Episode 63 - Solution Over Ego

Nicky Saunders  
What’s poppin whats poppin whats poppin. Welcome to Nicky and moose. I'm Nicky, that's moose. What’s up moose?

Mostafa Ghonim  
What up y'all?

Nicky Saunders  
And welcome to episode 63. I was too excited. Just put the 63 If you didn't hear it over the air horns and everything, a solution over ego is what we're going to call this one. And yes, of course, we're going to talk about the Ye and Drake concert. We're also going to talk about the conversation with Travis Scott. Fourth quarter talk with Alicia Keys and ownership provides opportunity with Tyler Perry moose . How are we feeling?

Mostafa Ghonim  
Great intro that was smooth

Nicky Saunders  
that was good give them what they want.

Mostafa Ghonim  
That was good. I love it. No, I'm excited for this man. It's gonna be fun to recap in a concert, we were both in California at the time of the concert, although we didn't go to the concert. But I'm super excited. 63 Here we go.

Nicky Saunders  
Let's get into this intro.

Jaymie Jordan  
Two kids from Queens cut from a different cloth. Now joining forces helping you to elevate your personal brand. Yeah I'm talking about Nicky and moose, bringing you a never before seen perspective into the mindset, the mentality, the behaviors, the driving force, more importantly, the stories behind the people and brands that you know and love the most.

Nicky Saunders  
And you already know what time it is is the review of the week. And this one says successors, okay, I would love to write and write and write about you too, but for Nicky’s benefit, I'll be short. Thank you. I appreciate what you two are doing in this podcast landscape is untouchable. Your influence will be forever lived. Y'all the route and the branches will wait. Y'all the route and the branches will forever keep growing. Okay. You're successful forever create and birth successors. And I hope you two get to witness it. appreciate y'all. Okay.

Mostafa Ghonim  
That’s deep and and that's how you know you got a true listener of the podcast because he's like, Hey, let me make sure I don't write a crazy long you know. 

Nicky Saunders  
they know the struggle. They know the struggle.

Mostafa Ghonim  
Yeah. That's how you know they've got some loyal listeners here. So listen, we appreciate that.

Nicky Saunders  
Shout out to all our people who leaves a review clearly we read them, we put them on the podcast. So please continue to leave reviews. And we will continue to say it on the podcast. And you can do that through Apple podcasts and pod chaser. And also, welcome to all our audio listeners and viewers who are watching this, wherever you want to be watching this normally is on YouTube. But hey, in the future, you may be watching me somewhere else. So shout out to all of y'all. Moose. How are you feeling?

Mostafa Ghonim  
Man I feel good. I feel good. I I had an incredible day. So of course coming back from Cali. You know those unique red eyes? Yeah. So those those red eyes can be Yeah, be a thing. Yeah, so a red eye into a family day into finally getting home and like showering and, you know, getting ready for podcasts. But I will say this man, I just wanna take a moment and say, I don't even like I'm not the type to, like, brag on myself or anything like that. Okay, but I will brag on us as a unit. Because I'm so proud of us. Right? Let me tell you what happened. For those of you who are listening, let me tell you what happened. So it just so happens that all of us and by all of us, I mean me, Nikki Karl, the whole crew pretty much are in Cali at the same time, but for different reasons. And I was just like, Man, that is so dope. Like I'm just proud of us at the fact that you know, we're all just doing enough things to find ourselves in similar spaces that are not home base. But we're still all there kind of pushing the same mission so I don't know I was like man that's kind of dope like I was I was actually really excited to see that you know then I read up on you Chick fil A randomly like yeah, was that that was hilarious. I'm like wow

Nicky Saunders  
so fun. We I wish I could put the video on but I definitely cursed in the video so we're not going to put that out but his lovely wife ran up on my rented car. And I had no clue what was happening because it was in the park not the parking lot it was in the literally in the driveway or drive thru or whatever to a to Chick fil A and Somebody's knocking at your window. And I already ordered so it wasn't like the lady giving me a receipt or anything. It was done. Right. So I'm like a Yo, what in the world? This is Cali right. So, um, yeah, that was that was definitely that was definitely interesting. But I will say, I really like West Coast time it works so well. For me it is, um, it's very relaxing. I get the most sleep over there. Um, I was really like contemplating like, Yo, is this a December move? Like, you know, like Can I, I don't want to live there. Heard taxes are crazy. But um, do I want to like chill there for like a month, like in December like, clearly not this one because I'm traveling way too much. Right? Um, but it was a thought for like next year like, Huh, okay, this is something random

Mostafa Ghonim  
Yeah, shout out to all the West Coast people, man that just, I, it's my fourth time going back to Cali. Okay, and I just can't seem. I just can't seem to like really, you know, like, really gravitate to the lifestyle out there. Like, I don't know what it is like, I love the open space I talked about on Tuesday, when we were doing our live show. I love the open space. But as far as like seeing me live there. I think we're spoiled. We're spoiled being New Yorkers nicks I will say that man, I every time I come back home to New York, and I'm just like, Yo, like, I know, it's a pain being in this city. But dang, it feels good to come back.

