S5:E145🎙️ LIVE with C.F. Jackson

Hi, I'm John Maxwell. When the top companies in the world are looking for trainers, speakers, and coaches, there's one name that stands above the rest, and that's Maxwell Leadership. Our certified team members have gotten proven results for companies all over the globe, and our reputation I'm proud to say is second to none. Some of our members have risen to the top of their profession, including the one you're going to meet today. I proudly introduce you to my friend Bob Fabien Zinga.

Welcome to the Leadership and Success Podcast with your host, Coach BZ, where we help you lead with purpose and succeed with impact. If you're ready to grow into the kind of leader others want to follow, this podcast is for you. If you're determined to elevate your success and leave a lasting legacy, this podcast is for you. As my mentor, Dr. John C. Maxwell, reminds us, everything rises and falls on leadership. Our goal is simple: to inspire you, challenge you, and equip you with insights that can transform the trajectory of your leadership journey. Welcome aboard to another episode of the Leadership and Success The Podcast with Coach BZ.

May I share something I feel you can relate to? When the new year kicked off in 2013, I was on YouTube with less than 100 subscribers and 1 or 2 videos with over 1,000 views. Nothing to write home about, right? No matter what I did or tried, nothing seemed to be moving on YouTube. Can you relate? I made sure my video descriptions were all optimized. I researched my video titles to make sure they were SEO'd for YouTube and Google. I researched my video keyword tags. I made sure to add links back to my websites and offers. I gave some thought to the video thumbnails too. And I think that's about it. But for me, that was enough. You know, to do one video, it took a lot of time to reach only a few viewers. Heck, I stayed at it though, inconsistently, because this is where my videos should go online, right? Plus, YouTube was and still is the online video platform, so I was all in. It was tiring, time-consuming, and sometimes frustrating. Now fast forward to where I was able to fulfill my desire and dream to be on television, but not even that, to develop an own a TV channel may seem unreal to you as it was to me. I went from a mere 100 YouTube subscribers to 3,000 subscribers on my very own streaming TV channel within 2 months. You see, in 2013, I launched the I Define TV Roku TV channel and surpassed what I achieved on YouTube for years within a few short months. You couldn't have told me at any time in my life I would have owned my own television channel with videos from indie music artists, indie filmmakers, business coaches, experts, and entrepreneurs. No freaking way! Not only that, I've had the privilege to interview some of my favorite actors because of my position. Having a TV channel is better than any business card, book, or online video series. People listen. Just being on TV gives you credibility and influence. Now there's a lot more to achieve with it and in life too. So in a nutshell, anything is possible. Here's a message back to me and to you: the best is yet to come.

All right, the best is yet to come. What a wonderful guest we are going to have in just a few moments. Before we do, I am reminded of our moment of gratitude. That's what we do every single time we meet. Now this is the second time we are broadcasting today. Just like earlier this morning, I am really grateful for freedom, Right from June 10th to July 4th, which will be this Saturday. I can't believe it. We are celebrating freedom on the Young Leadership and Success podcast. I am so grateful for the men and women in uniform of the United States of America from the Independence War and all the way up to what we have now, the war in Iran. Our men and women in uniform, they fight for our freedom, and I'm so grateful for that. So let me know in the comments Where are you guys watching us from? Okay, where are you coming from? And also let us know what you are grateful for. And if you've got a question for CF, go ahead and type the question in the comments. We're gonna be answering live. So let me see if I can properly introduce our guest. So I am really overjoyed today to Sitting down with the incredible CF Jackson. She's the founder and CEO of iDefine TV. She's an author, publisher, media strategist, and visionary entrepreneur who is helping expert authors and business leaders turn their story into global TV platform. Now, for many people, TV was once reserved for celebrities and major media companies, but CF Jackson saw something different. She saw an opportunity to democratize media and empower everyday entrepreneurs to own their story, amplify their voices, and build lasting legacy. So growing up as an only child, uh, in St. Petersburg, Florida, uh, TV inspired her imagination and dreams. Uh, today she has turned that childhood dream into reality through iDefine TV. Going to be talking more about that. It's a streaming TV network that has empowered more than 200 entrepreneurs and thought leaders to reach audiences around the world through Roku and digital TV media. So as CF says, right, smile, you can be on TV, and she means it. Part of what we're gonna be learning today is how to turn a dream into a thriving business and media platform, but also why your story may be the legacy you leave behind. So without any further ado, please help me welcome to the Leadership and Success Podcast, the one and only CF Jackson. Good afternoon, CF. How are you doing today?

I'm doing awesome. Thank you for having me today. I didn't come running down and give you high fives. I can't believe I have a media mogul right here on my screen.

Man, you have the next Oprah. How are you doing? My goodness, this is such a pleasure and privilege to be talking to you. Uh, just to get started, what is something that you are grateful for today?

Um, I am grateful for the beautiful weather, even though it's hot. Um, but I'm grateful for the weather, opportunity to be here with you all, and it's grateful for just the opportunities that I continue to get to wake up today and get it right or do better or improve or just be in the presence of having someone smile. You know, those things are just so many things. Like, really, I just had a great mango. It was really good. It was big. So I was really grateful for that big old mango. I'm from Florida originally, so I love a nice fruit like that.

That's so, so wonderful. Like you say, right, smile, you can be on TV or maybe on a podcast. So, uh, I'm guessing, are you coming to us from Atlanta?

Yeah, now I've been in Atlanta since 1996. Um, it's funny, I wasn't trying to stay here, but I end up being here since 1996.

Wow. Uh, we used to live in Tuscaloosa, about 3 hours from Hotlanta. It gets so hot over there during the summer, but, uh, Wow. Now, you often say that iDefine TV is for dreamers, visionaries, and doers. Which of those three words best describes the young CF Jackson?

Well, I would say is that the young is a combination of all three, you know, in terms of just breathing, just looking at things. I think back when I was a kid and I decided I wanted to go to college, my grandmother had just kind of had a health situation. So I was sitting there, I remember, in the living room, and I had came, I walked from my middle school to her house. For my mom to come pick me up. I was part of the computer club, and I'm sitting there and I'm watching one of the first reality shows was People's Court. And, um, I just wanted her to have better. So here I am in 7th, 8th grade, I said, oh, I'm gonna go to school. All I needed was $60,000 a year to take care of my grandmother. That was my, my dream as a kid. It's all I needed. I'm gonna become a lawyer. And that's all I thought about at that point. And then I went on about my day, you know. And there was my— came to my junior, senior year It was time to act on it. So it was time to— now I'm a visionary, I'm a dreamer. It's time to do the action. I applied for one school, got into the school, and there I was. I was a doer. So sometimes it's just a simple thing of learning, like, okay, as a kid and things in between, just knowing how to see something, have a mission to do it. And I just had the wherewithal to keep it to myself a little bit because sometimes, you know, people can distract you. Oh, your grades aren't good because I was an average kid in school. Someone could easily have deterred me with having a mere 2.57. I remember 2.57 GPA. BA. But I got into college and they gave me some money, and the rest was history, man.

That is quite a story. Thank you so much for sharing that. For somebody who just met you for the first time, CF, what would you say is maybe something about you that most people may not know? Maybe, I don't know, superpower or just something unique that you do?

Um, I go by what people tell me, so I have maybe two superpowers. I Apparently I'm funny, and I think they're gonna— I think they're gonna set me up to do one of my bucket lists, to do a stand-up. And I don't know if it's gonna be funny or not, but I think they set me up for that. And two, people say I make them feel comfortable when I have the opportunity to interview them. Something about me being their presence and me having a conversation with them, they feel comfortable and able to share. So that's one of the things I know for a fact. I'm a good listener. I like to listen to people and pay attention.

Wow. And you said three— what is the third one?

That was it. That's the two.

