Unbankable with Alex Shvarts

Welcome to Unbankable, the podcast for entrepreneurs who won't take no for an answer. I'm Alex Schwarz, and today we're talking about something that's becoming increasingly rare. Building a lasting media brand in an industry that's constantly changing. Because here's the reality. Everybody thinks they can be a content creator, even me. But very few understand how to build a sustainable media business that stands the test of time. Let's dive in. Today I'm joined by Keith Papa Keith Walcott, a legendary radio host and media personality who's been the voice of Miami and beyond for decades. Keith currently hosts the afternoon drive on 103.5 The Beat, but his influence goes far beyond radio. He's a voice actor with over 18,000 radio and TV commercials under his belt, an event host, and most important, a community advocate through his people matter initiative. What makes Keith different? We're going to find out. And here's why this matters to our unbankable audience. Keith has built a personal brand that transcends any single platform or employer. He's here to share how media professionals can build unbankable careers in an industry that's constantly disrupting itself. Keith, Papa Keith, welcome. So happy to to have you here. Join me on this. No, thank you so much, Alex. And you know, I feel honored a um to to receive the phone call. G me goosebumps already right away. No, no, no. Seriously, I mean, you know, your legacy and what you've done in the industry, you know, I know you're here to talk to other people about what they do, but, you know, I have to give you your gold roses for the accomplishments that you've made and the things that you've been involved with, you know, especially even with hiphop, you know, so it's a long lifetime. Yeah. Yeah. So, I got to have you on my podcast next. I'd love to. Thank you. You gave me goosebumps. I actually have goosebumps. All right. So before we get into your life, your story, and how we can help entrepreneurs that are listening to this, we have something in common, and you'll never guess what it is. I'll give you one guess. Something in common. Does it have anything to do with New York? Miami. Okay. Boom. And we're we're we're kind of both older guys here, right? We're like 38 each, but you got it right. But so what is what do you think we both have in common? Um, in Miami. Yeah. About Miami. About Miami. That we both left New York to come down here. That's true. Miami Vice. You see, you were a fan of Miami Vice and I was a fan of Miami Vice. Oh, that is awesome. That's what brought me down here. So, like growing up watching Miami Vice, the Ferrari, you know, we could be Crockett and Tubs, right? We're just going to go rent a an old Ferrari like that. It made like Miami glamorous. Yes. Yes. Right. And and Miami really is glamorous. It's an amazing place to live. Um people are super friendly, a lot of good energy, a lot of um motivation. Yes. Right. Like people want to succeed here. People don't give a [ __ ] where you're from, what you do. There's there's no negativity. Like we really don't talk about politics. The only politics arguments is like what we're going to have for food for dinner cuz there's so many choices, right? We can't agree. But um that's what really brought me to Miami and I think you've been here way longer than I have. So Miami Vice, right? Yes. Miami Vice. That is correct. So I just wanted to bring that up, you know. No, no, thank you for bringing that up. I might dye my hair, you know, to look like Don Johnson, but uh probably better looking than Don Johnson. No, I'm just joking. All right, Papa Keith, here's the question. What's the last no you heard? Last no? Uh when I was asking for a raise, I asked for a raise at home every day. It's always no, you know, and I never get a raise. And I got a no, but I fought through it. You did, right? Finally get a yes. But it's does no stop you? Uh absolutely not. And and that that's to that point. They they did tell me no when I asked for a raise and then I had to give a list of reasons why I deserved it. So I was pretty relentless about it. And at that time, the company had a a freeze. They weren't giving anybody raises. And I just I just said, "No, like I'm gonna I'm gonna push my point and I'm going to fight through it." Yeah. You know what I do at at our company? I don't um I don't believe in rewarding employees on a timely basis. Meaning like I don't and I and I and I tell this to young entrepreneurs and business owners all the time. Don't give a raise cuz the year is up. You got to reward people as things happen. You've got to acknowledge things uh or or work or performance that makes a difference as it happens. Now, look, not everybody can throw money around. That's not always easy, but there are other things you can do and um and that are important. So, yeah. And I'm sorry you had to go through that. Um and that's tough, but you did it. Yeah. Yeah. And I'm glad you take no for an answer, right? and and it lets you know, you know, what you can do. You know, uh sometimes it allows you to understand your value at the time cuz sometimes we think we're a lot less valuable than we really are and it takes those opportunities to kind of understand it a little bit better. So, yeah, I'm happy