Hello, and welcome
to Dollars and Sense.
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My name is Yvonne
Lewis, and I'll be the
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co-host for this program.
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Our primary host is Ryan
Mack, Financial Literacy expert.
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Ryan, it's a... Great day today.
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Hey, you know what?
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It's such a great
blessing to be able to co-host
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this program with you. Always!
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Yes, yes, yes. Do you
have a Scripture for us?
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Yes. Well, the theme of
the day is Death to the Hookup.
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You know how it is when somebody
goes into a friend's store
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and all of a sudden they
say, You know what? I think that
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I would like a discount
on this product or services.
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Well, the Scripture actually
speaks to Death to the Hookups,
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so let's hear what
it says here. Okay.
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Jeremiah 22:13 says:
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Um! Okay? And then
1Timothy 5:18 says:
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And I think these Scriptures
really outline when someone
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walks into an establishment,
and they walk into a store,
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and they want to automatically
ask for a discount.
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There's so many
things that goes into someone
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starting a business.
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And I am a huge
advocate of our small business.
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There's nothing more important
for the economic viability,
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outside of God, than
the success of our small
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businesses in our community.
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And as soon as you want
to give them free services,
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and without at least asking for
a, providing a barter or an even
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exchange, what you're doing
is you're taking the lifeblood
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right off the table
of our small businesses.
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You know, it's so funny you'd
say that, because there's just
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this automatic assumption,
like if you start a business,
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and I know you, and I go into
your business, my first thing is
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like, like, we're like...
We're here like, you know,
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can you give me
the hookup? Right.
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But that's really, it's
destructive to the business.
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And it's not fair. Uh huh.
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You know, we tend
to want that hookup.
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Right. And I remember the first
time when I started my financial
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planning company, and a
friend of mine asked me to,
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Hey, Ryan, can you come to
a speaking engagement for me?
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And I said, Yes, sure.
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I wouldn't mind going out
there and doing a speaking
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engagement for you.
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But I was just starting out.
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I didn't have a lot
of money at the time.
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And I'll tell you, it
was really hard times.
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But I thought the speaking
engagement was right next door
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pretty much, but actually
I had to get on the train,
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and I had to pay, but
I couldn't afford to pay.
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And so I asked him, I said,
Well, would you mind paying me
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for my services,
because I'm actually
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educating your individuals.
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And he just refused to
do it, and got so offended.
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And I remember that I actually
was struggling at the time
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to actually keep
food on my own table.
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I was
struggling to pay the rent.
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I was struggling
just to make it by.
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And here he is asking
for me to do something free.
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And there's so many business
owners that are out there that
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are going through the
exact same thing right now.
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They have a dream, they have
a mission, they have a vision.
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I mean this is where we
should have 3ABN Network.
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It was a dream, right?
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It was a
mission. It was a vision.
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And of all the
things they have to do,
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all those things
cost money. Exactly.
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And so I guess we have a video
that I'd love to just check out.
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I was actually at a
small business expo.
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And we, I like doing a lot
of things for the community.
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So we gathered over fifty
businesses, and we got a lot
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of banks together to just have
businesses to be able to just
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display what they're
selling for the community
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in products and services.
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And I had a chance to ask them,
How do you feel when someone
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asks you for a hookup?
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And you can check
out what they said here.
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Then let's take a look.
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How do you feel
when people ask you for a
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hookup of your services?
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Unless we're going
to do an even exchange
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or barter, don't ask me.
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And so the hookup is
really for us is come to an end.
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And if you can't purchase what
we have written we don't sell.
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How do you feel
when people ask you for a
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hookup of your services?
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I don't feel like people should
get a hookup, because if you go
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to Ticketmaster, Byantha
and I give you a hookup on our
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tickets usually, or Jay Z.
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So, I feel like if we can pay
her prices for those concerts,
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you can pay the price to
support a local business.
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Do we have a problem in
our community with not wanting
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to pay full price for
products and services?
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Yes. I mean sometimes we want
to get the hookup on everything.
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And we want ten percent off.
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And, you know, we can
maybe do a sale sometimes,
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but always getting a hookup,
you have to spend your time
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and your material to
actually make these things.
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So you should value the persons
as actually, business that
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you're actually shopping at.
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I don't think we have a
problem paying full price,
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because we will pay
full price for things that
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we deem have value.
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And I think that we need to make
sure that we value each other's
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business just as much as
we would value anyone else's.
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So we don't have a
problem paying full price,
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we just might need to make
sure that we value the business
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of our community just
as much as we value the
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business of those outside.
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No, no free products.
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If we want to see a comeback of
the city, if we want to support
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small business, if want to shop
local, and we think shopping
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local and small business is a
good idea, than our purchasing
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decisions need to reflect that.
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And we need to pay full price
for the products that these
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small businesses are selling.
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Because we need to
see the whole picture.
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Sometimes it's an even exchange.
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As long as
there's an even exchange.
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Sometimes that may
or may not be money.
