Charlamagne (4:12)

That's amazing. I'm inspired because you inspired. That sounds like an amazing time. So I'm feeling great. I'm feeding off your energy, you know, we back at it for this week.

Lauren LaRosa (4:21)

So how was your weekend? What'd you do this weekend?

Charlamagne (4:23)

It was smooth. I can't recall. Probably just working, shooting.

Lauren LaRosa (4:26)

It's One of those weekends where things were just moving so fast. Yeah.

Charlamagne (4:29)

One after the other.

Lauren LaRosa (4:29)

Yeah.

Charlamagne (4:30)

But it's all good. We here with it.

Lauren LaRosa (4:31)

Well, yeah. So podcast festival next year. I'm taking you with me. Yeah, we out at one point. Because when I got to the festival, I was like, yo, I just want to go out in the festival. I've never been. It's my first year coming. I want to just see what it's like with the activations are. With the food trucks are like, all of that. People are like, like in real time, like, note, like, noticing me. I'm like. And I'm still getting used to all of that stuff. So I'm just like, oh, hey. And then we started taking pictures. We took a couple of pictures. Next thing I know, I look up, my manager is having to, like, orchestrate a line like, I sat for three hours during the festival. I missed the whole R B money podcast. I missed the first panel. I missed majority of the first half of the festival because once I got in the crowd, I was like, I'm not gonna tell these people no. And I actually, like, love engaging with people because y'all are listening and watching the show. So I met a lot of people, though. Everybody had podcasts, Everybody had great energy. We was in there praying together, laughing together. I was learning about people's shows. It was just fire. It felt like a creator's family reunion. That's exactly how it felt. Music wise, energy, love, like, all the energy, like, all of that stuff. So the panel that I moderated was called Creatives, Creators and Curators. It was presented by AT&T. And on the panel with me, we had Aaron Howard, a king who is a producer. He works with the Black Effect podcast network, but he worked with and helped create, create and. And you know, the Combat Jack show, which, you know, when you talk about podcasts and podcasts in the hip hop space and. And a culture space like that show, it's like that show gets pointed to so much because it was the first of its kind and it led and, and, and drove like it's. It started a lot of people's podcast careers seeing what Combat Jack did on that show. Then we had Crystal Renee Hazlett, actress. She also has a podcast as well, called Keep It Positive, Sweetie. She's also a producer too. She's done a lot of different things. So we talked a bit about that. Like, just navigating through different things as you go. Ricardo Handy, who is a TV creator and executive and CEO of sunwise Media. Shantae Lundy. She is the owner of Black Girl Sunscreen. Black Girl Sunscreen is currently in 20,000 stores, y'all. And this girl started this with her own savings from her corporate job. So it was a conversation for real. For real. Just about figured it all out as a dreamer and really making it work now.

Crystal Renee Hazlett (6:57)

Dreams really do come true. Y'all believe dreams come true. Listen, I know dreams really do come true. Creators on this panel will share with you guys their story of triumph from having an idea that they ultimately brought to life. There's no perfect way of doing anything, but this panel is here to tell y'all all the good things that y'all need to know about how to get it done. Now, for me, being here at the Lack of Podcast festival and everything that you guys have been watching in my life over the last six months has literally been a dream come true as a creator.

Lauren LaRosa (7:27)

Oh, thank you, guys.

Crystal Renee Hazlett (7:29)

As a creator, you really. You want to get your story out there.

Lauren LaRosa (7:32)

You know what I mean?

Crystal Renee Hazlett (7:32)

You want to do good work and you want to build audience, and you also want to make some money.

Lauren LaRosa (7:37)

It's hard as a creator.

Crystal Renee Hazlett (7:38)

It's a lot of work, but not a lot of returns sometimes. So I'm excited to be here because that has been my journey, and I'm excited to talk to the these creators who also probably had a lot of the similar things happen in their life that I have had. Now I'm going to start with Once Upon a Dream to Reality. So, Crystal, you started as a stylist and worked your way into acting and producing. What helped you believe that you could take that leap?

Lauren LaRosa (8:05)

Wow.

