The Money Mindset Part Two w/ The Wall Street Trapper

Summary

Podcast Summary: "Keep it Positive, Sweetie" – Episode: "The Money Mindset Part Two w/ The Wall Street Trapper"

Host: Crystal Renee Hayslett
Guest: The Wall Street Trapper
Release Date: January 26, 2025
Duration: Approximately 41 minutes

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Introduction

In the second part of "The Money Mindset" series, Crystal Renee Hayslett continues her in-depth conversation with The Wall Street Trapper. This episode delves deeper into The Trapper's transformative journey from the streets and prison to becoming a financial guru, offering invaluable insights into building wealth and fostering a positive money mindset.

---

Background of The Wall Street Trapper

Timestamp [00:26]:
The Wall Street Trapper opens up about his initial skepticism towards financial education courses, reflecting on the prevalence of scams within the industry.
Quote:
"I use the same mentality that we had in the streets. It was give it away for free. And if it's good for free, they'll pay for it." – Wall Street Trapper [00:32]

This philosophy underpins his approach to financial education, emphasizing authenticity and value over profit.

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Turning Point: Prison Experience and Financial Awakening

Timestamp [02:12]:
The Trapper recounts his time in prison, a pivotal period where his financial awareness began to develop.
Quote:
"I had never saw seven figures on a piece of paper like that." – Wall Street Trapper [04:12]

During solitary confinement, he interacts with a fellow inmate who introduces him to the concept of building wealth through investments rather than illicit activities. This revelation shifts his perspective on money and its potential.

---

Transition to Legitimate Work

Timestamp [07:51]:
Upon release, The Trapper attempts to apply his newfound knowledge but faces challenges in translating theory into practice.
Quote:
"I got back in the streets because it's a thing to have an idea, but to come home into the real world and execute that idea." – Wall Street Trapper [07:51]

Despite initial setbacks, including legal troubles and failed business attempts, his commitment to legitimate financial growth remains unwavering.

---

Building a Financial Education Brand

Timestamp [19:30]:
The conversation shifts to The Trapper's approach to creating trustworthy financial education products.
Quote:
"Give it away for free. And if it's good for free, they'll pay for it." – Wall Street Trapper [19:30]

He emphasizes the importance of providing free value to build trust within the community, drawing parallels to street hustling by offering samples to gauge reactions. This strategy ensures authenticity and reliability in his offerings.

Timestamp [21:06]:
The Trapper details the evolution of his products from personal calls to scalable online formats.
Quote:
"We started doing that. It was like, okay, let's go together and let's see it change your life." – Wall Street Trapper [21:31]

Through innovations like the "Meet the Plug" program, he offers high-level transparency by showcasing his financial activities, reinforcing trust and demonstrating real results.

---

Key Financial Tips and Strategies

Timestamp [26:10]:
The Trapper shares practical advice for financial growth, particularly for those new to investing.
Quote:
"If you're just getting started, just buy the entire stock market to start off... Let's just start there." – Wall Street Trapper [27:49]

He advocates for opening custodial accounts for children to foster generational wealth, recommending platforms like Charles Schwab, E*Trade, and Fidelity. Additionally, he advises against mutual funds due to high fees and underperformance, suggesting instead investing in index funds like the S&P 500 for better returns.

Timestamp [28:38]:
Quote:
"Let's make this automated. So every week, every time you get paid, let's just start with 10%... This is my freedom account. This is my freedom fund." – Wall Street Trapper [28:26]

Automating investments ensures consistent wealth building without the need for active management, empowering individuals to take control of their financial futures.

---

Personal Growth and Future Plans

Timestamp [32:38]:
The Trapper discusses his spiritual growth and plans to expand his financial education initiatives.
Quote:
"The goal behind that is to revolutionize the way that people experience financial literacy." – Wall Street Trapper [33:00]

He envisions establishing "Freedom Centers" in every American hood, starting with major cities like New Orleans and Houston, to make financial literacy accessible and transformative for underserved communities.

Timestamp [34:19]:
Quote:
"If you go look at the top 10 richest people in the world, you're gonna see Jeff Bezos... you can start there." – Wall Street Trapper [31:49]

By modeling investment strategies on the practices of the world's wealthiest individuals, he provides a relatable and actionable blueprint for listeners to emulate success.

---

Personal Reflections and Relationships

Timestamp [35:22]:
The Trapper opens up about his personal life, emphasizing the importance of healthy relationships and emotional growth.
Quote:
"I've been just a student to men who are honoring their wives... I'm figuring out how that looks from patience, from understanding, from communication." – Wall Street Trapper [35:39]

He shares his journey of self-improvement, highlighting the balance between financial success and personal fulfillment.

---

Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Timestamp [40:43]:
In a heartfelt exchange, The Trapper and Crystal reflect on their journeys and the importance of authenticity and community support in achieving financial and personal success.
Quote:
"Through your character, through who you are in real life, I see that vessel." – Wall Street Trapper [40:39]

Crystal wraps up the episode by encouraging listeners to engage with the show and apply the shared insights to their own lives, reinforcing the episode's theme of positivity and growth.

