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 powerful. How to turn your passion into a platform for change while building a sustainable business. Because here's the reality. The most successful entrepreneurs don't just make money, they make a difference. When you can do both of those things, that's when you build something truly unbankable. Let's dive in. Today, I'm joined by DJ Ireie, a global entertainer, philanthropist, and an entrepreneur who's turned DJ culture into a force for social change. Ireie is the founder of the IIE Foundation, a 501c3 organization that works with atrisisk youth in South Florida, providing education, mentorship, and opportunities from middle school through college. What makes Ivory different? He's not just spinning records, he's spinning lives. He's taken his platform as a professional DJ and created the annual Ivory Weekend, one of Miami's premier events that combines entertainment with fundraiser for real social impact. And here's why this matters to our unbankable audience. I has built a business model where his passion, his brand, and his social mission all work together. He's here to share how entrepreneurs can build purpose driven businesses that actually work. I welcome, man. This is like it's a big deal for me, man. It really is a big deal. It's a big deal for me. And by the way, I'm taking you on the road cuz I need that intro everywhere all the time. It's my It's my guys, man. I I I'm very illiterate. I can't I can't read or write or speak. And my I have the most amazing team. And it is about a team, isn't it? It's not about us. Absolutely. It's about a team. But look, y before we get into how successful successful you are and the legend that you are and you're really more of a legend as a human being and then everything else comes. We're going to start with something else. Thank you. Right. Thank you. There's a clock right there. Do you see a clock? I only got 15 minutes for you, man. I'm sorry. I'm a busy man. I get it. I got a lot going on and so I only got 15 minutes for you. Right. How many times in the beginning did you walk into a meeting and some guy said, "I'm a busy man. I only got 15 minutes. Make it quick." Wow. You know what? That hasn't happened quite that often. Really? Even in the beginning? Well, in the beginning. Yes. I'm talking about the beginning. Beginning the people listening to these are are are building entrepreneurship in the be. Absolutely. In the beginning. In the beginning. For sure. For sure. For sure. And you know what? Whatever you had to say, it had to be poignant right away. You had to get right to what it is. You know what? Funny thing, one of the first times, this is before I had the foundation or anything like that, I realized that you have to step into a situation, stepping it with confidence, right? Listen, nowadays when I when I when I perform, you know, I'm blessed, you know, I make, you know, top dollar. I do really, really well, right? When I was just coming up trying to make it, I'm thinking like, wow, you know what? I'm making $2,000 a night. You know, how can I get to 10,000? Right. And I got a phone call and it was for an event at the Versace mansion. Oh, wow. Right. What does that say? That's a lot. That's a whole We should have put some Versace gear on. I think I still have the Medusa I still have the Medusa shirt somewhere. Right. It was it was a new owner at the time, right? But you know what's funny? I was like, you know what? I have to go to this meeting, correct? I have to go if I'm asking for money, I'm going have to look like money, right? And the funny thing about it is my friend just his dad just got the new 500 SL Mercedes drop top, right? And he was like one of my best friends and I tell him about this meeting I'm going to have and he said, "You know what? Why don't you take the car?" He's like, "I'm going to have it that day. don't tell my dad, but I'll let you drive the car to to the meeting. I go, "No way, man." He goes, "For sure." Right? I drive the car to the meeting. And you know what I did? Even though the valley is right in front, I called him and said, "Hey, listen. Can you come outside? I need help parking. Like, I don't like where do I park?" Right. Right. Right. Right. And the owner at the time comes out and I'm like, "Hey, man. Over here." And his face lights up seeing this candy red brand new 500 SL. Right. and he chosen where to park whenever I come out to sit on his office and he's like, "Wow, man. Like, how'd you get that car? Like, I'm not going to get it until next year. Like, I'm on the list." I go, "H, you know, I usually, you know, they they they they call me first, you know, right?" And he was like, "Well, listen, man. I'm not going to waste your time. We really want you to play this event, right? And you know what? I don't want to go back and forth. I get I'm going to come with our best offer. So, do you think you considered, you know, $50,000 to do this event? And I was like, I could consider it, but but was that was that the first big one? That absolutely. It was like, how'd that feel, man? It felt it's a win. It felt incredible. But you know what? It's coming correct. You know what I mean? Like already the perception was was in his mind that wow, this guy doesn't mess around, right? He's doing something right. He's got it together and I'm not going to look like an idiot to this guy. Right. Like he has something that I I I'm aspiring to have. Right. Right. And it was it it's crazy. So that was a big lesson that like you have to come correct. Doesn't mean that oh go like you know do something that you can't afford whatever you know but you have to have your ducks in a row. You really really have to come correct. So in on the one hand you have to project what you want right? You wanted a big check. You projected it. You did everything to make it look like you're worth a $50,000 check. Absolutely. So, I don't know if I What do you want to hear? You want to hear my 500 SL story or my 15minute story? They're both great. I want to hear both, man. Give this try to get this out really quick. 199192 I think the 500 cells convertibles come out. I'm in LA and um uh I'm at this charity golf event and it was at the I think it was the Sherwood Country Club. It's like a big golf thing then. I've never played golf in my life. I still can't play golf because I don't know that you have to. It's okay. But it's a it's a great game. It's a it's a great way to It's a great time. Anyway, so I was, you know, with these investment bankers and this guy, this older guy, you know, he collected horses. He just bought a 500 SL and it was a two-day fundraising golf event. This guy bought this 500 SL and he's walking around and he's showing everybody. He's so happy about his 500 XL. Yeah. SL. I'm like, "Okay, whatever." And then like after the first day, I'm driving by and there's a rent a car place right and they have a 500 SL right there. Right now I'm nobody. I'm a young kid, 23, 24 years old. And I'm like, I go in there like, "How much is this thing?" I forget whatever it was. I'm like, "Okay, let me rent it." The next day I pull into the Sherwood Country Club, right? And I park my rented 500 SL next to this guy. And I just knew I knew that after lunch, after we played, he's going to bring everybody out. Yeah. Exactly. To show the 500. Then nobody knows who I am. Nobody like I mean, you know, right? So we