Aaron Howard (8:06)

First, thank you so much. I'm proud of you. Thank you so much for allowing s space with me. But for me, it was. I knew when I came to Atlanta what I was trying to do, and there was nothing that was going to stop me. I had tunnel vision, and what I had to understand was that sometimes the route would be different than what you expect.

Crystal Renee Hazlett (8:25)

Yes.

Aaron Howard (8:26)

We think that it's one way to get to a destination. And for me, it was not the first thing I did. I called my mom and I said, hey, I'm moving to Atlanta. She said, well, pray about it. I had already done that because I.

Lauren LaRosa (8:36)

Don'T make any moves without talking about that. Like, I tell people all the time that the best thing that was ever told to me is, is that you can be dreaming and not be in your current reality because you're dreaming and you're manifesting, but you got to be able to still take care of your reality. So you gotta pay bills. You got to keep your head clear so you'll be able to even think and create, which mean, like, it's hard to think, create, feel the energy and inspiration when you worried about how you gonna eat, how you gonna pay your bills, you know, those type of things. So you sometimes, you know what I mean? The route to get to where you're going is. It's twisting, it's up and down. But I think when you go to festivals like this, or you go to conferences or whatever the case may be, like when you're moving throughout your day to day as a creator, you hungry, you just trying to get on you. I mean, you want things to work out. You're trying to network up. So that means, you know, you feel like you should only be in conversation with people who can do more for you than you can do for them, Whether it's financially or, you know, walking you into rooms or things of that nature. But it has been. There has been so many times where, like, people that, like, were interning after I went through an internship have ended up in positions and called me about jobs and, and you know what I mean? Or like, you, you just never know who people gonna turn out to be. I was raised that way. Like, my mom always taught me, like, you never know who a person is going to end up being. So treat the person like a person and not like what they can do or can't do for you. And that is so true. My career has literally been almost like, made at certain points and in certain opportunities I've had because people remembered how I treated them and doubled back and threw things my way. So there's a point that a king made, Aaron Howard made. He has this saying that he says where he's like, you know, relationships are currency, right? Like, who you know is, is, is, is money is gold. And I asked him about how you know when to cash in on that gold.

Crystal Renee Hazlett (10:29)

How do you know when to cash in on.

Patrick (10:32)

Well, you have to have value, too. That's part of the currency. You just can't be asking people to do you a solid. You know, you have to provide some type of value to whatever it is that you're trying to execute. And that takes time because we're all doing things we're all working on. I know right now there's like five people in this crowd that, you know, reached out to me. I'm probably telling too much, but. And we're trying to figure out how to do some dope content. But these are Five, ten year relationships. You know, a lot of times what I find is when I talk to people, they get upset, they get frustrated because they might meet somebody, they may not be able to reach out to them, or they reach out to them, they didn't get a call back or follow, and they get frustrated. Like, ah, sometimes you just gotta relax and do the work, continue on your journey, see them again and follow up and present yourself in a manner that shows value. And I think that it's a two.

Lauren LaRosa (11:29)

