095: The Rise of Veekle: Jamaica's Latest Peer-to-Peer Car Rental Platform | Cherie Williams

[00:00:00] For me I always try to find from the guests inspiration or just for them to share the struggles that they went through because I always want part of the podcast to be a learning experience for those who are aspiring to be where we are to and that's what I think.

[00:00:30] This was nice, this was cool. They must listen to you afterwards and say you know what I did under this thing as I go and do it for me the podcast we should be changing minds.

[00:00:39] Exactly.

[00:00:40] Inspiring.

[00:00:41] For the podcast we're Kevin Studios. Welcome to another episode of The Value, the language of business for those of you seeking to build and invest in companies that are scalable and highly valuable.

[00:01:03] I am your host Kevin Valley.

[00:01:05] I am your host Kevin Valley.

[00:01:10] I am your host Kevin Valley.

[00:01:12] I am the founder and managing director of Kevin Valley, Consellsing.

[00:01:15] Today I am joined by Jefran Valley who's been to become like a recurring co-host on this show.

[00:01:23] Jefran how are you doing today sir?

[00:01:25] I'm good. Let's give it up for my five mile run before the podcast so make sure I'm already on anchor.

[00:01:32] So you're running five miles and it's shaving clean. What's happening here? You're scratching up Jason.

[00:01:37] Yeah, yeah.

[00:01:39] All right and of course you know Jason was our featured guest on episode 58 Jason is an entrepreneur who focuses on the intersection of technology and business transmission and business development.

[00:01:50] Today we are seeking a boat online car rental.

[00:01:56] I hope that's a fair to use for it. All guests today is Sherry Williams, Jamaica National Living in United States who found a gap in the car rental market in the Caribbean to make a speciality.

[00:02:12] And if you sign into it, make a $1 billion US market opportunity all to that car. Sherry how are you today?

[00:02:21] I'm fine. Thank you so much for having me Kevin and Jason.

[00:02:24] I look forward to having the conversation today with you guys.

[00:02:27] So let me know what you want to find out and I will just do everything.

[00:02:32] Everything. It would be whole thing. Just let's get ready. Get yourself a drink. Relax because we want to talk about your entire life today.

[00:02:39] I'm joking. I'm joking.

[00:02:41] There's no one billion that all opportunities.

[00:02:44] No, that's the goal. That's the goal she's been she's billion but the funny thing is right in market size in the US right now is already 42 billion.

[00:02:52] And it's expected to grow by just over 2.5% opening next five years. So that's in the US.

[00:02:59] If you look at the region, I mean it might be a small and I'm not right now.

[00:03:03] But if you really grow the awareness and then you look at the appetite of the diaspora and tourists who want to travel to the Caribbean to do business or for leisure what have you?

[00:03:13] The one that depends on the day.

[00:03:15] Exactly and they don't necessarily want to rely on the existing providers where you go on stand up and wait three hours and so but Sherry will tell us that story.

[00:03:23] If I was to look at a short film that captured I guess the highlights of your life up until this point that got you that got you in the seat right here to talk about your business.

[00:03:41] What would I be looking at?

[00:03:43] Oh gosh, a very long film.

[00:03:48] So I was born and raised in King Panjamaica. That's where most of my school into place. So I went to school from primary to high school finished high school in Jamaica.

[00:03:58] And then I migrated immediately after high school to New Jersey.

[00:04:03] So while I'm in New Jersey, I started college. Right so into Montclair State University. So I started college in Montclair and then finished up Montclair with the bachelor's in a continent and then proceeded to get my master's in finance in between getting my bachelor's and master's.

[00:04:26] I had two children.

[00:04:30] At that time but obviously you know still went on to get my master's in finance and then after that, I started working at Prudential so Prudential is an insurance company.

[00:04:45] I started a very sizable insurance company, don't turn in the city that I worked. Don't turn into the elephant. So in Newark, yeah. So started at Prudential as a junior or a condenser and then worked my way up during that time frame of working in corporate.

[00:05:04] I started my own company. So as my background is in a continent and I love the tax.

[00:05:12] That is one thing I hate very good.

[00:05:18] I started my tax firm back in 2009. The current name is firm 1040 so I was doing that while working full time. So you know, you know how I was carrying people up there like a side hustle mentality.

[00:05:33] So that was kind of like my side hustle something I loved I enjoyed. I want to say a couple years down the road, I had a third child.

[00:05:44] But I had a child back in 2010 so at that point in time I was fully working two jobs. So I have three kids at that time and at the same time I started studying for my CPA.

[00:05:55] So the very same year that I had my third child actually sat for the CPA exam.

[00:06:01] Wow. Yes, I was honestly six days from my due date when I sat for the first exam.

[00:06:07] You were in the bathroom, I break was something.

[00:06:09] I was there was I think the instructor was more nervous than I was.

[00:06:15] And that was actually that's considered the hardest CPA exam far so it's a financial one.

[00:06:21] So I took that six days before and I passed on my first try.

[00:06:25] And then while I was all time attorney to leave, I studied for the other three parts.

[00:06:32] Wow.

[00:06:33] So I passed two on the first try and then I think my fourth one, I probably was too tired.

[00:06:40] So I feel that one which was audit and then I passed that one on my second try which is all within that same year.

[00:06:48] So that might CPA license in officially in 2011, which was a big boost for my company as well as my professional career.

[00:06:58] That was good. So then I continued working two jobs with three kids and in 2018, I will come a fourth child.

[00:07:09] So Kevin is like what?

[00:07:13] Oh, yes, yes, yes.

[00:07:16] Yeah, four more than me.

[00:07:20] And so no, at this point that was 2018. So no four kids working my corporate position and still know fully fully and charged into my company because that has been growing right over the years.

[00:07:34] So the goal was to leave my corporate position and do this full time.

[00:07:40] So I made a bet to myself. I said, you know what? 2020 is going to be my last year in corporate.

[00:07:46] I can't do it anymore. It's either either losing sleep, I'm tired.

[00:07:51] So I made that bet. So in 2020, I actually left corporate which was good timing and that's going to lead into weakland when that starts in the last stop.

[00:08:01] So I ended up leaving corporate. So in between 2018 and 2020, that's when the whole concept of vehicle came up with right which you already know is out of my own frustration of trying to find.

[00:08:16] We know we know we don't know if the podcast will notice.

[00:08:19] But before you jump into that, I just want to say that you and I have something in common because you know what?

[00:08:25] My last day in corporate before jumping into my evaluation business full time and all my other entrepreneur pursuits.

[00:08:32] My last day in corporate was February 29th, 2020.

[00:08:37] Wow. And my was February 19th, 2020.

[00:08:41] Okay. Okay. All right.

[00:08:43] That's it.

[00:08:45] So then so for you a month later and for me two weeks after that, boom.

[00:08:50] Everybody else is home working on the differences they they're they're still collecting their salaries.

[00:08:57] Yeah. I feel I feel the time just a little off in them because it's a little bit differently.

[00:09:03] If I had to drop on China and what was going on? I would have probably say no problem. It's coming.

[00:09:09] I would have. But yes, so please get get get into the story of all right.

[00:09:14] So how how vehicle started up right? So your concerns you love taxis some reason.

