Reginald F. Lewis was a business pioneer, philanthropist, and titan. A Harvard Law School graduate, Lewis rose to prominence as a lawyer, financier, and leader of the global food company TLC Beatrice International. Lewis was the first African American ever to close an overseas billion dollar leveraged buyout deal. He acquired an unprecedented global conglomerate of 64 companies in 31 countries and paved the way for future entrepreneurs and black leaders through his life’s work until his untimely death at age 50.To learn more about Reginald Lewis: https://www.amazon.com/Should-White-Guys-Have-Billion-Dollar/dp/1574780360To join my book club discussion on Reginald Lewis' book 'Why Should White Guys Have All The Fun': http://www.paulcbrunson.com/bookclub Be sure to join the Better With Paul newsletter for my biggest takeaways from each episode and special announcements: https://www.paulcbrunson.com/better/ Also, if you want to connect with the Better With Paul community, please join our private:Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/betterwithpaulLinkedIn Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/8941481/ Thanks so much for listening! If you like this episode, please subscribe, rate, and review. 

Better With Paul had the pleasure of sitting down with a true trap connoisseur, a Black History preservationist who’s left me ridiculously impressed with what he’s done. Trapital is an online archive that chronicles the money moves of some of the most accomplished names in the culture. One day, a quick look into the work of the infamous actor, writer, director, producer, comedian, and all-around entrepreneur by the name of Tyler Perry landed me on this incredible resource that detailed some of the most thought-provoking entertainment white papers I’ve ever come across. Episode 11 highlights the genius of the great Dan Runcie, the founder of the media company responsible for delivering the best business updates on your favorite entertainment moguls like Dame Dash, Jay Z, and Master P. We take the classic independent artist discussion to the next level by highlighting the critical business moves our favorite names made on their way to the top. We talk about the importance of ownership and understanding the power in independent growth while being raw and honest about the various challenges people face while trying to mitigate the perfect balance between natural skill and business sense.It all boils down to a mixture of art and science. Some people followed many of the same steps that people like Tyler Perry took, and they haven’t seen a fraction of his billion-dollar sales - so what makes the people featured on Trapital so different?Dan explains the way Trapital has become a resource over the years. It is the voice for Black culture to speak about the business matters and entrepreneurial concerns that impact our businesses more than others - and it’s a safe space for you to learn and apply various business models designed by people who face the same daily battles people like you and I tend to face. Tyler Perry wasn’t lucky. Dame didn’t decide on 100% ownership by accident. Jay Z highlights the importance of Black ownership, but he still signed a deal that made sense for him.There is no right or wrong in entrepreneurship, and I think that’s one of the essential aspects Dan highlighted on this week’s show. You have to know your product, your audience, and the model you’ll rely on to bring your vision to life. Even in the entertainment industry, you need to understand things like demand and distribution. Tyler’s model today may not exist ten years from now, at least not in the same way. As more of the world becomes ‘woke’ to injustice, and more Black businesses are created, there will come a time where our faces will become much more common on the big screen. I’m sure Tyler knows this, and I’m confident his business is prepared to get restructured as necessary. The question is - have you been evaluating your business in the same way?If you haven’t, you need to listen in on the talk Dan, and I just had because you’ll start to see yourself, your business, and your worth so much differently after you hear what he has to say. To learn more about Trapital: https://trapital.co/ Be sure to join the Better With Paul newsletter for my biggest takeaways from each episode and special announcements: https://www.paulcbrunson.com/better/ Also, if you want to connect with the Better With Paul community, please join our private:Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/betterwithpaulLinkedIn Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/8941481/ Thanks so much for listening! If you like this episode, please subscribe, rate, and review. 

