September 30, 2024 • 46 mins
Episode Summary:
Join us in this inspiring episode of the Braving Business Podcast as we welcome Krystal and Dedric Polite, stars of the hit TV show 50/50 Flip on Hulu and A&E. Krystal and Dedric share their journey as first-generation real estate investors, where they have grown from owning three rental units to over 70 properties valued in the millions. They’ve built a real estate empire that demonstrates the potential for anyone, regardless of background, to create generational wealth through real estate investing.
Throughout the episode, they candidly discuss the challenges they faced along the way, including Dedric being fired from his job at HubSpot, Krystal facing eviction from her apartment for renting it on Airbnb, losing $10,000 to an unscrupulous consultant, and the intense workload of their show’s first season, where a team of three had to do the work of 13. Their resilience and determination to persevere shine through their remarkable story, providing valuable lessons for entrepreneurs and investors alike.
The Polites share their insights on scaling businesses, pivoting through adversity, and the importance of persistence in the face of failure. They also open up about their personal experiences and upcoming projects, including a $5 million Sky Zone project made possible through their real estate ventures. Parents to two young sons, Krystal and Dedric are passionate about giving back to their community, providing affordable housing, and empowering others through their real estate education platform.
Key Discussion Points:
1. Krystal’s early entrepreneurial spirit and Dedric’s traditional path before transitioning to real estate.
2. The challenges they faced in building their real estate business, including eviction, job loss, and nearly giving up.
3. Their first major real estate deal that earned them $105K and how it jump-started their success.
4. The journey from a side hustle to being offered a national TV show on Hulu and A&E.
5. The intense workload of 50/50 Flip's first season and how they persevered through it.
6. Lessons learned from failure and the mindset of persistence they’ve cultivated.
7. The importance of community-focused real estate investing and providing affordable housing.
8. The role of integrity and doing good while doing well in their business.
9. Their upcoming Sky Zone project and future business ventures.
10. Fun insight into their relationship, including how their first date was a business meeting.
Quotable Moments:
- "There’s nothing that can stop a man or woman who will not quit."
- "Do good while doing well."
Connect with Krystal & Dedric:
- Instagram: [Be Polite Properties](https://www.instagram.com/bepoliteproperties)
- Facebook: [Be Polite Properties](https://www.facebook.com/bepoliteproperties)
- YouTube: [Be Polite Properties](https://www.youtube.com/bepolite)
Listener Engagement:
We’d love to hear your thoughts on Krystal and Dedric’s story and how their journey toward financial empowerment resonates with your own experiences. Be sure to share your favorite insights with us!
Disclaimer:
The views expressed by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Braving Business Podcast or its hosts.
Remember to subscribe, rate, and review us wherever you get your podcasts. Stay brave!
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
Hey there, I'm Tals Lotnitsky from Ignite IT Consulting.
(00:05):
You know me from the Braving Business podcast, but when I'm not behind the mic, I'm helping
tech startups and established companies ignite their full potential.
I also help entrepreneurs and businesses in distress reset for success.
With over three decades of entrepreneurial success, I bring hands-on experience to drive
growth, navigate turnarounds, raise capital, and lead to innovation.
(00:28):
Whether it's executive coaching or strategic transformation, I'm here to turn your business
challenges into success stories.
Visit igniteitconsulting.com and let's spark that change together.
That's igniteitconsulting.com.
Your journey to business brilliance starts now.
And one last quick thing.
(00:49):
If you enjoyed this episode, please stay on after the show to learn more about the Braving
Business podcast and other great episodes for you to discover.
And now let's get the show started.
(01:13):
Well hello there.
Hey bud.
How are you?
I am well, young man.
How are you?
I'm better than George Santos.
He just pled guilty to all the charges.
Well, I mean, that wasn't-
That literally just came on my phone as I was-
That's okay.
That's okay.
How do I look to you?
(01:35):
You look great.
I mean, in what way do you mean?
I mean, that's a really, that's a loaded question.
It is a loaded question.
Do I look a year older?
I don't know.
Oh, is it your birthday today?
No, it was my birthday last week.
So apparently you're very, like in my, you know, my standards of gifts are, it doesn't
have to be big, just expensive.
So maybe I need to update my, maybe I need to update my address to make sure that you
(02:00):
get it to me.
You know, it's funny you say that because I think you know this, Aaron and I were in
New Orleans and I think in January, no, maybe it was November last year and I bought you
this PJ's coffee thing and I never sent it to you.
It's been sitting on my desk for like the last year.
(02:20):
And trust me-
I keep looking at it and saying, I really do need to send it to PJ and then I don't.
Yeah.
And I could, I could really use the coffee.
Seriously.
Yeah.
You know, and I stopped drinking coffee.
Actually, that's kind of a new thing.
Oh, good for you.
How's the headaches?
Yeah.
They're fine.
Camomile tea, my man.
Camomile tea is where it's at.
Crystal and Dedrick, what do you guys do?
Are you, are you naturally caffeinated or do you, do you partake in the morning juice
(02:43):
of adults?
No coffee.
I'm not a coffee guy.
I think it is convenient that Tal said he had had a gift for you.
I mean, just how convenient that he had purchased it.
He just didn't give it to you.
Yeah.
No, I don't drink.
Isn't it the thought that counts?
It's the thought, right?
No, I'm sorry.
No, my wife, she don't let me get off.
Go ahead, Crystal.
No, I don't, I've never drank coffee actually ever, but I am a big tea drinker.
(03:11):
So excellent.
I do drink tea, maybe not every day, but that's my drink of choice.
Occasional Red Bull as well.
We need a little shot.
Wow.
We need some wings.
All right.
Very cool.
Well, PJ tell our audience we have, we have stars on our show today.
It's pretty cool.
(03:31):
Outside of us, which is kind of nice because our stars are a little bit.
This is, no, it's, it's fantastic that we have both Crystal and Dedric polite on the
show.
They are the dynamic stars of the hit television show 50 50 flip on Hulu and A&E where they
showcased their member or sorry, their remarkable ability to renovate and flip homes for under
$50,000 in less than 50 days.
(03:54):
Always popular in the speaking circuit, they've shared their vast real estate knowledge on
numerous platforms, seminars, and stages nationwide.
Their early success was chronicled in the book Profit Like the Pros written by HG, HGTV
star Ken Corsini.
They founded the Be Polite Properties Company and their journey began in North Carolina
with a mission to uplift communities through home renovation and build generational wealth.
(04:19):
In a matter of a few years, they've grown from three rental units to over 70 properties
valued in the millions.
But like all of our guests before they made it, they had their share of challenges.
While they were still dating, Crystal faced eviction from her apartment after the landlord
discovered they were renting it out on Airbnb.
Dedric, who was one of the earliest employees at HubSpot, was fired from the company in
(04:42):
2012, a setback which could have derailed their ambitions.
Their first real estate deal took 20 months to close, testing their resolve and nearly
driving them to give up.
And then a shady consultant took advantage of them when they launched their nonprofit.
Even during the filming of season one of their TV show, they faced immense pressure with
too few hands and too much work pushing them to the brink.
(05:06):
Despite these monumentous challenges, Crystal and Dedric persevered.
Beyond flipping houses, they've built a diverse portfolio that includes a real estate education
company and other ventures focused on financial empowerment.
And through their work, the Polites aim to show that anyone can build wealth through
real estate regardless of their background.
Their parents as well to two young and I'm sure adorable and very intelligent sons.
(05:30):
Crystal and Dedric, we're so grateful to have you on the Braving Business Podcast.
Wow.
Thank you for that introduction.
Thank you, guys.
You reminded me of some of the stuff we've gone through to get here.
I tried to put that in the back of my head.
That's funny.
Actually, that's that's we hear that often.
A lot of guests meant, you know, as they sit here and listen, we do a good job.
(05:52):
The writers do a good job summarizing people's careers and accomplishments and challenges.
And it's not uncommon for people to comment on the fact that they almost takes your breath
away to realize the journey you've been on.
Right.
And what it took to get there.
Also, PJ had like seven different variations, the name Dedric.
What did you go on?
(06:12):
I said, I said it right the first time.
Yeah.
Then then then went downhill from there.
I know.
We'll bring it back.
Mr. Polite.
Yeah.
We'll be polite and call him Dedric.
So let's get started.
Crystal, I want to start with you.
You mentioned us in a pre interview that you wanted to be an entrepreneur since you were
four years old.
(06:33):
Even envision opening your own law firm.
First of all, where did you get the, you know, where did you get the gumption to even dream
like that?
How did these early dreams shape your path?
Great question.
My mother actually told me since I was four, when anyone would ask me what I wanted to
(06:53):
do, that was my response.
I've won it.
I wanted to be an attorney since I could talk.
She said that's what I gravitated towards was being an attorney.
And my goal since I was four was I want to have my own law firm and I want to hire homeless
people and train them to work at my law firm.
(07:14):
And that was literally my path all the way up until my probably about the middle of my
freshman year in college.
And I ended up write producing and directing a stage play turned in from a fashion show
into a stage play and took it on tour and loved it.
(07:34):
And the every aspect of the business of directing, producing.
And I said, you know what, I want to maybe I should major double major in business entrepreneurship
as well, because I didn't realize that you can major in entrepreneurship to be honest.
I had no idea.
(07:54):
So I ended up majoring in entrepreneurship as well.
And that's kind of what took over.
Like that's what my focus was by into my freshman year.
It was like I want to do entrepreneurship, full steam ahead.
That's where my passion was lying at the point.
That is that is amazing.
(08:14):
Where did you go to school?
At that time, it was in Rhode Island at Johnson and Wales before I transferred.
Oh, so yep, you went you went to Northeastern, right?
In Boston.
Yeah.
And I think you went to Amherst, if I'm not mistaken.
Yeah, I'm kind of remembering the notes.
It was about a week ago that I looked at it.
But I think those are so north.
My son went to my son is a Tufts University in Boston now.
(08:36):
But he went to he went to Boston University.
So he was right next door to you guys.
Oh, B.U. school.
Yeah.
Mm hmm.
Well, I went to Marquette, the Ivy League of the Midwest.
OK, so so, you know, both of you faced significant challenges early on on your paths, right?
Dedrick, you after being one of the earliest employees of HubSpot, no longer there.
(08:59):
Right.
So you were evicted from your apartment.