all come out and and I mean I remember the guy we be we did a lot of business together and and we all come out and like they're all looking and this guy's jaw just drops. Now it was a little little different color but the same car, same year, same model. Yes. standing next to it and he's about to tell everybody how excited. Now, these guys were gazillionaires. And I'll tell you who was there. Georgia Ferry. She was the LA Rams at the time. Yes. Yes. And she's there, right? And so this guy comes out, his face drops. There's He doesn't know what to say. He's Whose is this? I said, you know, his name was Mike. I'm not going to do last name. I said, you know, Mike, I said, I liked your car so much I went out and got one last night. Right. Yo, I did it with the face and everything. Everybody's cracking up cuz I'm a young kid, right? This guy's like 60 years old with his stallions. Just tore tore his tore his game right up and I made a lot of friends there and I told everybody I rented it. I mean, I'm not going to pretend that they all right and then I'll give you the 15minute story. So, I moved down to Miami 4 and a half years ago. My brother wanted a project and you know, one of the biggest landlords and a brilliant man is Moana here in Miami. Yeah. And so somebody sets up a meeting with Moa's right hand. The guy became my dear friend. But I walk in there and he's got like, you know, really long hair. And so I walk into his office about with my brother for a project cuz my brother wanted some land and, you know, wood to build a club, right? I met Moa later. Um, but anyway, so we walk in and this guy goes to me, um, you know, I'm I'm really busy. You got And we walk in like he's got people sitting there. I walk in with my brother and this guy says to me, "You got 15 minutes. I'm really busy." He goes, "You got 15 minutes." The second you walk in? Yeah. Second I walk in, I said, "Listen, man. You with that Tarzan looking hair cuz his hair was down to here." I said, "It it's not me who has 15 minutes. It's you who has 15 minutes, right?" He just died laughing. We've become really, really close friends. So I guess the advice to you when you walk in and somebody limits what you have to say, you have to control the conversation. Yes. You have to shift Yes. it into your favor. You can't just choke up and say, "Oh [ __ ] I have 15 minutes. What do I say?" You then you're dead in the water. And and I've been told many times in life, you have 15 minutes and you know turned into four hours and you know absolutely you and a lot of people will do that to see how you break. you're are you gonna break when they tell you this? Right? So, I do this with people I work with, right? And they will crack up. Like, they come in and they start whining. I'm say, "Listen, you better explain what the hell exactly you need by the time by the time this runs out." And it's not because I'm not going to listen to them longer. I want to see how they're going to react. So, when people tell you, "I'm short on time. You got 15 minutes." Don't let that stop you. Control the convers. Don't talk faster. Don't change your strategy. Just be you. And that's going to make you win, right? Be solid. Be prepared. That's good. All right. So, you passed the 15minute thing, man. All right, Ivy. So, let let's talk about you a little bit. You've built a something unique, a foundation that's both a business and a social mission. Walk us through how DJ Culture became a tool for social change. What was that light bulb moment for you? Absolutely. Absolutely. So, here's the first thing, right? I get this amazing opportunity. This is 1999 2000, right? To DJ for the Miami Heat. Wow. which was really amazing because at the time there was no official DJ for any sports franchise, not just NBA, but MLB, NFL, you know, MLS, you name it. It just it just didn't exist, right? And you know, as I'm figuring out, you know, okay, how am I going to do this? At first, I even thought it wasn't even the right opportunity for me because what else I was doing, right? Right. But um I dive in and um it it it it sticks, right? And one of the first people to really take me, you know, under their wing and show me love was a gentleman by the name of Alonzo Morning. Sure. Right. You talk about Miami legends. That is the ultimate Miami legend, Alonzo Morning. Right. And you know what he showed me? He had an event called Zo Summer Groove. Okay. Right. And immediately he was like, "Hey man, you got to come be a part of the groove." Right? And I went and I did that and I asked him, I was like, "Wow, man. This is so great. You know, what else are you doing with with with with the foundation?" He's like, "I'm going to show you." And he invited me to come with him. He was speaking to some kids at uh at at I forgot which school it was. I think it was Edison, but um he was supposed to be there for I believe 30 minutes, right? Uh he spent two hours there, right? And he brought me along. I was going to do some music for the kids and all that. And I saw the impact that just his presence had with those kids, right? But really the aha moment to me was when I actually started speaking to some of the kids after, right? And they told me how meaningful it was to them and they actually felt an obligation to do better because someone like Alonzo is there spending time, right? And I thought it was so powerful. And it didn't take long for me to realize, you know what, I want to make a difference as well, right? Um, I see things I'm moving around the city, you know, and I'm seeing things that, you know, I don't think are getting enough attention. And, you know, my my my aha moment was, okay, well, I want to do these things, but, you know, how can I get the support, right? And at the time, I was kind of like that guy that, you know, when Dwayne Wade was doing his his charity, they'd call me, I'd be there, right? Um, Jason Taylor's doing his event. They're calling me. I'd be there. Shaq's doing his thing, they call me. I'd be I was always there. And I wondered, wow, you know what? I wonder if I make the call, would they? Would they be there for me? Right. Right. And I made the call. And guess what? It was absolutely I got you. Of course, I'll be there. Let's go. Right. And I thought it was really amazing that I can turn around and have that same support, you know? But here was the big question for me, right? It's like, I get it. Alonzo Morning. Lonzo Morning, you know, Shaq is Shaq. These are guys that they're at the top of their of the game, the top of their careers, right? Huge names. Huge, huge, huge, huge, right? And and I'm at a point where I'm still kind of grinding and and and making my name. And it's like, well, how much what how much can I what can I really do? You know what I mean? And is going to be even worth it? And my aha moment was, you know what? I'm going to make that the hook and make that the challenge, right? And when I started talking about doing the Ivy weekend event, right? Um and and I had a small team at the time was and everybody said, "Oh, do do a do a a celebrity basketball game. You know, you can get this guy to play that guy." And I was like, "Does everybody agree?" And everybody's like, "Yeah, absolutely." And everybody was completely in line. And I said, "That's exactly why I'm not going to do that." Right? It's too predictable. It's like it's it's it happens all the time. I go, "How many DJs