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Create Your Life Series episodes
- CYLS 006: Tailoring Your Future with Film Tailor Carl Ulysses
Episode Summary
In the newest episode of Create Your Life Series, host Kevin Y Brown chats with popular Film Tailor Carl Ulysses. From being a cog in corporate America to finally making out on his own as a renowned young black tailor, Carl has done it all. He’s worked with big names like Janelle Monae, Ryan Gosling, Wonderland, and more. From Atlanta to New York and then back again, his life and career have been nothing short of an inspiration.
Tune in now for your dose of entrepreneurial motivation.
Kevin Y Brown
Kevin is a seasoned multi-media executive who is passionate about Africa’s digital future. As an award winning entrepreneur, podcast producer (over 1,000 episodes across different genres with over 30 million downloads across clients) and tech veteran, Kevin is the Chief Content officer and Head of Strategy at Afripods leading their multi-country strategy and product vision.
Kevin is the host of the Create Your Life Series podcast and has been featured or spoken in Forbes, Black Enterprise, Essence, Podcast Movement, Podcast Sessions, Ted X, Sirius XM, Inc. magazine and many more…
Carl Ulysses Bowen
A master tailor for entertainers Usher, Jeezy, Ne-Yo, Ludacris and others, he says he pays attention to their personalities to give them looks that complement their images, usually while wearing a stylish crocodile holster carrying his sewing tools.
Ulysses has tailored and altered costumes on more than 50 films and television programs, including “The Color Purple,” Jamie Foxx’s leather pants ensemble in “They Cloned Tyrone,” Will Smith’s tattered attire in the movie “Emancipation, and “Black Panther.”
He believes his focus on precision plays a large role in his success. Good tailors check behind themselves and pay attention to detail to eliminate errors, he says.
Insights From the Episode
- If you don’t give up on your people, they won’t give up on you
- Entrepreneurial spirit and consistently showing up can take you really far
- Sometimes, pivoting is the best thing you can do for yourself
- You’ll find your calling in the ways you least expect them to
Quotes From the Show
- “Janelle Monae and Wonderland spoke life into me and said to me - okay, Carl, you are good at what you do. We need you, we need this, we need you to be a part of Wonderland right now. What you’re doing right now really matters to us and our movement. So, at that time I couldn’t give up” - Carl Ulysses, Create Your Life Series, #006
- “I’m big on not letting people down. I’m also very spiritual and religious. I speak to God; he gives me a lot of strength and I just know that this is what I’m here to do” - Carl Ulysses, Create Your Life Series, #006
- “When I actually started making clothes, I found out that this tailoring thing was bigger than me, bigger than myself” - Carl Ulysses, Create Your Life Series, #006
- “I was forced to become who I wanted to be and rise to the occasion” - Carl Ulysses, Create Your Life Series, #006
- “One thing that I can say is that I’m a visionary. I see so many things in my head, and I’m like, you know what - I have to get these out. People have to see these. I have to share it with people” - Carl Ulysses, Create Your Life Series, #006
Favourite Quote
- “Do your work and let it speak for you” - Unknown
Stay Connected
Create Your Life Series
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Kevin Y. Brown
Website: Kevin Y Brown
Instagram: kevinybrown
Twitter: kevinybrown
Facebook: kevinybrown
Carl Ulysses
Website: Carl Ulysses
Email ID: [email protected]
IMDb: Carl Ulysses
Subscribe to our podcast + download each episode on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcast, Afripods, and Spotify.
This episode was produced and managed by Podcast Laundry (www.podcastlaundry.com).
49 min - CYLS 005: Climbing the Startup Ladder with CEO of FreeAtm & Itell.io Eric N. Fondren
Episode Summary
In this episode of Create Your Life Series, the host, Kevin Y Brown, in conversation with Eric N. Fondren, talks about all things startups, creating a successful path as a new entrepreneur, and finding your support system through it all. The episode is packed with advice on how you can pivot and redefine your parameters of success while building your business.
Check out the episode to ignite your journey of entrepreneurship.
Kevin Y Brown
Kevin is a seasoned multi-media executive who is passionate about Africa’s digital future. As an award winning entrepreneur, podcast producer (over 1,000 episodes across different genres with over 30 million downloads across clients) and tech veteran, Kevin is the Chief Content officer and Head of Strategy at Afripods leading their multi-country strategy and product vision.
