G-2LCWV30QZ8 Burn the Playbook—It’s Time to Build Your Own Table - TonyTidbit: A Black Executive Perspective
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Published on:

17th Jun 2025

Burn the Playbook—It’s Time to Build Your Own Table

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Episode Audio Link: https://podcast.ablackexec.com/episode/Burn the Playbook—It’s Time to Build Your Own Table

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In this episode of A Black Executive Perspective, host Tony Tidbit welcomes Okeatta Brown, the CEO of O & Company Interiors, as they delve into her journey from corporate success to bold entrepreneurship. Okeatta shares valuable lessons on pushing through fear, embracing change, and the importance of community impact. Please tune in to hear how she navigated her career, built her own interior design business inspired by her cultural roots, and continues to strive for excellence and legacy. This episode is filled with insights on resilience, purpose, and the power of believing in oneself.


▶︎ In This Episode

00:00 Motivational Advice to My Younger Self

00:40 Introduction to A Black Executive Perspective

01:30 Guest Introduction: Okeatta Brown

04:12 Okeatta’s Personal Background and Family

06:04 Early Life and Lessons on Change

11:07 Corporate Journey and Key Learnings

22:51 The Importance of Community Service

24:31 Entrepreneurship and Overcoming Fear

27:47 The Dream That Sparked a Business

28:38 Building the First Prototype

29:49 Finding the Right Manufacturer

32:37 The Victoria Lane Collection

36:55 Challenges of Entrepreneurship

40:38 Staying Motivated

47:01 Final Thoughts and Call to Action

🔗 Resources

Links and resources mentioned in this episode:


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This episode was produced by TonyTidbit ™ . Copyright © 2024 A BLACK EXECUTIVE PERSPECTIVE LLC. All rights reserved. No part of this podcast may be reproduced without prior written permission. For permissions, email podcast@ablackexec.com .

Transcript
Okeatta Brown:

Keep pushing.

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:

Right.

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:

I love don't give up on yourself.

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Don't fail yourself.

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You can do anything.

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Keep pushing and don't be afraid of it.

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That's what I would tell

my 16-year-old self.

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I was actually on a conversation

here recently and, um.

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Someone asked me kind of what

would I, what would I share?

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And I said, you know, I

would start earlier, right?

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I would start this process earlier.

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I would believe in the fact that

I could do this earlier so that

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I'll move forward in my purpose.

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Right?

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I can do two things at once.

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I can do three things at once, right?

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But it's moving in your purpose.

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And so I would, that's what I would

tell ultimately, my 16-year-old self.

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Moving your purpose and keep going.

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We'll discuss race and how

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Tony Tidbit: it plays a factor

and how we didn't even talk about

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this topic 'cause we were afraid

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BEP Narrator: A Black

Executive Perspective.

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Tony Tidbit: We are coming to you

live from the new BEP studio for

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another thought provoking episode of

A Black Executive Perspective podcast.

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A safe space where we discuss all matters

related to race, culture, and those

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uncomfortable topics people tend to avoid.

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I'm your host Tony Tidbit.

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So before we get started on this

fantastic episode, I wanna make

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sure that everyone checks out our

partners at Code M Magazine, whose

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mission is saving the black family

by first saving the black man.

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So check them out@codemmagazine.com.

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That is code m magazine.com.

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So today, Okeatta Brown, founder

and CEO of O, and Company Interiors.

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Joins BEP to share her journey.

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From corporate board rooms to bold

entrepreneurship, A seasoned leader

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advocate, an HBCU graduate, she will

discuss her personal roots that shaped

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her professional ambition, her deep

commitment to community, and a decision

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to launch a company that reflects

culture, heritage, and innovation.

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We'll also explore the business

of design, the power of black

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entrepreneurship, and what it means to

live with purpose from inside and out.

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Lemme tell you about my

good friend Okeatta Brown.

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Okeatta.

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As I stated earlier, a dynamic leader

who has seamlessly bridged the world of

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business design and community impact.

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With over two decades of success

in corporate America, she has

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brought her strategic acumen.

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And passion for cultural expression

into the world of interior

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design and furniture production.

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By launching her company O

and Company Interiors in:

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A proud HBCU graduate of

Johnson c Smith University.

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EDTA is also a committed civic leader.

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She has held influential roles on

numerous nonprofit boards included

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in United Negro College Fund, the

Urban League of Central Carolinas.

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Well, guess what?

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She made history as the youngest

board chair and the Carolina Community

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Builders Initiative Advisory Board.

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I.

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She's also been on the Carolinas

Minority Supplier Development Council,

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where she serves as second vice chair.

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She's a dedicated member of Alpha

Alpha Kappa I Alpha Sorority and

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continues to champion equity,

empowerment and entrepreneurship

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across every space she enters.

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Okeatta Brown.

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Welcome to A Black Executive

Perspective Podcast, my sister.

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Okeatta Brown: Thank you for having me.

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What an introduction.

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Tony Tidbit: That was amazing.

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Yeah.

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Um, it is your introduction

and you're amazing.

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Okay.

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I mean, unless, unless you

stole that from somebody else.

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Right.

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And you're like, oh, I

did, I really did that.

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Oh my God.

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I should have, I should have

came up with something a little

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bit less, you know, perspective.

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All right.

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But that's you, Mike, girl.

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So look, we excited to chat with you.

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Okay.

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And you like, look, you got a, a, a.

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Fantastic background.

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Um, we can't wait to dive in into

the things that you're looking to do.

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You built your own company and

look, it takes a lot of courage,

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especially as a black woman to do that.

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So we're gonna dive into that.

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But before we get into the heavy

stuff, why don't you tell me a little

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bit about where you currently reside

and a little bit about your family.

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Okeatta Brown: Well, thank you again.

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Thank you for having me today.

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Um, I am Okeatta Brown.

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I currently reside in

Charlotte, North Carolina.

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Uh, I have, uh, I'm an awesome auntie.

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I have a wonderful goddaughter.

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I'm an amazing daughter and a

great sister to several, and a

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wonderful friend, to several.

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I don't have any children of my

own, but that I, again, have a

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wonderful, wonderful extended family.

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I.

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Tony Tidbit: That sounds awesome.

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See, you see that.

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We should have threw that in the bio.

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How amazing of a friend you are

and how you got this and that.

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You know what I'm saying?

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But No, that's good.

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That is all.

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Hey, look, family's important and is,

you know, regardless of where they fall,

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cousin, uncle, kid, you know, it's great

to have people that love you, support you.

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So that's awesome.

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I've been to Charlotte.

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Great city.

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Um, so glad to hear

that you're down there.

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So, question I wanna ask, look, and now we

just went through it in your bio, right?

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Um, you got a lot going on.

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You're working, you're building

a big interior design business.

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You are all over you

on different platforms.

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Uh, you are in high demand,

people are reaching out.

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They want you to come on and

chat about what's going on.

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So why did you wanna come on

A Black Executive Perspective

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podcast to discuss this topic?

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Okeatta Brown: I think you offer a unique

point of view to your listeners, right?

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I think you tell a different story

than some of the other podcasts that

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I've been able to participate in.

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And so I really wanted to come

into, to your point, a safe space

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to have a good, candid, real,

authentic cultural conversation.

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Tony Tidbit: Well, my girl,

you picked the right spot.

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All right?

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And that's what we gonna do today.

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You know what I'm saying?

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That's what we gonna do today.

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So you ready to talk about it?

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Okeatta Brown: Let's talk about it.

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Tony Tidbit: Alright, my

girl, let's talk about it.

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So listen, let's back all the way

up because, you know, um, chairman

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of all the different nonprofits,

CEO of your own business, um,

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civic leader, all those things that

didn't just happen overnight, right?

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That didn't just happen, you know,

today you were, you know, somebody

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told me this a long time ago.

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They said, I never seen a a, a

baby born that says, uh, born six

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pounds, seven ounces, and a fist.

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Full of hundreds.

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Right.

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Okay.

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So at the end of the day,

yeah, it don't work that way.

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So let's go all the way back.

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Tell us about a little bit where you

grew up, where you grew up at, and

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the values and early lessons from

your family that showed up, that

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still shows up in your life today.

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Okeatta Brown: Yeah.

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Uh, I grew up in Columbia, South

Carolina, and I'm a product

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of, uh, divorced parents.

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It was a single mom.

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My mom married young, and it's just

my mom, my brother and I up until.

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He went to Howard University.

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Right.

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And so just growing up and

watching my mom just kind of

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try to make a way for us, right?

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We, I never felt like

we didn't have things.

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I never felt like I went without, but I

knew that my mom was struggling, right?

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My mom was making ends meet.

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I figured, I learned very early what it

meant to Rob Peter to pay Paul, right?

