From surviving the streets to shaping lives, William "Bam" Sparks is proof that redemption is real and purpose is always waiting. In this raw and powerful episode, Bam shares his journey from incarceration to transformation, and how he's now using his past to build a legacy of mentorship, healing, and community impact.This isn’t just a comeback story—it’s a masterclass in resilience, faith, and choosing a higher path.
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Watch the full interview here: https://youtu.be/l0U3Cta2t_M
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
You've worn many hats along this journey, So how do
you go from engineering to the music industry, co founder
of the Trap Museum to now being in telecommunications.
Speaker 2 (00:09):
I came up with this idea that what if you
were able to share your extra five gigs with somebody
in the community. There's several things that you can do
out of this industry, and we want to provide the information.
Speaker 1 (00:20):
How are you getting the audience to really tap into
the bigger picture of.
Speaker 2 (00:26):
This Exposure in the community helps you're benefiting the culture.
At the end of the day, we're building our own ecosystem.
If you don't even have access to the Internet, how
are you going to keep up with all the transition
that's happening.
Speaker 1 (00:37):
With a welcome to volt Empowers Talk, so we don't
just scratch your surface, we dive deep into the lidves
of some of the world's most influential change makers.
Speaker 3 (00:53):
I'm your host, Brandy Harvey.
Speaker 1 (00:55):
While we got a good one today, Vaught empowers we
in the world of telecommunications. William bam Sparks is an
unstoppable force redefining how culture and technology intersect. From co
founding the groundbreaking Trap Museum to partnering with T Mobile
to deliver high speed five G to underserved communities. William
(01:15):
Bam Sparks is a master at turning vision into impact.
As the co founder of Cultural Wireless, He's on a
mission to close America's digital divide while empowering everyday people
to own a stake in the Internet revolution. Vart Empower's
Talks wecome CEO founder and innovator William Bam Sparks to
the show, how.
Speaker 3 (01:35):
Are you innovator?
Speaker 4 (01:39):
Vision impact? I like that.
Speaker 1 (01:40):
Listen, that's you. You gotta take it. It's now yours
vision impact. I mean, you've been in the music industry,
You've been in an entrepreneur, an engineer, a cultural curator.
You've worn many hats along this journey.
Speaker 4 (01:54):
Renaissance man.
Speaker 1 (01:55):
Yeah, absolutely, so take me on this journey. What kind
of has been been the mojo? Because how do you
go from engineering to the music industry, co founder of
the Trap Museum to now being in telecommunications.
Speaker 4 (02:09):
Just being the master of the pivot. You know, I
was at Georgia Tech.
Speaker 2 (02:14):
I'm a native of Atlanta, you know, doing the whole
chemical engineering thing, and I got a call and the
call was, hey, we needs you to come and run
a sports agency, and me not knowing anything about being
an agent, I had to adjust.
Speaker 1 (02:28):
You were in college, yeah, and somebody asked you to
come and run a sports agency.
Speaker 4 (02:33):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (02:33):
So my cousin, who's TI's best friend, they were running
a label, Grand Hustle, and Adam Pacman Jones actually reached
out for some sort of management or help, and essentially
they knew of my sports background in high school. I
ran against pac Man in high school track. So yeah,
(02:53):
from there, I just took all my relationships from football
in high school. A lot of my friends ended up
going pro, so it just made sense. I learned to
capitalize on my relationships.
Speaker 3 (03:05):
Yeah, capitalize on your relationships.
Speaker 1 (03:07):
So then you go from sports to then going into
the music industry.
Speaker 4 (03:12):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (03:12):
Yeah, so I'll probably say around two thousand and seven
or eight. I was always interested in music, but you know,
after Tip went to jail came back out, I had to,
you know, figure other things out outside of sports, and
went under the wing of my cousin and a couple
other people learned how to you know, an R work
(03:33):
with producers, manage talent, and yeah.
Speaker 4 (03:37):
Did that for about ten years. I'll probably say just
on the music side.
Speaker 1 (03:42):
Yeah, yeah, on the music side. And now you have
ventured into telecommunications.
Speaker 4 (03:48):
Yes, yes, correct, that's correct.
Speaker 3 (03:50):
How did you How did you land here?
Speaker 2 (03:54):
It was it was random. Actually, I got a call
from another one of my cousins. I got like a
million cousins, and he said, I want you to go
check out this esports facility at Morris Brown.
Speaker 4 (04:04):
So I went over there and this guy.
Speaker 2 (04:09):
Basically rigged the circuit, which is basically took the fire
out the ground, created a connection into the old Arena
and I don't know if last time you seen the
arena it was vacant for like twenty five Yeah, with all.
Speaker 3 (04:23):
The graffiti and everything exactly exactly.
Speaker 2 (04:26):
So he was like, yeah, man, this is the fastest
internet in the city. Like, how dude, this is one
of the oldest buildings in Atlanta. So he explained to
me about a Google project that was there that was
started to help the community, and they kind of just
left it there. He was able to tap into that
dark fiber, run his own circuit.
Speaker 4 (04:47):
And literally had the fastest internet.
Speaker 2 (04:49):
But at that time, it wasn't going back to Vine
City or the Bluff or the AUC but it was
going back towards Georgia Tech Sades, Bends, Downtown, I Midtown,
and I saw the issue right then. That's when the
light bulb went off, because at the end of the day,
if you remember post COVID, all of our kids were
going to the library because they they have connectivity.
Speaker 4 (05:11):
So I'm like, why is dislike it? So I made
a couple of calls.
Speaker 2 (05:16):
One of my business partners actually did the fiber infrastructure
at Heartsville and he basically took me to class that
day how to get into tailcom.
Speaker 1 (05:27):
Oh okay, so what is like the entry? Because he
taught you how to get into it. We had this
bru man from the fifth flow Internet connection that was happening.
Speaker 3 (05:41):
Down in Morris Brown. So what was your entry?
Speaker 1 (05:44):
You got excited and then you said, let me go
buy a telecom company?
Speaker 4 (05:50):
Yeah really, yeah, okay, we just wanted to solve a problem.
Speaker 2 (05:53):
At the end of the day, I've always wanted to
solve problems, bring opportunities back to the West Side because
that's why I'm from. And yeah, at the end of
the day, I thought it was it would be great
to kind of bridge that gap because there's obviously, you know,
this whole digital divide going on, and yeah.
Speaker 4 (06:12):
That was it.
Speaker 1 (06:13):
Yeah, the digital divide. How are our communities? How are
really black communities being underserved when it comes to telecommunications?
Speaker 4 (06:23):
It's just limited access. You know.
Speaker 2 (06:26):
I went to an HBCU before going to Georgia Tech.
I went to auburne State University, and I saw that
eighty percent of HBCUs had no connectivity or limited connectivity.
So seeing that stat, you know, I wanted to figure
out a way how to connect everyone. And that's just
been our mission from the beginning. And the previous administration had,
(06:48):
you know, different funding mechanisms to go to rule and
black and brown communities. So I wanted to tap into
those funds and redirect it because typically what happens one
of the big boys would take the those funds and
allocated where they wanted to go.
Speaker 1 (07:03):
So this is federal funding that you're talking about. Okay,
So government funding funds these projects for these communities to
be able to have high speed internet.
Speaker 2 (07:11):
Yeah, there was an infrastructure bill that was passed, but
now there's a halt on a lot of the infrastructure money.
Speaker 4 (07:18):
So the BEAD funding.
Speaker 2 (07:20):
There was also another federal grant that was called the
Affordable Connectivity program, and that really got me involved, trying
to take that subsidy for people that were, you know,
on government assistance to give them access to internet.
Speaker 4 (07:37):
So that was another thing.
Speaker 2 (07:38):
I think they were getting like thirty dollars a month
on the Internet bill.
Speaker 4 (07:42):
But yeah, they shut it down February of last year.
Speaker 3 (07:46):
Okay, yeah, so you have this idea.
Speaker 1 (07:50):
Now at the same time, you've also co founded and
launched a Trap museum, So I'm trying to find was
there some connection between the two where you trying to
marry the two together.
Speaker 2 (08:03):
No, even though we piloted our Internet at the museum,
so the Internet, I mean, the museum has its own circuit.
I think we see about two to three thousand people
a week, so we needed our own dedicated circuit for
people to have connectivity. So the POS systems and everything
was shut down. Yeah from there, Like I said, it's
(08:23):
in that same community. You know, we're right off the
beltline in the bluff, So I wanted to make sure
if we could prove it here, we can prove it
throughout this entire neighborhood. So I created a pilot by
having a mobile data center that we popped up.
Speaker 4 (08:38):
I can't remember the name of the street.
Speaker 2 (08:39):
But yeah, anyway, we had a mobile data center and
we had these nodes that surrounded Martin Luther King all
the way down to Joseph v Larie and essentially, if
you were in that area, you could receive Internet from
Culture Wireless.
Speaker 1 (08:54):
Okay, so what year this is launched after the pandemic? Yes,
so this is very This.
Speaker 4 (09:01):
Is really so about four years ago.
