Side Hustlers (2024) s01e02 Episode Script
The Hustle Is Real
1
■ Sometimes it can feel like
you're stuck ■
■ Goodbye pain and farewell to
the blues ■
■ I am turning over the page ■
■ To get me a different view
■
- This is Ma Dukes recipe.
Our mac and cheese is the first
thing that goes on the truck.
So, if you want to get mac and
cheese, you know to show up
early,
or you won't be getting none.
NIC: So, Shek.
LESHEKA: Yeah? - You have any
concerns about the pitch?
Were you nervous?
LESHEKA: Yeah, I was nervous.
Some stuff,
I was, like, you know what?
I'm-a just get real with it.
I'm-a just tell them from the
heart and
NIC: Yeah. LESHEKA: You know,
vibe with them
and see how they like it.
- That's good. - I got real. I
got raw,
and I got to the point. NIC:
Uh-huh.
- Oh, hello.
- What? It's Emma.
- [laughs]
- Yes. - You told me about the
sauce.
It is the sauce. I was, like, "I
need to come back for more."
- I told you it's-it's the sauce
for me.
- Can I get in there? I feel
very, like, locked out.
- Yeah. Come in.
with a smaller group of side
hustlers
to decide if we want to move
forward
And then, for some others, we're
gonna need to see more from them
before we can commit to working
together any further.
It is hot in here. - Yes.
- Oh, my goodness. - This is it.
This is where it happens.
EMMA: How does this usually work
for you?
LESHEKA: My main chef is my
kid's father.
This is Nic. This is Nic. - Oh,
hi, Nic.
NIC: Hey, how you doing? - Hi,
Nic. - Me, him and him mom
started it all.
- How are you? Get in here, Nic.
Are you two Wait a minute.
You're business partners? BOTH:
Yeah.
- That's not an easy feat.
- That's-that's why I stay over
there, and she stay over here.
That's my sanctuary. - A little
separation.
- A little separation. - A
little separation.
- [laughter]
- I'm so glad I actually got to
see the truck in action.
Now, like, the whole thing
feels contextualized in a way. -
Yup.
- So, I really want to
understand a little bit more
about your partnership.
Are you husband and wife?
- No.
- Boyfriend and girlfriend?
LESHEKA: No.
We're just, we co-parent. -
Co-parent.
- Ah!
That, I never understood. -
[laughs]
- Okay. LESHEKA: We make it
work.
EMMA: So, it's a real family
thing
because all the recipes were
based on your mother's recipes.
- Yes. - Yes, ma'am. Mm-hmm. -
May she rest in peace. Wow.
That's really amazing. - Yup. Ma
Dukes.
LESHEKA: She made sure I was in
there.
She was like, "That's my
daughter-in-law."
I'm like, "Okay." - That's how
she introduced her
to everybody. - To everybody.
- You're continuing in the
relationship in a different way.
- Yeah. NIC: Yeah.
- Okay. Who does what right now?
- We pretty much both do
everything. He does majority of
the cooking.
- There's a double side hustle.
- Yeah. - Yes.
- Who makes the sauce?
How much does it cost you? Like,
give me the full rundown.
- So, the sauce is about $12 to
make.
Now, I'm talking about the big
jug that we have on there.
- And you have never attempted
to actually sell the sauce on
its own?
- No.
I don't know where to start. He
don't know how to start.
- We be struggling.
- How is the business currently
structured between the two of
you?
- As far as?
- Is it owned by both of you
together?
- No. - Okay.
LESHEKA: It's registered as
under an LLC. He's the owner.
EMMA: It's under an LLC?
Completely under your name? -
Yes.
- Yeah. - Interesting.
This business wasn't exactly
what had been pitched
We got to get some lawyers to
immediately put pen to paper
around this business and who
owns what.
I really want to talk to the
woman of the hour.
- All right.
LESHEKA: Let's get to it.
[laughs] - We got some work to
do.
All right, so the first thing I
would
really want to figure out is
making sure that you have
your 50% ownership.
- Yeah. - Because we don't want
to end up in a position
where you're doing all of this
work
to get this sauce out into the
market,
and, suddenly, you know, the
business is yanked
from underneath you. I want you
to figure that out
so that I can make sure that the
work I do really benefits you.
- Yeah. - Get the paperwork
into a place where you know that
you've got your 50% ownership,
and if that's something that you
can push through,
then I am all in to mentor you.
- Yeah.
She has a single-minded focus.
She's got ambition.
The next steps are yours, my
love.
■ Unbreakable ■
■ Unbreakable ■
I feel like I was able to
express a lot
Hopefully, that just let them
know how excited and hopeful I
am.
My name is Ali. I am 39 years
old and I'm from Venice,
California.
Hey, Rex, you want some
strawberries?
- You want to watch
Sounds about right.
but my other little baby
If Bonks doesn't become a
success,
I was in my head saying, "Yes!
Yes! Yes!
I want panties in a bag."
for this little package of
underwear
So, I'm immediately interested
in what else Ali
Hello. [laughs]
- Oh, my God. [laughs]
- Ali! Hi. - You're at my house!
[both squeal]
- [chuckles] - Come on in.
ASHLEY: Perfect.
Now, the reason I'm here is
because of the pitch.
I was very impressed, and I want
to see where the magic happens.
ALI: Yeah. Can I take you back?
- Yeah, please. - Okay.
- Let's go. Yay. - Let's go.
This is my little space of
tranquility.
- It's perfect. It's all you
need. - It's great.
- We've got some Bonks here. -
Mm-hmm.
Got some of my display pieces. -
Okay.
- And then I keep some inventory
here - Oh, great.
- organized in these bins.
- Whoa. You got a lot of
inventory.
- Right now, one of the
struggles is that
affordability is really
important to the product.
- Mm-hmm. - So, at a $12 price
point,
I need to be churning out a lot
of products.
- So, how much extra is it
costing you to make
the other fabrics and the other
colors?
Because, in a way, it kind of
feels like that could be
a part of the problem with your
profit.
- It does dilute the sales a bit
because
black sells better. Let's just
be honest.
- I like a beige.
When I think about Bonks, I
think about emergency.
- Right.
- What I don't care about is
what color they are.
What I would rather care about
is how are they making my vagina
feel.
-Right. -And do I feel
supported?
- Yeah. - So, my other big
question
that is burning - Yes.
Where's our sizes at? - Yes.
Because I'm the average-sized
American woman,
and
- Give it to me, girl. Show me
what you're working with.
- I got my Bonks on.
- Great. - And they're digging
in.
If we're talking about one size
fits many,
well, I think one size fits few.
- Not
- I think you keep your small,
medium, large,
and then you do an XL, XXL, and
3XL.
- Okay. - This is a lot, and,
girl, I know what it's like to
be married and build a business.
- Yes, you do. - That is not
easy.
- No. - What's hubby saying
about all of this?
Because - Is there a time
limit on this?
- I feel like that clock is
ticking.
- Mm.
- There's been a lot of pressure
on my husband.
Bonks needs to work.
- Ali, if I want this in my bag,
there is definitely somebody
else
that wants this in their bag. -
Yes.
- I believe in you. Ali, I'm
willing
to go to the next step with you
and mentor you.
- Now we're talking. [laughs] -
So,
please do your research on -
Okay.
- just the two colorways.
- Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. - We go into
the multiple sizes,
and then that's it, and we got
to figure out where to get you
and how to get you into
literally
everywhere that makes sense,
right? - Everywhere. Yes.
- And I've also got a $15,000
fund for your business.
I see this going into being a
multimillion dollar company.
- Yes. Let's do it.
- Bye.
- It doesn't mean it's gonna
happen.
- Bonks away. - Thank you so
much.
Ultimately, that decision is
kind of up to me.
■ We bring the fight in ■
■ We style on up there ■
■ Not checking the time ■
■ We rocking all night, there
ain't no stopping ■
- Thank you. Let's see.
I'm hoping for the best. That's
all I could do, right?
- Oh, hello, Angel.
- Hi. Oh. - Hi.
- I wasn't expecting you today.
- How are you? [laughs]
- I'm good. How are you?
- Well, you know, I just wanted
to turn up and see where the
magic happens.
- Good to see you again. - How
are you?
I absolutely love the idea of
what AMP Beauty are trying to
do,
and discover the most brilliant
beauty products
I'm here with you. - Yes.
- And I know that this is a
partnership.
- Yes, yes.
- If we start working together,
does this end up being something
where I'm working with Angel?
