Acres of Diamonds In Your Own Backyard

Foreign. To our brothers in conversation podcast, powered by Jesse and Shondell.

Shondell, you are from Bed Sty do or die Brooklyn. That little town.

That's a little town. That's Nothing like Hawthorne, Nevada. Population 5,000 cats and dogs. Welcome to our conversations podcast, powered by Jesse and Shondell.

Absolutely.

And this is May 16, 2019, episode four. And our. This, this is vintage, what we're doing. This is a vintage piece. Some of you, a lot of you may have heard of this piece before, but our title today is acres and diamonds in your own backyard.

Yes.

Acres and diamonds in your own backyard. And we're going to talk about. Before we get into our dialogue, which is going to be powerful, I want to just kind of tell the brief story about where it comes from in case folks don't know the story. So the acres of diamonds in your own backyard. I actually heard it from Earl Nightingale.

Okay.

And Earl Nightingale, he tells the story of Russell Herman Conwell. Yeah, it was Conwell. And Conwell was a lawyer, he was a newspaper editor, he was a clergyman back in the day. And Conwell, he gave 6,000 lectures on this acres of diamond yet. And that's, That's a lot of lectures. And he raised $7 million to start a university because it was these kids who were interested in learning from him. So he decided to. He wanted to start a university, but he. Where's the money going to come from? He had this concept, this one story called the acres of diamonds in your own backyard. And he told that story in 6,000 lectures, earned $7 million to start this university. Cool.

That's good stuff.

Yeah. So that's where that came from. And the story is about an account of an African farmer who heard the tales of other settlers that they made millions discovering diamonds and this diamond mines, and he lived on this farm and he was envious of this and he wanted that as well. So he scurried off, he sold his farm, he scurried off all over the whole continent of Africa, which is hu. Yeah, yeah. Searching for diamonds.

And what people don't realize is Africa is a huge, huge place for diamonds. Right, right. Don't they have the largest diamond mine?

Correct. Yeah, exactly. That is correct.

I remember hearing that one time.

Exactly. It's true. That's spot on. And so he, he wanted to go on this journey to find his riches.

Right.

And he wanted to search for. For diamonds so that he could make millions.

Right.

And he was exhausted and he, he never really found those diamonds. He was exhaust process. And he was broke yeah. And he was losing his mind, so he threw himself in the river.

Okay.

And drowned. Yeah. And after the drowning, the person that he sold his mind to discovered this funny looking rock that he wasn't sure what it was. It was kind of. It was kind of archaic. It was kind of. It was interesting. But he couldn't tell what it was.

Right, Right.

And under further discovery, he discovered on the farm that the guy sold for almost nothing.

Wow.

That it was a diamond.

Yeah.

So he looked further for these, and as it turns out, they were populated all over the place. But it was hard to tell that they were diamond because they rough. They were in a rough stage. They had been mined or anything like that. Yeah. That became, to your point, the largest diamond mine in the world was on the farm that the guy sold.

Wow.

He actually didn't even realize that he had acres of diamonds already in his own backyard.

Wow.

But he was looking for it everywhere else.

Yes.

Right?

Yes. I love the story.

Yeah. So it says this, it says that. Here's a note I took. It says if that farmer had taken the time to study and prepare himself and learn what diamonds look like in their rough state and first explored the land that he owned, he would have never had to leave his land.

Right, okay, right. Right.

So the profound thing about the story is that each of us are standing in the middle of our own acres of diamonds in our own backyard.

Yes, sir.

And a lot of times we don't take that time to explore and engage to figure that out.

Yeah.

So you got the concept. Let's talk about that concept. Let's, let's, let's make that concept real.

Yeah, yeah. So. So that's interesting. I'm gonna let you finish. I got, I got some. I got some thoughts on that.

Okay. So. But, but really, I'm ready to toss the ball back and forth. What are your thoughts on that? On the whole acres of diamonds concept in your own backyard? When you.

When, when I read it the other day, I thought about my journey here. Right. I'm 3,000 miles away from home.