Nicky Saunders  
So I hear you. I do. But them views. You cannot beat I'm sorry. And this person this okay, I'm a lights person. I love everything about the city, the tree, everything like that, right? But them views are something different. That is worth and I understand umm. It's true that I was having conversations with karl and I was like, Yo, we clearly when you're in Cali is like New York for the simple fact you're paying for views. Okay? The better the views, the more money this particular house is, right. But driving through, and seeing like the body of water, and mountains and everything like that. And it's just like, Oh, I got

Mostafa Ghonim  
to give it up to that. I got to give it up. Because and that's what that's being what but what amazed me for sure is that I don't think I've ever lived in a city or a place where you can see that far out. You know, like you can see mountains like for hundreds of miles it feels like into eternity. Behind me. You got about like, less than a mile and you've got a wall. So yeah, so so that it was nice to be there. Yeah, but

Nicky Saunders  
okay. All right. West Coast people. Um, I said I really was contemplating about life over there. I was like, Yo, let me just put on this Oculus and pretend like I'm there again. Let me go do that. But let's get into this episode real quick. And, of course, for our audio listeners, we have a picture of Drake. And ye, aka Kanye West. On the same stage finally, after years of bickering, just being rich and bitter. Um so, um, November in November, good God. December 9, was the concert the free Larry Hoover benefit concert. And um nothing less than amazing. I will have to say that the concert was fire. Everything from the I'm a fan out. Okay. Yes. Let me find out for three seconds right. So everything from how they had the the choir, how they walked down together. You know, there was just this round. I don't even know what it was. But it was this round stage that I'm always had smoke for no reason. It was smoke everywhere. From everything from the different camera angles. Everything was great. That but what I will say this is what I will say Because me and Nick were having this conversation. At first, I was like, Oh, I feel like the audience is like mad far I'm, I'm grateful that I did not pay those prices. And the ones that I wanted were like, $900 those prices just be so far away from Kanye and Drake, right. And I said that in the beginning, and then I continue to watch the whole vibe. And I was like, Damn.

Mostafa Ghonim  
Well, on second hand

Nicky Saunders  
Like, it just brought back the old ye. Um, it was so good. He could have left the whole Drake singing I will say that. I will. I will say that when he did the Drake song that one song yeah, great song. Okay, I'm, I'm absolutely okay. Now Drake killed his song. 24. Drake killed that. Ye. Ye, did not but I felt like there was certain songs and like I said, people I'm gonna find out for a few seconds. I felt like there were some songs that Kanye just totally forgot the words.

Mostafa Ghonim  
There was a couple. Okay, sure.

Nicky Saunders  
All right. I just wanted to point that out that

Mostafa Ghonim  
but but at the same time, I will say there was a good amount of songs where Drake wasn't really singing along like that, like he was just maybe on the hook said that was God.

Nicky Saunders  
He didn't. So okay. Is a real life situation. I feel like Drake has more songs that the people can recite verbatim than Kanye. Even though it was a Kanye concert, let's because some people were like complaining, yo Drake only showed for few minutes. It was a Kanye West concert featuring Drake, so he wasn't gonna have all the state time. But Drake has more commercial hits. And so he can not have to say anything I put the mic to the audience in the audience is going to sing every single solitary word. But Kanye could only do that for you know, some songs not all songs. Drake could do that through the whole album. The new one that came out

Mostafa Ghonim  
He got more of those Yeah. Yeah.

Nicky Saunders  
Drake is more drake is more commercial. I will say that. Okay, so let's get into the the lesson real quick. Sorry, thank you people for letting us fan out for three seconds, which was longer than three seconds, but ya know, but for audio listeners, we have the merch, the free Larry Hoover merch, which was, I believe a Balenciaga collab, right. And just gave three items out of the few that were there. And we have a hoodie, that is about $200. A jumpsuit that is about 360. And a, just a long T. There's $100. Now I'm not knocking the prices, because we already know Kanye West has some crazy prices. I'm knocking, not knocking, I won't say knocking. But like a baby can make this this is like a press on like get an eye and not even the legit press on get an iron. And put this on real quick. And now you have this free Hoover. situation. My thing is right. It's going to sell and it probably sold out or we're close to selling out, right? Because you want to live the moment. Now. They did provide this for online users as well, which either clearly some sizes sold out, but not all of it. But I do believe that because you're in the moment and you want to remember it. That's the whole point with like events and things like that. You want to have things that are available that people want to buy to remember that they were there. And it was such an amazing concert that you may want to have the same thing that they were wearing, or the same thing that the camera man was wearing, because it just look like I have a whole blue suit. I could rock this you know, um, and even though I may not, may not buy that on a regular situation, right? Wouldn't and I don't know if many would on a press on kind of shirt. But I think it's genius of how simple merchandise can be to remember an event or a situation. And they made probably millions off of it. Because if we're going to go based off patterns were from the, you know, the album of listening parties and other concerts. That type of merch that he does, always sells for, like, it makes millions. So what I got out of it and most I would love to hear your side is it doesn't always have to be complicated with what you upsell people. You already they're already there, they're sold, okay, they purchased the highest price that you probably have for it, right? Whether it is a, a $20 event, or $100 or $900 event, whatever it is they already bought. So they're already in the mood of buying something. Right? Now, if this is the only option, I have to buy anything, I'm going to be so full of energy, right now, of course, it will be your job to make sure they do have this energy and do have a positive experience, right. But it is now that they have all this this positive vibes. And all they see is this particular thing, they may pass it up once, they may pass it up twice. They may not pass it up the third time, they may see the line of people wanting to buy such a thing. And it's like, oh, wow, we've seen it in ease events all the time. You know, just because and it's not anything that isn't available online, but there's a different feeling that I could buy it right then and there that I was a part of it some way shape or form. And here is my proof that I was part of it. And you don't necessarily have some people bought it just because you don't necessarily have it. Um, but it was like, press on shirt. That's just crazy.

