Transcript for:
Insights from a CEO's Journey

You have to think about all my previous campaigns. Up until maybe about six or seven months ago, every reel that you saw was shot on my iPhone. And my assistant, I said, do like this. Pull it out. Yeah.

Turn left. Turn right. And then I just edited it. Yes.

So even if you don't or can't afford a videographer, you got to roll the dice and take a chance on yourself. I'm going to figure, hey, I won't. These bags on the street, I'm gonna figure out how to make this happen. Back to another episode of the ghetto CEO podcast because being a CEO is giving very much ghetto. Okay.

I am super excited about this episode because this episode we're talking to one of my favorite marketers and I don't call everybody a marketer because y'all everybody don't be doing marketing for real okay them pretty pictures is not marketing but anyways this episode is with one of my favorite CEOs and the reason why I wanted to ask her to come to the couch is because Being a CEO is ghetto, but there are so many things behind the scenes that we really need to talk about. There is not a school for being a CEO until you got the ghetto CEO, right? Like you can go for marketing, you can go for operations, you can learn processes and all the things, but how can we really learn how to tackle the CEO lifestyle?

And so we're going to talk to today, my girl, Mia Wright. Y'all, I'm really excited about this interview. Are you excited?

I'm very excited. Girl. This is going to be good.

Y'all, Mia don't even really do interviews like that. Like, I was searching. I was like, OK, it's giving me incognito. So tell them who you are and about your company.

I am Mia Ray. I am the owner and creator of Glamaholic Lifestyle. I have been in business now, what is this, 13 years.

Yes. Come on. And it didn't start. as this this right like how did you start i started from my fashion blog confessions of a glamaholic i started that in 2009 and then in 2010 is when i kicked off and started doing the bags okay okay so how has it been i know like okay so you know it's the ghetto ceo podcast so we talk about all things oh i belong here okay because i tell people all the time being a ceo is very ghetto so when you think about that what is the most ghettoist thing that you like i didn't know i was gonna have to do this like who signed me up for this damn what what's the first thing that oh my lord what can it be like listen yesterday kicked my ass what happened yesterday girl you I'll let y'all know when I get a part of it. Oh my Lord.

I guess just doing everything. The fact that I had to wear every single hat. That's super ghetto. It really is.

I don't think a lot of people even realize that when they get in business. They're like, oh, I'm going to do this, but I just pay someone to do this. Oh no, you literally just saw me. I had to.

like ask for like five to ten minutes because it's just some things that I just have to do for myself even with a team there's still some things where I'm just like I can't let that go just yet because I'm just so used to doing every single thing right what are some of the things that you still do like you like this mine like y'all can do this but what are things in your company that you still hold true to you uh you Definitely posting on my page like nobody even has like my login. Like I've never gave someone my phone and said here post this picture or write that caption. Yeah.

My followers want to hear my voice. You know on my other business pages is copywriters and things like that. But I always wanted to remain true to who they fell in love with. Sending wires, sending money.

Yes. Like, I got to do that. I have to do that.

You know, I have to have the access to my money. Definitely, I really just got out of this maybe a few months ago. But, like, loading the pictures and the price and stuff to the website.

On the site? Yes. Really?

Yes. You like, uh-uh, give me that. I literally just, she had to force me to let that go.

And I'm just like. I just have to know that things are right on the site. Yes.

I have someone who is, you know, doing it now and doing a great job. So I think that that's good to know, though, because a lot of entrepreneurs feel like at some point you make enough money. Right.

And you just like, oh, I don't work here anymore. Like, yeah, I will. I do say that. I let them know that I do not work here.

I'm just coming to visit. You know, but there is a lot of things that. I'm just still not comfortable with wholeheartedly.

Like, I really cannot. And not that I can't. It's just that I haven't got there yet where I can, like, walk away for a week and be like, y'all on y'all. Yeah.

I'm not going to look at my phone. I have not got there yet. It better go.

Yeah. Yeah. I'm working on it.

I'll try to get up out of here. Okay. Try to walk about. Y'all might see me.

I'll show up for the photos and the marketing. That's really what I love to do. You know, I really just want to show up and take the pictures and do the marketing.

