May 2022 - Content with Teeth

R.I.P. Content Marketing 2022?

Is content marketing dead in 2022?

Every week, you can search for an article declaring that content is over …

Why?

It’s too hard to reach an audience. Creators in all formats are abstaining. Social Media sites are narrowing intake. Ranking higher is getting increasingly difficult. And Search Engine Optimization (SEO) professionals can’t move the needle organically.

Big content marketers are reading the last rites and sounding the alarm about the field.

We’ll take a look at some of the content marketing trends over the next few years and explore whether or not it’s still a viable strategy. Spoiler alert: It is! Read on to find out why.

Too Many Channels With Nothing On

Content creation has never been easier. An eight-year-old with a phone can record, edit and post something on the internet that will be competing with other low-cost, easy-to-produce content.

Gone are the days of major motion picture studios, TV networks and print Goliaths that monopolized distribution. Their content was force-fed to the audience. Today, everyone has a motion picture studio in the palm of their hand.

This present content glut was a given. You’d be an idiot not to see this trend. Content may be king, but it is overexposed.

What Is Content Marketing?

Marketers are like IT people and speak their own hard-to-understand language. Uh, like, what is content marketing?

Let’s explain the buzzword.

It is a strategic marketing approach focused on creating and distributing valuable, relevant and consistent content to attract and retain a clearly-defined audience — and, ultimately, to drive a profitable customer action.

When done right, content marketing has been proven to provide ROI far greater than many other traditional marketing channels.

Content Marketing Strategy Explained

Better content can increase traffic by 2,000%. Creating killer content marketing efforts requires more than just writing well-crafted words and publishing them online. To be truly effective, content needs to resonate with the target audience and stand out from the crowd.

A key prerequisite to a winning content marketing strategy is thorough research. You need to thoroughly understand your audience so that you can create engaging, relevant content tailored specifically to their needs and wants. In order to take your content strategy to the next level and create compelling, high-quality content that performs well across multiple platforms, start researching, refining, and optimizing the copy. The payoff will be worth it – in terms of both engagement and ROI. The content marketing industry is expected to grow by USD 417.85 billion from 2020 to 2025.

CONTENT MARKETING ISN’T DEAD, IT’S JUST HARDER!

Some digital marketing gods have declared that there is a glut of content and the big platforms (Google, Facebook, etc) are discouraging inbound content by reducing outbound links (social media) or making sure the plants in their own garden get all the water (Google prioritizing their own content).

Full podcast is here https://t.co/AaxVbP9UL8 where we cover a load of topics related to SEO's waning ability to drive competitive marketing advantage pic.twitter.com/glACvUIkTz

— Rand Fishkin (@randfish) October 28, 2021

SEO Veteran Rand Fishkin claims that the ‘’Golden age of SEO is gone.’’

He reminisced about the good old days when he used to work at Moz.

At that time, SEO was relatively low-competition. You could rank easily, and when you did rank, Google made sure to send people to your website, not keep them on Google.

But today, the situation is a whole lot different. You cannot rank number one by pointing to three anchor text phrases. Every keyword today has 10,000 competitors and SEO is much more complicated.

It’s not just marketers sounding the alarm, but governmental officials as well.

Last year, the Ohio Attorney General filed a lawsuit against Google, declaring the internet Goliath should be a public utility when it comes to search.

Google uses its dominance of internet search to steer Ohioans to Google’s own products–that’s discriminatory and anti-competitive,” Yost said. “When you own the railroad or the electric company or the cellphone tower, you have to treat everyone the same and give everybody access.

“Content is … the biggest challenge in 2022”

To steer back to digital marketing legends, Neil Patel echoes the same sentiment saying that ‘Content is going to be the biggest challenge in 2022.’

There are over 1 billion blogs on the internet and almost 1.7 billion websites. And when you think about it from a content perspective, roughly 7.5 million articles get published every day. Which comes out to 2.7 billion articles being published per year. So, the market is more saturated than it was ever before.

Nevertheless, this does not mean that the era of content marketing is over by any means. It just stresses that what’s going to give you an edge over your competitors is creating distinctive content.

Mind-Boggling Stats

According to a global survey conducted in 2020, 37% of marketers said their organization spent up to $10,000 on content marketing efforts that year and according to 2% of industry professionals, their content marketing budgets for 2020 range from $500k to 5 million dollars.

43% of marketers had an increase in their content marketing budget, and 66% believe it will climb even more in 2022. The following are the primary content priorities for 2022, 45% of businesses want their brand to be more famous, 37% aim to increase website traffic, 36% want to generate leads with content marketing, and 23% strive to improve customer loyalty with their content marketing.

Native Content > External Content

Native content now has greater importance for awareness infiltration. Social media platforms are working to reduce the reach of any form of content that is not native.

Why?

By directly posting native content on social media instead of a link, users are glued in immediately, free of surfing to other sites. Therefore, Facebook and others don’t want to facilitate user jaunts to other sites. Such platforms also want users to spend as much time on them as possible.

Deservingly so, they want material for their platform. It’s not about links only. Any proprietary sign is also included.

For instance, your Instagram Reels won’t be effectively reached out to your audience if they have the TikTok watermark on them.

So, posting native content elicits more views and keeps Goliath happy. Moreover, native content messages cut through just as well as directing messages elsewhere. It might take more time to deploy this tactic but heightened ingenuity – and elbow grease – are in demand today.

Empathy is the New Search Engine Optimization

In strategic content marketing, algorithms dictate the engagement game. Are creators the game changers? Rather than scurrying to adopt new SEO schemes to conform to – or beat – the system, maybe the game-changers are the content creators.

The arcane system that fed SEO suits is crumbling. But not content. Consumption of content has never raged stronger. Instead of wallowing in this quagmire of overpopulation, there needs to be audience empathy, something that has been lost on the current, “woe is me” SEO pushers.

The Content Strategy Revolution

Content that solves problems of the audience, that is aware of the pain points of the prospects and strikes the bullseye with a solution will win the day. You can do on-page SEO and optimize a piece to the gills with SEO tactics, but if you don’t do 1990’s Bill Clinton and feel your audience’s pain, then you won’t do as well.

Ultimately, you can add value by being a problem solver, not a technocratic keyword stuffer who produces content with a “good score” but is nearly impossible to read because it is so convoluted with SEO tactics.

2022: The Year of Creative Content

In fact, recent research shows that robust content marketing programs are likely to take precedence over SEO by 2022, as businesses recognize its true value in driving revenue and engagement.

So smart marketers focus on creating engaging and interactive content that speaks directly to your ideal customers – and let the power of SEO help amplify the message!

Yet Still, Myopia Persists …

Medically defined as nearsightedness, we think myopia also exists in content marketing. It’s when content marketers fail to focus on the long-term content marketing goal and hop on the latest content marketing trends.

