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November 5, 2025 15 mins
What if the wisdom you share today becomes the echo that shapes tomorrow? In this episode, we're joined by Dr. Julius Makoni, as we unravel the stories, lessons, and legacies that lingered long after his mother's passing. Discover how your voice can spark change, inspire action, and leave a mark that outlives you. Don’t just listen—become part of the echo.
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Episode Transcript

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Speaker 1 (00:09):
Hey is Benji col Son of Alcohol from CBS Radio
and host of the syndicated talk show People of Distinction.
Talk gives you an in depth view of some of
the most dynamic, intelligent, and successful people on the planet.
Run to our website Alcohol Enterprises dot com for more info.

Speaker 2 (00:25):
Email me through.

Speaker 1 (00:26):
Benji at Alcohol Enterprises dot com if you'd like to
get involved with what we have going and as always,
please continue to like and follow our broadcasts. People of
Distinction is internationally syndicated solely due to the love and
support that you all continue to give. We're available across
all major distributors and as long as you keep following,
we're going to continue to put out the content. Now

(00:47):
sit back and strap in, because on the line with
us today we have the impressive doctor Julius macconey that
we're going to be discussing his incredible book, Whispers of Wisdom. People,
I'm telling you this is one you need to add
to your shelf. You're gonna have to head on over
to Durance Publishing or simply just type it into a
search bar and be greeted with all of the available locations.

(01:10):
And while you're at it, Whispers of Wisdom is a
sequel of sorts to the previous book that doctor mcconey
had written. Now that one is entitled bon Vivant Banker Bishop,
A Life in My Day. Listen, man, same thing, Abaz.
Type it into a search bar, be greeted with it.

Speaker 2 (01:30):
Make sure to understand it'll come up under doctor Julius macony.
But the full title on that one is right, Reverend
doctor Julius macconey. He's worked hard for him. Make sure
you put him in and listen. It is an absolute
pleasure to have doctor mccony here on the line. Listen, people,
We often think resilience is about grit, it's about loud defiance.

(01:57):
But what if the real secret weapon was grace? Now listen,
that's an interesting question, and it's one to truly ponder,
because doctor mcconey is here to discuss his mother, Constance,
a woman who's quiet wisdom and profound adaptability became her superpowers.
Her story from humble beginnings to community pillar challenges everything

(02:22):
we think we know about strength. Today we're gonna be
talking about the whispers that shape us, the quiet lessons
from our parents that echo for a lifetime. And I
promise you man, these books they're gonna go in tandem,
and you're gonna want to gather them both. And once
we begin our discussion, we're gonna understand why say that.

(02:44):
Sit back, strap in, and get ready, doctor mcconey. First
and foremost, welcome to the network, and thank you for
being a guest. How are you doing today, sir?

Speaker 3 (02:52):
I'm doing very well. Thank you, Thank you. It is
a pleasure to be here with you, and also thank
you for the opportunity to talk about my life and
my work in both bon Vivant Banker Bishop and A
Life of my Day and of Wisdom. This works are
very close to my heart. The books borne out of love, memory,

(03:13):
and gratitude to remarkable people. What happened with my parents
who shipped not just my life, but gave me the
values that guide everything that I do.

Speaker 2 (03:24):
First and foremost, doctor mccodiy, I know you think us man,
but I'm I'm gonna pass that right back to you.
Were playing ping pong right now because you had to
write these incredible books in order for us to have
you right, all the praise goes right back to you.
And listen, what I love so much about your books?

Speaker 3 (03:37):
Is it?

Speaker 2 (03:38):
Yeah, it's a very personal endeavor for you, but it's
filled with wisdom for everybody else that picks it up.
Your story is one that is unique to you, but
it's universal in so many ways, and we're going to
be able to benefit through this discussion and also through
reading it. So let's jump right in.

Speaker 1 (03:56):
Man.

Speaker 2 (03:56):
We're gonna kind of work backwards in a sense here
because Whispers of Wisdom is the second book in this
particular series, but let's start there in a way, working backwards,
but also starting first right because it's like the chicken
or the egg. Your mother started it, and she gave
birth to you. So let's start there.

Speaker 1 (04:13):
Whispers of Wisdom, Man, tell us more about it.

