T.I. Talks About His Partnership With CIGNATURE and How You Can Find Your Next Great Idea
Most people know T.I. as a rapper – but, as you’ll discover in our recent interview for the Launch Your Business podcast, he’s also an extremely accomplished businessman based out of Atlanta.
How can that help you?
In our conversation, he brought valuable insight to:
Finding purpose in your struggles
Trusting your mentors
Why vision is crucial to your success
I’ll share some of my key takeaways below.
The importance of having a vision for your life and business
I kicked off our discussion by thanking T.I. for his song “Live Your Life”; back when I first moved to New York, I was (to put it mildly) going through it. I was broke, five months behind on rent, and almost got evicted. But I’d listen to T.I.’s song, and envision a life when I wasn’t worried about the electricity bill.
T.I. said that this was a great first move.
“Before you do anything, you’ve got to adjust your vision. You have to have a vision for something that’s greater than what you see around you presently. So I think that vision did more justice for your outcome than that song did. But I’m proud of being part of the presence.”
T.I. has brought his vision to a broad array of ventures. Thanks to taking his uncle’s advice, his first non-rap endeavor was in real estate (more on that in the episode), and eventually expanding to apparel, food, drink, the Trap Music Museum, and most recently, cannabis.
“It’s always been about ‘What does our culture spend money on?'” T.I. said. “It’s always been about where [I can] impact the market with my platform by offering something that the culture already spends their money on.”
An excellent example of this is T.I. new partnership with CIGNATURE. As per the website
“Created with culture and ownership in the forefront, CIGNATURE was birthed with the sole mission to provide a platform for Black ownership within the tobacco and cannabis space. CIGNATURE is a full line of quality products partnered with top tier talent, allowing each artist the opportunity to handcraft their own specialized flavor.”
But, the goal shouldn’t just be to provide something your audience wants, you should improve on the current offerings as well. Here’s an example from CIGNATURE.
“The CIGNATURE line takes pride in offering alternative options including vegan hemp wraps that are 100% organic, non GMO and vegan, as well as CBD and Delta8 that are also hemp derived.”
So you need to consider practicalities (is there a place for your product in the market?) as well as your unique differentiator (how can you improve on what’s currently available?).
But you also need to have a good sense of the big picture. T.I. said that when it comes to vision, there are a couple of pitfalls to avoid: Limiting your vision to just yourself, and letting others limit you. Let’s dive into those one at a time.
Find a greater purpose for your business
You may have heard the phrase “People don’t buy what you do, they buy why you do it.” T.I. provides even more perspective on why it’s so important to get clear on your WHY.
“The first thing is you try to find yourself focusing on something greater than you,” T.I. said.
“A lot of people would call that energy [or] universe. A lot of people go with religion … I think family is always a good component, but believing in something greater than you. Because if you think you were the greatest thing that you have in life, then your failures are going to hit hard.
He continues.
“Your lack of perfection is going to affect you in such a way that it makes it difficult for you to find the joy in life that everybody else can find, you know?” T.I. continued. “When you believe in something greater than you, no matter how flawed you are, you still see greatness, the potential for greatness.
If your outlook on life is only based on your performance, then you’re gonna be sad a lot of the time. Because to reach father, that means you’ve got to be willing to fail harder.”
Don’t let others limit your vision
The other big pitfall is allowing others to have too much of a say on whether or not your vision is within reach. T.I. says this is actually the biggest thing he wishes he’d learned earlier in entrepreneurship.
“Your vision is yours for a reason,” he said. “My vision is mine for a reason. Usually, [the] first thing we do when we get a vision is we take it to the people around us and say, ‘Hey, look, this is what I had an idea of doing.’
Because of their fears, their failures, because they don’t believe that they could do it because it’s not their vision, they would say, ‘Nah, man, why would you do that? Nah, that ain’t gonna work. That’ll never happen.'”
The worst part is that when, two or three years down the road, you see someone else executing your vision, you will have no one to blame but yourself for chickening out because your buddy couldn’t see the vision.”
