- This and more coming up on the Whitney Reynolds - Show, every success you see is just a mountain of failure.

I wanted to think about how could I use that for the good of Indian country and grow up with a sense of responsibility for, for carrying that and looking towards the next seven generations.

- Yeah, I think my entire career path has been about rolling the dice and taking risks on me.

The main thing you have to do, I believe, is believe in yourself.

Life actually is about you editing yourself.

You creating your own signature style, but you have to believe that it's in there.

You've gotta go digging for it.

- And we've seen words literally transform these kids from high schools to the front of their houses, to the street corner.

So we've seen them break down crying and cry out to God and say, Lord, save me.

You know, these are thugs.

These are gangsters on the streets.

- People feel embarrassed by failures, and that should be your moment to shine.

- The Whitney Reynolds show is supported by 10 West Real Estate Group, a real estate investment partner specializing in multi-family, apartment investing, and long-term wealth growth.

Kevin O'Connor Law Firm, when it comes to your injuries, we take it personally.

Respiratory Health Association, healthy lungs, and clean air for all.

Together at Peace Foundation, together at Peace creates hopeful spaces for grief and remembrance Through Comfort Club founder Christine Marlo shares her personal grief journey and faith, which has led to healing hearts, faith-based programs, supporting healing in communities.

Joe perillo.com, where you can browse a selection of pre-owned vehicles.

Joe Perillo is based in Chicago and ships all over the country, children's learning Place, a school for our earliest learners dedicated to aiding every child with the power of learning center for beautiful living, empowering people to live rich, robust, and beautiful lives.

Additional funding provided by the Intrigue, yellow Chicago Lifestyle Foundation and Creative Lab FE O High five Sports Club Chicago Girl, strong Empowerment apparel, and XOMD.

- Hello and - Welcome to the Whitney Reynolds Show.

We are sure glad you have found us today.

We are taping with a live audience, and we're talking about digging up dreams in the passion and purpose it takes to fulfill those awakening the soul of our stories.

Come for the stories, save for the heart.

Wear.

Every journey might recognize a new look.

We are ready to take things to the next level.

You'll see Whitney's - Here - To share your dream.

It's the show I watching the Reynolds show.

Be careful home, real voices, real lives.

- Meet Trent Davis, known to many as Trent G. A rapper whose lyrics once echoed the streets, but now carry a message of redemption from losing friends to gun violence.

Defining his faith, Trent turned his pain into purpose.

His story proves that even when the beef changes, your purpose can still play loud and clear.

Welcome to the show, Trent.

Thank you.

Thank you for having me.

It's a pleasure to be here too.

Yes, I know the audience loved you.

You're used to a crowd.

- Yeah.

- But what I love about your story and what we just dipped into is that it didn't start on a big stage and you didn't have this big platform.

You went through a tough time to get here.

- Yes, yes.

Very tough time to get here.

South side of Chicago.

Grew up, ran with a, ran with a crowd.

You know, we was out doing things, A lot of destructive behavior.

You know, I saw a lot in the streets.

Saw a lot of friends of mine lose their lives to gun violence.

This is how I know what the streets bring, - You - Know, people can't tell me that, Hey, it'll be this way, it'll be that way.

Know.

'cause I've seen that story far too often, you know?

And so I know what it brings and just a lot of destructive behavior.

But, you - Know.

When did you fall into that?

How old were you?

- I would say probably about 10 years old.

Probably 10 years when I first started to see it in the streets.

Yeah.

You know, - Did you fall into a gang at a young age?

- Yeah.

- How young was that?

- Probably about 11.

- 11.

- 11.

Yeah.

12, stuff like that.

Yeah.

So I wasn't even a teenager.

- When did you hit rock bottom?

- It, it's funny because outta all the friends I saw lose their lives and things like that.

- That's, and it was from gun violence.

- From gun violence.

Yeah.

And that's not what did it for me.