Way street, baby, when I tell you this right here, okay, the podcast could have ended right there at that, at that conversation. I mean, it technically kind of did because our time was winding down. But that was such a major point. One of the biggest things that I've learned, because my life, my lifeline or my relationships are the people I can pick up the phone and call. Whether I need to confirm a story, I need to, you know, book talent, I need to find who I need to be calling to confirm the story. So I gotta call a friend like, yo, who's the publicist, who's the manager, who's the this, who's the that? You gotta know when it's time to lean in and time to. You know what I mean? Like, to, to just not. You're not cashing out on that currency. But the biggest thing that he said, outside of just knowing when, is you got to be able to add value in these conversations as well. And I was talking to a girl, there was a group of students there and shout out to y'all if y'all are watching or listening. There was a group of students there from Morehouse, and then there was from another college as well. It was like a whole group. And one of the students, she's a girl that is from New York. She asked me what. What is my advice to a college student right now about, like, how to get to where I'm at from where, you know, like, she was like, you did the whole college thing. Are a marketing major. I'm a marketing major. Like, you know, black girl working in, you know, mainstream media and like, doing these different things. And you in rooms with people that don't look like you. Like, what have you learned that you would. You would tell us right now that we should be focused on it and working on. I was like, you need to learn the art of staying ready so you don't gotta get ready. Like, everything about pop culture entertainment moves quick moves so quick. I'm snapping my fingers. Because as I'm snapping, something else is happening. Another story. Is breaking. You gotta stay ready so you don't get ready. I mean, so you don't gotta get ready. Really being able to show what you can do and how you can do it in a way that people are wild that they want to bring you back to that table. And also, too, I just think you gotta always think about as well, like, people be busy, y'all. People be busy. So I like to think, like, with certain people when I'm asking certain favors or, you know, certain things as I'm in the building phase. And, you know, sometimes you need to stamp on certain things to make people, you know, just really feel it. I always think about, like, okay, these people are. This person is busy. So is what I'm calling them about worth them stopping everything that I know they're doing? Because they're going to stop because of our relationship, Is it worth them stopping? And if it's not, I don't call. And maybe I'll wait a little bit until it is worth it. But, yeah, so that was just some of the conversations I wanted to make sure that y'all got a chance to take a listen to. But I also ran into because Sarah Jakes Roberts was there doing her Woman Evolved podcast. All of the black creatives in la, or creatives in general in la, if you have lived there for over a year, you have been to one church, la, which is a potterhouse church. I don't know nobody that has lived in LA that is, you know, wanting to go to church. That is a creative that has not at least walked through the doors of that church one time. So y'all know how attached they are to a lot of creators journeys that have lived in la. I know for me, that's the church I was going to. I was watching that church up until I got more into my church in Delaware. But, yeah, seeing them in person, I was like, oh, shoot. Like, it was also, like. It was kind of like a full circle moment. Because when I was involved in that church, I haven't involved that. I just used to go. I wasn't like an involved member where they would have known me then. But I was in such a. I remember, like, man, I was. I was in such a building phase of my life and career at that time. It would be some days where I wouldn't even have money to go to church. I couldn't afford to put gas in my car to go there. We would carpool to church because we were just so broke and just trying to figure it out. Me and my homegirl sleeping on each other with couches and, you know what I mean, Sharing apartments and religion and faith. Even at that time, it was all we had for real. Like, just figuring it out, going to church, trying to figure it out, and using church on Sunday as a motivation to get through the week, that following week of scraping together money to just, like, make things shake for real. So to be in that space as a creator, a new resident of la, to then run into them backstage. I'm at the Black Effect Podcast Festival. I'm about to go on stage to host a panel. You know, all of this big life and these things have happened for me, and I'm also a lot more rooted in my spiritual journey now with God, y'all. Like, it was, I don't know, it was such a full circle moment. And I, I actually got a chance to tell them. I got a chance to meet them and almost cried just hugging her because I'm like, she don't even know how much her and her husband in their church got me to where I'm at right now, to be standing in front of her. Because if not, but God, I wouldn't have made it through those years. My first two years in la, man, we shout out to my sister Mariah. She's currently on tour with SZA and Kendrick Lamar. She's a dancer and a choreographer. I remember we would literally meet up to sit in the car and just talk and cry because we were struggling so bad and we couldn't figure out why it had to be so tough. And both were from Delaware, so we got really, really close. But to go through that and then to be back there, it's like, Patrick, I see you shaking your head. You, you, like, I feel you. That's right. You can identify with the right. Like, it's crazy. It's just kind of. It was a very full circle moment. I don't even know how else to put it in words, but to say it like that. So the festival was a great time. My favorite part about the festival was meeting you guys. Like, I, I, I am, like, being so, you know, honest about the fact of, like, we took probably two to three hours to just, like, touch the people, like, hug people, take pictures. I probably met over 3 to 400 of y'all literally within that time. Yeah. So the podcast festival was fire. And talking about Sarah Jakes Roberts and Pastor Torre, T.D. jakes. Actually, as I was coming in to film the podcast, there was a video and reports beginning to surface from his online service today that he is stepping down from so in November, November 2024, TD Jakes had this scare on stage while preaching where he, like, paused and he was shaking, and then he went out. And then it was revealed that. It was later revealed that he had a massive heart attack. He actually said that since November, his daughter Sarah Jakes Roberts and Pastor Terray Roberts had been leading in the church. Anyway, we didn't know it, but they've been doing it, and now they're going to fully step in and take over the church. Huge deal. He said that it was because he wants to work more in the community. Let's take a listen. I do think that it's more about his health. I think that that that is very prevalent. Even in watching the video of him announcing it, you can tell that, you know, although he's been still preaching and doing better, you know, he's older, he's. He's getting up there. I think it's a good idea for him to step away before he works himself into a place where he's not even able to do the things that he's talking about he wants to do. So that news came out, so I did want to men it. Now tomorrow's episode, we're going to hop back into the topics in the same way that we normally do. This episode was a bit differently. Different because I really wanted to bring y'all some content in real time from the podcast festival while it was fresh, while it was here. But we will still take y'all to the streets, to the tweets.