Speaker 1 (09:04):
So four years you launched this and it starts off
as a small connection in the West End area around
well the Trap Museum essentially. And so now what is
your coverage.
Speaker 2 (09:16):
Well, we're nationwide now as far as wireless, So when
you start talking about fiber infrastructure, we have a pilot
that we did in Clayton County, so I think we
cover about three thousand homes right now in Clayton County.
We're part of a development in Los Angeles right now.
(09:37):
We're also doing a big project in Jackson, Mississippi. So
those are some of our key anchors as far as
running fiber. We're also a part of, like I said,
some of those federal grants in Southern Georgia, Middle Georgia
just waiting for the government to you know, light it
back up.
Speaker 1 (09:54):
Yeah, So when you say you're in these areas, right,
when I look at cultural wire and this partnership that
you have with T Mobile, is T Mobile driving the
access to this internet or you are your own entity?
Speaker 4 (10:10):
Well, it's two different verticals.
Speaker 2 (10:11):
So T Mobile is more of a mobile infrastructure, so
we partner with them so we can use their network.
So think mint Mobile, think metro PCs basically being able
to get those services to anybody that wants to use
the phone or have fixed wireless in their home. So
think of a router that connects to the tower, you know.
(10:33):
So that's one vertical. The other vertical is just straight
fiber to home during the last mile. Yeah, that's about
it on that side. As far as the fiber infrastructure
and what we wanted to do with T Mobile was
be able to take unused data like that's our secret sauce.
So after we completed a sixteen Z December of twenty three,
(10:58):
that's that February, I knew the government and was going
to shut down the ACP program. So that would leave
forty five million people that looked like us without access.
Speaker 1 (11:06):
So before you go any further with this, forty five
million for our audience who is not familiar.
Speaker 3 (11:11):
What is that program?
Speaker 2 (11:12):
The ACP program, Affordable Connectivity Program.
Speaker 3 (11:15):
The Affordable Connectivity Program.
Speaker 4 (11:17):
Yeah, so that's what I was telling about earlier.
Speaker 2 (11:18):
They granted people using government subsidies to get that internet connection.
It was thirty dollars a month, plus they paid for
your devices. So once they shut that down February of
last year, I came up with an idea. One of
the people that was in my cohort with a sixteen
and z knew the VP of wholesale with T Mobile,
(11:39):
and he just connected the dots. I did the pitch
and I was sitting in the office one day and
I thought about it.
Speaker 4 (11:45):
You know, I was paying my bill.
Speaker 2 (11:47):
I was with AT and T at the time, and
I noticed I'm not using my data, you know, I'm
using like three gigs or whatever. So I'm like, what
happens to this unused data? So I called the same
person al who talked told me about the whole fiber.
Speaker 4 (12:01):
He said, well, what happens is there's a pool.
Speaker 2 (12:04):
There's just a pool of data that AT and T
sales or T Mobile sales, and as you use it,
they make adjustments with people in this room. So you
might have unlimited I might have five gigs a month.
If I overstepped my five gigs, whatever you didn't use,
they'll pull it and charge me extra.
Speaker 4 (12:26):
Meanwhile, they didn't take any money away from your bill.
Speaker 3 (12:29):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (12:29):
So I came up with this idea that what if
you were able to share your extra five gigs with
somebody in the community and reward them. So I came
up with this reward program to service our community and
help people in need.
Speaker 3 (12:45):
Oh wow. Yeah, So what's been the response.
Speaker 1 (12:47):
Did people know that this is a program that's really
like for us by us?
Speaker 4 (12:51):
No, not yet. We haven't launched it.
Speaker 2 (12:53):
So that's a part of the whole wefunder launch that
we're doing on Juneteenth is to help put some money
behind this campaign. One of our advisors, Robert Frederick, who
created AWS, is the guy that's building our technology. So
we have our own culture wireless app and everything that
we're launching, and this will be able to kind of
(13:15):
test the market, but we haven't fully baked it out
to where we can blast it out to the entire
world yet.
Speaker 3 (13:21):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (13:21):
So with the app, are you offering other forms of
content for people to be able to tap into or
is this simply a one stop shop.
Speaker 4 (13:30):
Now it'll be a community based app.
Speaker 2 (13:32):
We have some other things that Rob has built in
the past for other cities. He did some smart city
projects for New Jersey. He's working on some stuff here
in Atlanta. So it would be a whole ecosystem.
Speaker 1 (13:46):
Okay, Yeah, what is that ecosystem going to look like?
What can the customers get from this ecosystem?
Speaker 4 (13:52):
Well, there'll be some answers on transit.
Speaker 2 (13:56):
So what we want to do is eventually connect to Marta,
connect to the City of Atlanta, anything they have as
far as aps, do some skilling. One of the things
we want to do is actually skilling guests, Okay, teaching
people how to get jobs in these areas, maybe even
using AI. There's several jobs. You can run fiber, you
(14:20):
can work on the towers, you can work at data centers,
like there's several things that you can do out of
this industry, and we want to provide the information.
Speaker 1 (14:29):
Yeah, let's talk about AI since you just mentioned it recently.
I had Alicia Little on the show. She's the Queen
of Aika and she is a black woman that is
really changing the game the way how we use AI,
and we integrate them into our businesses and scale our businesses.
And so when you look at artificial intelligence and in
(14:52):
regards to your business of telecommunications, where are you in
the in the race of AI? And you know how
was that revolutionizing your own business?
Speaker 2 (15:04):
Well, we're in the emphasis stages right now. I know
this past for four day we did a partnership. It
was an AID in A with Microsoft and yeah, so
what we wanted to do was to do a hackathon
where people can actually learn how to use AI in
the telecom industry, Like, how do we advance it? I
(15:26):
want to say, T Mobile just did the same thing
for one of their programs that they piled it. I
think it ends in July in Germany at the headquarters. Okay, yeah,
so that's one of the things we wanted to try
and get ahead of it and figure out ways to
implement it.
Speaker 4 (15:41):
But you know, like I said, it's early.
Speaker 1 (15:44):
Yeah, so you guys aren't integrating artificial intelligence into your
daily operations of course.
Speaker 2 (15:51):
Listen, Okay, I'm waiting to put out my trap GPT.
Speaker 3 (15:56):
What is that tell me about it?
Speaker 2 (15:57):
Well, I pitched it that AID in A But basically
it's I want to use it for the museum, but
trap GPT. I'll send you the link. It's basically a
I don't want to use word mockery.
Speaker 4 (16:12):
But.
Speaker 2 (16:14):
It's just adds some culture to it. Okay, you know,
you'll see it. It's kind of hard, so it's.
Speaker 1 (16:19):
Like chat, but it kind of speaks in trap or
it offers you trap music.
Speaker 3 (16:25):
What is it gonna do?
Speaker 2 (16:26):
It speaks in a almost like a trap type of
you know, but it also brings some different elements to listen,
you'll see it.
Speaker 4 (16:38):
Trust me, it's gonna be doe.
Speaker 1 (16:39):
I mean, I'm sitting here with a cultural innovator. Of
course I'm gonna see it, right. I mean when we
look at culture, technology innovation, how is your company, how
is your company really playing a significant role in that?
Speaker 2 (16:55):
Well, we're just being disruptors, honestly, you know, to even
I'm not going to say expose the industry, but show
people how your phones really work and show you that
there could be a solution outside of waiting for the
government to come and save us, but for us to
power our own communities. I think that that in itself,
(17:16):
you know, makes us, you know, cultural disruptives.
Speaker 3 (17:19):
Okay, how are we using our phones? Then we don't
know how.
Speaker 4 (17:22):
Tell us Yeah, with the data.
Speaker 2 (17:24):
So, like I was telling you, a lot of people
don't understand how that really you mean.
Speaker 3 (17:28):
Going back to this data pool?
Speaker 1 (17:29):
Yeah, okay, so if you're not using all of your data,
then it's going to go into a pool for somebody
who's using all of theirs.
Speaker 2 (17:37):
And they're going to pay the extra, the extra ten
dollars per gig that AT and T charges everybody. You know,
it's really almost like the carriers double dipping almost.
Speaker 1 (17:48):
Yeah, that makes sense. Do you think why do you
think our people will care?
Speaker 4 (17:53):
One of the saving money too?
Speaker 2 (17:55):
It can help impact the community, and it gives us
more access this like that that helped closes the digital divide.
That's the biggest issue, especially when you start talking about AI.
If you don't even have access to the internet, how
are you going to keep up with all the transition
that's happening with AI.
Speaker 1 (18:13):
Yeah, And most people that you're finding are not keeping
up with the technology and having the Internet because they
don't have the money. And that's what this comes down essentially. Yeah,
comes down to the money. So then when you look
at being a cultural disruptor, how are you going to
say where it's not just about the money we got.
(18:34):
We got some other teaching tools that we are going
to How are you getting the audience to really tap
into the bigger picture of this.
Speaker 2 (18:45):
I would probably say just giving the opportunity, you know,
I think exposure in the community helps. So I have
a couple of the partnerships. We're working on workforce development
in our community. So right off on the west side,
not too far from don on Lely holliwell, you'll be able.