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So we knew all of those

things very early on.

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My brother started working

at the time he was.

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13 years old.

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Right.

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And I followed suit shortly thereafter.

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So we always, my brother and I and my mom,

we always had a very strong work ethic.

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We knew what a dollar meant,

we knew what survival meant.

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Um, but growing up I went to a

different school every single year

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from the time I was in kindergarten

up until the ninth grade.

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Mm-hmm.

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So that constant change, right, is

something that still sits with me today,

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but it helps shape the executive and

the leader that I am today because.

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I'm okay with change, right?

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Mm-hmm.

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And we know the one thing that

remains the same is change.

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And so going through all of that and the

different homes, because we moved every

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single year, the rent went up, right?

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So I know what that feels like too.

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Right.

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So mom was like, wait

a minute, we got to go.

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Mm-hmm.

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You know, that's right here.

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Right.

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So I was going to a different

school, but it was okay.

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It, it, it taught me a lot.

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Right, right.

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But what someone mentioned to me,

and I didn't quite put it together

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until, um, this person mentioned it

to me, but the reason why I got into

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interior design and the reason why.

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It's so important to me is because

there was a constant movement.

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So I never truly had roots.

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Right.

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You know how some people can

say, that was my childhood home.

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Right?

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Or my teacher from this school

at this age, I still remember

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my kindergarten teacher, Ms.

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Cunningham.

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I can't do that 'cause I don't have that

level of, uh, stability, if you will.

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But when I in, when I do interior design

and when I work with my clients, it was

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very important for me to understand what

they wanted to feel when they came in

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their home, but that their home was a

representation of who they are as well.

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Mm-hmm.

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So I always say I'm, I'm a

movie from house to home.

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So you feel like you're walking through a

space that represents you and that comes

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from this going from house to house to

house and not really being able to paint a

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wall or, you know, to, to make it my own.

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So when I bought my first

town house, I painted.

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Regretfully.

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I painted my kitchen electric blue,

like my living room was purple.

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There was some yellow in there somewhere.

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It was a mess.

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It was a stone.

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But I could, I was like,

Ooh, I can do this.

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Right.

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Um, but it really said for me when

I started that interior design work.

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So I did that in about 2015

when I started that work.

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Right.

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That's why it was so important to me

to build homes so that people could

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feel that sense of stability and feel

that connectedness to who they are to

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their culture or whatever it was that

they wanted to represent at the time.

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Tony Tidbit: Wow.

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Wow.

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So number one, thanks for sharing that.

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And there's a couple of things I wanna

dive a little bit deeper when you talk

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about change, um, because it's something

that most people struggle with, right?

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Um, in terms of dealing with, you

know, getting out of a comfort zone.

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Or you know, having to, you know,

wake up one day and find out that

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you gotta do something different or

you gotta move somewhere different.

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Or you gotta think differently.

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Right.

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A lot of people struggle, and

especially in today's world, we're

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dealing with a ton of change.

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Yeah.

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All the time.

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Right.

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And some people become immobile,

so outside of the ability.

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To be able to, to get a sense, 'cause

you didn't grow up, um, you know,

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with roots that, that, that you know,

you can plant and this and that.

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And obviously that's what you love

to do now because with your interior

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design, you're allowing people and

helping them create something that

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can be a legacy or it can be planted.

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Within their family, their

house, what the case may be.

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But you've been a, a successful

executive as well, right?

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So talk about some of the other values and

stuff that you learned from moving around

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all the time when it comes to change.

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Okeatta Brown: Hmm.

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Um.

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So to your point, that change allowed

me to come into the corporate space and

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be really just flexible, be amenable

to change, understand that things

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are not going to remain this way.

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And if I needed to make a way,

I needed to build that way.

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Right.

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Um, and so when I got into my career

coming outta South Carolina, um,

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I had to unlearn some things in

terms of just some, the, the, the.

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Juxtaposition between how I grew up

with a very racially charged space.

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Columbia, South Carolina isn't

the easiest place to grow up.

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And then coming into Charlotte,

which felt like a world away, right?

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And then going to an HBCU, love

Johnson c Smith grew up there.

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They taught me how to be an adult.

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Right?

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There was no, there were no violins.

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There were no, there was no handholding.

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They're like, you better

figure that thing out.

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Right?

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Right.

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But because I had experienced so

much change, I knew how to do that.

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Um, and then going into

the corporate space.

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And I went into that space

thinking I knew everything, right?

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I had a undergraduate degree in marketing.

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I thought I knew everything.

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I was like, I'm ready to be the

chief marketing officer today.

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Let's do it right?

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And some people sat me down and

told me and made me understand

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that what I was, what I was trying

to do, I needed to learn a little

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bit more, listen more, speak less.

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You don't know everything.

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So.

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Growing up and being around that

and really trying to understand how

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to get along with different people,

meet people where they are, learning

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different personalities, right?

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All of those things came along with that

change that then allowed me to apply

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it into the corporate space, right?

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Because you can't have the same exact

conversation with every person, right?

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You have to know who you're

talking to, speak the language

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so that you can be heard, right?

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So that's, that was very clear to me.

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Tony Tidbit: My girl.

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I love what you said.

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Right?

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And there's people that's

gonna watch who's watching

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this now or listening to it.

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They needed to hear that

because at the end of the day,

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it is about being a chameleon.

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I.

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It is about being flexible.

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It is about shutting up.

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It is about changing.

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It is about, you know, all the

things that you talked about.

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For you to become successful in any

endeavor, you have to embrace change.

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Right?

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And more importantly, what I'm hearing

from you, which I love, it's not just

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embrace it, learn from it, right?

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Because that's the key right now.

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Look, we could be talking

about change all day long.

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I mean, you know, and I'm not

talking spare change, okay?

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I'm just talking change because you've

had a lot of changes, you know, um,

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and even starting your own business.

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But let's just stay right here in

terms of your corporate life, right?

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You've two decades in,

in corporate, right?

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What are you most proud

of in that journey?

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Tony Tidbit: of coming.

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From Columbia, South Carolina, moving

all the way from early years to ninth

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grade, having a mother that's, you

know, hustled and made it happen, but

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didn't have a lot of, you know, material

things and stuff to that nature.

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And now look where you are.

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So what are you most proud of, of that

journey the last two decades in corporate?

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Okeatta Brown: It is actually been three.

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I know.

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I don't look that long.

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You know?

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Tony Tidbit: Ha.

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Had you not said nothing I wouldn't

have had you not said nothing.

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I wouldn't have thought nothing.

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Okeatta Brown: Oh no,

it's because you look

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Tony Tidbit: good.

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You look.

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Exactly.

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Exactly.

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Okeatta Brown: Well thank you.

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I appreciate that.

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Um, I learned a lot along the way.

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Um, but what I will say, one thing

that's always stood out to me, well,

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two in particular, and what I'm proud

of is that I was a very matter of fact.

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Person.

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When I entered into the workforce, I was

like, I don't wanna talk about your cat.

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I don't wanna talk about your dog.

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Your children are none of my business.

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That's how I was when I started.

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Right.

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Um, but then really understanding people

and opening myself up to people and really

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trying to figure out how to navigate these

spaces and being comfortable with sharing.

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Because we know it's not easy to be

vulnerable in a corporate environment,

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particularly if you look like me.

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Right?

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Correct.

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So how do I find that

space where I can do that?

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Um, but there were two women in

particular during my corporate

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career, um, that I would point to

as, um, very pivotal moments in

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providing very sound advice to me.

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One mentor said to me very early on,

Okeatta, if it doesn't exist, build it.

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And I didn't know I had the capacity

to build until she said that.

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And I sat down, she said, Okeatta,

we need this particular strategy.

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And I was like, well, she

called me Keita Re, Keita Reef.

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We need this ki in.

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We in the office now.

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Keita Re, we need this particular

strategy at such and such.

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And I was like, okay.

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She said, I'm gonna build it.

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And she turned around, started typing.

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Next thing I know, she was the

head of the thing that she built.

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Right, right.

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And she said, wow, that that's a thing.

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Like we can do that.

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And so I've always taken that approach.

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If it doesn't exist, I'm going to build

it and I'm gonna build it in such a

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way that there's shared value, right?

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I'm gonna make sure that

everybody wins, the company wins.

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What I'm trying to do, wins, and

the customer or the people we're

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trying to serve wins, right?

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So I always look for the stacked

win and the second critical moment.

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I was very young in my career and.

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Sister hemmed me up.

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She was an attorney and

I gave her something.

384

:

She said, she's a corporate attorney.

385

:

She said, um, she needed something.

386

:

She hemmed

387

:

Tony Tidbit: you up, huh?