to. And time is one thing that we don't have. No, we don't. We don't have time. You got to make every minute count whether you and you know besides working for a major radio station you're also an entrepreneur and we'll get into that but um you know people don't understand that they think that oh I can do this tomorrow you don't have time you don't you really don't and you really don't know how what your time is your time span so I think you got to make every minute count and fight for what you believe in and another point to that too um that someone once told me um you sometimes is, you know, I used to collect favors, right? I used to be one that I would just collect favors. I'll do do for people and I would just collect the favors and I said, "Well, you know, if I ever need it, I'll circle back or whatever the case may be." Until a gentleman by the name of David showed me. He's like, "No, you don't know what a person's circumstance is going to be from that moment to the next. So, you cash in on your favors sooner or quicker because they may be in a position to help you then, but if you wait too long, they're not they're no longer in that position and they can't do what you want. Yeah. Done, you know. So, I I had to look at that and say, "Okay, let me create a level of balance now and, you know, to be sure to cash in on some of the favors and some of the things that I do in a timely manner." So, it goes again with your point of time. You you just don't have it like that. So, you know, you said collecting favors. I I also have a phrase and and I say, you know, it's a lot easier to give than ask. Mhm. Right. Yeah. And um I don't want to talk about how I give, but I think that when people ask, some people just ask all the time, but in general, asking takes a lot, begging takes a lot more. And so, if you can be in a position just to give, give, give back. Give back to your community. give give to that homeless person cuz man being there and asking it's a lot harder. So, you know, that's why I'm doing this. Like I want to help people. I want to give them advice and feedback and share my mistakes. I'm sure you've had a few. Not as many as I have. Um but um yeah, and just giving back because giving is easier than asking. Yeah, absolutely. So, I I I believe in that. All right. So Keith, you've been in radio for decades and you've seen the industry transform completely. What's the biggest mistake you see new media personalities make when trying to build a brand? Uh losing their authenticity. Uh trying to emulate what they see or other successes that they see. I think that's a big mistake. Um I think we're in the era now where people prefer authenticity. You know, even if you think about it, when people were creating videos and stuff like we do, you have some people that are doing podcasts just like this and they're in some random room and they're using an iPhone. They they can't afford all the equipment and stuff like that and, you know, they're getting numbers, you know, cuz people just I believe appreciate authenticity more than anything else. But if you're trying to emulate all the time, like you know, you just see somebody did this or you want to get the same camera they did and you want to do this and that and you sometimes you get caught up in that, you know, and you lose your level of authenticity. And I think people can see it with the naked eye. I think that if you're going to be a content creator today, you you you should have something to give. Yeah. Right. cuz like it's easy like okay I look there's you know like insta models it's it's great I think you know I don't even know who the top models anymore because who who buys Vogue anymore right like you just go on Instagram I had a a young gentleman work for us here at Funkite and he was a fantastic salesman I mean really great uh very articulate worked well with customers and one day he comes in he goes you know I'm leaving I'm like what's going on you know like where are you going he goes you know I want to be an influencer I'm going to go on Tik Tok and be an influencer. And so a year later and you know we at the office were watching what he's posting and like we couldn't get it right. And so we we we called him up a year later. How's it going? Ah you know the influencer thing didn't work out. And so he never came back to work. He went to do something else. But look, there's nothing wrong with trying it, right? But you do need to do something unique and different and stand out and not be like everybody else. Uh but I think it's a great new economy for people that can pull it off. Oh yeah. And um why not? Why not? Yeah. We're seeing it. We're seeing the most uh young millionaires that we've ever seen before. Oh my god. Yeah. It's it's incredible. Well, you know, you had Bitcoin millionaires, now you have content creator millionaires, right? There's a there's a cycle. Um, and some will become major brands and but most won't. And that's okay. That's also, you know, an experience. All right, let's get specific. You've done 18,000 commercials as a voice actor, right? That's that's a business, right? I mean, that's a serious serious thing. Um, how did you turn your voice into a revenue stream? Like, how did that even happen for you? Well, I I would have to credit the