Champions

On this episode of They Call Me Daddy, the crew checks in on life, health, and the weight of responsibility. Torrean celebrates a six-month walking streak and major weight-loss wins, Mack shares how staying active is helping his mental health, and Mondo reflects on family moments with his daughter’s surprise visit and the lessons behind her new tattoos.

From there, the conversation delves deep into Dame Dash — his legacy, ego, and what it means to strike a balance between confidence and humility. The dads debate whether success is about “I did it” or about surrendering to a bigger plan. The dialogue expands to the pressures that Black men face regarding entrepreneurship, work, and worth, and how to distinguish between following one's own plan and God’s.

They conclude with reflections on the pressure in today’s world — from financial struggles to cultural divides — and offer a reminder: lean into community, protect your health, and move with purpose.

Transcript

Torrean: 0:00
Yo, yo, yo. Welcome to another episode of the They Call Me Daddy A Parents podcast. Let me introduce my co-host. We got the president of the Frolic Club, Mondo, and we got Mac. My name is Torian, aka Daddy. What's going on, y'all? How y'all doing?
Mack: 0:18
It is Mondo, but I'm doing great.
Mondo: 0:21
Wow. So we're sticking with that. We sticking with I'm frolicking, huh? Yeah, you want to give a demo right now? Nah, man. I didn't even know what frolicing was, to be honest. To me either. Yeah, I saw the wheel video. I'm like, nah, I'm not doing that, bro. In this season of life, you ain't doing it, huh? Nah, you know what I'm saying? I'm I'm uh I'm surfing though. You know, I'm surfing these waves. I ain't frolicing though. Hey, I feel that. I feel that.
Mack: 0:52
Slag surfing, Mondo's.
Mondo: 0:53
Yeah, there we go. There we go.
Torrean: 0:55
That's what's up. Hey, with them glasses on Mac, he look more and more like Ace from Love Island. I just wanted to say that, bro. Like, I don't know what it is, but yeah.
Mack: 1:04
What's up with you and these look comparisons all the time, and that's never accurate?
Torrean: 1:08
Never. They're 100% accurate. Never accurate, bro.
Mack: 1:13
Yeah, you tripping.
Torrean: 1:16
AKA Popeye Jones from back in the day? Nah, bro. Michael Finley. You got cuz all messed up, bro.
Mondo: 1:24
I know. I I feel like I feel like we should be putting on social that that side by side with Tori and see what people think. Because I thought I thought it was on point.
Mack: 1:33
It was on point. It was on point. It was on point for sure.
Torrean: 1:37
Hey, y'all tripping for sure. Anyway. Nah, man. Life's good though. Life's good over here. You know, it's a little confusing, but it's good. Uh for the most part. You know, kids is off today, so Rainey woke up with a serious attitude at six o'clock in the morning. But uh, you know, I'm feeling I'm feeling fresh, refreshed, and um, yeah, I'm heading to New Orleans on a business trip on Saturday, so I'm excited about that.
Mack: 2:02
Walking streak and working out, all that still going, right?
Torrean: 2:06
Yeah, for sure. Uh told Mondo, you know, we're approaching uh six months. So, you know, next month will be six months, and I ain't missed a day. So I'm happy about that, proud of myself. And the results so far are man, so I don't know, man. One scale says I'm like down almost 40. The other one says I'm down about 25, 26. So I kind of believe that one a little bit more, just kind of based upon my uh based upon kind of how clothes are fitting right now. But you know, at the same time, the uh the one that says I'm closer to 40, that's supposed that's like an actual doctor scale. So that's one something that you would actually go to a doctor and get on. But I don't know, I feel like it's tripping.
Mack: 2:49
But either either way, you winning right now, my boy.
Torrean: 2:52
Either way, that's what I'm saying. Like it ain't even about the it ain't even about the scale, it's just about how I'm feeling. And you know, yeah, so that's what's that's dope. That's dope, bro. Yeah, what's up with you, Mac? How you been, man?
Mack: 3:04
Man, I'm chilling. I'm getting better, starting to work out a little bit more after the last pod. I told y'all I was gonna focus more on that to get my mental a little more stable. So I've been doing that. Whether like this morning, went to the court with Mac, ran around a little bit, was a rebound boy. So just trying to get more movement, man, and just stay focused on the on the go. You know what I'm saying, instead of letting life beat my ass all the time. So yeah, I'm chilling.
Torrean: 3:30
Yeah, I don't know about y'all, but like I feel like this fall time in general can kind of like play some tricks on you on your head a little bit. You know, it's like I love summertime, you know, being out there in the sun, all that. And then, you know, you look at the clouds right now, it's like overcast, um, overcast, kind of humid type. And I'm like, I'm not ready for winter. Like being in Minnesota is just we know what's coming. So I feel like this time of the year kind of can play a little bit with your mental, but I also do think that like getting out there more and getting more exercise and just being in just not necessarily focusing on what's gonna happen two, three months down the road line, but just today, uh, that's been good for me so far.
Mack: 4:15
Yeah, and daylight savings ain't even hit yet, but man, when it starts getting dark out at about six, boy, that's depressing.
Mondo: 4:25
No, that's facts. How you feeling these days, Mondo, in this season? Cadence was here over the weekend, and so that was super dope. She came in and surprised my dad. You know, he was upstairs working on the house a little bit, and for Cadence to just walk in and just be like, Hey, Papa, it was like super dope. And he was just like, he was like, Y'all almost got me to cry. He was like, I held it in. Uh, so that was just super fire, man. And just her being here, cracking jokes, just seeing her more grown than she was before she left. You know, she got a few tattoos now, and feel like her swag is a little up, but it was just where she's getting to sleep.
Mack: 5:09
I don't know.
