August 2, 2025 • 40 mins
A chance encounter with Black Enterprise founder Earl Graves forever changed 19-year-old Dexter Bridgeman's life. Standing in Graves' impressive Madison Avenue office, young Bridgeman declared, "One day I'm going to be a publisher." Fast forward to today, and Bridgman has built MIA Media Group into Florida's largest producer of Black-targeted content, reaching over one million readers and viewers weekly.
The spark that ignited his Florida media empire came in 2004 when he noticed something troubling in a Miami Herald feature on "South Florida's top realtors"—not a single Black face among the 50 professionals. Despite local journalists claiming they could "only think of one or two" potential subjects for a Black-focused publication, Bridgman launched his first "power issue" that November. Twenty-one years later, through economic downturns and a pandemic, his publications have never missed an issue.
Bridgeman's business philosophy centers on five timeless principles that have guided his success. First, pursue passion over profit—"don't chase the dollar" with ventures that don't genuinely excite you. Second, punctuality is non-negotiable—"if you're on time, you're late." Third, good manners serve as actual currency in business relationships. Fourth, the "likability factor" matters enormously—people prefer doing business with those they genuinely connect with. Finally, and perhaps most crucially in today's digital age, "guard your reputation jealously" as your name travels faster and farther than ever before.
As media consumption has transformed, so has Bridgeman's business model. He recently transitioned all publications to digital flip books, acknowledging that "the days of print newspapers and magazines—those days are over." He expresses concern that many Black businesses are falling behind in digital transformation, often being "the last ones to get the technology upgrade" due to financial constraints or knowledge gaps.
MIA Media Group's mission remains steadfast: to "educate, inform and editorialize the success and achievement of the Black South Florida community." Through publications like Legacy Magazine and recognition programs like "50 Most Powerful and Influential Black Business Leaders," Bridgman provides platforms that highlight accomplishments often overlooked by mainstream media. Visit miamediagrp.com to connect with this pioneering media visionary who continues to create visibility where it's needed most.
Thanks for tuning in to this episode of Follow The Brand! We hope you enjoyed learning about the latest marketing trends and strategies in Personal Branding, Business and Career Development, Financial Empowerment, Technology Innovation, and Executive Presence. To keep up with the latest insights and updates from us, be sure to follow us at 5starbdm.com. See you next time on Follow The Brand!
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:06):
Hey, good morning, good day, good afternoon
business owners, entrepreneurs,thought leaders and corporations
, and welcome to the BlackBusiness Network.
My name is Grant McGaugh, ceoof Five Star BDM and host of the
Follow Brand podcast and TVseries, and I am your business
moderator for this day on theBlack Business Network.
(00:27):
The Black Business Network is a24-hour business network
showcasing Black businesses,business owners, entrepreneurs
and thought leaders worldwide,and we have speakers from North
Carolina, london, singapore,africa, japan and cities all
over the United States.
The Black Business Network is aglobal community sharing its
(00:48):
business knowledge to empower,inspire and educate businesses
about business.
And today we have Dexter ABridgman.
He is the visionary founder andCEO of Miami or MIA Media Group
LLC, the largest producer ofBlack-targeted editorial content
(01:09):
in Florida, and since 2004, hehas built a media empire that
includes Legacy Magazine, orLegacy Miami, legacy South
Florida and MIA Magazine,covering business, politics,
culture and lifestyle acrossprint, digital and broadcast
platforms.
His publications are officialmedia partners for marquee
(01:31):
events like Jazz in the Gardens,the American Black Film
Festival and the Art of BlackMiami, reaching over 1 million
readers through partnershipswith the Miami Herald and Sun
Sentinel readers throughpartnerships with the Miami
Herald and Sun Sentinel.
Bridgman also holds six weeklytelevision shows on CW Channel
39 and distributes a digitalnewsletter three times a week.
(01:53):
A Hofstra graduate and proudAlpha Phi Alpha brother Dexter
has earned honors from the NAACPand Miami-Dade Chamber of
Commerce for his work empoweringFlorida's Black community
through media, entrepreneurshipand civic activity.
I'd like to bring Dexter ABridgman to the Black Business
(02:16):
Network.
Speaker 2 (02:17):
How are you doing today?
Speaker 1 (02:18):
Hey.
Speaker 2 (02:18):
Grant, good morning, I'm doing wonderful, my friend,
good to see you.
Speaker 1 (02:23):
I am so proud of you.
I'm going to just come out andsay that right now.
I am very, very proud of you.
You know, I just went throughyour bio.
I said 2004.
This guy has been doing what wecall doing what we're doing
right now.
For 21 years.
You have been showcasing Blackexcellence, black professionals,
(02:44):
black educators, in all kindsof different ways to get
visibility.
You featured me twice in acouple of different
acknowledgements andrecognitions and, man, I just
wanted to put that out thereright here, right now.
Very proud of you.
(03:05):
But I want you to tell us yourorigin story, dexter.
How did you become this mediamogul in South Florida?
Speaker 2 (03:14):
Well, it goes back even further.
It goes back some 40-somethingyears.
I have to give credit to theperson that started it all for
me.
I have to give credit to theperson that started it all for
me.
I had an opportunity to meetEarl Graves, the former founder
and CEO of Black EnterpriseMagazine, and I had an
(03:38):
opportunity to tour his officewhen I was 19 years old on an
office tour like a student typeof summer program, years old, on
an office tour like a studenttype of summer program.
And when I walked into hisoffice, I mean he had two floors
on Madison Avenue and I don'tknow if you back in, but that
would have to be 80, 1980.
There weren't too many blackpeople having offices on Madison
(03:58):
Avenue, yet alone having twofloors, two complete floors that
belonged to his company.
I was just so impressed.
And his office was as big as myhouse and it had dollar signs
on his office and he had apicture of just about every
(04:19):
political and business leader,not just nationally but
internationally.
And at the end of the tour Ilooked up at him and I said, mr
Graves, one day I'm going to bea publisher.
You have convinced me that thisis what I want to do and some
11 years later you know justserendipity, or you know just,
(04:42):
you know one of these situationsI happened to get an invitation
to his 25 year anniversary and,um, uh, I was still in line to
kiss his ring and to say hello,mr Graves.
I did it and he looked, theysaid so.
When I told them the story, ofcourse he didn't remember me.
I mean you know, you know whatI mean, you know.
So, um, when I told him thestory, he says well, are you a
(05:05):
publisher, dexter today?
I said yes, sir, I reachedinside my and said show me what
you got Reached inside my insidepocket, pulled it out.
He started going through it andhe said this is very good, very
good.
He said Clarence, ed, come onover here, meet Yomra and the
Clarence and Eddie he's talkingabout is Clarence Smith and Ed
Lewis, the founders, the CEO andthe publisher of Essence
(05:28):
magazine.
He said join me.
This is young bro over here.
He's on his way up.
Man, you can tell me I wasn't,I was in the highest cotton.
So I took that and I took thatexperience and I started a
publishing company in New Yorkand I did that for like nine
years and I happened to venturedown here in South Florida
(05:52):
because my sister relocated andshe then bought a home.
She purchased a home and I wassupposed to stay for the weekend
.
Grant, I'd never been to SouthFlorida before.
Man, I lost my mind, you know.
First of all, when I was takingoff, I was taking off in
(06:14):
LaGuardia and it was two feet ofsnow and we were the last team
out.
So imagine not ever being inSouth Florida before, although
I've been to the Caribbean andwhat have you but when I landed
it was 84 degrees.
So I came from 30 to 28 degreeweather, 25 degree weather.
I had my parka on andeverything, man, I was sweating.
(06:37):
I got to my sister's car.
She's like take all that off.
Like I said, I was supposed tostay a weekend.
I didn't stay for two weeks andyou know, I started coming down
just about every other weekendand she said listen, if you like
it so much, why don't you move?
And so you know, being anentrepreneur, I'm like, hey, you
don't have to tell me twice.
I said I'll be here in sixmonths.
Grant, I was here six months tothe day.
(06:58):
May 4th 2004 was when I was sixmonths to the day that I said I
would be here and I started mypublication.
I didn't know what I wanted todo, grant.