---

Key Takeaways

1. Authenticity Builds Trust: Offering valuable information for free initially can establish credibility and encourage future investments.
2. Financial Education is Crucial: Understanding investments, particularly in the stock market, can transform one's financial trajectory.
3. Generational Wealth Starts Early: Opening custodial accounts for children ensures long-term financial stability and growth.
4. Automate Investments: Consistent, automated investments in index funds can simplify wealth building and enhance returns.
5. Balance Wealth with Personal Growth: Achieving financial success should be complemented with emotional and relational well-being.
6. Community Empowerment: Establishing educational centers in underserved areas can democratize financial literacy and empower communities.

---

Notable Quotes

• Wall Street Trapper:
  "Wealthy people stop trading time for money. They learn how to make their money work for them." [04:43]

• Wall Street Trapper:
  "If you just getting started, just buy the entire stock market to start off... Let's just start there." [27:49]

• Wall Street Trapper:
  "If you allow them to feed you, you give them permission to starve you. And we cannot afford to give people the ability to starve us." [33:41]

• Wall Street Trapper:
  "Nobody cares more about your money than you. Nobody cares more about your family's financial stability than you." [33:51]

---

Final Remarks

This episode of "Keep it Positive, Sweetie" serves as a powerful testament to the transformative power of financial education and personal resilience. The Wall Street Trapper's authentic storytelling and actionable advice provide listeners with both inspiration and practical tools to reshape their financial destinies.

For more insights and episodes, follow Crystal Renee Hayslett on all social media platforms at @lovechristalrenee and @keepitpositivesweetie.

Transcript

[A]

Coming up on Keep It Positive, sweetie. We live in a culture where everyone is trying to teach, have all these courses and things like that. How did you cultivate your course to make sure that people understood it's not a scam because there's our people out here really scamming people. How did you, like, really build that and say, I'm gonna keep this integral and make sure that I'm teaching people and that they get what they need out of it?

[B]

I use the same mentality that we had in the streets. It was give it away for free.

[A]

Wow. Wow.

[B]

Give it away for free. And if it's good for free, they'll pay for it. Foreign.

[A]

Hi, I'm Crystal Renee Hayslett, and this is Keep it positive, sweetie. A safe space to heal, laugh, grow, and love. In last week's show, I talked about creating and maintaining a money making mindset with Camille Rose, founder and CEO Janelle Stevens, and serial entrepreneur the Wall Street Trapper. My conversation with the Wall Street Trapper was so layered. It took us a little extra time to get through it all. So this show is a continuation of that conversation. You are world renowned for your financial tips. My brother actually called me. It was a few years ago. I didn't even know who you were. Right, right. He called me. He said, hey, sis. Like, I really. Probably during COVID Okay. He's like, I want to learn about stocks and bonds and about finance. And he was like, there's this guy named Wall Street Trapper. And I paid for him. Did not know you, but I paid for him to take classes so that he could learn more. And then later on, we had mutual friends and I was like, that's the guy. Oh, my gosh. So, yeah, where did that even come from? Like, to learn about finances and then to say, hey, I want to spread this and teach people.

[B]

Yeah. I'm in prison. I'm six. I had just made 17, and I'm staring down a 10 year bed, and I wound up having this fight with this guy. Two guys. So it was me and two guys. And then the CO came and we go to the hole. We go to solitary confinement. They put me in a cell with this white dude. And I'm so frustrated because I thought they was my homies. But I realized quick that in prison, that don't work like that.

[A]

Really? There ain't no.

[B]

Yeah, it didn't work like that. And the guy looked at me with, like, pure frustration.

[A]

The white guy.

[B]

And he was like, man, y'all playing the wrong game. Now, mind you, we in prison. So, like, you in here with me, so you must be playing the same game I'm playing.

[A]

What game are you talking about? Right?

[B]

What you talking about? So he was like, no. He was like, how much time you got? I just got my 10 years. He was like, what you doing 10 years from like a 10 murder on robbery. He was like, how much money you got from it? And I was like, it wasn't about the money. He was doing 18 months for embezzlement, $2.8 million. He paid 800,000 restitution. He was able to keep $2 million. And he said, if I go home, I can do this again and it will only give me five years next time you'll still be doing it 10 years.

[A]

Wow.

[B]

And I said, so show me how to play that game.

[A]

Right?

[B]

Right. He was like, nah, it's not about that. He was like, the game of life. And it's something about when you hear intelligence, it'll put you at a stand. It paralyzed me. And the only thing about prison is anybody can tell you anything until they show you the paperwork. So he showed it to me in black and white. And I had never saw seven figures on a piece of paper like that.

[A]

Yeah. Wow.

[B]

I said, dang. So he said, listen. He said, wealthy people stop trading time for money. They learn how to make their money work for them. And they learn how to give value to people, cuz people will always be the asset. So like, that didn't make sense to me because I never had heard it before. Like, man, street nigga talking about man value to people. They buying some dude. But what, dog, right? What we doing?

[A]

Like crazy. What are you doing, bro?

[B]

Like, what are you talking about?

[A]

Right?