388

:

Okeatta Brown: I never

hemmed up before in my life.

389

:

She said I gave her something,

like I threw something

390

:

together for her or whatever.

391

:

I was in marketing.

392

:

I threw something together.

393

:

She came down to my desk.

394

:

I don't know where she came from, what

building she came from, but I ne Next

395

:

thing I know this person, this is a

story that I have in my head, came to

396

:

my desk and told me not to ever send

anything out that had my name on it

397

:

that I wasn't fully proud of, because

my brand will always perceive me.

398

:

Ooh,

399

:

that moment on, I was

like, Ooh, I'm so sorry.

400

:

And Ooh, right.

401

:

But from that moment on, I'm knew, and

I think the people I work with now think

402

:

they probably think I'm a perfectionist,

but I'm like, no, that stuck with me.

403

:

Your brand will always perceive you.

404

:

No matter where you are, where you

go inside or outside of corporate

405

:

America, your brand will proceed You

so always put your best foot forward.

406

:

Those are the two things that I take

away from my corporate career because

407

:

it set the foundation for everything

else that I've done since then.

408

:

And I apply that both

internally and externally.

409

:

I apply that to the work that I

lead today 'cause I'm in service

410

:

of others every single day.

411

:

But I always put the best foot forward.

412

:

But then in building the business,

right, owing co interiors, what is

413

:

it that I'm trying to do with this

company and how do I impact change in a

414

:

meaningful way, but also create something

that's beautiful and resonates with,

415

:

with everyone that loves it, right?

416

:

It, it should create a feeling.

417

:

How do I do that?

418

:

So I'm always thinking about.

419

:

What's the end opportunity there and how

do I create the stacked win for everybody?

420

:

Tony Tidbit: I love it.

421

:

I love it.

422

:

Let me ask you this, you know, one of

the things that we all deal with, and

423

:

I want to hear your thoughts on it

because you talked about, you know,

424

:

the two things that you're proud of,

um, and one is building and the other,

425

:

understanding your brand and making

sure that whatever you put out there is.

426

:

100% you, because like you

said it, it goes forever.

427

:

But I wanna back up to when

you said, um, what'd she say?

428

:

Or Rita, I said, what did she called you?

429

:

Ke Kitie.

430

:

Kitie.

431

:

Kitie.

432

:

Right.

433

:

And she said, we kitie.

434

:

Right.

435

:

Kitie.

436

:

And she said, we gonna build something.

437

:

Right.

438

:

Let me ask you this.

439

:

When she came and you said at the

time you didn't know that, that

440

:

you could build something, but now

you in the middle of it, how much.

441

:

Did fear tie in to any of that?

442

:

And the reason I ask Yeah.

443

:

There we know, and just looking at

you, there are so many talented people.

444

:

Okeatta Brown: Yeah.

445

:

Tony Tidbit: There are so

many people who are gifted.

446

:

There are so many people in

the walls of corporate America.

447

:

But even to the point where

you even started your own

448

:

business, that people are afraid.

449

:

For whatever reason.

450

:

All right.

451

:

To take that leap, even when somebody

kind of says to them, you had a mentor

452

:

that was like, we gonna do this.

453

:

Right?

454

:

So talk a little bit about that

because I can imagine people are want

455

:

to hear that because they need to get

out of that for them to move forward.

456

:

Okeatta Brown: Yeah.

457

:

I would say for me in particular, I have

the, the pleasure and the blessing of

458

:

serving in my gift in two spaces, right?

459

:

So I'm still in my corporate space, but

I get to have this other space as well.

460

:

What I do in my corporate space

is my heart's work, right?

461

:

So I get to be in service of others.

462

:

I get to drive change and

impact in my corporate world.

463

:

But then in this other space,

I get to exercise my passion

464

:

around building beautiful things

and creating beautiful spaces.

465

:

So I don't have to make that

decision, if you will, of leaving

466

:

one space and going into the other.

467

:

I'm squarely in both and doing

my best, but to your point, fear.

468

:

Is the thing that will

cripple you the most?

469

:

It will.

470

:

That's that doubt.

471

:

That's that talk that you give yourself

that you can't, you don't know enough.

472

:

Uh, some would call it imposter syndrome.

473

:

Correct?

474

:

Correct.

475

:

Uh, that you can't move

into these other spaces.

476

:

You have to overcome those things.

477

:

That happens on a daily basis.

478

:

For some, it happens for me as well,

but I just move through it, right?

479

:

Because the fear of not doing

something because I got in my own way.

480

:

Supersedes the fear of actually doing it.

481

:

Right.

482

:

Right.

483

:

So I'm more afraid of the me not even

trying and not realizing what my true

484

:

potential will be versus going out there

trying and failing or learning from that.

485

:

Right.

486

:

I go, I approach things with, you get a

50 50 shot, you going win or you're not.

487

:

Right, right, right.

488

:

But in the process, you have

the opportunity to move forward,

489

:

and the true failure is when

you don't take that opportunity.

490

:

Tony Tidbit: Ooh.

491

:

Okeatta Brown: That's the

thing that I hold on to.

492

:

Tony Tidbit: I love it.

493

:

I love it.

494

:

I learned this a long time ago.

495

:

The word fear spelled FEAR, stands

for false evidence appearing real.

496

:

Okay?

497

:

Okay.

498

:

And what does that mean?

499

:

That means 90%, and this is facts.

500

:

90% of the things that we're

afraid of never happen.

501

:

And the 10% that do happen.

502

:

It's better than what we

thought it was, right?

503

:

So I love what you said in terms

of continue to move forward.

504

:

So you know, Chad, with

you, you seem so grounded.

505

:

You, you seem, you were brought

up by a great mother and you know,

506

:

created and taught you core values.

507

:

Right?

508

:

So talk a little bit about how serving

in the nonprofit or nonprofit boards

509

:

and champion community initiatives, how

it's always been a part of your mission.

510

:

Why is that?

511

:

Talk a little bit about that.

512

:

Okeatta Brown: There are so many

people that need help, right.

513

:

Regardless if it's help because they are

unhoused or it's help because they need

514

:

to build capacity to learn a trade or

it's help because they're trying to get

515

:

their credit together so they can buy

their first home and generate wealth.

516

:

Because we know the path to wealth

is through home ownership, right?

517

:

So I've always been in that space,

but, but also because I grew up.

518

:

Understanding what it

meant to not have Right.

519

:

Or to not have a, a single home to go to.

520

:

Right.

521

:

I always knew what that meant.

522

:

And my mom had, she had a government job.

523

:

I knew what that felt like for her.

524

:

Right, right.

525

:

And so I've always been in a

place of give back, serve always.

526

:

I, when my nieces would come and visit me

for summer, they'd be right in my Urban

527

:

league meetings with me, learning all the

things that I'm saying and learning all

528

:

the things that they need to learn to.

529

:

To, to be successful, right?

530

:

And making sure they understood

what credit meant, right?

531

:

What does it mean to

have a good credit score?

532

:

Well, this is what it means, right?

533

:

And so going through all of

that with them has been amazing.

534

:

But that because I was grounded in

understanding what it means to not have,

535

:

but then what it means to have a little,

and what it means to have a lot, I can

536

:

go through that, that life cycle, if you

will, and do my best to share my thoughts,

537

:

share, add value in whatever way I can.

538

:

So I've always been in

that space of giving back.

539

:

It's so important.

540

:

Tony Tidbit: Tell me a little

bit about entrepreneurship.

541

:

I mean, you know, again,

it's a, it's a leap.

542

:

Okay.

543

:

In terms of, you know, starting,

'cause you just finished talking

544

:

about, you know, generational

wealth and stuff to that nature.

545

:

Um, we do live in a country

that is a capitalist country.

546

:

It is really, most people don't

know this, but it really is about

547

:

you starting your own business.

548

:

Okay.

549

:

The laws and everything

is set up for that.

550

:

Right.

551

:

And the majority of people end

up working for people for years.

552

:

And you know, that's why I went to the

ask you about the fear component as well.

553

:

Like, 'cause a lot of

times people are afraid.

554

:

But talk a little bit about, did you grow

up seeing entrepreneurs in your community?

555

:

Did they inspire you?

556

:

Or talk a little bit about that.

557

:

Okeatta Brown: I didn't grow up with

entrepreneurs in my family, if you will.

558

:

Mm-hmm.

559

:

I learned more about it in my adult life.

560

:

I learned more about the opportunity

to actually have your own and

561

:

what that meant in my adult life.

562

:

I think it was, what was interesting

about the scenario that in which

563

:

I grew up was really thinking

through or seeing the examples of.

564

:

Put your head down, do the

job, just get through it.

565

:

Right.

