Full Transcript for 'Now You Know' - Presented By The Paden Foundation - Episode 3

We need to know. 00:05:06.720 --> 00:05:07.920 We gotta know. 00:05:08.160 --> 00:05:18.959 There's people like that wanna do things, you know, and but they just like, well, there's this little gap between that dream and that vision. 00:05:19.199 --> 00:05:19.759 That's right. 00:05:20.399 --> 00:05:22.480 That you know, the ultimate goal over there. 00:05:22.800 --> 00:05:24.800 You got some steps in between. 00:05:25.040 --> 00:05:32.560 But if if nobody, you know, nobody shares it or tells us, then we, you know, we kind of gotta figure it out. 00:05:32.800 --> 00:05:37.199 We gotta, you know, feel around, make mistakes, you know. 00:05:37.279 --> 00:05:45.680 But fortunately, it's like people we know have already done it, and we can actually just plug in, you know, and just see like, hey, okay, what do I do? 00:05:45.920 --> 00:05:51.040 You know, well, what's the best way to get to that level, you know what I mean? 00:05:51.360 --> 00:05:51.839 That's right. 00:05:52.319 --> 00:06:03.439 Yeah, it's I I think it's so much better to go through um just people have done it, you know. 00:06:03.920 --> 00:06:04.399 That's right. 00:06:04.639 --> 00:06:05.519 Yes, heard. 00:06:06.079 --> 00:06:06.480 That's right. 00:06:06.639 --> 00:06:08.160 Um, let me see here. 00:06:08.800 --> 00:06:18.000 I you know, I have some questions here, and I'm just you know, from the general man, like where did it all begin for you, man? 00:06:18.079 --> 00:06:30.959 And like in take just segment, hotels, hospitality, you know, service, like where did that whole journey begin for you? 00:06:32.240 --> 00:06:33.199 That's a good question. 00:06:33.279 --> 00:06:42.800 I'm I'm thinking I'm 20 years old attending the University of South Carolina, and honestly, I got a young girl pregnant. 00:06:43.040 --> 00:06:43.279 Right. 00:06:43.519 --> 00:06:45.519 And so I had to get to work. 00:06:46.480 --> 00:06:51.360 Right, you know, nobody else was gonna raise that baby but me. 00:06:51.600 --> 00:06:51.920 Right. 00:06:52.079 --> 00:06:56.560 And so I I made it up in my mind that hey, this is my responsibility. 00:06:56.800 --> 00:06:59.600 Wow, and I I said, let me get a job. 00:06:59.680 --> 00:07:01.040 So I tried and tried. 00:07:01.199 --> 00:07:06.639 Finally, I get a job at a place called the Embassy Suites in Columbia, South Carolina. 00:07:06.959 --> 00:07:12.079 Wow, take it wave at the general manager's name was Russ Smith. 00:07:12.240 --> 00:07:14.959 Wow, and he hired me on the spot. 00:07:15.199 --> 00:07:20.720 So I was a bellman, okay, bell bull, bell hop, whatever you want to call it. 00:07:20.800 --> 00:07:21.600 That's what I was. 00:07:21.920 --> 00:07:22.879 Ring the bell. 00:07:23.040 --> 00:07:33.759 Uh four dollars and twenty-five cents an hour plus two, and back then, 425 was minimum wage. 00:07:34.000 --> 00:07:37.120 Get out that minimum wage now is like$15. 00:07:39.040 --> 00:07:43.120 We hope so. 00:07:43.360 --> 00:07:51.920 At that point, I was taking care of my responsibility, and I would go in with no money and leave with$300 in my pocket. 00:07:52.240 --> 00:07:52.879 What? 00:07:53.199 --> 00:07:54.240 Yes, sir. 00:07:54.879 --> 00:07:58.160 And I thought, man, this is easy. 00:07:58.560 --> 00:08:02.399 But yeah,$300 in your pocket. 00:08:02.720 --> 00:08:11.600 Yeah, and I would go go in broke, come home with$300, you know, and I would do this day after day till one day I wasn't broke anymore. 00:08:11.920 --> 00:08:12.560 Wow. 00:08:13.199 --> 00:08:14.959 And so I was like, man, this is easy. 00:08:15.040 --> 00:08:18.399 So the general manager brought me in, he gave me a promotion after four months. 00:08:18.560 --> 00:08:20.639 He said, I want to make you the supervisor. 00:08:20.800 --> 00:08:22.879 I said, Well, I've only been here four months. 00:08:22.959 --> 00:08:25.680 And he says, No, I want to make you the supervisor. 00:08:25.759 --> 00:08:28.800 I said, Well, uh, there's guys that have been here five years. 00:08:28.959 --> 00:08:32.799 He goes, I don't want to make you the supervisor, I want to make you the supervisor. 00:08:33.039 --> 00:08:37.039 And I said, Well, sir, you know, I'm going to school, I can only work nights. 00:08:37.200 --> 00:08:38.879 He said, I don't care about that. 00:08:39.120 --> 00:08:42.080 He said, He said, Did you see these comic cards right here? 00:08:42.159 --> 00:08:42.960 I said, Yes, sir. 00:08:43.039 --> 00:08:45.840 He said, Those are all for you from customers. 00:08:46.000 --> 00:08:46.240 Wow. 00:08:46.399 --> 00:08:56.799 He said, So I don't know what you're doing, but keep doing it, and I'll double your salary and pay you$850 an hour, and you get to choose your own schedule. 00:08:57.120 --> 00:08:57.600 What? 00:08:57.759 --> 00:09:01.440 And so at that point, you know, being a math major, right? 00:09:03.200 --> 00:09:05.039 Putting it all together, you know. 00:09:05.360 --> 00:09:07.279 Look, one per one equal two. 00:09:07.600 --> 00:09:08.879 It was a quick response. 00:09:09.039 --> 00:09:10.879 Yes, sir, I'll take the job. 00:09:12.480 --> 00:09:14.799 Look, you're your past didn't raise no fool. 00:09:14.960 --> 00:09:16.480 Bob raised no fool, neither. 00:09:16.720 --> 00:09:26.720 You know, and so at that point, you know, I realized that the reason it was easy to me is because I didn't have any preconceived notions about serving people. 00:09:27.200 --> 00:09:33.440 Wow, I read in the scriptures that Jesus washed the feet of his disciples, right? 00:09:34.080 --> 00:09:49.840 And I just imagine walking around with 12 brothers in the desert and having the ability to bless people's feet, and instead of smelling them at night, Jesus came up with a solution, he was solution-oriented, right? 00:09:50.000 --> 00:09:56.000 He said, Oh no, I'm not gonna smell these feet another night, I'm gonna bless these feet. 00:10:04.559 --> 00:10:06.960 And I bet you after it, he slept good. 00:10:07.200 --> 00:10:21.200 Oh,

