Speaker 0 00:00:00 Hello, my growing and powerful tribe and welcome to revoke rewriting our kids education podcast. My name is Michelle person, and we are on a journey to change the face of education. We are rethinking reexamining and re-educating ourselves and our children, you know, on rework, we pride ourselves on exploring all facets of education, not just what happens in the classroom. Last season, we had the pleasure of speaking with Hart, Wilson of candles from the heart who was a young man who started a business at the tender age of 10, so that he could pay for his college education. My guests today are around his age and they too had decided that they are going to rethink how we define success and what little people are capable of. Ziggy and 2d were just three and four years old. When they began helping their mom, they takes for others. What started as a fun hobby has morphed into a full time full-scale business, motivational speaker and entrepreneur assignment. Would you have said, I want kids to think when I grow up till I be a pop star, a footballer or an entrepreneur shoot, as I get the opportunity to meet these amazing kids. I wonder if we even have to have them wait until they grow up. They are making moves now and oh yeah. Are you
Speaker 0 00:01:47 I was in my late thirties before I began to think about going into business for myself. I had no idea what I was doing and I didn't know where to begin. And I had a master's degree, all that schooling, and it never once occurred to me that instead of working 50 to 60 hours a week, for someone else, I could be working for myself and early 2021, I made the decision to venture out on my own and it definitely has been the best decision I ever made, but I often think I wouldn't have waited as long as I did. If I had been exposed to the idea way before I became an adult, my guest today, Dr. Sheba Quinn and her daughters, Ziggy and 2d had discovered what most of us have. Not that entrepreneurship is a powerful tool when it comes to building wealth and that you don't have to be an expert or even an adult to build a business.
Speaker 0 00:02:40 Dr. Shiva, Ziggy, and 2d. How are you guys today? Yay. I'm so glad that you guys could take time out of your very busy schedule between homeschooling and making these cakes to sit down and talk with us. Can we are talking today about kids who are entrepreneurs, who are supporting entrepreneurship, what you've learned, what you wish you would have learned. And so, um, we're just gonna jump right in. But, um, before we get into all the nitty gritty about how you guys, um, what you guys do and, and, and where you are right now with your business, mom, can you share a little bit of background of how you guys got here? Like how did this come to be a thing?
Speaker 2 00:03:21 So I'm retired military. Um, I retired when 2d was six months old because I wanted to be home with my kids. And so the first business was actually called Ziggy Intuity boutique because I used to make two tunes and parables and all this stuff. Yes. But these girls didn't like to too, it didn't really go with. And so, um, I'm just going to send that business to a side. But what I noticed is that Ziggy Intuity were always like playing in the backyard, trying to make tapes and trying to playing in the dirt, branding it in the house house. Right, right, right. So most of the time we had kind of do the same thing. I was searching for apostles and doing all this science stuff. So they never knew what the mud go on the thing. Right. And so, um, one day, because it's not my bowls, Bowls and kitchen utensils. And so like, uh, one bowl may cost 20 or $30. Right. And so one day I was like, let me show you how to make the cake. Let me show you how, okay. So I showed him how to make a cake and I shared it on social media and the racist system.
Speaker 0 00:05:01 Wow. Okay. So before the project mom, had you ever, had you ever talked to them about your entrepreneurship project that you had before they, before they were born or just date? So this is something completely on their own.
Speaker 2 00:05:18 Yes. The only thing they knew before, and they really didn't even know it is that they were the models for the booty. All right. So dress them up a crop, the camp, but they're so young. They didn't know they were, they were, you know, doing business, I guess the advertisement when they started, when they started doing it on their own, it was really good to me. And when they started that journey and I realized that they actually had something there, like people were throwing money at them because they want to buy a cake. We had no idea how to ship. Okay. Grania, any of that. So I realized some immediately, I wrote them at a time where the stop business school for kids. So I was like, you know, let's figure out how we can make this work for kids, for adults, but not for kids. And so we got enrolled in and we taught us some things and they felt in power. Uh, one thing they learned was that business, when you make money, money has to have a job. So we set goals. And what was your girl watching YouTube videos all the time. And we got to say all of these people going to buck later, she's like right of lot from Disney world. So we said we wanted to go there too. So that's what we said, our goal on.