Moral of the story, surround yourself with people who accept you for who you are while still encouraging you to continue ascending.
The ‘Spite Wall’ That Divided Morgan State University From An White Community Has Been Torn Down
A wall separating Morgan State University from a white neighborhood has been torn down.
The wall, known as the “spite wall, was erected nearly a century ago to divide the historically Black college from its white neighbors.
“It feels great to get rid of hatred,” Morgan State University President David K. Wilson said to The Washington Post in an interview. “To tear down that wall is the first step in removing a physical sign every single day of what our students and larger community had to go through — had to endure from an all-White neighborhood.”
Morgan State was founded in 1867 next to the white neighborhood. White neighbors protested the move during a meeting attended by 257 people. During the meeting, angry whites said they were intent on “fighting [the] invasion of their pure white community by an [N]egro institution, colony or settlement of any kind,” the Baltimore Sun reported, according to The Washington Post. The report also noted that one neighbor said he’d rather live with ignorant Blacks than educated Blacks.
The Washington Post reported that a lawsuit was filed, attempting to block the construction of Morgan State. The lawsuit alleged that the mostly-Black school would bring down property value in the white neighborhood. However, a judge ruled in favor of Morgan State.
“It is clear that the improvement of land as a colored residential neighborhood is not of itself a public nuisance,” a judge concluded in 1918,” The Washington Post wrote.
Morgan State University’s Associate Vice President of Facilities, Kim McCalla, told The Washington Post that another border would be added but would not divide the two communities.
“All feelings of what the wall meant to many people are being relieved now,” McCalla added. “They’re being replaced with something thinking toward the future with openness.”
As a reminder of the history of Morgan State, parts of the spite wall will remain, Wilson said to the outlet.
Black Couple Acquire Fine Dining Restaurant in Philadelphia For $3.3 Million
Tracey and Cheri Syphax, a married entrepreneurial couple from New Jersey, have acquired Booker’s Restaurant & Bar in West Philadelphia for $3.3 million. They plan to continue the legacy of the Black-owned restaurant that has been making an impact in the community for the past six years.
The establishment, which first opened in 2017, was originally owned by entrepreneur Saba Tedla. Since then, it became a prominent place that provides excellent dishes with exemplary service. It pays tribute to Booker Wright, a legendary African-American waiter in 1960s Mississippi who worked at a local “whites only” restaurant, while also running a restaurant that catered to Black customers.In March 2023, Tracey and Cheri acquired the restaurant through their company Phax Entertainment Group, LLC. It is the couple’s first venture in the hospitality industry as Tracey primarily works in the real estate industry and Cheri works for a global medical technology company. They secured a loan from the U.S. Small Business Administration to help fund a portion of the purchase. Now that they are the new owners, they hope to keep the restaurant’s operations and impact on the community.
“As a 28-year serial entrepreneur and entrepreneurial instructor, I recognize great models and Saba Tedla has built a great model of excellent service, great food in a warm and inviting atmosphere that has made Bookers a staple go-to restaurant in the heart of West Philly,” states Tracey, according to Trenton Journal. “Our purchase of Bookers now opens endless possibilities for this well-known corridor. We are excited to become a member of this thriving up-and-coming neighborhood.”
While the duo plans to put their own little touches on the restaurant such as enhancing its look and adding a few dishes, they said they will make sure to keep the ambiance that makes the place feel like home.
“Tracey and I are excited to take over a restaurant with such a great reputation and following. I have patronized Saba since Aksum and it is a surreal, full-circle moment to own an establishment that made my transition to Philly feel like home,” Cheri added. “We will keep the menu items our regulars have come to know and love, while listening to their needs and desires for something new. We will also create dishes and cocktails that will tickle and delight their palate and look forward to serving them with the same quality and excellence they have come to expect.”
