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ParentsUncut Pod
This is a Podcast surrounding the adventure, struggle, beauty and intricacies of new parenthood. Hosted by three parents, totally 10 kids in together, they go through their mazes and phases of parenting styles, parenting norms, modern day parents, their trials and tribulations whilst keeping it raw and unfiltered. Thanking you for joining us on this journey and we hope we can bring some value to new parents, old parents and those thinking of becoming parents
ParentsUncut Pod
Parenthood, Entertainment Management, Entrepreneurship, Lifetime achievements | Episode 9 |
Strap in for a rollercoaster of raw emotions and laughter as we unpack the trials and tribulations of parenting, coaching, and the spectacle of influencer culture.
Joining us on this journey is the incomparable Mike, a managerial maestro whose life story weaves from the Bronx to Arizona, bringing to the conversation an exceptional blend of street smarts and savvy business acumen. Mike's anecdotes about the nuances of influencer management and the unbreakable bonds of a strong family unit weave a rich tapestry that reflects the vibrant life in New York. Together, we explore the power of fatherhood, the impact of serendipitous partnerships, and the importance of generational shifts in values and communication.
As we round out this episode, we delve into the fast-evolving world of podcasting, juxtaposing it with the enduring charm of radio. Our discussion peels back the curtain on our tailored management style that defies industry norms, favoring a genuine connection over short-term gains. And, as we unpack the art of balancing a career with family life, we underscore the importance of trust, transparency, and the art of communication in nurturing well-rounded individuals. Don't miss a beat of this heartening discussion that will leave you reflecting on the timeless value of authenticity, whether you're influencing the masses or simply influencing your little league team.
Thank you for being here, thank you for your time and energy. We hope that we can ALL build this incredible community for parents by parents with parents.
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Listen any coaches on any sport. Please start cutting these kids. Please cut them. Stop making four teams so that everybody get Y'all. Listen, just cut the kids so they learn how to deal with stuff. Y'all like. That's the thing that kills me.
Speaker 2:Papakumina this is. Oh yeah, there, right there, just grab one, this one.
Speaker 3:Yes, this is not showing anything, so I like sitting here Because it hides the chichos.
Speaker 4:You're going to get hurt.
Speaker 2:She's out of control.
Speaker 4:You know what I learned? Wow, I haven't tried it yet, but you know, I'll tell you guys. Paige goes crazy on the fucking car seat and some chick put up a video and she's like is your baby crying in the car seat? Do this, and she loosens the diaper. But like, really why? So I have to try this shit.
Speaker 3:That's what I do when I'm driving. I'm going you gotta loosen your diaper, you're reminding me right now she's like I gotta loosen it up. All right, yes for Johnny.
Speaker 2:Johnny's thing, it's in homage to his other podcast, purple Cups and Champagne. I said purple cups.
Speaker 4:Oh okay, no, the thing is, I started that in 08. I didn't want red cups and just to be annoying I went and got purple cups, my favorite color.
Speaker 4:And then I just that shit stuck with me forever. So, like the family's thing is, everybody's always trying to catch me with a picture of a red cup in my hand, just swallow. So if I go, like visit somewhere and I don't have a cup, I'm like y'all need glass, I need something to see. This is you. Y'all ain't catching me. That's how hilarious. Yeah, they got one picture and I regret it. I think it's a Photoshop, that shit. I can't. They got it.
Speaker 2:It's not you Did they post it.
Speaker 4:No, they haven't posted it. They're holding it, so you got to get it posted first.
Speaker 3:I can't see that, which one in today. I'm so sorry. It's okay. Yeah, this is just going to be a three-angle so far. So the man this will be guys, give me the first cap.
Speaker 4:Wait, can I see?
Speaker 2:myself. They always say that Me, that I'm so sorry. Okay, oh, lord.
Speaker 1:That's pretty funny.
Speaker 2:Did you put the no? You don't think people are going to get on you for being a Jets fan.
Speaker 4:Oh, I'm waiting for it. That's why I did it.
Speaker 2:Oh really.
Speaker 3:Oh well, he's a Jets fan now.
Speaker 4:I'm a Jets fan for life. I rep all the loser teams. I've been a Jets, mets and Timberwolves fans since I was like 10 years old. Really, yeah, I'm so sorry that ain't new bro. Damn, that's crazy, I go hard.
Speaker 3:Who's a Timberwolves fan?
Speaker 4:Yeah, that came out of the Damn. You saw that. That's so that.
Speaker 1:Who did you like from the Timberwolves?
Speaker 4:So Slam Dunk Contest 1994. Isaiah Ryder did the East Bay Funk Dunk, which then Carter stole. You know what I mean. This kid did it crazy. He did the double leg. The new kid, I don't know what his name is, mcclung yeah, that shit was crazy. But yeah so then I'm 10 years old at the time and I'm just like Jordan's gone. That's my team, Really. Next year, Kevin Garnett gets drafted.
Speaker 1:Okay, yeah, I got you. Yeah, I don't want to go into a sports part. I mean, I know nothing.
Speaker 2:Garnett's like yeah.
Speaker 4:You go ahead guys.
Speaker 3:No, let you say my life.
Speaker 1:So purple cups, huh, Purple cups.
Speaker 4:Y'all let me know when y'all ready.
Speaker 2:We're ready, we're on. You know he's always recording. I know he's always recording, it doesn't matter what it is.
Speaker 4:It's good, though. That's how we get the good footage.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that's how we get it. Which camera am I on? Did you my Goosnes?
Speaker 1:Do I? My favorite camera is that you want me to look from producer side. This is you.
Speaker 4:This one right here, show him where you look, pause it.
Speaker 3:We just look like yeah, we don't really look at the camera.
Speaker 2:Okay, cool. Yeah, we kind of just talk to each other, All right cool Unless we're like doing a quick message. Forget that, they're here. Forget that they're here.
Speaker 1:But if I have, something to say and I want to talk to my wife. Yeah, yeah, absolutely 100% we always have a better side.
Speaker 4:I look into the camera like if I'm doing like some serious stuff when you're doing the, the Patreon.
Speaker 3:No, not Patreon when you're doing the intro and that's what I said.
Speaker 4:which camera is the he's?
Speaker 3:only good for ads and Listen.
Speaker 4:And that's how the show starts. Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Parents Uncut. I'm your host, hanson Contreras, or Hanson Johnny Emilia Contreras en Español.
Speaker 3:With the host that keeps trying to get rid of me. Yeah, he's on the chopping block, I'm.
Speaker 2:Jasmine, you're Jasmine, yeah, no, she's not Jasmine. She's Jasmine and I am Jax, and that's what you get.
Speaker 4:Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2:Like this shit.
Speaker 4:Because last week I was the mic hog.
Speaker 3:Wow, we always have animosity.
Speaker 2:Listen, Mira, we can't fight right now Because we have a lovely guest here.
Speaker 3:Yes, we have a special guest in the house.
Speaker 4:Ladies and gentlemen, we have a special guest with us For those not watching on camera and actually listening to the audio, which rarely happens. We have Mike here, aka the manager of many, aka the owner of this.
Speaker 1:AKA whatever he wants to say. After I say it, I think I should say Miguelito, the fact that everybody said the Spanish vibe.
Speaker 4:So yeah, okay, so we got three more equals and a Dominicano. Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 3:So, how do you feel about it? I feel really on the top of my life. I feel really really. The story of my life.
Speaker 2:What was East New York in the 90s? No, that's true, that's true, that's true, that's true.
Speaker 4:Now, that's just Mad Dominic, and when I was there I was solo dolo yeah.
Speaker 2:Mike, where are you from?
Speaker 1:I'm from the Bronx oh okay, where. Yeah, wow, everybody says that. No, I'm just saying Elisa Mira, oh damn the. Bronx it's a different country. It's a different country. It's not dirty. Everybody be talking about it, it's dirty.
Speaker 4:This guy was like yo. You know the important part about the Bronx. Besides, you know the fact that it's still like.
Speaker 1:Yankee stadium Besides Yankees.
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 4:No, but he's like it's the only burrow that has the influence.
Speaker 3:Oh, and I was like, damn, I'm jealous.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, everybody be hating.
Speaker 4:We don't come from the Brooklyn?
Speaker 2:Yeah, no, that sounds so stupid when in the Bronx you from.
Speaker 1:Bronx Point area, and I'm clean as well. I gotta say that again, so Bronx still clean.
Speaker 2:Still clean, still clean. Get it straight.
Speaker 1:Everybody, oh Bronx, oh you started leaving. Then like okay, you said the Bronx Point is like oh yeah, yeah, but I'm all over, like I went upstate like kind of the conversation we was having. You know, I've been upstate, I've lived in Arizona for a few months. Oh wow, crazy, crazy.
Speaker 3:That is Arizona. Yeah, I love Dominican in Kentucky.
Speaker 4:Yeah, oh really. Yeah, it's fine. It's kind of weird, but I love Kentucky, lexington, with up.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I went there when I had to get out the city.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:All the other pod.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I think we've all been there.
Speaker 3:I'm on Long Island because you have to say on that.
Speaker 2:Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, because they get mad, I don't know that.
Speaker 1:I don't know the lingo, so whatever.
Speaker 2:Like you're on Manhattan, I'm in Long Island. I don't give a shit.