[00:09:19] You run any business for all of these years and you have four kids but you're not busy enough so continue.

[00:09:29] So all right. So between between 2018 and 2020s when the whole concept of vehicle came around for all my entire life, I have a passion of helping people of kids and I love helping the locals right.

[00:09:45] So whenever I would travel home, I'd always rent cars from them to make sure that I'm supporting the local economy. Right.

[00:09:50] So I always rented cars from locals. However, in 2019, I could not find someone to rent a car from and so I went to the airport which I never do to rent a car and it was my worst nightmare.

[00:10:06] I was traveling with my kids and I had to spend three hours at your port in the night waiting for a car. Right.

[00:10:16] And so that's when it kind of clicked for me is I need a better way to rent a car. I liked from locals when I want to write on demand.

[00:10:26] And so that's how the concept of vehicle came about. I was super excited, you know, I thought I was so brilliant. I'm like yes, I have not seen anyone do this before anywhere.

[00:10:38] You know, I was like yes man. Oh yes, I'm such a brilliant person to come up with this idea. But then I started doing research right and then I was like okay.

[00:10:48] So there's somebody doing it already in America. There's two row. There's a whole bunch of companies trying to do similar concepts.

[00:10:58] And I said that didn't determine there wasn't really anyone doing it in the Caribbean space. So I was like all right, maybe we'll be the first.

[00:11:06] So I did extensive research so at this time no, I was on another maternity leave and I took the time to really research like all the Caribbean islands.

[00:11:19] I actually like pulled on their tourism reports and I studied them and I put them in an Excel file and I know who was coming and where they coming from.

[00:11:29] So I have a whole slew of market information that I researched before I said you know what this is a war, you know, let's see what can happen here. So I did that first.

[00:11:41] And then I spoke to my brother about is it and he introduced me to someone by the name of Justin Henzo. She is one of the very well known in Jamaica.

[00:11:51] So I pitched the idea as a her and she was like oh my gosh, you such a good idea. So she put me onto my insurance broker who didn't put me onto the actual insurance company that I would initially work with at first.

[00:12:02] So everything was kind of like feeling like it was coming together and you know I had an MVP platform. So a very basic platform, nothing that I spend too much money on.

[00:12:12] Very basic platform that can do the car renting transaction for me and we say okay great. We're going to put this out to the market in February of 2020.

[00:12:25] So February of 2020 came around.

[00:12:30] You're laughing and you're already going around with this. Nobody's softening. Not yours.

[00:12:35] Pressure.

[00:12:36] February of 2020 came around we did the official launch. I can still find it online if you search on or initially was rent your right to rent your right.

[00:12:46] So if you search rent your right to 2020 February 2027 is when we did the official launch.

[00:12:53] That was two weeks before the pandemic.

[00:12:59] So as you can imagine, we were pretty excited when February 2027 came about you know it was like full excitement and we did our Facebook live and everything was just full of excitement.

[00:13:12] And then the news about COVID came about and everyone was like okay we have to lock down the place on everywhere.

[00:13:19] Shokdown and I was like what is going on right this is fully a tourism business right that's the industry that we're in.

[00:13:29] And I'm like this is not good and oh my gosh it was I was devastated. I was confused. I was very emotional.

[00:13:37] Very emotional was going through everybody at that time right. I said this is something I really believe in.

[00:13:44] It's something that can work and let's just see how the market responds even during COVID right.

[00:13:53] So the market responds to the concepts and having a platform that they can actually list their car on and vice versa.

[00:14:02] Travelers coming down would be able to easily rent a car.

[00:14:06] So we put it out there and we were surprised the feedback was really good.

[00:14:11] People even started to give us feedback on the platform itself like you know saying or maybe you should do this this way or what about that.

[00:14:19] It was really good. We did a couple of Facebook live and we did Instagram so it was really good positive feedback.

[00:14:28] We had some sign ups, we had some transactions on the platform as well.

[00:14:33] So at that point in time we knew that the concept would work can work and people are interested which is what I really wanted to get all done later even if nothing else was going on right because eventually COVID is going to die down.

[00:14:48] And things would pick back up. The biggest thing that we found out though is that the insurance arrangement that we had was what people wanted initially we started out with the people having to switch their current provider and pay for a full year of insurance with insurance provider so nobody wanted to do that.

[00:15:10] And so I think that kind of hindered us in terms of growth and having people come on board even after COVID started to like that on a little bit.

[00:15:20] You found that people just are not interested in doing that so it's alright fine let's circle back on the insurance component because we know that this is something that people want to do.

[00:15:31] Let's see what appetites is over there from the insurance sector to see if any other players in the market would be interested in coming on board with us and building with us.

[00:15:41] So unfortunately that's still where we're at right now is working out that arrangement I would say it's definitely been a strong negotiating.

[00:15:51] I don't know if anybody have ever worked with insurance companies are just companies in general in Jamaica things move very slow.

[00:15:58] I was talking insurance companies will they.

[00:16:03] Yeah so things move very slow and it has to go through the change and you know the different divisions and the different sign-offs and approvals that have to take place

[00:16:13] and it's not just operational aspect but then you have the premium side of it, you have the legal side of it.

[00:16:19] So it's a whole gamut of things that need to take place so that's still where we're at.

[00:16:24] I would say the appetite is still there for the insurance company so they're still very excited and interested it's just kind of maneuvering around the bureaucracy and you know we need to take place in order to have this finalized.

[00:16:39] So that's where we're at right now and I'll talk a little bit more about hold the platform works and on board and all of that stuff.

[00:16:46] Yeah one question I have you mentioned that you in launching the MVP why did you go that route just to an MVP what is MVP what did you do on as compared to what you would like to do in 2020 MPP.

[00:17:02] Yeah sure so MVP just stands for minimum viable products right so as a start of company you're not looking to waste money or spend money on something that might not work.

[00:17:13] So you create a minimum viable product that you take to the market to basically gauge you see if this is something that would be interested for them and so that's what we did because I have four kids.

[00:17:26] I can be spending money like I'm crazy so the MVP model was the way to go to really see if individuals were interested in this concept before we actually put more dollars around building up something that's more suitable.

[00:17:44] So are there more features more bells on the soul.

[00:17:47] Yeah just improving initial core concept but what I think you know you kind of skip pass but I really want to upload is the fact that you your last year was February 19th the MVP was launched February 27th.

[00:18:01] Oh then you were able to get well I mean maybe you were going to need a VP from ever since right but but when you look at that timeline when I wrote down those two notes i'm like wow like I wish I could leave my work my job one day next week I had to have a beer bottom try to do.

[00:18:16] Oh no no no no so remember I did I remember I started the research back in 2019 exactly.

[00:18:23] So at that point in time I was already working on the MVP so while I was working at my corporate position I was already working on the MVP so I put in a lot of hours I mean like crazy hours crazy.

[00:18:37] I like that short film.

[00:18:42] Talk to me about that because you're already busy right I wanted to talk to me about that first that flight to Jamaica landing in Jamaica really made you decide that you're going to do this right because.

[00:18:55] I think in this vein there are two types of people.

