanded
to Battle Creek, Michigan. So God is good and we
just keep on growing. Absolutely absolutely.
Speaker 1 (03:51):
Now, you know, we like to inspire other people who
want to start businesses, so you know, we try to
keep it real as possible.
Speaker 2 (03:59):
What's one challenge that you faced with your business?
Speaker 3 (04:03):
Great questions.
Speaker 4 (04:04):
So the first challenge that that I faced was not
knowing how to get this thing going when I bought
my first vie. And I actually do counsel other people.
I get calls all the time and I tell them,
you know, when I first started, I didn't get my
first run for six months. So here I am paying
insurance all this other stuff. So I honestly I started
to lose faith, like man, I did the wrong thing
(04:26):
me or need to sell this and again just you know,
staying with it, trying to promote myself because I had
no guidance. I kind of just jumped out there and
it just was moving really really slow. And I'm like, Okay,
I think I made a mistake and I got my
first run. I'll never forget. Twenty fifteen New Year's Eve,
a guy just called me out the blue and I'm like, yeah.
I was so excited because I hadn't hit it run
(04:47):
six months I didn't have a run, and I was
so excited.
Speaker 3 (04:50):
And we actually picked up. We took them around for
New Years.
Speaker 4 (04:52):
Me and my wife took him around for New Year's
Eve and dropped them off and I was like, man,
it's like right after that things really started have to
pick up. And but I will say the biggest challenge
was in the beginning learning how to market myself. Uh,
nobody knows and f this was a new thing I
was jumping into.
Speaker 3 (05:10):
They're like, well, who were you? We never heard of you?
Speaker 4 (05:11):
People would and then people would call it like, well,
how long you been in business? And and and which
is a good question to ask. I mean, who wants
to get into a school bus or something, and like
when you just started yesterday, No, let me call somebody else.
Speaker 3 (05:22):
So that was one of the biggest.
Speaker 4 (05:23):
Challenges was getting my name out there, the marketing, understanding
the business, because I obviously when I got into it,
I thought maybe it was gonna be pay as soon
as I get this, it's gonna take off, and it
totally was not the case. So but just just having
you know, the perseverance to stay with it and know
that nothing is always going to come easy and if
it does, it's probably not worth it.
Speaker 2 (05:43):
So that's true. That's true. Definitely comes with challenges.
Speaker 3 (05:47):
Yes, yes, absolutely.
Speaker 2 (05:50):
Well I'm glad that you got past that.
Speaker 3 (05:52):
You asked me too, Yes, definitely.
Speaker 1 (05:57):
So of course you said that you are all about safe,
getting our community, yes to point A to point B
safe where they can have fun and relax. What is
something else that you want to leave, like an impact
on our community with and F services.
Speaker 4 (06:11):
Yeah, So basically I just want to leave an impact
knowing that you have a place or company that you
can call and feel comfortable. You know, we live in
the day and age of ubers and lift and me personally,
I've been in a couple and you kind of like
never know what you're gonna get.
Speaker 3 (06:27):
I don't want that image. Know that if you call
NF service.
Speaker 4 (06:30):
You're gonna get a professional driver, you're gonna get a
clean vehicle, you're gonna get a safe vehicle. So I
kind of want to leave that impression if you call
NF Services or they're gonna be on time and they're
gonna get you where you gotta go, safe, affordable, reasonable pricing,
not nothing that's trying to, you know, send you back
to the bank three four times just to pay for it.
Speaker 3 (06:50):
But but yeah, those are just the things.
Speaker 4 (06:52):
I mean, like I said, just just being known, and
that's what we are known for in these ten years.
Word of mouth is the biggest advertisement, which I've learned,
and I get calls all the time to say, hey,
my friend told me you took you did their wedding,
or you took them to the socks game, or you
did their kincyra or whatever, you took them to airport.
Speaker 3 (07:10):
We do all of that and they say, we want
to use you.
Speaker 4 (07:12):
So just just having that image out there is huge,
And that's why I'm so big on customer service, so
big on vehicles being clean and my drivers being safe,
because I want to leave that image with our with
our community.
Speaker 1 (07:24):
Absolutely, yes, definitely professionalism, all of that, and I can
attest to that because it was early today.
Speaker 2 (07:31):
That absolutely so a word of mouth.
Speaker 1 (07:37):
But then I've also seen some wonderful testimonials on your website. Yes,
so where can our listeners go to find you? What website,
social media, all of that.