Speaker 4:I'm in Manhattan. I'm on Manhattan, Anyway. Next, Think about it Somebody says I'm on stand, but you have to say I'm on long island.
Speaker 2:No.
Speaker 3:I say I'm on the bus I have your smile. He goes to Mike Hagen again.
Speaker 4:And that's my cue.
Speaker 3:So, mike, can you tell, like, for those of you, for those people who are watching, who don't know who you are, can you give us, you know, like a little snapshot, a little synopsis A little synopsis or, if you're older, cliff Notes I don't know if anyone else Cliff Notes. We do know Cliff Notes. We do know Cliff Notes. We do know Cliff Notes. We do know, Cliff Notes yeah vintage, that's vintage.
Speaker 1:So my name is Mike. Some people know me as Mike Success, mike Rodriguez, co-founder, co-ceo of this group. This is a company that stands for Trust, honesty, integrity, success. It's an influencer management, marketing media company and a father and a husband.
Speaker 4:Yeah, father of how many.
Speaker 1:Father of three.
Speaker 3:Wow.
Speaker 1:What do you?
Speaker 4:have? What do you have?
Speaker 3:Kids, kids wise, kids wise. I am going to clean it up Kids.
Speaker 4:Three boys. Three boys Got it. Good man, I got two girls.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I'm raising good men. That's what I'm doing, adrian, I'm raising men to that. So 21, 20 and 13.
Speaker 4:Like that, wow, yeah, so they're like raising their little brother.
Speaker 1:Well, one, two are with my wife. One is from a scenario from another pod. Okay, we'll do that in another conversation at the bar. No, yeah, it's just the two boys. The other ones in college baseball, the other one is, you know, to send them a picture of him flexing and saying what should I eat and how I want to work on my body.
Speaker 3:So, yeah, that is awesome, I love it.
Speaker 1:I love. I love being a father. I tell people all the time, especially, you know, going into like the Hispanic male, like there's always like an ego and stuff like that, and I love being a father, I love being a husband, like I'm not the guy that's like oh yo, you don't want to be at the ball and say you don't want, nah, I'm with it, like this is what it should be, this is at least for me, and I try to put that to the world. You know what I mean.
Speaker 4:I love fathering. I feel like I was born for that shit.
Speaker 1:Yeah, nah, it's beautiful Cause we don't have. The thing is, especially in the industry that I'm in, I feel like I'm a father to a lot of the talent that we have. You know what I mean? It's I'm usually the oldest guy in the room, which is fine, but that's just what I'm here for. Like, I understand my purpose and it's just. I have that fatherly figure, cause a lot of us in our community don't have that. I was fortunate enough to have parents for days that were very involved. My whole thing I went through was my self-inflicted right. So I just like to help as much as possible and I just think I look at it now as I've gotten older, it's like a macro situation. It's not just about me, you, it's about okay, what could I do to help humanity? Right, and I'm not God, but it's like at least you're in my circle it's like okay
Speaker 1:that you know, that's what happened with me and my partner, don. We met and it was just like okay, then there's somebody else in this industry that actually cares about people too. And then, ever since we did that, so many things happened. I feel like the universe and it was like, yeah, what's going on over there? And that's kind of like how all that stuff happened. I feel like Give me a time, what was that? Though? It's crazy. You would think it was like 1985, but Don and I met in 2021, january of 2021. He slid in my DM in 2020 and-.
Speaker 2:Okay, 2021. Good job, don yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:You'll be on soon.
Speaker 1:Yeah, he's on soon.
Speaker 2:I feel like the universe always brings you to who you need to be around all the time. It always takes you on that path to be with the people that are gonna just take you there.
Speaker 1:That's my whole thing, even with like. I mean, you guys, you met my wife and that's a whole story in itself, like spiritual, like to go to that story is nuts. You know what I mean and we're connected on a spiritual level, right? So that's-.
Speaker 3:I'm supposed to be I'm supposed to be that's it.
Speaker 1:Like there's, no, it's not, even. It's not even if I, even if I didn't want this to calling, it's what it's supposed to be. You know what I mean, so-.
Speaker 3:So how did this group come about? Like, how did that conversation start? That's even funnier.
Speaker 1:I was doing videos and I started doing them again. People call them good morning. Good morning Cause it's kind of like giving out.
Speaker 4:I see an intro.
Speaker 1:yeah, yeah, yeah yeah, yeah, Good morning good morning, just like little gems to again to the, to the, to the community, anybody that needs it, right, I think it could be a role model to an adult as well, but it's more for the younger generation. So I was doing that. And then I was managing Chiclan Mulenny. So then Don seriously DM me and he had somebody named Jufu and he was like yo, he reached out. He was like yo, I like what you're doing. He was like yo, we should try to see if we can build, all right. And then I think I want to say October or November of 2020, tom, january, new year came. He was like yo, you should come through, come to the office and you know we should link, all right, cool. So I'm thinking just like whatever, cause he says I dubbed him right, he was cause. I was like yeah, no, no, sure for sure, but we didn't link.
Speaker 1:And then January it was like okay, and for me mentally, it's an hour, right, I'm a link with somebody, whatever. It ended up being like a three hour meet, like it was just, it just went. It was crazy because I was so jaded by people and the industry Cause I come from the hip hop world as far as on the music side and management, and I was just, I was over it and Chicley actually brought me back to doing management and I've been with him since 2017. And then and he's actually my nephew through marriage, so he's my wife's blood nephew, so I had known him since he was nine years old. All these parentheses, I'm sorry.
Speaker 1:So then, after that meeting, right the next, the next day, I'm taking a shower and I'm having to have a lot of thoughts. Right, and that's my office, right. I called Don. I'm gonna remind you, I met him the day before. I called him. Yo, don, yo, what's up? Yo, I know we just met and let me finish. Before I finish, I gotta finish saying this. I was in the shower and I was thinking about you. Hold on a second, let me finish, right.
Speaker 1:That's a pause I said let me finish. I was like yo. I said I think we should form something like a company, like some sort of coalition. It should be called this group. It should stand for trust, honesty, integrity, success and I want it to be like a black and Spanish kind of like team. I said it immediately. He was like I'm with it. I was like I got my guy in LA. He was like I got my guy in Atlanta, and that's kind of like how it started.
Speaker 1:And we started actually with six people, six different managers. The dude in Atlanta never you know. He was like eh, you know what I mean, which, whatever, the LA dude was down. And then we had a couple of other people, somebody else from Florida, like, and it was, and we were like okay, everybody, the idea was great.
Speaker 1:But then people fizzled down and me and Don really leaned in and really saw the vision of what it was. And then we just went and we just went and it was just like I mean, if I turn around, like you know, he just posted something the other day like we have our spot, and it's like yo, this happened with an idea and we're still going and there's so many different things that we're doing and so many moves that we're doing and not on no front end or floor. We're really trying to make a difference in people's lives, you know. So it's like it's.
Speaker 1:I love the fact that, that this is happening. You know what I mean and you know I did so much in the music business and it was less like trying to get, and now it's like this was kind of like the calling and again there's still a lot of work to do, but at least now we're kind of making our mark where people are like yo, what's going on over there? I want to rock with child. You know what I mean. So it's dope and the energy is dope, like who we are as people is the same way we are as business. So you know it's fine, I love it, I love it, I absolutely love it.
Speaker 4:And you guys are strictly a management company.
Speaker 1:No, it started as management and then it became marketing because, like it, the levels came organically. It was management right, started getting people right. And then it was like agencies and brands were like Mike with me or Don, you're Don, who else you guys got? Well, who else do you have done, mike, who else do you have? And it was like oh shit, okay, I could curse right.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, sorry, sorry, it is parents and uncut. I'll say bad words Okay, sorry, it's uncut.
Speaker 1:But that's what it was and it was just like, okay, we're going to start. People were coming to us now because they wanted to work with us. And then you know we have creative minds and coming up with campaigns. And then it became media because organically became a podcast network, like doing shows, you know what I mean. We did a partnership with Revolt for one of our guys, ken Starr's show, coming out Like it's just organic, but it was coming from a basis of we just need to do it ourselves and we're not waiting for anybody anymore.
Speaker 1:Like it's just really not and we've learned, we've made some mistakes, cause this is what I said. I even tell my mom I come from an entrepreneur family. My grandmother had a bar for 40 years in the South Bronx. My mom, you know I was very involved in business at a very young age and even when I was talking to my mom about it I was like you would all do respect, you can't tell me like how to do this, and I'm not saying it in a bad way no one's ever done what I'm trying to do with our family, even thought that who's my grandmother. She had it for 40 years. She didn't franchise, she didn't do that I said we are trying to build something that no one in our family has done, and I got to take those lumps and I got to sit there and it's fine.
Speaker 1:But I just got to figure this out. I'm going to make mistakes and it's good, but we going and you know I'm in a really good space right now, a really good space. So you know, I know it's not a business part where you started going.
Speaker 2:No, no, no, no. I don't know about you we want to know about you, what you're doing, where you're coming from, and that's like it's so good to hear that someone in our community and what the community that we need is doing it.
Speaker 2:Like we need to see that, even like adults right, not really an adult, but sometimes I'm an adult but even as an adult, like we weren't taught at least me, I know like and I know for like we don't. I know you come from a mom that was an entrepreneur. I didn't come from a family like that. I didn't come from a family that taught us about finances, didn't talk barely even talked to us about life, like we didn't have life conversations. So we kind of like grew up learning it on our own and we made those mistakes and obviously thank God that we are where we are now. But we need somebody, a group, that's doing something for our Black and Brown community, because they need the guidance 100%.