Okay, okay, okay, okay, okay, good, good. Wow, that is amazing because I try to be a very good listener on this podcast. My mom used to say, right, God gave us two ears and one mouth, and I should use them in that amount. But anyway, like I said in the introduction, right, you grew up as an only child in St. Petersburg, Florida, and TV became really an escape and source of inspiration for you. How did those early experiences shape the leader you have become today?

I think part of it in terms of TV and stuff, it gave me a sense of— it was my escapism. I had my older cousins and all that, but we go to my grandmother's house on the weekend and then I come back home. You know, I'm not like totally— it was kind of boring being home with your mom all the time, but the TV sometimes gave me that vision, allowed me to envision like, wow, what's that? I grew into— my mom put me in music, I had to be in band. I was in band from 4th grade all the way through high school.

And then did you play?

I played the flute for all those years. In the last two also, I added to that the French horn. So I played the French horn also my last two years in high school. So I was really excited about that because I finally got to play a brass instrument. I could blow, you know, some tweets. So that would taught me some things, and I— it just really was, um, an insight of how to guide through things and teaching me how to do some, you know, this music and being in the right place at the right time. So I learned a lot doing all that.

Wow, but you've already accomplished so much, including, right, your TV empire which you are building. But beyond all of the title, the accolade, and all of that, who is CF Jackson, the person?

Um, I would say CF is pretty much, uh, the same. I say the same, but the person who likes to listen to people. Um, I love to cook. I'm learning to cook things from scratch. I love to learn as much as possible, but at the same time take some time to breathe and take in and consume good information. I'm a person of positive energy and person, like you say, gratitude. I ask people like, what are you grateful for today? Because sometimes people— I'm amazed that people get up and they'll walk out and don't look up in the sky, don't look at the birds, don't recognize, oh, there's some butterflies. It's amazing how people go through the day and don't recognize the, you know, nature all around them. That's something to me. Like today I was driving, today I say, where are the butterflies?

I have not seen butterflies, you know, recently.

So I'm expecting I will see some butterflies soon because I put the energy out there. So I'm a person about what I put out, I would love to see that in return. So I'm a great hopeful person, optimistic, and like to have a good time at the same time.

That's really powerful. By the way, we have a fellow Floridian on the call watching us live from Metland. I think it's not far from Orlando. Um, so for, for those are watching us live on LinkedIn and YouTube, uh, let us know where you are coming from and, uh, what you are grateful for today. And also if you have a question for CF, type it in the comments, we will be answering live. Man, one thing you just said earlier which I felt like was quite powerful, it is going to come back to me in a second, but you did write your first novel, Won't Be Denied, which is very difficult to find actually, but we can go, that's why I have added it to the tracker. Let find that right here. If our people go to won'tbedenied.com, that's where they can find it. It is still available, and this is what it looks like, uh, Won't Be Denied by C.F. Jackson. So this novel that you, uh, wrote, it was back in 2003, so that was a while, a while back, what, 23 years ago. Looking back, how did becoming a published author prepare you to become a CEO and media entrepreneur?

A whole lot. I mean, writing a novel was something I wasn't on the path to do. Um, it's so funny, it came to me one Saturday. I had awakened from a nap and the title, Won't Be Denied, and the synopsis was clear. And maybe beforehand, I may have woken up beforehand, but this particular Saturday I just didn't have any other thoughts in my mind. It was just that. And so I was telling a friend at the time, I said, this would be a great movie because again, I'm into the media part of things. It'd be a great movie. And she said, oh, you ought to write a book. And I'm like, I don't have time to write a book. And I love to read nonfiction. I didn't read fiction. My fiction came through the media. And so there I'm on the sofa going back and forth with myself, write the book. Like, I don't have time to write a book. And then all of a sudden I heard, you want to know what your purpose is? Write the book. And I'm like, this is a very weird Saturday. So I just took heed and took action. And I just knew we need words, you need paper. And I just started writing a book. And it was one of the most enjoyable things I ever had written. It taught me how to study, research, to get around people who are like-minded. I joined groups, started reading books, and there I was. In 4 to 5 months, I had wrote this novel that was—

5 months?

Wow.

People take years to write a single book, sometimes 15 years.

But when I started, I had committed myself. I don't know, everything just synced up again. I was committed. I committed myself 8 to 10 every day. I come home, do my stuff. Come from work, and 8 to 10 every night I would write. I would make sure I get to the computer, and on the weekends I would write longer. And then I would have my little notepad at work, or maybe coming up in the car, they would start to me at any time, and I would write down my little notes. Oh man, she gonna do this when we get home. So I get excited, I don't know, it's like, okay, so I just wrote all the time in a little notepad. But I was committed to not letting it linger because it was like a story. I'm building something that I want to see. I had no idea how it's going to unfold.

That's amazing.

I want to see. So it was fun.

Can you tell our listeners, I guess don't give out all of the details, but just at the high level what the novel is all about?

Yeah, so pretty much in a nutshell, Maure, the main character, she takes shelter one day into a bookstore and this guy, he sneezes and she looks over to him named Travis and he was very handsome, very attractive. Little does he know he's in the wrong place at the wrong time. So in the midst of all that, she becomes attracted to him and it's kind of like a little, like people call it the Black version of Fatal Attraction. And she becomes so in terms of enlightening with him. And she started to have some type of little specialness about herself, a little suspense novel, and, and get kind of caught in friendships and everything as well. But mostly she's tied into this gentleman. So she's in the wrong place at the wrong time. You never know where love leads you. And at the end of the day, love won't be denied because Marie wanted it more than life itself.

Wow, that's very intriguing. Now, I normally don't read novels, but there are some exception. Most of the time I like non-fiction, like books. Yeah, that are going to tell me exactly what to do, how to solve whatever problem, uh, I have, or give me some idea I can put in place now. But, but I do see the, um, the, the need. Like, my, my wife, my daughters, all of them, they read novels all the time, but that's, that's just not who, who I am. Maybe a couple of novels I've, I've read I found quite useful, but that's, that's really cool. So when are you gonna write your, your next book? This was what, 23 years ago?

I know, right? It's so funny. So when I finished that book and I had a great— I had a great response and people couldn't— I wanted to end it a certain way, but my characters forced me to end it the right way. And so it was kind of a little cliffhanger.

You cannot tell us the ending, right? We need people to buy the book to find out.

I can't tell you, but yeah, but it was a cliffhanger with the people who read the book like, oh, you're gonna write a part 2? I'm looking like, I don't have time for part 2. Part 1 was— well, book 1 was easy because I had a job, I wasn't focused on anything. Once the book come out, you know, I gotta market it, gotta promote it, gotta do a website.

It was a lot more work.

I don't have time to write another book. So now I do have something I'm working on, something now more of a workbook to help people build their authority. So I'm on that trajectory, so that should be coming out shortly. So that's after all these years. Yeah, I come across this path to say, okay, something non-fiction, that's my path.

Education, that's powerful. Because even though it's a fictional book, and I didn't expect that's the way this story would go, but won't be denied is something I really, really like. I feel like it's almost like the mantra for African Americans throughout our history, right? Everybody's saying, no, you are not a human being. No, I won't be denied. I am a human being. You are not a US citizen. No, I won't be denied. I am a US citizen. Oh, you shouldn't have civil rights. No, no, I will have civil rights. Won't be denied. No, over and over again. It's pretty much the story of my entire life. So thinking about that, was there a defining moment when you realized that I can create my own opportunity instead of waiting for someone to give me one? It reminds me, what was her name? Uh, uh, Chisholm, right? The first Black woman to run for president. She said, like, uh, if they won't allow you to have a seat at the table, you need to bring your own chair. I really love that mindset. That's how things happen. That's kind of what you made me think of. But was there a moment in time where you realized that you would create your own opportunity in the media business?