Now I was, I was kind of numb to that.

You know, that's the, that's the funny part of the story.

What did it for me was a broken heart of a relationship.

And that's the funny part of the story is that my heart was kind of numb to the death.

It was kind of numb to the death, to all the streets and the destruction.

And we really didn't, it really didn't bother us like that.

But my heart was hard.

And so once that relationship ended, that hard heart of mine, it broke.

You know, this is the trick that guy used on me to Psalms 34 18.

The Lord is close to the broken heart, and he saves those who are crushed in spirit.

And so when that relationship ended, I was brokenhearted and I was crushed in spirit.

So instead of crashing out and acting crazy when a relationship ended, I cried out to God and I asked him to fix this relationship, make it happen again, bring it back together, et cetera.

But then after a while, it started to be more about, Lord, fix me, as opposed to fix this relationship.

And the more I started to pray and asked God to just come into me and, and, and, and, and, and cover me, and just help me with what I'm going through, it changed me.

It transformed me, you know, to the point where I couldn't do the same things that I used to do.

I couldn't say the same things that I used to say or make the music that I used to make.

It was, it was, it's how God used it.

- That is incredible because so often it's this moment of you get thrown behind bars, you're in prison thinking, or you're doing this, or you had this like near death experience and yours was a relationship breakup.

- Yeah.

- That broke your heart and really changed your life around me.

Yeah.

So when you turned it around Yeah.

And you said your lyrics changed.

What kind of stuff were you speaking to earlier?

- You know what?

Pretty much just a lot of destructive behavior, gun violence.

But I wasn't speaking to it as like, oh, I was speaking against it.

I was speaking to it as if like glorification.

- Yeah.

So then where you are now in, you're rapping and helping others with your lyrics.

Tell us about that.

- Basically what I do now, we go to different schools.

We do ministry on the streets of Chicago.

We talk to the youth, we pray for the youth, we help them.

We let them know, hey, traveling down this road, we know what this will bring.

And if you want a good life, if you want to enjoy your family and you want to be around for some time, then you need to leave this destructive lifestyle and come out of this because this only leads to death.

Oh man.

No, it don't know.

It don't.

Well, I've seen it over 15 times.

- Right.

- 15 - Times - Over 15 times.

So you can't tell me what that life doesn't bring, you know?

And so that's what we do.

And we just, and we've seen words literally transform these kids from high schools to the front of their houses, to the street corners.

We've seen them break down crying and cry out to God and say, Lord, save me.

You know, these are thugs, these are gangsters on the streets, and they're seeking some help.

They're seeking somebody to care.

They're, - Is it the words you're rapping that reaches them on a deeper level?

- I've seen it.

Yeah.

I've seen it.

Because many of them like hip hop music.

- Right.

- They like Rapp - Music, who doesn't.

Yeah.

- Right.

But everybody is not listening to the contemporary Christian music, not the youth, you know, sometime, but I got the formula where, well, let me put some inspiration, some positivity, some God lyrics over the same beat that they may be listening to and give it to 'em that way, and it touches them.

- Oh yeah.

You know?

Well, and you're talking about something very interesting right now, because you are seeing this resurgence - Yeah.

- Of Christian music.

Yeah.

And it is like to the beats that are what everybody's listening - To.

Right, right, right, right.

And that reaches the youth.

Yeah.

Some people don't understand it, but it reaches a younger crowd that the contemporary Christian music may not reach.

You know, that's why you gotta meet them where they are.

If I could tell you a quick story real quick, just real short, we was on the south side of Chicago and there was an outing, there was some music, we were playing music, and it was hip hop, and we were performing, and three guys walked around the corner and they met right with me face to face.

And we just started talking.

And I was talking to 'em about God, we was having a good conversation and they said like, man, you know what they say, we were on the way to rob somebody.

- Oh wow.

- They met me right at the corner and we just talked.

We talked to 'em about God, talked to 'em about life, how I used to be.