Commitment and Impact: UPS Programs Empowering Black Entrepreneurs for Success
Black-owned businesses have made tremendous strides in recent years. According to Pew Research, the number of Black-owned employer firms grew 14% from 2017 to 2020 to reach 141K businesses. Despite this, Black-owned employer firms still make up just 3% of all U.S. employer firms and 1% of revenue generated by U.S. employer firms.
The situation is exacerbated by the fact that Black-owned firms secure ~2% of venture capital backing; Black-women-owned firms receive less than 1%, according to Crunchbase. Additionally, venture capital backing in Black-led startups dropped 45% in 2022.
There is still work to be done.
Major corporations are stepping up to provide access to coaching, capital, and other resources. Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan, and other corporations have dedicated programs to address racial inequity and create pathways to opportunity for Black communities.
UPS has worked tirelessly to empower Black business owners. Chief Marketing Officer Kevin Warren wrote an open letter last November to highlight UPS’ commitment to Black business communities in an open letter. 2022 programs included partnerships with New York Fashion Week, the Russell Innovation Center for Entrepreneurs, Ignite the Mighty and many others.
UPS continues its work to provide coaches, capital, and educational content to Black founders through its partnership with The Lonely Entrepreneur Learning Community. This one-of-a-kind platform equips business owners with the following:
500+ learning modules on everything a business owner needs to learn!
Leadership
Hiring
Finance
Fundraising
Data Analytics
Marketing
Weekly group coaching with fellow entrepreneurs
1:1 coaching with business experts to tackle unique challenges
Access to vendor discounts and reviews
Hundreds of ready-to-use templates
NDAs
Legal agreements
Ebony Beckford, the founder of FinLitKids, is one entrepreneur who has taken full advantage of the opportunity. Her company creates books and other resources to teach financial literacy to children. She has been an active, welcome contribution to The Lonely Entrepreneur Learning Community. “This is by far the best community I have been a part of thus far. TLE, thank you for being such an amazing resource!” she said. “As a solopreneur, joining the Lonely Entrepreneur Network has been a game-changer in advancing my company. Finding community and support, along with a plethora of resources that can be found in the learning area, has made all the difference in my progress. I am so grateful to UPS Ignite for sponsoring my membership.” Ms. Beckford has also received a $10K UPS Ignite grant to help support her work of empowering students nationwide.
Other founders have shared Ms. Beckford’s experience. “The Program has been invaluable as I prepare for the grand opening of my store. UPS and The Lonely Entrepreneur provide me all the nuances – from digital marketing to trademarks to what it takes to be successful,” said John Marsh, founder of Pop That Pop Gourmet Popcorn store in Chicago.
UPS is looking for more fearless founders for its next cohort. Enjoy 12 months of unlimited access to a community of disruptors and innovators.
This is one of many ways UPS is working to empower Black founders. To learn more about dedicated programs for diverse founders, please visit: www.about.ups.com/diversebusiness
Citizens for Judicial Fairness Applauds Nomination of N. Christopher Griffiths To Be Second Black Delaware Supreme Court Justice in History; Urges Further Diversification from Governor John Carney
Friday, Citizens for Judicial Fairness applauded the nomination of N. Christopher Griffiths to fill one of two vacancies on the Delaware Supreme Court, making him just the second Black justice nominated to the state’s Supreme Court in its 230-plus year history, while urging Governor Carney to further diversify the state’s top courts, including the all-white Chancery Court.
Keandra McDole, activist and Citizens for Judicial Fairness spokesperson said, “N. Christopher Griffiths’ nomination to be the second Black justice ever on the Delaware Supreme Court is a victory for all of us who have organized for courts that look like us rather than the all-white courts of old. There is no question that our hard work and dedicated advocacy across Delaware since these vacancies opened was instrumental in compelling Governor Carney to do the right thing and make this appointment. But we need more, and this nomination is merely a first step. The Chancery Court remains all-white and Black justices continue to be drastically underrepresented in our state’s top courts. We will not rest until the judiciary in our state actually looks like the people of our state.”