Mondo: 5:10
She got some tats? Yeah, bro. Caden's got like three tats in like the first three weeks. What?
Mack: 5:16
Ah, dang. So, like, what if she comes with a big ass neck tat? Are you saying anything or are you letting her out?
Mondo: 5:22
Yeah. No, we we shut it down. Like, even me and my dad after the third tat, we're like, all right, chill out. You know what I'm saying? You you got some good words, you got some inspirational stuff on you right now, but tattoo artists ain't going nowhere, bro. They'll they'll be here.
Torrean: 5:39
Straight up. Yeah. Yeah, hopefully she don't get that Mondo special. You know what I'm saying? That's all I'm gonna say. But it's like thank you for just all you gonna say.
Mondo: 5:49
Here go, here go Torian. I swear, Torian be dropping the most subliminal keys that people be like, what Torian talking about? I know. Yeah, it's all good. Keep it rolling, don't even trip.
Torrean: 6:02
Nah, but Mondo, you did get your your two-year tattoos right after high school, right?
unknown: 6:06
Yeah.
Torrean: 6:07
Once your pops, and then the hands. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, so very similar to that. I wonder what that is. Like, you know, I'm 18, I'm a you know, test the waters for the first three months, and then once you hit college, it's just like, yo, I'm fully out.
Mondo: 6:23
Like, is that is that kind of how you you can- I don't know, man. It was, you know, getting a tattoo for my mom clearly had always been important. But then there was just this imbalance for me, like, yo, I'm representing my mom on my left arm and this right arm just chilling, empty. So I was like, let me get something dedicated to my pops. Uh, but I say cadence. She just at school, like black college just turned up. I got the freedom to do what I want. And they had like some super steep discount every Wednesday on campus. And so the freshman, it is it's a freshman hook for sure. You know what I'm saying? Uh so yeah, man. It's she got the right words. Uh, just we had to make sure she didn't get no more words. Oh, that's what's up. Yeah, that's what's up. That's dope. That's dope.
Mack: 7:14
That's a lot, that's a lot different than my story, man. I got mine in high school, sophomore year. At some dude named Fat Man's career. What the hell was I thinking? Oh man. Who's this sophomore with a tattoo? That's crazy.
Mondo: 7:32
That's funny. Hey, we be doing what we want to do. I feel like as a the men in our family, we be doing what we want to do. And I feel like we're gonna talk about that on the pod today. I don't know if it's our confidence, it's our ego, it's our desire to just be like, we only got one life to live, but we be making some choices that be influencing other people sometimes, uh, and we'd be like, whatever, or we just we just do what we do. So I'll let Tori, I'll lob it to T to set it up because I feel like this is gonna be a good combo.
Torrean: 8:06
Nah, for sure, for sure. So for those who've seen it, uh Dame Dash was on the recently in the Breakfast Club for another interview. Uh Dame Dash is an entrepreneur in the started in the 90s with Rockefeller. Um, he's done many a project since then. And uh Dame always it always seems like Dame is out there to prove something to somebody. But I'm not gonna get too much into what was said because I know we'll talk about that on the on the podcast. But um, I guess my question for y'all, fellas, is is what's your perception of Dame Dash? Like um, he's somebody that a lot of people in our culture may have looked up to in one point in time, especially that's in our age group, but um, you know, he's had a lot of success, a lot of success as a black man in hip hop. And so um, from the culture standpoint of things, what's your what's your opinion of who he is or and kind of what what your take on the podcast was?
Mondo: 9:03
I'm gonna let Matt go first because he's a he's a hip hop historian.
Mack: 9:07
I am man. I feel like I mean he's an icon. I think that part of his issue is kind of what we spoke about last pod. Like, I feel like he feels a little betrayed by the hip-hop community, by by our culture. Like, I accomplished all these things, yet I go on social media, and all I see is y'all calling me broke, telling me I fell off. Like y'all just paint this picture of me struggling. And I feel like what he does is to your point, T, is try to prove that hey, I'm not down, I'm not down and out. Like I'm still fighting this fight, and I done all these great things. So he I think he's just really seeking the respect of the culture and the people, which he's not feeling like he's receiving. Because I mean, I know the whole Jay-Z thing, you got Jay-Z who's a hip-hop billionaire, and he left you, and you're like, you know, fighting for whatever, he probably feels a little bit low, man. His ego's hurt, so I think that's more so what's going on.
Mondo: 10:13
No, that's that's real. T, I'm actually curious your perspective before I say anything, because I know Jay-Z is your favorite artist.