Tiffany Ashitey is the Executive Producer of the Essence Podcast Network, and it’s my honor to have her as our guest for this week’s Better With Paul. In Episode 10, we turn a few nonbelievers (you know who you are) into believers - as we discuss the depths of the infamous world of podcasting. I know it’s not everybody’s cup of tea, but the last five years have thrust podcasting into an unforeseen space - one with plenty of potential for entrepreneurs and content creators. She’s hosted guests like Regina King, Issa Rae, and Tiffany ‘The Budgetnista’ Aliche to her show and turned podcasting into a multi-dimensional experience. Her flagship podcast among the network catalog, 'Yes, Girl!,' turned podcasting into so much more than an audio experience. It’s even more than video. Podcasting is an experience. We build communities and create opportunities. Speaking of opportunity, the business savvy founder of Yes Girl podcast and all its subsidies believes we have just barely scratched the surface. In terms of scaling and strategy, deals like Joe Rogan’s nine-figure Spotify signing and Michelle Obama’s entrance into the podcasting world shows that things are just now kicking into gear. With over five million streams to the Yes Girl podcast alone, Tiffany’s unveiled a system, more like a blueprint, for people of color worldwide.The podcasting game is developing more each day. On the show, Tiffany pushed us to consider aspects of the business like connectivity and accessibility that many Black content creators may overlook. With less than 40% of the continent of Africa having Wifi access, we both see so much room to grow, to network, to learn. Tiffany called that missed opportunity an economy unto itself. And she’s right.Her strategy is to tackle the same possibilities that the biggest names in podcasting are already taking advantage of. She believes in meeting the audience where they are and pushing the status quo. In this episode, Tiffany shares the truth of the future of podcasting in ways that make people like you, and I believe that we, too, can create a massive audience and monetize. She’s not just talking; Tiffany’s word holds weight. Her podcasts have received not one, not two, but THREE Webbie nominations. They’re earning over six-figures in individual revenue - yes, I got the numbers out of her. And they’ve set the tone for the future of the podcasting experience. She’s raised the bar so high that I can’t help but become motivated to push harder. I hope you catch that same determined motivation after you listen to this episode.If you’ve been on the fence about podcasting or looking for ways to scale your show, get into this episode right now. Tiffany has a few words for you (and the non-believing haters too).To learn more about Tiffany's work: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tiffanyashitey/ Be sure to join the Better With Paul newsletter for my biggest takeaways from each episode and special announcements: https://www.paulcbrunson.com/better/ Also, if you want to connect with the Better With Paul community, please join our private:Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/betterwithpaulLinkedIn Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/8941481/ Thanks so much for listening! If you like this episode, please subscribe, rate, and review. 

Most children grow up hearing some variation of the age-old idiom, "you can be anything you want," but Jenelle Coy took those words to heart. The confidence instilled in her early on inspired her to take leaps and bounds that your average twenty-something probably wouldn’t go after. Jenelle has created such an extraordinary legacy for herself that you’d never associate her with anything average anyway. Very few people make the Forbes’ 30 under 30 list or rank in the Top 5 Fastest-Growing Businesses in America, but Jenelle did. She’s a fearless trailblazer who admits she’s not afraid to fail, one of the many reasons why I believe she was able to build a $500,000 business within one year out of college. She founded Spero in 2014 and never looked back since. What began as a two-week trial run has grown into a multi-million dollar empire. She’s mastered the quantitative aspects of marketing and advertising. And she must know what she’s doing since her AD got Beyonce (yes, the Beyonce) to wear a pair of nude heels designed for women of color. She’s an incredible resource of information and inspiration all her own. Jenelle also happens to be single - and you KNOW that triggered my inner matchmaker. Partnered up or not, she is a force to be reckoned with. This episode carries a special message of hope that I’m sure you need to hear. As a proud second-gen Trinidadian, we discuss the difficulty of owning your identity. Jenelle is a Howard Alum and she entered the world with the cultural richness of her Caribbean roots and the HBCU experience. She’s young, she’s Black, and she’s a woman; three characteristics that could’ve hindered her business success. Jenelle never asked for permission, she unapologetically took up space. I’m incredibly proud to share her story with you.To learn more about Jenelle's work: https://www.jenellecoy.com/ Be sure to join the Better With Paul newsletter for my biggest takeaways from each episode and special announcements: https://www.paulcbrunson.com/better/Also, if you want to connect with the Better With Paul community, please join our private:Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/betterwithpaulLinkedIn Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/8941481/Thanks so much for listening! If you like this episode, please subscribe, rate, and review. 

