LEAD UP
By Maurice Manley II
LEAD UPSep 16, 2021
Believe In You
It was an honor to learn and discuss investments and life strategies with Munif Ali. As a coach, investor and entrepreneur, Munif has a vast understanding of business and money, but more importantly......psychology. In order to succeed at anything in life it is essential that we fully understand who we are as individuals. Munif states mind work & gratitude are the cornerstones of success. Listen in and find out how he made over a million dollars from nothing, lost it all and made it all back & more in a short period of time. ,
The Perfect Punchline
We had the pleasure of catching up with actress and comedian Zainab Johnson. Standing on a stage by yourself with the intent to make people laugh on command, requires a high degree of confidence. You must have the ability to tell a compelling story with just enough funny that will touch everyone watching or listening. Zainab leads her audience to a place of light heartedness and cheer, which is a testament to her leadership style off stage. Being able to first be interested and then interesting is a talent that most don't have. Zainab however, not only possesses that ability; she is also a true superstar. Listen as she shares her journey on creating her stage and finding one of her many gifts.
Lead Right Away
Listen and learn the significance of "Right Aways" as it pertains to cities and communities. We had the honor of talking with Taurean Gordon about gentrification and its impact, as well as the role of "Right Aways". Being the COO of OPC Right Away firm, Taurean is able to lead the charge with regard to neighborhood development in areas that may otherwise be overlooked. He also imparts his expertise to his circle of influence by sharing his insight on future developments in various cities and the effect such changes will have on real estate values. Pay close attention as Taurean shares his take on leadership and success.
Stand In Your Life Force
For some, new experiences can be intimidating and for others it is an adrenaline rush. There is a level of confidence and certainty required in order to embrace the moment of change. A great friend of mine is amazing at making big and small life adjustments. As life coach, property manager, multi family construction contractor, background in film/ television and the creator of the Master Squat Vest; Ken Fewell has hands down mastered himself when it comes to creating a new career or life path no matter how scary things may seem. His courage and confidence stem from a fight he was forced to participate in when he was in grade school. Listen in and learn how he leans into himself in order to design new opportunities in his world.
Episode 100 Thank You
It's hard to believe this is the 100th episode! We want to thank all of our supporters, guest, family and friends. This wouldn't have been possible without you, and we wanted to express our gratitude and appreciation. Thank you and we love you all; stay tuned for the next chapter of LEAD UP!
Art, Music and People
Music has the ability to persuade our bodies into motion, as well as lift our spirits when we are not in the best of moods. Whatever our dispositions may be, DJ's have the power to alter behavior, excite and motivate people to feel good. We took a moment to explore the mind of the one and only Tracee Farmer; A.K.A "Dj Day Slayer". As the co-partner of "Amp Collective" and host on "Blend LA Podcast', Tracee has been able to blaze a DJ trail in the genre of house music, with zero experience as a spin, scratch and blend doctor. You will learn the significance of taking risk in life no matter your age or current circumstance. Tracee shares how he was able to push through his mental barriers in spite of what he saw, heard and or experienced. Anything is possible, as long as we have belief.
Tune Into Your Talent
Aligned With Your Purpose
When discussing greatness and prosperity, there is a key ingredient that is often left out of the conversation. Physical health is tantamount to mental health; without it, winning becomes much more difficult. We had the chance to catch up with Eddie Addison- also known as EA. As a physical trainer, coach and entrepreneur he has gain a full understanding of the body and the impact it has on the mind and spirit. EA believes many of the challenges we face in life are due to our internal health. Listen in as I learn, why some people are challenged with obtaining good health, the science behind the interaction of the spirit and the body and lastly, the true phycology of wellness. Our health is our real wealth!
Educational Leadership
Education is the foundation to success- without it; winning becomes extremely difficult. When leadership is coupled with learning, you not only position yourself for high level achievement, the people around you benefit as well. We were fortunate to get a moment with Dr. Janet Robinson to discuss the role of education with respect to leaders. Dr. Robinson is the faculty leader for transfers at Santa Monica College. Utilizing what she coined as "Hype Tools", reinforces the leader within. These "Hype Tools" keep her in a mental place, whereby she can continuously acknowledge who she is, what she does and what she's accomplished. Listen in as Dr. Janet Robinson educates me on the dynamics of educational leadership.
Mind Equity
True success and happiness occurs when we live in alignment with our desires. By being self aware, Ferriss Mason has created an enterprise using her natural gifts and talents, which in turn has created a movement for businesses looking to gain greater exposure. She and a partner created the "Come Up LA". With her roots being in Oakland , she had a strong sense of community and culture which is the foundation of Come Up LA. Ferriss states "our true gift to the world is being who we are, it was this sentiment that moved her to go into business for herself. Listen as Ferriss Mason explains how we can all add value by simply using our- Mind Equity.