This leads to the ignoring valuable data and insight into the decision-making process. Marketers will end up overlooking consumer intent, user-friendliness and the greatest king –customer-centricity.

It’s just a ‘Bad Workman Quarrels With His Tools’ Strategy

Some people have noticed that usually these arguments are hauled out by practitioners of said dead art/strategy.

When someone in marketing says:

SEO is dead.
Content is dead.
LinkedIn is dead.
YouTube is dead.
Or some variation…

They’re usually just saying: “I tried and couldn’t make it work so let me impose my limitations on you as well.”

— Ross Simmonds (@TheCoolestCool) August 17, 2021

What Ross is saying if you can’t get players on base that doesn’t mean other teams can’t hit either.

SOLUTION: INSERT EUPHEMISM FOR UNBORING CONTENT HERE

Per Neil Patel, you need to create content that “stands out” and eschew tried and true formulas.

We argued in an earlier blog post, that “creative content” is the difference-maker:

The problem is that “creative” is entirely subjective. You might find projectile vomit to be creative or appalling. We find it creative but we’re all different, right?

Create and Execute the Perfect Marketing Strategy

Whether you are creating a new product, building a business or establishing yourself as an influencer in your industry, originality and creativity are essential for standing out from the crowd.

At the same time, competition is fierce in content marketing and any real content strategy. With so many people trying to capture the attention of potential customers, it can be difficult to break through all the noise and reach your target audience. This is where creative marketing agency like Content with Teeth comes in with done-for-you marketing.

Stand Tall

So if you want to get ahead in content marketing in 2022, remember: when it comes to content marketing trends, the key is that you need to create something that is truly #outside the box – something different and non-normal – in order to stand out from the rest.

The only way to succeed online these days is by being authentic and unique; by tapping into your true passions and interests. Run away from cliques and the status quo.

In other words: cultivate your voice, set yourself apart from the competition and take your creative vision all the way to 11.

Bolder, Braver Content in a Sea of Mediocrity

Insert your fav business euphemism for content that stands out. Our term of choice is UnBoring Content. Far beyond the “different” cliche of “creative content” is an underlying tactic called contrast, absolving content of normalcy and striking it with a complexion completely foreign to its adversary.

Google anything and you will instantly be bombarded with the same message over and over. Expect companies that differentiate themselves with a non-routine branding strategy and unorthodox content marketing strategy to widen reach, appeal to customer needs, increase revenue and elevate brand recognition.

Content strategy is like a business strategy. Aim to follow a blue ocean strategy instead of a bloody, red ocean strategy. In other words, stop following what everyone else is doing. Become a pioneer.

Contrast: The New Marketing Mantra

Contrast” is not the same as “different”. When a word becomes a cliche, it loses its spike, swagger, sincerity and prestige. Contrast has impetus and won’t be a cliche for years. It is a new rally cry that can be adopted to effect change in marketing department messages.

Good content marketing strategy dictates that in order to succeed, something must have its own category. Contrast has that and it can be advice advocated as a fresh approach. And it will be the umbrella for tactical, creative change. For instance, companies creating unique podcasts will enjoy growth.

CASE STUDY: EMAIL AUTOMATION FOR MACHINE TOOL SUPPLIER

We have a long-standing client who is a manufacturing supplier. They had an accessory that they were discounting and we suggested email automation in Mailchimp to generate interest among their target customer audience.

We created a blog post and promoted it with a mass email blast that used analogies in a colorful way to promote a machine tool accessory:

The email blast had 12k opens and only 20 unsubscribes.

We created automation in Mailchimp to reach out to contacts who opened the initial email blast.

Further automation was triggered by contacts who opened the previous email.

The automated emails had solid open rates. The click rate is down but only 1 of the 3 emails had buttons to click. The goal for these emails was for the prospect to reply back and we stripped out the buttons.

For all three automated emails, we didn’t “spam” people because we only had 11 total unsubscribes.

The campaign largely worked because the client reported they had several prospects express interest in retrofitting their legacy machines with the accessory that was on sale.

Looking at the numbers, the automation generated significant activity. For this client, quotes on accessories jumped in July 2021 (the month we ran the automation) compared to the previous July (2020) by 63.6%.

In short, by using email automation where the copy and design was useful and “UnBoring,” we were able to generate results for the client.

Let the Wizard of Words Be Your Differentiator

Have you seen or read everything that is recommended to you?

No. It’s impossible with the glut of binge-worthy books, movies, television shows, podcasts, video games …

In an age where the barriers to create are low, there’s a LOT out there. Content marketers can skirt the “Death of Content” dirge by“stand outing” and being exceptional problem solvers. Create useful content that is not a retread and boring.

Are you a business owner or CMO with questions about attracting customers with the help of experienced hand pressing the hot buttons on effective content marketing trends and sound content marketing strategies? We at Content with Teeth have decades of experience in copywriting, video production and other media. To learn more, call us at +1(888) 552-9235 or schedule a free consultation.

May 30, 2022 Michael Barnes Uncategorized No comments yet

Brad Cozza, Owner of a Florida investment group, is guest on the Episode 4 of The Come Up sponsored by Content with Teeth

Florida Investment Group Does The Come Up

In the latest episode of The Come Up, meet the guy every entrepreneur dreams of becoming.

He is owner of a thriving Florida investment group which means recently he has been printing cash …

He is one of Gulfshore Business’ 40 under 40 …

He is a former model …

Meet Brad Cozza.

Things weren’t always so rosy. In his earlier days, he took stock of his life after couch surfing in the Big Apple.

Now he is the founder of Cozza Investment Group which The Wall Street Journal named #10 in the country for volume produced.

The Come Up Episode 4 Highlights

The Come Up is a short video podcast produced by Content with Teeth that documents the up-and-coming entrepreneurial scene in Southwest Florida.

In Episode 4, Everyone Loves Brad Cozza.

Jumping between different companies and industries, from real estate to restaurants, you definitely want to follow this guy’s career arc.

Back in his school days: Brad was a hungry hunter for investment opportunities at FGCU when it was a lonely outpost with more snakes than students.

Cozza’s advice to entrepreneurs: Take risks, but calculated ones only. Learn how to adapt and NOT die.

Real estate success: learn how to work the genie to up your odds of being in the right place at the right time.

Watch the episode and learn the connection between Cozza and Pitbull and the ultimate advice on unlocking a real estate gamechanger.

About Brad Cozza and Content with Teeth

For UnBoring Content like The Come Up, contact Content with Teeth HERE. Find Cozza Investment Firm located in Fort Myers HERE.

The Come Up Episode 4 Transcript

Scrappy Jackson: What’s up? What’s up? What’s up? I’m Scrap Jackson, and this is The Come Up, a video podcast celebrating Southwest Florida’s most interesting entrepreneurs. We’re brought to you by Content with Teeth, a creative content marketing agency right here in Southwest Florida. They do all kinds of good stuff: copywriting, video production, HubSpot services, and based on this big ass Fathead logo behind me, you can tell they do it big, real big.