Akosua Dentaa Amoateng MBE, is an award-winning British Ghanaian entrepreneur, actress, TV presenter, singer, producer and manager. She was awarded an MBE in Her Majesty The Queen; Elizabeth II's 2016 Birthday Honors. One year later in 2017, she received the Ghana Peace Awards Humanitarian Service Laureate in Accra, Ghana.As an actress, she appeared on British TV shows including EastEnders and Holby City, before moving into presenting, hosting television programs on British and Ghanaian TV including The Dentaa Show and reality TV music competition Mentor IV. She also released a gospel album in 2005, "Wu Ye Nyame".Dentaa is an advocate for the Ghanaian community in the UK and in 2017 she was put on the list of 100 Most Outstanding Women Entrepreneurs in Ghana for her advocacy by The African Network of Entrepreneurs. In 2009 she founded the GUBA (Ghana UK Based Achievements) Awards, which recognizes the achievements of individuals and organizations "positively contributing to the Ghanaian community in the UK or Ghana". In 2011, she was named in The Future 100 Awards as a "Young Social Entrepreneur" of the year for her work with GUBA.In June 2013, Dentaa was announced as the winner of the annual African Women in Europe (AWE) Award, for her work in promoting Ghanaian achievement in the UK and for her charity work. Organizers described her as an "icon and role model to all African women living and working in Europe".To learn more about Dentaa: http://www.dentaa.co.uk/ Be sure to join the Better With Paul newsletter for my biggest takeaways from each episode and special announcements: https://www.paulcbrunson.com/better/Also, if you want to connect with the Better With Paul community, please join our private:Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/betterwithpaulLinkedIn Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/8941481/Thanks so much for listening! If you like this episode, please subscribe, rate, and review. 

This week’s guest isn’t one that stops people in their tracks at the sound of her name, but that’s by design. You may not have heard of Rakia Reynolds, but I bet you’ve heard of her clients. Her company, Skai Blue Media has a star-studded roster filled with names like Serena Williams, Jill Scott, AirBNB, DELL, and so many more. Although she managed to flip the script and drag some never-released details out of me, the best part of the interview is all the tea Rakia brought to the table. Episode 7 was such a blessing to participate in. Rakia is so patient, so thorough, and so clearly convicted to everything she believes in. After some rough changes and a new baby, Rakia created a business that allowed her to satisfy all of her basic needs. She said she didn’t sleep peacefully for the first five years, but she’s gained a lifetime of experience - and I am so excited to share her wisdom with you. There is no one in the world who understands the power of branding as she does. I’m willing to bet on it. Rakia’s gotten a couple of trash cans airtime on Good Morning America and arranged for a glassblower to receive prime placement in a national news outlet. She is unstoppable. And, as she celebrates her business’s upcoming 10th anniversary, Rakia shares how everything about digital communication will change post-coronavirus. She’s a visionary who’s been right time and again. She sized me up effortlessly and broke my brand down to the core values and color psychology. Her business tends to take a quality over quantity approach to building client relationships and that's about the only way I can think to describe the therapeutic power session we had on this podcast. Her command of the power of digital marketing and influencer society will blow you away. While listening to this episode, you’re going to want to take notes, trust me. And if you’ve been trying to decide how to build a brand that truly represents you, there’s no reason why you can't make it happen by the time you’ve received Rakia’s good word. She handles her business with the kind of finesse a Black woman brings to the table. An active user of the left and right brain, her success is the direct result of her creativity and determination.Nothing about Rakia’s journey was easy. She even reflected on the time when I first interviewed her, long ago. She says she’s in the ‘Golden Days’ now. Looking at her and her family thrive as she continues to expand everything she built as one of the first Black women to own a mixed media production company is a pleasure I’m honored to have. Get in this episode so you and your brand can be up next.To learn more about Rakia's work: http://skaibluemedia.com/ Be sure to join the Better With Paul newsletter for my biggest takeaways from each episode and special announcements: https://www.paulcbrunson.com/better/Also, if you want to connect with the Better With Paul community, please join our private:Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/betterwithpaulLinkedIn Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/8941481/Thanks so much for listening! If you like this episode, please subscribe, rate, and review. 

