Hustle Workout Plan Pt 1 : Rhythm

Just like a great song, the world of business is all about rhythm. The more you are in sync with your team and market environments the better off your business will be. Sometimes we get to a point where everything seems to go wrong, and we begin to second guess our decisions.In those times you have to really look hard to determine if your decisions were wrong, or if they were right--- just at the wrong time.

A friend of mine(Gary Lewis) told me if your game is off track, go buy a jump rope immediately. During the process of getting your mind and body in sync you will begin to come up with ways to get your business and life right.

The New Entourage:Taking your family on business trips

A practice that was exclusively for entertainers or the rich, seems to be spilling over into the business world....

(AP) -- On a recent business trip to San Diego, California, Kurt Barrett took his family to Sea World.

Between the banquet dinners and panel discussions on agricultural policy, he also took his 5-month-old daughter swimming for the first time in the hotel pool. Another day, they strolled through the humid botanical gardens in Balboa Park.

"It was like being at home. I got done with work, then enjoyed spending time with my wife and child," said Barrett, a 30-year-old general manager for a rice distributor in Williams, California.

"Work is very important, but there has to be a balance," Barrett said.

Traveling for work once meant sacrificing precious time away from home. But as the American workplace becomes more flexible about letting employees juggle their duties with family life, people like Barrett are finding it easier to bring their spouses and kids wherever their jobs may take them.

According to the National Business Travel Association, 62 percent of U.S. business travelers said they add a leisure component to at least one business trip per year. Among those travelers, two-thirds say they bring a family member or friend with them.

Pushing the trend is the growing number of single parents, women in executive ranks, two-income families, and those simply looking to save a buck by turning company-paid trips into working vacations. People are having kids later in life too, meaning they're more likely to be comfortable enough in their careers to blend work and family.

That blurring between office and family life represents a sea change from a generation or two ago, when children were told bothering their parents with a phone call at work could get mom or dad in trouble.

read more at cnn.com

21st Century Leaders

This week 21st is in the ATL capturing a leadership camp for high school students facilitated by our education guru and Book columnist Nina Packer for CNN and 21st Century Leaders(no relation to the Hustle).

The camp takes a very diverse group of kids and teaches leadership skills, and professional development with the assistance of CNN talent and executives. It's an amazing experience watching the kids learn and the professionals learning from the kids.

Go Getter: Martha Diaz

Martha Diaz, President, Hip-Hop Association | Co-Founder, H2O International Film Festival

Is Steve Harvey the new "Fly" Joc

Mediaweek via Young Global(Happy B-Day)

NEW YORK -- In one of the biggest marketing efforts by a global airline attempting to reach African-Americans, American Airlines has launched a partnership with The Steve Harvey Show, syndicated by Premiere Radio Networks. The multimedia campaign, which launched Tuesday, will run through the end of November. It includes 30-second spots on Harvey's radio show (some voiced by Harvey), a co-branded Web site (featuring travel trips, vacation ideas and other travel information), advertising on the Steve Harvey Web site and branded client content integrated within the program.

entire story here

Lebron "Billy" James

Now that the Cavs have gotten swept out of the Finals, Lebron can get on to the business of becoming the first billionaire athlete. And he and The Four Horsemen p/k/a LRMR have been turning the game upside down in their quest to make it happen.

Since they "replaced" James' original agents, they've been making nothing but power moves . Just in the last year they've created a Marketing Summit("2-days of examining the changing sports marketing landscape and shaping its future."), Bought stake in Cannondale bikes, and sought the advice of "The Oracle of Omaha " Warren Buffet, the world's second richest man.


Lebron's Manager/Friend from High School , Maverick Carter Says:

"It's impossible to get to a billion dollars by endorsement deals," said Carter. "The biggest deals only take you so far. It's how you make money when you're asleep that's going to get you there."

CNNMoney.com says:

I'm sure everyone who talks about sports being too much about money can point to James' billion-dollar target as Exhibit A of that concern. But frankly that's more about the critics' envy than anything else.

No one objects when NBA owners use their investments to become rich at a young age, as Mavericks' owner Mark Cuban or Microsoft co-founder and Portland Trail Blazers owner Paul Allen did. And I doubt there was much criticism when Ty Cobb used a savvy investment in Coke early in the 20th century to become very rich after his playing days.

The fact that James is looking to follow the same course to success while he works to make money for his team, his league and his sponsors shows that he's a pretty smart 22-year old, someone to be admired, not scorned.

Inc Mag's How I Did It: William Wang, CEO, Vizio

Here's a excerpt from inc magazine 's How I Did It column, on William Wang.Remember this guy because he is changing the electronics game, by dropping the cost on flat panel TV's and moving them is mass numbers out of warehouse stores like Costco, and Sam's club. Now you can go cop that 60" plasma for the Low($2499.99).

When the founder of TV-maker Vizio--soon to be a $2 billion company--says it’s not about the money, believe him. Surviving a fiery plane crash gives a man some perspective.

