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- [00:00]
Ben
This is an iHeart podcast.
- [00:02]
Nissan Advertiser
Guaranteed Human peace of mind starts with knowing what supports the journey is steady, grounded and dependable, especially during seasons of change. That's why Nissan engineers push their vehicles to the limit to demonstrate quality, reliability and durability, making those principles a foundation across every vehicle built. That commitment has earned recognition from J.D. power, ranking Nissan number one in new vehicle quality among mainstream brands. Because when trust is built into the foundation, it creates more space to move through life with clarity, confidence and intention, getting the most out of the journey wherever it unfolds. For J.D. power 2025 U.S. initial Quality Study Award information, visit jdpower.com forward/awards Awards based on 2025 model year. Newer models may be shown this weekend.
- [00:52]
State Farm Advertiser
One of the homers mentioned he closed on a new crib. While everyone's asking about a house warming, you're asking the real questions, like who is his State Farm agent? See, homeownership is one thing, but the right coverage is the real game changer. It's how you protect your legacy. A State Farm agent can help you with finding the right coverage for your new place and even help you file a claim over the phone, in person, online or on the app. They're ready to help you and they don't drop the ball. You know what I mean? Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there.
- [01:23]
The Burbs Advertiser
This episode is brought to you by the Burbs. A new Peacock original starring Emmy Award winner Keke Palmer. The mystery comedy series follows Samira, a lawyer and new mom who moves with her family into her husband's childhood home. While the peaceful suburb of Hinkley Hills may look picture perfect, it doesn't take long for the buried secrets of the cul de sac to be unearthed. Let's just say it's a Keep your friends close and your neighbors closer to the situation. Every episode of the Burbs is available to stream now only on Peacock.
- [01:51]
Shopify Advertiser
We all made resolutions in January, but let's be real. February is usually when a lot of those dreams start to fade. We and our friends at Shopify are here to help you not let that happen. Shopify makes it simple. Whether you're just starting out or already running a business, Shopify can handle anything you throw its way. That's why we started our reasonably shady merch store on Shopify, to give all our fans their own piece of the show. Don't let your dream store die, but with the rest of your 2026 goals, let Shopify help you build it and thank yourself for not giving up. It's time for you to invest in your own business, not someone else's for a change. Head on over to shopify.com ben and see what it feels like to be the one in control of your future.
- [02:37]
John Hope Bryant
Welcome to Money and Wealth with John Hope Bryant, a production of the Black Effect Podcast Network and iheartradio Foreign. Hey, hey, Josh o' Brien here. Money and wealth podcast series. This is a bonus track, so I'm going to give you a lot of extras in 2026. I'm gonna get you deep into the. How a lot of folks will, you know, I don't know, motivate you or whatever it is they're doing, you know, giving you, giving you, you know, what you should have done, as could have done or might do. I'm going to tell you what actually happened to me, how I handled a situation. And in. In hopes that it helps you to avoid what I dealt with on the front end or, or be able to. To negotiate with yourself to make sure that you elevate the situation in real time if you find yourself in it. So this particular deal was in Los Angeles. I was, I'd been homeless, made myself out of that situation, built a real estate company, a finance company. It was involved in real estate and was opening an office at. I don't really want to tell you the building, but I'll tell you the building. The Westwood Gateway complex. At Latijera. No, at Santa Monica and Sepulveda. South west corner, marble building. Beautiful. And I, I won't mention the company that owns it. I don't need to get into a litigious situation. But it was a beautiful eighth story, floor to ceiling glass suite. And I was opening Bryant Group companies. I was, you know, 21, something like that. And I had, you know, had capital stack, had gotten my credit back together, at least my business credit. I had revenue, had had things going on, I had employees. You know, it was, it was ready to go. And I went to go sign the lease we had negotiated over the phone and maybe through email, might have been through email, who knows, it might have been through a third party, I'm not quite sure. But I know I talked to some people over the phone at some point to finalize the terms to Lisa's suite. And I was ready to write the check. There was no issues here, nothing, no concerns whatsoever. And I show up to the negotiating table