Garrison Hayes' Money Story

[00:00:00] Speaker A: In this episode, we tell the money story of a person you have seen all over the Internet who has found a way to take his passion for social justice and social awareness and turn it into a thriving career. After the break, you'll hear the money story of Garrison Hayes. Let's get started. Let's get some money from new money new problems. It's the new Money New Problems podcast. A show for successful professionals searching for the tools they need to navigate financial opportunities and obstacles they've never seen. Negotiating companies compensation. Purchasing your first investment property. Helping your family with money. The highs and lows of entrepreneurship. New money brings new problems that require new solutions. Join us as we work through them together. I'm Brenton Harrison, and this is the New Money New Problems podcast. Hello, my name is Brenton Harrison of, uh, new money new problems and your host for the New Money New Problems podcast. I am really excited to tell the Money story today or have this person tell their money story. And, uh, he's a person who I know you've seen. And when I describe him to people, they either know the name immediately or when I pull up one of his videos, they're like, oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. He did this video on x, y, z, and it really spoke to me. And that is Garrison Hayes. So, Garrison, before you come in, I gotta read your official short form bio. We gotta make this thing authentic. Okay? [00:01:26] Speaker B: Okay. All right. [00:01:28] Speaker A: Garrison Hayes produces innovative short documentaries to his 270,000 plus follower community. It's much higher than that now, especially on TikTok, where he explores the hidden or forgotten corners of black history, faith and politics, and his love of books. He was selected as a member of the inaugural class of Snap Inc's black creator accelerator and is currently Mother Jones video correspondent. Garrison, welcome to the new Money New Problems podcast. [00:01:54] Speaker B: Thank you. Thank you. Yeah, I have to get that updated somehow. Um, it is really, really good to be here. And I guess I'll say that as of the time of recording, I think I'm at, ah, close to 600,000, uh, followers across platforms. Um, and so that's very exciting and something I'm very proud of. And it's certainly a part of this money story. [00:02:17] Speaker A: Yeah, yeah, no, it's a, you know, you're an interesting person, regardless of how many followers you have. So, you know, your interests are things that need to be delved into. But I do want to go on the journey of how that led to, hey, a lot of people are interested in things. It doesn't necessarily mean that they're going to have 600,000 people who agree with those interests. So let's start back at the very beginning. You and I have become friends, uh, through your wife, who I grew up with. But tell us, uh, about your childhood. Where did you grow up? What was your childhood like? [00:02:50] Speaker B: Yeah, so I grew up in Atlanta, Georgia, um, in southwest Atlanta, off Cascade road. Um, um, it was. Church was a huge part of my childhood and my life growing up. Um, um, so much so that my parents were convinced that not only was Jesus coming back, but that he needed to, to have some soldiers ready to fight in the army of the Lord, right? So they homeschooled me growing up. I was homeschooled k through twelve, did some, like, church related schooling things as well. But it was always an addition, in addition to my time as a homeschooler. Um, um, and a couple things. I mean, I always loved history. I remember, um, um, I I did this curriculum, uh, uh, called Abeka books. I mean, we're really deep in the weeds right now, but I was doing Abeka books, and they had. You would get VHS tapes. This is how long ago this was. You get VHS tapes of the classes, and you put the VHS in, and you'd watch the, the lesson and follow along with your lesson book. And I would rewatch the history tapes, because I just loved history that much. That I would kind of do the classes overdose and over and over and try to remember all the facts. And I was always really, really interested. And that love for history has really kind of kept, kept, uh, up with me throughout the years and certainly informs my work now. But I think alongside that interest in history, there was a real interest in storytelling. Um, I remember my mom getting her very first digital camera that I, that had floppy disks that you put inside. And I would take pictures of my, of my action figures and try to, like, tell stories with them. And I put the floppy disk in the computer and press the next key so it would look like they were animated and moving. Um, and so I've always been, for as long as I can remember, I've been telling stories and using cameras to do so, and making little videos. And that led me, of course, to starting out on YouTube in 2007, um, as one of the first group of folks invited into the YouTube partnership program, where, uh, you could get paid to make videos online, which kind of opened my mind to that possibility. Um, and then, yeah, life continues on. I mean, I can get into. I went to college where I met my wife, Simone, and I studied film production there. But I was also really, really involved in campus ministry. And so that campus ministry love and experience actually propelled me to go off to seminary, where I became a pastor for a number of years and a minister. And so, um, what I