William Wang knows about keeping things in perspective. As one of 96 survivors aboard a Singapore Airlines 747 that took off on the wrong runway in Taiwan, struck a construction site, and broke in two, Wang instantly realized that the difficulties of his various technology businesses weren’t such a big deal—not when 83 passengers and crew members were killed that day in 2000. Wang shut down all his businesses after the crash, and in 2003 got into the flat-screen TV business by launching Vizio. His idea was to combine low prices (now around $1,499 at retail for a 50-inch plasma) with high quality and exceptional customer support, and to make this approach profitable through extremely lean operations. Wang, 43, started the company with $600,000, and this year Vizio will generate more than $2 billion in sales. Yet it still employs just 80 people, most of them handling tech support out of the company’s Irvine, California, headquarters.

To read more of his story-click here

Game Behind The Game

A clip of 21st Century Hustle Magazine's Ali Muhammad (Me) responding to questions on the Game Behind the Game Tour sponsored by Boost Mobile. The tour went to 10 HBCU's helping students to understand how to build alternative careers in media and entertainment.
Check me out talking on topics like:Determining your worth and Working for Free?!?

Education and the Entrepreneur

I got this comment from yesterday's post, Are Entrepreneurs Born or Made, regarding comments Barbara Corcoran made on the show The Millionaire Inside. I was going to respond on the comments page but since I get this same concern all of the time, about interviews in our magazine and on this blog, I decided it needed its own post.

Ronald said:

Seems like a neat show.

And what Barbara states, I believe it's true, yes... But I think it'll be taken way out of context by many viewers.

The way schools are run have problems, but that doesn't justify or glorify bad grades, which ultimately many listeners will do.

I Say:
We get a lot a of readers that get uncomfortable when someone has a problem with the school system.

I think Barbara is speaking from her own bad grade experience. She had problems working within that system. For me, I was good in the system but I realized that the system didn't align with what I saw in real life.

For the readers: School is important, but paying attention to Real Life and your Own Instincts is just as important. To add to what Barbara was saying: We are trained to listen to cues from an authority(Teacher, Boss, Newscaster, Journalist, etc). They tell us whats hot, what's not, what to be afraid of, what works, etc.

When you are out here on your own there are no assigned teachers, but there is a test everyday. You have to find the teachers, and filter all of what you hear and see through real experience. The people who are most in tuned with that process will be more equipped to operate in a free wheeling environment.

How do you feel about Education and the Entrepreneur? Is school needed?

leave comment or send email to 21hsutle@gmail.com

Are Entrepreneurs Born or Made

Here's a clip from The Millionaire Inside a show that Go Getter Bobby Jones put me up on. In this clip Barbara Corcoran Founder of Corcoran Realty breaks down how this society raises us to be employees.

I peeped the show for the first time last night and it was dope. They are on a real 21st century hustle on there. They have a panel of four people who have made it just breaking down how to get it. Last night they were kicking it about how you NEED to have some business going for yourself. Just take one of your passions that you do for free already and start getting paid for it.
needless to say, its a must see hustle tv.
find out times on CNBC.com

Quote of the Day: Reinvent

"People who cannot invent and reinvent themselves must be content with borrowed postures, secondhand ideas, fitting in instead of standing out."
Warren G. Bennis

Nuff Said!

Is Graffiti Dead?

No! But here's a "underground" movement that can actually boost your property value.

Guerrilla gardening is political gardening, a form of nonviolent direct action, primarily practiced by environmentalists. Activists take over an abandoned piece of land which they don't own to grow crops or plants. Guerrilla gardeners believe in reclaiming land from perceived neglect or misuse and assigning a new purpose for it.

Guerrilla gardeners will sometimes carry out their actions late at night geared up with gardening gloves, watering cans, compost, seeds and plants. They plant and sow a new vegetable patch or flowering garden. Others will work more openly, actively seeking to engage with members of the local community....[wikipedia]

Twelve Tips From www.guerrillagardening.org

1. Spot some local orphaned land.
You will be amazed how many little grubby patches of unloved public space there are. Neglected flower beds, concrete planters sprouting litter and untamed plants, bare plots of mud.

2. Plan a mission.
Make a date in the diary for an evening attack, when trouble-making busy bodies are out of sight.

3. Find a local supply of plants.
The cheaper the better... The cheapest plants are ones that are free.

4. Choose plants for front line battle. Think hardy - resistant to water shortages and the cold, and in some locations pedestrian trampling! These plants need to look after themselves a lot of the time. Think impactful - colour, ever green foliage, scale. These plants need to really make a difference, for as much of the year as possible
5. Get some Wellington Shoes.

6. Bag some bags. Plastic bags, bin liners (not only can they keep your feet clean), but they are essential for clearing up the deteritous of war.

7. Regular Watering. One of the responsibilities of a Guerrilla Gardener is ongoing tendering.

8. Seed Grenades / seed bombs. For gardening those areas where access is difficult or a long dig is unsuitable, use a Seed Grenade - seeds and soil wrapped in an explosive capsule.

9. Chemical Warfare. Boost your plants with natural chemicals.

10. Garden with a girl. Having a girl on a dig (not only is as useful as the equivalent male troop) is a brilliant diversion should the cops pass by and get inqusitive.

