The Steve Harvey Morning Show

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Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Ingrid Jacobs.
A veteran enterprise leader, former HR executive, and Chief Growth Officer for The Revenue Retreat, a luxury boutique retreat for executive women who want to build profitable businesses without burnout. She and Rushion discuss her corporate background, her unique approach to customer integration, the challenges women face in entrepreneurship, pricing psychology, common business mistakes, age-related limiting beliefs, and the transformational design of her retreat program.
🎯 Purpose of the Interview
The purpose of Ingrid’s appearance was to:
1. Share her expertise in helping high‑achieving women build sustainable, profitable businesses
Ingrid works with corporate leaders, entrepreneurs, and women ready to transition from corporate careers into entrepreneurship.
2. Highlight The Revenue Retreat
She explains how the retreat helps women clarify their offer, price correctly, identify customers, and prepare mentally and emotionally for entrepreneurship.
3. Educate listeners on business fundamentals
Rushion brings her on to break down pricing, customer targeting, confidence, and transitioning from corporate “9–5” to entrepreneurship.
4. Address issues unique to women, executives, and people of color
Especially around pricing themselves correctly, recovering from burnout, and building confidence in their value.
💡 Key Takeaways
1. Corporate experience can translate powerfully into entrepreneurship
Ingrid spent two decades at companies like Raytheon, Whirlpool, and JLL, working in HR, human capital, and DEI.
She emphasizes she wasn’t a traditional HR leader—she focused on customer integration, business growth, and improving client outcomes.
2. High‑achieving women aren’t only executives
They can be community leaders, nonprofit leaders, or entrepreneurs who excel in their areas but may not have formal corporate titles.
3. Entrepreneurship requires more work—especially early on
New entrepreneurs often don’t realize they must handle every aspect of the business themselves: operations, marketing, sales, pricing, and delivery.
4. Pricing is one of the biggest challenges for women and people of color
Key problems:
Undervaluing their expertise
Fear of charging what they’re worth
Worrying clients won’t pay higher rates
Getting mentally stuck in low pricing
Ingrid says women often dramatically underprice themselves and need help adjusting their mindset.
5. Knowing your customer matters more than trying to sell to everyone
Selling to “anybody” makes entrepreneurs sound desperate; true growth comes from targeting the right buyer and offering a solution they value.
6. Avoid common first‑year business mistakes
These include:
Poor pricing
Not knowing your ideal customer
Doing everything for everyone
Expanding into too many offerings too fast
Operating out of desperation rather than strategy
7. Age is an asset—not a liability
Older entrepreneurs bring wisdom, experience, critical thinking, and problem‑solving ability.
She argues people use age as a cover for deeper fears about failure and judgment.
8. The Revenue Retreat combines luxury, education, and wellness
The retreat model includes:
A luxury residential environment
Chef‑prepared meals
12‑woman cohorts
Business planning rigor
Pricing clarity
Customer identification
Mental and emotional readiness
Wellness activities
8‑weeks of virtual follow‑up coaching
It’s intentionally structured as not a workshop but a holistic transformation experience. [
9. She priced her retreat through competitive research + self‑awareness
She studied other programs, benchmarked pricing, calculated expenses, and aligned it with her unique “sweet spot”—monetization skill + passion for helping women + love of hosting experiences.
🗣 Notable Quotes (with citations) On her corporate background
“Bring me on board if you're looking for figuring out how do we get better customer integration… so that we can zero in on more sales.”
On defining high‑achieving women
“There are movers and shakers who don’t necessarily have a corporate pedigree, but they are still getting things done.”
On underpricing
“Many times women… fall in this trap where they're scared to put out the real amount.” [
On realizing she was undercharging
“I wasn't even charging half of what she was saying… that epiphany changed the game for me.”
On first‑year mistakes
“Desperation is palpable… and that is a turnoff.” [
On age
“Age to me is an asset… you’ve got cognitive rigor.”
On burnout
“A lot of people who are interested in this work are already burned out and don’t even recognize their own signs.”
On what the retreat delivers
“We help everyone come up with their pricing, what is their product… and wrap up where people have a plan forward.” [
Her core sales pitch
“I offer executive women a retreat where they can experience luxury and end with a business plan they can use Monday morning to drive revenue.”
#SHMS #STRAW #BEST
Support the show: https://www.steveharveyfm.com/
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Listen and subscribe to Money Making Conversations on iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, www.moneymakingconversations.com/subscribe/ or wherever you listen to podcasts. New Money Making Conversations episodes drop daily. I want to alert you, so you don’t miss out on expert analysis and insider perspectives from my guests who provide tips that can help you uplift the community, improve your financial planning, motivation, or advice on how to be a successful entrepreneur. Keep winning!
Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Dr. Cameka Smith.
Founder of The BOSS Network, from Money Making Conversations Masterclass:
Purpose of the Interview
The interview aimed to:
Highlight The BOSS Network’s mission to empower women of color through entrepreneurship, career development, and community support.
Share Dr. Smith’s personal journey from layoff to leadership, inspiring others to embrace entrepreneurship.
Discuss strategies for business success, funding opportunities, and mentorship for Black female founders.
Key Takeaways
Origin of The BOSS Network
Founded in 2009 during the recession after Dr. Smith was laid off from Chicago Public Schools.
Initially started as local events in Chicago; now a digital community reaching 200,000 women nationwide.
Mission: Bringing Out Successful Sisters (BOSS)—promoting small business spirit and career growth.

