Roshell Rosemond Rinkins is the type of entrepreneur that is interested in more than just personal gain. Roshell wants to see her product empower and enliven its users. Roshell is the woman behind Liquid Courage, a unique line of beauty products that aim to compliment the modern woman on the go.

Liquid Courage comes on the heels of Roshell making the decision to exit the corporate world. Leaving behind the certainty and stability of a corporate role to embark on the journey of an entrepreneur is never easy. Roshell has worked against the odds to make Liquid Courage a success, and in her discussion with Roshawnna, she outlines insights in to how she made it happen.

Roshell is the type of hard-working, DIY entrepreneur that so many young people yearn to be. The wisdom that she shares in this podcast is invaluable, and a special deal offer from Roshell for Liquid Courage products is the cherry on the cake for this great conversation! 

Roshawnna and Roshell discuss: 

• 3:00 Roshell discusses how she got her start as an entrepreneur. 
• 7:00 The importance of community building. 
• 10:00 Roshell recognized the need for her business in the beauty space. 
• 13:00 How empowerment for women inspired Roshell to create Liquid Courage. 
• 15:00 The experiences that brought Roshell to where she is today.  
• 17:00 The importance of mentorship to Roshell’s path. 
• 21:00 Education as a launch-pad for an entrepreneurial career. 
• 23:00 Using education as a resource for networking. 
• 25:00 Career decision making and planning.  
• 26:30 The benefits of bootstrapping vs. gaining funding. 
• 28:00 What makes Liquid Courage unique. 
• 31:00 Community building and how it effects your brand and your business. 
• 33:33 Outsourcing work and team building to hit goals.  
• 35:00 The importance of creating a work/life balance. 
• 40:00 A special offer and a piece of advice from Roshell. 

James Jones was able to do what so many people working within Corporate America dream of: break away and begin a career as a successful entrepreneur. With RaceIQ, James and his team have taken cutting edge securities software and applied to the the automotive industry. Throughout his conversation with Roshawnna, James shares insights in to how RaceIQ is working to provide solutions for the future of ransomware.

James’ career journey has seen challenges, just as everyone’s has. Throughout his time working as an entrepreneur and subsequently investor, James has struggled to maintain the ever elusive healthy work/life balance. Developing and maintaining a structure for setting and hitting his goals in this regard is just one of the many insights that James shares in his discussion with Roshawnna.

James’ enthusiasm for innovation and technology shines through when he speaks about his work and the pride that he takes in it. He has weathered the storm of startup instability to become an entrepreneurial success and he is open and honest in the wisdom that he shares. You’re going to want to give this one a listen!

Roshawnna and James discuss:

• 2:30 James outlines his beginnings as an entrepreneur.
• 3:30 The exciting innovations in the automotive industry that James and his team have been working on.
• 8:00 How innovations in technology have affected our privacy and security in the automotive space and what RaceIQ is is doing to combat this.
• 13:00 James speaks about some of the challenges that he’s experienced as an entrepreneur.
• 14:00 Change and disruption happen so fast in today’s world, James talks about how this effects investment and entrepreneurship.
• 16:00 How mentors have helped to guide James through his journey as an entrepreneur.
• 16:30 How the mentor/mentee relationship is a two-way street.
• 20:30 Not all investors are alike: why you should research the type of investor you would like to form a relationship with.
• 21:00 How James approaches his investment decisions.
• 22:00 Condense your ideas: James uses Google to illustrate the stages of phenomenal growth that can sprout from simplicity.
• 25:00 The solutions that RaceIQ is providing today.
• 27:00 Leveraging your networks to grow your business.
• 29:00 How James’ experience in the corporate world informed his working life as an entrepreneur.
• 32:30 The challenges and the sacrifices that a startup CEO faces.
• 35:00 Understanding and dealing with failure.
• 37:00 Setting and reaching goals with two simple steps that James follows devoutly.
• 41:00 James speaks about the importance of habit building.
• 43:00 In a speed round of questions about advice and insight, James speaks about highlights in his career learnings.
• 48:00 On finding a work/life balance.

Thiago Olson is the type of guy that makes everything look easy. The center of national attention as a teenager that built a working nuclear reactor, Thiago went on to found Stratos and subsequently lead the company to an exit. Oh, and he has had a planet named after him. No big deal right??