Okay.

I thought. And I wanted to leave Las Vegas. I said, you know what? I've been here. I've done my time with the military. I've done some great cool things. But it's time for me to go back east, actually. I was going south to Atlanta, thinking I was going to run my. My aunt's mortgage company.

Okay.

Okay. This was in 19. No, 2000. Two. 2000.

Yeah.

Somewhere around there. Well, I got a military. I thought. No, back in 96 97. I thought that somebody called me and said, I want to recruit you and take you in the station casinos.

Okay.

I said, I don't know anything about casino. I'm not parking cars, slinging drinks.

Sure.

Serving whatever I had. No. My naive perception thought that was about.

All it was about.

That was what it was all about.

Sure.

So to break it down a little bit is I didn't know that I had diamonds in my own backyard.

Sure.

Right. I didn't know that going to station casinos would change my life forever.

Right.

Because one, I discovered. Right. Through mentorship, through friendships and things. There was a whole back of the house, there was a whole executive chain.

And through mentorships and friendships are also part of the acres of diamonds backyard. Because you're one handshake away from a different lifestyle.

Exactly.

And that can go in either direction, by the way.

Yes.

So you be mindful of those handshake. But those friendships and those mentorships are part of the acres of diamonds that. That people don't. A lot of people don't realize. And it's not to have them. To abuse them.

Right.

I was walking. Quick sidebar. I was a Bellagio executive. I was walking through, and I was complaining about a friendship situation, about a friendship. Using me or whatever. And I'll never forget, his name is Ala Kalem. Asian, big, tall Asian marketing executive. He stood up and he says, in my country and in my culture, we don't see it the way you do.

Right.

You. He says, always use a friend, never abuse a friend.

Right.

I thought about that. That's great. That's great. Always use a friend, never abuse a friend.

That is it.

It's good for you to use those friendships. Yeah. For your gain, for the gain of others, and for what. How they can gain from you as well.

And to build those networks.

Yeah. If you're not using them, what's the point?

Right. Right. Yeah. What is.

We do need to use our friendships. But in America, when you. Oh, I don't like anybody using me. It's a bad connotation. But of the matter is, we need to use our. Use our network or our. I call it relationship marketing. Same thing. Network relationship marketing. Our friendships, our relationships, our family. Use them for the greater good.

Yeah. Yeah.

Just don't abuse them.

No, don't abuse them. And, you know, I love this story, Jess. When you sent it to me, a lot of things went through my mind. Even the discussion we were having before we came on air, talking about how people look for jobs or. Or they Say they don't have transportation, things like that.

Right, right. So tell a little bit about. That's a good sidebar. That was good. But it. But it ties right back into.

Right back into even, I think, people again, my daughter says, is they see me holding a flag on top of the mountain of some new marketing.

Okay.

But they didn't see the climb.

Right.

They did not see the calluses.

That's right.

And the fight and the battle and slipping off the rock and pulling back.

That's right.

They didn't see that journey.

Right. So.

So, you know, my. I got out of military. I got remarried. My wife had four kids. I was a single father with four kids.

Okay.

I need this job.

So you were the Brady Bunch on steroids.

Yes, Brady Bunch.

Because you weren't six, you were eight.

That's right. We were eight.

No Alice.

Right. We didn't have. We didn't have a living maid. Right.

So we were really. Yeah. Arlene and I were the living maid. So you were the brown. You were the brown Brady Bunch with no Alice. With no Alice on steroids. You had two additional.

Yeah, we had more. Yeah.

That's funny.

And then, you know, later on, more moving in. But I remember I was driving my car up late, Mead, on my way to Texas Station.

Okay.

And it broke down.

Oh, it broke.

It overheated. You know how it is.

Sure.

It overheated. I had to move. Move my car out the street.

Yeah.

Still get to. Still get to Texas because, you know, you're in your first 90 days.

Right.

Still had to get there right after that. You know, just getting out of the military, just, you know, that transition is. Is extremely tough already, financially, for sure. So I had to ride the bus for three months.