Both are life changing and, you know, throws a wrench in the old plans kind of thing.
It's easy in hindsight to talk about perseverance, right?
We kind of pause after the intro where you're like, wow, we actually did a lot of stuff.
But take me back to how you're feeling at that time.
(09:20):
What were you thinking about?
What kept you motivated to keep going forward?
Yeah, for me, I was working at HubSpot.
I was employee like 125.
I was in early days.
I was doing sales and track.
I was on, you know, going to a school like Marquette, Amherst, the Ivy of your little
area.
And people don't talk about the challenge.
They don't talk about getting fired, getting laid off, being on unemployment, those type
(09:42):
of things.
They only talk about going to Wall Street, becoming a lawyer, a doctor or something like
that.
Right.
So when I got fired from HubSpot, I was in sales and I missed quota like two quarters
in a row and I got fired.
I just bought a brand new car.
I just bought my first house a couple of years.
So I was I was afraid.
I'm like, man, am I going to lose my car?
Am I going to lose my house?
And we had just started dating and I'd never gone through getting fired.
(10:03):
I was embarrassed.
I was I was afraid.
I was depressed.
And she's the one who really gave me a new perspective.
She was like, look, forget that job.
You didn't lose the job.
The job lost you.
She shook me, you know, like get out of this depression that you're in.
I was walking around moping around the house for like two weeks straight.
We're in the same clothes, not shaving anything.
I was just in the dumps.
(10:24):
But she really changed my perspective.
I was like, look, you're bigger than this.
She was like, I want you to ride your motorcycle, clear your head, you know, and think about
what you really want to do now, because you now have the opportunity to really go after
what you're passionate about instead of just something that's a paycheck.
That's amazing.
And I have to stop and talk about fear for a second, because it's a it's a theme that
(10:46):
often gets glossed over.
Right.
So people talk about when bad things happen, they get sad, they get disappointed, they
are frustrated.
But really, the first all of those emotions, I think, start from an emotion of fear, fear
of the unknown, fear of you know, that's really ultimately what boils down to is really it's
fear of the unknown.
Right.
Yeah.
(11:07):
In our mind.
You know, I've been doing a lot of reading lately about the mind.
And most people have narrators in their minds.
We think that the voice that's talking to us is us.
It's not actually us.
It's it's a narrator narrating from a certain perspective.
And when things go badly in our lives, that narrator tends to be, you know, if you think
picture of the devil and the angel, it's a devil.
And you know, it doesn't you have to be religious about it.
(11:29):
I'm talking about the whichever angle you take on the devil as a religious entity.
Just think of the person is acting like one.
And when you are in a place where things are not going your way, fear tends to really capture
your heart.
And so you're very fortunate, it sounds like to have a partner that did what a good partner
(11:49):
would do, which is do two things at once.
One kick your ass a little bit to build you back up.
So good.
Good on you and good on both of you for having done that.
Let's you know, Crystal, you were evicted from your apartment.
So tell us that story.
And we were evicted.
Yeah.
OK.
That's my Airbnb.
(12:10):
Renting her apartment.
Yeah.
So he had suggested once he had gotten fired from his job and I said, you know, take this
time, go out, find your dream, follow your true passions.
I said, and don't worry about bills, don't worry about any of that.
I'll hold you down.
(12:30):
And that's exactly what he did.
He got up, he started a consulting company, and then he found Airbnb.
And when then finding Airbnb, he said, hey, listen, we can Airbnb your apartment out.
And this is before Airbnb was a verb.
This is 2012.
Right.
Oh, early on.
Around a couple of years.
So I was like, OK, tell me more.
He told me about the whole Airbnb.
(12:51):
He was like, oh, but your brother's living there.
I said, oh, he did.
Hold on one second.
Hey, yeah, I'm going to need that apartment.
You got two weeks.
Two weeks he was gone.
We started moving furniture in, got furniture.
He got the site set up.
And then six months into it, I think it was about six, seven months, we had already made
how much?
(13:11):
About 40,000.
About 40,000 in like six months.
And we ended up they were doing so much construction around the apartment that we had it rented
out.
Then the management ended up finding out somehow that we were Airbnb in it and served us with
(13:32):
me with an addiction notice.
And me, I just think different than everybody else.
Like I wasn't depressed.
I wasn't mad.
I was like, all right.
And not to mention we had just found out we were pregnant.
Like literally just found out.
She was always staying at my house anyway.
So her house was vacant.
So it was like, all right.
So I was kind of like, I don't care.
(13:55):
Let's pivot.
We've seen that this is a true business model.
We see that it works.
Now let's figure out how we can do it the right way.
And let's just pivot.
Like it is what it is.
And he was like, are you okay?
Are you sure?
I mean, I'm over it now.
They have the apartment.
Let's do what we got to do.
We see that it's a proof of concept.
This actually works.
So let's go full steam ahead.
(14:16):
I think that's a very healthy approach actually.
I think it's very cool.
There's supposedly an indigenous people's philosophy about thanking things for service.
So like when you lost your apartment, it doesn't necessarily have to be, oh my gosh, I lost
that.
It gives you a moment of pause to say, thank you for your service.
(14:38):
Thank you for getting me to where I am now.
And you've done your job and I can let you go.
And I think there's a sense of closure in that where you're able to make that pivot
that you needed to make with much clearer eyes.
And so I think that's very cool that you embodied that.
Yep.
Thank you.
(14:59):
That's exactly what it was.
Yeah.
Yeah.
I mean, sometimes you really just thank you for your service.
But so you got all this stuff.
You have your first child on the way, you're moving around, you're doing all kinds of things.
Your first real estate deal though took 20 months to close, which is not only a long
(15:22):
time but I can only imagine very discouraging.
What kept you from giving up during that time and how did that experience shape your approach
to future deals?
Yeah.
So after the Airbnb, we decided to move from Boston where we grew up to North Carolina.
Her mom was retiring.
She was like, I'm going to follow mom because they're super close.
And I'm like, well, you're not leaving me here in Boston by myself.
(15:45):
We're moving to North Carolina.
So we all picked up and moved in 2013.
I got a job because again, we had a mortgage, we had bills to pay, but I'd always wanted
to get into real estate.
But I was more of a wantrepreneur.
I was afraid of taking risks.
That fear thing, false expectation of appearing real.
I didn't want to take risks because I grew up, one section, I didn't grow up with a lot
of money.
(16:05):
I didn't want to go back to being broke how I grew up.
So fast forward, I started talking about getting in real estate.
I had all the books, I had the tapes, I'd gone to the seminars and the classes, but
I never took action because I was afraid of losing my shirt.
Like you hear, so many people was coming out of the 08 crash.
And finally, she was like, look, man, you're talking about this real estate thing all the
time.
(16:26):
Let's just do it.
So she started researching, wholesaling.
She went and set up our LLC.
She got the ballroom.
I'm like, oh, shoot.
Okay, let's get going.
Right?
Then we started doing it.
But it literally took us 20 months.
You married well, PJ.
Yeah.
Consistent theme here.
Absolutely.
Absolutely.
One of the best decisions I ever made was marrying this young lady right here.
But no, she started doing the research.
(16:47):
So we started actually going to classes, taking seminars.
So we invested probably 15, 20,000 into coaching, mentorship, consultants before we closed our
first deal.
And it wasn't for lack of trying.
It took us 20 months.
We were trying.
It just took that long to finally break through.
But once we got that first deal, it was like an avalanche.
We closed eight deals within 30 days after that.
(17:09):
And we've just been rolling ever since then.
Wow.
Wow.
Tal, to your point, I think it's called I out punted my coverage.
But that's a whole other...
There's so many ways to say it.
Some of them are better than others.
I don't know.
Yeah.
I like that.
So I want to talk for a second and then I have two questions, but I want to start with
(17:32):
the nonprofit.
I don't know what timing wise, it's nonprofit.
Was that after you started doing the television show before?
Before.
Before.
All right.
So let's talk about that.
So you have all these dreams.
You have all these ideas.
You've got a kick ass wife who's willing to not just have you back, but obviously be shoulder
to shoulder with you.
And then you get this consultant who takes you guys for your money.
(17:58):
Tell us about that experience and what lessons did you learn from that?
And how the heck did you keep upright at this point?
I mean, things aren't going well.
Yeah.
I forgot all about that.
That was so crazy.
I always wanted to do something that service kids.
So I did a lot of work back in Boston with my nonprofit where I was working with kids
and I kind of wanted to continue that here.
(18:20):
So Dudley was like, hey, I was financing everything at like 23, 24, because I didn't know how
nonprofits work.
So Dudley was like, hey, listen, let's hire a consultant who can really show us how to
do it the right way.
We found this guy out of like Raleigh.
We ended up meeting with him quite a few times because before he put some money down, he
(18:42):
really like, listen, it's like-
This guy was straight out of American Greed.
He drove a Mercedes.
He had an office.
He had all this third party.
He had all the boxes checked.
And I made sure to do my due diligence and I did not see this coming him being a scam
artist.
And as soon as the check cleared, as soon as the check cleared, all of a sudden-
He ran, which is like all we had saved at the time.
(19:04):
Yep.
And as soon as the check cleared, we couldn't get a hold on.
Then all of a sudden the people at his office went from being super responsive to no one
responding to who's that?
I'm sorry, who are you calling for?
He's not at an office anymore.
There is no office of his there anymore.
(19:25):
I was like, oh.
And then like three months later, we ended up going to the police and they're like, yeah,
you're not the only one.
There is a whole trail of people who got scammed by this guy.
A person who referred him to us.
All right.
So let's do this.
So that's the part of the story that's sad and depressing.
Tell me the part of the story about how you guys just tore it up, threw it, overcame it.
(19:47):
Well, it's been a while since we've talked about that.
Yes.
And I think really how we overcame it is because I'm constantly telling DeDrake at the end
of the day, we're going to face adversity, don't matter what it is, we're going to face
it is just now it's going to come down to how are we going to handle it, right?
(20:07):
Are we going to rise above it or are we going to let it swallow us?
So all the adversity that we face, I tell them is just par for the course.
At the end of the day, we either live with it and learn from it and keep moving forward.
And for us, that's really what we took away from each one of them.
We're just that much closer to our breakthrough.
(20:29):
So anytime we come up with that real major adversity, we understand even as a couple,
as a partnership, that must mean we're just that much closer to getting to where we're
meant to be.