I was very successful in NewYork.
I had some money and I was justgoing to take things easy.
I was 42.
(07:20):
I said you know a littleretirement, whatever.
I'll figure everything outlater.
I said you know a littleretirement, whatever.
I'll figure everything outlater.
But I saw a Miami Heraldarticle and it said introducing
South Florida's top realtors.
Now, grant, when I came downhere in 19 in 2004,.
It was at the peak of the realestate industry.
(07:42):
South Florida was still veryaffordable.
And let me tell you somethingit didn't matter who I met.
I could have met a doctor, alawyer.
I could have met you, I don'tknow.
Do you sell real estate Grant?
I did not Okay, you did not.
You're one of the few peoplethat didn't, probably Everybody.
If I met the president ofBurger King, he would say, hey,
(08:03):
my name is John Smith, by theway.
I met the president of BurgerKing, he would say, hey, my name
is John Smith, by the way, I'mthe president of Burger King and
I sell real estate, oh yeah.
So I'm like, how could that beone black person on that list of
50 people?
So he had like 45 men that wereeither white or Hispanic and
then they had, they had, theyhad three white women and like
(08:27):
two Hispanic women.
And I'm like, not one person,not one person, not one black
person could make that list.
So I said, you know what?
This is what I'm going to do.
And I went to some journalistsand I told them that I'm going
to start this publication that'sgoing to feature black
excellence and what have you.
And they're like good luck,good luck, I can only think of
(08:50):
one or two.
And these are our Blackjournalists working for the
Miami Herald, working for otherentities, and I'm like, really,
but I didn't look.
I'm like you know well, that'syour experience, they ain't
going to be mine.
So in November I came out withmy first issue and November of
2004,.
I came out, my first issue, myfirst power issue, and here I am
21 years later.
(09:11):
Never missed the issue,regardless of the situation,
regardless of the crisis in 2008, regardless of COVID,
regardless of what's happeningnow with the tariffs and, you
know, businesses pulling backnever missed an issue and we are
doing very, very well.
(09:32):
Beside all of that, because youknow we have, you know I've
worked very hard to put it's notjust about me, grant.
You know I was.
You know, you know this.
It's about the people that yousurround yourself with building
a good team.
That's right.
So you know, today we are, wehave three platforms print,
(09:53):
digital, print television shows,where, you know, I don't wear
this as a badge of honor.
So we, you know, unfortunatelywe're the only one in Miami-Dade
County that owns and producesshows that are on network
television, shows that are blackand, like I said, I don't wear
it as a badge.
We should have more people.
(10:14):
I should not be the only one.
You understand what I'm saying,yes.
And then the third is that wehave a strong digital presence
as well.
We have a strong digitalpresence as well.
So we have three majorplatforms where we over a
million people either read orview our platforms on a weekly
basis.
Speaker 1 (10:32):
And I can attest to all that.
First, you are the essence ofresilience and, like you said,
21 years not missing an issuethe rain, sleet, snow.
And I say that because he'sfrom New York.
He didn't see too much.
He's in a lot of rain, but nottoo much sleet and snow.
But you know me myself.
(10:52):
I came down in 1998.
You know my father was here and, just like you, I used to call
him on the phone.
And then you know be in themiddle of December and you know
I'm shoveling snow and I say,hey dad, what are you doing?
So you know I'm in my shorts,sitting down in the back.
You know what I'm sick of this,that's my transition story
(11:16):
Exactly.
Speaker 2 (11:17):
I'm very mean to my friends.
It's, like you know, January,February, March.
I'm walking around with mysandals and, you know, short
pants and whatever the case maybe, and they're freezing their
butts off in New York and I'mdoing selfies and sending it to
them.
Speaker 1 (11:32):
Oh, yeah, yeah.
So this could be you right,right, come on down.
But in all seriousness and Ididn't realize, you started with
the power edition I was just,you know, honored and you're top
50 power players in Miami.
You have one for Miami, youhave one for South.
Congratulations, it just makesme feel good because that was my
(11:57):
second time the first time itwas in 2018, I was honored in
your healthcare publication.
Because of those recognitions,I also, like you were saying
earlier, you know I surroundmyself in a network of good
people, right, professionalpeople that are mobily upward.
They're doing things in thecommunity and because I'm
(12:19):
featured in that particularpublication, I now am actually
operating in that same networkof your own.
I've reached out to certainpeople, I've had conversations
with them, we've done businesstogether.
This has been wonderful.
I wanted to tell this becausewhen I became the president of
the National Association ofHealth Services Executives for
(12:43):
the South Florida world and Igot with Dexter and said, dexter
, this is what I'm doing, andDexter said, hey, I think we
could work together on something.
And I said I want to do anewsletter, I want to do
something, and Dexter said youknow what?
First of all, let's share somenetwork information and I'm
going to put you in touch withmy editor who develops a
(13:07):
newsletter, and if you think youcan pull together enough
content for a quarter you canthen you know I'll go ahead and
help you develop it.
He did that for me and I'mtelling you this because this is
the origin story, the trueorigin story of Five Star BDM
and the Follow the Brand podcast, because I started interviewing
(13:31):
healthcare executives, goingout there with my little cell
phone, recording them, gettingthe audio, doing the transcript,
getting his editor involved anddeveloping Probably people will
say you know a lot oforganizations.
They do a newsletter.
I had a publication.
Speaker 2 (13:47):
I said this is not a newsletter.
You were one of the first tohave a digital publication.
Speaker 1 (13:52):
Yeah, you showed me that whole platform.
Right, you did that.
So I guess the question is,where are we now as a people
when it comes to contentcreation, in your lens, in your
eye, because you've been doingit so long and you know how?
(14:12):
Now, even before 20 years ago,content creation is at the
fingertips for a lot of people.
Digital audio, print, you cando these things.
You've got a large languagemodel Express to us how
important it is to be visible inthe community.
Speaker 2 (14:29):
Well, it is.
But I'll tell you, there'scontent creators who are
journalists, real journalists,who went to college and took
journalism courses and so forthand became reporters and editors
and what have you.
And then there are contentcreators who have opinions,
(14:52):
whether it's whether they have awritten opinion or they have a
broadcast opinion, and you knowyou have to give them their due
because that is where thesociety is going.
But at the same time, theydon't play the same rules that I
do.
You know what I mean?
(15:13):
I have to, as a, as ajournalistic organization, an
award winning journalisticorganization, I have to play by
rules that are set by guidelines.
I have to play by rules thatare set by guidelines.
If you're Michael Smith orMichelle Jones and you're not a
journalist, but you have anopinion and your opinions are
(15:37):
popular, you can talk about, andit could be as wild and crazy
or it could be very, veryprofessionally done, and it
(15:57):
could be a situation whereyou're addressing an audience
with, I'm not saying, a lack ofintellect, but Sometimes the
content creators.
They get ahead of themselves,unfortunately and I'm talking
about just in the black space,in all spaces, sure, and just
(16:18):
spew all sorts of things racismand everything, everything good,
bad and indifferent.
So, as I said, it's good andthen it's good and it also has
its drawbacks as well.
But you know, in my space, interms of the world, it's
(16:41):
changing and evolving, and whathave you?
You know, I just recentlyswitched over, in December, from
print to all my publicationsare now digital flip books.
Guess what?
The days of going to thenewsstands if there's breaking
news you used to run to thenewsstands or run to the
(17:06):
supermarket or grab a newspaper.
Things are happening like this,so as soon as it happens it's
on your phone, you get an alertor whatever the case may be.
So the days of newspapers,print newspapers and printing
magazines those days are over,over.
When I started with the MiamiHerald back in 2010, their
(17:29):
circulation was in the 400,000s.
That's called the Sun Sentinel.
Theirs was the same thing.
Now the Miami Herald is puttingout 10,000 copies, sun Sentinel
is putting out 30,000 copies,but they've made a transition to
digital.
So that's not where theirstrength is.
They keep those publicationsjust because, and one day you're
(17:53):
going to wake up and they'llsay Miami Herald, sun Sentinel
is no longer printing and thisis the way of the future.
A lot of major publishingcompanies throughout the country
are all digital now.