team I was with at that time. And we we developed a team called commercial kings and creativity. So you know sort of like what we were talking about before just standing out. So at that time when we broke out into the industry we were creating skits. So sort of like what you see on Instagram before there was an Instagram we were doing these on radio commercials and skits weren't really a popular thing in the let's say the urban radio community or the Caribbean radio community. Uh, so you know when we jumped into that and when we discovered like we were getting success with that, it just it just blew us up. So I was the main voice actor, you know, with the team. So I I would be there and I would come up with a lot of the ideas, a lot of the skits to draw people's attention and then we started doing commercials for a lot of the promoters and they would start placing our commercials on the radio, right? You know what I mean? And then now the masses are hearing. I mean, they're they're promoting their event, but now hundreds of thousands of people are listening to me. I'm I'm looking at you and while my eyes are open, they're actually closed and I'm just tuning into your voice. I I I'm And it's And it's pretty freaking good voice you got. Like, I could see why you did so many audio commercials. Thank you, brother. So, if you had to do a skit right now, like if you are you are you like fast with skits or Oh, yeah. I'm like I can't even help myself. Like, all right, just go for it. Let's go. So, if I had to do a skit right now, me right now in this room, like this this guy Alex, like what is he doing? Like, I know I love it. But if I had to do a skit maybe to promote, you know, your podcast and stuff like that, it would be like telling people like, yo, it's a it's it's storytelling. So, that's what my key is. So, I would talk about the experience like, um, I came downstairs to to come to this podcast and Alex sends down a supermodel to come get me. I'm sitting in a lobby, right? And I'm like, okay, she could not be here to bring me upstairs. She obviously has a penthouse up here that she lives in cuz she's a supermodel. So, where is the normal person that's coming to get me to take me to see Alex? Right. That was AI, by the way. That was all AI.

And lo and behold, she was actually the person coming to get me. So, like now my expectations are high. I'm really on a podcast. I made it, Mom. So that would be something that I would do or something I would don't tell her that she she she's AI but too late but very very good thing you just said right storytelling right so business is about storytelling yes would you agree with that I would so when we um when we help people whatever idea they have and they want to grow a business they have to have a compelling story they have to tell a story right and a lot of people younger business people they might be good at something like I always talk about chef I a good chef I mean he tells a story through his food right visual taste but doesn't mean he knows how to run a business correct right I see a lot of successful restaurants that are very badly mismanaged because the chef owner operator just doesn't know these things he knows how to make good food so how important is thinking about the story of your business and then expressing it. I think and and and if you can like maybe two tips about how you approach like listen you go out you get advertising dollars you get sponsors right you know what do you what's your thought process and how do you put the story together to be able to get the books the sponsors or the advertisers right so I I will kind of compare it to like building a house um so if you're building a house you know like you said the the the as it relates to the restaurant owner uh being the cook, right? And not understanding all the nuances. So you may be the architect, right? So you have this vision of this house that you want to build, small, big, whatever, whatever your vision is, right? But with that vision, now you have to figure out what are the pieces that I really need and how important are these pieces. So you have to prioritize them. So you come up with the vision of the house, but okay, who's going to build the house, right? You need someone, an actual builder. Where are you going to get the equipment from? Where are you going to get the the tools from all you? So, you have to figure out all these steps of people that you want to involve. So, let's just say it's 10 different things to build a house, right? 