[00:18:58] People one one group of people and people who complain about the problem so God is take takes a long oh God you're so efficient oh God it's so backward next world people like okay how do I build something to fix this you know maybe there's a if all the people complain and maybe they'll be willing to pay for the solution so as busy as you will walk us through.

[00:19:17] Not only in possess but in methodology that you use to make sure that you are out there and yourself you know capture sanity and all these things so how did you how do you get that done.

[00:19:27] Well thank goodness I have a supportive family I can't complain with that's concern my husband is like he supports me and everything everything even if you think it's crazy.

[00:19:38] He supports me so I have a good support system my sister is also very supportive she is my chief marketing officer so she handles all the branding and stuff like that so I said I would say having a good supportive system is good that it was enabled me to have the time that I needed to know do the research network with people.

[00:20:02] People fly don't to Jamaica if I need to right so I would say that supported system was I think one of the best things I could ever ever ask for it was super helpful but in terms of otherwise from that I would say myself.

[00:20:19] In general I am a go get off I am a go get I am someone that says if I'm going to do this I'm going to do it there's no ifs there's no buts.

[00:20:31] I feel how to get it done I'm also a planner so I plan a lot so I write everything down I plan everything and I always make sure that I execute so I don't know if it's that mindset but it definitely helps a lot and you know having my business right so I have a small business and I've been running my small business and I started from scratch.

[00:20:59] Right my business so I didn't go out and buy like an H&R blocker Jackson, you it and I have everything laid out for me everything was built from scratch.

[00:21:10] So I started over with about six clients right in my basement in New Jersey and now I have over 700 clients and my business is doing well so I think just having that experience of building something from scratch and taking it from this level to that level also helps everything that I do.

[00:21:28] It helps everything that comes together.

[00:21:31] Sometimes you don't even know how to explain it what is like all the pieces and all the skillsets and the experience just culminates together and you just you just make it happen.

[00:21:45] Yeah, definitely think that prior business experience lent a lot of you know love to dig into that a little bit more but for someone to highlight something that you does subscribe right.

[00:21:55] You said your planner but also your go get the you're also executed a lot of people are either all right and I'll cut out a career beyond Godfather our billionaire Michael Lee Chen he always speaks about this framework called SE strategy execution and advocacy right so of course the strategies.

[00:22:14] Planning but I mean if you're planning and you're not going to execute.

[00:22:19] Faith and all work is that right so you you have to execute but then you have to be an advocate for what it is your execution around your definitely that's you know taking deep into what the problem is that some people know that hey there's there could be a better way and also based on where you're situated.

[00:22:35] You also have that access to the diasporic market who love you know I know you guys love to come to the Caribbean from time to time well I know you're always in the Caribbean you're not you're always there.

[00:22:50] So I think we ready to talk about the value proposition of your business right so you already know what is the problem you're solving.

[00:23:00] It's a walk us through.

[00:23:03] How your platform works now very speak about proof of concept I know you mentioned that two rows already existing in the market but I think two row itself is a proof of concept at least in a US because you look at their last years on your revenue last year revenue they meet seven or eight.

[00:23:19] Seven hundred and forty seven million dollars in revenue right so I mean that shows that you know that people paying for these things you know despite the ubers and everything that that's the existence.

[00:23:29] So how does or what vehicle the vehicle our that's work in our market was the was the step by step you use experience and I'll just mention something to you as well so.

[00:23:44] In the US right so we know the US is full of car regular traditional car rental companies and I think two row have to sell the concept quite a bit right because America and the developed countries aren't necessarily.

[00:24:02] Key into like the peer to peer current in right I think the curb in is different we've been doing it forever it's not new it's not new for us and so I think that enough itself just let's you know that okay this can work it's not new I don't have to sell the idea of a peer to peer rent in so to say.

[00:24:25] Right what I'm selling is the efficiency the safety aspect the affordability of the platform right so those are the things that we're selling so in a nutshell we're not selling the concept so to say it's already happening.

[00:24:41] Not selling that so the way vehicle works is similar to Airbnb right so if you're very used Airbnb it's similar to that but for cars so if you're a car owner and you're looking to make some additional money on your vehicle you would come on our platform you would list your vehicle on the platform so that when travelers are coming down to the islands they don't need to text friends and family anymore asking if they know of anyone that's renting they just simply jump on the app.

[00:25:11] So you can find that nice red beam of the that they always wanted to rent and they just rented easy as one two three and that's what we're selling right so that's the way it's going to work in terms of how the platform itself works first person foremost everything of member has to be verified so we have to verify your your license as well as face recognition so we have to make sure you are who you say you are that's the first thing.

[00:25:41] Because we know how it is sometimes there's scammers there's these things in the Caribbean that we have to be careful of.

[00:25:47] That's the first thing then after that if you wish to list your vehicle then you'll go through the listing process the listing process entails uploading you know your information so your fitness your registration insurance and all that stuff for us to review putting in all the basic information about your cars here make a model what does it take gas diesel all.

[00:26:11] Those specific details about your vehicle you'll be able to put a nice little header so you know red BMW whatever you want to put put a nice description so we can read it to see what it's about you'll be able to set your own pricing so we don't control the pricing so you have full control over what you're listening says and how much you charge right also you'll be able to add a cost to the end so if you're not living in Jamaica.

[00:26:41] Or any of the dial and that we go to if you're not living there and you're migrated or maybe you're just you know going away from on to our tool but you want to list your car you can actually list a cost to be on who will be in charge of your vehicle while you're away right so that's an option because we know a lot of people migrate and they still have the card you weren't able to sell it well here you can have make some money while you're you're not here right so.

[00:27:06] So listing all that information so once you have everything listed then you're able to submit it so that the admin can review it which is our team so we'll go through the documentation just to make sure everything looks good and the price in those look too crazy you know we don't want to under price or over price so we'll just look at everything and once everything looks good then we'll approve your listing to now be published so that people who are coming down can be able to rent it.

[00:27:36] So that's how it works in terms of compensation and commission the platform takes 10% from the car owner so you as a car owner would take home 90% of of your daily daily rate minus whatever insurance we will come up with at that point and then the traveler also pays 10% as well on their end so all in all we only make 20% commission and that's.

[00:28:06] And you know that's basically to run the platform to do the marketing because we'll be marketing to people who are coming down whether it's from the US UK Canada wherever these travelers are coming from will be marketing to them on your behalf the car owner so all of these fees would go into that.

[00:28:29] Jay have you ever used two ruins and I know you see yourself planning to make an rent in a red Ferrari it's in the highway of a tree.

[00:28:40] I don't know about our red Ferrari but maybe a Kia I'm a more Kia.

[00:28:45] You are a black Mbac kind of guy.

[00:28:48] A black Kia.

[00:28:49] A Kia.

[00:28:51] Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[00:28:52] I actually booked account through this week I guess just messing around with it to another and yeah I like the concept you know I know

[00:29:01] the sentiments you know Sherry express to regards the ticket forever because we had enough we had rented a car from couple weeks ago ruin in Buffalo so we tried to come from Buffalo down to New York I went to go to Niagara for the dollar drama and when we got hit a Buffalo man we spent like three hours with that line the airport it was a pain.

[00:29:30] We had a book and right it's not like we just pull up the airport and say hey guys have any club actually Bob.