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But as long as it's an
even exchange, a fair exchange.
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How do you feel when people ask
you for a hookup of the products
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that you're selling?
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I feel like my products
and my time are devalued.
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I feel like if you can't afford
it at the prices that I've
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determined are
fair value prices,
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then my products aren't for you.
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We need to realize that a
lot of sweat equity goes into
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making those products.
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And that small business owner,
because they've taken that risk
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to run that business,
to make that business,
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they've gone out on that ledge.
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Then we need to support them
by paying full price for the
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products that they're selling.
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And not kind of cheapening
what they're doing by saying,
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Well, let me
have the hookup here.
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You know, I'm going to go
a little bit, No, you didn't!
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Let me tell you
how devaluing that is.
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When you ask for a hookup
what you're saying is that,
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I want to degrade your services,
take you down in price,
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take food off your
table, and get it for free.
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You know what? I can't do it.
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I can't call DT and
ask them for a hookup.
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I can't call Michcon
and ask them for a hookup,
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because they have
to pay their bills.
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I have to pay mine also.
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And it's a lot of
things that have to be done.
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There's a lot of things behind
the scenes that most people
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don't even know about to
get to the closing table.
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It's not just
getting the offer accepted,
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it's getting the offer closed.
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And that span of time in there
is a lot of time and effort
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that we can't do for free.
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So we earn every
dime of our money.
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So there is no free.
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How do you feel
when people ask you for a
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hookup of your services?
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I feel a little
uneasy most of the time.
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You know, when people ask
for the hookup, to me that's,
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they're not serious.
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They're not committed.
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How do I feel? I feel devalued.
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I feel like my fifteen years
of expertise, and training,
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and education is
not of value to them.
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So I think as a community, one
of the things I would like to
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see is we learn to collaborate
and support one another.
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I'm okay with a barter.
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I'm okay if we're all
moving together, and we exchange
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services, and we're all
looking to support one another.
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When I say the word hookup,
and discount, that people are
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trying to ask for
services in our community,
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of our businesses.
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How does that make you feel?
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Oh, it makes me feel a little
conflicted, because, you know,
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it's great to
hook up your friends,
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and people that you
know with deals or discounts,
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but the end of the day it is a
business, and you have to think
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about your business.
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So the way I would kind of
rephrase that is reward loyalty.
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I think turn that
into a loyalty program.
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You know, the punch card.
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The rewarding someone
who's a consistent visitor.
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If someone's just going to come
into your business one time,
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get a hookup, and then never
see you again, that's not good.
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However, if you're going
to be a returning customer,
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who's going to come to my
business, tell your friends
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about my business, bring me
more business, I have no problem
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giving you kind of a hookup on
the front end if it's going to
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mean dividends on the back end.
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First of all, sometimes they
not only ask for a discount,
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but they ask for
my services for free.
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So what it makes me feel is that
they don't value my services,
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and value the intellect, or
the experience and the knowledge
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base that I bring to...
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It makes me feel cheap.
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That's what it makes me feel.
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Would you do that at McDonalds?
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Would you do that at Walmart?
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So why do it to us
when we're trying to
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come up as a community?
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How do you feel when
someone asks you for a
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hookup of your t-shirts?
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I feel that the person
shouldn't ask for a hookup.
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They should understand
that I have bills to pay.
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They should understand
that I have mouths to feed.
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But most importantly they should
understand that what I'm really
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trying to do is
better uplift the community.
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You can't better than
uplift the community by
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giving everyone a hookup.
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And so they should invest in
themselves by really investing
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in black businesses, and
investing in small businesses.
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Because the only ones
that will be able to improve
00:10:00.83\00:10:04.53
our communities is us.
00:10:04.57\00:10:06.63
So don't look for a hookup.
00:10:06.70\00:10:08.34
Help me improve the
community by spending your
00:10:08.37\00:10:11.51
money in the community.
00:10:11.54\00:10:13.17
Okay! I think it's very
interesting that the one thing
00:10:15.11\00:10:20.32
that they all pretty much
said the same thing was value.
00:10:20.38\00:10:24.45
They want to feel valued.
00:10:24.49\00:10:27.42
And bottom line is the
small business community has a
00:10:27.46\00:10:31.43
tremendous amount of value.
00:10:31.46\00:10:32.79
If you think about
all of the things that we
00:10:32.83\00:10:35.06
interact with daily; you
know you go to the barbershop
00:10:35.10\00:10:38.83
how many
employees does that have?
00:10:38.87\00:10:40.47
You go to the dentist.
00:10:40.50\00:10:42.00
How many employees
that you go to a restaurant?
00:10:42.04\00:10:43.77
Maybe thirty tops for
the larger businesses.
00:10:43.84\00:10:48.18
And all the way down to your
local pharmaceutical stores,
00:10:48.21\00:10:52.08
to your local
bakeries, to your...
00:10:52.11\00:10:53.95
All of these businesses have
one hundred employees or less.
