Strawberry Letter

Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed L. Marilyn Crawford. She orchestrates unparalleled global events, champions diversity, equity, and inclusion, and leads ventures in investment, finance, and philanthropy with offices in NYC, Dubai, and Saudi Arabia. L. Marilyn Crawford is a global brand architect, strategist, and marketer. She is an award-winning figure in the business world, renowned for her branding, business growth, and strategic marketing expertise. Crawford holds four prestigious positions: President & CEO of WH MUSA Ventures, Ltd., Managing Partner of WH Equities Partner, LLC, Founder & President of Alpha Global Enterprise, and President & CEO of Windsor Primetime. Internationally recognized as a Master Brand Architect and acclaimed networker, Marilyn's strategic brilliance has earned her the distinguished moniker "marketing mogul" by NYPOST Pg6. Her awards include recognition from the National Bar Association, Forbes Family Trust, NYC Humanitarian of the Year, and Ebony Marketer of the Year, and she has been a chosen keynote speaker at the Harvard University Women in Business Conference, among others. #AMI #BEST #SHMS See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Cedric Walker. UniverSoul is a highly interactive combination of circus arts, theater, and music that spans genres including Pop, Classic R&B, Latin, Hip Hop, Jazz, and Gospel. It embraces and celebrates the unique and familiar aspects of pop culture globally by bringing them center stage with a cast of international performers. UniverSoul is rated as one of the top live family acts in America along with Cirque du Soleil. UniverSoul’s fresh approach to family friendly live entertainment has garnered it a coveted spot as one of Ticketmaster’s top ten most requested family events. UniverSoul was created 30 years ago as the brainchild of Atlanta concert and theater producer Cedric Walker. Cedric Walker, a native of Baltimore, Maryland, showed an entrepreneurial spirit from a young age, starting with his shoe shine business at six years old. His love for the circus grew as he and his brother would re-create the spectacles they witnessed, with Cedric even dreaming of running away with the circus to work as a maintenance man. In the 1970s, Walker's passion for entertainment led him to work with the Commodores and later become a promoter for the Jackson Five. In the 1980s, he organized the Fresh Festivals, the world's first Rap music tour in large arenas, featuring iconic rappers. By the mid-1990s, Walker and his team sought new family entertainment ideas, leading to the creation of The UniverSoul Circus in 1994, an urban family entertainment event under the big top. This groundbreaking venture showcased a variety of talents from black performers, ranging from hip-hop musicals to vaudeville acts, and animal performances, setting a new standard in live entertainment. Walker's dedication to this vision inspired performers worldwide to join the unique and successful circus venture. #STRAW #SHMS See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dear Steve and Shirley, I'm a thirty three year old married woman and my husband is thirty six. We met on a blind date that was set up by one of our mutual friends. This friend of ours recently got married and we weren't invited because I don't get along with his new wife. I'm a ride or die type of friend, so I warned our friend about this woman before he married her. She had cheated on her first husband and she used to mess with my brother. She works at night, but she is not always at work. She usually takes a two hour lung break and she goes to hang out at a restaurant next to her job........................................... See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Two-time Emmy and three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald, interviewed Dr. Robert Watkins. Growing up as a young African American man with no direction in life and limited opportunities in Detroit, Michigan, Dr. Robert Watkins understands how hard it is to succeed in life when life says that you should be something else. Thanks to the people who were in his life at the time though, he ended up becoming a financial advisor who uses his skills to educate the African American community on how to avoid debt, how to succeed as an entrepreneur regardless of whether you’re a church or a small business, and how to avoid credit card debt. He is also the founder of Kings and Priests, an organization created to empower men into becoming their