[00:29:37] They would you did everything on your richly a port now is like okay it's three hours so I know with vehicle I expect with vehicle that you don't have that kind of hassle you know it's like hey I'm coming to the car at 10 o'clock the car will be there at 10 o'clock because that it was really happy and because now we got in the Buffalo like five o'clock by time you see that three o'clock is either clock or night.

[00:29:59] So you know it's not really a run all that time because you want to go check in your hotel, freshen up good go get something I guess I'm going to just hang out to a loss that precious time and you only there we only there like overnight right so I can feel the value this definitely city value I think is excellent.

[00:30:15] Exactly and I'm glad you mentioned the car because I find that when people run from the traditional car rental companies you don't necessarily get a picker which car you're going to drive.

[00:30:28] You get to see that part is left on the lot of times it might not be something that you really want to drive so just having the opportunity to pick what you want the driver right.

[00:30:44] You always just hoping for the best you know you know what you're going to get it's like SUV okay and you just hope to see what the SUV you get and I know that but that's the real thing right it was frustrating that to me was the biggest thing.

[00:30:59] You just keep on the flight right. You just know not have to have flight you cranky it's going to get way going no it's just the next year was at the airport why and you guys know I was coming at five o'clock.

[00:31:14] Imagine doing that with kids yeah.

[00:31:17] Yeah. Oh wow yeah and all you have to get something to eat and depend on the airport you're waiting for the car you don't want to leave because you can call your name or you're not there but you want to go and get some food with the kids and they can never tell you how long you're going to be there for.

[00:31:31] Okay just hold a second I'll just hold it on for half an hour or one and a half two hours.

[00:31:37] That's to me sometimes it would start just that element of not knowing it is there that's crazy anyhow.

[00:31:44] Yeah. Yeah. So I mean still on value propositions and I extend I want to talk about actually communicating that value proposition right so you've placed in the top three I want to see in pitch competitions in Chinatat in Jamaica Barbados and the Bahamas within the past three years is that correct.

[00:32:04] I think in Bahamas I placed fifth.

[00:32:08] Oh okay all right no problem so top five.

[00:32:11] Top five.

[00:32:12] That's a place to go Kevin now it's not free of speech we just want to open up.

[00:32:16] Yeah.

[00:32:17] After that you said never again.

[00:32:19] Yeah. All right next next time shadow metal.

[00:32:22] All right no problem so your top five pitch competitions in four Caribbean destinations within the past two to three years is that correct.

[00:32:31] Just one year.

[00:32:33] Yeah.

[00:32:34] Just one year.

[00:32:35] You have any jump in all to self what you want.

[00:32:39] One year.

[00:32:40] So I'll cast through that though talk us through that through that journey I mean you probably you probably have had a lot of experience pitching a value all these years we run any business and attracting all these customers but talk us through that experience and how you prepare for pitch competition because

[00:32:55] you see as you see especially as you know the world has opened back up.

[00:32:58] Entrepreneurship is on the rise there's so much liquidity in the venture capital space and private equity space or whatnot.

[00:33:05] There's a lot of activity happening in that space right a lot of entrepreneurs looking for capital and it'll be great for them to really understand what is the real formula but not that's a cut and paste formula but real formula in terms of Taylor in your pitch to your audience and all that so

[00:33:20] that's a good question for your process in doing so but but also why go to pitch competitions why you doing it before Barbados last October I've never actually pitched anywhere.

[00:33:30] Just just so you know I never anywhere before so that was my first pitch competition that I placed third and I would say for me and what works for me and my formula is telling a story right so telling the story around

[00:33:47] why the business exists not just coming out and giving statistics and numbers and nobody wants to hear that they want to hear a story they want to see how passionate you are about solving the problem that you're solving

[00:34:01] and they want to see that you know exactly what you're talking about so especially when it comes to like the finances which obviously good at that's my strong suit.

[00:34:12] Obviously so you know if they have questions I'm ready like I'm always ready and I prepare a lot I prepare a lot and I practice and it goes a long way and I think the more you pitch the better you get and so for me I don't shy away from pitch competitions I'll go anywhere and pitch it doesn't matter who it is doesn't matter who it is in the audience it doesn't matter what level they're at pitch to anyone at all at any point in time.

[00:34:42] But you anywhere.

[00:34:45] I'm always anywhere especially if it comes with money I'm definitely there.

[00:34:51] I need to have the streets.

[00:34:53] Look yeah I would say telling a story right so just like how I started out saying how I loved supporting the locals and you know I used to rent from them when I would go down and

[00:35:05] I saw the need and I needed a better way to do this and this is what I did and so kind of like you know timing that story before actually getting into getting into the meat and potatoes of the actual problem and the solution and you know the market size and all that stuff I just tell that story first.

[00:35:23] And so that will grab the audience's attention and there are more glue to hear what you have to say if you start pitching and you're giving out statistics like 30 million people travel to the Caribbean then this is what they you're going to lose people.

[00:35:39] Even though the statistics are right it's very very well be corrected but you have to go about it with telling a story.

[00:35:47] The reason I go to pitch competition is again brand awareness bootstrapping self funding.

[00:35:55] Self funding.

[00:36:01] And so it brings about brand awareness but it also connects me with people who could potentially help me whether now I don't the road or they may connect me with someone that can help me you never know who you're going to meet at pitch competitions

[00:36:16] and I've been blessed to like meet a whole lot of people that can put me in touch with other people, people who even if I never spoke to them they may connect with me on Instagram because I don't think I've spoken to Kevin before.

[00:36:32] And right with me on IG and I was like oh yes.

[00:36:35] I was connected on LinkedIn and then I read and you know so it's that kind of connection building that network of like many people in your circle that will help to take your business to newer levels.

[00:36:49] So that's why I go to pitch competitions and just networking events in general.

[00:36:54] Okay, okay.

[00:36:56] Good stuff.

[00:36:58] All right, I want to talk about business building now.

[00:37:01] All right, so I mean we spoke of the pitch competition we spoke about how you got self funded and grand fund it and whatnot but you say that you have enough funding to get you to the next stage right now.

[00:37:12] No, not necessarily all right so while I can't and it's time can it is self of fund.

[00:37:17] Obviously having an investor on board would only speed things up much faster right because self funding businesses tend to grow at a slower pace than businesses that are funded by you know whether angels or VCs or whoever they tend to move and grow much, much, much faster.

[00:37:37] I think for all for our type of business we're definitely looking for an investor to come on board to definitely help us to scale faster than continuing to self fund.

[00:37:48] Okay, and if you were to get a million dollars from investor right now what would you do over the next two years.

[00:37:56] Over the next two years we'll probably spend quite a bit on marketing because again, we are trying to attract the travelers who are coming from the various different countries which will be takes on marketing dollars to do that across across the board and also to convince enough car owners that this platform is.

[00:38:20] Another way in which you can add additional income to your bank account so I would say we spend some money on marketing we would also build a team so currently it's about.

[00:38:33] Three three of us kind of working on this maybe four so we need to build a team right so that would also take up some funds also improving the technology because even though we started an MVP we still I still think of it as an MVP just an end.

