Debut Dialogue: My First Radio Interview Experience

Listen, it's the Morning Machine. First of all, Green Machine, Big Tank in studio right now.

Guess what we got, ladies and gentlemen?

Yeah, we have another Chocolate Rain.

Some go down and others feel the pain. Chocolate Rain.

Listen, first, first of all, we hadn't had a chance to properly introduce Uh, member of our family. She's, she's old, she's old school but still new school with the return, you know what I'm saying? So, you know, she does a lot of great technology, a lot of innovative technology, and she spells it differently. You know why she spells it differently? Because she's inspiring a new culture that's getting into technology, from our youth to even Adult new us young adults, you know what I'm saying? That want to know more about technology. So I welcome once again, and y'all heard her say hi a couple of times as you listen every day.

Pop in, pop out.

Yeah, pop in, pop out, and then be in the background like like these times.

Like that real quick. Stop shooting that little. Stop shooting that little. Why you keep on shooting that little gun?

Listen, this is the— this is the founder, the CEO of Innovative Technology, Technology IT, the real IT. It's Miss Sharnita Gates. Good morning.

Good morning, good morning. I'm happy to be here.

Yes, I mean, but you're here every day.

Yes, I'm always happy to be here.

But listen, We haven't had a chance to properly introduce you to our listeners. You had no idea this is going on because we— all you did was say, hi guys, and then, and then leave. Sharnita!

Hi!

Sharnita! Come on and get on the mic.

Listen, so we, we decided, you know what, why not, why not celebrate, continue to celebrate our strong Black women right now and continue to be inspiring and impactful. by celebrating the strong Black women we have in the building with us every day. Why not?

Strong.

Thank you.

The force strong in this one, y'all.

So, so with— so with that, talk about innovative technology, and you spell it differently.

Yes, yes, yes. Technology is spelled tech-nology. I spell it that way because the knowledge is very, very, very key, and I think that that's what pretty much helps and embraces and strengthens the, the knowledge and the information behind technology. Like, I really much studied the information behind what makes up technology and what technology can do. And when I figured out, as far as the power behind it and the innovations that can come from it, like, it's based off of everything creative, and that's us. Like, I embrace us. I embrace everybody.

Dope, dope. Yeah. Yeah, you're not used to having a mic in your face. I get it. But listen, so you've been doing a lot of innovations. Like, you, you basically are the innovator of a lot of things before we even see them coming out. And I want to ask you, Right. in the midst of this pandemic, how has, you know, technology been more of a force in How does that really, you know, get the people going in their everyday lives?

Oh, it's really been a force, definitely, with all the software and APIs and the services and the power behind it. Um, you— we were able to take the operations and be able to put it into the power of the people. We were able to give back to the people. We were able to empower our people with technology and the knowledge behind it. And that's why I really love this way that I spelled it as far as technology, because we're able to pass on that knowledge between everyone. And with everything with the pandemic, we're able to get closer. and be able to share that knowledge even more powerful. And that's where I've seen the biggest change and the biggest impact with technology is the basic— everybody's empowered now to be able to go out there and get that education and share it and help everybody and, you know, come together as a— together, all together.

Yeah, yeah, you know, and that's what I'm talking about, you know, you You definitely— it's definitely inspiring what you're doing because I, I see you reaching out to the youth a lot, especially because we got a new generation coming up where technology apparently reigns supreme. You know that they're born with it in their hands. They're born with— like, really?

And they have the mindsets for it.

Exactly. You got, you got 1-year-olds knowing how to use iPads more than us. Knowing all, knowing all the ins and outs at 1, 2, 3 years old, like, so you're talking single-digit ages. How, how key is that to this generation?

It's very key because they are the minds that's going to take us into the future bigger and brighter than we ever could imagine. They— there we— as we embrace the creativity in the youth, we can see the different benefits that they can bring. Like, everybody talk about the millennials. The millennials are key. Like, they're the ones who's looking and seeking for that knowledge to be able to go to college and say, hey, what's next? Like, how can I change and empower my future based off of what I know now?

Mm-hmm.

And there's so much that technology can do because we have the information, we have the data, we have the analytics to say, hey, we know what you need to basically help you in the future and empower you as an individual in your mindset where you're at currently to be able to say, you can make a difference, you can make a change. And be powerful as you, as a human, and you, and then believe in yourself. And that's where technology will take you.

She got brains, y'all. Oh my God, Jesus, she got brains.

Now I like how she Johnny Cochran'd that just a minute ago. She was, she was like, give them the knowledge to go to college.

Yes, yes.

That's what I'm talking about. Give to— give them the knowledge to go to college. I'm the Hey, look, that's, that's a real quote right there.

Yep.