Kevin is the host of the Create Your Life Series podcast and has been featured or spoken in Forbes, Black Enterprise, Essence, Podcast Movement, Podcast Sessions, Ted X, Sirius XM, Inc. magazine and many more…
Eric Fondren
Eric Fondren is a mixed bag of skills that includes both hard and soft skills. After obtaining his computer science degree from Morehouse College, Eric spent 3 years on Wall Street learning why it's difficult for large companies to innovate. While working full-time, Eric also went on to obtain his Master's degree in professional counseling.
After his stint on Wall Street, Eric tried his hand at a number of ventures, including web design, relationship coaching, among other things. All of this experience showed him his true path, which was to build a technology company.
Today, as CEO of ITELLIO (originally branded as FreeATM), Eric has built a large-scale ad network that aggregates 9,000 digital screens into a central buying platform.
Insights From the Episode
- When you know your ‘why’, everything else falls into place easily
- Nothing beats a good support system and a resilient mindset
- Always plan for the worst and work for the best
- Never give up on learning and adapting
Quotes From the Show
- “I was always born to be an entrepreneur, it just all happened by circumstance that fell into the FreeATM bandwagon and I’ve been gung-ho and loyal ever since” - Eric N Fonderen, Create Your Life Series, #005
- “I learned a bit more about entrepreneurship. I learnt a great deal about networking, and I found out that not only did I have a voice in terms of helping other people obtain their dreams, but I also realized this is absolutely what I need to do with my life” - Eric N Fonderen, Create Your Life Series, #005
- “It sounds like you really got into what motivated you and what it was that the lifestyle that you wanted, and basically defining what success was for you, which was not bringing your work home with you if it wasn’t going to enrich your personal life” - Kevin Y Brown, Create Your Life Series, #005
- “I realized I was taking my life in my own hands when I left Deutsche Bank. Now, my advice to anyone making this transition, taking up this transition, is to save up 6-12 months’ worth of rent and expenses for that journey because it takes a long time for you to establish yourself and figure out what you want to do and/or make a profit in order to sustain your lifestyle” - Eric N Fonderen, Create Your Life Series, #005
- “You have to be flexible with how this journey of life creation is going to manifest. It’s never going to be exactly how you think it’s going to look. You have to have an idea of success, but be flexible in terms of how it colors itself in” - Eric N Fonderen, Create Your Life Series, #005
- “It’s not about solving the problem. It’s just about showing that you have a secure and protective mirror that can be vulnerable and open and honest” - Eric N Fonderen, Create Your Life Series, #005
Favourite Quote
- “This too shall pass” - Abraham Lincoln
Stay Connected
Create Your Life Series
Facebook: Create Your Life Series
Instagram: Create Your Life Series
YouTube: Create Your Life Series
Kevin Y. Brown
Website: Kevin Y Brown
Instagram: kevinybrown
Twitter: kevinybrown
Facebook: kevinybrown
Eric N. Fondren
Website: www.itellio.com
Email: [email protected]
LinkedIn: Eric Fondren
Subscribe to our podcast + download each episode on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcast, Afripods, and Spotify.
This episode was produced and managed by Podcast Laundry (www.podcastlaundry.com).
47 min - CYLS 004: Pt. 2 of 10 Pillars of Defining and Achieving Your Success
Episode Summary
In the newest episode of Create Your Life Series, the host, Kevin Brown, elaborates on the first three pillars of defining and achieving success: being yourself, clarity, and visualizing. He also highlights how you can prioritize better, work smarter, and achieve your goals by surrounding yourself with the right people and a growth mindset. You get a sneak peek into the exact tips and tricks that he follows to keep himself ready for success, always.
Ready to bring in the mindset change? Tune into the episode now.
Kevin Y Brown
Kevin is a seasoned multi-media executive who is passionate about Africa’s digital future. As an award winning entrepreneur, podcast producer (over 1,000 episodes across different genres with over 30 million downloads across clients) and tech veteran, Kevin is the Chief Content officer and Head of Strategy at Afripods leading their multi-country strategy and product vision.