[00:38:50] We're going to enhance MVP so we'd want to build on something more robust and that can scale as we go across the island so that's where the funds would be used.

[00:39:02] So which countries are you focused on the as I said go across the islands.

[00:39:06] So to start with being Jamaica and then after Jamaica we would hopefully want to get into training that Guyana Barbados and St Lucia.

[00:39:19] So yeah I have a list so as you know i'm a CPA so my financial modeling is bottom up.

[00:39:27] It's 20 tabs so it's bottom up financial modeling so it starts from knowing how many people were actually targeting and so that lives the financial model so we know how many people are in each island.

[00:39:45] And kind of have an idea of how many people are staying in private homes versus people who are staying in hotels so we're not necessarily targeting the hotel goers so to say it's mostly people who are staying in the air B M B's and you know returning residents that we're going to be looking to target.

[00:40:03] Interesting and you look at tourism starts with Jamaica because I see of course it would have dipped you in the pandemic significantly but it looks like it's back on the upswing.

[00:40:13] Yeah it's back on the opposite I believe the GTA reported about 2 million within the first six months also so it's definitely it's getting there.

[00:40:25] So can I get my head three to four million all two by the end of the year.

[00:40:29] Yeah yeah so it's growing right so tourism before the pandemic I would say grows that about maybe four to five percent or so it's a growing market and so we think the business is definitely viable.

[00:40:41] Definitely work and you know like we said we hope to be calm the first unicorn in the region.

[00:40:49] That's it that's a $1 billion.

[00:40:53] And she'll pitch anywhere no.

[00:40:55] Belinda all the value she'll pitch everywhere she has 20 times.

[00:40:59] Machine machine.

[00:41:03] How do you do how do we hear about pitch competitions or like the pitch circuit?

[00:41:07] You don't like all she's a Shelley and they're on the on the circuit so you know what what reasons coming up that have a pitch circuit to for pitchers.

[00:41:18] For me I research like I said I plan so I'll research between the two.

[00:41:23] Our research see where events are happening and if there's a pitch competition that's happening and you know what the requirements are and can you know I'll do that way.

[00:41:33] Like the last one I did was the Kingston beta and even though it was a small prize amount.

[00:41:38] I saw Ingrid Riley posted on LinkedIn that you know the event is coming and you can pitch and I was like what?

[00:41:44] What did she say?

[00:41:46] She's got no education and it's hard somebody says he would pitch.

[00:41:53] She's got a good research.

[00:41:56] Yeah yeah definitely pitching but like with pitch competition.

[00:42:03] I think there was another one in Manchester while I was in Jamaica and one of my potential investor even though he doesn't think so yet.

[00:42:13] I don't think you need to pitch at this one.

[00:42:16] Money passing, no not I don't understand.

[00:42:19] Like I'm trying to pitch because like I said I am still looking for investors but at the same time pitch competition allows you to get people to understand what your business is about.

[00:42:36] Maybe some people in the audience are like wait I mean I can make some money doing this too because I had people actually come up to me and say so I can't lose my car in there.

[00:42:46] Yeah yeah so it's everything on in one.

[00:42:51] Okay and on the supplier side on the car side like alright so I don't know everybody has a red BMW some people like me might have a 2007 Nissan X-Trip is there a cut off in terms of

[00:43:04] What's happening is Kevin, what's happening?

[00:43:07] Bill Renew, the platform please.

[00:43:09] So the age of the car is really dependent on the insurance company or what they're comfortable with right so initially we started out with 10 years even though they are thinking now maybe 10 to 15 because some people do have really good old cars right.

[00:43:25] So we don't want to eliminate them so it's going to be between 10 and 15 years and as far as the type of car it can be any kind of car unless the insurance company says you know what we're not going to ensure this type of vehicle because they're vehicles that are like high risk.

[00:43:43] You know if they're always like stealing those type of vehicles or whatever cases they probably won't do those kind of vehicles but for the most part would be my judge had a vehicle that exists today.

[00:43:52] And you know what Jason when I when I let's make sure any platform charge in more because this is a classic right it's not all kind of classic right you don't get cars like this again.

[00:44:04] The criteria of classic car no it's actually classic is the actual classic.

[00:44:10] I think it's a man people value have a higher steam.

[00:44:17] The people have your ex 2007 extra than highest team only you know no no no and then by time I mechanic my time time time to need on with that car.

[00:44:28] Man why pay my red for the car.

[00:44:31] I'm not going to say Kevin but you can come on the platform to know the decline okay.

[00:44:41] Yeah we'll just decline him from the start you want to actually block it I'm not going to.

[00:44:51] Yeah block it.

[00:44:53] And is your patient to go outside the Caribbean no.

[00:44:58] I think the concept would work really well in developing nations so like Africa or even Latin America right so anywhere where people are constantly like supporting locals and that's how.

[00:45:12] Locals kind of get additional income is through the support of others outside of their country so I think anywhere that's considered like a developing nation.

[00:45:23] It would work really well so but yeah that's the reason.

[00:45:30] I really like how nowadays like all of the developing nations are really partnering up right so you see there's this whole Caribbean and Latin America movement especially being participated by the IDB.

[00:45:42] You see there's this Caribbean African movement yeah no Barbados leader not so now you're talking somebody from from Ghana Nigeria they know Barbados before they know to make country and I didn't know.

[00:45:53] I think it's fantastic conference that that was in Barbados too yeah that was.

[00:46:01] Yeah that was better.

[00:46:04] That's where the first pitch competition that I entered.

[00:46:08] Oh you put your there okay.

[00:46:11] Yeah I think they're funny enough you mentioned Caribbean Africa because Kevin Simmons I don't know if you know Kevin.

[00:46:17] I think we're connected on LinkedIn yes he's a UK beach on Guy right?

[00:46:20] I think some of that charge with his accelerated program it should be coming out this year.

[00:46:26] I'm not sure what thing there's a delay but it's called WeHoB innovation.

[00:46:30] So they're actually looking for Caribbean companies that can potentially scale to Africa so he approached us as well just to find out more about.

[00:46:41] So yeah it's happening.

[00:46:44] Interesting.

[00:46:45] So it's a collaboration.

[00:46:47] All right so we covered the story we covered you're your pitch success we covered the value proposition we covered the business building we've got we touched a little bit on the expansion outlook when we spoke about what you do if you're given a million dollars and invest a capital.

[00:47:04] I think what do you want to I want to touch on now is I want to know like what's what's loony down I know you mentioned you figure an audience or saying right now where aside from that what keeps you up at night.

[00:47:13] Right now what do you see is your biggest challenge in terms of really getting to that unicorn status right now.

[00:47:21] The biggest challenge other than the insurance is really making sure that we have a platform that's user friendly right so it's that one of people are going to like it does you know this thing it's going to be any hiccups you have that.

[00:47:35] I have that going through my head and also if I don't get investor funding what do I do to scale at the level that I want to scale at so that's why I am doing all of these events and you know podcast and just being out there so that people become aware of who vehicle is and what we can do for the economy and you know for their background so.

[00:48:02] It's those things that keep me about night is this if I don't get investor funding what do I do what do I do how do I move forward how do I scale to another island it's really dependent on how Jamaica does and how will Jamaica goes right so if.

