E537: Rikki Hughes, Bob Sumner, Jeannette Bayardelle & Shani Hosten

Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:04):
Welcome to Money Making Conversations. It's the show that she
has the secrets of success experience firsthand by marketing and
Brandon expert Rashan McDonald. I will know he's giving me
advice to many occasions. Indication didn't notice. I'm not broke.
You know. He'll be interviewing celebrity CEOs, entrepreneurs and industry
decision makers. It's what he likes to do. It's what
he likes to share. Now it's time to hear from

(00:25):
my man, Rashan McDonald. Money Making Conversations Here we come. Yes,
the podcast of the year. That's right, fastest growing, syndicated,
Serious accent one, Farty one one, Farty two, all HBCU
capsuses Alexa. That's what we do, Spotify. That's what we
do with Money Making Conversation. We spread the word. We

(00:47):
give you options to listen because money Making Conversations about you.
Each money Making Conversation radio talk show podcast is about
entrepreneurship and entertainment. In fact, this past weekend I was
in at University of Houston doing a speech for the
organization called Sure That's as you are a capitalized universe
usage the number one school for entrepreneurship. It was amazing,

(01:09):
and that's what I'm doing now. I'm spreading the brand.
I'm standing in front of people. I'm preaching. I'm preaching
the gospel of truth that you could be successful, that
you can win, but you have to people more. But
you have to be motivated by being consistent and have
a sense of perfect purpose, not and that purpose has
to be tied to a plan. Faith is great, but
you better have that business plan. I provide the consumer

(01:30):
and business owner access to celebrities, CEOs, entrepreneurs, and industry
decision makers. Everybody travels a different path to success. Is
your brand, It's your story. My guests, in turn, deliver
information about their career, motivation, budget planning, how they live
a balanced life, and their secrets to success. That's what

(01:51):
money making Conversation is all about. That's what we've been doing.
That's what we've been building this brand. I'll be a
Napty in January pitchingness as a TV show. So the
sky is it's not even a limit here. We're gonna
do this. My next guest is the executive producer Laugh
Mob Laugh Tracks, which is in the second season on

(02:11):
True TV. But let's go back, Let's go back. This
is with me and him, you know, step into the world.
Because he's also co created with Russell Simmons the HBO
Deaf Comedy Jam. He was working behind the scenes recruiting
the best, unrecognized, unknown or just starting out comedians in

(02:31):
the world as a producer, a talent scout, a good friend,
many industry influences considering him a career maker because he
hit my career. I would not be sitting here if
he had not chosen me to be on Death Comedy Jam.
We talked about that during the interview. He surely can
be credited with discovering Bernie Mack, Dave Chappelle. I did
Dave Chappelle here and I did Death Comedy Jam together.

(02:53):
Chris Tucker, Bill Bellaman, that's my board, got him on
my speed Dits Secretly Entertainment. He's done my show Money
Main Conversation Many Mike else that's a fool. Did the
movie with uh Steve, did it with Beyonce. We did
that movie together, Monique Monique. I did a TV show,
The Parkers. Tracy Morgan, that food you know about him?
Did a comedy concert that the Houston Arena and Houston

(03:15):
Texas with it and a multitude of other comedians. I'm
just letting you know what he's done. He's allowed me
to have a lane of participation. Please welcome to money
making conversations, my man, Bob Sumner right now. Man, I'm
so proud of you. I don't know what you got

(03:38):
that long? I said, you still got that long more? Absolutely, absolutely,
I'm gonna tell you something. Let's let's go back, man,
because you know we're gonna talk about laugh Mark, which
is a really it's it's you know, I've watched several episodes.
I'm a fan of it because it's like a catch

(04:00):
comedy show tied into a stand up comedy show, which
is really fascinating from a creative standpoint, because you know,
I'm watching that show and because of the way they
produced it and the stand up coming I've already done
with it. That's excited about because I do want to
talk about our journey together and the comics and comedians lives.
You change and the facts changed the way we we

(04:21):
look at comedy today, from Steve Harvey to Eccentric Entertainment.
Who's on CBS right now, Dio Hugualle has a syndicated,
a nationally syndicated show. And of course Bernie Mack, who
would always be legendary and what he did. Unfortunately health
reasons took him away. But there are other comics out
there who walked on that stage, who was established, who
still came on that stage and you know, built their

(04:43):
brand out of we're talking like the you know the
Chris Tucker did five minutes and then became an international
star five minutes on Death Comedy. You know you know
ed Grifford, he did Michael Jackson because it's superstar. Wow, man,
let me could I I think could Before we go

(05:04):
into all of that, you said something already that you
pretty much hit the nail on the head man Um
in terms of why why this show um was created,
laugh minds, laugh tracks was really based on America. Really
didn't know how death Comedy jam was built. You do?

(05:26):
You do? You know everybody always see the faces, you know,
the big names. Definitely, everybody thinks that Diana Ross discovered
the Jackson five, when really it was Bobby Tella from
the Vancouver's. You know, people don't know that that part.
But um, what happened with me was I watched the
landscape of where comedy had gone out of the nineties,

(05:50):
you know, out of the nineties. Man, everybody was getting
the sitcom people was meeting, people said, didn't know Steve,
but they came to Death Comedy Jam and TV show.
Tracy Morgan didn't know Martin, but he did what he
did and then he got on The Martin Show. So
many things like that, including you know, I brought Dolomite

(06:10):
to Deaf Comedy Jam. I bought while man Steve the
Deaf Commy Jam to mix the new with the old.
And what happened is when Deaf Commy Jam went off
the air, and then the HBO brought the Chris Rocks
Show into light and things of that nature. People don't
understand that. And you know for a fact, I was

(06:32):
going all over the country finding these comedians in little
hole in the walls and this, that and the other,
and it just became magical after a while. But then
all of that stopped and I kept the show going
on the road where Kevin Hart won a contest for me,
Cocob Brown won a contest for me, s Ray Davis.