Speaker 4 (07:46):
Yes, so our website is www dot an F services.
So let me just spell that out A N N
E T H E services I L dot com. You
can definitely can go on there check us out. We
have a gallery with all our vehicles listed there and
there's a tab there or section there where you can
definitely leave a testimonial. We try to We have our
Google comment cards in every vehicle. So at the end
(08:08):
of this service, we tried to ask our customer to
scan the qu or code and leave us an experience
on how how it was. And it's been going pretty good,
going pretty.
Speaker 1 (08:16):
Good, and you've got some sharp vehicles.
Speaker 3 (08:23):
Yes, you see yourself in it. You see yourself ready,
absolutely so.
Speaker 1 (08:32):
This is brilliantly black. We're celebrating all black owned businesses
like yours. What does it mean to you to be
brilliantly black?
Speaker 4 (08:40):
That is a great question. You know, first of all,
hats off to iHeartMedia for this. Uh when we when
we got this award this year, and I got a
shout out to my mom because she's the one that
called me and said, hey, you need to apply for this.
Speaker 3 (08:54):
I had and I was like what is it?
Speaker 4 (08:55):
And I said, okay, I'll apply, but didn't think I'm
not gonna win it, you know, And and sure enough
I get the call and say this is your call.
What you know, and then it comes to reception. Everything
was just top notch. So to me, this means everything
again ten years and it came at a time where
I'm celebrating my tenth year. It just means everything to
me that a radio station like iHeartMedia is really taking
(09:19):
time out to celebrate the small black business owners because
you know, in today's world, we don't get a lot
of spotlight. And then you know in our community, when
one thing goes wrong, they try to shut you down
with you know, and nothing's perfect, you know, So to
get this opportunity, I am grateful again iHeartMedia shout out
to you guys for this. But it just it just
(09:41):
means a lot to me that, you know, I would
like to let someone else see that this can be done.
Speaker 3 (09:46):
You know, it could be done. The right way. So
that's that's what it means to me.
Speaker 2 (09:49):
I love that. And congratulations to you, because if.
Speaker 1 (09:52):
They don't know you were one of our awardies absolutely award. Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, congratulations.
Speaker 2 (10:01):
I mean how did that feel?
Speaker 1 (10:02):
Just hear your business name being called on that stage
and you're surrounded by other businesses who were wary. So
I don't know, I personally felt like it was just
an amazing experience.
Speaker 3 (10:14):
Yes, yes, and you know what it absolutely was.
Speaker 4 (10:17):
You know, coming in that day, as I reflect, I
didn't know what to expect, you know, I'm like, I
don't know if they said me just come here.
Speaker 3 (10:24):
I didn't know how to dress. I didn't know what,
you know.
Speaker 4 (10:26):
And to come in and see the other black I'm like, man,
this is and just all the different things they were selling,
the services.
Speaker 3 (10:33):
I felt really honored to be a part of that.
It was great.
Speaker 4 (10:36):
And then I'm gonna tell you something else I noticed
in that room. I happened to be the only male.
It was all women. I was the only man.
Speaker 3 (10:44):
I'm like, where's the men? But yeah, I was the
only male.
Speaker 4 (10:48):
So when I left, I was telling my wife, I
said that, yeah, that was that was different, you know,
but yeah, I was told.
Speaker 3 (10:56):
So that really made me stick my chest out a
little bit.
Speaker 4 (11:01):
Like yeah, and I'm like, man, this is this is
kind of crazy. But no, definitely I felt honored and
I still do. I still got the black plaque at
home that they you guys gave us. It sits on
my mantle and every time I see it, I just like, man,
I just ten years ago this this guy had a
you know, idea, and here it is, look at the
(11:21):
birth in ten years so it's still just.
Speaker 2 (11:24):
Still in all, still in all, ten years later, ten
years now. Yes now knows your name.
Speaker 3 (11:30):
Yes, yes, you know.
Speaker 4 (11:32):
I get It's funny. I get calls all the time
from random people. I seen your your vehicle downtown. I've
seen this and this, you know. Just I'm like, okay, thanks,
you know, I get it all the time, and even
more now that it's on V one on three and GC,
I'm getting calls like I'm like they heard it before
I did.
Speaker 3 (11:49):
I was like, well, where did you hear that?