realize now is that all of those little pieces, though they may feel disparate and different, all of them are really woven together through this kind of, like, single thread of storytelling and education and sharing with people messages of hope and perseverance. Um, that's always been connected to who I am as and in the way I show up in the world. [00:05:49] Speaker A: You know, it's interesting. I, first of all, I didn't know that you were homeschooled k through twelve. Uh, and I want to dig into that a little bit, because it's funny. I know several people who were homeschooled, and they would say, man, I always had to fight that narrative of, like, the antisocial homeschool kid or something like that, and people's perceptions about what that means in terms of your day. And I wonder, because this is a theory of mine, if your church life had to do with some of that comfort in front of the camera. Because I tell people all the time, you know, they say that people. The biggest fear for most people in this world is public speaking. And almost everyone that I grew up with, it may not be their favorite thing to do, but they are very comfortable speaking in public, because we grew up speaking in public in church all the time. Now, I don't know if that was your experience, but tell me where that second layer of. Well, I love telling stories, but I'm also very comfortable doing it in front of people. Where did that come from? [00:06:48] Speaker B: Oh, yeah, absolutely. It came from church. No doubt. That's the beginning and the end of the story. Um, yeah, I mean, I've been talking to. I've been speaking to camera as a way of, like, sharing messages and stuff again for almost 20 years. Like, that's a significant part of my life. And so that comfort is absolutely related to the fact that it's maybe some of the first kind of independent skills. And, like, me venturing out into the world, that was where it started for me. I mean, being homeschooled, the rumors are true. You're at home. You know what I mean? Like, you are at home. And the Internet was this kind of world that I could step into and show up in, and it was cool to be accepted as me. It was cool to be. To have people just to interact and make friends. I'll do a quick aside, and I'll come back to your actual question there, uh, was this guy on YouTube. His name is Zakaya, and he is from South Africa. He was on YouTube back in 2006, 2007, teaching people Xhosa, which is, like, kind of a south african language. I see you have Nelson Mandela on your wall. Um, he would teach people this language online. I watched his videos and I comment, like, oh, this is cool, whatever. And he would come watch my videos and comment on my videos. We became friends to the point where maybe the audience will think this is weird. But Simone and I, my wife and I, we went out to South Africa recently on an anniversary trip. And I'm like, I'm in South Africa. Let me see what Kaia's up to. I hit up Kai. I meet this person who now I've known again, almost like 17 years of my life from the Internet. Um, and he's really, really cool. He's best friends with Trevor Noah and just this really kind of, like, interesting marketing guy in South Africa. But it's amazing how the world became so small for me. It went from being this really big, kind of distant thing to being this very small and present thing with me because of my time being able to kind of create online. Um, but church was always a part of that. How to use a microphone, how to speak in a way where people can understand you, how to tell stories from the front, in a way where the entire audience is able to kind of, like, latch on to what you're trying to communicate. These aren't easy things, and we all know it's not easy, which is why we have a fear of public speaking. Right. But being able to do it so much in church unlocked so many of those things. [00:09:12] Speaker A: Cool, cool. Well, let's go to some of the path. You referenced it in terms of what your early profession was, but I want to go during that period of your life where you're exploring your interests to money, when was the first time that you were made aware of the existence of money, the importance of money? When was the first time it came across your desk, in terms of being aware that this thing is important? [00:09:38] Speaker B: This is a good question. I think it was. I mean, when I was younger, um, I mean, again, we would go to church all the time, and I would sell cookies at church. Um, two for a dollar peanut butter cookies. And I really. I really, like, I made, like, good money, in my opinion. I mean, I'm 1011, maybe. I'm making these peanut butter cookies, um, vegan peanut butter cookies, and people loved them. Um, and so when I have 50, $60, and I can kind of, like, buy something for my friend, this girl I like, and I can buy something for myself. I'm like, wow. Like, I can really kind of, like, this works. This is good. This is really good. So I say that's probably the first time I really became aware of money. But I'd say, brinton, there are layers to that. Um, you know, and I'm sure those listening know that every state, when you make your 1st $100, you realize, like, this is good, but, like, there's a. Then you make $1,000. Like, this is good, but there's $2,000. And so there's this new level of realization around money and what it can, you know, facilitate and what it can't. And so I say that I'm still learning about money and how that interacts with my life and what money's value truly