(06:53):
So the talent was still there, but we didn't really
have a vehicle for them. So with that being said,
you know the two thousand and two thousand and ten,
some of these people started coming on, but I knew
that there was the next generation. Just like after Michael
Jordan's you had Kobe Bryant doing Lebron James, the same

(07:17):
thing goes with comedy. So I decided to go to
l a Inside to build the brand. Okay, my own brand,
and and and laugh Mob is nothing more than the
afternem for MOB is more of Bob's best. So what
I would do is I would go into these these
big offices and talk to these people. But nobody really

(07:39):
knew that it was Bob something that did this. And
I'm trying to bring them a sketch show as possible,
so more fresh stand up. Nobody's hearing me. So you
know what happened. I said, I'll just do it myself
and do it in a certain way where I can
take all these stand up comedians who don't have UM

(08:00):
great tapes. You know, after the show, they're trying to
pedal their tapes, but you get the tape and it's
like um video from shows, comic view or whatever that
they've been or nobody wants that. They want something fresh.
So also you could take a fresh tape. If I
identify who deserves a half hour or hour special, I'll

(08:21):
shoot it myself and then try to sell it to
a Showtime or HBO, which is actually worked. But I
took all of the sixteen hours of material that I
had the audio, and I treated it just like a
Thanksgiving turkey. Okay, you take that material and just like
you take a turkey and you and you have the turkey,

(08:42):
then you turn it into uh um, a turkey sandwich,
a turkey cattle, roll um, you turn it into turkey hash.
You turn it into turkey. So you know, you just
do that, and that's what I did with the stand up.
And we took the audio that had stories, the comedians
that had stories to tell, and some guys out of

(09:03):
my office decided that they're going to try to take
this and turn them into comedy videos and we put
them on YouTube. We started getting sixties seventy million views.
Before you know it. Here some of the networks trying to,
you know, how can we be a part of this,
and here we are. You know, first of all, let's
let's really if you watch the shows. If you watch

(09:24):
the show, I'm taking the stand up comic is on
stage okay during his routine, and then they will seamlessly
transition into a video that they're referencing their stand up comics,
and you're seeing. This is the cool thing about it.
The actor or actors that they've chosen are lip sinking
the dialogue from the comedian. I mean, dead on that on.

(09:47):
That's what I really loved about it because I was like, wow,
I mean so, whether it's a child actor or adult actor,
they are matching it. You know, male female, it doesn't matter.
And that to me, what is a female comedian or
male comedian. That's what I really really loved about the
show is like, wow, this is really slick. You know,
I got the reenactment of the comedy routine, but to

(10:10):
be able to have the comic on stage and then
to take give you the visual of their joke. That's
what you're doing, the visual of their joke while they're
doing the routine. It's pretty impressive. Ball that's pretty pretty.
That's pretty pretty creative. Bro when you look at it
when it goes back in conn you know, there's there's
only a few comedians who I haven't had an imprint

(10:34):
on that are doing big things right now. And one
of them, like when we talk about you know, your
your career and have I had said to you you
needed to like try to find too you know what
you're doing, so you could come over to, you know,
the urban side of things. The bame thing happened with
a young lady by the name of one to side. Okay,

(10:55):
I'm so happy to see one that in her career,
but she fell in right when death Jim was moving
out and and and the trip is Wanda used to
be my go to, like you as my Houston go
to right right right, Wanda would be the one who
would set up my showcases in the DC. Wh She

(11:18):
never once said, Bob, I'm doing this for you put
me on the show about that. She was just going
about it her way because she knew how to be entrepreneurial.
Then she looking she was doing this stuff and now
look at her the big time to produce it. And
I'm so proud of her, you know. But it's just
it's ways to do it. Because I still have some

(11:40):
comedians from back in the day, they're still upset me
because they didn't get there. But it's okay because they did.
Comments you semon right right, right, right, right right right.
I'm good. Well, thank you for coming on my show. Um, definitely. Uh.
This show has been amazing money making conversation because it
allowed me to really realize my personal impact in the

(12:02):
industry and then talk to people who are making an
impact even today, decades later. And you're one of the people,
one of the stars of establishing a brand of comedy,
comedy talent in the industry as so many different levels.
I'm talking to Bob Summer, executive Sumner, executive producer of
Laugh Mob Laugh Tracks, which is on in the second
season on True TV and you can see it on

(12:24):
Friday nights. Bob, thank you for calling my show, my man,
I appreciate your brother. Listen one last thing because you
know I'm also a curative comedy at the Apollo Theater.
See see see now that you come on now and
we're gonna let's gonna extend this interview. Talk about that now.
See you see what you ain't gonna do to me, Bob,
what you ain't gonna do. So, by the way, by
the way, l A. When I went out to l

(12:46):
A to build my brand, sir, but I went to
the comedy store you know, I started giving the comedians
an opportunity there who wasn't giving the opportunity? As time by,
you know, some things happened over there that was not
under my control, and I was like, um, ceremoniously, um,

(13:08):
let's got it away, races. But you know, God is
so good. As a matter of fact, kicking is good.
God is great, Okay, And I had an opportunity. I
got a phone call from the Weald of Famous Apollo
Theater to see if I would be interested in helping
them bring the comedy, you know, comedy back. So what

(13:30):
we did was we um we we actually brought in
the first three non musical performers into the Apollo Walker
Thame and that would be Red Fox, Richard Pryor in
the late Great Um Jackie Mom's Maiden. And that just
kicked us off into a series that we do call

(13:51):
The Apollo Comedy Club. And we're five years in over there,
and what I'm doing is just what the Apollo does.
Stars are born, as are made. I'm showcasing a lot
of the next generation. Is one guy in particular, UM
named Marshall Brandon, who I honestly believe is the next
Bernie Max slash Robin having you cantivate audiences like that,