Perhaps the greatest surprise in talking to Thiago about his career is that despite how he makes it look, his path has not always presented a smooth ride. He has faced the same daunting circumstances and ups and downs that we all face in our careers. For budding entrepreneurs, the wisdom that Thiago shares offers a valuable guide for realizing your goals and vision.

In Thiago’s mind the future is bright. Have a listen to what he is excited about now in the world of tech and to hear some of his predictions for which industry trends have staying power! 

Roshawnna and Thiago discuss:

3:00 Thiago shares the story how he got started as an entrepreneur and investor, what drives him in his role  

7:00 Thiago relates how an experience in his youth shaped his working life for years to come. 

8:30 Thiago discusses how the exit process looked for his company, Stratos, and how he came to be an advisor.  

11:00 Thiago discusses industry trends that he is excited about right now, specifically, the Internet of Things. 

18:30 Thiago talks about how to bounce back from a bump in the road and how to deal with the stress of entrepreneurship. 

23:00 Thiago talks about managing money streams as an entrepreneur. 

29:30 Learning to recognize which advice to accept and which to reject. 

34:00 Some advice on negotiating revenue terms 

36:00 The benefit of working with a great law firm. 

37:00 Thiago talks about what he looks for in an idea and a team as an investor.  

45:00 Common mistakes that founders make when they’re looking to raise capital. 

49:00 Thiago shares an excellent piece of advice that he was given. 

51:00 Recognizing how you can create a solution to a problem.  

59:00 A curve-ball question elicits an interesting response from Thiago. 

60:00 The importance of mentorship. 

Deen took a standardized test as a kid which recommended that he become a venture capitalist.  As a youth, he started a successful Ebay business after he paid his grandmother to buy him goods on her various vacation overseas.

While at Howard University, he continued to excel in entrepreneurship throughout his tenure. In fact, his efforts helped his fraternity reach new heights in their fundraising goals.

After meeting the perfect investor for his company in a casino in Las Vegas, he knew that it was time to move into running the company full time. Although he's still near the beginning of growing this current venture, the sky is the limit for this millennial entrepreneur.

Roshawnna and Deen discuss:

• 2:00 – Deen talks about his background and the describes his company, Base.
• 4:30 – Deen discusses what aspects of Base excite him right now.
• 5:30 – Deen outlines what makes Base unique.
• 7:00 – How a traumatic experience in Deen’s life led to the inspiration for Base.
• 9:00 – Deen talks about how he knows that he was meant to be an entrepreneur.
• 16:00 – Deen talks about the value of mentorship in his life.
• 21:00 – Deen discusses the importance of team building and relays how he built his team for Base.
• 23:30 – Deen discusses how he has been able to create revenue streams for Base.
• 25:00 – Deen talks about how he has been able to spread the word about Base to a wide range of college campuses.
• 32:00 – Deen talks about some his life habits that have helped him to become a success.
• 33:00 – Deen talks about the qualities that a startup team must have to gain funding.
• 39:30 – Deen speaks to how he creates a healthy work/life balance.
• 46:30 – Some words of wisdom from Deen for potential entrepreneurs.

Jay experienced entrepreneurial success through real estate and his magazine publication in Florida. But something told him that he could help more people. He started meeting creatives at different conferences and networking events and discovered that many artists, do not have a platform to distribute their craft. So, he became lean. He downsized his home and sold his car so that he could make their dreams come true. Now he's on the verge of launching the RYSE platform globally.

The passion that Jay Jackson brings to his multi-media platform, Ryze is impossible to

ignore. In this discussion with Roshawnna, Jay speaks with pride about the work that

Ryze has done and about what the future holds for the platform.

Jay’s journey has led him on many twists and turns. He discusses how he was able to

turn the bumps in the road in to learning experiences that allowed him to get to where he is today.

A huge proponent of attention for merit, Jay believes that the young people of today should admire the grit, determination and intelligence of entrepreneurs as they do the exploits of athletes. After listening to this frank and insightful conversation between

Roshawnna and Jay, you’ll no doubt be convinced that Jay makes a great point!

Roshawnna and Jay discuss:

[2:00] How Jay got his start as an entrepreneur.

[13:00] How to persevere as an entrepreneur when the odds are against you.

[15:00] How Jay’s platform Ryse allows creative types to realize their visions while getting paid.

[17:00] The value that mentorship has been in Jay’s work and in his life.

[19:00] The importance of seeing the forest for the trees. Jay speaks of an instance in which he took a pay cut in order to work with someone that he could learn from.