Torrean: 10:20
So, like, what's your thoughts, bro? Um so here's my thoughts. Dame, so Dame Dash is, you know, uh, you know, I graduated in 2002, put my age out there. I'm an old head nowadays. But uh, with that being said, you know, having started my first business when I was 19, you know, you see examples of other people doing what they do. Um, and that's why I mentioned that I feel like what Rockefeller at the time or No Limit, um, cash money, a lot of black hip hop groups at that point in time were like really making a name for themselves. And so you try to see what people are doing and be like, why not me? Why can't I do the same thing? Uh, luckily for me, I had uncles doing their entrepreneurial thing that I was able to learn from. So, shout out to Uncle Gilb, shout out to Uncle Michael. I was able to learn from them. Uh, on a side note, last last year I was in the uh elevated Hennepin CEO now class, and somebody I used to work with at the quest came in, and he was an entrepreneur now as well. And the first thing he did was ask about the family and ask about Uncle Gilb. I'm setting it up to say that in Minnesota in the 90s, Uncle Gilb and our family were that example for people. Uncle Michael was that example for people. Your pops, my dad, Uncle Doug, everything that we had going on, we were though that example for some that may have crossed paths for our people. So I'm saying all that to say to set up where Dame is now. Dame accomplished a lot. Um he's accomplished a lot, but I feel like he feels like his accolades and his ego should lead to unlimited funds or unlimited glory, and he has no responsibility to treat people with respect. And so with that being said, it's like it's hard to, I don't know him like that. You know, obviously I don't know him on a personal level, but from what I see, I see a man with a bruised ego and I see somebody that's shooting, that's just throwing darts right now and trying to have something stick, and has been doing that since his initial success. And that's caused him to, I mean, he's entertaining as hell, super funny, everything else. But it's like he hasn't taken the time to really humble and learn from his situation because I feel like if he did that and actually came with a humble approach, he would find success in a whole nother lane because he at the end of the day, he is a good businessman. He does know his stuff. But it's like we talked about last podcast, it's like perception is reality, and the way that he's receiving reality, in my opinion, is not reality. Um and so he's acting like you know, all these projects he has are just going to hit because he's named Ash, and that's just not how entertainment works. You know, it's not not in 2025, uh, because everybody has a camera, just like us. Like we're a podcast, we're trying to make something hit, you know. Uh it hits for us, and that's what and that's what matters. But um, you know, I think he's he's thinking that everything he does is gonna set him up for just because he's him, and that's just not reality. But what if that's just confidence in himself? It might be, but then don't project the other people. I mean, he's he then he argues, he's argued literally with everybody from his old crew. All he talks about is old crew. In the interview, he's talking about how worldly he is and how he's gone on to see all these other things and he can't do the same thing every day. But then in business, all he references is his old crew. Like Memphis Bleak got brought up in this interview. Like that's because he did it, he did an interview recently too. Sure. Oh but like, sure, but why why not shout out some of your global business partners if you are that type of if you have accomplished what he's accomplished? Like, and that's what I'm saying. I feel like he's in this bubble to where you know he may have made some financial decisions that weren't smart, um, got himself deep in this hole, and has just been trying to climb out as much as it can. And the only way he can do it is just by putting other people down that may be having some more success than him at the moment. That's just my opinion.
Mack: 14:58
That's crazy. Um you don't agree? I'm on the opposite end 100%. Well, go ahead, Mondo.
Torrean: 15:06
Nah, I want to tell me. Yeah, yeah, I want y'all to keep going. This is good.
Mack: 15:10
I feel like Dame Dash, do you follow him on socials? Because I do. No. So I f I feel like I feel like some of those names like Memphis Blake, Cameron, he got into a Cameron recently. I feel like Dame Dash is doing his own thing. Like he has his family state, he kept talking about, he's doing things, writing kids' books and stuff with his wife. He has multiple artists out. I feel like he's just trying to do his thing, and whenever he starts getting his stride, somebody will say something, and it throws him off course because he always feels like he has to defend himself. So I don't think that he's just on social media just calling out people for attention. I feel like he is responding. And people's like, nigga, you're broke. So your opinion, you nigga, you're just annoying. To where if it was somebody else of a higher caliber, they'll be like, I think they would align with him more and understand him more. But since everybody's looking at him like, oh man, you fell off. You're opinion, you're just annoying. I feel like it's gonna be it's gonna be a rough one for him.
Torrean: 16:08
Yeah, I mean, what you said could be right. Um, I just kind of feel like it is bruised ego. I feel like he's I feel like he's very insecure as a person. And I don't feel like he's whatever that is that's in him, it's like I gotta have more. I got or this costs more. Like, yeah, this, this. Like you're always trying to prove something to somebody. It's like really at the end of the day, man, people are too damn busy to be worried about what it is you got going on, anyways. Like he just assumes everybody's following him on social media. Like, Mac, you you one of his followers, but I am not. You know what I'm saying? So uh it's just I feel like he's just got bruised ego syndrome, and I feel like that's something that is on a deeper level. I feel like that's something that's in our culture. It's like as black men, it's always been us versus me versus you, like not the whole can't say what's up to you in public, um, you know, not talk, not speaking to people you don't know. Uh I'm talking more so when I was younger, but it's just like, oh, what's that nigga looking at? That type of thing. Always having that mentality. It's like us versus us. Versus now, man, I try to speak to everybody no matter what. Like, hey, how you doing? Just to check in. And um, you know, sometimes I get a side eye, but for the most part, I get a lot of love back when I do that. And I just think that's one of the things that always trying to have to prove yourself to somebody else is that's a big trap in our community.
Mack: 17:37
It is, and I think I agree with you on that part, and just as our culture, bro, like we attack each other so much, bro. It's crazy. Like, when have you ever seen a white artist in the media talking about another white artist going, yeah, nigga, you broke? Like you was hot back then, you ain't shit now. Like, bro, you never hear that or you never see that. So, like, and also think about like people like Kevin Durant, same thing. Like, he sees something on social media, he always feels a need to defend himself to the point to where people find out he has all these burner accounts and all that type stuff. I think just our culture, bro, like we gotta stop doing that to each other. Like, if he ain't shit, then why are you even speaking of him? Why do you have an opinion on him? Just let him go do his thing. So it is a culture issue for sure.
unknown: 18:24
Yeah.
Torrean: 18:24
What you think, Modo? Like something else.