Speaker 3 (04:17):
I will tell you what inspired me to write of Wisdom,
apart from just being a sequel to the other book,
and quite simply, I wanted to capture the voice of
my mother, to capture it before it faded into memory.
She wasn't a woman of many words, but her actions
spoke volumes. Her wispers of wisdom came through. It came

(04:40):
through very small things that came through in how she
faced challenges with grace, gratitude, and how she treated people,
how she kept faith alive even during turbulent times in
their life. So writing this book became my way of
saying thank you, my way of during gratitude and of

(05:03):
passing her lessons not just by family, but to all
future generations.

Speaker 2 (05:09):
All Right, you said something. You said something that I
think is very poignant, a moment ago, and it's an
assumption here, but I think it might connect. And I'm
gonna ask you. You can stare me in the right
direction and whether I'm right or wrong. But you talked
about your mother being a woman of not so many words,
and then you look at the title of your book,
Whispers of Wisdom, and I think that there is a

(05:31):
correlation between what you said and that title. But I
want to dive in a little further because listen, man,
that title is beautiful and it's evocative. But talk to
us now. Was there a specific quiet moment in your
mother's life that this title directly references.

Speaker 3 (05:49):
Yes, the fact that she was such a gentle person
who starts it every day with quiet prayer and told
by the story of life by actions, the actions or volumes,
and always that gentle voice us on that message. Also
the connection I know you haven't mentioned this first book,

(06:13):
the conscious there is because the first book is pantry
Dad trying to teach his son how to be a man,
very powerful, and then Mum in Misters of Wisdom, counterbalance
is that by showing that you don't always have to
be a bull and bulldoze your way through life to
be a man, you also need a soft a side

(06:34):
and the gentleness to counterbalance the other side.

Speaker 2 (06:39):
I think sense that makes perfect sense, man, and I
think it's a great piece of advice because we yeah,
I'm not going to die down the rabbit hole right now,
but we live in a patriarchy, right We live in
a world where everybody has this interpretation of what it
means to be a man. And I think what you
just said is a point that is often overlooked in

(07:00):
really not for anybody's benefit. So I love the fact
that you took it there, and I think it's a
great piece to be added in following along this track
and working through the creative process of writing this book
bringing it to life. I think what's interesting, man, is obviously, listen,
your first book is a memoir, so you're talking directly

(07:21):
from your perspective your life. And I think now with
this one, Whispers of Wisdom because you're talking about your mother.
I think what would be a fear assumption is it's
natural to idolize our parents. Right in your journey of
writing this, what was the most surprising or perhaps even
unpolished facet of your mother's character that you I was

(07:43):
gonna say discovery, but actually that you rediscovered And how
did that discovery make her legacy feel more authentic?

Speaker 3 (07:52):
Because she was a woman of quiet dignity. But it
wasn't until I started to write the book that I
appreciated that I just had accepted and taken or fronted.
It's only when I sat down to write the book
that I felt like I was in a composition with her,
I was interviewing her. Then that was the impact. I

(08:12):
then realized that she believed in the power of kindness.
She believed in doing what's right even when no one
is watching the little things. But I only really began
to appreciate from writing the book. Also, when my father
passed away, I saw her strength in a new light.
Her pain was deep, but her face was deeper. She

(08:35):
showed me that life goes on and that gratitude and
codes exist with grief. So her life to me is
a priest. Now I speak. It was an open sermon,
it was lived, It was more preached.

Speaker 2 (08:48):
Doctor mccaroney. I'm gonna listen, man, I'm gonna ask something
that is completely out of left field, and listen it.
Really it actually wasn't on my list of questions, but
it is something that I think is related to the
content in this subject matter, and it's really personal for
me at this particular moment, as I've recently gone through

(09:08):
a really tough passing within my family, and I think
what would naturally happen when things like this go is
you start to reflect, man, You start to analyze the
relationship and dissect it. And maybe there were certain things
that you would have done differently, You would have asked
certain questions that you didn't have the opportunity to. And

(09:30):
it's interesting because a phrase that keeps coming up because
this is all so fresh and so raw everybody that
I talk to, it's like I keep saying the phrase
of it the hubrius of mankind in thinking that we
always have time, there's always tomorrow, there's always this other opportunity,

(09:50):
and unfortunately that isn't true. So as I sit here
and I reflect, man, I'm curious now that you've written
this biography, which I'm sure has unearthed certain maybe questions
that you wish you had asked your mother prior to
her passing. If so, if one comes to mind, what

(10:11):
is one question that you would ask your mother today,
now that you've had the time to complete this deep
dive into her life.