And I let them know that, Hey man, I know everything that you guys are doing because I used to be a part of this whole little destructive lifestyle that you guys got going on, and what you need to do is come out of it, et cetera.

And they finally let me know we was on the way to rob, Rob somebody, man.

Wow.

But if it wasn't for you, we probably would be doing it right now.

- Wow.

You know?

- So that's what I'm here for, is to inspire and to uplift and just tell the youth and young adults to like, Hey, if God did it for me, he can do it for you.

Because we have broken hearts for a multitude of things.

You know, whether it be a relationship, something going on in the economy, something in your job, you know, anything.

But a lot of people crash out at those moments.

You know, I've seen people do a lot of crazy stuff because of a broken heart.

And I would say, don't do that.

Don't crash out.

Just cry out.

- Well, and you, you are proof, as we say in that pudding.

- Yes ma'am.

- Can you give us an example of some of your lyrics?

- An example of some of the lyrics?

Let me see.

God can do.

But if you just believe He is the truth and I'm the proof, he will set you free when nevertheless, he is the best we - Can.

For more on Trent Davis and his lyrics, head over to whitney reynolds.com.

Wow.

The crowd is going nuts.

I mean, we have some fans out there.

I appreciate it.

Yes.

And now, fashion icon and storyteller, Nigel Barker joins us from America's Next Top Model and Project Runway to bold new adventures.

He shares how betting on yourself doing the work and building the right team can turn dreams into a signature life.

While we are talking, digging up dreams, some people might recognize you as a familiar face from Project Runway and some other things that you've done in the past, but now you are really going deep on your entrepreneurial journey with this.

Tell us what's going on.

- Well, abs, you know, everyone is drinking, you know, espresso martinis, you may have noticed.

So all over the country, all over the world, the espresso martini has taken over.

I created a podcast several years ago called The Shaken and Stirred Show.

Ooh.

It was like a side kind of hustle for me that I wanted to mix cocktails, you know, interview cool people and find out the stories and legends and myths behind, you know, various cocktails that led me to realizing just how popular Espresso martinis were.

Yeah.

But also how hard they were to make - Digging up dreams.

Nigel Barker shows us what it's like to shift careers and go in a completely different direction and try something new.

- It took me two years to get the, the recipe perfect.

Ooh.

I went through 77 coffees.

We settled on a hundred percent Colombian espresso coffee, and a Arabic bean.

It's a six time distilled vodka.

We distill our own vodka in Lansdale, Pennsylvania.

It is also corn base, which means it's gluten free.

All you guys have to do is get a shaker.

I've got it filled with ice already.

There is actually one step, so it's not a hundred percent ready to drink, because in order to have that perfect espresso martini, now guys, look, I'm gonna - Give it a shake.

Look at a shake.

I know.

- Taste a little workout at the same time.

- A workout before you get to taste the loveliness.

- It'll come out like a Guinness.

Here you go.

- Oh, look at him.

Shake it up guys.

- It'll come out almost like a - Guinness.

Oh my goodness.

- And that will settle to be - Perfect.

And is that easy?

- That's it.

- Before cocktails, Nigel's World was fashion photography and seasons of one of TV's biggest shows.

Wow.

Do I get to try it?

Taste, there you go.

I made that - For you.

- Oh, - Don't say I never made you nothing.

- Oh my goodness.

It is delicious.

What gave you the power to dive into something so different than what you were used to?

- You know, I think my entire career path has been about rolling the dice and taking risks on me.

The main thing you have to do, I believe, is believe in yourself.

Life actually is about you editing yourself.

You creating your own signature style, but you have to believe that it's in there.

You've gotta go digging for it.

And of course, it doesn't just mean that it pops out of nowhere.

Hard work is, is is a part of it.

You know, knowledge is power.

I created a podcast that I did for several years, 135 episodes.

Yeah.

The wealth of information you get from people doing that taught me a lot about it.