Mostafa Ghonim  
Okay, yeah, I think so as funny, right? Because I look at the way Kanye moves. And I still see his intelligence through all of this, right? Because even if people didn't go crazy about the design themselves, yeah. I'm sure the fact that the clothing itself was Balenciaga, that is going to be something that's still like, oh, okay, so,

Nicky Saunders  
yeah, yeah,

Mostafa Ghonim  
it's like, okay, it's not, it's not anything crazy. It's just like you said printed on, but it is balenciaga. So so that, I think, to some extent, that definitely kind of intimidated some people, or at least helped with the selling of it. So I can see that helping out. Also, when, when you run the numbers, and this is the beauty when you have and forget the price point for a moment, you just think of value coming in for here, because I think the same example will apply. If you're selling a $10 product or $1,000 product, when you have value, meaning the numbers to back it, you know, they're showing that there was approximately 70,000 People at the concert. So when you do some quick math on that, even if 10% just purchased, you got 7000 People who just purchase merch from the concert, right? So it's like you're looking at a million, a million and a half in merch revenues, just through simple math. And again, these are just estimates, we didn't see anything online. So I'm just understanding for sheer example here. But this is that the same model that we can apply for anyone who has the volume in their business, you really can just bank on simplicity, and an execution, the fact that they were able to get all of this up and running, you know, through the holiday, which because I think it was announced just before Thanksgiving, you figure in a matter of three weeks, they got that entire show up and running between production we were reading about the stage and all the work that went into that. I think they had a 200 person crew to get everything up and running in three weeks. So they they you definitely got to give props for the execution, bare minimum. But I think it's it's interesting when somebody gets to that status where they have the numbers there they it seems to get easier at least from the looks of it on the outside, which which, I guess is a perk of it after all

Nicky Saunders  
Yeah, just it's It's the simple stuff. For me. That's what I'll say is the simple stuff that you don't have to think too much into it. If you already got people sold already, just provide them something else. Something small, something simple, doesn't have to be extravagant. So Shout out to a ye and Drake for that little small lesson, as well as getting over yall bitterness. But, um, all right. All right. So we covered a little bit of the Travis Scott tragedy. And, of course, people have been asking, when is he going to speak about it? Is he ever going to speak about it? We gave our take of, you know? Is it good to talk now? Is it not? We gave a little bit of it? Well, he came out. And he did an interview with Charlemagne the God. Right. And I don't want to get too into, you know, was it a good idea? Was it not? Um, what I will say is, it's clear that it's running heavy to him. And that it bothers with that as clear as day but the one thing I did see that I really liked out of the interview is that he thought of a solution. Right? And so, I let you guys hear the solution and kind of see where, where we're going with this. Once again, we're not talking about Was it a good idea? Was it a bad idea? Do we agree, do we not, I'm only going based off what he says in this particular part,

Travis Scott  
people come into these festivals with these bands that only scan you in, right? You have you know, we have all types of tech now that can track your heart can track your you know, oxygen levels can be sick, you can put things now if you're going to be you know, get lost, it's all type of ways now for like that can be the band that only gives you access to enter your to a food line or to food trucks can now be solvable. To help me save lives, you know, can now be more of respond to people that are now on site and on ground.