Am I working with the
partnership - Yes.
- of Angel and Montré?
- Definitely partnership with
Angel and Montré.
- Why is she not here?
- Montré is working.
- Got it. - So, at any given
moment,
we're pulled in-in different
directions.
EMMA: It's so difficult for me
to evaluate
AMP Beauty and my willingness
to get involved when I'm only
speaking
to one-half of the business
partnership. - Yeah.
- That is not feasible. - Yeah.
It's a massive red flag to me.
What's the split right now
between the direct business and
the retail store?
- E-commerce drives 90% of our
sales.
We haven't done a ton of
marketing around this space, in
general.
- I think that the energy for
your business has to go where
the revenue is.
If 90% of the revenue is coming
from direct to consumer,
you got to double down 'cause
the customer is telling you what
she wants, right?
Who is in control of the
finances of the business?
Felicia was actually the person
who organized the books
and make sure we had the
accountants
and make sure the taxes were
paid. - Yeah.
- And numbers is my weakness, if
I'm being honest.
It's really intimidating,
especially when you enter these
- Yes, it is.
- investor conversations.
When it comes to budgeting and
forecasting
and knowing where to cut,
that's what we really need help
on.
I hear numbers, and I a wall
goes up.
- Now that you don't have your
third business partner with you,
you have to have financial
literacy.
As a founder, understanding how
much is coming in
is so fundamental, right? -
Yeah.
- And I think it's gonna really
help you if you face some of
those fears.
I have an incredible woman that
you should meet, Jack Howard.
She's the head of money wellness
over at Ally,
and she'll really be able to
work through some of that.
I'm worried that Angel doesn't
have a grip on the numbers.
As an entrepreneur, you need to
understand your business
inside out, and that means
It's an absolute must-do.
before I even decide whether or
not I'm gonna work with them,
I really love this business, you
know?
I loved you from the moment I
met you, and I really believe
in the purpose of it more than
anything else.
So, if I'm gonna mentor you, I
need to meet your business
partner
'cause I need to know who I'm
working with. - Yes.
- I need to know that she's on
board and that she believes
and is aligned with you and
aligned with me.
Second thing with that, we need
to create a business plan.
I would really need to see from
you guys
what are the key growth levers
for this company,
and we're gonna do that. Me,
you - And Mantré.
I would love that. - Yes.
- And then we'll look at a
little plan together.
- Okay.
to my business, not to my job.
■ Heading out to the upside ■
■ Moving up, up, up ■
■ To the upside ■
and I have invested in so many
different awesome baby
companies.
I want to know the broader
picture for Lightly.
- Oh, my God. - [laughs] Hi,
Dominique.
Oh, the tears have begun.
- Welcome into my home. -
[laughs]
Is this Lightly headquarters? -
Oh, my God, yes.
ASHLEY: This is grassroots. -
This is it.
- This is how people do it. -
Yeah.
- I loved your pitch yesterday.
- Thank you.
- As a mom, I see the value in
Lightly 'cause my oldest is
three and a half.
My twins are one and a half. -
Wow.
- Yeah, there's a lot. - That's
a lot.
- So, I'm here because I care.
And I think that there's a lot
going on
behind the scenes - Yeah.
- that is maybe hard for you.
Nobody's going to build a
company on their own.
- Yeah. - And so I'm just
curious
where I can help - Yeah, no,
- we can get into it. - Um, if I
even have the capacity
to be able to help you. - Yeah.
Yeah. - So, let's go sit down.
I want to, I want to discuss
this. Okay. - Yeah. You can
come Yeah.
and she has poured literally
everything
into her business
knows what that's like, I do.
too thin.
I know how hard it is to be a
working mom.
- Yeah. - It's been a lot,
not only on my body, but on my
marriage. - Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
- I know the stress that goes
into that.
And you also have a main job. -
Yeah.
- There's so much that I see
all over you that is struggling.
There is so much of me that I
see in you,
and there is a lot of moms that
need help.
They do. They need help.
This is something that we all
feel.
And if
if other moms can really just
put a hand out and say, "We got
it. We're gonna be in this
together,"
and you're solving a problem for
them - Yeah.
- then great.
- Thank you for seeing me.
I'm a double Virgo, so I'm like,
"It's fine.
Everything is fine." Internally,
like, I'm those swan that's
like
- Everything is not fine.
I'm emotional 'cause I want to
know
can you reach the benchmarks -
Yeah.
- that I feel your business
needs?
Can you break down the price
point?
DOMINIQUE: We do not sell
directly to customers.
Our focus is on branded hotels,
at the moment.
I only charge the hotel.
$115 from me. - Okay.
- How they're offering it to
their guests,
depends on - Is up to them.
- Yes. - They could sell for
whatever they want.
- Exactly. - Okay.
That could get expensive.
What is it gonna take for you to
get the cost down?
Because every parent - Right.
- deserves to have this product
when they're stranded at an
airport or hotel.
So, here's the thing I want to
know
are you willing to lower your
price point for people
who just can't spend so much
money?
- So, the most important part of
Lightly
is the fact that I'm unwilling
to compromise on quality.
It's a non-negotiable.
What I'm doing is lining up the
brands
that I think meet our standards,
our brand standards.
That means products that are
safe, that are clean, that are
eco-conscious.
Yes, I want to make lots of
money, you know,
and-and provide for my family,
but I'm trying to make an actual
statement,
and I need investors who really
get that.
and that's a problem for me.
When I'm walking into a business
with someone like you,
I also need to know that this is
gonna be a collaboration.
- It is a collaboration,
but I'm not going to say that
I'm, like, a pushover.
Like, uh, everything you say to
me, I'm gonna run and go do.
I have to feel comfortable, too.
- Mm-hmm.
Okay. I need to sit on this. -
Mm-hmm.
- So, get your numbers together.
- Yeah.
- I want to see that whole
portfolio of your finances. -
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
- I'm gonna come and circle back
around with you
and let you know - Okay.
- what my final decision is,
to see if I'm ready to mentor
you. - Yeah.
- Okay, Dominique, I'm out of
here.
- Thank you so much. Oh, my
gosh. - Oh
- Thank you. - Yeah.
- Okay. All right. Yes. - Thank
you.
- I'll see you soon.
Okay. Bye, Dominique. - Good
night. Take care.
it may dissuade her from wanting
to invest in Lightly.
- For so many women, they have
to keep their eyes on so many
things.
Looking after children, a
full-time job.
- I am on site for my company.
It is almost 1:00 a.m.
- It is so hard to turn your
side hustle into your main
hustle.
- I am on my way to
my job to work another four
hours.
- You're betting on you.
- It's a lot, but we're gonna
get it done.
■ You can take on the world ■
■ Don't be afraid ■
■ There's no better person,
time, or place ■
- Oh, I'm so happy to see you.
I'm so happy to see you.
- I love your fit so much. -
Thank you, honey.
- Did you have a good weekend? -
I did have a good weekend.
It's just so much on the
weekend, you know? I'm like,
where's the weekend?
- I had all three of the boys to
myself.
No help, no husband. - All three
boys.
That's really tough.
- But I love it so much. I do.
- You're so dead. - I love,
like, I love going from, like,
the chaos
of work and then to the chaos of
home. - To the chaos of home.
[laughs]
- So what's going on with Crate
Away? I'm so curious.
when she said she doesn't have
the product made,
that's when I was like, "Hands
up, I'm done."
- She's got a prototype that she
doesn't want anybody to touch,
and she's out there kind of
figuring out
where am I gonna find the
customers?
But she has nothing to sell
them.
Reality is, like, do we need to
go out
and raise a million bucks? I
think we do.
How are the panties in the bag,
girl?
- [laughs]
I would want to work with, but
this is a problem.
It is not one size fits many.
It's one size fits a few.
- Did you try them on?
- I walked in with it on. Come
on. - [laughs] Of course you
did.
- I'm not gonna invest in
something unless if I've eaten
it, tried it on,
played with it, done it, used
it, whatever.
We've got a size problem, and
we've got too many SKUs.
I'm scared for her. Oh, my God.
- I could not wait to tell you
about AMP Beauty.
- I did not meet her business
partner.
- Is she, like - And I was
fully expecting
the business partner to be
there. - Where is she?
- I said, "I have to meet your
business partner."
This mentorship ain't for free.
Like, I'm squeezing this in.
You better be there, correct and
present and ready
to take it all in. - Seriously.
Well, the Rif girls are really
on it. - Are they?