566

:

It was never a situation of

this is what it means to own

567

:

your own or to build your own.

568

:

I didn't see that growing

569

:

Tony Tidbit: up.

570

:

Right, right, right.

571

:

Most people don't,

572

:

Okeatta Brown: and one of my roles,

particularly in, in our community, right?

573

:

Correct.

574

:

Tony Tidbit: Most people don't.

575

:

Okeatta Brown: No.

576

:

And so I didn't see it.

577

:

I didn't know that that was an option for

me, and that seemed like a harder road.

578

:

To take Correct.

579

:

Right?

580

:

Correct, correct.

581

:

But I, I can get the one, one good friend.

582

:

I can get this.

583

:

Good job.

584

:

Right?

585

:

A friend of mine said that.

586

:

Tony Tidbit: Well, also our parents bring

us up there with that mindset, right.

587

:

To go out and get a good job

because they didn't have good jobs.

588

:

Okay.

589

:

Or, and sometimes they did,

but that was the mindset.

590

:

It's not, you know, so

finish your thought.

591

:

But that has a lot to do with it as well.

592

:

Okeatta Brown: 100%.

593

:

You go in, you get the job, you

keep the job, you keep your head

594

:

down and do a good job, right?

595

:

Correct.

596

:

Correct.

597

:

Make ways, don't say anything.

598

:

Take the money they give you.

599

:

They don't.

600

:

We don't.

601

:

We didn't learn how to

negotiate our salaries.

602

:

Right.

603

:

We didn't know we could

negotiate a salary.

604

:

401k.

605

:

What do you mean?

606

:

Right?

607

:

Oh, we didn't know those things,

608

:

Tony Tidbit: but reason I'm laughing

is because it reminds me you just

609

:

got finished saying, uh um, uh uh.

610

:

It's, it's a little different,

but it was the same kind of

611

:

slogan when I was growing up.

612

:

When I used to go to the grocery

store with my mother and you, you

613

:

walk in the store first thing when

you get ready to walk in, first thing

614

:

she said, I ain't buying you shit.

615

:

Don't touch nothing.

616

:

You ain't getting shit.

617

:

Okeatta Brown: And you get the look.

618

:

My mama had a look flat out.

619

:

Got that look.

620

:

Tony Tidbit: Don't even, right.

621

:

Okeatta Brown: Oh, I remember that.

622

:

Look boy.

623

:

Woo.

624

:

Yeah.

625

:

No was the first thing

before anything else, mama?

626

:

No.

627

:

Okay.

628

:

You.

629

:

Tony Tidbit: So when did you, when did

the bug become real for you to say,

630

:

because look, you, you, you've been

successful in everything you've done.

631

:

When did you finally have that

bug saying, you know what?

632

:

It's time for me to start my own thing?

633

:

Okeatta Brown: Honestly, with Owen Co

interiors, um, and starting the furniture

634

:

line, that vision came to me in a dream.

635

:

Mm.

636

:

Tony Tidbit: Tall.

637

:

Tell us.

638

:

Okeatta Brown: I saw it was COVID.

639

:

Everybody was spending their time at home.

640

:

I was spending time at home and

I was looking at my furniture

641

:

like, I need some new furniture.

642

:

This, I want something different.

643

:

This, this how I've been living.

644

:

Oh my, I had stuff back, man.

645

:

Like, wait a minute now, wait a minute.

646

:

So I'm, I'm trying to find these pieces

and I was looking for something that I

647

:

could connect to, something that I could

connect with my culture, with my heritage.

648

:

Something that was beautiful,

something that I would.

649

:

Fall in love with and stay in love with.

650

:

'cause I'm not a big fan of trends, right?

651

:

I don't want something in my house

that I'm gonna hate in a year.

652

:

So I want things that I'm gonna love.

653

:

And so I couldn't find the

piece that I was looking for.

654

:

And I had a dream.

655

:

And in my dream I saw this beautiful bed.

656

:

It had these beautiful, the

beautiful braid embellishment on it.

657

:

And I'm like, oh my gosh, where is that?

658

:

Right?

659

:

So I'm looking and I can't find that.

660

:

So through my interior design work, I have

a general contractor that I typically work

661

:

with, uh, with customized construction.

662

:

And I said to him, I had this dream

and this and that and the other.

663

:

He and his wife built the frame for me.

664

:

And put this raw wood frame

in the middle of my living

665

:

room and said, go, no excuses.

666

:

Figure it out.

667

:

So I had to teach myself how

to make this thing that I saw

668

:

in this vision that I had.

669

:

So I'm testing fabrics, I'm sewing things

by hand 'cause I don't know how to sew,

670

:

use a sewing machine, I don't know.

671

:

And really didn't, I was just doing

things and, and trying to figure it out.

672

:

And I made a prototype.

673

:

And I looked at the prototype and

I was like, wow, it's beautiful,

674

:

but it also looked like I made it.

675

:

So that won't make, that's not

gonna go in anybody's house.

676

:

I wouldn't wanna put

that in anybody's house.

677

:

So then I realized I was, I had

something that was aesthetically

678

:

beautiful, connected to culture,

something that people would

679

:

love because I loved it so much.

680

:

I felt like others would

love it equally as much.

681

:

Um, so I found a manufacturer to

actually build the pieces for me.

682

:

And then that said to me, I

really wanna get in this business.

683

:

I really wanna share these beautiful

pieces with other people because if

684

:

it had this impact on me, it might

have the same impact on others.

685

:

So that's actually the catalyst for me.

686

:

Starting a furniture line and really

trying to get into this aspect of

687

:

design versus the interior design work.

688

:

It's brand new.

689

:

It's terrifying and

exciting at the same time.

690

:

I'm stumbling through

it, I'm finding my way.

691

:

Um, I've got great people around me.

692

:

I have a great mentor in this space

as well, and so it's still a work in

693

:

progress, but I'm really excited about it.

694

:

But that was the catalyst, this beautiful

dream that I had of this beautiful

695

:

piece that I wanted to create and share.

696

:

Tony Tidbit: Wow.

697

:

So you know what's funny though, and not

funny as I'm listening to your story,

698

:

um, and you probably know this, right?

699

:

How things come full circle, okay?

700

:

So as you were telling me you were

at work and your boss said, oh,

701

:

Rita, we gonna build something?

702

:

And you were like, I can't,

I can, I can build something.

703

:

And they were like, yeah,

we gonna build this.

704

:

And you saw her build it.

705

:

I didn't, now you were in a dream.

706

:

Well, no, excuse me.

707

:

You were looking for furniture, okay?

708

:

Mm-hmm.

709

:

And then all of a sudden you saw this,

and then you started building it.

710

:

Think about that.

711

:

Okeatta Brown: Isn't that

712

:

Tony Tidbit: something?

713

:

Okay?

714

:

Isn't that something?

715

:

Isn't that right?

716

:

Going back to, oh, Rita,

we gonna build this.

717

:

Okeatta Brown: I'll

never forget that moment.

718

:

I'm like, because, okay, sure.

719

:

Tony Tidbit: And look at you now.

720

:

And look at you now.

721

:

Right.

722

:

So that bug, that moment didn't go away.

723

:

No.

724

:

That opened up something that

was already inside of you that

725

:

you already had, and then.

726

:

It's what the same thing you

did to build your business.

727

:

Right?

728

:

And so tell us more.

729

:

Tell, okay.

730

:

Look, I'm a novice, you know, when

it comes to interior design, you

731

:

know, I, till my wife showed up, I

had, you know, sheets, it's curtains.

732

:

Oh no.

733

:

Alright.

734

:

That out loud.

735

:

Tons of blowing it up.

736

:

No, I'm.

737

:

Being honest.

738

:

Right?

739

:

Had nothing wrong with that.

740

:

Right.

741

:

It look good to me, you

know what I'm saying?

742

:

Kept people from looking in my window.

743

:

Okay.

744

:

So talk to us a little bit about,

you know, oh, and what you bring to

745

:

the table and what people would see

and your differentiation and why they

746

:

should, you know, come to you and what

are you bringing that you know is so

747

:

fascinating and so beautiful that's going

to make them, that's gonna blow them

748

:

away and make them wanna work with you.

749

:

Okeatta Brown: My hope is that the, and I,

I, it's called the Victoria Lane line, so

750

:

it's okay to, it's oh, and co interiors.

751

:

My initial launch, my collection

is the Victoria Lane Collection.

752

:

Victoria is named for my mother and my

great-great grandmother, so I wanted

753

:

to bring them into this space because

I, it is again, just beautiful pieces.

754

:

I've not seen anything

like this on the market.

755

:

My manufacturer, when I found her, and

it's a woman-owned manufacturing company

756

:

in High Point, which is almost unheard of.