00:10:53.98\00:10:58.15
And these are the small
businesses that essentially
00:10:58.19\00:11:00.56
create seventy percent of our
economy is consumer spending.
00:11:00.59\00:11:04.76
So if we?... And where are they
going to spend their money on?
00:11:04.79\00:11:08.53
And if we take away the business
there's nothing to spend their
00:11:08.56\00:11:11.67
money on, there's nothing
to build up the community.
00:11:11.70\00:11:13.40
And as we've said, poverty and
crime are positively correlated.
00:11:13.44\00:11:17.17
And there's nothing... One
of the best ways to fix poverty
00:11:17.21\00:11:20.18
in our communities is by helping
the small business to recover.
00:11:20.24\00:11:22.88
And we need to support them.
00:11:22.91\00:11:24.31
Absolutely. It's interesting to
me that everybody in the video
00:11:24.35\00:11:29.22
had had some kind of
experience with someone
00:11:29.25\00:11:32.09
asking for a hookup. Right, yep.
00:11:32.12\00:11:34.12
And so I think it's, you
know, the natural inclination,
00:11:34.16\00:11:38.89
I think is to say, Okay, I
know you, you know, hook me up.
00:11:38.93\00:11:42.46
But really we need to really
be thinking about how to help
00:11:42.50\00:11:46.03
each individual that's in
small businesses, so that we can
00:11:46.07\00:11:50.37
support them, and just like
the man was saying at the end,
00:11:50.44\00:11:54.11
that helps the community.
00:11:54.14\00:11:56.04
We help the small business,
it helps the community,
00:11:56.08\00:11:58.71
and everybody benefits.
00:11:58.75\00:12:00.22
The Bible also says,
Freely you have received,
00:12:00.25\00:12:02.75
freely you shall give. Uh huh.
00:12:02.78\00:12:04.59
And a lot of times what
I've heard, and in my opinion
00:12:04.62\00:12:07.69
wrongfully so, was individuals
will say, Well, businesses
00:12:07.72\00:12:10.43
should want to give, you know.
00:12:10.46\00:12:12.29
Well, how about
we turn that around?
00:12:12.33\00:12:14.10
As opposed to saying,
How about they give to us?
00:12:14.10\00:12:15.63
How about we give to them? Nice!
00:12:15.66\00:12:17.33
How about we support them?
00:12:17.37\00:12:19.00
How about we give to them?
00:12:19.03\00:12:20.40
And they do give a lot.
00:12:20.44\00:12:22.04
You know, the word
clearly says the laborer is
00:12:22.07\00:12:24.91
worthy of his reward.
00:12:24.94\00:12:26.41
Do not muzzle the ox
that treadeth out the corn.
00:12:26.44\00:12:30.71
I mean this is very scriptural,
so I've actually provided some
00:12:30.75\00:12:34.95
very tangible tips, very basic
tips for the community that I
00:12:34.98\00:12:39.09
would like all
of them to follow.
00:12:39.12\00:12:40.96
And I think that the first
thing is the small business
00:12:40.99\00:12:45.86
support model, okay?
00:12:45.89\00:12:48.33
So a series of questions
that everyone should be
00:12:48.36\00:12:51.73
able to ask themselves.
00:12:51.77\00:12:53.37
When someone comes up to
you and says, Hey, here's a
00:12:53.40\00:12:56.37
product or a service.
00:12:56.40\00:12:57.74
So if someone comes up to
you and asks for a product or
00:12:57.77\00:13:00.98
service the first thing you need
to do is say, Okay, do I need
00:13:01.01\00:13:04.65
this product or service?
00:13:04.68\00:13:06.92
And if the answer is no, then
the first thing you should do
00:13:06.95\00:13:12.02
is then refer them to two people
who could need that product
00:13:12.05\00:13:16.73
or service. Uh huh.
00:13:16.76\00:13:18.19
If the answer is yes, you
need to ask yourself another
00:13:18.23\00:13:22.46
question: Is this product or
service worthy of my support?
00:13:22.50\00:13:28.10
If the answer is no, the first
thing you need to do is talk
00:13:28.14\00:13:33.84
to that business owner, and give
them constructive criticism.
00:13:33.88\00:13:37.21
One of the best things that ever
happened to me when I started my
00:13:37.25\00:13:39.51
business was Yvonne Gordon.
00:13:39.55\00:13:43.75
She gave me some of the
harshest criticism when I was
00:13:43.79\00:13:48.49
selling my life insurance.
00:13:48.52\00:13:49.86
And I was very green.
00:13:49.89\00:13:51.23
I had got my license.
00:13:51.26\00:13:52.59
And it took forever to
take their underwriting,
00:13:52.63\00:13:54.30
and so she ended up
taking her business elsewhere.
00:13:54.36\00:13:55.93
And she told me
exactly why she did it.
00:13:55.96\00:13:57.77
And it was harsh. Really?