Every personal development book ever written asks you to find your ‘why.’ On Episode 6 of Better With Paul, we sit down with a digital marketing genius who discovered his ‘why’ while he was still in elementary school. Jubril Agoro is a proud Naija boy born in the UK. At six months old, he and his brother found themselves in foster care. Until nine, he was raised in a stable home outside of London. Life was flipped when his mom reclaimed them and moved to the culture shocking streets of Chicago. Quickly recognizing the difference between the haves and the have nots, he was moved by things as small as second-hand sneakers and a freezer full of food. This episode walks us through his fascinating story of childhood entrepreneurship. Reaching five figures in sales through his brilliant money-flipping ventures introduced 15-year-old Jubril to the earliest stages of digital marketing. Today, his businesses rake in $15 million a year while he blogs his travels around the world.At the start of this episode, I had to apologize to Jubril for believing he was ‘just a travel blogger’ for all these years. In reality, he is a visionary and a world-class digital marketer. His ability to transform ideas into profitable businesses, to continue digging for ways to improve on what he’s built, and to inspire others to support his vision is unlike anything I’ve ever seen. He never settles. He never second guesses. Jubril calculates a master plan and draws a line in the sand. That’s why he’s been such a beacon of success.You need this episode. We even cover the digital marketing strategies that have afforded Jubril the opportunity to extend five phenomenal businesses with the world. From his transformative support of Tiffany ‘The Budgetnista’ to his altruistic devotion to Passport Heavy, his self-described “expensive labor of love.” Jubril Agoro is the best example I can give you of, ‘When you know, you know’ and I’m so honored to be able to share this conversation with you.To learn more about Jubril: https://www.passportheavy.com/about/ Be sure to join the Better With Paul newsletter for my biggest takeaways from each episode and special announcements: https://www.paulcbrunson.com/better/Also, if you want to connect with the Better With Paul community, please join our private:Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/betterwithpaulLinkedIn Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/8941481/Thanks so much for listening! If you like this episode, please subscribe, rate, and review. 

Tiffany “The Budgetnista” Aliche brings so much energy to this week’s episode of Better With Paul! Having recently celebrated her first seven-figure month, it’s clear that this woman knows her way around a dollar. Her unprecedented savings skills turned her into a millionaire by the time she was 36. It was a 360-degree change from the days when she was over $300k in debt. Born into a Nigerian household with a father who drilled financial literacy into his children’s heads as if it were casual dinner table discussion, her path almost seems inevitable. The Budgetnista brand may be a long way from the law firm her parents always hoped she’d be working in, but it’s become a multi-million dollar empire that inspires women from all backgrounds, especially Black women.In Episode 5, we get into the five main businesses that make up Tiffany’s brand. We talk about the highs and lows she experienced while trying to “find herself” in her 20s and 30s. Going from being a preschool teacher to now charging $30,000 and up to speak on a stage is one whirlwind of a life leap. Despite everyone’s opinions of what was ‘good enough’, Tiffany made a promise to never settle for just enough ever again. If her hardships taught her anything, it was to make sure she never allowed herself to get trapped in the same position. She possesses unmatched levels of discipline, backed by her faith and generosity. Her tips, tricks, and infallible insight has attracted an army of DreamCatchers who’ve collectively saved over $200 million through Tiffany’s ‘Live Richer Academy’. You’ve seen her on all the talk shows and YouTube videos – she may have sent you a friend request in the earlier, hungrier years of her career. Through all the content online, I couldn’t find the inside scoop on Tiffany’s story. Fortunately, this week, I get to bring you another Better With Paul First. Join us as we discuss the planning, sacrifice, and structure that’s helped The Budgetnista become an icon for financial literacy and wealth planning, not just for the Black community, but the world.To learn more about Tiffany: https://thebudgetnista.com/ Be sure to join the Better With Paul newsletter for my biggest takeaways from each episode and special announcements: https://www.paulcbrunson.com/better/Also, if you want to connect with the Better With Paul community, please join our private:Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/betterwithpaulLinkedIn Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/8941481/Thanks so much for listening! If you like this episode, please subscribe, rate, and review. 