Speaker 3 (10:18):
Yes, you're right, and I do appreciate some what if
you've been through turbulent time, old hapendent times, I do
quite appreciate because, as I said earlier, and writing the
book self like, I'm in a composition with her, sometimes joyful,
sometimes painful, and the moment I had to stop and
just sit in silence. But through the writing, obviously I

(10:39):
found healing. Yeah, I realized that the people we love
never really leave us. The wisdom CONTI used to whisper
through our decisions we make, that the values we have
and the way we treat other people. And I always
look back at one particular incident when I was the
little boy. She had to cut my hair, and she

(11:00):
gave me a choice. Either I will give you one
dollar to go to the barber shop. The barber shop
is a man and a tree which is to cut hair.
It was not a good headdress, was not a good
barber at all. And she used a big pair of
scissors exactly. Now I have this phobeu of scissars and

(11:22):
raise a break because she used to cut into the
skin into my head. Oh no, but she said, if
I cut your hair, you can keep the dollar and
you can buy bread. I'll make bread and by the
pudding for you. Or you can save it. Oh you
can go and give it to that man, and you
will have a haircut. So in the book the right seeing,

(11:42):
I'm sitting in a barber shop and my barber is
walking towards me. I noticed a pair of scissors. I panic.
So she then I appears in front of me in
a mirror, and I'm not going to tell the whole
story because I think readers should find out what happened.
And then I interview her, and the interview is recorded

(12:03):
in one of the chapters. So that's going to be
that way.

Speaker 1 (12:07):
I love that man. That's beautiful.

Speaker 3 (12:09):
Listen.

Speaker 2 (12:10):
I think often times, man, some things that are just
completely organic in the moment can lead to some of
the best, the best moments. So I had no idea
where that question was going to lead to.

Speaker 4 (12:21):
But I'm so happy that it led there, and I
think that's a beautiful moment, man, doctor mcconey. As we
start to close out, I would be doing our listening
audience a severe disservice if I didn't ask you to
go into a brief description of your previous book. Obviously, people,
the anchor for today was Whispers of Wisdom. We wanted
to really stay on topic with that one. But remember

(12:43):
one that you.

Speaker 2 (12:44):
Can't pass up is bon Vivant Banker Bishop A Life
in my Day. This one is a memoir on his
story on his journey and is definitely one you want
to add to yours. But as we close out, doctor mcconey,
tell us a little bit more about your first book.

Speaker 3 (13:01):
The book highlights key points in my life, and these
points of these highlights are triggered by the unfolding off
events on the day my father died, I'll get up
and it's thought would come into my head. So I
arranged them going back to my childhood through all the
experiences that I then experienced in my life growing up,

(13:24):
through school, in business, and in the church. And that
always goes back to my unique upbringing and that's what
marries that book. Bon Vivon. It's Bonvivon because I'm a
happy person. I enjoy life. I'm trained as a banker,
I'm an investment banker, and I'm also a bishop and
the Anglican Church of the Episcopal Church. So bonbvon Banker

(13:49):
Bishop that happy person. As he pointed out at the beginning,
it all starts from mother. That's why her story, which
reflects the strength and faith of winning many for a generation,
marries into my father's. That's why enough of the Bishop. Yeah,
so the story is a both personal and universal about

(14:11):
how love and character shape legacy.

Speaker 2 (14:15):
Listen, people, you all know what you gotta do. Man,
Like we're talking about legacy. And one thing that sticks out,
like the ultimate takeaway from me is that legacy it's
an echo. It's the wisdom that keeps speaking long after
we're gone. I think there's so much wisdom to be
gained here man. And again, another great idea that sticks

(14:37):
out is like principles like grace and gratitude are active,
powerful choices. And those are just some of the few
that we've uncovered within within this discussion. People, I promise
you when you pick up copies, the books are littered
with so much more so. I'm gonna say it again, Lesson,
just type it into a search bar and be greeted,

(14:59):
because there's a lot of places that the books are available.
It's Whispers of Wisdom, It's bon Vivant Banker, Bishop a
Life in my Day. Both of them are magical. Both
of them are filled with great pieces of advice, of wisdom,
of things that you're going to be able to grow
and develop through. But it starts with purchasing them and
embarking upon that journey. It might have you going down

(15:22):
memory lane yourself, maybe having some fresh conversations with your
loved ones around you. Doctor mccorneth, this has been a
great pleasure man, truly an honor. I really do mean that.
Thank you once again for being a guest on People
of Distinction.

Speaker 3 (15:36):
Thank you very much for the honor and the opportunity.
I thank you.
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