Podcast Summary: "Keep it Positive, Sweetie"

Episode Title: The Money Mindset w/ Janelle Stephens & The Wall Street Trapper
Release Date: January 19, 2025
Host: Crystal Renee Hayslett

Introduction

In this enlightening episode of "Keep it Positive, Sweetie," host Crystal Renee Hayslett delves deep into the intricacies of the money mindset with two exceptional entrepreneurs: Janelle Stephens, the CEO and founder of Camille Rose, and The Wall Street Trapper, a multi-millionaire entrepreneur known for his transformative journey from the streets to substantial financial success. The conversation centers around building successful businesses, overcoming personal and professional hurdles, and the pivotal role of faith and emotional well-being in entrepreneurship.

Guest Introductions

Crystal Renee Hazlett opens the episode by warmly welcoming her guests:

• Janelle Stephens: Founder and CEO of Camille Rose, the top black-owned hair care brand. Janelle's journey is marked by her dedication to creating natural products that cater to the needs of her community, driven by personal challenges faced by her family.

• The Wall Street Trapper: An entrepreneur who transformed his life from a troubled past into a thriving business mogul, inspiring countless others to embark on their own paths to success.

Developing the Money Mindset

The conversation begins with Crystal inquiring about the fundamental lessons needed to navigate the business world, contrasting it with the creative freedom of working in the kitchen.

Janelle Stephens shares her innate "hustle mentality," a trait that propelled her through various entrepreneurial ventures before founding Camille Rose. She reflects:

"I feel like I was born with like a hustle mentality and I don't know if I want to use the word hustle. I don't know. I like the word."
[00:22] Janelle Stephens

The Wall Street Trapper emphasizes the importance of valuing more than just money in business:

"It can't be just about money. Because if we make it just about money, we can't go where we need to go at."
[00:35] The Wall Street Trapper

He further integrates his faith into his business philosophy, citing Proverbs 10:4:

"Diligent hands build wealth. Poor hands make for lazy. So, okay, if he tells us to be diligent, let me just be diligent."
[00:43] The Wall Street Trapper

Crystal echoes this sentiment, setting the tone for a discussion that intertwines business acumen with spiritual grounding.

Building Camille Rose: Janelle's Story

Janelle delves into the inception of Camille Rose, tracing it back to her personal quest for natural products suitable for her family's needs. Faced with her children's severe eczema and the ineffectiveness of existing products, she took matters into her own hands:

"I started Camille Rose back in 2011. I just went on this whole quest for all things natural... I followed the traditional, gotta go to college, you know, got my master's in science and then pivoted."
[03:00] Janelle Stephens

She explains the significance behind the name Camille Rose, dedicating it to her grandmother, whose natural remedies and love for roses inspired the brand's identity:

"I wanted to dedicate my brand to her... the rest were dead. It was like, wait a minute. What's happening here. And so that's the rose that you see in my silhouettes, my logos hair."
[05:55] Janelle Stephens

Janelle's passion for creating safe, effective products led her to self-fund Camille Rose, prioritizing quality over immediate financial gain. She recounts the humble beginnings of packaging her products in mason jars and hand-labeling them, demonstrating her commitment to authenticity and community service.

Overcoming Business Challenges

Janelle candidly discusses the hurdles she faced while scaling Camille Rose, particularly in finding manufacturers aligned with her commitment to natural ingredients. She recounts her frustration with uncooperative labs and the struggle to maintain product integrity:

"One hurdle that really stressed me out was finding a manufacturer that believed in what I believed in as far as, like, the ingredients."
[20:04] Janelle Stephens

Despite these challenges, Janelle remained steadfast, relying on self-funding and her husband's support to grow the business organically. Her approach prioritized gradual, sustainable growth over rapid expansion, allowing Camille Rose to maintain its quality and community-focused ethos.

Janelle also touches upon the broader impact of ownership within the black community, emphasizing the importance of creating opportunities and fostering a supportive environment for future entrepreneurs:

"It's so important because I... I have to make sure that the people around me are on the same wave."
[19:05] Janelle Stephens

The Wall Street Trapper's Transformation

The Wall Street Trapper shares a profound narrative of personal transformation. From a tumultuous past marked by crime and incarceration, he narrates his journey towards emotional healing and business success. His story underscores the significance of therapy, faith, and community in overcoming personal traumas.

He reflects on his experience with therapy:

"But what also helped me was he's a therapist that leads with God... therapy became this place where I started to cry. And it felt good."
[32:34] The Wall Street Trapper

His commitment to emotional vulnerability serves as an inspiration, particularly in challenging traditional notions of masculinity. He emphasizes the importance of expressing emotions and breaking free from societal constraints:

"Vulnerability makes us strong. It's the ability to say, no. I feel this way about this situation, and I need to express it."
[34:09] The Wall Street Trapper

The Role of Faith and Spirituality in Business

Both guests highlight the integral role of faith in their entrepreneurial journeys. The Wall Street Trapper discusses placing God at the forefront of his ventures, aligning his business practices with his spiritual beliefs:

"We got to put God first and say God... if he tells us to be diligent, let me just be diligent. God gives us the ability to produce wealth."
[41:13] The Wall Street Trapper

Janelle echoes this by speaking about divine guidance in her business decisions and the importance of trusting in a higher purpose:

"I think that when companies purchase black-owned brands... it's a personal decision. You just have to decide what's best for you and your family."
[17:01] Janelle Stephens

Their shared belief in divine intervention and the importance of ethical practices underscores their commitment to not just financial success but also to making a meaningful impact.

Final Insights and Future Plans

As the episode concludes, both entrepreneurs share their future aspirations. Janelle Stephens hints at expanding Camille Rose's product line to include skincare tailored for darker skin tones, aiming to fill a significant gap in the market:

"In 2025, Camille Rose Skin... I gotta pour into that darker skin tone."
[25:10] Janelle Stephens

The Wall Street Trapper discusses his ongoing mission to mentor and uplift others from similar backgrounds, emphasizing the transformative power of faith and emotional openness:

"The more you increase your capacity, the more God will increase your territory."
[29:07] The Wall Street Trapper

Crystal wraps up the episode by highlighting key takeaways, particularly the importance of a heart of service and maintaining authenticity in the pursuit of financial success.

Notable Quotes

• Janelle Stephens:

  "I think that everything is over saturated. And I think that if it's your passion and if that's what you really want to do, it'll come."
  [12:32]

• The Wall Street Trapper:

  "Vulnerability makes us strong. It's the ability to say, no. I feel this way about this situation, and I need to express it."
  [34:09]

• Crystal Renee Hazlett:

  "Keeping a heart of service is essential because we're so quick and eager to make the money that we forget to be of service."
  [52:39]

Conclusion

This episode of "Keep it Positive, Sweetie" offers a compelling exploration of the money mindset through the lenses of two remarkable entrepreneurs. Janelle Stephens and The Wall Street Trapper provide invaluable insights into building successful businesses grounded in authenticity, faith, and a deep sense of community service. Their stories underscore the importance of overcoming personal challenges, maintaining ethical standards, and fostering emotional well-being as pillars of enduring success. For listeners aspiring to elevate their entrepreneurial journey, this episode serves as both inspiration and a practical guide toward achieving financial and personal fulfillment.

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