(14:15):
But nobody really knows who he is yet. But Jo
you and I were to talk. Hey, Bob, blah, look
at this A twenty Rashaan and Bob, this is what
I've been doing all my life. This is what you've
been doing all your life. We just have not produced
anything together, but understand that will change in twenty Bob

(14:39):
something the incredible talent, scout, the incredible producer. Just just
google his name as you am any r first name Bob.
It may not be over the river and through the woods,
but if you're traveling over the holidays, protect your home
and valuables with Blink Security cameras. Blink XT two cameras
are motion activated, play so many and when they detect motion,

(15:01):
you get an alert and a video clip on your
Blink smartphone app. Who on your gift list would love
a Blink security camera? A busy mom who's Blink camera alert?
Or when the kids get home from school and let's
your chat with them using the two way talk feature.
Or the business traveler who will sleep better knowing his
family is safe and secure. And don't forget grandparents. Blink
ext two cameras are wire free, set up fast, and

(15:24):
run onto double A lithium batteries for up to two years.
Blink ext two security cameras are the perfect gift for
everyone in your nice list. Save up to now through
December on Blink cameras and systems. Plus get a free
Amazon Echo with the purchase of any system while supplies last.
Visit blink protect dot com slash sale blink Protect dot

(15:46):
Com slash Sale. Yes, this is Rushan McDonald and you're
listening to Money Making Conversation. I'm the host each Money
Making Conversation radio talk show podcast is about entrepreneurship and entertainment.
I spread the work at the word everybody who wants
to my information. My information is authentic, my internation. My
information is relevant and more important, my information benefits you.

(16:08):
I provide the consumer and business owner access to celebrity
c eos, entrepreneurs and industry decision makers. Everybody travels a
different path to success. It's your brand, It's your story.
My guests delivered their stories about their career, motivation, budget planning,
and how they lead a balanced life which leads to
the secrets of their success or to success. My next

(16:30):
guest has a content creating production company called Magic Lemonade.
I love that name. The production company specializes in television, film,
and new media with offices in Hollywood, California, and Atlanta, Georgia. Company,
Magic Lemonade creates and produces content from pre to post
production for networks and studios. Known as the Woman behind

(16:52):
the Labs, I've known her a lot of a lot
of years, so I know for a fact she's been
associated to me on many comedy productions. She made history.
Lass Year is the first African American female recipient of
an Emmy for Outstanding Variety Special for her role as
producer of a Dave Chappelle comedy special and also want
a Grammy for Best Comedy Album. Please Welcome to money

(17:13):
making conversation and fantastic and brilliant producer Ricky Hughes. Hey,
how are you to put it out there? You know
you're out there doing it? You know you know I
saw your photos holding the Grammy and holding the Emmy.
I love it. I love it. Share to us, you know,
you know, because I don't like to, you know, because

(17:33):
I got a couple of Grammage, I got some Amatee Awards,
and I you know you can find them in my house.
You know they're not They're not somewhere right there, right there.
Either you're blind or you just don't want to look.
My mom can see my stuff when you walk in
my house. So because because you know, as a as
a producer, you know, it's kind of like the crown
jewel of people recognizing what you do because we operate

(17:55):
behind the scenes. You know, the talent always gets recognized,
get recognized in the streets during your recognized with a
bigger paycheck. But as a producer, talked to us about
winning those awards, I mean, you know these awards. One,
you know, working with Dave Chappelle is always a joy
of pleasure and honor um. And then to be recognized Dave,

(18:17):
as you said, as always front and center, which as
he should be. And you know these awards were really
about our peers recognizing us for especially any was you know,
for stan Leyton and I to be recognized, you know
as a producers who really you know, put the show
together and protected the voice for Dave. So you know
when we sat there and you know we were up

(18:39):
against some really big names and you know, some comeback
Kerl Burnett's come back, you know, and speak of the
room Martin Short, you know, carpool karaoke, Like there was
some really big names there, so we were really in
the place, We're excited to be in this building at
this moment, you know, sharing the moment. And then they
started playing Killing Me Awfully and we heard the song.

(19:01):
We're like, wait, that's Day's favorite song. And then they
said stay late the rickey hughes a Chappelle and we
kind of looked each other, We're like, get up, So,
you know, you know, finally got up because we just
didn't really anticipate that um but we still stood in
a lot of gratitude and had a great time sharing
that moment. And it's always great to feel like you're
recognized by your peers, you know, you know, it's really

(19:23):
special because stand Lathan. You know that that that's a
legendary name that needs a documentary attached to his name, Okay,
because I tell him all the time he is, you know,
he is what if you want to say, the king
of comedy, I would call stand the king or the Emperor,
and you know, because and he's so humble and you

(19:43):
know in his approach, but in the end He's definitely
one of my favorite people on the surface. You know,
Standing and I you know, did Death Comedy Jam together.
Standing did Steve Harvey's sitcom it was on the w
B stand did uh the Kevin Hart improv show on
and a bt um. You know, he's he's he's he's
constantly staying current, he constantly stays revel and I apologize

(20:08):
I forgot Death Comedy Jam, which changed the face of
stand up comedy today. That's standing later, that's that's just
part of that's why she says he's the king of
comedy from a producing checking the producer, from a director standpoint.
You know, he, like I said, I I consider him
a friend, I consider a person mentor because I've been
in the position to stand back and watch what he does.