Kevin is the host of the Create Your Life Series podcast and has been featured or spoken in Forbes, Black Enterprise, Essence, Podcast Movement, Podcast Sessions, Ted X, Sirius XM, Inc. magazine and many more…
Insights From the Episode
- Your habits and success are easily influenced by the people you surround yourself with
- When you affirm yourself daily, you grow more confident each day
- Your idea of success is what you define it to be
- There is no shame in taking your time and redefining what matters to you
Quotes From the Show
- “Ask yourself ‘why’. Why does this matter to you? Why is this so important to you?” - Kevin Y Brown, Create Your Life Series, #004
- “Ask yourself this: am I doing this business or idea because everyone else is doing it or because it seems cool? Or do I really care about it?” - Kevin Y Brown, Create Your Life Series, #004
- “What matters is what are your authentic thoughts and dreams when no one is limiting you” - Kevin Y Brown, Create Your Life Series, #004
- “Defining and fine-tuning the dream is constant” - Kevin Y Brown, Create Your Life Series, #004
- “While being ourselves, we definitely have to protect our minds because they’re our most important asset to achieve success” - Kevin Y Brown, Create Your Life Series, #00
- “You want to be in control of your day vs being reactive” - Kevin Y Brown, Create Your Life Series, #004
- “When making your schedule at night for the next day, you need to have your priorities in order” - Kevin Y Brown, Create Your Life Series, #004
- “The best way to build your confidence is actually to follow through on your word” - Kevin Y Brown, Create Your Life Series, #004
Resources Mentioned
- Rescue Time
- First Things First - 5 Secrets to Prioritization
- The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People
- Audacity
Favourite Quote
- “Higher productivity happens when you limit multitasking and stay focused on completing a task at hand. Studies show that multitasking makes you 40 percent less productive and increases stress levels” - Katie Brauer
Stay Connected
Create Your Life Series
Facebook: Create Your Life Series
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YouTube: Create Your Life Series
Kevin Y. Brown
Website: Kevin Y Brown
Instagram: kevinybrown
Twitter: kevinybrown
Facebook: kevinybrown
Subscribe to our podcast + download each episode on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcast, Afripods, and Spotify.
This episode was produced and managed by Podcast Laundry (www.podcastlaundry.com).29 min - CYLS 002: Figure Out Your Why | Ft. Simon Sinek and Michael Jr.
Episode Summary
In this episode of Create Your Life Series, the host, Kevin Y Brown talks about figuring out your WHY and how that can help you excel. Your WHY is the reason people believe in you, it’s the thing that drives you, and why people eventually buy from you. It also features inspirational talks by Simon Sinek and Michael Jr.
Kevin Y Brown
Kevin is a seasoned multi-media executive who is passionate about Africa’s digital future. As an award winning entrepreneur, podcast producer (over 1,000 episodes across different genres with over 30 million downloads across clients) and tech veteran, Kevin is the Chief Content officer and Head of Strategy at Afripods leading their multi-country strategy and product vision.
Kevin is the host of the Create Your Life Series podcast and has been featured or spoken in Forbes, Black Enterprise, Essence, Podcast Movement, Podcast Sessions, Ted X, Sirius XM, Inc. magazine and many more…
Simon Sinek
A trained ethnographer and visionary thinker, Simon is fascinated by the people and organizations that make the greatest and longest-lasting impact. Over the years, he has discovered some remarkable patterns about how they think, act, and communicate, and also the environments in which people operate at their natural best.
Simon may be best known for his TED Talk on the concept of WHY, which has been viewed over 60 million times, and his video on millennials in the workplace—which reached 80 million views in its first week and has gone on to be seen hundreds of millions of times.
Michael Jr.
Exceptionally gifted at combining story with thought-provoking life principles, Michael Jr. exhibits what it means to be a comedic thought leader. Using comedy and dynamic storytelling, he brings laughter and encouragement to audiences all over the world as he inspires audiences to discover and activate their purpose.
This unique skill set has landed him on stages like The Tonight Show on NBC, TEDx Talks, and Jimmy Kimmel Live. You can find him in Sony Pictures’ feature film War Room, as well as starring roles in Selfie Dad, Laughing On Purpose and More Than Funny.