Speaker 2:They need that guidance from, especially from men, because we're so motherly, right, we have so many. Your wife is. You see the femininity, but we need men out there that are doing it and teaching our younger men to grow up and have that path, that you can do this.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and the thing is is that you know, I grew up in such a different generation, right, and like I've pivoted from a business perspective. But you know, I'm just an old school parent and I'm not saying, Neil, on uncooked rice when you do something, but I'm not saying that.
Speaker 1:I'm not gonna lie you know, but like I tell people because a lot of times even my wife would tell you from the beginning with Mikey, like my mother-in-law would say, you know, I was a little bit too strict and my whole thing is is that I'm raising future men they're not going to be boys and I have this conversation with my kids, like especially. Well, you know, mikey is 20, so he's more like a friend now. Right, my 13 year old. I've had conversations with him. I'm like listen, I'm not, first of all, I'm not the old dad like I'm out here, just so you understand, I'm out here. I'm out here. I'm not like these corny dads, the other friends, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, that's not me, he's the cool dad. Yeah, I'm a cool dad, right, so I tell him. I'm like listen, I was 13 once, but I give you the respect that I wasn't 13 in today's society, right, I tell parents, I tell parents.
Speaker 1:It's funny we on this part like I tell parents a lot. I'm like, listen, when you sit there and you talk to generations with your kids, right, you know what's the old like the joke is that, oh well, I used to have to walk and I used to have to do. Yeah, and I get that. But generation, this generation is so different. Like however you were raised, like, for me, my age group, right, you got your information from whoever was at home, mother, father, whether it's, you know, just a single parent, grandparent, whatever it was. Now, with the internet and with social media, I sit there and I have my kid, who's eight years old. I have to now protect what he's learning, because his classmate, the parent, might not even be existing and they're learning everything right here, and what's happening is that they're getting 18 year old information into the eight year old mind that they can't process. So now I have to worry about all of that, right? So it's a little bit more difficult to parent now because there's so much.
Speaker 1:If you wanna be a good parent, you could just do whatever you want, just, hey, it is what it is. But that's the thing. And I have those conversations with other parents. I had the conversation with my son. Like, I'm not always right If I make a mistake. Okay, listen, dad, what's wrong? I'm sorry, I apologize, right, and you can teach me.
Speaker 1:There's certain things that stand the test of time. There's morals and there's values. I don't care what generation you're in, these are still the same, but there's certain aspects that are different and as a parent, I think we should kind of understand that before we start to. You know me and my wife, we don't want the same struggles that we had had. We don't wanna give to our kid right. So when you sit there and be like what I was able to do, you know what I had to do. It doesn't matter, because you created a different life for your kid right. So for us, a zero at the bottom. For them, their zero at the bottom is our five. Like what I eat, that I eat, those problems. But that's where I think a lot of, especially with this generation, like changes and shifts and technology and all of that we all gotta understand, and not just adults. We gotta understand our kids too.
Speaker 4:So, like what you're saying, to understand what life is about you know, and you make a good point with terms of where we got our information from right. Like, I got my information from my mom, so I'm a parent household but when I was at Bayron's house I got from my boy Bayron, his uncles was telling us stuff like that's how we got our information. I think right now there's a huge problem with that whole red pill movement. Shit, I think it's disgusting. I think a lot of little boys are looking at that and they're like, yeah, yeah, that's how I wanna live.
Speaker 4:And I'm looking at these clowns and they make this catered audience right. Well, they'll be like these two guys or three guys. And then they bring a bunch of girls that are paid to just be super dumb. And if they're not, they know where they picked them from right and they pick on them. And I see like little boys seeing that, like you said, I ate, your old on his iPad is gonna see that and be like, yeah, that's how you know. Women ain't nothing bro, they're dumb. I'm that guy, mm-hmm. So when you're doing what you're doing right, you said it, I'm almost fathering a lot of these young dudes.
Speaker 3:Yeah, they're grown.
Speaker 4:Yeah, but there's still kids, Of course. Anybody in your 20s, your kid 100, like there's no way around it. So I look at that and another question I have for you is, though, being around that much talent, right, and being around those people, right your sons are watching it. Do any of them show interest in doing what you do or doing with the?
Speaker 1:Yeah, so it's funny both of them. I always say Mikey's gonna be the manager and Maddox is gonna be the talent 100%.
Speaker 3:Mikey's the other one. Yeah, Maddox. Yeah, my youngest is Maddox.
Speaker 1:There it is. You want to go speak?
Speaker 3:Okay.
Speaker 4:Sidebar.
Speaker 2:He was against all these American names sidebar and I want you to answer that question, but very sidebar. I have four boys and the last one when I found out it was a boy, I said you can, you can name him, I Don't even care. I cried for two days. I was pissed off, I wanted a girl. I'm like, break this cycle, everybody off. They were like are you okay? I don't want to talk to you, I don't want to nothing. And he names. And he it was like how about? He said all types of shit and then Huh.
Speaker 4:He's not Dominican, my no.
Speaker 2:And I'm. His name is Mike too.
Speaker 1:Oh, okay.
Speaker 2:Yeah. So he was like how about Maddox? And I was like, yeah, okay, that works, do what you want.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I don't give a shit, but yeah nah, but they're gonna tell the real story, cuz she says it different. I'm gonna tell you what the real is. So the first. So I was like I wanted a Mikey. Right, she, it's not a, he's not a junior. So you know, she changed the middle name, whatever. All right, me and Mike, but you wanted a junior. I did. Oh yeah, but you know, I got it kind of Half-a-half.
Speaker 1:I got the second, a sequel, mike. You see, that's what I call. I put it on his verses of a sequel. No, so he was. You know, I have a common name. Michael Rodriguez is John Smith of Puerto Ricans. It's absolutely super right, and I like to be unique, right. That's why I spell my name and why Q. Now, right, it's a little bit different. Yeah, so the second comes and the names that she wanted at first don't front. She was talking on some super. No, bro. Bro Bartholomew.
Speaker 4:No, you want to get picked on Yo she wanted a Maximilian and I was like oh, but that's what she wanted him to be from, like Southern charm.
Speaker 1:I Was like yo, this is nuts. But then, maddox, like again, it was unique, you know, and, and I was with that and it's, and it's, and it's, and it's a dope and it's permissible and it's a M name. Yeah, yeah, yeah, that's because it's Michael, it's Michelle, it's Michael, and like.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so you know. But you know Mikey is different clearly than Maddox, right? Mikey is also was also raised in a different financial setup in our house. Mikey was brought up on the come-up. Mikey Maddox is like Mikey left his batting gloves and he didn't get them for four years.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I like that, like for real for real, for real, like that's what it was. So that's why he doesn't even understand how we're raising Maddox, and we're trying to explain to him too. There's, there's levels, but Maddox was like the rock star. Maddox came out electric guitar.
Speaker 1:You know like the name bro, that name nothing, yeah, yeah but he's, he's, he's, he's dope, like that's. The thing is that you know, I see Mikey. You know Mikey's a baseball player, right, got a scholarship playing and doing this thing, and that's what he wants to do. And for me, I tell Michelle, like I just don't want my kids to ever have to fill out an application If they don't want to correct. If you want to knock yourself out an option, I just want to be able to provide something here. So, mike, I see Mikey more as far as on the management, because he's asked me and when he's home He'll come, you know, around, and because he has the etiquette like Mikey and Maddox both aren't kids that are like this Like they'll sit there and say, hey, how are you? Nice to meet you talk to you.
Speaker 3:You know those kind of conversation, you know and he's 13,.
Speaker 1:Right Like, but Maddox is you know, been doing his hair since he was yeah that's like Romeo, you know like he's, but he's a and this is the thing he's a good-looking kid like and I always say like, like a Maddox, not just cuz you're my kid. If you were my kid I wouldn't tell you that you were good-looking, I Would tell you you are looking to me.
Speaker 1:You know what I mean, because the parents, every kid is beautiful hundred percent. You know what I mean, you know right, that's the thing. That's, that's the thing. So it's just like you know, you keep it a buck. Me and Michelle, I definitely we keep it a thousand with our kids and the same thing. I was talking to Mikey about his baseball time. I say, yo, bro, I wouldn't, I wouldn't be telling you to go, for I know baseball, bro, like it's what I did. I gave up a scholarship. I already know what it is. You've had people or whatever go. I'm not gonna tell you to go when I don't think it's anything like. I'm gonna keep it a buck. We, I always wanted to be like that. I always got to keep it real with my kids because they got to know when they come home, I get it, I get the real. You may not like it sometimes and sometimes you have to say it differently, but I'm gonna keep it real and that's that's it. But yeah, mikey the manager, maddox, I always say that.
Speaker 4:So shout out to Mikey. First of all, keeping a scholarship is not easy.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 4:I think great job you gotta be any.
Speaker 1:Has dirty, some tattoos that he'd want me to mention. That, mikey's, I know you got mad tats. Yeah, he'd always say that see kids from high school. Oh, they saw my tats. I'm like all right.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I'm just like this is so strange because I'm like, bro, this is my kid, did you see it, my son? So my son is in the army, my oldest, and this morning I see this post. Last night he puts a thing of Tattoo like sketches. This morning he got them on him and he did them himself.