yeah, he knew what he was doing, and so I realized if the master could humble himself, yes sir, wash feet, then who am I not to serve? 00:10:21.600 --> 00:10:22.399 There you go. 00:10:22.720 --> 00:10:29.279 And so when I when I gave service, I didn't have any problems giving service, right? 00:10:30.720 --> 00:10:34.879 Wow, and it and it served me well for over 30 years. 00:10:35.519 --> 00:10:38.320 Wow, wow, man. 00:10:39.679 --> 00:10:46.960 It it blows me away because I I reconnected with you as an adult and you were in the middle of that service. 00:10:47.279 --> 00:10:53.600 Like that's right, and and I saw it, and I was like, wow, there's something about this brother. 00:10:53.759 --> 00:10:54.720 You know what I mean? 00:10:55.120 --> 00:11:04.480 He he, you know, you did it with such uh just natural, uh lack of a better word, panache. 00:11:04.559 --> 00:11:05.039 You know what I mean? 00:11:05.120 --> 00:11:11.840 It was just you, you know, and I was I was like, man, I remember at the Hyatt in Washington, DC. 00:11:12.399 --> 00:11:12.799 That's right. 00:11:13.279 --> 00:11:15.360 That's where I I I remember. 00:11:15.679 --> 00:11:21.679 Um and I just saw I saw humility, you know what I mean? 00:11:21.840 --> 00:11:23.759 I uh it was it was something about it. 00:11:23.840 --> 00:11:37.120 I'm like, it's like this guy as powerful as he is, he's as humble as anybody here, and everybody respected you. 00:11:37.919 --> 00:11:38.559 You know what I mean? 00:11:38.799 --> 00:11:45.360 I saw Bellman, old, older Bellman, people just, you know, like you said, been here longer. 00:11:45.759 --> 00:11:57.360 And I was like, wow, this brother is running things, and you know, I can see I could see, you know, man, I can see your actions. 00:11:57.440 --> 00:11:59.360 This one story for me, right? 00:12:00.799 --> 00:12:02.960 We went to, I don't know if you remember this. 00:12:04.080 --> 00:12:16.960 It was uh went to the a club that night or one night, and just the I saw your confidence and your knowingness, you know what I mean? 00:12:17.200 --> 00:12:30.720 And um I was like, you know, I know clubs because I'm you know I'm of that age, I'm sitting there with it was like, yeah, man, we gotta wait, we gotta wait in line, you know, wait in line, and we and we go in. 00:12:30.799 --> 00:12:31.360 What are you doing? 00:12:31.440 --> 00:12:33.919 We line is over here, you know what I'm saying? 00:12:34.480 --> 00:12:42.559 And you came up, yeah, it was like to the front and said, uh looked at me, was like, no, just follow me. 00:12:43.039 --> 00:12:46.559 And I think you gave him a card. 00:12:47.440 --> 00:12:52.240 You said, I'm the hospital medical. 00:12:52.799 --> 00:12:55.679 I didn't even have I didn't even have my cards at the time. 00:12:55.759 --> 00:12:59.039 I just told him, I just told him I was new in town. 00:12:59.200 --> 00:13:02.960 Yeah, I really wanted to attend this place. 00:13:03.600 --> 00:13:13.120 And I said, I am currently here doing this, and uh I would love to experience this place so I can recommend it to others. 00:13:13.360 --> 00:13:16.320 And he opened up the line for the both of us. 00:13:16.720 --> 00:13:30.879 That's when you said the power of understanding, it's the power of understanding your role in your community, yeah, and how you can be a value to other people in their roles in their community. 00:13:31.120 --> 00:13:31.759 That's right. 00:13:32.080 --> 00:13:35.120 And so when you can add value, you open doors. 00:13:35.440 --> 00:13:38.720 And so it was just a it was just a numbers game. 00:13:39.039 --> 00:13:45.519 He understood that I had the value, and I understood that I could be a value to him. 00:13:45.759 --> 00:13:48.720 So through explaining it, doors were open. 00:13:49.919 --> 00:14:09.600 That to me was um that was uh one of those earth shattering life-changing moments, because it you know, where you like you're going along, but if you don't, if you don't look up, you know, or somebody tap you on the shoulder and be like, hey, you know, we can go over here, you know that right. 00:14:09.759 --> 00:14:14.799 I'm sitting here so tunnel vision, like this is what I do, this is what we do, now you got to do this. 00:14:15.120 --> 00:14:20.879 But when you, it was like, you know, you tap me on the shoulder, hey, you know, we could just do this. 00:14:21.360 --> 00:14:22.879 And I'm like, really? 00:14:23.360 --> 00:14:29.120 And then I saw you do it, and I'm like, okay, all right. 