Speaker 1 (18:06):
This is a big deal and I hear what you're saying.
I know growing up one of thebiggest things.
We have a hurled, especially inMiami, my hometown of Nebraska,
and you would get the paperdelivered to you every day.
I remember being even in highschool.
On a Saturday night we would goand I would work part-time
there and we would put out theSunday paper.
(18:28):
It was this thick, right, right, right.
Or even looking at you know,the telephone book, every year
you get this huge telephone book.
Well, that's no longer so.
The business of media haspivoted and changed to a digital
world.
This is one of the reasons whyI focus on personal branding
(18:49):
from a business, a businessdevelopment tool, because I'm
trying to show people likeyou've got to be visible and
understand how to utilize thesedigital tool sets that are at
your disposal, because this ishow people are going to become
aware of you.
Just like, if you have justjust a brick and mortar building
, right, well, it's going to bea lot easier for you to get a
(19:12):
presence digitally than it isfor somebody driving.
Remember the day of thebillboard?
You're just driving down theroad and you see the billboard.
Some of that is still in play,but minuscule.
I was blown away with what youjust said.
Miami Herald had a publicationof 400,000 newspapers going out
probably every day, every week,every day.
Speaker 2 (19:35):
And that was 10,000?
That's like that was 10 to12,000, 10 to 15,000, somewhere
in that neighborhood, becausethey realize it's.
You know, I mean it's a dyingindustry.
Print is dying and the only wayyou're going to survive.
I mean, again, like they keepit.
They keep it, you know, justbecause I mean there's some
(19:56):
business reasons to keep italive as well.
But you know they have made acomplete dive, as most major
publications in the UnitedStates and the world, to digital
.
And that's what I've done and Itry to tell my I like to think
of myself as I'm a little aheadof the curve in the world of
(20:18):
black media, black-owned media,and I tell my associates all the
time listen, you can't dobusiness the way you did
yesterday.
You've got to transfer, you'vegot to have a digital presence.
You've got to have a strong webpresence.
You've got to have a strongsocial media presence.
You have to, especially ifyou're media.
(20:42):
People expect that you're goingto have something to say on
social media or something that'sto represent you on social
media.
And that's just the way theindustry is and you know, with
the advance of AI, that is alsoimpacting our industry.
Speaker 1 (21:02):
A hundred percent on that and I've seen it.
And as far as morphing,changing the content creation of
audio video, obviously, andtext, how are people consuming
information?
And intelligence is super,super important.
My question for you is nowyou've made the pivot.
Are you seeing our Blackbusinesses also making the pivot
(21:28):
, or are they holding on to ablockbuster world in a Netflix
society?
Speaker 2 (21:35):
I'll say it like that Well, let me make sure I
understand the question.
Repeat again Make sure.
Speaker 1 (21:45):
I'm going to say it like this Are our black
businesses keeping up?
Are they?
Speaker 2 (21:50):
making the pivot?
Are they making the change?
Got it?
You know, unfortunately, fromwhat I see, you know, and I, you
know, I'm honoring andrecognizing, I know a lot of the
Black businesses and what haveyou in South Florida, and
unfortunately, some of they'renot, they're not and we're the
(22:12):
last ones, usually unfortunately, to get to the point where we,
you know, we're the last ones toget the upgrade, the technology
upgrade.
We're the last ones to, andsometimes it's financial,
sometimes the lack of knowledge.
I mean, you know, and I'll giveyou an example like this you
(22:33):
know, if you go to a chambermeeting, um, and, and you know,
if you go to a chamber meeting,they have grants and the type of
grants they have are for liketwo thousand dollars.
How to, how to start, how to,how to develop a media?
I mean mean you develop yourbusiness plan, how to do this,
(22:54):
how to do that.
Well, you know, that's only fora certain certain type of
business.
You know what I mean.
If you've been in business for10, 15 years.
You've got to be.
You've got to, you've got tohave more advanced knowledge and
more advanced type ofinformation.
But many of us are still.
(23:14):
Many of us still don't havewebsites.
Many of us don't do anymarketing.
Many of us don't, you know,follow any kind.
You know.
I mean, look at the back in the, when we had the recession or
the COVID, and you know peoplewere applying for the federal
grants, money that would go bein your pocket.
(23:35):
All you need to do is show yourincome tax Right, then have the
paperwork together, get thatmoney, because they didn't file
taxes.
They don't know their.
You know their profit and loss.
How are you in business everyday, grant, and you don't know
(23:56):
that you're in the red Right,right, but you know and this is
where we are unfortunately butyou know, thanks to
organizations like yours, thatyou know you're talking about it
, you know you're giving anopportunity or you're talking
and educating and informing ourcommunity on the importance of
(24:16):
that type of thing.
It's you know.
I mean, I just don't understand.
I don't get it.
I don't understand how youdon't.
Speaker 1 (24:23):
I'm a piggyback on that and to your point and I've
been doing this now for fiveplus years, just on the podcast
itself and bringing talent tothe table like yourself, to
educate society, because wedon't want that to be an excuse
you should know, you have toknow, right.
I point to our educationalsystem and I'll point the finger
(24:46):
right at it, because we are ona monopoly board.
This is what it is.
You need to pass go, you needto collect $200.
You need to accumulate property, you need to get a home, you
need to get a business.
You need to understand thisevery day, and twice on Sunday.
However, if you look at oureducation system, it's really
teaching you how to pass go.
Speaker 2 (25:07):
That's it.
Speaker 1 (25:08):
And if you only learn how to pass go and collect $200
, that'll work in the beginning,until everybody else starts
collecting property, startgetting monopolies, start
collaborating with other people,and all of a sudden, that same
block like you mentionedsomething earlier around real
estate right In Miami.
I remember, coming to Miami,you could buy a really nice home
(25:29):
for about $150,000.
It was really nice.
That exact same property,nothing changed at all.
It's now $700,000, $800,000.
Exactly, the block has changedyou go around the block and
collect your $200, you ain'tbuying much Right?
Speaker 2 (25:46):
Not at all, not at all.
Speaker 1 (25:50):
I say this when it comes to business and it comes
to to the basic education thatwe are teaching our kids and I
think we have to do thisourselves You've got to learn
and understand the environmentin which you are operating in,
and it's changing constantly, soyou can't say, oh yeah, well, I
don't like that.
It ain't about you liking it ornot.
(26:12):
This is how business is beingconducted, that you can amplify
yourself.
So I can take Dexter and make10 Dexters.
Why do you think he has so manydifferent media outlets?
Because people consumeinformation in different ways
right, different ways, exactly.
Speaker 2 (26:30):
Well said, and that's the truth.
Speaker 1 (26:32):
So here's the question I had.
Let's say, I want to go, I likeDexter and what he does and I'm
going to be just like thatperson, like Earl Gray.
I'm coming to your office.
I see what you've done.
I see what you've done, if Iwanted to go and walk in your
footsteps, what are like fivethings I really need to know
right now that I probably wasn'taware of.
Speaker 2 (26:54):
That's a really good question and you know, some of
this is the basic questions.
You know in terms of you know,doing your, doing your research.
You know, you know, and when Isay do your research in terms of
finding out what's what's outthere.
But part of your research isdon't chase the dollar, don't
start a business that you're notpassionate about, but just like
(27:17):
, okay, you know what.
I hear that being a startingconstruction company or starting
a repair company, whatever is,I can make a lot of money doing
that.
But if you're not passionateabout a grant, what's going to
happen?
You're going to, it's going tofail.
It's going to fail because youknow what I work and when I say
(27:40):
this, I work seven days a weekand it's not work grant, but
it's not work.
I enjoy it.
This is who I am, this is mybusiness, I'm passionate about
it.
I think about it every singleday.
But some people say, well,don't you need to decompress or
take a breath?
(28:01):
I do, I do, and part of that isI take a breath and I think
about my business because youknow what, like I said earlier,
you can't do business the wayyou did yesterday or the day
before, you know.
So that's one.
(28:21):
Number two is if you're on time,you're late.
That appointment is at nineo'clock and you walk in the door
at nine o'clock, you're late.
That appointment's at nineo'clock and you walk in the door
at nine o'clock, you're late.