Speaker 0 00:06:33 Okay. So it's not, this is amazing to me. So it was, so this journey was not planned, first of all, like no one, no one here right now set out and was like, I want to make cakes. It came out of, um, I want my bowls back. Our girls seem like they are enjoying making, uh, making cakes. I'm going to show them how to make cakes that do not wreck my house. Um, and from there it just really took on a life of its own. That is amazing. Okay. Girls, now that this is a full blown business, um, you've learned a lot, your mom enrolled you in Dr. Uh, Dr. Boyd's Joyce Watkins business school. And we are definitely going to put a link to that in the, um, in the show notes. So people can, um, if they're interested, that's definitely an awesome resource, but you learned a lot from, from that class. I'm sure you've learned a lot from your mom. What, what have you learned that, that during the course of your business, that you wish you had known before you started?
Speaker 2 00:07:32 Well, the thing I wish we had known about started as most likely, probably about shipping, because lack when we learn how to make the problem with shipping, because during the summer, I think would melt on the cakes. And even during the winter, it'd be hard to figure out how to be packaged cakes and make sure they stay still. So they don't fall off to the don't talk, but by the time, and it was very nice, but nuts and bolts.
Speaker 0 00:08:04 Wow. Okay. And where are you guys slipped? So people, what, where are you guys located? So you guys are in Georgia and you were shipping cakes to New York city.
Speaker 2 00:08:15 Well, we sent it to New York and shipped to Africa and all over the world.
Speaker 0 00:08:21 So clearly you have figured out the answer to how do you ship a kit? You guys have figured out that answer.
Speaker 2 00:08:27 Yes. For cakes. People usually have to come close to us, or we would have liver to them, ourselves for cookies. They were like easier to ship. Like sugar could eat regular cookies because they had less frosting. So it was more thicker and Arvind dry.
Speaker 0 00:08:43 Gotcha. So, okay. So the girls wish they had knew more about, um, how to ship things once you create them. Mom, what do you wish you had known at the beginning of this journey that, that, you know, now
Speaker 2 00:08:54 You, this is the shipping as well. And here's the thing. My career in the military was logistics. So you would think everything I know about shipping, right? This is just a different side of it. One thing that I did it to help them get started and to get their orders up is that I sponsor their shipment. And so if people will buy cakes and I would say free shipping or free shipping, the cost of shipping wasn't was fine. As long as it was on the east coast.
Speaker 0 00:09:33 Right.
Speaker 2 00:09:40 I almost lost the ship three times the price.
Speaker 0 00:09:49 Wow. Clearly when you are. So all my entrepreneurs out there who are working with kids who are building their own business, if you have a product that has to be delivered somewhere, figure out how you were going to ship that product to make it cost-effective. That is the jealousy just dropped today because the babies have said it. And mom has said, it's like shipping is key. Um, mom, what kinds of things have you had to do to support them on this journey? So if parents are like, well, my kid has an idea. Um, you know, they, they like to, to have their own business. What kinds of things have you had to do to be able to support them on this journey?
Speaker 2 00:10:25 One of the things that I've definitely had to do was, uh, re adjust the mindset of people, because people automatically think that because they're kids, they get the phase, oh, their little business, how's that little business doing. Right. And that's cute. But on the other side of it is that we're seeing big, you know, uh, prices and big autos and big investments are happening. And so, uh, when people think that is key is they often think that they just can throw them a couple of points and they should be happy because they're kids, right. Rail, even though you're a child and still have to again, think about all your products, uh, by all your packaging materials, do all the things as any other business does. And so I had to learn to change the mindset of people that making sure that they had, um, big prices brought up prices for real products so that people can understand that this is not a little business. You know, they may be little in statute, but, uh, the service that they're providing and delivering to people is
Speaker 0 00:11:28 Right. Well, how girls, how has it changed? You know, how, how old are you guys? We didn't talk about how old you guys are. Okay. So we have a 10 year old, an 11 year old who most, not a 11 and 10 year olds are coming home from school. They are playing video games. They are watching YouTube. They are tic talking it up, like that's what they do in their foot. And their, what kinds of things have you guys had to do that are different than your average, 10 and 11 year olds, to be able to do this business,
Speaker 2 00:12:02 The different things you would do in our basis, be like after school or early in the mornings, he would come here and bake cakes. Something else that was different is even though we were homeschooled, we still had a whole lot of activities like sports and karate. So soon our schedules are really full. So we had to manage all of that and still baking and doing vending events. And even sometimes in our spare time, this was like last year we went to the BX and we did that, like in the mornings to like let it clock. So we had to do a lot of baking and stuff.
Speaker 0 00:12:39 Um, you guys have had to become really, really aware of how much time you have and how much time you don't have, and just really juggle your schedules accordingly. Do you miss just, you know, regular, I don't know you tubing for hours on end and scrolling through videos or playing videos.