00:14:29.360 --> 00:14:40.000 And then it just it shook up my whole mentality and my my mindset in um in what you what you're able to accomplish when you decide this is what I want to do. 00:14:40.320 --> 00:14:42.559 And um, man, brother, I appreciate that. 00:14:42.720 --> 00:14:46.559 Appreciate that, appreciate you uh putting a brother under the wing. 00:14:46.879 --> 00:14:50.559 Because I'll tell you what, man, I learned so much stuff, man. 00:14:50.639 --> 00:15:04.960 It was and it was it wasn't even like I was trying to try to study it, I was just there, you know, observation and just seeing it and like wow, this brother moves differently than anyone I've ever seen, you know. 00:15:05.279 --> 00:15:09.600 And um, yeah, I'm gonna stick with what he's doing, you know what I'm saying? 00:15:10.480 --> 00:15:14.720 Oh man, you remember you remember uh the five Ps? 00:15:15.279 --> 00:15:16.159 That's right. 00:15:16.799 --> 00:15:17.759 I remember that, man. 00:15:17.919 --> 00:15:21.360 I thought proper planning prevents poor performance. 00:15:21.519 --> 00:15:26.000 I was like, ooh, and I thought about it, man. 00:15:26.559 --> 00:15:32.240 That's one of those uh old uh business sayings that you pick up along the way, yeah. 00:15:32.480 --> 00:15:38.799 But the but you know the biggest thing is I did something that I always felt good about. 00:15:38.960 --> 00:15:41.519 You know, I did brutality, I always felt good about. 00:15:41.759 -->

00:15:45.279 I didn't feel like I was taking anything from anybody, right? 00:15:45.440 --> 00:15:51.759 I didn't I didn't think I was you know serving a product that was going to be detrimental to someone. 00:15:52.720 --> 00:15:55.759 So I always felt good about what I did. 00:15:55.919 --> 00:15:58.159 And you know, people always say do what you love. 00:15:58.240 --> 00:16:01.679 I don't know if I would say do what you love because I love the Lord Jesus Christ. 00:16:01.840 --> 00:16:06.879 Right, and I I love the fact that my my master was a servant, right? 00:16:07.440 --> 00:16:20.320 So what helped me in business the most is understanding that my leadership skills were nothing if I didn't lean on the understanding of what God expected of me. 00:16:20.559 --> 00:16:33.039 Wow, and I never had people work for me right in my years, wow, and I was I was a leader for most of those 30 years, but I never had people work for me. 00:16:33.120 --> 00:16:35.279 I had people that I worked with. 00:16:36.799 --> 00:16:58.960 So when I when I worked with any position that I got promoted to, from Bellman to Bell Supervisor to um manager on duty to assistant executive housekeeper to front office manager to assistant general manager, all the way to general manager and then regional director, the responsibilities grew. 00:16:59.200 --> 00:17:04.000 The number of people that I was accountable for grew. 00:17:04.240 --> 00:17:04.799 Right. 00:17:05.359 --> 00:17:10.799 But I was never a boss in the 30 years I worked, I was never a boss. 00:17:11.039 --> 00:17:15.039 You know, and I I got that from when I saw you at the Hyatt. 00:17:15.279 --> 00:17:20.880 It was like they weren't your employees, it was like your team. 00:17:21.039 --> 00:17:24.559 It was like a you all were all on that same level. 00:17:24.720 --> 00:17:31.119 It's like you, you know, you hear this cliche, but you it was nothing that I felt that you wouldn't do. 00:17:31.599 --> 00:17:32.319 You know what I mean? 00:17:32.720 --> 00:17:36.960 To be like, oh no, let's get Rodney, Rodney, get that from me. 00:17:37.039 --> 00:17:37.680 You know what I mean? 00:17:37.759 --> 00:17:42.000 It was it was it was look staying on the floor, I get that. 00:17:42.160 --> 00:17:43.119 You know what I mean? 00:17:43.279 --> 00:17:49.119 And and that proliferated to your team, where everybody was just willing to help out and be. 00:17:49.200 --> 00:17:55.839 And that I think that what I saw just observing was a level of comfort from everyone. 00:17:56.400 --> 00:18:01.759 And I, you know, people saw me, I was like, oh yeah, that's that's that's that's Kev's cousin right there. 00:18:01.920 --> 00:18:02.880 Yeah, you know what I mean? 00:18:02.960 --> 00:18:11.839 And I would see that on like, you know, I am, but I'm looking at you because you you humble like everyone else here. 00:18:12.000 --> 00:18:12.720 You know what I mean? 00:18:12.960 --> 00:18:15.440 It's man, brother. 00:18:15.839 --> 00:18:20.480 So my biggest honor was my dad checked into that hotel two years later. 00:18:20.720 --> 00:18:21.359 Wow. 00:18:21.920 --> 00:18:29.440 And when he went up to the front desk, uh the front desk person said to him, Are you Kevin's father? 00:18:29.599 --> 00:18:31.519 And he said, Yes, ma'am, I am. 00:18:31.839 --> 00:18:34.559 And so she said, Can you hold on one second? 00:18:34.799 --> 00:18:45.920 And so at that point, about 20 managers, supervisors, and employees surrounded him at the front desk and had a conversation with him about me. 00:18:46.400 --> 00:18:47.839 Oh my goodness. 00:18:48.160 --> 00:18:53.359 So it took him 35 minutes to check in because they were all talking to him. 00:18:53.440 --> 00:19:01.039 And by the time he got to his room, he called me and he said, What did you do to these people up here? 00:19:01.279 --> 00:19:05.440 I said, I said, Dad, I don't I didn't do anything to these people up here. 00:19:06.960 --> 00:19:08.079 Wasn't me. 00:19:12.000 --> 00:19:15.680 And so he explained, and I said, Oh, I said, now I understand. 00:19:15.759 --> 00:19:24.960 I said, Dad, I said, listen, the same way you raised me, this the same man you built is the same man that worked in that hotel. 