Mondo: 18:27
Yeah, I was letting y'all go in because my perspective is a little broader. I feel like Dame is just one example of the prodigal son in a story. Like the prodigal son, yo, is just that person who is so confident, believes they can conquer the world, they're just always going to be present. Rather, that's a Mike Tyson or an Ali or a Kobe or whatever, right? Like, I feel like in our environment, I had that type of energy, that type of confidence. And how I see the story, I just believe it is 100% certain that the prodigal son is gonna fall from grace. Like it's just inevitable because God's like, the world can't break you because your confidence is just too supreme for the world to break you. However, I'm gonna put you in a situation or a set of circumstances that I'm going to see, like, what is your true character as a prodigal son? Hey, I blessed you with the ability to have the gift of gab, to be able to go into rooms and influence other folks, to be able to like shut everything down, to be able to lead in a way with certain gifts, but sometimes that prodigal son gets lost as if those gifts were just destined for them. Like, no, bro, like those were blessings. And so I feel like Dame in this season is still trying to be the boss or be portrayed as the boss, as opposed to surrendering and recognizing that all these blessings are from God, and now God has me in this other role to lead from this other spot in the story, and I need to operate with a different level of integrity, or I have to elevate my integrity if I want to get out of this cycle. And I just feel like right now, to Max point, he's playing defense because everybody is calling him broke, and it's like, fam, this is just your broke season. Like it's okay. Like, if you think about Kobe with his sexual indiscretion season, everybody turned on him. Tyson with his rape allegations, everybody turned on him. Right? Like, if you think about these humans at the top that just has this crazy confidence, eventually something happens and everybody turns on them. When they do, then what are you gonna do? How are you gonna show up? And I just feel like it's Dame's season where he's walking through that. And now we're seeing, like, yo, how real are you? Like, I was listening to Cam the other day, I think it was yesterday, and he was like, yo, it got to a point where I just felt like Dame must have been carrying this resentment for a long time about me, meaning Cam, given the words that he sang out loud. And he was just like, it was just like an aha moment for him, like, like, dang, bro, like for you to say these things, it would be like Taurin bringing up something from the third grade. Like, like, yo, if Taurin brought up something from the third grade with this type of malice, you'd be like, bro, you never healed that. And just because we was up together, you didn't say it out loud. But now that we're not up together, like these things are actually manifesting. And so I wish Dame the best, bro. I I hope he finds some some way to heal. But you know, leading from the middle or leading from the back, I think it's something that he's gonna have to learn. Uh, in that whole podcast, I don't think he mentioned God one time. Right? Like there's there's no Jesus story in it. And I just feel like eventually God's gonna just continue to bend him until he pivots in that direction. Because if Dame, two years from now comes on like, yo, I got it. It hit, right? Like I was missing my Jesus piece, and now he becomes the ambassador, the humble ambassador, to be like, all that stuff I was saying was right for me at that time, but it was all for me to learn this. It ain't about business and entrepreneur and the next hundred million dollar company. It's like, how do I get people to pivot towards Christ? And I just feel like Dame's being called to do that, and eventually he's gonna realize it. So, yeah.
Torrean: 22:55
I mean, I I agree with you, Mondo. And I think I think Dame has an eye syndrome. Like, I did this, I did that, I'm the one that put us on I, I, I, I, I. And that eye syndrome was another trap because nobody can build anything on their own. Like, from, you know, you take the biggest corporate building, you take the person in janitorial services, they probably more important than a lot of the people at the top because the appearance when you walk in that building is beautiful. But if you don't recognize that person's role in what it is you're trying to succeed, you know, how uh achieve success, then you're gonna feel some type of way. So I think like with him and the whole Cameron situation was like, yo, y'all was y'all really was partners. But Dame feels like, oh, I was the director, I was the one that had the bread, I'm the one that funded these things. So I, I, I, I, and it's just like, yo, chill out. Because, you know, back when Cam was doing the Bill O'Reilly videos and his rap career was on and all that stuff, it's like his personality sold records. So, you know, the the words that came out of his mouth sold records. Like you might have had the business knowledge, but I guess my point is it takes two to tango, it takes three, it takes whatever, it takes a collective to truly build something. And so that eye syndrome, Dame still ain't lost that either.
Mondo: 24:24
No, I get that, and I think that's spot on. And I do understand or recognize why Dame feels the way that he does, because again, he's the alchemist in his story. He's the one that historically has moved the pieces to put other people on. He had the true vision. But that doesn't mean that, bro, you're doing it, right? Like, like you're a steward. Like God is doing those things through you because of the way that you were baked, because of your character. God's like, all right, I'm gonna put you in the middle. Because these other egos around you aren't gonna be able to push you off your your block, right? Like it's just how he's built. And so now that everybody else is winning, everybody else is in the seat that they're supposed to be in, Dame is feeling like betrayed, right? Like, how I put, how did I invest all this time into other people and nobody really having my back right now? And I get that reality, but again, that's where it's like, bro, that was your role in the story. Like everything you did was exactly what you were supposed to do. If you didn't do those things, you would have failed. And so, yes, high five, applause, hundred million dollar company over and over and over. Now reinvent yourself and do something brand new.
unknown: 25:47
Right?
Mondo: 25:48
You've been building companies for the last 30, 40 years. All right, do something new, bro.
unknown: 25:53
Right?
Mondo: 25:53
Like, what is that new thing? I don't know, go build a hospital. Right, go raise money for some type of philanthropic initiative. Like, do something different, not just get bread for your family office. Not that that's bad or wrong, but there is a bigger calling on his life, I believe, because he has the confidence and the goal to go do something that's even more impossible. Uh, but he's unwilling to pivot off of this off the bag, right?
Torrean: 26:29
So I mean, so like he has this ultimate vision, right? This ultimate vision. I mean, I believe I have that, Mondo, hopefully you have that, Mac. I believe you have that. And I think when you have this ultimate vision, it's like you can oftentimes you can either follow the vision or you can get distracted. And I feel like he's easily distracted right now. I feel like what he was able, they they was able to accomplish uh with Rockefeller and all that, getting the bread and all that with fame, all that, all that shit's just ultimate distraction, to your point, Mondo. Uh because it's like when you have this vision to be able to say, man, I can I can start here and I can get here and I know exactly how I want to do it, you gotta stay focused. And when you lose, when you get distracted, and that's what ends up happening. You can fall from grace, you can do whatever.
