Who Got Next? The Podcast

I'm keeping the momentum going over here! Still talking to dope individuals. This week I'm back at it with LEX! This brother has a story to tell. Hailing from D.C., Lex has made Charlotte his home. The QC is where he found his faith, his passion, and entrepreneurial spirit. We chop it up to discuss his journey from the time he arrived in CLT as an incoming Freshman at JCSU to a man who feel the city and his experiences made him who he is today. Although we talk about how the SMIFF GEAR line is climbing up the ladder we do find an opportunity to discuss the journey along the way. We talk about his passion for helping young black men take the next steps into adulthood during the day then working on building his company at night. We hit on points about the sacrifices it takes to be successful, , the people who helped him along the way, and top the chat off with the definition of "SUPPORT" when it comes to business. Did I mention he is 1/4 of the FRESH!MEN? Yep, we still out here making moves. LEX is up NEXT!!! #WhoGotNextCLT #CLT

On this week's episode I'm choppin' it up with VVG aka Verbal Van Gogh. This brother has been putting out some of the dopest projects to hit the streets from his early freestyles you can find on YouTube to just about every digital streaming service to his MME mixtapes. He is not afraid to collab with other artists and show the hip hop world what this city has to offer, and BELIEVE ME...CHARLOTTE HAS TALENT!!!! We talk about how his upbringing and experiences influenced his music, the approach to crafting his songs, and the importance in owning your own music. I asked him a real important question, is Charlotte ready to take the main stage? One thing that's for certain, VVG is authentic as they come and he is ready to drop these bars! Now sit back and listen- Verbal Van Gogh got something to say! #WhoGotNextCLT #CLTure

There has been a common theme with the guests I speak with on WGN! That theme is TAKING RISKS and BELIEVING in yourself to achieve your goals. This week we are talking to Jamie Miller, owner of 518 Group here in Charlotte. Her company specializes in marketing and brand management while assisting clients with curating their vision through creative concepts. During our sit down we discuss how the 518 Group was born. She talks about her experiences working in corporate America and the moment that made her decision, or the "final straw" (as most would call it) that sparked the momentum to strike out on her own. Although it was risky she does talk about the support she receives from her friends and family on her journey to making the 518 Group a household name. Growing up in the small town of Pageland, SC, she hopes that others in her hometown will see that they can make it and build something also....If you set your mind to it! SN: Yall make sure to tell her Happy Birthday in the comments. Guess what day it is?? 5-1-8 Ha! Say Hello to Jamie folks!! She GOT NEXT!! #Whogotnextclt #CLTure

This week I'm talking with the homie Myra, the owner of Melanin Globe. Melanin Globe is a growing African-American based travel company that specializes in group travel management. The company strives to encourage those that are not well traveled to challenge themselves to experience traveling on an international level. We sit down and talk about her experiences and the leap of faith she took that led her down a path to creating the company. We touch on her past experiences in Corp America, being a single mother, taking a risk with the unknown, and the scary part of starting a business. We also discuss having a growing a social media presence, responding to feedback (good or bad), and the picture "that went viral" and taking a life on its own. So grab your passport! Get it Stamped! Take a listen. #WhoGotNextCLT #CLTure

We are back with Volume 4! Not only that it’s Mental Health Awareness month! What better way to recognize mental health by kicking off the first episode with someone who specializes in the field. Meet Brandon Risher, he is a licensed psychologist here in the Charlotte area, and owner of Risher Counseling & Wellness Center, PLLC. His passion is assisting low income families with their mental health needs. We sit down to discuss the importance of self-care, the myths about mental health, and what made him decide to choose this as a career path. Brandon brings a wealth of knowledge on the subject matter. One question I asked him was “Who therapies the Therapist?” He supplies us with a very interesting take. This was a great conversation. Make sure you all check this one out! Salute to this brother for taking his time out to talk with WGN. 

This is the last episode of Vol. 3 and I could not end it without talking to a brother who I feel is doing some great things around here. Wilmo is a Charlotte native and has no problem letting you know that the QC is his home. Wilmo is the man behind Hillmanshirts and a Vibe Called Fresh here in the QC. Wilmo is a great representation of what it means to be a true Charlottean. He is in the community and making sure other residents of the city have the information WE need to make well informed decisions from home ownership, city plans, and preserving history of landmarks such as Beatties Ford Road. This conversation was an enlightening one and hope you all enjoy it as much as I did! Please welcome to the stage....WILMO people! 

This week I'm "sparking up a convo" with Dexter Clay aka Uncle Boof. A native of Dayton, OH, and made the QC his home about 10 years ago when he had a chance to visit the city for the first time. He has a web series that you can catch on YouTube called "Sparkin Convos", where he travels the globe and have random conversations with people, and "spark" one up with them while talking about what's going on in the world. If you are knowledgeable of Dexter then you know sparking a convo is 2nd nature to him. He give us a few tips on finding items at thrift stores, other business endeavors he has going, and discuss embracing life as it comes. Get Familiar with Uncle Boof. A legend in the making! 

Every now and then I need to just sit back and kick it with my folks. I wanted to talk about music. So I invited Lew and Yoli to do just that. We talk about Rap album of the Year Grammy nominations, definition of a classic album, and a couple other topics. Enjoy!

WGN is starting 2019 off right! We are talking with Aking, one of the founders of Off the Wall, a monthly event held here in the QC organized by the JETA TEAM. This event is all about the music we loved to listen to growing up in the 80s and early 90s. If you are looking for a place to give you that moment of nostalgia then wherever the JETA team is setting up their two turntables and a mic then that's where you want to be. Aking talks with us about how the idea formulated 8 years between him and his partners, to now making a name for themselves with their Music themed sets once a month. Take Notice. The JETA team is up Next?! #WhogotnextCLT #CLTure 

Are you looking for a job? Are you preparing for a career change? Are you at a crossroads with how to proceed with both? If you answered YES to these questions this is definitely an episode you should tune in for. This week we talk to Donna, the owner of SuiteLife Consulting here in Charlotte, and she answers all of these questions. She talks about turning her side hustle into her main hustle, the importance of mentorship and networking when seeking a career, and even decided to give us a few tips on how to start the process on searching for jobs. With 2019 year vastly approaching people are setting their goals for the new year-- so this is definitely a great time to have our brains fed with great job seeking tips. Please tune in and see what she has brewing in the coming months. Have a seat in the SUITELIFE!