10 different pieces to build a house. Then you have to now imagine that each one of them are equally as important as the other, right? So, even when I would do promotions, cuz that's something I have done, not build a house, right? So, let me switch now to promotions. I got my wife. She's the one with the hacksaw and the hammer. She's the one always doing I just I just stand there. God forbid I hang a picture, man. It's got to have like a level and I just I just I just don't do it. Di put it up. Yeah. She's like the Bob Villa of, you know, female house building. It's hysterical. I'm saying it gives her something to do, man. It makes her happy. It makes her happy. So, um I'll I'll do it in a sense of promotion cuz that's something I've actually done and do. So, as a promoter, there's 10 things to have a successful party. You need flyers, you need social media, you need a street team, you need radio, you need um individuals, you know, that are going to be like uh representatives or influencers. Um you need a venue, you need um the the DJs and the entertainment or the artists, 10 different things to put together a successful event, right? And you have to deal with each one of them like they're all 10% and they're equally as important. So you can't put one above the other. Even though one may look like it's more important than the other, you have to deal with them equally as important, which sometimes will mean that you'll have to hire or bringing other people to manage those other things for you because it's extremely difficult for you as one person to manage all 10 things. Right. Well, you're a planner. Well, yes. Yeah, you're a planner. A lot of people aren't planners. They just swing it. Right. Right. So, with the storytelling and being able to storytell as part of your business, the planning is going to be the key. You know what I'm saying? I I agree with you. I think planning, taking the time and taking a step back and really looking at the big picture. And a big picture, it's like a a big problem is just a multitude of little problems. And the big picture is just a multitude of little pictures, right? And one is no more important than the other. Even if it looks that way, it isn't. Because I've had many nonprofits and different people come into, you know, my space and say, "Hey, we need to promote this with two days left." So they spent thousands, right? They spent hundreds and thousands of dollars putting the event together, making it look pretty, the the invitation, the this, the that. and then they come 2 days to tell people about it. So now they have this amazing event with not many people, which is which which leads me to my next question because being able to adapt, right? So I mean you're on Miami radio, you've been in Houston, you've been in Caribbean, you you came from New York, right? And you know these are all different um geographics, demographics, cultures. It's all different people and you have to be able to adapt just like if you are a restaurant, you're going to have different people come in, right? So, how do you um how do you adapt your brand to the different markets and yet, you know, stay authentic to who you are? Yo, Alex, that's such a good question that nobody's ever asked me. So, I want to commend you on that. Um, so what it is is just listen. You got to listen. Um, as a New Yorker, you know, we're very I don't know if I have to say it, but you know, we carry and throw our weight around. Deaf, we're deaf. It could be that, too, right? U, we just know better. I mean, we just know better. New Yorkers know better, right? But what happens is that when you come to a market like Miami, what worked for you in New York or that energy that you had in New York doesn't necessarily work the same way in Miami. You know what I mean? They operate a lot slower, a lot different. So if you take that New York energy and you try to force it upon the people in Miami, they resent you right away. You get push back, right? So in any situation, learn it. Understand it. You know, don't just force what you know and what you did somewhere else onto those people. Caribbean, even worse. 20 times slower. And when I say slower, meaning to do things, to to to comprehend certain things, to move on things. where in New York we're super fast-paced. We're like, you know, every second counts. You know, here in Miami, every minute counts. In the Caribbean, every 15 minute counts, you know. So, it's understanding those nuances and being able to be patient and and and quiet for a minute to learn the lay of the land. You're very methodical. Oh my god. I just I'm I'm I'm watching you. the way you think, the way you speak, the way you put words together. You're you're uh definitely a poster child of how someone should run a business. You break things down so well and and uh I I'm I'm I'm watching like and what a pleasure. I got to tell you, I'm really um enjoying this a lot. But, you know, um and we're going to go back, you know, to to when I said it's it's easier to to give than to ask. And I think that entrepreneurs, business owners, successful content creators need to give back. Now, you do need a balanced life. You need to do things that are fun for you. Whether it's exercise or Nintendo, whatever they play these days, I don't know. You need to do things that will revive your soul. I mean, I listen to I don't watch TV. I I listen to vinyl records, you know, some some sports. Not enough, I think. But but and then there's another side. It's it's it's giving back to the community, helping other people. So, let's talk about the people matter initiative. Um it shows you're using your platform for social impact. And I know that you really care about this. How do you balance entertainment with advocacy? And does taking stands ever hurt your brand? Another really good question there, Alex. Um because it's it's you know when you when you take advocacy and you're for a cause you know today people are very opinionated. They don't know how to just get along. Right. It it saved my life. Wow. Plain and