Mondo: 27:29
So let me let me say something to that point because I think this is important, and I'm gonna say this about me instead of projecting onto Dame, because this is a statement that like penetrated the core of my soul not too long ago. God's like, son, your plan ain't my plan. And there's some people in the world who have held on to their plan, and God's like, that's not my plan, bro. Eventually, you are going to have to surrender your plan for my plan, meaning God's plan. And so, T, I feel like you're 100% spot on right. And there are those humans that have this vision, have this thing, and they're supposed to do that thing because God's plan for them is to do that thing. But there are others, again, who just have this on a creative player score, their confidence is 101 out of 100. Those humans are called to surrender their plan for God's plan. And Dame ain't listening right now, I believe. Or at least, let me not project on Dame because I don't know this man. When I was called to surrender my plan for God's plan, it was as equally as hard I felt because it was like, oh, build this billion-dollar business, impact education, schools. It was clear as day. I knew I could do this thing, and I'm just like, yo, this is about to be a fire plan. But then God's like, but I need somebody to step in this seat to do this thing that I have for them. Dame, I'm calling you to do that. Are you willing? And I think he's just gonna keep nudging them to be like, Are you willing or are you gonna follow your own plan? So, like, yo, really in this moment, I pray for Dame to be like, yo, bro, drop your plan. Follow God's plan and and then watch how you're redeemed. Right? Watch how God puts you in this seat because you chose to surrender all your ego and now you're humble. Like, Dame can't sit at the top of the hill because his ego's too big. Like, all due respect, like Trump's already in that seat. Trump's already in the highest seat with the biggest ego. So, like, who's gonna sit in another seat of influence that is more humble, more balanced, more caring, more kind, more compassionate, more loving? Like, there's a different role.
Torrean: 29:53
So, like, yo, dang, like, follow God's plan, bro. He's he's calling for you. So, Mac, you got Anything else about Dame? Because I do want to pivot the conversation, but no, go ahead.
Mack: 30:05
No, go ahead. You got anything else to say? I don't. Actually, I don't uh understand both of y'all's perspectives, and I get it. I think there's a difference of building something with the intentions of building yourself up, other than just doing it for the love of your people and just for love of art. And I feel like when he put all those artists on, maybe he was doing it just to say I did it. So maybe I kind of agree with that. It was just an I thing, and it wasn't really wanting to see the people around you thrive and be successful. So I agree. Yeah.
Torrean: 30:40
So like kind of how I want to pivot the conversation is, you know, Dame Dash, everything he's accomplished, great entrepreneur. And like that cannot, you know, in in business, you're gonna have some failures and you're gonna have successes. Uh, as somebody that started their first business when I was 19 years old, it's like I felt like, man, corporate America is not gonna have anything to ever offer me. And I felt that way just based upon um a job experience that I had at working at Best Buy and being promised all these things at the age of 16 because I was a high performer, and for none of those things to ever come to fruition. Um, I feel like black folks in general, I feel like we're really keen on entrepreneurship. And I feel like that, especially um just for people that I know that are like, hey man, I want more, I want to achieve more, I'm not getting the right opportunity at work, I'm not, I'm not feeling my worth, right? Um, I recently had somebody that I really care about a lot say, well, maybe if I was getting paid what I'm worth, I could afford X, Y, and Z. I guess my question to y'all is, is y'all are black men, I'm a black man. Do you feel like this extra pressure, like, man, if I go tr the traditional route, I'm not going to see the fruits of my labor? And what do you think that is? What do you what do you think like where does that come from in our culture? Like, is it is it society or is it something that's deeply rooted into us? And I'm not coming at it at it from the standpoint of entrepreneurship is bad by any means, but it's like oftentimes as a black business owner, I feel like, man, as soon as I see somebody that that uh you know sees success that that we're having, they feel like, oh, I want to be a part of that, but then they start to get into that mindset of I can overtake this. I don't know, that's a double-edged sword. I just went there, but uh anyway, go ahead.
Mondo: 32:54
I kind of look at what you just said, if I'm receiving it the right way, as this uh stigma that you can't be successful unless you go become an entrepreneur. And I think that narrative in the world is true, especially in our culture. Uh oh, if you're gonna stay and work for the man, you ain't really doing things right, right? Like that narrative is everywhere. Some people are built to be an employee within an ecosystem of other employees, right? Like I think of Quincy Jones. Like Quincy Jones having an entity around him, a system around him, and he's participating in the system when he was alive, again, kind of like Dame, like, let me pull the best out of artists, like was his gift. Was Quincy Jones supposed to just go be this solo entrepreneur and build the business? No, because that was gonna pull him away from the art. And so I feel like it's finding your role in the story. If Quincy Jones felt he needed to go be an independent entrepreneur, would he have? Absolutely. But that wasn't a fear for him. So what I think when it comes to like entrepreneurship or leaving a nine to five or whatever, I think for some people, it's testing your faith. It's I've been working this job, I make good money, or I don't, whatever. But I'm scared to take this leap. I'm scared to jump out of this plane. And I feel like God just continues to challenge us to face whatever the fear is. Dame's not scared to go, I'm not to bring it back to him, but he's not scared to go start another company. Like, there's there, there's just there's no fear in that for him. And so, like, what's the next thing in front of him or in front of anybody that's like, man, I'm scared of this thing. So, like, let me go do this thing that that terrifies me. Because, like, if you think about somebody writing some history books, right? Dame or people like Dame, including myself, we want to be written in a history book to have done something dope. Like that is just part of our essence of being. Is somebody gonna write this dope story about him starting Rockefeller? Probably not. But given the way that he can speak, how he can influence others, if he chose to step into the seat and be the next Martin Luther King for the rest of his life, that would be a different story. Ain't got nothing to do with being an entrepreneur. It's like I'm about to go put these words together to move our community into a direction that we have not been in, and it ain't got nothing to do with money. Right? Like, absolutely nothing to do with money. It's just like we need to come together, period. The folks that got the bag, support this community that's about to move as one. Like, I put all y'all in positions to build relationships and have the bag. Now I'm about to lead on my Martin Luther King stuff, and I don't need the bag. I just need enough to take care of my basic needs, and like everybody is going to trust me because money is no longer part of my lived experience. I just want the people to win. So that's a lot of ways of me saying, like, I think everything is fear-based. Conquer that fear, start the business, go back to corporate if you want, but just continue to face that next fear, and eventually you land in the seat that you want to land in. And it might be an entrepreneur making a lifestyle business with 300 grand, it might be 300 million, it might be launching a public company because like you killed it, but it's all fear, bro. Like face your fear in the story.