And I'm like, "Where's the
panties? I have to try on the
panties."
- No, you didn't. - Yes, I did.
- How many times are you gonna
put knickers on in this whole
situation?
- [laughs] As many times as I
have to. - [laughs]
- I went and I put 'em on, and
it was like
■ Ah! ■ - Really, that good?
- I kept them on. The product is
so strong.
I love seeing two women come
together and execute a plan
and a vision, especially when
it's helping other women.
- Absolutely.
- Okay, talk to me about
Lesheka.
She runs a really wonderful
chicken truck.
- Mm-hmm. - That's her business.
But what she sold us was this
sauce business.
- Yes. - That's what she wants
to do,
but that isn't the business
she's in, currently.
And she actually doesn't own the
business.
- No. - Yes.
I said this is a huge issue. You
need to speak to a lawyer.
You need to make sure that all
of this work
that you're doing it has to
belong to you.
- Given everything that you see
as challenges,
do you think that you're gonna
go through with mentoring her?
- I really want to mentor her
because I feel like she's
someone
that can gain so much from it. -
Mm-hmm.
- But I also need to discover,
like,
how realistic is she to the
realities of her issues.
Because I don't have time to
waste.
- No.
- Navigating through the
difficult times is what business
is all about.
- Yeah. - It's tough.
- Speaking of.
you know, "Are you willing to
mold on this?
Are you willing to push on
that?" "No."
And I'm over here screaming from
the rooftops, like,
"Get the customer right here,
like,
where we can all afford it, no
matter what."
- That business is
super-elitist, right?
- Yeah. - It's, like, a premium
product,
mostly given away at premium
services,
and so how do you actually
figure that out for the masses?
'Cause if you want to scale,
that is not what you're selling.
- That is the problem we are
having.
She's aligned with what she
knows and what she wants.
I cannot give my money to
somebody that's not gonna be
able to hear me out.
You can scale it. You can grow
it. You can be whatever you want
to be.
- But you got to listen.
- You got to listen. - You got
to listen.
You got to take the advice.
["Only I Do" by Tiwala plays]
■ So hard to compete, no other
can be like me ■
■ Like me ■
■ Others tried to match, left
'em in a flash ■
■ Like me ■
CHILD: Mom
DOMINIQUE: It's not ice cream
time.
Daddy's cooking right now,
bubba.
MATT: We're getting there. We're
getting there.
- [Dominique laughs]
- When do you think you'll meet
Ashley again?
- Pretty soon.
- Do you think she got a good
vision of, like,
what you're trying to, uh
- As a mother, she absolutely
understands,
and I really like her,
and I feel, like, a really
strong synergy.
To have her, you know, - That's
huge.
- sort of sign off on Lightly
would be epic.
But she had some really strong
suggestions
around, like, a more accessible
price point.
That's not the type of brand
that we are,
which is elevated and premium.
So I think my concern is
does she understand my vision?
Is she willing to get behind
that vision?
- Why wouldn't you go with more
accessible brands?
- Lightly is an elevated travel
brand
that is dedicated to supplying
premium baby care products, full
stop.
I don't believe parents should
have to
compromise on quality while away
from home.
- Can I say something to you? Or
ask? - Of course.
- 'Cause I know my think I
know my wife pretty well.
- Yeah. - You get streamlined in
your goal
to where you are and you have it
already mapped out.
You are diligent on that.
And then somebody may come along
with an idea
that would be creative or
something that's actually
you may not have even thought
of,
and sometimes you are a
little
Yeah. Right? - "Stay over
there."
It's a good attribute, but it
also can be a detriment too,
as we go along.
Would you be flexible if, like,
you know, she's offering these
suggestions?
'Cause, I mean, this is, like,
surprise opportunity here,
right? I mean
- Mm-hmm.
- I'm hoping she listens to
Ashley's advice
and takes that into making
the business of Lightly
successful.
Sometimes detours lead us in the
right direction,
as some things have for us.
- I agree, I just don't think
this is the one.
I'm unwilling to compromise on
the quality of the products.
- Okay. Hey, you know more than
me, so I
[dramatic music plays]
[quiet, contemplative music
plays]
Hey, y'all, it's Angel.
- Montré. - Felicia,
- The founding team at AMP
Beauty LA. - Hey. -Hey!
Make sure you follow us and stay
tuned.
Hey, my girl.
- And this is finally a time for
us to sit down and just
How are you? How are you
feeling? - So good to see you.
Good.
- After this morning. After the
day.
- Yes, it was a day. - We got
through it.
It's just hard to actually
acknowledge
that Felicia's not here.
Like, we were just at her
gravesite.
We were just with her family.
I know it's real, but it's not
real.
- It's hard to move forward,
but we have to keep her legacy
alive.
- Right. So, you know,
Ms. Emma popped into the store
the other day.
- She, like, saw AMP downtown,
like, walked in the doors?
My name is Montré Moore. I am 33
years old.
- Oh, the curls. Okay.
So, 20 bags.
Montré and I met 15 years ago.
- We became very close really
fast.
- Really fast. [laughs]
Hey, girl. There you go.
- How are you?
- It's hot as hell everywhere.
Look at you. Wine o'clock. Okay.
always seen eye to eye,
and when we clash, we really
clash.
got into a huge, blow-up
argument.
We did not talk
for, probably, eight or nine
months.
- I'm thinking, since this is a
bestseller,
like, eye level here. - Okay.
she has to see where we're at
now.
- So, are you gonna go to the
post office
before you go to work?
- I was not going to, but I will
do it for you. [laughs]
Her capacity and willingness to
invest in us and believe in us
can go away like that if she
senses that there is
friction between us.
And this doesn't mean we're not
going to have conflict.
because we're not in agreement
about something.
Emma came into the store,
she identified three key areas
that we can sort of work on
and build strategy around.
- The first: e-commerce. -
Mm-hmm.
- Second: the finances. - Oh,
yes.
- And third, one of our favorite
conversations:
marketing.
- You know, we've been at the
e-commerce for, what, almost
three years now,
- Yeah. - and, like, there
hasn't been a huge jump.
- Let's be real. How do we
invest in
marketing and ads when we don't
have the money?
There has to be a way.
- I'm gonna be looking at the
finances of each of these
Are they spending money towards
growth
or are they throwing money down
the pan?
Remains to be seen.
- For me, talking about money is
a scary thing.
When it came to AMP, Felicia
handled it. Right?
So, now we have the
responsibility to say she's not
here.
What are we gonna do in that
position?
How are we gonna fill the gaps
and the voids of the things
that she used to take care of?
And we're just not gonna get it
right all the time.
I am going to be grieving
Felicia's loss for the rest of
my life.
But when I have something
that meant so much to her, that
means so much to Montré,
it gives me something to work
for every day.
get it together, keep going." So
that's what we're gonna do.
- Shout out to Emma. - Emma, our
new girl.
- Let's do it.
[upbeat music plays]
■ Waiting for ■
■ Some kind of sign ■
- Good news is the other day,
Ashley knocked on my door.
We talked about the areas, um,
that need improvement in the
business and what's working.
The good news is Ashley's really
excited about the brand.
And even more important is
- she understands where I want
to take it. - Mm-hmm.
- The bad news is that Ashley's
not a fan of the prints.
She feels like people
are gonna gravitate towards
basics no matter what.
And she said a "one size fits
many" is not gonna work in this
market.
- Okay. Although Ashley's ideas
are good,
what does that mean for what
you've already done?
- It means - Is this a start
over? Is this a
- Kind of, and that's really
scary because
I've put so much investment into
that. - Mm-hmm.
at the capacity that I'm willing
to keep taking out of savings.
because there's so many steps
that happen after that process
that I've already invested money
on.
And I'm hesitant to just drop
everything
because this is what she feels
is the way for the company
'cause I've already been
building this business as it is
and the response has been good.
- Is there room for both?
Is there room for, like -
Maybe.
This hustle really needs to
go to the next level and
perform. - Perform.
- Maybe that's what you have to
do to get it right.
- Not to worry. - Thanks.
■ I know where I'm going ■
■ Locked and now I'm loaded ■
■ Nothing standing in my way ■
- Ooh, it is hot. - We need to
get this
air condition on here fixed.
This is
I can't do this. I'm melting in
here.
- So, we have to get an
attorney.
We're gonna have to get the
business, you know,
put it in both of our names. -
Yeah.
you know, and the percentages of
how we're gonna break it down.