best selves while also teaching them to be more emotionally available people by embracing vulnerability. Want to learn more? Conquer Worldwide is a consulting firm that offers business advisory services and financial consulting to individuals and corporations. *Talking Points/Questions What is your F.R.E.E. strategy to help everyday people get out of debt? Are you giving something away for free to our audience? Should people be spending, investing or saving now? How important is a partnership when growing your business? What services do you offer people financially? #BEST #SHMS #STRAW See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Two-time Emmy and three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald, interviewed Craig Calafati. The Executive Vice President and Director of Lending for Arkansas Capital Corporation, Arkansas Capital Corporation. A community development finance company that was chosen by SBA to receive one of the three new SBLC licenses and now offers flexible capital solutions nationwide to small businesses and entrepreneurs in underserved minority communities. Company Description * Arkansas Capital Corporation (ACC) is a private, nonprofit lending corporation dedicated to empowering entrepreneurs in Arkansas and surrounding states. ACC offers flexible capital solutions to meet the unique needs of entrepreneurs, small businesses, and economic and community development projects, emphasizing serving low-income, minority, and rural communities. Since 1957, ACC has partnered with commercial banks, government agencies, and others at local, state, regional, and national levels to deploy over $2.34 billion in capital financing. Talking Points/Questions * Talking points: If you don’t have a Business Plan you will not be successful. What is the purpose of Arkansas Capital Corporation? The SBA does not lend money. Instead, it provides guarantees so lenders are more inclined to lend money to small business owners. Small business owners should establish a line of credit with immediate access - especially for small businesses with payroll employees. Aspiring entrepreneurs are encouraged to spend time with entrepreneurs who are already operating a successful business in your area of interest to gain valuable insights. Small business owners should always know how much money they need before speaking with a lender. #SHMS, #STRAW See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Two-time Emmy and three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald, interviewed Eric Anderson. He used his love for magic and marketing as a spokesperson to help Fortune 500 corporations sell over $3 billion worth of products. Eric became known as the "Magician with a Message" and authored books on Presentation, Marketing, and Mindset. As the Magician with a Message, Eric does not show people how amazing he is but instead shows YOU how amazing you can be and guides others to reach their goals and fulfill their dreams, starting exactly where they are right now. Company Description * As a seminars, consulting, and presentations company, I love teaching business owners how to use the power of paid speaking to grow their businesses. After doing thousands of speaking engagements for some of the world's most prominent organizations, I've created a simple, easy-to-follow system that anyone can succeed with, even if they're brand new to it. #STRAW #SHMS See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Two-time Emmy and Three-NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald, interviewed Montee Tayion Holland. He is the President and CEO of the Tayion Collection. He is a Detroit, Michigan native and Marine Corps Veteran who often describes his clientele as Renaissance men. That descriptor is also an accurate portrayal of Holland himself. He is a self-made businessman who left a career at Pfizer Pharmaceuticals to pursue building an apparel company. In 2003, Holland had his first successful showing at the Las Vegas Magic Apparel Tradeshow. Holland, who has undergraduate and graduate degrees in Education, volunteers his free time in his community, where he has secured millions of dollars in scholarship funds for aspiring college-bound young athletes. The Tayion Collection is a well-established, minority-owned apparel brand that has been in the marketplace since 2004 with a strong track record of quality design and consistent sales. The Tayion Collection sells men’s suits, formal wear. It separates (Jackets, pants, shirts, ties, outerwear, accessories, sportswear, etc.) under