757

:

Right.

758

:

Um, but when I shared with her what I

was trying to do, she said, Okeatta,

759

:

I've been in this business for 30 years.

760

:

I've never seen anything like this.

761

:

That's why I'm agreeing

to do this project.

762

:

Tony Tidbit: Wow.

763

:

Okeatta Brown: So what I'll

say is, why come to me?

764

:

There's nothing like it on the market.

765

:

It is nothing that's going to connect

to you the way that we know the braid

766

:

connects in the, in the community, right?

767

:

Mm-hmm.

768

:

The braid is, has been around for

thousands of years and it has caught,

769

:

crossed boundaries in terms of

countries and continents, et cetera.

770

:

It's used to date.

771

:

It's something that I learned

to do on my little Barbie head.

772

:

When I was, I don't know how long, how

old my mama taught me how to braid.

773

:

Right.

774

:

And so you, you remember the big

Barbie head with the, I I remember.

775

:

I

776

:

Tony Tidbit: mean, I didn't actually

play with it, but I remember it.

777

:

My sister had it.

778

:

Right.

779

:

My sisters okay.

780

:

But I I got you.

781

:

I got you.

782

:

But

783

:

Okeatta Brown: that's

where I learned, right.

784

:

And that's where I was teaching

my nieces, uh, to braid as well.

785

:

But you see that in the work.

786

:

Every piece that we make is handcrafted.

787

:

It's solid wood.

788

:

Every braid is individually braided

and then we apply it, right?

789

:

And so when, why come

to Owen Co Interiors?

790

:

Why the Victoria Lane Collection?

791

:

You're not gonna find this anywhere else.

792

:

You're not gonna find pieces

that will resonate the way these

793

:

pieces do, just across the board.

794

:

Tony Tidbit: Now talk is this.

795

:

What is this?

796

:

Living room furniture outdoor front.

797

:

Tell me a little bit more about what

type, and then more importantly,

798

:

um, you know, do people order it?

799

:

Do they, do you, you know, do talk a

little bit about the process as well.

800

:

Okeatta Brown: Process.

801

:

Uh, so we have the, this

initial collection, we have

802

:

a cate, a bed, um, a bench.

803

:

An ottoman.

804

:

Why are you smiling?

805

:

No, because you said,

806

:

Tony Tidbit: hold on.

807

:

You said ate.

808

:

And I'm like, what the hell is that?

809

:

This is a fancy, I just told you I

had, I had shit up in the window.

810

:

And you talking

811

:

Okeatta Brown: ate.

812

:

Tony Tidbit: No, I'm teasing.

813

:

I'm teasing.

814

:

I'm teasing.

815

:

Okeatta Brown: Oh.

816

:

Oh.

817

:

But we have those pieces, all upholstered

pieces and so interior home pieces.

818

:

Um, but, so there's o and Co interior,

so OA and d co interiors.com.

819

:

You can go out there and

see the pieces as well.

820

:

Um, but get in touch with me if you're

interested in having a customized

821

:

piece, because again, these are all

handmade, handcrafted, I love it.

822

:

Individual custom pieces so we

can create whatever you like.

823

:

I just see the vision of so many different

things that I wanna do with these pieces.

824

:

It's, it's endless.

825

:

Tony Tidbit: So talk about

what's what, give us that vision.

826

:

Where, where do you see you, where

do you, where are you going with o?

827

:

Where do you want it to go?

828

:

What, you know?

829

:

Talk a little bit about

what's your ultimate goal?

830

:

Where do you see this?

831

:

Are you looking to scale it?

832

:

Give us a little bit.

833

:

Okeatta Brown: I absolutely

am looking to scale it.

834

:

Um, I want to have multiple

furniture collections.

835

:

I want to be known as the go-to for

these types of customized pieces,

836

:

pieces that you will have in your home.

837

:

Four years to come that you can pass

down to your gen, your family, um,

838

:

from generations to generation, right?

839

:

Um, so that's what I'd like to see.

840

:

I think about it in terms

of restoration hardware.

841

:

Like I wanna be a

restoration hardware, there

842

:

Tony Tidbit: we go,

843

:

Okeatta Brown: type company, right?

844

:

I wanna grow it to that level

where I am at one po when I get

845

:

to a place of being global, right?

846

:

I wanna be able to share this, this

vision and this beauty around the world.

847

:

So the intent is to grow it for sure.

848

:

Tony Tidbit: I speak it

into existence, my sister.

849

:

Right.

850

:

You speak it into existence.

851

:

Okeatta Brown: God,

852

:

Tony Tidbit: right?

853

:

No, he, he.

854

:

Now look, we can sit here and, you

know, obviously we can be visionaries

855

:

and we can talk about all the things,

but let's be, and you spoke a little

856

:

bit about this a few minutes ago.

857

:

Yeah.

858

:

Talk, what's some of the toughest

things that you're, you have to deal

859

:

with in terms of being an entrepreneur,

especially being a black woman

860

:

who's, who's building a business?

861

:

Okeatta Brown: Yeah.

862

:

Uh, I, I wasn't shocked because

I used to be the vice chair in

863

:

the Carolina, Virginia Minority

Supplier Development Council.

864

:

So I knew the struggle of.

865

:

Being an entrepreneur, I would go

to the National Minority Supplier

866

:

Development Council conferences.

867

:

I used to be in supplier

diversity, so I knew what it

868

:

meant to have your own business.

869

:

And you know, some of the mistakes that I

saw some of our, um, vendors make, right?

870

:

So some of the vendors would come

in and just, what do you need?

871

:

And I'll do whatever you need.

872

:

And it's like, no, what are you good at?

873

:

Right, right, right.

874

:

And do well that we both are successful.

875

:

'cause I tell.

876

:

I mentioned early on, I always

look for the stack win, right?

877

:

So how do you win?

878

:

Mm-hmm.

879

:

How do I win?

880

:

Tony Tidbit: Correct.

881

:

Okeatta Brown: And I don't win if

you don't know what you're doing.

882

:

Right.

883

:

Because that's gonna make

it bad for everybody,

884

:

Tony Tidbit: you know?

885

:

That's right.

886

:

Um,

887

:

Okeatta Brown: but some of the

challenges, when I thought about what I

888

:

wanted to do, there were a lot of nos.

889

:

There were a lot of not phone

calls not being returned still.

890

:

Um, and that's okay, right?

891

:

Because it only takes one.

892

:

Yes.

893

:

Correct, correct.

894

:

And yes.

895

:

Um, and it's all self-funded, right?

896

:

And so trying to get some of these grants

and, and some of these small business

897

:

loans or thinking about, um, you know,

how I wanna move forward in this space,

898

:

and it's like, oh, you need to be making

$75,000 in revenue in order to qualify

899

:

for this a hundred thousand dollars.

900

:

I'm like, but wait, how does that work?

901

:

So it's self-funded, right?

902

:

I, I'm able to plan appropriately so

that I can fund this, so that I can do

903

:

my best to be successful in this space.

904

:

So I am invested personally, not

just creatively, but I am invested

905

:

in this to move it forward.

906

:

But some of those challenges and what

I'm finding difficult is finding the

907

:

right people to work with, right?

908

:

That was initially what my challenge is.

909

:

Now, it's moving from concept.

910

:

People love it.

911

:

I had people come from.

912

:

We showed in High Point Market

last week, which is amazing.

913

:

So we had our space.

914

:

I've been trying to show at High

Point Market for the last three years.

915

:

This, this has been something that I've

been working on for four years now.

916

:

So the last three years I was

dealing with a manufacturer that

917

:

kept deprioritizing my project.

918

:

So I missed three markets just

dealing with that manufacturer.

919

:

So it got to the point with them

where I said, it is clear to

920

:

me that you don't priorit, you

don't find value in this concept.

921

:

You're not prioritizing my project.

922

:

That's fine.

923

:

I'm small now.

924

:

I won't be small forever and that's okay.

925

:

Let's go ahead and we can part ways.

926

:

And then I found a manufacturer

that believed in the vision, right?

927

:

Um, so it's navigating some

of those challenges as well.

928

:

'cause I didn't know what I didn't know.

929

:

So having a mentor in this

space has been highly valuable.

930

:

But navigating this space

is very challenging.

931

:

It's very difficult because my mentor

said to me, he said, um, Okeatta,

932

:

you've been very successful over here.

933

:

You've done a lot of great work over here.

934

:

You're at the top of your game over here.

935

:

Over here.

936

:

You're starting from the bottom.

937

:

You're starting not knowing anything.

938

:

And typically people start here

and then open their business.

939

:

You didn't do that, so you have

to start at the beginning, right?

940

:

And that's the part where I'm

like, but no, I know how to do

941

:

this, this, this, this, and this.

