Q & A with Claude Brooks, Creator of Hip Hop Harry

1. Can you share the funniest or most interesting story that happened to you since you started your company?

I received an email from a mother of a child who loves watching Hip Hop Harry on YouTube. She said she could never get her 6 yr old son to understand the importance of washing his hands, but after he saw the episode about why you should wash your hands, he now sings the song “Wash Up Wash Down” and wants to wash his hands all of the time. At first she couldn’t get her son to wash his hands, and now she can’t get him to stop! She asked if we can do an episode about OCD. 

2. What do you think makes your company stand out? Can you share a story?

What makes C To The B Productions stand out from other production companies? Well our point of view with most of our projects incorporates Hip Hop culture. Being born and raised in Harlem NYC, Hip Hop culture and music was and still is an integral soundtrack to my life. Early in my career, one of the first shows I Executive Produced and co-created is called “Lyricist Lounge” for MTV. It was a groundbreaking sketch comedy show. Some of the sketches were done completely in rap. This was the first time rap was used a narrative/dialogue to tell story. We had guest stars like Snoop Dogg, Mos Def and Common. Though I have not spoke to Lin Manuel Miranda, the creator of Hamilton, I’m sure he was influenced by “Lyricist Lounge.” It is awesome to see the evolution of something I was part of starting. The future of using rap as story telling device is in good hands.

3. None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are?

The person I am most grateful towards for helping me achieve the success I have in this business is my mother. My mother, Marie Brooks, was a single mother to four children and watching her juggle everything to give us all a quality life inspired me to do my best in whatever I pursued. At the age of eight, I told my mother that I wanted to act. We happened to run across meeting a manager who was interested in representing me. I made a deal with my mother to let me go on three auditions. If I didn’t book anything, that would be the end of my acting career. Well fortunately for me, I booked all three auditions: The Wiz, a Burger King and Underoos commercial! My mom did not have the time to take me on my auditions, so she taught me how to take the New York City trains. At the early age of eight, I was taking the train by myself to auditions. That might be considered child neglect now, but it was child empowerment back then.

 Thanks Mom! Love you for life!!!

 

4. What are things you wish someone told you before you started your business and why.

I wish someone told me before I started in this business how to deal with disrespectful people. I saw early on in my career people in “power” positions like Directors and Producers treat people on the set with no respect. It took awhile for me to understand that people who generally act like that come from place of insecurities. My instinct was to avoid people who acted out like that. Then I learned that you can make clear what your boundaries are without fighting fire with fire. Most people respect people who make their boundaries clear. Later in my career, a couple of the obnoxious Directors and Producers apologized for their behavior in the past. It is good to see that some people can change. 

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Let's Talk Fashion with Mehdi Raad of Maceoo.com

When you look beyond the defined description of an industry, it allows you to see what others cannot. When you stand apart from your competition, you gain a different perspective. Within this difference is where you find the innovators, the disruptors, the game-changers.

This is where true entrepreneurs like Elon Musk, Steve Jobs, and Travis Kalanik carve out unique positions that can change entire industries. Apple products, Uber Rides, and Tesla Cars are engineered for simplicity. A lot of work has gone in to how effortless these products seem to the consumer.

  

People assume that simple is easy. It’s anything but.

Today, I was able to witness this lesson first-hand when I visited the Californian offices of Maceoo, a fashion brand that uses high-tech engineering to create highly fashionable clothing. Engineering isn’t a word that I would have associated with fashion, but after spending the day with Maceoo’s founder, Mehdi Raad, it didn’t just seem reasonable, it began to feel like a glimpse into the future of fashion.

Mehdi Raad comes to fashion via an unconventional route – his previous career being in tech as an Apple affiliate. Maceoo believed that some of the engineering practices and principles used on Apple products would translate into fashion.

The goal was to create an engineered fit using futuristic fabrics. The garments should have a sense of style, but they should also be as easy to wear as our most comfortable house clothes. To achieve off-the-rack designs that would look great on almost anyone, Maceoo needed data. Lots of data.

Maceoo collected data from 30 million people and created an algorithmn (essentially their “secret recipe”) that could be used to make clothing that looks great from every angle. A cutting system was developed so that the individual pieces of a garment could be cut to exact specifications every time. Maceoo isn’t all about technology though, as the final construction is performed by a skilled artisan. A mix of modern and man.

The Italian fabrics used in Maceoo garments are beyond wearable. No sweat, no wrinkles, natural stretch – these items don’t just look good they make the wearing feel good. Maceoo claims that customer feedback shows a clear uptick in confidence, work success, time saved getting dressed, romantic success, and even posture and health.

I remained skeptical, particularly on the last point. How could a garment make you feel healthier? When I tried on my first Maceoo suit, Maceoo asked how I felt. It feels absurd to draw on the old saying that the clothing makes the man, but from top to bottom I really did feel my best self. As I sit here writing this article, my body is hunched over a keyboard, but in that suit earlier today, I almost felt taller.