Insights From the Episode
- Figure out your WHY first and the rest falls into place
- People don’t buy what you sell them; they buy what they believe in
- When you find the people who believe in you and your WHY, everything gets easier
Quotes From the Show
- “As it turns out, there’s a pattern. As it turns out, all the great and inspiring leaders and organizations in the world, whether it's Apple or Martin Luther King or the Wright Brothers — they all think, act, and communicate the exact same way. And it's the complete opposite to everyone else. All I did was codify it, and it's probably the world's simplest idea. I call it The Golden Circle” - Simon Sinek, Create Your Life Series, #002
- “Why? How? What? This little idea explains why some organizations and some leaders are able to inspire where others aren't” - Simon Sinek, Create Your Life Series, #002
- “By WHY, I mean: What's your purpose? What's your cause? What's your belief? Why does your organization exist? Why do you get out of bed in the morning? And why should anyone care? Well, as a result, the way we think, the way we act, the way we communicate is from the outside in. It's obvious. We go from the clearest thing to the fuzziest thing” - Simon Sinek, Create Your Life Series, #002
- “Here's how Apple actually communicates: Everything we do, we believe in challenging the status quo. We believe in thinking differently. The way we challenge the status quo is by making products that are beautifully designed, simple to use and user friendly. We just happen to make great computers. Want to buy one? — Totally different right? You're ready to buy a computer from me. All I did was reverse the order of the information. What it proves to us is that people don't buy what you do; people buy why you do it. People don't buy what you do; they buy why you do it” - Simon Sinek, Create Your Life Series, #002
- “Why do we do this show? Why do I have a team doing things with me? So my why is because I undoubtedly believe anyone can create their own destiny. Because I’ve created mine, and, therefore I know that it’s possible. But, how? How can somebody do that? For me, it’s through action, through focus, and through growth. But, what? How do I help people do that? That’s through my presentations, the free content you get here, as well as YouTube” - Kevin Y Brown, Create Your Life Series, #002
- “When you’re around those like-minded people who help you improve and make you sharp. It’s important to understand that no one succeeds alone. And we all help each other become our best” - Kevin Y Brown, Create Your Life Series, #002
- “Again, the goal is not just to sell to people who need what you have; the goal is to sell to people who believe what you believe. The goal is not just to hire people who need a job; it's to hire people who believe what you believe” - Simon Sinek, Create Your Life Series, #002
- “A lot of times people want to be seen but don’t want to work. Or they don’t have a genuine passion for success or a genuine passion to be great at what they do” - Kevin Y Brown, Create Your Life Series, #002
- “A lot of people ask me how do I know. The next thing they say is ‘what’. The key is to know your why. Then, you have options to know your what” - Michael Jr., Create Your Life Series, #002
- “When you know your WHY, your WHAT has more impact” - Michael Jr., Create Your Life Series, #002
Resources Mentioned
- How Great Leaders Inspire Action | Figuring Out Your Why | Simon Sinek
- Amazing Grace | Break Time With Michael Jr.
- Outkast - Player's Ball
Stay Connected
Create Your Life Series
Facebook: Create Your Life Series
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YouTube: Create Your Life Series
Kevin Y. Brown
Website: Kevin Y Brown
Instagram: kevinybrown
Twitter: kevinybrown
Facebook: kevinybrown
Simon Sinek
Website: Simon Sinek
Instagram: Simon Sinek
Twitter: Simon Sinek
Facebook: Simon Sinek
Michael Jr.
Website: Michael Jr.
Instagram: Michael Jr.
YouTube: Michael Jr.
Subscribe to our podcast + download each episode on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcast, Afripods, and Spotify.
This episode was produced and managed by Podcast Laundry (www.podcastlaundry.com).34 min - CYLS 003: 10 Pillars of Defining and Achieving Your Success
Episode Summary
This episode of Create Your Life Series is all about finding, creating, and achieving your success. The host, Kevin Y Brown, has 10 pillars that can help you achieve and be exactly where you want to be. We redefine what it means to be successful and take active steps to reach those goals. It won’t happen overnight, but it will happen if you do it the right way.
Are you ready to define your criteria for success? Tune into the episode and find out now.