I'm from New York man.
It's a New York minute.
It's a New York minute, newYork second.
You know what I mean.
So be a half an hour early.
(28:41):
I don't care who you are, Idon't care if you're a student,
I don't care if you're aprofessional who's been out
there for 10, 15 years, orsomeone who's seasoned, been in
business for 40 years.
If you're on time, you are late.
And this is another one thatyou're not going to find in the
books, but I took this from anexperience when I was in camp,
(29:06):
when I was eight, nine years old, I went to a boys' camp and it
was all based on sports and whathave you, and they were giving
out awards and such and such,and the camp director said we're
going to give this award.
We've never done this awardbefore, but this gentleman, this
young man, has, is somannerable and is so you know, I
(29:33):
mean always.
Thank you, thank you, please,this and that and the other.
So the first award that we'veever given for manners is dexter
bridgman, and I remember thatand I took that to the rest of
my life.
Manners saying thank you iscurrency saying thank you.
May I please?
It's currency grant right yes,yes you know, being kind, it's
(29:58):
currency.
I another one.
You're not gonna hear thelikability factor.
People like doing business withpeople.
They like don't be an assholeExcuse the expression, Don't be
a jerk, you know.
I mean you can say there are alot of people who are successful
who are jerks and and and youknow, and people don't like them
(30:21):
.
They get that.
Come up and trust me, they do.
But the people that are likableand the people who do things
always the right way and makingsure that they take care of
everything they're going to,they're always looked after.
I have clients that will say tome you know, Dexter, we don't
have much of a budget, but I'm a, I'm going to get, I'm going to
(30:42):
, I'm going to get you moremoney.
Yeah, that's what they do.
Because why they like me?
And why do they like me?
Because I like them and I'm I'mkind and I'm considerate and
I'm polite to everyone, Everyone, Not just my clients, everyone.
Yeah, you understand what I'msaying.
I like you.
I like you too, man.
(31:05):
That's why I'm here, I assume,right.
With cause without question,you're talking about manners as
well.
Appreciation goes a long way,absolutely, absolutely.
And you know, I mean, like Isaid, and you know the things
about, you know, making surethat you, you know you do things
(31:29):
the right way.
I mean I'm, you know, from abusiness perspective, having
morals and ethics are alsoincredibly important, incredibly
(31:51):
important.
You know.
I tell people, you know, guardyour reputation and your name
jealously, jealously.
You understand what I'm saying.
I do Make sure that your nameis always upheld.
I mean, it's not a matter ofdoing this.
Speaker 1 (32:05):
It's not about bragging.
It's just about doing the rightthing Guard your name and your
reputation jealously.
You couldn't say that.
You got to say that twice.
As someone who does personalbranding, I understand exactly
what you just said.
The thing about when thisdigital age is that your
reputation is going to travellightning fast as before,
because your reach went fromthis to this.
Understanding that and howyou're truly viewed by,
(32:29):
especially your target audience,who do you want to truly
influence, goes a long way, andpeople see everything, whether
you realize that they might notvoice everything, there's a lot
of the things that are invisible.
I always look at the um icebergeffect.
Someone taught me this a whileago.
You know so important becausewhen you see an iceberg and you
(32:50):
see the top of it, you're onlyseeing 30% of that little
iceberg.
70% of that is underneath thewater.
So 70% of your reputation issomething you aren't always
aware of when it's part of youroverall brand.
Speaker 2 (33:04):
Yes, Well said, Well said.
You're so right about that.
And nowadays, man, you can'tget away with anything.
You can't get away withanything.
I always told people, if I wasever going to be a crook or rob
a bank, guess what?
I'm the only one going to robthe bank.
I'm not even my wife.
I'm like, I'm not even tellingyou.
So my point is is is thateverything follows you.
(33:28):
Today, Everything is on socialmedia.
You know, I mean Google.
You know, Google, Some of thatstuff.
It could have happened 20 yearsago.
You can't get rid of it.
You can't get rid of it Makesure that everything that you do
and none of us are perfect, I'mnot saying that you've got to
be a saint, but just make surethat you again be intentional,
(33:50):
be conscious, understand whereyou're at and what you want to
do.
Speaker 1 (33:55):
I can't applaud you more than what you do now,
because you give a voice to whatI call the voiceless.
You're giving people a platformthat haven't had.
Unfortunately, here it is 2025,and some of those same things
still happen.
When they come out with theseForbes lists and other big
publications that come out withtheir list of people, you're
like wow, you know I stillquestion that a lot of times no
(34:19):
one of color at all, right,right, at that level, like none.
Do you think that's a matter ofinfluence because they're not
in their particular circle ofyou?
Know, no, like and trust.
Speaker 2 (34:37):
Or what is that?
Well, remember, I just gave theexample of how I started my
media company when I said youknow you had this 50 people.
You mean, tell me that no onecould have been on that list.
You mean, no one could be onthat Forbes list.
You understand what I'm saying?
Yeah, other people could not beon that Forbes list or other
lists.
You know, basically, and Ialways tell people to make sure
(35:00):
you have a 30-second pitch,somebody says who are you?
And ours is very simple weeducate and inform and
editorialize the success and theachievement of the black South
Florida community.
Real, plain and simple.
You know what I mean.
(35:21):
And I say that because of thefact that you know many awards
are given through.
You know companies give anemployee of the year or this,
that and the other.
Many of our people who arewell-deserving don't get those
opportunities.
(35:41):
So you know, we try to make surethat we honor and recognize
people in all aspects ofprofessional professions, all
aspects of professional, uh, theprofessional or professions.
So you know you were recognizedin the top, top uh, healthcare
issue.
We have we honor and recognizeblack educators.
(36:03):
We have the 40 under 40, youknow, you know the younger one.
And then, of course, the.
You know the, the gold standard.
You know our, our, our, our isthe, the, the where we honor and
recognize the 50 most powerfuland influential Black business
leaders for the year, and I'm sohappy when I'm in a room and
(36:23):
someone's being honored orrecognized and someone's getting
ready to introduce them.
Master of Ceremonies is sayingand Grant McGaugh has been
awarded Legacy Magazine 2025Most Powerful and Influential
Black Business Leader of theYear.
In addition, he was awardedLegacy's Top Black Healthcare
(36:44):
Professional back in 2018.
Come on, man, you don't thinkthat makes me feel good too?
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (36:53):
I feel as good as you do, man.
Speaker 2 (36:54):
You don't think that makes me feel good too.
Yeah, I feel as good as you do,Honestly, you know, and that
gives me pleasure.
And because you know this awardand, by the way, this award
comes from the community, yeah,Dexter Bridgman, and my team of
my team, my editorial teamthat's doing this, these awards
and this type of recognition youhave to be nominated and you
(37:15):
have to.
You know, when part of thenomination process, someone has
to write an essay of 100 words,200 words, on why Grant McCaul
should be considered.
And we have a committee thatyou know that sits down and
looks at everybody, and somepeople have been trying to get
on the list forever In a joking.
And some people have beentrying to get on the list
(37:36):
forever In a joking way.
Some people have even tried tohey, they got to do what they
got to do.
Speaker 1 (37:42):
Dexter, we're coming to the end.
I want you because this isimportant.
How do they contact you?
How do they say, hey, I'minterested in Dexter and his
business?
How do they contact?
Speaker 2 (37:53):
you Real simple.
You can contact me.
You can email me at dab atmiamediagrpcom.
You can also go to my website,which has all my contact
information, and that's realsimple.
That's probably the easiest way, because you're not going to
(38:14):
remember the email address, butjust go to my website at
miamediagrpcom miamediagrpcom.
And it has my contactinformation in terms of my phone
number, my office phone numberand my email, and I'm prompt
with responding to allcommunication.
And I'm prompt with respondingto all communication.
Speaker 1 (38:35):
I tell you I thank you so much for being with us on
the Black Business Network.
This has been wonderful.
We will talk soon again.
My friend Genius is common andI'll see you on the other side.
Thank you.
Well, that was wonderful,wonderful, wonderful, wonderful.
I want to remind everybody thatthe Black Business Expo's
(38:57):
mission is to raise funds forour K-12 entrepreneurs.