have a celebrity golf event? and we started researching whatever. None didn't didn't exist. I was like that's what we're going to do. All right. I said that's what because I wanted people to be like wait a minute what's this guy doing? Right. I had never been on a golf course at that time. The first time on a golf course was my very first event. Right. And that was 22 years ago. Right. Okay. Are you a good golfer? No. But I but I've got to do golf events. But I I I I look good on a golf course, though. I make sure I look good, but I look I look great. I look great on the course, right? But but that was that was like my my my my my thought process, right? And that's what really got a lot of excitement cuz like, wait a minute, look at this this this guy. He's a DJ. He's doing this big, you know, golf event and it got a lot of attention, right? And then when it came to and at first it was just, you know, me partnering with, you know, Make a Wish um and other foundations, right? And my aha moment to start the Ivy Foundation was I volunteered for an organization called Teach for America, right? And I was a teacher for a day and the school that they assigned me to was really known as one of the really rough schools at the time, right? Um and even I was a little concerned about going down, but I said, "Hey, you know what? Let's do it." And it was such an amazing experience. And I I won't go through everything, but I'll go through the moment that really made me say, "Hey, I have to do this in terms of the foundation." And it was at the end of my lesson, a a young man put his hand up and he asked me, "Hey, you know, where do you live?" And I said, "Oh, I live, you know, on Miami Beach." By the way, the school is a 12minute drive. It's just right over the bridge, right? From from the beach, right? And the young man asked me, "Oh, you live on the beach. do you ever go to the beach? And I was like, what do you mean? He's like, you know, like with in the water and the sand and your feet in the sand and all that. And I was like, man, you know, I travel like, yeah, got a couple times. Wait a minute. Why why would you ask me that? Like you you you've been to the beach, right? Right. And he looks at me with a blank stare in his face. And he says, no, man. I never I never been. I only seen it like in videos. And I was like, what? And this young man was a junior in high school. Wow. In high school. He had never been to the beach. It's amazing how much we take for granted. It's it's it's amazing how much we take for granted, right? And it's like, you know, we tell these these these these youngsters, you know what, work hard in school. You can get a scholarship. You can go to the university of your choice. Life is going to be great. But the part that we are forgetting is that where's the life experiences, right? Because yeah, in their neighborhood, which by the way, this young man had never been off of his block. Okay. when you leave that block and you go, you get the scholarship to FSU or to UF, whatever, because you, you know, had your head in in the books, there's another challenge that we don't realize, and that's feeling inferior, right? Yeah. And that really, unless you really, really, really are are solid and and and and have a level of security that really we can't expect from kids this age, right? Yeah, it's extraordinary to have that level, you know, of just confidence in yourself. You know, at that age, you know, you feel inferior, right? Because they're talking with their roommates how, you know, they were in Europe over the summer, right? And they're in in in the Hampton, especially here in Miami, right? Like, who's here in the summer? Nobody. Me. I'm here in the summer. Just us. Yeah. That's just us, you know? And next next thing you know, they feel like, you know what? It's like that Will Smith movie, you know, and the whole town is empty. you and your dog are the only two people walking around, right? So, the grace is one part of it. They're like, you know, I made the grades to be here, but do I really belong, you know? No, I I don't I don't I don't belong here, you know? I'm just I'm just from the block, right? And and and we kind of, you know, most times we don't really see that level of the big picture, you know, and I was like, you know what? I want to bridge that gap, you know? I want I want to help and give these kids the kind of opportunities and experiences that they can really feel like they belong no matter where they go, you know? So that was like a big aha moment for me, you know, you know, I'm watching you and and I'm pretty good at watching people and um getting a good feel and I really want my audience who's ever watching this to actually rewind this from the beginning, from the moment we started the last question or conversation because you have this amazing way of first of all being confident in the way you speak, the way you sit, you would turn that 15 minutes into 15 hours in a because your your passion, your confident, the way you speak, the way you present yourself and and you're comfortable. That's number one. For sure. For sure. Second thing that I always tell people, it's a lot easier to give than to ask. Absolutely. Now, people often say, "Hey, what's in it for me?" It doesn't always have to be something in it for you. True. So, giving back, helping someone, you know, we spoke about this before, but I said, you know, if there's one in your lifetime, if you can make a difference in one other person's life, it was worth living. Well, so today, if it if we if we can make a difference to young entrepreneurs, middle-aged entrepreneurs, 70 under 70, I was arguing with a media guy the other day, why isn't there any 70 under 70 awards, right? Like what is that [ __ ] True, right? Like us, you know, 60 under 60. But um so if we can make a difference at least for one person today on winning that 15 minutes, being comfortable, being able to give back with an open heart, man, there it is. It's all worth it. And and and you know, I got to tell you to the people watching this, it's well before noon in Miami and we're doing this, right? This is like 4:00 in the afternoon. No, man. or again I said, "No, no, we're going to do this, man. It's got to be like runaround breakfast." I said, "Wow, wow." Right. How many people do that, right? Like, you know, which is rare for artists, you know, because I I don't want to talk about my music uh history, but you know, artists, man, they only go get to a studio at 5 6:00 at night. No, I I am I am the opposite of that. All right. So, let let's talk about the the IE weekend is positioned as one of Miami's premier events. How do you balance throwing an amazing party with raising serious money for your foundation? Yeah. Like what's the business model there? Sure. Sure. And that is there's definitely an art to it. 100%. You know, my thing was okay, understanding what you want to do, right? You want to raise money for these causes, right? That's the goal, right? Now, you got to say, okay, what are your tools? What do you know how to do? Right? Okay. Well, I know how to put on a party, right? So now, okay, figuring out I know what I I know how to put on a party, right? But now, how do I maximize a party type of scenario, right, where I can really make a difference, right, and do something legit, right? So now here's here's where the business comes in. The business comes in is