00:13:57.80\00:13:59.80
And I tell you right now, that
was one of the biggest blessings
00:13:59.83\00:14:03.91
that I ever
received. Tell us why.
00:14:03.94\00:14:05.84
Well, when she essentially
told me about myself,
00:14:05.87\00:14:10.68
I'm not going to sit back
and say I felt good about it.
00:14:10.75\00:14:12.78
I'm not going to sit back
and say I didn't mumble some few
00:14:12.81\00:14:15.45
words under my breath.
00:14:15.48\00:14:16.82
That you had to
repent for later?
00:14:16.89\00:14:19.65
That I had to repent for.
00:14:19.69\00:14:21.39
But you know what? It was the
biggest blessing in the world,
00:14:21.42\00:14:23.63
because it told me, and it made
me know exactly what I needed
00:14:23.66\00:14:27.60
to do to fix whatever
was wrong with my business.
00:14:27.66\00:14:30.53
And we don't do that
enough for our businesses.
00:14:30.57\00:14:32.63
That's right. That's another
Biblical idea, or principle,
00:14:32.67\00:14:35.80
that correction, dealing with
correction, and correction is a
00:14:35.84\00:14:39.71
positive thing, especially if
it's done, you know, if we take
00:14:39.74\00:14:45.18
it properly. Right.
00:14:45.21\00:14:46.78
Fools are the ones
that disregard correction.
00:14:46.82\00:14:50.35
That's true. So you took
the correction, and it actually
00:14:50.39\00:14:54.12
improved what you did.
00:14:54.16\00:14:56.26
I ended up going out
and I hired somebody.
00:14:56.29\00:14:58.26
I hired a good friend of mine
to this day, Christina Hodges.
00:14:58.29\00:15:02.36
And she was in charge
of pushing our products
00:15:02.40\00:15:06.00
through underwriting, and making
sure all the policy and the
00:15:06.03\00:15:08.17
paperwork was done in
an expeditious matter.
00:15:08.20\00:15:10.61
But had not Yvonne taken
that time to do that for me,
00:15:10.64\00:15:13.68
I'd have been... I would have
never been able to correct it.
00:15:13.71\00:15:16.64
And so many times as opposed
to giving constructive criticism
00:15:16.68\00:15:20.72
in a public place like Yelp,
or some place where everybody's
00:15:20.75\00:15:24.19
going to see it publicly,
talk to the business owner.
00:15:24.22\00:15:26.39
Talk to the individual
and say, Hey, you know what?
00:15:26.42\00:15:29.09
Your service was
a little bit slow.
00:15:29.12\00:15:30.73
You know, there was a restaurant
in my neighborhood where
00:15:30.76\00:15:33.53
we actually helped him.
00:15:33.60\00:15:34.93
We got him, we invested, and
pulled our money and got him a
00:15:34.93\00:15:37.03
business mentor, because
his service was just awful.
00:15:37.07\00:15:40.24
But he was a
community based restaurant.
00:15:40.30\00:15:42.14
We wanted to see
him be successful.
00:15:42.17\00:15:43.67
Because of when in our
businesses we have to have
00:15:43.71\00:15:45.87
ownership of these businesses.
00:15:45.91\00:15:47.28
So if the answer
is no, then give them
00:15:47.34\00:15:50.31
Constructive Criticism.
00:15:50.35\00:15:51.68
Now if the answer is yes, and
you say you can, this is worthy
00:15:51.71\00:15:55.78
of your support, then if you
have the money, buy the product
00:15:55.82\00:15:59.52
or service, and if
you definitely need it.
00:15:59.55\00:16:01.92
So these are the simple model
that simply says, Let me just
00:16:01.96\00:16:07.86
make sure that we can do all
we can that every single person
00:16:07.93\00:16:10.47
that comes in front of me, that
we find a way to support them,
00:16:10.50\00:16:13.74
whether it's through a referral,
or constructive criticism,
00:16:13.77\00:16:16.74
or purchasing the product,
or any other way that we
00:16:16.81\00:16:21.41
can to support them.
00:16:21.44\00:16:22.78
Maybe we can
give income services.
00:16:22.81\00:16:24.15
A lot of individuals
do that all of the time.
00:16:24.18\00:16:26.05
I just say, Look, I
can't afford your services.
00:16:26.08\00:16:27.98
I value your business,
but let me see what I can do
00:16:28.02\00:16:31.02
to help support it.
00:16:31.05\00:16:32.39
Maybe I can volunteer, maybe I
can refer some interns for you.
00:16:32.42\00:16:35.59
Whatever we can
do to help support.
00:16:35.62\00:16:36.96
So that's the
small business model.
00:16:37.03\00:16:39.93
Another thing that we like
to do, and it's a good tip for
00:16:40.00\00:16:43.63
small businesses is to
have a customer loyalty program.
00:16:43.67\00:16:47.67
I think Devin in the video
here talked about it where, yes,
00:16:47.70\00:16:52.51
you can give a hookup if
that customer is loyal to you.