Scrappy Jackson: Our guest today is Brad Cozza, an FGCU grad who’s turned his business degree into a Southwest Florida real estate and entertainment empire. He’s done it with moxie, risk-taking vision, passion. It’s awesome to have you here, Brad. We really appreciate it.

Brad Cozza: What’s up, Scrap? Thanks for having me. How you been?

Scrappy Jackson: Good. Really good. Really good. Southwest Florida is alive with real estate entertainment. You’re on the cusp. But I’m thinking back in the day, when you were in West Warwick, Rhode Island, you’re playing shortstop for your little league team, in your wildest dreams did you think you’d be here today?

Brad Cozza: Well, everybody in their wildest dreams in West Warwick, Rhode Island in little league thought that they were all going to play for the Boston Red Sox, so that was, I guess, my dream back then. But no, I’m very blessed to have made that move to Southwest Florida, because it was just a golden opportunity and moved at the right place at the right time, and I was very happy to go south.

Scrappy Jackson: And then you went to FGCU. Tell us about your experience there with Business Administration.

Brad Cozza: I did. So I was one of the second, I think it was the second graduating class at FGCU. So back then, you would take a ride to your dorm room down Ben Hill Griffin. And I felt like Jack Hanna, basically looking for boar, for reptiles, for snakes. It was just before there was any growth pattern, that now you take a look to see Gulf Coast Town Center, you take a look at Miramar, it’s a completely different environment where it was 15 years ago.

Scrappy Jackson: If you only had one acre of Miramar land back, then you’d be pretty much set. Right?

Brad Cozza: I would have bought something, I just didn’t have any money.

Scrappy Jackson: So, you get involved in modeling. You go to Miami. Perry Ellis, Levi’s, Tommy Hilfiger, you’re doing really big for the Miami modeling scene, but I read somewhere where you were stuck on a couch and you wanted more out of life?

Brad Cozza: So, the modeling industry was for the time being. It was one of those situations where you would go to the coolest parties, and I had a vast appreciation for fashion, but it’s one of those industries where you don’t make any money.

Scrappy Jackson: Yeah.

Brad Cozza: And I went to college and wanted to, obviously, use my college education. And I found myself one morning in Queens, basically living on a couch. I was like, “Okay. This was fun, now it’s time to actually do some work.”

Scrappy Jackson: But in many respects, it was the groundwork for your perspective today, because your real estate vision involves somewhat of a metropolitan, cosmopolitan feel. Right?

Brad Cozza: Sure, absolutely. So, definitely, the real estate investment arena in Southwest Florida has been what I actually focused on when I first got my license. When I was a licensed agent, typically you get into real estate and you do cookie-cutter showings and working with buyers. I knew right off the bat that I had a passion for ROI investment, development, and was in the right place at the right time during the market boom of 2005. And we started marketing to major metropolitan centers. We would run ads in the San Francisco Chronicle, Chicago Tribune, New York Post. And it went from five deals to 10 deals, and in 2006, our company was ranked number 10 in the nation by the Wall Street Journal for volume produced nationwide. So it was a great accolade and definitely found my sweet spot with working with investor.

Scrappy Jackson: Foreclosures, pre-construction, flips, sales, what do you like the best? What’s the most exciting to you?

Brad Cozza: Depends on what the market is.

Scrappy Jackson: Really, because you’re a businessman. Right?

Brad Cozza: So, right now you read the market and there’s a housing scarcity. So what makes this market different from ’05, ’06 is back then it was just anybody could get a construction loan, state-to-state programs, everybody was irresponsible. It was investors buying from investors. It was all hyper appreciation, false appreciation.

Brad Cozza: In this market, the game changer was COVID. 2020, our governor, you never actually bring up politics in business, but you have to state the obvious. When our governor DeSantis basically said, “Hey, listen. Florida’s open for business,” it just really spiked our local economy, spiked the economy of Florida. And from 2020 to 2021, it was the largest economic boom that Florida has ever seen.

Brad Cozza: Now you’re seeing the drip, drip, residential effect, where there’s a huge demand for housing, because people are being relocated here from their northernly blue states. And you’re starting to see for the first time, you’re seeing New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, you’re seeing New England, you’re seeing Washington, you’re seeing California. So it’s good to see that we’re now increasing the people that basically are actually coming to this area, in addition to the Midwesterners that historically come to South of Florida.

Scrappy Jackson: From a complexion standpoint, where do you see the demographic texture going here in Southwest Florida?

Brad Cozza: Major metropolitan, which is very diverse, and you’re going to see, which we love, we love a melting pot. We love different concepts. And especially to see that this market is very educated and metropolitan-oriented, it’s completely different where it was five years ago, 10 years ago, 15 years ago. This market is looking and feeling more and more of something you would see in the East Coast.

Scrappy Jackson: And you’re on the cusp, that’s for sure. Gulf Shore Magazine’s 40 under 40. And I was doing my homework on you, Brad, and I came up with this idea. Now tell me if I’m wrong. Modeling was an indoctrination, real estate, a foundation, food and entertainment, an avocation.

Brad Cozza: I think I might use that. That’s IG-worthy.

Scrappy Jackson: Yeah, man, because your avocation-

Brad Cozza: Yeah. Listen, hospitality has always been a passion mine, and I consider it a fun environment to be around. And I really think that Southwest Florida is ready for some major metropolitan ideas and some concepts that more and more we’re seeing that. We’re getting away from what historically would actually work in Southwest Florida five, 10 years ago, because it is so diverse and we are seeing such migration to this location, to Southwest Florida. So it’s getting that metropolitan vibe and we love it.

Scrappy Jackson: Yeah. You’re not satisfied with just real estate. Colleoni’s is a wonderful Italian restaurant. Tell us about that.

Brad Cozza: Yeah. So I was always one of their biggest patrons. I used to go there all the time. And COVID happened, and they have some family back in Milan, so they said, “Hey, Brad, would you be interested in promoting and selling our business?” So I said, “Well, how much do you want?” And we actually came to terms, and I said, “I’d like to take over the tradition itself.” So we hired a really good team, hired a really good chef that basically provided a little, had that whole Colleoni family recipe, but added a little modern touch to it. And it’s been great. We’re looking for expansion, and it’s been a tremendous opportunity.

Scrappy Jackson: That’s great. As an entrepreneur, you’ve definitely carved your own path. You’ve taken risks. You faced adversity. What kind of advice can you give a young entrepreneur today?

Brad Cozza: Take risks, but definitely diversify. Take calculated risks, do your homework. What works in one market might not work in another market itself. So just really dial into what market you would like to take that risk in, and take that jump in the pool.

