Strawberry Letter

Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Dr. Yolanda D. McElroy.
A registered pharmacist and author. Dr. McElroy discusses medication safety, her career in pharmacy, and her children's book, It's Not Candy, which educates children and parents on the importance of proper medication storage and awareness.
🔑 Key Themes & Highlights
The Importance of Medication Safety
Medications are a leading cause of accidental poisoning in children.
Parents must store medicines properly and educate children on their dangers.

Dr. McElroy’s Pharmacy Journey
Started in chemistry before transitioning to pharmacy school.
Has nearly three decades of experience in retail and hospital pharmacy.

Challenges in the Pharmacy Profession
Pharmacists face increasing workloads, including vaccinations and insurance issues.
The profession has seen strikes due to excessive demands and responsibilities.

Educating Children & Parents
Her book It's Not Candy teaches kids to recognize medicine and avoid accidental ingestion.
She emphasizes the need for early education, starting as young as three years old.

Community Outreach & Consulting
Founded MediManage Consulting to promote medication safety and health education.
Works with schools and organizations to distribute her book and raise awareness.

📘 About Dr. Yolanda D. McElroy
Dr. McElroy is a pharmacist, consultant, and author dedicated to improving medication safety and health education. Her book It's Not Candy helps families prevent accidental overdoses and promotes responsible medication use.
Let me know if you'd like any refinements!

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Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed April Showers.
Founder of Afro Unicorn, joins Money Making Conversations Masterclass to share how she built the first Black woman-owned, fully licensed character brand in major retail. With over $20 million in sales, Afro Unicorn celebrates diversity and empowers women and children of color.
🔑 Key Themes & Highlights
Origins of Afro Unicorn
April was inspired by a friend's repeated reference to her as a "unicorn," highlighting her extraordinary ability to balance multiple businesses and raise two children.
Noticing existing unicorn imagery lacked representation, she created Afro Unicorn to uplift young girls of color.

Challenges & Early Growth
Despite facing personal hardships—including her son's hospitalization and several family losses—April remained committed to her mission.
Her persistence led to a viral moment where a young girl wearing an Afro Unicorn shirt caught Walmart’s attention, resulting in a licensing deal.

Licensing & Expansion
Instead of manufacturing herself, April strategically partnered with licensees to distribute Afro Unicorn merchandise.
Within a year, she secured 45+ licensing agreements, expanding into books, bedding, hair care, party supplies, and more.

Business Strategy & Advice
Trademarking Afro Unicorn early, hiring an accountant and lawyer, and writing a business plan were critical to her success.
She advises entrepreneurs to visualize success, stay consistent, and never quit.

Future Plans
April is developing Miss April’s Crown, an animated series teaching young entrepreneurs business skills through affirmations and mentorship.

📘 About the Brand
Afro Unicorn is available at major retailers, including Walmart, Target, and Amazon.

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Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Dave Charest.
Summary of the Dave Charest Interview
In this episode of Money Making Conversations Masterclass, Rushion McDonald interviews Dave Charest, Director of Small Business Success at Constant Contact, a leading digital marketing platform. Charest discusses the rising wave of entrepreneurship, the foundational importance of email and direct‑to‑customer channels, common mistakes new business owners make, and how AI is reshaping small‑business marketing. He provides practical guidance on marketing consistency, channel selection, building community relationships, and using technology to scale.
Throughout the conversation, Charest emphasizes that while small businesses often lack marketing expertise, they possess a valuable advantage: real, human relationships that can be strengthened through consistent communication.

Purpose of the Interview
The purpose of Rushion McDonald’s conversation with Dave Charest is to:
1. Educate new and aspiring entrepreneurs
Charest breaks down the basics of digital marketing—email, social, SMS—and how to begin building a strong marketing foundation.
2. Highlight the key trends driving the entrepreneurship boom
He explains motivations like work–life balance, independence, and financial potential that inspire people to launch businesses.
3. Provide practical, actionable marketing advice
Especially around consistency, choosing marketing channels, and building direct customer relationships.
4. Introduce how AI can simplify and amplify marketing
Charest showcases tools that help business owners quickly generate content, develop campaigns, and analyze customer behavior.
Key Takeaways 1. Direct relationships (email/SMS) outperform social media
Email offers ownership, stability, and higher ROI—unlike social platforms that can change algorithms or visibility overnight. Charest stresses that “the money is in the list.”
2. You don’t need huge numbers to be effective
Small businesses often see high open and engagement rates because followers know and trust them.
3. Consistency matters more than platform choice
Whether you choose Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, or email, the biggest driver of marketing success is showing up regularly.
4. Start small—don’t overwhelm yourself
One of the biggest mistakes entrepreneurs make is trying to do everything at once. Begin with the basics and grow steadily.
5. Community is a crucial marketing asset
Local businesses thrive when they maintain strong connections with nearby businesses, customers, and community networks.
6. Entrepreneurs face challenges—but resilience wins
Charest notes that small business owners rarely have a “Plan B,” which pushes them to adapt and continue learning.
7. AI is transforming small‑business marketing
Constant Contact offers tools to:
Generate emails and content
Summarize content for social
Build full marketing campaigns
Analyze behavior from large email lists to recommend actions
Notable Quotes (from the transcript)
Here are direct paraphrases and key phrases—not copyrighted material but drawn from the transcript:
On email vs. social
“There’s a $36 return for every $1 invested in email—but what matters is that you own the relationship.”

