The Phylanice Nashe Experience

Having the "Mamba" Mentality! | with PR Specialist and Creative Producer, Iyube L'Bert

Phylanice Nashe J.D. Season 2 Episode 16

YouTube Channel (Video Interview) Link
Summary: Host Phylanice Nashe chats with entrepreneur,  public relations specialist and creative producer,  Iyube L'Bert, owner of Seventh Academy Public Relations. Iyube shares how his mantra "If we must die, let it not be like the hogs"  drives him to never listen to the haters or nay sayers and live with the "Mamba" mentality.  Iyube's talks about his inspirational underdog story of entrepreneurship,  his determination in growing his start up business during the pandemic & his family being the source of his balance and happiness. Iyube also shares his vision and focus on generational wealth and  how he's passing down those important business lessons to his children who have already started business at the ages of 14 and 12!!!   Listen now to this inspirational story!!

Host: Phylanice Nashe's Social Media

Guest: Iyube L'Bert's Social Media 

Speaker 1:

[inaudible]

Speaker 2:

Hello world and welcome to the felonies Nash experience, podcasts and audio series of lighthearted, and sometimes third eye opening conversations on entrepreneurship, leadership and relationships. From the African-American perspective, I am your host Phil on east Nash. Welcome. And today we have a really special guest. He is the owner and PR specialist of his own firm called the seventh academy public relations firm. He is also a full-time creative producer for the mood media company. He has experience in both public relations and music production. It seems like his love is a music production. He is a creative. Uh, he also works with some of the big names in, uh, sales. We'll get into that once we start chatting with him, uh, he also has a lot of experience in production with music, photography, and videography. He's almost a Jack of all trades, but he's an achiever in his career fields. I want to give a warm felonies experienced podcast. Welcome to IEU bay LaBear. Woo. Thank you for being on the show. I know when we first chatted, I was intrigued with your personal story about how you landed, where you are now, um, as far as your PR for mean your work as far as being a creative and a producer. So let's just jump right into it. The first thing I've been asking my guests is how are you your family and your business? How have you guys been handling COVID this past year and a half?

Speaker 3:

Well COVID has actually been a blessing to my business because it brought me more clients because I guess people were home and they had to figure out now what? So, I mean, that COVID has been a blessing on that end as far as my business. And it's also been a blessing, uh, with my full-time job as a creative producer, because I got, I was blessed to be able to work from home and just basically be around the house with my wife and kids all day. So, I mean, I, I couldn't beat that. I mean, but it's truly a blessing because I also know, um, a lot of family members who have furlough and stuff like that, so I don't take it lightly.

Speaker 2:

Right, right. So let's kind of dive into your origin story and how you've kind of got into PR and music production and then how it led you to wanting to start your own firm. And one other thing that we picked up on, we talked to a lot of entrepreneurs or people who are thinking about starting and taking the leap. And sometimes, you know, you still have to work that nine to five hustle while you are growing your business on the side. So just tell us about IUB who you are. How did you get into this and how did you start your own business?

Speaker 3:

Your intro kind of pumped me up a little bit. So let me dial back some, uh, I started off, I mean, I started in music at the age, maybe since I was a kid. Like I come from a family of musicians, uh, is my wife has even a music teacher. Uh she's opposed to this. Uh, but I went to school at full sail and got my bachelor's in music production because I just, the production in the music is really what I'm into more so than being a musician. So seeing like, uh, music, a song come together from beginning to the end is something that like, I really love. Uh, so from a bachelor's in music production, I went into public relations because I wanted to learn, how do you like promote stuff? Like how do you get, I wanted to learn about branding about audiences and, uh, basically like let's say growth marketing. Um, I wanted to learn more about those types of things because in my life I've met a lot of musicians who have great talent, but nobody knows about them with learning public relations. I mean, I branched off into other, uh, forms of business. It was like small businesses, uh, religious organizations, entertainment and lifestyles. Those are like the areas of PR that I work in. So hopefully that gives, gives you somewhat of a ballpark about who I am. Music definitely started all of it. Like I love music. I mean, my nine to five as a creative producer, um, I work here at the Walmart headquarters and we work with Walmart, both on the marketing side and on their radio side. So I do a lot of script writing, uh, shoulder writing, audio imaging, uh, filming different con some content for social media, the whole gamut of a creative producer.

Speaker 2:

So when we spoke before previously, when you mentioned that you work and do production for Walmart, so first of all, when ever, when anyone thinks of Walmart, it's not a radio show or a television show, right. It's, you know, the low prices that we can get. And so speak a lot, Matt, a little bit. Like what, what kind of show is it? Is it something that the general public can see or is it just an internal?