and make a long story short, there all of a sudden were a lot of concerns, contingencies, a need to go to committee. Okay, committee. So a horse is, is a camel is A horse designed by committee, right? And so when somebody wants to go to a committee, it's a bumpy ride that basically means your deal ain't never happening. And so they said we need to go to. Needs to go to a committee, a closing committee, whatever they said, you know, basically, you know, blah, blah, blah, let's get this person of color out of here. Is my way I perceived it, there was nobody there of color but me. I'm not. That's why I did not describe this video as racism or discrimination. I don't know if it was racism, discrimination. It was certainly bias. In other words, they were biased against something they were uncomfortable with or someone they were uncomfortable with. A situation they had never experienced before. And, and I got it. I mean they were from a different world and I was young and aggressive and presumptuous. I was. Came there ready to sign the deal and like of course you're going to sign a deal with me. And they're like, of course not. So anyway, they sent me packing and that's supposed to be the end of the story. I leave. And I believe, as you know, success is going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm over to round it through it. I'm going to get to it. I take no for vitamins. Right. You've heard me say this before. I never give up. Right. If you're in front of me, I'm warning you, please move aside. I. I'm going to run over you. If you're between me and where I'm trying to get. And I'll say it nicely, I'll say it a couple times nicely. You don't get the memo, you may get trampled on. Like, as I'm getting to where I'm going, so I'm young and, you know, and not to be dissuaded, I had a business. It wasn't a, you know, I was just needed to, I needed to place it somewhere. I had a business, investors, the whole thing and a nice balance sheet for that time. And so I thought, how can I reimagine this situation? You're being run out of town, get in front of the crowd and made like a parade. How do I turn a negative into a positive? What are they looking for? How to get them to. Yes. So I went and found a guy. I'm not sure how I found him. This was pretty much pre Internet, but I found this guy. His name was Chris Blacksland. I believe he's since gone on to heaven, God rest his soul. Nice guy. Chris Blackson, Australian, 6 2ish, 62 or 64. Looked like he came out of Esquire magazine or Fortune magazine or both. Handsome, debonair, articulate, had run a public company in Australia, had been running out of Australia under, you know, interesting circumstances. Still need, you know, needed to finance his lifestyle. I had heard he, he was in default or running or in behind on his mini mansion in some beach community, Palace Verdes, I believe it was, and had a Jaguar that he loved convertible. And he was, you know, gonna lose that and he needed some money. So I met with him and I hired him to be my president. And typically a. When you hear these, these stories, you might have a mainstream company that needs whatever reason, a minority face. Here was a minority company that decided they needed a mainstream face. So I hired this guy, Chris Blacksland. He did nothing wrong up until this point. He did nothing wrong. So there's no casting, no excursions. In fact, he was very helpful to me. I hired him, made him my president. He walked in to the company and sign the lease triple net. I mean, it was a beautiful lease. It was a great deal for us. And that's ultimately, well, where I ended up launching Brian Group companies and its affiliates and where I also ended up hosting the beginnings of Operation Hope. Because Operation when it founded, when it was founded after the Rotten King riots or in the midst of the Rotting King riots, of course it was not unplanned. There was no office, there was no infrastructure. So I end up giving operational space. I found it. I loaned my employees to Operation Hope and then hired employees employees and paid them through Brian Group Ventures through Operation Hope that so I was the original sponsor in that office.
- [09:48]
Nissan Advertiser
Peace of mind starts with knowing what supports the journey is steady, grounded and dependable, especially during seasons of change. That's why Nissan engineers push their vehicles to the limit to demonstrate quality, reliability and durability, making those principles a foundation across every vehicle built. That commitment has earned recognition from J.D. power, ranking Nissan number one in new vehicle quality among mainstream brands. Because when trust is built into the foundation, it creates more space to move through life with clarity, confidence and intention. Getting the most out of the journey wherever it unfolds. For J.D. power 2025 U.S. initial Quality Study Award information, visit jdpower.com awards Awards based on 2025 model year, newer models may be shown.