Yeah. So one caveat is so interesting. In college, I had the pleasure and honor of meeting Shirley Chisholm and I got an autograph. Wow. That's amazing. Yeah. Yeah, so I still have an autograph on the actual program. Was in college, you know, worth anything, but when I saw her, I said, man, we got to get that. And I still have this in pristine, um, condition. But, um, it was nothing that was really, you know, in terms of— you always see the Jetsons was always the future of things. It's amazing how things have evolved to somewhat— we are in a Jetsons, you know, Jetsons age where cell phones and the robots and all this kind of stuff. But I never thought of that kind of stuff back then. But back in 2013, somebody had mentioned Roku to me and I had never heard of before. And so the first time I heard about it, I came home and Googled it and I saw that Sony had a streaming device. So many people didn't even know that Sony had a streaming device. So me, as we all know, it's an international brand. So I bought the Sony because we grew up with Sony Walkman, Boombox, DVD player, something, you know, Walkman, for sure, right? So I bought that and then 6 months later a friend of mine came to me, said, yo, you can get on TV with this Roku. Like, okay, I'm gonna already Roku 2 But how can I get on this Sony though? Because we all heard about Sony. Now granted, nobody had this but me probably, but how can I get on Sony? And I couldn't figure it out. So I said, gosh, okay, I'm gonna go ahead and spend another like $60. Let me buy this thing. So I bought the Roku, and at that moment in time, my world just opened up. It was better layout, more content, it was more aesthetically pleasing. And being in Atlanta, networking, being with so many entrepreneurs, and I heard I can get on there, but no, if I can get on there, how can I help others get on there? And that was the whole catalyst right there. Like, I've been around all these entrepreneurs and we all seem as unattainable because of their price point. If I can do it and do it in a way it's affordable, I'm all in. And that's how it all started back in 2013.

That's amazing. Because most people, they would look at the Roku device and think, I want to be entertained, right? I want to watch the content from somebody else. But you're like, no, I want to create my own content and broadcast it from there. That's, that is a different way of thinking. Where do you think that entrepreneurial spirit came from?

I have no clue. I mean, that was something that was unique because of the fact that I've always loved media. Back in the day, even with like buying music— I love music, again, being in band— I would buy a soundtrack. And I don't think they even put much, as much emphasis as they did back in the '80s, '90s, in the early 2000s in the soundtrack. I would buy a soundtrack. I hear, watch a movie, like, oh, this is a bomb soundtrack, I'm buying it. Because you hear some of your favorite artists release albums and tracks that you won't hear on the radio.

Yes.

So it's something that I've always just loved about cinematography. Spike Lee was one of the first— my first directors and filmmakers.

Yeah, right.

So I looked at him, his movies, like he did different things and how he motioned people. So again, TV was something that I looked at, I think, with a different set of eyes, and I paid attention because it became a world that I was able to tap into just by visually looking at it. It's like, wow.

That is amazing. In your family, were there any like entrepreneur business founders or—

No. One time my uncle, he actually, he ended up sharing with me that he had a painting company. Nobody knew that, I think. We was talking one day, he said he painted houses. I said, really? I said, Uncle David, you had a painting company? Yeah, I messed it all up and everything, but no one knew. I said, you know, I asked my mom, did you know your brother had a painting company? Woo, David!

Yeah. Wow, that is something. Because when I was growing up, my mother especially was a great inspiration to me. She always started new businesses and new ventures all the time. I mean, she was very, very talented for that. I think it kind of rubbed on me just a little bit, but wow, that is something. So it was 2013, right? Like you say, you discovered Roku and immediately, you know, you saw all of the possibilities just like you described that so many other people had missed though. What leadership lesson have you learned about seeing opportunities before everyone else?

That's a good question. I would say I've learned one thing, and it kind of goes back to initially when I'm in my 20s, when I wanted to start something back in my 20s. I had an idea that I wanted to— my 20s was, you go out in Atlanta, you go out, go to the club, you eat out and hang out with your girlfriend. And one of my ideas was, okay, hey, maybe I can get invited to the restaurants for free, go to the clubs for free, do a review, and it's all for free. I can bring some of my friends in, you know. That was my idea. And then I told a friend at the time about it, and, um, she shot it down. And I learned at that very moment— and then like a little while after that, that became the thing. People would do reviews, they would go to the restaurants, they make out publications, and then put them out across Atlanta. And you would go to like I could have been doing that, but I had thought I needed someone to come along with me. And so I learned from that very moment too, as a leadership, is like, make sure I maintain and stay focused on what's given to me, because not everyone's going to see it or need to come along with me. So I've learned to be very mindful and very strategic of who I need to share things with. But I know from there, no matter what's given to me, I'm going to move forward no matter what.

Wow, that is so, so powerful. All right, many entrepreneurs do struggle, right, because they wait until everything is perfect before they make a move. Uh, you preach start where you are. I love that. Why is that message so important?

Because you— because people get caught in this thing called perfection. Many, many moons ago, I went to this event, and, um, oh, Mike Littman— I'm gonna give him his credit— Mike Littman stated at this event, he was saying that most entrepreneurs spend, or most people try to spend their time getting it perfect at an A level. And if they get to the point where they get to A level, they never get it done. He said most of the time your audience, whoever you're trying to target, only needs you at a C grade.

Wow.

And you get started and you build your way up to get better and better and better. But most times people want to be at the A level, and when they're trying to get to the A level— and I've seen people who have everything, got there, and never did anything. So it was time wasted, money wasted, all the energy. But just come in there because they just need the information, they need to learn from you. So go in and see a level and, and grow way up.

I love that. I believe it was Les Brown, one of my mentors, who said the richest place in any city is the cemetery. Actually, the first time I heard that was Miles Monroe, but I think it is so true. Most people, they die with a lot of dreams, ideas. Like you said, you had the idea to become a reviewer, make a career out of it, but for some reason you didn't go for it. And I wonder, even in our lives, we think about I see this on TV, but I had this idea myself 5 years ago or 2 years ago, but I didn't do anything about it. And now it might be too late for you to get into it. Well, that's really great advice. But I think again, for most people, I guess they are afraid, right? Afraid that if I do it, I might fail. What would you tell them? What if I fail?

Well, you've already failed many times before. So what's the difference? I'm sure you failed when you was a kid trying to walk. You failed when you tried to eat by yourself. You got all your food on the— we failed so many times. It's a creature of nature at times. But the thing is, even if you do fail, you're going to learn something from it. You're going to grow from it. You're going to expand yourself on it. And most times, when you go to a certain point, you're going to stretch yourself to where you don't want to retract, to go backwards, you know. So you want to continue to push forward. But it's the fun of it, how you make fun of it, have joy out of it, and learn from it. So keep pushing forward because you may fail.

Learning, learning with joy. I really love that. It reminds me of Thomas Edison, right? It took him, they say, 10,000 trials before he was able to find the incandescent light bulb. 10,000 times. But the way he looked at it is, I have found 10,000 ways it doesn't work, therefore the way it works is just around the corner. And eventually he got there. It really takes a completely different mindset to be an entrepreneur, doesn't it?

It does, it does. It takes the time to really tap into yourself, to listen, some block out times, people around you. Don't get caught up in this shiny ball syndrome because even now with social media, you need to be on this, hey, I need to be on this website. It's so many things. But anytime— but I think the joy was, what is it you— what do you feel out of it, get out of it, and what are you pressing to accomplish? Because it's so funny, you know, years ago I was talking to my grandmother before she passed away. I learned from her because she was entrepreneur her own way. This is my dad's mom.

And she came from the question I asked you earlier. That's what I was looking for. Do you have some from your grandma?

Well, she was more so— she helped keep homes clean, so she helped. She was a domestic worker. And so she was telling me some of the things she did. My grandmother, one of the things I think people— I know, I want to think— I know those who are most successful live very unapologetic. And this woman, short as she wanted to be, she was very unapologetic. But she— one thing I learned from her was talking one time that, um, when people been in Florida, that those who were from up north, they would leave in the summer to go back up north because of the heat in Florida. And what she learned was that people would say, well, we're going to— what did she say? They would want her to come. They want her to stay and be their worker, but she needed the pay. And so she said, well, if you need me to still be here when you get back, you need to pay me. I have kids, I got bills to pay. And so they will pay her during the summertime while they were gone. And my grandma, you was a housekeeper on retainer. I'm looking like, who does that? That's right.