is. [00:11:13] Speaker A: It's crazy because, uh, I'm not a person who believes that money equals happiness, but it certainly equals more choices. So it's like, the more cookies you sell, the better thing you can buy for that girl you like. You know, you get out there and you realize, I sold 25 cookies today. If I could sell 50 next week, I'm gonna look a little bit better when we go on that date. [00:11:34] Speaker B: Right? [00:11:35] Speaker A: So, those. Even at, uh, a base level, it's funny with our six year old, we are still trying to get them to understand the concept of, you know, daddy and mommy, we sit in front of this computer, and it's not because, like, we just, like, don't want to watch this movie with you or we don't want to go to the playground. There's a reason that we have to do all this. And it's funny trying to get him to understand, even at that age, you know, there is a consequence to what you're doing for money and what you're chosen to do for money. And, like, there's just everything around that consequence that you have to be accepting of. Uh, right. Like, some of the choices that you make, even if you're pursuing a passion, it doesn't necessarily always mean that the consequences. A certain amount of money. [00:12:25] Speaker B: Yep. Yep, you're right. Um, in fact, sometimes it. It's asymmetrical, and that's. That's the kind of, like, next level of lessons I'm sure he will learn. [00:12:37] Speaker A: Well, let's get into that asymmetry, because you went to college, and you mentioned that you went to seminary. So, to me, uh, at least in our religion, choosing to be a minister is a part of that asymmetry. So describe your interest in being a minister. Describe what your initial intentions were. How did that come about? [00:13:02] Speaker B: Yeah, so I think it's a few things. Like, I have this kind of joke, and I've never said this on a recording, so who, you know, I guess it's out there now or will be. But I have this joke that, like, you know, for a lot of ministers, I always ask, like, what. What childhood trauma made you want to be a pastor? Um, you know, and that's not to disparage anyone. I hope people take it in the spirit that it's given. It's just a joke. But I do think that, like, I grew up in a really, really conservative environment. I mean, I mentioned being homeschooled. That was born out of a certain brand of adventist conservatism, um, specifically. And I went off to college, and I felt like I encountered the gospel as a young man, as a young adulthood for the first time, in many respects. And it was transformative, it was powerful for me. It was liberating, and I really wanted to share that. That was certainly an undercurrent in my desire and ultimately my call to go off to seminary and become a minister. I think above that, though, is just a real desire to help people. I saw it as a way to help, which is not uncommon for, I think, black men. It's a place where black men are often given the space to be nurturers and to help. There are some other things happening, but there's a desire, and I think all people to contribute and to make the lives of others better. And the church is a place where that is possible, I believe, for everyone. But it's one of the few places where black men are celebrated for being that way. And so I think about that a lot as well. And so I wanted to help. And on my campus, um, I was able to help people through the campus ministries office and as a chaplain, I mean, we started things and helped people. Really, truly, we made an impact. And I was invited to come back after I graduated and serve as a chaplain at my alma mater, at my undergraduate institution. And again, it was just more of that ability to help people through moments, accomplish things, provide spaces for people, to connect. And I just wanted to continue to do that. And so going off to seminary made a lot of sense, and I. Seminary, you know, those three years were some of the most important years of my life. I learned so much about myself and grew in ways that I think, um, I'm still kind of, like, living out some of those commitments that I was able to make in seminary. And then ultimately going off to be a pastor for about four years in a church was, again, a powerful and important experience, um, in my life. And a lot of being a pastor is really being there for people. I mean, you can, you have to run all the kind of, you know, logistics, operations, things, of course, in your church and be a part of that. But when someone has lost a loved one, it isn't really about whether or not the service went smoothly the week before. It's about your ability to be present with them and to provide for any of the needs that you can kind of help provide for using the resources that you have. And so that was a lot of that decision and a lot of what kind of motivated that decision. [00:16:21] Speaker A: This is the new Money New Problems podcast, a show for successful professionals searching for the tools they need to navigate financial opportunities and obstacles they've never seen. We'll be right back. M, are you wondering what new money problems you might be overlooking in your financial life? If so, we've got great news. We've crafted the new money new problems gap finder to identify potential weaknesses in your finances in areas ranging from budgeting, investments, insurance, and. And even the threat your extended family's finances could pose to your household. Please head to newmoneynewproblems.com gapfinder to complete it