And, and that was just, that was on the fly too.

I've been in college since I, I was born.

You've been watching John— you've been watching Johnny Cochran footage from back in the day?

I love Johnny Cochran.

Oh, no wonder, no wonder. Uh-huh.

I support all the attorneys, lawyers, everyone. I, I applaud you guys. You guys are awesome. Like, I really do.

Definitely, definitely. Now, the journey in building innovative technology? How, how, talk about that journey because a lot of people don't understand from an entrepreneurial aspect what that journey is like to create and, you know, really make that impact. The impact is the, is the back end of it, but the front end of it, it's a lot of challenges. So how did you overcome those challenges?

Um, I just let my mind just continue to go and trust in myself and throughout the entire process and know that, you know, the work would never go in vain. So As far as, as long as you let your mind wander and you embrace that creativity that lives deep inside of you, you're okay. It's okay to embrace that journey. And that's what was the biggest thing that helped me get through every day, to keep working hard, to keep learning, reading, and putting that energy into where I wanted to go and what I wanted to do. Like, I've always had a lot of information and things, and I always knew that my career was very big because I always thought, where was I going to end up? Where did I want to be? And who did I want to be? And I always loved technology. That's why I said I love the attorney and I, I really support the lawyers because my first choice in career was to be a lawyer. But at the same time, I really seen where technology was going, and I really did a lot of studying and research to say, hey, where is the future? When I looked and said, where is the future going to go and what's going to hold the key to my future, I really chose technology. So I really dove deep into it, and I knew it was going to be a journey. I knew I was going to have to put myself out in an uncomfortable place sometimes.

Mm-hmm.

And even fail sometimes and be okay and embrace that. And that really created the journey for me. And it's been a great journey. Like, even when I fall, I think when I fail, it was actually the best time because it was the best— it was the best teacher. It was the best lesson that I ever—

I've learned.

And I couldn't have got that experience had I not chose to fail. So the journey was really good. It's like— and I'm actually very excited to see where the next journey, part of my journey, is going to be because now I'm in a different space where I'm able to connect and actually give back and give back to every and everybody who needs it because I put myself into a space where I know I couldn't— it was at a point when I had to say to myself, how can I help everybody and touch everybody's life? And now I know technology can do that. Technology brings us together. Technology is the way to go. It's the way to be able to learn and embrace the information behind it and say, hey, I know who I am. I know that that's the true Data, the data information. Now the biggest information people hold is the key to their entire identity. So as far as technology is our identity, technology we we pick up technology every single day. We don't even realize technology is all around us. The creativity from art to design to everything is all structured, and the information is there to be able to empower the people.

Ooh wee!

Mm mm mm mm. You must you you know what? Yeah. Yeah, this, this up, this up on that one. That's— this is what— listen, you're hearing this from a strong Black woman. Can you— I need people to understand that. I need people to understand that we— this is what we do on the Morning Machine. We celebrate our strong Black women all the time, you know what I mean? That, that's, that's what we do. This is a norm for us. So it is, it is awesome what you're doing. And, uh, as a matter of fact, I, I remember, uh, on Saturday, Tank, your, your son Deuce came in here and you, you now inspired— you inspired him. You're like, oh, now, hey, look, I'm— he probably already was techie, right? Am I, am I correct?

Come on.

I mean, yeah, that's Tank Jr. So I'm like, yeah. You, you, you IT yourself, takin'—

Hey!

But he, you know, he was really impressed with the way you were showing him different things. And, uh, he's 13, so he's a boy. So you had him captivated.

Good, good, good.

You had him captivated. She's very captivating, ladies and gentlemen. She's not just smart.

Thank you.

So Deuce was like, okay, when's my next lesson? I said, slow down, cowboy. Slow down, cowboy. Put that horse away! But, uh, but it is really inspiring because, um, I believe that that's a space that we as African Americans have to move into.

Definitely.

We have no choice but to move into it because it's becoming a part of life.

Yeah.

And a lot of things we're missing out on.

Yeah.

Because we are afraid to move into that space. We, you know, it's amazing. It's a wonderful thing to see us actually doing it, to see us actually innovating and also teaching. Because if we don't inspire and teach the next generation, we're going to continue this cycle where we have some of the greatest tech ideas, but they're never getting and coming to fruition because we're not putting our kids in that STEM space.

Mm.

There is nothing wrong with being, and I'm sorry, I call myself this. I love being a nerd. I love the fact that if I can walk in a room with an Android phone, not an iPhone, I gotcha. I don't have to get mad. I can use either one. Doesn't care. I am electronically ambidextrous.

I like that.

Some people are just contained to one device. If you don't have it or if something's restricting that, you're in trouble.

Yeah.