Wow, I love it. You said unapologetic, so I need to just plug it in. My mentor wrote this book, Unapologetically Ambitious, one of the best books I've ever read. Uh, Shelley Ashenborough. I think everybody needs to read this. It really gives you the courage to take action on your ambition and what you really, really want, not just doing what everybody else expects of you. Because something you said that you learned from Mike Littman, right? Most people, they wait until they are perfect before they launch when the secret is to launch where you are right now, even if it's not at A, it's at, not even at B, even if it's at C, just get started and then with time you make it better and better and better. It's really getting started. Like I remember even this podcast, I started 5 years ago. You need to go back and listen to the first episode I did. Nobody listened to it but me. Maybe my wife did just a little bit, but it was terrible, absolutely terrible. Nothing like what it is now. But anyway, keep doing it week after week, month after month, year after year. After 5 years, even if you're an idiot, your 5th year product is going to be so much better than your very first product, than your pilot. So really, my message is you have to start where you are. Just jump off and get going. If you succeed, great. If you don't succeed, at least you will learn, right? And then you can use that knowledge for something else. That's so, so powerful. Actually, we have a question from the audience. So here we go. Daniel from Florida says, when you help an entrepreneur build a TV platform, are you simply helping them with a marketing task or re-engineering an identity shift that forces them to operate with a higher consistent standard of governance?

Hmm, interesting question. My goal when someone wants to have their own, um, build their own television platform is about defining what is that they want and helping them with this, the, um, the nuances of it. Where are they comfortable with, where they're not comfortable with. So it's pretty much an entire compass. I'm having a conversation to see what they would like to do and how they want to achieve it. We have people, for example, who's a creator. She has her own, um, producing her own content. So her goal and her mission, what she wants to do, she want to bring on other creators who are in the media world, who are creating shows and movies and things of nature. So pretty much sometimes mostly everybody's coming to mirror what I've achieved and do it in their own way. And that's how I help people. So it's all about what they want and how they want to achieve it and what they foresee themselves achieving. Again, what their legacy is for their, for their projects.

And, um, people who need your help, they can just go to idfinetelevision.com and they can contact you there, right?

Yeah.

That's, that is powerful. All right, so let's talk about some of the leadership lessons, uh, you have learned so far in your career? Because you have empowered, like we said at the intro, more than 200 entrepreneurs to tell their stories on TV. That's, that's big. So what have you learned about leadership by helping others succeed?

I've learned a lot in terms of paying attention. I think overall is being self-aware. And again, like I said, I like to listen to people and guide people to in the direction that they need to be led and not because, oh, I think you should be over here, because sometimes people are a little heavy-handed. And at the same time, a good leader this may not be a good fit for you right now. I think sometimes you need to start this, you know, sometimes people are so timid. You're not even ready for TV right now. I just need you to pull your phone out and do some little short videos. Let's get that started first because people just, they gotta get comfortable and see where they are. So for me, recognizing what someone wants, what their needs are, and what they are able to do, because it requires time. As you know, it takes time to, to strategize, to outline, to put the show together. We got to be there today twice a time. You do it twice a day. So some people, you want to be consistent with it and do it over and over again. So me, for myself, is paying attention and guiding people and where they need to be. But overall, I still guide people all the time. No matter where you are, you got to create content because we're all content creators right now, and there's no excuse, none whatsoever, because we got cameras in our hands all day and every day.

That's pretty amazing. Instead of being a content, uh, uh, what you said, no, viewing the content for everybody, everybody else, right? Being able to create your own That's, that is powerful. So what qualities do you think separate those entrepreneurs who thrive from those who never quite get started? What's the difference?

I think sometimes it's hesitation comes from fear of, you asked me before about failure, also sometimes fear of what other people think if they fail, or this fear overall sometimes. And then those who do do it, they want to see the outcome. Sometimes people are just victorious, want to see what can happen, you know. I remember I was a kid, we also saw things on television, we would go into the neighborhood, find certain things, and we may not have all the different tools, but we try to make a little pad or something, or a little go-kart, but we want to see how it looks. It's going to fall apart possibly, but just having that vision of having something given to you and wanting to see how the outcome is going to be. So So it's having desire, want to see the outcome, and if it does, if it does, but don't, don't, but don't want to wait till 20 years later, I should have, could have, would have, I wish I had a, you know, I could say this because nothing's new under the sun. It's just those who decided to take the action, the leap of faith, and move forward.

That is powerful. So what does courage then look like in entrepreneurship?

Courage looks the same, and doing it when it's all looking, when things look tough, you know, having the courage to continue to say, okay, if I turn this way, let's turn this way. Of course, asking for help when you need it, but continue to move forward because you know at the end of the— at the end of the day, like when I started I Define TV back in 2013, Roku had only came out in 2008. People still not really recognizing what Roku is. I can't hate on them because I didn't know what it was. People were still watching Netflix on their devices, on their computers, on their smartphones, their tablets. I'm like, You know, you can watch it on this Roku, you can watch it on the big screen now. Oh, that's okay. Like, no, get the Roku. So it's like having something that I really had no clue how much it was going to grow, but it was something unique. So having the foresight to say, I'm going to keep on going and whatever happens, happen, but have fun while you're on the journey and make it, make it do the best you can do with it.

That is so, so, so powerful.

Wow.

Because you have built multiple businesses and how has your leadership style evolved? Evolved over the last 20 years?

A lot. I mean, when I first started my publishing— I created a publishing company, and that was out of necessity because when I wrote my novel Won't Be Denied, I went through the process of— I gave myself some time to shop it. I wanted to find my agent, I want to find my publishing company, and this is pre-on-demand time frame. And I said, okay. And, uh, people get— okay, they call them rejection letters. I told myself I wasn't rejected. I called them just not interested in me right now. So I call them just not interested letters because I refuse to be rejected. Amen to that. You know, what you put out in the world won't be denied, right?

Won't be denied.

Exactly.

It's so funny because I did— I deemed it as a mantra. It's amazing how it came about, the title for a book, Pound of Suspense, but I turned it into a mantra. I made— I had t-shirts and everything. I did turn it into a whole world of motivation and everything, but I just took the time to say, okay, how can we make things happen and do things in the right way? But just having confidence and moving it.

Wow, that is so, so inspirational. All right, let's talk about, uh, media and personal branding. You are very, very good at that. You say that authority is the moneymaker. What do you mean by that?

Well, authority creates opportunity, and opportunity therefore leads to the path of income, revenue, and things of that nature. And authority is created by, like we're doing here, you being an awesome host of your show, me being the guest, or vice versa. Authority creates a lot of people opportunity to get to know you.

An invitation to your show? It looks like you said vice versa.

Okay, well, it gives people the opportunity to know you in a way that texting and graphics and things, reading, would not get to as quicker— as quickly as you can have a conversation as we are. Now some people say, oh, she's kind of funny, or she kind of stoic, or she's kind of blah. But it gives people opportunity to know who you are if they want to connect with you, work with you, follow you. And so that's where authority comes into it and becomes a quicker asset compared to just being behind some texting, because people get comfortable just posting, you know. And it takes time to really build that authority, and this is faster in a way. So it's a money maker because it creates opportunity in more of a rapid way. You think about it, I had an opportunity to be in the same platform as you speaking a couple weeks ago, and boom, there we were. You said, she's on, I'll die, oh my, let me have her on my show. And there we are. Because that— I could have been texting all day like, oh, we'll meet up sometimes. I was doing it behind the post or something. But the conversation that we had and what you saw me presenting brought forth a quicker— it cut down the size of me, the time span. So that's why it's a money maker. Because it cuts down on the time of trying to reach somebody in your audience.