Speaker 2 00:12:56 Watching videos when we were kids. Is this Lego stop motion video? We probably did that for like 10 minutes a day.
Speaker 0 00:13:13 Well, I want to say to your mom that there are parents listening to this right now. Like, wow. I want to give my kids off of YouTube and start a business, make them start a business. That is awesome. Do you guys enjoy it?
Speaker 2 00:13:32 Yes.
Speaker 0 00:13:34 That's awesome. Um, you obviously, um, but we didn't really get into your background in terms of, you know, you have your doctorate, you, um, I know you have an online school. Um, I know you homeschool your girls. I know you are a public speaker. Um, your resume is just, you know, long and, and profound. Um, so, um, what kinds of things do you think that parents who should be listening and I list all those things that you know, her qualifications, so that you all understand that what's about to come out of her mouth Jim's people, you need to be picking up these gyms because she is going to be about to drop some knowledge. Um, what types of things should parents be teaching their children at home? Um, it's to make sure that they are ready to, um, create their own path and they can go on their own path. And that you, you have clearly created two very empowered, very strong minded girls who know what they want and have are setting goals for themselves, and they are building towards their future. How would you encourage other parents to, um, to, to create, to recreate what you have done with these girls?
Speaker 2 00:14:37 You know, I think one of the most important things that I did early on taught my kids about their history. I taught them African American history. I taught them from a perspective of knowing that you come from generations of land, right? Like you have a weight on you that you have a responsibility to make a difference in this world because the ones that came before you, they sold like, you know, uh, in order for things to change that you have to be a change agent. And so you don't have to be broke. You don't have to be, uh, someone begging for bread. If you understand the sacrifices that other people have raised and know that you, you have a responsibility to do better. And so I think I understand this is where anyone were African American. So it cost me to score that American history, but we bought lists of what nationality or race sex you are, what culture that you come from.
Speaker 2 00:15:34 I think your children understand the suffrage and the sacrifices that were made by their ancestors. It now gives them more of an honor to go forth and be brave. Because if someone such as your, you know, just your grandparents, you want to spend the sacrifices that they've made. You know, you want to do, you want to do better by them. You want to come right back. And so will you, when we empower all the cues for knowledge, uh, I think that now they understand it. I can be so much more because the price has already been paid. All I gotta do is just walk in and you bet. But as well, we try to reserve things and we're willing. And we try to say, well, my kids aren't ready for that. Well, I'm not doing too well. I don't want to teach them about some of the things that you know I've been through or what they're renting, because they're so young. Well, my response to that is as father history. So when do we, when do we start having a conversation? Right? You know, my parents, they didn't have a lot. These girls be on time. They're like, mom, you gotta have a real Halloween costume.
Speaker 2 00:16:40 And the candy still tastes good. Well, we don't try to shelter them from our past or, you know, and now they're in a position to know that they can do better. They want to make the change. It is, is weird. Like say weird, but more often than not, kids want to be a change agent. They just don't know how right. They don't know the tools. They don't know the resources. They don't know, uh, any of those things because they haven't been here before we have to teach them those things. And so when we teach you how to do knowledge of, again, just for what I want, immediate family, we ain't got to go outside and try to teach them about the world, just our immediate family. Now that now they're in college to say, wow, I can be a difference maker in my family. Like I can be a change agent.
Speaker 2 00:17:26 Like I can be better. You know, there was a time when it was the big thing is, uh, be the first college graduate in your family. Remember with that was a big question. Like, are you still is you're paying for financial aid? You know, are you the first college graduate, uh, first high school graduate, that type of thing. Well, we need to change that to be, you know, um, are you the first who started this? So you don't have your family, that type of thing, move them off, take them and give them something to reach towards as G you will, you know, see your 200 broken blossoms because they don't know that it's possible based on what these used to be within. They don't know how to go in a bar. They only go there and back because you have to teach.
Speaker 0 00:18:13 So I, I have so many comments that I want to make on that. Cause you said so many, so many very powerful things, but the two things I'm going to comment on is 100%. I agree with teaching them their history and that, I mean, that's one of the reasons why I started just like me presents and why we do what we do by this podcast exists because I want it to be able to change how we teach our children. That's why meanwhile in Africa was created, which is our curriculum where children are able to, um, see their history from a different perspective, the full history, but not watered down, left out pieces and parts of the history and show them that. Look, we came from, like you said, creative thinkers, entrepreneurs, innovators discovers. Um, so let's learn these lessons and now exactly what you said, the other part of it, meanwhile in Africa is taking those lessons and now let's apply what we've learned so that we can follow in the footsteps of those innovators, those critical thinkers, those, um, those, uh, those change makers.