00:16:52.54\00:16:57.68
You go in and you see
it all the time at various
00:16:57.71\00:17:00.35
sandwich companies.
00:17:00.38\00:17:01.72
You have ten sandwiches,
you buy ten I'll give you
00:17:01.75\00:17:04.42
the eleventh one for free.
00:17:04.45\00:17:05.79
So these types of
things that allow you to
00:17:05.82\00:17:08.52
simply build loyalty.
00:17:08.56\00:17:09.89
And if you see these businesses,
or customers that are coming
00:17:09.92\00:17:13.16
into your shop frequently,
and they're bringing other
00:17:13.19\00:17:15.46
people in there, then
those are the people that you
00:17:15.50\00:17:17.40
need to also invest in.
00:17:17.47\00:17:18.80
Because they are
essentially doing your job.
00:17:18.83\00:17:20.27
They're marketing for you.
00:17:20.34\00:17:21.70
And then lastly, and a great tip
for business owners that's out
00:17:21.74\00:17:25.54
there is get involved
in educational marketing.
00:17:25.57\00:17:28.11
I like to call it
benevolent marketing.
00:17:28.14\00:17:29.98
This is where it was great for
my business when I started it,
00:17:30.05\00:17:32.95
because the main thing I
did as a financial adviser was
00:17:32.98\00:17:35.52
teaching, and educating,
and getting out there.
00:17:35.55\00:17:38.02
And every single time I could,
get into the community, teach,
00:17:38.05\00:17:42.06
provide free workshops, provide
free programs, free services.
00:17:42.09\00:17:45.16
I wouldn't give the entire power
away, but I would give a little
00:17:45.19\00:17:49.63
nugget to say, Here's just
enough about financial literacy
00:17:49.66\00:17:52.20
that if you want to
give additional services,
00:17:52.23\00:17:54.74
that you can come back and you
can pay for additional services.
00:17:54.77\00:17:57.91
And so a lot of restaurants
might provide cooking classes.
00:17:57.94\00:18:01.28
Or legal services,
or lawyers might provide
00:18:01.31\00:18:04.65
free lawyer legal tips.
00:18:04.68\00:18:06.21
Find different web sites.
00:18:06.25\00:18:07.58
You can blog, you can blog
on many different websites.
00:18:07.65\00:18:10.42
Or you can write, and
that gets your name out there.
00:18:10.45\00:18:12.69
Social media is a great
time to get your name out there.
00:18:12.72\00:18:16.06
It markets you for free.
00:18:16.09\00:18:18.26
And individuals
learn about your services.
00:18:18.29\00:18:19.83
And when they come to
you, consumers, again,
00:18:19.86\00:18:21.83
make sure you pay full price.
00:18:21.86\00:18:23.26
You know, I'm sitting
here listening to this,
00:18:23.30\00:18:26.10
and this is such great
information, because so many
00:18:26.13\00:18:28.67
people either you
have a small business,
00:18:28.70\00:18:32.87
or you are a
consumer of that business.
00:18:32.91\00:18:37.48
And so you don't
just go to the business,
00:18:37.55\00:18:40.82
you support the business. Right.
00:18:40.85\00:18:42.42
I think that is such
great information. Right.
00:18:42.45\00:18:44.95
It really, really is.
00:18:44.99\00:18:46.32
I mean it's a circular
level of support, right?
00:18:46.35\00:18:50.56
You have the, it's
again seventy percent of GDP
00:18:50.63\00:18:53.70
is consumer spending.
00:18:53.73\00:18:55.03
And for those who
don't know what GDP is?
00:18:55.06\00:18:57.07
The Gross Domestic Product.
00:18:57.13\00:18:58.47
Of all the things that
we produce in this country
00:18:58.50\00:19:00.67
seventy percent is what other
individuals are spending their
00:19:00.70\00:19:03.44
money on every single day.
00:19:03.47\00:19:04.81
And so when you buy
water, or food, or clothing,
00:19:04.84\00:19:10.48
all of that goes into
Gross Domestic Product,
00:19:10.51\00:19:13.11
and that
essentially churns this economy.
00:19:13.15\00:19:15.18
So we have to 1, and this is
why Dollars and Sense is very
00:19:15.22\00:19:19.15
important, is make sure that our
individuals are being fiscally
00:19:19.19\00:19:22.46
responsible; that
they're spending their
00:19:22.49\00:19:23.86
money in the right way,
and circulating their dollar,
00:19:23.89\00:19:26.59
and generating more
dollars for themselves.
00:19:26.63\00:19:28.83
But then when they
start to spend that money,
00:19:28.86\00:19:30.87
where do they spend it?
00:19:30.90\00:19:32.27
And it's usually in
their local community.
00:19:32.30\00:19:34.37
Again, a lot of civil rights
activists have really advocated
00:19:34.40\00:19:38.57
for, and Malcolm X said it.
00:19:38.61\00:19:40.18
The community in
which you spend your money
00:19:40.21\00:19:42.44
becomes richer and richer.