Impact & Achievements
Invested in 100 Black female founders through grants.
Trained 50,000 women on business strategies.
Coached 10,000 women on starting businesses.
Created Boss Business University, offering mentorship and digital programs.

Pivot During COVID
Shifted from 35% event-based revenue to 75% digital.
Launched Boss Impact Fund and Invest in Progress Grant: $10,000 grants + 4-year scholarships for recipients.
Combined funding, mentorship, and marketing support for sustainability.


Challenges & Mindset
Entrepreneurship requires planning, resilience, and community support.
Dr. Smith saved money before leaving her job and leveraged relationships for growth.
Quote: “Entrepreneurs will work 80 hours for themselves but don’t want to work 40 hours for someone else.”

Top 3 Mistakes Entrepreneurs Make
Lack of research: Understand your industry, competitors, and market.
No revenue model: If you’re not making money, it’s a hobby, not a business.
Ignoring relationships: Networking and partnerships are key to success.

Unique Marketing & Partnerships
Dr. Smith built direct relationships with brands, bypassing agencies that offered “pennies on the dollar.”
Created a dual revenue model: B2B (corporate partnerships) + B2C (community engagement).

Core Philosophy
Motto: Believe, Plan, Win.
Quote: “Those that show up, go up.”
Success is rooted in faith, persistence, and leveraging community.

Notable Quotes
“I was born to be an entrepreneur. My mother told me, until you become your own boss, you have to follow the rules.”
“Less than 1% of Black women get VC funding—so we created our own fund.”
“Relationships are your key to success. When social media goes away, your audience remains.”
“If you have a business and you don’t have money, you’ve got a hobby.”
“God will not birth anything inside of you that He will not give you the tools to deliver.”
#SHMS #STRAW #BEST
Support the show: https://www.steveharveyfm.com/
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Listen and subscribe to Money Making Conversations on iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, www.moneymakingconversations.com/subscribe/ or wherever you listen to podcasts. New Money Making Conversations episodes drop daily. I want to alert you, so you don’t miss out on expert analysis and insider perspectives from my guests who provide tips that can help you uplift the community, improve your financial planning, motivation, or advice on how to be a successful entrepreneur. Keep winning!
Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Dr. Justin M. Lee.
Purpose of the Interview
To showcase Dr. Lee’s journey from a young real estate agent to a multi-industry entrepreneur.
To inspire listeners with strategies for wealth-building through real estate, construction, and logistics.
To encourage financial literacy, ownership, and collaboration within underserved communities.
To issue a call to action for minorities to explore opportunities like Amazon DSP and real estate investment.
Key Takeaways
Early Career & Education
Started young in real estate, embraced discomfort in rooms dominated by older professionals.
Leveraged millennial tech skills (social media marketing) to help veteran brokers grow.
Earned a doctorate degree and became a licensed real estate broker.

Social Media as a Business Tool
Built a strong presence on TikTok (90K followers) and other platforms.
Helped older real estate firms thrive by creating digital visibility.
Emphasized that “business must look as good online as in person.”

Financial Literacy & Homeownership
African-American communities often lack foundational financial knowledge.
Key barriers: misunderstanding credit, fear of debt, and lack of exposure to ownership benefits.
Advocates teaching the difference between good debt (real estate) and bad debt (consumer credit).

Real Estate Process
Initial onboarding: credit score, income, tax filing.
Connect clients with lenders, secure pre-approval, then negotiate and close within 30–45 days.
Uses property tours as motivation even for those not yet approved.

Pooling Resources for Wealth
Industry dominated by white men and foreign investors who use syndication.
Dr. Lee created a private family fund with fraternity brothers and friends.
Acquired 150+ apartment units and commercial properties by pooling resources and forming LLCs.

Amazon DSP Opportunity
Owns an Amazon Delivery Service Partner business (42 trucks, 200 employees).
Offers minorities a chance to apply for DSP with $10K grant.
Taught him true CEO skills: HR, payroll, compliance, and scaling operations.