[B]

And then he said, the three things that wealthy people do is they invest in stocks because it's the easiest way to build out. They create a business because a business allows you to put a product in the marketplace. And they buy real estate because real estate allows you to be taxes. He said, if you learn those three things, you'll make more money than you ever made in your life and you'll be free. And I was like, okay. And he was showing me pictures. Now, remember this? 1999, so there's no Instagram. These are Polaroid pictures of him in places like Iceland. And I remember this blew my mind. I'm a little dude, skinny dude from the hood. And him and his family were in this pond with steam coming from it and mountains behind him. And I was like, bro, like, that's real.

[A]

Yeah, right?

[B]

Like, how could like, that didn't match to me. How could they have mountains and y'all sitting in this water? You're not freezing today, right? He was like, no, there's a place called a blue lagoon, and it's in Iceland.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

I was like, iceland? That's a real place, Right. Straight out of the hood. I ain't been out of New Orleans too much. Right. And so he was like, this. This is what money gets you. And so the rest of my time, I learned about the stock market I was reading. I remember my first book was Robert Kiyosaki, Rich dad, Poor Dad. And it was a financial literacy. It was like a mindset about money. And that kind of just changed my mind. On, yo, there's people. That's really moving. Because in my mind, if you was rich in America, you were selling dough by doing something crooked.

[A]

Yeah, but it's.

[B]

Yes. And I was like, that's a whole nother game out here. And so when I started looking at the stock market, I started realizing that, yo, these people are making tons of money off us being consumers, so we really junkies.

[A]

Yeah. Ooh. Wow.

[B]

And that's how the market started making sense to me. I started putting it in street terms.

[A]

Exactly. Okay.

[B]

And so once I realized that, oh, the real gangsters ain't us on the street. The real gangsters is the dudes in boardrooms, the dudes that's building these businesses, the dudes that's building businesses to make laws that benefit their businesses. I said, ah, checkmate. I ain't never been a dumb nigger.

[A]

I might have made a mistake.

[B]

I might have made some. I ain't never been dumb. Right, Right. So I'm like, all right, bet. And so I just spent the rest of my time just reading everything I could about it. I done got in a whole bunch of fights in prison about trying to watch the stock market while they trying to watch the Young and the Restless. I'm like, bro, you're not tired of watching Victor Newman, bro?

[A]

Right.

[B]

Like, come on, bro, Ms. Chancellor ain't died yet, dog. Like, what we doing here? Yo, them people been there. Yes. So I was like, bro, we've been watching Jabot and Abbott cosmetics forever, bro. Like, I'm tired. And so I was just getting fights, but it was worth it. And so when I came home, I still didn't get it right.

[A]

Wow. What happened when you got home?

[B]

I got back in the streets because it's a thing to have an idea, but to come home into the real world and execute that idea.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

It's a whole new ball game.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

And so when people. When people be like, why this dude going back to the streets? He ain't tired of going to jail. It ain't that a person ain't tired of going to jail.

[A]

That's all you know.

[B]

That's all he know.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

That's all they got the tools for.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

That's the thing that make them feel like somebody, right?

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

It's what makes them feel like they have control of their destiny, even though it ain't right.

[A]

Right. Yeah.

[B]

And so I'm back in the streets, and I wound up getting the police, wound up kicking in my door. They got 10 pounds of weed, a 40 with extended clip and a beam, a 223, 100X pills, and a pint of lean. And I was like, yup, yup, this is it. I'm going out like this. Here's the crazy part. When they kicked my door in, I wasn't in the house. They brought me to the house. The stock market was on. And I never forget this man telling me, you got to be a stupid to be watching the stock market and still selling dope.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Something ain't clicking right for you. You belong in jail.

[A]

Wow.

[B]

I said, damn. And in my mind, I said, God, he not right.

[A]

I don't belong there.

[B]

I don't belong there. I was only home two years. God was with me. They kicked in the door with no search warrant. It took me about 50 grand to fight those charges. I got found not guilty under what's called fruit of a poisonous tree, which means if you find something illegally, everything is no good.

[A]

Yep.

[B]

And I said, all right, God. This it?

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

I'm gonna go legit.

[A]

So what did that look like? Cause I'm interested. Like, did you use, like, the dope money to, like. Yep.

[B]

So I had, like, bread left. And I still ain't get it, though.

[A]

Really?

[B]

Nah. Cause I didn't have enough money.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

So me and my partner started robbing. We started robbing doughboys. Cause, you know, there's certain rules I learned in the game. And it was like, nine or five people are off limits. They ain't signed up for that.

[A]

Wow. Yeah. But if you. If you in the street, I see what you're saying.

[B]

You signed up for a shark. Don't care if you eat a tuna fish. A guppy don't matter. A lion will kill a gazelle, and it'll kill a gazelle puppy. It's part of the game. And I was willing to face whatever came with that I've been shot, I've been stabbed. I almost got put in a trunk before, Almost got kidnapped. I done been in it at all. There's nothing you can tell me about the streets that I haven't done.

[A]

Are you gonna do a movie?

[B]

That's why I got you.

[A]

Hey. That's why I got you. Listen.

[B]

God. Making connections here. Yeah, Right.

[A]

I'm like. I'm already seeing. I'm like, this is a movie.

[B]

Let's go. And so me and my partner started. We started robbing doughboys, started jacking them. We started traveling and doing it. Because I was a thinker, so I knew how to put it together.

[A]

Wow.