Scrappy Jackson: Another piece of advice; I want Brad to give advice to his 20-year-old self.

Brad Cozza: Get in real estate before you’re 25. But again, the experiences I had with modeling and hospitality and so on and so forth, I like to be well-rounded, and I like to do numerous things at the same time. So I would not second guess anything, and I’m very happy and very fortunate to be in such a growing, explosive marketplace.

Scrappy Jackson: As ambitious as you are, how do you keep all these things, how do you keep them balanced, work/life?

Brad Cozza: That’s always the challenge. The challenge is I always like to work. I work when I’m basically not working if that makes any sense.

Scrappy Jackson: Yes.

Brad Cozza: I always, whenever I go on vacation, I’m basically looking at other concepts, I’m looking at other ideas. And so, it’s always churning in order to basically stay ahead of the game and ahead of curve, especially in a market that you can definitely actually take advantage of in a positive way, and basically actually impact some positive changes.

Scrappy Jackson: Cozza Investment Firm. Tell us about it right now, and how can we participate with you in future opportunities?

Brad Cozza: So, we’re working with some large institutional hedge funds, as well as individual investors. Again, we never want to basically overplay one specific marketplace, so we’re very flexible. There’s a huge demand for affordable housing, so we’re taking our investment group and our investors, our builders, and we’re moving north. We’re actually going to Punta Gorda, Port Charlotte, North Port, Claremont, center of the state, anywhere where it makes sense where you can create affordable housing. That’s where the true demand is, and that’s where you’re going to have your exit strategies in a very safe, relative marketplace compared to what it was in that 2005, 2006 market. So we like to be flexible and we like to… Because the more investors make, the more they’re going to invest back with us.

Scrappy Jackson: Given your flexibility, do you still have a niche?

Brad Cozza: We do. We do. Pre-construction is definitely a huge niche because we’re in such a hot seller’s marketplace right now that the cost of reproduction is the only way that we can show an equity position for our investors. Because we give our builders such high volume, they can afford to scale it, and basically, actually reduce the price per square foot. So pre-construction is the niche now, but again, you never know. The market changes. Who would have known in 2008 that our sole business plan would be attending the foreclosure auction every day?

Scrappy Jackson: Yeah. Yeah. I’ve seen you on IG, family, fun, friends, entrepreneurship. You’re a good dude, and I really appreciate you, man. And one of the things that I kind of correlate with is Pitbull. He says, “Live life. Don’t let life live you.” And you’re certainly doing that.

Brad Cozza: That’s correct. It’s got to be a well-rounded lifestyle.

Scrappy Jackson: Brad Cozza, I appreciate you, bud, really do. This is The Come Up, a video podcast celebrating Southwest Florida’s entrepreneurs. It is brought to you by Content with Teeth, a creative content marketing agency right here in Southwest Florida. From copywriting to video production to HubSpot service, they do it really big, just like this Fathead right here, Content with Teeth. Brad, thanks again, man. I really appreciate it.

Brad Cozza: Scrap, you’re the man. Thanks, brother.

May 20, 2022 Michael Barnes The Come Up No comments yet

Naples, FL Wedding DJ Does The Come Up

If you are about to say, “I do,” DJ PatPat, a Naples, FL wedding DJ, is the OG in back, NOT the chump in the front …

Find out why in Episode 3 of The Come Up where host Scrappy Jackson interviews the coolest DJ in Southwest Florida who has been spinning DJ entertainment and keeping the nuptials party alive for some four decades.

The Come Up is a short video podcast produced by Content with Teeth that documents up-and-coming entrepreneurial scene in Naples, Marco Island, Fort Myers, Cape Coral and Charlotte County.

The Come Up Episode 3 Highlights with a Southwest Florida Weddings DJ

Check out some notable moments from this episode featuring a professional Naples DJ:

The art of delegation and organization: Event entertainment services are undoubtedly not stress-free. Find out how the veteran DJ PatPat keeps everything together, from customer service to employee retention, by using one simple trick for wedding receptions.

About handling “Bridezillas” and some of the most demanding clients on Earth : Everyone wants perfection at a wedding. Achieve that by serving the client a long-form document where all ground rules and contingencies are outlined and planned for! Discover what Wedding DJ PatPat puts in her planners to avoid drama at wedding receptions.

How to deal with wedding DJs who undercut prices: DJ PatPat is a dance floor Queen who has been running the Naples DJ scene for some 40 years. Discover the strategy of this Naples Florida wedding DJ to fend off low-cost c0mpetition.

A tip to your 20-year-old self: Stop spending money on dumb stuff!

Regarding starting your own business: DJ PatPat’s advice is grounded in a simple maxim – Invest in yourself. Learn how she grew her DJ service empire in Southwest Florida by following this concept.

The worst best man’s speech made in history: Your jaw will be on the ground after hearing dance floor queen DJ PatPat’s story – “Did that dude really say THAT!?”

Don’t forget to watch to learn more about the marketing tactics that DJ PatPat uses for her Southwest Florida DJ service and more wisdom that applies to all businesses, not just DJ entertainment.

About DJ PatPat and Content with Teeth

For UnBoring Content like The Come Up, contact Content with Teeth HERE.
Reach out to DJ PatPat’s company HERE. Check out one of the best Naples wedding DJs’ social media accounts HERE, HERE and HERE.

The Come Up Episode 3 Transcript

Scrappy Jackson: What’s up? What’s up? What’s up? What’s up? What’s up? I’m Scrap Jackson, and this is The Come Up. I’m so excited about The Come Up. We do this every week on a video podcast with Content with Teeth. We celebrate entrepreneurs, unconventional entrepreneurs like DJ PatPat, my girl representing hard for Naples. What’s up, girlfriend?

DJ PatPat: Yo, Scrappy. What’s popping?

Scrappy Jackson: It’s awesome to see you. You’re definitely unconventional when it comes to an entrepreneur. That’s for sure.

DJ PatPat: Oh, man. I love the entrepreneur world. I really, truly do.

Scrappy Jackson: Tell us about it. You started off as a teenager.

DJ PatPat: I started off really young, at 14 years old, man, just working with my parents at the restaurant back in the day. It was actually a Spanish grocery store, and I used to handle money and stuff like that.

Scrappy Jackson: Okay. How did it progress from there?

DJ PatPat: Well, from there, by the time I was 16, I started actually DJing, and I started my little entertainment company, and I started doing private parties and events. I’ve just basically been in the whole restaurant entertainment world for almost 24 years now.

Scrappy Jackson: Yeah. You’re a staple in Naples, whether it’s DJing on a radio station, doing it at the club, doing it at quinceañeras. Forget about it. You’re at nightclubs, all over the place. But your core business is definitely weddings. Tell us about that.