So then I felt secure in myself to dig into a new business.

- His years in fashion taught him instinct, taste and how to trust his eye, even in a new lane.

- I'm not a one man band either.

My wife and I today happens to be our 26th wedding anniversary.

- I love that.

- You know, and I met her 31 years ago, and we were just kids, but we became the best of friends and we have had a lifetime of sort of wonder together.

But having that sort of great team and, and it's, it goes past that.

Like, then you start bringing in people in your life if they're, if they really truly love you, they also support all the things that you want to do.

And you them.

Yes.

You know, and that's how you become powerful.

- Next On Deck, we have inventor and serial founder, Betsy four from Wonder Wolf to co-founding Tiny Organics and the non-profit Natives Rising.

She's scaling Purpose with Results.

Now she's recognized as one of the first Native American women to raise major funding.

And she also recently made the Chicago Cranes 40 under 40 list rooted in her Turtle Mountain, Chippewa Heritage Betsy's mission is building for the next seven generations.

Betsy, welcome to the show.

- Thanks, Whitney.

I'm so excited to be here.

- Yeah.

You know, we're talking about digging up dreams and when we learned about your story and your history, you are really doing big things and taking others along with you.

- Thank you.

I'm trying.

Yeah.

- So tell us about your journey.

- So I grew up about three hours south from here in a little village of less than a thousand people.

And so I was growing up, you know, playing in the ravine, building motorcycles with my dad in the garage.

And it inspired me to be the first person in my family to go to college to study industrial design.

I thought I was gonna work for Harley Davidson in Wisconsin.

I love it.

I love it.

Like my, my dad was very different.

- I wanna go back to something you said just a minute ago about the Village and the Reserve.

- Yes.

- Tell us about that.

- You know, I grew up seeing my uncle store own Azure's auto body on the res, and thought, wow, he's charted a course for himself and his family through owning his own business.

You know, maybe I could do that too.

Right?

And so that was really a spark for my entrepreneurial journey, definitely.

But also because of the way we're raised, where we believe we are, the answer to our ancestors' prayers that you, you grow up with a sense of responsibility for, for carrying that and looking towards the next seven generations.

And that's what I've been trying to build, in particular, my skill for fundraising.

I wanted to think about how could I use that for the good of Indian country.

- Yeah.

So I wanna walk back through how you dipped your toe.

You originally thought, I'm gonna work for Harley Davidson and - Build.

Yes.

- And so you kind of connected some dots.

You also saw the entrepreneurial side of things.

Yes.

Right.

So where did you start?

- So I started out being an industrial designer, and then quickly realized actually here in the West Loop of Chicago that I could become a toy inventor.

So I actually invented at that firm over a hundred toys, and only two of them actually made it to market.

So what it taught me about resilience and about actually becoming a founder one day, was that I have to approach each idea with the same enthusiasm, right?

Like, this could be the one that sells to Mattel Barbie or the head of Hasbro games.

And, and it was so much fun because I got to build everything by hand, but then also got to be the kid in the commercial.

So I basically got to play all day and never grow up.

I'm like, how does it get better than this?

It was a dream scenario.

And yet at every point in my life, it has gotten better and better.

Right.

And I know we're gonna get into that means it was, - Yeah.

You keep building like, no pun intended, with like your life and then what you are doing to give back and sew back into your Native American culture.

- Yes.

Yes.

- When did you first step into something big enough where you said, okay, I am going to give back to where it began for me?

- Well, I'll take you through a journey that I had of, I flew out to London first in my family to go abroad, not knowing anyone, and walked into the office of Michael Acton Smith, the founder of Calm, the meditation app.

You know, it was very not British of me to walk in the door, like very, this was a very American thing to do, and just think like, I'm gonna get a meeting with Michael.

Right?

Right.

It took five times, right.

I made friends with the front of house by the end, and, and I think he'd felt bad for me.