Torrean: 36:40
But see, that's where I'm so I'm glad you brought that up. But this is where why I'm asking the question I'm asking. Because we all have a role to play in the story, and yeah, we may all want a story written by us, about written about us. I personally don't, but it's like with that being said, are you blocking your blessings by being tricked, by tricking yourself into saying, Oh yeah, I'm supposed to go start this business. Right? Like, did God put you put you in this position because this is exactly where you need to be? And this is this is exactly what you're you are supposed to do. And I think that's one of the things where it becomes to your point, Mondo, your plan versus God's plan. Because you know, in this world, not everybody's supposed to go in and uh and start a business and be like this huge, successful global person. Now I'm not trying to be the person to say, hey, I'm gonna kill all your dreams. Like that's not where I'm coming from. Like, you know, if that's what you're inspired to do and that's what you feel like you're supposed to do, more power to you. But I also think that sometimes we we think about the bigger picture more and haven't walked to the picture that we're in right now. And I I just feel I think that's one of the things that I guess that's why I asked the question I did, because I feel like that oftentimes is sometimes a trap in our community. It's like, you know, like even investing money and starting at 401k when we're 20 years old, like my best friend, he started investing his four his 401k when he was 18. And I still ain't got one.
Mondo: 38:35
So it's just like uh I got a consideration adjacent to that.
Torrean: 38:42
My mindsets are a little bit different, but I I guess I guess just my point just is saying, yo, sometimes I feel like people don't appreciate where they're at right now uh and how hard they've worked to say like if you're if we're trusting God's plan, if that's what we're doing, um, then maybe you gotta have more trust into it instead of always trying to think you gotta pivot. But go ahead.
Mondo: 39:08
I think so many people are tied to the trophy at the end of the game, and I think that's the biggest misstep. So, like the analogy that was in my head as you were saying those things, touring, was super Mario world. And you know, like in between games, you can go pick different worlds or different environments that you want to go play Mario. And I feel like being a nine to five employee making 50 grand or less is one of the Mario worlds. You can play that world over and over and over and over, or that board over and over and over, or you can go explore another board, but still, like winning the next board or winning the next level, it ain't the end of the game. You're just going to that to that next board to get Yoshi. Because you can't get Yoshi on the first board, right? Like, like you are going to experience these new things just to pick up the gym, to be like, oh, this is part of life. Oh, this is dope. I just chose to be an entrepreneur for a little bit, not to like do this forever. I chose to do this to like pick up this gift, right? It's kind of like I'm thinking about jazz. Like Jazz is, and he would tell you, like, he's a soldier in the story, right? Reliable, get things done. But he started an entrepreneurship sprint for a while when he was grilling food or smoking food for folks. Jazz wasn't on some, I need to create this business plan and do all this stuff to like make this my main thing and all that. But he had to experience what it's like to like create the best product, give it to others, get that feedback, see what it feels like to like live that entrepreneurial thing for a little bit. And now, like, he picked up a gift from that. He found peace in cooking. He's back there for 10 hours just cooking, like for other folks. And so, like, there was a piece of him that he needed to get doing that thing. And so that's just a lot of ways of me saying my belief is what you think you are going to conquer this challenge for is probably not the thing that you're actually going to conquer the challenge for. There's a different gift there for you. And along the way of you trying to get the trophy, you're gonna pick up that different gem or that different gift, and you're gonna be like, aha, I came here for this.
Torrean: 41:42
So, Mac, let me throw, let me lob this to you, man. You heard two different perspectives right now. Um and it's somebody that I feel like as talented as you are, you're very talented, but you're still trying to figure out your lane, right? You're still trying to figure out the lane that you want to go into. What's your thoughts, man? Like, give us some insight because I feel like you give always provide that real insight that you know, especially from a uh, you know, dog perspective. My bad. Yeah, real. That's what I meant to say. Yeah, anyway.
Mack: 42:17
Don't be putting all that pressure on me, nah. But I'm just listening to both of you, and you're like, how do you know if it's your plan or God's plan, right? Like, how does something get put on your heart from the beginning? Because some people don't mind the same lifestyle, going to work nine to five. Some people don't mind the same routine. So if something gets put on your heart, it's more than likely God. Like, it's something that you need to explore and try to figure out. Now, like where my struggle was is the more money I made, the more difficult it was to work with certain people. And that's something that's you know, that's overlooked sometimes. Like, if I feel unhappiness working this job, no matter how much you're making, don't nobody want to be unhappy every day or be dreading getting up this early to go be around people who ultimately don't respect them. I mean, you end up just feeling used, like you said, Torian. Like you get promised all these things, promotions and uh increasing pay that never comes. So it's like, damn. And then you see your counterpart who might be uh of a different race, who are getting these things, and you're just not getting opportunities, like, bro, that's frustrating. Like, don't nobody want to live like that every day. So that was part of my issue. And also, it's like the main thing is uh for me was being happy when I got home to my boys. Like some days I was just at work dealing with certain people, and I just came home and I just wasn't a happy person. And also at the same time, I did have these things on my heart, like, yo, this way it just helped you be happier at the end of the day. So I think that that can't be overlooked because really that's what really matters, bro. Like, and that's I think that's the godly way. It's like you have to enjoy your life and experience while you're here, bro. It's not always uh, it shouldn't always be just about a dollar because you know that shit comes and goes.