11. Spread the word Let people know what you have done with a few flyers under doors near the guerrilla gardening war zone, a poster taped to a phone box or bus stop, a marker in the soil

12. Transportation. If you are not guerrilla gardening within walking distance from your home (the ideal) you will need some transportation

Hustle News

The Urban Hustle news has been picking up over the last 24 hours. We have a quote in the press release that went out last night although it was edited to my most corporate lingo...

Ali Muhammad, Founder of 21st Century Hustle and former Vibe Magazine executive, said, “Our brand was founded on the principals of Urban Hustle. What’s really exciting about the study is the quantification of this consumer’s clout in the marketplace and their motivations behind reinforcing their “self-brand”. It will be increasingly necessary for marketers to position themselves across their spaces and seek ways to be invited to their exclusive world.”

In other words it is becoming more important for media brands to sell advertisers to YOU, as opposed to the traditional model of selling You to Advertisers. They are going to have to talk to us in our language-The universal language of the Global Grind Culture.


See the entire release!

Quote of the Day:The Anthem

We shall neither fail nor falter; we shall not weaken or tire...give us the tools and we will finish the job.
Winston Churchill


No matter what, Finish.We've all left projects undone,only to to see someone come along and get paid off what we made. That has to end right now. If you got an idea, or project, see it to the end. For there will be no peace of mind until you do. It's Like Mr. Cee's moniker, "The Finisher." That's a great way of being known. I've left a couple of projects on the table and I've paid the cost for that and believe me the tax is crazy. But in this grind we call life, you live and learn. So lesson for today--finish or die trying.

The Hustle Goes Mainstream: Urban Hustle Study

Some interesting "Hustle" news From Today's Brandweek...Now mainstream advertisers, and marketers have a chance to look at the numbers associated with what we've been doing for years. Hopefully, they can understand that the Hustle is bigger than Crack Slanggin', and petty crime.. Today's Hustle is about building the LIFE of your dreams through the work of your dreams...Not just a career or a job but an entire life of doing what you love and getting paid to do it. Previous generations did what they HAD to do to get BY. This is the generation of being YOU and Getting IT.

According to Alloy Access in New York, Urban Hustlers, as it's dubbing this emerging group of 12-34-year-olds influenced by hip-hop lifestyle, is a powerful consumer market. Its emulation of [Bill] Gates and other entrepreneurs betokens the scope of its ambition and purchasing — these are hardcore shoppers. The "Urban Hustler" segment isn't defined by racial, geographic or other such demographics, but instead by "a shared mindset born out of the unique energy, creativity and diversity of America's urban centers and a shared aspiration for a lifestyle linked by social status and entrepreneurial and prosperous pursuits." The study was conducted with Harris Interactive; Alloy Access is the multicultural marketing division of Alloy Media + Marketing. Current figures verify this trend as no longer confined to inner-city zip codes. Almost 40% of Urban Hustlers live in suburban areas, and close to 40% of them are white. What further distinguishes them is a shared belief in their own influence. Three out of four Urban Hustlers (75%) characterize themselves as someone their friends seek out for advice on the latest trends.

"They are the producers of content and information and trends," said Alloy Access president Tru Pettigrew. "They're not only looking to receive information about what's hot and new, but also produce and create and flip it. It doesn't matter where you start from. You've got the kid who doesn't have a pot to piss in, and Kanye [West], whose mother is a professor but he still has that mindset."

read entire article at www.brandweek.com

Global Grind Culture:Tabi Bonney

DC Emcee Tabi Bonney has a breakout record "The Pocket" and it is taking him all over the world.He's on a European tour and sent this flick of him posing with a poster promoting his Concert last night in Prague... Do your thing Hommie!

Check him out at www.myspace.com/tabibonney

Hpnotized Mind: Raphael Yakoby

AT 32, Raphael Yakoby is in good spirits, and why shouldn't he be? Seven years ago, Yakoby, a college dropout with no business experience, had an idea: He'd create the first blue liqueur. Ignoring naysayers who told him nobody would drink a blue beverage, he sold his apartment, moved back into his parents' Long Island home and got to work. A year later Hpnotiq, a blend of vodka, cognac and fruit juices, was a nightclub staple, and he went on to sell the brand for a reported $50 million. [READ:Thanks Hip-Hop!!]

He is back at it again with the launch of NUVO, the world's first sparkling vodka liqueur. Targeted to women, NUVO has pledged that a portion of the proceeds of every bottle sold will go towards supporting women's causes.

What gave you the idea for Hpnotiq?

It came from seeing a blue perfume in a beautiful bottle at the counter in Bloomingdale's. I said, "Wouldn't that be great for a liqueur product?" Nuvo was inspired by the fragrance industry, but I wouldn't say any specific fragrance. It was more like, how do I incorporate the beauty of the fragrance industry into a liqueur?

What did your parents think when you moved back home to start your company?

They thought I was crazy. And they weren't the only ones. But listen, you have to do what you have to do. My feeling in life is that I can live with my own mistakes, but I can't live with somebody else's. With Nuvo, I heard the same rhetoric. People would say things like, "It's a very difficult bottle to do. How do you know it's not going to explode?"