He said, okay, you know, let her in.

We chatted for over two hours.

I led all a product there.

The rest is histories.

He later said it was his favorite interview, and it was my persistence that paid off.

Right.

So I think that's really important in terms of just showing up and saying, you know, rejection is protection.

But at this point, I hadn't been rejected.

So I thought, what do I have to lose?

Right?

I just keep showing up, why not me?

Right.

This little girl from Mackinac, Illinois, like could, could have big dreams and, and fly out there.

And then, you know, we actually built that company to over 80 million registered users online, became the number one toy brand in all of UK for six years on beating even Star Wars and Lego.

So it was a magical journey.

Later when he was founding Calm, I then went off to found my first company, wonder Wolf, which was the first Fitbit for dogs.

- I wanna go back to how you knew when it was time to sell, because - Yeah, - Sometimes people can't let go - Oh yeah.

- Of something they've built from the ground up.

Oh, yes.

So I'm curious how you said, okay, this is my dream, but now I'm gonna let it go and I'm gonna go build something else.

- My favorite kinesiologist, David R. Hawkins, he wrote a book called Letting Go.

He also wrote several others that are, that are just incredible.

But it's all around the levels of consciousness.

You and how, actually, well, to sum it up for you, if you hold onto something more tightly, that's when you open your hands and see that it's gone.

Right?

Mm.

You've actually clinched it to the point of, of you can't, you can't, you know, hold it anymore.

So what my book talks about and teaches actually, is that spiritual journey that you take as a founder along the nuts and bolts of building right.

Where it is about being in this state of flow that actually you can put the intention out there, but then you can truly just say, and I let it go right to the universe that whatever I'm putting out there, it's gonna be a resounding yes.

- It's incredible to hear someone talk about their tribe still impacting them.

How important is that now that you have a child Yes.

To keep those values alive?

- Yes.

Well, I'll tell you, actually, every one of my children have inspired one of my companies.

So I, I mentioned my first son.

He inspired Tiny Organics, which I was unable to grow to over 13 million in revenue in the first 24 months.

Wait, - Say that number again?

- I know.

In 13 million.

And it was direct sales alone, so it was not retail yet.

Wow.

This was true customer demand.

And so that journey I talk about all throughout the book as well, it's like, how do you get there and scale that, you know?

But I think so much of that driving force was love.

I - Had, I hope he gets like a nice little paycheck commission back because he inspired it.

I know.

Yes.

He - Inspired it.

Yes.

And yeah, it's, it's, it's, it's really all a dream.

It feels like every, every company, it's like that.

My, my next company that I created, well, was my non-profit natives Rising.

And my second son is named after our surname on the reservation, Azure.

So he was born as I was building that, and upon my grandmother's death actually, that I was able to build the, this, this organization, which is now the largest nonprofit for indigenous technologists and founders.

Our members represent over a hundred tribes nationwide.

And so I think there's so many things I learned throughout my journey, but the giving back piece of this was, how can I make sure there are many, many more native founders to come?

Oh.

So then what I did, yeah.

Was create Natives Rising to bring together the native founders who had done more than a million in revenue for their companies, or actually raise more than a million in venture capital to then mentor the next generations.

And so we're, we're doing just that with our cohorts.

And, and it's been something that I, I wish I would've had on my journey.

Right.

But essentially creating these opportunities and this access and this representation where there wasn't previously, - I'm hearing so much about your successes, and as an entrepreneur, we do have those moments that sometimes we go, okay, wait, can I get through this?

Can we actually do it?

Yeah.

Tell us about some of those moments.

- Oh my goodness, there are so many.

Every success you see is just a mountains of failures right behind it.

Like it's, it's, it's, there are so many, and I think, yeah, the, the thing that sort of prompted me in life from a very young age, which I'm now talking about publicly, I'd never shared publicly before, was my car accident at the age of 15.

It was a near death experience where they told my parents, if I survived, I'd never walk properly again.