Said civil rights icon Reverend Al Sharpton, “Today, we celebrate the appointment of Chris Griffiths, a prominent Black attorney, to the highest court in Delaware. Tomorrow, we get right back to work to elevate many more like Chris Griffiths to important judgeships across Delaware’s courts. The fight for diversity and inclusion is more than a righteous struggle to ensure more Black leaders have positions of power after centuries of exclusion — it’s a fundamentally American ideal that the institutions that shape the laws and policies that govern us must include voices from all of our communities. This is how we make real the promise of the Constitution’s loftiest principles, and this is the fight we must continue into the future — even as we take inspiration now from Chris Griffiths’ well-deserved nomination.”
Investment Expert Ian Dunlap Teaches Us How To Train Our Brains In Today’s Stock Market
A powerful way to flex in today’s stock market is to constantly remind ourselves, “I’m worthy. I’m more than capable of winning every trade.”
For “The Master Investor”Ian Dunlap, there is no better time than now to “train our brains when we are in business,” whether the market is booming or in a crash.
“Affirmations code how we think and how we behave, and especially growing up in this country, we always are subconsciously made to feel less safe,” Dunlap told BLACK ENTERPRISE in an exclusive interview.
Less fear, more wins
With continued inflation and banking jitters on the rise, headlines have predicted that the market may soon tumble. The dollar’s value relative to other currencies is also depreciating due to the prospect of the U.S. economy weakening.
Dunlap, the creator of Market Mondays, makes it his business to empower the Black community of traders and investors to profit from generational opportunities. The seasoned investor has worked to help dismantle generations of fear, lack of knowledge, and ego through affirmation and community resources.
“The conflict that we have or lack of conflict resolution that we have in the community is driven by the social media part getting us to compete against each other,” Dunlap explained.
“The phone, even though it’s a tool that can be used for us, we’ve replaced our living room for the phone, and it’s a huge mistake,” he said, adding that “it comes from not being seen in society” and “we need spaces to love on each other.”
The founder of Red Panda Academy, Dunlap, and his co-hosts bring unmatched expertise to the weekly show in Earn Your Leisure’s network called Market Mondays and the new “Market Mondays World Tour,” which will hit London in June, Chicago in October, and then Ghana in December. Get your tickets here.
Silicon Valley Bank, which has catered to the tech industry since the early 1980s, collapsed on March 10, 2023, after the Santa Clara, California-based lender suffered from an old-fashioned bank run. Since then, other financial stocks globally have taken a beating over concerns about their ability to handle the rising cost of money.
“In those moments, I want us to be more empowered and go into industries, because anytime we are allowed to be in the industry, we end up taking over. So that’s why I want to program the entire community to feel like we can do this, we can win. We can win big. We can win together,” Dunlap said.
He suggests putting our money into safe investments.
“Anytime that I’m investing in something, I want to make at least $5 back because if not, you can make $2 back, but then once you factor the taxes, profit is not enough,” he added.
But Dunlap’s winning streak didn’t come without losses, missed opportunities, and learning self-discipline.
He said, “When in history in America have they ever come to Black people and be like, ‘This is the move to invest in. I’m going to tell you guys first?'”
Missed opportunity turned into drive
Growing up in East Chicago, Indiana, Dunlap was driven to learn.
“I didn’t grow up in a financial epicenter. [My] family struggled for a while, but I knew there was a way out for us, and I wanted to just put all the lessons that I learned together and be able to give back,” he said.
“I’m just a Black man trying to help other people that look like us navigate this market and how to make money in it.”
During his college years, Dunlap learned an important lesson during the stock market crash in 2008, which wiped out nearly $8 trillion in value between late 2007 and 2009. He had already been an entrepreneur but didn’t realize his potential in the money-making possibilities of a crash.
“Imagine if everything, and Manhattan, every building was on sale for 1 cent on the dollar, miss the move. But I’m here now, and I’m here to help other people not miss that mistake either,” Dunlap explained.
Dunlap shared a few trading and business gems:
“Invest early enough.”
“The market falls, and we are able to make money as the market’s going down.”