[00:48:17] I have 250 car owners who say you know what we're coming on board and then on the traveler said we have people like signing up like crazy because now we're not more desperate enough of the platform.

[00:48:32] Then I think I'll be okay if I don't take investor funding but if that doesn't take place how do I reach these car owners how do I convince them to come on board so you know it's a balance in act when you have a two sided marketplace to write.

[00:48:47] Chicken and the mentality you can have too much cars and no travelers you can have too much travelers and no cars so just thinking about how to execute that properly is something I think about a lot.

[00:49:02] I would say you know that point you brought up on the investor funding side and Jake let me know what you think about this I don't know I just found like we've gotten into this into this culture where it's almost like they invest just they like they literally hold in the back and it's like they hold any powers like all right you know you need to get here well you need our money so you must do what we say here is our terms put us on your board reporters ever so often.

[00:49:32] I would have you you know and I guess I mean guess that's why you know these these self funded model has has a lot of value to an extent and I mean I just need to think in here you you have an existing business that you've been running for I think it's about 14 years now from not mistaken the tax business which I don't know anybody who would not pay somebody just to solve their taxes use because.

[00:49:54] Yes I think from me just from not existing business and we can probably talk about our business a little bit more if you like from not existing business you could probably invest in use that we proceed from that business because that business sounds like a cash call.

[00:50:11] You could probably use that business to invest into your milestones for vehicle while vehicle such the generated zone money internally.

[00:50:22] That's kind of what I've been doing as far as anything that I have to do where weekly is concerned is just using my own my own money but I think going forward yeah it could become difficult you know I know I know you kids in college and you know I still have to live there's gonna come a time if things are moving as fast as I would hope it.

[00:50:45] Yeah with being self funded then we could run into an issue but I'm optimistic I think and I believe that it will take off just based on the feedback that we've gotten at an event that we did in April so we did the exposure maker event where a whole bunch of companies came together in like the arena and we set up boots and.

[00:51:13] I think they had like thousands of people that came through for about three days and so for our booth we had about 400 and 50 people who stopped by and I can tell you I could easily have gotten about 200 to 250 car owners that day that day you are ready to sign up that day that gave me hope maybe won't be so hard to get the car owners because initially I was thinking.

[00:51:42] Oh my gosh. Who am I gonna convince these car owners to put their V-clan the platform it wasn't really hard to convince them about three days so I'm like okay good good this is good yeah so I don't have to spend as much marketing dollars in Jamaica and kind of focus on raising awareness overseas so I'm telling you we're going to events it's really really really ups everything.

[00:52:08] Yeah, I mean you have to grind I don't want to say hustle but it's not hustling but you know you have you have to grind you have to hit the pavement.

[00:52:15] You're just a cabin you have to be an advocate for your idea right so you need to be all there yeah push on the idea speaking to people get in feedback too because sometimes the feedback helps you to get your vision definitely to be speaking to persons and I also find that sometimes you know come back to your point also Kevin with regards of finance and I was

[00:52:37] trying to make a different approach sometimes I don't go to the finances so now I let them come to me you go there you're crying you're also the build and people notice that because I'm coming to you and as when you sort of have the leverage because when you go to them they are

[00:52:54] right they say as you say Kevin well we did a board see we need this we need quarterly reports monthly reports so you know you're doing a lot of work for them because some of the things you do and it's good it's good to know it's

[00:53:08] good to do but there's other things you may have done otherwise it's another time and you know you know with them with us when they see it's and sometimes it doesn't have to be as successful

[00:53:20] where you want it to be for people to reach out to you know so that was the perception just like how you're crying and you're all there people seeing you they might say wow I'm seeing this this weak vehicle just it's just a wrong because sometimes people just need to see something multiple times as all like Mark didn't

[00:53:37] would right if you see something on radio on it's on Spotify and see how billboard and see it on TV and like I mean and then you see a product please went on a movie watching that takes lots of

[00:53:48] interesting it's saying something you know and that's what you all need to be doing just just a little bit like everywhere and sometimes people think that

[00:53:56] when you sit at a little bit like everywhere you're ready there that's have you just in the time diamond

[00:54:02] you know the cloud I would try to get everywhere you do it deals it's a policy of formula please get begging for you but it creates a perception and then before you know that million dollar investment is 0.1% of the company

[00:54:15] yeah and people choose and you don't want to give it on million yeah I think that's the best thing like in terms of and I think you're on your way there to write in terms of

[00:54:23] generates in the demand to the point where you're over subscribed in terms of invest appetite you have investors fighting to to come and invest

[00:54:33] in your company and then you control say well how much you want to bring for what 10% no you're in serious you're joking

[00:54:41] what are you bringing to the table yeah what do you bring to the table let me see your stats let me see your numbers I think the

[00:54:48] investment appetite is there I just think that because the insurance has not been finalized as yet that is a little one of the hold ups

[00:54:57] because I've had people say you know okay once insurance is done reach back all to me the insurance is definitely a huge part of

[00:55:06] the platform and we just need to get there right there's one group of people I know it's insurance agents so insurance agents who listen into this you

[00:55:15] know this is a golden opportunity right here you're ready you're ready to be the character of the person the person

[00:55:22] the self is one of the biggest intangible assets of this company because of because of a drive for ability to win and a

[00:55:31] willingness to win at all costs and yeah do not miss out on this opportunity you want to be that insurance partner not that I'm

[00:55:38] disclaimer you don't want to the chance the one sue me I love it I love it no this is this is really good I really I'm a fan of this

[00:55:50] business I don't know if I'm getting ready to rob I don't know if you have any other questions here just interesting that is

[00:55:58] that you always had this entrepreneurial drive so yes you've done your financial your company business right

[00:56:04] and that's different because that is a skill set you had your what you already in that space so you just leveraging your

[00:56:11] knowledge abilities and just use something inside any group right but this is a whole different series this is also

[00:56:18] you will it's it's a tech play right is that is a tech slash automotive type play it's a marketplace also right that

[00:56:28] is a marketplace like what drove you to this the the biggest risk this entrepreneurial journey yeah I would say I've always had that

[00:56:38] boss amen kind of thing in a good way from where I knew that I always wanted to work for myself right yeah so I think that's why I initially started my own

[00:56:53] company back in 2009's because I know eventually I was going to work for myself and this is what I wanted to do right so it's just a small

[00:57:01] business and I would say my business is it's more of a lifestyle business it's not something I want to like okay I'm

[00:57:10] gonna become a billion dollar company doing this tax thing it's not that type of business it's a lifestyle business I work really

[00:57:17] hard three months out of the year and the rest of the year it gets a spend on the kid but have to be a lifestyle that's just for you

[00:57:23] to be at the eyelet section every on a week right yes yes so I make my own schedule and I love that I really love

[00:57:31] that flexibility of just working for yourself so that kind of drove me to start my own business but like you said

[00:57:37] this is a completely different beast small business is very much different from from entrepreneurship I would

[00:57:46] think because with entrepreneurship you're more so creating ideas and coming up with new innovative products and

[00:57:54] services whereas small business maybe like you know from existing ideas you know I really come up with new things

[00:58:00] right so this is this is very different but at the same time I have that entrepreneur mindset of being a

[00:58:09] gold get I'm very resilient trust me and not me down to my by the time to this even come I'm back up right and I'm

[00:58:18] very self motivated like I don't let anything determine from my goals I don't it's just I'm different I don't

[00:58:27] know how to describe it you build different and having kids also gives you another set of skills that

[00:58:37] others don't have right so I'm patient I've been dealing with this insurance company for over two years

[00:58:44] understanding I have empathy like I know how to deal with people deal with customers deal with clients I know

[00:58:51] how to speak to them I have that nurturing mentality you know so it's really a lot of things that I think

[00:58:59] that's helping me on this journey being able to take this business to the next level so you are the new

[00:59:05] other entrepreneur pursuits besides you know the finance business and this that uses sell snacks at

[00:59:13] college or you know you have a snack you're already office of people know they can come to you you know

[00:59:19] like anything else I rent out even spaces also I don't know the real things you keep it secrets

[00:59:26] maybe I'd be for for you guys to know what's what did you rent out?