Whether the garments can do everything that Maceoo claims, I can’t say, but I can attest to the quality and fit of what I tried on. It’s no surprise that John Travolta, Lady Gaga, and famous athletes are asking Maceoo to dress them for special events. When I bring it up, Maceoo laughs at this attention. He’s happy to help anyone look good. But his focus remains on making ordinary people look as extraordinary as a celebrity.

To his mind, wearers of Maceoo can do, earn, and achieve more in life. Sometimes it takes a unique point of view to discover a universal truth. Sometimes it takes a high-tech approach to leave a very human impression.

One thing is for certain, succeed or fail, Maceoo will continue pushing the boundaries and dragging fashion into the future.

Social Tools Summit

Online social networks have rapidly increased in popularity, especially over the past couple of years. Social networking websites are popular because they easily allow you to find, connect with, and develop friendships with other internet users, often ones that share the same interests as you.

To find those individuals, you must join a social networking website and create a profile. It is often advertised that your social networking profile is the key to making and finding friends online.

As previously mentioned, your social networking profile is important when it comes to meeting other internet users. This is because, in most cases, internet users are looking to chat with someone who has the same goals, views, beliefs, and interests as they do. Without a personal profile, it would be difficult or impossible to tell what your interests are. That is why social networking profiles are not only important, but they are needed.

When it comes to social networking profiles, a lot of focus has been placed on what you should include in your profile or display on your profile page. It has been said that pictures produce the best responses, as well as detailed personal information. Although a picture and detailed personal information may help to increase your page views, you may be getting views that you do not necessarily want. Despite what you may believe, most social networking websites do not have restrictions on who can view your personal profile. 

In fact, internet users, even those that do not belong to your online community, can easily see profile. Since anyone, literally anyone, can see your social networking profile, on most social networking websites, you are advised to be cautious. Essentially, this means that instead of focusing on what you should put in your online profile, you should be focusing on what not to put. This is one the best ways to protect your safety, both on and offline.

As previously mentioned, pictures are often recommended with social networking websites. If you are interested in positing a personal picture of yourself in your online profile you can do so, but you are advised to carefully choose that picture. While you will want to look your best, you are advised against posting a picture that is too revealing or seductive in nature. Most internet users can look at these types of pictures without feeling a thing, but for others these types of pictures spell danger.

If you make the decision to post a picture of yourself in your social networking website profile, you need to be careful about the rest of the information that you post. Although you may not necessarily think about it, a picture is just a picture, but combined with your name and address, it could be a deadly combination. You are advised to only post your first name in your profile. This will make it more difficult for anyone to try and contact you off of the internet.

It is also advised that you get professional training by attending social media conferences such as the Social Tools Summit (http://www.socialtoolssummit.com) on Oct. 18th in Boston is like no other conference you have attended. In addition to our product experts and speakers, we include a Trender Panel, or focus group of power users, who weigh in on their key needs. Further, we make the conference fun by gamefying the proceedings, with one lucky winner being awarded the "Social Genius" crystal trophy.

This conference provides an unparalleled opportunity to learn from social media.

Event Shows You How to Get Your Share of the Billions Given Away Each Year

In business it's been said," The more you know...the more you grow!"

Every year thousands of conferences, seminars, and workshops are held each year but only a few are must attend events. These key events often reveal the latest technology, offers the opportunity to meet new people in your industry, and attract the best speakers on the stage.
Getting to The Money 2017 Workshop will be held in INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA~ Saturday on  October 21st: 1:00p.m.- 6:00p.m. Eastern Standard Time

• 14074 Trade Center Dr  ~Training Conference Room 1
• Fishers, IN 46038

Founded by Stacee Lang  who has helped clients obtain more than $157 million in funding from government agencies and private foundations including for non-profit organizations, research institutions, and small businesses from Federal agencies and departments such as the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the National Institute of Health (NIH), the Department of Defense (DOD), and the Department of Justice (DOJ). Although her background is in the social sciences, Lang has extensive experience and success with INTERNATIONAL proposals involving basic and clinical science, institutional improvement, student support services, workforce development, and other areas.

Lang’s expertise is in building fundraising department infrastructures as well as developing solicitation strategies for donors across multiple giving channels. She leads the business development and grant/research activities for nonprofit organizations worldwide; as well as developing strategies and partnerships to increase the flow of capital to the social sector.

You will learn: HOW to WIN!

• How to build a Nonprofit that is income generating and takes care of you financially while you're making an impact in the world. When you put your passion into the system we've developed, you're going to have complete success!
  
  We're  going to teach you this by showing you how we personally launched 7 powerful income generating nonprofits. We've generated over $267 million in funding for the various Nonprofits we've started and supported, and we've made a great income changing the world.
  
  We've advised celebrities, governors, county clerks, we were even appointed to a special task force to gain community funding.  When you're involved in nonprofits, it's all possible. 

Additional speakers include:

Top PR and marketing pro will share:

3 ways to boost sales

How to get national publicity

Keys to using PR to raise awareness and funding

How he went from welfare to 7 figures in just a few years

His clients include CEO Space, Les Brown, Wonderlic, Doc Fleming, Nightingale, Nas, Agent Zero, and others.