Yeah.

Three months. Yep. I'm riding the bus. And this is when my pastor talked about walking in Grace last Saturday. I was like, wow. You know what he said? God will put you in places that you would never think of. All that. But remember, my perception of the casino industry was totally different.

Yes. Until you got into it.

Until I got into it.

Okay.

So I get to Texas, stat. I'm there just every. Back then, the RTC schedule was not as great as it is today.

Yeah. Because we weren't. We didn't put the focus there.

Yeah. It wasn't there. The public transportation. So I got to work 2 hours early hour, 45 minutes early every day.

So that you wouldn't be late.

So I wouldn't be late. Because if I took the other bus, I'd be late. Which Meant I won't have that job.

No.

So I went to. I sit in what they call the edr. You remember, the employee dining rooms. Yeah. I would read, get caught up on what stations was about, what is my job and all those things. The president of the general manager, who was also once, once upon time, president of the Hard Rock. He said, hey. He kept going through and he kept seeing me reading and reading. He said, what are you reading? I said, I'm reading about the company. And this isn't. I didn't know he's the president.

Right.

Even though I read all this stuff, it wasn't. Not much Internet back, right?

No, no.

So I'm just reading. And he says, well, you studying the company? I see him. You know, this is my first 90 days. I'm getting caught up and not knowing who this guy is. Tall, skinny guy, young.

Right.

So I'm thinking. Because you're thinking casino executive, old dude.

Yeah. You're gonna think it's in his 50s. 60s.

Yeah, yeah, 50 60s. He's like 30 years old. 30 something years old. So I'm talking to him. He's giving me like. He's talking to me and we're having this dialogue. And come later, I find out he was the. He was the president and general manager. Fast forward without even knowing, you know, I got promoted to director marketing within two and a half years. So I'm sitting with which.

Which. Which. Which is aggressive.

Yeah.

Today. But extremely aggressive back in the day.

Yeah, yeah.

And it was.

It was about everything you're talking about.

People like you did not get promoted to those levels back in the day.

Right. Right. Not at all. Right. And having that conversation. So when I got into the executive offices and he sat down with me, he says, you know, you came in like every day, like two hours early just to learn about the company. I said, well, actually it was because I had to ride the bus. I mean, I love to give that credit. But he said, I'm glad you're telling me this story now, because I'm thinking you're just a dedicated dude. So my point is that sometimes things are happening and you don't realize they're happening. You're walking in grace and your diamonds are right there and your opportunities are right there in your own backyard. But you don't know that well.

Yeah, well, because riding the bus seemed like not a benefit. It seemed like a detriment because you don't have your own wheels. You can't come and go. You. Please. You have to go with a schedule.

Right.

But really, it was actually a jewel because it did get you to work early. Now, you could have gotten to the zone and not gone into the office. You could have done other things in that area. You chose to, since you were there early, do what you did. So really, you really do get the credit. Even though your conditions and circumstances compelled you to get there in that zone, and it put you at about 145, two hours ahead of time, you could have done other things. And what you did. So I still say you get the credit for that. And that would look like an impediment for you, was actually something that he saw that compelled him to want to advance you because he could see. You know what I mean? Yeah. So a lot of people, Shondell, when we have difficulties or challenges or setbacks or losses. Losses. A lot of people tend to stay stuck in those losses. Right. And so you. And I have said it before, but my theory is the same as yours. Whenever we lose in life, don't lose the lesson.

Yes.

We look for that lesson. What is to be learned here? What can I capture? What can I keep? What can I hold on to?

Yes, sir.

We keep the lesson and we throw everything else away. So those losses or those tragedies can be very, very difficult. Because sometimes it could be death. Yeah. It could be loss of a relationship. It could be loss of a job. It could be many things. People lose. We don't typically find the joy there. We usually find misery there. And usually we chatter about it. And unless we're awakened by something like this. So it is oftentimes, even in those difficult times, that can still be riches and diamonds in there. It's up to you to open up to that.