[00:59:31] I rent even spaces in New Jersey I also had an Airbnb in Jamaica like I don't sit back

[00:59:39] every day I'm not so I am that fossil or so to see how has the journey been with vehicles so far has it just

[00:59:49] been smooth sailing you know because we are one Japanese or but not Japanese who listen to this

[00:59:55] podcast and they'll be like you know looking for inspiration and every day look at you

[00:59:59] and you have it made you just decide you have this idea of vehicle and you just company concept and you build it

[01:00:04] and put it in the market and people run you down to put their cars like smooth sailing right it's been smooth

[01:00:09] sailing from day one. No it has not been smooth sailing from day one so when I when I first came

[01:00:17] over the MBPI was actually working with a company in India and oh my gosh it was my worst nightmare

[01:00:24] did you fall apart or something? Yes yes those are worst nightmare nothing worked

[01:00:32] one on just isn't perfect cars having sleepless nights I would literally get like four hours sleep on a daily basis

[01:00:41] it's tiring entrepreneurship it's tiring it's not for the faint of heart I mean you say that if you know if you're looking

[01:00:47] for a 95 in entrepreneurship don't even bother it's not a 95 I'm just being honest you have to put in the work

[01:00:56] you have to put in the work you have to put in the work I can't even say that it comes with the job so nothing went smooth

[01:01:03] like I said we started two weeks before the pandemic I was depressed I was depressed a little bit

[01:01:10] nothing was going right one of the things that I regretted doing that's I said you know what

[01:01:16] we're not gonna do it that way again when we first came out nobody knew who we were right so I didn't do like

[01:01:24] I wasn't going to even I didn't do anything it was like nobody knew about us and then one day February 27

[01:01:31] here to be a lunch you ride come on board it's you know so I was like who are you?

[01:01:37] you're not you're not still more not wrong with that Jason love stuff mood

[01:01:42] yeah I like I like stealth mode

[01:01:45] I'm back in before you you live in America okay starting something in Germany okay I'm sorry who are you again

[01:01:54] so I said okay alright fine so I say you know what when we rebranded we're not we're not going on

[01:02:00] so we're putting ourselves all there we're getting out there we want people to know about us

[01:02:06] before we relaunch you know like by the time we relaunch everybody's gonna say oh you man I know

[01:02:13] Vika you know who Vika is you might be promoting this for a long time so now the buzz is

[01:02:20] now is there chill just shaking hands like it's in babies

[01:02:25] so now you know we have the buzz of their people are actually looking forward for us to relaunch

[01:02:31] right so I know that when we do relaunch now I have people messaging me now on a daily basis like

[01:02:36] when is the platform going up I have two cards to put on there like let me know

[01:02:40] so that type of buzz is no there whereas before it was like who exactly are you guys

[01:02:46] so I would say build up momentum around your start up right so don't just come out and be like yeah hey

[01:02:54] we're here we're launching but build up the momentum whether it is to go out and do like a survey

[01:03:01] or you know or start attending events and just start to raise brand awareness but definitely

[01:03:07] build up some momentum before you actually launch this one thing I would add

[01:03:12] I would say one of this trace you need to have is resilience let me tell you if you're not

[01:03:19] the type of person that will get right back up if you're thrown down to the ground

[01:03:24] entrepreneurship is going to be really hard for you when you think about start ups we know

[01:03:29] that most start ups fail like the statistics are there right most start ups fail

[01:03:37] failure is just is inherent in starting a start up so you have to be able to know

[01:03:45] that okay I might fail I might fail but so what so what if you fail more successful

[01:03:53] entrepreneurs fail like ten times before they were successful so you really have to be

[01:03:58] resilient when you come to a business like this and say that's one of the traits

[01:04:02] that you know it's really important what aspects of the business have you been

[01:04:07] involved in what I've said have you not been involved in I have been involved

[01:04:12] in every single aspect there's not some part that you said okay I didn't want to know

[01:04:17] I'm just going to hire somebody they're going to oversee that now when you're

[01:04:21] first starting out I would say when you first start you know as the owner you play

[01:04:27] a lot of heads right so what are some of these areas then like okay because you might

[01:04:32] have what you might have working with the developers looking with the market and

[01:04:36] yeah I work very closely with the developer so when the platform comes out

[01:04:42] pretty much I drive everything except the coding part so it looks how it

[01:04:49] feels how it's supposed to operate the features that are in the platform what

[01:04:53] we need to put all of that's a part of the developer codes it and you know we have

[01:04:59] a discussion on that I would say probably the marketing parts I probably I want

[01:05:04] to say that one I am less involved in even though I still have kind of like the you

[01:05:11] know the final say what I'm less involved in that aspect reason being is I'm not a

[01:05:16] creative person I'm not creative at all as they would say I'm very left

[01:05:22] left with me so I'm not creative at all so my sister she is the creative person

[01:05:30] so she is the brand strategy show she came up with all the branding information

[01:05:35] she did like the brand research so we actually researched or target market

[01:05:40] don't to the tea like we know what they like what don't like what sports they

[01:05:44] like we have all the person exactly so we know the exact person of who

[01:05:52] are targeting right so she did all of that research all of that research and

[01:05:57] once we're done with that research that's when we actually came up with the

[01:06:00] colors because now we know what colors to come up with we know what type of logo

[01:06:05] we should come up with and then the name came after that right so everything was

[01:06:11] done as collaborative effort but she handed most of that aspect I'm very

[01:06:17] involved in the customer support side I drew all of that so our care zone

[01:06:23] care zone that Vico.com is actually live and individuals can actually go on to

[01:06:30] that website and learn a lot more about what vehicles hold what holds going

[01:06:36] to work a lot of information and that's ideal single-handedly and kind of

[01:06:43] building notes the back end of customer support platform as well so with

[01:06:50] entrepreneurship you can just get some money and then hire people and it's

[01:06:54] truly money at the man be successful are you going to be my investor of course

[01:06:58] of course if I get the money I can like Kevin asked me what would I do that

[01:07:04] million dollars right so that was one of the things I mentioned is that to build

[01:07:07] all that team but I'm self-funded so you tend to typically do a lot more

[01:07:14] when you're self-funded you take on a lot more task when you're self-funded and