You know what, that's not, I mean, I think it's entirely true, except for if you're a
fan of the Washington Wizards.
I've been a fan of the Washington Wizards as I was 12 years old.
(20:49):
Hey, we're Boston South fans.
We just won the championships.
We're feeling it.
I know.
You guys always win championships.
I'm always just telling me it's going to have to turn around, right?
And then it doesn't.
Anyway, sorry for that diversion.
Tal sometimes uses the show as a counseling.
Yeah, therapy.
I mean, therapy for his poor choice in sports teams.
(21:13):
So first of all, I love the attitude.
I love the perspective of just being like, you're so present in everything as you're
going through it and you're calculating in real time, which I love because a lot of people
(21:33):
don't have that capability or that muscle that's really been worked.
And you're very clear-eyed about it, which I think is, which is awesome.
So kudos to you guys for always being in the present.
Thank you.
Also, just a side note before I get to the next question, I also love how everything,
(21:57):
even since you were four, has been rooted in giving back and helping others.
And both of you, from what it sounds like, you weren't born with the proverbial silver
spoon in your mouth.
You weren't accepting millions of dollars from daddy to start your own company.
You guys were, you came from humble beginnings and you're not only looking to fulfill the
(22:21):
American dream, but you're also looking to help others fulfill the American dream.
And that's amazing.
First of all, clap on the back, high fives all around.
It's fantastic to have that kind of perspective.
Real quick, I know you guys are very successful.
I know that you're probably going to be even way more successful 10 years from now.
(22:43):
How are you going to keep the little ones in line with their eye on the prize of giving
back as well?
How are you going to make that generational in your own house?
With us, the whole reason we got into entrepreneurship is to build generational wealth.
Like you said, I came from a single parent background, so did she.
(23:04):
We never really saw it done right.
But again, our goal is for our kids to have options where they can follow their true passion
versus having to get it at a job because they have to.
So that's the whole reason we got into entrepreneurship and just not just set up their generation,
but generations after that, not to just sit around and do nothing, but to really follow
their passions, whether it's helping people, being a teacher, being a nurse, being a doctor,
(23:27):
whatever you want to be.
But entrepreneurship is allowing us to set up that next generation.
And it's been extremely important for us to make sure that we showed them that it's much
better to give than it is to receive.
You get much more gratification.
So since birth, this is all they've ever seen.
They've always seen mommy and daddy doing good while doing well, right?
(23:51):
That it doesn't matter where we are in life, that it matters by who, like I tell people,
it doesn't matter how many doors we own, it matters how many doors we can open for that
next individual to be able to walk through and change the trajectory of their family
tree.
I want us to make sure for them, we're not giving them anything, right?
Because as soon as you give your child something, as soon as your body is in the dirt, ain't
(24:14):
cold or nothing, it's going to be sold out from under them because it's not a value there.
So for them, they've worked in our business since they were born.
This is all they know.
They've been at these houses, they've cleaned them out, they've painted, they've done everything.
So they have an appreciation for that, but not only that us as well.
So this is what we're teaching them, different principles in life where it's not just about
(24:38):
doing good and how well you can do, but how can you also extend that and help someone
else?
I love it.
Bring someone along on that ride.
I love it.
And Dedric, you've also said, and this is in my pre-interview notes, that a job doesn't
define you and learning that is a value that you picked up and it sounded like Crystal
(24:58):
helped you with that.
Tell us, why do you think that that's such an important thing, particularly for men?
Because I think men really struggle with being defined by their jobs.
Yeah, I mean, I think for men, your job, your title, your salary, a lot of men wrap up their
self-esteem and their net worth, self-worth in that.
But what happens again, when you get laid off, what happens when you get demoted, right?
(25:22):
Now you're demoralized, you're depressed.
So I always encourage other males, men is to find enjoyment and fulfillment outside
of just what you do for work and how much money you earn, right?
Because those things can go up and down, you're going to have good times in your career and
bad times, but what else do you bring to the table?
What do you do outside of that?
(25:43):
So cool.
So very cool.
All right.
Well, let's talk about what they do outside of that.
It's a TV show.
I know.
I know.
So I'm insanely curious, how the heck did you get on a TV show?
Not that, I mean, first of all, it's amazing and good for you guys.
And obviously, look at you, you look TV ready already, but how did you...
How did they get on?
Look at them.
(26:03):
I know.
How did you get on?
Look at you and me, we're not on TV.
My mom said, I have a face for radio.
But how did you get on this TV show?
And not only that, it must've been super intense, but also how did you manage to keep you guys
together as a family unit, as entrepreneurs, right?
(26:25):
What got you to this show?
How did you keep that going?
And what's a lesson do you think our audience can take from this?
Well, how we landed the TV show is we were getting a lot of DMs from networks and casting
companies in regards to, hey, we love to talk to you guys about a TV show for at least a
(26:45):
year or two before we even looked at A&E.
And it was always, no, our kids were small and we was really, really focused on building
our business.
And then A&E had been in our DMs for about a year.
I had no idea because our DMs were crazy anyway with us doing real estate and people always
hitting us.
And then they ended up finding our 800 number online, called our office, made our assistant
(27:12):
at the time, our secretary, promise to give us the message and to schedule a meeting with
them.
And so she did.
I came into the office, she was like, well, company A&E had called and I was like, oh,
okay.
I was like, look, we'll get back to them another time.
And she's like, well, I kind of promised her that I would schedule the meeting.
So I was like, she knows how big I am on keeping our word.
(27:35):
That's why our company name is Be Polite.
So I said, okay, go ahead, set it up.
We scheduled the meeting.
Dejah and I really had no intentions on doing a TV show.
So when we sat and spoke with them, it was like, oh, okay, yeah, they were looking at
a ton of people for these three slots, ton of people.
And they wanted a couple, but they also wanted people who had already had a social media
following and had a brand, which we fit the mold for both of those.
(27:56):
And we had said, oh, we'll just do it and see how far we get, but we're really not going
to do it.
Let's just see how far we'll take it.
That's what the plan was.
We was like, oh, we'll see.
Maybe we can get in the top five.
And then after this is during COVID when everything was shut down, then all of a sudden we get
we are on call after call after Zoom, Zoom, every Zoom, it was more people on the Zooms
(28:19):
than the final one that was like, hey, we want to offer you guys a slot.
And we was like, oh.
We were just saying how far we can take it.
We didn't think we were actually going to get it.
And our faces like stonewall.
We was like, because we didn't want to say to them like, oh, yeah, because we were both
really like, oh, we just we thought we were going to make the top five so we could tell
(28:39):
people like, hey, we made the top five.
Like, so then we was like, oh, I guess we got to do it then.
Okay.
And you don't know what you don't know, because come season one, baby, it was almost not a
season two.
I promise you.
Well, let's talk about season one.
So you guys had three people doing the work of 13.
And by the way, I'm sure a lot of people in our audience who are entrepreneurs can relate.
(29:01):
We oftentimes as entrepreneurs, especially early on, have way more work than resources.
And that challenge often defines whether an enterprise sees the next sunrise.
Are you able to come together versus be drawn apart through the challenge of overwork?
(29:24):
And can you learn quickly enough to to adjust?
Tell us the story.
Yeah.
So they told us that once we saw that signed on to the TV show, we would film maybe three,
four days a week, maybe four to six hours a day.
Season one, it ended up being five days a week of filming and 10 to 12 hour days.
Right. remind you, we have five or six companies that we're running at the same time while
(29:47):
filming a TV show.
So we didn't know it was going to be that intense.
So literally, like it took us to our breaking point.
And that's where a lot of the gold, the TV gold comes from is because we're doing five
or six rehabs of at a time.
Things are going wrong.
And, you know, stuff breaks and we learned how to flip on national television.
(30:08):
Oh, yeah, we had never flipped houses before.
We had been in real estate.
We had renovated a lot of properties, but the properties they saw us renovating on our
social media were actually our rental houses, rental properties.
We weren't selling them.
Flipping is a little bit different beast between selling and flipping, right?
Renting and flipping.
So our first flip was actually on season one where we actually told them, look, we're not
house flippers.
(30:29):
Are you sure you want to do a TV show?
They're like, no, we want to follow you guys.
And if you ask the executive producer, he gets interviewed all the time.
He's like, what made you pick the Polites?
And he's like, look, I've been doing this for 20 years.
I saw their tape and 30 seconds into it, I knew it was them.
I knew that was a couple I wanted for the show.
It was intense.
You don't know what you don't know.
(30:49):
And people try and tell you like, hey, you know, and our agent was like, you know, season
one is always hard for everyone.
It's hard for everyone.
No, it was not hard.
Listen, we were slated to do 10 houses.
We did six because we was like, yeah, we're going to tap out now and get through these
(31:12):
six so nobody ended up going to jail because we didn't have the best.
We literally didn't have the best relationship with our GC at the time.
And it was a lot of work on us that we did not.
Like I said, it was three of us doing the work of like 17, 18 people that was needed
literally.
A lot of sleepless nights, early mornings.
(31:33):
I mean, it stretched us to we thought we were going to break.
But when you get stretched that much, you either break or you grow.
And we grew tremendously.
Oh, absolutely.
Man, how old were you guys?
You know, this is not that long ago.
So yeah.
So what was this?
Uh, season one or now season one.
I was what?
I just turned 40.
I'm 42 now.
(31:53):
So we won't say the lady.
We won't say the lady's age.
But I guess two years ago.
Yeah.
Probably feels like 15 years ago.
But yeah, I got a lot more gray hairs though.
I can tell you that.
So the reason I'm asking actually is that I feel like, uh, you know, I just I'll be
51 this year and I think back to how, what I had to do with some of my earlier startups,
(32:21):
right?
So they, you know, some of the companies I built became gigantic companies, but at the
time I started them, I had this vision that they could become gigantic companies and I
had no idea how hard it was to get them there.
And now that I'm my age and have been where I've been, I could not imagine, imagine even
doing that.
Like you have to be at a certain sweet spot in your life.
(32:42):
Yep.
To get through that.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Combination of not knowing, having enough energy, enough wherewithal in your case, each
other, right?
Yeah.
Both build each other up probably to, you know, have those tough conversations that
are harder, even if you were partners, but not, you know, husband and wife, those conversations
are really, really tough.
