Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Gerron Duhon.

Purpose of the Interview

The conversation aimed to:

• Highlight the importance of financial literacy for young adults.
• Share Jerron Duhon’s personal journey from Lake Charles, Louisiana, to Yale University and into holistic financial planning.
• Promote his book “The Purpose of Paper”, which focuses on building generational wealth and breaking harmful financial habits.

Key Takeaways

1. Personal Journey & Identity Shift

   • Jerron used football as a “meal ticket” to escape his hometown, but a concussion ended his athletic career, causing an identity crisis.
   • He pivoted toward financial education and wealth creation, emphasizing long-term planning.

2. Misconceptions About Wealth

   • Many young adults believe wealth comes quickly through gambling, sports betting, or flashy investments.
   • Social media fuels the desire to display wealth rather than build wealth, leading to poor financial decisions.

3. Financial Habits & Framework

   • Jerron introduced his AIMS framework:
     • Awareness: Know your current financial state.
     • Intention: Set clear goals and reverse-engineer steps.
     • Mindset Change: Focus on future self, not old habits.
     • Systems: Automate savings and investments to reduce reliance on willpower.

4. Faith and Finance Connection

   • Principles like self-control, patience, and hope—fruits of the spirit—are essential for financial discipline.
   • “Faith without works is dead” applies to money: belief must be paired with action.

5. Generational Wealth

   • Gerron stresses taking ownership of your financial future rather than leaving the burden to your children.
   • Investing should be strategic and long-term, not like playing the lottery.

6. Practical Advice

   • Start small but consistent (e.g., $150/month).
   • Use modern tools like Robinhood for stock investing.
   • Shift from being a consumer to an owner (invest in companies you use).

Notable Quotes

• “Football was my meal ticket… but I realized I didn’t dream far enough.”
• “We connect our financial decisions to display wealth instead of to build wealth.”
• “Faith without works is dead—just like in finances.”
• “Are you going to be the one that changes your generation, or will you leave that pressure on your children?”
• “Good advice is timeless.”

#SHMS #STRAW #BEST

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Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Sauda Johnson McNeal.

• To highlight Sauda Johnson McNeal’s journey from a successful law career to filmmaking.
• To discuss her new film “Love the Skin You’re In”, its themes, production process, and personal significance.
• To inspire entrepreneurs and creatives to pursue their passions while balancing purpose and practicality.

Key Takeaways

1. Career Transition & Dual Roles

   • Sauda started as an actor, realized the instability, and pursued law for financial security.
   • Maintains dual careers: education attorney and filmmaker, blending purpose (helping youth) and passion (storytelling).

2. Film Details

   • Title: Love the Skin You’re In.
   • Themes: Self-love, family healing, caretaking, and African-American experiences.
   • Cast includes Wendy Raquel Robinson, Marla Gibbs, and Oba Babatundé.
   • Release: Limited theatrical run (Dec 17–23 in North Hollywood), streaming planned for February 2026 (Black History Month).

3. Production Challenges

   • Unexpected permit issues caused shutdowns.
   • Tight 4-week shooting schedule due to budget constraints.
   • Importance of leveraging relationships and calling in favors for casting and resources.

4. Personal Connection

   • Story inspired by Sauda’s own struggles with self-worth during college.
   • Emphasizes therapy, faith, and support systems in overcoming self-doubt.

5. Entrepreneurial Insight

   • First project was self-financed; future plans include raising private equity for films.
   • Goal: Maintain creative control while expanding opportunities for others.

6. Impact & Audience Takeaway

   • Encourages self-acceptance and repairing family relationships.
   • Resonates with men on fatherhood and emotional presence.
   • Highlights the underappreciated role of caretakers.

Notable Quotes

• On purpose and passion:
  “My purpose is to help young people. My passion is this filmmaking business.”

• On self-love:
  “Love the skin you’re in is about total self-acceptance regardless of where you are on your journey.”

• On overcoming fear:
  “Film is unpredictable… I said, okay, the other fears—do it anyway.”

• On family relationships:
  “We are not promised tomorrow… Fix these family relationships if they’re possible to be fixed.”

• On entrepreneurial mindset:
  “I absolutely would like to use other people’s money… but keep creative control.”

#SHMS #STRAW #BEST

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Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Cheryl McKissack Daniel.

Topic: Legacy, resilience, and entrepreneurship of the McKissack family, as detailed in the book The Black Family Who Built America.

Cheryl shares the powerful story of her family's 230-year legacy in architecture and construction, making McKissack & McKissack the oldest minority woman-owned professional design and construction firm in the U.S. The conversation explores themes of generational resilience, Black excellence, business strategy, and personal growth.

🎯 Purpose of the Interview

1. Highlight the McKissack family’s historical and cultural impact on American infrastructure and Black entrepreneurship.
2. Promote the book The Black Family Who Built America as a record of legacy and inspiration.
3. Inspire small business owners and entrepreneurs with lessons on perseverance, succession planning, and self-identity.
4. Address the importance of preserving Black history in the face of cultural erasure.

🔑 Key Takeaways 🏗️ Legacy & Impact

• McKissack & McKissack has contributed to major U.S. infrastructure projects like:
  • Barclays Center
  • JFK Terminal One
  • LaGuardia Airport
  • Penn Station
  • Lincoln Financial Field

“We are the fifth generation. Right. And we're Black in America.”

📚 Historical Significance

• The family legacy began with Moses McKissack, who was enslaved and later became a builder.
• Cheryl’s ancestors were the first licensed Black architects in America (licenses 117 and 118 in Tennessee).

“They became the first Black licensed architects in America… and helped get licensed in 22 other states.”

💼 Business Wisdom

• Cheryl emphasizes the importance of:
  • Succession planning
  • Understanding both technical and political buyers
  • Building relationships before you need them

“You better have that relationship before you need it.”

🧠 The 5 Ps of Family Resilience

1. Perseverance
2. Persistence
3. Preparedness
4. Purpose
5. Prayer

“Sometimes you do get up in the morning and you say it's not for me… You have to come back and meditate on the fact that you're a winner.”

🧘‍♀️ Personal Growth & Mental Health

• Cheryl discusses overcoming stress, rediscovering herself after a difficult marriage, and the importance of meditation.

“Being yourself is what we're talking about… I recognize that I am currently feeling stressed out. So what do I need to do?”

👩‍👧‍👧 Women in Leadership

• Cheryl’s mother took over the business after her father’s stroke, despite societal barriers.

“She only knew the telephone number to the office at that time… but she knew deep inside that she wanted to hold on for the fifth generation.”

🎥 Representation & Media

• The book and Cheryl’s story aim to counteract negative portrayals of Black people in media and history.

“You may not have known about Black excellence. You just ignored it. But we exist.”

💬 Memorable Quotes

• “Black people built America. Now, that's the point we're making here.”
• “You have to say the opposite to yourself. And you have to put one foot in front of the other.”
• “This book is a receipt to say we are around. We have a foundation. We're not going anywhere.”

#SHMS #STRAW #BEST

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