DJ PatPat: Yes. So, the wedding industry is pretty big here in Florida. We are a destination hotspot for weddings. A lot of our weddings are ceremonies on the beach, and then the receptions and cocktails are at a country club or at a hotel or a resort. It’s just a really popular industry. Everybody’s just getting married these days. A lot of young people are starting to get married, too, at 22, 23 years old.

Scrappy Jackson: You’ve been at this for 24 years in the wedding business as a DJ. How much of it is fun versus business at this point in your career?

DJ PatPat: That’s a great question. I still love, obviously, what I do. I don’t get bored of it. It’s my passion. I don’t think I’m ever going to say, “Oh, I’m just doing this to do this.” You know what I mean? My goal is to hang up the gloves at about 56 because that is going to be 40 years of doing this, and I want to be able to say I was a DJ for 40 years.

Scrappy Jackson: Well, you can hang up your hat. You still have five or six DJs working for you, right?

DJ PatPat: Yeah. No. I will. I will have the team out in the field working it while I work it behind the scenes, but I don’t want to be that, let’s say, 56-year-old, 60-year-old DJ. I don’t. You know what I’m saying? People that are booking in their 20s and 30s, they’re probably going to look at it like, “I don’t want this 60-year-old.” They’re going to want somebody younger. I get it because, if it was my wedding, I would probably want the same thing, even though this 60-year-old guy has been doing it for 50 years. You get what I’m saying?

Scrappy Jackson: Yeah. Yeah.

DJ PatPat: Times kind of change, and your style kind of changes a little bit too. It’s not going to be my thing.

Scrappy Jackson: You can be the mack in the back.

DJ PatPat: Correct. Correct.

Scrappy Jackson: Your DJs can be the chump in the front.

DJ PatPat: You got it.

Scrappy Jackson: How do you market your business these days?

DJ PatPat: I use WeddingWire. I use their sister company called The Knot. I attend bridal shows. I do Google AdWords, a lot of word-of-mouth referrals.

Scrappy Jackson: Well, that’s what I was curious about because you’re so popular. You’re so prevalent in the community. Do you have to market yourself outside of just referrals? Because you’re pretty much the known quantity in Naples.

DJ PatPat: When it comes to the wedding industry, I’m always going to advertise on wedding websites because clients are going to go there first and say, “Oh, where can I find my florist?” if they don’t know a florist, or, “Where can I find my video guy if I don’t know a video guy?” You become the first reference for them, so it’s really good to do that. I also am a preferred vendor at a lot of venues. I make a relationship with the facility. I show that “Hey, I’m a pro. I know what I’m doing,” and they like what I do, so I get added to their list.

Scrappy Jackson: You’re such a professional, and there’s so many things you have to worry about: being responsible, customer service, taking care of your employees. How do you keep it all together?

DJ PatPat: Great question. I put everything on my calendar. For example, on our iPhones, we have iCal or whatever, and I put on there, “I have to call so-and-so at a certain time” or, “I’m meeting …” I make a to-do list on my calendar, and I follow that daily, and I write things down, and I try to be one to respond back to emails in less than 24 hours. I’m very organized when it comes to writing everything down and putting it in my to-do list.

Scrappy Jackson: I think it’s amazing how you delegate too. You’re definitely the jefe, but you have a great ability to empower the people that work around you to do their job and do it responsibly.

DJ PatPat: Thank you. Thank you. It’s a lot of hard work. It really is. Sometimes, it’s-

Scrappy Jackson: How do you choose your people?

DJ PatPat: Well, I meet them. I interview them. I check out their experience. Are they put together? I want to see your system, how it looks when you’re out in a field. If I see you’re not how I’m set up, well, I’m going to tell you some tips and tricks and have you get the things that you need so you can follow my brand. That’s pretty much how I do it with my team. Once they see it, they’re like, “Oh, man. Thanks for telling me to do this or put a speaker skirt over my stand just to keep things neater.” That’s pretty much how I do it with my guys.

Scrappy Jackson: But you don’t lose any sleep because the customers are very, very, very, very, very demanding in your business. The brides want it perfect. I disc jockeyed a couple of them, just a couple of them, and I was overwhelmed by the demands. How do you keep it all intact?

DJ PatPat: I give my clients what’s called a 12-page wedding planner, and that’s what keeps them organized and me knowing what they want me to do, or my team. It’s basically fill-in-the-blanks. Every question that I have for them will be on those 12 pages. It’s a great guide and a reference on how your day’s going to go from start to end. Then, once I get that back after it’s been filled out, at least two weeks before their wedding day, I’ll call them in the evening time when they’re both home and we can all discuss, me, the bride, and the groom, and we can discuss that paperwork, drop our timeline.

DJ PatPat: Then, once that’s done, then I get with my team, tell them what the dealio is. I’ll put it all together. I’ll provide them with any extra equipment we need. I’ll provide them with any lighting, any extra enhancements, if we need assistance, with an assistant to help the DJ. That’s where I come in and organize everything. We create a timeline and provide any additional things that are needed.

Scrappy Jackson: Interesting. Interesting. I didn’t realize you were that organized.

DJ PatPat: Yes. Yes, Scrappy. I have to be.

Scrappy Jackson: Because I think of DJ PatPat, I’m thinking [inaudible 00:07:15].

DJ PatPat: No. See, a lot of people think, “Oh, yeah. I found a DJ for 500 bucks.” I’m like, “Well, you’re going to get what you paid for, or I’m going to get that call, “The DJ just canceled on me last minute.”

Scrappy Jackson: I’m so glad you said that because that was my next question. You’re an elite wedding service, but there’s so many up-and-comers that try to undercut you. How do you deal with that?

DJ PatPat: I don’t really pay attention to that kind of stuff anymore. Like you said, I have 24 years of experience under my belt. I have over 1,500 weddings that I’ve either DJed or produced with my team. I have more than enough experience for some Joe Schmo to come in and say, “Well, I’m half the price.” Does Joe Schmo provide you with a planner? Does Joe Schmo provide you with two people at your wedding day? Does Joe Schmo provide you with uplights or these enhancements or a photo booth or planning a timeline. A lot of times, they’ll be like, “Oh, no. No. He didn’t mention that.” “Well, then how do you know what you’re going to do?”

DJ PatPat: A lot of those guys that are cheap, I have to say they’re more of a nightclub-type DJ, a bar-type DJ. A nightclub/bar DJ that is not a mobile DJ does not understand how a wedding should flow. They just don’t.

Scrappy Jackson: I’ve witnessed you in action, and you’re so polished. Your organization is so polished. That’s a reflection of you. It’s a personification. DJ PatPat is organized and polished and customer service-driven. You do an amazing job, and it really shows over time.

DJ PatPat: Thank you, Scrappy. Thank you, man. Nobody taught me this. This was all self-taught, just watching and seeing and learning and going through a bumpy road, bumpy things on a road and having to pick myself back up and, “You know what? I’m not going to do it like this anymore. I’m going to change it. I’m going to do it like this now.” What I do now works for me.