Whatever your passion is, whatever that idea is that you've had for all of these years that you've known that you want to take forward, that's what we're going to teach you on this training...

Program fee includes: classroom instruction, curricular materials, and lite refreshments.

To register visit http://langcapitalgroup.org/store/p3/Getting_To_The_Money_2017_Workshop.html

Avoiding Retirement Traps

The 'Forrest Gump Plan' is best explained by the famous quote from the movie where Forrest mama states, "Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're going to get." Unfortunately this plan is used by many soon-to-be retirees who don't know what or how to plan for their retirement. 

An experienced Omaha financial planner, Steve Casto of Omaha Financial Planners says is not an effective retirement strategy and Steve says that people should be aware of their income at all times. He adds that you should want to create an effective retirement plan that not only encompasses retirement savings, but also details projected future income based on personal needs and requirements.

Steve opened for business in 1999 and is still going strong helping local clients with financial planning, wealth management, stocks, bonds, mutual funds, 401(k)'s, corporate benefits, and budgeting.

Not surprisingly, many of us will make mistakes when it comes to preparing for retirement and managing money during retirement, particularly because greater longevity presents a challenge in terms of making savings last.

Here are a few common traps to avoid:

Waiting too long to start saving and/or saving too little. 

Putting too much emphasis on average life expectancy.

Halting or reducing savings during bear markets.

For an appointment please visit www.omahafinancialplanners.com

The Number 1 Domain Technology Conference coming to Orlando Oct 14-18

In business it's been said," The more you know...the more you grow!"

Every year thousands of conferences, seminars, and workshops are held each year but only a few are must attend events. These key events often reveal the latest technology, offers the opportunity to meet new people in your industry, and attract the best speakers on the stage.

THE MERGE SHOW is a group of conferences – like a ‘worlds fair’ event – hosting different events within MERGE! (new and old) with technology and domain names at the core. One of these is the well attended THE Domain Conference, in its third year.

This year it will be held on Orlando Oct 14-18 in Orlando, FL.

A continuation of a long-standing gathering of a who’s who in the domain space. THE Domain Conference is an annual event that gathers the most amazing entrepreneurs and domain owners, to discuss new business trends, changes in policy, new revenue options, and buying and selling domain names.

THE Domain Conference is just one of many other sub events, activities and open meetings, which also will include:

Allegravita’s China Bootcamp
Blockchain Road Show
CMS Summit
Confluir
McGrady Domain Academy
TheWHIR Networking Event.

MERGE! has many conferences, disciplines, and focus areas, with Domain Names and Technology as a common theme.

SPEAKERS INCLUDE:

Chris Disspain  ICANN Board 

Gerald M. Levine, Esq. & author of "Domain Name Arbitration.

David Sams    Founder, Chairman and Chief Encouragement Officer, Sams Companies

Erika Mann Senior Advisor, Covington & Burling LLP

Just to name a few.

Co-Founded by Ray Neu of TRAFFIC and THE Domain Conference and Jothan Frakes, co-founder of the NamesCon, DomainFest, and Domain Roundtable conferences, this show brings more than 25 years of conference experience and content excellence together for an event that you will not want to miss.

For more information visit https://mergeshow.com/

Voicebroadcasting

It is a ringless software system that will deliver a message to someone's voicemail without ringing their phone. The message is pre-recorded by you or us, and broadcasted to thousands of voice mail boxes using our system. 

We can call past customers or brand new prospects. For example, we will call 1000 people and leave a message or offer.

Those who are interested call you back. Since 2008 we have generated tens of thousands of calls and boosted profits for individuals or a team of sales people.

Try 250 calls for $47 to see how many customers you will get.

Call Fred at 815-216-4073.

Most individuals will listen fully to a voice mail message before deleting, especially to an unfamiliar message. Very few will delete a voice message without learning who it's from, and what it's about. This aspect gets your message heard. Recipients return the call at their leisure, instead of being forced to engage with a live voice call, at an inopportune time. This further reduces the annoyance factor. Ringless Voice Mail messaging is much more acceptable, and tolerated than with a ringing phone. The complaint factor will be reduced almost to zero.

Why use Ringless Voice Mail broadcasting ? Call Fred at 815-216-4073.

Almost 85% of your phone calls or customer retention calls never reach a live person, .....they end up in voice mail. Most of your staff can only make 50 to 70 sales calls per day. 

Ringless voice broadcasting liberates you from repetitive out-bound calling, and repeating the same message, or sales pitch into a customer's voice mail box. Maximize your time wisely and concentrate on in-bound customer inquiries, from your automated outbound marketing efforts.


****************$47 Trial Offer**********************

Call Fred at 815-216-4073.  Get 250 calls for $47.


Clients

Veterans Cafe
Parissi's
Uncle Mike's
UIC
Illinois Blues Shack
No Name
NW Cafeteria
Marriott
Ramada Inn
Ridell Tech
American Funding
Cate Rina
Helping Hands
Champion
CMW
Krueger
Dr. Chuck
Diet Doctor