I love that. And I think that's a good segue because a lot of people, Mia, I'm a marketer. Okay. So I don't give everybody the market.

I'm telling y'all right here. Everybody is not a marketer. But Miss Mia Ray is a marketer.

Okay. Everybody can't just because you're a CEO, don't make you a marketer. Now, and a lot of times people think it's the pretty pictures and the campaigns and all of that. I love that, but it be the strategy. I can see the intentionality behind it.

How did you, like, even step into that seat? Are you naturally just good at this? Listen, people ask me this all the time.

How did you think of that? How did you get, like, I have no idea. And stuff, the whole, what I have going on right now, the pre-orders, and that thought came to me Sunday night at 103. I wrote it in my notes.

we were shooting and recording it at 1230 the next day. Yes. Execution.

And that's one thing that people always say. Well, my friend Desi, she just reminded me. She's like the difference between you and most people is that you actually execute.

So people will think of something or want to do something and they'll sit on it for so long. And me, I'm like, I can't. Is everybody woke?

Hello. I'm up in the morning. Today.

Yes. Yes. But, you know, back to the original question, like I have no like background in marketing.

Yeah. My thing is I have always loved TV, music, pop culture. I'm that girl. You know, my mom sat me in front of a TV, you know, back in the day we had iPads and whatnot, but I'd be up on her. She loved watching TV, movies, music, all of that.

So when something. I could literally be driving down the street and I'll hear a song and I'll say, oh, I got to use that and I got to do that. And this is what I'm going to sell to them by using this song.

Because a lot of times when it comes to marketing that I do, it's a feeling. I want people to hear something or see something and be like, damn. that's my song yes and i need a glimmer of that and i need that bag too yes yes yes but i think that there's first of all the fact that you say you were not taught right no because a lot of marketers actually are not taught it's about things like you it's trial and error right and i tell people this all the time i literally just had a call with somebody i was like listen All CEOs have to be tapped into marketing.

Like this is your lifeline of sales. I always tell people, if this is your product, this is your baby. What do you want people to know, see, feel, think? You know, it's your product and somebody shouldn't interpret that for you.

Yes. You know, then that becomes their baby. Because you have to realize like if I created this and I gave birth to it.

I have to know how I want people to see it. Yeah. Then you can hire somebody to interpret that, but you have to build that foundation of what it is that you want people to be connected to when, when purchasing something from you.

And I love that. And I think that that is, I hope y'all taking this away. Cause this is, this is key, right? Like really being able to get people to feel what you're selling.

Like, you know what I mean? Like, it's not just about a bag. People sell bags every day.

But they don't feel a glamour. I always say it's deeper than a bag. You know, people, it's like, even if. I get new customers every day. But those original people, that original foundation that's been rocking with me since 2010, they tell the story for me.

You know, this girl did X, Y, and Z. That's why I love her. I buy anything she sells. It's really deeper than a bag. It's just that God made it so happen that this was what?

The outlet, right? You know? Yes.

But also, and people ask me this all the time when I'm like, yeah, I can't. wait to sell my company they're like why because i can literally sell it and take me and go do it all over again socks it don't matter we buying air you want a bottle of air meal 9.99 you got it put me on subscription whatever like but that's a that's a skill and i think a lot of people don't realize that it's you deeper than it right it's deeper than a product that you're selling yes it's not it's bigger than it and I love that do you feel like you tapping into your marketing really has allowed Glamaholics to get to the success that you have today I absolutely because I feel like excuse me I feel like when I first started people are like now in 2023 you're marketing oh my god I've been doing this day one y'all just wasn't looking at me y'all just want to pay me no attention yeah y'all thought I was just playing you know but I've been my mind has been there since I started yeah and I feel like coming into the game and being hungry and like I gotta get these people by these bags yes you figure it out you know so you figured it out and I was like I want to step out and I want to make people take notice to who I am and what I'm doing. Yes.

Because I'm doing it for girls that look like me, walk like me, talk like me from where I'm from. I'm doing it for the other me you raised. Right. You know, so I feel like that was the connection from the get go.