00:19:25.200 --> 00:19:31.359 I said, So whatever I did is because of how you raised me. 00:19:32.000 --> 00:19:35.519 And so they were really just confirming that you did a good job. 00:19:35.839 --> 00:19:36.640 That's it. 00:19:37.119 --> 00:19:37.599 That's it. 00:19:38.079 --> 00:19:40.640 Oh my goodness, brother. 00:19:40.720 --> 00:19:41.680 I can imagine. 00:19:41.839 --> 00:19:43.839 I kind of wish I was there that day. 00:19:44.079 --> 00:19:46.960 Oh my gosh, just to see that. 00:19:47.039 --> 00:20:03.440 But I I get it because I uh just being around you and just you know, coming by the office, coming by, just seeing how you carried yourself, how your team carried themselves, how everybody was, I mean, it was it was amazing. 00:20:03.599 --> 00:20:10.079 Everybody was their own person, they didn't feel like they had to be anything extra. 00:20:10.559 --> 00:20:22.480 You know, they didn't they felt like they can just serve and they got that from the top, you know, from seeing that, wow, this brother, he don't he'll he'll do whatever it takes to make it happen. 00:20:22.559 --> 00:20:23.519 I'm gonna do whatever it takes. 00:20:23.680 --> 00:20:24.480 You know what I mean? 00:20:24.720 --> 00:20:27.920 And it's man, it was a beautiful, beautiful time, man. 00:20:28.160 --> 00:20:29.359 Oh my gosh. 00:20:29.759 --> 00:20:37.200 That anybody wants to get into the industry, that I mean, that's it. 00:20:37.519 --> 00:20:41.119 That that's like a that's like a foundation right there. 00:20:41.200 --> 00:20:44.799 If you don't have that, it's kind of like you you just here, you got a job. 00:20:45.359 --> 00:20:45.920 That's right. 00:20:46.559 --> 00:20:48.880 You know, you got a job. 00:20:49.039 --> 00:20:49.519 That's

it. 00:20:49.680 --> 00:20:50.880 Oh my goodness. 00:20:53.119 --> 00:20:55.200 So you got into the game, man. 00:20:55.279 --> 00:20:59.119 You said 20, you said 20 20 years old. 00:20:59.359 --> 00:21:00.240 20 years old. 00:21:00.480 --> 00:21:00.799 Dang. 00:21:01.039 --> 00:21:01.839 I'm trying to remember. 00:21:02.000 --> 00:21:03.279 I was 20 years old. 00:21:05.200 --> 00:21:07.680 Yeah, I wasn't really thinking about serving other people. 00:21:16.960 --> 00:21:24.000 Yeah, man, I did I, you know, I tell people this that those 20, those 30 years, they went by fast. 00:21:24.319 --> 00:21:28.640 And um, you know, I've done just about every job in hospitality. 00:21:28.880 --> 00:21:40.240 And, you know, it it, you know, I spent six days a week, 10 to 12 hours a day inside a place that I didn't mind spending six days a week, 12 hours a day. 00:21:40.480 --> 00:21:41.039 Right. 00:21:41.279 --> 00:21:53.519 The it was it was easy for me because if you're doing something that you're comfortable with, you feel good about yourself, you feel good about the people that you work with, it the time just flies. 00:21:53.680 --> 00:21:54.000 Yeah. 00:21:54.240 --> 00:21:56.480 I mean, I remember you get up at 5 a.m. 00:21:56.799 --> 00:21:58.160 to catch the train. 00:21:58.400 --> 00:21:58.799 That's right. 00:21:59.440 --> 00:21:59.839 Get to work. 00:22:00.640 --> 00:22:01.119 That's right. 00:22:01.359 --> 00:22:04.240 And I'm sitting there like, wow, he must love them. 00:22:08.240 --> 00:22:08.880 Yes, sir. 00:22:09.519 --> 00:22:13.519 That's the thing, is like you would uh you would get up and go. 00:22:15.920 --> 00:22:17.519 Man, you would get up and go. 00:22:20.000 --> 00:22:23.119 And to me, uh it would be like, Dag on, it's early. 00:22:23.200 --> 00:22:31.119 It's like, you know, but for you, it was looking at you, it's like, wow, he he's getting up, he's gone. 00:22:31.680 --> 00:22:35.200 It's literally old dark 30, you know. 00:22:36.400 --> 00:22:45.200 And there's no, I saw no, no, no, um, you know, qualms, no, no disagreement with it. 00:22:45.279 --> 00:22:49.599 It was just this is what I do, you know, and I I do it well. 00:22:49.759 --> 00:22:50.799 I know I do it well. 00:22:50.960 --> 00:22:52.240 I'm gonna go ahead and do it. 00:22:52.400 --> 00:22:53.519 You know what I mean? 00:22:53.680 --> 00:22:55.359 Um, I coach on this. 00:22:55.519 --> 00:22:56.319 I coach on this. 00:22:56.400 --> 00:23:07.519 I said, listen, even if you say say you're working a job right now and you have you have you this is not what you want to do, but you agree, you you signed up for this. 00:23:07.680 --> 00:23:08.079 Right. 00:23:08.240 --> 00:23:09.680 I I coach people on this. 00:23:09.759 --> 00:23:18.480 I said, do you think there's a magical pill or a magical switch that you can turn on when you finally get to the job that you like? 00:23:19.279 --> 00:23:27.519 So what you have to do is you have to work as if this is the job that you love, even if you don't love. 00:23:28.480 --> 00:23:35.440 Because when you when you finally get to the job that you like, you will have acquired uh a skill. 00:23:35.680 --> 00:23:39.920 And that skill is the ability to do good work. 00:23:40.799 --> 00:23:43.519 And there is no magic switch to turn that on. 00:23:43.680 --> 00:24:00.720 So if you spend five years in a job that you hate, where you don't show the passion, where you don't show the effort, where you don't show the the the get up and go-ness, right when once you get to the job that you love, you're not gonna have you're not gonna have any of that because you don't have that muscle. 