Speaker 1:Oh yeah, mikey got a be me he's chatting himself yeah no, all over his arm, all over his arm.
Speaker 4:He got his leg. You mean like literally need literal. Yes.
Speaker 2:The tattoo gun in Alaska.
Speaker 3:He's in.
Speaker 2:Alaska. He's in Alaska, so he's not a little shit, I'll so do. He's in a fucking tattoo his whole body. Anyway, yeah, he's on his way.
Speaker 1:Yeah, no, he got the mic, he got the gun too no no, yet, not yet. No, yeah, man, these kids are brave. Yeah, I'm gonna get a tattoo on herself.
Speaker 3:I think that she's coming today. You can see, I think she has like a little heart or something. She did it herself. I have my hand like prison style.
Speaker 1:I didn't even know you could do that like again, I didn't know you think I got. He was like you know, he's like you know I got on Amazon. I'm like, yeah, and he's Mikey's a hustler. Mikey has been a hustler since a kid like which is manages. No, yeah, exactly, do selling stuff in school. That you're hilarious, right. And I was like yo, you got tattoo. I was like yo, tattoo in the dugout.
Speaker 4:In between, if you got double head, Going to that make family role then, because you said, chick live, is her nephew, right? Uh-huh, your nephew, yeah, yeah, did that come flick with you seeing his talent at first? Like I don't want to do nepotism, or was that you saw it right away?
Speaker 1:Now the thing is is that it was again, like with everything in my life. It was organic, right. So I, I know him since he was nine, right, and he's always been that way. He's always been a funny kid, right. But the thing is is that we, me and him, were having a conversation too, because it was like it wasn't every single day like nine, and then I, you know, like that, like that's when I met him, and then I forgot what, what, where it was, and it was like I was always the the.
Speaker 1:I have a picture I'm gonna show you, I have them when I was like the cool uncle, Because everybody would be in her mom's had in the bedroom and then me and him would be in the kitchen at the table talking about music, right, because the reason why he started doing his stuff was because he wanted to shed light on his friends for music. So I was in the music and you know it was just Conversation and again, I'm older but I'm in tune with what you're talking, you know. So that's kind of how it was and I wasn't doing anything and he wasn't, he was dealing with his. Like I said, I was friends and then I had a. I had a situation, my last music situation. I kind of almost went like through, probably went through like a mild depression.
Speaker 1:After that, like I was like damn, I thought it was gonna be whatever, whatever, and I was out, like I was out of the business completely. I was like I'm done, not doing anything. I focused back on sports. I started a baseball team with parents and coaches. Like I was like I'm gonna lean back into that and I was always just the uncle. He would talk to me, whatever, whatever, and ask things were happening. And then, january in 2017, he said, yo, I'm really gonna, um, I want to really do this, started doing it. And then in July, he started moving, moving, you know. But again, uncle just happens to know.
Speaker 4:But like skits, like yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, and I think.
Speaker 1:I think then in February I think he was, that's the one that he did put millennium and with the bag with the uh, no, no, no, no. With the two Tim's yes, okay, that's right. And the Oreo no Oreos was the first one the Oreo Tim's one was yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah, so she, so she did that and it was just kind of like building and again I was just your uncle, right, and I wasn't in it at all. And then what happened was is that do say video hit? Yeah, that was the icebreaker right.
Speaker 1:And what happened was is that the do say pod invited him up again. It was I wasn't anything right, still, uncle. And then we were talking and he was like yo, they said that title and rock nation wants me to come back up, but it's not for the pod. And I said yo, do you want me to go with you? Because now this is a different, you know, whatever, all right, we go there now. Mind you, it's the first time I'm in any building. I don't know, babe, I don't know if you remember that first day. All right, perfect, that's see, that's what I get. So so, no, no, no, it's all right.
Speaker 3:It's all right. It's like we're at home, don't worry about it.
Speaker 4:It's like we're at home.
Speaker 1:Don't worry about it, all right? Um, I gotta call more cut out of you, um, no. So we went in and and I walked in the building. It was completely different feeling because, again, I hadn't been in a building in three years. We they're talking about, they wanted him to do a content series. We go downstairs and he goes to me yo, mike, I had no idea what the fuck they were talking about and I was like yo, bro, that was nothing and it was kind of like Yo, kind of like we don't know if it was verbatim, but it was like yo, can you do this? Like kind of be here with me. And from that was July of 2017, and I said no problem, you're the only person that I would do this for, because I looked at him like a son.
Speaker 4:But had you managed in the music base, or yeah, that's what I was doing, managing music, managing, yeah, and then the transition was kind of yeah, yeah, it was just managing something else.
Speaker 1:And then you know, I know how I am right and I told them I said, yo, listen, what we're gonna do this is July. These next six months, I'm not taking any money, I'm not doing anything. I'm gonna show you. You know, uncle Mike, I'm gonna show you manager Mike and that's kind of like how it was, like I remember his first, his first deal. He was so excited about right, like as far as for the title deal, forget about it. If I would tell you what he said he would have done it for and what I ended up getting him. Yeah, from that point I think he said he was a believer. He was like all right, I'm a rock with you know what I mean, but that was the thing. It was no right different, but like what I do for him. It was it wasn't more just about a manager and a client. It was like okay, now I want to build a career for him because I cared about him as a man and that's what the build out was. I don't need right now, I don't need money, right as far as for that. I need you to get set and and let's do that.
Speaker 1:And then January of 2018. Now we'll have the conversation and it'll be like this, but that was the focus and with him, and I do the same thing For everybody else. It's just that I keep it a buck with everybody. I'm like I spoke to another client one time. So, you listen, no one's ever gonna have the relationship that me and Chica have Ever. It's, it's impossible, right, but I will treat you guys the same way as far as for what I, what I want to do for you guys, and and business-wise, but it's, it's.
Speaker 1:I'd be stupid to be like, no, it's not gonna be different. No, you know, I'm saying it's not gonna be the same. Like no, no way, this is, this is like my son. Yeah, right, so, whether I'm there or not, we connect it. It's a beautiful thing. I can't believe. Like, when I sit there and I think about it. It's like 2017 and the things. Like, if you turn around and be like, damn, let's look at what, what we built and how it is, and you know, even talking about how this group was built, it's like that was the foundation, like for all of this, like I always thank him because he was the one that got me back. He's, you know, we were on that. We were on a panel one time. It's like I got Mike back in his bag. That's the short story.
Speaker 3:But that's what it is.
Speaker 1:That's what it is. He got me back and it was just like because I was never gonna do this, I said, no way, I was having my nine to five. I was like you know, I'm gonna try to become a supervisor and all type, because it was just like you know, I'm over it.
Speaker 1:and then this music, you know Will rip you apart bro, and that's why now it's different, because now I speak to people music, you know and they want to deal with influencers and I don't care. Like you know, I'm not trying to get a deal.
Speaker 2:I have a question. I had a. We're talking. I was talking to Some co-workers the other day. We were talking about and a lot of the I call them kids at work.
Speaker 2:Yeah, you know, I saw them. They're all 12 years old and but they're all my kids, right, um? So we were talking about that the other day and they were saying we were talking about, you know, this podcast, and they were like, oh, I didn't know. And I saw you on instagram and I was like, oh, that's dope. Like, yeah, follow you know, I don't Sorry. Yeah, I was like, okay, um. But they're saying now and I want you know, I want to get your take on this podcast how that's kind of taken over radio, like the way that we're shifting right now with technology and everything, the way Podcast is kind of taking over the radio in a sense, because radio disc jockeys don't. It's not the same and what we're doing is, I mean, we're video, we're audio, we're doing everything.
Speaker 4:We control the narrative, yeah, we control all of that.
Speaker 2:We say what we want. What's your, what's your take on between Podcasts and radio stations?
Speaker 1:I think radio stations for my generation is still there. I listen to sports radio. I still listen to 94 the block. The reason why I feel like 94 the block as well is because it is for my generation, Because we are radio generation right. Oh my god, 94 for 94.7 the block. Y'all owe me some bread, because that is fine.
Speaker 4:That is also here.
Speaker 1:That is. That is also you know I.
Speaker 1:Yeah, right.
Speaker 1:So, but the thing is is that you know, with the pods it's. You know everybody talks about the industry, right, and the podcast industry, yes, it is popular and it's, but it's you got to be consistent with it and you got to be able to handle it like a bit, because everybody sits there and say, hey, I want to start a party. Even our clients, like we, they have a leg up, because if you have, you know, 500, 600, 700, 800 million followers and you want to do a pod, that's awesome. But you got to make sure that this is something different and you can't just think that it's just going to translate. You got to handle this like a business. So you know, I think pods can be like we have an older demo pod on our network and they would they do great.
Speaker 1:As far as with the audio, right, the younger generation likes video. So you have to kind of figure out what's what. And you know, even with ads it's like okay, they want audio ads. Okay, now the youtube ads is a little bit different. You know which I'll do with patreon and love stuff like that. You know what I mean. So it's like these type of things, but I think there's a place for everybody.