Because it seems like in the young world of social media today, uh, I would say personal branding is no longer optional, is it?

Now I wish, I wish. I remember back in the day as a kid, I could care less who made those potato chips as long as they were fresh and crunchy. But now people, we're all voyeurs now. I was telling the other day yesterday, people want to know who is this and who is that. They want to know the story, and sometimes they really don't know the story, they just want to just be nosy. But we do have to have some form of having a dialogue of some personal part of it as well as the professional side of it, because we want to know what's going on with this person.

That is really something. Like, I know my wife does a show she really likes. She watched it on YouTube. It's a woman somewhere where there's ice everywhere. I don't know if it's in somewhere in, in, in, in Europe, but anyways, about an hour long. But she just lives her life in the Arctic, you know, ice everywhere, or dogs or whatever. My wife would you just keep watching over and over and over again. She even published a, uh, a book. It became a number one bestseller because people around the world, they like to watch her on YouTube. It's just amazing. Uh, and now I believe she does that full-time. She doesn't have to work any longer. All of the ads she, she gets on her YouTube channel, she makes like hundreds of thousands of dollars a year just filming herself. It's just amazing.

It is. The ones I get caught up in my algorithm, like the People's One, I don't watch anymore because she got a little fancy.

Now once you get too fancy, like, oh, now got high tech.

She lives in her car. She had this whole Spencer van, she, she pimped it out, got a— had a bath.

I mean, it was really nice.

And I was wondering like, oh, people living in that van. So I mean, I didn't go watch it, but she fell in the timeline. I will watch her, whatever. Then she got a little fancier, and then she started getting the drone, and like, you got too fancy now. I don't want to watch you no more anymore. To hear and see people how they live, because it's kind of like a story.

Yes, yes, that is pretty interesting. Now, one thing that was pretty cool is my wife is trying to learn French and it's kind of cool to see people who live in French-speaking countries and stuff. You learn about the culture of the language and the people. But anyway, so how can professionals and leaders use media to increase their credibility and influence?

It goes back to what we were saying, it gives people a quicker eye into you. So definitely they use it in a way, like I say, personally, of course you want to give people some insight. You can, you have to have a balance. I know people who just go straight and they just only doing business, and people still want to know who you are. So for me, my first, my favorite, my very, my very first Facebook Live, didn't know if it was working or not. I'm like, is it, is anybody out there? And that's nice that every time I did a Facebook Live, I'm always in the grocery store, I'm always in the produce section. But that became my kind of my stint there. I'm out and about, do a Facebook Live, and I'm telling them how to find my One of my favorite fruit. This is how you pick a good mango. I'm always shopping. At least they knew that, okay, here comes CF, she likes to shop, she's in the grocery store. Or then I go to the other side, but it helps kind of build— people want to know who you are so they can use it in a way. Some personal stuff that makes you fun, get to know your personality. At the same time, this is the side of things because— and you don't have to be perfect at it. My mom, who's a music artist, and she gets on there and she says just play your music because she has a great following of people. Oh, I gotta— they don't care about your face, they just want to hear you play the music, you know. And she gets stuck to where she want to get all dolled up. I say, they know you're not at home on a Tuesday evening all dolled up. Just play some music and let them know what's going on. It's history music, you want to something, but just know, share some stuff and start taking— drop— bringing people on your journey, whatever it may And they're going to come to a good gathering. Who you are, you say your wife watching that show, she following her, she, she's getting to know, she building a relationship.

Which, uh, which instrument does your, your mom play?

She plays acoustic guitar.

Wow, powerful. Does she sing also?

Yeah, she sings, she sings, she writes, she compose. Um, she just dropped her own book, a book this year. So now she's in the space of being an author. She's loving this space of being an author.

Oh my goodness, I think I should have her on the show. What What is her name? Can I find her music on Apple Music?

You may. I'm sure she's out there. She's all out there. It's Veronica with a K, not the C. Veronica with a K Jackson. Go to veronicajackson.com.

Hey, I will be looking for Veronica Jackson. Maybe she should be on the show next time. So you guys are a music family. You play the flute and the French trombone. Wow, that is pretty cool. And earlier you also mentioned that you do you like to cook? What is your favorite meal you, you like to, to, to cook?

Um, one thing that blew my mind when I learned— because I'm learning to do a lot of things from scratch, and I love spaghetti— and once I've learned how to make my own spaghetti sauce— wow, sky's the limit! I have not looked at another spaghetti, um, jar of ragu or pesto or nothing. I've been doing it myself, and this is amazing. I was like, man, it's amazing because less all the other stuff I put, but I want to put into it. My bell peppers, my onions, I put a little zucchini and put my mushrooms. I get so excited with kind of stuff like that. So that I get excited about.

So I'm learning—

I want to learn how to make some other stuff because it takes time to get in the kitchen. But it's just amazing to make some things. Or one of the things I made, it was, um, I made a butternut squash pie and it tastes like a sweet potato pie. My mom did not believe it because it looks like like it. And so she ate it. I said, see, it's healthier too.

Wow, that is, that is really, really cool. Uh, I guess, uh, we have two kids and our youngest one is gonna be out of the house this fall going to college. She knows how— I think she knows enough how to survive if she needs to, because when you're a college student, you have to learn how to cook some few basic meals just to stay alive. Yeah, very important skill.

Wow.

Now, if you were to advise an executive, they want to become a thought leader and they want to use media, what would you tell them how to begin?

I would say begin with where you are, feel comfortable. One of the simple things is, again, people think they have to go out and pay for all these bells and whistles. Like you stated, you started out 5 years ago with what you had. And I think most people kind of get kind of overwhelmed because they're trying to reach the end zone end zone and you just now— you just punted the ball. You can't get to the end zone yet, you just punted the ball. This— you gotta get some downs like you did, like we did. So start where you are and say, well, what is my objective? What do I want to do? What's my goal? If it's starting— if you go— if you feel comfortable not doing business but doing personal stuff like me shopping in the grocery store, if you're in the garden, whatever it may be, just start where you're feeling more confident on the camera and sharing who you are a little bit. It doesn't have to be a long, lengthy thing. Just start where and get moving that way, and then listen to what people say, get some engagement, and then feel more confident. I tell people all the time, and don't look at yourself in the phone, find the lens so you can connect with the people. Because that's one of the things that blew my mind, is like, you look at this and people look at the video like, do you not know you're not looking at the lens? Find the lens so you can connect with the people, and before you know it, it's a bomb, it's a good deal, and you'll learn from that. You'll feel it. Think to me, um, organically where you want to go.

Some tips from the expert. I love that because you remind me of something else, right? Um, a mentor told me on average it takes about 5 years for, um, people to become an expert at anything, but 10,000 hours, 5 years. That means anybody and everybody who's an expert right now, when they first started, they were a novice just like you are. So if you just get started, 5 years from now you can become the expert. Yeah, it will never happen unless you take action today. So hopefully that's gonna encourage someone. Let's talk a little bit about resilience and personal growth, because I think it takes a lot of resilience to become a successful entrepreneur. Entrepreneurship, I know, can be quite lonely.