that, okay, well, first of all, I'm going to target, you know, individuals to participate that brands want to be in front of, right? Okay. Because the business model is if I can cover all the costs, right, with sponsorship, right, then all the money raised can go directly to the cause. Okay? Right? And that's a tried and true, you know, model, right? Um, so that that that's really what what the model is. Right? Now, it's about the execution, right? So you when you think about the execution, you are there's so many things that you really have to nail, right? You got to nail the experience. Let's start with the sponsors, right? You got to make sure that you are following through and you're delivering on everything that you're promising these partners because you want them to walk away saying this was great. You know, people sign up for that, man. They close a deal, they forget what they need to deliver, right? You forget about the execution, right? You don't that's when the work really starts. Yeah. You know, you close a deal, then the work really starts, right? My thing is if I'm not getting, you know, calls and emails saying, "Thank you so much. That was amazing. Awesome." not even about having an an issue, right? If I'm not getting calls and emails saying that that was amazing, then in my mind I I failed, right? And that's not an option. So, you go in with the mindset, hey, you're going to overd deliver, right? If we agree on this, I'm doing everything I can to deliver this, right? That's the only way you're going to have them say, hey, you know what? Next year, we're back. Let's do something long term. So, that's that's the first thing, right? And then we we we think about our you know the attendees right you know it's one thing to kind of just go out wide and be oh everybody everybody has come you know that's kind of uh shot in the dark right it's another thing it's another thing if you go about and this is what I do you know I have a year from the event I have a year to curate the attendees. Wow. Okay. Right. I like that because if I am going about my day every day, right, and the people that I'm engaging with, the people that that I'm meeting, and I already have in my mind, right, the model type of individual, right, that would barely be an asset, right, to the to the event. You know what? Over a year, you're working on that. You're working them. Absolutely. Absolutely right. I like it. And and it's not about just, oh, the event is next month. Let me just start making some phone calls and oh, no, no, no. That process never stops. So, this isn't like Carbone Beach, you know, $40,000 a table, man. And anybody who can write a check, they go in. This isn't about just writing a check. It's about people who bring value and can help. Exactly. And so, that really It's not about We want you to be invested. Right. Right. We want you to be invested and we want you to expect your ROI, right? As well, right? Because that's how you really get a long-term relationship, right? So, you know, that's the other approach, right? And then we spoke about this earlier, team. Oh, I was about to ask you, where's team and all this? You got a team, right? Team because that's what brings it all together, right? It's really it's the team that understands that vision of overd delivering for your for your sponsors, right? is that team that understands on overd delivering on the experience for your attendees, right? And because I'm I'm I'm one person, right? And I'm I'm willing to do whatever whenever, right? But to do anything at scale, you need to have a team, right? So having a a truly truly incredible team that shares in your vision, right? That shares in in that same mantra of, hey, it's it's whatever it takes and whenever, right? And God bless this team because this is not one where it's like, hey, you know, it's after six o'clock. Sorry. You know, hit me tomorrow. Right. You guys, oh, it's the weekend. You know, I'm not G. No, we we are we are whatever it takes. Whenever Tell me about last time you had to fire someone. I am so blessed. Would you believe that in my 25 years of being in business, I've had to fire two people? That's what would the rest of them just vanish on their own or what? I've had I've had that's incredible. I've had to fire two. That's it's it's unreal. And here here's why. Right. Maybe you just you make probably very good choices and the people you bring. Well, here's here's the point. This is something that I have I think is a luxury for me, right? Um you know, at the height of our organization, this was like precoid, I think I had about 23 people, you know, uh full-time on staff. um postcoid um we are about seven full-time and then we also we have a couple folks that we bring in for special projects right so here's the the the magic but really for me I'd say the advantage that I've had which to be able to have that kind of a record right remember I told you how I go through the year and I'm meeting people and I'm saying wow this is a person I want to be a part of the weekend right I kind of do the Same thing regarding team members, right? You know, when I have a position, I take my time thinking about, okay, who do I know? We I've never posted a matter of fact, I've only posted one time about an opening. One time, right? And that that position was ended up being one of the guys that I had to let go, right? Uh and and it's funny because I will think about, you know, who do I know that would be amazing for this position? You know what? Some of the best hires I've had are actually recommendations. Interesting. 100%. It's interesting. Yeah. I think I think it's a gift from, you know, that that I will can recollect someone that I've met, right? Wow. You know what? This person really has the skill set, you know, and I'll pursue them. I say to people, plan your hires. Like, you got to really plan ahead of time. And sometimes, you know, business people, they they grow too fast and they're not really planning. But you should always keep your mind open and eyes open and ears and listen. Oh, you know, that's how you'll get and that's why maybe you're not ready to hire that person now, but keep it keep their information because, you know, and stuff like that. Log them, say, "Hey, you know, this this is a person that would be great for this or great for that." And keep a record of that, you know, and that that's what I did. And and you know what? You they might be in a situation, right? But guess what? The worst that they can tell you is what? No. Never be afraid of no because you know what? you've already failed if you don't ask, right? You know, um the business side of you, man, you're amazing. Like, but I I just want to go back to something that's also important to me. So, look, you're dealing with at risk youth, which means you're working with kids who don't often have access to opportunities. Right. Right. How do you identify the right young people to work with and what's your success rate for them? I'm talking about young people, the Sure. people that don't have the opportunities, right? Cuz you know, you see a lot of that, right? You want all of them to do well. That no doubt about right. So, how do you identify that? So, let me I'm going to do a bit of a deep dive for you quickly with this term at risk, right? Because um we kind of uh it has a bit of a negative stigma. It does have a negative. It does. It's a common