The Strawberry Letter heard on The Steve Harvey Morning Show, Friday, July 18th, 2025. Subject: "I Don't Want To Ever Go Back"

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Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Reverend Dr. Adrian Booth Johnson.

• Founder of the Woye Bra Initiative under the nonprofit Infinity Global Empowerment.
• Former executive at Coca-Cola and U.S. Department of Energy.
• A passionate advocate for women’s empowerment in Africa, especially in Ghana.
• Known affectionately as “Reverend Granny” in African villages.

🌍 Key Accomplishments

• Created over 325 women entrepreneurs in Ghana, West Africa.
• Launched a program to produce and distribute reusable sanitary pads to combat period poverty.
• Travels to Africa twice a year to train and support women in business, marketing, and financial literacy.
• Developed partnerships with organizations like Zeta Phi Beta, Alpha Kappa Alpha, and The Links, Inc. to support her mission.

🧭 Personal Journey

• Became a mother at 17, earned her GED, and later a business degree from the University of Louisville.
• Worked her way up from secretary to project manager in nuclear energy and later to corporate leadership at Coca-Cola.
• Inspired by a lifelong dream to go to Africa, which she fulfilled in 2001 and has continued annually since.

💡 Programs and Initiatives

• Woye Bra: A program that empowers women in Ghana to make and sell reusable sanitary pads, helping girls stay in school.
• Youth Engagement: Connects U.S. students (e.g., from Cass Tech in Detroit) with African youth through Zoom and cultural exchanges.
• HBCU Engagement: Took 21 HBCU students to South Africa during the 2010 World Cup as part of Coca-Cola’s “Open Happiness” campaign.

🗣️ Inspirational Quotes

• “If you want to make God laugh, tell Him your plans.”
• “The question is not who is going to let you be successful, but who is going to stop you.”
• “Sometimes it’s just a bend in the road, not the end of the road.”
• “When I walk into a dark room, I don’t look for light. I know God is there.”

🌐 How to Support

• Website: www.woyebra.org
• Donations support training, materials, and expansion of the Woye Bra program.

#SHMS #STRAW #BEST

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Dennis Earls (Chairman & CEO) and Mikael Pyles (Vice President) of the Haltere Group.

A Black-owned real estate syndication and development firm. The conversation centers on financial empowerment, real estate investment, and community education, particularly within the Black community.

🧑‍💼 Guest Backgrounds Dennis Earls

• Chairman & CEO of the Haltere Group
• 25+ years in commercial real estate
• Brokered over $3 billion in transactions
• Founded Haltere Group during the COVID-19 pandemic to empower Black and Brown communities through real estate education and investment

Mikael Pyles

• Vice President of the Haltere Group
• Serial entrepreneur; co-founder of Quick Lick, the first Black-owned alcohol delivery service
• Graduate of Clark Atlanta University
• Member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity

🏢 About the Haltere Group

• A real estate syndication company focused on multifamily properties
• Founded by four Black professionals with expertise in finance, development, and brokerage
• Mission: “Born from within” – empowering individuals to build wealth from their own potential
• Raised $15M+ and acquired $40M+ in assets in just 3 years
• 133 of their 135 investors are Black

💡 Key Points & Highlights 🔑 Purpose & Vision

• Democratize access to high-value real estate investments
• Educate the Black community on commercial real estate
• Build generational wealth through collective investing

💰 Investment Model

• Minimum investment: $10,000
• Offers:
  • Quarterly dividends
  • Tax benefits via K-1 forms
  • Equity appreciation over time
• Focused exclusively on multifamily properties (not strip malls or retail)

🎓 Education First

• Emphasis on financial literacy over sales
• Inspired by Magic Johnson’s quote: “We’re experts in fashion and entertainment, but lagging in financial literacy.”

🎙️ Podcast: The HOW with Halter

• HOW = Helping Others Win
• Covers topics like investing, entrepreneurship, and financial wellness
• Available on YouTube, Spotify, Amazon, and Apple Podcasts

💬 Notable Quotes

“I got tired of building wealth for others who do not look like us.” – Dennis Earl

“We’re not pitching—we’re educating.” – Mike Pyles

“The world is hard on us. So we have to be hard on ourselves to prepare.” – Mike Pyles

“Take those dollars, put them into an investment, sit on it, and watch it grow.” – Dennis Earl

#SHMS #STRAW #BEST

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The Strawberry Letter heard on The Steve Harvey Morning Show, Thursday, July 17th, 2025. Subject: "His Ex Is Staying With Us For A Week"

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The Strawberry Letter heard on The Steve Harvey Morning Show, Wednesday, July 16, 2025. Subject: "If It Ain't Broke, Don't Fix It"

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Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald, interviewed Attorney Ken Harris:

• Former NBA and NFL agent, attorney based in Charlotte, NC, and author of the novel Dark Trades.
• The novel explores an alternate history: What if the South had won the Civil War?

