There's good people waiting to get an opportunity!

Yooooooooooo... Yeah I know, most of these professional articles start off with an exquisite opening of intellectual thought showing the writers capabilities as a master of the English vocabulary. Welp… That’s not me. I was never the greatest in English class although I did enjoy learning about the lives of the men (women weren’t really allowed to participate much in the days of old, but that’s a conversation for another time) that helped shape the way we live, speak and see the world. I mean, these are some of the most well-known people in the world. Guys like Socrates, Picasso, Machiavelli and Basquiat. The first three, I’m sure are more recognizable to most of you, but that last however not so much. But Basquiat has helped influence and shape an entire culture that you may know little about.

Basquiat was an artist, and one that has helped to give a new and more evolved view of hip-hop. You see, hip-hop isn’t just music, it’s an entire culture. It’s not something that can be summed up into a book by some writer, but rather it’s a vibe… Something you have to experience for yourself, because contrary to what you believe, hip-hop is different from person to person. You know what I’m talking about already, just never applied this concept to a culture that you only see through the microcosm of TV and the filtered music that makes its way to the award shows and the occasional tiktok viral video. What you may think is hip-hop could be the furthest thing from the truth. Ironically, that’s how hip-hop got it’s start. It was truth; it was genuine unfiltered truth. In some ways, it showed itself in the graffiti and art that graced the sides of NYC buildings, yet, in others it showed itself in the way we dressed and in the way we spoke. What some have grown to call Ebonics, those of us that communicate in this manner see it as our language, as the total embodiment of not only what but who we are.

I may not be bi-lingual so to speak, but I can however adapt to any environment that presents itself in the corporate ans secular world. Throughout my many years of both public and private schools, to the different colleges in different states, one thing has stayed constant… My uncanny ability to adapt to my environment, then learn and understand the system and make the best of it. Nah…. I don’t have the experience of a 20 year sales executive that’s the head of a major company. Nope, I sure don’t, but what I do have is more than 20 years experience in adapting.

I ran my own company at the age of 10, some are going to laugh and brush this off as “child’s play,” but nah, this ain’t it chief. I had my own car washing business as well as ran my own lawn care company called “Brandon Harris’s Lawn and Odd Jobs services. I had more than 7 years’ experience of living homeless and learning how to make a profit. On the weekends I would buy 15-20 Carmel-apple suckers for $.25, then on Monday I would go to school and sell them for $.50-$1.00. In my community this is called hustling, but in other circles it’s referred to as an entrepreneur, or the CEO of a startup.

This type of lifestyle gave me way more than a college degree ever could. My life has given me the tools I needed to be successful, all that college degree gave me was a voice to those that only opened their ears to the tune of college education. But even that wasn’t enough, after having a very short career in professional basketball and helping to start a 501c3 non-profit called “Children First.” I applied for a job as the Director of Sales at the Candlewood Suites in Oklahoma City. I was well prepared, even without hotel experience because I studied diligently on the information a friend of mine had provided. Ashley Taylor, who at the time was a Task Force Manager with IHG CMH extended stay hotels, helped me to get the interview. She gave her personal recommendation to her then Boss (Adam) and I was afforded an interview with Sandy Vanderburg (who would grow to become not only my manager but a genuine friend as well). After I interviewed with Sandy, I felt as though I had a chance, not 100% certain of this, but… I had a good feeling. Well, about a week went by and Sandy called me and said I had another interview with her Boss and another colleague. (At the sound of the news I was very excited)

We ended up going to the T.G.I Fridays in Oklahoma City located off of Northwest Expressway. After settling in and ordering food, the conversation, which always starts light-hearted, took a turn for the more serious interviewing side. I felt I had a chance because one of the gifts I learned to use growing up was my charm. But, again, I felt that if I ever found myself in a tight spot where I didn’t know the answer to a certain question, I figured rather than lying, I could win them over by telling the truth, flashing a smile and ensuring them that I would work to find the answer. This reminds me of that scene in “The Pursuit of Happiness” when Will Smith shows up to his interview with a tank-top on and paint on his body.