(33:03):
People start businesses with other people and at some point it's the water's edge and
you stop.
But if you're in, you know, in a marriage and you can have those conversations, um,
and it's, I look back at those times in my life and I kind of, I understand exactly what
you're talking about, Crystal, when you say, I have no idea the heck that got done.
(33:23):
No idea how it got done.
Yeah.
I think that's where you are on the other side of that.
So let's talk about where you're going, right?
So you're continuing to be hugely entrepreneurial, doing different things.
Um, actually one of the things you're doing is you're opening a 40,000 square foot sky
zone.
Actually for my birthday, my girlfriend took me to one and I enjoyed it.
(33:46):
Uh, so now that's a different kind of venture.
So uh, how is the real estate?
I mean, obviously it's a 40,000 square foot place.
I guess that's, there is some real estate involved, but how do you think your real estate
experience prepared you for this?
Uh, and what challenges do you anticipate with this new endeavor?
So that's actually been Crystal's dream.
Her dream, her, she's passionate about kids and giving back to kids and she just loves
(34:08):
family oriented things.
So since she was young, she wanted to open up a chain of family entertainment centers.
And you know, part of us getting into real estate is how I got her to buy in.
Cause real estate was my dream.
I was like, look, if we do real estate, we'll be able to buy enough properties and build
up enough cash to be able to invest in your dream, which is building out a chain of family
entertainment centers.
(34:29):
And that's exactly what we did.
We were able to buy a sky zone franchise.
Um, and now we're going to be opening up that, uh, sky zone in our town of Burlington, North
Carolina.
And the challenges just roll over.
They roll from real estate right over to an FEC because we've been faced with the challenges
even finding land or a building.
And it's been like a year that we've been searching for land to do a new build or retrofit
(34:57):
in the building.
And here in this small area, there are no buildings, right?
Like whatsoever.
We knew that, but we didn't think for us being in real estate, we was like, it's not going
to be that hard for us to at least find some land and partner with the developer and have
them do a build to suit because they're already doing so much construction.
And well, we were absolutely wrong and it has been a challenge with that.
(35:20):
What is it?
What is FEC?
Family entertainment center.
Oh, so the Dave and Buster, trampoline parks, the golf places, anywhere families can get
together and have fun and enjoy themselves.
Bowling alleys movie theaters are considered FECs.
Okay.
And did you, so, but this is, this is indoor skydiving, right?
(35:42):
Rappling parks.
Oh, trampoline parks.
Okay.
Sky's on his trampolines.
Okay.
Okay.
Okay.
Very cool.
Very cool.
Oh, that's going to be tons of fun.
Lots of, I'm sure lots of insurance waivers.
Yes.
We just, we just had the absolute most knowledgeable person on business insurance on our episode
that actually ran matter of fact today, Grace van de Cruz.
(36:05):
We should make a connection.
We should.
Oh, absolutely.
She's fantastic.
She's really fantastic.
Yeah.
So, all right.
You guys have dabbled in many, many things.
You built a very diverse portfolio flipping houses, well, live on TV, well, not live in
front of all of us, launching these educational ventures, the trampoline parks and everything.
(36:25):
What's your advice for entrepreneurs who are looking to diversify their business without
spreading themselves too thin?
That's tough.
That's a great question.
So they're already an entrepreneur.
How do you, I think the hardest part for me personally as an entrepreneur is learning
how to say no.
A lot of entrepreneurs, we have shiny object syndrome.
(36:46):
So we tend to take on, oh, squirrel, daffodil, you know, it's learning to what to turn down
and focusing on your main thing.
I think that's what I would tell entrepreneurs.
Don't try to do everything because when you chase five rabbits, you catch none.
And what I would tell, cause so-
She's the opposite of me.
She's gonna say, go for it.
(37:06):
I'm the visionary.
Dedric is the integrator in our relationship.
So I'm typically the one who comes up with every business that we do.
It's literally a vision of mine.
So for me, I would really tell any new entrepreneur, especially if you are a visionary, right?
Cause sometimes we can, you know, go all over the places, but we'd be dead spot on with
(37:30):
our visions.
So I would really tell them, hey, listen, get a team, right?
Find a partner, someone who compliments your weaknesses, find someone who compliments you
with their strengths, right?
The great thing about Dedric and I and the reason why we can move into different directions
and go into different businesses is because we have complimentary skillsets and they are,
(37:52):
and me and him are yin and yang.
Like if he thinks we should go right, I'm thinking we should go left, but we stay in
our lanes.
And I think when people learn to put a team around them, so that's our season two was
so much better is we put the right team around us.
But when you are looking to scale, going to different businesses, find those people that
(38:14):
you can actually work with.
Don't look at it.
Cause I used to be like, no, we don't do this.
Just us, just us, just us.
That's my mindset.
I didn't want, I never wanted to bring anyone else in.
And he was like, babe, we're going to have to help.
We're going to have to bring someone in to help us with this or that or partner.
And best thing you can do.
Look at people who are already doing what you want to do and see how you can partner
(38:37):
with them.
Amazing.
I love that.
I think it's great advice.
And I love the bringing together of two different personalities, whether it's in a marriage
or in a business often brings out the best outcomes because I bet that, cause I was,
my brother was the integrator in the many companies we launched and I was the visionary
(39:02):
and the visionaries have a lot of things going forward.
By the way, what, what, what sign are you?
I'm just curious, crystal.
I'm an Aquarius.
Aquarius.
Okay.
I had a, I had a, I had a guess you were either a Sagittarius or an Aquarius.
I'm a Sagittarius.
How are you?
Okay.
Interesting.
So what oftentimes I think happens with people who are visionary and they're not checked
(39:25):
is that they don't know when to stop.
They just keep going.
New business every month, a new LLC.
Absolutely.
It is critical to have someone that is capable of acting as a check and balance on that.
Absolutely.
But that is not a, an Eeyore, a Debbie Downer, a here's why it's not going to work.
(39:46):
Right?
Cause visionaries need a partner, whether it's a business partner or a life partner
that encourages their dreams, but also can gently bring them back to earth.
Right?
It sounds like you guys do that exceptionally well.
A hundred percent.
That's my role.
There's, there's a, there's a big difference real quick.
I'm sorry.
There's a, there's a big difference between, or there's, it's great to have passion, but
(40:09):
you can't let your passion cloud your perception.
And as you, as you move forward and things like, you know, crystal is obviously the driver.
She's the, she's the engine, but if you, if you don't have some good steering capability
that I'm, that I know that Dedrick is bringing to the table, then you're just going to be
(40:29):
going in circles sometimes.
Right?
And so it's very, it's awesome to see the two of you work so well together because I
think for a lot of entrepreneurs, that's a fear in that I know everything.
My partner, you know, this is not his area.
This is not her area.
I have all the answers and then invariably you don't obviously.
(40:52):
And so it's great to see a married, you know, very healthy, very complimentary couple doing
so well because it can be done.
Right.
And, and I think you guys are, I don't know.
I'm just big fans.
By the way, PJ and his wife are powerhouses too.
PJ's wife is a, is a international bestselling romance author.
Yeah.
(41:13):
PJ's been a successful entrepreneur and they've been, they've, they've acted as checks and
balances on each other so he knows what he speaks of.
And I'll tell you what, it's not easy.
It's not easy working with your spouse.
Right.
It's actually harder.
Or I work, I work with my brother.
It's not easy, but you get the best outcomes a lot of the time.
Right.
I just do everything she says that makes it the most easy.
(41:33):
That's what you say.
But it's not really true.
All right.
Let's end on a lighter note because your team told us that your first date was actually
a business meeting.
Oh my.
I would love to understand what the heck that means.
Yes.
So Dejan and I first date was in fact a business meeting and we met at, cause we lived in Boston.
(41:58):
We're both originally from Boston.
So we was at a place called Joe's Barn Grow.
And when we met, he's thinking, you know, oh, we about to have a date.
And I immediately started hitting him with questions like, oh, okay.
So are you an entrepreneur?
He was like, well, yeah, yeah, you know, I'm an entrepreneur.
Okay.
Tell me some of the things that you've done.
What have you done in the entrepreneurship room?
(42:18):
What's your credit score?
Do you plan on living here in Massachusetts for long?
Oh, okay.
No, I'm just asking because anyone who's going to be with me.
What's your three year plan?
Yep.
What's your three year plan?
What's your five year plan?
This is all on the first date.
What if she's now having lunch and she's in the last six months?
Wow.
How are you with entrepreneurship?
Are you open to marrying someone, dating someone who's an entrepreneur?
(42:41):
Like all of that.
And I mean, credit score, everything.
Crystal, I'm going to say, I'm going to go on a limb and say you didn't have a lot of
second dates because if you did that with every guy, there are a lot of guys who would
be intimidated.
But you know why?
Why did I have a second, third, but-
Other than the fact that you're both beautiful people.
That had to help.
Yeah, she had been proposed to about eight times by different guys before we even met.
(43:03):
So she-
Wow.
I had like three of my exes there, we're all great friends.
But they told him, they was like, listen, you're not going to believe her when you start
to hear her and think how she works, how her mindset is.
But she is the truth.
And they all told him like, listen, she's 100%, 10 toes, always going to be in there
for you.
(43:24):
She is who she is, believe her.
I mean, you got a jewel here.
And it wasn't, and I tell people, when he said his credit score was what, an 810 at
the time.
He was like, well, what's yours?
I said 540 or something.
And he was like, what?
And I was like, I said, yeah, he was like, you asking me mine.
And I said, I know, because I just finished getting all my stuff off my credit, rebuilding
(43:48):
my credit.
So I just needed to know where you were at.
So I needed to know how I was going to move.
If he was at a 600, okay, now I'm thinking, okay, he's at a 600, now I got to help him
rebuild his.
Let's figure out-
After my curse.
And then while I'm rebuilding mine, now I know how we're going to move together, right?
Not versus, oh, you got a 600, I can't mess with him.
(44:08):
No, it's just, I'm a planner, right?
I'm a visionary.
So I have to see where we're going.
And I knew when I met him, I was going to marry him at the gas station.
I was like, oh, this is the dude I'm going to marry.
Okay, cool.
Just very matter of fact, I was like, oh, this is him.
How many years ago is this?
We met in 2009.
So what's that?
15 years ago?