942

:

That's not gonna work over here.

943

:

So that's another thing that

I'm navigating and I'm learning.

944

:

It's a test and learn as I continue

to walk through this process.

945

:

Right?

946

:

Um, okay, this didn't work.

947

:

Let me pivot here.

948

:

I have a plan in place.

949

:

What do I need to pivot in this plan?

950

:

Right?

951

:

So that's what I've been finding the

most difficult is breaking through

952

:

in the industry and moving from

concept to, uh, generating revenue.

953

:

Tony Tidbit: Got it, got it, got it.

954

:

What keeps you waking up?

955

:

Based on all those different

circumstances, what keeps you waking

956

:

up and continually to have the

same vision, motivation, um, and

957

:

energy to continue to move forward?

958

:

Okeatta Brown: I believe in it.

959

:

I believe in these pieces.

960

:

I believe in the Victoria Lane collection.

961

:

I believe in the impact of it.

962

:

I think, um, that's the

thing that keeps me going.

963

:

I believe in the legacy.

964

:

That I'm aligning to it, right?

965

:

Because it's named for my mother

and my great great grandmother.

966

:

And it's like, hold on.

967

:

Now this can't fail because I

don't want my mama coming for

968

:

me and I don't need great, great

grandma coming for me in my sleep.

969

:

I'm like, no, no, no.

970

:

Get it right little girl.

971

:

I don't need that.

972

:

So I wanna make sure it's good, right?

973

:

And so I wanna make sure anything I'm

put attaching my family's legacy to is

974

:

successful and I'm doing every single

thing I can to move in that space, right?

975

:

To move in that vein to

make sure it's successful.

976

:

That doesn't happen every single

day, meaning I don't wake up every

977

:

single day like, okay, let's do it.

978

:

But I get there.

979

:

BEP Narrator: If you like what you

hear and wanna join us on this journey

980

:

of making uncomfortable conversations

comfortable, please subscribe to A

981

:

Black Executive Perspective podcast

on YouTube, apple Podcasts, Spotify,

982

:

or wherever you get your hit.

983

:

Subscribe now to stay connected

for more episodes that challenge,

984

:

inspire and lead the change.

985

:

Okeatta Brown: Every single day.

986

:

Right,

987

:

Tony Tidbit: right, right, right, right.

988

:

Well, listen, that's what

it takes just to be fair.

989

:

Right.

990

:

And it takes, but you have a

strong mindset, which is the key.

991

:

Right?

992

:

And then we also know that consistency

showing up every, if you just

993

:

show up every day consistently.

994

:

Yeah, you are good because, and I

hate to simplify it like that, right?

995

:

Yeah.

996

:

But just, just to be fair, right,

because what's gonna happen is if you

997

:

are every day and you have the passion,

you know, I always tell this story,

998

:

you know, I've been in sales for years.

999

:

I used to tell this

story to my sales team.

:

00:42:36,345 --> 00:42:39,825

'cause I used to always want them

to know at the end of the day, when

:

00:42:39,825 --> 00:42:41,475

a farm, if you think of a farmer.

:

00:42:42,209 --> 00:42:45,810

And he sees a piece of land

and it's got wood on it.

:

00:42:45,810 --> 00:42:46,620

It's this and that.

:

00:42:46,859 --> 00:42:52,200

But in his mind he's thinking, you know

what, I'm gonna plant corn, corn here,

:

00:42:52,470 --> 00:42:55,560

and I'm gonna grow corn and I'm gonna sell

it, and I'm gonna make a ton of money.

:

00:42:55,589 --> 00:42:56,009

Right.

:

00:42:56,370 --> 00:42:57,270

So what does he do?

:

00:42:57,270 --> 00:42:59,040

He clears the land, right?

:

00:42:59,160 --> 00:43:00,089

He works it,

:

00:43:00,660 --> 00:43:00,839

Okeatta Brown: yeah.

:

00:43:00,899 --> 00:43:03,509

Tony Tidbit: He puts seed

in it and he waters it.

:

00:43:03,509 --> 00:43:04,709

So he does all that.

:

00:43:04,709 --> 00:43:08,490

Now the land is, you know, empty

and he's put all this stuff in it.

:

00:43:08,549 --> 00:43:09,839

He goes to sleep.

:

00:43:10,170 --> 00:43:13,680

When he wakes up the next morning

and looks outside, what does he see?

:

00:43:14,730 --> 00:43:15,240

Nothing.

:

00:43:16,290 --> 00:43:16,800

Okay.

:

00:43:16,890 --> 00:43:17,700

So what does he do?

:

00:43:17,730 --> 00:43:18,840

He gets back up.

:

00:43:18,840 --> 00:43:21,090

He works it some more water.

:

00:43:21,090 --> 00:43:22,740

It puts seeds, wake ups.

:

00:43:22,740 --> 00:43:24,510

The next day, what does he see?

:

00:43:24,930 --> 00:43:25,590

Nothing.

:

00:43:25,920 --> 00:43:26,550

Okay.

:

00:43:26,640 --> 00:43:28,710

And that's the reason people fail.

:

00:43:29,025 --> 00:43:34,905

It is because, oh, I put in this

effort, but then I don't see no results.

:

00:43:35,265 --> 00:43:39,195

See, here's the kicker, and this

is why the consistency is the key.

:

00:43:39,735 --> 00:43:40,305

Alright?

:

00:43:40,545 --> 00:43:44,415

The bottom line is, is this,

if you perfect the process, I.

:

00:43:44,415 --> 00:43:44,445

Hmm.

:

00:43:45,045 --> 00:43:49,905

And you continually to work the

process, the results will come.

:

00:43:50,205 --> 00:43:50,265

Yeah.

:

00:43:50,355 --> 00:43:50,955

Okay.

:

00:43:51,045 --> 00:43:54,705

So he knows All I gotta do is keep

doing this over and over again.

:

00:43:55,485 --> 00:44:01,065

Focus on what's in my control, and

that's me working this soil and

:

00:44:01,065 --> 00:44:02,685

having a good attitude about it.

:

00:44:02,835 --> 00:44:05,715

Now if a flood comes,

I can't control that.

:

00:44:05,790 --> 00:44:05,880

Right.

:

00:44:06,150 --> 00:44:08,580

If a hurricane come, I can't control that.

:

00:44:08,730 --> 00:44:10,950

If locust come, I can't control that.

:

00:44:11,100 --> 00:44:17,040

But if I just focus and show up every day,

one day he wakes up and what does he see?

:

00:44:17,040 --> 00:44:18,210

Blo, bloop, bloop.

:

00:44:18,840 --> 00:44:20,430

Little buds of corn.

:

00:44:20,850 --> 00:44:21,240

Right?

:

00:44:21,420 --> 00:44:25,770

And that's how we have to have

that mindset of our business.

:

00:44:25,770 --> 00:44:31,440

And I'm so excited and just impressed

with you because you have that mindset.

:

00:44:31,590 --> 00:44:33,420

There's always going to be trouble.

:

00:44:33,690 --> 00:44:35,820

There's always gonna be roadblocks.

:

00:44:35,880 --> 00:44:38,040

There's always gonna be tank traps.

:

00:44:38,190 --> 00:44:40,200

There's always gonna be, I didn't know.

:

00:44:40,440 --> 00:44:41,700

That's fine, right?

:

00:44:41,700 --> 00:44:44,910

But if you just keep at it and

you said something earlier,

:

00:44:44,910 --> 00:44:48,480

I don't want the audience to

miss it, and you learn from it.

:

00:44:48,900 --> 00:44:49,200

Okeatta Brown: Yeah,

:

00:44:49,650 --> 00:44:52,830

Tony Tidbit: and then you apply

it and you just keep doing it.

:

00:44:52,830 --> 00:44:54,510

It's just a matter of time.

:

00:44:54,690 --> 00:44:56,220

You know, I learned this a long time ago.

:

00:44:56,580 --> 00:45:00,750

Um, you know, uh, this was when I got

out the mill, this was years ago, and

:

00:45:01,170 --> 00:45:05,880

eating and, you know, just got, became

really, really outta shape, you know,

:

00:45:05,970 --> 00:45:07,140

I was in shape, blah, blah, blah.

:

00:45:07,140 --> 00:45:08,370

So what did I do?

:

00:45:08,370 --> 00:45:10,560

I was fat and I was outta shape.

:

00:45:11,070 --> 00:45:14,160

Okay, so I joined the gym like

everybody else does, right?

:

00:45:14,175 --> 00:45:14,595

Okeatta Brown: Mm-hmm.

:

00:45:14,730 --> 00:45:14,820

Mm-hmm.