simple. Um you know when I got into radio it was always a dream of mine. Most people who get into radio they use it as a stepping stone. Like I'll do radio until I become an actor. I'll do radio until this. Radio was always a thing for me from a little child. I would emulate the different radio personalities that came on the radio. So, who was your favorite when you were Frankie Crocker from back in the days, okay? You know what I mean? Um, but you know, that's that was my thing. And so, having the opportunity to actually be on radio, be on radio full-time was a big deal for me. I felt like I re reached my pinnacle. Then being able to make the money that I was able to make on radio full-time, I was in a really good space. So, I felt like I accomplished, you know, and then I started buying things, you know, bought a Tesla, bought a bought a boat, all the different things, thinking that was making me happy, right? And I felt like I was going down this hole cuz I was not happy inside. And I couldn't figure out what it was uh until I got involved with an election cycle just trying to get young people to get out and vote. Previously, I didn't vote. I only voted for Barack Obama twice because he was black. I didn't think my vote mattered. I was in that space and, you know, just sitting with with those folks and having them explain to me, you know, why my vote matters and all these different things, I I I felt like, wow, you know, this was just something new and different for me. Then they were taking me into impoverished communities uh to see, you know, how people were living and try to reach out to them and help them and and it just it just started filling up that hole that I had in my heart, you know, being able to help. Do you have hope today for those impoverished communities? I do. Do you think they're doing better than they did 10, 15 years ago? Um do you think there's more opportunity for them? I do. I I don't like to get political and this is not political by any means, but I do see hope too. I I see I see it. Yeah. Yeah. Because, you know, believe it or not, technology helps to play a role in that as well. Now, we can see things. We can see what's out there. We can see what's available where we didn't have that 20 years ago. Thank you. So, it does. Good stuff. All right. So, radio is supposedly dying, right? Streaming is taking over. Podcasts are everywhere. How are you adapting your career strategy to stay relevant in the new form of media? So, I would combat the radio dying thing with um it can't and I would say this and this is what I would tell people in general. Um radio could never die, right? It's just like everything else. I agree totally. Um you know, in the 70s women were wearing bell bottoms. They're wearing them now. Think I got a pair somewhere. So everything comes in cycles, you know. It's just like the the the hot new chick. she gets all the attention and everybody forgets about you know the you know the other person and they're all focused on this hot new chick and then there's another hot new chick and there's but radio's reliable and at the end of the day especially with AI and all these things that are happening when you want reality and you want something real you're going to come back to radio or you're going to turn to radio because what AI and what um what some of these other platforms I don't want to name um where they have the stored music. They're not going to tell you when the hurricane is coming. They're not going to tap into those type of things. If the electricity goes out, there's no transistor for them to be able to, you know, so we serve a higher purpose, you know what I mean? I think that gets lost in the source cuz people are comfortable until a disaster happens and then they realize how important and how relevant and how needed radio is. And sometimes if you just want something real, whether it's you click the dial in transfer to do something else and you just hear me give the weather or you just hear me say something real funny and you have a human connection with me. You know what I mean? Awesome. I'm going to do a little plug. Uh if you're getting value from Unbankable this conversation, please hit the subscribe button, leave some comments, give me your thoughts or ideas, who you'd like me to bring on and um what experts uh who understand what it means to be unbankable. So for a second, let's talk about unbankable. Do you know the name of your banker? No. Do you know what where you bank? I I don't want I don't want you to tell me where you bank, but you have no idea who your banker is. Right. Right. Because it's it's a it's when you were growing up, did you did you know people at the bank growing up? Yes. You walked in, right, with your check, you deposit it. Hey, Lucy. Hey, Sarah. Whatever the hell, but you knew, right? Yes. And if you needed a car loan, you'd walk in or something. You needed to buy something. You knew, but you don't know today. No. So, if you were going to build a business, like, where do you turn for money? Friends and family. This is what this is about. It's empowering people to understand that you know the plan we discussed the plan you have to have a plan you have to have a plan no matter what you do crossing the street you better have a plan and not