Kevin Y Brown
Kevin is a seasoned multi-media executive who is passionate about Africa’s digital future. As an award winning entrepreneur, podcast producer (over 1,000 episodes across different genres with over 30 million downloads across clients) and tech veteran, Kevin is the Chief Content officer and Head of Strategy at Afripods leading their multi-country strategy and product vision.
Kevin is the host of the Create Your Life Series podcast and has been featured or spoken in Forbes, Black Enterprise, Essence, Podcast Movement, Podcast Sessions, Ted X, Sirius XM, Inc. magazine and many more…
Insights From the Episode
- Success is a habit that’s created consistently and with clarity
- Break your goals into smaller tasks, and see how easily you’re able to achieve them
- Always be willing to learn and adapt
Quotes From the Show
- “Comparison is actually a defeating perspective because it doesn’t help you to reach your maximum potential or reach maximum results” - Kevin Y Brown, Create Your Life Series, #003
- “Success is also an accomplishment of an aim or purpose. In order to accomplish your aim or purpose, it needs to be aligned with you” - Kevin Y Brown, Create Your Life Series, #003
- “Your core values will drive you to stay consistent when you meet challenges on the journey to your goal” - Kevin Y Brown, Create Your Life Series, #003
- “In order for us to reach our goals, we have to be an everyday renegade. That means we get up and we walk away or break away from the habits that we used to have in order to become bigger and better at what we’re doing” - Kevin Y Brown, Create Your Life Series, #003
- “You’re going to have to start taking on the habits, and you have to start preparing your mind mentally to be that person” - Kevin Y Brown, Create Your Life Series, #003
- “A vision board is any sort of board on which you can display images of whatever you want to be, do, or have in your life” - Kevin Y Brown, Create Your Life Series, #003
- “It takes ten years to become an overnight success. These people are literally putting in the work and always talking about the journey of how they got there” - Kevin Y Brown, Create Your Life Series, #003
- “I took my one-year goals and I broke them down into quarters. Then, from quarters, I broke them into months. And then, for months, I broke it down into weeks. So, now I know what I need to accomplish every single week, in order to accomplish my goal for the month and in order to accomplish my goal for the quarter to accomplish my goal for the year” - Kevin Y Brown, Create Your Life Series, #003
- “Change is constant, but growth is optional” - Kevin Y Brown, Create Your Life Series, #003
- “Remember, if you ever want to be successful, look at what everyone else is doing. And do the opposite” - Kevin Y Brown, Create Your Life Series, #003
10 Pillars of Defining and Achieving Your Success
- Be yourself
- Clarity
- Create strong habits
- Do research
- Plan backwards
- Create SMART goals
- Consistency
- Curious & teachable
- Having thick skin
- Be on time
Resources Mentioned
- 6 Months to 6 Figures | Peter Voogd
Favourite Quote
- “Success is a peace of mind which is a direct result of self-satisfaction in knowing you did your best to become the best you’re capable of being” - John Wooden
- “To be early is to be on time, to be on time is to be late, to be late is to be forgotten” - Elin Hilderbrand
Stay Connected
Create Your Life Series
Facebook: Create Your Life Series
Instagram: Create Your Life Series
YouTube: Create Your Life Series
Kevin Y. Brown
Website: Kevin Y Brown
Instagram: kevinybrown
Twitter: kevinybrown
Facebook: kevinybrown
Subscribe to our podcast + download each episode on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcast, Afripods, and Spotify.
This episode was produced and managed by Podcast Laundry (www.podcastlaundry.com).35 min - CYLS 001: Introduction | What to Expect | ft. Les Brown’s 11 Keys to Motivation
Episode Summary
Welcome to the first episode of Create Your Life Series where the host Kevin Y Brown tells you his inspiration behind the podcast and how you can maximize your potential. It also features Les Brown’s 11 Keys to Motivation. Tune in to this episode to know where it all began.
Kevin Y. Brown
Kevin is a seasoned multi-media executive who is passionate about Africa’s digital future. As an award winning entrepreneur, podcast producer (over 1,000 episodes across different genres with over 30 million downloads across clients) and tech veteran, Kevin is the Chief Content officer and Head of Strategy at Afripods leading their multi-country strategy and product vision.