today. Again, that's newmoneynewproblems.com gapfinder. To take the assessment, you're listening to the new money new problems podcast. Subscribe now at new moneynewproblems.com. welcome back. Well, at some point on that journey, and I don't know, because we have not had this conversation, if it was gradual, if it was abrupt, but there's a shift, uh, you're still doing ministry in a different way, but there's a shift out of pastoral ministry. Describe that shift for me. [00:17:47] Speaker B: Um, a few things. I mean, you know, I felt that there were certain things I wanted to do in the world that I did not feel that the church was necessarily calibrated for. One thing about living in DC, you will kind of, you know, I've always been interested in politics, but, like, you'll become kind of really politically kind of aware. And there's certain things I just didn't feel comfortable commenting on, knowing that I'm pastoring people across the political spectrum. Right. I didn't feel comfortable kind of like, you know, I wanted to talk about justice issues, but the truth is, I would get pushback in certain ways that I thought was, um, a bit limiting and maybe unfair. And so these kind of, like, it sent me into this kind of time of really talking to God and talking to my wife about, like, what is the next phase, and how is it that we can bring all of these kind of interests together? And I felt ultimately, that I could kind of go online again. Right. I could talk about all of these things. I make videos to this day that are certainly talking about faith and talking about scripture and how to live the best life. I talk about the history that I've always been interested in. I talk about politics and what's happening in our world. And so I felt that in many ways, like, I felt this call to ministry before and in so many ways, and I could get into the details, but I won't. I felt this call to do this kind of next phase, um, in many regards. You know, people think of when you leave pastoral ministry that you've left the ministry. But I think what scripture kind of reveals is that there is a calling that God say calls Moses or Abraham to, and it looks different at different phases in their life. Like, it's not always part the red sea. It's not always lead a, you know, bunch of people through the desert or through the wilderness. Sometimes it's. Sometimes it's leadership. Right? Like, sometimes it's counseling. Sometimes it's very private and. But it's a call to be a certain type of person, and that's the type of person that I try to show up. Uh, right. As what I know at this stage that didn't exactly know when I was leaving pastoral ministry is that I would always be Pastor Garrison to someone. Like, no matter what, right. Like, no matter where I go or what I do, I might be in airport or walking down the street and someone will say, Pastor Hayes. And I'm like, oh, who is that? Is that me? I guess that's me forever now. Right. And so, um, the burden of being a minister and showing up in that way does not ever really leave. Um, and I think that's a good thing. And it certainly informs again the way I show up online and the way I use my voice. [00:20:46] Speaker A: So you come to that crucial decision, and now money comes back into the picture, at least for me, because being an adventist minister is by no means a path to, like, wealth and riches, but it is. It is a dependable paycheck. [00:21:03] Speaker B: Right, right. [00:21:04] Speaker A: There is at least an every two weeks element to it. Now you're deciding, I'm going to leave that relative level of comfort, and I'm going to kind of make my own path. What does that look like? Was there any fear involved in that journey? Did you have it all mapped out? Describe that thought process to me. [00:21:27] Speaker B: I can't say that I had it all mapped out, but I did have thoughts. I had, I had it in, I had in my mind that it was possible. And I kind of saw a few pathways to kind of get to kind of the baseline numbers I need. Okay, what do I need to, like, cover my car note? What do I need to have a cell phone? What do I need to be able to contribute to the bills? Right? Like, how can we, how can I help to keep a roof over our head? Right? Like, these are thoughts, and so, so that's the number that I need. How can I get there? I think I saw some pathways to get there and, well, tell me, tell. [00:21:59] Speaker A: Me some of those pathways, because to me, in entrepreneurship, one of the things that people often struggle with is the. The decision of, uh, do I do entrepreneurship full time or do I keep something on the side while I'm pursuing entrepreneurship? And I regularly see a lack of planning. [00:22:20] Speaker B: Right. [00:22:21] Speaker A: I'm just, oh, I'll have so much more time to work on my business if I just quit. And it's like, well, I surely hope that you have, like, some contracts lined up because you can't figure out some way in the next 30 days to pay your rent. What are we going to do? So tell me some of those potential pathways. [00:22:38] Speaker B: Yeah, I'm glad you're pushing me on this. Okay, so I'll say this. I did not just, like, up and quit my job and, like, like, have nothing whatsoever. Like, I left the ministry, and I started as a, um, family engagement, diversity, ah, engagement manager for a network of charter schools. You know, schools are great because they're always high rank. Um, and so I worked in that four year. In many, in many ways, that was just kind of like keeping a steady