Construction Business
Entered construction after experiencing exploitation in fix-and-flip projects.
Learned the business side (permits, change orders) and got licensed.
Built major projects like a 10,000 sq. ft. restaurant in Atlanta.
Advocates for Black representation in construction, an industry dominated by whites and Hispanics.

Personal Background
Raised in New Orleans during Katrina by a single mother and grandparents.
Mother invested FEMA checks into real estate, teaching him property management and renovation skills early.
Believes knowledge is power and emphasizes planning and consistency.

Notable Quotes
On embracing discomfort:
“I learned to embrace the uncomfort and make it one of my biggest strengths.”

On social media:
“You have to make your business look the same way online as in person.”

On financial literacy:
“Real estate is always going to be good debt. Bad debt is the Macy’s card.”

On collaboration:
“Pooling resources shows how far we can go and how fast we can go—but together.”

On planning:
“If you don’t plan, you plan to fail. All you have to do is stick to the plan.”

#SHMS #STRAW #BEST
Support the show: https://www.steveharveyfm.com/
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Listen and subscribe to Money Making Conversations on iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, www.moneymakingconversations.com/subscribe/ or wherever you listen to podcasts. New Money Making Conversations episodes drop daily. I want to alert you, so you don’t miss out on expert analysis and insider perspectives from my guests who provide tips that can help you uplift the community, improve your financial planning, motivation, or advice on how to be a successful entrepreneur. Keep winning!
Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Cassandra Lester.
Purpose of the Interview
The interview introduces Cassandra Lester’s nonprofit Grow Give Prosper and its partnership with Google’s “Grow with Google” initiative. The goal is to provide free career certification scholarships to underserved and economically impacted communities, helping individuals increase earning potential and gain financial literacy.
Key Takeaways
Mission of Grow Give Prosper
Founded in 2023, focused on financial education and empowerment.
Aims to help communities grow together, give to each other, and prosper collectively.

Google Partnership
Offers free career certifications in high-demand fields: Cybersecurity
Data Analytics
Digital Marketing & E-commerce
IT Support
Project Management
UX Design

Certifications are self-paced, online, and typically take 3–6 months.
No prior experience required; participants receive a portfolio upon completion.

Accessibility
Scholarships are free; the only requirement is commitment.
Available to anyone in the continental U.S., regardless of education level (GED, college dropout, etc.).
Registration via growgiveprosper.org (scroll to Google Career Scholarships).

Impact
Over 300 scholarships awarded; previously had 500.
Designed to level the playing field for those without Ivy League degrees.
Certifications can stack (e.g., Project Management + Data Analytics) for greater career potential.

Financial Literacy
Defined as understanding financial concepts and applying them to daily life.
Misconceptions persist—some communities avoid discussing money or undervalue credit scores.
Cassandra emphasizes breaking cycles of predatory lending and poor financial habits.

Challenges
Cultural reluctance to discuss money.
Skepticism about legitimacy of programs.
Difficulty securing grants as a small nonprofit.
Cassandra combats these through grassroots outreach and workshops.

Personal Drive
Cassandra’s passion stems from seeing financial struggles across all demographics.
She actively promotes opportunities through community centers, adult education classes, and social media.