phrase. It's not maybe the right phrase. Yeah. Well, you know what? There Listen, at risk is a real thing, right? There are kids out there that are that are that are teetering on following the negative influences, right? And getting into trouble, right? And they're that's that's really what you're talking they're at risk of going in the wrong direction, right? And being irredeemable, right? Um it's it's it's real. It occurs. It happens every day, right? But there's another side of it, right? We call it, you know, um underserved, right? um or or or or or you know underresourced, right? So what we've noticed, right, is not only there are kids that are like teetering on on going the wrong direction, right? There are kids that are brilliant, that are driven, right, that want to do the right thing, but literally can't. Yep. They can't. Why? We had this one young lady that's probably the one I'm most proud of over our whole career, right? Where we got to meet and we identified a situation where, you know, she had her mother was sick, right? Bedridden, couldn't work. There was no father in the home and she had four younger siblings, right? Guess what? She couldn't go to school. She had to work, right? She had to take care of her siblings, right? Y and and she wanted better for herself, but she literally couldn't, right? And we were able to step in and get her help with her siblings, right? We were able to step in and get her a car to be able to move around, right? And we're able to come in with with with with funding to help free her up to be able to go to school and and she went on to the to the Berkeley School of Music, right? And and today's very Yeah, absolutely. So, so it's it's like when you really get into the nuance of, you know, what these situations are, you know, sometimes they're very very unique and and for us, you know, I hear this story, man, and it kind of makes me a little bit angry. Yeah. It makes me angry because there's so many people whining. They have it so Oh my gosh. They have it so [ __ ] good. And yet they're whining. They're whining. Whining. Whining. This is bad. They hate everything. They're whining. They don't even know how good they have. They need to get out of their bubble, right, and go into the inner cities and really and truly see and then they have the time to walk around with posters and and unbelievable. Like, man, just get busy. Get to work. Something productive. You got extra time, go help. And the crazy part about it, the young lady that that we help, she had the best attitude. The best attitude. You know, uh, a lot of people are spoiled, man. Yeah. They they just don't know how good they have it. Yeah. Um, as a DJ, you're in the entertainment business, which can be very unpredictable. Right. Right. So, how do you create sustainable funding for a foundation when your income might fluctuate? Sure. Sure. Sure. So, I've gone through phases, right? You know, when I first started the foundation, um, it was it was all on me, right? It was it was tough, right? But as people started to see what we're doing and believe in what we're doing, then it was it was a lot easier to start getting other funding, right? But here's the thing about it, right? It's not about just, oh, hey, such and such, you know, write us a check, right? What you really want to do, you want to get people truly truly invested and involved, right? When you want, they want to feel a part of it. Once they people feel a part of something, 100%. It's not like they're writing a check. They're involved. When people involved, they open up their wallets, their hearts, their everything. Correct. Correct. Correct. When you just ask for a check, it's it's Yeah, it it's fleeting. It's fleeting, you know. So, our thing is not only is it like, hey, you know, we want you to support, first of all, we haven't support specific things, right? So, we have our our cultural passport, you know, program, right? And that cultural passport program is something let's say we want to have uh kids go to whether it be NASA um you know have different experiences right and they can say hey you know what I am going to support this right right and they'll literally they can they can come right they can literally see you know how the kids are are are progressing in this particular field for instance we have a studio um on lune right it's called the boogie live studio named after my late late mom okay um she's the one that really got me, you know, loving music the way I love it. You know, she was always life of the party and we said, you know, it' be fitting to name it after her, you know. So, our Boogie Live Studio, right? It's an amazing Boogie Live Studio. I love it. You got to come by and see it, man. I'm coming. I'm coming. I'm bringing my vinyl and I'm coming. Well, kids kids can learn about broadcasting. They can learn about podcasting, right? They can learn about music production. You name it, right? And we've had plenty of our supporters come down and matter of fact, you know, we actually host um it's called the Game of Life uh podcast out of that studio, right? So, we have folks come down and be a part of that and see it firsthand. So, that's really what it is. You know, it's about not just, you know, write a check, but come out and be a part of it. You know, you're invested, so you want to see see your ROI, right? Uh during weekend, they get to meet awesome kids in the program, right? We do our clinics. So my thing was like, you know, breaking down the barrier of entry to to different activities that they wouldn't usually have access to, right? Think about it. You know, I'm not sure if you know who uh uh obviously this the the William sisters, right? Of course, you know, there's a tennis player named uh Francis Tafo, right? I I discovered tennis um four years ago, right? And I've been obsessed ever since. It's changed my life for the better. You're a tennis player? I play tennis every day. You any good? on me. I mean, I don't mean to brag, but uh I mean, at this point in at this point in life, I'm really good at doubles tennis. Listen, we won't play. Listen, I do singles. I I do doubles, but but I'm a great raetball player, man. Oh, you do raetball? Oh, I love I play a lot of Raet Ball. Yeah. You Pell? I haven't checked Padell yet. Okay. I mean, it's pretty cool, too. But tennis is my thing. Yeah. No, I I used to play tennis, right? Um but um I uh I don't play enough of it and it's hot in Miami, man. If you go outside But I love that. I know. But I want to be a sweaty mess. Me too. But I mean at my age, you know, my cardiologist, you know, got play a sport in air conditioning. I'm like, what? But no, tennis tennis is great. And uh No, no, it's it's great. We'll play. It's fantastic. But yeah, so we do we do a clinic, you know, for kids. My thing is like that's awesome, man. Well, give give them the access, right? Give them the experience because you never know. Listen, we talk about one person, right? We talk about changing one life, right? All it takes is one kid saying, "Hey, this was was really cool. I would love to do this again." Right. Right. I would love to try and get better at it. And and you never know, right? So now we've had kids going our clinics, but then that kid talking to the next kid and it it inspires people to think about, you know, where they are, right? Where they could be and and experiment and you're giving them the