- Uh-huh.
- You know, how are we gonna do
that?
I think it should be half.
[dramatic music plays]
- I mean, I put a little more
work in, you know? I don't know
about half.
■
Sixty/forty.
- I'm not doing 60/40. I'll be
just as much as you.
- What do you mean? I do this
more than you, though.
- Ah, ah, now, but we're getting
into it
because you have the
availability. Be we
like you said, we work both
work full time jobs.
We both take care of the kids
50/50% of the
- We talking about the business,
though.
■
I work this business more than
you, so it's only right that I
have more.
- I ain't taking that, though.
- What you mean?
- Definitely not taking that.
[upbeat music plays]
- Hi. - Welcome, ladies.
- I'm really excited about the
Jack Howard meeting.
We have not been aligned when it
comes to expenses, finances,
and have a budget for certain
things.
- My name is Jack Howard. I
serve as the head of money
wellness for Ally.
We are really looking at how
your money
impacts you mentally, physically
and socially.
And it's really money
psychology.
Today we're gonna get into your
money story,
which essentially looks at how
we do irrational things with
money.
So we're gonna get into why, and
then from there,
we can create different habits.
Okay? So, to kick off our money
story,
what's the first thing you
remember about money?
Does anybody want to share?
- It goes back to me and my
brother
being given lunch money. -
Mm-hmm.
- But we weren't given a lot, so
we kind of saved it,
and my brother would always give
me his.
I never asked him why until we
got older,
and he was like, "I wanted to
make sure you were okay."
- Mmm. That's so powerful.
What comes up for you,
emotionally, when you talk about
it?
- I made sure my daughter had
everything.
- So, is that when you got your
grind during that time period?
- Yeah. - And kids will do that
to you. Yeah.
- Um, I, honestly my parents
didn't talk about money growing
up at all.
My parents bought this
million-dollar house.
We had a BMW. Like, my parents
were doing the American dream.
And then in 2008, we became
homeless and lost everything.
Um, actually was
sleeping on Rebecca's couch,
like, three months after I met
her.
It was like, "I know you're a
new friend,
"but my family just lost their
house
and I need somewhere to stay."
Um
Money is just really confusing
to me.
REBECCA: I remember that
we just ended up being able to
be there for each other
and, like, getting out of that
hole together
I think that was just really
powerful
and, like, why we're able to be
there for each other now.
Sometimes people question, "Oh,
you're co-founders.
And do you really trust each
other?" And all this stuff.
And, like, they don't know how
much we've been through
together.
- My father died when I was two
months old,
so my family kind of stepped in.
So I was like a community child
that everyone raised.
Now it's more of the pressure of
I want my loved ones to be okay
and whatever I have to do.
I don't feel like the money is
really gonna mean much to me
unless I'm able to take care of
my family.
- Thank you for sharing that and
for being vulnerable.
- So, my earlier memories with
money revolve around my mom.
I just remember so many other
family members
asking her for money, and there
were times that I,
you know, felt like it
overextended her,
but she still did it anyway.
- I'm sitting with that, just
for a moment, because
those experiences when we're
young can show up
with a scarcity mindset when we
get older,
of feeling like there isn't
enough.
Knowing where it came from. So
that's the goal of this
exercise.
So I'm hopeful if that ever
comes up for you, you know,
now, you can say, "Oh, that is
ten-year-old me,
and I'm not there anymore. I'm
here and I'm safe and I'm
secure."
- I think that was the first
time in a long time
that we were in a room, talking
about money, and it felt safe.
- I think this is a big reset
for us to align on that bigger
picture
and not just for the business.
- We can get our shit together.
- We can.
- We could get it together.
Yeah.
- I have been having guilt
during this
entrepreneurial process because
the savings
that I do have, I've been
putting into the business.
I've just been so scared about
never getting back what I've put
in.
And as a mom of two,
I have not proven to myself
that I can provide my kids with
the same sense of security.
And that's, like, a very scary
thing as a parent.
JACK: When you have children,
just knowing that
I will do anything for my kids.
- Yes.
- Something that comes up for me
is this concept of more and
enough.
The root issue is you want to
feel safe,
and then that's okay. But is
that going to Disney World
and spending a gazillion dollars
or is it going to the park
because what you really want is
time with them?
other people's stories because
oftentimes you feel like you're
alone.
- The scarcity, the fear, the
stress that it brings.
- And it was one of those things
where it's like,
"Wow, I'm so thankful for her
and what she did for me."
And, you know, don't be so hard
on yourself.
- Oftentimes, those issues,
those first money memories, are
gonna come up.
So my goal was to bring
awareness to you so that when it
comes up
and you have that scarcity
mindset or you have that fear
or you feel like you're
overworking
within your business and not
taking care of yourself,
we called it out here.
You got witnesses. - [laughing]
JACK: So now when that behavior
comes up,
we're not there anymore.
We're shifting our money
mantras.
We're shifting our money story
to something different.
Your behaviors and your emotions
and your beliefs show up with
your money.
We know how unexpected things
come up
that can impact us financially.
While you're working on your
side hustle,
we want to take some of that
worry away.
So we started the Ally fund,
which will make up to $10,000
available to you
to use in case of an emergency.
That time when the car breaks
down,
you need help with childcare,
you can use that money
to support yourself. - [whoops]
[cheering]
- It's an emergency right now.
[laughing]
- We are really rooting for all
of you to be successful.
I wish you well and I'll see you
soon.
- All right. - This is amazing.
- Thank you so much. - Yes, yes,
yes.
so much risk involved with being
an entrepreneur.
■ Oh, oh ■
■ I've got the hustle ■
■ I've got the heart ■
■ I be getting money in the bank
■
- Hello. - Hi, Ms. Ali Bonks.
- How are you? I love your
yellow. - Thank you. I'm on
theme.
I'm really excited to hear from
Ali to see if she's on board
with the ideas that I gave her
and what her plan is to make
this all happen.
Okay, so talk to me about the
benchmarks
that I gave you before we left,
- Yeah.
- 'cause I think that the sizing
does matter.
- Yeah. - We could do an XL,
XXL, and then cutting
all of, like, the patterns
and the colors and that. -
Mm-hmm.
- Did you think about that? -
Yeah. I talked
- Okay. - I've thought about it.
- I just want to make sure are
you okay with that?
- I think that the sizing does
matter.
I just want to make sure, are
you okay with that?
[dramatic music plays]
- I am. My number two seller,
the three pack, black with two
prints.
But if I were to make the multi
pack
with the nude, chances are it's
gonna be big.
- Good! because I want
I want you to feel it in your
gut. - Yeah.
- The major steps of the
business
that she was wanting changed
And I'm hoping that Ashley sees
that
as yet another step of me
- I have been doing as much
research
as I can to really figure out
how much is one pair of panty.
And everything kept coming back
to six.
- Mm-hmm. - Six, seven dollars.
What would it take for you
to say, "Okay, I can sell
one Bonks package for $6?"
Because to see this on a shelf
in the travel section
or even in a checkout line
for $12 is jarring. - Yeah.
If I were to retail them for six
dollars,
I'm only making a dollar a pair.
- Mm-hmm. - Which is pretty
tight.
- I'll tell you what, you are
going to be able to
slowly become profitable over
time
by having it be around half the
price.
If somebody comes in, has never
heard of Bonks, and they try it
and they like it, they're gonna
keep coming back for more.
So, really consider it. - Yeah.
that it's all about scale and
quantity.
before I have those big
retailers
is gonna be really hard for me
to, you know, come close to
staying afloat.
In addition to that, is there
anything
that you're wanting me to really
focus on?
- I want you to get rid of some
more inventory.
- Okay. I'll get on that. That's
a good■ that's a good
challenge for me. - It's gonna
be great.
- Yeah.
[upbeat music plays]
■ I am playing with fire ■
- Hi. - Hi, gorge.
- How are you? I'm good. - How
are you?
One of Ashley's comments was
related to
and nursery kits at a more
accessible price point.
- Last time I saw you,
you were emotional. I was
emotional.
- It was a lot. - Yes, it was.
- Like a good "a lot."
You know what I mean? I
appreciate you
and I want you in our corner.
Right? What do you think?
- Well, you don't love the idea
of lowering the premium cost
and, like, taking the products
just, maybe,
- down a couple of notches so
that - No.
Luxury hospitality's on fire.
You know, if you can afford to
travel
with kids under the age of five,
it lends itself
to a certain socioeconomic
class.