What challenges have tested you the most so far in terms of just, again, having the right people around you? Um, joining— like, for example, when I started, I stepped out into entrepreneurship in 2008. I was in telecom Telecom, and my contract ended. I had— it was like BellSouth had just bought out AT&T. And so, like, when I was in Telecom, I had been laid off so many times. So my— the first time I got laid off, I cried. But so the second time, third time, my skin had got a little thickened, so I wasn't really kind of stressing it. But I had made a goal at that point. I was in my 20s. But in 2008, when I kind of like was there, I said, okay, what I'm gonna do? I'm home all day by myself. I got to get around people. And I stretched myself, and I went on to meetup.com. I said, I did find a group of people to go around. And there's this group, it was called the Atlanta Millionaire something something, I don't know what it was. But I said, okay, let me go down here. So I would go down to Midtown and I met this group of people. And people, they saw us at times, I didn't think nothing about it. I'm here in Atlanta. What they saw sometimes, pictures we took or footage we have, that it was a very unique meeting of people because they never saw that many people of color, all entrepreneurs, internet marketers and all that. But it was the norm for me. So I had forced myself. I said, I got to get out around people. So when it comes to being lonely, you got to get around people who are, who are striving and thriving for something different, who are higher than you. I have some top-notch people making 6 and 7 figures, and so I had a great connection of people. So forcing yourself to get around people, that was one of the things that I learned that kind of got— that kind of— but that was my catalyst. Every month I knew I had a group of people who's gonna— what you working on? What you doing? Or they call me, what you working on? And get some tips strategy. So you got to get around people who's going to encourage you and empower you just by being in the atmosphere.

So powerful. So, uh, was there a time in your entrepreneurship where you've considered quitting?

Shoot, yeah. I mean, when I first started with the whole I Define TV, it was, it was a challenge because when I said, okay, I want to do this, and I had to find the developer, and there were some things that I was required to do on the technical side that I wasn't skilled at. But I had already pre-sold some of these spots and everything.

Wow.

Yeah.

And I remember, I love—

oh yeah. And I spoke with the young lady and she was, um, did, um, international world music and she was based in Sweden and her name is Belinda, her and her husband. And we talking and everything and said, oh, thank you CF, you're helping us independent music artists get seen and everything. And then it was like middle of the night, I can— and I heard Belinda this voice. Oh, thank you, CF. If I had not pre-sold this thing, I would have been out of here. So that was too stressful. Like, how I do this? Why you move this part? So many times there are some parts you want to quit, but then you— it's so— it's amazing how life speaks and how the spirit speaks and something grand happen. Like, oh, get me over that one little hump, you know.

Get it out. Yeah. Wow. What did that experience teach you about yourself?

Special. You got— you endured. You was— I must be enduring all this bad because entrepreneurship is a rough road to be on sometimes, you know. But I've learned that, um, I like— I want to see the outcome. I know it's greater each day, each month. I want to see the grand finale, you know. And one of the things, like, when I saw— who was it? Um, when, um, when Coretta Scott King had passed away, and I would never pay attention to someone's homegoing. And there was— I'm looking at her service and I'm at the job and they had it on in the break room. And I looked at it, not to be, um, uh, haughty or anything like that, but it's amazing how many people she touched.

Yeah.

And I'm looking like, I would love to have nothing that big, but I want to make sure I touch a lot of people at the end of the day. And that's where the grand scheme of things is. How can you make a difference to where at the end of the day, when it comes to an Yes, people come and say they're in awe of the life that you touch. And I've been to somebody who's an everyday person who— her homegoing, I'm like, this is an everyday woman, she's local, and she had the whole church packed out. I'm like, oh, this is an awesome woman because she— and she— I personally appreciated her because she reminded me of my mother's mom who had passed away many, many moons ago. So I had kind of gravitated to her because she reminded me of my grandmother on my mom's side. And like, and then she passed away. All these people, like, you never know somebody who— all the lives you can touch touched by moving in the right direction and doing what you're supposed to do.

Wow, that is legacy. And talking about your mom, can you confirm that this is your mother?

Yeah, that's her.

Wow, that's amazing. Veronica Jackson. Okay, I definitely need to have her on this podcast. What is your favorite song of your mom?

Oh, I think I like this, the song, um, the title of her album, or this album, which is the title of her book too, The Woman I I Am. It's a very good song.

So I Got to Write album, fantastic.

Yeah, that's her last album she did, and she wrote the book titled The Woman I Am, um, then it's subtitled Strings of Truth is the subtitle of her book. So she's able to tell— she took, she took 10 songs from the— she wrote, and she was able to tell how the song came about, which allows her to tell her story through these 10 songs.

That is quite amazing. Wow, that is, that is just, just fantastic. Okay, How do you overcome self-doubt and maintain confidence during difficult season? Because when you're an entrepreneur, you're going to go through a season at some time. How do you handle it?

Sometimes you just go through it and just have those moments. You got to have a pity party, got to have the self-doubt. But at the same time, I have to go, okay, let me— who do I need to call to get out of this funk? So I have certain people I need to talk to. And then what I miss the most is my dad's mom. She just recently passed. Like 2 years ago, 3 years ago, and she was my weekend call. She— we go through all things, conversation about politics, from family, but gossip. So she was my kind of my outlet. I was kind of needed some type of readjustment. But there's self-doubt. I just reach out to those who I know who are on my, on my journey and who I can reach out to and connect with them and just have a conversation. And sometimes just having a day of vegetating on the sofa and watching some movies or watching something entrepreneurial, that's some of the ways I kind of get out myself. And watching somebody to inspire me, encourage me. Shark Tank, one of my favorite shows back in the day was, um, The Profit. Oh, that was a great show. It's not anywhere for free, you got to buy in it on CNBC, but it really was one of those shows which you constantly got nuggets. He walked you through the process, like getting an MBA seemed like it with that guy. But just watching stuff like that kind of keeps me, um, realigned.

That, that is quite, uh, amazing. On this last segment of the show, I kind of want to get into your your head, kind of understand some of the principles that have helped you be as successful as you are today. So one of the first questions I have for you is, what do you think is one of the greatest lessons you have learned so far, just in life, in leadership, in general?

Uh, sharing, making sure when you have a vision or goal, being mindful who to share that with, and not allow someone to distract you, deter you. If something's given to me, given to me, that means for me to achieve it. And it may take— they may take 2 years, maybe 5 years, but just being sure I share it with, that's important.

That's powerful. And why, why do you think you've been so successful? What's the secret to your success?

Continue to keep moving, you know. And then the people I have around me, they, they encourage me. And being able to— being able to pivot. I mean, I started out writing a novel. I didn't stay in that box. I only got to— it was so funny because initially I had created my publishing company. I said, oh, I can help other people become published. I'm gonna go and publish other people. Book. So I got my first client working at BellSouth at the time, and someone said, I heard you, uh, you have a book publishing company. Yes. It was so easy back in the day having a job, you can bring people in all day. I said, yeah. So he wrote his book. I said, yeah, we can publish it for you and all that, yada yada. Then at that very moment, I'm looking like, um, I'm gonna finish this project so I would not be publishing anybody else's work. This was for me, it was not for me. So I said, a book of one for my— no. So, but he— I taught him how to do it, and this guy has been prolific and writing books and publishing himself.

Amazing, amazing. Now, I know that leaders are learners. What are you learning these days?

Uh, we all learn about this whole— well, twofold. I'm learning about AI, of course, that's one of the things. But at the same time, I'm learning to, um, we call it—

I want to lean—

make some things lean within my business and automate a little bit more. So not having— cutting some stuff, cut away the fat, and just making things lean and being more a little automated, more simplistic.

Yes. And we've, we've already kind of talked about, uh, failure earlier. We talked about failing forward. But I guess one question I have for you is, uh, what failure ultimately became one of your greatest blessings looking back?