And I think that is what separated me from other people. I think so, too. And I think that the. Thing with campaigns, right? Because a lot of times, I always tell people, campaigns, even in the definition, is the organized course of actions to achieve a goal.

And a lot of times, people think that, oh, I can't, the Combs sisters? I can't afford that. I can't, the airport?

What? Like, I can't, you know. But like, just organizing yourself to be able to execute all of the marketing items.

Annie. at any level at any level a campaign like whatever the definition you just said it was but whatever level even the idea like i just said the pre-order campaign it took for me to get a fake microphone yes i ran the burlington and got tana a hundred dollar suit jacket first of all can we have his show you When is he being syndicated? He's working on it, girl. He's like, mama, I told you.

Yes, he did. I'm outside now. But something so, just the idea, that probably cost me maybe $300 to do. You know.

But talk about that. Because people think, they looked at that and they was like, oh, that was. Full production?

Yes. No. No.

And you have to think about all my previous campaigns. Up until maybe about. Six or seven months ago, every reel that you saw was shot on my iPhone. And my assistant, I said, do like this. Pull it out.

Yeah. Turn left. Turn right.

And then I just edited it. Yes. So even if you don't or can't afford a videographer, you got to roll the dice and take a chance on yourself.

I'm going to figure, hey, I won't. these bags on the street i'm gonna figure out how to make this happen period yeah and even i was watching one of your interviews you had an interview with jen and she talked about your same girl different hair campaign of just something very simple you said that that was in your house oh my god i took a backdrop i cut out a circle i stuck my head through it in my dining room and i asked uh my friend switch my wig yeah take a picture switch my wig you in my dining room yes i had no money but i got to make it happen yes i love that so what has been you would say your most successful campaign oh wow like the most successful successful like to me or like in dollar amount so let's do both one in dollar amount and then one in um that you felt like it felt good like this i did that girl dollar amount Damn, I can't even say it. That was a real campaign.

Oh, Lord, it's been a couple. She's like, I've just been campaigning. Left and right.

Up and down. I've had some better than luggage. My birthday in quarantine 2020. Okay, what did you do for that campaign? It was my 10-year anniversary.

Yeah, it was my 10-year anniversary. Yep, on my birthday, November 23rd. Yeah.

Okay. Did you do something? Because you was in quarantine, so it couldn't have been no production.

No. Girl. I went to a hotel.

We recorded some reels in the hotel. And then I did the whole, you know, how I go live, the Glamaholic shopping experience in my warehouse. And I did.

And it went great. Yeah. That was the fastest amount of money, that amount that I've made in the shortest amount of time. I love that.

And I love that, like you said, you're not spending. Now, there's probably some productions that you spend a cute. bag on yeah cute little comb yeah the comb so this was a nice pretty bag yes but even that when you said it's the most successful revenue wise and i want people to really like get there because you don't gotta do too much oh no you just gotta put the energy and execute oh if they could like put a picture of me in a dictionary next to what you just said because that's literally i'm telling you it's always been me and my iPhone. It's always been me and my iPhone.

You know, so it was a time, the way the Glamaholic Shopping Experience was created was because I was on my knuckles. And I looked at my assistant, and she was like, UPS dropped the tote bags at the garage. And I'm like, what?

I said, I got to figure out how to sell these bags right now. What? I said, I looked at my assistant, I said, okay. And I got, and it's so crazy, you know, social media is a love-hate relationship. But...

You can, it's literally, I've documented each one of these steps on Instagram. You know, I have the receipts. I have the receipts of the blueprint.

Yeah. She said receipts, period. I have the receipts. You know, in that moment of me being on my knuckles, I ran the house.

I said, all right, we about to go live and we going to call the Glamour Holy Shopping Experience and I'm about to get them to buy these bags. Yes. And then it just.

You know, and I think a lot of times when you are, your back is against the wall. You be coming out, like, as long as you don't give up. Oh. You come out swinging. You come out swinging.

You come out swinging. I be coming out laughing. Listen. So what was one of those moments that you felt like?