Patrick (18:45)

You for the tweets.

Lauren LaRosa (18:49)

Every other page I go, I really have been, like, reflecting so much on just a lot of different things since leaving the podcast festival. You probably like, yo, y'all probably like, yo, you reflect all the time, sis. You always in your thoughts. I am. I'm one of those people. But I've been thinking a lot since leaving the podcast festival, just about what God? Like, what am I learning about God and, like, and being faithful to God throughout any season and any journey in life right now. Like, what my life is teaching me right now about God. Because when I tell y'all, my mind was blown seeing all those people who knew me and my story and were inspired. And I'm just like, oh, bro, like it. Like, we hear it's happening. Like we hear. So I tweeted out, what is one thing? What is one thing that your life is currently teaching you about God? So R. Dot Chung responded and said that everything and everything is in all caps, that everything works together according to his purpose, baby. Yes. So Rocky Thunder responded and said, God will never allow me to envision anything I can't achieve. I keep checking all parts of the dream life seamlessly. Baby, that hits home. That is how I felt leaving that dang festival. Like, God, what are you doing? What is Life right now? Lucky420 said he gonna meet you where you at every time. All about Jordan said that he is learning right now that God remains consistent. So if I've seen him carry me once, I know he'll do it again. Let me tell y'all how all of these are so on point. I just grabbed these really quick to put in the doc because there were so many replies. They all hit home. This whole episode, all I've been talking to y'all are about, like, people and, like, their elevation and their expansion of their lives and their careers and just all of these things. And like. Like, one thing that I can say that I learned that I'm taking with me from this episode and from the podcast festival is you can dream, but when you do it, you got to do it with God, because the way that he sets you up to achieve beyond your wildest dreams, man. Oh, my God. Like, I'm exhausted, but I'm so full, like, from this festival. So make sure you're go check out the post content. I'm gonna have vlogs on my YouTube channel. I have many vlogs on my. My Instagram and photos. The photos is hitting, baby. I was in all Alexander Wayne the second day. First day, we popped out in my sister's Milano D. Rouge. Like, I was cute or whatever. So make sure y'all go check out all of the content on my Instagram, my Twitter, my YouTube channel. YouTube is Lauren LaRosa TV. Some of you guys are already here. Instagram is Lauren LaRosa. Twitter, I'm Lauren LaRosa everywhere. Go find me. Go check it out. If you were at the podcast festival and you're listening to this episode right now, tweet me, talk to me about what you loved about the podcast festival. If we met at the podcast festival, tweet me, Instagram me, all that stuff. Let me know you know what I mean, how you're feeling. Post. You know, a lot of y'all tagged me in the pictures already, but let me know how y'all feeling. Like, after our conversation after the festival, are y'all feeling like I am? I'm. I'm energized. I'm recharged. Even though I'm tired. I'm physically exhausted, but I'm spiritually so full, and it's a great place to be. So I'm signing out tomorrow. We'll be back with a full episode of all things entertainment and entertainment News. I'm Lauren LaRosa. I'm the homegirl that knows a bit about everything. And everybody, thank you guys for tuning in. I tell y'all this all the time because I mean it. You could be anywhere with anybody talking about these things and these topics, because at the end of the day, there's always a lot to talk about. But y'all choose to be right here with me every episode, and I appreciate you guys for that. I will see you in my next one.