It's aspirational, it's not
unattainable.
- Okay. - You can't start at
Walmart
and become Barney's.
- Look, Dominique, I do not
think that you don't have a
great idea here.
You're right. We should have
these essentials in hotels.
Whether they're luxury hotels or
not.
Like, it-it really should not
matter.
[dramatic music plays]
I understand where you're coming
from.
And I'm telling you this with
love.
- Yeah.
- You're killing your business.
■
■ I've been running ■
■ Running way too long ■
■ And I've been searching ■
■ But I'm still lost ■
■ My body's tired ■
■ I can't keep going on ■
■ I need to do something ■
■ To help me right my wrong ■
■ Facing these fears six feet
down ■
■ Sweat dripping off of my brow
■
■ My demons screaming so loud ■
■ But my angels drown out the
sound ■
■ Take me now ■
■ Show me how ■
■ Ashes to ashes, I'll rise out
of dust to dust ■
■ So take me now ■
■ Take me now, won't take me
down ■
■ Heaven forsake me ■
■ Make me strong ■
■ Take me now, take me now ■
■ Take me now, won't take me
down ■
■ Heaven forsake me ■
■ Make me strong ■
■ Take me now ■
■ Ready to be found ■
■ Gonna save me, make me strong
■
■ So take me now. ■
■ Sometimes it can feel like
you're stuck ■
■ Goodbye pain and farewell to
the blues ■
■ I am turning over the page ■
■ To get me a different view
■
- This is Ma Dukes recipe.
Our mac and cheese is the first
thing that goes on the truck.
So, if you want to get mac and
cheese, you know to show up
early,
or you won't be getting none.
NIC: So, Shek.
LESHEKA: Yeah? - You have any
concerns about the pitch?
Were you nervous?
LESHEKA: Yeah, I was nervous.
Some stuff,
I was, like, you know what?
I'm-a just get real with it.
I'm-a just tell them from the
heart and
NIC: Yeah. LESHEKA: You know,
vibe with them
and see how they like it.
- That's good. - I got real. I
got raw,
and I got to the point. NIC:
Uh-huh.
- Oh, hello.
- What? It's Emma.
- [laughs]
- Yes. - You told me about the
sauce.
It is the sauce. I was, like, "I
need to come back for more."
- I told you it's-it's the sauce
for me.
- Can I get in there? I feel
very, like, locked out.
- Yeah. Come in.
with a smaller group of side
hustlers
to decide if we want to move
forward
And then, for some others, we're
gonna need to see more from them
before we can commit to working
together any further.
It is hot in here. - Yes.
- Oh, my goodness. - This is it.
This is where it happens.
EMMA: How does this usually work
for you?
LESHEKA: My main chef is my
kid's father.
This is Nic. This is Nic. - Oh,
hi, Nic.
NIC: Hey, how you doing? - Hi,
Nic. - Me, him and him mom
started it all.
- How are you? Get in here, Nic.
Are you two Wait a minute.
You're business partners? BOTH:
Yeah.
- That's not an easy feat.
- That's-that's why I stay over
there, and she stay over here.
That's my sanctuary. - A little
separation.
- A little separation. - A
little separation.
- [laughter]
- I'm so glad I actually got to
see the truck in action.
Now, like, the whole thing
feels contextualized in a way. -
Yup.
- So, I really want to
understand a little bit more
about your partnership.
Are you husband and wife?
- No.
- Boyfriend and girlfriend?
LESHEKA: No.
We're just, we co-parent. -
Co-parent.
- Ah!
That, I never understood. -
[laughs]
- Okay. LESHEKA: We make it
work.
EMMA: So, it's a real family
thing
because all the recipes were
based on your mother's recipes.
- Yes. - Yes, ma'am. Mm-hmm. -
May she rest in peace. Wow.
That's really amazing. - Yup. Ma
Dukes.
LESHEKA: She made sure I was in
there.
She was like, "That's my
daughter-in-law."
I'm like, "Okay." - That's how
she introduced her
to everybody. - To everybody.
- You're continuing in the
relationship in a different way.
- Yeah. NIC: Yeah.
- Okay. Who does what right now?
- We pretty much both do
everything. He does majority of
the cooking.
- There's a double side hustle.
- Yeah. - Yes.
- Who makes the sauce?
How much does it cost you? Like,
give me the full rundown.
- So, the sauce is about $12 to
make.
Now, I'm talking about the big
jug that we have on there.
- And you have never attempted
to actually sell the sauce on
its own?
- No.
I don't know where to start. He
don't know how to start.
- We be struggling.
- How is the business currently
structured between the two of
you?
- As far as?
- Is it owned by both of you
together?
- No. - Okay.
LESHEKA: It's registered as
under an LLC. He's the owner.
EMMA: It's under an LLC?
Completely under your name? -
Yes.
- Yeah. - Interesting.
This business wasn't exactly
what had been pitched
We got to get some lawyers to
immediately put pen to paper
around this business and who
owns what.
I really want to talk to the
woman of the hour.
- All right.
LESHEKA: Let's get to it.
[laughs] - We got some work to
do.
All right, so the first thing I
would
really want to figure out is
making sure that you have
your 50% ownership.
- Yeah. - Because we don't want
to end up in a position
where you're doing all of this
work
to get this sauce out into the
market,
and, suddenly, you know, the
business is yanked
from underneath you. I want you
to figure that out
so that I can make sure that the
work I do really benefits you.
- Yeah. - Get the paperwork
into a place where you know that
you've got your 50% ownership,
and if that's something that you
can push through,
then I am all in to mentor you.
- Yeah.
She has a single-minded focus.
She's got ambition.
The next steps are yours, my
love.
■ Unbreakable ■
■ Unbreakable ■
I feel like I was able to
express a lot
Hopefully, that just let them
know how excited and hopeful I
am.
My name is Ali. I am 39 years
old and I'm from Venice,
California.
Hey, Rex, you want some
strawberries?
- You want to watch
Sounds about right.
but my other little baby
If Bonks doesn't become a
success,
I was in my head saying, "Yes!
Yes! Yes!
I want panties in a bag."
for this little package of
underwear
So, I'm immediately interested
in what else Ali
Hello. [laughs]
- Oh, my God. [laughs]
- Ali! Hi. - You're at my house!
[both squeal]
- [chuckles] - Come on in.
ASHLEY: Perfect.
Now, the reason I'm here is
because of the pitch.
I was very impressed, and I want
to see where the magic happens.
ALI: Yeah. Can I take you back?
- Yeah, please. - Okay.
- Let's go. Yay. - Let's go.
This is my little space of
tranquility.
- It's perfect. It's all you
need. - It's great.
- We've got some Bonks here. -
Mm-hmm.
Got some of my display pieces. -
Okay.
- And then I keep some inventory
here - Oh, great.
- organized in these bins.
- Whoa. You got a lot of
inventory.
- Right now, one of the
struggles is that
affordability is really
important to the product.
- Mm-hmm. - So, at a $12 price
point,
I need to be churning out a lot
of products.
- So, how much extra is it
costing you to make
the other fabrics and the other
colors?
Because, in a way, it kind of
feels like that could be
a part of the problem with your
profit.
- It does dilute the sales a bit
because
black sells better. Let's just
be honest.
- I like a beige.
When I think about Bonks, I
think about emergency.
- Right.
- What I don't care about is
what color they are.
What I would rather care about
is how are they making my vagina
feel.
-Right. -And do I feel
supported?
- Yeah. - So, my other big
question
that is burning - Yes.
Where's our sizes at? - Yes.
Because I'm the average-sized
American woman,
and
- Give it to me, girl. Show me
what you're working with.
- I got my Bonks on.
- Great. - And they're digging
in.
If we're talking about one size
fits many,
well, I think one size fits few.
- Not
- I think you keep your small,
medium, large,
and then you do an XL, XXL, and
3XL.
- Okay. - This is a lot, and,
girl, I know what it's like to
be married and build a business.
- Yes, you do. - That is not
easy.
- No. - What's hubby saying
about all of this?
Because - Is there a time
limit on this?
- I feel like that clock is
ticking.
- Mm.
- There's been a lot of pressure
on my husband.
Bonks needs to work.
- Ali, if I want this in my bag,
there is definitely somebody
else
that wants this in their bag. -
Yes.
- I believe in you. Ali, I'm
willing
to go to the next step with you
and mentor you.
- Now we're talking. [laughs] -
So,
please do your research on -
Okay.
- just the two colorways.
- Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. - We go into
the multiple sizes,
and then that's it, and we got
to figure out where to get you
and how to get you into
literally
everywhere that makes sense,
right? - Everywhere. Yes.
- And I've also got a $15,000
fund for your business.
I see this going into being a
multimillion dollar company.
- Yes. Let's do it.
- Bye.
- It doesn't mean it's gonna
happen.
- Bonks away. - Thank you so
much.
Ultimately, that decision is
kind of up to me.
■ We bring the fight in ■
■ We style on up there ■
■ Not checking the time ■
■ We rocking all night, there
ain't no stopping ■
- Thank you. Let's see.
I'm hoping for the best. That's
all I could do, right?
- Oh, hello, Angel.
- Hi. Oh. - Hi.
- I wasn't expecting you today.
- How are you? [laughs]
- I'm good. How are you?
- Well, you know, I just wanted
to turn up and see where the
magic happens.
- Good to see you again. - How
are you?
I absolutely love the idea of
what AMP Beauty are trying to
do,
and discover the most brilliant
beauty products
I'm here with you. - Yes.
- And I know that this is a
partnership.
- Yes, yes.
- If we start working together,
does this end up being something
where I'm working with Angel?
Am I working with the
partnership - Yes.
- of Angel and Montré?
- Definitely partnership with
Angel and Montré.
- Why is she not here?
- Montré is working.
- Got it. - So, at any given
moment,
we're pulled in-in different
directions.
EMMA: It's so difficult for me
to evaluate
AMP Beauty and my willingness
to get involved when I'm only
speaking
to one-half of the business
partnership. - Yeah.
- That is not feasible. - Yeah.
It's a massive red flag to me.
What's the split right now
between the direct business and
the retail store?
- E-commerce drives 90% of our
sales.
We haven't done a ton of
marketing around this space, in
general.
- I think that the energy for
your business has to go where
the revenue is.
If 90% of the revenue is coming
from direct to consumer,
you got to double down 'cause
the customer is telling you what
she wants, right?
Who is in control of the
finances of the business?
Felicia was actually the person
who organized the books
and make sure we had the
accountants
and make sure the taxes were
paid. - Yeah.
- And numbers is my weakness, if
I'm being honest.
It's really intimidating,
especially when you enter these
- Yes, it is.
- investor conversations.
When it comes to budgeting and
forecasting
and knowing where to cut,
that's what we really need help
on.
I hear numbers, and I a wall
goes up.
- Now that you don't have your
third business partner with you,
you have to have financial
literacy.
As a founder, understanding how
much is coming in
is so fundamental, right? -
Yeah.
- And I think it's gonna really
help you if you face some of
those fears.
I have an incredible woman that
you should meet, Jack Howard.
She's the head of money wellness
over at Ally,
and she'll really be able to
work through some of that.
I'm worried that Angel doesn't
have a grip on the numbers.
As an entrepreneur, you need to
understand your business
inside out, and that means
It's an absolute must-do.
before I even decide whether or
not I'm gonna work with them,
I really love this business, you
know?
I loved you from the moment I
met you, and I really believe
in the purpose of it more than
anything else.
So, if I'm gonna mentor you, I
need to meet your business
partner
'cause I need to know who I'm
working with. - Yes.
- I need to know that she's on
board and that she believes
and is aligned with you and
aligned with me.
Second thing with that, we need
to create a business plan.
I would really need to see from
you guys
what are the key growth levers
for this company,
and we're gonna do that. Me,
you - And Mantré.
I would love that. - Yes.
- And then we'll look at a
little plan together.
- Okay.
to my business, not to my job.
■ Heading out to the upside ■
■ Moving up, up, up ■
■ To the upside ■
and I have invested in so many
different awesome baby
companies.
I want to know the broader
picture for Lightly.
- Oh, my God. - [laughs] Hi,
Dominique.
Oh, the tears have begun.
- Welcome into my home. -
[laughs]
Is this Lightly headquarters? -
Oh, my God, yes.
ASHLEY: This is grassroots. -
This is it.
- This is how people do it. -
Yeah.
- I loved your pitch yesterday.
- Thank you.
- As a mom, I see the value in
Lightly 'cause my oldest is
three and a half.
My twins are one and a half. -
Wow.
- Yeah, there's a lot. - That's
a lot.
- So, I'm here because I care.
And I think that there's a lot
going on
behind the scenes - Yeah.
- that is maybe hard for you.
Nobody's going to build a
company on their own.
- Yeah. - And so I'm just
curious
where I can help - Yeah, no,
- we can get into it. - Um, if I
even have the capacity
to be able to help you. - Yeah.
Yeah. - So, let's go sit down.
I want to, I want to discuss
this. Okay. - Yeah. You can
come Yeah.
and she has poured literally
everything
into her business
knows what that's like, I do.
too thin.
I know how hard it is to be a
working mom.
- Yeah. - It's been a lot,
not only on my body, but on my
marriage. - Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
- I know the stress that goes
into that.
And you also have a main job. -
Yeah.
- There's so much that I see
all over you that is struggling.
There is so much of me that I
see in you,
and there is a lot of moms that
need help.
They do. They need help.
This is something that we all
feel.
And if
if other moms can really just
put a hand out and say, "We got
it. We're gonna be in this
together,"
and you're solving a problem for
them - Yeah.
- then great.
- Thank you for seeing me.
I'm a double Virgo, so I'm like,
"It's fine.
Everything is fine." Internally,
like, I'm those swan that's
like
- Everything is not fine.
I'm emotional 'cause I want to
know
can you reach the benchmarks -
Yeah.
- that I feel your business
needs?
Can you break down the price
point?
DOMINIQUE: We do not sell
directly to customers.
Our focus is on branded hotels,
at the moment.
I only charge the hotel.
$115 from me. - Okay.
- How they're offering it to
their guests,
depends on - Is up to them.
- Yes. - They could sell for
whatever they want.
- Exactly. - Okay.
That could get expensive.
What is it gonna take for you to
get the cost down?
Because every parent - Right.
- deserves to have this product
when they're stranded at an
airport or hotel.
So, here's the thing I want to
know
are you willing to lower your
price point for people
who just can't spend so much
money?
- So, the most important part of
Lightly
is the fact that I'm unwilling
to compromise on quality.
It's a non-negotiable.
What I'm doing is lining up the
brands
that I think meet our standards,
our brand standards.
That means products that are
safe, that are clean, that are
eco-conscious.
Yes, I want to make lots of
money, you know,
and-and provide for my family,
but I'm trying to make an actual
statement,
and I need investors who really
get that.
and that's a problem for me.
When I'm walking into a business
with someone like you,
I also need to know that this is
gonna be a collaboration.
- It is a collaboration,
but I'm not going to say that
I'm, like, a pushover.
Like, uh, everything you say to
me, I'm gonna run and go do.
I have to feel comfortable, too.
- Mm-hmm.
Okay. I need to sit on this. -
Mm-hmm.
- So, get your numbers together.
- Yeah.
- I want to see that whole
portfolio of your finances. -
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
- I'm gonna come and circle back
around with you
and let you know - Okay.
- what my final decision is,
to see if I'm ready to mentor
you. - Yeah.
- Okay, Dominique, I'm out of
here.
- Thank you so much. Oh, my
gosh. - Oh
- Thank you. - Yeah.
- Okay. All right. Yes. - Thank
you.
- I'll see you soon.
Okay. Bye, Dominique. - Good
night. Take care.
it may dissuade her from wanting
to invest in Lightly.
- For so many women, they have
to keep their eyes on so many
things.
Looking after children, a
full-time job.
- I am on site for my company.
It is almost 1:00 a.m.
- It is so hard to turn your
side hustle into your main
hustle.
- I am on my way to
my job to work another four
hours.
- You're betting on you.
- It's a lot, but we're gonna
get it done.
■ You can take on the world ■
■ Don't be afraid ■
■ There's no better person,
time, or place ■
- Oh, I'm so happy to see you.
I'm so happy to see you.
- I love your fit so much. -
Thank you, honey.
- Did you have a good weekend? -
I did have a good weekend.
It's just so much on the
weekend, you know? I'm like,
where's the weekend?
- I had all three of the boys to
myself.
No help, no husband. - All three
boys.
That's really tough.
- But I love it so much. I do.
- You're so dead. - I love,
like, I love going from, like,
the chaos
of work and then to the chaos of
home. - To the chaos of home.