Speaker 0 00:19:10 So 100%, I agree with you on all of that. And the other thing it's funny, I scroll Facebook because you know, I'm not as disciplined as you girls. And so sometimes when I'm scrolling on Facebook, you know, you find, you see means or little videos. And I saw one that I think is growing in popularity, or maybe I'm just late to the table. But, um, a guy was basically saying, and I'm about to paraphrase it cause I'm gonna get it wrong. But basically like my grandfather walked, my dad drove a, um, my dad drove a, a beat up car. I drive a Beamer, my grand, my ch my child will drive a Tesla or whatever, but my grandson will, that child will be back to walking. And when, and the question is, well, why will that child be back to walking? It's because hard times make great men are easier times, easy times make, you know, soft men.
Speaker 0 00:19:57 So basically like when you don't share the information of how hard it was for you and you just hand the, you know, you know, things to people, they, they don't understand the struggle. They don't, they don't respect it. They don't, the bar has not been raised, it's been given. And so they say right at that level, um, and not ever elevate and it's not into. And if you do that too many times, you don't raise the bar. Well, the bar is going to just get lowered. And so eventually you're going to start the whole half to start the whole cycle all over again. But if you are elevating your children and then your grandchildren, and then your great grandchildren and teaching them their history and making them understand the sacrifices and giving them all the information, then you will continue to raise the bar and you will see amazing things. So I agree with you 100% on everything you said, um, what, uh, resources or things do you, uh, do you think that you can offer to parents or suggest the parents who want to help their children, um, start the core intrigued by what you've said, and they want to help their child figure out their business and, and grow something. What resources do you use?
Speaker 2 00:21:04 Wow, I'm definitely first, I would say, uh, get good read, but it's sexually. Well, really, um, it just, any, just any books about entrepreneurship and growth and that type of thing, and don't be so confined to just reading children's books, right? Let's read some big books, right? Like let's have some adults I, to read and conversations. I know one of my favorite books that I often recommend to my, um, group of entrepreneur women entrepreneurs is the a hundred dollars starter. And with a hundred dollars startup is basically saying, you know, if all you had was a hundred dollars, how can you take it and turn it into a business? And that's basically what happened here. The surprise that these girls had to get started was no more than $10, a bag of flour and that type of thing. And now here we are, you know, they're the youngest retail bakery almost in the world.
Speaker 2 00:22:00 And so it started with less than $10, right? So the a hundred dollars startup is definitely a good book to start with. And then there's also a book I like to recommend is called. Um, the one thing, the one thing I can't remember these authors names, but in the one thing the book talks about, because here's the thing. We started business, we got all these ideas. It's like, we want to write at home. You know, you want to have 50 cake flavors. You want to do cupcakes and cakes and ice cream and brownies or people not knowing which one to choose. And so you have all these things and then your, your time and your capacity is limited. And you're trying to do all these things you're trying to produce and all these different playbills and all these different sizes. And at the end of the day, there was just one of you and you would have a small staff getting started. Uh, so we need to bring it home specialized in one thing, what is the one thing that you do this sexually? Well, right now, uh, we doing cupcakes, cakes and cookies. That's all we do, but we start out with kids and we were there for a long time. We just added cookies one last year and we're in seven years. So we've mastered it.
Speaker 2 00:23:21 Well, we mastered the cake before we moved on to something else. Right. And so I definitely suggest it, but it's so hard to get people to do that because they're like, I got all these ideas because like I could have just . And, um, and also we have a face, our, our business consulting, business coaching and consulting side of some business bakery. And so if someone is interested in starting a business from scratch and we meet from scratch, like give them an EIDM the LLC getting your Google, um, professional Gmail account set up. Then when I say keynote, I'm talking about the Google suite. It
Speaker 0 00:24:06
[email protected]
Speaker 2 00:24:09 Email address set up listed and Google and Google location, how to pick your website and all that. And so that program was called the business savory. Now we, you know, definitely would like for you to come join us and want to be a part of that. But yeah, we get me laugh in this. The difference that I say that I provide with the clients that I'm glad to define that I work with is that there's not a bunch of replays. We're actually sitting there online 8:00 AM nine o'clock at night. And the key is of the one bay. And we're building together someone to hold your hand and walk them through it. Because a lot of times when I found women, as they're building their business, building their kids, there's just not enough time, right? There's not enough time. And so I like to teach you how to get that time back.