cross on the red signal right but today people don't understand that you have to have a plan on how you're going to get the right capital so you weren't always a radio host right? No, you were you it seems like you're always hustling and and I don't mean that in a bad way, you know, um trying to build something, but you had to go out and get money and it was hard. Yeah. Right. Cuz nobody takes guys like us seriously, right? Oh, you're a radio or your music, you know, it's hard. So, what would you say to an entrepreneur, a young person, a a 50-year-old person, right? I'm going to have a guest on today and really going to get into it cuz you know he was 40 under 40. That's all [ __ ] to me. Me too. Right. That's all like [ __ ] to me. Okay. But anyway, 30 under 30, 20 under 20. Like what the hell does this mean? These these what? That's for him though, not for you, right? We're like 80 under 80. But anyway, but so but there is hope. There is a way to get capital whether it's companies in our space or so many other ways you know there's there's a lot of these platforms we have a new idea and you go on and you could you know raise money for your new idea there is hope right as long as you have a plan and and a way to put it together. All right. So again, let's talk about the business side. So you're not just an employee, you're Papa Keith, right? How do you monetize that brand beyond your day job? Like what other revenue streams have you built? So you did, you know, you do promotions, you do concerts, you do events, by the way, the the radio, the the voiceovers. I I think that's amazing. So like what other like actually let me rephrase all that at this point with all of your knowledge and all of your experience. Do you try new things? Do you go after stuff that you don't have a comfort with all the time? You're not a guy who needs comfort, right? No. All the time. Like I I have my moments where I become this serial entrepreneur. So I've owned a restaurant before. I've tried different things where people like don't do it. No, I love the challenge and I believe like there's so much it's like an education for me. So where a person would sit down at a desk in front of a book for 4 years or 3 years or however long, I like my education hands-on. I like to work through it. You know what I mean? I'm going to be the one fixing the plane while I'm landing it, you know, kind of thing. I I just work better in that space and and and you know, versus in a classroom setting. See, I got to just say this. This is like not a warning but like what do they call a disclaimer. So my my team that helps me with this and I have the most amazing team like they like to play it safe right and you know sometimes I cross the street on the red light so I can't just follow what I'm supposed to follow. I I you know guys like us we take it out of the box right you know. So what are you still scared of man? Nothing. So you've done everything you wanted to do. There's got to be one little thing that you didn't do that you wanted to do yet. Porn. That's the only thing. You want to star in a porn film? I mean, I did when I was younger, but I didn't want to Listen, I didn't want to embarrass my parents. But so did Sylvester Stallone. I mean, it's okay. Italian Stallion. It was a porn flick with Sylvester. A lot of people don't know that. That's the only thing I was scared to do because our studio audience is cracking up right now. They're googling Italian Stallion right now. It's pretty funny, right? But okay. I I I um I don't want to go there. I don't want to go there. But that was the only thing that I was scared to do because like I said serious or not, you know, you know too much. I do. Anyway, um all right. So, from porn to radio. I mean, wow. This is a this is a start of a great day. So, actually, let's let's talk about that for a minute. I'm reading that only fans is in trouble apparently, right? Elon wants to buy it and shut it down. The owner passed away unfortunately from cancer. May he rest in peace. And so, you know, all these new platforms are popping up and um very interesting time in the the adult uh adult world, right? So, absolutely. Um big money in that world, right? So, being a radio host, one of the things that I know that you always do because I was in involved in the radio business many years ago, one of the things that I know you have to do is bring advertising dollars. Yes. Right. I mean, that's a must, right? I mean, they're buying your show. Now, a lot of people don't know that, you know, advertising on a radio station, it's all ratings related. How many people are watch? It's like, you know, I guess Instagram today. If somebody has 5 million followers, how many listeners do you have? Oh, listen. I have 5 million followers. You got to pay me $10,000 for, you know, 30 second reel. Except we don't. I mean, there are ways to tell how many of those 5 million followers are fake. With radio, you know, it's real because you have a company like Arbitron. I guess it's still Arbitron who does the rating, right? It's been a long time for me. Um, and it's real, right? So, you can measure and that measurement of that audience. And a lot of people don't know that based on the measurement of that audience is what you're buying time for. So you've got