That was one. That was one. I feel like that was the top. Because that's what.

that's why i'm sitting here on this couch with you today it's because of that moment that's what really got people to pay attention yeah to mia ray and glamour hug lifestyle oh and she ain't just crazy like oh she ain't just selling cheap bags you know people really like her stuff yeah that was the moment that got me here on this couch yes you know with you and my back was against the wall and that's when i had to get to thinking like okay what's been what i've been doing hasn't been working yeah but it was yeah but when you in that space you like what I feel like I'm losing I feel like I'm drowning and you're really not yeah and in that moment I say boom let's do it I made thirteen thousand dollars in an hour thirteen thousand dollars was a lot it's still a lot of hold on wait it's still a lot of money but in that moment yeah you I ain't never seen 13,000. It was sometimes a glamour lifestyle. That's what I made in a year.

Yes. So in that moment to have made it in that one hour, it was like, whoa. When the Lord show up, he show out.

Yes. I love it. And from there, I just kept that same ball rolling.

Yeah. So, I mean, when it comes to marketing, I was kicking it out. Whatever would get their attention, whatever would get them talking, whatever would get them engaging with me, let's do it.

Yeah. And then I just took that money, invested it, bigger, bigger, bigger, bigger. Right.

and I love that and I listen I hope y'all taking notes because this is good okay take your note now listen you talked about your campaigns we talked about like the highs the lows and you also are like the one right like people love you right like they like where's Mia like Nia, where are you, right? How do you deal with that and still be a mom? You know, I don't know if you got, you know, a little side piece or whatever, but still, you know, in the streets. Ooh. Exclusive.

Mia has. But, you know what I'm saying? Like, being able to do all the things but run this company. Because the Glamaholics, the girls want you.

I know they do. So, how do you deal with all the vets? I love them so much. It's really. I.

I think they love me so much because we have that, that connection of understanding like me. I love you, but I know we got boundaries. And Mia will set them boundaries.

She'd be like, y'all screenshot this live. I ain't coming back. Like, then I don't come back.

No, she keep her word. I love it. I say what I say.

So it's like. I feel like we have that connection where, you know, they do understand that, you know, it's mutual. I love them as much, you know, but I have boundaries. Yeah.

And I've always expressed that to them and they respect it. Yes. You know, so and it comes very, very easy to me because my brand is just me being myself. You know, I hop on live with a bonnet on it.

You know, I don't wear makeup every day. I'm not that girl. Yeah.

You know, and I think that it. it helps them to feel seen because I mean, I want to feel seen too. Yeah. You know? So we just have that.

Yes. How have your kids dealt with this? Like this? Child.

Cause both of your kids. okay. Okay.

They are completely opposite. Munchie. Well, much.

It's 21. Okay. And Santana will be 10 in July. So Munch, he was here before this.

Yeah. Santana was kind of born into this. So how do they kind of react to this, this Mia? Complete opposites. Like, told like, Munch, he was, he was with me shooting in the gym.

Yes. You know, I always tell the story. I remember one Christmas, I could only, this was the year I started. Glamour Hollick lifestyle. I can only afford to buy him five things.

I was like, Tink, I can only get you five things for Christmas. He was like, okay. He was cool. He was like, this was the best Christmas ever.

Oh my God. He is still the same person. He don't care nothing about no Mia Ray. The other day, he asked for something with his car, a new radio. I was like, do you want me to just buy you a new car?

He was like, no, I just want the radio. I was like, oh, okay. Mom, I would like a new car.

If you're watching this. He is just who he is, you know. That other one. He is famous. No, for real.

He got a show now. It's over for that one. So, total, complete opposite.

You know, I feel like Munchie is much more, you know, I don't want to say the word humble, but he's much more like understanding of. I saw what it took for you to get here. And Santana, he was on my lap while I built this whole thing, you know. So one thing about him I see is that he has work ethic.

I love that. But you got to know that it was just me and him. So you're talking about laptop. He used to help me carry packages to the post office. So he has work ethic.