(20:31):
But the key words that you said very humble. Oh
my god, he's so humble. It's it's it's almost ridiculous.
I mean, the fact that he goes back to sest
me street of Mom's mably like, that's such a breast
of work. That stands you know between him. It's just
you know, right now, you're the queen of Queen of

(20:52):
comedy producer. That's my girl. Here Mrs Ricky Hughes. So
you know, let's let's talk about some of the times
I met okay, uh, just to show you the journey.
I'd like to say, the first and only BT comedy
special We Win Too, Steve Harvey Holts, and I was
fortunate to be a producer on the show along with you,

(21:13):
and then several times on Rip the Runway, UH, which
I thought was a cool concept of of of being
able making making a fashion our version of Victoria's Secrets
Runway and um, and those those moments of meeting you.
What I always encountered was professionalism. You knew your job

(21:34):
and you stayed on top of the game. Of course
I talked about Monique Talk Show, just other projects that
wouldn't personally involved. I would walking in and see you.
They're always smiling, always on top of your game. What
motivates you to be successful? Just you know, my motivation
is really just to be great and and everything that
I do and make sure that I'm impeccable with my words.

(21:56):
A lot of times that keeps me was kind of
with my head down, just moving quickly through things. Um.
I know, as a leader of the ship, it's always
important I know that every eye is always on me,
so it's always important to become cool and collective, like
no one ever hears me speak above this voice, no
matter what's going on. And I know that there's a
responsibility in that, and I just you know, I own that.

(22:19):
And you know, it's really important for me that everything
that we put onto that screen is really reflective of
what our intentions were. Now, just really interesting when I
talk because this is her tone when she's uh if
she if she is upset, she never I say, brings
it out. She she would have the conversations, let you

(22:39):
know if you're doing your job right or wrong. But
the thing about is that consistency. But let's talk about
before we get into the how you started in music
and transition of the name of your company, Magic Lemonade.
Give us that back story. So Magic Lemonade one, I
just want to ask about that, the Magic Lemonade, where
does that come from? Well, Magic Lemonade came from a place,

(23:03):
you know, at the point where I wanted to you know,
I'd worked for with so many other people and I
realized it was time for me to hang out my
own shingle. And I say, you know what, happens no
matter no matter what happens with any projects that are
brought to me or that I create, I always have
to add a little magic to it to make it
the sweetest lemonade possible. And the biggest thing is you

(23:24):
can't say it without smiling though. It's just it's a
reminder that we can't take this so serious. You know,
we really need to just enjoy ourselves. To me, the
journey is just as just as important as the final product.
So I like to make sure that you know I
created a place where everyone that comes there feels heard,

(23:45):
everyone that works with me feels like we're working together
and not for me, and that they understand that this
is all just a magical experience and let's just get
on the ride have a good time. We know, the
first of all, you're right because when you said magic lemonade,
I immediately went to my Chick fil A lemonade. I
love their limit. You know, I went right there, you
know my favorite lemonades. You know, I'm already smiling thinking

(24:07):
about where I'm gonna stop when I finished this brought
podcast to Radio Short today. You know, when I when
I think about the way we develop our relationships. It's
always a journey, like I finishes to be a producer,
the writers, sitcom and all the things I've done in
my life and a manager. I started out as a
stand up comedian, and I thought I was going to
be the next Richard Pryor. At the time when I

(24:29):
started Edin, Murphy was everywhere, so I was competing with
his world. And then deaf Jam came along and that
gave me a comedic opportunity. But you didn't start out
being the queen of comedy from a producing standpoint, talk
about the start of your career in music, not at all,
you know. I started off in music. UM. I worked
with UM. We had a soundtrack that was I don't know,

(24:52):
George Jackson, Doug mckenry, I did, I did you know?
And at this point sound tracks were really big and
I had UM and so they had needed a soundtrack
and I brought in I brought in Warrangey and his
crew for the Jason's lyric soundtrack. So UM coming from there,

(25:16):
Warren's manager said, Hey, I got these kids, They've never
been on the road. Can you help me with them?
So I started managing with Ronchy with Warrengy and started
taking all the guys on the road and that was
the start of my music career. I ended up working
a Priority Records for some years, and then when we
did the final bio for E. M I, I said
I'm out. I would rather go to film, and TV

(25:37):
moved over. I started working with Carl Craig and Ralph
Farquhar and so we started producing shows from there. So
my entry from music into TV was through comedy. With
my friend, We're going to talk soon. I love to
bring you back on when we know the uh Jeff
Fry the show comes out, just to talk about it,
just to talk about you know that's that's gonna be

(25:59):
the first car because I know you're gonna have something
in the second quarter, the third quard, in the fourth quarter. Uh.
You know you'll be throwing out some sitcom talks, some
tour talk, all kind of good stuff. But that's what
you do in Congratulations on starting your production company. I
know it's up being up for a while, but working
with people that I admire, uh rap Qua, uh Stan Lathan,

(26:21):
Car Craig. I would have to say those three young
men had an effect on who Sean mcdonaldy is today.
Absolutely thank you so much. Thank you, I appreciate you.
Thank We talked about It may not be over the
river and through the woods, but if you're traveling over

(26:41):
the holidays, protect your home and valuables with Blink Security cameras.
Blink xt two cameras are motion activated. Place them anywhere,
and when they detect motion, you get an alert and
a video clip on your Blink smartphone app. Who on
your gift list would love a Blink security camera. A
busy mom who's Blink camera alert? Or when the kids
get on from school and let's your chat with them

(27:01):
using the two way talk feature. Or the business traveler
who will sleep better knowing his family is safe and secure,
and don't forget grandparents. Blink xt two cameras are wire free,
set up fast, and run onto double A lithium batteries
for up to two years. Blink xt two security cameras
are the perfect gift for everyone on your nice list.
Save up to now through December on Blink cameras and systems.

(27:26):
Plus get a free Amazon Echo with the purchase of
any system while supplies last. Visit blink protect dot Com
slash sale. Blink Protect dot Com slash Sale money Making
Conversations continues online at www dot money Making Conversations dot
com and follow Money Making Conversations on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

(27:48):
Ladies and gentlemen, it's time you stop thinking about your
dreams and put some plans into action. My next guest
is the first timer on a on this on this format,
and I'm happy they always introduced new talented people to
the show because they bring new information. They also educate me.