(44:30):
The one thing that I get the feeling of is that I think you guys are still on your first
date.
You have first date energy.
That's so romantic.
It is.
The true spouse of a romance.
Well, you know, it's a meet cute.
What can I say?
It is.
It is.
First date.
(44:50):
Our incredible guests today are Chrisl and Dedric Polite, the stars of the hit television
show 50 50 flip on Hulu and A&E.
They're also the founders and are you co CEOs of Be Polite or somebody?
See, I go see you.
All right.
See you.
And I'll take anything else underneath it.
Got it.
(45:11):
OK, all right.
Well, that's fine.
And they're also parents of two young boys who I'm sure are learning a lot from their
parents.
You've been amazing.
Thank you so much for for being our guest.
We'd love to have you back on as your adventure continues.
Great success to you.
You know, thank you.
Thanks for having us.
We enjoyed the conversation.
(45:32):
And that's a wrap, folks.
Like what you heard?
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We'll see you next time.
Bye.
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Bye.
Bye.
Bye.
Bye.
Bye.
Bye.
Bye.
Bye.
(45:53):
Bye.
Bye.
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Bye.
Bye.
Thank you.
Thanks for being a part of our production and we'll see you next time on the Braving
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Say hello to our
On ice lands
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the
(46:22):
final
part it,
do
Hey there, I'm Tals Lotnitsky from Ignite IT Consulting.
(00:05):
You know me from the Braving Business podcast, but when I'm not behind the mic, I'm helping
tech startups and established companies ignite their full potential.
I also help entrepreneurs and businesses in distress reset for success.
With over three decades of entrepreneurial success, I bring hands-on experience to drive
growth, navigate turnarounds, raise capital, and lead to innovation.
(00:28):
Whether it's executive coaching or strategic transformation, I'm here to turn your business
challenges into success stories.
Visit igniteitconsulting.com and let's spark that change together.
That's igniteitconsulting.com.
Your journey to business brilliance starts now.
And one last quick thing.
(00:49):
If you enjoyed this episode, please stay on after the show to learn more about the Braving
Business podcast and other great episodes for you to discover.
And now let's get the show started.
(01:13):
Well hello there.
Hey bud.
How are you?
I am well, young man.
How are you?
I'm better than George Santos.
He just pled guilty to all the charges.
Well, I mean, that wasn't-
That literally just came on my phone as I was-
That's okay.
That's okay.
How do I look to you?
(01:35):
You look great.
I mean, in what way do you mean?
I mean, that's a really, that's a loaded question.
It is a loaded question.
Do I look a year older?
I don't know.
Oh, is it your birthday today?
No, it was my birthday last week.
So apparently you're very, like in my, you know, my standards of gifts are, it doesn't
have to be big, just expensive.
So maybe I need to update my, maybe I need to update my address to make sure that you
(02:00):
get it to me.
You know, it's funny you say that because I think you know this, Aaron and I were in
New Orleans and I think in January, no, maybe it was November last year and I bought you
this PJ's coffee thing and I never sent it to you.
It's been sitting on my desk for like the last year.
(02:20):
And trust me-
I keep looking at it and saying, I really do need to send it to PJ and then I don't.
Yeah.
And I could, I could really use the coffee.
Seriously.
Yeah.
You know, and I stopped drinking coffee.
Actually, that's kind of a new thing.
Oh, good for you.
How's the headaches?
Yeah.
They're fine.
Camomile tea, my man.
Camomile tea is where it's at.
Crystal and Dedrick, what do you guys do?
Are you, are you naturally caffeinated or do you, do you partake in the morning juice
(02:43):
of adults?
No coffee.
I'm not a coffee guy.
I think it is convenient that Tal said he had had a gift for you.
I mean, just how convenient that he had purchased it.
He just didn't give it to you.
Yeah.
No, I don't drink.
Isn't it the thought that counts?
It's the thought, right?
No, I'm sorry.
No, my wife, she don't let me get off.
Go ahead, Crystal.
No, I don't, I've never drank coffee actually ever, but I am a big tea drinker.
(03:11):
So excellent.
I do drink tea, maybe not every day, but that's my drink of choice.
Occasional Red Bull as well.
We need a little shot.
Wow.
We need some wings.
All right.
Very cool.
Well, PJ tell our audience we have, we have stars on our show today.
It's pretty cool.
(03:31):
Outside of us, which is kind of nice because our stars are a little bit.
This is, no, it's, it's fantastic that we have both Crystal and Dedric polite on the
show.
They are the dynamic stars of the hit television show 50 50 flip on Hulu and A&E where they
showcased their member or sorry, their remarkable ability to renovate and flip homes for under
$50,000 in less than 50 days.
(03:54):
Always popular in the speaking circuit, they've shared their vast real estate knowledge on
numerous platforms, seminars, and stages nationwide.
Their early success was chronicled in the book Profit Like the Pros written by HG, HGTV
star Ken Corsini.
They founded the Be Polite Properties Company and their journey began in North Carolina
with a mission to uplift communities through home renovation and build generational wealth.
(04:19):
In a matter of a few years, they've grown from three rental units to over 70 properties
valued in the millions.
But like all of our guests before they made it, they had their share of challenges.
While they were still dating, Crystal faced eviction from her apartment after the landlord
discovered they were renting it out on Airbnb.
Dedric, who was one of the earliest employees at HubSpot, was fired from the company in
(04:42):
2012, a setback which could have derailed their ambitions.
Their first real estate deal took 20 months to close, testing their resolve and nearly
driving them to give up.
And then a shady consultant took advantage of them when they launched their nonprofit.
Even during the filming of season one of their TV show, they faced immense pressure with
too few hands and too much work pushing them to the brink.
(05:06):
Despite these monumentous challenges, Crystal and Dedric persevered.
Beyond flipping houses, they've built a diverse portfolio that includes a real estate education
company and other ventures focused on financial empowerment.
And through their work, the Polites aim to show that anyone can build wealth through
real estate regardless of their background.
Their parents as well to two young and I'm sure adorable and very intelligent sons.
(05:30):
Crystal and Dedric, we're so grateful to have you on the Braving Business Podcast.
Wow.
Thank you for that introduction.
Thank you, guys.
You reminded me of some of the stuff we've gone through to get here.
I tried to put that in the back of my head.
That's funny.
Actually, that's that's we hear that often.
A lot of guests meant, you know, as they sit here and listen, we do a good job.
(05:52):
The writers do a good job summarizing people's careers and accomplishments and challenges.
And it's not uncommon for people to comment on the fact that they almost takes your breath
away to realize the journey you've been on.
Right.
And what it took to get there.
Also, PJ had like seven different variations, the name Dedric.
What did you go on?
(06:12):
I said, I said it right the first time.
Yeah.
Then then then went downhill from there.
I know.
We'll bring it back.
Mr. Polite.
Yeah.
We'll be polite and call him Dedric.
So let's get started.
Crystal, I want to start with you.
You mentioned us in a pre interview that you wanted to be an entrepreneur since you were
four years old.
(06:33):
Even envision opening your own law firm.
First of all, where did you get the, you know, where did you get the gumption to even dream
like that?
How did these early dreams shape your path?
Great question.
My mother actually told me since I was four, when anyone would ask me what I wanted to
(06:53):
do, that was my response.
I've won it.
I wanted to be an attorney since I could talk.
She said that's what I gravitated towards was being an attorney.
And my goal since I was four was I want to have my own law firm and I want to hire homeless
people and train them to work at my law firm.
(07:14):
And that was literally my path all the way up until my probably about the middle of my
freshman year in college.
And I ended up write producing and directing a stage play turned in from a fashion show
into a stage play and took it on tour and loved it.
(07:34):
And the every aspect of the business of directing, producing.
And I said, you know what, I want to maybe I should major double major in business entrepreneurship
as well, because I didn't realize that you can major in entrepreneurship to be honest.
I had no idea.
(07:54):
So I ended up majoring in entrepreneurship as well.
And that's kind of what took over.
Like that's what my focus was by into my freshman year.
It was like I want to do entrepreneurship, full steam ahead.
That's where my passion was lying at the point.
That is that is amazing.
(08:14):
Where did you go to school?
At that time, it was in Rhode Island at Johnson and Wales before I transferred.
Oh, so yep, you went you went to Northeastern, right?
In Boston.
Yeah.
And I think you went to Amherst, if I'm not mistaken.
Yeah, I'm kind of remembering the notes.
It was about a week ago that I looked at it.
But I think those are so north.
My son went to my son is a Tufts University in Boston now.
(08:36):
But he went to he went to Boston University.
So he was right next door to you guys.
Oh, B.U. school.
Yeah.
Mm hmm.
Well, I went to Marquette, the Ivy League of the Midwest.
OK, so so, you know, both of you faced significant challenges early on on your paths, right?
Dedrick, you after being one of the earliest employees of HubSpot, no longer there.
(08:59):
Right.
So you were evicted from your apartment.
Both are life changing and, you know, throws a wrench in the old plans kind of thing.
It's easy in hindsight to talk about perseverance, right?
We kind of pause after the intro where you're like, wow, we actually did a lot of stuff.
But take me back to how you're feeling at that time.
(09:20):
What were you thinking about?
What kept you motivated to keep going forward?
Yeah, for me, I was working at HubSpot.
I was employee like 125.
I was in early days.
I was doing sales and track.
I was on, you know, going to a school like Marquette, Amherst, the Ivy of your little
area.
And people don't talk about the challenge.
They don't talk about getting fired, getting laid off, being on unemployment, those type
(09:42):
of things.
They only talk about going to Wall Street, becoming a lawyer, a doctor or something like
that.
Right.
So when I got fired from HubSpot, I was in sales and I missed quota like two quarters
in a row and I got fired.
I just bought a brand new car.
I just bought my first house a couple of years.
So I was I was afraid.
I'm like, man, am I going to lose my car?
Am I going to lose my house?
And we had just started dating and I'd never gone through getting fired.
(10:03):
I was embarrassed.
I was I was afraid.
I was depressed.
And she's the one who really gave me a new perspective.
She was like, look, forget that job.
You didn't lose the job.
The job lost you.
She shook me, you know, like get out of this depression that you're in.
I was walking around moping around the house for like two weeks straight.
We're in the same clothes, not shaving anything.
I was just in the dumps.
(10:24):
But she really changed my perspective.