Munchie has work ethic. And I feel it's definitely because they saw me building this, you know, over time. If you're over here on YouTube watching the podcast, listen, I need you to do me a favor. If you love me, do me this favor. Pull out your phone right now and go to Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

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The YouTube version... don't really count okay so go over there leave us a review and let us know how much you love the podcast now back to the episode do they want to do this like what do they want to do yeah so Munchie is a DJ okay he's actually a DJ and he's really into like being a creative director yeah so he's creative he's in his creative bag Santana's an actor okay slash comedian I 100% see this for him he tells me often that he is the next Kevin Hart or Martin so he is he is an entertainer definitely marches both of them march to the beat of their own drum and i think that i've always taught them to do so yeah because you know i'm very much so the fuck them type of person yeah and i i definitely that's how i tell them yeah you know uh but they do i can definitely see that it's not i have two more me Ray's juniors. I love it.

And so how do you spend time with them outside of the business? Like do y'all have like dedicated days? Because there's a lot of entrepreneurs that's moms.

It's like I want them in the business but I want them to still feel like a mom. Like how do you balance it? That is such a good question because sometimes it's really really hard.

So one thing that me and Tana do is movie night. And with movie night you have to take your phone. Like I have to put my phone away.

I can't have my phone that's one thing now I started this when he was maybe about five or six because I was like on my phone a lot yeah I'm building building building I will always put my phone down and put both my hands on him so he could know that I'm paying all of my attention to him yeah so that was something that I was very conscious of always putting both my hands on him um Munchie is so grown he don't like being around me girl he like mom just the radio please and he work at the warehouse too so okay okay we see but we're close but we see each other all day every day but one thing when basically my entire family works at the warehouse well when five o'clock hit we'll talk about glamour like that when we go home I love that we don't talk about how do you cut that out because my brain be I'll be in the middle of the night I'll be like Eric I got an idea. Like, he'd be like, go to sleep. Like, shut up. You know? But see, that's, I hit Blair or like my assistant with that.

But my family, sometimes, my best friend is HR, so it's kind of like, sometimes we do talk about HR after five o'clock. Yeah. But we know when it's best friend time.

Or we'll sit down at the table and say, I don't want to hear nothing. I don't want to hear the word glamouric lifestyle right now. No, nothing with a G. No, I don't.

This is me. This is you. Right.

You know, but, yeah, back to my kids. They are definitely, I mean, the balance of it is kind of hard. But if you see, I include them in a lot of stuff.

Yes. So now they are a part of the business. And it's just natural to us. We literally go through the whole campaign and just. Go get some ice cream.

Right, right. It's a part of the lifestyle now at this point. I love that. So you said all of your family works at the warehouse?

Damn near. How does that work? Because, you know, a lot of people are like, don't hire your family.

It be ghetto. How has that experience been for you? And that's understandable, but I feel like, I just feel like my family different.

You know, it's just kind of like, once again, they were. in the dining rooms and in the basements and, you know, taking me to the post office. They've all been a part of this entire journey. So it's not like they didn't see and I'm just hiring a random cousin. My mom works there, my sister, my nephew, my son, my best friend, you know, and all different entities of what they do, you know.

So it's kind of like we're never going to take Glamaholic stuff home because there's never nothing that's going to be that serious. So it's not ghetto. I don't have to talk to... reprimand nobody yeah they got sense like and that you know and i think that is a qualification that you gotta check that they got okay and they bought that bag too yes yes you know they bought that bag too you're right so my thing is if you know you stand on your feet eight hours and work for uh you know a big business yeah you come over here and stay on your feet for eight hours and work for me yeah because i'm gonna take real good care of you period i care unlike them i care i care that's right and i love i love that and i think it creates this fun environment where you want to go you know i'm saying like it's like okay let me go see what pookie done doing is it yeah i'll go slam the back go talk to my sister tell her about the tea i see like girl did you see this you know but it makes working not feel so heavy yeah because this entrepreneurship is heavy it's lonely it's it's a lot do you feel like you even though you work with your family do you feel like you had a sense of loneliness going through this oh my god oh so my loneliness hit me last summer so it just it's just now hitting me um and loneliness and the aspect of like people will start to treat you different Yes. Don't you know how people be like, yeah, because money changed her.

No, it changed me. No, it changes them. Yes. Oh. Yes.

No, it's scary. Yes. It's really scary. So I'm dealing, but it was heavy, like, last year. It was super heavy where it was like, whoa, like, people who have been my friends for years now are doing weird things.