Read Full NY Post interview byWENDY STRAKER

FLIP:From Wall St. trader to fashion-boutique owner

The Big Career Switch:

Who Pulled It Off: Omeka Clark, 30: Owns Emerald Rose, a Lower East Side fashion boutique.

What She Used to Do: Clark worked for investment banks, trading over-the-counter stocks.

Why She Switched: "I was tired of being one of a million traders on Wall St., and I wanted to be my own boss," she says. "I loved shopping, so opening a boutique made sense. I used to wake up angry. Now I can't wait to tackle my day."

How She Did It: "I saved some dough and quit my job," she says. "I learned about the 'young designer' fashion category and found my Eldridge St. storefront on Craigslist. My first designer, Tamara Pogosian, was someone I walked by on Houston St. and loved what she was wearing."

What Boutique Owners Do: "Everything," says Clark. "There's fashion stuff: going to runway shows and marketplaces, choosing the merch, displaying it. There's management stuff: bookkeeping, advertising, events, supervising my staff of one. And there's service stuff: selling the clothes and working with customers."

Who Does This Job Best: "Storeowners must be budget-conscious, hard-working and friendly to customers," Clark says. "To succeed with a fashion boutique, you need instinctive style plus the ability to put your clients' taste before your own."

How's the Money?: "The first year or two, you recoup your investment," she says. "If your store takes off, you can expect a comfortable New York living, six figures net. And if business is huge, you open branches and buy a vacation home on St. Lucia."

What About Perks?: "You get great clothes wholesale," Clark admits. "You become a fashion insider who gets invited to openings and meets designers. You become a part of your community, which feels great. Saturdays at my store are like a block party, with mimosas and beer."

What Else You Should Know: "Boutique owners are as well dressed as celebrities," says Clark. "I get mistaken regularly for Lauryn Hill."

Where to Find Out More: www.emeraldroseboutique.com

source:www.AmNY.com/careers

Quote of the Day: Believe

"When you want to believe in something, you also have to believe in everything that's necessary for believing in it."

Ugo Betti, Struggle Till Dawn

Most believe that they will achieve extraordinary success. But It doesn't happen in a vacuum. Your mind has to believe that it can overcome all criticism, failures, and obstacles that will inevitably come between you and your extraordinary success. For the road between you and the dream will not always be an easy ride. And once you are on it there ain't no turning back.

Fortune Mag:Attracting the twentysomething worker

Here's some excerpts from a piece on Generation Y Workers from June Issue of Fortune.

The baby-boomers' kids are marching into the workplace, and look out: This crop of twentysomethings really is different. Fortune's Nadira Hira presents a field guide to Generation Y.

Nearly every businessperson over 30 has done it: sat in his office after a staff meeting and - reflecting upon the 25-year-old colleague with two tattoos, a piercing, no watch and a shameless propensity for chatting up the boss - wondered, What is with that guy?! ....[Sounds like the suckers we're always talking about]

They're ambitious, they're demanding and they question everything, so if there isn't a good reason for that long commute or late night, don't expect them to do it. When it comes to loyalty, the companies they work for are last on their list - behind their families, their friends, their communities, their co-workers and, of course, themselves.....

Things that make you go Hmmm.

Joshua Butler, audit associate, KPMG
With his broad networker's smile[skinnin' & grinnin'], stiff white collar, and polished onyx cuff links, Joshua Butler has the "accouterments" of an accountant. Even so, he looks a little out of place in a KPMG conference room. At 22, he's 6-foot-2 and 230 pounds, with a body made for gladiator movies. A native of suburban Washington, D.C., Butler chose accounting after graduating from Howard University because he wanted "transferable skills."

Is that a way of saying no matter how many clothes you buy, if you don't "look" a certain way you shouldn't be in corporate America?? Or am I tripping? Continue....

At KPMG he's getting them - and more: The firm has let him arrange his schedule to train for a bodybuilding competition, and he's on its tennis team[WTF:The company athlete???]. Even before that, KPMG got his attention when it agreed to move him to New York, his chosen city. "It made me say, 'You know what? This firm has shown a commitment to me. Let me in turn show some commitment to the firm.'" He pauses, a twinkle in his eye. "So this is a merger, if you will - Josh and KPMG."

Read the full article... the Attracting the twentysomething worker

Lights, Camera, Action:The Kenny Burns Experience

"No matter where he worked, he was always Vice President...
Vice President of what exactly? I don't know..."
-Kanye West on Kenny Burns





If you don't know Kenny, I'll let you know one thing..."Aint no shame in his Game." He's the guy that is going for it ALL at ALL times. In a way, he approaches his business like Kanye approaches his entertainment--"You can't tell him nothing!" Hailing from the Sean Combs school of entertainment business, Kb is a hybrid (executive + entrepreneur + quasi-celebrity).

Yet at the core, he is the cat that is taking his dreams in his own hands and putting himself in position to make them happen. When I first encountered KB I was thinking to myself "is the camera on somewhere?" Then I realized that the Kenny Burns Show didn't need any camera's. All it needed was an audience. Whether it is an audience of 1 or 1,000, the "Show" rolled on,
and over time I got to see how the plot played out.