[laughs]
- So what's going on with Crate
Away? I'm so curious.
when she said she doesn't have
the product made,
that's when I was like, "Hands
up, I'm done."
- She's got a prototype that she
doesn't want anybody to touch,
and she's out there kind of
figuring out
where am I gonna find the
customers?
But she has nothing to sell
them.
Reality is, like, do we need to
go out
and raise a million bucks? I
think we do.
How are the panties in the bag,
girl?
- [laughs]
I would want to work with, but
this is a problem.
It is not one size fits many.
It's one size fits a few.
- Did you try them on?
- I walked in with it on. Come
on. - [laughs] Of course you
did.
- I'm not gonna invest in
something unless if I've eaten
it, tried it on,
played with it, done it, used
it, whatever.
We've got a size problem, and
we've got too many SKUs.
I'm scared for her. Oh, my God.
- I could not wait to tell you
about AMP Beauty.
- I did not meet her business
partner.
- Is she, like - And I was
fully expecting
the business partner to be
there. - Where is she?
- I said, "I have to meet your
business partner."
This mentorship ain't for free.
Like, I'm squeezing this in.
You better be there, correct and
present and ready
to take it all in. - Seriously.
Well, the Rif girls are really
on it. - Are they?
And I'm like, "Where's the
panties? I have to try on the
panties."
- No, you didn't. - Yes, I did.
- How many times are you gonna
put knickers on in this whole
situation?
- [laughs] As many times as I
have to. - [laughs]
- I went and I put 'em on, and
it was like
■ Ah! ■ - Really, that good?
- I kept them on. The product is
so strong.
I love seeing two women come
together and execute a plan
and a vision, especially when
it's helping other women.
- Absolutely.
- Okay, talk to me about
Lesheka.
She runs a really wonderful
chicken truck.
- Mm-hmm. - That's her business.
But what she sold us was this
sauce business.
- Yes. - That's what she wants
to do,
but that isn't the business
she's in, currently.
And she actually doesn't own the
business.
- No. - Yes.
I said this is a huge issue. You
need to speak to a lawyer.
You need to make sure that all
of this work
that you're doing it has to
belong to you.
- Given everything that you see
as challenges,
do you think that you're gonna
go through with mentoring her?
- I really want to mentor her
because I feel like she's
someone
that can gain so much from it. -
Mm-hmm.
- But I also need to discover,
like,
how realistic is she to the
realities of her issues.
Because I don't have time to
waste.
- No.
- Navigating through the
difficult times is what business
is all about.
- Yeah. - It's tough.
- Speaking of.
you know, "Are you willing to
mold on this?
Are you willing to push on
that?" "No."
And I'm over here screaming from
the rooftops, like,
"Get the customer right here,
like,
where we can all afford it, no
matter what."
- That business is
super-elitist, right?
- Yeah. - It's, like, a premium
product,
mostly given away at premium
services,
and so how do you actually
figure that out for the masses?
'Cause if you want to scale,
that is not what you're selling.
- That is the problem we are
having.
She's aligned with what she
knows and what she wants.
I cannot give my money to
somebody that's not gonna be
able to hear me out.
You can scale it. You can grow
it. You can be whatever you want
to be.
- But you got to listen.
- You got to listen. - You got
to listen.
You got to take the advice.
["Only I Do" by Tiwala plays]
■ So hard to compete, no other
can be like me ■
■ Like me ■
■ Others tried to match, left
'em in a flash ■
■ Like me ■
CHILD: Mom
DOMINIQUE: It's not ice cream
time.
Daddy's cooking right now,
bubba.
MATT: We're getting there. We're
getting there.
- [Dominique laughs]
- When do you think you'll meet
Ashley again?
- Pretty soon.
- Do you think she got a good
vision of, like,
what you're trying to, uh
- As a mother, she absolutely
understands,
and I really like her,
and I feel, like, a really
strong synergy.
To have her, you know, - That's
huge.
- sort of sign off on Lightly
would be epic.
But she had some really strong
suggestions
around, like, a more accessible
price point.
That's not the type of brand
that we are,
which is elevated and premium.
So I think my concern is
does she understand my vision?
Is she willing to get behind
that vision?
- Why wouldn't you go with more
accessible brands?
- Lightly is an elevated travel
brand
that is dedicated to supplying
premium baby care products, full
stop.
I don't believe parents should
have to
compromise on quality while away
from home.
- Can I say something to you? Or
ask? - Of course.
- 'Cause I know my think I
know my wife pretty well.
- Yeah. - You get streamlined in
your goal
to where you are and you have it
already mapped out.
You are diligent on that.
And then somebody may come along
with an idea
that would be creative or
something that's actually
you may not have even thought
of,
and sometimes you are a
little
Yeah. Right? - "Stay over
there."
It's a good attribute, but it
also can be a detriment too,
as we go along.
Would you be flexible if, like,
you know, she's offering these
suggestions?
'Cause, I mean, this is, like,
surprise opportunity here,
right? I mean
- Mm-hmm.
- I'm hoping she listens to
Ashley's advice
and takes that into making
the business of Lightly
successful.
Sometimes detours lead us in the
right direction,
as some things have for us.
- I agree, I just don't think
this is the one.
I'm unwilling to compromise on
the quality of the products.
- Okay. Hey, you know more than
me, so I
[dramatic music plays]
[quiet, contemplative music
plays]
Hey, y'all, it's Angel.
- Montré. - Felicia,
- The founding team at AMP
Beauty LA. - Hey. -Hey!
Make sure you follow us and stay
tuned.
Hey, my girl.
- And this is finally a time for
us to sit down and just
How are you? How are you
feeling? - So good to see you.
Good.
- After this morning. After the
day.
- Yes, it was a day. - We got
through it.
It's just hard to actually
acknowledge
that Felicia's not here.
Like, we were just at her
gravesite.
We were just with her family.
I know it's real, but it's not
real.
- It's hard to move forward,
but we have to keep her legacy
alive.
- Right. So, you know,
Ms. Emma popped into the store
the other day.
- She, like, saw AMP downtown,
like, walked in the doors?
My name is Montré Moore. I am 33
years old.
- Oh, the curls. Okay.
So, 20 bags.
Montré and I met 15 years ago.
- We became very close really
fast.
- Really fast. [laughs]
Hey, girl. There you go.
- How are you?
- It's hot as hell everywhere.
Look at you. Wine o'clock. Okay.
always seen eye to eye,
and when we clash, we really
clash.
got into a huge, blow-up
argument.
We did not talk
for, probably, eight or nine
months.
- I'm thinking, since this is a
bestseller,
like, eye level here. - Okay.
she has to see where we're at
now.
- So, are you gonna go to the
post office
before you go to work?
- I was not going to, but I will
do it for you. [laughs]
Her capacity and willingness to
invest in us and believe in us
can go away like that if she
senses that there is
friction between us.
And this doesn't mean we're not
going to have conflict.
because we're not in agreement
about something.
Emma came into the store,
she identified three key areas
that we can sort of work on
and build strategy around.
- The first: e-commerce. -
Mm-hmm.
- Second: the finances. - Oh,
yes.
- And third, one of our favorite
conversations:
marketing.
- You know, we've been at the
e-commerce for, what, almost
three years now,
- Yeah. - and, like, there
hasn't been a huge jump.
- Let's be real. How do we
invest in
marketing and ads when we don't
have the money?
There has to be a way.
- I'm gonna be looking at the
finances of each of these
Are they spending money towards
growth
or are they throwing money down
the pan?
Remains to be seen.
- For me, talking about money is
a scary thing.
When it came to AMP, Felicia
handled it. Right?
So, now we have the
responsibility to say she's not
here.
What are we gonna do in that
position?
How are we gonna fill the gaps
and the voids of the things
that she used to take care of?
And we're just not gonna get it
right all the time.
I am going to be grieving
Felicia's loss for the rest of
my life.
But when I have something
that meant so much to her, that
means so much to Montré,
it gives me something to work
for every day.
get it together, keep going." So
that's what we're gonna do.
- Shout out to Emma. - Emma, our
new girl.
- Let's do it.
[upbeat music plays]
■ Waiting for ■
■ Some kind of sign ■
- Good news is the other day,
Ashley knocked on my door.
We talked about the areas, um,
that need improvement in the
business and what's working.
The good news is Ashley's really
excited about the brand.
And even more important is
- she understands where I want
to take it. - Mm-hmm.
- The bad news is that Ashley's
not a fan of the prints.
