The Steve Harvey Morning Show

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Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Tim Mercer.
Author of Bootstrap Millionaire and CFO of Cadence Ventures, Inc.:
🎯 Purpose of the Interview
To inspire and educate aspiring entrepreneurs and professionals by sharing Tim Mercer’s journey from humble beginnings to financial success, emphasizing the importance of hard work, faith, planning, and leveraging government contracts and nontraditional financing.
🗝️ Key Takeaways
Background & Journey
Tim Mercer grew up in Mullins, South Carolina, in modest circumstances.
His path to success began with military service, which broadened his worldview and led him to entrepreneurship.

Bootstrap Millionaire Philosophy
The term “bootstrap” symbolizes hard work, sacrifice, and perseverance.
Mercer emphasizes that success doesn’t come overnight—it requires grinding, planning, and faith.

Importance of a Business Plan
A solid business plan is essential for securing funding and guiding business growth.
Mercer shares real-life examples of people failing to secure support due to lack of planning.

Cadence Ventures, Inc.
A boutique private equity firm offering nontraditional financing for real estate investors.
Focuses on investment properties and uses the property itself as collateral.

Government Contracting
Mercer began in government contracting in 2012 and credits it with helping him scale his business.
He stresses that while it’s complex and paperwork-heavy, it’s a valuable opportunity for minority-owned businesses.
Free resources like SAM.gov and Georgia Tech’s GT PAC can help entrepreneurs navigate the process.

Success Requires Sacrifice
Mercer highlights that every successful person has a story of struggle and sacrifice.
His book’s first chapter, “See the Glory, Don’t Know the Story,” encapsulates this message.