This expo is a fundraiser forstudents.
You can go towwwblackbusinessexpousacom to
donate to the scholarship fund.
You can use the Cash App thatis on the screen below.
That is $BBXUSA.
Our goal is to give laptops andup to $5,000 to 10 students
(39:22):
Students.
You can register online atwwwBlackBusinessExpoUSAcom.
Every dollar counts, so we wantto remind you to donate to the
Scholarship Fund.
We want to thank our BlackBusiness Expo USA sponsors for
July 2025.
We want to thank our BlackBusiness Expo USA sponsors for
July 2025.
They include NC100, moodyCapital Partners, suede Soul,
five Star BDM Media, lotus,rocher, coaching and Training,
carolina, virginia MinoritySupplier Development Council,
(39:45):
step Management, hello LLC, bhsand Associates, margie McLean
Foundation Incorporated, geniusis Common Earth Essentials,
milani Shiny, global Executive,success Women's Success
Institute, the Quality CoachingCompany, Superwoman Business
Services, creative Force Studios, lee Entertainment, artistic
App Design.
Black Business Expo USA andGenius is Common and I will see
(40:10):
you on the other side.
Hey, good morning, good day, good afternoon
business owners, entrepreneurs,thought leaders and corporations
, and welcome to the BlackBusiness Network.
My name is Grant McGaugh, ceoof Five Star BDM and host of the
Follow Brand podcast and TVseries, and I am your business
moderator for this day on theBlack Business Network.
(00:27):
The Black Business Network is a24-hour business network
showcasing Black businesses,business owners, entrepreneurs
and thought leaders worldwide,and we have speakers from North
Carolina, london, singapore,africa, japan and cities all
over the United States.
The Black Business Network is aglobal community sharing its
(00:48):
business knowledge to empower,inspire and educate businesses
about business.
And today we have Dexter ABridgman.
He is the visionary founder andCEO of Miami or MIA Media Group
LLC, the largest producer ofBlack-targeted editorial content
(01:09):
in Florida, and since 2004, hehas built a media empire that
includes Legacy Magazine, orLegacy Miami, legacy South
Florida and MIA Magazine,covering business, politics,
culture and lifestyle acrossprint, digital and broadcast
platforms.
His publications are officialmedia partners for marquee
(01:31):
events like Jazz in the Gardens,the American Black Film
Festival and the Art of BlackMiami, reaching over 1 million
readers through partnershipswith the Miami Herald and Sun
Sentinel readers throughpartnerships with the Miami
Herald and Sun Sentinel.
Bridgman also holds six weeklytelevision shows on CW Channel
39 and distributes a digitalnewsletter three times a week.
(01:53):
A Hofstra graduate and proudAlpha Phi Alpha brother Dexter
has earned honors from the NAACPand Miami-Dade Chamber of
Commerce for his work empoweringFlorida's Black community
through media, entrepreneurshipand civic activity.
I'd like to bring Dexter ABridgman to the Black Business
(02:16):
Network.
Speaker 2 (02:17):
How are you doing today?
Speaker 1 (02:18):
Hey.
Speaker 2 (02:18):
Grant, good morning, I'm doing wonderful, my friend,
good to see you.
Speaker 1 (02:23):
I am so proud of you.
I'm going to just come out andsay that right now.
I am very, very proud of you.
You know, I just went throughyour bio.
I said 2004.
This guy has been doing what wecall doing what we're doing
right now.
For 21 years.
You have been showcasing Blackexcellence, black professionals,
(02:44):
black educators, in all kindsof different ways to get
visibility.
You featured me twice in acouple of different
acknowledgements andrecognitions and, man, I just
wanted to put that out thereright here, right now.
Very proud of you.
(03:05):
But I want you to tell us yourorigin story, dexter.
How did you become this mediamogul in South Florida?
Speaker 2 (03:14):
Well, it goes back even further.
It goes back some 40-somethingyears.
I have to give credit to theperson that started it all for
me.
I have to give credit to theperson that started it all for
me.
I had an opportunity to meetEarl Graves, the former founder
and CEO of Black EnterpriseMagazine, and I had an
(03:38):
opportunity to tour his officewhen I was 19 years old on an
office tour like a student typeof summer program, years old, on
an office tour like a studenttype of summer program.
And when I walked into hisoffice, I mean he had two floors
on Madison Avenue and I don'tknow if you back in, but that
would have to be 80, 1980.
There weren't too many blackpeople having offices on Madison
(03:58):
Avenue, yet alone having twofloors, two complete floors that
belonged to his company.
I was just so impressed.
And his office was as big as myhouse and it had dollar signs
on his office and he had apicture of just about every
(04:19):
political and business leader,not just nationally but
internationally.
And at the end of the tour Ilooked up at him and I said, mr
Graves, one day I'm going to bea publisher.
You have convinced me that thisis what I want to do and some
11 years later you know justserendipity, or you know just,
(04:42):
you know one of these situationsI happened to get an invitation
to his 25 year anniversary and,um, uh, I was still in line to
kiss his ring and to say hello,mr Graves.
I did it and he looked, theysaid so.
When I told them the story, ofcourse he didn't remember me.
I mean you know, you know whatI mean, you know.
So, um, when I told him thestory, he says well, are you a
(05:05):
publisher, dexter today?
I said yes, sir, I reachedinside my and said show me what
you got Reached inside my insidepocket, pulled it out.
He started going through it andhe said this is very good, very
good.
He said Clarence, ed, come onover here, meet Yomra and the
Clarence and Eddie he's talkingabout is Clarence Smith and Ed
Lewis, the founders, the CEO andthe publisher of Essence
(05:28):
magazine.
He said join me.
This is young bro over here.
He's on his way up.
Man, you can tell me I wasn't,I was in the highest cotton.
So I took that and I took thatexperience and I started a
publishing company in New Yorkand I did that for like nine
years and I happened to venturedown here in South Florida
(05:52):
because my sister relocated andshe then bought a home.
She purchased a home and I wassupposed to stay for the weekend
.
Grant, I'd never been to SouthFlorida before.
Man, I lost my mind, you know.
First of all, when I was takingoff, I was taking off in
(06:14):
LaGuardia and it was two feet ofsnow and we were the last team
out.
So imagine not ever being inSouth Florida before, although
I've been to the Caribbean andwhat have you but when I landed
it was 84 degrees.
So I came from 30 to 28 degreeweather, 25 degree weather.
I had my parka on andeverything, man, I was sweating.
(06:37):
I got to my sister's car.
She's like take all that off.
Like I said, I was supposed tostay a weekend.
I didn't stay for two weeks andyou know, I started coming down
just about every other weekendand she said listen, if you like
it so much, why don't you move?
And so you know, being anentrepreneur, I'm like, hey, you
don't have to tell me twice.
I said I'll be here in sixmonths.
Grant, I was here six months tothe day.
(06:58):
May 4th 2004 was when I was sixmonths to the day that I said I
would be here and I started mypublication.
I didn't know what I wanted todo, grant.
I was very successful in NewYork.
I had some money and I was justgoing to take things easy.
I was 42.
(07:20):
I said you know a littleretirement, whatever.
I'll figure everything outlater.
I said you know a littleretirement, whatever.
I'll figure everything outlater.
But I saw a Miami Heraldarticle and it said introducing
South Florida's top realtors.
Now, grant, when I came downhere in 19 in 2004,.
It was at the peak of the realestate industry.
(07:42):
South Florida was still veryaffordable.
And let me tell you somethingit didn't matter who I met.
I could have met a doctor, alawyer.
I could have met you, I don'tknow.
Do you sell real estate Grant?
I did not Okay, you did not.
You're one of the few peoplethat didn't, probably Everybody.
If I met the president ofBurger King, he would say, hey,
(08:03):
my name is John Smith, by theway.
I met the president of BurgerKing, he would say, hey, my name
is John Smith, by the way, I'mthe president of Burger King and
I sell real estate, oh yeah.
So I'm like, how could that beone black person on that list of
50 people?
So he had like 45 men that wereeither white or Hispanic and
then they had, they had, theyhad three white women and like
(08:27):
two Hispanic women.