Torrean: 44:13
That's facts. Yeah, nah, facts, man. I think what you would you said the point to like how they get put on your heart in the first place. I feel like that's one of the things that sometimes I struggle with, and I don't know if everybody struggles with it, but it's just like head versus heart, right? Like, is my mind playing tricks on me, or is this actually what I'm supposed to do? And you know, I've always been a risk taker my entire life, and one of the things that I've tried to work on is saying, hey, you maybe you don't need to take this risk right now. Maybe you need to learn the lesson at this point in time. And so that's why I kind of ask the questions the way I do, because you know, I'm always somebody that's gonna try to tell people, like, hey, shoot for the stars. I'm always the type of person that's like, hey, you should go start this business. But those that, you know, that work hard every day um and play the steady game oftentimes have longer, you know, have uh the same amount of gains or uh even more gains because they consistently did that every single day in a steady, in a steady way. Um but let me ask a question to that because you said something else.
Mondo: 45:24
I'm gonna I'm gonna give it right back to you, but I just want you to answer this because it ties to what you just said. Have you ever followed your heart and wish you didn't?
Torrean: 45:37
Um I don't like to live in regret, but I I would say probably yeah. You know, I think there's probably some things that, yeah, I wish I would have drivenly in following my heart. I think there's different paths to doing the things. I think like I especially when I was a young entrepreneur, I was like, you know, encouraged, hey, go get a job, you know, get a job, have a job, and and and work on uh the business on the side. And I was just like, no, I can't do that. I have to be all in on this. And just you know, in that mindset, it's like maybe being a little bit more open-minded, right? To actually realizing, like, hey, you can do both, or you can uh, you know, figure out like time blocking or time management a little bit differently, um, are things that I most definitely could have done different, right? Um that's fascinating to me.
Mondo: 46:36
Why you said that it's just one of those things where we're like we're completely on the other end of the spectrum because I'm under no situation at any point in my life that I follow my heart and be like, I wish I'd have worked a job part-time too, maybe. Like, not even a consideration. Not that your way or my way is right or wrong. It's just how we're built. And so like following my heart has just always been the North Star.
Torrean: 47:04
Period. Well, I guess what I'm saying is, is I followed my heart and I didn't have any regrets. Uh however, however, you ask me a question, I'm thinking back, like, hey, I could have done this in different ways. And I think that's why I'm saying is there's multiple ways to achieve it. There's multiple ways to achieve what you need to achieve. Like don't you don't you feel like we're supposed to be doing this pod? And I feel like a thousand percent. I one thousand percent think we should be doing this pod. I one thousand percent uh think we should, but there's multiple ways to achieve what I need to achieve that you can achieve.
Mack: 47:40
But he also thinks we should have videos on YouTube for sure.
Torrean: 47:46
I definitely think that's for stuff.
Mack: 47:49
Different ways of doing it, but follow your heart at the same time, right, T?
Torrean: 47:52
Yeah, okay. Different ways of doing it. So um that's all I'm saying. There's not, I don't think there's one recipe to to to answer it. Like, you know, the the what works Schermondo works Schermondo. And I think what works your Mac works your Mac. What works for Torian works for Torian. I think I'm just trying to ask these questions because at the end of the day, like we're trying to at the end of the day, we're documenting our lives, right? And we're documenting them right now in real time. And we go back and listen to these 10 years from now, I think it's dope to see our perspectives in real time right now, and what advice we would actually give to people if they asked for the advice versus um yeah. So you're right.
Mondo: 48:47
I mean, the advice that we give at 40 while we're walking through our 40s is probably different than what we would give at 60 or walking through our 60s because we have more experience.
Torrean: 48:56
So I'm with you. Yeah, and so like when I'm when I'm saying all these things, right? Like, I'm really thinking about my grandfather right now because he would be the one that would try to encourage me to think about it in different ways. And so, like, yeah, I I've always followed my heart and done what I felt was right, but man, the man I feel like has had all the knowledge, the best advice, and all the things I oftentimes didn't listen to. But, you know, he steadily worked his butt off every single day and ended up having a very nice life. And I don't think he had any regrets in doing that. So that's all I'm saying is there's just different ways to do things outside of entrepreneurship.
Mack: 49:38
Um Yeah, and I also think that one thing I wish I was more conscious of is when I'm making these decisions that I had open conversations with other men like y'all, instead of feeling like I have to plan and do everything in my head, because at the time I do feel like I had a lot of weight on my shoulders. But oftentimes God will give messages through the people you're communicating with. So, like moving forward, uh and I wish that I had talked to y'all more, talked to people around me more instead of you know having all that weight, like feeling like all the weight was just on me, and I had to have all the answers and figure everything out on my own, like it would have been a lot easier transitioning, communicating with the people around me.
Mondo: 50:24
So, do you feel like there's a bigger challenge for you, Mac? Like always. Okay. Do you feel like it's a certain struggle unique to black men or men in general?