(28:08):
I always tell people how to rule about myself. I
wake up every morning dumb. I used that in a
very positive way, so I can accept information and I
won't be challenged and I don't walk through life being
a know at all. All Right, that is very important
if you're trying to digest so much information is being
brought to you on a sometime on the rapid rate.
Because of the fact that we have cell phones, in

(28:29):
fact that we have people text you, people call you.
You can't walk away. Back in the day, when I
was growing up, you could walk away from house and
if they didn't catch you before you have you walk
rent talk to him betil you got back home, unless
you ran into them in the streets. That's not the
case anymore. My next Dance is the vice is the
vice President of Multicultural Leadership for African American Black Strategy

(28:50):
and Outreach at a a r P. She serves as
the national force for a RPS engagement with African American
and Black communities throughout through partnerships with multicultural organizations to
drive a RP social impact. Please welcome to Money Making Conversations,
Shaney Houston. Thank you, thank you for trying for having me,

(29:14):
and it is such a pleasure to join the Money
Making Conversations today. Thank you so much. Well, then let's
talk about you. I wanted to talk about it. First
of all, I am a member Omega Sci Fi Fraternity Incorporated.
And I was reading your bio and you are a
member of a k A. I am a proud member

(29:35):
of Alpha Capital Authority Incorporated. Well for thirty years. I
just celebrated my thirty year anniversary. Actually, well that's awesome.
It's so funny because I I I playsed in eighty
one eighty one, so I got a few years in
the in the fraternal world over you, which is cool.

(29:55):
And I got got my for the New Year's City
celebration flying uh for my like three lion brothers and
another fraternity brother. We won't spend New Year's Eve together
in Atlanta. Just a part of life. You know, these
people that you don't know, you go to college and
they become a part of your your emotional base for
the rest of your life. And that's why I wanted
to bring that up. And because I know you you
feel the same way. It's uh, you know it is.

(30:19):
It is really a gift Um disuthroty. I really get
emotionally even talking about it. My line sisters mean everything
to me. We have been through so much together. We
continue to have a bond after thirty years, and that's
what the beauty of it um is. We went to
a homecoming we played that I played at Hampton University,

(30:39):
proud member of Gamma Stata chapter, and we went back
for homecoming this year and uh last pride eate together.
Had just a great time spending time just catching up
and we picked right back up where where we you know,
where we were thirty years ago. But what we do
is really just try to be there for one another
because those those that our friendships and bonds are truly

(31:02):
truly priceless. It's really great when I hear you talk
like this, my executive producer of money making conversation. She's
a graduate of Hampton. So as soon as you say
to Hampton, you know she started dancing in the boom. Okay,
let you know that every time, and I'm tearing it's
your Hampton has got it going on because and if
you're a lot of successful Keptonians, Keptonians, you know she

(31:23):
corrected me. Hamptonians got it going on. So let's let's
move on from your pro graduate of HBCU boom, a
proud member of Africa AFA saty and cooperated from Hampton
University thirty years in fact. So let's talk about your
role as Vice President of Multicultural Leadership for African American

(31:44):
Black Strategy and Outreach at a ARP. What exactly is that?
So I am immensely blessed to U lead our African
American and Black strategy work at a ARP. I've have
been um uh colleague here at a PEEP about four
years now and this role is really sometimes I have

(32:05):
to pench myself for Sean. It really gives me the
opportunity to um really share my my strengths, my talent,
my guests that I've been given that to really share
information to have the African American audience. I remember my twenties,
this guy approached me. It was a co worker, and
he was saying, Rashan, and you needed just say fifty

(32:26):
dollars a month, right, you know. And that was a
struggle for me. Fifty dollars really, you know, because I couldn't.
I couldn't. It was a struggle for me because I
can see what fifty dollars will grow to, you know what,
what what the opportunity. And they're realizing that that it's
all about accumulation, and it's all about dollar cost averaging
is all about participating. So if you're saving a thousand

(32:49):
dollars a year, just say, if you say a thousand
dollars for thirty years, that's thirty thou dollars. Okay, there's
thirty dollars. That's a lot of money, okay when you
when you look at it. And so the process that
you're talking about is the same thing. And so just
start and then you can go online and you can
see how the growth of your investment can happen if

(33:10):
you do it a certain way correct, right, and and
that's the beauty of it. Um And I again, I
also want to to think Kelly and the team and
enjoy collective. It was just rewarding working on the campaign
UM with UM just amazingly talented black women UM from Joy,
from the director, the production company. It was truly a

(33:33):
campaign created black by black women for black women that
really felt passionate about this because what we know is
that African American black women, we typically have to work
seven to eight months to earn what our white male
counterpart to make in one year. And so we know
that equity paid gap. So in addition to the information

(33:55):
not getting to the communities UM at the same rate
or it was the same access that other communities can get,
we also know that there's a take gap that exists.
And so if we don't start sharing this information now
and empowering black women, then will continue to have that gap.
And so that's really the design of the campaign. And

(34:16):
when you go online again, it's a free uh three
minutes digital coaching sessions. I'm online, I'm reading it right now,
I'm online. Friend, it's trying to pay yourself more for retirement.
A free three minute chat the friendly digital retirement coach
will give you the tips you need to help boost
your savings oh this is this is looking good already,

(34:36):
I'll she wrote, right, and we will. And we again
wanted to make sure that black women that we see
ourselves in our ads, and we do that across a RP.
As I mentioned, we have a full multicultural team, and
in in our ads and our creative materials, we want
to make sure that it's resonating and that it's culturally relevant,