Speaker 4 (11:50):
Oh, Mike Love just said it, you know whatever, So yeah,
it's you know, so yeah, just just just humble and
just still just great.
Speaker 3 (12:00):
It's grateful. Absolutely.
Speaker 1 (12:01):
I love that for you, I love it, for your family,
for your community.
Speaker 2 (12:05):
And again so you're located.
Speaker 1 (12:06):
In Lynwood, correct, yes, what you serve all the.
Speaker 4 (12:10):
Chicago land area, Indiana, you know, even go to some
parts of Wisconsin.
Speaker 3 (12:15):
Uh we we we pretty much do it all.
Speaker 4 (12:17):
Like I said, we even uh go as far as
the Cincinnati Music Fest is coming and we just got
booked a couple of days ago. Actually this is the
lady second year booking us to take them to the
Cincinnati Music Fest for the whole weekend and then come
on back.
Speaker 3 (12:31):
So we even do stuff like that.
Speaker 2 (12:32):
That's amazing.
Speaker 1 (12:33):
Yes, yes, yes, yes, listen, okay with everybody, So again,
if we want to book what's the website?
Speaker 4 (12:45):
The website again is w W W dot A F
services I L dot com again A N N E.
Speaker 3 (12:52):
T H E services I L dot Com.
Speaker 2 (12:55):
James Jones absolutely let.
Speaker 3 (12:58):
Me let me just say, James Earl Jones Senior. Really, yes, get.
Speaker 4 (13:01):
Out of here.
Speaker 1 (13:02):
Okay, see you were meant for greatness all right here
we are.
Speaker 2 (13:05):
Ten years later from the start of your business. Yes,
James Earl.
Speaker 4 (13:08):
Jones, James Earl James, did I named my son James
Earl Johnston?
Speaker 2 (13:11):
Come on, this is a strong blood lie right here.
Speaker 3 (13:14):
Absolutely, I love it.
Speaker 2 (13:16):
Yes, I love it for you.
Speaker 1 (13:18):
Thank you so much for joining me for this conversation,
and we'll be in touch.
Speaker 2 (13:21):
Like I said, I'm a book.
Speaker 1 (13:22):
Please do please absolutely, James, thank you and I wish
you nothing but.
Speaker 3 (13:26):
The best with I appreciate that. Glad to be here.
Speaker 2 (13:28):
You're welcome.
Speaker 3 (13:30):
Thank you.
Welcome to another episode of the Brandy Black Podcast. I'm
Danny d here today with James Jones. Absolutely listen, I'm
loving the energy already. You're my co host. You know,
he says he's a DJ, he.
Speaker 2 (00:15):
That do everything.
Speaker 1 (00:17):
But we are here to talk today about your wonderful business.
Speaker 2 (00:21):
Yes, I got a chance to talk a.
Speaker 1 (00:22):
Little bit about it before, you know, hopping on the microphone.
But and at services tell us all about it. But
first I gotta say I could have used you during
Beyonce weekend.
Speaker 3 (00:33):
But we were there.
Speaker 2 (00:34):
We were there, I bet you was.
Speaker 4 (00:35):
We were down there all all what three days or
four days? We were It was a madhouse, but we
were there.
Speaker 2 (00:41):
Yes, Well, tell us all about it. Why were you there?
What is your business?
Speaker 1 (00:44):
So?
Speaker 4 (00:44):
We are a transportation company. We provide high end transportation
down to I hate to say low end, but you
know we have luxury vehicles down to the regular van
and uh we service the Chicago Land area. That's what
we do. You can definitely call us. We go to airports, weddings,
baseball games, Ken Sierra's, whatever it is, we can make
(01:06):
it happen with any vehicle. We got a vehicle to
fit any size group. And if we don't have a vehicle,
we can get multiple vehicles to fit any size groups.
So yeah, we are that's what we do. Make it happen.
Speaker 1 (01:15):
Okay, so you've got party buses, yes, yes, escalades, the
Mercedes Ben sprinters for transits, just all kinds of vehicles
to uh, you know, like I said, get people safely
to where they're trying to go.
Speaker 4 (01:28):
What I love about us is we actually save lives.
Can you believe that? Because people like to be responsible
and I hope more and more people be responsible and
you should be able to go out and have a
good time, have a cocktail or two, and lead are
driving us. We'll get you there.
Speaker 1 (01:42):
That's what I like to hear. Absolutely, let's talk about it.
And F where did the name come from?