Speaker 1:Um, I think we all get caught up in the clickbait as far as, with everything, as far as you know, like even the influence of mark. That's why everybody wants to get involved. You're supposed to be 45 trillion dollars by 2025. Yeah, okay, cool, and that's why kids want to do it. And now, because podcasting with the technology think about it. You, if we wanted to start a radio station, that was unheard of. But if you want to start a pod now, maybe not a setup like this, but you can start from your phone, so it's a low cost of entry. So that's why everybody thinks they could do it. That's the same thing with the influencer. Parent buys you a phone. You think you're an influencer now, nah, don't work like that. It don't work like that.
Speaker 4:That shit is work. When I think of those skits and I think of the stuff they do, I'm like people don't really focus on. That shit is work. You are literally your own TV studio at that point 100%. That's not like y'all grab my camera, do some funny stuff here and there. That's scripting, that's figuring out, yo, what's really gonna hit, because you can't just throw anything out there, because once you got like six, seven funny things, all of a sudden you drop two or three that are wack, you're done and they move on to the next.
Speaker 1:It's the same thing with the music. That's why I always equate the influencer game to the music, to the early hip hop. Because brands come in and they're like yo, all right, this is the hot shit, we're gonna sit there and it's like but then they try to take advantage and that's where, like, don and I come in and we're like, yeah, I don't know, I watch, but the industry is so messed up that I may protect these people over here, but then over there, yeah, I'm gonna do it for $200. When it's like damn, you were five grand at least.
Speaker 1:They're killing the game and that's what happens. That's why we kind of look at it again from a macro level. It's like about the industry. Everybody has doing stuff over there. It's killing it. You're taking the legs from underneath us, but we again, because we have experience and we're older, we're not 22 years old in this game. Yo, you know I could go and get such and such, but go get such and such, I'll see you later. How about that? You know what I'm saying, but everybody is so because of this, like you're saying skits. I gotta put this out. Think about that. If y'all don't do the pod correctly and it doesn't flow, y'all gonna be. If you're down for a month, you gotta start right back up. You know what I'm saying. It's like you gotta sit, then you gotta keep going, and that's society. And if you don't like it, get out the game and don't complain about it. It's what it is. It's just what it is. You know what I mean, Coming from a 49 year old.
Speaker 4:Nah, listen man, this boss comes with sacrifices right Like time away from our kids 100% not. So I get that part Like you especially. How were you able to then balance all this with your marriage, with the kids, with the business?
Speaker 1:But that's the tough part, right. Because it's, bro, that's what and this is the reason why Don and I started our pod. It's like, yeah, we're gonna show y'all, right, because there's time for everything, right. And everybody says they wanna do this. And it's like yo look, even Chicle had said that to Don the other day. He was like yo, I see what you and Mike do before nine o'clock. That's crazy, because my wife will tell you.
Speaker 1:I wake up like I'm very active, like I always say I'm an active husband and I'm an active father. I'm not the hey, here's the bread. I'll see you later kick my feet up. Where's my dinner. She has a very active life as far as for her job, right? So it's like we gotta figure this out right? So it's understanding. She's seen me. She's been with me for 20 some odd years. What is it? 21 now, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26? Oh yeah, 21, 22,. Whatever it feels, it feels forever in a good way. It's amazing. I told her the other day I've been dealing with this 49 years. She's like I've been with you for 49.
Speaker 1:But that's the thing is, there is sacrifices, and that was the thing too. I was always taught balance. My mom was always like, you gotta have balance, and I was like I hear you and my mother's a life coach. She's an amazing woman. Oh, snap, balance is for average. Something has to get sacrificed in order for you to be above average. There's something that has to something. You can't balance everything and be great, you can't. So what is that? And that's why you gotta have somebody that understands. Like as far as the wife, she's super busy now, right, so she understands. So, and that was, and that was hard too, because I have my mindset, she has her mindset.
Speaker 1:So something like this is like all right, perfect, let's maybe wanna come. Let's come to the pod, we can sit there. Now we get to use this as like a little date night for us, where we sit there and go somewhere. You know what I mean, like to utilize that time, because once we get back home she didn't bring her laptop she's gonna be on her laptop, right, and then I may be on the phone and I'll. You know what I mean. And now, maddox, he had stopped training for baseball. Now he just said he wants to start doing that. So what happened now? Okay, boom, all right, next time we're gonna go here, and I gotta make sure that that's right, and that's the reason why having partnerships and people, you gotta have that. You're done. I can't go.
Speaker 1:Today could, like today, the sun's playing soccer, cool, like if we had things, if this was something where the both of us said, okay, I'm gonna go because this is what you do, and you gotta get people around you in order to do that. But you gotta learn how to balance your life, but there's things that are gonna be sacrificed. You know what I'm saying and I don't, and I can't hear that from anybody. I can't, you can't, tell me I didn't have time. I don't wanna hear that.
Speaker 1:I'm 49 years old Again, I'm active in my husband, I'm an active husband, I'm an active father and there's a bunch of y'all that I'm dealing with, aside from doing our own content, shooting our own stuff and then making sure, overlooking and overseeing everything else. I don't wanna hear that I can't, and if you don't, I'm out. Like seriously, like that's my new thing. We'll work with who wants to work. If you don't wanna work, we can't pull anymore. I'm getting too old to be pulling people. We'll push you. Your momentum is going, we'll help you, but I just can't, I can't, I can't, I can't, sorry.
Speaker 3:So is that how your management style is different from other management?
Speaker 1:100%, 100%. I think it's a personal touch, right, Like not in a bad way, not in a bad way.
Speaker 4:No, it's no HR needed, Exactly no HR.
Speaker 1:No, the thing is is that what happens is like where our style is person first, yet the person has to be right before the business can do anything. So anytime we're thinking about bringing somebody on, it's like okay, let's have a conversation. What's your real name? I don't care about your Instagram, your TikTok, what's your real name, okay. And then we have like an interview Hawaii, what is check your energy out, see if it makes sense. And then we always sit there and we lean in right, like so now the process is that you start we're doing a lot of non-exclusive for representation and then we're getting into we're gonna implement 30 day contracts, so that we because we have to change the narrative, if we're gonna be different, we gotta have our paperwork be different, right? So you'll hey, this guy, whatever, okay, you're coming on board. Okay, great, yeah, I'm with it. Okay, cool, cool, cool, cool.
Speaker 1:And then we have our COO. He'll send you paperwork to sign. It's very creator, friendly. And then what happens is that after that, then you get another welcome email where we tell you, if you don't have a business, this is the guy to form your business entity. Here's the guy we use for financial advisor. Here's the guy. For life insurance. Here's the guy for health insurance. If you want us to help you out, this is what we do, that's a factory, bro, it's like.
Speaker 1:Right, because it's for the person. We have a family that we're dealing with that is making six figures a month, right, and they just pay everything. They don't have health insurance, and this is the thing it's like. Trust is a big thing in our community, right? So we know who we are right. And they don't have health insurance. So we're like, hey, listen, they're like, oh, we need that, okay. Then you say it again, hey, hey again. It becomes. Some people think it's like that you get a cut off of it and at the end of the day, if you don't know, I get it, I get it. Nobody's trust because everybody talks, especially now the positive and caring that's trendy. Everybody talking that talk and I tell them to, I get it. Everybody saying what I'm saying, but you're gonna see what it is and I'm not gonna continue to ask you to get health insurance. Listen, I'm providing that at least you know that we did that After. I don't want it to feel salesy because I don't again.
Speaker 2:I care about you.
Speaker 1:Listen, talk to, but people don't understand that because it's always like somebody's always trying to get something. So even if I tell you I'm not getting anything, you'd be like, nah, nah, nah, there's no way that he cares so much that he wants me to be with this person and he gotta get a cut from what I'm doing. All right, I can't stress it anymore. We're here and that's where the difference is is that, like I always tell people, I wish that our slogan could be this group, we actually give a shit. Like I wish that could be our slogan. That could be. You know what I'm saying.
Speaker 1:Yeah, absolutely you know what I mean, because that's what it is and people know that. But, and if you don't, you know we have people now coming to us. We have somebody that DMed us, hey, with a great email, because I hate yo, I get those all the time. Let's work.
Speaker 3:Let's work.
Speaker 1:Yeah, like thanks for telling me, Yo, who are you.
Speaker 4:A couple of times already.
Speaker 1:Yeah, but the dude sent an email, right, I mean a DM, but it was thorough, it's formatted right. I like what you guys are doing and he had accolades. I have the show on Netflix, I had this, I had this, I had this. I see you know he goes. You guys manage a lot of people I follow. I would like to see what we can do because I like what I see and what people are saying about you guys. When we went, when he came through and we met him, we were like yo, we appreciate that, right, because it was intentional. Me and Don, again, getting in front of the camera was okay. People came with rock with us because of our talent, of the cheek lids and the Ken stars and the comments Like, okay, oh, okay, now, yo, mike and Don, I want to rock with that because I see what's happening over there and that's kind of like what we're trying to show. You know, everything just is, again, it's intentional and it's real. And if you don't believe it, that's fine too.
Speaker 4:And Don was on board with the podcast idea and everything too, at the beginning.
Speaker 1:Well, he was like, he was a little uncomfortable. You know what I'm saying, because I've been in front of cameras before and I was a dancer at first, so I was a performer, like it's not a problem for me, so it wasn't again. You still got to get comfortable and plus, I was doing good morning, good morning in the car by myself. I was doing it for like three years straight. You know what I mean. So you get comfortable.