“Apple, Microsoft, and Google are three of the best.”
“Only take four trades per month because the fewer trades you take, the more you’ll make.”
“Risk to reward matters.”
“Build a business.”
“Find an advantage you have in the world that no one else has.”
Coming off the heels of the Toronto show, Dunlap takes pride in helping curate the HBCU experience at Market Mondays LIVE and providing an investment format where guests feel comfortable learning and having fun at the same time. This is where culture meets community and exchanges financial literacy information on trading, how to invest short and long-term, and more.
From Floyd Mayweather, Don King, and Jadakiss, Market Mondays LIVE has invited celebrity heavyweights to sold-out shows in major cities, including New York City’s Madison Square Garden, last year.
“It’s a lot of people who have come to the shows, met their business partner there, or built an investment group together because it’s all like-minded people. I’m giving different tips on how to win in the market at the right time.”
Gwinnett County Students Are Facing Racially Motivated Charges For Assault
A group of middle school students in Gwinnett County, Georgia, reportedly face racially motivated charges for an alleged assault against a young girl.
According to WSB–TV, the students in question called one of their classmates a ni**er before hitting the student with a belt.
A teacher who reportedly witnessed the incident failed to immediately report it to school officials. Therefore, the girl had to sit in class with the students who allegedly assaulted her, the alleged victim’s parents told the outlet. Parents confronted the school the following day, and school officials claimed they did not know about the incident, according to WSB-TV.
The principal of Radloff Middle School, where the alleged incident occurred, called it despicable before suspending the students.
“She was sitting with a Hispanic child, and the other Hispanic child approached them and said, ‘How much for your monkey?’ the father of the alleged assault victim said to WSB-TV. “And the child responded, ‘$450.’ And so the main child said alright, looked at my daughter, and said, ‘Alright, I own you now, ni**er. Do my homework, slave.’ My daughter refused, and that’s when the child asked the other child to remove his belt, and he gave her some lashings. And that’s when the teacher initially said, ‘Alright, you boys, leave her alone.’”
The alleged victim’s father told WSB-TV he is satisfied with the students’ suspension and criminal charges. However, the father, who has not been named, fails to understand why the teacher did not report the alleged assault.
“There’s no safe place. There should be several options for kids in that type of situation where they can walk out immediately, go to someone immediately, have something done immediately,” the alleged victim’s father said to the news outlet.
The teacher in question is now under investigation by Gwinnett County School District.
California Is Looking For Ways Improve Educational Experience For Black Students
The California Legislature is seeking new ways to incorporate $300 million that Gov. Gavin Newsom has put away for students at low-income schools, which are mostly Black students.
The Associated Press reported that many advocates say $300 million is insufficient to improve education for low-income Black students.
Akilah Weber, an Assemblymember and Democrat from San Diego, introduced a bill to ensure that Black students receive a quality education. But after speaking with Newsom, Weber decided to withdraw the bill over concerns that the legislation could violate the state or U.S. Constitutions. The bill reportedly focused on one specific racial group, despite not using the word “Black,” according to AP News.
Weber and members of the Legislative Black Caucus collaborated with Newsom to strategize a way to increase educational value instead of zeroing funds to schools where most of its students eat free lunch.
Schools with large Black student bodies receive 16% less local and state revenue than schools with fewer Black students. Districts with concentrated poverty receive 5% less, which is about $800 per student, of state and local funds than districts with low poverty, according to The Education Trust.
“Money matters, and how much a school has affects student outcomes. Yet, school districts and schools that serve large populations of students from low-income backgrounds, students of color, and English learners continue to receive less funding,” said Ivy Morgan, director of P-12 data and analytics at Ed Trust, cited by Edtrust.org.
Weber is calling on school districts to be accountable for using money that improves students’ educational experience.
“This proposal is exactly what our state needs to work toward repairing the longstanding harms of inequity in education and ensuring our schools are more fair and accessible for all students,” Weber said in a statement cited by AP News.