Speaker 4 (19:01):
To go and get educated on this stuff.
Speaker 2 (19:03):
Once again, we have a partnership with Microsoft to skill
people not just on AI but other things.
Speaker 4 (19:10):
Yeah, I think it's access at the end of the day.
Speaker 1 (19:13):
Yeah, I just I want so much because when I've
had these conversations, and like I even told Alicia when
she was here, like every conference, every tech event that
I go to, everything is about when it is AI.
I'm there, right, And I feel like that is one
of those we talk about these cultural revolutions, we talk
(19:34):
about this Internet revolution. We're in a whole new frontier
of where our lives are gonna go with artificial intelligence,
and if we aren't champion need that cause in our
communities for us to be learners and to be really too,
as many skills as we can get, you know. On AI,
(19:54):
I feel like we're just gonna be It's another way
to put.
Speaker 4 (19:57):
Us behind exactly exactly.
Speaker 2 (19:59):
We got to stay here at the and not necessarily
you know, make things cool, like you know, once we
start talking about chat ChiPT now everybody's on it.
Speaker 3 (20:09):
You know.
Speaker 2 (20:10):
So what I want to do is provide resources where
we can come up with our own stuff so we
can stop giving away our culture. So at the end
of the day, if we make something cool, it's going
back to our community.
Speaker 1 (20:21):
That makes sense, Yeah, I mean giving up our culture.
When you look at the Chap Museum and I've been
to the Trap Museum before, Yes, I definitely have. I know,
in the summer, y'all shine in the summer, baby, because
this line wrapped down the street listen, and y'all stay
open late and food trucks be over there.
Speaker 3 (20:39):
And it's a church right across the street.
Speaker 1 (20:41):
People don't know it's a church right across the street,
so they praying while we trapping.
Speaker 2 (20:45):
Okay, we've had church in the Trap.
Speaker 1 (20:49):
Yeah, I know, I know Jamal Bryant Church New Birth.
Speaker 3 (20:55):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (20:55):
So when you look at a space like Trap Museum,
how can it kind of serve Is this hub in
more of just like showcasing how we've impacted the music
culture scene of Atlanta, how we've really transformed even what
rap music looks like here in the city of Atlanta.
How is it going to service this cultural hub of innovation.
Speaker 4 (21:16):
Giving people more access in the space.
Speaker 2 (21:18):
So, because we know the foot traffic, you know, launching
a trap GPT or having different things in there where
you can learn about I mean infrastructure.
Speaker 4 (21:30):
You know, you're right off of the beltline.
Speaker 2 (21:31):
Eventually once the World Cup comes in three hundred and
sixty two days, Yeah, a lot of people will come
through there. So us having a hub where people can
stop learn about our culture but also learn about innovation
and how to next step and be involved in all
those things in the area, I feel like that would
be impactful.
Speaker 1 (21:52):
Yeah, I mean, speaking of the World cub, I mean
Atlanta's pupping a whole lot of money over this next
year into what this World Cup is going to do.
How is your company going to really be able to
utilize what's going to come to the city and really
impact in a big way.
Speaker 4 (22:13):
Well, when we want to make sure we activate over
in that area.
Speaker 2 (22:17):
So, like I said, we already have a mobile data
center over there, directly across the street from the stadium.
Speaker 1 (22:22):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (22:22):
So I'm actually working on a plate where we can
have coverage for people that come in in town. So
what I want to do is have our own devices.
People can tap in, get our service and basically flow.
Speaker 4 (22:35):
In and out the game without any interruption.
Speaker 1 (22:38):
Ooh okay, flow in and out the game with no interruption.
And this is not impeded on the service that is
over at the stadium, or this is the service already
covers the stadium.
Speaker 2 (22:50):
Well, our partnership covers We're nationwide, so we don't impede
as long as it's not in the stadium. Because we
didn't win the bid to actually be in the state,
so we put in a couple of bids on the
surrounding areas, which we should be finding out if we
if we won those or that.
Speaker 4 (23:06):
Yeah. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (23:07):
How does politics impact your business?
Speaker 4 (23:09):
A lot, a lot, a lot.
Speaker 2 (23:11):
But I mean it's mainly you know, relationships, you know,
even us, you know, when in the RFP, we put
an amazing proposal out for the beltline, so we became
the actual infrastructure.
Speaker 4 (23:24):
Partner for them.
Speaker 2 (23:25):
So now that gives us more leverage leaning towards these
other you know, RFPs that are going to come out,
so we can potentially win those bids.
Speaker 3 (23:34):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (23:34):
Yeah, So when we when we think about cities like Atlanta,
Los Angeles, and what's the other city that you're in,
Jackson in Jackson, Mississippi and county. So Jackson, Mississippi one
of the highest concentration of black people in the country
outside of Detroit.
Speaker 3 (23:53):
Right then Atlanta.
Speaker 1 (23:56):
I mean, I don't know if we considered you know,
because we real gentrified right now. You know, technically technical
technically is gingrified based on the zip codes, but it's
real black black and black black black here right.
Speaker 3 (24:09):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (24:10):
So then moving into cities like a Los Angeles, which
is a lot more culturally diverse, moving into cities that
may not have the cultural landscape like we have here
in Atlanta or in a Jackson, how does that affect
your business?
Speaker 2 (24:25):
And we're still focused on our community. So we're going
to be in Crenshaw specifically.
Speaker 3 (24:29):
Okay, so this is like Lahmert Park area.
Speaker 2 (24:32):
Yeah, We're not necessarily in Beverly Hills. You know, We're
still connected to the culture for.
Speaker 3 (24:38):
Sure, Okay.
Speaker 1 (24:39):
So then when we talk about this in the culture moment,
when you look at a space like say you take
this to a city like Cleveland, so you go to
a Chicago, what does that look like in those landscapes.
Speaker 2 (24:52):
Well, we're gonna have to partner with different municipalities in
each city and that's the part of our rollout. So eventually,
like you said, I want to go to Harlem, I
want to go Cleveland.
Speaker 4 (25:01):
I don't know where. I haven't been to Cleveland but twice.
Speaker 3 (25:04):
Oh my god, you know my home down shout out
to the two six.
Speaker 2 (25:09):
I'm to talk to you about it because I have
no idea. I think I went to Cleveland Brown's game
or something other than that. I really don't know the
dynamic of the city. But yeah, it's just all off
those partnerships and you know, connecting with the correct people.
Speaker 3 (25:23):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (25:24):
So if I'm just on my phone right now and
for all our viewers who are watching and listening to this,
is it a thing where you know what, I'm gonna
go get me some Culture Wireless today. Let me go
sign up for Culture Wireless. Can they do that or
is this something that has to be in your in
those networks that you named.
Speaker 2 (25:42):
It has to be in on in those networks for
Internet directly to the home, but for the mobile we'll
be able to launch that wherever you are. So, like
I said, we're launching our wee funder on juneteenth. Our
actual network should be up and running within the next
sixty days after that.
Speaker 3 (25:58):
Okay.
Speaker 1 (25:59):
Yeah, so when you say that this is they can
come in and get phone service. Yes, you're a phone
service provider.
Speaker 2 (26:05):
Yes, NBNO is the technical term, so mobile virtual network operator,
but just strictly mobile. So we'll operate off of t
mobiles network where you can come in, sign up, get
a number, and we'll send you a SIM card.
Speaker 1 (26:21):
Okay, So you're not offering phones, You're only offering the
SIM cards or cards.
Speaker 4 (26:26):
Yeah, it's just a service. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (26:28):
So you either do a digital SIM, an SAM or
a physical SAM.
Speaker 4 (26:32):
Okay, and like I don't know if.
Speaker 2 (26:34):
You have an iPhone or that, I can send you
a SM You download it, put in a number registered
on our website, and then the service pops up.
Speaker 1 (26:44):
So this can be just a number that you have
outside of your phone, your actual phone number.
Speaker 3 (26:49):
Yeah, okay, so it's like a Google number.
Speaker 2 (26:51):
Yeah, just like switching service, same thing you would do
if you were with Riis and switching to T Mobile
or AT and T to Culture whatever.
Speaker 1 (27:00):
Yeah, what's the incentive? What would make people want to
jump ship from their provider right now to then come
over to Cultural Wireless.
Speaker 2 (27:08):
You're benefiting the culture At the end of the day,
we're building our own ecosystem and we're supplying services for
people that don't necessarily have access to service. So it's
not taking a philanthropic angle. It's more so we want
economic change. We want to come on and make sure
(27:29):
that our community isn't left behind. So that should motivate
a lot of people to come over and switch, especially
when you have companies like Rising killing their DEI program.
You know, why would I continue to support someone that
doesn't necessarily support our community.
Speaker 1 (27:45):
So then there's gonna be somebody out there who's gonna say, oh,
I ain't leaving my good old AT and my good
Verizon Wireless, you know, to go over there, because I'm
gonna go somewhere and they ain't even behind no coverage
myself a gonna work.
Speaker 3 (27:59):
What would you say to.