opportunity. try these amazing things, right? You never know what you could love until you try it, right? You know, I I'm an immigrant. You know, we we came to this country in 1976 and you know, the game that I learned to play was chess cuz that's what my parents could afford. My was a good chess player. You play chess? I don't. I don't. I need to learn. I need to teach you how to play chess. Seriously, for real? I would love to. Um, and you know what? my grandma. So, I got my first like real toy that I could remember. I think I was like eight, maybe 9 years old. And my grandma bought me this remote control car, right? It was like they were like this big at the time. Remote control car. And I think we bought it at garage sale anyway. That scale is going to be pretty badass. And so for my birthday and like the next and we lived on a dead end street in Elizabeth, New Jersey. And um I take the car out and it was a bad remote control, whatever. And there's this car down coming down the street and I guess the frequency was all messed up and instead of the car going backwards, it went forward and the car no crashed my first like real toy, my remote control car. But I was devastated, right? Oh my gosh. So I I um Yeah. I mean, but what did I have? I had chess. I had soccer. You know, whatever sports we could play and did have a bike, right? I love biking but you know so so I I I also didn't like yeah in school like you know you you I was a little exposed but I went to a very you know diver I lived in a very diverse city right a lot of different people a lot of different culture rough rough city to grow up in at the time right um and you know I didn't have all of these opportunities you know that and and so it's great I mean like I wish I did have those opportunities right and so you know the people that are more blessed and and have gotten better, they really should should just do something to help somebody like that. And here's the thing about it, right? What I wanted people to realize when I started doing what I was doing, you don't have to be the biggest celebrity. You don't have to be the the biggest multi-billionaire to make a difference. All you need to do is have some air in your lungs and do and just and and and be and just cuz cuz you know what? It's not about it's not it's not about the the the it's a lot easier to give than to ask. I always say this. If you're really enjoying this conversation that I'm having with Ivory here, uh please hit subscribe, comment, give me some thoughts, ideas, who would you like me to bring on? Um this is probably one of the best conversations I've had. You know, like I'm enjoying it for sure. Once in a while I meet someone and um and like you just want to sit and talk to the person for a long time, right? And um you don't get bored, you don't get annoyed, you just want to listen. And but but here's really, you know, like I'm learning from you, right? And and this is what I you know, I tell business people, entrepreneurs at any age, you know, you got to listen. Got to listen. You got to listen. whether it's your customer or competitor or somebody. Oh, every day you got to listen when people talk because you're going to learn something, right? And you know, no matter how old you are, and you know, my kids tell me I'm ancient, but um but um you know, you learn something and and you can and if you listen and you learn, you'll be able to apply it in in many different ways, right? Absolutely. Um all right. Absolutely. Um, we're going to just talk a little business right now. Yeah, man. Um, so a lot of people want to get into charities and 501c3s, but that means you have to be super transparent about finances and impact. So, how do you prove to donors that their money is actually changing lives? Now, stupid question, but let me ask that anyway, right? Because they probably, you know, a lot of times we give money. Yeah, for sure. You know, and there's a lot of ads on Instagram about this person, help this cause, help St. Jude's and all that, and a lot of people don't know that you can give money to these charities, but 75% 30 goes to marketing. So, they're serving you ads. Another 35% goes to management that never shows up and you know, only pennies on the dollar actually wind up helping. And I know that this is very very different with the Listen, we we run a very very very tight ship, right? We literally have three people and only one of them is on full-time, right? Um I don't take a salary, you know? I I I I started and do it because I think it's important and I love it and I'm pretty good on my own, right? So, you know, that's really important to a lot of the people that that that support us, right? But on the on the the big picture, it's really about, you know, having on display what it is that you're doing, right? So that's why at our at our events uh every weekend, I wasn't always doing a gala. The gala came along uh about eight years. So if I if I make the like the list, if I make the final cut, like you're already in talking about, you know, I lived in New York most of my life, right? And you know what I miss about New York? The way people dressed up. I don't see people wearing tuxedos here. I don't see people in Miami wearing a few, you know, like. So, if I do, I just have to might have to take my tux out and show up in a tux if you don't mind. Right. I'll be I'll be in one. All right. You know, cuz I kind of miss that, you know, people a reason to wear a tux. And if there's any good reason, the best reason is to, you know, dress nice by helping somebody. Absolutely, man. When and when when you look good, you feel good, right? So, you know, with the gala, we're able to have on full display, you know, the kids that are in our programs, right? Um what it is they're doing, how it's helping them, right? Um the best best thing ever, you know, we don't go and say, "Hey, listen, you know, as you're going through, you know, these programs, you know, you got to, you know, tell us exactly what happens next, you know." Um but it happens anyway, right? Um, every year I get emails, I'll get letters, right? I'll get videos sent. Um, sometimes I even just run into folks that have been through the programs, right? Wow. Saying how amazing it's been and what they're doing with their lives and the school that they got into. And it's it's it's really fulfilling. And we always share that with our with our supporters, you know. Um it's a really fulfilling thing to see that wow you know you taking something from an idea right and and and being spot on and that hey you know what there is this community out there that can use this kind of of of help right and assistance and to see them take advantage of it and to see how it actually impacts and change changes their lives and now they're in a position to go and help others because now they're helping their families right they're helping uh their friends that is the most incredible thing ever, you know. Yeah. And as I was saying before, if there's anything that I would like to come from this, you know, uh our our talk here is that there's if there's anybody on the sidelines saying, "Wow, you know what? I would love to help too, but you know, I don't have a lot of money. You know, I'd love to help too." Yeah. You know what? It's that's that's it. The number one thing is if you want to help, then that's it. That's all you got to have. That's a starting point. That's