Jobs (VP RocA Fella,VP Monarc, )+ Businesses(2620,Ryan Kenny, Studio 43), + Consultation(Axe,Timberland, Heineken) + Resources=$$$ for Kenny and Plenty of others.


www.thekennyburnsshow.com

Master P's 4 Things

"There are four things that differentiate me from artists like Curtis Jackson(50 Cent).

One, I can honestly admit that I was once part of the problem.

Two, I don’t want my son to grow up and be like me. I want him to be better and do better - and that is why he is taking the time to pursue a college degree.

Three, money don’t make me, I make money. My goal is to educate our people in building generational wealth and knowing how important it is to own real estate.

Four, I’m a TRUE entrepreneur; my boss is God not Jimmy Iovine. From one brother to another, if you misunderstand my purpose you could always pick up the phone or talk to me in person. I’m trying to be part of the solution not the problem. The media thrives on entertaining, especially the negativity no matter what the cost. I’m praying for the brothers that are lost out there."

From an editorial posted on allhiphop.com

Updates

Whats up Hustle Fam,

We are on a had grind getting the Issue done so it can hit the streets the second week in June. Previews will go up next week right here or at www.21hustle.com. So check here for the updates.

Here on the Blog we are going to start doing more profiles and introducing you to Go Getters from all around. If you know someone doing something cool, handling their business , and loving it let us know about them. The Batline is 21hustle@gmail.com. You should include their:
Name-
Occupation-
Geographic Location-
A little about what them:-
and a contact to reach them-

Now back to your regularly Scheduled program.

Getsome Radio #3 feat. Mike Jones

Me and Nina Ross are at it again, plus we got a few new friends...On this next show we are talking about the American Dream and what that means these days. Being that Mike Jones is an expert on the subject, he's going to drop some jewels for us. We interviewed him today and I was inspired by his story and impressed with his business acumen. Check us out Monday!!
Also we are opening the show up to you so If you want to participate call and let us know:


***What Does The American Dream Mean to YOU?***
1.917.591.8713
Message Line closes on Saturday May 19, 11:59 pm


Listen to Getsome Radio #2

Quote of the Day

Photo by :Island Life

"Keep running, don't look back, and don't stop"

-Overheard from a father teaching his son how to race.
Brooklyn, New York

In the grind we sometimes look around to see what others are doing.Whether it's our friends or our competition, its always nice to gauge your work vs. someone else's. But, just like in a race you have to keep your own stride and run like hell until you cross that finish line.

Stay Grinding!

Art is the New Bull Market..Basquiat Set new Record

Jean-Michel Basquiat

Records were shattered on Tuesday at Sotheby's US$255 million auction of contemporary and postwar art, the biggest in history, which was led by a US$73 million Rothko and a US$53 million Bacon.

Both works obliterated the old mark for any postwar work at auction of US$27.1 million set last November and far exceeded their pre-sale estimates, ushering in a new world of higher prices for contemporary art...Records were set for 15 artists in all, including Jean-Michel Basquiat, whose untitled work from 1981 fetched US$14.6 million including commission, about twice its estimate and nearly three times the artist's old record. The work was being sold by the Israel Museum.

via the China Post

Larry Holmes:Against All Odds

Larry Holmes has written a tell-all book, called Against All Odds, on his life and the inner workings of the the boxing business..

"An unfortunate placing in boxing history has made Holmes something of an enigma in the heavyweight division's illustrious past.

Thrown into the impossible void left by Ali and pre-empting the whirlwind destruction of Mike Tyson, Holmes was never going to get an easy ride from boxing purists and bar-room philosophers alike. Yet he held the richest prize in sport for over seven years, earned more than $40m, and left the sport with his faculties and fortune intact."

He includes jabs and right hooks at Boxing Promoter Don King...

"...after telling King he was going to talk to Bob Arum about a fight with Young Sanford, King said: ''If you do, I'll have your legs broke.'' Holmes took the threat so seriously that he went straight out and bought a pistol for protection.

In this respect the book offers a rare insight into the workings of the fight game. Pay-offs, kickbacks and other dodgy dealings are all exposed as Holmes describes his route to the top."

via Bangkok Post

Quote of the Day:Kuzzo Deville

From his interview in 21st Century Hustle Magazine Issue#1

Gotta stay connected and be in the game. Fuck being perfect, get in the circuit. That’s my motto.... You want to be perfect but, at the same time, experience is valuable, even if you fail. Like they say "Shoot for the moon and if you don’t make it, you will at least be amongst the stars.” You’ll be able to see your progress. But sitting back watching, you’ll never accurately assess your actions. Because perfect
to you, ain’t perfect to the next person!
Get in the game!

Kuzzo Deville-

Habana Outpost Grand Opening

Saturday May 12 marked the Annual Grand Opening of Brooklyn's solar powered, post up spot, Habana Outpost. Outpost is the gentrified sister of Cafe Habana, the Hipster Soho eatery. Habana is special because 1.Its Only open in the Summer, 2. you will always run into a gang a Brooklyn Go Getters that you haven't seen all winter 3. Its about the only restaurant where you can hustle your wares at the flea market that goes down on the patio.