00:19:42.48\00:19:43.98
And the money in which
your community is left out of
00:19:44.05\00:19:46.65
becomes poorer and poorer.
00:19:46.72\00:19:48.05
So we have to really be
cognizant of making sure that
00:19:48.08\00:19:51.25
if we're going to spend
our money, we support those
00:19:51.29\00:19:53.79
businesses in our own community
to make our dollars circulate
00:19:53.86\00:19:56.96
effectively, because in
many cities around this country:
00:19:57.03\00:20:00.63
Detroit, Chicago, urban areas,
and rural areas in Appalachia,
00:20:00.70\00:20:04.80
they all have small businesses
that are just trying to make it,
00:20:04.83\00:20:08.24
just trying to have an
idea, just try to get a leg up.
00:20:08.27\00:20:11.51
So we've got to support them
and make sure we get a viable,
00:20:11.54\00:20:14.08
long term, and
sustainable economic recovery.
00:20:14.14\00:20:16.71
That's great advice.
00:20:16.75\00:20:18.98
And so it's not just
about your own self-interest,
00:20:19.01\00:20:23.65
it's also investing in the
community that you live in.
00:20:23.69\00:20:27.32
Right. They're
serving the community.
00:20:27.36\00:20:28.99
They have the service.
00:20:29.02\00:20:30.39
If you don't like it
you say something. Right.
00:20:30.43\00:20:32.86
If you like it you
say something. Right.
00:20:32.89\00:20:35.13
I think you should reinforce
the good, and I think you should
00:20:35.16\00:20:37.97
also give
constructive criticism. Exactly.
00:20:38.00\00:20:40.57
And then also we have to feel
responsible for our brothers
00:20:40.60\00:20:46.51
and sisters, who are just
trying to do better. Right.
00:20:46.54\00:20:50.68
So I think all of that, just
supporting local businesses,
00:20:50.71\00:20:55.55
is so important, because in
so doing, our communities get
00:20:55.58\00:20:59.25
economically viable. Uh huh.
00:20:59.29\00:21:01.82
And that's what we're really
aiming at; trying to help others
00:21:01.86\00:21:07.40
to just reach their goals.
00:21:07.40\00:21:09.06
And that's a Biblical, that's
a Biblical principle, too.
00:21:09.10\00:21:11.87
And the thing is, you know,
we just, when we watch the news
00:21:11.90\00:21:16.44
and it seems as if, and not to
make it a political discussion,
00:21:16.47\00:21:20.78
but a lot of emphasis has
been placed on politics lately.
00:21:20.84\00:21:23.81
Oh yeah. And for the last two
or three years, and even longer
00:21:23.85\00:21:28.32
than that you're seeing this
politician, or that politician,
00:21:28.35\00:21:31.19
and, you know, the essence of
politics is a servant position.
00:21:31.22\00:21:35.32
The politicians job is to be
a servant for the people. Right.
00:21:35.36\00:21:39.73
Well, the businesses job is
to make sure when you start the
00:21:39.76\00:21:43.30
business you need to
serve yourself as well as the
00:21:43.33\00:21:45.37
surrounding community as well.
00:21:45.40\00:21:46.97
So it really is more of
an empowerment perspective,
00:21:47.00\00:21:49.37
that if you can support
your businesses, it is direct
00:21:49.40\00:21:51.87
it is tangible. If you vote
for someone they may, or may not
00:21:51.91\00:21:55.88
abide by what you
wanted them to do.
00:21:55.91\00:21:57.85
You never know. But if you
can support that small business,
00:21:57.88\00:22:00.72
you know it goes
right to the bottom line.
00:22:00.75\00:22:02.38
You can look and see the
people that they've hired.
00:22:02.42\00:22:04.29
You might have a son
or daughter that works in
00:22:04.32\00:22:06.49
that small business.
00:22:06.52\00:22:07.86
You might have some
individuals who you know.
00:22:07.89\00:22:09.59
And you go to
that small business.
00:22:09.62\00:22:11.06
It provides a viable place.
00:22:11.09\00:22:12.43
You know they're
spending money in the community.
00:22:12.46\00:22:14.40
I have a good friend of mine,
Chef Don in Detroit, he buys all
00:22:14.46\00:22:19.83
of his local produce from people
who grow organically, locally,
00:22:19.87\00:22:23.51
in the Detroit area. Nice!
00:22:23.57\00:22:25.17
So it becomes a local...
again the dollar starts to...
00:22:25.21\00:22:28.68
You can see it! It's a very
visible perspective of a dollar
00:22:28.71\00:22:33.25
circulating effectively.
00:22:33.28\00:22:34.62
And every single time
that dollar circulates from one
00:22:34.65\00:22:37.19
business, to one person, to the
next person, it becomes a more,
00:22:37.25\00:22:41.02
and more of empowerment.
00:22:41.06\00:22:42.39
So as soon as you
say, You know what?