Kevin is the host of the Create Your Life Series podcast and has been featured or spoken in Forbes, Black Enterprise, Essence, Podcast Movement, Podcast Sessions, Ted X, Sirius XM, Inc. magazine and many more…
Les Brown
World’s Leading Motivational Speaker
As one of the world’s most renowned motivational speakers, Les Brown is a dynamic personality and highly-sought-after resource in business and professional circles for Fortune 500 CEOs, small business owners, non-profit and community leaders from all sectors of society looking to expand opportunity.
Insights From the Episode
- Simple keys to inspire, motivate, and improve your life for the better
- How the energy you keep around you changes your outlook
- Strategies on how you can maintain your physical and mental well-being
Quotes From the Show
- “I created a story in my head and I stuck to the story in my head and I created the life that I wanted” - Kevin Y Brown, Create Your Life Series, #001
- “I’m going here because I’m bold enough and I think I can” - Kevin Y Brown, Create Your Life Series, #001
- “I’ve actually had the opportunity to work with 7 self-made millionaires and I have those trailblazers on the show” - Kevin Y Brown, Create Your Life Series, #001
- “We’re going to ask the questions that don’t typically get answered. And we’re going to take from them and learn from them and enhance and take things on another level” - Kevin Y Brown, Create Your Life Series, #001
- “A dog can’t be anything but a dog; a tree can’t be anything but a tree. A human being, you’ve got unlimited potential” - Les Brown, Create Your Life Series, #001
- “When you first wake up in the day, your mind is working at 10.5 wave cycles per second. That’s when your mind is the most impressionable” - Les Brown, Create Your Life Series, #001
- “Believe that this can happen for you” - Les Brown, Create Your Life Series, #001
- “You can’t feel well and do well if you don’t have good health. You can’t perform, if you don’t have your health. Your health is valuable” - Les Brown, Create Your Life Series, #001
- “It’s not easy having a health plan and sticking to it. But you have to do it again and again…” - Les Brown, Create Your Life Series, #001
- “You’re either on the way or in the way. Leave those people alone” - Les Brown, Create Your Life Series, #001
- “You want to monitor your inner conversations, the things that you say to yourself, you want to watch that. And when you’re watching them, you need to take charge” - Les Brown, Create Your Life Series, #001
- “What gives you your life? How will you know you’ve got it? What will make you happy? You need to know” - Les Brown, Create Your Life Series, #001
- “You are powerful. You are a miracle worker. And that inner conversation has convinced you to believe you’re not” - Les Brown, Create Your Life Series, #001
- “Write down 5 reasons why you deserve it. Why do you deserve what you want? Why you?” - Les Brown, Create Your Life Series, #001
- “When you want something out of life, you need to be willing to go into action. Don’t wait around for things to be just right. Don’t want for things to be perfect” - Les Brown, Create Your Life Series, #001
- “Call those things which are not as though they were” (Romans 4:17) - Les Brown, Create Your Life Series, #001
11 Keys to Motivation by Les Brown
- Achieve self and technical mastery
- Consistently working on yourself
- Maximize your unlimited potential
- Read books that inspire and motivate you
- Start your day on the right note
- Expand your visions and beliefs
- Focus on self-reflection and improvement
- Take really good care of your health
- Never be satisfied. Always keep trying
- Find a cause that’s larger than you
- Be grateful. Be thankful. Be happy
Stay Connected
Create Your Life Series
Facebook: Create Your Life Series
Instagram: Create Your Life Series
YouTube: Create Your Life Series
Kevin Y. Brown
Website: Kevin Y Brown
Instagram: kevinybrown
Twitter: kevinybrown
Facebook: kevinybrown
Subscribe to our podcast + download each episode on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcast, Afripods, and Spotify.
This episode was produced and managed by Podcast Laundry (www.podcastlaundry.com).
23 min
About Create Your Life Series
From the publisher's feed
The Create Your Life Series is for Self-starters looking to live
life on their own terms. Join award winning entrepreneur, author and speaker
Kevin Y. Brown as he shares the Strategies Behind the Successes of today’s
Trailblazers by uncovering experiences, daily habits and defining moments of
high achievers from around the world. Learn more at cylseries.com