Speaker 2 (27:59):
Them, Well, believe it or not, a lot of your
coverage already doesn't work, especially AT and T. Just kidding,
I would encourage them to support you know, our people.
You know, at the end of the day, I love
to tell people that I'm black on not just to
sell our services for black people, but you know it's
(28:19):
for us, by us, and I want us to continue
support if if we are able to pour you know,
our black dollars into our black community, it stretches longer.
You see the boycott that just went on with with Target. Yeah,
what happened to those dollars?
Speaker 4 (28:34):
You know what I mean?
Speaker 2 (28:35):
If we had a black version of Target and we
were able to redirect those funds, we wouldn't necessarily be
so dependent on these di programs.
Speaker 3 (28:44):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (28:45):
So then there's gonna be somebody who says, but when
I go to Jamaica, when I go to Bermuda, when
I go to London, when I go to Ghana, is
my phone gonna work?
Speaker 2 (28:55):
Yes, same process. It's the exact same process. It just
has a different code at the top of your phone.
Instead of it's saying T mobile, it says culture instead
of it's saying AT and TS, it says culture. So
at the end day, like I said, we have experts
on our team that's been doing this for over thirty years,
that built these networks for the AT and TS and
T mobile. The only difference is we're building it for
(29:17):
ourselves now.
Speaker 3 (29:18):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (29:18):
Yeah, I can imagine the amount of challenges, backlash, all
kinds of things that you've probably received along the way.
What's been the most challenging thing that you've had to
kind of challengeing hurdle you've had to jump.
Speaker 4 (29:32):
In this journey capital?
Speaker 2 (29:34):
Yeah, so what I didn't know four years ago when
Al was telling me, oh, yeah, we can run the fiber,
do this, do that.
Speaker 4 (29:40):
It's expensive.
Speaker 2 (29:41):
So to go from Moore's Brown to Cameron Alexander is
like twenty grand and it's not even a half a mile.
So just running that stretch pulling that fiber is very expensive.
So that's why, you know, we had to raise a
lot of capital. We put a lot of our own
money into the company. That's been the most challenging part.
(30:03):
You know, being a black founder is not the easiest
to get, you know, BC backing. So that's one of
the reasons we want to give the community a chance
to invest and own a piece of the culture.
Speaker 1 (30:15):
Yeah, and them owning a piece is really them using
you as a service provider.
Speaker 2 (30:20):
Yes, exactly, and it'll motivate them to, like you said,
have the service. So not only do you have equity,
but now you you can say, oh, I own a
piece of my own phone company.
Speaker 1 (30:31):
So when they sign up for as you with culture
as a service provider, how much equity are they getting
in the company when they sign up?
Speaker 4 (30:40):
Well, if you sign up through the we funded It
all depends.
Speaker 2 (30:42):
So right now we have a ten million dollar evaluation
and we're raising a million dollars, so it's ten percent
of the company. And I think the minimum to get
in is one hundred dollars, so it's like point zero
zero one percent of the company something like that.
Speaker 1 (30:56):
So for one hundred dollars, you have a point zero
zero one one Yeah.
Speaker 3 (31:03):
Person buy in.
Speaker 4 (31:03):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (31:04):
What would be for those people who are looking to invest,
who are like, you know what, I want to put
my money where my mouth is. What would be a
significant amount of money that they could invest where they
would see a real return on their investment.
Speaker 4 (31:19):
Well, it all depends.
Speaker 2 (31:20):
So last year, Ryan Reynolds, they sold mint Mobile back
to T Mobile, and I think they sold for one
point three five billion dollars, right so if you were
to invest, say one hundred thousand dollars, you get one
percent in the company. So one percent of a one
(31:40):
point three five billion dollar exit is I don't know,
I have a calculator on me, but it's pretty extensive.
So I would say at minimum, I would do at least,
you know, one thousand dollars. But if you only feel
comfortable with one hundred bucks, that's fine too. Yeah, because
ten thousand people that invest one hundred bucks gives us
(32:01):
that million dollars that we're looking for. So hopefully I
think we shall reach our goal of exiting within the
next three to four years, and hopefully it be beyond
the one point three to five the Ryan Reynolds just received.
Speaker 3 (32:14):
Okay, so the goal is to scale and then eventually sell.
Speaker 4 (32:17):
Yes, yeah for sure, Yeah for sure.
Speaker 1 (32:19):
Now you know it's going to be some people already
like they're trying to sell out this business already.
Speaker 4 (32:26):
Well, that's the mobile version.
Speaker 2 (32:29):
So like I said, there's two tentacles that you have
your mobile and then you also have your fiber. I
don't think we're ever going to have the proper infrastructure
in the US to actually sustain the type of speed
you need, it's going to take a long time, a
very very long time, so we're in it for the
long haul. But basically, once we hit a certain mark,
(32:50):
which I feel like, we should get there pretty fast.
So you get a quarter million customers on the on
our service, people are going to buy us out. So
could we potentially work out other structures and deals? Sure,
I don't know yet, but I mean when we get there,
I'll let you know.
Speaker 4 (33:07):
You'll be the first person I call.
Speaker 1 (33:09):
I know, you know, I'm usually that girl, first one
thing called listen. So can you share how many people
are already on the network right.
Speaker 3 (33:17):
Now or no?
Speaker 4 (33:18):
On the mobile side, no, no, we can't.
Speaker 2 (33:20):
But on the infrastructure side, like I said, we already
have coverage in three thousand homes in Klaycoat and we're
expanding in other areas. So hopefully, within I would say
the next three hundred and sixty five days, we should
have over fifty thousand customers on that.
Speaker 3 (33:35):
Wow.
Speaker 1 (33:36):
Yes, that would be exponential growth, that's the goal. Yeah,
that's more than the ten X Yeah.
Speaker 2 (33:41):
Yeah, that's and a successful NB and O typically ranges
around thirty five to sixty thousand customers.
Speaker 4 (33:49):
That's successful, And I want to blow it out the water.
Speaker 1 (33:52):
Okay, what's one thing that they should know about this
company that separates you from all the other ones out there.
Speaker 2 (34:01):
I mean, we're about impact, you know, we actually want
to give people access.
Speaker 4 (34:06):
You know.
Speaker 2 (34:07):
One of the reasons why people don't have access is
some of the larger carriers didn't see the justification for
running fiber in buying city, you know what I mean,
they didn't think that they could afford that one hundred
dollars or whatever they charge a month.
Speaker 4 (34:25):
Yeah, we just want to make sure you have connectivity.
Speaker 2 (34:28):
Because at the end of the day, that same day
when he told me those kids have to go to
the library at Clark because they don't have an Internet
at home, you know, it made me want to change something.
So I think that's should be the differentiator between going
with culture wireless versus AT and T.
Speaker 1 (34:48):
Yeah, what are you most excited about as you are
building this company?
Speaker 4 (34:57):
Impact? Making a difference? Honestly, people access.
Speaker 2 (35:02):
I mean I've had nieces and nephews call me asking
can I send them a tablet with some service on it?
So for me to be able to, you know, send
them or run fiber down Metropolitan to their neighborhood to
make sure they're good to go.
Speaker 4 (35:16):
I mean, that's exciting for me.
Speaker 3 (35:19):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (35:20):
What would you tell those young black boys who want
to be cultural disruptors?
Speaker 3 (35:25):
What would you tell them?
Speaker 1 (35:26):
What would be that first piece of advice you would
give them.
Speaker 4 (35:31):
I would say, I think big.
Speaker 2 (35:33):
That's you know, I'm an ideas guy and I'm always
shooting for the stars.
Speaker 4 (35:41):
How can I make that happen? You know? So I
would give someone the same advice.
Speaker 2 (35:45):
Don't let them want to tell you that you you
know your idea is too big and execute because you know,
I would probably say my first, my biggest breakthrough was
the Trap Music Museum. You know, pitching a concept over
and over and over again and actually getting the opportunity
to make something that impactful for our culture like that
(36:08):
changed my life. It gave me the confidence that I
know I can take a dream or an idea and
execute it all the way to the finish.
Speaker 3 (36:17):
Yeah. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (36:19):
As we begin to close out one word you're committed
to in the season of your life.
Speaker 2 (36:26):
One word, I'll probably say purpose. Why I think this
this is my purpose. I think I'm actually creating change.
I think that's what I was put here to do
you know, create cool ideas, do dope stuff, and continue
(36:48):
to pass on knowledge so other people can grow on scale.
Speaker 4 (36:51):
So I think I think that's it.
Speaker 1 (36:54):
William Bam Sparks, thank you so much for joining me today.
It was a pleasure. Bottom Powers talks another. They're a
good one for the books. Be sure to share this
with somebody who needs to execute in this season of
their lives. But walk in purpose. I'm gonna go, Brandy
Harvey until next time. Eat well, give a damn move
your body every single day.
Speaker 3 (37:11):
Peace,
You've worn many hats along this journey, So how do
you go from engineering to the music industry, co founder
of the Trap Museum to now being in telecommunications.
Speaker 2 (00:09):
I came up with this idea that what if you
were able to share your extra five gigs with somebody
in the community. There's several things that you can do
out of this industry, and we want to provide the information.