[B]

I knew how to put it together. And then we hit this one lick and we missed a couple steps. The dude had a 12 gauge to the back of my head. And I was like, damn, I'm about to go out like this, like this. And I remember just saying, God, forgive me if I gotta go like this. I gotta go like this. Yeah, but I don't wanna go like this.

[A]

Like, facing death like that.

[B]

And that wasn't the first time.

[A]

Like, what in those moments were. Well, I mean, I guess it wasn't that traumatizing because you continued to do things that would put you back in that position. But I think about, like, if somebody had a gun to my head, I don't know if I would do it again. Like, I don't think I put myself.

[B]

You know, that come with the game.

[A]

Okay. Yeah.

[B]

It's kind of like a person working a job and you know they gonna get fired.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

At some point. Like, all right, let me just get another job.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

The only time you think about getting out the streets is when you're in a situation where it's life or death.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

But after you get past that situation, like, bro, this is all I know. And my partner came, and my partner, God bless his soul, he passed away maybe a couple years later from Sickle Cell. I remember him telling the dude, and it only took about seven to eight seconds. He said, listen, if you shoot my homie, it's gonna be three dead people right here. You gonna die, your homie gonna die, my homie gonna be dead, and I'm gonna still get all the bread. So the best thing for you to do is let my homie go and we'll let the money go. We'll call it even.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

And I just remember the dude putting the gun down. And I remember leaving. And the money we did had, I gave it to my dog. I said, bro, I'M done.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

I said, man, I can't do this no more, dawg. And my dog was like, man, you tripping, man. You know this part of the game. You done saved my life. I done saved your life. I'm like, yeah, dawg. But I done did. I done did 10. I done been in multiple shootouts. I done got shot. I done got found out guilty. And now this, bro. Like, bro, I can't keep beating the game.

[A]

Yeah. Because eventually it's gonna be.

[B]

I can't keep beating the game. And I say, brian, ready to die, dog? I said, bro, you can have it.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

And that was the last time.

[A]

Like, wow.

[B]

I was like, I'm good. And so I started working as an iron worker. I started taking that serious. I learned how to weld. I learned how to, like. I built the Falcon Stadium out here.

[A]

Really?

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Wow.

[B]

Built the Falcon Stadium. Built up state of Minnesota. Built some of Texas A and M. I was building a lot of plants and power plants in, like, outside of New Orleans. And I was still making hustle money. I was making, like, 2500 to $3000 a week. And so I said, all right. This remind me of dope money. I said, I'm gonna take the stock market serious.

[A]

Okay, what year was this?

[B]

2014.

[A]

Okay. Okay.

[B]

So I really was telling my homies about it heavy. And I remember telling them like, bro, like, you know, we wind this Louis Vuitton, bro, that's on the stock market. Lvmh. Like, dog, we buying these iPhones. It's on the stock market. We buying Nike. We buying Dickies and Timberlands. That's on the stock market. We buying alcohol. It's on the stock market. And I remember one day, my homies, we went to the club, and they bought this Hennessy, and I had the Fendi on, and I said, y'all know the same company owns this?

[A]

Yep. Mm.

[B]

And they was like, all right. But then. And so you got to make it make sense.

[A]

The way you're looking at everything, it's different. Yeah.

[B]

Everything.

[A]

Yeah. Like, okay.

[B]

And I'm telling them, y'all making me money. You bought another bottle.

[A]

Appreciate it.

[B]

Give me some money. Yeah. And so I remember telling my homie one day, I said, bro, we gonna get killed. We don't even got life insurance. Let's at least have our money in the stock market.

[A]

Wow.

[B]

So that when we die, we at least give our kids something.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

And the one thing that really made it made sense to me was when the police kicked my door in, they took my Truck. They took my money that was in my bank account. They took the money that was on my dresser and all that, but they didn't touch my money that was in the stock market. I said, ah, I ain't never been a stupid nigga. And so that from there, we just. I really started taking it serious. 2019, I quit the job. They wanted me to cut my beard. And I was like, man, I ain't cut my beard, man.

[A]

The welders. Yeah.

[B]

Because I was working in a plant, okay. And they wanted us to go in this segment of the plant where you had to wear this mask. And I was like, man, get somebody else to do that. I'm not doing that. And it was like, nah, we need you to go because you can well overhead. I was like, man, I'm not doing it. And so I said, man, look, just pack my stuff. I'm good. And I was like, I'm all in on the market.

[A]

Wow.

[B]

And then a friend of mine, she had me the first million dollars with this hair care product. And so she wanted to put her money in the market, and she didn't trust the financial advisor. So I was like, man, look, put your money right here. Put your money right here. Buy this stock. Get rid of all that they got you doing. So I said, go asking. And she came back and she was like, yo, you need to teach us that on Instagram, because that makes sense.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

And I was like, man, I don't want to hear nothing about that. And so one of my partners, who was at, as a man thinking his name greedy, he told me, he said, dawg, you really just a nerd in the street, nigga body.

[A]

Mm. Wow. So the way you took everything you learned in prison and then made mistakes again after you got out, but then flipped it, how did, like, everything take off once you put it on Instagram?

[B]

So my partner told me something that was dope. He said, there's so many people that want to invest in the market that they don't talk to. Yeah, you the bridge, dog.