a starting point. Saying, "Yes, I want to help." Yeah. Maybe maybe it's just volunteering at another organization, right? May maybe it is doing a a small, you know, donation. Maybe it's really just about going around your community and saying, "Hey, you know what? Who's having a rough time, right? Let me help you with my knowledge, right? Let me introduce you to someone." You know, if imagine if we lived in a world where everybody had that oh god thought process. Imagine if everybody thought just let's do something good today instead of arguing and fighting and you know oh my gosh be a different world but you know what negativity somehow negativity and gossip attracts more attention than doing something good that sucks. All right few just a little bit um just one little thing I want to say. So let's talk about business. I've we've had thousands of businesses that came that are in the house. No, forget about hospitality, but events businesses, entertainment businesses that we've provided funding for. And um so look, you're you're you're unique. You're an anomaly. I mean, you're Mr. Personality, right? Like um who was that? Mr. 305 Pitbull, right? Like you're like, you know, you're Mr. Mr. 305 here. But but look for a lot of um and and DJs today, man, they are brands. I mean, you know, for sure. Uh they they're making gazillions of dollars, you know, 200,000 an appearance. I mean, it's wow. It's amazing. It seems like, you know, when I was growing up, you know, the DJ was at my bar mitzvah or something, right, at a wedding, right? It's a different world. You know, it's a different world. There's a lot of opportunity and it's great that the economy has has grown so much. So if if when we if we have entrepreneurs right now, they want to be in the you know the event business or the music business, what would you say they really what what should be their core? Because before you can charge $200,000 for an appearance. Yeah, for sure. Like you have to build a brand. You have to you know you have to be unique. Like anybody can play the same 12 songs and probably this the 12 songs can probably play themselves today. Right. You can put a playlist on, right? For sure. And not every DJ is is as articulate as you or charismatic, right? Like what do you tell people like okay yeah I want to I want to be in the events like what what do you tell them like what is the foundation that you have to build thousand% real with you and that is don't do it. So I can't I can't I can't be I can't be a DJ is what you're saying like I want I want to play some vinyl at a party and maintaining all this. Well, okay. Here here is I'm giving you the real of the real. Okay. It is a different world. It is a different playing field when it comes to this particular business. And of course, there's different aspects of the business, right? You know, you want to be the guy on the on the decks, right? You want to be a manager, right? You want to be on the on the on the on the label side, whatever. You know, there's there's different different aspects of it. But I'll speak real quick on the ones that may be aspiring to be to be an artist, right? to to to be a DJ because you are an artist now if you do that. Yeah. Well, that's what that's that's the thing about it, right? It's that you know for go back go back 15 years ago, right? And you you know define what a what what a DJ is, right? And a DJ is someone that's that that well a really good known DJ is just someone that really knows how to read a room, right? And is really tight with their skills, right? Can control a crowd, right? and just deliver a great experience, right? Um, playing 100% of other artists music, right? Yeah. Right. And the ones that, you know, end up, you know, really excelling, right, and becoming, you know, brands, you know, are the ones that really align themselves, you know, with with the right events, you know, market themselves correctly, you name it, right? Um, now forward to present day, right? That model is done. It it is literally impossible unless you're going to, you know, um, date a another big celebrity that like gives you some spotlight like, oh, that's, you know, Taylor Swift's, you know, guy, you know, something like that. But to to to to really ascend, you know, to that level just based on, hey, I got skills, that's dead. Yeah. it's over, right? Um, the only way you're going to get to that level is you have to be an artist. You have to you have to actually make something good. Yeah. You have to you have to be producing music. You have to be having you have to release music that is is is is gaining real listenership, right? Um, which which puts you on the same, you know, place of being judged as your favorite singer. Your top three today, your top three DJs today out of the last the guys that came up in the last five years, who would you who's your choices? Um well depending on what the metric Yeah. do the metric party music. Well, you know, let's listen. I would say that the the top three today that are just really crushing it and doing I I I would say no in no particular order. I would say uh John Summit, right? He's built something really really special. Um and someone that is more of a legacy guy and has been in the game for a long time, but I think his his his execution is flawless and still super relevant today. Um David Geta. Oh, legend. Absolutely legend. Legend. And um another guy that that I would have to put out there only because number one, he is a true talent and I don't think people really really understand, you know, his level of of talent because if you look at his production credits, right, um it's not just what he's what he's really known for in the dance EDM world. I'm dying to hear what you're going to say. Um, and that's that's Diplo. Well, of course, Diplo is Oh, come on, man. Like, this is a Google that. I could have Googled that. Okay. Yeah. What about Yugle? Yeah. I'm sorry. Yugle. Oh, yo, he's amazing. Oh my god. I'm biking. I'm amazing. Three, four years ago, I went to Sexy Fish. He was performing. I asked the manager, "What'd you pay him?" He says, "10 grand, right?" Like this. Isn't that crazy? And wait, now 200,000 250 for an appearance all day long. So I bike a lot, right? Like um and uh I'll put his track list on, you know, his playlist. Oh my god, dude. I'm pushing bad boys. There's so and and it just goes to show that for for you, the entrepreneur out there, man, the world's a big place. There's plenty of space for new people, for upcoming people. You just got to find what what's unique to you and hopefully people are are going to catch on and and here's the thing just just just to add something and that you know it's something that I've done you know at at my scale you know but some of the the the the details we spoke about you know what I really really you know respect and think that people can take a lesson from is that no matter what you're doing like example you know Diplo right and his Diplo's run club Mhm. Right. Which has just been doing amazing. It's it's a real thing, right? Um Kigo is another one. Incredibly talented. But what he's doing with Please don't don't minimize your scale like it's a gram scale. Your scale me wait your scale is at UPS. You know when they bring the containers in. All right. No, not it's it's just be humble about your scale, man. For sure. I listen. I've been really really blessed and I I think