Right, Right. And, you know, and what's interesting is that that set me on a trajectory where that experience kept me going and then kept me in Las Vegas.

Right?

Yes, it kept me in Las Vegas.

It did. Which. Which means to your point, kept. Kept you in your own backyard and you going somewhere else was not going to make your situation any better.

Right.

It was just going to be different.

It was going to be different.

Different doesn't always mean better. It could be or may not be.

Right.

It could have been the other way.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Because God set me up. Good. I mean, and. And the thing is that, you know, starting my own business, growing that business through the recession, through my father's death.

Right.

Through many trials and tribulations.

Right.

And transitions.

Right.

Basically took me to go. And I go back to that, riding the bus and reminding me that. That challenge, that adversity became my advantage.

The adversity became your advantage. See, that's huge. Because a lot of people, when they're in a situation of adversity.

Yeah.

Or challenge, whether it's disrespect or unfairness or prejudice, they cave into that.

Yeah.

See, you rose from it.

Yeah.

You and I are very similar in that I can tell you. There was a time in my life, this is really. You know, it's personal, but it happened. You talk about adversity. There was a time in my life when a circumstance happened to me as a. I was 21 years old, and it made me quite. That circumstance of that matter was so emotionally devastating. It had me questioning and asking myself, do I wish that I was another color so that I didn't have to endure things of this weight in this nature?

Man. Thank you for that transparency.

That's good stuff.

Stuff. Thank you. Thank you for sharing it.

That literally happened.

Yeah.

And when it happened, I went into the bathroom of my small apartment. I closed the door, and I was about 2 to 3ft from the mirror.

Yep.

And I asked myself this question. Do I wish that I was another color? Do I wish that I were white so that I wouldn't have to deal with this? Right.

Right.

That was adversity. This was a real come to Jesus moment.

Yeah.

I didn't have counseling. They didn't have coaching. I didn't have. I'm 21. I can barely afford my apartment.

Right.

And I'm talking out loud so I can hear myself, and I'm looking at that face in the mirror.

Yeah.

And then I said to myself, where do you come from?

Right.

Now, people look at me in all this dark skin. They only see black.

Right, Right.

But really, there's a compilation of things they cannot see. If you saw some other brothers and sisters, they might guess that maybe something else going on.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Because they don't have the same complexion.

Right, Right.

But we are African, Indian, and French.

Okay.

You can't see that in me.

Right.

But it's there in our. In history.

Yeah, yeah. It was French. The head shape.

Right, Right. That was good. The folks listening can't hear it or see. They can hear it, but they can't see it. If you're on Facebook, you can see the head shape, but you can't. But, yeah. So you can see it. Right. So you got it. Thanks for the light moment. Thanks for the lighter moment. Shondo had to lighten us up there for a moment, so that's really good. Your brother was getting heavy, so. But, but, but, but. But the majority of what they can see is from the African descent.

Exactly.

So then I said to myself, okay, so if that's what most people can see, and that is the largest dominant part of me, where do we come from? When I thought about the whole slave trade book where, you know, the white man from America went over and the black man in Africa sold the best, they picked the best of the best. The white man from America did not want to buy them unless they were the best of the best.

Right.

They bought the best. And I thought, okay, now wait a minute.

Yeah.

If they brought over the best of the best, and most of them perished in the seas coming over because of the terrible conditions that they were brought over in. They were throwing them over by the dozens. Oh, yeah. Because they were making it.

Yeah.

We've got getting sick down there. Yeah. And guess what?

And I don't mean to interrupt you, but listen, guys, if you want to get this real, go to Washington D.C. okay, fair enough. Oh, my God.

Fair enough. Fair enough.

What you're talking about. Oh, my God.

You can. Because you get to see the conditions. Not. It's really. It's chilling. It's really chilling.

Oh, man. It's just emotional.

And in my mind, I'm in the Washington, D.C. place because I'm asking myself, where do I come from?

Yes. Yes. That's awesome.