DJ PatPat: I tell anybody new that comes and works for me, I’m like, “Hey, man …” Great example. Last Saturday, I had a new guy training, being my assistant at an event. He did a fantastic job. He’s a little DJ, bedroom DJ for his friends and stuff. Great attitude. He’s a business owner. He’s available on the weekends, polished dude, great day with him. I was like, “Wow. You’re really into this.” He’s like, “Yeah, man.” He goes, “And I just learned some things from you today. I didn’t know you did this like this or you did this like that.”

Scrappy Jackson: Cool. You want to hear that?

DJ PatPat: Yeah. Absolutely. I told him, I said, “Hey, when you do next Saturday with me,” I said, “you’re going to notice that this becomes repetitive.” It’s repetitive. It’s the same sound system. It’s the same setup. We might just include a couple of little things or tweak a couple of little things out, but it literally just becomes a repetitive thing every week where it should just be flawless.

Scrappy Jackson: Best man’s speech. What’s the worst one you’ve ever heard?

DJ PatPat: A few years back, this guy starts with, “I’m not going to say a few things that’s happened with us in the past, but I am going to mention this.” He starts talking about the groom’s ex-girlfriend and how him and the groom had a great time with her one night. I was like, “Oh my goodness. Why do we even bring this subject up?” I don’t know what happened that day after all that. I was so embarrassed myself just listening to this and knowing that I have control of this guy’s microphone. This guy was pretty much saying that him and the groom had a great time with his ex-girlfriend if you know what I mean?

Scrappy Jackson: Yeah. As accomplished as you are, what advice do you give young entrepreneurs?

DJ PatPat: Hard work. Hard work. A lot of late nights. A lot of failure. A lot of patience. You really have to put a lot of passion and perseverance into what you do because I feel like that is what equals success.

Scrappy Jackson: Absolutely. Absolutely. Another piece of advice. Pat, give yourself advice to your 20-year-old self.

DJ PatPat: My 20-year-old self, huh? I wish that I wouldn’t have thrown away a lot of money in my 20s.

Scrappy Jackson: Okay. All right. That’s cool. That’s personal. How about from a business tip?

DJ PatPat: Business tip. When you’re young, start investing in yourself. Okay? If you want to start a business, start buying what you need little by little. Open up that name, get that logo, the little things that you’ve got to start with. Invest in yourself because, when you invest in yourself, that’s when you’re starting to invest in your company, in your future, in your business, and how to pick up and start doing it on your own. Always invest in yourself and in your venture, what you want to do.

Scrappy Jackson: DJ PatPat is an iconic brand in Naples. That’s for sure.

DJ PatPat: Thank you, Scrappy. Thank you.

Scrappy Jackson: Do you want to shout out your business? This is an opportunity for you to market yourself.

DJ PatPat: Yeah, sure. My entertainment company, you can find us on the internet at hpsentertainment.com, and anything social media @hpsentertainment.

Scrappy Jackson: You have robots too. What services do you offer? I know you have lighting. You have robots. What else?

DJ PatPat: We do DJ services. We do photo booth. We do rentals with a slingshot for people’s photos. We do uplighting, dance floor lighting. I have an in-house hair and makeup artist who is my wife. I also have an in-house videographer for videography needs. Yeah. We try to do a little one-stop-shop so, that way, we can help a lot of the burden of your event all in one place.

Scrappy Jackson: Content with Teeth, young entrepreneurs on The Come Up doing big things. You can see this logo behind me, this fat head, this big bulldog. Contentwithteeth.com. Check them out, a creative content agency. Pat, I got nothing but love for you, baby.

DJ PatPat: Scrappy, you know I got nothing but love for you too, homie.

May 14, 2022 Michael Barnes The Come Up No comments yet

This Florida Entertainment Boss is Come Up's second episode's star

Greetings from Lakes Park, S.W.F.L.

When you think of The Boss and entertainment, you immediately think of Bruce Springsteen.

Not in Southwest Florida where The Boss is Rachelle Ford, Owner of Ford Entertainment Magazine chronicling the world of entertainment with a hip hop flavor.

In Episode 2 of The Come Up, Scrappy Jackson interviews Rachelle who is legendary for her compact but killer tenacity.

Our video podcast chronicles the up-and-coming entrepreneurial scene in Southwest Florida.

Here are some highlights of The Come Up E2:

Print: With Ford Magazine Entertainment, Rachelle will have you reconsidering print if you solely rely on digital.

Motto: If you can sell one, you can sell a million (or maybe a 100 million!) Rachelle offers lessons on how to shoot for the moon.

Best advice to your 22-year-old self: Skip waiting on that co-sign and Express Yourself.

Rachelle’s secret sauce: Doing one thing so well and getting paid for it rather than working on several projects that spread you thin and don’t grease the wheel.

About Rachelle Ford and Content with Teeth

For UnBoring Content like The Come Up, contact Content with Teeth HERE.
Order issue 71 of Rachelle’s magazine HERE or on her app HERE.

The Come Up Episode 2 Transcript

Scrappy Jackson: What up? What up? What up? What up? What up? I’m Scrappy Jackson. This is The Come Up for up-and-coming people in Southwest Florida that are entrepreneurs and highly intriguing. So we call it The Come Up because they’re up and coming, we flip it on its ear. And it’s brought to you by Content with Teeth, an amazing content agency. They’re incredible, they do creative content, and they’re big, they’re really big, they’re huge. So big check out this fathead, that’s how big they are.

Rachelle Ford: I love it. I love it. What’s up, Scrappy?

Scrappy Jackson: Content with Teeth. Yes, definitely. Rachelle, it is awesome, awesome, awesome to see you. I love you. I got nothing but respect, admiration, appreciation for you. Few people understand and comprehend how amazing you are. I see you blushing.

Rachelle Ford: I am. Thank you Scrappy. I have so much respect for you, so much love for you. Oh my gosh, it’s a pleasure. It’s really a pleasure.

Scrappy Jackson: It’s really awesome for me too. You’re a Haitian immigrant. At age 14, you came to Southwest Florida. You got the bug for entertainment, you became a teen model. And then in 2009, you did something special, you started Ford Entertainment Magazine, highly impressive, awesome. Tell us about your magazine.

Rachelle Ford: Well, my magazine, I’ve always been into journalism and interviewing and I’ve always wanted to be curious about someone’s journey, someone’s story, especially the creative beings because I feel like I’m one of the creative beings, I just don’t have any singing talents. So it’s like those who can’t do teach or report it. So I report the stories. So I started the magazine because I’ve always wanted to be in media, publication and I just went for it and I’ve just been enjoying it ever since.