Kissa, owner Buttafly Unltd

"Politics As Usual" Rashidi Hendrix of Reach Global Music Publishing

I didn't catch this Artist's Name but She sounded great-Anybody know?

"Entrepreneurial" Blues

"At the request of JetBlue Airways Corp., founder David Neeleman has stepped down[read:FORCED] from his position as CEO."

It's always bad to see someone start a company, put all of their blood sweat and tears into it, make it a great company, then get stripped of it by investors. Terrible! David Needleman created Jet Blue, the most innovative Airline of this century. It was the first ever to have all leather seats with Direct TV in them. The first to really get behind online booking. the easiest to get to free flights, new planes every month, free wi-fi in their constantly updated terminals, freshest uniforms, great prices, and hell on the competition. Throughout its 7 year history they only had losses in three quarters. Despite the achievments the winter storm debauchery of february was enough to get Neddleman bounced up to a non-executive role....

"David's talents are entrepreneurial, and therefore perfect for the Chairman position, which will free his time and energy from day-to-day operations to identify creative opportunities and focus on the broader scope and direction of the company," said Alison Eshelman, manager of corporate communications at JetBlue Airways, New York. "This move is a natural evolution as the company grows from a start-up to a major player."

It seems that "entrepreneurial" is only good enough to make a company great... Not good enough to run it?

Fast Company Magazine posed the question three years ago..

Can JetBlue make the leap from popular (and profitable) niche airline to major player -- without losing its soul? Only if it can grow big but stay small at heart

read the Fast Company Article

Quote of the Day:Inspired by Brand Naomi

Wherever you go, go with all your heart. ~Confucius

When Naomi Campbell was sentenced to community service clean up detail, the media was right there to capture every embarrassing detail. However, what started out as a media assassination, ended up repositioning campaign for Brand Naomi. .

As I watched the tide has turn in her favor I realized that Naomi has proven that no matter what situation you are put in you have to handle your business all the way. For, when you know who you are, and stay on top of your own thing, its not much anyone can say or do that can destroy you.

"I want to walk out of here with my head up. I want to go out in style, and fashion is what I’ve done for 21 years. It’s something that I love."

"What do they expect me to do—walk in looking all drib and drab? I’ve never looked drib and drab in my life."

Read more about Naomi's Clean Up Detail W Magazine its pretty interesting from a behind the scenes aspect.

So take Note: Fly High & Stay above the Haters

The Donald Strikes Again

Donald Trump has built a career of making the impossible possible, and leaving a trail of angry suckers to wonder "how'd he do that?" His latest coup in SOHO NY was rejected 3 times before being approved yesterday..And the Trump Haters are going bizzerk...read more

METRO NY-The city gave the green light yesterday to the 42-story Trump SoHo “hotel condominium” project, despite charges from several elected officials and community activists that the building flouts zoning laws. The Department of Buildings approved the permit for the glass tower at Spring and Varick streets — an area of low-rise loft buildings and 15-story warehouses. The area is zoned for manufacturing and prohibits residential or residential-hotel use. “Transient” hotels, however, are allowed, and Trump asserts this project complies.

The Big Idea:Fuse

Even in a saturated market there is always room for quality. Enjoy.

Getsome: Stereotype

We got our issue of Stereotype Mag today,an Indi-Mini-Mag produced by the talented Barbara Reyes. She has been on the grind for years and you can tell by her work that the grind has been good...Stereotype is printed in limited runs and and is in high demand amongst the creative community. We have #521 of 1000. Get yours here!

barbara reyes is known to her family as “art director.” she has worked diligently for domino, glamour, barneys new york, martha stewart living, w magazine, estee lauder and redken. she was even more diligent when she redesigned the look of radar, manhattan file magazine, espn and teen people and helped launch cargo magazine.

After a decade of working for the man, barbara decided it was time to be “art director” of her own publication. she wanted stereotype to be the anti-magazine—no cover lines, no editor's letter, no front or back of book pages—just a well, filled with features about art, photography, illustration, design, fashion and music. she hopes the minimag is a source of inspiration for readers as it is for herself.

Well Barb you've managed to inspire us here at the Hustle. So you've done your job. Good Work...In issue #3 she features the work of one the greats-- Photographer/Photo Editor George Pitts. He exhibits a collection that features portraits of "real women" and their sexuality.

George Pitts is Director of Photography at LIFE and was named one of the nineteen “Movers and Shakers” by American Photo magazine. His own photographs have been published in The New York Times Magazine, Werk (an anthology of contemporary art that included artists such as Nobuyoshi Araki), Esquire, Premiere, Spin, Raygun, and Paper. Mr. Pitts has received numerous honors in photography including two SPD Gold Awards in 1994 and 2004. From 1993-2004, he was the Director of Photography at Vibe Magazine. Mr. Pitts also teaches at The Parsons School of Design.

Freedom Is Never Free:Excerpt of Interview with Aaron McGruder

For our first cover story Veteran, Hip-Hop Journalist Serena Kim interviewed Aaron Mcgruder, Creator of the Boondocks. He kept 100% treal 100% of the interview. If you missed it here's a piece of it.

...SK: Why can’t you be broke? Why is that such an issue for you?