two brand names - Tayion and T-Fusion, which enables the brand to cater to fashion-forward customers of means, as well as those who may be more budget conscious. Since the company’s inception, the Tayion Collection has sold more than $50M. Future goals include greatly expanding the product offerings, manufacturing partnerships, and global distribution through a comprehensive marketing, advertising, and sales strategy designed to drive significant sales and profit growth. Tayion Collection, Inc. is 100% solely owned by Montee Holland. #BEST #SHMS #STRAW See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Two-time Emmy and three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald, interviewed Stephanie Stuckey. The Chair of Stuckey’s. A pecan snack and candy company based in Wrens, GA. She is also the author of “Unstuck: Reviving an American Icon.” Stuckey’s growth lies in their partnership with almost 5,000 retailers nationwide that sell their delicious pecan snacks and candies. Questions About the Company’s History and Legacy: Questions About Branding and Marketing: Questions About Leadership and Vision: Questions About Partnerships and Community: It all started with a borrowed Model A Ford and a $35 loan With that, W.S. “Sylvester” Stuckey, Sr. founded Stuckey’s as a roadside pecan stand along Highway 23 in Eastman, GA in 1937. With that Ford that he retrofitted to haul pecans and the loan (from his grandmother), W.S. drove around the countryside and bought pecans from local farmers to sell at his stand, along with local honey and souvenirs. His wife, Ethel, added her delicious homemade candies – southern delicacies like pralines, Divinities, and our iconic Pecan Log Rolls. Through grit and determination, the Stuckeys grew the stores from these humble beginnings to a roadside empire. At its peak in the 1960s, the little pecan company had become an integral part of the American road trip. It boasted 368 stores in over 30 states, each offering kitschy souvenirs, clean restrooms, Texaco gas, and of course, our famous candies. Stuckey’s also owned a candy plant in Eastman to allow for larger production of sweet treats, a trucking company, and a sign company that produced the 4,000 Stuckey’s billboards that dotted America’s highways. Stuckey’s merged with Pet Milk Co. in 1964 to add capacity and capital for the company to grow. Decline and Rebound W.S. Stuckey, Sr. died in 1977, the same year that Illinois Central Industries, a Chicago conglomerate, bought Pet Milk Co., and they began to close Stuckey’s stores across the country. Stuckey’s fell into a decline until 1984 when W.S. “Billy” Stuckey, Jr., son of the founder and a five-term Congressman from the 8th District of Georgia, acquired Stuckey’s and began to turn the company around. Under Billy’s helm, the Stuckey’s Express concept – or a store within a store – was launched, and the company expanded to over 115 franchises in 17 states. The Eastman candy plant continued operations by a third-party contractor but was shuttered in 2009 during the Recession, although Stuckey’s branded candies continued to be produced by outside vendors. In November of 2019, Ethel “Stephanie” Stuckey, Billy’s daughter, took over as CEO of Stuckey’s. In August of 2020, Stuckey’s acquired Front Porch Pecans, a pecan snack company that sells to domestic and foreign markets, including grocery channels in the Southeast U.S. With this merger, Stuckey’s gained management support with R.G. Lamar as new President to run Stuckey’s with Stephanie. In January of 2021, Stephanie and R.G. acquired a pecan manufacturing facility in Wrens, Georgia to drive growth of the company through snack and candy making. Later that year, they added a third equity owner, Ted Wright, a marketing professional based in Atlanta. Today, Stuckey’s is making a comeback, thanks to reinventing the brand as a pecan snack and candy company. They are once again making the delicious products that Ethel first made in her country kitchen, and Sylvester sold at his roadside stand. There are still 13 original blue roof Stuckey’s stores in operation. These stores are not owned or operated by the parent corporation but are licensed to sell our products and remain an important part of our past and story. Stuckey’s growth lies in our partnership with almost 5,000 retailers nationwide, including Hobby Lobby, Bealls, Ingles, Wawa, TravelCenters of America, and others, that sell our delicious pecan snacks and candies. The company also maintains an online store, a fundraising business,...

Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald, interviewed Dr. Lynn Richardson. The popular financial expert Dr. Lynn Richardson returns to the Money Making Conversations Master Class to dispatch another round of financial advice. In this episode, Dr. Lynn explains the significance of building generational wealth in the African American community and how to start investing for your future even if you don’t have that much money. She also touches on the importance of having a life insurance policy and discusses ways to start taking control of your financial future while avoiding financial pitfalls. She breaks down how life insurance can be used as an investment and an asset. Topic Covered How to pick life insurance How to make your life insurance work for you. What are some ideas for getting some extra income? Eliminating debt Increasing income Saving more #AMI #BEST #STRAW See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dear Steve and Shirley, I'm a 32 year old man and I just started a job teaching adults that are getting a GED. I'm loving it so far, but I need advice on how to handle a very aggressive female student in her early 60s. At the end of one of my lectures, she approached me and asked what gym I go to because I have a very nice body. I blushed and didn't know what to say! She winked at me and left................. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Justin Lee. Homeownership is a key factor in the idea of the American Dream, and no one understands that more than realtor Justin Lee. Coming from a family of real estate agents whose history in the industry goes back three generations, Justin discusses how his upbringing not only helped prepare him for his career as an African American real estate agent in a field dominated by White and European realtors, but how it also helped give him an edge in the business despite being in his 20s. Justin also shares tips on how to find way of financing a home when you don’t have the money to do so without breaking the bank, and how people can purchase large apartment complexes/buildings in their community by teaming up with one another and purchasing it as a team. If you own a home, are looking to buy a home, or are looking to buy a community building to put revenue back in your neighborhood, you certainly don’t want to miss this episode of Money Making Conversations Master Class. #STRAW See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Two-time Emmy and three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald, interviewed Lisa Hankins. “As an author and mentor, I’m dedicated to helping people find their true purpose and navigate life’s transitions with faith and resilience. My book, Beyond the Chair, combines practical advice with spiritual insights to inspire readers to move beyond their current roles and confidently embrace their calling.” Talking Points: See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Two-time Emmy and three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald, interviewed Breast Cancer Survivor Holly Cotton and Prostate Cancer Dewayne Charleston. They are making history for black men’s health to eliminate the disparities in prostate cancer by pioneering a awareness movement at an HBCU football game featuring Texas Southern University vs Prairie View A&M. Talking Points: • Dewayne’s 15 year journey with stage 4 prostate cancer • Holly’s survival of breast cancer with a master’s degree in nursing • Why Holly believes in the go blue because of the impact she experienced with the pink out days for breast cancer • How they decided to target HBCUs for this initiative • The blue out game 8/31/2024 • How they are pioneering a movement to have national blue out games next year • Why we chose HBCU route instead of primarily white institutions. • DeWayne’s reason for creating the foundation while he fights for survival as a 15-year fighter and still undergoing experimental treatment. • Obstacles to getting the teams to agree. #AMI #BEST #STRAW #SHMS See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dear Steve and Shirley, I got a call that my husband was sleep in his car behind the bar that he goes to on Friday nights after work. I pulled up on him there and he was asleep in the back seat with the windows cracked. His pants were unbuttoned and his shoes were off. I tapped on the window and he did not budge, so I hit the button to unlock the car. Then he jumped up and screamed. I told him to get out of the car, but he refused to. He said that he did not know how he got there. I should lead because it was not safe for me to be there. I told him I wasn't going anywhere until he got out of the car........................................... See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Two-time Emmy and three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald, interviewed Karon Joseph Riley. He co-stars in the popular The Black Hamptons series on BET+. His book navigates life's ups and downs and uncovers the importance of perseverance, resilience, and determination. It shares his insightful reflections entitled "Keep Pedaling: Things I Learned On My Bike." Whether facing steep inclines or unexpected detours, he learns to embrace challenges as opportunities for growth and transformation. Through encounters with nature, encounters with others, and moments of solitude, he discovers the power of mindfulness and living in the present moment. "Keep Pedaling" is more than a self-help book; it's a roadmap for navigating life's twists and turns with grace and courage. Through Karon's heartfelt lessons and candid reflections, readers will find inspiration to overcome obstacles, pursue their passions, and savor the beauty of the journey itself. "Keep Pedaling" is a reminder that no matter where life takes you, as long as you keep moving forward, the possibilities are endless. Full-scale production company that has the capacity to take a film or television project from creation to distribution and all the production necessary in between #STRAW #SHMS See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dear Steve Shirley, I'm married to a man that loves to talk big and bad, but when it comes down to handling his business, he lets me handle the tough stuff. It's gotten worse over the years, and he still won't shut his mouth or stop harassing people on our app for the neighborhood. It started when my sons were in school and his way of handling bullies was to go up to the school and talk all big and bad to the principle. But that never solved the problem. I had to snatch one of the bullies up one day and threaten him with the frying pan. When he came in our yard talking about he was going to kick my sons behind. My husband looked at it all through the window, through the screen door. His boss bullies him and he comes home telling me all that he's going to do and say, but he just takes it and still is not getting paid what he's worth.............................................................. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.