Speaker 4 (01:48):
So the name came from. First of all, we started
ten years ago, so to mix ten years congratulation, Thank
you so much. And is short for Anna, which is
my mother's mother who's deceased. And F is short for Ethel,
which is my father's mother who was deceased. Both of
these women helped make me the man I am today.
And when I was searching for a name again a
(02:10):
man of faith, this is the name that it kind
of stuck. And it's been definitely blossoming and booming these
last ten years. And it's it's unique because nobody can
even say it. That's why they gonna ask me.
Speaker 1 (02:25):
Absolutely correct, yep, no, I love that so obviously, you
know you're inspired by your grandparents, your family, your faith.
Speaker 2 (02:33):
What inspired this business though, so.
Speaker 3 (02:36):
You know it was.
Speaker 4 (02:37):
It's really funny again, ten years ago, Illinois passed a
concealed carry law. Well, I just got to say I
was the first one in line. And I was actually
sitting in the class with a guy who owned the
Limo bus and he was just telling me about it,
and for some reason I know now I didn't know then,
it's stuck with me and.
Speaker 3 (02:57):
I'm just like, why is this things sticking with me?
Speaker 4 (03:00):
So, needless to say, when the class ended a couple
months later, it was still in the back of my mind.
I did some research and Danny, I don't know what
happened the next thirty days, I had a bus in
a parking space and didn't know what to do what
And that's how this whole thing got started ten years ago.
And today we have over twenty vehicles in service.
Speaker 3 (03:20):
Taking care of the people, moving people safely.
Speaker 2 (03:23):
That your sign right, so you know, absolutely.
Speaker 3 (03:27):
Time, absolutely and that was the sign right there.
Speaker 4 (03:30):
And I just I'm still in awe ten years later,
like man, because I'm I stay humble because I know
where it started to where it is today.
Speaker 3 (03:38):
Absolutely.
Speaker 2 (03:39):
Yes, so you went from one vehicle.
Speaker 4 (03:40):
To one vehicle to twenty vehicles. Yes, we've even expanded
to Battle Creek, Michigan. So God is good and we
just keep on growing. Absolutely absolutely.
Speaker 1 (03:51):
Now, you know, we like to inspire other people who
want to start businesses, so you know, we try to
keep it real as possible.
Speaker 2 (03:59):
What's one challenge that you faced with your business?
Speaker 3 (04:03):
Great questions.
Speaker 4 (04:04):
So the first challenge that that I faced was not
knowing how to get this thing going when I bought
my first vie. And I actually do counsel other people.
I get calls all the time and I tell them,
you know, when I first started, I didn't get my
first run for six months. So here I am paying
insurance all this other stuff. So I honestly I started
to lose faith, like man, I did the wrong thing
(04:26):
me or need to sell this and again just you know,
staying with it, trying to promote myself because I had
no guidance. I kind of just jumped out there and
it just was moving really really slow. And I'm like, Okay,
I think I made a mistake and I got my
first run. I'll never forget. Twenty fifteen New Year's Eve,
a guy just called me out the blue and I'm like, yeah.
I was so excited because I hadn't hit it run
(04:47):
six months I didn't have a run, and I was
so excited.
Speaker 3 (04:50):
And we actually picked up. We took them around for
New Years.
Speaker 4 (04:52):
Me and my wife took him around for New Year's
Eve and dropped them off and I was like, man,
it's like right after that things really started have to
pick up. And but I will say the biggest challenge
was in the beginning learning how to market myself. Uh,
nobody knows and f this was a new thing I
was jumping into.
Speaker 3 (05:10):
They're like, well, who were you? We never heard of you?
Speaker 4 (05:11):
People would and then people would call it like, well,
how long you been in business? And and and which
is a good question to ask. I mean, who wants
to get into a school bus or something, and like
when you just started yesterday, No, let me call somebody else.
Speaker 3 (05:22):
So that was one of the biggest.
Speaker 4 (05:23):
Challenges was getting my name out there, the marketing, understanding
the business, because I obviously when I got into it,
I thought maybe it was gonna be pay as soon
as I get this, it's gonna take off, and it
totally was not the case. So but just just having
you know, the perseverance to stay with it and know
that nothing is always going to come easy and if
it does, it's probably not worth it.
Speaker 2 (05:43):
So that's true. That's true. Definitely comes with challenges.
Speaker 3 (05:47):
Yes, yes, absolutely.