Scrappy Jackson: I met you in 2009 when the first issue came out and I have to say three things hit me immediately, Rachelle. Number one, you’re the boss, you’re definitely the boss. And you’re not that tall, how tall are you?

Rachelle Ford: I am 4′ 11.5″.

Scrappy Jackson: But you’re still the boss.

Rachelle Ford: Still the boss. I’m compact but I’m the boss.

Scrappy Jackson: And I think everybody can see by this video that you’re amazingly passionate about what you do on a daily basis no matter what it is. You attack life, I respect that. And number three, your confidence, your amazing confidence. Oh, I have number four actually too. And I don’t know if this is because of Haitian people in general, but you’re gentle and wonderful and warm and soft yet you are the boss.

Rachelle Ford: You have to be in this, especially in the music industry. It’s a very male-dominated industry but there’s so many ladies that are trailblazing, that are kicking butt out here, and I just want to be one of them. I feel like as far as confidence if you believe in what you’re doing… I know everybody has checked out the latest Genius documentary and it just inspires so much, and it’s the same spirit. If you believe in what you’re doing and you believe in where you’re going, you just got to keep that sight, keep that vision in mind and just keep going and keep… What we’re trying to do. So let’s take some time to explain or show them more because you don’t want to waste time banging on the same doors because it’s a numbers game. If you knock on 1,000 doors, at least 10 of them is going to open for you. So you don’t want to keep knocking on the same 10 doors, you want to keep going. So relentless is keep going, but not so much in that same little corner all the time, you’ve got to broaden your horizons.

Scrappy Jackson: But it must be crazy frustrating when you have something so special that you know is undeniable and will touch the world, highly creative and you get no, no, no, no, no.

Rachelle Ford: Of all the nos you get, you have to pay attention to the yeses. Because like I said, you’re going to get nos. If every single person you talk to says no, then take a step back and look at yourself and say, “Okay, wait. Do I need to tweak some stuff? What’s going on?” You got to pay attention to the yeses because the yeses are what’s going to keep you going. When I see a random person looking at the magazine or like someone was talking to their friends and that person was looking at the magazine on the phone not knowing I was there and he was like, “Yo, this is great, I love this, this is on point.” And they were saying really great things and I was in the corner like, “Oh my gosh.” Blushing [inaudible]. When people gravitate towards your product, if you can sell one, you can sell 10. And if you can sell 10, you can sell 100 million.

Scrappy Jackson: True that. True that, that’s a great point. That’s a great point.

Rachelle Ford: You’ve got to perfect your craft. So when you hear a no, don’t take that no from, oh, they’re hating, they’re trying to keep me in the bucket, they’re trying to do this. Be like, “Okay, let me keep going. What can I do better or what can I change? What can I tweak?” Sometimes you don’t have to change anything about it, it’s just not the right person. There’s a billion people on the planet, why do you keep chasing that same one person?

Scrappy Jackson: Good point, good point, good point. When you were in Haiti growing up, did you have any entrepreneurial spirit way back when?

Rachelle Ford: Growing up in Haiti, literally my childhood was just my childhood. I had such an amazing childhood, I had no responsibilities except to be a kid, go to school, and play with my cousins. So life didn’t really start for me until I left Haiti. Which was so impactful for me because moving out of what I know from my little cushion bubble and then moving to the real world, into a brand new culture, brand new language, brand new people, and then trying to figure things out. So I think my entrepreneurial spirit really kicked in starting with a survival spirit really because coming into a country that’s completely foreign and you have to navigate your way through it.

Rachelle Ford: And I’m the type of person I’m not going to wait for anyone to feed me, I’m not going to wait for anyone to hand me a check. I want to go get it, I want to know, I want to be in charge of every second of my day. So that’s how that started. If I’m going to be learning the culture, what do… And then I also went through a really horrible period of my life in a toxic relationship, a very violent relationship with children, and all of that. I used to tell myself if I was to get out of that, what would I do? And I said, “I would be in charge of my time, I would be in charge of my dreams, and I would just go for them relentlessly.” And I just did that. So my entrepreneurial spirit really started in America, so thank God America.

Scrappy Jackson: Busta Rhymes once said, “There’s no such thing as plan B.” You mentioned you’re a survivor and you’re going to do it, whether it’s domestically or professionally. Speak on that because you jumped all in with your projects.

Rachelle Ford: It’s like I want to do it all, it’s a blessing and a curse. When you tell yourself, I can do anything, everything is within my reach, I just got to focus on it hard enough, it almost becomes dangerous because it applies to everything. So then we find ourselves trying to do everything because opportunities sometimes come in waves and you don’t want to miss out. So I always get into this feeling of, oh my gosh, I don’t want to miss out. And then also how my weird Gemini brain is wired is like, I want to do it now, I want the world right now, I want everything right now. So I’ll be trying to do it all, I’ll be trying to do it all, I ain’t even going to lie.

Scrappy Jackson: Tell us about your magazine. When I first heard of it, I thought of it as straight-up hip-hop. But it’s so much more than that, it’s entertainment magazine.

Rachelle Ford: It’s entertainment, it’s Ford Entertainment Magazine. It really did start as hip-hop because I’m in love with hip-hop, but it focuses on artists, models, business entrepreneurs, everybody, actors. Entertainment industry is not just music. So it started off with music but music has so many legs you can’t do anything in life without music. So the magazine is not just music, it’s life literally.

Scrappy Jackson: You facilitated a lot of artists over the years, a lot of local up and comers. Tell us about your grind.

Rachelle Ford: My grind has been nonstop. I’ve met so many amazing artists, I’ve done so many projects with so many amazing artists, both locally and nationally, because it is also a national magazine. I even did a Nigerian issue one time with YCee, which is my favorite Nigerian artist of all time. So I use the magazine to meet all the cool people, so hey.

Scrappy Jackson: Okay, cool. You’re in print and you’re online, how do you stay afloat in print?

Rachelle Ford: I don’t even know how to answer that because it’s a self-funded business. So a lot of people in the entertainment industry, they feel like they’re superstars and they shouldn’t have to pay for anything, everything should be free. So they get offended when you tell them no, it’s a fee-based publication, it’s a business because it goes towards the printing. So it does get hard to manage the printing, but we’re going to keep going because we have a large subscriber base that are incarcerated, that can’t see it online, that can’t go on our app, which is on Apple and Google Play. So we keep the print alive and we’re going to keep the printing alive. And we’re just going to increase and expand.

Scrappy Jackson: It’s interesting to say that because you’re very passionate about that. But if you operate as two individual cost centers, online versus print, is it sustainable in print? Are you making money in print?

Rachelle Ford: I make more money in print than I do with online.

Scrappy Jackson: No, well.

Rachelle Ford: Because everybody thinks that print is going away. But you go to any doctor’s offices’, barbershop, nail salons, there’s magazines on the waiting table and people are going to pick them up.