Your Problem Could Be Your Purpose
Work ethic is at the foundation of every successful person. We spent some time talking to attorney at law Austin Dove to learn how his work ethic was cultivated. As a legal correspondent for news outlets, founder of "Justice X" and an entrepreneur, Austin has had to continually push himself to higher levels by leaning on his ability to act in spite of and not letting excuses dictate his actions. He states " we should find our biggest fear and intentionally put ourselves in the midst of that fear". When we are comfortable with being uncomfortable then we will rise to higher heights of success and work will not seem like work at all. Listen as Austin shares his personal blueprint to greatness.
Food For Thought
Some say good food is the key to happiness, for Darnai Thomas; food is the key to his success. Working in corporate america after college, Darnai soon realized that he wanted and needed more. While taking time out to figure out his next business move, he began experimenting baking cookies for himself which became the birth of " Thunderbolt Cookies". Having learned how to cook and bake at an early age from his Grandparents, Darnai felt it was only appropriate to create his business in their honor. Listen as Darnai shares how he created a niche in a highly competitive and fickled industry.
Your Equality Is In Your Equity
There are many discussion regarding equality and the need for all people to have access to it. After talking to comedian, actor, founder and owner of "Educators Now" -Keedar Whittle, I believe that equity needs to be included in the equality conversation. His perspective on education and how children can receive it equally regardless of race and location definitely needs to be adopted within the education industry. Keedar also shares the secret to his success as well as his outlook on winning and his eagerness to learn. This episode is loaded with wisdom and entertainment, listen in as we explore creative ways of thinking and teaching.
Design Your Life To Lead
Follow Your Pipe Dreams
Some may think it's impossible to build a business without a general understanding of business principles. Leonard Redway of "LRS Plumbing" is a shining example of success without experience. At the age 17 he decided he was going to create a company centered aground a family trade. As time went on Leonard revolutionized the way plumbing was perceived utilizing his brothers and creative marketing strategies. As you listen you will learn the value of belief and determination is far greater than what you know or don't know.
Value Created For Success
In our fast pace society coupled with social media, mental health is of the utmost importance. We had the opportunity to talk with mental health expert Courtney Thomas- CEO and founder of "Pathfinder Psychological Services". His view on achieving happiness is so simple and achievable, no one has an excuse to choose otherwise. Courtney states that our thoughts are the key to our fulfillment and purpose. The state of our mental health is integrated into the life perspectives we choose to have. Listen and discover the inner complexities of the mind as well as external influences that can prevent us from seeing our greatest self.
Rock The World
We had the honor and privilege to talk with comedian, actor, producer Tony Rock. Tony's success is attributed to growing up in Bed-Stuy Brooklyn and having a large family. Being in a house with so many siblings gave way to his confidence and competitive nature, which he now uses in boardrooms and on stage. Tony states that establishing your own voice is vital to your success and personal development. He is also a firm believer in seperating yourself from the competition by committing to your values and staying true to who. Listen in as Tony Rock shares how he has been able to move through the entertainment world without compromising himself.
Empowerment Taught Through Dance
As an excited and inquisitive child Tahira Page loved to entertain company with dances that she created on her own. Her mother took notice and immediately enrolled her into a dance academy, exposing her to dance from around the world. Tahira Page noticed a disparity with regard to the lack of exposure to the art form with the inner city youth. She started teaching one unintentional student at her house which quickly grew; leaving her with one option, expand. It was at that point, Project 18 Forty Dance Studio was born. Tahira has been able to offer children a new perspective on life and confidence all while being personally fulfilled through paying it forward and teaching.
Your Garden Is Your Gift
We had the honor of talking to Farrah Hamlett of Floral Symbiosis. Flowers have being typically revered as a symbol of an emotion for either happiness or pain. Farrah's background in farming and gardening has given her a deeper understanding of the energy that's harnessed within plants. The connection between human life and plant life is astonishing to say the least. We explore how to improve our states of being through the kingdom of plantae. This discussion will definitely cause you to reevaluate your environment and living space.
Groomed To Lead
In life there are constant ebbs and flows, many times we find our path after we have been through the storm. Artist Knox is no stranger to challenges. Growing up in South Central LA, he learned at an early age that he needed to be able to think quickly and be two steps ahead of everyone else. After winning a dog grooming TV competition, Artist went on to become the celebrity mobile dog groomer and later opened a facility in Hollywood California. After losing his business and sentenced to 5 years in jail, he forced to pivot and recreate his life. Listen as Artist discusses faith, mindset, family and more. This episode is loaded with gems
Leading Life Through Stories
Ron Sierra joins us to talk about his imaginative process to creating visual stories. As a writer, producer and director, Ron shares his views on how people connect to others through relatable content. With his critically acclaimed short film "My Father Belize" , he is set to blaze a trail in the creative space of entertainment. Whether you are a writer or not, Ron shares with us that, in order to be great we must be the examples greatness. Listen in as we discuss his creative process, releasing stress through writing and much more.