And I'm like, not one person,not one person, not one black
person could make that list.
So I said, you know what?
This is what I'm going to do.
And I went to some journalistsand I told them that I'm going
to start this publication that'sgoing to feature black
excellence and what have you.
And they're like good luck,good luck, I can only think of
(08:50):
one or two.
And these are our Blackjournalists working for the
Miami Herald, working for otherentities, and I'm like, really,
but I didn't look.
I'm like you know well, that'syour experience, they ain't
going to be mine.
So in November I came out withmy first issue and November of
2004,.
I came out, my first issue, myfirst power issue, and here I am
21 years later.
(09:11):
Never missed the issue,regardless of the situation,
regardless of the crisis in 2008, regardless of COVID,
regardless of what's happeningnow with the tariffs and, you
know, businesses pulling backnever missed an issue and we are
doing very, very well.
(09:32):
Beside all of that, because youknow we have, you know I've
worked very hard to put it's notjust about me, grant.
You know I was.
You know, you know this.
It's about the people that yousurround yourself with building
a good team.
That's right.
So you know, today we are, wehave three platforms print,
(09:53):
digital, print television shows,where, you know, I don't wear
this as a badge of honor.
So we, you know, unfortunatelywe're the only one in Miami-Dade
County that owns and producesshows that are on network
television, shows that are blackand, like I said, I don't wear
it as a badge.
We should have more people.
(10:14):
I should not be the only one.
You understand what I'm saying,yes.
And then the third is that wehave a strong digital presence
as well.
We have a strong digitalpresence as well.
So we have three majorplatforms where we over a
million people either read orview our platforms on a weekly
basis.
Speaker 1 (10:32):
And I can attest to all that.
First, you are the essence ofresilience and, like you said,
21 years not missing an issuethe rain, sleet, snow.
And I say that because he'sfrom New York.
He didn't see too much.
He's in a lot of rain, but nottoo much sleet and snow.
But you know me myself.
(10:52):
I came down in 1998.
You know my father was here and, just like you, I used to call
him on the phone.
And then you know be in themiddle of December and you know
I'm shoveling snow and I say,hey dad, what are you doing?
So you know I'm in my shorts,sitting down in the back.
You know what I'm sick of this,that's my transition story
(11:16):
Exactly.
Speaker 2 (11:17):
I'm very mean to my friends.
It's, like you know, January,February, March.
I'm walking around with mysandals and, you know, short
pants and whatever the case maybe, and they're freezing their
butts off in New York and I'mdoing selfies and sending it to
them.
Speaker 1 (11:32):
Oh, yeah, yeah.
So this could be you right,right, come on down.
But in all seriousness and Ididn't realize, you started with
the power edition I was just,you know, honored and you're top
50 power players in Miami.
You have one for Miami, youhave one for South.
Congratulations, it just makesme feel good because that was my
(11:57):
second time the first time itwas in 2018, I was honored in
your healthcare publication.
Because of those recognitions,I also, like you were saying
earlier, you know I surroundmyself in a network of good
people, right, professionalpeople that are mobily upward.
They're doing things in thecommunity and because I'm
(12:19):
featured in that particularpublication, I now am actually
operating in that same networkof your own.
I've reached out to certainpeople, I've had conversations
with them, we've done businesstogether.
This has been wonderful.
I wanted to tell this becausewhen I became the president of
the National Association ofHealth Services Executives for
(12:43):
the South Florida world and Igot with Dexter and said, dexter
, this is what I'm doing, andDexter said, hey, I think we
could work together on something.
And I said I want to do anewsletter, I want to do
something, and Dexter said youknow what?
First of all, let's share somenetwork information and I'm
going to put you in touch withmy editor who develops a
(13:07):
newsletter, and if you think youcan pull together enough
content for a quarter you canthen you know I'll go ahead and
help you develop it.
He did that for me and I'mtelling you this because this is
the origin story, the trueorigin story of Five Star BDM
and the Follow the Brand podcast, because I started interviewing
(13:31):
healthcare executives, goingout there with my little cell
phone, recording them, gettingthe audio, doing the transcript,
getting his editor involved anddeveloping Probably people will
say you know a lot oforganizations.
They do a newsletter.
I had a publication.
Speaker 2 (13:47):
I said this is not a newsletter.
You were one of the first tohave a digital publication.
Speaker 1 (13:52):
Yeah, you showed me that whole platform.
Right, you did that.
So I guess the question is,where are we now as a people
when it comes to contentcreation, in your lens, in your
eye, because you've been doingit so long and you know how?
(14:12):
Now, even before 20 years ago,content creation is at the
fingertips for a lot of people.
Digital audio, print, you cando these things.
You've got a large languagemodel Express to us how
important it is to be visible inthe community.
Speaker 2 (14:29):
Well, it is.
But I'll tell you, there'scontent creators who are
journalists, real journalists,who went to college and took
journalism courses and so forthand became reporters and editors
and what have you.
And then there are contentcreators who have opinions,
(14:52):
whether it's whether they have awritten opinion or they have a
broadcast opinion, and you knowyou have to give them their due
because that is where thesociety is going.
But at the same time, theydon't play the same rules that I
do.
You know what I mean?
(15:13):
I have to, as a, as ajournalistic organization, an
award winning journalisticorganization, I have to play by
rules that are set by guidelines.
I have to play by rules thatare set by guidelines.
If you're Michael Smith orMichelle Jones and you're not a
journalist, but you have anopinion and your opinions are
(15:37):
popular, you can talk about, andit could be as wild and crazy
or it could be very, veryprofessionally done, and it
(15:57):
could be a situation whereyou're addressing an audience
with, I'm not saying, a lack ofintellect, but Sometimes the
content creators.
They get ahead of themselves,unfortunately and I'm talking
about just in the black space,in all spaces, sure, and just
(16:18):
spew all sorts of things racismand everything, everything good,
bad and indifferent.
So, as I said, it's good andthen it's good and it also has
its drawbacks as well.
But you know, in my space, interms of the world, it's
(16:41):
changing and evolving, and whathave you?
You know, I just recentlyswitched over, in December, from
print to all my publicationsare now digital flip books.
Guess what?
The days of going to thenewsstands if there's breaking
news you used to run to thenewsstands or run to the
(17:06):
supermarket or grab a newspaper.
Things are happening like this,so as soon as it happens it's
on your phone, you get an alertor whatever the case may be.
So the days of newspapers,print newspapers and printing
magazines those days are over,over.
When I started with the MiamiHerald back in 2010, their
(17:29):
circulation was in the 400,000s.
That's called the Sun Sentinel.
Theirs was the same thing.
Now the Miami Herald is puttingout 10,000 copies, sun Sentinel
is putting out 30,000 copies,but they've made a transition to
digital.
So that's not where theirstrength is.
They keep those publicationsjust because, and one day you're
(17:53):
going to wake up and they'llsay Miami Herald, sun Sentinel
is no longer printing and thisis the way of the future.
A lot of major publishingcompanies throughout the country
are all digital now.
Speaker 1 (18:06):
This is a big deal and I hear what you're saying.
I know growing up one of thebiggest things.
We have a hurled, especially inMiami, my hometown of Nebraska,
and you would get the paperdelivered to you every day.
I remember being even in highschool.
On a Saturday night we would goand I would work part-time
there and we would put out theSunday paper.
(18:28):
It was this thick, right, right, right.
Or even looking at you know,the telephone book, every year
you get this huge telephone book.
Well, that's no longer so.
The business of media haspivoted and changed to a digital
world.
This is one of the reasons whyI focus on personal branding
(18:49):
from a business, a businessdevelopment tool, because I'm
trying to show people likeyou've got to be visible and
understand how to utilize thesedigital tool sets that are at
your disposal, because this ishow people are going to become
aware of you.
Just like, if you have justjust a brick and mortar building
, right, well, it's going to bea lot easier for you to get a
(19:12):
presence digitally than it isfor somebody driving.
Remember the day of thebillboard?
You're just driving down theroad and you see the billboard.
Some of that is still in play,but minuscule.
I was blown away with what youjust said.
Miami Herald had a publicationof 400,000 newspapers going out
probably every day, every week,every day.