on radio you have arbitron and I think for TV you have Neielson's and now you've got probably a bunch of other and then online um and I tell you a story that um I was actually a person who got arbitron to start to rate online media online u uh audio streams. I was the guy that pushed them to ahead of the curve. Fought with them like crazy. Um and got them to do it right. This is we're talking about a good 20 years ago. Um because they didn't want it. They only felt that, you know, radio streams have to be through, you know, transmission of the radio box, the antennas. And I said, "No, you've got online radio stations now streaming. That's a big part." And I I actually got them to do it. It was a a lot of work. That's huge. Yeah. crazy life I've had. But um so when you're doing this, right, so you want an advertiser to spend money with you, just like a businessman wants a customer to spend money with them, but the brand is looking for more exposure, right? How do you sell your story of why you're the right choice, right? Yeah. Why are you the right choice for someone to spend money with you as opposed to another radio station? What is it about you? You have to meet me. And and you do. You are amazing. I'm really enjoying this. No, I appreciate that, Alex. You You have to meet me because people spend money with who they like. I mean, that's it. You know, you either spend money with who you like or who you have to. That's it. You know what I And do you find that in person when you meet these people in person that you you're able to close the deal better? Absolutely. I have probably a 90% of when I actually am in front of them and get to meet them that I'll close the deal. And first of all, I take away things like authenticity. So I don't, for instance, I don't eat meat, right? I'm not a meat eater. So I would never endorse McDonald's unless it's specifically maybe like their fish sandwich or whatever. But I'm just using as an example. I don't French fries for sure. Um, so I don't endorse things that I don't use, utilize, believe in. So, so I eliminate those things. So, most people I go in front of is things that I would actually do, utilize. So, that so I'm not fake. So, like again, here's that authenticity. So, if it's something that I would use or utilize or a company that I like, then it's easier for me to do my job in terms of selling that company cuz the people are going to be able to really believe in my authenticity. Like, I actually go there on my own time. Even if I'm not a client, I'm there. You do like remote broadcasting, too. I mean, that's a little old school. Uh people don't do as many remotes like as I used to help guys sell a shitload of condos in New York because we'd broadcast remote from their new condo building. It's wild. Yeah. It used to be a big thing years ago, but you know, remotes a little more difficult cuz when people start their day, they're not going to just stop what they're doing and meet you at a car dealership at that exact moment. So, you know, I mean, but it's still good in terms of uh awareness, you know, but we don't do them as much anymore. And let's say you do meet with a client um a potential advertiser and they say, "No, you know, it's just not a good fit for me." Yeah, that happens all the time. Just let it go. Yeah. I mean because of the position I'm in, I'm just there for that purpose. But if I were a salesperson or if I that was my client where I deal dealt with directly, I would always circle back. You know what I mean? Sometimes it's timing. Sometime it's mood. You know, I could you're you're in a good mood this morning. I could see you tomorrow. I'm miserable, man. But I could see you tomorrow morning. You have a different energy. Sure. Right. So, you know, you always circle back and then you give different narratives. Maybe they'll be more open to one narrative versus the other when you're trying to sell something. So you, you know, back to your point, you're relentless. I don't give up. I'm going to share a story with you. Two weeks ago, I'm having an episode. Okay. It's Friday, 3:30, 4:00. What do people in an office say on Friday at 3:30, 4:00? Take a guess. It's slow. There's nothing to do. I'm out of here. I had an episode. I had one of my breakdowns. I said slow. I said, 'Really? Well, you know, nothing's going on. I said, ' There is something going on. Why aren't you picking up the phone and calling everyone you spoke to? You didn't close a deal, but call all of your customers. Call of all of our relations people. Call everyone and just wish them a happy weekend. You'll be so surprised, right? You don't calling them to close a deal. Just say, "Hey, I just wanted to wish you a happy weekend." Send text messages. I said, "Nobody's going home. I'm going to check the phone logs. Wish everybody a happy weekend and just say thank you even if you didn't close a deal with someone." How hard is that? Right? Don't tell me there's nothing to do on Friday. Maybe turn off your sales and be a freaking human and wish people a good weekend. What's wrong with that? Right? Yeah. This world is now and next. People don't get it. They're they're now and next. If it's not happening now next, then you know what I mean? I think relationships are now now next. It it's some something some