The Minneapolis City Council Has Agreed To Pay $8.9 Million To Victims of Former Officer Police Derek Chauvin
The Minneapolis City Council has agreed to settle a lawsuit filed by Jonh Pope Jr. and Zoya Code for $8.9 million, two victims of former police officer Derek Chauvin.
CBS reports that Pope and Code stated that officers failed to report Chauvin’s illegal actions, and police officials allowed him to continue policing communities after they had evidence of misconduct.
“The easy thing is to blame Chauvin for everything,” Bob Bennett, the attorney for Pope and Code, said, cited by CBS. “The important thing that the video shows is that none of those nine to a dozen officers at the scene ever reported it, ever tried to stop it. They violated their own policy and really any sense of humanity.”
Minneapolis’s Mayor Jacob Frey apologized to everyone affected by Chauvin’s actions and Floyd’s murder. According to The Associated Press, Mayor Frey acknowledged that had Chauvin followed proper procedures, Floyd would still be alive today.
“He should have been fired in 2017,” Frey added when speaking of Chauvin. “He should have been held accountable in 2017.”
Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara also weighed in on Chauvin’s actions. “[We] [were] forced to reckon once again with the deplorable acts of someone who has proven to be a national embarrassment,” O’Hara said in the statement, cited by AP News, noting “systemic failure” in the Minneapolis Police Department as the reason for the years of oversight.
“I am appalled at the repetitive behavior of this coward and disgusted by the inaction and acceptance of that behavior by members of this department,” O’Hara said to AP News. “Such conduct is a disgrace to the badge and an embarrassment to what is truly a very noble profession.”
In 2017, Code was arrested for allegedly trying to strangle her mother with an extension cord. That same year, Pope, who was 14 years old at the time of his arrest, was subjected to excessive force, CBS reports.
Back in May 2020, George Floyd was arrested by Minneapolis police for allegedly using counterfeit money at a local store. During the arrest, former police officer Derek Chauvin pressed his knee on Floyd’s neck for more than nine minutes while Floyd repeatedly yelled out that he couldn’t breathe before dying.
Chauvin, alongside three of his colleagues, was charged with two counts of aiding and abetting in the death of Floyd. Chauvin was sentenced to 252 months in prison.
Other former police officers involved in the murder of Floyd, Alexander Kueng and Tou Thao, were sentenced to 31/2 years in prison.
Change is Good? Warner Bros Discovery Announced That HBO Max Will Be Renamed Max
Warner Bros Discovery announced plans to drop HBO from HBO Max. It will now be called Max.
According to Deadline, Max combines programs from HBO Max and Discovery+. As of May 23, HBO will be known as Max.
“This is a real moment for us … This is our time. This is our chance, and everything is possible,” David Zaslav, CEO of Warner Bros Discover, said during a press junket, cited by Deadline. “I feel like, for our company, this is our rendezvous with destiny.”
Customers who subscribe to HBO Max will automatically transfer to Max, with no change in price. Existing customers will also have the same watch history and profiles. However, existing Discovery+ customers can upgrade to Max, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
JB Perrette, president & CEO of streaming and games for Warner Bros Discovery, said he hopes to appeal to a broader audience with the rebranding. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Perrette added that HBO may have appealed to a high-brow audience.
Perrette added: “HBO is not TV. HBO is HBO. It needs to stay that way, which is why we will privilege it in the product experience and also not push it to the breaking point by forcing it to take on the full breadth of this new content proposition.”
New programs slated to hit the new streaming service include Harry Potter, The Conjuring, a Game of Thrones spinoff, and a new Big Bang Theory, among others, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Over 96 million customers subscribe to HBO, Discovery+, and HBO Max. Warner Bros Discover has not made known the number of subscribers per app. While the company will merge HBO to HBO Max, Discovery+ will remain a solo service, according to THR.
The new merger is how the company will preserve and protect “the most iconic trailblazing brand in entertainment, David Zaslav, CEO of WarnerMedia and Discovery, said, cited by THR.