Oh, look, one of the greatest failures Ooh, hmm. Well, one of my greatest failures was when I— to be transparent, so I went to college. My first year I did okay. My first semester I did okay, and I was kind of disappointed. They always say when you go to college you're going to drop a grade, you're going to go back. Again, I told you all I was an average kid, 2.57. I said, I'm not gonna do that, you know, I'm gonna be okay. So. And I was proud of my maintaining that 2.5 or up, you know. So I got my first semester, I think I got like 2.1, 2.2. I was disappointed in myself, like a 2.2. But it was kind of hard. But my mom was happy with it. Okay, she okay with it. I'm fine with it. So I go back, but then I kind of fell all the way back and I actually flunked out. I flunked out of school. I had a 1 point something. I was so livid with myself. So then I was pretty much scared too. I said, I got my grades, I had to cry. I'm about to cry. My mom gonna beat my butt with a point. But, but I failed. I literally failed. But then I, I didn't stop. So my mom— I was, I was depressed, I was disappointed. My mom came in and she kind of beat my butt. She remembers this day. Remember I came in the room and I told you, and I pulled the curtains back, we're not gonna be in here crying, we're gonna come up with a game plan. So we came with a game plan and I went back. I mean, I lost my scholarships and everything, but we went back and then I had to make some restructures. I ended up transferring But that was taught me where that then, because something happened, that was not the school for me. I had to make some adjustments, and I was committed that I was going there. Remember, I was going, I was going because my grandmother. And at the same time, that by the time I reached my second year, she had passed. But I was going to— I got to complete it. So those types of things where it's like I want to see the outcome. And then when I transferred, I was so in such a great— I was so excited because I got better grades. I was part of a support system. So showing when you pivot, move around, make adjustments, that was one of the failures. That's one of my ultimate failures in it. But I didn't stop. I said, I got a 1 point on my GPA. I just cried my little eyes out. I was so embarrassed myself.

Wow.

You did not give up. Where do you think that resilience comes from? Where you just won't quit and you keep going and going until you get the outcome?

I don't know. I think it could become— some could be genetic. And commitment. I mean, that was a commitment when I started. That was— I mean, I didn't see that was the outcome other than finishing school. I mean, I saw it just like being in grade school or high school. You're going, you're going to get your— you're going to get the diploma. College is like, I'm going to get the degree. Granted, it costs. And then at the end of the day, when I transferred down, it became my financial responsibility. And I got loans and I paid them off as time went on. But hey, it was something that I wanted to see happen, and okay, can I make it happen? And it did. So I just think it's something that's responsible.

Great, great achievement. Thank you for, for sharing that. What, what is one of the greatest fear you've had to overcome?

Um, I guess like anything, would it— to see again reaching the next level, of seeing how it would evolve, you know? Will things change because society, in terms of how things pivot? Because things are changing. Who would have thought AI would have came out out of— I mean, came out of nowhere and boom, was knocking people out of their jobs, is knocking people on their, on their butt. So just not a fear, but just recognizing and staying on path. And how can I keep something that's for me, that no matter what happens around, that can still be in the right place? That, oh, Roku goes broke tomorrow, I still created a, a nice— oh, she's still the interviewer, she knows how to interview people. So creating something that lets people know that no matter what goes on around, that falls away I created a nice niche for myself that adds value, positioning people, interviewing people, helping them build authority. It's still some value there.

Well, that builds a lot of confidence. And by the way, I think I heard, I think it's Fox or Fox News that's buying Roku soon. I think Fox.

Yeah. $22 billion. Wow.

That's all the money.

Cash and stocks. I said, man, I can't be mad at you all.

Well, hopefully some of that is going to be coming coming your way. Uh, if you could choose 3 people to have dinner with, who would you choose and why? They could be alive, dead, or even fictitious characters.

One person I would love to have dinner with would be, um, Regina King. Because I never thought— I mean, I saw her, I saw— it's amazing. I think telling a friend of mine, a lot of people I saw as a kid, I didn't, I didn't have a connection to recognizing they were like me. I just saw them doing something grander. And I looked at— we're the same age, but she's evolved— director, writer, producer. She's doing great things, and she's just a woman, and she's going through some stuff. But I just admire her that she's, she's unique, and she hasn't gone through— had no challenges other than just what we say with life. But Regina King, I would love to tap into her mind and, and hear how she persevered through the, the whole industry and, and come out on top and what she's doing.

Powerful. Two more people.

Two more people. Um, I will also— on this, on that same retrospect, I'll be nervous to talk to her though— is, um, is Issa Rae. She's just, uh, she's a beast in what she does. She's just so outspoken and just there, and she's very committed to what she does. And on them, I think on the— I'm on the male side, um I would— I could go back. Maybe if I go back to someone's passed away, maybe Madam CJ Walker. I had a pleasure and honor of interviewing her great-great-granddaughter.

Wow.

Yeah, but I read her book, um, and when I learned about Madam CJ Walker, which kind of— I'm so insistent on helping others do the same— she owned her narrative. All the different forms of media, press releases, radio, she understood that her narrative, she can control it, and she put it out there from what I read in her book. And so I would love to— she was ahead of her game when it came to, like, I'll call affiliate marketing. I mean, she had affiliate marketing back in the day, but it was not called that. Her book is a great book. I have it right here. If you have time, get her book, On Her Own Ground. It's like, it's like getting a darn MBA because this lady was so fierce and she just knew what she wanted and she went after it.

Especially back then, she was the first, uh, Oprah, right? The first African-American woman millionaire in America. Yeah, amazing. Wow, what was that great, great selection? You talked about Regina King and Issa Rae and of course the great CJ Walker. Wow. Okay, uh, what is the book that you have read that you would recommend to my audience? Of course a book not your own book.

That's it right here.

Yeah, yeah, that's it.

If you want to go— you know, this is a— I mean, this book is no joke. She She's a beast, I'm telling you. And, um, it's a great read. I was just in awe that she was so ahead of the game and so many things that she did.

That's the book. On Ground, right?

Yep.

Yeah, I think, uh, there's actually Netflix, I believe, did a, um, you don't like that? That's okay.

It's, it's, you can watch it. I don't know, let me take that. It's, it's, it's great. I even heard great written. Leah Bundles, it was a great start. It took forever for someone to even do— I think it took forever. It took too long to even do something on her. Why hasn't that been a movie already done? So it was a great start. So if you want to get started, but then go back and write the book because the book is much more deep and really has a lot more juice to it. And it's like, it's amazing. There you go. You're so fast in the draw.

That is, that is powerful. Thank you for for sharing that. I think part of the reason why I do this, I'm a little bit selfish. I want to know what I need to read next. So thank you for sharing that. You're welcome. All right. If you had one and only one day to live, what would you have liked your final contribution to be?

One day. I would like my contribution to have have curated a catalog of great stories from people, and that people can go back and watch and learn, like so many others. And that they can go back and it's like, because their legacy and their families can watch it. It's like here, I mean, I, you know, I never thought about being in this place, but when I've done people on the docu side of things and hearing people tell their stories and dive deep into their stories, like, wow, you went through all of I've had somebody who's ex-military. He went from being in the Marines, FAA, and then he gets to Atlanta and become homeless with his son here in Atlanta for 3 years. You hear his story and then he's on the other side of it now, author, speaker. And just never know someone's story until you actually dive into it. And we don't know people's story until we hear it. And so it's having those types of story and be able to curate and continue to expand on them. That's where I would like people to have like, she helped me tell my story, or have a story that my name is there because I Define TV helped create this sense of, um, story for many people.

So powerful. It looks like somebody else you need to put me in contact with so they can be on my podcast soon. That's really amazing. Very, very powerful. Wow. Only in America. Is there maybe like a song or a book or a movie that would be your life's theme or anthem?

What's the question again?

Uh, it's maybe a song, a book, or a movie movie that you would consider your life's theme or your anthem? One that inspires you, or—

I can't say that's one. I only think I say my anthem is Won't Be Denied, and then I define. But Won't Be Denied was my mantra. It really was the mantra for—

it's powerful.

And the other thing, and on Wednesdays I, I will wear my Won't Be Denied.

I would—

I still have my t-shirt. I won't be Right. So I love it. Yeah.

So if you had like a magic wand, you could solve any problem in the world, what is the one problem you'd like to solve first thing tomorrow morning?

Oh, that's a good question. Um, I'm supposed to say that, but that's a great question. Um, I would, I would do love. I would have everybody know how to love each other.

Yes.