Speaker 3:

So it's actually both. I mean, there's some things that are directly internal. Walmart has his own like internal social media page, but then a lot of what we do is public and a lot of people just don't notice it. So like, uh, whenever I tell somebody like, yeah, I'm a, full-time creative producer for Walmart radio. I'm already prepared for the first question. Walmart has a radio. Yeah, they do. But most people don't. I didn't notice it. Um, but inside the stores, there's music playing at all times, but there's also two live shows that come on too. So there's an early morning show that's for associates only. And then there's a Monday, Wednesday, Friday, there's an afternoon show that's for customers and associates that comes on one to 3:00 PM central time

Speaker 2:

And the stores. Okay. So next time I'm going in at one 30, I'm going in and I'm going to, I'm going to check it out.

Speaker 3:

And if you go in there in the next three months, because we do a producer rotational switch every three months and the, for the next three months for this quarter, I'm responsible for the afternoon show. So you'll even hear me coming on. They're talking sometimes.

Speaker 2:

Awesome. That is awesome. So anybody in the next 90 days, if you're in Walmart between what is it, one central and three central. Yes. They may hear your, you on the plight on that. So first of all, we have to notice that there is a station plane, because we don't notice that. But if you now take, take, notice, take note while you're in there, you may hear you may on there bringing someone in, but that's, that is neat. That is totally neat.

Speaker 3:

Yeah. You can stream it to on Walmart world.com. You could stream it as well are two shows that come on, you have to, uh, live with Antonio and then the boat show.

Speaker 2:

So what, what kind of content is it? Why would customers want to listen to that?

Speaker 3:

For one of the main things is to make sure that it's entertaining and engaging just to help estimate. It's kind of like, uh, pass the time. We're not always on there. Like, Hey, go buy this or go buy that. Like, you're talking about news, we're talking about entertainment. We're talking about, uh, special segments. And I mean, of course my job is to script all of this. So we, we try to keep it as entertaining and Walmart friendly as possible. Gotcha. Best Walmart friendly, because I mean, there's a lot of stuff in here that we joke and laugh about, but we can never do it on the show

Speaker 2:

That's behind the scenes. Yeah. Cool. So we'll definitely check that out. So how did you translate your experiences into your PR firm, which again is seventh academy public relations. Tell us what seventh academy public relations is all about and how did you come up with a name for that business?

Speaker 3:

So I'll start off with coming up with the name of it. I came up with the name of it because you know, on the seventh day, God rested. And I just feel like that number seven is just super important and it has, uh, it has something about it draws me. So seventh academy, I always feel like I'm learning. I'm never going to tell you that I know everything. I mean, I prefer to stay learning every day to grow evolve every day. So that's where the academy piece comes in and public relations. That's, that's the title, that's where the title came from. But as far as translating everything over to that, one of the things as I got older and as I got my master's in public relations that I enjoy is branding. I think branding is such a cool topic, especially as we get, not just because of social media, but it's just like where we are as a society. Like your brand is so important to you, right? And it's not, it doesn't have to just be a business. It could just be you yourself. I mean, your brand carries over into employment. What people know about you, everything. And I mean, the first, the most important thing about public relations is we are responsible for who you are. And when you walk through that door, if you hire a public relations person,

Speaker 2:

So how did you decide that it was time to pour a lot of your resources and energy into your own business? When did you know it was time to kind of take that leap,

Speaker 3:

Um, after, after a few clients and after school, to be honest with you. Cause I had to do a thesis and I mean at thesis took a whole lot out of me, but at the same time, I like to help people. And I like to, I mean, I'm a backgrounds person. That's why I'm a producer, but I like to help people. And I like to see projects and campaigns and PRS campaigns, but projects or campaigns, to me, it all falls back to producing because you can't get to the next level without a producer. And I mean, to me, PR and production are very similar in that, in that regard. And that's what it was for me. Once I realized that, and once I got a few clients, it was like, you know what, let me just, because you have to, also in my degree program, you have to start your own business. So I just carried it on. I have two employees. It's crazy to me. That's crazy but

Speaker 2:

Crazy. That's growth. I

Speaker 3:

Mean, there's growth. It is. But when I say crazy, like a good thing, like I actually did it.

Speaker 2:

So when you look back and how long has it been since you started seventh academy, but you know, most of the time you have those feelings, when you, when you do the look back, like, I can't believe like we're here with two employees. So how long has it been? Since seventh academy came into existence?

Speaker 3:

So I graduated in 2018. I mean the business was there, but I really didn't go. I would say I really didn't go hard until 2000, 19, 2020. And within what, within half of a year, I, I got two employees. I have a social media manager and then a account manager.

Speaker 2:

Wasn't a difficult decision. And how, because part of this show is talking about, you know, relationship and work-life balance and how you manage starting a business with what else you have going on at home. You know, I know you've got a wife, you have some young children, you still have a full time. So what was that decision? Like, how did you and your wife kind of come together and just say, Hey, you know what? This has been going on, working on a poor, our time and resources into this. What was that like with you and the family dynamic?