Speaker 1:Don was a little uncomfortable but now it's good because it's like me and him, right Like now, like my mom is the biggest fan of our you know, of our pod. She's like. She's like what? No, you know she's crazy, but she just told me she was like I really feel like I'm just hanging out with you and Don and that's kind of the vibe we want is like when you watch, it's like everything that we do. We want you to understand Like damn, those are genuine individuals. That has to come across on camera, because sometimes that's the only thing people see and you want that to be. You want that to be real. And again, like I said, if you understand it, great, and if you don't get it, okay. Maybe we're not for you, we're not for everybody, it's all good.
Speaker 4:Audience for everybody. Yeah, so it's all stayed. You do what you got to do. We can get it. All the time. Jasmine was always sending us screenshots like yo, look what they said and people say the same thing like yo. I feel like we're chilling.
Speaker 3:Yeah, all right you guys have a great chemistry and a lot of that is because we've known each other for a long time.
Speaker 1:Yeah, you can tell it comes off on camera. It definitely comes off on camera. You see the energy.
Speaker 3:Jackie and I have been in each other's license first grade Jesus Christ.
Speaker 4:Oh, wow, yeah, that's over 35 years.
Speaker 3:Yeah For no. I just turned 40.
Speaker 4:Oh, wow.
Speaker 3:Johnny's next His birthday is coming up.
Speaker 4:Single tomorrow, so March 5th. Great thing in history, the big four, oh you're. Pisces. Yeah, man, oh, it's a price.
Speaker 3:Straight five.
Speaker 4:Yeah, pisces gang.
Speaker 3:That's my baby over there Gang.
Speaker 4:No, no, sorry, harmony, you put your hands up, don't? Do that Virgo gang. I love Virgos. Oh yeah, I'm a Libra, sorry.
Speaker 3:And Johnny, my brother's, a Libra. Yeah, libra's are cool people. They're great, but we clash.
Speaker 4:Do you? Yeah, my brother and I, but you know, obviously he's my older brother. He's 11 years older than me, so we always go back and forth. You still a baby. I'm like, bro, I'm 39, brother, yeah, you're 50. It's okay, man, I know I'm still my 30s, you and your 50s. Like life is different.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, I feel him, though. I'm feeling like a brother right now.
Speaker 3:Bro, gotta be honest Feeling your brother, it's not how I old you, that's how you feel right.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah. I mean, I hated the when I was turning 40. Oh, 40 is a new 30. No, 40 is a new 40. 40 is 40.
Speaker 4:I don't care, stop, I'm excited man, Like a lot of people are feeling a certain way about. I'm like y'all. Thank God I get to get to that stage, man. I'm trying to get to 50. I'm trying to get to 60. I'm trying to let not, bro, Listen, man, listen, it ends quick, but this is flash, but this is what I'm telling you.
Speaker 1:I was just and I've been dealing with like past couple of months I had like I don't know, it's not a, it's not a midlife crisis, it's not a crisis, it's a transition, right?
Speaker 4:So you heard it here first Midlife transition.
Speaker 1:But, mike, I like that no, but what the thing is is that what I thought I was going to happen, what it was going to happen to me turning 40 is happening to me because I'm turning 50.
Speaker 1:But it's inspired bro but it's not like, like I said, it's not a crisis, it's. Y'all don't got time and I got to sit here because what I like, I like. I tell my kids you're going to be an adult a lot longer than you're going to be a kid. You're going to be a. You're going to be a kid up until what 18? Well, cause, I asked my 13 year old. I said even God gave me a 21, lived to 80. The whole month you're going to be an adult.
Speaker 1:This is what we try to prepare you for, for your adulthood, right, and now I'm 50. I'm closer to the end than I am at the beginning and this is why I don't want to hear from a 24 year old that don't have time to do nothing and it's fine. You may not, but I got to move and find like the only energy I'm doing is lifting people and moving them out of my way, because I got things that I got to do and it becomes clip. That it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's scary. Yeah Right, it's scary, and it's like you have to embrace it and it's just like, literally.
Speaker 1:I told my team, don John, and she and she was very involved I said, yo, I got to be the best version of me. I can't, I don't want to, because I always, you know, I care about people. I'm an empath. I'm, you know, I'm an empath for sure, and I care about everybody. It's like yo, I'm LeBron right now, in the fourth quarter, give me the damn ball and I'm going to the hole, and that's just what it is. That's just what it is. And if you can't, I'm, I'm like, I'm going to figure it out. I'm going to figure it out because I don't have time, because I got my family relying on me, and that's what it is. It's not just about me. You know what I'm saying. Like that, like, and again, not because she's here, like I talk, my family is like, she's a chamber of my heart, like that. My family, this is my everything. I do everything for them, everything.
Speaker 3:I know I wasn't about to talk about me like that.
Speaker 1:No, but this is. But this is what it is and it's not because she's here Like I'll talk my talk and this is what I'm going back to. Yo, I'm the guy that switches the conversation with dudes, because dudes be like you know if they're talking about, if they, if they're married or they have this, and it'd be like, yeah, but you know, shorty, I'm like, yeah, I hear you. I said, I said I love my wife. I'm not even about any. Oh, no, no, no, but you know, you know. You know, yeah, I love my wife.
Speaker 1:No, I don't know, but that's you, but that's okay for you. I'm not looking at you anyway, that's you. I get it because men have egos and they want to feel like I'm me. You're gonna be around me and you're gonna know, regardless of where Mikey Mike is at, whether my wife is around or she's not my wife. That dude loves his wife, it's you, see it. She's always with you and I'm so real. Boom yeah, wife love you. Babe. Look, it don't matter. Social media, non-social media this is who I am and again, it doesn't make me less of a man because I'm comfortable with who I am.
Speaker 4:Yeah, that's important for the men that you have under your wing. 100%, 100%, that's always. Is each one. Teach one, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2:I read a and I find this to be very, very true. You could you always know how you can trust a man by who his wife is Like you meet, if you go into a room and everybody's you're with, or your business partners they all bring their wives. You can tell if you can trust that man by the way his wife treats him and acts with everyone else, and it's a huge thing. No, I see that Like you're so filled with love for her but even meeting her, she's so like she's so welcoming and inviting. Oh yeah, don't be jealous, don't be, jealous.
Speaker 2:No, I'm just saying no, but she's like, she's very welcoming, inviting. Like you know, she makes the room comfortable.
Speaker 4:She got Brooklyn roots, absolutely.
Speaker 2:Shout out booby, whichever one you are, all the boobies out there, no, but you can see, like you know, it would probably be a different dynamic if she wasn't here, like obviously we have to get to know you, or whatever but, she's so inviting and welcoming that we're like man.
Speaker 1:this is like family yeah yeah, yeah, yeah, it brings such a different vibe.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I don't think people understand that. And Don says something a lot. He was like he was telling me about a past situation and he was like I can't trust a dude that cheats on his wife. If you're going to do that to your wife, what are you going to do to me? Yo, right, and that's a different standpoint. Right, because, again, finding a guy like that, where it's like okay, we get it. You know what I mean. Because dudes, don't? They don't a lot of dudes out here no disrespect to any of y'all, but y'all be out here and the thing is is that you have the wrong role models. Y'all be thinking that something is what it is and it's not. It's not like it's and it's not being corny, it's not being, you know, let me politically correct, vagina whipped.
Speaker 3:Yeah, they want to be longer.
Speaker 1:It's not about that. You're allowed to say that you love your wife. You're allowed to say you know it's okay to be vulnerable. But I understand society right, like this is an era of, you know, zoloft and depression, and even the hip and the music is soft, no problem, 1000%. You know, I grew up for Compton. I grew up you know what I'm saying that type of aspect, that aggression, and now you have the opposite of that and I think we just need to have a balance. It's okay.
Speaker 1:I don't have a problem crying to a friend of mine. I don't have. You know, I was the dude on the block. That dudes would call at two in, you know, two in the morning, and they would know that I wouldn't go back to the block. You always it was crying. Last night you cried over his girls, son, right, it's like. You know, this is what it is. I've been that forever, right, and that's just what it is. And I think, like I said, just being role models to our community. I always look at it from a human level. If I meet somebody, and whether we work or not, it's cool If I can give them a jewel or something. That's what I said.
Speaker 1:Going back to the videos. If you take a small thing, you know I would get messages. When I was doing it every day for three years, I would be getting like yo, you really helped me out with this. You really that's what you do for and it's not like oh, I helped you out. Okay, well, then give me a $5, because you know it's just, it's just, you know just again there's no, there's, there's no, there's no OGs anymore.
Speaker 4:Nobody's on the block anymore. Crazy. You say it Cause by 2019, 2020,. Actually, I met who's one of my mentors now he's gonna be on the show as well and he instantly became my OG. He's in his fifties, whatever, but the way he took me through like real estate investing and when I came out of that, I remember I was in my car one day and I put the camera on. I'm like yo, fire your OGs. It's okay to fire your OGs If you got somebody still giving you that outdated, trash information that they think worked at that time, but obviously it didn't, cause right now they're not in good places. Fire your OGs.