Speaker 2 (19:35):
And that was 10,000?
That's like that was 10 to12,000, 10 to 15,000, somewhere
in that neighborhood, becausethey realize it's.
You know, I mean it's a dyingindustry.
Print is dying and the only wayyou're going to survive.
I mean, again, like they keepit.
They keep it, you know, justbecause I mean there's some
(19:56):
business reasons to keep italive as well.
But you know they have made acomplete dive, as most major
publications in the UnitedStates and the world, to digital
.
And that's what I've done and Itry to tell my I like to think
of myself as I'm a little aheadof the curve in the world of
(20:18):
black media, black-owned media,and I tell my associates all the
time listen, you can't dobusiness the way you did
yesterday.
You've got to transfer, you'vegot to have a digital presence.
You've got to have a strong webpresence.
You've got to have a strongsocial media presence.
You have to, especially ifyou're media.
(20:42):
People expect that you're goingto have something to say on
social media or something that'sto represent you on social
media.
And that's just the way theindustry is and you know, with
the advance of AI, that is alsoimpacting our industry.
Speaker 1 (21:02):
A hundred percent on that and I've seen it.
And as far as morphing,changing the content creation of
audio video, obviously, andtext, how are people consuming
information?
And intelligence is super,super important.
My question for you is nowyou've made the pivot.
Are you seeing our Blackbusinesses also making the pivot
(21:28):
, or are they holding on to ablockbuster world in a Netflix
society?
Speaker 2 (21:35):
I'll say it like that Well, let me make sure I
understand the question.
Repeat again Make sure.
Speaker 1 (21:45):
I'm going to say it like this Are our black
businesses keeping up?
Are they?
Speaker 2 (21:50):
making the pivot?
Are they making the change?
Got it?
You know, unfortunately, fromwhat I see, you know, and I, you
know, I'm honoring andrecognizing, I know a lot of the
Black businesses and what haveyou in South Florida, and
unfortunately, some of they'renot, they're not and we're the
(22:12):
last ones, usually unfortunately, to get to the point where we,
you know, we're the last ones toget the upgrade, the technology
upgrade.
We're the last ones to, andsometimes it's financial,
sometimes the lack of knowledge.
I mean, you know, and I'll giveyou an example like this you
(22:33):
know, if you go to a chambermeeting, um, and, and you know,
if you go to a chamber meeting,they have grants and the type of
grants they have are for liketwo thousand dollars.
How to, how to start, how to,how to develop a media?
I mean mean you develop yourbusiness plan, how to do this,
(22:54):
how to do that.
Well, you know, that's only fora certain certain type of
business.
You know what I mean.
If you've been in business for10, 15 years.
You've got to be.
You've got to, you've got tohave more advanced knowledge and
more advanced type ofinformation.
But many of us are still.
(23:14):
Many of us still don't havewebsites.
Many of us don't do anymarketing.
Many of us don't, you know,follow any kind.
You know.
I mean, look at the back in the, when we had the recession or
the COVID, and you know peoplewere applying for the federal
grants, money that would go bein your pocket.
(23:35):
All you need to do is show yourincome tax Right, then have the
paperwork together, get thatmoney, because they didn't file
taxes.
They don't know their.
You know their profit and loss.
How are you in business everyday, grant, and you don't know
(23:56):
that you're in the red Right,right, but you know and this is
where we are unfortunately butyou know, thanks to
organizations like yours, thatyou know you're talking about it
, you know you're giving anopportunity or you're talking
and educating and informing ourcommunity on the importance of
(24:16):
that type of thing.
It's you know.
I mean, I just don't understand.
I don't get it.
I don't understand how youdon't.
Speaker 1 (24:23):
I'm a piggyback on that and to your point and I've
been doing this now for fiveplus years, just on the podcast
itself and bringing talent tothe table like yourself, to
educate society, because wedon't want that to be an excuse
you should know, you have toknow, right.
I point to our educationalsystem and I'll point the finger
(24:46):
right at it, because we are ona monopoly board.
This is what it is.
You need to pass go, you needto collect $200.
You need to accumulate property, you need to get a home, you
need to get a business.
You need to understand thisevery day, and twice on Sunday.
However, if you look at oureducation system, it's really
teaching you how to pass go.
Speaker 2 (25:07):
That's it.
Speaker 1 (25:08):
And if you only learn how to pass go and collect $200
, that'll work in the beginning,until everybody else starts
collecting property, startgetting monopolies, start
collaborating with other people,and all of a sudden, that same
block like you mentionedsomething earlier around real
estate right In Miami.
I remember, coming to Miami,you could buy a really nice home
(25:29):
for about $150,000.
It was really nice.
That exact same property,nothing changed at all.
It's now $700,000, $800,000.
Exactly, the block has changedyou go around the block and
collect your $200, you ain'tbuying much Right?
Speaker 2 (25:46):
Not at all, not at all.
Speaker 1 (25:50):
I say this when it comes to business and it comes
to to the basic education thatwe are teaching our kids and I
think we have to do thisourselves You've got to learn
and understand the environmentin which you are operating in,
and it's changing constantly, soyou can't say, oh yeah, well, I
don't like that.
It ain't about you liking it ornot.
(26:12):
This is how business is beingconducted, that you can amplify
yourself.
So I can take Dexter and make10 Dexters.
Why do you think he has so manydifferent media outlets?
Because people consumeinformation in different ways
right, different ways, exactly.
Speaker 2 (26:30):
Well said, and that's the truth.
Speaker 1 (26:32):
So here's the question I had.
Let's say, I want to go, I likeDexter and what he does and I'm
going to be just like thatperson, like Earl Gray.
I'm coming to your office.
I see what you've done.
I see what you've done, if Iwanted to go and walk in your
footsteps, what are like fivethings I really need to know
right now that I probably wasn'taware of.
Speaker 2 (26:54):
That's a really good question and you know, some of
this is the basic questions.
You know in terms of you know,doing your, doing your research.
You know, you know, and when Isay do your research in terms of
finding out what's what's outthere.
But part of your research isdon't chase the dollar, don't
start a business that you're notpassionate about, but just like
(27:17):
, okay, you know what.
I hear that being a startingconstruction company or starting
a repair company, whatever is,I can make a lot of money doing
that.
But if you're not passionateabout a grant, what's going to
happen?
You're going to, it's going tofail.
It's going to fail because youknow what I work and when I say
(27:40):
this, I work seven days a weekand it's not work grant, but
it's not work.
I enjoy it.
This is who I am, this is mybusiness, I'm passionate about
it.
I think about it every singleday.
But some people say, well,don't you need to decompress or
take a breath?
(28:01):
I do, I do, and part of that isI take a breath and I think
about my business because youknow what, like I said earlier,
you can't do business the wayyou did yesterday or the day
before, you know.
So that's one.
(28:21):
Number two is if you're on time,you're late.
That appointment is at nineo'clock and you walk in the door
at nine o'clock, you're late.
That appointment's at nineo'clock and you walk in the door
at nine o'clock, you're late.
I'm from New York man.
It's a New York minute.
It's a New York minute, newYork second.
You know what I mean.
So be a half an hour early.
(28:41):
I don't care who you are, Idon't care if you're a student,
I don't care if you're aprofessional who's been out
there for 10, 15 years, orsomeone who's seasoned, been in
business for 40 years.
If you're on time, you are late.
And this is another one thatyou're not going to find in the
books, but I took this from anexperience when I was in camp,
(29:06):
when I was eight, nine years old, I went to a boys' camp and it
was all based on sports and whathave you, and they were giving
out awards and such and such,and the camp director said we're
going to give this award.
We've never done this awardbefore, but this gentleman, this
young man, has, is somannerable and is so you know, I
(29:33):
mean always.
Thank you, thank you, please,this and that and the other.
So the first award that we'veever given for manners is dexter
bridgman, and I remember thatand I took that to the rest of
my life.
Manners saying thank you iscurrency saying thank you.
May I please?
It's currency grant right yes,yes you know, being kind, it's
(29:58):
currency.
I another one.
You're not gonna hear thelikability factor.
People like doing business withpeople.
They like don't be an assholeExcuse the expression, Don't be
a jerk, you know.