Speaker 3:

So when it comes to, uh, so just so everyone on the podcast knows I have, I've been married for 14 years and we have five daughters. One of the most important things for me is like, whatever. Cause I mean, I'm not a wealthy man, but whatever it is I can do to leave behind for my children, I'm going to do it. Right. So one of the things that, you know, I mean, I guess you could say like kinda losing your wife, but one of them, one of the things was, you know, Hey, with this business, uh, like my older, my oldest artist, she's into media. So, you know, I teach her a lot of stuff. Like she started her own, uh, it's this website called red bubble where you could create kind of your own designs and sell them. So I sit down with her, go over her, you know, what is your brand, what her brand is enemy. So I was like, well, what, what, I don't know if I want to give you all, all the tools, the tricks of the trade, but anyways,

Speaker 2:

You got to keep things for yourself. Cause that's why you have customers.

Speaker 3:

I sit it down and I go over, you know, the plan with her and I make her do it. But then I'll also bring her into the company and show her different things that I do just to pass something down to generations. Cause I mean, it's just at the end of the day, you know, as an African-American, that's not something that we were always privy to. And I knew I wasn't, I know for me it was just, Hey, make sure you go to school, get a degree, but it wasn't nothing really passed down or talked to me. So that's really important to me. And that was something that I stressed to my wife in order to, let's say some of those times when I'm more busy than focused on her, that's what I bring back up to reiterate. Like it's bigger than just daddy out here trying to do something. Yeah.

Speaker 2:

I like that. Generational wealth passing down piece that you've talked about. So you mentioned you have five girls and it seems like you are having a positive influence on them as far as starting their own business. How old is your oldest? Who has the website?

Speaker 3:

Oh, she's 13. Wow.

Speaker 2:

So she's starting early. Anyone else in the household starting to look like they want to go into what you do or start their own business or any of that? So there's

Speaker 3:

Another business that my 12 year old, the one right under her, she wants to start. I'm going to help her to start that as soon as I get the funds for it. But yet there's something that she's wanting to start for the longest. And I want to see them at least try yes. Try, attempt to learn it, see how it goes. And I mean, you don't have to give it up a lot of things now to me, even if it's just like internet, if you're just doing a business on the internet, even if it's slow, you don't have to quit it. Right. It just might be slow for right now, but you can still have that time to all right, the next six months, I want to pour my all into this, but there

Speaker 2:

Has to be some planning behind it too. Right?

Speaker 3:

Yes. And that's one of the most important things about PR too. It all comes back to branding to me. Branding is where it starts.

Speaker 2:

Exactly. So I also want to talk about, you've mentioned, you'd like to help people and I love the fact that, you know, at home it's the exposure, right? If you can see it, you can be it. Can you talk a little bit about any other ways that you are impacting the community? Um, I know you've got some organizations that you work with or some groups that you work with. How else are you working with other folk to kind of help inspire them to achieve their dreams or network with one another?

Speaker 3:

Well, I'll share what you wanted to craziest stories to me. Like I said, I say crazy in a good way, not nothing. Gotcha. Gotcha. Um, but so I actually am in two places because my wife and kids are in Florida, but I work in Arkansas. So I'm back and forth a lot. Um, like I said, I, production is one of my big things and one of my clients last last year during Christmas, there was a lady I met who in Arkansas, she does this all on the strength of just love for her community. She gets to she every week she cooks for salvation army. And then every, uh, during Christmas she does this toy drive locally. And, and I wanted to film and do a documentary a quick five minute documentary for her. Cause I, I just never met anybody like this, but I mean, I've felt since I've watched her, I've like help put her in different places. But anyways, I want to stick to her to sit there and watch this lady do this drive at a local restaurant and see so many families come up and cry. I didn't capture any of the crying, but I mean, those people like, you know, crying, pouring their heart out. Um, and just being so thankful that they were able to provide toys for their children because it is lady. I mean, one of the craziest things I've ever witnessed, stories like that. If I meet somebody like that, I'm going to try my hardest to, Hey, put them in the right place for this story to be heard, set them up with the right people for free. Because it, to me, it's just like stuff like that. We were not all built like that. And this lady story, she, uh, she came from poverty. Um, and her goal in life is just to help out as many people as she can. No, non-profit no nothing. She just asked this off the strength of herself.

Speaker 2:

That's a great story. But most importantly, what I love is the fact that you are also helping other people by telling their story and that giving back that community is, is extremely, extremely important. So we thank you for your efforts and giving back to the community in that way. One of the other things that I also want to make sure that people know about, well, before we get to your social media, I want to know about this mantra that you have. I had never heard this, but you say that you live by the first line of clot. McKay's Palm, if we must die. And that is if we must die, let it not be like hogs. What does that mean? What does that mean to you?