just take time. We had a a business owner today from Las Vegas, a very successful uh coffee shop owner. He's opening a lot of locations. He applied for business funding I think two or three weeks ago. Great. And and the reason I know about it because one of the sales reps that was u account executives that was working with this merchant came to me and we looked at it and uh you know the account executive was like really I just I want to get this done. I want to get this done. Um and the merchant the business owner reached back yesterday and we're going to provide funding for him today and it took two to three weeks. Okay. Some people you know some people need it now some people need it later. It's about building a relationship and people don't get it today. I think the young have an attention span of a fly. Right. Right. Yeah. Um and everything is transactional, you know, to your point, you know, everything is transactional. I'm going to ask for some advice. So, I'm new in this content creator world and you know, I'm doing this not because I want to monetize this, but I want to give back. Um, what advice, what suggestion would you give me after spending some time with me um to deliver a better message for people to enjoy wasting their time on me? Well, they're definitely not wasting their time. So, I'll start with that. Um, what I would say is that again, authenticity is key. uh have your guests be authentic, you know. I'm sure you can afford to have, you know, you're in the music, you were in the music industry, you can have anyone sitting in the seat, you know, but I think it touches people when you have people who are more tangible and relatable, right? You know what I mean? So, yeah, you could be talking to me man right now from the Wuang Clan, right? and he could be dropping some things and you go viral, but you know when they see themselves in other people, people who are more tangible, people who are more reachable, uh people they have more in common with. I don't live the lifestyle at Method Man Lips, right? You know what I mean? But there's a lot of people whose lifestyle is more comparable with mine, even though I may have a level of local popularity. So, I think in doing those things, you're in the right direction. You know what I mean? Sometimes for us it takes a little bit longer going that route, but it's the authenticity and I think you're doing it. You know, I don't want to walk down Ocean Drive and have people say that's Al. Hey, Alex. I'm not looking for that. I'm looking to do something here and give somebody 30 seconds of my knowledge and experience, your knowledge and other guests I have coming on that will help them change their life, that will help them do something faster, different, better in their business. And whether they remember because they listen to us or not, who cares? It's they got to the result that they were looking for without the repeating the mistakes of those before them. Well, that's what I want. Well, I want to say on behalf of, you know, your viewership and myself, you know, we call that gem dropping. You know, when it's a legendary person that has the experience, you don't have to do this. You know what I mean? You could be on a yacht right now. I wish I wish I had a yacht inside of your amazing looking at these yachts. They're passing by. I'm never on one of them. But the reality, Alex, is that you could be, right? And you you could be, Alex. Somebody's yacht. Yeah. Call a friend. Or yours? No, I can't afford a yacht. I can't afford a yacht. But yeah, I could find somebody that I could, you know, squat over on their yacht. You know, yacht squatterers. That That's a new term. Yacht squatterers are yachts squatterers.com. We find people's yachts and we squat on them. Oh, that's already a thing, sir. Is it? Of course. I didn't know that. That has been a thing in South Florida. But, um, see, I'm late with the times. Okay. But I'm saying that to say that you can be doing other things with your time and you you're here offering an opportunity. You're spending money to offer an opportunity to drop gems for others to pick up. So, you know, that's commendable. Gem dropping. I'm going to use that. Is that yours as a coin? Oh, it's a thing. Yeah, it's a thing. All right. Yeah, man. So, thank you. I I want to thank you for coming on, man. This was uh you know, sometimes I do this and like 10 minutes into it, it's like pulling teeth. I'm like a dentist and and it's hard, man, because I I don't And some people are very successful. They just can't tell the story. And, you know, and you're certainly one a successful person that knows how to tell the story with an incredible voice. Like, I I don't know. You might have to record some like meditation [ __ ] for me. So at night I'm listening to Papa Keith and I'm you know just dazing off. Thank you so much. You're doing amazing things. Keep doing them. Keep making a difference and I know we're going to be friends and we'll do this again. Thank you so much. Appreciate you, Alex. Thank you for having me on your podcast. And everyone, please subscribe. This is awesome. The gem dropping podcast right here. All right. Subscribe right now. and thank you for taking the time to yachquatterers.com and listening to us. Thanks so much. Have a great day.