[01:07:20] you're you kind of overseen everything and obviously I oversee the financial

[01:07:24] aspect of it as well that's part of it and operational aspect so I'm the one who is

[01:07:29] in the meeting rooms with the insurance company negotiating with the insurance

[01:07:34] company you know so I'm whether it's the CEO of the insurance company than speaking

[01:07:40] with or if it's representative I am the face of that meeting so in the

[01:07:46] churches and obviously when I go out to pitch who's pitching I am pitching until

[01:07:52] in the story no one is going to tell the story better than I can so I'm out

[01:07:57] there pitching and I'm also actually undergrown in neighborhoods like yes I go

[01:08:03] to neighborhoods I support organizations so I am physically undergrown in

[01:08:09] Jamaica meeting with potential car owners and explaining to them how the

[01:08:14] platform is going to work how the concept is going to work because one of

[01:08:17] the things I believe that helps the startups is building a relationship with

[01:08:23] the people who are going to be on your platform right so for me that's

[01:08:27] important and it's something I already do in my small businesses I have to

[01:08:32] a lot of people so you have to know how to talk to people and how to get them to

[01:08:37] understand the whole things are going to work and you know what's in it for

[01:08:41] them and you know kind of all that so I'm doing a lot but I think the

[01:08:47] reward in the end is great and so that's the only thing I'm looking forward to.

[01:08:53] Excellent I mean that and as the best way now I'm just thinking about you

[01:08:57] know again the body entrepreneurs who are listening to understand what is

[01:09:02] involved this is not just get some money hire some people and then sit back and

[01:09:07] look you know you really have to be you know as they say the eye of the farm are

[01:09:11] fattening the cow so if you're not there tend into your farm tendentary

[01:09:16] flock and I don't have success. Yeah and just just add on top of that too for

[01:09:22] people who have children because at the end of the day I am actually as many

[01:09:28] people may try to know fear like what the hell do you do it?

[01:09:32] Very involved with my kids very involved with my kids and I would say so

[01:09:39] wrong yourself with a support system because at the end of the day you're

[01:09:44] not going to be able to really do it all right so you have to have that support

[01:09:48] system around you I'm so grateful for my husband and you know I have grown

[01:09:53] kids so they're very very helpful and they also understand the mission and

[01:09:59] the vision and you know very supportive of me as well so they feel happy

[01:10:04] good support system. I sure they all want to be part of a billion dollars so

[01:10:08] you're gonna get a support. There's a totally a backup being part of a

[01:10:13] billion dollars right? Yeah yeah yeah I'm going on your website at the same time

[01:10:17] you can see right after this close to the end.

[01:10:20] She said want to be a children at part no.

[01:10:23] I got us an email. No, the running trend that operations

[01:10:30] they read the red white top black side of the globe.

[01:10:34] Oh my gosh. Crazy crazy. This has been really inspirational

[01:10:41] I really think from everything I'm hearing it sounds like you're a strong

[01:10:45] representation of black excellence. You know you are you're looking after you

[01:10:50] country you came from looking up to your community well looking up to your

[01:10:53] family you're providing for so many people and me and you're also looking

[01:10:58] to provide a lot of return for investors or whatnot you know I really really

[01:11:02] admire and respect what you're doing and I also made reach out to you to

[01:11:08] help me find my taxes when I'm when I incorporate into the US you know.

[01:11:14] So Jason I really thought rock the value.

[01:11:20] So the value.

[01:11:23] I want to know if there's anything anything that you you want to leave the

[01:11:30] audience with that you feel like they're not covered today or we did not

[01:11:33] have a chance today giving you open mic open forum open platform.

[01:11:38] Just to continue off of how entrepreneurs can maneuver the start of

[01:11:44] world I would say have a curious mindset always be willing to learn right

[01:11:51] you don't know everything right you don't know everything so always be

[01:11:55] willing to learn and one of the ways I continue to learn is by reading

[01:12:00] the books right so if there's something I don't really understand

[01:12:05] and I really want to learn more about I find a book to read so I would say

[01:12:10] always be willing to learn that's one thing one more thing is never let

[01:12:17] someone tell you that you cannot do what you set out to do.

[01:12:23] I think for me and I'm lucky I would say is that most of the people

[01:12:28] around me are very supportive and they know that I'm you know I'm

[01:12:33] a wolf I'm telling you if I say I'm going to do it but I'm going to do

[01:12:37] it but I know others may not have that positive support system around

[01:12:42] them. You might have people that say no you shouldn't do that or

[01:12:46] no this is not going to work never let anyone take your way from your dreams

[01:12:51] follow your dreams follow your mindset and as once you've done the

[01:12:58] research and you have gotten enough feedback from you know if you did an

[01:13:04] NBPO whatever that is follow your mind don't let anyone take you away

[01:13:10] from your dreams what else I'm trying to draw for straws no I'll be like

[01:13:18] it's so much stuff I don't think you give a lot give us a lot of

[01:13:22] information right there this is a master class in yeah I'm taking notes

[01:13:27] I know listen I look at school here no I know I'm still there's been a

[01:13:35] master class yeah we can refine you Sherry so I am on LinkedIn I'm sure

[01:13:42] you're right I'm on LinkedIn or Sherry and I think Sherry will do all right that's

[01:13:47] okay nobody gets it right really right it's spelled differently but no it's

[01:13:52] more like French Sherry you know more Sherry so yeah I'm on LinkedIn so you

[01:13:58] can find me on LinkedIn I'm also on Instagram so my Instagram I tried to

[01:14:04] make it as educational as possible because I feel like that somewhere I can

[01:14:10] add some value so I try to you know give a little you know Kevin I tried to

[01:14:14] put up stuff that would be helpful to the entrepreneurial community as well as

[01:14:19] some you know personal stuff as well what definitely want an Instagram if you

[01:14:23] want some tips and tricks. Oh you find your Instagram see Instagram it's I am

[01:14:28] Sherry Williams I am C-A-G-R-I-E okay I found you yes I am sure you follow so

[01:14:37] if you check out my story Kevin you see you know I'm going on a pat pat

[01:14:41] oh you did all of that right look at it okay I'm not I'm not stock up I'm very

[01:14:52] down to earth I can't wrap with anyone at any level I know how to take it on a

[01:14:59] nutshell and I know how to bring it up a nutshell so you can find me there also

[01:15:04] our our vehicle right so vehicle is also on LinkedIn as vehicle and we're on

[01:15:09] Twitter Instagram and Facebook as just vehicle J-U-S-T-V-E-E-K-L-E

[01:15:19] so you can find us there as well.

[01:15:22] vibes very finely new Jason if you could find you.

[01:15:25] and Jason is secretive.

[01:15:28] Jason, hold on, just try and look for me you might find me.

[01:15:32] Podcast world there you have it.

[01:15:36] Clipously driven with Sherry me William.

[01:15:42] Subscribe to the value at the value.show slash subscribe check us out on

[01:15:46] cast box Spotify Apple Podcast Google Podcast YouTube wherever you listen

[01:15:53] to or watch your podcast and with that podcast world.

[01:15:58] Kevin Studios Jason.

[01:16:01] Well.

[01:16:03] Well thanks a lot till guys next time.