I mean you can say there are alot of people who are successful
who are jerks and and and youknow, and people don't like them
(30:21):
.
They get that.
Come up and trust me, they do.
But the people that are likableand the people who do things
always the right way and makingsure that they take care of
everything they're going to,they're always looked after.
I have clients that will say tome you know, Dexter, we don't
have much of a budget, but I'm a, I'm going to get, I'm going to
(30:42):
, I'm going to get you moremoney.
Yeah, that's what they do.
Because why they like me?
And why do they like me?
Because I like them and I'm I'mkind and I'm considerate and
I'm polite to everyone, Everyone, Not just my clients, everyone.
Yeah, you understand what I'msaying.
I like you.
I like you too, man.
(31:05):
That's why I'm here, I assume,right.
With cause without question,you're talking about manners as
well.
Appreciation goes a long way,absolutely, absolutely.
And you know, I mean, like Isaid, and you know the things
about, you know, making surethat you, you know you do things
(31:29):
the right way.
I mean I'm, you know, from abusiness perspective, having
morals and ethics are alsoincredibly important, incredibly
(31:51):
important.
You know.
I tell people, you know, guardyour reputation and your name
jealously, jealously.
You understand what I'm saying.
I do Make sure that your nameis always upheld.
I mean, it's not a matter ofdoing this.
Speaker 1 (32:05):
It's not about bragging.
It's just about doing the rightthing Guard your name and your
reputation jealously.
You couldn't say that.
You got to say that twice.
As someone who does personalbranding, I understand exactly
what you just said.
The thing about when thisdigital age is that your
reputation is going to travellightning fast as before,
because your reach went fromthis to this.
Understanding that and howyou're truly viewed by,
(32:29):
especially your target audience,who do you want to truly
influence, goes a long way, andpeople see everything, whether
you realize that they might notvoice everything, there's a lot
of the things that are invisible.
I always look at the um icebergeffect.
Someone taught me this a whileago.
You know so important becausewhen you see an iceberg and you
(32:50):
see the top of it, you're onlyseeing 30% of that little
iceberg.
70% of that is underneath thewater.
So 70% of your reputation issomething you aren't always
aware of when it's part of youroverall brand.
Speaker 2 (33:04):
Yes, Well said, Well said.
You're so right about that.
And nowadays, man, you can'tget away with anything.
You can't get away withanything.
I always told people, if I wasever going to be a crook or rob
a bank, guess what?
I'm the only one going to robthe bank.
I'm not even my wife.
I'm like, I'm not even tellingyou.
So my point is is is thateverything follows you.
(33:28):
Today, Everything is on socialmedia.
You know, I mean Google.
You know, Google, Some of thatstuff.
It could have happened 20 yearsago.
You can't get rid of it.
You can't get rid of it Makesure that everything that you do
and none of us are perfect, I'mnot saying that you've got to
be a saint, but just make surethat you again be intentional,
(33:50):
be conscious, understand whereyou're at and what you want to
do.
Speaker 1 (33:55):
I can't applaud you more than what you do now,
because you give a voice to whatI call the voiceless.
You're giving people a platformthat haven't had.
Unfortunately, here it is 2025,and some of those same things
still happen.
When they come out with theseForbes lists and other big
publications that come out withtheir list of people, you're
like wow, you know I stillquestion that a lot of times no
(34:19):
one of color at all, right,right, at that level, like none.
Do you think that's a matter ofinfluence because they're not
in their particular circle ofyou?
Know, no, like and trust.
Speaker 2 (34:37):
Or what is that?
Well, remember, I just gave theexample of how I started my
media company when I said youknow you had this 50 people.
You mean, tell me that no onecould have been on that list.
You mean, no one could be onthat Forbes list.
You understand what I'm saying?
Yeah, other people could not beon that Forbes list or other
lists.
You know, basically, and Ialways tell people to make sure
(35:00):
you have a 30-second pitch,somebody says who are you?
And ours is very simple weeducate and inform and
editorialize the success and theachievement of the black South
Florida community.
Real, plain and simple.
You know what I mean.
(35:21):
And I say that because of thefact that you know many awards
are given through.
You know companies give anemployee of the year or this,
that and the other.
Many of our people who arewell-deserving don't get those
opportunities.
(35:41):
So you know, we try to make surethat we honor and recognize
people in all aspects ofprofessional professions, all
aspects of professional, uh, theprofessional or professions.
So you know you were recognizedin the top, top uh, healthcare
issue.
We have we honor and recognizeblack educators.
(36:03):
We have the 40 under 40, youknow, you know the younger one.
And then, of course, the.
You know the, the gold standard.
You know our, our, our, our isthe, the, the where we honor and
recognize the 50 most powerfuland influential Black business
leaders for the year, and I'm sohappy when I'm in a room and
(36:23):
someone's being honored orrecognized and someone's getting
ready to introduce them.
Master of Ceremonies is sayingand Grant McGaugh has been
awarded Legacy Magazine 2025Most Powerful and Influential
Black Business Leader of theYear.
In addition, he was awardedLegacy's Top Black Healthcare
(36:44):
Professional back in 2018.
Come on, man, you don't thinkthat makes me feel good too?
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (36:53):
I feel as good as you do, man.
Speaker 2 (36:54):
You don't think that makes me feel good too.
Yeah, I feel as good as you do,Honestly, you know, and that
gives me pleasure.
And because you know this awardand, by the way, this award
comes from the community, yeah,Dexter Bridgman, and my team of
my team, my editorial teamthat's doing this, these awards
and this type of recognition youhave to be nominated and you
(37:15):
have to.
You know, when part of thenomination process, someone has
to write an essay of 100 words,200 words, on why Grant McCaul
should be considered.
And we have a committee thatyou know that sits down and
looks at everybody, and somepeople have been trying to get
on the list forever In a joking.
And some people have beentrying to get on the list
(37:36):
forever In a joking way.
Some people have even tried tohey, they got to do what they
got to do.
Speaker 1 (37:42):
Dexter, we're coming to the end.
I want you because this isimportant.
How do they contact you?
How do they say, hey, I'minterested in Dexter and his
business?
How do they contact?
Speaker 2 (37:53):
you Real simple.
You can contact me.
You can email me at dab atmiamediagrpcom.
You can also go to my website,which has all my contact
information, and that's realsimple.
That's probably the easiest way, because you're not going to
(38:14):
remember the email address, butjust go to my website at
miamediagrpcom miamediagrpcom.
And it has my contactinformation in terms of my phone
number, my office phone numberand my email, and I'm prompt
with responding to allcommunication.
And I'm prompt with respondingto all communication.
Speaker 1 (38:35):
I tell you I thank you so much for being with us on
the Black Business Network.
This has been wonderful.
We will talk soon again.
My friend Genius is common andI'll see you on the other side.
Thank you.
Well, that was wonderful,wonderful, wonderful, wonderful.
I want to remind everybody thatthe Black Business Expo's
(38:57):
mission is to raise funds forour K-12 entrepreneurs.
This expo is a fundraiser forstudents.
You can go towwwblackbusinessexpousacom to
donate to the scholarship fund.
You can use the Cash App thatis on the screen below.
That is $BBXUSA.
Our goal is to give laptops andup to $5,000 to 10 students
(39:22):
Students.
You can register online atwwwBlackBusinessExpoUSAcom.
Every dollar counts, so we wantto remind you to donate to the
Scholarship Fund.
We want to thank our BlackBusiness Expo USA sponsors for
July 2025.
We want to thank our BlackBusiness Expo USA sponsors for
July 2025.
They include NC100, moodyCapital Partners, suede Soul,
five Star BDM Media, lotus,rocher, coaching and Training,
carolina, virginia MinoritySupplier Development Council,
(39:45):
step Management, hello LLC, bhsand Associates, margie McLean
Foundation Incorporated, geniusis Common Earth Essentials,
milani Shiny, global Executive,success Women's Success
Institute, the Quality CoachingCompany, Superwoman Business
Services, creative Force Studios, lee Entertainment, artistic
App Design.
Black Business Expo USA andGenius is Common and I will see
(40:10):
you on the other side.
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