00:24:00.880 --> 00:24:02.480 And so it's like everything else. 00:24:02.640 --> 00:24:05.359 The Bible says study to show thyself approved. 00:24:05.519 --> 00:24:08.799 So if you want to get a license in this world, you gotta study for it. 00:24:08.960 --> 00:24:13.519 If you want to get anything in this world, you gotta study for it, and then you go and get it. 00:24:13.759 --> 00:24:17.039 You don't put the cart before the horse, you put the horse before the cart. 00:24:17.359 --> 00:24:20.880 So the study, that's the horse. 00:24:21.440 --> 00:24:24.960 The cart, the studying, that's the horse. 00:24:25.039 --> 00:24:26.160 You put that first. 00:24:26.960 --> 00:24:29.359 The cart is the approval. 00:24:30.880 --> 00:24:42.319 If you know, in business, you know, I've ran into pitfalls with you know being an African-American in business and being elevated, you're gonna run into some pitfalls. 00:24:42.480 --> 00:24:50.640 And when you run into those pitfalls, you you better have somebody on your side, and the person on my side was Jesus Christ. 00:24:52.079 --> 00:24:52.799 Stop that. 00:24:54.559 --> 00:24:58.480 He allowed me to see I'll give you an example. 00:24:59.279 --> 00:25:12.559 So if you're a manager of the lighter hue, for sure, and your staff makes a mistake, they blame it on your staff. 00:25:13.200 --> 00:25:13.680 Right. 00:25:14.559 --> 00:25:15.119 Nothing. 00:25:16.079 --> 00:25:27.599 If you're a a leader that looks like me, and your staff makes a mistake, they blame it on you. 00:25:29.920 --> 00:25:31.359 Salt in the game. 00:25:31.839 --> 00:25:37.119 And so that's a little subtle way of understanding the business world in which you're living. 00:25:37.440 --> 00:25:37.759 Right. 00:25:37.920 --> 00:25:41.920 And that's why black ownership is very important, right? 00:25:42.079 --> 00:25:46.319 But also more important than black ownership is black understanding. 00:25:47.039 --> 00:26:07.279 So I was blessed with the ability to understand this, and so anytime I had to navigate this situation, I was more than ready to navigate it because I made sure my team understood that we had to live to a higher standard. 00:26:07.759 --> 00:26:15.519 And I had teams of all nationalities, but we all walk us, we all walk the same path. 00:26:15.759 --> 00:26:16.160 Right. 00:26:16.720 -->

00:26:21.839 Since we walked that path, we were able to overcome anything coming our way. 00:26:22.319 --> 00:26:28.240 Because when you're the top, when you're the champion, everybody trying to figure out how you do it. 00:26:28.559 --> 00:26:29.039 Right. 00:26:29.599 --> 00:26:34.799 So I always set the objective to be the best in service. 00:26:35.119 --> 00:26:40.720 That way, even if we fell short, all they could say is they're still number one. 00:26:41.200 --> 00:26:41.920 That's right. 00:26:43.599 --> 00:26:44.799 They're still number one. 00:26:46.240 --> 00:26:46.799 Wow. 00:26:47.279 --> 00:26:48.160 You dropping it. 00:26:48.319 --> 00:26:50.000 Well, you dropping it. 00:26:50.240 --> 00:26:52.400 Um, okay. 00:26:57.680 --> 00:27:01.279 I mean figure it out right quick. 00:27:03.200 --> 00:27:07.200 I mean people don't know. 00:27:07.680 --> 00:27:12.160 I mean, this is like this is this is gold. 00:27:12.400 --> 00:27:13.759 This is gold right here. 00:27:13.839 --> 00:27:20.480 It's the how-to's and the what what's and the I mean from just your perspective, right? 00:27:21.039 --> 00:27:21.839 Yes, sir. 00:27:22.720 --> 00:27:26.880 Coming in, like getting down to the to the to the road of it all. 00:27:27.279 --> 00:27:29.359 Like, okay. 00:27:29.680 --> 00:27:34.160 This is the Hyatt, well, it's not the Hilton, the Hyatt Lake Las Vegas Resort. 00:27:34.480 --> 00:27:42.400 That's by that's right. 00:27:43.200 --> 00:27:47.039 This hotel I mean it's the resort. 00:27:47.519 --> 00:27:54.799 They filmed the movie after we first opened it, they filmed at a movie American Beauty with uh Julia Roberts at that hotel. 00:27:55.119 --> 00:27:55.680 What? 00:27:56.000 --> 00:27:58.559 Yeah, that's the hotel that that movie got filmed at. 00:27:58.799 --> 00:28:00.480 That's a beautiful property. 00:28:00.720 --> 00:28:01.359 Yes. 00:28:01.680 --> 00:28:19.279 I mean, from what the the sky view, the lakes, the the golf course, the conference rooms, the little uh cabanas, and the I'm like, this brother right here, this is how you roll. 00:28:19.599 --> 00:28:19.920 Okay. 00:28:20.400 --> 00:28:26.400 Um, I mean, like to open a resort like that, what does that take? 00:28:26.720 --> 00:28:36.000 You know, I mean, just because open it means like, look, day one, hey, come on in, and everything is perfect. 00:28:36.160 --> 00:28:38.400 I mean, what what goes into that? 00:28:39.200 --> 00:28:42.319 Well, see, that was my first opening experience hotel. 00:28:42.480 --> 00:28:48.720 So the way it worked is Hyatt would recruit managers to go help open a hotel. 00:28:48.880 --> 00:28:49.200 Okay. 00:28:49.359 --> 00:28:56.000 So I wasn't recruited, and I had no desire to go to Sin City or the City of Lights or whatever they call it. 00:28:56.079 --> 00:28:59.200 So I was I was like, uh, I'm good. 00:28:59.359 --> 00:29:02.480 But my manager was I'm gonna be over here at the house. 00:29:03.200 --> 00:29:11.119 Um my regional uh or excuse me, my uh director of operations, she was she was like, Kevin, I need to put you in front of the corporate office. 