I was like, look, you're bigger than this.
She was like, I want you to ride your motorcycle, clear your head, you know, and think about
what you really want to do now, because you now have the opportunity to really go after
what you're passionate about instead of just something that's a paycheck.
That's amazing.
And I have to stop and talk about fear for a second, because it's a it's a theme that
(10:46):
often gets glossed over.
Right.
So people talk about when bad things happen, they get sad, they get disappointed, they
are frustrated.
But really, the first all of those emotions, I think, start from an emotion of fear, fear
of the unknown, fear of you know, that's really ultimately what boils down to is really it's
fear of the unknown.
Right.
Yeah.
(11:07):
In our mind.
You know, I've been doing a lot of reading lately about the mind.
And most people have narrators in their minds.
We think that the voice that's talking to us is us.
It's not actually us.
It's it's a narrator narrating from a certain perspective.
And when things go badly in our lives, that narrator tends to be, you know, if you think
picture of the devil and the angel, it's a devil.
And you know, it doesn't you have to be religious about it.
(11:29):
I'm talking about the whichever angle you take on the devil as a religious entity.
Just think of the person is acting like one.
And when you are in a place where things are not going your way, fear tends to really capture
your heart.
And so you're very fortunate, it sounds like to have a partner that did what a good partner
(11:49):
would do, which is do two things at once.
One kick your ass a little bit to build you back up.
So good.
Good on you and good on both of you for having done that.
Let's you know, Crystal, you were evicted from your apartment.
So tell us that story.
And we were evicted.
Yeah.
OK.
That's my Airbnb.
(12:10):
Renting her apartment.
Yeah.
So he had suggested once he had gotten fired from his job and I said, you know, take this
time, go out, find your dream, follow your true passions.
I said, and don't worry about bills, don't worry about any of that.
I'll hold you down.
(12:30):
And that's exactly what he did.
He got up, he started a consulting company, and then he found Airbnb.
And when then finding Airbnb, he said, hey, listen, we can Airbnb your apartment out.
And this is before Airbnb was a verb.
This is 2012.
Right.
Oh, early on.
Around a couple of years.
So I was like, OK, tell me more.
He told me about the whole Airbnb.
(12:51):
He was like, oh, but your brother's living there.
I said, oh, he did.
Hold on one second.
Hey, yeah, I'm going to need that apartment.
You got two weeks.
Two weeks he was gone.
We started moving furniture in, got furniture.
He got the site set up.
And then six months into it, I think it was about six, seven months, we had already made
how much?
(13:11):
About 40,000.
About 40,000 in like six months.
And we ended up they were doing so much construction around the apartment that we had it rented
out.
Then the management ended up finding out somehow that we were Airbnb in it and served us with
(13:32):
me with an addiction notice.
And me, I just think different than everybody else.
Like I wasn't depressed.
I wasn't mad.
I was like, all right.
And not to mention we had just found out we were pregnant.
Like literally just found out.
She was always staying at my house anyway.
So her house was vacant.
So it was like, all right.
So I was kind of like, I don't care.
(13:55):
Let's pivot.
We've seen that this is a true business model.
We see that it works.
Now let's figure out how we can do it the right way.
And let's just pivot.
Like it is what it is.
And he was like, are you okay?
Are you sure?
I mean, I'm over it now.
They have the apartment.
Let's do what we got to do.
We see that it's a proof of concept.
This actually works.
So let's go full steam ahead.
(14:16):
I think that's a very healthy approach actually.
I think it's very cool.
There's supposedly an indigenous people's philosophy about thanking things for service.
So like when you lost your apartment, it doesn't necessarily have to be, oh my gosh, I lost
that.
It gives you a moment of pause to say, thank you for your service.
(14:38):
Thank you for getting me to where I am now.
And you've done your job and I can let you go.
And I think there's a sense of closure in that where you're able to make that pivot
that you needed to make with much clearer eyes.
And so I think that's very cool that you embodied that.
Yep.
Thank you.
(14:59):
That's exactly what it was.
Yeah.
Yeah.
I mean, sometimes you really just thank you for your service.
But so you got all this stuff.
You have your first child on the way, you're moving around, you're doing all kinds of things.
Your first real estate deal though took 20 months to close, which is not only a long
(15:22):
time but I can only imagine very discouraging.
What kept you from giving up during that time and how did that experience shape your approach
to future deals?
Yeah.
So after the Airbnb, we decided to move from Boston where we grew up to North Carolina.
Her mom was retiring.
She was like, I'm going to follow mom because they're super close.
And I'm like, well, you're not leaving me here in Boston by myself.
(15:45):
We're moving to North Carolina.
So we all picked up and moved in 2013.
I got a job because again, we had a mortgage, we had bills to pay, but I'd always wanted
to get into real estate.
But I was more of a wantrepreneur.
I was afraid of taking risks.
That fear thing, false expectation of appearing real.
I didn't want to take risks because I grew up, one section, I didn't grow up with a lot
of money.
(16:05):
I didn't want to go back to being broke how I grew up.
So fast forward, I started talking about getting in real estate.
I had all the books, I had the tapes, I'd gone to the seminars and the classes, but
I never took action because I was afraid of losing my shirt.
Like you hear, so many people was coming out of the 08 crash.
And finally, she was like, look, man, you're talking about this real estate thing all the
time.
(16:26):
Let's just do it.
So she started researching, wholesaling.
She went and set up our LLC.
She got the ballroom.
I'm like, oh, shoot.
Okay, let's get going.
Right?
Then we started doing it.
But it literally took us 20 months.
You married well, PJ.
Yeah.
Consistent theme here.
Absolutely.
Absolutely.
One of the best decisions I ever made was marrying this young lady right here.
But no, she started doing the research.
(16:47):
So we started actually going to classes, taking seminars.
So we invested probably 15, 20,000 into coaching, mentorship, consultants before we closed our
first deal.
And it wasn't for lack of trying.
It took us 20 months.
We were trying.
It just took that long to finally break through.
But once we got that first deal, it was like an avalanche.
We closed eight deals within 30 days after that.
(17:09):
And we've just been rolling ever since then.
Wow.
Wow.
Tal, to your point, I think it's called I out punted my coverage.
But that's a whole other...
There's so many ways to say it.
Some of them are better than others.
I don't know.
Yeah.
I like that.
So I want to talk for a second and then I have two questions, but I want to start with
(17:32):
the nonprofit.
I don't know what timing wise, it's nonprofit.
Was that after you started doing the television show before?
Before.
Before.
All right.
So let's talk about that.
So you have all these dreams.
You have all these ideas.
You've got a kick ass wife who's willing to not just have you back, but obviously be shoulder
to shoulder with you.
And then you get this consultant who takes you guys for your money.
(17:58):
Tell us about that experience and what lessons did you learn from that?
And how the heck did you keep upright at this point?
I mean, things aren't going well.
Yeah.
I forgot all about that.
That was so crazy.
I always wanted to do something that service kids.
So I did a lot of work back in Boston with my nonprofit where I was working with kids
and I kind of wanted to continue that here.
(18:20):
So Dudley was like, hey, I was financing everything at like 23, 24, because I didn't know how
nonprofits work.
So Dudley was like, hey, listen, let's hire a consultant who can really show us how to
do it the right way.
We found this guy out of like Raleigh.
We ended up meeting with him quite a few times because before he put some money down, he
(18:42):
really like, listen, it's like-
This guy was straight out of American Greed.
He drove a Mercedes.
He had an office.
He had all this third party.
He had all the boxes checked.
And I made sure to do my due diligence and I did not see this coming him being a scam
artist.
And as soon as the check cleared, as soon as the check cleared, all of a sudden-
He ran, which is like all we had saved at the time.
(19:04):
Yep.
And as soon as the check cleared, we couldn't get a hold on.
Then all of a sudden the people at his office went from being super responsive to no one
responding to who's that?
I'm sorry, who are you calling for?
He's not at an office anymore.
There is no office of his there anymore.
(19:25):
I was like, oh.
And then like three months later, we ended up going to the police and they're like, yeah,
you're not the only one.
There is a whole trail of people who got scammed by this guy.
A person who referred him to us.
All right.
So let's do this.
So that's the part of the story that's sad and depressing.
Tell me the part of the story about how you guys just tore it up, threw it, overcame it.
(19:47):
Well, it's been a while since we've talked about that.
Yes.
And I think really how we overcame it is because I'm constantly telling DeDrake at the end
of the day, we're going to face adversity, don't matter what it is, we're going to face
it is just now it's going to come down to how are we going to handle it, right?
(20:07):
Are we going to rise above it or are we going to let it swallow us?
So all the adversity that we face, I tell them is just par for the course.
At the end of the day, we either live with it and learn from it and keep moving forward.
And for us, that's really what we took away from each one of them.
We're just that much closer to our breakthrough.
(20:29):
So anytime we come up with that real major adversity, we understand even as a couple,
as a partnership, that must mean we're just that much closer to getting to where we're
meant to be.
You know what, that's not, I mean, I think it's entirely true, except for if you're a
fan of the Washington Wizards.
I've been a fan of the Washington Wizards as I was 12 years old.
(20:49):
Hey, we're Boston South fans.
We just won the championships.
We're feeling it.
I know.
You guys always win championships.
I'm always just telling me it's going to have to turn around, right?
And then it doesn't.
Anyway, sorry for that diversion.
Tal sometimes uses the show as a counseling.
Yeah, therapy.
I mean, therapy for his poor choice in sports teams.
(21:13):
So first of all, I love the attitude.
I love the perspective of just being like, you're so present in everything as you're
going through it and you're calculating in real time, which I love because a lot of people
(21:33):
don't have that capability or that muscle that's really been worked.
And you're very clear-eyed about it, which I think is, which is awesome.
So kudos to you guys for always being in the present.
Thank you.
Also, just a side note before I get to the next question, I also love how everything,
(21:57):
even since you were four, has been rooted in giving back and helping others.
And both of you, from what it sounds like, you weren't born with the proverbial silver
spoon in your mouth.
You weren't accepting millions of dollars from daddy to start your own company.
You guys were, you came from humble beginnings and you're not only looking to fulfill the
(22:21):
American dream, but you're also looking to help others fulfill the American dream.
And that's amazing.
First of all, clap on the back, high fives all around.
It's fantastic to have that kind of perspective.
Real quick, I know you guys are very successful.