Speaker 4:There's plenty of people out there to get real inspiration from real knowledge, from real guidance from. We can't stay stuck in this world where it's like yeah, but you know such and such as my uncle. Yo, your uncle sucks. Yeah, it's unfortunate, but he does. It's not his fault, who knows. Mommy was too easy with him and he was in the streets and that time went past. Like your uncle never taught you yo, bro, if you're gonna be in the streets, take that money, save it up, take it to this. Like. Shit happens in life, not everybody's trying to get it. Go to jail and stuff. But it happens and instead of telling you like yo, this ain't it, a lot of people tell you like God, when I come out, I'm good, yo, you'll see, we'll be back at it. You stay in the streets, you do what you gotta do for us. At that point it's kind of like yo let it go.
Speaker 1:But you know why that happens? It goes back to the trust, right? And I always say this too, especially when you know entrepreneurs like the new thing too. Everybody wants to be an entrepreneur which I get.
Speaker 4:Just gotta know what it is. Yeah, we need a new title. Man, I'll be trying to tell people what I do and I'm like. I just like to do business.
Speaker 1:No, no, no, and that's fine. It feels like that.
Speaker 1:Yeah right, washed out, right. But the thing is, is that people, again, it's the trust, right, and what happens is is that sometimes the people you trust are not capable to do the positions that you want them to be in. You know what I'm saying. So you're coming from the neighborhood, right, and it's like all right. Yo, like again, y'all know each other forever. You're about to do something and you say, hey, you know what you should do this, Okay, cool, because you trust her. Now, what happens is that she doesn't know how to do it. But because you trust her, you don't want to get anybody else involved. It's like yo, I trust you, yeah, but she's not doing the right thing for you, for business wise, not on her fault, she's not doing on purpose, but that's the thing. And these are the things that have to get shed, you know, shed light on right.
Speaker 1:And going back to the, even the management side, like we, we talked to clients, look, there'll be situations. Hey, a deal came through, a perfect example, I'm not going to mention client. Whatever deal comes through, okay, they say what do you? What do you? What do you think? I said okay, I'm going to tell you. I'm going to give you two answers the manager. Answer I think you're worth a lot more than this to six months situation.
Speaker 1:I think you're worth definitely a lot more than this. This is your man talking to you, or your uncle, or however you look at me. If that that figure gives you the security over the next six months and you feel that that is means more to you than the actual number from the business side, then take it, because that may be more important. See, I don't look at it from a percentage. I don't look at it as more money. Of course, the more money you make, the more money I get.
Speaker 1:But the thing is, is that why I'm not going to squeeze and do and mess this up? I mess this up because it's not worth what I think. But you're in a situation where, like damn, I could have used that the next six months. That would have been good for me to know secure wise, especially in this business that I have. I don't know. Let's use the. Okay, I think you should get 5,000. They want to give you 2,000 and it's 2,000 for the next six months. You're good with that. Now your rent is pay whatever it is. But those are the conversations, because we're not just managers, we're people, we sit there and we think about it, so it's like but you guys, it's not all black and white.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, yeah, there's a lot of gray. That's why we don't do rate card, we don't do any of that. What are we trying to do? Let's have a conversation, but going back to what you're saying is like a lot of these, oh geez, because it's like yo, I trust this, my uncle. Yo, he did this and he did that. So it's like, all right, I'm gonna go with what he says and you come and say fire that. So, oh damn, sorry, I couldn't say that. Damn, I got comfortable. No, no, no, get comfortable, no, no, no, no.
Speaker 4:That's good it's not on camera, but no, no, no. But that that's I'm trying to, I'm trying to, I'm trying to.
Speaker 1:I'm trying to, I'm trying to, I'm trying to, I'm trying to, I'm trying to, I'm trying to, I'm trying to. No, but no, but no, you gotta cut that. I'm trying to not say that N-Ware is as much as possible Okay, and that's a whole other conversation, Whatever whatever you want me to do, no but that. But that's the thing is that you know these. Fire that Fool, fire that Fool. Yeah, it sounds like the Mad White movie, right?
Speaker 4:Fire that Fool.
Speaker 3:Fire that Fool.
Speaker 4:I grew up with siblings older than me. I was a lot of 70s stuff. No, I hear you, but Fire that.
Speaker 1:Fool. No, but that's just. That's just. That's just what it is. And I don't think again. Life is not so black and white and everybody thinks it's 140 characters or it's 15 seconds and it's not. You know what I mean. Like there's so many different things that I'm sure that you've heard, you know, you see something in your own life. Forget about social media. Somebody tells you a sentence you'd be like damn, that's messed up, and you get the whole story but like, oh well, not really messed up Context, because I kind of understand, you know all of that. So I don't know. Tell you I could say if I, I would talk about society.
Speaker 4:No, but that's it, yo. As parents, we have to take all that in right now, right, because we are growing up with kids that are interested in going down that lane, right? So a lot of this isn't spoke to like. You're talking about rate cards and all this stuff and I'm like what you know what I mean? That's stuff that we have to get more familiar with Because, as the leaders of our families, we don't, all you know, have an uncle Mike. Yeah, so for you to do this podcast, you do now, for you to put me you see I do have a mic, so let's do that again.
Speaker 1:Hi, I'm Theo Mike from.
Speaker 4:No, but for real. That's that's important. That's why when I see your videos in your car and your Tesla and I see Now he's about the environment so when I see that, I'm like yo, these are all tidbits. You said the thing about everybody wants to treat be treated like a business, but then I'm moving like a business. I took that to heart because I'm like yo, I've been in that situation, I expected this and that, but I'm not moving like I should be respected as a business, so those things really hit.
Speaker 4:So when you're doing it, especially as the manager of a company where most managers are like kind of back there, you're doing the role of a father in that, every single time, no matter if the person is 10 years younger, 10 years older than you, we all need fathers and fathers of power, fathers that know what they're doing, fathers that care. Right, that's a management job. And I saw something you said about an agent and a manager and I'm like yo, it's true, an agent is kind of like that uncle. A manager is the father, he's going to watch things, you know, but like, all right, let me tell you what to do with this. Yada, yada, yada. So that's important, bro.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, A lot of it. A lot of it too is is like I tell people, is like we have no choice how to regrow physically. We have no choice in that matter. Mentally you have a choice. So that's why you see a lot of 40 year olds that still handle things like they were 20 because that's all they know. It's not their fault, Just what they know. But yo, I'm a grown ass man. I hear you physically, yeah, you are not.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I see that, yeah, but that's, but that's it, but that's just what it is, and there's not a lot of focus on that. I mean mental health and all that, and I'm glad that that's coming to the forefront. But then you have people that are now lean, like it's. You've got to have a balance with that. People are leaning on that. Overdo it, yeah.
Speaker 4:Like stop, like no, you're not relaxed. You got cut from the team yeah, relax.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:It's not. You know what I mean, Because no bigotry involved.
Speaker 4:Right right, right right. You're not doing your job.
Speaker 1:Like and I need that, I need more of that, I need more Listen, where's my camera? I mean, that's my camera Right here, right here, right here. Listen, any coaches on any sport. Please start cutting these kids. Cut them. Stop making four teams so that everybody get yo. Listen, just cut the kids so they learn how to deal with stuff. You're like that's the thing that kills me.
Speaker 2:It's so crazy that you say that. Cause like so my 14 year old. He loves lives, breeds, everything, sports, and I'm not talking about just baseball, just basketball, just no, this kid like studies.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Right, he studies it all and I'm always like Devin is going to be the sportscaster.
Speaker 2:Okay, right, cause, like his knowledge is crazy. Anyway, he is that kid on the team that gets pissed off at his teammates and he's like yo y'all messing around, like I'm trying to win this, you guys got to get together, and he's so like he will bring the team together. He was so pissed off in in when we had them in in the baseball. He was pissed off. He was on the same team as his brother and he's like you know, you can't even catch the ball. You in the outfield and you just looking up in space and you got to focus. You got to catch the ball. Like we're going to lose, like wait, and he's so much like that and it's so crazy because there's kids on the team that don't belong on the team.
Speaker 4:I love that you that kills quality.
Speaker 2:Yeah, some of the kids on the team because their parents want them to do something.
Speaker 1:Well, well, that's. I'm not a parent. No, you're Romeo.
Speaker 4:No okay, bro, you can play. Well, no, but that's okay, but that's okay, like I think sports teach.
Speaker 1:But again, to an extent though, you got to have a coach, right. Like so I was. When we first moved to Pelham I was on the board, right, somebody asked me I coached, and then they asked me to be on the board because I know the game, whatever, I'm like cool. So first year I'm kind of just lay to land, just kind of seeing what's up, and again, I am so against participation trophies, right. So the next year, you know, we were talking and they were like does anybody have anything that I like to suggest? And I was like yes, I was like do we have to give everyone a trophy? And then it was kind of like, oh no, I said, well, listen, I said why don't we do this? Everybody that signs up, okay, you get a certificate, you get, you get something. Why don't we give trophies to the kid that makes it to every practice and call it a commitment trophy? Because now, now at least there's something.
Speaker 1:I have to earn that, because kids are getting trophies because their parent writes the check to get them up. And so now you think you just get this, just cause, and then you get coddled, coddled, coddled, coddled, and then they're in college and then they're 23 years old, 22 years old, with their first deal of adversity. I need a pill. I don't know how to deal with this. Now, you got to be able to deal with this stuff because we're preparing you for manhood or womanhood, right, you have to deal with some adversity at a young age. It has to be. I didn't make you know the yastros for my 10 year old. You know what I mean. You have to deal with that because then what happens when you don't get a job and you need money because you're trying to move out of here? Now I don't know how to deal with that. And it's just like we got to start not just giving just cause, like you got to earn things and again, I'm not saying that you got to go crazy.