Things, yeah. So the loneliness in that aspect, never from my family. Yeah.

um only outsiders but when they say it's lonely at the top it's just it's not lonely it's just only a small or a certain amount of people can relate to what you may be going through absolutely so if i if i may have said i took a imagine if i said girl i had to pay ninety thousand dollars for this shipping container yesterday and i'm just talking to my cut they like ninety thousand what what what the what so that's the part where it just gets smaller and smaller and in spaces in which uh people can relate so what you're dealing with yeah and when it comes to me i'm i hate to say it but like i'm such a unicorn because it's certain things that some people that you think yeah it's the first time that they're ever hearing of it or you know how did you deal with it like how did you like continue to flow through it because i can 100% relate right i remember i started like i'm still young like i'm 29 and i made my first little baby so i started making money in 19 yes and then i made my first million dollars at 26 i'm about to talk to my friends they got too long debt they're talking like you know i'm saying like how you supposed to like i literally Had all of my best friends like falling out, falling out, falling out. Like we can't talk anymore. And so I was like, okay, people did say it's lonely at the top. You know, like I feel people around you because it's not like you physically alone.

Right. I just can't talk to you. That part.

It's just me and God. That part. That's it. It gets real shaky when it's like, it's not lonely. Yeah.

It's just smaller. Yes. You know, and even with my best friend, I could say, girl, let me tell you how much I just spent on this watch. Yeah. She'd be like, girl, you go, girl.

Like, you know what I'm saying? Yeah, yeah, yeah. It ain't shaking the table with her.

Right, right. But then you have that conversation. You see who it does shake the table with.

So I just put it in my back pocket. Yeah. You know, and that's just something that you have to move different.

When you start doing things differently, it has nothing to do with a dollar amount. I don't want people to. people are so hung up on that million words and it's not really a dollar amount it's your mindset and it's certain people that now the mindsets don't connect anymore yeah and that's the reason why it's getting real small small yeah and because you can't talk to certain people about certain things and then you don't know like i started to realize because at this moment i'm growing up as a woman but i'm also growing up in this business and i started to realize like oh people you being weird like I don't know if they being weird because of the business or I'm just becoming an adult like is this just you know so I think you just started to deal and it's like an onion and you continue to go through yes and I've started to oh that used to oh that used to tear me up I would cry oh it tears me up when I'm like they weren't they really didn't like me did you my character you really thought I I read that.

That used to fuck me up. And then now it's just something that one time it just dropped in my spirit and God was just like, they just not supposed to go with you. I loved it. You know, no hard feelings, no beef, no anger, no, no nothing. Yeah.

They just wasn't supposed to go. And that's okay. Yeah, that's absolutely okay. I love that. So going back to your, so today you got your pre-sale meal.

I was like, how's she going to do an interview and pre-sale? We got the launch girl. Do you need the tripod?

Do you, she said, do you want a tripod? We got stuff to do. Listen, we launched.

Don't come here, baby. We know what's going on. She sure did.

Do you need a tripod? I was like, wow. I like it here.

That is hilarious. So today you're doing something that you like just don't do. You're doing a pre-sale.

How do you feel? Well, let me say this. Pre-order is how we even got here.

Because keep in mind, when I started my business, I had $384. Yes. So. I used a hundred of that to get a sample made. Okay.

Boom. Pre-order now. Period. So I built my business from pre-orders over time, social media, you know.

The way people move and think just kind of changed and made a little shift. So I stopped doing pre-orders. In this situation, I'm super excited about it.

I had a collaboration with another business and it just didn't go the way, you know, my Glamaholics were used to things going. And I just was like, I'm gonna make it up to y'all because people stood in line for hours, you know. website crash all these things i'm like let me just let me do fun for y'all i did this for my girls yeah you know because i mean people were really excited about it so i'm like okay the only way to solve this problem let's do pre-orders everybody can get their bag so i think that is that speaks to your character because you didn't have you like and what thing you said that listen i ain't do nothing wrong let me make it clear I did nothing I did my part I did my part but I like how that made y'all feel I like how that made y'all feel and I think that speaks to your character because you could have just been like but see once again there's that connection She's really my homegirl. My homegirl can't be bad at me.