you know you know what I've been able to do and what I'm talking about about about scale and it's really just let's focus on one thing that is you use we've all used music right so for me music and reaching people right and you know gaining you know certain you know access right and then saying okay that's great cool I played all these parties and met all these people That's wonderful, right? No, once you get that, say, okay, what what next, right? What can I build, right? How do I look at this as a platform and what brands, right? Or what entities can I build off of this, right? Next, right? Whether it be, you know, every weekend my my my my my my um marketing agency that does sponsorship for different different events, right? Um you know, the foundation, right? um other people you know they're building their own festivals all that kind of stuff that is that that enterprising you know kind of uh approach that I think everyone can take you know and it's about it's not like I say it's not about oh you got to be the biggest celebrity there's you could do it at your scale right but it's the approach of like okay hey what do I have you just be good at your block parties too man there's nothing wrong with that either right of course remember block of course absolutely we we need those I tell my kids about a block party they're like what is that? Yeah. Um yeah, one way the most one of the most common um languages in the world that everybody can relate to one way or another is really music. Sure. Right. You know. Sure. That's one thing that we can all find something universal language. I'm going to ask you the la even though I have like I and then I I would sit and talk to you forever man. But so the last question so for entrepreneurs who want to build businesses with a social impact what's your advice? How do you make sure the mission doesn't kill the business, right? Or the business doesn't kill the mission. That's really good. That's really good. And I think it goes back to listen, there's some people that just want to do something to do something, right? And that tends to not work out very well unless you get lucky. Right. It's the motivation, right? Like what is the motivation, right? On the business side, is is the motivation just to make money? is a motivation to be really really good at what it is that you're doing because you may have a a predisposition, you know, in this particular field, right? On the on the on the the charitable side, right? What is the motivation? Are you really trying to fix something right? Are you uniquely positioned, by the way, to fix something? If you're just trying to create a charity to create imaging and making yourself look good, I promise you that's going to fail. If you're not if you're not giving your heart to the Because people are going to see right through it. You're going to fail and then you're going to be a joke. 100%. That I've seen that many times. Many times. Many times. Listen, we've been here. What? I started the I started Ivy weekend in 2005. Uh I started the foundation in 2011, right? And it's all because of and this wasn't a whim. It wasn't a whim of, "Oh, you know, we should." This is me being out in the field saying, "Oh, oh my gosh, look at this. This is a real issue. I don't see anybody addressing it." Right? I'm uniquely positioned to help address it. We should do it. Right? You kind of got to go through that that that process and identify, you know, what it is you want to address. Identify how you can actually address it. We always like this, right? We always forward thinking but you know what you're forward thinking at a pace like you I I I see how you Yeah. think about something look forward and see how to approach. Were you always like this or did it just come at one time? I think I think I think I had an aha moment right? I have a couple in my life. I think you had an aha moment when you walked in here today. You were like ahuh I sure did. It absolutely was an aha moment man. But but but it was that WTF moment too. But the aha moment was uh was good, right? But for me, like like you know on on the business side, you know, you know, my aha moment was, you know, I'm in the thick of it. I'm I'm DJing all these shows, right? At at at one time I was doing I was doing radio. I'm doing the games. I'm playing all these different clubs and I'm traveling and and my aha moment was wait a second this is great you know that I'm out you know playing all these shows and and but I'm like wait I I took a pen and paper and I I started adding up how many people were at the games I was playing every week how many people listen to to the radio show right how many people am I touching at at clubs and I'm like holy smokes I'm touching you know over 200,000 people you know every week. Everyone, everyone listening, watching should measure their reach. Absolutely. That's a lesson there. Figure out how many eyes are seeing you, how many ears are absolutely what is your reach? If you could figure out your reach, you can definitely build a brand, a business, whatever you're doing. Absolutely. Then I ask myself, what is the message? What is the message that I'm delivering with this reach? And it was just throw your hands up, make some noise. Right. Right. And I was like, "Wait a second. With this kind of reach, this is value." Yeah. Right. This is value. And I was like, "Wow, you know what? How can I package up this reach and talk to brands that are synonymous with what with my lifestyle, right? At the time, I was always wearing hats, right? New era is great. you know, have a company, you know, how can I get get a partnership, right? Um, I was drinking, you know, beer from time to time. Wait a minute. I should be getting paid to to have this, you know, hinekin in my hand, right? And so on and so forth, right? And that was my moment. And I was like, okay, wow, you know, let me start, you know, leveraging this reach, you know, to create another stream of revenue, right? And that's when I started really thinking more analytical, you know, about about my approach. And it's you this is just a platform you know yeah it's great it's fun whatever but now I have to take this and package it up and figure out how to monetize it on another level right and build other businesses and other brands on on another level you know and that was my that that was the approach was the moment it's amazing man I I got to tell you something you know we started in the morning and dude you're better than Starbucks and Dunkin Donuts combined you woke a I could be You woke That could be a product. I guess you woke me up, man. You're better than coffee in the morning. The energy, the drive, the way you woke me up, man. Like, and and uh and it takes a lot to move me, right? Like, okay. You know, and like you woke me up. You energized me and like I'm saying, "Wow." And like I I listen to you and and you gave me a lot of ideas and thoughts and that's what I do a lot. I listen to people. I I don't know it all right from it. Right. I'm still I learn every day, man. And like you just you energized like I know this is going to be a good day just by the way it started. Right. Same here. And I would really want to thank you man. This has been a great opportunity for me to sit with you. It's been a pleasure and I hope you're enjoying this uh watching us. We're going to do a part two manually doing part two. We do a part two.