00:22:42.42\00:22:43.79
I don't want to
spend full value.
00:22:43.83\00:22:45.19
I don't want to pay full price.
00:22:45.23\00:22:47.66
That dollar removes itself from
the ecosystem of the economy
00:22:47.73\00:22:51.73
in your local community.
00:22:51.77\00:22:53.10
And you're essentially taking
food off the table from not only
00:22:53.13\00:22:55.34
that business owner, but
eventually yourself, because,
00:22:55.37\00:22:57.84
again, you're taking away
the empowerment of that economic
00:22:57.87\00:23:00.78
base of that community.
00:23:00.81\00:23:02.14
So we've really
got to be cognizant
00:23:02.18\00:23:03.51
of every single decision.
00:23:03.55\00:23:04.91
And we should
be supporting them,
00:23:04.95\00:23:07.92
marketing, cheering for them.
00:23:07.95\00:23:09.45
And there's no need for
competing of one another.
00:23:09.48\00:23:12.95
We have to complete one another.
00:23:12.99\00:23:14.32
Ah, nice! So we have to
really be supportive of our...
00:23:14.36\00:23:16.42
I mean I'm the biggest
cheerleader when it comes
00:23:16.46\00:23:18.43
to small businesses.
00:23:18.46\00:23:19.79
I love that. It's
not about competing.
00:23:19.83\00:23:21.13
It's about completing. Exactly.
00:23:21.16\00:23:22.70
That's beautiful. Now we are not
talking about small businesses
00:23:22.73\00:23:27.00
like your local
liquor store, or your...
00:23:27.04\00:23:29.80
We're not trying to support
that kind of local business,
00:23:29.84\00:23:33.14
so don't get us wrong.
00:23:33.17\00:23:34.61
We support
according to our values.
00:23:34.64\00:23:39.01
Yes, absolutely. It's a point
well taken, there are businesses
00:23:39.05\00:23:43.65
out there, liquor stores,
weed refineries, check cashing,
00:23:43.69\00:23:47.46
payday loans, cash
advances, pawn shops.
00:23:47.52\00:23:51.23
All of these are
businesses that essentially are
00:23:51.26\00:23:53.60
exploiting the community. Right.
00:23:53.66\00:23:55.73
So supporting those businesses
are essentially taking money out
00:23:55.76\00:23:59.43
of the economic
viability, and long term
00:23:59.47\00:24:01.97
sustainability
of that community.
00:24:02.00\00:24:04.11
So we've really... You're right,
you really have to be diligent
00:24:04.14\00:24:06.51
about making sure that that
business has the best interest
00:24:06.54\00:24:09.31
of your community at heart.
00:24:09.34\00:24:10.68
That's right, that's right.
00:24:10.75\00:24:12.18
Biblical principles we
can apply in every situation.
00:24:12.21\00:24:16.02
And just know that
that's the best way to go.
00:24:16.05\00:24:20.06
Absolutely,
absolutely. Best way to go.
00:24:20.09\00:24:22.16
And the bottom line is we
are in such a challenging time
00:24:22.19\00:24:25.86
economically right now.
00:24:25.89\00:24:27.23
And, yes, we have to support
our businesses, but we have to
00:24:27.30\00:24:29.33
learn how to
create our own business.
00:24:29.36\00:24:31.07
I mean, the word says
all things are possible
00:24:31.10\00:24:33.30
for those who believe.
00:24:33.34\00:24:34.67
And what we have to believe
is the majority of S&P-500 were
00:24:34.70\00:24:39.27
formed during times
of economic recession.
00:24:39.31\00:24:41.44
So the largest companies in this
country were formed in times
00:24:41.48\00:24:45.21
of the hardest economic times.
00:24:45.25\00:24:47.12
So what we have to really
understand is that when we look
00:24:47.18\00:24:51.02
at all these trials of
tribulation, the beautiful thing
00:24:51.05\00:24:54.26
about God is that
He's just so merciful.
00:24:54.29\00:24:57.69
He's just so great.
00:24:57.73\00:24:59.06
He has so much grace
and mercy on what we have.
00:24:59.09\00:25:00.96
When you look around
and see all of this need,
00:25:00.96\00:25:02.83
what do businesses do?
00:25:02.86\00:25:05.10
We fulfill need. So
the more needs you have,
00:25:05.13\00:25:08.50
the more opportunity
you have to fulfill the need
00:25:08.54\00:25:11.17
that actually exists.
00:25:11.21\00:25:12.54
So I have a lot of good friends
who actually created businesses
00:25:12.57\00:25:15.58
out of these economic times.
00:25:15.61\00:25:17.65
We had individuals who
created businesses for veterans,
00:25:17.68\00:25:19.65
because they had
higher homeless rates.
00:25:19.68\00:25:21.25
We had individuals who created
businesses for those who were
00:25:21.28\00:25:24.39
formerly
incarcerated, because levels of
00:25:24.42\00:25:25.85
incarceration went higher.