Speaker 1 (00:20):
How are you getting the audience to really tap into
the bigger picture of.
Speaker 2 (00:26):
This Exposure in the community helps you're benefiting the culture.
At the end of the day, we're building our own ecosystem.
If you don't even have access to the Internet, how
are you going to keep up with all the transition
that's happening.
Speaker 1 (00:37):
With a welcome to volt Empowers Talk, so we don't
just scratch your surface, we dive deep into the lidves
of some of the world's most influential change makers.
Speaker 3 (00:53):
I'm your host, Brandy Harvey.
Speaker 1 (00:55):
While we got a good one today, Vaught empowers we
in the world of telecommunications. William bam Sparks is an
unstoppable force redefining how culture and technology intersect. From co
founding the groundbreaking Trap Museum to partnering with T Mobile
to deliver high speed five G to underserved communities. William
(01:15):
Bam Sparks is a master at turning vision into impact.
As the co founder of Cultural Wireless, He's on a
mission to close America's digital divide while empowering everyday people
to own a stake in the Internet revolution. Vart Empower's
Talks wecome CEO founder and innovator William Bam Sparks to
the show, how.
Speaker 3 (01:35):
Are you innovator?
Speaker 4 (01:39):
Vision impact? I like that.
Speaker 1 (01:40):
Listen, that's you. You gotta take it. It's now yours
vision impact. I mean, you've been in the music industry,
You've been in an entrepreneur, an engineer, a cultural curator.
You've worn many hats along this journey.
Speaker 4 (01:54):
Renaissance man.
Speaker 1 (01:55):
Yeah, absolutely, so take me on this journey. What kind
of has been been the mojo? Because how do you
go from engineering to the music industry, co founder of
the Trap Museum to now being in telecommunications.
Speaker 4 (02:09):
Just being the master of the pivot. You know, I
was at Georgia Tech.
Speaker 2 (02:14):
I'm a native of Atlanta, you know, doing the whole
chemical engineering thing, and I got a call and the
call was, hey, we needs you to come and run
a sports agency, and me not knowing anything about being
an agent, I had to adjust.
Speaker 1 (02:28):
You were in college, yeah, and somebody asked you to
come and run a sports agency.
Speaker 4 (02:33):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (02:33):
So my cousin, who's TI's best friend, they were running
a label, Grand Hustle, and Adam Pacman Jones actually reached
out for some sort of management or help, and essentially
they knew of my sports background in high school. I
ran against pac Man in high school track. So yeah,
(02:53):
from there, I just took all my relationships from football
in high school. A lot of my friends ended up
going pro, so it just made sense. I learned to
capitalize on my relationships.
Speaker 3 (03:05):
Yeah, capitalize on your relationships.
Speaker 1 (03:07):
So then you go from sports to then going into
the music industry.
Speaker 4 (03:12):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (03:12):
Yeah, so I'll probably say around two thousand and seven
or eight. I was always interested in music, but you know,
after Tip went to jail came back out, I had to,
you know, figure other things out outside of sports, and
went under the wing of my cousin and a couple
other people learned how to you know, an R work
(03:33):
with producers, manage talent, and yeah.
Speaker 4 (03:37):
Did that for about ten years. I'll probably say just
on the music side.
Speaker 1 (03:42):
Yeah, yeah, on the music side. And now you have
ventured into telecommunications.
Speaker 4 (03:48):
Yes, yes, correct, that's correct.
Speaker 3 (03:50):
How did you How did you land here?
Speaker 2 (03:54):
It was it was random. Actually, I got a call
from another one of my cousins. I got like a
million cousins, and he said, I want you to go
check out this esports facility at Morris Brown.
Speaker 4 (04:04):
So I went over there and this guy.
Speaker 2 (04:09):
Basically rigged the circuit, which is basically took the fire
out the ground, created a connection into the old Arena
and I don't know if last time you seen the
arena it was vacant for like twenty five Yeah, with all.
Speaker 3 (04:23):
The graffiti and everything exactly exactly.
Speaker 2 (04:26):
So he was like, yeah, man, this is the fastest
internet in the city. Like, how dude, this is one
of the oldest buildings in Atlanta. So he explained to
me about a Google project that was there that was
started to help the community, and they kind of just
left it there. He was able to tap into that
dark fiber, run his own circuit.
Speaker 4 (04:47):
And literally had the fastest internet.
Speaker 2 (04:49):
But at that time, it wasn't going back to Vine
City or the Bluff or the AUC but it was
going back towards Georgia Tech Sades, Bends, Downtown, I Midtown,
and I saw the issue right then. That's when the
light bulb went off, because at the end of the day,
if you remember post COVID, all of our kids were
going to the library because they they have connectivity.
Speaker 4 (05:11):
So I'm like, why is dislike it? So I made
a couple of calls.
Speaker 2 (05:16):
One of my business partners actually did the fiber infrastructure
at Heartsville and he basically took me to class that
day how to get into tailcom.
Speaker 1 (05:27):
Oh okay, so what is like the entry? Because he
taught you how to get into it. We had this
bru man from the fifth flow Internet connection that was happening.
Speaker 3 (05:41):
Down in Morris Brown. So what was your entry?
Speaker 1 (05:44):
You got excited and then you said, let me go
buy a telecom company?
Speaker 4 (05:50):
Yeah really, yeah, okay, we just wanted to solve a problem.
Speaker 2 (05:53):
At the end of the day, I've always wanted to
solve problems, bring opportunities back to the West Side because
that's why I'm from. And yeah, at the end of
the day, I thought it was it would be great
to kind of bridge that gap because there's obviously, you know,
this whole digital divide going on, and yeah.
Speaker 4 (06:12):
That was it.
Speaker 1 (06:13):
Yeah, the digital divide. How are our communities? How are
really black communities being underserved when it comes to telecommunications?
Speaker 4 (06:23):
It's just limited access. You know.
Speaker 2 (06:26):
I went to an HBCU before going to Georgia Tech.
I went to auburne State University, and I saw that
eighty percent of HBCUs had no connectivity or limited connectivity.
So seeing that stat, you know, I wanted to figure
out a way how to connect everyone. And that's just
been our mission from the beginning. And the previous administration had,
(06:48):
you know, different funding mechanisms to go to rule and
black and brown communities. So I wanted to tap into
those funds and redirect it because typically what happens one
of the big boys would take the those funds and
allocated where they wanted to go.
Speaker 1 (07:03):
So this is federal funding that you're talking about. Okay,
So government funding funds these projects for these communities to
be able to have high speed internet.
Speaker 2 (07:11):
Yeah, there was an infrastructure bill that was passed, but
now there's a halt on a lot of the infrastructure money.
Speaker 4 (07:18):
So the BEAD funding.
Speaker 2 (07:20):
There was also another federal grant that was called the
Affordable Connectivity program, and that really got me involved, trying
to take that subsidy for people that were, you know,
on government assistance to give them access to internet.
Speaker 4 (07:37):
So that was another thing.
Speaker 2 (07:38):
I think they were getting like thirty dollars a month
on the Internet bill.
Speaker 4 (07:42):
But yeah, they shut it down February of last year.
Speaker 3 (07:46):
Okay, yeah, so you have this idea.
Speaker 1 (07:50):
Now at the same time, you've also co founded and
launched a Trap museum, So I'm trying to find was
there some connection between the two where you trying to
marry the two together.
Speaker 2 (08:03):
No, even though we piloted our Internet at the museum,
so the Internet, I mean, the museum has its own circuit.
I think we see about two to three thousand people
a week, so we needed our own dedicated circuit for
people to have connectivity. So the POS systems and everything
was shut down. Yeah from there, Like I said, it's
(08:23):
in that same community. You know, we're right off the
beltline in the bluff, So I wanted to make sure
if we could prove it here, we can prove it
throughout this entire neighborhood. So I created a pilot by
having a mobile data center that we popped up.
Speaker 4 (08:38):
I can't remember the name of the street.
Speaker 2 (08:39):
But yeah, anyway, we had a mobile data center and
we had these nodes that surrounded Martin Luther King all
the way down to Joseph v Larie and essentially, if
you were in that area, you could receive Internet from
Culture Wireless.
Speaker 1 (08:54):
Okay, so what year this is launched after the pandemic? Yes,
so this is very This.
Speaker 4 (09:01):
Is really so about four years ago.
Speaker 1 (09:04):
So four years you launched this and it starts off
as a small connection in the West End area around
well the Trap Museum essentially. And so now what is
your coverage.
Speaker 2 (09:16):
Well, we're nationwide now as far as wireless, So when
you start talking about fiber infrastructure, we have a pilot
that we did in Clayton County, so I think we
cover about three thousand homes right now in Clayton County.
We're part of a development in Los Angeles right now.
(09:37):
We're also doing a big project in Jackson, Mississippi. So
those are some of our key anchors as far as
running fiber. We're also a part of, like I said,
some of those federal grants in Southern Georgia, Middle Georgia
just waiting for the government to you know, light it
back up.