(34:57):
that it speaks to our audiences. And that's what this
campaign tribute to, she rose does. It really honors black women.
And you'll see in the different uh, the different creative ads,
whether it's the mom cooking and taking care of her family,
whether she's the wife, or whether it's um, you know,
a woman who's coming from work and has a side

(35:19):
hustle and and and you know the yoga and the
community center that eventually, you know, is able to save
and get her own uh you know yoga studio, and
that's sort of you know, her her turning her passion,
you know, into her purpose. UM. I love the campaign.
Just hearing you talk about the campaign because they're talking
about entrepreneurship. It's talking about it's talking about the fourty

(35:41):
hour week mom. You know what I'm saying the responsibility
of delivery and being responsible. But the thing about it
when I went to the website, you know, it's called
ww dot a sure timent dot org for slass Hero.
You know, I saw three different women there and one
of the women were younger, was a young young And
I bring that up because it's you know, I got

(36:02):
a twenty to your daughter. I constantly talked to her
and just just give her information because that information when
you're telling younger person, young person something, they might not
get it, but hopefully a year or the five years
in that process of but trying to figure it out,
they will get it. And so I saw that photo
as what you're trying to say. You're saying, look what's sean.

(36:24):
We were creating a campaign so we can capture generational
people so they can move forward and they all win,
and not just a person who's near retirement, a person
who's past retirement. We're trying to educate people by by
creating this this this, Like I said earlier, in the twenties,
I was approached and now it wasn't until I was

(36:44):
thirty two that I actually started saving money and I
went to Meryll Lynch and I just started, you know,
investing a little bit in stock and that's paid off
for me because I did start at such an early age.
And so it's really important that people understand that what
you appear chain is opportunity, education and financial freedom exactly

(37:06):
and exactly and and it's never too late, you know,
UM and you know one of the things. And we
did our research for the campaign, and we did market
research and we talked to two women, you know, a
different parts of the country. We UH we wanted to
create a campaign that was empowering and that UM a
tool that really meets you where you are. So UM

(37:28):
when you log on again Asia retirement dot org slash shiro,
you can UH put in information. It'll the digital culch
will ask a few questions about you know, your retirement
goals or your saving plan currently, where you are, what
age you'd like to UM you know, retire, are you
contributing to an employee savings plan? And then it will

(37:52):
provide you personalized tips like a plan for yourself that
you can also share with You can email it, you
can share it with your hr UM counterparts to to
get more information to see how your employer can support you,
whether it be increasing your savings in your retirement savings,
whether it's sending it to an accountability partner or sister

(38:15):
friend that can be your accountability partner to help you.
But the tools really meet you where you are and
really help to empower you and really show you that
it's never too late and every little bit helps, whether
it's stretching just a little bit to increase, you know,
per paycheck what you're saving, or increasing your your annual

(38:38):
um contributions to your savings plan. It gives you some options, um,
whether you plan to to retire in the benefits of
even waiting to age seventy if possible, um, you know,
to collect Social Security. So we're there are a variety
of tips, practical, real world tips that can really help
you today. I'm excited. I am about this the first time.

(39:03):
Guests A p love your company. I love what you're doing.
Asia Retirement dot Org. Right there is that that that
right there is slick is smooth for its last hiro.
On Thursdays, I have what I call a post where
I just I just give on my social media. Seven
of my social media follows a women okay, just letting

(39:23):
you know, and the follow they followed me because I baked. Okay,
if you if you go to my website, you will,
You go to my social you will. You will get hungry.
You will get hungry, You'll get hunger. And this is
what I want to do. I want to do. If
you send me some videos, if you send me a poster,
a social media ban, I will post it on my
Thursdays for you. Okay, oh wow, we appreciate that. We

(39:47):
will definitely send that to you to you today. What
I'm saying that because you are following, you're in line
with my audience. You see, I'm saying, you're in line
with my audience. So it's only right that I educate
my audience and let them know about what I preach
on the regular basis on money making Conversation. There's an
opportunity for you to participate and for you to correct

(40:09):
that that course that may not be as straight as
it should be, and you get information. I I respect
what you're trying to do. You enjoy that's mcgirl Kelly
over there. I love the way you shaped this whole,
this whole campaign. Now, all I can do is as
Rushan McDonald with money Making Conversation is being assistant. Okay,
I'm Magic Johnson coming down the court. I'm about to

(40:29):
throw you a ball so you can dunk it. So so,
so send me that information so I can start passing
out those assists for you. Okay, we appreciate it. We
appreciate it, and we appreciate money making conversations and that
sharing our infros information for asha retirements at or heroes. Now,
I'm just gonna let you know I have money making
conversations social media and then I have Rushan McDonald. I'm

(40:51):
gona post this on my Rushan McDonald was like almost
eight hundred thousand followers. Okay, So so I'm gonna just
let you know you get both money making conversation, but
also you're gonna get my personal That's how much I
believe in it, and that's how much if you need
me in the future, I'll be there to support you
because you know, diversity and education and information is so
important to the communities who tend to be left out.

(41:15):
It may not be over the river and through the woods,
and valuables with Blink security cameras. Blink XT two cameras
are motion activated, place them anywhere, and when they detect motion,
Blink smartphone app. Who on your gift bliss would love
a Blink security camera. A busy mom who's Blink camera alert?