We finished lunch and I thanked them for their time, I felt really good because as I was leaving, they said they would be in touch. A few days went by and I found out I had another interview to go through. This time, I was told it was serious business, I was to be interviewed with the Regional Sales Director and that “She knows her stuff.” I took it very serious but did not have any fear, more of an anxiety as I had never gone through this type of experience before. I was used to being recruited, I was used to people coming after me for my talent, but this, this was different. This was me having to try and prove myself over the duration of a 45 minute conversation. I mean come on now, how do I sum up all of my talent, all of my experience and all of my skills in such a way that speaks with the hotel lingo of RGI, ARI and MPI? So, here I was at the barbershop arguing basketball when the call came through. (Shout out to Sean, Keith and Chris at the Kuttin’ Up Barbershop) I answered the phone, she introduced herself as did I and she went right to it. You know, those same ole tired interview questions like “Tell me about a time when…” “What would you do if…” or their all-time favorite “Why should we hire you…” So, I answered them as I felt I needed to appease her 20 year sales experience, but I never lied. I was 100% myself. I never pretended to be something I wasn’t, I merely told her the truth and trusted God for the rest. (I later found out that she wasn’t impressed at all and wanted to “go another direction) But… I had impressed the General Manager so much that she said, “He’s the one I want, and that’s who I’m sticking with.” Teaching moment here is this, none of us do it alone, no matter how talented we are (or think that we are) that no one accomplishes anything alone.

I later get hired for the job and had to go through a slew of training and simulations on sales. I didn’t have a problem going to them, there were good people hosting those classes, but the truth is, both of my dad’s taught me most of that information before I was 10. I knew how to talk to people and sell a product because I pushed a lawnmower more than 5 miles each day cutting yards. I had to knock on total strangers’ doors and convince them that I was going to cut their grass and leave it better than I found it. But also remember, this is not the best of neighborhoods… I can tell you a multitude of stories about running from dogs and hopping fences and having to leave my dad’s lawnmower for a few minutes. But again, I felt as though I was back in grade school at these sales classes. I’ve gone door to door knocking in neighborhoods where dogs are loose, women are working the street, and guys are selling drugs… all of this before I was 12… So, if that’s not sales experience in a highly energetic and chaotic atmosphere, then I don’t know what is. This is exactly the reason why I have never shied away from walking into corporate

Listen, I don’t mean to demean the experiences of others, but I’m asking for the same respect for me and those from my culture. The truth is, after my first year with my company I set records, won a BOB trip and then left for the 3rd largest Candlewood Suites in the country located in Chicago. I had even greater success there, as my ability and experience as a problem solver allowed me to build a phenomenal base of business for the hotel and generated them more than $900,000 in profit over a 2 year period. Today, I am in Silicon Valley and have the highest RGI growth of any CMH Staybridge in the country. All of this, while being told I’m “not good enough,” or I “don’t have enough experience,” and that I “can’t sell in this market.” This is not a knock on those people that have told me no, rather it is a message to those like me that struggle. You’re not alone man, and we all experience this in some form or fashion. But this post, the one that you’re reading, is about the struggle of being a young mixed man in a foreign land (corporate America) proving that my culture is enough. Our life experiences should not be frowned upon. Rather, they should be commended and rewarded for surviving them. We don’t want a handout, we just have a saying in the streets, “Real recognize real and game recognize game.” We’re just waiting for those in positions of power to recognize our experiences as something worthy of a good life.

If you don’t see it that way, that’s cool too. I once heard a wise man say, “Nothing great was ever achieved without handwork and perseverance.” So just like the great minds that came before me, I will persevere, I will work hard, and I will enjoy the fruits of my labor rather than the praise of others.

Thank you to those that gave me a chance and believed in me when no one else did. I am living proof that if you give people an opportunity, then the opportunities become endless for what they can give you!!!