Scrappy Jackson: True.

Rachelle Ford: So people love to say, print is dying, no print is going to stay forever because we read, everybody reads, and not everybody is digitally inclined. Some people want to relax and go over a nice little story and that’s what we’re doing.

Scrappy Jackson: Sure. Your business model, I see advertising in your magazine, but you also have rappers and models, et cetera. Do you charge the rappers and models for exposure?

Rachelle Ford: I do. But the way we do it, it’s more than just I charge you and I did an interview with you. We’re taking it so much further to brand that artist, to promote that artist. For example, the artist that I’m working with now, he’s on the cover of the magazine. We did a full story on him and we also dropped a juice, which is a personal custom lemonade, orange pineapple lemonade for him. And we’ve been selling this lemonade for the last month now, we now have it at a local grocery store and the artist makes a commission from that product. So it’s more like a business venture together.

Scrappy Jackson: I read about it, it’s called Juice Box, very innovative. And when does The Scrappy juice come out?

Rachelle Ford: Scrappy juice got to tell me. This girl’s craving [inaudible].

Scrappy Jackson: Let’s make it happen. Let’s make it happen.

Rachelle Ford: Scrappy juice coming out, you just got to tell me your flavor, I’ll pay [inaudible].

Scrappy Jackson: I’m bad about it. And you don’t have to pay me, I just want to hear Scrappy juice, that sounds really cool.

Rachelle Ford: Let’s do it. Let’s do it, Scrappy. I got the logo in mind and everything. I just had the whole thing fucking in my head.

Scrappy Jackson: You’re really, really creative, you’re really inspiring, you’re very ambitious. I think about you and the conferences and the awards and the Iron Circle with empowered women and the homeless people you take care of, and the magazine and the digital magazine. You do so much. How many people are on your staff to do all these things?

Rachelle Ford: [inaudible] there are four personalities. No, but there’s a lot of great, great, great people in my circle, a lot of great people on my team. Just quick plug, I’m actually sitting right here at Smoke’ N Ink, which is going to be the newest, hottest tattoo shop in Fort Myers, I’m telling y’all right now. And it’s me being a part of a team. So there’s not a lot of people on the team. I’m pretty much the captain and the steer and the janitor. But at the same time, I have some really great resources and great people and smart individuals around me that I can always reach out to and say, “Hey, I need to do this, I need to do that, how can you help me?” So it’s always great to have that support system.

Scrappy Jackson: So you’re the 4′ 11″ dynamo, you’re doing everything and then some. But I’m just curious from a business perspective, with doing at least six or seven things on such a remarkable level, do you ever think to yourself, if I just did one thing incredibly well, I would get paid?

Rachelle Ford: Yes, I actually do that. So what I’ve been doing actually is consolidating all of my projects into what makes sense and what I enjoy doing. So I’ve been asking myself literally all last year and this year, okay, let’s cut it down to what’s really work and what’s really me being creative and getting paid for it. I much more enjoy being creative and getting paid for it. And my baby, my passion, that answer always doubles back to the magazine.

Scrappy Jackson: How about a financial partner, have you ever thought about taking somebody on? Not me, but.

Rachelle Ford: [inaudible]. I was like, wait a minute. No, but serious conversation, I have my business plans, my partnership agreements, my investor agreements, I even have where if you wanted to sponsor a copy, how we can partner up and you sponsor a copy and how you can double your money back. So I have all of those plans. It just comes into finding the right people because a lot of people are talkers not really doers, a lot of people just want to see what you got going on, and people don’t really be real, they’re not really be willing to work. So I’m all the way, 1,000% open. If you’ve got a bag and you’re ready to work, let’s go, let’s blow this up, that’s all I know.

Scrappy Jackson: I can feel your intensity and your energy and your passion and your brilliance, it’s awesome. One last question for you, what would you tell your 22-year-old self?

Rachelle Ford: Leave that man. Because that’s where I was at 22, I was stuck in this prison of a relationship that was very abusive. Dealing with someone who’s addicted to drugs is not an easy feat, it’s a whole interview by itself, just that situation. And being stuck in that situation at a young age, I had my first child at 19 turning 20. So from age 19 to about 25, I was just like a baby breeder.

Rachelle Ford: But if I met me at 22, I’d be like, “Look girl, [inaudible] a little sooner.” But at 22, I would tell myself too as well, take better care of yourself, listen to your spirit, listen to your dreams and go for it, stop doubting yourself, stop waiting for that cosign. I feel like a long, long, long part of my journey was me waiting on a cosign, was me waiting on somebody to say, “Yeah, girl, you can do that. Oh yeah, that’s going to be prosperous.” I feel like part of me to this day still looked for that cosign, for somebody to say, “Yeah, this could be a success.” But I’ve stopped believing that I needed that cosign. If you know something-

Scrappy Jackson: You gained a lot of strength in that relationship and it taught you so many different things that makes you independent and strong and the boss.

Rachelle Ford: That’s true. We’ll give them that credit, Scrappy, we’ll do that.

Scrappy Jackson: 71st issue, is that right now? Where can we find it?

Rachelle Ford: It’s online, we also have them at Palm Avenue Groceries, which also carries our custom Ten Toes lemonade, which is coupled with issue number 71. They can also order it on the website, fordentmag.com. They can also order it on the app, which is Ford Entertainment Magazine for Apple and Google Play. We do ship to all correctional facilities.

Scrappy Jackson: Oh wow.

Rachelle Ford: So if you have someone who’s locked up and you want to do something nice and you want to spend a couple of bucks, you just got to tell us just their name. We’re able to look them up and find out exactly where they’re housed and we send them a copy.

Scrappy Jackson: Cool. Content with Teeth made this possible. Just look over my shoulder, Content with Teeth, get in touch with them for all your content and digital marketing needs. Content with Teeth creates unboring content like this podcast. It gets attention for your product, your service on the interweb. If you want to be my next guest, all you have to do is holla @heyscrappy on IG. Content with Teeth, thank you very much. Rachelle, I want to give you a hug through the computer, but it’s not possible.

Rachelle Ford: Bring it in Scrappy, bring it in Scrappy. I love you Scrappy. Since we’ve met, I think we met… Actually, the same person that we are doing the tattoo shop is where we met. Because we met in Naples at a showcase that was being thrown by Peter 4K and you were a judge and I was a judge as well. And ever since then, you’ve always been a supporter, we’ve always had that love, and I just love it. I love you Scrappy, I appreciate you for everything.

Scrappy Jackson: I love you too. And I’m a fan of Rachelle Ford, I’m a huge fan. God bless you.

Rachelle Ford: I’m a huge fan of Scrappy.

Scrappy Jackson: And thanks for everything, Rachelle. I appreciate you.

Rachelle Ford: I love you.

May 7, 2022 Michael Barnes The Come Up No comments yet