[A]

Wow.

[B]

And so when I first started doing it, my goal was just to get dudes in the street, out the street. It was the girls who I know was dancing and stripping to get them out of the club because a lot of them was losing their life. They was, you know, New Orleans, like, a thing in New Orleans is. I don't know how it is in other places, but. But getting kidnapped, putting a person in a trunk and burning them, that's a thing in New Orleans.

[A]

Really?

[B]

Yeah. That's a Thing. So many girls that I knew and so many dudes was getting meeting that fate. And I was like, yo, like, this how we get out the game, dog. But the thing about us is, you can't teach us something if it ain't working for you. Yeah, right. And so in the beginning, nobody was listening to me, but once they saw it change my life, they need to see proof. It was like, okay, okay, we believe you now. We believe you now.

[A]

And how do I do it?

[B]

Yeah, like. Cause you. It's hard to tell me that something work if you still struggling.

[A]

Yeah, yeah.

[B]

Like, which is why a lot of times it's hard to get a dude from the street to go get a job because everybody that he know with a job in his area still struggling.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

He watched his mama work two jobs to struggle. He watched his auntie work jobs to struggle. He's watched his daddy, if he was around, worked a couple jobs and still struggle. So he watched everybody struggle that worked the job. So that's why he don't believe in the job.

[A]

Yep. Yeah.

[B]

That's why he don't believe in it. And so once they saw it, it started working for me.

[A]

That's what he believed. I love that because we have mutual friends. And I remember Kiana, she was like, y'all need to talk to Walsh, my girl.

[B]

Yep.

[A]

She was like, y'all need to talk to him. He can tell you where to put your money and everything. Because when I really started making money, that's when I was like, I've got to learn where to put it, how to invest it, how to save on taxes. It's so many loopholes and so much game that we don't know as a black community, when we start making money, the first thing we want to do is spend it, you know? And you said, people don't believe you when they don't see it. But you look at some of the wealthiest people, they're not walking around looking wealthy, but they got it. You know what I'm saying? So I think we have to get out of the mindset of. Okay, yeah, I believe it now because of, like, how you living or all those things, because sometimes you ain't got it either when you're living like that, outside of your means. We live in a culture where everyone is trying to teach, have all these courses and things like that. How did you cultivate your course to make sure that people understood it's not a scam because there's our people out here really scamming people. How did you like really build that and say, I'm gonna keep this integral and make sure that I'm teaching people and that they get what they need out of it.

[B]

I use the same mentality that we had in the streets. It was give it away for free.

[A]

Wow. Wow.

[B]

Give it away for free. And if it's good for free, they'll pay for it.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Same with the streets. Like, you can't. If you go and hustle in somebody neighborhood or if you got a new product, you got, like. You put testers out there, come off the same brick. You just hear.

[A]

See how they react to it.

[B]

Yeah, you see how they react to it. And if it's good, you know, you got something.

[A]

Wow.

[B]

And so I remember I quit the job, and I was sleeping on my auntie sofa, my aunt Gloria. And one of the things I used to do was I had this thing called the Kilo pack. So this 2020, I would let people call me on a phone call for $97, and you could book a Zoom call with me for one hour.

[A]

Wow. The Kilo Pack.

[B]

The Kilo Pack. You would get that. And I wasn't tech savvy, so a friend of mine named Danielle, she was real tech savvy. She helped me write my first ebook. So she would listen to me and say, what did you want to put in? I'd write the ebook. Write it, write it, write it. And then she said, you got to build an email list. I said, okay, let's give them the ebook then. I don't even know why I need an email list, but I'm listening to her. She's like, you got to build an email list. I was like, all right, cool. Well, let's just give him the ebook then. And so the key little pack was being able to talk to me on a Zoom call and get the ebook.

[A]

Mm.

[B]

And when I quit the job, I was doing, like, nine or 10 of those a day.

[A]

Oh, wow.

[B]

But my brain used to just hurt.

[A]

Oh, my gosh. I can imagine it would hurt. Yeah.

[B]

But I was being an entrepreneur, so I didn't care.

[A]

Yeah, I'm getting his money.

[B]

I'm getting his money. Like 10 of them a day, Shoe. That's more than I'm making. And so I met a friend of mine. His name was Paki from Hood Estates. And he told me something. He said, I want you to take everything that you say on those calls, because I still would record the Zooms.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

And he said, put it in the package, and instead of doing the phone calls, give them that.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

And then what you can do is if you go and do the phone call, you can do the phone call. And of course, for a thousand dollars. So I was like, and I'm not doing the phone calls no more.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

That would hurt my brain.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

So I came up with this other product called. Called Meet the Plug. Everything was surrounded around street talk. Everything was surrounded around street talk.

[A]

But I'm sure, like, people that were gravitating towards you understood and loved it. Like, understood it.

[B]

They loved it. And so Meet the Plug was where I would. For $3,000, I would fly to you.

[A]

Wow.

[B]

I would book a hotel room, and we would lock in for a whole day. And so I would let them see my account, though. And that was the. That was the transparency.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

It wasn't that I was just teaching. I was doing exactly what I said I was doing.

[A]

Yeah, that's good.