[20:30] How a difficult time in Jay’s career becomes a great learning experience.

[25:00] How the ups and downs of Jay’s career have led him to where he is today.

[26:00] Jay outlines the importance of wearing many hats in a startup environment.

[33:30] On making new friends: Jay speaks on the importance of networking for success.

[37:00] Dealing with rejection while raising capital.

[44:30] Some advice for founders that feel that they are ready to begin raising capital.

He graduated from the University of Georgia and started his first business from his college apartment. After pitching his company 725 times over 8 months, he was finally able to raise the capital he needed to expand his business. Now Chris is a serial entrepreneur, podcast host and mentor.

As a highly motivated and highly successful person, Chris Michael Harris has amazing insights to share about the ideas, actions and belief systems that have gotten him to where he is today.

Chris was made for entrepreneurship. His drive for more than a pay-by-the-hour job led him to follow a career path that isn’t for the faint of heart. Still, Chris believes that everyone has a talent that can be monetized. Those that haven’t used it yet may just lack the confidence to let it shine. 

Chris has created a lifestyle around his work and his enthusiasm for his chosen career path is contagious. The insights gained in a listen to Roshawnna and Chris’ conversation would be hugely beneficial to the budding entrepreneur and successful business person alike!

Roshawnna and Chris discuss:

[2:30] Why Chris decided to become an entrepreneur and how things looked starting

out for him.

[3:30] The importance of putting together a great team and a great game plan.

[4:30] How to deal with regrets as an entrepreneur.

[5:30] The importance of finding a great fit for yourself and your talents and how you’ll know when you’re there.

[6:30] Chris’ belief in the importance of ‘gut feeling’ for entrepreneurship.

[9:00] Chris explains that allowing mentorship in to his life has been paramount to his success.

[10:00] Formal education was a huge boon to Chris’ career. Here he explains how and why.

[16:00] The difference between money and smart money and what it can mean for your business.

[19:30] Why you have to be committed to your ‘Why.’

[22:00] The importance of having a great team and how to put one together.

[33:00] Chris shares some book suggestions for varying stages in the startup process.

[34:30] Chris shares his regimen for maintaining both mental and physical

Born in the projects in Atlanta, he always had a strong love for family. Years later he attended Stanford University and majored in symbolic systems. Though he always has a love for sales and community investment, he looks forward to the reset afforded by extended vacations and service trips to Haiti, India and Costa Rica.

His vision is for an inclusive world and now he is an entrepreneur, investor, and community advocate.

Tanya Van Court is a great example of a person that struck out on a dream to become a success. From modest beginnings as the flash of an idea that was born out of a comment that her daughter made, Tanya has been able to grow iSow into a viable business that has a great ethos and a lot of heart.   

Tanya was able to recognize that our society teaches children terrible financial values. The materialism that we learn young follows us into adulthood and can lead to disastrous financial health for some people. Tanya has created a solution to excess in iSow and the success that iSow has enjoyed so far is evidence that it is a learning tool that really works.

Tanya is an incredibly engaging speaker and the wisdom and insights that she shares in this great conversation with Roshawnna will make your day!

Roshawnna and Tanya Discuss:

• 2:00—Tanya shares her background and talks about the beginnings of her company, iSow.
• 5:00 – Tanya details the ethos of iSow.com, which aims to teach children important financial values.
• 9:00 – Tanya talks about some aspects of iSow that she is currently excited about.
• 12:30 – Tanya talks about what she learned from a missed opportunity.
• 14:00 – Tanya talks about how she knew that she was in the right place when she started iSow.
• 15:00 – Tanya discusses her past experiences in Corporate America and how these shaped her into a successful leader of iSow.
• 18:00 – On how the concept of mentorship has changed in recent years, and the importance of finding mentors in various facets of your life.
• 20:00 – On the biggest hurdle that Tanya had to overcome in starting on her journey as an entrepreneur.
• 22:30 -- Tanya talks about how women in her life have helped her to push through difficult times.
• 24:00 – On what makes iSow unique and the powerful lessons that it can bestow on children.
• 29:00 – Tanya discusses the ups and downs of procuring funding for your idea.
• 37:00 -- Tanya gives some advice to founders that are looking to raise capital.
• 40:00 – Tanya relays a mantra that gets her through the tough days.
• 43:00 – Tanya talks about how she strikes a work/life balance and what her work days look like.

l markets.