00:29:11.279 --> 00:29:12.960 I said, Well, I'm good. 00:29:13.039 --> 00:29:14.559 I don't need to be in front of the corporate office. 00:29:14.640 --> 00:29:19.519 She says, No, they make decisions on where people go and how they navigate. 00:29:19.599 --> 00:29:23.759 So you need to work with them because you're doing such a good job for me. 00:29:23.920 --> 00:29:25.279 I'm gonna make this happen. 00:29:25.440 --> 00:29:26.880 So she made a call. 00:29:27.119 --> 00:29:34.960 And so I end up driving from Westlake Village, California to Henderson, Nevada, right outside the strip. 00:29:35.200 --> 00:29:35.839 Right. 00:29:36.799 --> 00:29:42.079 And so I had no expectations other than whatever they asked me to do, I was gonna do it. 00:29:42.240 --> 00:29:42.799 Right. 00:29:43.119 --> 00:29:51.440 So when I got there, there was another guy from Lake Tahoe Hyatt, and he was um an assistant director of operations. 00:29:51.519 --> 00:29:55.440 So he was one level higher than me, and his name was Kevin. 00:29:55.759 --> 00:30:01.920 Okay, so the first uh five days of opening that hotel, we were there for two months. 00:30:02.079 --> 00:30:06.960 The first five days of opening that hotel, um, we all had walkie-talkies. 00:30:07.039 --> 00:30:14.480 And so they would say the leadership from corporate from Chicago would say, uh, this is Phil calling for Kevin. 00:30:14.640 --> 00:30:17.519 And so we would both answer because we were both named Kevin. 00:30:17.599 --> 00:30:17.759 Right. 00:30:17.920 --> 00:30:22.720 So after after the fifth day, I said, Listen, this is Kevin from Westlake. 00:30:22.960 --> 00:30:24.799 My middle name is Marcus. 00:30:24.960 --> 00:30:28.559 If you need me, call for Marcus. 00:30:28.799 --> 00:30:31.200 And that's how it went. 00:30:31.519 --> 00:30:32.160 Right. 00:30:32.480 --> 00:30:39.119 So by the second week, you know, they would assign every every day, they'd assign you like 50 tasks. 00:30:39.359 --> 00:30:39.839 Right. 00:30:40.079 --> 00:30:43.279 And once you finish the 50 tasks, they'd give you a few more. 00:30:43.519 --> 00:30:43.839 Okay. 00:30:44.240 --> 00:30:45.519 So I don't play. 00:30:45.680 --> 00:30:48.319 If you give me 50 tasks, we'll get 50 tasks done. 00:30:48.559 --> 00:30:50.079 So that's what we do. 00:30:50.319 --> 00:30:52.559 It will be 12 noon and I'm done. 00:30:52.799 --> 00:30:55.599 And they were like, no, you're not done. 00:30:55.680 --> 00:30:57.200 And I was like, Well, what do you want to see? 00:30:57.359 --> 00:31:02.240 So they would walk behind me and realize this man, he's done. 00:31:02.480 --> 00:31:03.119 He's done. 00:31:03.279 --> 00:31:04.880 I mean, I tried to tell you. 00:31:05.119 --> 00:31:07.119 I tried to, I tried to explain it to you. 00:31:08.559 --> 00:31:26.319 So by the time um, the about midway through the second week, it was all three

corporate members calling on the radio, uh, Phil to Marcus, Bessie to Marcus, Joe to Marcus, and that's all you heard. 00:31:26.480 --> 00:31:30.319 So by the third week, they gave me my own team. 00:31:30.640 --> 00:31:31.279 What? 00:31:31.839 --> 00:31:37.680 And so I had four guys working with me, and one of them, he was a Latino fellow. 00:31:37.839 --> 00:31:38.319 Uh-huh. 00:31:38.640 --> 00:31:47.920 And so our job this week was to unload all the trucks and stage whatever out of the trucks uh-huh out the doors of every room. 00:31:48.240 --> 00:31:48.559 Okay. 00:31:49.119 --> 00:31:55.359 So we had done five trucks throughout the day, five big Mayflower, 18 wheeler. 00:31:55.920 --> 00:31:56.720 Big guys. 00:31:56.880 --> 00:31:59.119 Yeah, this is a 550-room resort. 00:31:59.359 --> 00:32:02.960 So we have unloaded five trucks. 00:32:03.200 --> 00:32:07.680 So we're sitting there, somebody's got a coat, somebody's got a Gatorade, I got water. 00:32:08.480 --> 00:32:12.480 We're drinking on the steps, talking about man, that was a good day. 00:32:12.559 --> 00:32:15.839 It's like four, four, five in the evening, afternoon. 00:32:16.079 --> 00:32:16.559 Uh-huh. 00:32:17.680 --> 00:32:21.039 I hear Phil DeMarcus and I get on the radio. 00:32:21.200 --> 00:32:22.000 Go ahead, Phil. 00:32:22.160 --> 00:32:25.920 He said, Man, I hate to do this to y'all, but we got one more truck. 00:32:26.640 --> 00:32:28.079 I said, Phil, we own. 00:32:29.279 --> 00:32:32.400 And the guy, Macho, the Latino guy, his name is Macho. 00:32:32.559 --> 00:32:37.920 He says, Mon Jew can work, man. 00:32:38.480 --> 00:32:39.599 Drew can work. 00:32:43.759 --> 00:32:44.400 Let's go. 00:32:44.640 --> 00:32:46.799 He tried to get that corona or that modello. 00:32:47.039 --> 00:32:48.240 He was like, look here. 00:32:53.519 --> 00:32:54.799 I think that's what served me. 00:32:54.880 --> 00:33:00.160 Is you know, you could you could uh you could do a lot of things, but you couldn't outwork me. 00:33:00.480 --> 00:33:01.039 Right. 00:33:01.279 --> 00:33:02.960 Yeah, you couldn't outwork me. 00:33:03.119 --> 00:33:06.079 That's what's uh I was gonna work till it was done. 00:33:06.400 --> 00:33:06.960 Right. 00:33:07.599 --> 00:33:08.319 Oh, that's right. 00:33:09.200 --> 00:33:10.400 That's all right. 00:33:11.039 --> 00:33:18.559 Yeah, that's I can just tell you that that property was amazing. 00:33:18.960 --> 00:33:22.720 Yeah, you guys had your companies there, yeah, yeah, man. 00:33:23.200 --> 00:33:24.400 Yeah, y'all had a company. 00:33:24.960 --> 00:33:28.640 We I got a chance to experience that property. 