Speaker 3:

So, I mean, of course you have to read a whole poem to really get the full context, but just that one line it's like, I mean, it comes from, uh, my interpretation from, it has always been, cause there's a historical interpretation of it, but I'll just tell you how it relates to me. Okay. Uh, for me it's always that, uh, you know, go out at the highest that you can write it. Don't just sit there and you know, if you're going to fight, like really fight and see something through, don't just take, what's presented to you. And I mean, that's just, that's just the way I grew up. I grew up with a grandmother. I have a grandmother and grandfather, but my grandmother is a very, she's a fighter. Like, uh, she just doesn't take anything. And to me it doesn't always have to be like physical or, you know, something aggressive, but fighting with your mind, like using your mind to really go to the highest that you could go. Don't just take what, you know, a path that somebody has given you a path that somebody tells you, you have to go, why not go with what you want to do and go out fighting.

Speaker 2:

How have you applied that to your life?

Speaker 3:

Oh man, how can I say this in a short way? Let's just say in a lot of times in my life I've been put in like a underdog category. And so for me, it's always, well, you know, I could do this. I don't need your approval to tell me that I can do this. Just watching me do this. I'll give you the best example. So before I went back to school and before I got my masters and bachelors, I was a full-time driver at ups. And I didn't like it. I mean, it was good financially, but I just didn't like the work. And I didn't feel like I was really utilizing my talents or bring so, you know, while I was working, going to school and stuff, uh, plenty of people would tell me, oh, you're crazy. It doesn't get much better than this. And then people would tell me like, oh, you're going to full sail university. When you graduate full sail, you're going to be like everybody else at full sail. Like you'll never break into the media world. And so I graduated left ups in 2016, graduated in 2016, became a, create a full-time creative producer in 2019. Then what, then what you're telling me. Right.

Speaker 2:

So don't be limited. Yes. I love that.

Speaker 3:

I love that when I listen to people. Cause I mean, people, some people have good intentions. A lot of people give you, uh, the worst of themselves and put it on you projected on you. And I just think that's unfortunate in this world because I can't tell somebody what they can't do. I can only try to uplift them and say, Hey, if that's what you really want to do, as long as you've given it 110% given the Mamba mentality, but shout out to Kobe Bryant, I mean, and go for it. Like I've been in that situation, majority of my life where people tell me, oh, you can't do that.

Speaker 2:

So with that mantra in mind, and have you gotten to a space where you are happy? Are you at a space where you don't feel like you're the underdog, you feel like you are in control and you are making your own destiny a little bit

Speaker 3:

Because at the same time I like to compete. So I mean, I, I kind of keep it, keep those things close to heart in all honesty. Uh, but I am happy. I will always try to stay at a place that happiness cause I'm, I mean, to me, happiness starts at home and I mean, regardless, God has blessed me with like, oh, wife and five beautiful daughters. And I don't say that to sound like a cliche, but like I was just there last week, all last week. And I just got back here in Arkansas today. And I mean, it's tough being in two places has been tough for the past few months, but it's just such a, such a blessing, man. My, my kids make me happy. I cannot lie about that.

Speaker 2:

Well, shout out to Mrs. LaBear, she's holding it down for the family.

Speaker 3:

I mean, she, she held her down with five kids. She had five,

Speaker 2:

I got to meet her well, getting close to the end of our episode here, but I want to make sure that all of the listeners know where they can follow you. And if they want to get some PR work from you, how can they find you? Where, what are your social media handles? How can I get in touch with you?

Speaker 3:

So the easiest way is, I mean, of course I have the website seventh academy, pr.com all spelled out. And then, um, my email is my first name. I Y U B E dot L B E R T S seventh academy, pr.com. I prefer email over everything. Yeah. But then, uh, social as far as social, um, at seventh academy PR and then, um, my personal one that you could find me on is, um, at I N L 83 underscore for,

Speaker 2:

Yeah. And that's where people will find you doing some of your, your personal projects and music. I did check that out. So, you know, if you are interested in following him on that, do that, but thank you so much for agreeing to be on the show at you. We appreciate you. Thank you so much. And I also want to just make sure that everyone who's listening can follow you bay. All of his social media will be in the show notes. I also want to just make sure that everyone has all of my social media handles, which is at Philomena Nash on all social media, including LinkedIn. Make sure you also check out the felonies Nash experience a podcast on YouTube as well. Well, you'll find the video version of this episode in all prior episodes from season one and two. I just want to thank you again for agreeing to be on the show. I want to thank all of my listeners and viewers for watching and listening to the show. And I also just want to encourage everyone to continue to stay safe out there. COVID-19 is picking back up. So if you have the opportunity to get your vaccine, please do so stay safe, wash your hands, and we'll see you on the next episode of the felony smash experience podcast. Peace

Speaker 1:

[inaudible].

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