(41:36):
Or when the kids get on from school and let's
family is safe and secure, and don't forget grandparents. Blink
xt two cameras are wire free, set up fast, and
Blink ext two Security cameras are the perfect gift for

(41:57):
everyone on your nice list. Save up to now through
Visit blink protect dot com slash sale blink protect dot
Com slash Sale. My next guest, she's on the phone,

(42:18):
very happy. We joked around a little bit before we
got on the air. She's from the Bronx to Broadway,
but young. She's traveled to over fifty countries throughout Africa, Asia, Europe,
North America and the Caribbean, sharing her amazing singing gift.
Now I'm tell you right now, I can't sing, so
you know right there, you know we won't be sharing

(42:39):
any duets on this show, I can tell you right now.
Her success has landed her in the national media by
television appearances on OPRAH, TBN, and manymore. She was co
star and highly anticipated Broadway musical Girl from the North Country,
which is inspired by and features the music of my
Man Bob Dylan. The play begins previews on February seven

(42:59):
at the Belasco Theater in New York City. Please welcome
to Money Making Conversation Jeannette Byrdel. Hello, how will you?
Thank you so much for happening me today. First of all,
did my intro hit your status? Did? Did I get
you there? Jeanette? Did I hit? Did I lay you
out right? That's why I need to make it right.

(43:20):
Thank you. I appreciate this well, you know, because first
of all, you know I'm going through your bio. And
first of all, you know all my guests are I
consider you a neglected guest because of the fact that
your worldly. You know, you know, you know I can't
pigeonhold you. You know you you're singer you travel around
the world. You performed for dignitaries like the Obama's you know,

(43:40):
ministers like Bishop T. D. Jake's and so you know,
you know, interviewed and performed in front of OPRAH. This
is a high level of of entertainment and performance level.
What drives you? That would be my first question just
start off interviews. What drives you at this point in
your life. It's two level, it's too let me let me,

(44:01):
let me step back because I've never asked that question before.
What drove you too in the beginning? And what drives
you now? Okay? UM, what you old me in the
beginning is I had a passion um, a passion for singing,
and um a passion to entertain. So at a young
age I started singing. I grew up in the Bronx

(44:21):
and UM, I went to high school performing arts. Now, ironically,
you know I could sing, I could always sing. But
when I was coming up, I wanted to like wrap.
I wanted to be a rapper. That was my thing.
The first of all, I have to Can you wrap? Though?
Maybe rap? Maybe because you could wrap put you back
to singing. No, I could definitely wrap. Definitely. I thought

(44:44):
I was gonna be like the next empty light, you know,
the next clean light to you for a way to me,
I might be aging myself. But you know, because I
was young when I was listening to them, and I
felt like, you know, that's that's what I wanted to do.
So through high school I was rapping, and when I
got to the mcguality has to the performing once, I
was still rapping. But then I was surrounded by a

(45:05):
bunch of people who were just really talented. They could sing,
they could dance, they can act. And it's there that
I caught the Broadway bugs because Broadway wasn't even in
my mind at all. It's not something that I grew
up with or anything but class audition crap at the body.
It was an left arm spoken night. And once I

(45:26):
took that class, they showed up how to get child
and we had to like one of our assignments was
to go on the audition. We they say, show us
how to use this magazine. It was backstage magazine. It
was like the Hall copy at the time, and they
were like, you know, find an audition going on it.
And I did it, and I actually booked what I
went on, and after that it was like, oh, goad,
I just loved theater. So that's how I started, and

(45:47):
then I just I stayed um passionate and I just
pursued it. I mean, well there's a story in between
that health science. I said, the backlists and health science
because it was like that was my backup plan just
in case things didn't work out. And thank god, I
never needed my backup plan because after I graduated, I
worked at Corporate America for like six months and then
I ended up and singing full time. You know, it's

(46:10):
really interesting because you know, my backup plan was I
got a degree in mathematics, work for IBM, and you know,
you know, so I don't even think it's a backup player.
I think that that's you know, people in life till
they kind of like push you in the direction where
they understand. You know, so you don't understand singers, then't
understand actors, they understand comedians, they understand Hey, you know,

(46:30):
go eight to five for the hours a week, you
go to college, you get a job, and that's what
you did. That's what I like, But that wasn't your passion,
that wasn't what you excited you that you know, you
go to work, and you see people really kind of
like going through the motions and most of them complaining
about where they're at and not really excited about the
next step. And I always felt that if I could
see what's going to happen tomorrow in my life, then

(46:53):
that's not the job I wanted to do, right, And
so when I would go to work and there's nothing
negative where I work, great people, but I knew what
I was going to do tomorrow, I knew what I
was gonna do next week, that was not the future
for me. I needed that I needed to work in
an environment or career where I didn't know I did.
I knew there was a great opportunity tot, but I

(47:13):
didn't know me. I had to work hard. And I
think that's the same drive that's inside you as well. Yeah,
it's it's funny because one thing I'm happy about. I
feel like my college experience definitely prepared me for the
industry because I would tell you, as an actress, you're
always in school. Guess you know why you used to
be so disciplined because you're always learning lines, you're always

(47:36):
doing the research. It's like college never ended, right. But
I'm happy that I had to have that discipline because
it's not it's not easy. My family and friends are
always like, I didn't even memorize this stuff, like how
are you doing this research? And like and I'm also
a writer. I wrote it. Um Um. I wrote a
musical entitled Cheetah that ran off Broadway. We traveled about

(47:58):
the world. We just got back from London ago. We
were there for five weeks. We did thirty nine shows.
But um, even with my process in writing that musical,
people are always like, how did you do with the
research and the And I'm like, oh, yeah, well, you know,
I feel like if you went to college, you can
you can do this stuff. It's research to take time
and take discipline, and I have all those things and

(48:20):
that definitely helps us my competition of Janette, you really,
you know you really because you're gifted. Let's go first
of all, say that true enough. And your discipline, let's
say that too, because I always tell people that in
order to be successful, you have to be consistent, you
have to be disciplined, and you have to be fearless.
You just casually win. You know. It started off Broadway
and then they went to London. Okay, come stop, you know. Yeah,

(48:46):
people just try to get off Broadway. Now you're in
London at the same time, ran five weeks over there. Congratulations, congratulations,
thank you, and it was it was it was pretty amazing.
And the reception that we got in London, and the
other is that our producers we um, we did something
that was very smart. We did well if they did

(49:07):
something that was very smart. Um. We actually recorded it
for film for TV and it's just amazing and it's
just it's it's there's nothing like it. And I were
really excited about it, and I'm just excited that it
was captured. What we did in London was captures and
not the world can see it and have aspects to it.