📚 Dark Trades – A Historical Fiction Novel

• Set in 2018 Baltimore, the book imagines a modern-day America where slavery still exists.
• Explores the resilience of the African-American community and the possibility of overcoming systemic oppression even in such a dystopian reality.
• Inspired by Harris’s advocacy work and mentorship under Magic Johnson.

💼 Financial Literacy & Athletes

• Harris discusses the financial pitfalls many professional athletes face.
• Emphasizes the need for:
  • Financial education
  • Qualified advisors (attorneys, accountants, conservative investment advisors)
  • Early planning, especially with the rise of NIL (Name, Image, Likeness) deals for younger athletes.

• Praises their business acumen, humility, and attention to detail.
• Reveals Magic Johnson’s photographic memory and deep involvement in business operations (e.g., popcorn sales at his theaters, menu items at Starbucks).

🎧 Closing Thoughts

• The episode is a blend of historical reflection, financial advice, and personal stories from influential Black leaders.
• Rashawn McDonald encourages listeners to lead with their gifts and learn from the experiences shared.

#SHMS #STRAW #BEST

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The Strawberry Letter heard on The Steve Harvey Morning Show on Tuesday, July 15th, 2025. Subject: "Should I Tell Her That We're Sharing Him?"

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

A full-time attorney turned baker and founder of Confectionist Bakery.

Here are some key highlights from the episode:

🎙️ Guest Background

• Monty Garside is a practicing attorney with over 20 years of experience in litigation.
• He founded Confectionist Bakery in honor of his grandmother, Ruth Ilene Burns Garside.
• The bakery started in his home kitchen and now ships desserts nationwide.

🍰 Bakery Journey

• Inspired by nostalgia and family traditions, Monty began baking after his grandmother passed away.
• His first successful cake was a pound cake that tasted exactly like his grandmother’s.
• He was encouraged to start a business by a client who was the daughter of a professional baker.

🧁 Products & Flavors

• Specializes in cheesecakes, pound cakes, layer cakes, and pies.
• Unique flavors include:
  • Peach Cobbler Pound Cake
  • Amaretto Pound Cake
  • Banana Pudding Layer Cake
  • Sweet Potato Pound Cake

🚚 Shipping & Operations

• Operates out of a commercial kitchen in Atlanta.
• Cakes are wrapped and frozen for freshness and shipped nationwide.
• Orders typically take 2 days to process and 3–5 days for delivery.

💡 Business Insights

• Challenges included pricing products appropriately and managing holiday demand.
• Emphasizes the importance of:
  • Quality product
  • Excellent customer service
  • Knowing your target audience
• Target customers are busy professionals who appreciate homemade, Southern-style desserts but lack the time or skill to make them.

📈 Advice for Entrepreneurs

1. Don’t be afraid to try something new.
2. Control what you can—especially product quality and customer service.
3. Trust yourself through the ups and downs.

#SHMS #STRAW #BEST

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The Strawberry Letter heard on The Steve Harvey Morning Show Monday, July 14th, 2025. Subject: "I'm Stuck Between A Brother And A Sister"

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Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Reverend Dr.  Adrienne Booth Johnson and Attorney Bill Green.

• Reverend Dr. Adrienne Booth Johnson – Advocate for women’s empowerment in Ghana.
• Attorney Bill Green – Her son, now Executive Director of the Southeast Chapter of The Common Market, a nonprofit supporting local farmers.

🌍 Major Themes

 1. Empowerment Through Entrepreneurship

• Dr. Johnson has helped create over 300 women entrepreneurs in Ghana.
• Her initiative, “Will You Bra”, teaches women to make and sell reusable sanitary pads, helping girls stay in school.

2. Legacy and Leadership

• Bill Green attributes his success to his mother’s intentionality and leadership.
• He transitioned from a corporate career (Coca-Cola, grocery retail) to nonprofit work, driven by a spiritual calling.

3. Support for Black Farmers

• Green’s work with The Common Market helps Black farmers in the Southeast U.S. access institutional markets (e.g., Morehouse, Emory).
• He highlights the decline in Black-owned farmland from 14% in the 1920s to just 0.4% today.

4. Faith and Purpose

• Both guests emphasize the role of faith in guiding their life choices.
• Dr. Johnson speaks about overcoming societal expectations and following divine purpose.

5. Family and Community

• The mother-son dynamic is central to the episode, showcasing mutual respect and shared mission.
• Rashawn McDonald also shares personal reflections on family, purpose, and legacy.

💡 Notable Quotes

• “When God gives you a vision, He’ll also give you the provision.” – Rev. Dr. Johnson
• “This is my role in the civil rights movement.” – Bill Green, on supporting Black farmers
• “Lead with your gifts and keep winning.” – Rushion McDonald

#SHMS #STRAW #BEST

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