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

Purpose of the Interview

• To showcase Lawrence Phillips’ entrepreneurial journey from engineering to founding Green Book Global, a travel review platform for Black travelers.
• To highlight the significance of Black Ambition, an initiative by Pharrell Williams supporting Black and Brown entrepreneurs.
• To inspire listeners about resilience, innovation, and the importance of culturally inclusive travel resources.

Key Takeaways

1. Background & Career Shift

   • Phillips studied Electrical Engineering at Georgia Tech and worked at Accenture in IT consulting for nearly a decade.
   • Despite career success, he felt unfulfilled and decided to pursue his passion for travel, leading to the creation of Green Book Global.

2. Travel Experience

   • Traveled to 30+ countries across all seven continents, including Antarctica, in less than a year.
   • Realized the need for a platform addressing “traveling while Black” concerns—safety, cultural acceptance, and inclusivity.

3. Green Book Global

   • Inspired by the historical Green Book (1936–1966), which guided Black travelers during segregation.
   • Offers city-level Black-friendly scores, road trip planners, and Black-owned restaurant recommendations.
   • Over 150,000 app downloads in 2025; partnered with Expedia; strong social media presence.

4. Black Ambition Program

   • Phillips applied three times before reaching semifinals, emphasizing persistence.
   • Program provided funding opportunities and a transformative Evoke Wellness experience.
   • His personal “why” statement:
     “I’m a protective and innovative steward of Black restoration and healing.”

5. Impact & Vision

   • Advocates systemic change by partnering with destinations to improve inclusivity.
   • Highlights the economic power of Black travelers (over $140 billion annually).
   • Encourages Black travelers to explore global opportunities beyond U.S. racial constraints.

Notable Quotes

• “You can be successful and still not be happy.” — On leaving a lucrative career for passion.
• “I’m a protective and innovative steward of Black restoration and healing.” — His guiding principle.
• “There’s riches in niches.” — On unapologetically focusing on Black travelers.
• “Just because somebody said no doesn’t mean they said no to you—they said no at that time.” — On persistence in entrepreneurship.

#SHMS #STRAW #BEST

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Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Dr. Will Moreland.

🎯 Purpose of the Interview

To highlight Dr. Will Moreland’s journey from combat veteran to global leadership expert, and to share his insights on executive coaching, building winning cultures, overcoming fear, and turning passion into profit through his Million Dollar Speaker Framework.

🗝️ Key Takeaways 1. Background & Credentials

• Two-time combat military veteran (Bosnia and Iraq).
• Business Hall of Fame inductee.
• Founder of Moreland Training & Associates.
• Holds a Doctorate in Strategic Leadership.
• Based in Phoenix, Arizona.

2. Leadership Philosophy

• Leadership begins with self-leadership.
• Civility—defined as “intentional respect for others”—is key to productivity and profitability.
• “People respected are more productive.”
• Focus on people before profit to build sustainable success.

3. Building Winning Cultures

• Uses the Civility Advantage Framework with six pillars:
  • Clarity: Define how you want your culture to feel.
  • Communication: Reinforce cultural values consistently.
  • Consistency: Embed values into daily operations.
• Offers anonymous assessments to audit company culture and align leadership with employee experience.

4. Executive Coaching & Leadership Development

• Helps leaders transition from task-based roles to people-based leadership.
• Uses his book Leading with Civility and the CHAMPS Framework in a six-month curriculum.
• Emphasizes discipline, emotional intelligence, and people skills.

5. Overcoming Fear

• Fear is often a result of lack of information.
• Encourages leaders to confront fear with clarity and education.
• Example: AI is not a threat, but a tool to enhance productivity.

“You won’t be replaced by AI—you’ll be replaced by someone who embraced AI.”

6. Million Dollar Speaker Framework (PAM Formula)

• Positioning: Define your unique message (e.g., Les Brown’s “You gotta be hungry!”).
• Advantage: Identify your competitive edge.
• Marketing: Deliver consistent messaging to build brand recognition.

7. Living from Your CORE

A personal decision-making framework:

• C – Clarity
• O – Opportunities
• R – Relationships
• E – Experiences

“If it doesn’t align with your CORE, it’s a no.”

8. Legacy & Impact

• Committed to training better humans and promoting the Golden Rule.
• Believes in empowering others through leadership, civility, and education.

💬 Notable Quotes

• “Civility is profitable. Incivility costs billions.”
• “Discipline is the bridge from where you are to where you want to be.”
• “Fear is just information. The more you know, the less you fear.”
• “You don’t need a lot of people—you need the right people.”
• “Live from your CORE: Clarity, Opportunities, Relationships, Experiences.”

📌 Final Thoughts

Dr. Will Moreland’s interview is a masterclass in leadership, personal growth, and business strategy. His frameworks and philosophies offer practical tools for entrepreneurs, executives, and aspiring speakers to build impactful careers and cultures.

#SHMS #STRAW #BEST

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

Purpose of the Interview

• To highlight Marsha Evans’ work as a licensed professional counselor and founder of Willow Tree Counseling and Educational Center.
• To explore strategies for navigating life’s complex stages, breaking generational patterns, and building authentic relationships.
• To provide actionable insights for entrepreneurs and individuals on self-awareness, fear management, and relationship dynamics.

Key Takeaways

1. Understanding Complexity

   • Life stages vary in complexity for each person—middle school for some, adulthood for others.
   • Evans emphasizes listening and identifying what balance, peace, or contentment means for each individual.

2. Early Awareness and Discipline

   • At age 12, Evans set a goal to earn a scholarship, showing intentionality and discipline.
   • Athletics taught her teamwork, problem-solving, and resilience, shaping her leadership style.

3. Reading the Room

   • Start by reading yourself—know your energy and intentions.
   • Authenticity and confidence are key to building relationships and leveraging opportunities.

4. Fear and Family Systems

   • Fear often originates from family systems and generational patterns, not just personal experiences.
   • Example: Parents’ limited worldview can project fear of the unknown onto children.
   • Recognizing these patterns helps individuals break cycles and pursue their own paths.

5. Generational Patterns & Healing

   • Evans uses Genograms (visual family trees) to identify psychological and behavioral patterns across three generations.
   • Acceptance of parents and family history is crucial for personal and professional growth.
   • Rejecting parents = rejecting life and success; honor them while creating new narratives.

6. Practical Steps for Change

   • Build a relationship with yourself through solitude, meditation, yoga, and movement.
   • Reduce stress (cortisol levels) to improve clarity and decision-making.
   • Examine your money story—how family attitudes toward money shape your financial behavior.

7. Relationships

   • Romantic: Partners often mirror unresolved childhood issues; do inner work to avoid projecting.
   • Professional: Maintain boundaries; emotional needs should not be placed on workplace relationships.
   • Personal: Define roles clearly; avoid expecting friends to fill parental gaps.

8. Consistency and Authenticity

   • Success requires consistency with yourself before expecting it from others.
   • Ask: Are your goals truly yours or influenced by societal expectations?

Notable Quotes

• “I become a visitor in your world and start listening to your story.”
• “Reading the room starts with reading yourself.”
• “Fear is often not yours—it comes from your family system.”
• “You can’t reject your parents; when you reject your mother, you reject life.”
• “Consistency with yourself is key to achieving the results you desire.”
• “Your partner cannot carry the burden of your parents.”
• “People are divorced from themselves—I teach them how to get married to themselves.”

#SHMS #STRAW #BEST

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