00:33:29.200 --> 00:33:31.039 I mean, I went all around that thing. 00:33:31.119 --> 00:33:32.400 That place was huge. 00:33:34.480 --> 00:33:34.720 Huh? 00:33:35.039 --> 00:33:36.400 You took a lot of pictures. 00:33:36.640 --> 00:33:37.359 I sure did. 00:33:38.480 --> 00:33:39.440 I sure did. 00:33:40.000 --> 00:33:47.279 Look, I was like, man, pictures of these pictures of the conference room. 00:33:47.440 --> 00:33:52.480 We took pictures and um at the the little cove, right? 00:33:52.559 --> 00:33:53.440 That got there. 00:33:53.599 --> 00:33:58.079 I remember doing a uh a conference call with my feet in the water. 00:33:58.480 --> 00:34:00.720 I was just that was just one of the things I wanted to do. 00:34:00.799 --> 00:34:07.440 I just wanted to roll up my my pants legs and just walk in up to my ankles and calves. 00:34:07.680 --> 00:34:16.960 And I was doing the conference call from there, and I was like, wow, you know, just explain the vision of what I see and what can be uh and what we can have, you know. 00:34:17.119 --> 00:34:31.440 I mean, I just see uh uh uh international um uh hotel chain that's for us, you know, that we can run that somebody who can put together and just you know create that institution, you know what I mean? 00:34:31.599 --> 00:34:34.159 Because it's it's there, you know, we can do it. 00:34:34.320 --> 00:34:35.599 We're smart enough for sure. 00:34:35.679 --> 00:34:38.079 We have the funds for sure, you know. 00:34:38.239 --> 00:34:41.920 And now we definitely know people have the know-how for sure. 00:34:42.159 --> 00:34:52.320 It's it's just you know, putting all those things together so we can actually create and have this and and then be able to serve on a whole new level and show people how it should be done. 00:34:52.480 --> 00:34:53.440 You know what I mean? 00:34:53.679 --> 00:35:13.519 Um, from the time they wake up to the time they go to bed, they're like their whole thing, maybe they may leave the hotel for a moment to do whatever they have to do, but surely, surely they cannot wait to get back, you know what I mean, and and go home and just and be feel like they are home, you know. 00:35:13.760 --> 00:35:16.320 So I'm man, that's what I'm talking about. 00:35:16.480 --> 00:35:22.480 That's uh a nationwide property like that, a nationwide institution like that. 00:35:22.719 --> 00:35:27.280 Yeah, yeah, that's something we can create, that's something we can put together. 00:35:27.440 --> 00:35:44.320 That's there's a lot of people we can we can serve with that, a lot of people, and um you know what I noticed after 30 years of doing all this, you know, I served and I did well, and I thank God for all that He's done for my family. 00:35:45.519 --> 00:35:54.480 But the biggest lesson I learned is that you should not have fear in this world of being your best self, right? 00:35:55.199 --> 00:36:11.119 Because we are kings and queens, it's slowly revealing itself throughout the world that we are kings and queens, and that we are to be revered and we are not to fear. 00:36:11.360 --> 00:36:12.000 That's right. 00:36:12.559 --> 00:36:15.679 When when we get on the elevator, who do we fear? 00:36:16.079 --> 00:36:16.639 Right. 00:36:17.039 --> 00:36:21.519 When we you know what I'm saying, when we're walking down the street, who do we fear? 00:36:21.760 -->

00:36:33.119 Right, we are the lion, we're not we're not the the sheep that we're like, we follow like sheep, but we're bold like lions. 00:36:33.360 --> 00:36:41.599 Yes, our boldness, our boldness needs to to be understood by our culture. 00:36:44.159 --> 00:36:54.159 We have allowed for far too long our boldness to stand on the sideline and let other people rise. 00:36:54.639 --> 00:36:58.480 Yeah, yeah, and sit and watch. 00:36:59.039 --> 00:37:02.960 It is time for our people to say no more, right? 00:37:04.159 --> 00:37:18.639 No more will we sit on the sideline, no more will we contain ourselves to fit into your narrative, that's right, or will we struggle with being our best self? 00:37:19.599 --> 00:37:25.760 We are gonna be our best self and we're gonna give all glory to God. 00:37:26.159 --> 00:37:26.880 That's right. 00:37:27.360 --> 00:37:32.079 Because there's one thing in our people that's lacking in certain people. 00:37:32.320 --> 00:37:33.039 What's that? 00:37:33.840 --> 00:37:34.480 Truth. 00:37:35.440 --> 00:37:49.760 Yeah, you know, if there's if there's 11, if there's 12 jurors, and one of them like us, if the brother did it, the one that looks like us gonna say the brother did it. 00:37:50.079 --> 00:37:54.559 Right, it's true, because it's the truth. 00:37:54.719 --> 00:37:59.360 We ain't gonna try to navigate out and the brother didn't do it because he looked like us. 00:37:59.599 --> 00:38:00.000 Right. 00:38:00.159 --> 00:38:01.440 I mean, look here, bro. 00:38:01.679 --> 00:38:16.719 You was there, but you know, you can film, you can film somebody doing something to one of us, and then they can look at that film and and say, I don't think he did what they said he did. 00:38:17.599 --> 00:38:21.360 And when I look at something like that, I gotta go, there's no truth in you. 00:38:21.840 --> 00:38:28.480 And if there's no truth in you, here's now here's the lesson you cannot lead. 00:38:29.199 --> 00:38:29.679 That's right. 00:38:30.320 --> 00:38:32.880 You cannot lead if there's no truth in you. 00:38:33.280 --> 00:38:33.920 That's right. 