Speaker 4:Look at it this way in nature, even birds kick birds out the nest. Yeah, like it sucks to say that sounds crazy because you know, as humanity, we know better. We keep certain things going, but at the end of the day they keep themselves strong by like, oh, this little chick don't work, you're out. That's insane. I know it sounds fucked up.
Speaker 2:I mean, it's true.
Speaker 1:That's what happened before my wife. I said this chick don't work. I didn't do my wife, my wife was there, thanks for helping me out.
Speaker 4:I just sounded crazy Apparently. I knew where you were going with that because, I'm like, yeah, I mean, I'm not kicking my kid out the tree, we're saying like yo listen, if I know, for instance, like my daughter's involved in the mass stuff, I said it straight up Penelope's not going to be a tap down.
Speaker 3:Why is she?
Speaker 4:in tap, Like why am I wasting this money? She don't even like it like that. What we do it to do it. Oh, she might like no, she hasn't liked it for two years. It's time to go. She does good at gymnastics. Guess what? Yo? Let's point to the gym. Yeah, you really like this cool, but everything else yeah.
Speaker 1:Maddox just got back into baseball and Maddox, to me, is more talented than Mikey, right? Maddox has taught himself how to switch it. Like he's nasty, right, yeah, like he's nasty. Like Mikey has said one time, he's like yo, dad, do you see? Maddox is lefty sweet. Did you teach him? I'm like, no, he did right. So, but then he for cause school purposes, he didn't do well in school. I said yo, bro. We told him like, listen, you don't do well in school, you fail. You got to go to summer school, you got to do some. You're not playing baseball.
Speaker 1:And this was Cooper's town, like me, and me and my wife are like super baseball parents. I was looking forward. I never went, mikey never went. I was like, oh, this is going to be a great thing. You failed. I said, bro, you dead, that's it.
Speaker 1:So he didn't play for so long and then I was like, oh, after that, you want to play? For he was like, ah, no, I don't know if I want to. Now we had conversation. Me, mikey had a conversation like hey, don't just think you have to play, because me and dad played, and he took his time off and then literally this week, dad, I'm ready, I'm going to take the tea. I'm going to go hit on the tea now and can you reach out to JP or I want to do some training, like you know he's doing, like I said, is working out like whatever. But that was his call and I didn't stress it as much as it was killing me. I went to me and Michelle, I'll be like babe, I missed the game. I want to go to a game, Like because you can't even go to a game now, because you'd be the crazy creep watching 11. You kid there.
Speaker 1:Nope, you'd be all the outfield. Yeah, he's here, who's your kid? No, he's home, can't even do that. People look at you, go crazy, you know. But you know it's like. You know you got to kind of you got to let kids do what they do, but you also got to kind of push them in the direction. You know I saw that reel. Sometimes you got to force kids sometimes and just figure it out.
Speaker 1:But, like what you're saying, hey, if she don't like it, she likes him. Now, okay, let's lean into that, because that's what you do. You give them options. Okay, cool, what, what? What works All right. Well, I told him you want to play the trumpet, bro. I find the best trumpet trainer. I could teach you baseball. I could teach you basketball to a certain level. I don't think that I'm God's gift, right. But he was into art. I was like yo, let's go to art, you go whatever. Figure that out, give them more chance. What exactly?
Speaker 4:You don't have to be me.
Speaker 1:I need you to be you and the best version of you, and we good.
Speaker 3:We learn everything as parents. That's a fact, I've learned so much.
Speaker 2:Jesus. They teach me every single day. They taught me patience, because I would be like you don't stop, and he would be like and I was like he's like you, don't get it, like you, literally like I couldn't talk to him like that. He didn't allow me to talk to him like that and I was a parent Communication skills.
Speaker 2:He did. I love communication and I was like, okay, I have to change this up. Not all of them are the same. I can't talk to all of them the same. I have to. All right, let's see what I could do with him. And so they get on me all the time because they're like, oh you baby him. And I'm like, no, that's his way of communication. Like I have to communicate differently with him. I can't tell him I'm going to take him outside and box him out. I can do that to Devin, I can do that to Ruben, I can't do that to him. The other one, he's my boss. The little one, he's my boss. He's like boss, baby, oh yeah, he's my boss.
Speaker 3:We can't connect.
Speaker 1:How old is he?
Speaker 2:He's four.
Speaker 1:Oh, wow.
Speaker 2:Yeah, he's four, but it's you know, they teach you something.
Speaker 1:Yeah, no, you got to remain teachable. We can't teach, we can't tell kids to remain teachable, and we're not.
Speaker 3:So, mike, what advice do you have for modern day parents?
Speaker 1:Get your kids cut off of team. No, I'm just kidding Modern day parents is treat your kids like that they're adults in this aspect is learn to understand them from their level. Stop trying to tell them that you get it because you literally don't like, you can't Again what I was saying before you were 13. We, clearly, we were 12, 11, 9, 18, 21, put whatever age we were. That, but not today. Society is different. There are different variables that come into your life that we didn't have or we had and they don't right. There's all different. So it's for all parents.
Speaker 1:I think, like I said, you got to understand and that's for people. You got to understand people from their level. Right, I speak to you and again, I talk about this a lot there's levels to this, right, and not an amic meal type, right, like it's real levels, right. So my, there's a one in the 10, right, we sit here and I show appreciation to you. I show it on a 10 and I send you on a trip to the DR with your whole family Like damn Michael, no, now you show appreciation to me, your level 10, you say here's a bottle and now I'm like that's like a one on my skin, but that's your 10. So once I understand that you gave me your all, I have to appreciate that I can't expect you to get to my 10 because maybe you're not built for that and not in that way.
Speaker 1:It's like you know the golden rule, that whole tree. You know doing to others as you want. Sometimes that's not possible. That's why I think that rule is messed up right. And hey, if I was in their shoes that's misused all the time because you sit there and kid job, I would have done this. Yeah, but that's you. With your experience and you're all of this, you know what I mean. You can't sit there and expect people to be the same as you, and that's where people get messed up and I even have a problem with it. Sometimes I'll sit there and me and my wife will sit there and be like but you know what that's you, this is me, or even somebody else. I'm like you know what? I can't really stress that. I can't really stress that I'm talking too much. The cops are coming to you like yo, you talking too much about it Talking too much right now.
Speaker 4:Too much talk.
Speaker 1:Stop enlightening these kids. But yeah, but that's just what it is. And be prepared. Talk about consistency. If you're not ready to be a parent, don't be a parent, because it's life. Yeah, man, it's life, that's a life sentence, absolutely.
Speaker 2:I say this all the time.
Speaker 4:I'm like there's no break Nah.
Speaker 2:I don't get a break, nah.
Speaker 4:And you won't.
Speaker 2:And I won't, and I'll never get a break. My oldest son is 20. He's on his own right now. I don't get a break from that, because now he's on my mind. Did he do this, did?
Speaker 1:he freeze to death. Right, did he freeze to death in the damn snow In Alaska. In Alaska Is he under a glacier, like you know.
Speaker 2:like he's going to McDonald's today. What tattoo is he doing for himself?
Speaker 1:And I'm like, oh, my God, he's going to do that tattoo. Is that going to come out? Okay, Like you know so many things you don't get.
Speaker 2:That's just funny because of the smile on your face. Look, mom, is you. It's going to be like that. So you want to, um, you want to be like you know, like you know, like you know like you know.
Speaker 3:You know we are not that big, but it's only for your guys.
Speaker 1:I want to.
Speaker 2:Consents. He's consented.
Speaker 4:Oh yes, Tio Mike, Thank you so much for joining us. Yeah, of course. I was like you, tio. That's our American audience, tio Mike.
Speaker 4:But yeah, man, uncle Mike, thank you so much, thank you for imparting your knowledge on taking time with us, right, cuz you could be anywhere else. Realistically, this ain't like some spiel. You could be anywhere else right now with any other talent not telling as great as mine or ours. You know exactly you could be and instead you chose to be here with us. Yeah, your knowledge. Thank you for doing what you do. Don't stop the morning clips. No, no, no.
Speaker 1:I got you shout out to a right there, bro, because it's not for him. We, we vibes from a, from another part I was doing and we, just we genuinely connected and it was just like yo, we stopped because I saw what was going on. I was like yo, this is dope. He was like yo, would you be down? Of course, like you know, like that's the thing, and I and I like what y'all doing, I love what you know, especially from the Hispanic community.
Speaker 4:Yeah, it's fire and you know no, I think this is these stuff is exactly how all this happened. I mean, we, I know them since we're 11. They know each other's first grade, but me since 11, manly. But it's like, yeah, I came in, you know later, yeah, but whatever.
Speaker 1:Two decades to you is the jet fan back then too. Yeah, that's another part. I'm a Giants, nick's Yankees bro.
Speaker 4:Oh, so you just like winners, except the next yeah, but I went. Thank you.
Speaker 1:No, I appreciate you.
Speaker 4:I appreciate you ladies and ugly men, thank you for joining us. Remember the patrons. Only three dollars a month, ten cents a day. But hey, if you want to pay ten, like she wanted you to pay, you can do it as well. Enjoy your day.