This week’s episode of Better With Paul still has me speechless. I am in total awe of the vast vision, the philanthropic achievement, and the unbridled power Nana Kwame Bediako shares with the world. Commonly known as Freedom Jacob Caesar, you have to hear him break down the thought that went into selecting that name for yourself. I’ve met a lot of serial entrepreneurs during my day, but none who started their first business at just 8 years old. After raising 300 chickens from a handful of eggs, Freedom became an entrepreneur long before he even knew what the term was. Now, he’s on track to become the next Black billionaire. He is fearless (some may say a little crazy…), and that’s something every great entrepreneur needs to be. This interview revealed so much about Freedom’s success, and how far faith can really take you. He didn’t become the ‘Prince of Africa’ after years of study, his empire was built on guts. He made a million literally off of scraps and invested it all on a brand new venture that wouldn’t see a return for five years - while being a Ghanian student living in the UK. When most would see that type of success and never look back, Freedom decided to make his home country, and the continent as a whole, the headquarters for his operation.He’s bringing Africa to the world in a way we haven’t seen her before. When I asked him what he thought African Americans, Carribeans, and Black Brits could do for Africa and his response...wow. Freedom’s life can be recognized as a guide on how to see yourself where you want to be and don’t stop until you get there. He became a real estate mogul while sleeping on a waterbed - you’re going to want to hear the jewels he drops. This episode will take you to a place that forces you to appreciate the mental, physical, and spiritual sacrifice success demands. Ever the pan-African revolutionary, it makes me proud to know that men like Freedom have claimed space in arenas many may never reach. In just one episode, we walk through at least a dozen businesses he’s had a hand in, from investing in petroleum to selling knockoff designer clothes. Stories like this are a needed reminder that the levels we reach in life are largely determined by what we focus on and how badly we want it. Even when he was an 8-year-old child praying to see his first chicken egg hatch, Freedom got a lesson in faith, service, and sacrifice. In this episode, I decided to sit back and let the teacher teach. And that’s exactly what he did.Tune in now. This is history in the making.To learn more about Nana/Freedom: http://www.freedomjacobcaesar.com/ Be sure to join the Better With Paul newsletter for my biggest takeaways from each episode and special announcements: https://www.paulcbrunson.com/better/Also, if you want to connect with the Better With Paul community, please join our private:Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/betterwithpaulLinkedIn Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/8941481/Thanks so much for listening! If you like this episode, please subscribe, rate, and review. 

Legends don’t need to live loudly to leave their mark. This week’s guest on Better With Paul is the best possible example of how unnerving passion and the power of like minds can move mountains. In episode 3, we’re fortunate enough to sit down with Neville Garrick, one of the most influential people I’ve ever interviewed – but the world still knows so little about him.Desperate to figure out what inspired the man who quietly managed revolutionary movements alongside immortal names like Bob Marley and Angela Davis, I knew this interview had to happen. It’s hard to find someone who’s never heard of Bob Marley and I think it’s safe to say that Neville Garrick played a major role in that success. I did my best to come to the table prepared, but the sage wisdom Neville shares is something that hits you out of nowhere. It’s something you can never fully brace yourself for. You just have to listen as he pours this refined knowledge into the room. In this episode, we discuss the moment he recognized Bob Marley’s star quality as well as a few of the tragedies they experienced together. Everyone hears the story about the hero in the limelight. This week, I wanted to sit with a different type of legend. Consider this episode my way of making sure that the right-hand and artistic director for the famed ‘One Love’ megastar gets his roses from us now.When asked, my ganja-loving comrade won’t claim to be a ‘legend’, yet another trait I truly admire. Despite his humility, no one can convince me that his ability to translate powerful political, social, and individual battles through art is nothing short of legendary.Neville followed his passion and created space for himself in the world. He may have chosen to stick to the shadows, but the impact of his creative vision is felt and appreciated all around the world. Dubbed a “revolutionary artist” by his first mentor, college professor, and one-time crush, Angela Davis, Neville expresses his genius through visual mediums. His art turned Bob Marley’s stage show into an experience that moved people to make a difference. He painted political statements into Bob Marley’s album covers. Best of all, he studied the audience and the world around, to continuously produce art that people could feel for decades.His ability to see situations for their potential, not as they’re presented, is a skill every creative can learn from. Moved by the principles of the Rastafarian movement, Neville Garrick soon became the eye behind Bob Marley’s reign as one of the greatest artists of all time. “Legends Live Forever” seemed like the best title for Episode 3 because everything Bob Marley taught, all the things he believed, still live on through Neville. As he prepares to celebrate his 70th birthday, it’s clear that Neville is just getting started. He’s already lived a thousand lifetimes. I can’t wait to see what else his soul creates.Tune in to laugh and be inspired by one of the world’s most dynamic behind-the-scenes minds.To learn more about Neville: https://www.instagram.com/nevillegarrick Be sure to join the Better With Paul newsletter for my biggest takeaways from each episode and special announcements: https://www.paulcbrunson.com/better/Also, if you want to connect with the Better With Paul community, please join our private:Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/betterwithpaulLinkedIn Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/8941481/Thanks so much for listening! If you like this episode, please subscribe, rate and review.