00:38:34.480 --> 00:38:39.199 So, Mississippi, you cannot lead if there's no truth in you. 00:38:40.320 --> 00:38:47.360 Any any culture that can't tell the truth cannot lead. 00:38:47.920 --> 00:38:48.320 Right. 00:38:48.719 --> 00:38:53.199 That's why we rise every day. 00:38:53.920 --> 00:38:57.039 That's why we rise. 00:38:58.079 --> 00:38:58.880 That's right. 00:39:00.000 --> 00:39:03.519 Because God does the promotion, brother. 00:39:04.320 --> 00:39:05.679 All day. 00:39:10.719 --> 00:39:13.519 Oh my goodness, brother, brother, brother. 00:39:14.159 --> 00:39:16.159 That's what I'm talking about right there. 00:39:16.480 --> 00:39:17.119 Yeah. 00:39:17.360 --> 00:39:18.400 It's man. 00:39:20.480 --> 00:39:25.119 I mean, I wish you were I wish you were joking, but you're not. 00:39:25.280 --> 00:39:26.719 But I've seen it too many times. 00:39:26.880 --> 00:39:32.960 I'm like, wow, you don't see you don't see this right here. 00:39:33.119 --> 00:39:34.159 I mean, it's happening. 00:39:34.320 --> 00:39:39.840 I mean, it's just um it's very blatant, it's very obvious, it's very in my face, you know. 00:39:40.000 --> 00:39:42.239 And you know, what's that phrase? 00:39:42.480 --> 00:39:48.239 You uh, you know, somebody doing something to trying to convince you it's rain. 00:39:49.840 --> 00:39:50.320 Yeah. 00:39:50.880 --> 00:39:51.199 No. 00:39:52.960 --> 00:39:54.960 Oh my gosh, brother. 00:39:55.119 --> 00:39:57.760 This is um this is fire right here. 00:39:57.920 --> 00:40:03.360 This is um, I mean, what our people needed to hear, what our people need to know to get them on the right track. 00:40:03.519 --> 00:40:09.920 I think you gave our people the foundation of what it takes in order to to be in that industry. 00:40:10.079 --> 00:40:15.519 And it's not just uh, you know, the glamour and glitz of being in the hotel and hospitality industry. 00:40:15.599 --> 00:40:18.719 It's the it's the underbelly of it, it's the service. 00:40:18.960 --> 00:40:23.519 It that's the if you don't have that, then you kind of you short. 00:40:23.679 --> 00:40:30.239 You know, you just a you just a facade, uh, you know, a shell that's gonna surely rot away. 00:40:30.480 --> 00:40:36.079 Um but yeah, but the substance that you put into it, the substance of service. 00:40:36.559 --> 00:40:40.000 If I had to drill it down to one word, service. 00:40:40.960 --> 00:40:45.519 That's that's the key to that whole industry being successful. 00:40:45.840 --> 00:40:46.639 Service. 00:40:46.960 --> 00:40:56.719 And if you can't serve, if you're not willing to serve, if your heart is too big to serve, or if you can't, you know, if you can't do that, then this is not the industry for you. 00:40:58.320 --> 00:41:02.320 Something else, you know, save your money, you know. 00:41:02.559 --> 00:41:06.719 This is yeah, you're not quite not quite ready yet, you know. 00:41:06.880 --> 00:41:16.960 Uh maybe one day, one day, you know, go stay at a few more properties and just watch for a while, you know what I mean. 00:41:17.199 --> 00:41:26.239 Um but uh once they if it's in your nature to serve, serve unapologetically, yeah. 00:41:26.880 --> 00:41:29.920 And it will serve you, it'll serve you well. 00:41:30.239 --> 00:41:31.119 That's it. 00:41:32.800 --> 00:41:35.440 Every day, brother. 00:41:35.519 --> 00:41:37.199 I I have to shout you out. 00:41:37.280 --> 00:41:56.480 I appreciate you for being here and just allowing us to take up a little bit of your time and um, you know, just being who you are, brother, being who you are, and just being able to share and and and get this information out to the people because this is uh just what we need to know. 00:41:56.639 --> 00:41:59.280 This is like the this is the real deal right here. 00:41:59.440 --> 00:42:02.719 This is like the rubber meets the road that people don't. 00:42:03.039 --> 00:42:06.559 I don't think you'll go to a conference or anything and you'll hear this, you know. 00:42:06.719 --> 00:42:17.760 I don't think you'll go to a conference, you'll hear the you know, the step-by-steps and this, you know, you gotta fold the this and you gotta turn the mattresses that and the room should be this temperature and all this, whatever, whatever. 00:42:18.079 --> 00:42:19.199 You can get all that. 00:42:19.360 --> 00:42:32.719 We're gonna get all that, but the fundamental, the foundation of all of that service is if you don't have it, you you know, this again, not not the game for you. 00:42:32.880 --> 00:42:35.840 Um, so I do so appreciate you, brother. 00:42:36.079 --> 00:42:41.599 Um and shoot, we're gonna see you at the fish fry. 00:42:43.920 --> 00:42:45.920 And man, I wish you much success. 00:42:46.079 --> 00:42:54.079 May God bless what you do, may God bless the hand that you do it with, and you keep driving and listen, man, be unapologetic about it. 00:42:54.159 --> 00:42:54.559 That's right. 00:42:54.960 --> 00:42:56.719 You are you are a king. 00:42:56.960 --> 00:42:58.400 Thank you, and I receive that. 00:42:58.480 --> 00:42:59.199 Yes, sir. 00:43:01.119 --> 00:43:05.679 People better recognize, I mean, they will for sure, for sure. 00:43:05.920 --> 00:43:07.599 Oh man, I appreciate you, brother. 00:43:07.679 --> 00:43:08.000 Thank you. 00:43:08.960 --> 00:43:09.840 Thank you. 00:43:10.239 --> 00:43:10.719 Bye now. 00:43:11.280 --> 00:43:11.920 All right.