00:25:25.89\00:25:27.26
I actually wrote a book,
The Stop and Frisk Handbook.
00:25:27.29\00:25:30.33
And I sold that and created
a business in order to educate
00:25:30.36\00:25:32.36
individuals to make sure
that as they stopped they were
00:25:32.39\00:25:35.60
being educated about what
they could do, and learn their
00:25:35.63\00:25:37.70
Constitutional rights, and
also make sure they're getting
00:25:37.73\00:25:39.60
educated so they're not
loitering in the first place.
00:25:39.63\00:25:42.24
So all of these things we
are business models and ideas
00:25:42.27\00:25:46.27
that sadly the largest place
where you'll find the most ideas
00:25:46.31\00:25:50.81
is in the graveyard.
00:25:50.85\00:25:52.18
Because people pass
away, and they never
00:25:52.21\00:25:54.75
institute these ideas.
00:25:54.78\00:25:56.12
So I'm urging all of you people
out there, listen if you've got
00:25:56.15\00:25:59.69
an idea we need you to
take that idea from your head,
00:25:59.72\00:26:04.39
and put it into fruition.
00:26:04.43\00:26:06.73
God gave you that
dream not by happenstance.
00:26:06.76\00:26:10.87
This is just not incidental.
00:26:10.90\00:26:12.40
That dream is a message that
He's trying to give to you to
00:26:12.43\00:26:16.37
start that business,
create opportunity not only for
00:26:16.40\00:26:19.14
yourself and your family,
but also revive your community.
00:26:19.17\00:26:23.04
And then for those who are brave
enough to do so, kudos to you.
00:26:23.08\00:26:26.65
The other individuals in the
community, for those that have,
00:26:26.72\00:26:30.22
we need to support them.
00:26:30.29\00:26:31.62
They stepped out on a ledge.
00:26:31.65\00:26:32.99
Take the dollar
out of your pocket,
00:26:33.02\00:26:34.59
and give to those individuals.
00:26:34.62\00:26:36.36
And this is what
the message is of,
00:26:36.39\00:26:38.56
that the Scripture's all about.
00:26:38.59\00:26:40.40
If we can do just
this, we will be alright.
00:26:40.43\00:26:43.00
And we can take control back
of our own economic viability,
00:26:43.03\00:26:46.33
in every single community,
whether you're in urban America,
00:26:46.37\00:26:50.07
world America,
Appalachia, everywhere
00:26:50.11\00:26:52.67
it's possible to do so.
00:26:52.71\00:26:54.04
Absolutely, absolutely.
00:26:54.08\00:26:55.41
We need to do a program just
about how to set up a business.
00:26:55.48\00:27:00.15
Absolutely! So, and you have
a takeaway for us for today?
00:27:00.18\00:27:04.69
Absolutely. I have
some good things to say.
00:27:04.75\00:27:07.59
Alright. Well then,
let's get to it. Ha ha!
00:27:07.62\00:27:10.39
In your community
there are many businesses.
00:27:16.23\00:27:18.80
These businesses, if supported,
will bring respectable traffic
00:27:18.83\00:27:21.84
to your community.
00:27:21.87\00:27:23.20
Restaurants, bakeries,
law firms, doctors' offices,
00:27:23.24\00:27:25.74
schools, libraries, and more are
all a reflection of the upkeep
00:27:25.77\00:27:29.28
and character of your community.
00:27:29.31\00:27:30.88
Frequent investment is
crucial to property value
00:27:30.95\00:27:33.31
and the quality of living,
so be sure to pay full price
00:27:33.35\00:27:35.95
when you're down at
your friends establishment,
00:27:35.98\00:27:37.39
or pay full price from
your services from a close buddy
00:27:37.42\00:27:40.69
who's an accountant.
00:27:40.76\00:27:42.09
These are the investments
that matter most to your
00:27:42.12\00:27:43.73
network and community.
00:27:43.76\00:27:45.09
I don't want to see another
business close its doors.
00:27:45.13\00:27:47.50
Let's follow Romans 4:4 that
says, Now to the one that works,
00:27:47.50\00:27:51.53
His wages are not counted
as a gift but as his due.
00:27:51.57\00:27:54.30
Or Leviticus 19:13 that
says, You shall not oppress your
00:27:54.34\00:27:57.64
neighbor or rob him.
00:27:57.67\00:27:59.01
The wages of a hired servant
shall not remain with you
00:27:59.04\00:28:01.44
all night until the morning.
00:28:01.48\00:28:02.81
Let's join together to
aggressively recommend good
00:28:02.84\00:28:05.58
services and
products, and pledge putting
00:28:05.61\00:28:07.55
an end to the hookup.
00:28:07.58\00:28:08.92
And remember, be the
change, and the purpose of life
00:28:08.95\00:28:11.02
is a life full of purpose.
00:28:11.05\00:28:12.39
Till next time,
Dollars and Sense.
00:28:12.42\00:28:14.32