[B]

And I think that's where a lot of people fall short at today, is you're not doing exactly what you're telling people to do. You're teaching, but not executing.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

And so that has always been my motto is to give away as much as I can, teach as much as I can for free. And as a byproduct of that, you'll buy whatever product and service I have. And then the product and service, I had to realize that the people who are going to buy this are probably going to be at the lowest level. And so what I would do is I would create something. And I felt like it was. And I don't want to say, like, dumb it down, but I was like, it's still too jargonish.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Let me break it down again. And so everything that I taught, I will always challenge myself to break it down. Because I didn't want the language barrier to continuously be the reason why we not doing the thing.

[A]

Yeah. And that is a lot of times we just don't.

[B]

Like. I don't get this. What is it? And so all of my teaching is energetic. It's laughter. Like in one of my videos, I actually teach with the Louis Vuitton bag. Like, you got this Louis bag, you know, and you make it. You understand our culture. And so we started doing that. And then when we created the show, I told my guy, Jose, I said, we gonna show the account every week. Because I realized on Wall street, nobody was showing their account. I realized that none of the in, you know, the people in my space were showing their account.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

And I said, jose, we gonna. We gonna show the account, dog. Win, lose or draw.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

We're gonna show the account in the options market. We're gonna show the accountant the buy and hold market. And so they watched me grow the account from 400,000 in 2022 to 4.5 million in 2020 to this year. They watched me do it. Wins and losses. They saw me make a million dollars in one play. They saw me lose 500,000 in a day. But none of that mattered to me because it was the authenticity. And we did it at a high level because what I said to people was, there are people making $5,000, $3,000, $2,000. I said, Jose, we gonna let them see somebody make a million. So I want to increase their capacity.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Right. And you don't have to start with what I had. But if you see me make 500,000, if you see me make 200,000, if you see me make a million a plate, what that tells you is somebody that look like you is doing it. It's possible for you, too.

[A]

Absolutely.

[B]

And so that was just. That's the authenticity around the brand.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Even to now. What we just did was we took a property, we took a million dollars out of the stock market, went, bought a building with the profits. The building is 5.5 million. We took a million off the market for the down payment. We bought the building with the stock market profits, and now the building will now offset my taxes for 2024. That's the ultimate way to play the game.

[A]

It is. Yes.

[B]

But if nobody ever shows us that.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

We won't know, then we'll put a cap on what the possibilities are.

[A]

Yeah. Wow.

[B]

Yeah. And when it comes to money, there is no cap.

[A]

It's not.

[B]

We got men and women worth hundreds of billions of dollars.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

And for me, the stock market is the equalizer that makes the game attainable for us.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

My daughter, eight years old right now, she got seven figures in the market.

[A]

Wow.

[B]

I've been investing for her since she was 1, so I bought her freedom early.

[A]

What did you do, like, for your daughter? Because I do want to give, like, some tips.

[B]

Yeah, let's go.

[A]

If we have family members that have newborn children, how can they set their children up? Or if you have somebody, say, who has no idea about the stock market but is looking to get into it, can you give them. Just give me one tip of, like, just to get started.

[B]

If you have a kid, you need to go to Charles Schwab or E. Trade. I recommend those to a Fidelity. And open up what's called a custodial account. And what that is. Because what we'll do is we'll say, well, I opened up my child a bank account, and we think we have done the most phenomenal thing for them. Right, Right. Well, what happens is, if you open up a bank account, that money ain't gonna do nothing for them.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

But if you open up a custodial account, you allow any money to work for them and you become the person who controls it. And so I tell everybody the first way to create that generational. Because I am not generational wealth.

[A]

Right.

[B]

My daughter is.

[A]

Yes. Ooh.

[B]

Right. Like I'm the one who is going to establish what freedom looks like, but I'm not generational wealth.

[A]

Right.

[B]

She is. And how it gets even further is now I have to install tools, information in her that makes it generational.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

And so you open that custodial account, but if you don't know how to start, I'm not the person to say, like, buy what you use, because that'll put you. That'll make you lose money.

[A]

And that's what I've heard. I've heard. Look at all your products. You have Apple.

[B]

Don't buy what you lose.

[A]

Use Charmin.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Don't put stock and Charmin. Like, that's what people tell you.

[B]

The first thing I would say is, if you just getting started, just buy the entire stock market just to start off.

[A]

So like a mutual fund.

[B]

No, don't mutual funds.

[A]

No mutual fund.

[B]

Oh, see, you teach me.

[A]

Because I heard no mutual funds.

[B]

Stay away from mutual funds. And here's why. The fees you're going to pay with mutual funds. Most mutual funds underperform the stock market, which means they don't give you the same return as the stock market does. But yet the people. You are still paying the fees for underperformance, right?

[A]

Yep.

[B]

You're still paying the fees for underperformance.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

So if you're going to do that, why not just buy the entire S P500, which is Voo or spy? That's just keeping it not complicated.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Let's just start there. And then let's say however much you get paid, let's make this automated. So every week, every time you get paid, let's just start with 10% or whatever you're getting paid. This my freedom account. This is my freedom fund.

[A]

I like that.

[B]

Right now it has meaning to it.

[A]

Right.