I don't want my girl bad at me. So I had to make it up to her. You know, so that relationship, that foundation, like y'all not about to be sad at me for something that wasn't my fault.

So let me just, you know, step up. So your model is a launch model. I think you have now consistent inventory on the site now. Yes. But was that strategic?

Like was it just? People was buying everything too fast. That's what people didn't understand. Let's take it back. Okay.

To the situation when I was on my knuckles. We going live. Da da da da da.

From there, I had all these eyes on me. So people kept asking, when is it going to drop? When is it going to come? When is it going to be released? Okay.

Well, let me give them a date and a time. Okay. That's simply where that came from. Yes. Yes.

Yes. But also. So there's a two sided thing that I think people don't understand.

So I'm, I'm very, uh, I'm an advocate for black women saving money. You know, I'm very, I want black women to be financially, financially literate. Um, and then they're like, but you keep dropping all this stuff and making a shop.

Hold on. But if you listen to the advice and the tips that I gave, yeah, it's about, um, budgeting your money so you can be able to do the things that you really want to do. So I kind of merged those two things. I'm going to teach you how to budget, but I'm going to teach you how to budget for Glamaholic Lifestyle. So one thing that I do is I make an announcement to have before the drop, I give two cycles.

So two pay cycles. So if you really want this bag, I give two pay cycles for you to save up for it. So it's like, it's really teaching you how to budget and save, but also enjoy the things that you like.

And I get to run a very successful business. Yes. I love that. Come on. It's the strategy for me.

Yeah. You're hearing me. But I think also I want people to know like that.

That's a caring like you. That means that you care. I do. I really care. I really do.

Yes. And I think that that's a lot. People might miss that sometimes when they're trying to market or sell and just money, money, money.

Yeah. I put myself in the shoes of my customer because I am my customer. Right. So a lot of times I like to think about how something made me feel when I bought it, how something made me feel when I unwrapped it and opened it and, you know, how it was presented to me.

Yes. So when I think about those things, I think about, OK. I'm in their shoes.

X, Y, and Z. I got to pay daycare. Then the rent was on the first.

Okay. But I really, really wanted these pair of shoes. Yeah.

So if I, you know, show them how to budget. Yes. And give them the timeframe. It's all a part of marketing too.

That's all the marketing that comes along with a drop. I love it. Periods okay budget for your Glamour house put me in the line I always say just don't Exclude nobody just include me That's it I love it that's all I want Just include me It does fire now listen we got A segment on the show called figure it out OK, because as a CEO, we are always figuring it the fuck out. Like it's always something fire after fire after fire. Oh, OK.

So I'm a pull a scenario and then you're going to tell us what you would do. Oh, I'm scared. OK, let's see. Let's see. Oh, this is a good one.

OK, so you just ordered 100K of inventory for a pre-sale of your products. You get an update from the manufacturer that your products are stuck on C with no updates. You have customers waiting. What's next? what's this it's triggering i got ptsd from that question I can answer this very well because I've been there.

Okay, okay. What you doing? Oh, this is so good.

Now, I've been there and that's what happened with the first pre-orders of me even, you know, starting it. Yeah, yeah. So I was not skilled. I was not, you know, nothing.

I was just out here winging it. Yeah. And it was a delay and I had these people's money. I simply just communicated. I simply just communicate it.

And one thing about me, I'm going to give you the option. This is what's going on. I'm going to be very transparent.

You know, shipping is stuck on water, X, Y, and Z. Do you want to wait it out with me? Or do you just simply want a refund?

You know, one thing I feel like people, they try to like shy away from the truth. Yeah. And sometimes it's just best to just be honest. Tell the truth.

Yeah, just tell the truth. Especially when you got people money. Yes.

I just tell the truth. Yes, because then they coming in them comments. Yes, and you don't want that.

No, right. So you got to beat them to the punch. Yes, yes. You know, get in that email and have a conversation. Hey, this is what's going on.

Yeah. Do you want to stick it out? Right. Or do you want your money back? Because one thing about it, you get your refund.