And just from being able to then go on to learn not only how to walk, right, but then to actually run a marathon with my mom holding hands across the finish line, that at such an impressionable age, at the age of 15, made me feel like I have a second chance at life here.

I gotta make sure that I'm figuring out how, how to give, how to help others in a way.

And, and I think too, it was how do I build a platform in order to do that?

Right?

But there were so many points where I thought, well, just, just case in point, what you'd said before, I'm not leading those companies anymore.

Right.

And in some ways, people could look at that and say, well, that's a failure.

And I think it's about turning every failure into a victory, right?

Because for me, the best thing that could have happened, right.

And that, and that's how I view it, because I'm now able to give back in this way and, - And you're doing such big things.

Yeah, me too.

And to know that you are really elevating part of your history as well.

And like you said, if there would've been something like this for me, right?

And that's what I think is beautiful about your story, is you're creating the path for others.

- Yeah.

I'm trying.

Yeah.

- Well, thank you so much for coming on.

- Thank you so much, Whitney.

- In a world where the racing industry tends to be more male dominated, our next guest is really pushing the limit and reaching her dreams.

Let's take a look.

Welcome to the show.

Well, thank you so much for having me.

When we talk about digging up Dreams, you are one that is doing that with Kelly Moss.

Walk our viewers back through Kelly.

Kelly Moss - Came to be.

Kelly Moss was actually one of the very, very first companies that were Porsche focused.

When Porsche started racing in North America, Kelly Moss was one of the first companies to be involved with it.

So there's all different types of racing.

We do sports, car racing, and what I believe is Kelly Moss is what brings that car to life.

Mm.

So we do a lot of customization to the cars.

We can take those older brands and fit them with all of the creature comforts that you want.

The brand is so safe, and that's why Kelly Moss wrapped our brand around the Porsche brand.

- Yeah.

So when did you find the passion behind it?

- Most people in Motorsports are incredibly passionate about speed and performance.

I'm an accountant by background.

I was passionate about numbers and financing and using your income statement and your balance sheet to be more profitable, to increase cash flow and to decrease taxes.

So very different worlds.

I'm a such a firm believer that you take obstacles and use those to set your goals.

People feel embarrassed by failures, and that should be your moment to shine.

Like if you feel that kind of embarrassed where you go inward and you, you know, wanna push, push away from people, for me that's a trigger.

Like pay attention.

Something amazing is gonna happen right now.

And use those moments to fuel your success as opposed to being ashamed of them.

It's all something that actually pushes you forward.

If you learn to frame it appropriately.

- Those old dreams, they're not lost.

And those big dreams, they're not too scary.

They are just waiting for you to bring them to life.

Remember, your story matters.

- The Whitney Reynolds Show is supported by 10 West Real Estate Group, a real estate investment partner specializing in multifamily apartment investing and long-term wealth growth.

Kevin O'Connor Law Firm, when it comes to your injuries, we take it personally.

Respiratory Health Association, healthy lungs, and clean air for all.

Together at Peace Foundation.

Together at Peace creates hopeful spaces for grief and remembrance.

Through Comfort Club founder Christine Marlo shares her personal grief Journey and Faith, which has led to healing hearts, faith-based programs, supporting healing in communities.

Joe perillo.com where you can browse a selection of pre-owned vehicles.

Joe Perillo is based in Chicago and ships all over the country, children's Learning Place, A school for our earliest learners dedicated to aiding every child with the power of learning Center for beautiful living, empowering people to live rich, robust, and beautiful lives.

Additional funding provided by the Intrigue, yellow Chicago Lifestyle Foundation and Creative Lab, BMO High Five Sports Club Chicago Girl, strong Empowerment Apparel, and XOMD.

- Want to stay connected to all things.

Whitney Reynolds will follow us on social media and you'll get exclusive content and updates from the show.

All episodes are available for streaming anytime.

Hi, mommy.