Mack: 50:43
I think black men, to be honest, um like I have I don't communicate that often. Like I struggle with that. I think black men or just me growing up, how I grew up, being vulnerable just shouldn't be a thing. Like I was raised by some hood dudes, basically, you know what I'm saying? Don't cry, be tough, figure it out. And some like some of the sometimes their figuring it out wasn't always doing legal things to where I'm like, yo, I can't sacrifice my family and my freedom to to come up, you know what I'm saying? So I'm trying to do things the right way and the righteous way. So, yeah, for sure, Mondo. Like, and I think communicating and being vulnerable and all these things that I'm trying to do now, that's my bigger calling and my bigger purpose.
Mondo: 51:35
T, do you feel like there's a weight of the world on you in this season of your life as an entrepreneur that feels more weightier than it should be? I don't know, just given you being a black man in this space and time.
Torrean: 51:55
Yeah, I mean, I think uh being an employer and you know, being the CEO, you you're always gonna feel that weight. Like, I need to create as many opportunities as people as I can for people that I can. You know, it's our responsibility to do um to make sure our bills are paid and to make sure the company brings in money to be able to make sure that payroll is is met on time. And so like there is a lot of um there is a lot of weight that go comes with that, you know, and then on a personal level, it's like, man, I'm trying to be a dad, I'm trying to be uh I'm trying to be a dad, I'm trying to be a quote unquote spouse, if that's what you want to use it, the right term, you want to use it. I'm trying to be the best version of Taurian. And then, you know, um there's a lot of pressure on that, on that, on that, um, on that front as well. And so I feel like, you know, time is uh obviously time is our most precious gift. It's our most, it's the currency that is the ultimately the most important. Um we're not guaranteed any any said time, but then you know, at the same time, like people hear like health is wealth. And like luckily I got brothers like y'all that are like, hey T, man, it's time to really focus on the health part, health piece. And I'm like, yo, I've been conscious about this for the last few years, and it took me a while to get going. But it's like, you know, I don't have diabetes, I don't, you know, I'm I'm a bigger dude, but I don't have any of the health problems that a lot of people may have that are my size. But then it's like having that awareness, it's like, all right, I'm really gonna focus on myself because I really realize like health is wealth, and I want to be able to have the energy to play with my daughter. I want to be able to have the energy to lead this company. I want to be able to have the energy to uh do whatever it is that I want to do. And so, and I want to be healthy enough. I want to be not taking medications the rest of my life because that's that is expensive. And then you read financial books and they talk about like, should you save for retirement or what what should you actually do? And the one commonality is health is the biggest reason why people go broke, right? Like, or people uh maybe going broke, but it's that's gonna be ultimately the most cost efficient, I mean, costly thing that we all have to overcome. And then seeing that example in real life, it's just like, oh wow, it really makes sense. So to answer your question, I feel a lot of pressure. I feel I feel a lot of pressure every single day, but then it's like having that mindset to realize that all this pressure isn't just on me, it's not on Torian. It's like, you know, you try to have the I have people in my life like like y'all two that I can talk things through because talking is how I heal. It's it's my release. And then I have just a great support system at home. I have you know the right business partners right now, and we're trying to achieve things and create these opportunities for people and watch them shine so they can see they can achieve their success. It's like having that humble, godly approach is just ultimately important, you know. Always pray, always do, you know, um as well and say thank you. So this was long-winded, so I apologize for that. But um, I just want to say, like, I have a lot of pressure, but it's not all on me. And I also realize like I'm not, I don't need to be the savior of the world. I just gotta do my part and play my role.
Mondo: 55:41
Like, I take that.
SPEAKER_02: 55:43
That's real.
Mondo: 55:44
Hey, one one thing you always say, T, and I tell you this back now, is with great power comes great responsibility. And so rather that feels like pressure or not, there definitely is a certain responsibility that some of us have to I'll just say operate on a higher standard than others. Rather that's success in business or as a dad or just integrity as a human, like there's a different standard, and sometimes that could feel like a lot of weight. But if you're listening to this and you feel like you're one of those people called to operate at that higher standard, you know, you can do it.
Torrean: 56:27
Oh, yeah. Anything is accomplished, anybody can accomplish anything, and I truly believe that. And I think that's the thing. It's like, you know, when it comes to risk and like risk, risk management, it's like I believe in calculated risk. Uh, my I always tell Mondo this all the time like calculate calculated risk is really important. I don't think you got everybody has to necessarily go and blow up your entire life uh to achieve what it is you want to achieve. It just comes down to um actually truly knowing what it is you want to achieve. And sometimes that takes some time. Sometimes that takes, you know, uh it takes you to be still, as Mondo would say. Uh, but it can be done.
Mondo: 57:16
All right. Well, I think that's good, bro. I think somebody got to wrap it up. Who's wrapping it up today?
unknown: 57:21
Oh, my God.
Torrean: 57:23
Go T. Alright, cool. I'll wrap it up. Uh, so yeah, this is the wrap-up time. Um, I just want to say to everybody right now, I feel like um, you know, there's a lot of pressure in the world, man. We're seeing mass shootings. We we're seeing um a political divide in our country. Uh and we're seeing uh economic rough times right now, and everybody is feeling that pressure. Uh, you know, unless you're you're out here bawling like that. Um unfortunately, I just heard too, the booty sniffer got arrested again. So it's like, yo, it's tight out here. You keeping up with that one ain't it's tight out here. Hey, you told me that last night, man. I'm trying to twist it. Uh but anyways, man. So like I guess what I'm saying is everybody's feeling the pressure right now. And I think this is more time to really lean into your community, lean into prayer if that's your thing, and lean into um your foundations as a person and work through whatever it is you want to work through. Because uh tough times are only temporary, um, but ultimately, you know, you're gonna you're gonna overcome what it is, and um, the less casualties you have uh through these tough times, the better. So uh with that being said, for Mac and for the Frolliker, aka Mondo, um, this my name is Torian, aka Daddy. We out.