- [10:35]
The Burbs Advertiser
This episode is brought to you by the Burbs. A new Peacock original starring Emmy award winner Keke Palmer. The mystery comedy series follows Samira, a lawyer and new mom who moves with her family into her husband's childhood home. While the peaceful suburb of Hinkley Hills may look picture perfect, it doesn't take long for the buried secrets of the cul de sac to be unearthed. Let's just say it's a Keep your friends close and your neighbors closer to the situation. Every episode of the Burbs is available to stream now only on Peacock.
- [11:03]
State Farm Advertiser
You've been working in the garage with your dad every week, Monday to Sunday, trying to get the old school up and running. Today, after all the hard work, y' all finally finished it. So you have that feeling of accomplishment. You did it. Then your dad throws you the keys. He says those three magic words. All your son. Yep. Same car that belonged to your grandpa and that your dad helped him fix. It's yours. Three generations right there, keeping the tradition alive. But if you ask dad to really keep the tradition going, you need to get insurance. And you already know you need to get State Farm. Because your agent, well, he gets tradition too. His dad was an agent, his grandpa too, so he gets you. Generation to generation. Remember to choose the agents that your family counted on. Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there.
- [11:58]
Ben
We all come into January with big plans and resolutions, but February is usually when a lot of those dreams start slipping away. They think they're too far out of reach or too hard to pull off, especially when it comes to starting a business now. That's why Shopify matters. If you're finally ready to invest in yourself and start a business, Shopify makes it simple. And if you've already had a business, take it from us, Shopify can handle anything you throw its way. That's one of the reasons we shifted our stores over there. Whether you're selling a few products or a full catalog, Shopify grows with you. One login gives you access to everything. No password stress at all. Thousands of site templates mean no design skill needed, and your site still looks uniquely yours, representing you and your brand. I designed my Shopify site in about an hour or two and y' all it is top notch. The Bronco Grinding store is amazing. They even have Shopify Sidekick AI that actually helps with marketing content and planning. You can sell on social media and even directly through ChatGPT. Starting a business is hard, but it is worth it. Trust me, I know. Don't let your dreams die in February. Let Shopify help you and thank yourself later for not giving up. It's time for you to start to invest in your business, not someone else's for a change. Head on over to shopify.com backslash Ben and see what it feels like to be the one in control of your future.
- [13:18]
John Hope Bryant
So this guy, Chris Blacksman, I wasn't paying attention. I was focusing on now the, the business, but also the, you know, the other things that were going on in the community. And he was focused on his community himself. So I had bought him a. He lost his car. So I bought him a Yugo, a little beater. It was brand new, but it was a couple, few thousand dollars and it was a base model. And I remember one day, this guy's like 6 2, 6 4, and imagine him folding himself in this Yugo, trying to drive down the Palisades to his house. And one day he told me the windshield wipers or the side mirrors flew off. It was on the freeway. It was either the side, I don't know, side mirrors or the windshield wipers, and they just flew off because it was such a base model car. And anyway, he sold the car and pocketed the money and never told me about it. It was a company car. He sold the car and he had done some other stuff that wasn't all that cool. But I let it pass because he had done a solid for me. Without him, I wouldn't have got in the game. So I thanked him for what he did and gave him grace for, you know, what he didn't do and the other stuff he did do. Right. And because none of us are saints and, you know, and he was having a hard time of life. And I, I, I really appreciated his humanity too. He actually was a really nice guy. But that was, and he was my, you know, ghost president for a few years. I mean, I paid him just to be there. I did all the work. But, but I couldn't operate in that environment with no credibility. Young from, you know, my background of South Central, la, et cetera, without having credibility in cover. And yeah, so God bless him and his soul. Thank him in absentia for what he did for me, because he could have said no. And it was, you know, as they say, fair exchange. No robbery. It was fair