(49:29):
It's only be a matter of time. Your prime out
there Amazon, you know all these days. Oh yeah, yeah,
I'm so excited for the future of that show. Um,
and I'm also excited about what's happened to a Girl
from the North Country. You. I got a chance to
spend forty minutes about ling and it was amazing. He

(49:51):
was so he was so um appreciative of the work
that we've done on stage, Um, of the work that
I did a my character and the song that I say.
He complimented the song and I was like, he's like,
you know, I think the song for True Up. He's like,
you know, true is that song is really good. And
I'm like, yeah, you know, that's that's all I'm saying.
He's like, yes, I know, I know. But he's just

(50:14):
so wonderful. And it's sometimes you hear about these legends
and you think they're like, oh, they're not gonna be
sunnily and they're gonna be strange. He was just just
just great, amazing down the earth, and I felt like
I could talk to him all day. Well, it's really
interesting because he's you know, well you first of all,
you you're talking to history. That's that's that's the amazing
part of the conversation. I know when I met Elton John,

(50:36):
and then just just being in the presence of Muhammad
ali Uh. You know, you want to you want to
be able to ask so many questions because they've been
through so many different steps and the courageous steps in
their lives, you know, because you know every journey. I
always say, every decade holds a different journey for each individual,
and so they've lived so many decades and so when

(50:58):
you meet the person like Bob Dylan, you know, you know,
wow talk about the sixties, okay, you know, and and
and and to go through that. Did you ask him
any question or just just experienced the moment with him
and accepted the compliment. How was it? It was so interesting? Um.
It was at his concert and me and Um one
of the other stars of Girlfriends in the North Country

(51:20):
man winning him who is amazing in the show. It
was the two of us that were with him in
his dressing room. And I have to tell you first
it was it was for real, and I was trying
to take in every moment. And it's funny because I
felt like everything that came out on my mom is
just like insignificant because I was just so like I

(51:42):
was trying to take in every moment. What's the room
was like what he was saying, you know, and I did.
I asked a couple of questions about Um, about the
songs that he wrote, like, um, there's a song that
I've send called um Um it's the um Gypsy. I
see they did see. Okay, I can't think of the

(52:02):
song right now, but well February seven, the previous starts,
so you will be on pin by that not just
tell us basically Girl from the North Country. What exactly
is that Girl from the North Country. Well, that's one
of the songs that he wrote the musical entitled Girl
from the North Country. So this this music, guest, the
music is based on Bob Dylan. Um, the music is

(52:25):
from Bob Dylan, but the story is not Bob Dylan's story.
It takes place in his hometown. But it was written
by one of the best play rights um e Conomic
fear Sense. And what he did was he wrote a
play and the music compliments the play. The music is
like a soundtrack to the play. So it's almost like
watching the movie. So the music is not driving, it's

(52:48):
not it's not moving before the stories forwards, but it's
given you the emotions of the character. Wow. You know,
it's different in that sense. Like most Juice Box musicals
the songs, right, they trying to make the songs part
of the story and have the songs tell the story.
But that's not the case here. It's like watching the

(53:09):
movie and then you hear the songs that come on
that compliment the scenes and the emotions of the character. Amazing.
I'm talking to Jeanette by adell correct by your all right, Yes,
I'm still rolling with I'm still rocking with that name.
So she is. She's co starring and highly anticipated Broadway
musical Girl from the North Country, which is inspired by

(53:31):
and features the music of Bob Dylan. The play begins
previews February seventh. February is my birthday. Months or you
may see me Jette and not not made. I will
be there. I got a couple of friends up there,
Darn lewisis and another play, so I'll be busy in
the month of February up there. I'm so happy you
came on my show, money Making Conversation. We're promoting as

(53:52):
soon as it comes out. Please tell everybody to send
your social media banners so we can promote and drop
people to buy tickets. That's what money Making Conversations about.
Building your brand, promoting brand, extend your brand up markets
that may not understand how gifted you are because they
don't understand that's a market they should appreciate. That's Broadway
money Making Conversations continues online at www. Dot money Making

(54:14):
Conversations dot com, and follow money Making Conversations on Facebook, Twitter,
and Instagram. Ladies and gentlemen, it's time you stop thinking
about your dreams and put some plans into action. It
may not be over the river and through the woods,

(54:35):
and valuables with Blink Security cameras. Blink xt two cameras
are motion activated, play them anywhere, and when they detect motion,
Blink smartphone app. Who on your gift bliss would love
a Blink security camera. A busy mom who's Blink camera alert?
Or when the kids get home from school and let's

(54:55):
family is safe and secure, and don't forget grandparents. Blink
xt two cameras are wire free, set up fast, and
Blink xt two security cameras are the perfect gift for
everyone on your nice list. Save up to now through

(55:18):
Visit blink protect dot Com slash sale blink Protect dot
com slash Sale. Money Making Conversations continues online at www

(55:41):
dot money Making Conversations dot com and follow Money Making
Conversations on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Ladies and gentlemen, it's
time you stop thinking about your dreams and put some
plans into action

All Episodes

Episode Transcript

Host

Rushion McDonald

Popular Podcasts

Stuff You Should Know

Dateline NBC

Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang

.css-15opob5{left:0;position:absolute;top:0.8rem;} All Episodes

.css-14f5ked{margin:0;word-break:break-word;display:-webkit-box;-webkit-box-orient:vertical;box-orient:vertical;-webkit-line-clamp:2;overflow:hidden;}E537: Rikki Hughes, Bob Sumner, Jeannette Bayardelle & Shani Hosten