Speaker 1 (09:54):
Yeah, So when you say you're in these areas, right,
when I look at cultural wire and this partnership that
you have with T Mobile, is T Mobile driving the
access to this internet or you are your own entity?
Speaker 4 (10:10):
Well, it's two different verticals.
Speaker 2 (10:11):
So T Mobile is more of a mobile infrastructure, so
we partner with them so we can use their network.
So think mint Mobile, think metro PCs basically being able
to get those services to anybody that wants to use
the phone or have fixed wireless in their home. So
think of a router that connects to the tower, you know.
(10:33):
So that's one vertical. The other vertical is just straight
fiber to home during the last mile. Yeah, that's about
it on that side. As far as the fiber infrastructure
and what we wanted to do with T Mobile was
be able to take unused data like that's our secret sauce.
So after we completed a sixteen Z December of twenty three,
(10:58):
that's that February, I knew the government and was going
to shut down the ACP program. So that would leave
forty five million people that looked like us without access.
Speaker 1 (11:06):
So before you go any further with this, forty five
million for our audience who is not familiar.
Speaker 3 (11:11):
What is that program?
Speaker 2 (11:12):
The ACP program, Affordable Connectivity Program.
Speaker 3 (11:15):
The Affordable Connectivity Program.
Speaker 4 (11:17):
Yeah, so that's what I was telling about earlier.
Speaker 2 (11:18):
They granted people using government subsidies to get that internet connection.
It was thirty dollars a month, plus they paid for
your devices. So once they shut that down February of
last year, I came up with an idea. One of
the people that was in my cohort with a sixteen
and z knew the VP of wholesale with T Mobile,
(11:39):
and he just connected the dots. I did the pitch
and I was sitting in the office one day and
I thought about it.
Speaker 4 (11:45):
You know, I was paying my bill.
Speaker 2 (11:47):
I was with AT and T at the time, and
I noticed I'm not using my data, you know, I'm
using like three gigs or whatever. So I'm like, what
happens to this unused data? So I called the same
person al who talked told me about the whole fiber.
Speaker 4 (12:01):
He said, well, what happens is there's a pool.
Speaker 2 (12:04):
There's just a pool of data that AT and T
sales or T Mobile sales, and as you use it,
they make adjustments with people in this room. So you
might have unlimited I might have five gigs a month.
If I overstepped my five gigs, whatever you didn't use,
they'll pull it and charge me extra.
Speaker 4 (12:26):
Meanwhile, they didn't take any money away from your bill.
Speaker 3 (12:29):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (12:29):
So I came up with this idea that what if
you were able to share your extra five gigs with
somebody in the community and reward them. So I came
up with this reward program to service our community and
help people in need.
Speaker 3 (12:45):
Oh wow. Yeah, So what's been the response.
Speaker 1 (12:47):
Did people know that this is a program that's really
like for us by us?
Speaker 4 (12:51):
No, not yet. We haven't launched it.
Speaker 2 (12:53):
So that's a part of the whole wefunder launch that
we're doing on Juneteenth is to help put some money
behind this campaign. One of our advisors, Robert Frederick, who
created AWS, is the guy that's building our technology. So
we have our own culture wireless app and everything that
we're launching, and this will be able to kind of
(13:15):
test the market, but we haven't fully baked it out
to where we can blast it out to the entire
world yet.
Speaker 3 (13:21):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (13:21):
So with the app, are you offering other forms of
content for people to be able to tap into or
is this simply a one stop shop.
Speaker 4 (13:30):
Now it'll be a community based app.
Speaker 2 (13:32):
We have some other things that Rob has built in
the past for other cities. He did some smart city
projects for New Jersey. He's working on some stuff here
in Atlanta. So it would be a whole ecosystem.
Speaker 1 (13:46):
Okay, Yeah, what is that ecosystem going to look like?
What can the customers get from this ecosystem?
Speaker 4 (13:52):
Well, there'll be some answers on transit.
Speaker 2 (13:56):
So what we want to do is eventually connect to Marta,
connect to the City of Atlanta, anything they have as
far as aps, do some skilling. One of the things
we want to do is actually skilling guests, Okay, teaching
people how to get jobs in these areas, maybe even
using AI. There's several jobs. You can run fiber, you
(14:20):
can work on the towers, you can work at data centers,
like there's several things that you can do out of
this industry, and we want to provide the information.
Speaker 1 (14:29):
Yeah, let's talk about AI since you just mentioned it recently.
I had Alicia Little on the show. She's the Queen
of Aika and she is a black woman that is
really changing the game the way how we use AI,
and we integrate them into our businesses and scale our businesses.
And so when you look at artificial intelligence and in
(14:52):
regards to your business of telecommunications, where are you in
the in the race of AI? And you know how
was that revolutionizing your own business?
Speaker 2 (15:04):
Well, we're in the emphasis stages right now. I know
this past for four day we did a partnership. It
was an AID in A with Microsoft and yeah, so
what we wanted to do was to do a hackathon
where people can actually learn how to use AI in
the telecom industry, Like, how do we advance it? I
(15:26):
want to say, T Mobile just did the same thing
for one of their programs that they piled it. I
think it ends in July in Germany at the headquarters. Okay, yeah,
so that's one of the things we wanted to try
and get ahead of it and figure out ways to
implement it.
Speaker 4 (15:41):
But you know, like I said, it's early.
Speaker 1 (15:44):
Yeah, so you guys aren't integrating artificial intelligence into your
daily operations of course.
Speaker 2 (15:51):
Listen, Okay, I'm waiting to put out my trap GPT.
Speaker 3 (15:56):
What is that tell me about it?
Speaker 2 (15:57):
Well, I pitched it that AID in A But basically
it's I want to use it for the museum, but
trap GPT. I'll send you the link. It's basically a
I don't want to use word mockery.
Speaker 4 (16:12):
But.
Speaker 2 (16:14):
It's just adds some culture to it. Okay, you know,
you'll see it. It's kind of hard, so it's.
Speaker 1 (16:19):
Like chat, but it kind of speaks in trap or
it offers you trap music.
Speaker 3 (16:25):
What is it gonna do?
Speaker 2 (16:26):
It speaks in a almost like a trap type of
you know, but it also brings some different elements to listen,
you'll see it.
Speaker 4 (16:38):
Trust me, it's gonna be doe.
Speaker 1 (16:39):
I mean, I'm sitting here with a cultural innovator. Of
course I'm gonna see it, right. I mean when we
look at culture, technology innovation, how is your company, how
is your company really playing a significant role in that?
Speaker 2 (16:55):
Well, we're just being disruptors, honestly, you know, to even
I'm not going to say expose the industry, but show
people how your phones really work and show you that
there could be a solution outside of waiting for the
government to come and save us, but for us to
power our own communities. I think that that in itself,
(17:16):
you know, makes us, you know, cultural disruptives.
Speaker 3 (17:19):
Okay, how are we using our phones? Then we don't
know how.
Speaker 4 (17:22):
Tell us Yeah, with the data.
Speaker 2 (17:24):
So, like I was telling you, a lot of people
don't understand how that really you mean.
Speaker 3 (17:28):
Going back to this data pool?
Speaker 1 (17:29):
Yeah, okay, so if you're not using all of your data,
then it's going to go into a pool for somebody
who's using all of theirs.
Speaker 2 (17:37):
And they're going to pay the extra, the extra ten
dollars per gig that AT and T charges everybody. You know,
it's really almost like the carriers double dipping almost.
Speaker 1 (17:48):
Yeah, that makes sense. Do you think why do you
think our people will care?
Speaker 4 (17:53):
One of the saving money too?
Speaker 2 (17:55):
It can help impact the community, and it gives us
more access this like that that helped closes the digital divide.
That's the biggest issue, especially when you start talking about AI.
If you don't even have access to the internet, how
are you going to keep up with all the transition
that's happening with AI.
Speaker 1 (18:13):
Yeah, And most people that you're finding are not keeping
up with the technology and having the Internet because they
don't have the money. And that's what this comes down essentially. Yeah,
comes down to the money. So then when you look
at being a cultural disruptor, how are you going to
say where it's not just about the money we got.
(18:34):
We got some other teaching tools that we are going
to How are you getting the audience to really tap
into the bigger picture of this.
Speaker 2 (18:45):
I would probably say just giving the opportunity, you know,
I think exposure in the community helps. So I have
a couple of the partnerships. We're working on workforce development
in our community. So right off on the west side,
not too far from don on Lely holliwell, you'll be able.
Speaker 4 (19:01):
To go and get educated on this stuff.
Speaker 2 (19:03):
Once again, we have a partnership with Microsoft to skill
people not just on AI but other things.
Speaker 4 (19:10):
Yeah, I think it's access at the end of the day.
Speaker 1 (19:13):
Yeah, I just I want so much because when I've
had these conversations, and like I even told Alicia when
she was here, like every conference, every tech event that
I go to, everything is about when it is AI.
I'm there, right, And I feel like that is one
of those we talk about these cultural revolutions, we talk
(19:34):
about this Internet revolution. We're in a whole new frontier
of where our lives are gonna go with artificial intelligence,
and if we aren't champion need that cause in our
communities for us to be learners and to be really too,
as many skills as we can get, you know. On AI,
(19:54):
I feel like we're just gonna be It's another way
to put.