AM: Because liberty in this country doesn’t happen unless you can free yourself economically. It’s just an illusion. The civil rights and all that stuff, not to say that it’s not important, but it’s only 50 percent of the game. The Bill of Rights says, okay you have the right to talk, and you have the right to go everywhere, and the right to happiness and all that stuff. But it don’t tell you how you’re gonna pay for it. America is a country where they’ll leave you dead in the streets. If you fall, people will walk over you! There’s no safety net here. So when you talk about freedom; and I’ve always been really interested in the idea of freedom and studying what that means. Freedom in America is a lie. Not just because of criminal justice system history and all that other stuff, but because, what freedom do you have if you’re not rich in this country? You either have to walk away from everything and be completely poor to be free. Or you have to have a tremendous amount of money. Everyone in the middle is ultimately a slave. They are a slave to an economic system. If you’re making 30-40-$50,000 a year and you got a family and you got a job and you work full time, can you go where you wanna go when you wanna go? No!

SK: That’s what you want.

AM: Most people can’t do that until they’re 65. That’s not freedom. What freedom do you really have?

SK: Why are humans entitled to that? From a Zen perspective, humanity and happiness is only fulfilled when you’re working.

AM: There’s something to be said in that. But you are free to work. Most people don’t work because they want to. They are cogs in a system. Given the chance to do anything they want to do, they might do work, but it might be different work. It might be something that is actually fulfilling to them. Some people would much rather stay home and raise their kids and work on a family than work in a fucking office. For somebody else’s dividends. When I think about freedom, I think: Can I sleep when I want? Can I eat where I want? Go where I want, when I want? That’s freedom! Anything less than that, you’re not free. And that’s why I said, if you’re one of those people that can let it all go, all material possessions, you can be a free person. You can! That’s not me. I wish I had that level of spirituality. I wish I was that type. That’s not me. So I gotta go the other way. I have to basically buy my freedom from the system. In America, if you don’t have a lot of money and you get sick, you’re fucked. Someone you love get’s sick, you’re fucked! Money can mean the difference between life or death in this country. Often, if I get in trouble for anything, whether I did it or not, money means the difference between jail and no jail. So it’s a very serious thing. The civil freedoms and liberties and all that…

SK: There’s just been a lot of writing and thinking about that, about how the hip hop generation, and what it does with the civil rights. And the things you’re demanding are precisely what the next level is.

AM: Yeah, I’m not trying to diss the Civil Rights Movement. We would all miss it if it hadn’t been there. They’d still be lynching niggas. That’d be bad news. Um. But, you can’t fall into the lie sharecropping vs... slavery is the exact metaphor, We’ve got a nation of people perpetually in debt. And they are enslaved because of it. They are not free people. And I’ve always kind of seen the two together. Comfortably middle class but without a dollar. Because everyone’s just in debt. Credit cards. No one’s going on vacation. No one’s doing anything they want to do. We’re eating. We’re in a nice neighborhood, but no one has a dime. We’re living check to check. It’s a stress on the family. Just seeing the stress that money problems put on my parents was enough for me to be like fuck that I got to be rich. I can’t imagine going through this my whole life. With a wife and kids and everybody’s mad because there’s no money and they’re all worried. Can’t do it. Won’t do it. There just has to be a better way.


For the entire interview, Get issue #1 now...shoot us an email at 21hustle@gmail.com

21st Century Hustle:The philosophy

A lot of people are new to the concept of 21st Century Hustle and what we are about. For those who are interested here's a link to an interview that I did with www.marketingpopculture.com when we were about to launch this company. It sums up our philosophy and what we stand for.
Click the link below to listen
Marketing Pop Culture Interview

Fake Magnums: Stop Playing With Your Jimmy!

Here at the hustle we support cottage industries, home based business, and all kinds of legal hustlenomics but this is where economics run a crash course with our lives...

Brenda Flanagan of MY9 News did an investigation on Trojan Magnums with Harlem Entrepreneur, Video Producer & Director Choke No Joke.

"We went to several other stores to find out that they also had the fakes from the Bronx to Manhattan. Please be aware of where you purchase your condoms because you may by fakes that aren't safe at all. A statement was issued by Trojan saying that these condoms are not the product of Trojan and those who may have used them should consult a physician. Please go to a Pharmacy to purchase condoms to make sure that you are getting the original Trojan brand."

So MY9 suggests the following in identifying the real from the fake.
1.Get your rubbers from a licensed pharmacy or health clinic
2. The Gold Foil, on the real Magnums, is thick and when you fold the corners, they stay folded
3. "The fakes are smaller than the Real Deal"

So thank Choke No Joke and Brenda Flanagan for giving up the facts...

All Around the World:23 Year-Old Making History

Barrington Irving, a 23-year old senior (from Dade County 305 b/k/a Miami), majoring in aerospace at Florida Memorial University, is on a round the world flight that will make him the first person of African descent and the youngest person ever to fly solo around the globe.

The best part of the story is how Barrington built his plane that he calls "Inspiration".. He tried to get a plane donated for his trip and not one manufacturer would do it. Then his hustle kicked in.