And I can use a PC. Some of y'all out there, he's an old guy. Yeah, I'm an old guy, so I can base it off a PC, move to a phone, tablet, does not matter. I can even do things that are amazing on your Xbox. All I need is an internet connection and an interface, a GUI, for those out there who don't know what that is. See, and, and the thing is, ladies and gentlemen, guys, women out there love it. They love when you're smart. It's an interesting thing when they look, he has brains, he can think. Yes, yes, yeah, yes, multi-level.

There you go.

And there's a lot of us out there, we need to inspire our kids. So hey, I understand our kids are walking around with the phones. Do something to inspire them. One thing I do with my kids, I don't answer questions, I make them look it up. You're not smart because you know everything, you're smart because you're not afraid to find out.

Yep, doing—

they do seek knowledge. The Bible, the Bible tells you one of the most basic fundamentals is to seek knowledge. So if it's telling you to seek knowledge and not just accept what's handed to you, make your kids do it.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Make them do it. Make them look it up for themselves. You had those big old thick, uh, Encyclopedia Britannica, uh, when you were a kid. You had 21 editions. The new one came every year. You had to walk around with that.

I don't think I read them all. Oh, Kenneth read them all.

Yes, I did.

And that salesman came around knocking on your door. I mean, you, you— that was the hard work. Now everything is at the fingertips. There is not a question out there that you can't research and find out some answers on at your fingertips now, right? We just have to encourage our kids. And Shanita, yeah, you, you're very inspiring, and that's something that we might want to keep going for the 2021.

Definitely, definitely, definitely, definitely.

Maybe have a program where we have kids come in on Saturday and actually take a look at Shanita.

Yes, yes, yes.

And the technology that goes in and behind creating a radio segment. And then at the end, the kids get to get their own 15-minute segment that we film, tape, and send to them.

That's what I call innovative technology.

Oh, we just did that live on the air. Shanita, you inspire me, Shanita. Come on, let's Me and you can never part. You know what I'm saying? People of color.

What, what, what just happened?

We had a, we, we had it, we had, we had a Color Purple moment. I apologize, it's a dark-skinned thing we just bonded between us.

Really? I guess the curly hair bandit over here doesn't understand.

Nah, you too curly.

You, you know what, it's coming back. You know what? It's all good.

Like DMX say, 17 and curved. He wasn't talking about you.

So one more question for you, um, before we, before we go to the top of the hour and then we really cut up for the rest of the show. Um, because you know how we get down, you here every day, you know that. But, uh, also in the same token, I want to ask you about the most inspiring moment that you've had to date. since your company's been in existence. Could you talk about that time real quick?

Honestly, every day is a blessing. I could honestly truly say I'm grateful for every moment and every day. Um, I think it's mostly every day when I get a new— I, I would say the last innovation, every, every new creative idea that comes. And to me, it comes and it goes, but at the same time, it glows. I like to say that because there's so many things as far as this Growing, and then there's also the fertile hearts as far as being able to still give back in the same process and sow these seeds that I'm really eager to give out. And that's the biggest thing is like, as I start to see the seeds grow and as I plant them, I see the beauty. And that's the thing I look forward to, actually seeing the beauty and the growing and everything, how it comes, and, you know, have and be able to frolic in that garden, like I would say.

Well, you definitely got a 13-year-old boy excited to bring his gaming PC to you with love in his eyes.

Ah, yes, yes.

She's so smart.

I'm like, yeah, thank you.

But you didn't know?

No, but you got to realize, when you start exposing our young men to quality— to quality— and I'm not saying anything about any Black women, but when you start showing our Black men just how smart, innovative— I mean, just the, the level of brain power that's being generated by our Black females. Yeah, that should be the calling card that really get sent first. Not that they're just beautiful and attractive, but they're also so smart, so innovative, and some of them have their hand on the pulse.

Yeah.

Of technology. So, yeah, shouts out to you.

Yeah, thank you, thank you. I mean, I know, shouts out to 106.2, the Situation. Like, being here, it— that's, that's my highlight of my day because every day is a blessing, and being here is truly, truly, truly 100% a blessing. Hey, hey, you guys, I, I, if I can say this, embrace these opportunities. Embrace every opportunity that is presented to you. Embrace your creativity and anything that you can put into yourself. Embrace that.

Bet, bet. So now, before we get to this top of the hour, which we got 3 minutes till the top of the hour right now, tell everybody Out there where they can find you, follow you, and check up on this innovative technology. The real IT.

Definitely. You can follow me on Instagram at Tech. My name is spelled Technology. It's spelled T E C H N O W L E D G I E. And you can follow me on Instagram or you can go to my website and that's innovative tech it dot com. And you can also find me on Listen.

It's the morning machine first.