Episode Summary: "The Money Mindset w/ Janell Stephens & The Wall Street Trapper"
Podcast: Keep it Positive, Sweetie
Host: Crystal Renee Hayslett
Guests: Janell Stephens (Founder & CEO, Camille Rose), The Wall Street Trapper
Date: January 19, 2025
Overview
This episode dives deep into the intersection of entrepreneurship, faith, and personal healing through candid conversations with two trailblazing guests: Janell Stephens, founder of Camille Rose, and The Wall Street Trapper, a self-made multimillionaire and financial educator. Host Crystal Renee Hayslett creates a safe, heartfelt space exploring how both guests overcame adversity, built wealth, and lead with purpose, authenticity, and service.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Janell Stephens: The Journey from Kitchen Experiments to Beauty Mogul
- Origin Story: Janell shares how her path to founding Camille Rose began from a personal quest for holistic, natural solutions for her children’s health issues, especially eczema.
- Inspiration: The brand name was inspired by her grandmother and a touching family moment involving a resilient rose at her funeral ([05:24]).
- Entrepreneurial Roots: Janell reveals her “hustle mentality,” having previously run a home health agency, and stresses she was “never afraid of work” ([11:51]).
- Self-Funding the Dream: She and her husband funded Camille Rose themselves, growing at a sustainable pace and keeping stress low ([13:19]).
- Integrity & Product Quality: Janell emphasizes maintaining ingredient integrity despite manufacturing pressures:
“I was like, I’m not doing that because I would not want to disappoint my clients... I’m not using anything synthetic.” – Janell ([20:49])
- Community and Ownership: Janell highlights the importance of black-owned businesses for creating opportunities and generational wealth ([19:22]).
- Overcoming Manufacturing Obstacles: She faced skepticism and double standards from manufacturers, ultimately partnering with a kindred spirit who now runs a thriving facility alongside her ([23:53]).
- Self-Care: Janell admits balance is challenging but credits daily exercise as essential for her well-being. She’s considering therapy to further support her mental health ([24:02]).
- What’s Next: She announces the upcoming Camille Rose Skin line, focused on melanin-rich skin ([25:10]).
2. The Wall Street Trapper: From Streets to Millionaire Mindset
- Personal Transformation: Trapper openly discusses his background—growing up in New Orleans, incarceration, family trauma, and the emotional barriers he carried ([30:09]–[31:25]).
- Faith and Business: He details the pivotal decision to put “God first,” leading to profound changes both personally and professionally:
“I got the saying right now: it’s God and money. So we gotta go God first, and then we could get the money, because God ain’t telling us to be broke.” – Wall Street Trapper ([26:45])
- Therapy as Healing: Trapper’s emotional breakthrough came through therapy, especially working with a God-led therapist. He describes the power in allowing himself to cry and be vulnerable:
“Therapy became this place where I started to cry, and it felt good.” – Wall Street Trapper ([33:29]) “Emotionally imprisoned. Emotionally incarcerated... because when you hold it in, it turns to resentment.” – Wall Street Trapper ([33:54])
- Breaking Generational Trauma: Details a moving experience at Woman Evolve, where reconnecting spiritually with his mother catalyzed major healing in their relationship ([45:46]–[49:26]).
- Leadership & Influence: Trapper feels called to lead authentically, inspiring men—especially those from similar backgrounds—to heal, pursue God, and build wealth with integrity:
“For me, it’s so many men that’s coming to me... Now you making me a better father. And I’m getting money. Listen, you bringing me close to God and I’m getting money.” – Wall Street Trapper ([52:02]–[52:43])
3. Entrepreneurship, Service, and the Role of Faith
- Faith as Foundation: Both guests reiterate that money can never be the sole objective. Purpose, diligence (Proverbs 10:4), and God’s guidance drive sustainable wealth and impact ([41:09]):
“If we make it just about money, we can’t go where we need to go at... Got to put God first.” – Wall Street Trapper ([41:13])
- Service First: Success stems from a heart of service, not simply financial goals.
- Authentic Leadership: Both Janell and Trapper model vulnerability and realness—qualities the host and listeners find especially healing and inspiring.
- Ownership & Representation: Stressing the need for representation and ownership within the Black community for long-term impact ([19:22]).
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
-
On Self-Funding and Starting Small:
“I funded it, and my husband… But we did it as we grew… I bought mason jars… sharpie… hobby lobby paper… and that’s how I did it.” – Janell Stephens ([14:00]) -
On Integrity in Business:
“I want to make sure these products are safe for me to use and my children and my family. So I’m not using anything synthetic.” – Janell Stephens ([20:49]) -
On Black Ownership:
“It’s so important for our community to have ownership… so you can call me and say, hey, my niece wants to intern.” – Janell Stephens ([19:22]) -
On God & Money:
“God gives us the ability to produce wealth. So he’s saying, like, bro, I don’t want y’all to be poor, but you gotta listen to me.” – Wall Street Trapper ([41:38]) -
On Vulnerability:
“Emotionally imprisoned. Emotionally incarcerated. Feeling that the vulnerability is what makes you weak, when in reality, the vulnerability makes us strong.” – Wall Street Trapper ([33:54]) -
On Healing Generational Wounds:
“My therapist told me, you’ll never love a woman until you’re able to love your mama… this is why you having these issues.” – Wall Street Trapper ([47:10]) -
On Authenticity as a Leader:
“Bishop told me this… your authenticity is what’s needed today… when you let God do it, it’ll blow your mind.” – Wall Street Trapper ([51:07]) -
Crystal’s Reflection on Service:
“One of the financial tips that stayed with me… is you have to have a heart of service.” – Crystal Renee Hayslett ([52:43])
Timestamps for Important Segments
- Janell’s Origin Story & Brand Naming: [03:00] – [05:56]
- First Steps in Business & Self-Funding: [09:16] – [14:45]
- On Black Ownership and Community: [19:22]
- Manufacturing Hurdles and Maintaining Integrity: [20:04] – [23:53]
- Self-Care and What’s Next: [24:02] – [25:27]
- The Wall Street Trapper’s Personal Transformation: [26:05] – [31:25]
- Faith-Driven Business Philosophy: [26:45], [41:09] – [41:38]
- Therapy and Healing Trauma: [32:03] – [35:34]
- Connecting Vulnerability to Fatherhood: [34:45]
- Breakthrough with his Mother at Woman Evolve: [45:46] – [49:26]
- Authenticity in Leadership: [51:07]
Tone & Style
The episode is candid, uplifting, and soul-baring. Both guests speak in their authentic voices—humble, courageous, and warm. Faith, family, and healing are interwoven with practical advice about business, resilience, and service. Laughter and heartfelt reflections are shared throughout, creating a sense of intimacy and encouragement.
For those who haven’t listened:
Expect a rich conversation about the power of faith, overcoming the odds, building generational wealth through integrity, and the necessity of combining money-making ambition with a higher purpose. Both Janell Stephens and The Wall Street Trapper show that true entrepreneurship begins with healing and service—reminding us all to “keep it positive, sweetie.”