I know that you're probably going to be even way more successful 10 years from now.
(22:43):
How are you going to keep the little ones in line with their eye on the prize of giving
back as well?
How are you going to make that generational in your own house?
With us, the whole reason we got into entrepreneurship is to build generational wealth.
Like you said, I came from a single parent background, so did she.
(23:04):
We never really saw it done right.
But again, our goal is for our kids to have options where they can follow their true passion
versus having to get it at a job because they have to.
So that's the whole reason we got into entrepreneurship and just not just set up their generation,
but generations after that, not to just sit around and do nothing, but to really follow
their passions, whether it's helping people, being a teacher, being a nurse, being a doctor,
(23:27):
whatever you want to be.
But entrepreneurship is allowing us to set up that next generation.
And it's been extremely important for us to make sure that we showed them that it's much
better to give than it is to receive.
You get much more gratification.
So since birth, this is all they've ever seen.
They've always seen mommy and daddy doing good while doing well, right?
(23:51):
That it doesn't matter where we are in life, that it matters by who, like I tell people,
it doesn't matter how many doors we own, it matters how many doors we can open for that
next individual to be able to walk through and change the trajectory of their family
tree.
I want us to make sure for them, we're not giving them anything, right?
Because as soon as you give your child something, as soon as your body is in the dirt, ain't
(24:14):
cold or nothing, it's going to be sold out from under them because it's not a value there.
So for them, they've worked in our business since they were born.
This is all they know.
They've been at these houses, they've cleaned them out, they've painted, they've done everything.
So they have an appreciation for that, but not only that us as well.
So this is what we're teaching them, different principles in life where it's not just about
(24:38):
doing good and how well you can do, but how can you also extend that and help someone
else?
I love it.
Bring someone along on that ride.
I love it.
And Dedric, you've also said, and this is in my pre-interview notes, that a job doesn't
define you and learning that is a value that you picked up and it sounded like Crystal
(24:58):
helped you with that.
Tell us, why do you think that that's such an important thing, particularly for men?
Because I think men really struggle with being defined by their jobs.
Yeah, I mean, I think for men, your job, your title, your salary, a lot of men wrap up their
self-esteem and their net worth, self-worth in that.
But what happens again, when you get laid off, what happens when you get demoted, right?
(25:22):
Now you're demoralized, you're depressed.
So I always encourage other males, men is to find enjoyment and fulfillment outside
of just what you do for work and how much money you earn, right?
Because those things can go up and down, you're going to have good times in your career and
bad times, but what else do you bring to the table?
What do you do outside of that?
(25:43):
So cool.
So very cool.
All right.
Well, let's talk about what they do outside of that.
It's a TV show.
I know.
I know.
So I'm insanely curious, how the heck did you get on a TV show?
Not that, I mean, first of all, it's amazing and good for you guys.
And obviously, look at you, you look TV ready already, but how did you...
How did they get on?
Look at them.
(26:03):
I know.
How did you get on?
Look at you and me, we're not on TV.
My mom said, I have a face for radio.
But how did you get on this TV show?
And not only that, it must've been super intense, but also how did you manage to keep you guys
together as a family unit, as entrepreneurs, right?
(26:25):
What got you to this show?
How did you keep that going?
And what's a lesson do you think our audience can take from this?
Well, how we landed the TV show is we were getting a lot of DMs from networks and casting
companies in regards to, hey, we love to talk to you guys about a TV show for at least a
(26:45):
year or two before we even looked at A&E.
And it was always, no, our kids were small and we was really, really focused on building
our business.
And then A&E had been in our DMs for about a year.
I had no idea because our DMs were crazy anyway with us doing real estate and people always
hitting us.
And then they ended up finding our 800 number online, called our office, made our assistant
(27:12):
at the time, our secretary, promise to give us the message and to schedule a meeting with
them.
And so she did.
I came into the office, she was like, well, company A&E had called and I was like, oh,
okay.
I was like, look, we'll get back to them another time.
And she's like, well, I kind of promised her that I would schedule the meeting.
So I was like, she knows how big I am on keeping our word.
(27:35):
That's why our company name is Be Polite.
So I said, okay, go ahead, set it up.
We scheduled the meeting.
Dejah and I really had no intentions on doing a TV show.
So when we sat and spoke with them, it was like, oh, okay, yeah, they were looking at
a ton of people for these three slots, ton of people.
And they wanted a couple, but they also wanted people who had already had a social media
following and had a brand, which we fit the mold for both of those.
(27:56):
And we had said, oh, we'll just do it and see how far we get, but we're really not going
to do it.
Let's just see how far we'll take it.
That's what the plan was.
We was like, oh, we'll see.
Maybe we can get in the top five.
And then after this is during COVID when everything was shut down, then all of a sudden we get
we are on call after call after Zoom, Zoom, every Zoom, it was more people on the Zooms
(28:19):
than the final one that was like, hey, we want to offer you guys a slot.
And we was like, oh.
We were just saying how far we can take it.
We didn't think we were actually going to get it.
And our faces like stonewall.
We was like, because we didn't want to say to them like, oh, yeah, because we were both
really like, oh, we just we thought we were going to make the top five so we could tell
(28:39):
people like, hey, we made the top five.
Like, so then we was like, oh, I guess we got to do it then.
Okay.
And you don't know what you don't know, because come season one, baby, it was almost not a
season two.
I promise you.
Well, let's talk about season one.
So you guys had three people doing the work of 13.
And by the way, I'm sure a lot of people in our audience who are entrepreneurs can relate.
(29:01):
We oftentimes as entrepreneurs, especially early on, have way more work than resources.
And that challenge often defines whether an enterprise sees the next sunrise.
Are you able to come together versus be drawn apart through the challenge of overwork?
(29:24):
And can you learn quickly enough to to adjust?
Tell us the story.
Yeah.
So they told us that once we saw that signed on to the TV show, we would film maybe three,
four days a week, maybe four to six hours a day.
Season one, it ended up being five days a week of filming and 10 to 12 hour days.
Right. remind you, we have five or six companies that we're running at the same time while
(29:47):
filming a TV show.
So we didn't know it was going to be that intense.
So literally, like it took us to our breaking point.
And that's where a lot of the gold, the TV gold comes from is because we're doing five
or six rehabs of at a time.
Things are going wrong.
And, you know, stuff breaks and we learned how to flip on national television.
(30:08):
Oh, yeah, we had never flipped houses before.
We had been in real estate.
We had renovated a lot of properties, but the properties they saw us renovating on our
social media were actually our rental houses, rental properties.
We weren't selling them.
Flipping is a little bit different beast between selling and flipping, right?
Renting and flipping.
So our first flip was actually on season one where we actually told them, look, we're not
house flippers.
(30:29):
Are you sure you want to do a TV show?
They're like, no, we want to follow you guys.
And if you ask the executive producer, he gets interviewed all the time.
He's like, what made you pick the Polites?
And he's like, look, I've been doing this for 20 years.
I saw their tape and 30 seconds into it, I knew it was them.
I knew that was a couple I wanted for the show.
It was intense.
You don't know what you don't know.
(30:49):
And people try and tell you like, hey, you know, and our agent was like, you know, season
one is always hard for everyone.
It's hard for everyone.
No, it was not hard.
Listen, we were slated to do 10 houses.
We did six because we was like, yeah, we're going to tap out now and get through these
(31:12):
six so nobody ended up going to jail because we didn't have the best.
We literally didn't have the best relationship with our GC at the time.
And it was a lot of work on us that we did not.
Like I said, it was three of us doing the work of like 17, 18 people that was needed
literally.
A lot of sleepless nights, early mornings.
(31:33):
I mean, it stretched us to we thought we were going to break.
But when you get stretched that much, you either break or you grow.
And we grew tremendously.
Oh, absolutely.
Man, how old were you guys?
You know, this is not that long ago.
So yeah.
So what was this?
Uh, season one or now season one.
I was what?
I just turned 40.
I'm 42 now.
(31:53):
So we won't say the lady.
We won't say the lady's age.
But I guess two years ago.
Yeah.
Probably feels like 15 years ago.
But yeah, I got a lot more gray hairs though.
I can tell you that.
So the reason I'm asking actually is that I feel like, uh, you know, I just I'll be
51 this year and I think back to how, what I had to do with some of my earlier startups,
(32:21):
right?
So they, you know, some of the companies I built became gigantic companies, but at the
time I started them, I had this vision that they could become gigantic companies and I
had no idea how hard it was to get them there.
And now that I'm my age and have been where I've been, I could not imagine, imagine even
doing that.
Like you have to be at a certain sweet spot in your life.
(32:42):
Yep.
To get through that.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Combination of not knowing, having enough energy, enough wherewithal in your case, each
other, right?
Yeah.
Both build each other up probably to, you know, have those tough conversations that
are harder, even if you were partners, but not, you know, husband and wife, those conversations
are really, really tough.
(33:03):
People start businesses with other people and at some point it's the water's edge and
you stop.
But if you're in, you know, in a marriage and you can have those conversations, um,
and it's, I look back at those times in my life and I kind of, I understand exactly what
you're talking about, Crystal, when you say, I have no idea the heck that got done.
(33:23):
No idea how it got done.
Yeah.
I think that's where you are on the other side of that.
So let's talk about where you're going, right?
So you're continuing to be hugely entrepreneurial, doing different things.
Um, actually one of the things you're doing is you're opening a 40,000 square foot sky
zone.
Actually for my birthday, my girlfriend took me to one and I enjoyed it.
(33:46):
Uh, so now that's a different kind of venture.
So uh, how is the real estate?
I mean, obviously it's a 40,000 square foot place.
I guess that's, there is some real estate involved, but how do you think your real estate
experience prepared you for this?
Uh, and what challenges do you anticipate with this new endeavor?
So that's actually been Crystal's dream.
Her dream, her, she's passionate about kids and giving back to kids and she just loves
(34:08):
family oriented things.
So since she was young, she wanted to open up a chain of family entertainment centers.
And you know, part of us getting into real estate is how I got her to buy in.
Cause real estate was my dream.
I was like, look, if we do real estate, we'll be able to buy enough properties and build
up enough cash to be able to invest in your dream, which is building out a chain of family
entertainment centers.
(34:29):
And that's exactly what we did.
We were able to buy a sky zone franchise.