Nicky Saunders  
So, um, first off, I thought that was really good. Okay. I don't know why that hasn't been thought about like, and maybe I will say, for me, I'm never in a concert or anything that is going to make me pass out, or possibly die or anything like that I'm not in in danger, I make sure that I sit in like the very first or second row on the top, like level kind of thing, right? So I could chill, and I can still see, you know, no one bugs me I'm not surrounded by a lot of, you know, I'm not in that whole marching situation. So I never needed to think about a solution like that. Right. But he does have a point where, okay, if if you can track this, that and the third why can't we have that? As far as admission? Now? Of course. You want to say that now. But that comes with a cost? And we all know, well not maybe we all but me and moose definitely knows how expensive an event can be. Now a festival of that amount plus security setup. Lights the the big screens, the pyro all? That probably costs a mil to few right? there's nothing light. So to say, Yo, instead of just maybe a little rubber band kind of thing. Why don't we go a little bit more into the tech side. But then we have to also consider, okay, not only detect and the bracelet, but who is going to monitor it. So now we have to have personnel that is actually in a whole other trailer or a whole other section of the the festival and actually having people monitor that then when it is something happens, who is going to react to it? You know? It so that probably adds up and maybe that was a solution before and they were like hey, yeah. Little expensive. I don't know if that's really cool. But I do believe that. Tech is hitting more of these particular events more and more like if you go to certain comedy places they have this kind of lockbox for your phone and it cannot open. You know, I know Kevin Hart is big on that, like, everybody dropped your phone. In this particular thing. I think Dave Chappelle is another one to drop it, you cannot record. And if you, we catch you even trying to you are kicked out and never coming back. Right? So they have little things like that, for the phone. You know, I can imagine that something like that after this event could possibly show up. As far as how do we track people's vitals and, you know, but I will give him that, I think coming up with with a solution to this whole situation, because there will be more concerts, I do believe he will do another one. And if not, you know, he is helping the next artists who may have similar situations because this isn't maybe in hip hop, it isn't as normal, except for maybe this, you know, the newer kind of situations, but, um, rage, the rage movement is not new, you know, mosh pits and all that is not new. So the fact that he is now on a solution base? Because clearly, he can't do anything else. There's no don't even know Don't even try, but like you might as well start thinking of the solution. So I don't know what you may have thought about it. Yeah.

Mostafa Ghonim  
Yeah, no, I love it. And in a way, that's why we named the episode what we named it right, because he could have sat there and continue to cry wolf. Right. And I know, in the beginning, he was getting a good amount of heat for the type of video that he first put out. I know there was

Nicky Saunders  
this one, he is absolutely getting heat for this one.

Mostafa Ghonim  
Okay. Okay. So I mean, I think and look what happened in that concert, obviously, is, is nothing to joke about. But I do like that. He's pulling and fighting to get himself on the other side. And look, while it's easy for us to sit here and point fingers and blame. And again, I'm not talking about this situation, I'm just talking about the reality of what we face on a day to day basis. If either of us were in his seat, we all would we would be doing everything in our power to figure out, alright, how do I get myself out of this, so you can't blame the man for what he's attempting to do. And again, I'm not speaking to just the situation of Travis Scott talking in general, right. So to to, to approach it with that perspective, so that we can jump to the lesson and really figure out what to do. That's the part that I think, you know, is a big takeaway here. Nick's not caught up in trying to protect the ego, not trying to defend yourself for the things that went wrong, but to the best of your ability, try to be innovative and think about okay, what are some things that we can do, so that we can avoid these situations from happening not just for myself, but for others who enjoy this type of experience because I think even for some of us listening to this, we may not necessarily care for any of what's happening because we're not into mosh pit We're not into that type of crowd or into that type of energy. But for those who are which clearly there's a big crowd right if they're allowing 50,000 people into somebody's concert so let you know that there is definitely a community that is into that. If our true concern is safety and well being then I think that is something to consider as a as a great solution right I can see that being like you said not just the heart a heart monitor but maybe even a tracking device to know where someone is. If there are any issues then you can you can get to them as soon as possible. I think the managing the traffic is still going to be one of those situations because you can track somebody you can know where they are you can know that they're in danger and need help. But if you can't go through a crowd to get to them, you know in due time I think that's where maybe that that could still be a challenge but hey, nonetheless a lesson for us to all walk away with when you're up against a wall stop trying to protect your ego but work on a solution

Nicky Saunders  
I agree now let me play devil's advocate real quick fast in a hurry, right. Okay. Um, no pun intended, because some people think he's very demonic. But um

Mostafa Ghonim  
I see what you did there like, that’s good a nice little Yeah, it's good

Nicky Saunders  
Just a little bit. You know,

Mostafa Ghonim  
I told you about those tik toks out someone I got a little like rundown.

Nicky Saunders  
Well, he said it he said it in the in the interview. He talked about it like I talked about it. Yeah. Yeah. Watch the interview because it's It's it's a struggle, right? But, yeah, watch the interview? Um, so we've seen celebrities take on the kind of do both where it's, they use their own platform to say their story, or they jump on an Oprah, now clearly Charlemagne, and kind of express their side of the story, right? Um, with this kind of situation, right? We've seen him try to speak on his own. And then, you know, I think it was a little bit premature. Right. And now this, were, you know, kind of guided by Charlemagne, which he did an amazing job. But still, to the, to some to well, to a lot from what I'm reading, but, you know, I need to read a bit more, I'm still not well received. So do you feel that he may, he should have went a little bit more professional instead of just on his phone? And kind of use his platform to say, more of his side? Or was it a safe route? To go the Charlemagne side?