Okay, then they got me one more bag that I can sell on the site when they get here. Sometimes they be like, that wasn't really a big deal. All I had to do was talk about it.

We be making a big deal. Yeah. We got to cry.

I'm a Sagittarius. I got to cry first. Then I'll figure it out. Period.

Okay, I'm a Taurus. And we going to cry first, during, and after. And then when we going to get it done. That part. As long as we get it done.

yeah no that's good communicate communicate that has happened to me i'm dealing with something with shipping in a container right now crazy yes and i mean that's honestly the like it's you gotta do it you have to i mean i can't what i'm gonna do go to turn to myself or go you know and then it's like there's always going to be something I want people to understand it's going to always be something, you know? So if it wasn't that, it'd be something else. One thing I do, like you can call me Smokey the Bear. I put out fires all day long. Okay.

Call me Smokey the Bear. That's my job. I'm a firefighter.

Okay. Because every day is something going on. Oh my God.

I told my best friend the other day, I said, I'm going to run away. I said, I'm going to run away and don't you come looking for me. don't you come figure it out y'all gonna have to figure it out i'm safe don't come looking for me but yeah it's just a part you gotta figure it out but one thing in this social media world is that you want to communicate with your customer because somebody can literally go online and say something and then it it spreads like wildfire they doing youtube video yeah yeah get in front of that yeah get in front of that and just communicate I love it well Mia this was a really really good conversation listen we're gonna have you have to have you back okay we're gonna have to go see the warehouse come up there in Detroit this is good oh this is so cute yes well what would you leave the people with um like I said being a CEO is ghetto but we wouldn't trade it for the work no like this is we probably do this is crazy as hell like we are really retarded wow But what would you leave the people with? I always say, like, I'm really crazy. Like, I cannot believe I chose to do this. Like, it's so ghetto, but it's so damn rewarding.

Like, I would not, I couldn't imagine my life in any other way. I will cry. The other day I drove home in silence.

I said, I don't even want to listen to the radio. I'm just going to cry all the way home. But I wouldn't trade it for the world.

You know, I am literally living my dreams. You know, I ask God for this. I pray for this. I'm so grateful.

And I definitely just want people to just know, like, start right where you are with what you have. That's what I always tell everybody. Don't, especially in the social media where I keep saying the poor things.

It's just that you look at people and you see them. They've made a million dollars and they've done this and you, that makes you feel smaller. I'm here to tell you, look at me and Ray.

She had $384 and has turned it into. I don't even know how much I'm worth. I don't know.

Period. Billion dollar empire. You heard me.

Yes. But that's my story and you have a story as well. Yeah.

You got to create your story. You got to create your story. So what's next for Mireille? What's next for Glamaholics? What's the next level?

Oh my goodness. Glamaholic. I just see it getting bigger and bigger.

You know, I keep saying. I'm retiring in seven years. I keep saying, I'm going to say 20 years. And I did it for 20 years. That's what I say.

But definitely just growing Glamaholic. I really, every time I go somewhere, it's not often that I don't see somebody with a Glamaholic bag. When I do, whether it's an airport, a party, and I don't see one, I'm like, I ain't working hard enough. If I'm a...

if I go somewhere and I don't spot two, three glamor bags, I'm like, what city is this? Okay. Let me figure out how to, I gotta, I gotta get up in here.

Cause they don't know. Somebody over here don't know about. They don't know.

They don't get my, get my wheels turning, you know? So definitely keep growing it. You know, I live in Detroit, so I have started a cannabis company. Yeah.

Girl Cannabis Club. yes I'm super excited about I'm excited about that too super excited so just that's it I say Glamor Hall of Lifestyle saying girl different hair girl cannabis club that's it I don't have another business idea in you gonna be a momager that's what you get and I can retire I live on Tana you heard it here first okay Tana is retiring Bia okay I love it, Bia. This was a really, really, really good conversation. Thank you for coming to the Ghetto CEO podcast. Y'all, make sure you like, comment, and subscribe to the Ghetto CEO podcast.

And even if you're watching this on YouTube, head over to the Apple podcast or Spotify. Leave a review because we thrive off of reviews. So I will see you guys on the next episode of the Ghetto CEO podcast. Bye.

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