:

00:45:15,090 --> 00:45:18,240

Tony Tidbit: Every day I went to the

gym, worked out, worked out, worked out.

:

00:45:18,570 --> 00:45:24,150

So after two weeks from going to the

gym every day, instead of me being

:

00:45:24,150 --> 00:45:28,380

fat and outta shape, I was sore fat.

:

00:45:28,649 --> 00:45:29,399

And outta shape.

:

00:45:33,990 --> 00:45:34,410

Okay.

:

00:45:34,589 --> 00:45:37,950

So sometimes it gets worse

before it gets better.

:

00:45:37,980 --> 00:45:38,399

Right.

:

00:45:38,460 --> 00:45:42,240

But as I kept continuing to work

out, I ended up losing 30 pounds.

:

00:45:42,359 --> 00:45:42,990

Yeah, okay.

:

00:45:43,109 --> 00:45:45,660

So my point is it didn't feel good.

:

00:45:46,109 --> 00:45:49,140

I didn't see instant

results, but I kept at it.

:

00:45:49,170 --> 00:45:49,649

Right.

:

00:45:49,799 --> 00:45:58,259

So let me, speaking of that, if you can

sit down with 16-year-old Aita today.

:

00:45:58,785 --> 00:45:59,085

Okeatta Brown: Ooh,

:

00:45:59,174 --> 00:46:00,134

Tony Tidbit: what would you tell her?

:

00:46:00,134 --> 00:46:00,615

My friend?

:

00:46:00,915 --> 00:46:02,475

Okeatta Brown: Ooh, it's

gonna be all right, boy.

:

00:46:06,285 --> 00:46:07,544

Get my Kendrick Lamar in there.

:

00:46:07,544 --> 00:46:08,565

It's gonna be all right.

:

00:46:08,955 --> 00:46:12,404

And also keep pushing, right?

:

00:46:12,410 --> 00:46:13,815

I love don't give up on yourself.

:

00:46:13,995 --> 00:46:15,105

Don't fail yourself.

:

00:46:15,285 --> 00:46:16,544

You can do anything.

:

00:46:16,935 --> 00:46:19,004

Keep pushing and don't be afraid of it.

:

00:46:19,395 --> 00:46:21,495

That's what I would tell

my 16-year-old self.

:

00:46:21,944 --> 00:46:24,855

I was actually on a conversation

here recently and, um.

:

00:46:27,165 --> 00:46:29,685

Someone asked me kind of what

would I, what would I share?

:

00:46:29,685 --> 00:46:31,995

And I said, you know, I

would start earlier, right?

:

00:46:32,055 --> 00:46:34,095

I would start this process earlier.

:

00:46:34,395 --> 00:46:38,445

I would believe in the fact that

I could do this earlier so that

:

00:46:38,445 --> 00:46:40,185

I'll move forward in my purpose.

:

00:46:40,185 --> 00:46:40,425

Right?

:

00:46:40,425 --> 00:46:42,285

I can do two things at once.

:

00:46:42,285 --> 00:46:44,055

I can do three things at once, right?

:

00:46:44,265 --> 00:46:45,795

But it's moving in your purpose.

:

00:46:45,795 --> 00:46:49,695

And so I would, that's what I would

tell ultimately, my 16-year-old self

:

00:46:50,115 --> 00:46:51,555

moving in your purpose and keep going.

:

00:46:52,185 --> 00:46:56,024

Tony Tidbit: That is awesome and you are

a hundred every we, I would think same.

:

00:46:56,024 --> 00:46:58,754

If I knew what I knew today, I

would've started this a long time ago.

:

00:46:59,205 --> 00:46:59,595

Right.

:

00:46:59,834 --> 00:47:00,615

Totally agree.

:

00:47:01,064 --> 00:47:03,825

Final thoughts, what do you

wanna leave the audience?

:

00:47:06,390 --> 00:47:08,760

Okeatta Brown: Definitely

check out Owen Co Interior.

:

00:47:08,790 --> 00:47:12,510

Please come look at

these beautiful pieces.

:

00:47:12,510 --> 00:47:14,880

We are on Instagram, we're on TikTok.

:

00:47:14,880 --> 00:47:17,280

I think there's a Facebook

out there as well.

:

00:47:17,790 --> 00:47:18,750

Come check us out.

:

00:47:18,750 --> 00:47:22,470

Look at these pieces, share these,

share everything that you can.

:

00:47:22,470 --> 00:47:24,690

If you can share it with

your networks as well.

:

00:47:24,900 --> 00:47:27,060

Um, but come see us, come support us.

:

00:47:27,060 --> 00:47:27,540

Please do.

:

00:47:27,540 --> 00:47:28,290

It's o and co.

:

00:47:28,485 --> 00:47:32,100

Ter, it's O-A-N-D-C-O-I-N-T-E-R.

:

00:47:32,715 --> 00:47:34,785

IORS, is that right?

:

00:47:35,235 --> 00:47:35,955

That sounds right.

:

00:47:36,110 --> 00:47:36,910

Tony Tidbit: I mean, it's yours.

:

00:47:37,030 --> 00:47:37,870

I, I hope it's right.

:

00:47:37,870 --> 00:47:38,190

Right?

:

00:47:38,195 --> 00:47:41,865

I'm saying you gonna sit on

somebody else's website and like,

:

00:47:41,865 --> 00:47:43,725

Hey, ok, I bought something.

:

00:47:43,725 --> 00:47:44,535

Like, no, you didn't.

:

00:47:45,270 --> 00:47:45,390

I

:

00:47:45,390 --> 00:47:45,710

Okeatta Brown: didn't see that.

:

00:47:45,780 --> 00:47:46,070

Okay.

:

00:47:47,384 --> 00:47:52,275

Um, but let's make sure that we

certainly come to owen co interiors.com.

:

00:47:52,665 --> 00:47:54,795

I'd love to hear from

you, share your thoughts.

:

00:47:54,795 --> 00:47:56,205

Feed all feedback is a gift.

:

00:47:56,205 --> 00:47:57,495

I'd love to hear from all of you.

:

00:47:57,495 --> 00:47:59,925

If you have anything you'd like

to share, please do let me know.

:

00:47:59,940 --> 00:48:00,000

Know.

:

00:48:01,410 --> 00:48:02,400

Tony Tidbit: Awesome my friend.

:

00:48:02,400 --> 00:48:05,520

Well, listen, this has been a gift today.

:

00:48:06,420 --> 00:48:12,570

Having somebody like you come on A Black

Executive Perspective podcast and share

:

00:48:13,140 --> 00:48:19,410

and really, really help people understand

that, you know, they can deal with

:

00:48:19,410 --> 00:48:25,830

change, they can have a strong mindset,

and then they can jump out on faith.

:

00:48:26,670 --> 00:48:30,960

And build something special for

themselves and that their brand

:

00:48:31,740 --> 00:48:33,450

and who they are and what they do.

:

00:48:33,990 --> 00:48:36,930

Is the most important because

that's what people remember.

:

00:48:36,930 --> 00:48:39,840

So make sure you bring a

hundred percent every day.

:

00:48:40,020 --> 00:48:44,670

And I can tell you today, my sister,

you brought a hundred percent here, so

:

00:48:44,760 --> 00:48:46,590

listen, we're gonna put your website up.

:

00:48:47,100 --> 00:48:48,510

Definitely check her out.

:

00:48:48,635 --> 00:48:51,300

I, I, you know, I still got, I'm

gonna chat with you after the show.

:

00:48:51,300 --> 00:48:51,840

What is a cate?

:

00:48:52,380 --> 00:48:54,180

I'll figure it out, right?

:

00:48:54,780 --> 00:48:57,240

But once I find out, then I'm

gonna have to look into it.

:

00:48:57,270 --> 00:48:57,870

Okay?

:

00:48:57,870 --> 00:48:57,990

I

:

00:48:57,990 --> 00:48:59,795

Okeatta Brown: listen,

which, you know what I'm

:

00:48:59,795 --> 00:48:59,875

Tony Tidbit: saying?

:

00:49:00,180 --> 00:49:06,660

Yes, but really appreciate

Okeatta Brown, CEOO interiors.

:

00:49:06,930 --> 00:49:09,270

Thank you for coming on A

Black Executive Perspective.

:

00:49:09,270 --> 00:49:13,620

We're gonna have you come back as

you build your business, and so you

:

00:49:13,620 --> 00:49:17,669

can share more with the audience in

terms how things are going, and you

:

00:49:17,669 --> 00:49:21,750

can provide some insight, continual

insight in terms of entrepreneurship.

:

00:49:22,319 --> 00:49:24,299

Okeatta Brown: I would welcome

that opportunity and thank

:

00:49:24,299 --> 00:49:25,319

you for having me today.

