Every company today is trying to become a media company, but few are actually succeeding. A Kids Company About is one of them. On this episode of Up Next in Commerce, I talked to Jelani Memory, the Founder and CEO of A Kids Company About, and I picked his brain on how exactly he went from writing and selling children’s books about tough topics, to overseeing a growing media empire. We talked about the need for authentic storytelling — in books or in your product or brand story — and how by trying to please everyone, you actually please no one. We also got into how to choose investors and what the future of media, particularly for kids, might look like. Enjoy this episode!

Main Takeaways:

• Look For Experience: People are effective when they authentically know or have experienced the problem you are trying to solve. Those people have credibility and also the ingrained desire to work on addressing that problem, thus making them better to work with all around. Everyone is an expert on something, so find where those around you can bring out their expertise however you need them most.
• You Choose Your Investors: When you are raising money, you are choosing who you bring into your ecosystem. You choose who to pitch to and you choose which investments make sense for your business. And even though it might be hard to turn down money, you should say no if and when an investor just isn’t right for you.
• Can’t Please Everyone: When you try to make a product or tell a story that connects with everyone, you actually create something that connects with no one. Lean into what is actually true or unique to you, and don’t worry if it doesn’t resonate with certain people. The people it does resonate with will appreciate what you have done and they will trust you more moving forward.

For an in-depth look at this episode, check out the full transcript below. Quotes have been edited for clarity and length.

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For a full transcript of this interview, click here.