Mostafa Ghonim  
Well, I think you need to do both. But the there needs to be a little bit more thought that goes into something like that, right? When when you're looking at something that that of that magnitude, or that that size, that's a that's a big situation, especially when that amount of people are angry at the situation. So there has to be a little bit more thought that goes into it, so that people can receive it in a way that it feels very genuine. And I think that's the part that when we're not careful, or when we're too separated from the audience, or the people that we do business with, or those who we serve, we can think that we're doing something that truth be told might even be an inconvenience to you. Because I think sometimes, we as business people, we judge the level of, of what we're giving, based on how inconvenient it can be to us, right? Whether it took a lot of time for you to do or a lot of money, but what if that's not what your audience or your customers and clients really care for. So sometimes when it when that it's too when there's a lot of separation, and you're not in tune with what they really want, you can do something in the way that it's not to their liking, so it's not well received. So I mean, I think both are needed in a situation like that. And again, we go back to that Kevin Hart situation in which we covered, you know, on the show, and he just grabbed his phone, despite the apology, or despite the advice that he was getting from his team. And he still kind of made that like, Okay, let me go straight to my fans and kind of tell them what's really happening and express myself for myself. And I don't think he ever like went to another platform immediately after until later down the line that was talked about, like on other shows, but I just think there needs to be a little bit more thought like, even the way the camera was angled, like, you know, some of that stuff. It was it was a running joke. It was easy to he gave the people a lay up I'm not gonna lie, he gave the people a lay up with that type of with that type of setup.

Nicky Saunders  
All right. Um, but definitely, for our listeners and viewers, definitely check out that um, the Travis Scott interview with Charlemagne. Like I said, Charlemagne did a great job. Clearly prepared, he had his papers out he was like, okay, hold on. We're gonna ask these particular questions um Yeah, and if you got lost of why we're talking about Travis Scott, maybe you haven't checked out our past ones. There was a big tragedy and his astral world festival were 10 Have I believe it's 10 At this moment that have died from his festival and hundreds of people injured there's over a billion dollars of lawsuit towards him and Live Nation apple and pretty much any company that was ever involved Drake is even in some of these lawsuits. So yeah, go um, go check that out and give your own opinion. Let us know feel me. But let's talk about Alicia Keys. Feel Me let’s talk about Alicia keys

Mostafa Ghonim  
first time on the show.

Nicky Saunders  
We may have to do a whole breakdown one time for one time, but for now, let's just sprinkle this in because she had a interview with of course drink champs. We love featuring drink champs because they have some of the best interviews. I'm not gonna lie. Yeah, yeah, some of the best. But she was on a recent interview with drink champs. And I wanted to take a little like, a little not turn, but a different perspective of things. So I let you guys here first, and maybe you can guess where I'm trying to go with this, but she's always, she's always released on the fourth quarter. And this is what nori had to say about this.

Nori  
You really a big dog, like, you know, when I was making records, they would keep me in the summer, because it's easier to push the artists in the summer CEOs used to tell me you can't come out fourth quarter you gone stay in summertime I never got offered. And I'm looking Oh, fourth quarter, because you know what that means that when they drop your fourth quarter, they means that you are the short shot for them to make all their money back. So they put you J DMX, and all of you guys to the fourth quarter because your short shot. You know I haven’t been aware of that. 

Nicky Saunders  
So here's my spin on it, right. Um, and I want to take it out of a music context. When we are planning, whether it's releases, whether it is business goals, whatever it is. I like how the music industry does this where we'll release some of our projects or artists in spring and summer. Because we could test out the audience, we could try this out, we've tried this out, we know people are more hyped up during the summer is going to be easier to kind of release these particular projects. But to bring it on home, we're gonna leave the big dogs for the fourth quarter. And um, me and moose had a quick conversation about this. And I'm like, yo, why can't we just spin that to just like, regular projects? Why can't we spin that off of just regular releases or, you know, things that we have to do within our business and brand that sometimes we think, Okay, first quarter, we have to come in strong as kind of our best stuff and make money in the front end. And then when we get fourth quarter, what I know I could speak on on this and moose could probably agree. So he'll correct me if I'm wrong. But then in like the fourth quarter is more of like, we're chilling out kind of thing, because we did all our heavy hitter stuff in the beginning, right? Which is cool. But when you're looking at how the music industry does is like kind of like, all year round, there's different projects here in there that they're testing out. But there's new artists, whether it's like, summer anthems and thing in Fall situations. But then you have guarantee people like an Alicia Keys, like a Jay Z. Kendrick, you know, that can come out, which Kendrick if you could finally come out? You know, it'd be great. I know, it's not going to happen, we’re literally in like the last couple of weeks of this year, but I'm just saying like, please, thank you. Um, because it would be acceptable, it would be acceptable, we would listen, we would listen all day. But that's not the point. My whole thing is moose could we take this strategy of what has been a proven situation, because what they didn't say they said in the earlier interview where Alicia Keys, maybe first album, maybe one or two albums came out in the summer, definitely the first one. And then they saw how big it was. They saw the response. They saw all the results. And they say you know what, we're going to take this results to the fourth quarter. Because this is going to be big enough, because if we took any kind of L’s if this may have been a slow year, for for our record label, we can always lean back on this one because we know this fan base is going to be killer and waiting for the music and doing everything that we can. So we could possibly do the fourth quarter release, and then start off with the tour in the beginning of the year. You know, so it's not just the release and we can leave it alone. Now it's something that last and still has a big impact in the beginning of the year beginning or the middle of the year. So I'm looking at this, like, can we apply this just for regular brand and a regular business? And if so how?