Speaker 4 (19:57):
Us behind exactly exactly.
Speaker 2 (19:59):
We got to stay here at the and not necessarily
you know, make things cool, like you know, once we
start talking about chat ChiPT now everybody's on it.
Speaker 3 (20:09):
You know.
Speaker 2 (20:10):
So what I want to do is provide resources where
we can come up with our own stuff so we
can stop giving away our culture. So at the end
of the day, if we make something cool, it's going
back to our community.
Speaker 1 (20:21):
That makes sense, Yeah, I mean giving up our culture.
When you look at the Chap Museum and I've been
to the Trap Museum before, Yes, I definitely have. I know,
in the summer, y'all shine in the summer, baby, because
this line wrapped down the street listen, and y'all stay
open late and food trucks be over there.
Speaker 3 (20:39):
And it's a church right across the street.
Speaker 1 (20:41):
People don't know it's a church right across the street,
so they praying while we trapping.
Speaker 2 (20:45):
Okay, we've had church in the Trap.
Speaker 1 (20:49):
Yeah, I know, I know Jamal Bryant Church New Birth.
Speaker 3 (20:55):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (20:55):
So when you look at a space like Trap Museum,
how can it kind of serve Is this hub in
more of just like showcasing how we've impacted the music
culture scene of Atlanta, how we've really transformed even what
rap music looks like here in the city of Atlanta.
How is it going to service this cultural hub of innovation.
Speaker 4 (21:16):
Giving people more access in the space.
Speaker 2 (21:18):
So, because we know the foot traffic, you know, launching
a trap GPT or having different things in there where
you can learn about I mean infrastructure.
Speaker 4 (21:30):
You know, you're right off of the beltline.
Speaker 2 (21:31):
Eventually once the World Cup comes in three hundred and
sixty two days, Yeah, a lot of people will come
through there. So us having a hub where people can
stop learn about our culture but also learn about innovation
and how to next step and be involved in all
those things in the area, I feel like that would
be impactful.
Speaker 1 (21:52):
Yeah, I mean, speaking of the World cub, I mean
Atlanta's pupping a whole lot of money over this next
year into what this World Cup is going to do.
How is your company going to really be able to
utilize what's going to come to the city and really
impact in a big way.
Speaker 4 (22:13):
Well, when we want to make sure we activate over
in that area.
Speaker 2 (22:17):
So, like I said, we already have a mobile data
center over there, directly across the street from the stadium.
Speaker 1 (22:22):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (22:22):
So I'm actually working on a plate where we can
have coverage for people that come in in town. So
what I want to do is have our own devices.
People can tap in, get our service and basically flow.
Speaker 4 (22:35):
In and out the game without any interruption.
Speaker 1 (22:38):
Ooh okay, flow in and out the game with no interruption.
And this is not impeded on the service that is
over at the stadium, or this is the service already
covers the stadium.
Speaker 2 (22:50):
Well, our partnership covers We're nationwide, so we don't impede
as long as it's not in the stadium. Because we
didn't win the bid to actually be in the state,
so we put in a couple of bids on the
surrounding areas, which we should be finding out if we
if we won those or that.
Speaker 4 (23:06):
Yeah. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (23:07):
How does politics impact your business?
Speaker 4 (23:09):
A lot, a lot, a lot.
Speaker 2 (23:11):
But I mean it's mainly you know, relationships, you know,
even us, you know, when in the RFP, we put
an amazing proposal out for the beltline, so we became
the actual infrastructure.
Speaker 4 (23:24):
Partner for them.
Speaker 2 (23:25):
So now that gives us more leverage leaning towards these
other you know, RFPs that are going to come out,
so we can potentially win those bids.
Speaker 3 (23:34):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (23:34):
Yeah, So when we when we think about cities like Atlanta,
Los Angeles, and what's the other city that you're in,
Jackson in Jackson, Mississippi and county. So Jackson, Mississippi one
of the highest concentration of black people in the country
outside of Detroit.
Speaker 3 (23:53):
Right then Atlanta.
Speaker 1 (23:56):
I mean, I don't know if we considered you know,
because we real gentrified right now. You know, technically technical
technically is gingrified based on the zip codes, but it's
real black black and black black black here right.
Speaker 3 (24:09):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (24:10):
So then moving into cities like a Los Angeles, which
is a lot more culturally diverse, moving into cities that
may not have the cultural landscape like we have here
in Atlanta or in a Jackson, how does that affect
your business?
Speaker 2 (24:25):
And we're still focused on our community. So we're going
to be in Crenshaw specifically.
Speaker 3 (24:29):
Okay, so this is like Lahmert Park area.
Speaker 2 (24:32):
Yeah, We're not necessarily in Beverly Hills. You know, We're
still connected to the culture for.
Speaker 3 (24:38):
Sure, Okay.
Speaker 1 (24:39):
So then when we talk about this in the culture moment,
when you look at a space like say you take
this to a city like Cleveland, so you go to
a Chicago, what does that look like in those landscapes.
Speaker 2 (24:52):
Well, we're gonna have to partner with different municipalities in
each city and that's the part of our rollout. So eventually,
like you said, I want to go to Harlem, I
want to go Cleveland.
Speaker 4 (25:01):
I don't know where. I haven't been to Cleveland but twice.
Speaker 3 (25:04):
Oh my god, you know my home down shout out
to the two six.
Speaker 2 (25:09):
I'm to talk to you about it because I have
no idea. I think I went to Cleveland Brown's game
or something other than that. I really don't know the
dynamic of the city. But yeah, it's just all off
those partnerships and you know, connecting with the correct people.
Speaker 3 (25:23):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (25:24):
So if I'm just on my phone right now and
for all our viewers who are watching and listening to this,
is it a thing where you know what, I'm gonna
go get me some Culture Wireless today. Let me go
sign up for Culture Wireless. Can they do that or
is this something that has to be in your in
those networks that you named.
Speaker 2 (25:42):
It has to be in on in those networks for
Internet directly to the home, but for the mobile we'll
be able to launch that wherever you are. So, like
I said, we're launching our wee funder on juneteenth. Our
actual network should be up and running within the next
sixty days after that.
Speaker 3 (25:58):
Okay.
Speaker 1 (25:59):
Yeah, so when you say that this is they can
come in and get phone service. Yes, you're a phone
service provider.
Speaker 2 (26:05):
Yes, NBNO is the technical term, so mobile virtual network operator,
but just strictly mobile. So we'll operate off of t
mobiles network where you can come in, sign up, get
a number, and we'll send you a SIM card.
Speaker 1 (26:21):
Okay, So you're not offering phones, You're only offering the
SIM cards or cards.
Speaker 4 (26:26):
Yeah, it's just a service. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (26:28):
So you either do a digital SIM, an SAM or
a physical SAM.
Speaker 4 (26:32):
Okay, and like I don't know if.
Speaker 2 (26:34):
You have an iPhone or that, I can send you
a SM You download it, put in a number registered
on our website, and then the service pops up.
Speaker 1 (26:44):
So this can be just a number that you have
outside of your phone, your actual phone number.
Speaker 3 (26:49):
Yeah, okay, so it's like a Google number.
Speaker 2 (26:51):
Yeah, just like switching service, same thing you would do
if you were with Riis and switching to T Mobile
or AT and T to Culture whatever.
Speaker 1 (27:00):
Yeah, what's the incentive? What would make people want to
jump ship from their provider right now to then come
over to Cultural Wireless.
Speaker 2 (27:08):
You're benefiting the culture At the end of the day,
we're building our own ecosystem and we're supplying services for
people that don't necessarily have access to service. So it's
not taking a philanthropic angle. It's more so we want
economic change. We want to come on and make sure
(27:29):
that our community isn't left behind. So that should motivate
a lot of people to come over and switch, especially
when you have companies like Rising killing their DEI program.
You know, why would I continue to support someone that
doesn't necessarily support our community.
Speaker 1 (27:45):
So then there's gonna be somebody out there who's gonna say, oh,
I ain't leaving my good old AT and my good
Verizon Wireless, you know, to go over there, because I'm
gonna go somewhere and they ain't even behind no coverage
myself a gonna work.
Speaker 3 (27:59):
What would you say to.
Speaker 2 (27:59):
Them, Well, believe it or not, a lot of your
coverage already doesn't work, especially AT and T. Just kidding,
I would encourage them to support you know, our people.
You know, at the end of the day, I love
to tell people that I'm black on not just to
sell our services for black people, but you know it's
(28:19):
for us, by us, and I want us to continue
support if if we are able to pour you know,
our black dollars into our black community, it stretches longer.
You see the boycott that just went on with with Target. Yeah,
what happened to those dollars?
Speaker 4 (28:34):
You know what I mean?
Speaker 2 (28:35):
If we had a black version of Target and we
were able to redirect those funds, we wouldn't necessarily be
so dependent on these di programs.