And that way we'd be all create. Once you have love for everybody, then I think a lot of things will fall to the wayside. More abundance will come, more creativity come. I think a lot of things— when you get love worldwide, that would negate and everything else would fall to the wayside. We can help to work together, we can help get more of abundance. So I think love will be one that will come to solve.

I love that. And, uh, for the, uh, young people who are listening now who want to get into this creative space and media and television. What would you tell them if you could talk to them for like a minute?

Well, the youth are very, they're very ambitious and they have, they're fearless. There's not only new people, there's new kids these days. But I would say start where you are again, have fun with it, tap into it and keep moving because they're very, they're very creative. They're very intuitive what they do. So whatever you think about, seek out, get information, and come up with a game plan. One of the great books I would tell you to get if you're a young person or somebody new in the game, or even seasoned, The E-Myth by Michael Gerber. Yeah, yeah, just read it, but do what he says. By the time you write out everything, you have a whole outline. And my thing is, the outline is one of the most conversational business books I have ever read. I've sat on Sarah and her baking her pies. I don't forget it. Sarah was having challenges, but by the time you got finished, she was a whole pro. It was very thought-provoking. So get that book and roll through it.

I love that. I think he had the sequel, what, The E-Myth Revisited. I think it was— was it published like in the early 2000s, maybe 26 years ago? Yeah, I remember reading that one. And also there was one, uh, marketing for, uh, yeah, gurus. No, uh, come, come, come back to me. But it was like how you do marketing with very, very tight Budget. Let me see. It will come back to me. Street Level Marketing, was it? Anyway, that is a very, very good book. Okay. So as we come to the end of the show, how can my audience bring value back to you? How can we add value to you? You, Sia?

Um, pretty much, um, anyone who's interested, want to share their story, or anyone interested to know more, if they feel free to reach out. You can just feel free to go to, um, www.smile.idifinetv.com, you know, or our website, and we connect and see how we can add value. Because everybody has a story. So everybody you know who said they want to have something presented on television, or let me know they want their own show on TV, just reach out. Anything, or just ask questions. You know, you never know. Always ask questions.

And also, if they want to get a copy of your first book, where do they go to get it?

You can go to won'tbedenied.com. That's my first book. Give me grace because I have not looked at the book. It's so funny because the COVID is actually— that's actually me on the COVID Wow. Um, I had, uh, my mom has a friend who's an artist and she was going to do the artwork for me, and she was moving too slow. I was all eager and everything. I took a picture in the back. I set the camera up and everything, and I said, this is what I want to be. I took a picture of that blood. It's like ketchup or something. I said, do it like this. She took forever, and I maneuvered the, um, my, my thing on my, uh, photo of my graphic image grid, and it came out like that. I said, I don't need her, and I moved on. I said, I ain't got to pay anybody. So that became my book cover. So that's actually me with the baseball cap. She's kind of crazy, you see, but she didn't kill anybody, I don't think.

All right, so let me ask you, it's maybe one of the most important questions for this podcast. If you could go back and give a piece of advice, I'm gonna guess you were probably 18, 19 years old, right? The end of your freshman year, and it looks like you were failing school. Standing at the edge of this incredible life and career you've had since, what would you say to that teenager, that 18, 19-year-old girl who failed her first semester in college? CF Jackson, what would you tell her?

I think I'd tell her the same thing— keep moving forward. But also, if I can go back then, find that thing you're talented in and master it too. So not only to get— go ahead and get your degree, but find something and start paying attention to your gifts and your talents and start to work into that as well. I would love to be in college and have like the day these kids can actually have a a side thing. I won't call it hustle, but started the entrepreneur journey. I would have loved to have done that back then.

Powerful, powerful. Okay, as we come to an end, if we can, uh, we're gonna end in the next couple of minutes. I want to do a lightning round. I ask you a question, you answer me as quickly as you can, first thing that comes out of your mind. Okay, one, one word that defines great leadership.

One word, one word, um, determination.

Okay, morning routine or practice that keeps you grounded. Meditation. Okay, a book or a quote that changed your life? I think I know that.

Oh yeah, that's CJ Walker book is a— oh, that changed my life.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, I guess the CJ Walker book is, is a, is a good, good one too. I'm gonna add it to library. Okay, who inspired you the most today?

I would say a combination of both my grandparents, my grandmothers, and my mom. Powerful.

Okay, a leadership habit you refuse to compromise on, you're gonna do no matter what?

A leadership I refuse to compromise on? Taking action.

Okay, and, uh, the question every leader should ask themselves frequently?

Oh, look at themselves. I mean, am I, am I in the right place?

And, uh, what, uh, did you want to be when you were a kid?

I want to be a lawyer. Wow. I want to be a lawyer. Then I came to realize that this is too much work.

Okay, 3 adjectives describing you as a child.

Oh, 3 adjectives as a child. Um, I'll say resourceful. Creative.

One more.

And, um, I'll say lighthearted. I was joyful.

What about as an adult?

I'll say the same. I'm creative, I'm lighthearted, and then I guess people say I'm funny. I like to have— I like to have fun.

Funny. Okay, what is something you are feeling optimistic about? I like to end with it on a positive note.

I'm optimistic about the projection of what things are going in terms of in entrepreneur space, where things are— I'm happy for entrepreneurs because AI has helped so many people to get things done in a more expeditious manner, because it was a little challenge for a lot of people getting things done. So I'm very optimistic of where entrepreneurship is going, and for myself, I'm very optimistic where I Define TV is going and continue to help people build their authority and how we can help people grow.

All right, before I ask the very last question, is there a question I should have asked you at the get a chance to ask. Anything else you want to share before we end the show?

I think great job by you. You know, you went down the rabbit hole, you, you did your investigative work. This is CSI. He is CSI, everybody. FBI, CIA, DEA, he's everybody. But you did a great job. I think you did a great job overall. Any questions, just reach out and I can help.

All right, very last question, uh, one word that represent our shared experience on this podcast today? One word.

Um, I think authentic.

Good.

Thank you. And I'm so, so grateful. Thank you so much, CF Jackson, everyone. Thank you for being one of our master teachers today.

I appreciate— thank you for having me. I appreciate you for having me.

Absolutely. All right, all right, everyone, that was CF Jackson. So I want everybody to follow her on LinkedIn. So that's LinkedIn.com in CF Jackson, very easy. And a website, IdefineTelevision.com, if you want to be on TV. Just wonderful, wonderful. And also, like we talked about, she has a first novel, Won't Be Denied. Then you can go to www.won'tbedenied.com and you can get a copy of her very, very first novel. All right, so that's all I have planned for today. We won't have any interview views tomorrow. And believe, day after, uh, tomorrow I will come back. We're gonna continue the study on the Book of Proverbs. We're gonna do Proverbs chapter 26. We did 25 last, last, uh, time. And this is not a religious podcast, it's about ancient wisdom and leadership lessons from the Book of Proverbs. It's really amazing how a book written more than 2,000 years ago is still relevant today in 2026. All right, that is all I have for you. Thank you for watching. And on July That's gonna be Friday. I'm gonna be speaking with Sergeant Allen Lohr, US Air Force veteran. We're gonna be talking about Why Are You Here? Leadership, Legacy, and Living a Life of Service. And it's the best-selling author of Breakthrough Leadership. I can't wait to talk to him. He also has a nonprofit. He does a lot of work in Africa. I believe it's in Liberia where he helps a lot of orphans and kids. And if we can support that, that would be great. All right, that's all I have for today. Thanks again for watching. Bye for now.

Thank you for tuning in to the Leadership and Success Podcast with your host, Coach BZ. If today's episode added value to your leadership journey, be sure to subscribe, share, and join us again for more wisdom nuggets on how to lead better and achieve greater success. Remember, Leadership is the most critical skill of our time. The world will always need leaders to inspire others, drive innovation, and execute meaningful strategy. So why not count yourself among the bold leaders shaping the 21st century? Until next time, stay inspired, stay committed, and keep leading with excellence.