[B]

So you say, okay, every time I get paid, I'm putting 10% what I get paid into this S and P 500. So now I'm not Paying a broker. I'm not paying a fund manager. I'm not paying a financial advisor. I'm paying myself.

[A]

Yeah, that's a good tip.

[B]

I'm paying myself. I love that we start there.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

We only got to go far.

[A]

Yeah, let's.

[B]

What happens is you'll see somebody like me and be like, I won't get where I trap at. This been a journey, Family.

[A]

Right.

[B]

I didn't just start here like you. You're watching me as a polished product.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

But through the losses. And I always see this information in the losses, so there's so much information I learned in the losses to make me better. And I was all in on it.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

I knew that this would change my life. I knew that this was. Changed my family.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

For the last three Christmases, I've rented a mansion in Orlando and took my whole family there.

[A]

Wow.

[B]

They there for five to seven days, and I take one day to teach them financial literacy.

[A]

Really?

[B]

Every time I make the post to go viral.

[A]

That's so dope.

[B]

It's about eight or nine of them in there. Because you gotta realize we all come from the slums.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

So we in a house that got 17 rooms. They ain't never seen that?

[A]

No. Yeah.

[B]

They in a room where they got their own bed. Yeah. Most of them coming from beds. Where we in the bed? You on this side. I'm on this side. They got their own bathroom. They got their own shower. They got a chef. They got a bowling alley, movie theater. They ain't never seen nothing like this.

[A]

Yeah. Exposure is so important.

[B]

They got a big old pool the size of Six Flags in the backyard. So what happens is that environment made it easy for them to learn.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Because when they looking at it, they're like, how you got this? I'm glad you asked that. Let's talk about something.

[A]

Let's talk about it. Yeah.

[B]

So it was the exposure. So. And I'm not saying everybody have. You know, everybody can't start there, but that was easier than saying, let's get on a zoom call. Well, what happens is, if you're in that beginning stage, let's start with the zoom call.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Let's start. When we get with each other around Christmas and New Year's and Thanksgiving, I tell everybody in my community that's the perfect time to have that conversation, but everybody ain't gonna listen. But, you know, you got that one cousin that you jam with.

[A]

Yes. This is like, no, y'all, we need to pay attention.

[B]

Pay attention.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

And so that's the way you start into it, you know, you start with that, and then you can say, okay, let's look at the products that are. Here's the easy way. If you go look at the top 10 richest people in the world, they all are rich, wealthy, because they have ownership of stock in the companies that they own. So think about Elon Musk, right? So he has Tesla, but Tesla alone didn't make him a billionaire. It's because he owns so many shares of Tesla.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

So if you want to know where to start at, go look at the top 10 richest people in the world and find out what the companies that they own and then buy stock in their companies. That's something they ain't never heard before.

[A]

I ain't never heard before.

[B]

That's something they ain't never heard before.

[A]

I like that.

[B]

You feel me? So if you go look at the top 10 richest people in the world, you're gonna see Jeff Bezos. That's Amazon. You're gonna see Elon Musk, That's Tesla. You're gonna see Warren Buffett, Berkshire Hathaway. You're gonna see Mark Zuckerberg, That's Meta. You're gonna see Larry Ellison, that's Oracle. So you can go look at the top 10 richest. Larry Page, that's Google. You go look at the top 10 richest people in the world. They ain't up there for no reason. And go say, okay, which one of these half companies on the stock market? Guess what? I want to buy this company. This company. You can start there.

[A]

Yeah. I love that Trap. That's cute. That's so good. I love it. I love it.

[B]

Thank you.

[A]

So I want to know what is next for Trap? You just bought this. This building. We're going to work on a movie. We going to work on your life.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

What else we got going on?

[B]

So first, it's growing spiritually.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Because every time I see a new realm that I'm getting into, I know I need more guidance. Yeah. So for me, it's growing spiritually first and then taking this building. So we're gonna call the building a Freedom Center.

[A]

Beautiful.

[B]

And the goal behind that is to revolutionize the way that people experience financial literacy. That's important. And then what we want to do, my goal behind that is to turn that into putting one of those in every hood. So from Atlanta, the next one I want to do is in New Orleans and then Houston and then Dallas. So my goal is to have a Freedom center in every hood in America.

[A]

That's beautiful.

[B]

To make Financial literacy accessible. And I have this saying. If you allow them to feed you, you give them permission to starve you. And we cannot afford to give people the ability to starve us.

[A]

That's real. That is real.

[B]

We have a presidential election up. And I always say, like, no matter who your political view is, that's your opinion.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

But nobody cares more about your money than you.

[A]

That's so true.

[B]

Nobody cares more about your family's financial stability than you.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

And so you have this obligatory nunction to make sure your family.

[A]

Good. Yeah, that's it. Yes, that's it.

[B]

So we won't do that. And then the next thing is, the goal is to create a book.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

You know, we want to write a book. And then I want to be a husband man.

[A]

So what are you looking for? What are you looking for in a woman?

[B]

So I think for me, right now, I am. I'm not dating.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

But I'm pursuing a woman.

[A]

Okay. All right. We got. We got the exclusive here.

[B]

He's not that dating.

[A]

He's pursuing.

[B]

But I am pursuing.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

And I'm figuring out how that looks.