"In 2003, Barrington began calling aircraft manufacturers with the unlikely request to borrow, lease, or donate a plane he could use to make aviation history. When no one said yes, he decided to ask manufacturers of the various components to donate just one of their individual products to him; he also asked Columbia, an aircraft manufacturer, whether they’d agree to assemble the plane if he could produce the parts.

During the next year, with support and guidance from Miami Executive Aviation, he visited aviation trade shows throughout the country and secured more than $300,000 in donated components—the engine, tires, cockpit systems, seats, and so forth—and Columbia built him the world’s fastest single-engine piston airplane, ready to be modified with extended fuel tanks a few weeks before the global flight. In addition, he received fuel support from Chevron that enabled him to train for the global flight and visit schools throughout the country."

He got it Done in a major way...And now he's halfway around the world. and it seems like there's a party every time he touches down. That must feel good to acomplish something big and then be able to celebrate all over the word. By the time he gets back he will be globally connected through fulfilling his dream.

The welcome party in Dubai

You can track the Barrington's flight course here.

Read his Blog here.

Go Get it Nation:Fortune Small Business Article

(FSB Magazine) -- Today entrepreneurs are America's role models. Almost everyone wants to own a business - from teens and college students, who are signing up for entrepreneurial courses in record numbers; to those over age 65, who are forming more companies every year;to recent immigrants, who in 2005 started 25% more companies per capita than native-born citizens did.

We are in the midst of the largest entrepreneurial surge this country has ever seen. According to Small Business Administration projections, nearly 672,000 new companies with employees were created in 2005. That is the biggest business birthrate in U.S. history: 30,000 more startups than in 2004, and 12% more than at the height of dot-com hysteria in 1996.

Read more

We know what's going on! people want in on the freedom train. Heads are tired of working all of their lives and having nothing but bills. The 21st century go getters are going after the dream....

Sights:Tree Sweater

I don't know if I'm going soft here or what, but what the hell---I thought this tree sweater was Dope! I'm in Cleveland and we drove by it and I had to stop and take a picture of it. I thought it would be cool in my backyard for the kids. Then I though that's a helluva feat to crochet an entire Tree!! who did that?? So a quick google on 'tree sweater' and boom...Artist Carol Hummel did.
Sometimes in business things get hectic and you don't notice the trees that are helping us to breath fresh air. But Carol's tree makes sure you can see at least one of them and that one is the brightest, happiest tree out! That's where I want to be. Breathing fresh air and coming up with fresh ideas.

Thanks Carol for this Tree. It changed my mindset for the day. I instantly had a brighter outlook and came up with some great ideas on how to get this money! Hope it helps my fellow Go Getters too!

Details on the Tree Here!

Thoughts: The Past

"Do not let your past make a mockery of your future."

-Muhammad, Chief Visionary, 21st Century Hustle

We all have outside forces commentating on all we do, but our most dangerous enemy is ourselves. For, the self knows our every fault, and weakness. It knows every time we've made a mistake, did something dumb, or became successful at something. Its that other voice in your head that's monitoring all we do vs. all we've done. It's the one saying "you can't...because you've never" and "remember the last time we tried that" or even worse "you can't... because you are beyond that."

These are limiters that determine how high you can go by the things you've have or haven't done. Kill'em shake'em off, whatever you have to do to get that up off you. When it comes up, acknowledge it, deal with it, learn from it, but ultimately figure out how to build on it and use that past to make it to the ultimate future. Make your failures, mistakes, successes, exs, family, neighborhood, schools, etc. all work for you. Its all money in the bank, now cash in on the interest.

Street Office: Society Café- Harlem

As we are of the Mobile world I feel like I should take advantage of my mobility. (Read: We need to be on the move and can’t be contained in one place too long). Anyway, me, the macbook and my mobile crew are hitting the streets to find the best spots for working on the move. I find it very necessary to have the skill to find somewhere to set up shop wherever you are. Cause you never know when you need stop drop and get something done.

Today’s Street Office Feature Society: dope atmosphere and they have a couple of tables big enough to hold a conference with up to 8people. Great staff of smiley-types. good sandwiches and snacks, and the wifi is free. So at the least you can nurse a cup of tea for a few hours and handle your bidness for less than $3! So if you moving and shaking in the streets of Harlem and find yourself in need of quick corner office give them a shout...

Society Cafe
2104 Frederick Douglass Boulevard
New York, NY 10026
212-222-3323 phone

Quote of the Day:Goldi Gold

Art by Goldi Gold-See More of his work Here

"WIN FIRST, FIGHT LATER"
HAGAKURE the Book of the Samurai

The phrase, Win first, fight later can be summed up in two words,
"Win beforehand."
The resourcefulness of times of peace is the military preparation for times of war. With five hundred allies one can defeat an enemy force of ten thousand
-Goldi Gold, Artist(sent via myspace.com/globalgrind.)

Those times when you are doing good, making money, & having fun, are the times to build your allies and make your plan. When your are working at the job, your status is good, and you are getting the bonuses and the raises, thats the opportunity to begin preparing for your next move. That's when you are creating the business plan, and raising money.That's when you start looking for the next job. Don't wait to get laid off of fired. Win first!! Thanks Goldi Gold!(Goldi was one of our first Advertisers!!!)