Yeah, yeah. I mean, it's, it's super interesting, right? I'm kind of looking up some of her stats. I think she's sold somewhere north of like 65 million records worldwide since.

Let's go. 

Mostafa Ghonim  
She’s a she's a heavy hitter, for sure. And I think she's definitely one of those people who goes unnoticed. If you're not someone who really keeps up with her social media or her you know, her music, then you might not really be like, Oh, yeah. I don't know that. She's someone who's mentioned in the same maybe sentence as a Beyonce or Rihanna. Right. But she definitely is up there. You know, like, for sure. She's,

Nicky Saunders  
in more because Rihanna and Beyonce is more of a pop situation. Where Alicia Keys is definitely soul, r&b, r&b, and she's definitely given her flowers. With that, like, you when I say when you listen to the interview, she mentioned. Prince was on her line. Michael Jackson was on like she met shot it like, Yeah, I think like the real ones know, like, Alicia Keys. She has 15 Grammys.

Mostafa Ghonim  
Wow. Yeah. Wow. Yeah, I still remember the verses she did with the against John Legend. Yeah, yeah, that was that was that was a dope experience? No, but I mean, so here's my take on it, I think to some extent, the way businesses can do it, you got to be mindful, because it can be easily confused with the whole Black Friday holiday season type stuff. Right? Because I think to some extent, you know, people can think that the main differences though, are you willing was no sale, right? With no sale? And it's a new product? It's not something Oh, you know, we had this out all year. And so we're gonna give you, you know, 50 60% off of it on as an opportunity to purchase? No, it's got to be new. Right. So I think that's a really cool thing, and probably a way, a way to stand out, you know, like, as we look for ways to do things differently, and we say, hey, the best way to break out from a crowd is to be innovative and go against the grain. That could be something that I think brands and business businesses can take advantage of and say, Alright, are we willing to go against the grain and drop our best stuff during the holidays and find the people you know, who are willing to, to maybe invest or, or be into what we have to offer, despite of all the craziness that's happening? I think it makes sense that part of it that, like intuitively, though, I think just following Alicia Keys, because I do like watching stuff from time to time. I think she's the type of creator who also is very like intuition led, you know, when she kind of like really just wants to be in tune and aligned and she's like, I like I'm gonna, I'm gonna take my time with with certain things. And then she trust that it's going to come out at a at a certain time or in a certain way. And it just so happens to be end of the year. Maybe that could be a two, but I don't I'm not mad at it. I do think that the fact that we can change it up and go against the grain instead of blasting out for the first quarter or the top of the year depending on you know, what, what industry you're in to mix it up and save some things for the end. It's not a bad idea.

Nicky Saunders  
And that one just hit me different. Because I'm just like, yeah, yo, that is that is fire. Like, is so even like, Okay, this is inside. A really quick meeting with Nicky and moose Okay, real quick. Even with like, extreme execution. Right? Yeah. To like, started off. But then, like, slow it down on like the third quarter. To then, boom. Here it is the fourth quarter kind of thing. Or kind of like what did you call it? Add something new under extreme execution, like umbrella that they're like, Yo, we already know what this did. Okay, here we go. And we'll probably go more into it in the after show. But you know, I'm just yeah, that had my Yeah, my just turning my wheels turning on that like, Yo, there's so many things that we leave in the very beginning where it could actually be, it comes out on the fourth quarter. And I think what we instantly think is okay, people are worried about gifts. And you know, they're not spending, they're not spending on them or whatever they're spending on their family. It's Christmas, Hanukkah, all that great stuff, like, fourth quarter may not be good. The only way is Black Friday, because that gives deals. And even though it may hurt our margins a bit, we know we can at least get something if we do it to the masses. But it's more like, No, you don't have to do it that way. It can blast off on fourth quarter and then trail into the next with the continuation because like I said, you have the album, and then you have the tour. Yeah, so

Mostafa Ghonim  
it's pretty cool. Yeah, and I'm even noticing like, there's a there's a brand that Nas is associated with. It's like a Queens brand. They do a like premium luxury clothing type stuff. streetwear nonetheless, but you know, they have a nice variety of clothes. I think it's called like, a May I don't know, I'm never gonna try and mess I'm pretty bad windows with that. But it's pretty cool room. But I noticed that they release, it feels like every three or four weeks. Okay, so So coming into, like, the holiday season or the last couple of months, I've seen like two or three, four releases from them so far. And it's new things. So so it kind of like it now as I'm kind of thinking about what you're saying is like, Yo, could that be a way of doing it? Where? One it's in line with the season? Like it makes sense? Oh, four. So we're releasing sweaters and jackets because it's fall season and so yes, that release makes sense to kind of give us your best for things in the winter while sure that makes sense. But Can that be done with services rather than just products you know, saying like, can you do that with a service rather than a product?