paycheck. It was also a job that when I was off, I was off, um, going from pastoral ministry, where you're on all the time. You could be on at 01:00 a.m. at 01:00 p.m. you're always on, like, at any moment, something could happen, and there are meetings all the time. So I didn't have m much separation between my work life, my official w two work life, and the online video creation that I was doing suddenly after leaving, and I started this job that was more or less just a job. I had separation. My bills were able to be paid from this w two job. And then I was able to kind of do that idea of, you know, nine to five, and then five to nine, that five to nine was, was time for. For my business that I was building as, as a creator. And I was also starting a video agency. And so this is working with corporate clients and that kind of thing. And so, in many respects, like, that was my kind of initial step toward kind of full time entrepreneurship, was kind of finding a little stopgap of, like, a job that I could do and do well and show up for, but would not bleed over into my evening or into my weekend or into my quote, unquote free time. Um, and so that was a really important part of it. Um, I also had, you know, I started making videos again online in January of 2021. And so I had about. By the time I went full time, which was summer, um, it was actually November 2022. So by the time I went full time and making videos online, and I had a year, almost two years, of kind of understanding what the ebbs and flow like, I make videos, videos around black history and politics. And so I know February is going to be a really big month for me. Like, I'm going to have a great month in February, financially. Um, juneteenth is now a holiday, so I know I'm going to do my thing in June. June is going to be a pretty good month for me. Um, how can I kind of, what can I do to supplement what does money look like in March, April, May, or in July through December? And so I had some time, two cycles, more or less, to know what my financial picture looked like for the year. Now, I wasn't relying on that income, but I was able to kind of, like, look at it and project to say, okay, I think I can make this much at this time. This much at this time. So how can I make up the rest of what I need to cover my bills in between? Do I think I can do that? Yes, I think I can do that. And here are the ways I can pursue this client or already had this opportunity, you know, from before, and it pays about this much. And so, like, I think the lesson here, without continuing to ramble a bit, uh, I think the lesson is that I was able to look over a couple of years at what my financials look like and say, I can use that as projection for what things will come my way in the future. And as such, I can feel comfortable taking this leap into entrepreneurship. [00:26:34] Speaker A: Understood. When you start making those videos again, what's the first one where maybe the videos before that had reached a certain level of viewership, but this one just exploded. What was that first video? [00:26:51] Speaker B: You know, it's crazy. It was my first video. My, um, first video that I made when I started back was, um, about books. It was like, doctor Phil was like, what books are you reading? And I did, like, a stitch on TikTok where, like, I allowed that to be the front, and then I. And I think it got a, like 20,000 views. Okay, now, that's not like a ton, but signal to me, like, oh, shoot, that's a lot for me. I haven't made a video with 20,000 views ever. Right? Like, uh, I was shocked. And so that was kind of the initial moment that, oh, wow, this is like, I can kind of, like, reach people. And so I kept making videos and buy three or four weeks in, I had my first million view video, and then a few weeks after that, I had a 2 million view video. And so, and in between, um, I'm doing videos that are making three, you know, that are doing 300 and 400,000 views. And so that kind of, like, signaled that, oh, this is like a real way to get a message to folks. And something that I'm doing specifically is connecting where hundreds of thousands of people want to see what I have to say or are tuning in or are continuing to watch a video when I'm kind of giving. Offering something. Ah, so that was kind of the initial thing. [00:28:20] Speaker A: So your first video, and everything's relative, takes off within the first couple of months. You have videos in the millions. And I am pushing you on this because it is very hard. What you're doing is exceedingly rare, and that is making consistent income as a creator. Right? And to me, you said yourself, there's like a year and nine months between when you start and when you decide to do it full time, even though in that first quarter, you have videos with millions and millions of views. So what was it when you get to the fall of 2022 that had happened in those previous few months where you're saying, I have now taken this from a lot of eyes to something that's actually profitable? [00:29:11] Speaker B: I will say one of the reasons why a lot of people want to be full time content creators, at one point, that was like, the number one thing that kids wanted to be was like, I want to be a youtuber. Right? That's what they were saying. Instead of being firefighters and astronauts, they wanted to be YouTubers, which is crazy. And so a lot of people want to be online video content creators whatever the case may be, influencers. And I tell people all the time, keep your