Um, and now we're going to be opening up that, uh, sky zone in our town of Burlington, North
Carolina.
And the challenges just roll over.
They roll from real estate right over to an FEC because we've been faced with the challenges
even finding land or a building.
And it's been like a year that we've been searching for land to do a new build or retrofit
(34:57):
in the building.
And here in this small area, there are no buildings, right?
Like whatsoever.
We knew that, but we didn't think for us being in real estate, we was like, it's not going
to be that hard for us to at least find some land and partner with the developer and have
them do a build to suit because they're already doing so much construction.
And well, we were absolutely wrong and it has been a challenge with that.
(35:20):
What is it?
What is FEC?
Family entertainment center.
Oh, so the Dave and Buster, trampoline parks, the golf places, anywhere families can get
together and have fun and enjoy themselves.
Bowling alleys movie theaters are considered FECs.
Okay.
And did you, so, but this is, this is indoor skydiving, right?
(35:42):
Rappling parks.
Oh, trampoline parks.
Okay.
Sky's on his trampolines.
Okay.
Okay.
Okay.
Very cool.
Very cool.
Oh, that's going to be tons of fun.
Lots of, I'm sure lots of insurance waivers.
Yes.
We just, we just had the absolute most knowledgeable person on business insurance on our episode
that actually ran matter of fact today, Grace van de Cruz.
(36:05):
We should make a connection.
We should.
Oh, absolutely.
She's fantastic.
She's really fantastic.
Yeah.
So, all right.
You guys have dabbled in many, many things.
You built a very diverse portfolio flipping houses, well, live on TV, well, not live in
front of all of us, launching these educational ventures, the trampoline parks and everything.
(36:25):
What's your advice for entrepreneurs who are looking to diversify their business without
spreading themselves too thin?
That's tough.
That's a great question.
So they're already an entrepreneur.
How do you, I think the hardest part for me personally as an entrepreneur is learning
how to say no.
A lot of entrepreneurs, we have shiny object syndrome.
(36:46):
So we tend to take on, oh, squirrel, daffodil, you know, it's learning to what to turn down
and focusing on your main thing.
I think that's what I would tell entrepreneurs.
Don't try to do everything because when you chase five rabbits, you catch none.
And what I would tell, cause so-
She's the opposite of me.
She's gonna say, go for it.
(37:06):
I'm the visionary.
Dedric is the integrator in our relationship.
So I'm typically the one who comes up with every business that we do.
It's literally a vision of mine.
So for me, I would really tell any new entrepreneur, especially if you are a visionary, right?
Cause sometimes we can, you know, go all over the places, but we'd be dead spot on with
(37:30):
our visions.
So I would really tell them, hey, listen, get a team, right?
Find a partner, someone who compliments your weaknesses, find someone who compliments you
with their strengths, right?
The great thing about Dedric and I and the reason why we can move into different directions
and go into different businesses is because we have complimentary skillsets and they are,
(37:52):
and me and him are yin and yang.
Like if he thinks we should go right, I'm thinking we should go left, but we stay in
our lanes.
And I think when people learn to put a team around them, so that's our season two was
so much better is we put the right team around us.
But when you are looking to scale, going to different businesses, find those people that
(38:14):
you can actually work with.
Don't look at it.
Cause I used to be like, no, we don't do this.
Just us, just us, just us.
That's my mindset.
I didn't want, I never wanted to bring anyone else in.
And he was like, babe, we're going to have to help.
We're going to have to bring someone in to help us with this or that or partner.
And best thing you can do.
Look at people who are already doing what you want to do and see how you can partner
(38:37):
with them.
Amazing.
I love that.
I think it's great advice.
And I love the bringing together of two different personalities, whether it's in a marriage
or in a business often brings out the best outcomes because I bet that, cause I was,
my brother was the integrator in the many companies we launched and I was the visionary
(39:02):
and the visionaries have a lot of things going forward.
By the way, what, what, what sign are you?
I'm just curious, crystal.
I'm an Aquarius.
Aquarius.
Okay.
I had a, I had a, I had a guess you were either a Sagittarius or an Aquarius.
I'm a Sagittarius.
How are you?
Okay.
Interesting.
So what oftentimes I think happens with people who are visionary and they're not checked
(39:25):
is that they don't know when to stop.
They just keep going.
New business every month, a new LLC.
Absolutely.
It is critical to have someone that is capable of acting as a check and balance on that.
Absolutely.
But that is not a, an Eeyore, a Debbie Downer, a here's why it's not going to work.
(39:46):
Right?
Cause visionaries need a partner, whether it's a business partner or a life partner
that encourages their dreams, but also can gently bring them back to earth.
Right?
It sounds like you guys do that exceptionally well.
A hundred percent.
That's my role.
There's, there's a, there's a big difference real quick.
I'm sorry.
There's a, there's a big difference between, or there's, it's great to have passion, but
(40:09):
you can't let your passion cloud your perception.
And as you, as you move forward and things like, you know, crystal is obviously the driver.
She's the, she's the engine, but if you, if you don't have some good steering capability
that I'm, that I know that Dedrick is bringing to the table, then you're just going to be
(40:29):
going in circles sometimes.
Right?
And so it's very, it's awesome to see the two of you work so well together because I
think for a lot of entrepreneurs, that's a fear in that I know everything.
My partner, you know, this is not his area.
This is not her area.
I have all the answers and then invariably you don't obviously.
(40:52):
And so it's great to see a married, you know, very healthy, very complimentary couple doing
so well because it can be done.
Right.
And, and I think you guys are, I don't know.
I'm just big fans.
By the way, PJ and his wife are powerhouses too.
PJ's wife is a, is a international bestselling romance author.
Yeah.
(41:13):
PJ's been a successful entrepreneur and they've been, they've, they've acted as checks and
balances on each other so he knows what he speaks of.
And I'll tell you what, it's not easy.
It's not easy working with your spouse.
Right.
It's actually harder.
Or I work, I work with my brother.
It's not easy, but you get the best outcomes a lot of the time.
Right.
I just do everything she says that makes it the most easy.
(41:33):
That's what you say.
But it's not really true.
All right.
Let's end on a lighter note because your team told us that your first date was actually
a business meeting.
Oh my.
I would love to understand what the heck that means.
Yes.
So Dejan and I first date was in fact a business meeting and we met at, cause we lived in Boston.
(41:58):
We're both originally from Boston.
So we was at a place called Joe's Barn Grow.
And when we met, he's thinking, you know, oh, we about to have a date.
And I immediately started hitting him with questions like, oh, okay.
So are you an entrepreneur?
He was like, well, yeah, yeah, you know, I'm an entrepreneur.
Okay.
Tell me some of the things that you've done.
What have you done in the entrepreneurship room?
(42:18):
What's your credit score?
Do you plan on living here in Massachusetts for long?
Oh, okay.
No, I'm just asking because anyone who's going to be with me.
What's your three year plan?
Yep.
What's your three year plan?
What's your five year plan?
This is all on the first date.
What if she's now having lunch and she's in the last six months?
Wow.
How are you with entrepreneurship?
Are you open to marrying someone, dating someone who's an entrepreneur?
(42:41):
Like all of that.
And I mean, credit score, everything.
Crystal, I'm going to say, I'm going to go on a limb and say you didn't have a lot of
second dates because if you did that with every guy, there are a lot of guys who would
be intimidated.
But you know why?
Why did I have a second, third, but-
Other than the fact that you're both beautiful people.
That had to help.
Yeah, she had been proposed to about eight times by different guys before we even met.
(43:03):
So she-
Wow.
I had like three of my exes there, we're all great friends.
But they told him, they was like, listen, you're not going to believe her when you start
to hear her and think how she works, how her mindset is.
But she is the truth.
And they all told him like, listen, she's 100%, 10 toes, always going to be in there
for you.
(43:24):
She is who she is, believe her.
I mean, you got a jewel here.
And it wasn't, and I tell people, when he said his credit score was what, an 810 at
the time.
He was like, well, what's yours?
I said 540 or something.
And he was like, what?
And I was like, I said, yeah, he was like, you asking me mine.
And I said, I know, because I just finished getting all my stuff off my credit, rebuilding
(43:48):
my credit.
So I just needed to know where you were at.
So I needed to know how I was going to move.
If he was at a 600, okay, now I'm thinking, okay, he's at a 600, now I got to help him
rebuild his.
Let's figure out-
After my curse.
And then while I'm rebuilding mine, now I know how we're going to move together, right?
Not versus, oh, you got a 600, I can't mess with him.
(44:08):
No, it's just, I'm a planner, right?
I'm a visionary.
So I have to see where we're going.
And I knew when I met him, I was going to marry him at the gas station.
I was like, oh, this is the dude I'm going to marry.
Okay, cool.
Just very matter of fact, I was like, oh, this is him.
How many years ago is this?
We met in 2009.
So what's that?
15 years ago?
(44:30):
The one thing that I get the feeling of is that I think you guys are still on your first
date.
You have first date energy.
That's so romantic.
It is.
The true spouse of a romance.
Well, you know, it's a meet cute.
What can I say?
It is.
It is.
First date.
(44:50):
Our incredible guests today are Chrisl and Dedric Polite, the stars of the hit television
show 50 50 flip on Hulu and A&E.
They're also the founders and are you co CEOs of Be Polite or somebody?
See, I go see you.
All right.
See you.
And I'll take anything else underneath it.
Got it.
(45:11):
OK, all right.
Well, that's fine.
And they're also parents of two young boys who I'm sure are learning a lot from their
parents.
You've been amazing.
Thank you so much for for being our guest.
We'd love to have you back on as your adventure continues.
Great success to you.
You know, thank you.
Thanks for having us.
We enjoyed the conversation.
(45:32):
And that's a wrap, folks.
Like what you heard?
Want to support the show?
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Visit us on YouTube and please like and rate us on all of your favorite podcast streaming
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You can also see exclusive content, subscribe for free to our weekly blog, support our sponsors
and soon buy our merchandise at www.bravingbusiness.com.
Thanks for being a part of our production of the show.
We'll see you next time.
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Bye.
Bye.
Bye.
Bye.
Bye.
Bye.
Bye.
(45:53):
Bye.
Bye.
Bye.
Bye.
Bye.
Bye.
Bye.
Thank you.
Thanks for being a part of our production and we'll see you next time on the Braving
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