Nicky Saunders  
But you know what just came in my head who does this very well. Jordan Brand the Jordan elevens will always come out in December is a guarantee banger is a guarantee sellout is a guarantee lines out fighting happening. It happens every fourth quarter. They will wait to the last month to release the the one shoe that is always requested. And though they release 17 million other ones. That particular one is the most hyped ones that come out every single year is guaranteed. Jordan, the Jordan Brand does this particular formula. Very well. That just hit me because Yeah. But when we recorded this the new Jordan elevens came out today. I have them already. So

Mostafa Ghonim  
yeah, oh, man. That's good.

Nicky Saunders  
The early is good shout out to sneaker app that actually worked for me on the early release.

Mostafa Ghonim  
So You got them this year, but on the early release?

Nicky Saunders  
yeah, yeah, they dropped two weeks ago on sneaker app. And I purchased it and so I could sleep in today not worry about the headache. Because I saw Gosh, dang red. I I am sorry.

Mostafa Ghonim  
Oh my gosh. So wait, no, we're not gonna talk about this now. All right, back to the podcast early release stuff. Wait.

Nicky Saunders  
So the reason I'll go a little into it. The reason why I know when there are some early releases if anybody ever looks at my phone, right? Um, I have over 1000 notifications a day. And some of it is sneaker related tweets and so when anything really major happens with the Jordan Brand I am definitely notified quick fast in a hurry. Same way I got my PlayStation five that some people still don't have. So yeah, like you know, notifications come in handy sometimes. Sometimes makes sense.

Mostafa Ghonim  
There it is.

Nicky Saunders  
Flood you notifications, you may get something but let's get into I really liked this one. So we, of course, in this podcast have a spoken about ownership, time and time again. Because we fully, you know, really, really, really encourage it and do it ourselves and want to educate people on the importance of it. But this time, we have Tyler Perry, not the actual like, he's here with us. No, we have a clip from an interview from a killer Mike's, I believe podcast or show or whatever it is, of him talking about ownership. And it was definitely something I wanted to talk about for sure. So let's get into the clip,

Tyler Perry  
starting a business or working for someone else, ownership will dictate everything, what what decision you make how you make it. So my main focus was ownership. And I tell you, if ownership is the root of the tree, everything else where the trunk and the branches and all the other stuff in the leaves that change a fall, it all came from that. So so what I'm experiencing is, is living from the decisions of making sure that I owned every play every movie, every everything I have to every television show, so that I could be in a position where I could help change an economy. So that was that was my purpose here is just only

Nicky Saunders  
Moose they said business. So I gotta dish it to you real quick.

Mostafa Ghonim  
This major man, I think anytime that conversation of ownership always comes up. I think it's do you want it now? Or are you willing to wait? Right? Like, I think that when you can't have ownership without putting in a little bit of time mixed into it, right? Because I think that's the big thing where, you know, for those who are familiar with Tyler's story a little bit as he talks about those, like grueling days in the beginning, and again, I'm not promoting the struggle, because I think, to some extent, we've we've made things we've glorify the difficult and the challenge and the grind that while some of it is true, maybe even a lot of that is true. I think it's it's misled people because some people jump ship too early. If it's not difficult, they're like, oh, no, I can't be that easy, I'm out. So you abort the ship on something that would have been successful for you had you just stayed away. So I don't want to necessarily promote or glorify the struggle. But I do want to say that when it comes to ownership, especially at that level, it is going to take time, because it's, it's making it one of your like, like mission statements or your value statements. Like it's got to be something that you believe in so much so that as you go into every new deal, and every new opportunity, and someone who's like even stretching their hand back and willing to pull you up because they might be the bigger platform at the time or the bigger business at the time. It takes a lot of discipline to say nope, I'm still going to negotiate the deal in a way that even if I have to take a little less, it might take me a little longer. It may not work out to my favor, because I want to maintain ownership. So I love that he puts it that way because you know he he showing you the stretch of his history. But I think what we're not seeing is the discipline that goes into it right to continue to say no even when it's like man that's so tempting, you know to work with so and so. Oh, man, I would love to alright you know what it cuz Think about it like you're gonna have to say no to your idols. Hmm. I mean, like, you didn't just say what you just said. Oh, let me just put it that way because I don't know that there's any other way to put it like I guess I was trying to like, beat around the bush. Always trying to beat around the bush my bet y'all here it is you you can't have ownership if you're not gonna say no to your idols.

Nicky Saunders  
Clip that up, clip that's gonna pass that's gonna pass by somebody that's so gonna pass by.

Mostafa Ghonim  
Yeah, yeah, I think it's gonna take a few but but it's true because that means that you're in a position to grow something successfully, that it gets the attention of maybe some people that you look up to, and they're gonna come in and say hey, let's let's make this happen let's partner let me let me actually buy that from you. And you got to have the discipline to say no to your idols because ownership is such a high value to you. Alright, so you can't have ownership if you're not willing to say no to your idols. That's tough. That's tough. It's easier said than done for real

Nicky Saunders  
I can end it  right there but I'm not but I can end it right god that was really how am I suppose. Go back. All right.