day job as long as possible. Like, as long as possible. In fact, it's better because eventually, this will be your job. Eventually making videos, or whatever the case may be, being an influencer, being a content creator, will be your job. And contrary to popular belief, it will feel like a job. It will become a job. And you want to stave that off, like, for as long as possible. Let it be fun. What I tell people all the time is part of the reason why I created the video agency Kindred media, where we make video content for our corporate clients. Part of the reason why I did that was that I never wanted my creative work to carry the burden of having to pay my bills, in part because it takes something away from your creativity, it takes something away from the light. Kind of like fun of it all when you're like, man, this video's gotta do numbers. It's gotta go up, because if it doesn't, this client, this brand, isn't happy. And I might not be able, I might not have enough money in two months. They might not want to work with me again. It's too much pressure. You're not able to do your best light free kind of like artistic work, in my opinion, with that pressure. And so I tell people all the time, keep your day job, not as an insult, but as like insulation, uh, against all of that pressure. [00:31:09] Speaker A: One of the areas where I wonder if that crosses over is the fact that you also, with what you do in terms of the videos that you create, you have the freedom to create videos on the, uh, whatever you're passionate about, even if it rubs someone else the wrong way? Do you think that part of that insulation is also saying, if I don't depend on this, then there no longer I don't have to worry about there being any pressure on what I can and cannot say. [00:31:37] Speaker B: Yeah, that's also very important. I mean, we've seen that a lot recently in the last several. In the last year or so, where there are different conflicts happening in the world from China and Ukraine and everywhere, anywhere else. Right? Like, fill in the blank where people feel like, man, I can't say anything because then I will lose an opportunity, or I can't necessarily approach this in a way that feels truthful and authentic and without losing, you know, that's definitely there. Um, you know, I was, I did something, you know, with a specific campaign years ago, and, um, actually, I'll tell this story. I brought in a speaker, virtually to talk about a really relevant social issue in my church. Um, and people were so upset, they called my employer. They call all kinds of, like. And people were making videos online, like, castigating me, and it felt scary to be like, oh, my goodness, I did this thing, and now my employment is tied up in the controversy. That's crazy. Yeah. Again, to your point about. Well, again, that's insulation. If you can. If you can, like, kind of keep that independence as much as possible. I mean, it's invaluable. [00:32:59] Speaker A: Yeah. Well, this isn't my money story, so I do want to ask, as you went from w two, employment taxes taken out of your check, benefits taken out of your check, to at some times, I have a little bit of w two, a little bit of 1099. At sometimes I'm all 1099. How difficult was that to navigate in terms of, like, making your financial literacy catch up to the moment? [00:33:28] Speaker B: Yeah, one of the interesting things, Brenton, and you probably know this, I'm sure you work with pastors, uh, in adventism. Um, but there are some interesting. There's some kind of, like, specific things around taxes for pastors. And so I was kind of used to, like, needing to take a little bit of, like, my money and set it aside for taxes. And so I had. I had, you know, I was getting maybe more than what was taxed. I was kind of used to that. And so I, uh, always kind of lived underneath, under my means kind of vibe. And, like, so I was able to kind of do that fairly easily. As. As you make more money and your business becomes a bit more complicated, that's where, for me, it, like, stepped into the realm of confusion. Confusion. Like, I don't know what's going on here. I got to do a lot more research. I need to ask for help. And, of course, that's where financial advisors come in, and those folks, you've been an incredible help to me in that regard. And so I think there's some of the elements, some things I was used to and some things I was certainly not used to, and that level of complexity is a part of that. [00:34:42] Speaker A: Well, your career has. Has come full circle, and we're starting to wrap up. You said that you started just from your genuine interest, making videos, uh, learning about history, trying to remember the facts that you were hearing about. Now, that is your profession. And we also talked about your first instances or recognizing the importance of money. And I always tell people, the majority of your thoughts and feelings and attitudes about money are fully formed before you're a teenager. So I will ask you this, there is something that you brought from childhood in terms of your thoughts about money that is actually negative. It's not serving you very well, right? Like, hey, this is a part of my personality, and unfortunately, I have to combat this in order to be my best financial self. What do you think you brought from childhood that at sometimes can hamper you? [00:35:35] Speaker B: Oh, you know, I hadn't thought about this before, but as soon as you said it, it immediately sparked in my mind. Growing up, I loved