Speaker 2 00:24:55 And also let me feel secure on a journey, but it's saying, okay, you just one hour, a day, can you dedicate one hour days and whatever capacity, if that's a strolling for new products, at least you can check that off and say, I spend an hour in the business today. And the annual look up in six months time, if it takes you a little longer or your time, and you built, but you, you started where you are able to fit it within your capacity. And not trying to take on a lot at one time and meet someone else's skills because it's mothers and raising families and kids need definitely had to figure out how to balance the same. Like we can't be all into the education. We can't be all into the business and we can't be all into the house. Like there's pockets of times that we have to sit some sites and get this done.
Speaker 2 00:25:43 And so I definitely suggest, you know, um, working with a coach, even if it's not me getting with someone that understands a business with kids, cause there's becoming a business cause out there, I promise you they're all hybrid. I have some good ones myself. You know, I worked with some of the best, I believe out there, but even in there they don't have kids. Right. They do have kids that Roman they've left the house and all that. So they don't understand the struggles that you go through and try and say, like, my baby is here. We got the baby. And I looked up and somebody is like, you got a hundred Childs.
Speaker 0 00:26:31 Well, I heard what I heard and I hope people took away is, um, everybody has a bunch of great ideas sheet near those great ideas down to one and get really specific about that one great ideas that you can grow your foundation. Um, and once you have grown your foundation, then you wouldn't 100% can, um, can, can expand the other things. And the other thing is just what I also took away from that was just do it. Um, when I talk to authors, I do, uh, uh, on my own part of my brand is I talked to offers, I'm an author. And I always ask authors, you know, what do, what advice do you give to somebody who wants to start? And what everybody always says like eight times out of 10, literally the, the, um, the advice is just do it, just start, you know, just start with where you are and you'll figure out the rest.
Speaker 0 00:27:19 And that's what I just, you, if you have an hour of time to dedicate to your business, just start where you are and it will grow. Um, so I thank you for all of that. I think all of the, everything that you said was, was very positive. And I hope that everybody took something away from what they said. Well, the most important part of this conversation is definitely going to have to be where in the world can we buy these cakes? So you guys have people in the back who didn't hear Ziggy and 2d kegs, that car that's amazing. So you guys make sure you check out Ziggy and 2d cakes.com, where you can find the best in, uh, and cakes, cookies, and, uh, or the third thing you guys just offer. Cause the cakes and the cookies, cakes, cookies, and pies go to www.ziggyand2dcakes.com. Um, the takeout check out. Also, obviously the baker is the business bakery. Is that the name of the business bakery so that you can get your information and help on starting your own business. Girls. Mom, thank you so much for being here with us today. It was great talking to you guys. I wish you all the best and now I'm going to go order my cake.
Speaker 0 00:28:37 Are you inspired? I know I am talk to your kiddos this week. What ideas do they have that they might be able to grow into their very own business? How could you help? I want to thank my guests, Dr. Sheba Quinn and her daughters Ziggy into me for taking the time to speak with us today. Show notes, resources, and links to the things we mentioned are available on our website at www just like me, presents.com. Make sure you hit subscribe and share this podcast with other parents and educators and your circle. If you wouldn't mind, leave us a review. It will help other people find the show and start them on their woke journey. Next week, we are going to dip our toes back into the school house waters and talk about what needs to be done to support teachers on their journeys so that they can create world-class rooms. Thanks for listening. And remember if our children can see it, they can achieve it. Now look you'll, excuse me. I've got to go buy some cookies.
Speaker 3 00:29:46 Parents. Are you frustrated with traditional education? I was educators. Are you struggling to find inclusive academic content that represents your students? I know the feeling. That is why I created just like me presents just like me presents as a multimedia production and development company that stresses the importance of literacy, culturally relevant teaching materials and active learning experiences. Check out our culturally responsive books and supplemental curriculums on our website. Www just like me presents.com and the just like me book and JLM pick sections. Your child will be amazed at how many books they can choose from where the characters look like them. They've never had math explained the way we do with remember through rhyme and I can guarantee the history we share with meanwhile in Africa, isn't taught in any traditional public school. Let us help you get the tools you need to rewrite your child's education and set them on a path to success. If you have a child and kindergarten through fifth grade, trust me, you'll want to check us out. Our programs, help students develop a strong sense of self of from their identities and encourage critical thinking and entrepreneurial skills. Head on over to the website. Now at www just like me, presents.com and help empower your child to become the best version of themselves. And remember if our children can see it, they can achieve it.