Speaker 2 (05:50):
Well I'm glad that you got past that.
Speaker 3 (05:52):
You asked me too, Yes, definitely.
Speaker 1 (05:57):
So of course you said that you are all about safe,
getting our community, yes to point A to point B
safe where they can have fun and relax. What is
something else that you want to leave, like an impact
on our community with and F services.
Speaker 4 (06:11):
Yeah, So basically I just want to leave an impact
knowing that you have a place or company that you
can call and feel comfortable. You know, we live in
the day and age of ubers and lift and me personally,
I've been in a couple and you kind of like
never know what you're gonna get.
Speaker 3 (06:27):
I don't want that image. Know that if you call
NF service.
Speaker 4 (06:30):
You're gonna get a professional driver, you're gonna get a
clean vehicle, you're gonna get a safe vehicle. So I
kind of want to leave that impression if you call
NF Services or they're gonna be on time and they're
gonna get you where you gotta go, safe, affordable, reasonable pricing,
not nothing that's trying to, you know, send you back
to the bank three four times just to pay for it.
Speaker 3 (06:50):
But but yeah, those are just the things.
Speaker 4 (06:52):
I mean, like I said, just just being known, and
that's what we are known for in these ten years.
Word of mouth is the biggest advertisement, which I've learned,
and I get calls all the time to say, hey,
my friend told me you took you did their wedding,
or you took them to the socks game, or you
did their kincyra or whatever, you took them to airport.
Speaker 3 (07:10):
We do all of that and they say, we want
to use you.
Speaker 4 (07:12):
So just just having that image out there is huge,
And that's why I'm so big on customer service, so
big on vehicles being clean and my drivers being safe,
because I want to leave that image with our with
our community.
Speaker 1 (07:24):
Absolutely, yes, definitely professionalism, all of that, and I can
attest to that because it was early today.
Speaker 2 (07:31):
That absolutely so a word of mouth.
Speaker 1 (07:37):
But then I've also seen some wonderful testimonials on your website. Yes,
so where can our listeners go to find you? What website,
social media, all of that.
Speaker 4 (07:46):
Yes, so our website is www dot an F services.
So let me just spell that out A N N
E T H E services I L dot com. You
can definitely can go on there check us out. We
have a gallery with all our vehicles listed there and
there's a tab there or section there where you can
definitely leave a testimonial. We try to We have our
Google comment cards in every vehicle. So at the end
(08:08):
of this service, we tried to ask our customer to
scan the qu or code and leave us an experience
on how how it was. And it's been going pretty good,
going pretty.
Speaker 1 (08:16):
Good, and you've got some sharp vehicles.
Speaker 3 (08:23):
Yes, you see yourself in it. You see yourself ready,
absolutely so.
Speaker 1 (08:32):
This is brilliantly black. We're celebrating all black owned businesses
like yours. What does it mean to you to be
brilliantly black?
Speaker 4 (08:40):
That is a great question. You know, first of all,
hats off to iHeartMedia for this. Uh when we when
we got this award this year, and I got a
shout out to my mom because she's the one that
called me and said, hey, you need to apply for this.
Speaker 3 (08:54):
I had and I was like what is it?
Speaker 4 (08:55):
And I said, okay, I'll apply, but didn't think I'm
not gonna win it, you know, And and sure enough
I get the call and say this is your call.
What you know, and then it comes to reception. Everything
was just top notch. So to me, this means everything
again ten years and it came at a time where
I'm celebrating my tenth year. It just means everything to
me that a radio station like iHeartMedia is really taking
(09:19):
time out to celebrate the small black business owners because
you know, in today's world, we don't get a lot
of spotlight. And then you know in our community, when
one thing goes wrong, they try to shut you down
with you know, and nothing's perfect, you know, So to
get this opportunity, I am grateful again iHeartMedia shout out
to you guys for this. But it just it just
(09:41):
means a lot to me that, you know, I would
like to let someone else see that this can be done.
Speaker 3 (09:46):
You know, it could be done. The right way. So
that's that's what it means to me.
Speaker 2 (09:49):
I love that. And congratulations to you, because if.
Speaker 1 (09:52):
They don't know you were one of our awardies absolutely award. Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, congratulations.
Speaker 2 (10:01):
I mean how did that feel?
Speaker 1 (10:02):
Just hear your business name being called on that stage
and you're surrounded by other businesses who were wary. So
I don't know, I personally felt like it was just
an amazing experience.