[A]

That's beautiful. I love that.

[B]

You know, I'm figuring out how that looks from patience, from understanding, from communication. Because what happens is, you can be this successful man, and you can say, yep, I'm at the top of the food chain. The world is my oyster.

[A]

Yeah. That's how most men think.

[B]

Right. Or you can say, let me work on myself. Let me get myself right. And then let me find a woman and let me pursue her, court her, date her.

[A]

Come on.

[B]

You know what I'm saying? And then see where that goes. And so right now, I am in a situation where this woman. Before, she made me feel safe, and I had never felt that before. And I went through a phase where I told her, I can't love you. I don't have it in me. So I went to therapy for a year, and I worked on myself, and I went to getting this spiritual fulfillment from men that are married.

[A]

That's key.

[B]

Right. And I've been just a student to men who are honoring their wives, because I come from an environment where I never saw that. Right.

[A]

Yep.

[B]

And so I'm asking all the questions. And so I made a decision after I went to Italy.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

I love the decision. You've been traveling. Ah.

[B]

And I said, all right, Trap, we do not need to be traveling across this country alone. Alone. You know, this is not it.

[A]

Listen. No, I get it. Because I've been traveling. You've been going since, like, 2017, and I haven't had anyone, like a significant other that I could experience that with. And you. You get to a point, you're like, dang. Like, this would be really dope to experience with someone else. Yeah, no, I feel you. Yeah.

[B]

And so I was like, you know what? I had a situation where I think it was amazing. And I said, I really love that woman, but I didn't know how to express it.

[A]

But now you do.

[B]

I said, so now let me try to go back and right my wrong. Because it wasn't that I like, messed with women or nothing on that. I just didn't. Emotionally, I wasn't available. I was on some get this money.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

And so.

[A]

And there are seasons for that.

[B]

And there are seasons for it. And so. But she just made me better as a man. She made me better. She's a woman that has standards. She was like, yo, like, I don't feel safe emotionally here. So you gotta, like, do something about that. Let's talk about it. And so now that I'm better, so I try. I've been pursuing and we have been building, and she hasn't made it easy. Whoever you are that she should.

[A]

Right.

[B]

Yes. And. And I guess her thing was, I need you to show me that you are who you say you are.

[A]

That's. Yes.

[B]

Like, you have the success. Cool. I get it.

[A]

You.

[B]

You are. You're a great talker. Right. But you've been that way for so long.

[A]

Yeah. I need to know.

[B]

I need to know. And so that has been so hard for me.

[A]

Me.

[B]

Because I'm so used to getting what.

[A]

I want when you want it.

[B]

When I want it. And so that's why I leaned in on God a little more and I said, God, this isn't just a lesson about her. This is a life lesson for me.

[A]

Wow.

[B]

Because if I'm truly going to follow you, you won't give me everything I want in the moment.

[A]

No. Right.

[B]

Bet. Yeah. And so it's like, okay. And so we've been talking. We've been dating. We've been. You know, and I told myself that I didn't want to if I was going to pursue her. I didn't need to engage in trying to date other women because I would lose focus.

[A]

Exactly. You know what you have.

[B]

I know what you want. And so that's why I've been at. That's what I've been at. That's where I've been at. And I have been. I'm still a great communicator. So, like, I like healthy relationships with people that I communicate with, but that's what I just been pursuing.

[A]

I love that. I'm happy for you, man. Seriously. Thank you for sharing. You are such a beautifully layered man.

[B]

Thank you so much.

[A]

I love all the layers of you. Thank you for your transparency and your openness and coming to share with us. I know I learned a lot. Come on. And I appreciate you, and I wish you nothing but.

[B]

Likewise. Likewise. And whatever I can do to, you know, serve you and your audience, let me know. Like, my mama is a huge fan. You know what I'm saying? So whatever we can do. Whatever I can do. I like good people.

[A]

Yeah. Thank you.

[B]

I like good people. I like people. Like, I see your journey, you know, I see your journey, and it's amazing to see, again, a woman that is like, okay, this. Because you can easily be like, I'm this. Yeah, right? And. And not like, when you saw me was like, hey, Trav, you saw my daughter. He was like, hey. And so that. That isn't something. That energy cannot be faked. So God is doing something amazing for you. Right? And so that's the people that I want to be connected to. I want to be people who understand that they are just a resource for the bigger source.

[A]

Yes. That's it. Right? We are vessels. Right.

[B]

And I'm a vessel, so. And I see that in you. I see you as a vessel.

[A]

Thank you.

[B]

Through your character, through who you are in real life, I see that vessel. So, man, whatever I can do. This was an honor. So whatever I can do, let me know. I'm here.

[A]

For sure. Thank you. I appreciate you. Thanks for coming on.

[B]

Oh, come on. Here. Thank you so much.

[A]

I appreciate you. Thank you all so much for spending time with me today. I hope you learned some things that you can now use in life and in business. You can follow me on all social media platforms at lovechristalrenee, and you can also follow our show @keepitpositive. Sweetie, if you want to write into our positive outcomes listener letter, you can send us an [e-mail] in the meantime, in between time, you guys already know what to do. Keep it positive, sweetie. I'll see you guys next time. Sa.