💬 Notable Quotes
“If you want to have the things tomorrow that other people won’t have, then you got to be willing to do the things today that other people won’t do.” — Tim Mercer quoting Les Brown
“There’s no success without sacrifice.” — Tim Mercer
“You can only make as much as the customer that you have.” — Tim Mercer on scaling through government contracts
“See the glory, don’t know the story.” — Chapter title from Bootstrap Millionaire
#SHMS #STRAW #BEST
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Listen and subscribe to Money Making Conversations on iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, www.moneymakingconversations.com/subscribe/ or wherever you listen to podcasts. New Money Making Conversations episodes drop daily. I want to alert you, so you don’t miss out on expert analysis and insider perspectives from my guests who provide tips that can help you uplift the community, improve your financial planning, motivation, or advice on how to be a successful entrepreneur. Keep winning!
Two-time Emmy and three-time NAACP Image Award-winning television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Brendan Kaminsky.
Founder of B Known Agency, a boutique branding and digital marketing firm specializing in sports and entertainment. Kaminsky shares his journey from consulting, to working at ESPN, to eventually launching his own agency. He discusses helping major personalities like Stephen A. Smith, Jalen Rose, Harrison Barnes, and Rich Eisen develop strong social media identities and storytelling strategies.
Brendan explains why he left ESPN after six and a half years—despite the security, prestige, and Disney benefits—to pursue entrepreneurship. He describes how brand building has shifted from traditional media to a landscape where relatability, vertical video, audience engagement, and consistent content matter more than follower counts.
He also talks about the pressure of managing public-facing work in real time, the importance of being accessible to high‑profile clients, the rising role of AI in content creation, and how social platforms have become core to modern marketing strategies.
Additionally, Brendan shares specific examples of working with Jalen Rose on mixing sports commentary with community-focused storytelling and describes how Rich Eisen’s annual “Run Rich Run” 40‑yard dash evolved into a signature charitable brand moment.
The interview closes with insights on relationship-building, authenticity, and visibility—reinforcing that in the digital era, it’s not just “who you know,” but who knows you.
PURPOSE OF THE INTERVIEW 1. To highlight Brendan Kaminsky’s entrepreneurial journey
McDonald explores how Kaminsky transitioned from a major corporation (ESPN) to founding a successful agency.
2. To educate listeners on the evolving world of branding and digital media
Kaminsky explains how branding now depends on relatability, vertical video, and engagement over follower count.
3. To provide actionable guidance for entrepreneurs and creators
The interview teaches how consistency, accessibility, and storytelling help build a recognizable digital brand.
4. To show how athletes and media personalities use content to expand influence
Brendan walks through real client strategies—from Jalen Rose’s community work to Rich Eisen’s fundraising dash.
5. To explore the role of AI in modern marketing
Kaminsky discusses how AI assists with analytics, research, and identifying viral content moments.
KEY TAKEAWAYS 1. Relatability drives modern branding
People connect with authenticity, not polished promotion. Talk to your audience, not at them.
2. Engagement matters more than follower count
Algorithms reward content that resonates, regardless of how many people follow you. A creator with 10,000 followers can hit a million views.
3. Social media requires presence and accessibility
High-profile clients expect responsiveness; being available is key to agency success.
4. Vertical video is the new standard
Optimizing content for mobile consumption is essential—TV graphics no longer dictate how content is built.
5. AI is an asset, not a threat
Kaminsky uses AI for virality scoring, caption suggestions, research, and identifying strong clips from long-form content.
6. Data tells the story
Success can be clearly measured through views, engagement, and growth—unlike billboards or traditional media.
7. Use “hot topics” to highlight deeper work
For clients like Jalen Rose, trending sports conversations help drive attention to community-focused initiatives like his leadership academy.
8. Brand moments can start from something small
Rich Eisen’s 40-yard dash evolved into a signature charity event and content anchor.
9. Entrepreneurship requires trusting your gut
He left ESPN without telling anyone beforehand to avoid discouragement—because he felt the pull to build his own vision.
10. Visibility creates opportunity
In the digital era, it’s not just who you know—it’s who knows you.
NOTABLE QUOTES On entrepreneurship
“I trusted my gut… I didn’t tell one person I was leaving ESPN because I didn’t want anyone to make me doubt myself.”
On branding
“People want to relate to you. They want to get to know you.”
“Talk directly to your audience.”
On social metrics
“It’s become a lot more about engagement and views than total follower number.”
On accessibility
“You could be the best at your job, but if a client can’t reach you, it doesn’t matter.”
On visibility
“It’s not about who you know—it’s about who knows you.”
On AI
“AI is absolutely an asset… it helps us with research, analytics, even virality scoring.”
#SHMS #STRAW #BEST
Support the show: https://www.steveharveyfm.com/
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Listen and subscribe to Money Making Conversations on iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, www.moneymakingconversations.com/subscribe/ or wherever you listen to podcasts. New Money Making Conversations episodes drop daily. I want to alert you, so you don’t miss out on expert analysis and insider perspectives from my guests who provide tips that can help you uplift the community, improve your financial planning, motivation, or advice on how to be a successful entrepreneur. Keep winning!
Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Dr. Willie Jolley.
SUMMARY OF THE INTERVIEW
In this energetic and motivational conversation, Hall of Fame speaker Dr. Willie Jolley joins Rushion McDonald on Money Making Conversations Masterclass to discuss his new book, “Rich Is Good, Wealthy Is Better.” The interview covers the difference between being rich and being wealthy, the mindsets required for long-term financial growth, and how individuals—no matter their background—can build generational wealth. Jolley also emphasizes discipline, humility, planning, multiple streams of income, overcoming setbacks, and the importance of insurance and protection of assets.
PURPOSE OF THE INTERVIEW
The interview aims to:
1. Introduce and promote Dr. Jolley’s new book
“Rich Is Good, Wealthy Is Better” and the teachings within it.
2. Educate listeners on the distinction between rich and wealthy
Jolley wants audiences to understand wealth in generational, not short-term, terms.
3. Motivate individuals to shift their financial mindset
From “working money” to “mailbox money.”
4. Empower entrepreneurs and families
To adopt discipline, drop pride, and create multigenerational financial systems.
5. Share Jolley’s personal setback‑to‑success story
To reinforce that anyone can grow wealth with the right principles.
KEY TAKEAWAYS 1. Rich vs. Wealthy
Being rich = high income, often tied to active labor (e.g., athlete contracts).
Being wealthy = passive income, ownership, generational sustainability.
A rich football player earns millions; the team owner earns billions and doesn’t have to “run up and down the field.”
2. The Five Money Mindsets
Jolley explains five financial mindsets:
One‑day mindset – living day to day.
30‑day mindset – fixed incomes/check-to-check living.
One‑year mindset – annual thinking (raises, annual income).
Decade mindset – typical for entertainers/athletes with multi‑year contracts.
Generational mindset (Wealth Mindset) – building wealth to last multiple generations.
Jolley’s goal: move people up just one level at a time.
3. Five Types of Wealth
Jolley breaks wealth into five categories:
Financial Wealth
Health Wealth (“A sick person has one dream; a healthy person has a thousand.” – Les Brown)
Relationship Wealth
Reputational Wealth (Brand)
Intellectual Capital Wealth (What you know and can charge for)
4. Discipline Is the Key
Wealth requires:
Living below your means
Investing the difference
Consistency
Avoiding arrogance and ignorance
5. Pride Is an Enemy of Wealth
Pride leads people to overspend to keep up appearances.
Jolley argues that pride “kills wealth” and must be replaced with planning and humility.
6. The Three Legs of Wealth
To build sustainable wealth, you need:
Income
Investment (letting money work for you)
Insurance (life, health, car, disability, long-term care)
7. Multiple Streams of Income
Jolley urges everyone to build at least two streams of income from:
Stocks
Bonds
Real estate
Crypto
Collectibles
Jewelry
Art
Content creation
8. Overcoming Setbacks
Jolley details his own journey from unemployed nightclub singer to globally recognized motivational speaker.
He reinforces that a setback is a setup for a comeback—the core message of his earlier bestselling book.
9. It’s Never Too Late to Start
He cites examples of:
A secretary who retired with $8M by investing small amounts over time
Invested $12,000 at age 65 and grew it to $890,000 by age 72
NOTABLE QUOTES FROM THE INTERVIEW On Time & Opportunity
“I have only just a minute… but it’s up to me to use it.”
On Mindset
“Wealth starts in your mind.”
On Rich vs. Wealthy
“Regular folks work for their money. Wealthy people make their money work for them.”
On Pride
“My pride was killing my wealth.”
On Growth & Learning
“If you’re willing to learn, no one can stop you.” [On Setbacks
“A setback is a setup for your greater comeback.”
On Starting Late
“When is the best time to plant a tree? Eighty years ago. The second-best time? Today.”
#SHMS #STRAW #BEST
Support the show: https://www.steveharveyfm.com/
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Listen and subscribe to Money Making Conversations on iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, www.moneymakingconversations.com/subscribe/ or wherever you listen to podcasts. New Money Making Conversations episodes drop daily. I want to alert you, so you don’t miss out on expert analysis and insider perspectives from my guests who provide tips that can help you uplift the community, improve your financial planning, motivation, or advice on how to be a successful entrepreneur. Keep winning!
Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Lavar Thomas.
Motivational speaker, author, Peace Corps alumnus, leadership coach, and founder of Empower for Greatness. Lavar’s mission is to help people transform “from the inside out” so they can live with greater intention and purpose.
The conversation explores Lavar’s upbringing in Brownsville, Brooklyn; his life-changing Peace Corps service in Rwanda; his understanding of faith, purpose, failure, and leadership; and how he built international development programs such as Leaders of the Free World, which exposes young Black men to global travel and leadership experiences.
He discusses how stepping outside his comfort zone—from traveling abroad for the first time to navigating Rwanda after only knowing it through “Hotel Rwanda”—opened his worldview, deepened his empathy, and developed his leadership style.
Lavar explains how a major project failure in the Peace Corps forced him to redefine success beyond titles, money, or recognition. This experience ultimately inspired his book, The Other Side of Letting Go. He also shares how he balances a federal government job with building his speaking and training company.
The interview concludes with a powerful discussion on purpose, reinvention, leadership, and the role travel plays in expanding one’s mindset—especially for communities that are historically underrepresented in global spaces.
PURPOSE OF THE INTERVIEW 1. To highlight Lavar’s transformative journey from Brooklyn to global leadership.
Rushion showcases how Lavar’s experiences shaped his philosophy and mission.
2. To educate listeners about purpose‑driven living and leadership
Lavar explains why purpose—not money—is the “real currency,” and how aligning with purpose drives impact.
3. To inspire people to step beyond their comfort zones
The interview emphasizes how discomfort and uncertainty can spark growth.
4. To reveal the value of international exposure for Black men
Through Leaders of the Free World, Lavar advocates for global experiences that shift identity and opportunity.
5. To discuss resilience, reinvention, and personal development
From project failures to the death of his father, Lavar shows how adversity can reshape purpose and leadership.
KEY TAKEAWAYS 1. Faith requires action
Lavar describes faith as taking steps without knowing the outcome—“believing in the future before it becomes reality.”
2. Growth happens outside the comfort zone
Comfort zones feel safe, but they also create limits; stepping beyond them leads to self‑awareness and transformation.
3. The Peace Corps experience was life‑changing
Rwanda taught him service, humility, language, cultural understanding, and the power of community trust.
4. Failure can be an important redirection
When his library project collapsed, Lavar learned to detach from ego and redefine success through impact, not image.
5. Purpose is the real currency
Operating in purpose helps you add value, understand your worth, and ultimately generate income more meaningfully.
6. Leadership includes being willing to pivot
He shifted from a failed library project to impactful malnutrition programs, partnering with USAID to train families.
7. Personal setbacks can sharpen identity and mission
His father’s death led him to pause graduate school, attend therapy, and rebuild himself—learning leadership through vulnerability.
8. Global exposure changes lives
Leaders of the Free World gives young Black men access to international travel, allowing them to reimagine their potential.
NOTABLE QUOTES On faith
“Faith is taking steps without even knowing the outcome… believing in the future I see in my mind before I see it in reality.”
On stepping outside comfort zones
“Every time I step beyond that line, I grew… I realized new possibilities for myself.”
On failure
“Failure is life redirecting you.” (Recalling Oprah’s teaching).
On purpose
“Purpose is the real currency.”
On redefining success
“I had to learn how to redefine success for myself—not in the glamor of a project, but the impact I was having.”
On reinvention after loss
“I had to step away and rebuild LaVar… focusing on my family taught me so much about leadership.”
On travel and identity
“Something shifts in them when they return. They see their lives differently and their community differently.”
#STRAW #BEST #SHMS
Support the show: https://www.steveharveyfm.com/
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Steve Harvey Morning Show for Wednesday, March 11th, 2026: Steve Harvey's Morning Inspiration | Show Open | Nephew Tommy's Run That Prank Back - "Lent" | Ask The CLO | Trending & Entertainment News | Jesse Jackson Jr Is Upset About Father's Funeral | Pet Peeves | Nephew Tommy's Prank - "Yo Wife is Fine as Hell" | Strawberry Letter - "I Feel Homeless at Home" Pt. 1-2 | Junior's Sports Talk | Social Media Advice | Wellness Wednesday with Vicks ZZZQuil | Would You Rather | Steve Harvey's Closing Remarks
Support the show: https://www.steveharveyfm.com/
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.