Many people, Shondale, get hung up, and in wanting to have all the answers, I don't put my focus on wanting to have all the answers. I put my focus on am I asking the right questions? Because if you're not asking the right questions, who care about the answers.

Yeah. You won't get the answer anyway.

It's not gonna be one that can work or apply. So then I said to myself, okay, so that means I come from the best of the best, right? Yeah. Okay, so what do I have to be embarrassed or ashamed of if I come from the best of the best?

Right.

What do I have to be ashamed of? Nothing.

Absolutely nothing.

So then I said, there's something I must do to remember this and to honor this and to live, really live beyond this.

Wow.

I said, here's what's gonna happen. And I made this commitment. I still live by this commitment. I said, I am going to figure out how to learn and condition myself to communicate so effectively that you get beyond the blackness.

Right.

That's not to be disrespectful for being a person of color.

Right.

What I'm saying is I'M not just black.

Right.

I'm other things as well. But if I can't get you to see those other things because you're clouded by all this darkness, it'll never happen. So my goal is to transcend the color.

Yes.

Honor the color, be respectful of it. Honor where I come from, be respectful of my background, my history, but be able to transcend it. And that, that is not all that I am.

Right, Right.

So that's my goal is to, when I engage and connect with people, is to do it in a fashion that we rise above things that. That's a low level of existence, living just where you come from specifically. And only.

You know what's great about what you're saying is my father, when he served in Vietnam, there's a, there's a great picture of my dad. It's on my profile, on my page, if anybody wants to look at. On Facebook. My father is sitting down as a United States Air Force airman.

Okay.

Behind him is a picture of him as a black man.

Okay.

Looking at Bobby Newsome, the airman.

Wow.

In the air Force.

Wow.

And he and a lot of his friends. One of his friends, I met him in Nevada, has the same photo. They all were asking, they were saying, who am I?

Right.

As a black man.

Right.

To fight for the freedoms and fight another country.

Sure.

Somewhat unjust.

Sure.

When my country that I'm serving has been unjust to me.

Correct.

Right.

So how do I do that?

How do I do that? I'm conflicted and I'm fighting, but then I go back home and I got the same thing happening that I'm fighting for. Yes.

Right.

It's. It's very interesting. So cup. That's how, that's why I live my life the way that I do. It's similar.

It's very similar.

People to understand. Is that because some people say to me, are you not trying to be black? And I said, absolutely. I can't run away from this if I wanted to.

I never put it that way. But I say this. I, I don't say that. I'm gonna have to borrow that one. I say, if you put me on top of the union Plaza, get 10 miles away and ask, is that a person that's black? Yeah. You're gonna know it's non negotiable. I say yes.

What I tell people is, it's interesting how we want diversity, but we won't accept adversity in our own race.

It's true. It's.

It's Shondell is Different. Shondell has been groomed to be an entrepreneur. How many of us are entrepreneurs in the United States? How many of us are entrepreneurs? And I'm saying black people.

Right.

How many of us?

But that doesn't make you not black because you're an entrepreneur.

Exactly.

And that doesn't.

It just defines you a little bit more. Yes. As an entrepreneur, I think different. I act different. I am going to be different. I'll view things from a different lens.

And what's wrong with that?

And what's wrong with that? And even furthermore, I am a black entrepreneur and an employer. You know where that puts me? It actually really, really shrinks it. Right. Because in the United States of America, about 20% of the small businesses have employees.

Okay.

In the Black community, only 4%.

I'm surprised that high 4%, okay.

Have employees.

Okay. So what.

What does that mean? That means that we. When people are saying, Chandelle, I don't get what you're saying. I said, because you don't have an employee.

Right.

You don't. You don't own a business.

Right.

You don't understand that. I feel like I'm being taxed to death. I feel like you got to understand all of the things that go on in my head and notice. Notice that not one of them dealt with race. Right, Right. Understand that when I went to Station casinos and that trajectory that you said, like you said, many black young people were not becoming executive signals. But here's how my GM and president said. He said, chanel, actually, the people here are not going to be offended that you're black. They're offended that you got here in two and a half years and that you're young.