Speaker 3 (10:14):
Yes, yes, and you know what it absolutely was.
Speaker 4 (10:17):
You know, coming in that day, as I reflect, I
didn't know what to expect, you know, I'm like, I
don't know if they said me just come here.
Speaker 3 (10:24):
I didn't know how to dress. I didn't know what,
you know.
Speaker 4 (10:26):
And to come in and see the other black I'm like, man,
this is and just all the different things they were selling,
the services.
Speaker 3 (10:33):
I felt really honored to be a part of that.
It was great.
Speaker 4 (10:36):
And then I'm gonna tell you something else I noticed
in that room. I happened to be the only male.
It was all women. I was the only man.
Speaker 3 (10:44):
I'm like, where's the men? But yeah, I was the
only male.
Speaker 4 (10:48):
So when I left, I was telling my wife, I
said that, yeah, that was that was different, you know,
but yeah, I was told.
Speaker 3 (10:56):
So that really made me stick my chest out a
little bit.
Speaker 4 (11:01):
Like yeah, and I'm like, man, this is this is
kind of crazy. But no, definitely I felt honored and
I still do. I still got the black plaque at
home that they you guys gave us. It sits on
my mantle and every time I see it, I just like, man,
I just ten years ago this this guy had a
you know, idea, and here it is, look at the
(11:21):
birth in ten years so it's still just.
Speaker 2 (11:24):
Still in all, still in all, ten years later, ten
years now. Yes now knows your name.
Speaker 3 (11:30):
Yes, yes, you know.
Speaker 4 (11:32):
I get It's funny. I get calls all the time
from random people. I seen your your vehicle downtown. I've
seen this and this, you know. Just I'm like, okay, thanks,
you know, I get it all the time, and even
more now that it's on V one on three and GC,
I'm getting calls like I'm like they heard it before
I did.
Speaker 3 (11:49):
I was like, well, where did you hear that?
Speaker 4 (11:50):
Oh, Mike Love just said it, you know whatever, So yeah,
it's you know, so yeah, just just just humble and
just still just great.
Speaker 3 (12:00):
It's grateful. Absolutely.
Speaker 1 (12:01):
I love that for you, I love it, for your family,
for your community.
Speaker 2 (12:05):
And again so you're located.
Speaker 1 (12:06):
In Lynwood, correct, yes, what you serve all the.
Speaker 4 (12:10):
Chicago land area, Indiana, you know, even go to some
parts of Wisconsin.
Speaker 3 (12:15):
Uh we we we pretty much do it all.
Speaker 4 (12:17):
Like I said, we even uh go as far as
the Cincinnati Music Fest is coming and we just got
booked a couple of days ago. Actually this is the
lady second year booking us to take them to the
Cincinnati Music Fest for the whole weekend and then come
on back.
Speaker 3 (12:31):
So we even do stuff like that.
Speaker 2 (12:32):
That's amazing.
Speaker 1 (12:33):
Yes, yes, yes, yes, listen, okay with everybody, So again,
if we want to book what's the website?
Speaker 4 (12:45):
The website again is w W W dot A F
services I L dot com again A N N E.
Speaker 3 (12:52):
T H E services I L dot Com.
Speaker 2 (12:55):
James Jones absolutely let.
Speaker 3 (12:58):
Me let me just say, James Earl Jones Senior. Really, yes, get.
Speaker 4 (13:01):
Out of here.
Speaker 1 (13:02):
Okay, see you were meant for greatness all right here
we are.
Speaker 2 (13:05):
Ten years later from the start of your business. Yes,
James Earl.
Speaker 4 (13:08):
Jones, James Earl James, did I named my son James
Earl Johnston?
Speaker 2 (13:11):
Come on, this is a strong blood lie right here.
Speaker 3 (13:14):
Absolutely, I love it.
Speaker 2 (13:16):
Yes, I love it for you.
Speaker 1 (13:18):
Thank you so much for joining me for this conversation,
and we'll be in touch.
Speaker 2 (13:21):
Like I said, I'm a book.
Speaker 1 (13:22):
Please do please absolutely, James, thank you and I wish
you nothing but.
Speaker 3 (13:26):
The best with I appreciate that. Glad to be here.
Speaker 2 (13:28):
You're welcome.
Speaker 3 (13:30):
Thank you.
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