to see a stack of my money. I just liked to see it. I like to see that I was stacking up those twenties or maybe eventually hundreds or whatever the case may be, but I always kept money aside in my own. You know, I had a bank account, and I like to be able to look at the number in the bank account. Um, I think as, as you make more money, you realize that your money is supposed to work for you. That doesn't necessarily mean that it's making more money all the time. Sometimes it really is an expense in that it is working to save you time. And that's definitely the thing. Um, I have really been working on that mindset of, how do I get this money out of my savings or out of my account and into the world so that it can work for me. And I certainly wanted to make more money for me, of course, but how do I also kind of unburden myself from the feeling that, like, it's a waste of money to have someone do your laundry, or it's a waste of money to have someone do x y thing for you? Um, I think that's important. And I'm still working on, you know, this, I'm working on that. [00:36:57] Speaker A: Well, you know, the flip side of that is there's a part of what you brought from childhood that serves you well. This is something that is now a part of your DNA. Uh, how you think about money, how you earn money, where it's like, man, if I didn't have that, I couldn't have achieved all the things that I have. What do you think that is for you? [00:37:16] Speaker B: I think it's the. I think I've always been an entrepreneur. I've always kind of known that, like, you need multiple ways to kind of, like, make a little something. So I would make cookies for the church. Um, I would cut lawns in my. In my neighborhood. I was the janitor for my church. I go clean up the church after everything. I get my dad to take me, and then I go clean up the church. And so I've always known that you kind of got to, like, have your hand and, you know, a little bit of this, a little bit of that, and kind of, um, you know, hustling, whatever, you know, I don't love the term. It's a little overused, but definitely think that's a part of what I just maybe developed and certainly what was instilled in me from my family. My dad had his w two job at Lowe's, where he was a commercial salesman, um, for many of the construction and projects across the city of Atlanta. Um, but he also had his own roofing company. He was also a general contractor. And so, and we would kind of, like, buy, um, burned out houses, you know, or foreclosed homes, and they flipped him, and my mom would flip them. And so there was always this kind of like, you know, all right, let's get the work done here. Let's find ways to kind of make some money and do what's responsible with it. That was always there. Um, and so I definitely think I bring that from my childhood, and I'm grateful for that. Um, because much of being an entrepreneur, and especially as a creative entrepreneur, so much of it is having a few projects going at the same time. Um, and if you aren't necessarily able, as a creative, to navigate that, it probably is best that you work for an agency or that you find kind of a traditional employment kind, ah, of job. Um, and that's not shade. That's just like some creatives do their best work in structured environments where every day is a bit predictable. As an entrepreneur, and especially as a creative entrepreneur, there is so much that is not, is incredibly unpredictable at times. And you're certainly working on multiple creative projects, um, at the same time. And so being able to code switch between the janitorial work of this project and the cookie baking work of that project and the lawn care work of this project is really, really important, powerful, and informative stuff. [00:39:42] Speaker A: Well, you know, I've greatly enjoyed this, and I've enjoyed, uh, the journey of us getting to know each other better and just hearing your insights. So I am extremely appreciative of you joining and sharing your money story. And now, I know this type of stuff might make you a little uncomfortable, but I would love if you could just tell us all the ways that we can find you and support you. [00:40:03] Speaker B: No, first of all, thank you for having me. And, uh, you're right, it's been a real joy to get to know you, and, um, I hope the listeners know your sense of humor as well. This guy's hilarious. And so you may not get that on the podcast, but hopefully you're following him everywhere else so that you can kind of get a little piece of that. Um, okay. Places where they can find me. I'm I'm Garrison Hayes everywhere. Um, but the exact tag changes. So, on YouTube at Garrison Hayes. On TikTok at Garrison Hayes, on Twitter at Garrison, underscore Hayes. Uh, why. Why do I have to. You know, I hate that on Instagram at Garrison H. Oh. Uh, it's unfortunate, but on all of those platforms, you can click the link in my bio and find links to everything else. [00:40:51] Speaker A: Well, y'all heard it straight from him. Uh, you are probably already following him, but if you are somehow not, go follow him wherever you can, uh, because the stuff that he shares is powerful. Garrison, thank you for being a guest on the new money new Problems podcast. [00:41:05] Speaker B: Thanks for having me. [00:41:11] Speaker A: From new money new problems. This was the new Money New Problems podcast, a show for successful professionals searching for the tools they need to navigate financial opportunities and obstacles they've never seen.