Mostafa Ghonim  
It’s crazy It just came to I was like, yeah, what am I trying to say? Oh, that's what you're trying to say. Just say that.

Nicky Saunders  
That was so good. So so I'm gonna put, I'm not gonna, I'm not going to trump that, okay, I'm not going to no pun intended, but I'm not going to go over that one. I'm, I'm going to give it a different perspective of ownership provides opportunities, and I'm, I'm gonna say like this, so, man, okay, so I can get, I'm gonna get transparent cuz it’s me, right? Um, little bit. Yeah, this is gonna be hard okay. So this gonna be hard. So um, without saying all the names, right, without saying all the names. You know, I know, I'll say one of the names there. Here we go. So Isaiah was helping me. And I love you, Isaiah. So this is this is going to be a great lesson, Isaiah was helping me in a particular project for I think over a year, right. And it was more like, he wanted to prove that he can do it. Right. And it was proven, it was cool. And in the situation in the project, that I was in, I did not have control, because I didn't own it, of being able to compensate him in his just way, or at all at a point, right? To the point where he was like, Yo, I gotta be gone. Like, right. And it killed me. Because I'm like, if it was up to me, I can do this, right. And finally, with a like a lot of like, Yo, we got to do this, we got to do this, this, this, we got to make this right. Um, it worked out. But then now it's on a whole new level of, if he does anything, for me, it comes with with pay. Because I've gotten to the point where there is a part of ownership that I have, that if I'm requesting it is coming from the my company, not necessarily anybody else's, anybody who necessarily needs anything from Isaiah has to come through here, and I pay, right. And so when Tyler Perry said, pretty much, you know, it's bigger than just saying, yo, I own this, I own this and things like that, you're providing opportunity for other people, instead of, you know, the same kind of situation where you want to make things right, and you want to make things just, and you can't, because it's not yours, you know, you don't have a lot like you may have a lot of say, based off maybe the direction, but there's still some limitation that you're going to have because it's not your company, you could have a high position on a nine to five, it's still not your company, you may have a seat at the table with a collaboration, it's still not your, your situation, you know, and how he said it in the clip was like, Yo, I own, you know, the plays, I own this, I own the land, I own everything. So when I'm able to want something I have full control of who's part of it, and who gains access to it, and who gets compensated and who doesn't. That's a different feeling, you know, to make things right, and be fair, in, in an environment where majority don't get paid fair, in an environment where you normally have to get paid less than you're worth. And if you want that to change for yourself, you have to own something and provide that for others. And it's like, I think that's why this particular one hit a little bit for me, because we look at ownership as just that, you know, okay, I can make way more money. Then the 10% You know, I got him I have 100% here, I have 10% here, right? Um, I always have to break half of it over here or, you know, for my kids or for legacy reasons, you know, ownership could get passed on. And I'm like, ownership provides opportunities, ownership gives whether it's exposure, whether It is finances, whether it is mental, spiritual kind of vibes, like ownership provides opportunities that you couldn't do for anybody else by working with somebody else, or for somebody else. So if you haven't considered ownership in some way, shape or form, for whatever reason, in 2022, I highly suggest it, not for just yourself both for the opportunities that you could provide others, and so the cycle doesn't continue to go on, that you are literally to change based off what you own. So feel me?

Mostafa Ghonim  
I see you. I see you, I see you, I love it.

Nicky Saunders  
But moose fire, fire episode thank you.

Mostafa Ghonim  
Another one in the books. Thank you.

Nicky Saunders  
Listen, definitely go check out our YouTube live show. We do a live show every Tuesday. 8pm, Eastern, 7pm, Central 5555. West Coast time. Of course, follow us on everywhere follow us everywhere. I'm at Nicky and moose. We're almost at 3000. On YouTube, we're almost at 4000 on Instagram, I believe we're about 2.5 on Facebook, and things like that. So we appreciate you and all that great stuff. But continue to share, continue to love the podcast. The numbers are amazing. We're on the charts, all because of you guys. And we are so so so grateful for that. But moose final words.

Mostafa Ghonim  
yeah, you know, I'm a big quote, person, man. And every time I'm like, you know, from time to time scrolling, when I come across something, I screenshot it, I'm like, Oh, this could be for the podcast, or this could be for that. So I came across one last week that I think is fitting, especially given the title of this episode. And this one, again, with every single one of these final words, use this as a reminder for your week. I hope that for those of you who are the true superstars who are super loyal and take it all the way into the minute 59 or whatever it is that we're at, when we close the podcast and you're like, Yeah, I'm gonna take this word, and I'm gonna use that as a reminder every day, I'm going to make that a goal of mine to just apply whatever the final word was. So this one says, do it for love. excuse me, dang it. I hate when I mess them up but whatever. And keep it going. Just reboot, reboot, right. So this one says, Do it from love. Not for love. Right? Do it from love, but not for love. When you do it for love. That's your ego talking. When you do it from love. That's how you solve problems. So that's it. Do it from love, not for love.