Went Under Cover & Ended Up Under The Covers - 12.05.25
The Strawberry Letter heard on The Steve Harvey Morning Show Friday, December 5th, 2025. Subject: "Went Under Cover & Ended Up Under The Covers"See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Insurance Tip: An industry leader breaks down the value of Term, Whole and Universal Life Insurance policies.
Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Brianna Johnson. A dynamic entrepreneur and founder of Legend Life Financial. Here's a breakdown of the key highlights and insights from the episode: 🔑 Key Themes & Takeaways 1. Early Entrepreneurship By age 22, Brianna owned two clothing stores and a hair salon in Chicago. Inspired by her father, a long-time financial services professional, she developed a strong entrepreneurial spirit early on. 2. Transition to Financial Services At 24, she pivoted into financial services, initially resistant to the idea due to its lack of “cool” appeal. She passed her state licensing exam and is now licensed in over 30 states. Her company, Legend Life Financial, focuses on life insurance and financial education. 3. Insurance Education & Transparency Brianna emphasizes the importance of understanding the differences between: Term Life Insurance: Affordable, fixed for a set term (e.g., 20–30 years), but can increase if it's an annual renewable term. Whole Life Insurance: Permanent, more expensive, builds cash value slowly. Indexed Universal Life (IUL): Tied to stock market performance with capped gains and protected downside. Universal Life: Flexible premiums, moderate cash value growth. Final Expense Policies: For individuals with health or legal issues, typically lower coverage. 4. Client Advocacy She stresses the need to ask questions like “What type of policy is this?” and to avoid blindly trusting agents—especially those who may not stay in the business long-term. She follows up with clients regularly and educates them on evolving insurance needs. 5. Mentorship & Impact Brianna has mentored over 250 life insurance agents and served more than 5,000 families. She’s passionate about empowering people of color through financial literacy and entrepreneurship. 💬 Notable Quotes “Fear is just false expectations appearing real.” “Everything you want is on the other side of fear.” “You don’t have to work more to make more—you just have to work smarter.” 📍 Contact & Resources Website: LegendLife.com (spelled with a “Z” – LegzendLife.com) Phone: (312) 768-3604 Social Media: @BriannaKaylaJ on all platforms #SHMS #STRAW #BESTSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Overcoming the Odds: She inspires small business owners with lessons on perseverance, succession planning, and self-identity.
Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Cheryl McKissack Daniel. Topic: Legacy, resilience, and entrepreneurship of the McKissack family, as detailed in the book The Black Family Who Built America. Cheryl shares the powerful story of her family's 230-year legacy in architecture and construction, making McKissack & McKissack the oldest minority woman-owned professional design and construction firm in the U.S. The conversation explores themes of generational resilience, Black excellence, business strategy, and personal growth. 🎯 Purpose of the Interview Highlight the McKissack family’s historical and cultural impact on American infrastructure and Black entrepreneurship. Promote the book The Black Family Who Built America as a record of legacy and inspiration. Inspire small business owners and entrepreneurs with lessons on perseverance, succession planning, and self-identity. Address the importance of preserving Black history in the face of cultural erasure. 🔑 Key Takeaways 🏗️ Legacy & Impact McKissack & McKissack has contributed to major U.S. infrastructure projects like: Barclays Center JFK Terminal One LaGuardia Airport Penn Station Lincoln Financial Field “We are the fifth generation. Right. And we're Black in America.” 📚 Historical Significance The family legacy began with Moses McKissack, who was enslaved and later became a builder. Cheryl’s ancestors were the first licensed Black architects in America (licenses 117 and 118 in Tennessee). “They became the first Black licensed architects in America… and helped get licensed in 22 other states.” 💼 Business Wisdom Cheryl emphasizes the importance of: Succession planning Understanding both technical and political buyers Building relationships before you need them “You better have that relationship before you need it.” 🧠 The 5 Ps of Family Resilience Perseverance Persistence Preparedness Purpose Prayer “Sometimes you do get up in the morning and you say it's not for me… You have to come back and meditate on the fact that you're a winner.” 🧘♀️ Personal Growth & Mental Health Cheryl discusses overcoming stress, rediscovering herself after a difficult marriage, and the importance of meditation. “Being yourself is what we're talking about… I recognize that I am currently feeling stressed out. So what do I need to do?” 👩👧👧 Women in Leadership Cheryl’s mother took over the business after her father’s stroke, despite societal barriers. “She only knew the telephone number to the office at that time… but she knew deep inside that she wanted to hold on for the fifth generation.” 🎥 Representation & Media The book and Cheryl’s story aim to counteract negative portrayals of Black people in media and history. “You may not have known about Black excellence. You just ignored it. But we exist.” 💬 Memorable Quotes “Black people built America. Now, that's the point we're making here.” “You have to say the opposite to yourself. And you have to put one foot in front of the other.” “This book is a receipt to say we are around. We have a foundation. We're not going anywhere.” #SHMS #STRAW #BESTSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Overcoming the Odds: How a successful Businesswoman overcame teen pregnancies and raised her siblings.
Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Kimberly Kelly. A real estate broker and entrepreneur who overcame a challenging upbringing in foster care, teen motherhood, and systemic adversity to become a successful businesswoman. Kimberly shares her journey of resilience, faith, and determination, offering inspiration to anyone facing difficult circumstances. Her story is a testament to perseverance, adaptability, and the power of believing in oneself. 🧭 Key Points 🌱 Early Life & Adversity Raised in foster care from a young age due to her mother’s struggles with addiction. Took on a caregiver role for her younger brothers at age 9. Became a mother at 15 and had two children by 18, while still caring for her siblings. 💪 Resilience & Mindset Developed a survival mindset early on, driven by responsibility and love for her family. Found faith and spiritual grounding during her time in foster care. Never doubted her ability to succeed despite overwhelming odds. 🎓 Education & Career Path Returned to complete her high school diploma and pursued technical education. Earned a degree in electronics engineering and transitioned into the IT world. Later became a licensed real estate agent and opened her own brokerage. 🏡 Business Ventures Founder of a real estate brokerage in McDonough, Georgia. Focuses on educating and empowering first-time homebuyers and entrepreneurs. Co-owner of a property preservation company, Get Adventurous, with her husband. 🤝 Leadership & Branding Leads a small team of agents with a hands-on, mentorship-driven approach. Emphasizes adaptability, personal growth, and celebrating small victories. Operates within a price range of $250K–$750K and above, adapting to market trends. 💬 Notable Quotes “I’m superwoman. I’m phenomenal.” “Foster care is supposed to be temporary, but sometimes it becomes permanent.” “It never dawned on me that I wouldn’t be successful.” “You can do anything. There is nothing you can’t do in this life.” “Practice resilience. If you don’t have a support system, look in the mirror and talk to yourself.” “I’m always in the mindset of staying adaptable.” “My goal is to educate, motivate, and teach people that we can own real estate.” #SHMS #STRAW #BESTSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Family First: He started his successful shaved ice cone business to teach his sons about money—earning, saving, investing, and giving.
Two-time Emmy and three-time NAACP Image Award-winning television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Marcus Sonnier. Founder of Snowie Atlanta: 🎯 Purpose of the Interview To showcase Marcus Sonnier’s journey from corporate America to entrepreneurship, highlight the inspiration behind Snowie Atlanta, and share insights on financial literacy, legacy-building, and faith-driven decision-making. 🔑 Key Takeaways 1. From Corporate VP to Entrepreneur Marcus left a successful career as VP of PR supervision at a financial services firm to start Snowie Atlanta. He worked both jobs for five years before fully transitioning. His leap was guided by faith and a desire for self-reliance. “I looked at my wife and said, ‘Hey, I'm getting one more bonus check. And then I'm jumping off the plane.’” 2. The Product: Shaved Ice with a Twist Snowie Atlanta offers customizable shaved ice with self-serve flavor stations. Inspired by childhood experiences in Louisiana with snowball stands. “We give away the shaved ice, but we sell you the smiles.” 3. Family Legacy & Financial Literacy Marcus started the business to teach his sons about money—earning, saving, investing, and giving. His sons were involved from the beginning, learning entrepreneurship firsthand. “I said, guys, look, we're going to be entrepreneurs in this business. We're going to do it together.” 4. Faith as a Driving Force Marcus credits divine guidance for his journey and connections. He views his business as a calling and a platform for community impact. “I could feel God in my spirit saying, ‘Oh, you trust me, you really do.’” 5. Community Impact & Expansion Snowie Atlanta is expanding into Truist Park, home of the Atlanta Braves. The goal is to become a staple attraction and enhance the fan experience. “I want all kids to want to go to a Braves game… to get a Snowie and have an experience.” 6. Giving Back Snowie Atlanta participates in fundraising for schools, churches, and nonprofits. Marcus finds joy in writing checks back to organizations that serve the community. 💬 Notable Quotes “You may not get everything you work for, but you will work for everything you get.” “We serve memories.” “I’m just trying to be obedient and do what I think God wants me to do in this business.” #SHMS #STRAW #BESTSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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