Notable Quotes
“I want us to grow together so that we can give to each other and then prosper as a collective.”
“Google is leveling the playing field—you don’t need an Ivy League education to earn a livable wage.”
“The only fee is commitment.”
“Financial literacy means you understand the words, you hear the conversation, and it’s not Greek to you.”
“You can’t talk about managing finances if you really don’t have anything coming in.”
“You don’t want to miss this opportunity to increase your earning potential.”
“Once you’re certified, that’s yours for life—you can’t repo a degree or certification.”
#SHMS #STRAW #BEST
Support the show: https://www.steveharveyfm.com/
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Listen and subscribe to Money Making Conversations on iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, www.moneymakingconversations.com/subscribe/ or wherever you listen to podcasts. New Money Making Conversations episodes drop daily. I want to alert you, so you don’t miss out on expert analysis and insider perspectives from my guests who provide tips that can help you uplift the community, improve your financial planning, motivation, or advice on how to be a successful entrepreneur. Keep winning!
Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Alicia Lyttle.
SUMMARY OF THE ALICIA LYTTLE INTERVIEW
From “Money Making Conversations Master Class” with Rushion McDonald [
1. Purpose of the Interview
The purpose of this interview was to:
Showcase Alicia Lyttle, CEO and co‑founder of Air Innovations, known widely as the “Queen of AI.” [
Educate small business owners, entrepreneurs, and nonprofits on how to leverage AI for growth.
Highlight her mission to empower the African American community to not only keep up with AI—but lead in it. [
Demonstrate how AI tools can transform operations, content creation, finances, and productivity in minutes instead of months.
Inspire listeners through her entrepreneurial journey, professional pivots, and personal resilience.
2. High-Level Summary
Alicia Lyttle returns to the show two years after her last appearance, now positioned at the forefront of the global AI movement. She explains how her work has shifted from annual summits to monthly AI Business Summits, teaching tens of thousands of entrepreneurs how to use AI hands‑on for content, marketing, operations, and scaling.
She breaks down how simple tools—such as NotebookLM, ChatGPT, Jasper, Gemini, and HeyGen—can turn a single piece of content into newsletters, PowerPoints, videos, study guides, and more. She stresses that AI is now accessible, especially with free versions like ChatGPT.
Alicia also shares her origin story in AI, beginning with a 15‑year‑old speaker at Walmart Tech Live describing IBM Watson. This sparked her fascination and ultimately led her to pivot her entire company toward full-time AI training and consulting by 2022—despite skepticism from her peers.
She details the massive growth of her brand, including 21,000+ live summit attendees and explosive social media expansion. The interview also addresses AI’s role in finance, healthcare, government, job disruption, and how individuals can future‑proof themselves.
Her personal story of overcoming a restrictive ex-husband who told her she would “never speak again” underscores her powerful message: no one should silence your gifts. Now she speaks to thousands, leads major events, and helps others build new careers in AI.
3. Key Takeaways A. AI Is Evolving Fast—and So Must We
AI is changing so quickly that entrepreneurs cannot afford to wait for annual updates. This is why Alicia shifted to monthly training summits. People need ongoing education to stay competitive.
B. Hands‑On AI Education Is the Key
Alicia doesn’t just lecture—she walks participants through real demonstrations:
Uploading YouTube links
Creating summaries
Generating emails, mind maps, PowerPoints, quizzes, videos, and more
…all from a single input.
Her approach eliminates fear and teaches entrepreneurs how to use AI immediately.
C. Accessibility Has Changed the Game
The release of ChatGPT, especially the free version, democratized AI. Before that, tools like IBM Watson were too complex and expensive. Now anyone with a laptop and internet connection can build websites, write content, or automate business flows in minutes. [
D. The African American Community Must Lead—Not Follow
Alicia emphasizes that historically, Black communities have been “last in line” in tech innovation, but this AI era presents a once‑in‑a‑generation opportunity to jump ahead.
She sees it as her mission to speak everywhere Black entrepreneurs are to ensure they seize this moment.
E. AI Will Replace Tasks—But People Can Future‑Proof Themselves
Jobs are already shifting. Companies are laying off non–AI‑literate employees.
Alicia urges people to:
Become AI‑fluent
Join AI committees at work
Pursue certification
Use AI to become their company’s internal expert
“There’s no maybe—you have to learn AI,” she warns.
F. AI is Transforming Every Sector: Finance, Healthcare, Government
She provides insights on…
AI receptionists (“Monica” and “Leslie”) that boost customer interaction to 92%
Financial analysis using secure ChatGPT setups
AI mental health companions
Government calls for national AI leadership
G. Alicia Monetizes Through Education, Certification & Consulting
Her business model includes:
Free monthly summits
Paid masterclasses
Corporate consulting
AI certifications
Live Atlanta workshops
She teaches others to become AI consultants too.
H. Her Personal Triumph Story Inspires Thousands
A powerful moment is when she recounts her ex-husband saying:
“There’s only one quarterback on a team—and you will never speak again.”
Yet today, 1,200+ people attend her live events, and tens of thousands join her virtual trainings.
Her success proves resilience and purpose overcome adversity.
4. Key Quotes On AI Opportunity
“Never has there been a better time in history to start, build, or scale a business than right now.”
On Training Entrepreneurs
“Open your laptops… use the same prompt I use. See what results you get.”
On the Power of AI Tools
“You can take one episode and repurpose it into all these different content ways.”
On Pivoting Her Entire Company
“In 2022, I said we’re closing this business and going all in on AI.”
On Being Black in Tech
“My mission is to make sure our community is not left behind—but ahead of the curve.”
On Personal Resilience
“You will be speaking on the best stages… people will come to see you.”
(A friend’s response after she was told she’d “never speak again.”)
On Future-Proofing Careers
“Those using AI will replace you. You have to learn how to leverage AI.”
On AI as a Human-First Technology
“AI plus human intelligence—that’s what takes things to the next level.”
#SHMS #STRAW #BEST
Support the show: https://www.steveharveyfm.com/
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.