:

00:49:25,710 --> 00:49:26,370

Tony Tidbit: You are welcome.

:

00:49:26,370 --> 00:49:28,109

So now I think it's time for.

:

00:49:28,560 --> 00:49:29,640

Tony's

:

00:49:29,640 --> 00:49:30,359

Okeatta Brown: tidbit.

:

00:49:30,420 --> 00:49:36,150

Tony Tidbit: So the tidbit today, success

isn't just about climbing the ladder

:

00:49:36,750 --> 00:49:42,960

sometimes the greatest leap is knowing

when to step off and build your own.

:

00:49:44,145 --> 00:49:48,674

And you heard a lot of that from my

sister, Okeatta Brown, so don't forget

:

00:49:48,674 --> 00:49:51,134

to check out the next need to know by Dr.

:

00:49:51,134 --> 00:49:52,154

Nsenga Burton.

:

00:49:52,395 --> 00:49:53,355

You don't wanna miss that.

:

00:49:53,355 --> 00:49:56,430

Here on the Black Executive

Perspective Podcast, Dr.

:

00:49:56,430 --> 00:50:00,884

Burton dives into the timely and crucial

topics that shape our community and world.

:

00:50:01,095 --> 00:50:04,964

You wanna tune in to gain insight

and deepen your understanding.

:

00:50:05,205 --> 00:50:09,464

She talks about the issues you don't

have, you don't have time to figure out.

:

00:50:09,730 --> 00:50:10,900

You don't wanna miss it.

:

00:50:10,990 --> 00:50:14,140

Every Thursday here on A Black

Executive Perspective podcast,

:

00:50:14,230 --> 00:50:15,610

and don't forget to meet.

:

00:50:15,790 --> 00:50:17,860

Also, check out our next show.

:

00:50:17,860 --> 00:50:22,360

Pull Up, speak Up, where our round

table dives into a lot of the

:

00:50:22,360 --> 00:50:26,500

most provocative issues that's

happening today in the world.

:

00:50:26,710 --> 00:50:29,440

These are sharp perspectives, real talk.

:

00:50:29,615 --> 00:50:30,935

A call to action.

:

00:50:31,115 --> 00:50:34,325

This is not just an

episode, it's a revolution.

:

00:50:34,325 --> 00:50:36,575

So don't forget to miss the next pull up.

:

00:50:36,575 --> 00:50:39,515

Speak up on A Black Executive

Perspective podcast.

:

00:50:39,695 --> 00:50:43,205

For those who know, this is our time

when we have our call to action.

:

00:50:43,445 --> 00:50:46,145

If this is your first time

watching or listening, A Black

:

00:50:46,145 --> 00:50:47,735

Executive Perspective podcast.

:

00:50:48,035 --> 00:50:53,495

Our goal is to decrease all forms

of discrimination, and for us

:

00:50:53,495 --> 00:50:58,145

to do that and for you to do it,

we ask you to incorporate our

:

00:50:58,145 --> 00:51:00,274

acronym, which is called less.

:

00:51:00,754 --> 00:51:04,535

L-E-S-S-L stands for learn.

:

00:51:04,985 --> 00:51:10,235

You wanna learn about other racial and

cultural nuances, people that you don't

:

00:51:10,235 --> 00:51:12,395

know, so you can enlighten yourself.

:

00:51:12,755 --> 00:51:16,535

Then after L, you have E,

which stands for empathy.

:

00:51:16,805 --> 00:51:20,735

Now, since you've learned, now,

you can put yourself in their

:

00:51:20,735 --> 00:51:24,605

perspectives because you know exactly

what they've been dealing with.

:

00:51:24,955 --> 00:51:26,965

The first S is share.

:

00:51:27,235 --> 00:51:32,815

Now you want to share what you learned

to other individuals to enlighten them.

:

00:51:33,025 --> 00:51:35,155

And then the final S is stop.

:

00:51:35,395 --> 00:51:38,635

You wanna stop discrimination

as it walks in your path.

:

00:51:38,875 --> 00:51:43,345

So if Aunt Jenny or Uncle Joe says

something at the Sunday dinner table.

:

00:51:43,615 --> 00:51:44,785

That's inappropriate.

:

00:51:44,785 --> 00:51:48,565

You say, aunt Jenny, uncle

Joe, we don't believe that.

:

00:51:48,565 --> 00:51:49,735

We don't say that.

:

00:51:49,765 --> 00:51:51,565

And you stop it right there.

:

00:51:51,745 --> 00:51:57,775

So if everyone can incorporate less

LESS, we'll build a more fair, more

:

00:51:57,775 --> 00:52:03,325

understanding world and we all will see

the change that we wanna see because less.

:

00:52:03,615 --> 00:52:04,725

We'll become more.

:

00:52:04,995 --> 00:52:09,345

Don't forget to follow A Black Executive

Perspective of Tune in on YouTube,

:

00:52:09,375 --> 00:52:13,814

apple, Spotify, or wherever you get

your podcast, and you can follow

:

00:52:13,814 --> 00:52:19,095

us on our socials of LinkedIn, X,

YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, Instagram

:

00:52:19,334 --> 00:52:21,855

at a black exec for our fabulous.

:

00:52:21,885 --> 00:52:26,205

Guests, the outstanding,

phenomenal Edia Brown.

:

00:52:26,565 --> 00:52:27,855

I'm Tony Tidbit.

:

00:52:27,915 --> 00:52:29,085

We talked about it.

:

00:52:29,085 --> 00:52:30,255

We learned about it.

:

00:52:30,285 --> 00:52:31,605

We laughed about it.

:

00:52:31,845 --> 00:52:35,475

We are going to continue to strive about

it, and we're gonna thrive about it.

:

00:52:36,015 --> 00:52:37,065

Now we're out.

:

00:52:37,125 --> 00:52:37,965

We love you.

:

00:52:38,205 --> 00:52:38,925

See you next time.

:

00:52:42,945 --> 00:52:45,555

BEP Narrator: A Black

Executive Perspective.

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About the Podcast

TonyTidbit: A Black Executive Perspective
Reshaping Leadership & Diversity in Corporate America
About the Podcast: "TonyTidbit: A Black Executive Perspective" offers a deep dive into the corporate world through the lens of diversity, equity, and inclusion. Hosted by Tony Franklin, aka Tony Tidbit, this podcast shines a light on vital conversations around race, leadership, and diversity, fostering understanding and change.

https://ablackexec.com

Meet Your Host: Tony Franklin has over three decades of corporate experience and provides transformative insights into diversity and inclusion, making each episode a journey of learning and empowerment.

Why You Should Listen:
- Diverse Perspectives: Insights from a variety of voices on challenges and triumphs in the corporate sphere.
-Action-Oriented: Practical advice for advocating equity and allyship in the workplace.
- Educational & Empathetic: A focus on empathy and education to drive impactful change.

What to Expect: #BEPpodcast brings powerful transformations, empowering voices, addressing barriers, and delving into topics reshaping Corporate America. It's a platform uniting diverse voices and making a significant impact.

Stay Connected:
Follow @ablackexec on social media for insights and visit ablackexec.com for updates and additional content.

Listen & Subscribe:
"TonyTidbit: A Black Executive Perspective" is available on:
Apple Podcasts: https://ablackexec.com/apple
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Other Platforms: https://ablackexec.com/listen

Join us in transforming the narrative on race, leadership, and diversity in Corporate America. Your participation matters!

#BEPpodcast #TonyTidbit #CorporateDiversity #Inclusion #Leadership #RaceInCorporate #DiversityMatters #DEI

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About your host

Profile picture for Tony Franklin

Tony Franklin

Tony Franklin, the esteemed host of "TonyTidbit: A Black Executive Perspective," is a dynamic and insightful leader with over 30 years of experience navigating the complexities of corporate America. With a career marked by leadership roles across various industries, Tony brings a wealth of knowledge and a unique perspective to the podcast. His journey is one of resilience, determination, and an unwavering commitment to driving diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in the workplace.

A passionate advocate for change, Tony initiated the groundbreaking "Conversations about Race" series in his workplace following the social unrest of 2020. This series laid the foundation for the podcast, offering a platform for open, honest discussions about race and the Black executive experience in corporate America. Through his engaging conversations with guests, Tony explores themes of adversity, exclusion, and implicit bias, while also highlighting the strategies that have helped break down racial barriers.

Tony's approachable style and depth of experience make him an influential voice in the DEI space. His dedication to fostering an inclusive environment is evident in each episode, where he provides actionable guidance for being a better advocate and ally. "TonyTidbit: A Black Executive Perspective" is not just a podcast; it's a movement towards a more equitable corporate landscape, led by Tony's visionary leadership and empathetic voice.