The passion that Kristina Montague brings to her role as Managing Partner of The JumpFund is immediately evident in her conversation with Roshawnna. The JumpFund is an investment fund that operates within an interesting and necessary niche: it is by women for women.

After recognizing a gap in gender equality within the entrepreneur space, Kristina and her team of partners set out to create a fund that could bring some gender balance to the startup ecosystem. The enormous success that The Jumpfund has played a part in facilitating is evidence of the need that The JumpFund has fulfilled.

As a whip-smart Angel Investor, Kristina outlines a laundry list of helpful tips for entrepreneurs that hope to attract investment. She also dives into the importance of creating programs that foster the growth of female-led companies, which are an unfortunate rarity in our society. Kristina brings a wealth of experiential knowledge to the table in this insightful and thought provoking conversation with Roshawnna!

Roshawnna and Kristina discuss:

• 2:00—Kristina shares her background and the background and ethos of The JumpFund a fund of women investing in women.
• 5:00 – Kristina talks about the types of businesses that JumpFund looks to back.
• 8:00 – How Kristina came to be in the role that she is in now.
• 10:00 –Kristina talks about 36|86, a tech conference that The JumpFund back companies have had great success at.
• 12: 00 – Kristina talks about how her background in education has shaped her role as an Angel Investor.
• 16:00 –Kristina talks about the massive gamble that she took in leaving her secure role at the University of Tennessee to pursue the life of an Angel Investor.
• 21:00 – Kristina talks about what makes The Jumpfund unique.
• 24:00 – Kristina talks about the importance of relationship building in the investor/entrepreneur process.
• 26:00—Kristina details what she looks for in a team to invest in.
• 27:30 – On having the roadmap for the company fully fleshed out before approaching investors. 
• 29:00 – Kristina talks about the importance of bringing a co-founder into the fray to bounce ideas off of.
• 32:00 – Kristina discusses founders striking a balance between their full-time work on their startup and maintaining a job for revenue stream as well.
• 34:00 – On the importance of customer discovery in gaining investment funding to create a viable business.
• 36:00 --Kristina talks about some common mistakes that founders make.
• 37:00 – Kristina discusses investment vs. bootstrapping.
• 42:00 – Kristina talks about the importance of striking a life/work balance.

He was born in Jamaica & received his undergraduate degree from Northeastern University. After working a few years in consulting, he decided to move to London to pursue career and athletic opportunities.

After returning from playing professional basketball in Europe, he received his MBA from Cornell University only to have unsuccessfully pitched an investment deal to his team at Intel Capital that has successfully achieved exponential growth. Fast forward a few years and now he is a successful venture capitalist at Cross Culture VC,  a board member of Kaufman Fellows, and a a mentor to several entrepreneurs.

Marlon Nichols has the type of drive and vision that most people can only dream of. As a partner in the unique firm, Cross Culture Ventures, Marlon knows what it takes to turn a dream into a reality.

In this frank discussion with Roshawnna, Marlon talks about the personal journey that has carried him to his lofty position. Though Marlon is highly technically educated, much of what he chooses to illuminate in this discussion is the inter-personal dynamics that can make or break a person’s success in reaching their goals.

Marlon shares insights in to what investors look for in an idea and a team, as well as illustrating the points from his own path that could be used by anyone that wants to take their career to the next level. Marlon’s dedication to his craft is inspiring and the knowledge that he shares in this conversation with Roshawnna would be a great help for anyone looking to take their career to the next step!

Roshawnna and Marlon discuss:

• [3:30] Marlon shares the story of his beginnings as an entrepreneur.
• [11:00] As a Venture Capitalist, Marlon outlines some of the tech industry trends that he is excited about right now.
• [12:30] There are always some bumps in the road. Marlon relays a story about a regret in a deal that he could not land and the lessons that he learned from this and used moving forward.
• [14:30] Marlon talks about how he built his inter-personal skills to further his career success.
• [16:30] How differing perspectives can teach you things about yourself.
• [17:00] Mentors have played a huge role in Marlon’s life and career.
• [24:30] Marlon talks about what makes Cross-Culture Ventures unique and the types of investments that the firm prefers to make.
• [27:00] Marlon talks about what he and his team look for in a founder, idea and company to invest in.
• [35:00] The importance of networking and making friends for getting in front of investors.
• [37:00] Marlon talks about the impact that maintaining his health and fitness have on his mental clarity and productivity.