exchange. And my issue really was with a real estate company, not him for putting me in that situation to begin with. But I learned lessons early. Don't take things emotional and don't assume the worst. Like, again, I don't assume that was racism or assume it was discrimination. It certainly was some form of discrimination. They were just uncomfortable. They were biased against me. And, and I vowed to after that day to never have the word but next to my name that I could if I could afford it. Like when I walked out of the room, somebody would say, you know, really respect that young man. But you know, I really admire him. But you know, I really want to do business with him. But right, you can say, you know, you don't like the way I dress or whatever, but not a, not a material, not a substantive but that stops the deal. So I just worked really hard to make sure I removed all the buts out of my life so that it was an and conversation. You know, we really like to do a deal with that guy. And here's the bonus or and you know, so anyway, that's my bonus bonus clip here for this week. The anatomy of a deal. Overcoming bias at the negotiating and closing table and turning a negative into a positive. It made me stronger, better, wiser, more thoughtful, less emotional, more focused, found a new friend, bridged, you know, uncommon interest and moved on with my life and as clearly kept growing and kept succeeding in spite of, if not because of you don't love because of you love because of you wouldn't even love yourself. Maybe you you love and live in spite of, in spite of disappointments, frustrations, people messing over you. You can't step over mess and not in it. And never, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever give up. Let me know you like this bonus clip and content. If so, I'll keep giving you some more of it. All right. God bless. Peace. John o' Brien Money and wealth Vote for the NAACP Image Award nomination for the podcast. Thank you Black Effect Network and iHeartRadio for hosting it. Thank you all for listening and spreading the spreading the gospel of silver rights. From civil rights to civil rights, from the streets to the suites. This is the third reconstruction and my book is coming out in here in two months called Capitalism for All Inclusive Economics and the Future Proofing of America on the 250th anniversary of America. So go get your copy in pre order now. Peace. It's time to change the world. Be the change we want to see in our world. Money and wealth with John o' Brien is a production of the Black Effect Podcast Network. For more podcasts from the Black Effect Podcast network, visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to your favorite shows. Well, the holidays have come and gone once again, but if you've forgotten to get that special someone in your life a gift, well, Mint Mobile is extending their holiday offer of half off on unlimited wireless. So here's the idea. You get it now, you call it an early present for next year. What do you have to lose Give it a try@mintmobile.com Switch limited time 50%.
- [18:43]
Nissan Advertiser
Off regular price for new customers. Upfront payment required $45 for 3 months, $90 for 6 month or $180 for 12 month. Plan taxes and fees. Extra speeds may slow after 50 gigabytes per month when network is busy.
- [18:51]
John Hope Bryant
See Terms so have you heard the story about the prescription plan? With savings automatically built in, it's where a family of any size can feel confident the cost of their medication won't hold them back.
- [19:06]
Nissan Advertiser
Go to CMK Co Stories to learn.
- [19:09]
John Hope Bryant
How CVS Caremark helps members save just by being members. That's CMK Co Stories.
- [19:20]
Ryan Seacrest
Hey, it's Ryan Seacrest for Albertsons and Safeway. Are you feeling those winter blues? Well, do not worry, they've got you covered with ways to boost your mood. Add a little sweetness to your day with big savings on all your favorite sweets, shop in store or online and save on items like Gummy Savers. Five flavors, Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Sour Patch Watermelon, M&M's Party Size Stand Up Bags and Ferrero Rocher Mixed Variety squares. Offer ends February 24th. Restrictions apply. Offers may vary. Visit albertsons or safeway.com for more details. There's no championship league for small business owners, but if there was, you'd be at the top of the standings. Because going pro with Lenovo Pro means you've got the winning formation. One on one advice IT solutions and customized hardware powered by Intel Core Ultra processors help you stay ahead of the competition. Business goes pro with Lenovo Pro Sign up for free@lenovo.com Pro.
- [20:21]
Ben
This is an iHeart podcast. Guaranteed Human.