“If a social platform goes away, so does your following. Email is a direct line.”

On audience size
“Big numbers aren’t necessary—small lists can see 50% open rates and strong engagement because those people actually care.”
On entrepreneurship motivations
“People want better work‑life balance, independence, and financial potential.”
On mistakes
“A big mistake is trying to do too much at once. Start small and stay consistent.”
On community
“Digital marketing should extend real relationships—not replace them.”
On choosing platforms
“Where your audience spends time matters, but so does where you can show up consistently.”
On AI’s role
“AI can generate emails, build campaigns, and analyze audience data—saving you time for what you’d rather be doing.”
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Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Lawrence Phillips.
Purpose of the Interview
To showcase Lawrence Phillips’ entrepreneurial journey from engineering to founding Green Book Global, a travel review platform for Black travelers.
To highlight the significance of Black Ambition, an initiative by Pharrell Williams supporting Black and Brown entrepreneurs.
To inspire listeners about resilience, innovation, and the importance of culturally inclusive travel resources.
Key Takeaways
Background & Career Shift
Phillips studied Electrical Engineering at Georgia Tech and worked at Accenture in IT consulting for nearly a decade.
Despite career success, he felt unfulfilled and decided to pursue his passion for travel, leading to the creation of Green Book Global.

Travel Experience
Traveled to 30+ countries across all seven continents, including Antarctica, in less than a year.
Realized the need for a platform addressing “traveling while Black” concerns—safety, cultural acceptance, and inclusivity.

Green Book Global
Inspired by the historical Green Book (1936–1966), which guided Black travelers during segregation.
Offers city-level Black-friendly scores, road trip planners, and Black-owned restaurant recommendations.
Over 150,000 app downloads in 2025; partnered with Expedia; strong social media presence.

Black Ambition Program
Phillips applied three times before reaching semifinals, emphasizing persistence.
Program provided funding opportunities and a transformative Evoke Wellness experience.
His personal “why” statement:
“I’m a protective and innovative steward of Black restoration and healing.”

Impact & Vision
Advocates systemic change by partnering with destinations to improve inclusivity.
Highlights the economic power of Black travelers (over $140 billion annually).
Encourages Black travelers to explore global opportunities beyond U.S. racial constraints.

Notable Quotes
“You can be successful and still not be happy.” — On leaving a lucrative career for passion.
“I’m a protective and innovative steward of Black restoration and healing.” — His guiding principle.
“There’s riches in niches.” — On unapologetically focusing on Black travelers.
“Just because somebody said no doesn’t mean they said no to you—they said no at that time.” — On persistence in entrepreneurship.
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Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Laura Finney.
A seasoned financial literacy educator and coach. Laura shares her deeply personal journey into financial education, sparked by a lack of preparedness in her own life and a family experience that resulted in the loss of generational wealth. Through candid storytelling and practical advice, she empowers listeners to take control of their financial futures with strategic planning, budgeting, and mindset shifts.
🧭 Key Themes
Financial Empowerment: Building financial literacy to live life on your own terms.
Generational Wealth: The importance of estate planning and legacy preservation.
Budgeting & Cash Flow: Identifying spending leaks and creating emergency funds.
Mindset Over Age: Rejecting age as a limitation to financial or personal growth.
Community Impact: Educating underserved communities and promoting financial independence.
🗂️ Episode Outline
Introduction by Rushion McDonald
Purpose of the show and encouragement to learn from others’ success stories.

Meet Laura Finney
Financial coach and educator with a mission to empower through financial literacy.

Turning Point at 50
Laura’s wake-up call after her 50th birthday and the realization of financial unpreparedness.

Family Legacy Lost
A powerful story of losing family land due to lack of a will, now replaced by an Amazon facility.

Common Financial Mistakes
Taking advice without personalized planning.
Misunderstanding retirement and financial independence.

Advice for 30s and 40s
Pay yourself first.
Avoid inaccessible savings vehicles.
Start planning early.

Budgeting Tips
Cut back on dining out, personal care, and entertainment.
Build emergency funds—even starting with $1/day.

Financial Misconceptions
Living for today vs. planning for tomorrow.
The myth of “having time” to save later.

How Laura Works with Clients
Initial consultation → personalized interview → strategic financial roadmap.

Closing Thoughts
Encouragement to take control of your financial future and live life on your terms.

💬 Notable Quotes
“Nobody’s really retiring. We’re not great-grandma on the porch with lemonade anymore.”
“Don’t let age define how you live your life.”
“Everything starts with a budget.”
“You can’t chase money. You have to plan for it.”
“If you can save a dollar a day, you can build an emergency fund.”
👤 About the Guest: Laura Finney
Laura Finney is a financial literacy educator with over eight years of experience in the financial services industry. She specializes in delivering personalized financial literacy programs, workshops, and one-on-one consultations. Her mission is to help individuals and families achieve financial stability and long-term success through education, strategic planning, and empowerment.
📞 Contact Laura Finney
Website: LauraFinneyEnterprises.net
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