Speaker 3 (28:44):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (28:45):
So then there's gonna be somebody who says, but when
I go to Jamaica, when I go to Bermuda, when
I go to London, when I go to Ghana, is
my phone gonna work?
Speaker 2 (28:55):
Yes, same process. It's the exact same process. It just
has a different code at the top of your phone.
Instead of it's saying T mobile, it says culture instead
of it's saying AT and TS, it says culture. So
at the end day, like I said, we have experts
on our team that's been doing this for over thirty years,
that built these networks for the AT and TS and
T mobile. The only difference is we're building it for
(29:17):
ourselves now.
Speaker 3 (29:18):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (29:18):
Yeah, I can imagine the amount of challenges, backlash, all
kinds of things that you've probably received along the way.
What's been the most challenging thing that you've had to
kind of challengeing hurdle you've had to jump.
Speaker 4 (29:32):
In this journey capital?
Speaker 2 (29:34):
Yeah, so what I didn't know four years ago when
Al was telling me, oh, yeah, we can run the fiber,
do this, do that.
Speaker 4 (29:40):
It's expensive.
Speaker 2 (29:41):
So to go from Moore's Brown to Cameron Alexander is
like twenty grand and it's not even a half a mile.
So just running that stretch pulling that fiber is very expensive.
So that's why, you know, we had to raise a
lot of capital. We put a lot of our own
money into the company. That's been the most challenging part.
(30:03):
You know, being a black founder is not the easiest
to get, you know, BC backing. So that's one of
the reasons we want to give the community a chance
to invest and own a piece of the culture.
Speaker 1 (30:15):
Yeah, and them owning a piece is really them using
you as a service provider.
Speaker 2 (30:20):
Yes, exactly, and it'll motivate them to, like you said,
have the service. So not only do you have equity,
but now you you can say, oh, I own a
piece of my own phone company.
Speaker 1 (30:31):
So when they sign up for as you with culture
as a service provider, how much equity are they getting
in the company when they sign up?
Speaker 4 (30:40):
Well, if you sign up through the we funded It
all depends.
Speaker 2 (30:42):
So right now we have a ten million dollar evaluation
and we're raising a million dollars, so it's ten percent
of the company. And I think the minimum to get
in is one hundred dollars, so it's like point zero
zero one percent of the company something like that.
Speaker 1 (30:56):
So for one hundred dollars, you have a point zero
zero one one Yeah.
Speaker 3 (31:03):
Person buy in.
Speaker 4 (31:03):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (31:04):
What would be for those people who are looking to invest,
who are like, you know what, I want to put
my money where my mouth is. What would be a
significant amount of money that they could invest where they
would see a real return on their investment.
Speaker 4 (31:19):
Well, it all depends.
Speaker 2 (31:20):
So last year, Ryan Reynolds, they sold mint Mobile back
to T Mobile, and I think they sold for one
point three five billion dollars, right so if you were
to invest, say one hundred thousand dollars, you get one
percent in the company. So one percent of a one
(31:40):
point three five billion dollar exit is I don't know,
I have a calculator on me, but it's pretty extensive.
So I would say at minimum, I would do at least,
you know, one thousand dollars. But if you only feel
comfortable with one hundred bucks, that's fine too. Yeah, because
ten thousand people that invest one hundred bucks gives us
(32:01):
that million dollars that we're looking for. So hopefully I
think we shall reach our goal of exiting within the
next three to four years, and hopefully it be beyond
the one point three to five the Ryan Reynolds just received.
Speaker 3 (32:14):
Okay, so the goal is to scale and then eventually sell.
Speaker 4 (32:17):
Yes, yeah for sure, Yeah for sure.
Speaker 1 (32:19):
Now you know it's going to be some people already
like they're trying to sell out this business already.
Speaker 4 (32:26):
Well, that's the mobile version.
Speaker 2 (32:29):
So like I said, there's two tentacles that you have
your mobile and then you also have your fiber. I
don't think we're ever going to have the proper infrastructure
in the US to actually sustain the type of speed
you need, it's going to take a long time, a
very very long time, so we're in it for the
long haul. But basically, once we hit a certain mark,
(32:50):
which I feel like, we should get there pretty fast.
So you get a quarter million customers on the on
our service, people are going to buy us out. So
could we potentially work out other structures and deals? Sure,
I don't know yet, but I mean when we get there,
I'll let you know.
Speaker 4 (33:07):
You'll be the first person I call.
Speaker 1 (33:09):
I know, you know, I'm usually that girl, first one
thing called listen. So can you share how many people
are already on the network right.
Speaker 3 (33:17):
Now or no?
Speaker 4 (33:18):
On the mobile side, no, no, we can't.
Speaker 2 (33:20):
But on the infrastructure side, like I said, we already
have coverage in three thousand homes in Klaycoat and we're
expanding in other areas. So hopefully, within I would say
the next three hundred and sixty five days, we should
have over fifty thousand customers on that.
Speaker 3 (33:35):
Wow.
Speaker 1 (33:36):
Yes, that would be exponential growth, that's the goal. Yeah,
that's more than the ten X Yeah.
Speaker 2 (33:41):
Yeah, that's and a successful NB and O typically ranges
around thirty five to sixty thousand customers.
Speaker 4 (33:49):
That's successful, And I want to blow it out the water.
Speaker 1 (33:52):
Okay, what's one thing that they should know about this
company that separates you from all the other ones out there.
Speaker 2 (34:01):
I mean, we're about impact, you know, we actually want
to give people access.
Speaker 4 (34:06):
You know.
Speaker 2 (34:07):
One of the reasons why people don't have access is
some of the larger carriers didn't see the justification for
running fiber in buying city, you know what I mean,
they didn't think that they could afford that one hundred
dollars or whatever they charge a month.
Speaker 4 (34:25):
Yeah, we just want to make sure you have connectivity.
Speaker 2 (34:28):
Because at the end of the day, that same day
when he told me those kids have to go to
the library at Clark because they don't have an Internet
at home, you know, it made me want to change something.
So I think that's should be the differentiator between going
with culture wireless versus AT and T.
Speaker 1 (34:48):
Yeah, what are you most excited about as you are
building this company?
Speaker 4 (34:57):
Impact? Making a difference? Honestly, people access.
Speaker 2 (35:02):
I mean I've had nieces and nephews call me asking
can I send them a tablet with some service on it?
So for me to be able to, you know, send
them or run fiber down Metropolitan to their neighborhood to
make sure they're good to go.
Speaker 4 (35:16):
I mean, that's exciting for me.
Speaker 3 (35:19):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (35:20):
What would you tell those young black boys who want
to be cultural disruptors?
Speaker 3 (35:25):
What would you tell them?
Speaker 1 (35:26):
What would be that first piece of advice you would
give them.
Speaker 4 (35:31):
I would say, I think big.
Speaker 2 (35:33):
That's you know, I'm an ideas guy and I'm always
shooting for the stars.
Speaker 4 (35:41):
How can I make that happen? You know? So I
would give someone the same advice.
Speaker 2 (35:45):
Don't let them want to tell you that you you
know your idea is too big and execute because you know,
I would probably say my first, my biggest breakthrough was
the Trap Music Museum. You know, pitching a concept over
and over and over again and actually getting the opportunity
to make something that impactful for our culture like that
(36:08):
changed my life. It gave me the confidence that I
know I can take a dream or an idea and
execute it all the way to the finish.
Speaker 3 (36:17):
Yeah. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (36:19):
As we begin to close out one word you're committed
to in the season of your life.
Speaker 2 (36:26):
One word, I'll probably say purpose. Why I think this
this is my purpose. I think I'm actually creating change.
I think that's what I was put here to do
you know, create cool ideas, do dope stuff, and continue
(36:48):
to pass on knowledge so other people can grow on scale.
Speaker 4 (36:51):
So I think I think that's it.
Speaker 1 (36:54):
William Bam Sparks, thank you so much for joining me today.
It was a pleasure. Bottom Powers talks another. They're a
good one for the books. Be sure to share this
with somebody who needs to execute in this season of
their lives. But walk in purpose. I'm gonna go, Brandy
Harvey until next time. Eat well, give a damn move
your body every single day.
Speaker 3 (37:11):
Peace,
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My Favorite Murder with Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark
My Favorite Murder is a true crime comedy podcast hosted by Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark. Each week, Karen and Georgia share compelling true crimes and hometown stories from friends and listeners. Since MFM launched in January of 2016, Karen and Georgia have shared their lifelong interest in true crime and have covered stories of infamous serial killers like the Night Stalker, mysterious cold cases, captivating cults, incredible survivor stories and important events from history like the Tulsa race massacre of 1921. My Favorite Murder is part of the Exactly Right podcast network that provides a platform for bold, creative voices to bring to life provocative, entertaining and relatable stories for audiences everywhere. The Exactly Right roster of podcasts covers a variety of topics including historic true crime, comedic interviews and news, science, pop culture and more. Podcasts on the network include Buried Bones with Kate Winkler Dawson and Paul Holes, That's Messed Up: An SVU Podcast, This Podcast Will Kill You, Bananas and more.
The Joe Rogan Experience
The official podcast of comedian Joe Rogan.