A Dream Designed From Chaos
In this episode we learn how challenges create character as well as an ability to thrive in the face of defeat. Reinya Gibson did just that; when the rest of the world toiled with fear of the pandemic, she saw an opportunity. Recognizing that people would want to swim more due too everything else being shut down, Reinya immediately spotted a void and proceeded to fill it. Her heightened level of social intelligence and determination has practically ensured her overnight success. She shares how she obtained her will to win, in tandem with the desire to learn from others which allowed her to create, leveraging a childhood interest in fashion.
Find Your Stage
We are all performers at some level, no matter what our station is in life . Having discovered how to move crowds using his musical and acting background, Derek Mckeith shares with us his personal evolution from performer to entrepreneur. He tells his story of being on the verge of childhood stardom and immediately recognizing the restricted freedom he would encounter. Wanting to have life that he was fully in control of, Derek leaned on his experience as a barista and created "Bad Beans Coffee". He discovered how to integrate his passion for entertainment while utilizing his creative prowess to give his customers the most exciting cup of coffee they ever had.
Invest In Your Bigger Why
When not on the big screen Roshawn Franklin is making power moves to advance his life to next plateau. As a optimistic forward thinker he is constantly strategizing and planning for the next five years of his life. Investing in real estate has exposed him to a world beyond belief. The ability to not only recognize opportunities but seize them is a skill that was crafted at an early age. In fact, it was that talent that landed him his first acting job with Shaquille O'Neal. Roshawns secret recipe for success is 70% perseverance and 30% skill. Listen as we discuss how to get on the road to personal fulfillment and effectively uncover your Big Why!
The Baby Bird Theory
Producing The Sounds Of Life
Jahaan Sweet- producer extraordinaire shares his creative process to making music that moves not only the consumer but inspires the artist to create at the highest level. He says that when we create, it should come from a place of positive intention. Being a discipline producer extends into other aspects of his life such as health and his personal commitments. Due to this high level of focus and intention Jahaan is able to lead without fail in his career and life. Listen in as we explore the concept of seeing life the way we would like to see it.
The Tangible Ask
As a child growing up in the beauty space, Nicole Goff set her sites on assisting with the relationship between brands and the buying experiences of the consumer. Having 24 years in as a retail merchandiser, she has a heightened level of social intelligence and firm grasp on community mobilization. Nicole states that consumers may feel a need to buy from certain brands for a few reasons. One of the main buying triggers potentially extend far beyond the quality of the product(s) and could possibly be the result of deep psychological impressions that have nothing to do with the brand. Listen in as we discuss how her company Golden Grass Roots helps change the narrative between buyers and sellers of consumer goods.
Be Fueled By Confidence
Many people believe that confidence is something you either have or you don't. Believe it or not it can be obtain through life experiences, achieving small successes and more. In this episode, Robin Harice shares how he began living for himself and not for others by changing his personal narrative. Being a social butterfly and having a career in the banking industry at an early age, created a false sense of certainty which later turned into depression. Listen and learn how Robin was able to reinvent himself and recreate the life of his dreams.
Belief Without Limits
Service Perfected By Love
As the Vice President of the Board of Barbering and Cosmetology, educator and entrepreneur- Dr. Kari Williams has taken the leadership torch and blazed a trail in politics, hair, business and education. She continues to lead at the highest level in all of her endeavors by inspiring others to always be the best version of themselves. Dr. Kari's tenacity and don't give up attitude has lead to the creation of her signature hair style "The Goddess Locks". This style has become so popular that major brands began to copy. Her faith in God has given her the mental and emotional fortitude to push past self imposed boundaries as well as insecurities. Dr. Kari's wisdom and intellect is definitely worth noting. You may want to have a pen & paper for this episode.
Laws of Success
Value Centered Leadership
The Drink of Life
Dream Big
This week we caught up with engineer, entrepreneur, proud family man, and podcast host Seun Phillips. Seun is one busy guy, to say the least! Phillips founded two companies: STEMNETICS and Project SYNCERE, while sitting on multiple boards lending his expertise in business and leadership. His MY DREAM BIG CLUB podcast is a manifestation of his desire to motivate others to achieve their greatest potentials. With his current preoccupation centered around the future of mobility, it's no understatement to say Seun is a trailblazer - constantly pushing towards change and innovation, while possessing the contentiousness to reach back and pull others with him.