She feels like people
are gonna gravitate towards
basics no matter what.
And she said a "one size fits
many" is not gonna work in this
market.
- Okay. Although Ashley's ideas
are good,
what does that mean for what
you've already done?
- It means - Is this a start
over? Is this a
- Kind of, and that's really
scary because
I've put so much investment into
that. - Mm-hmm.
at the capacity that I'm willing
to keep taking out of savings.
because there's so many steps
that happen after that process
that I've already invested money
on.
And I'm hesitant to just drop
everything
because this is what she feels
is the way for the company
'cause I've already been
building this business as it is
and the response has been good.
- Is there room for both?
Is there room for, like -
Maybe.
This hustle really needs to
go to the next level and
perform. - Perform.
- Maybe that's what you have to
do to get it right.
- Not to worry. - Thanks.
■ I know where I'm going ■
■ Locked and now I'm loaded ■
■ Nothing standing in my way ■
- Ooh, it is hot. - We need to
get this
air condition on here fixed.
This is
I can't do this. I'm melting in
here.
- So, we have to get an
attorney.
We're gonna have to get the
business, you know,
put it in both of our names. -
Yeah.
you know, and the percentages of
how we're gonna break it down.
- Uh-huh.
- You know, how are we gonna do
that?
I think it should be half.
[dramatic music plays]
- I mean, I put a little more
work in, you know? I don't know
about half.
■
Sixty/forty.
- I'm not doing 60/40. I'll be
just as much as you.
- What do you mean? I do this
more than you, though.
- Ah, ah, now, but we're getting
into it
because you have the
availability. Be we
like you said, we work both
work full time jobs.
We both take care of the kids
50/50% of the
- We talking about the business,
though.
■
I work this business more than
you, so it's only right that I
have more.
- I ain't taking that, though.
- What you mean?
- Definitely not taking that.
[upbeat music plays]
- Hi. - Welcome, ladies.
- I'm really excited about the
Jack Howard meeting.
We have not been aligned when it
comes to expenses, finances,
and have a budget for certain
things.
- My name is Jack Howard. I
serve as the head of money
wellness for Ally.
We are really looking at how
your money
impacts you mentally, physically
and socially.
And it's really money
psychology.
Today we're gonna get into your
money story,
which essentially looks at how
we do irrational things with
money.
So we're gonna get into why, and
then from there,
we can create different habits.
Okay? So, to kick off our money
story,
what's the first thing you
remember about money?
Does anybody want to share?
- It goes back to me and my
brother
being given lunch money. -
Mm-hmm.
- But we weren't given a lot, so
we kind of saved it,
and my brother would always give
me his.
I never asked him why until we
got older,
and he was like, "I wanted to
make sure you were okay."
- Mmm. That's so powerful.
What comes up for you,
emotionally, when you talk about
it?
- I made sure my daughter had
everything.
- So, is that when you got your
grind during that time period?
- Yeah. - And kids will do that
to you. Yeah.
- Um, I, honestly my parents
didn't talk about money growing
up at all.
My parents bought this
million-dollar house.
We had a BMW. Like, my parents
were doing the American dream.
And then in 2008, we became
homeless and lost everything.
Um, actually was
sleeping on Rebecca's couch,
like, three months after I met
her.
It was like, "I know you're a
new friend,
"but my family just lost their
house
and I need somewhere to stay."
Um
Money is just really confusing
to me.
REBECCA: I remember that
we just ended up being able to
be there for each other
and, like, getting out of that
hole together
I think that was just really
powerful
and, like, why we're able to be
there for each other now.
Sometimes people question, "Oh,
you're co-founders.
And do you really trust each
other?" And all this stuff.
And, like, they don't know how
much we've been through
together.
- My father died when I was two
months old,
so my family kind of stepped in.
So I was like a community child
that everyone raised.
Now it's more of the pressure of
I want my loved ones to be okay
and whatever I have to do.
I don't feel like the money is
really gonna mean much to me
unless I'm able to take care of
my family.
- Thank you for sharing that and
for being vulnerable.
- So, my earlier memories with
money revolve around my mom.
I just remember so many other
family members
asking her for money, and there
were times that I,
you know, felt like it
overextended her,
but she still did it anyway.
- I'm sitting with that, just
for a moment, because
those experiences when we're
young can show up
with a scarcity mindset when we
get older,
of feeling like there isn't
enough.
Knowing where it came from. So
that's the goal of this
exercise.
So I'm hopeful if that ever
comes up for you, you know,
now, you can say, "Oh, that is
ten-year-old me,
and I'm not there anymore. I'm
here and I'm safe and I'm
secure."
- I think that was the first
time in a long time
that we were in a room, talking
about money, and it felt safe.
- I think this is a big reset
for us to align on that bigger
picture
and not just for the business.
- We can get our shit together.
- We can.
- We could get it together.
Yeah.
- I have been having guilt
during this
entrepreneurial process because
the savings
that I do have, I've been
putting into the business.
I've just been so scared about
never getting back what I've put
in.
And as a mom of two,
I have not proven to myself
that I can provide my kids with
the same sense of security.
And that's, like, a very scary
thing as a parent.
JACK: When you have children,
just knowing that
I will do anything for my kids.
- Yes.
- Something that comes up for me
is this concept of more and
enough.
The root issue is you want to
feel safe,
and then that's okay. But is
that going to Disney World
and spending a gazillion dollars
or is it going to the park
because what you really want is
time with them?
other people's stories because
oftentimes you feel like you're
alone.
- The scarcity, the fear, the
stress that it brings.
- And it was one of those things
where it's like,
"Wow, I'm so thankful for her
and what she did for me."
And, you know, don't be so hard
on yourself.
- Oftentimes, those issues,
those first money memories, are
gonna come up.
So my goal was to bring
awareness to you so that when it
comes up
and you have that scarcity
mindset or you have that fear
or you feel like you're
overworking
within your business and not
taking care of yourself,
we called it out here.
You got witnesses. - [laughing]
JACK: So now when that behavior
comes up,
we're not there anymore.
We're shifting our money
mantras.
We're shifting our money story
to something different.
Your behaviors and your emotions
and your beliefs show up with
your money.
We know how unexpected things
come up
that can impact us financially.
While you're working on your
side hustle,
we want to take some of that
worry away.
So we started the Ally fund,
which will make up to $10,000
available to you
to use in case of an emergency.
That time when the car breaks
down,
you need help with childcare,
you can use that money
to support yourself. - [whoops]
[cheering]
- It's an emergency right now.
[laughing]
- We are really rooting for all
of you to be successful.
I wish you well and I'll see you
soon.
- All right. - This is amazing.
- Thank you so much. - Yes, yes,
yes.
so much risk involved with being
an entrepreneur.
■ Oh, oh ■
■ I've got the hustle ■
■ I've got the heart ■
■ I be getting money in the bank
■
- Hello. - Hi, Ms. Ali Bonks.
- How are you? I love your
yellow. - Thank you. I'm on
theme.
I'm really excited to hear from
Ali to see if she's on board
with the ideas that I gave her
and what her plan is to make
this all happen.
Okay, so talk to me about the
benchmarks
that I gave you before we left,
- Yeah.
- 'cause I think that the sizing
does matter.
- Yeah. - We could do an XL,
XXL, and then cutting
all of, like, the patterns
and the colors and that. -
Mm-hmm.
- Did you think about that? -
Yeah. I talked
- Okay. - I've thought about it.
- I just want to make sure are
you okay with that?
- I think that the sizing does
matter.
I just want to make sure, are
you okay with that?
[dramatic music plays]
- I am. My number two seller,
the three pack, black with two
prints.
But if I were to make the multi
pack
with the nude, chances are it's
gonna be big.
- Good! because I want
I want you to feel it in your
gut. - Yeah.
- The major steps of the
business
that she was wanting changed
And I'm hoping that Ashley sees
that
as yet another step of me
- I have been doing as much
research
as I can to really figure out
how much is one pair of panty.
And everything kept coming back
to six.
- Mm-hmm. - Six, seven dollars.
What would it take for you
to say, "Okay, I can sell
one Bonks package for $6?"
Because to see this on a shelf
in the travel section
or even in a checkout line
for $12 is jarring. - Yeah.
If I were to retail them for six
dollars,
I'm only making a dollar a pair.
- Mm-hmm. - Which is pretty
tight.
- I'll tell you what, you are
going to be able to
slowly become profitable over
time
by having it be around half the
price.
If somebody comes in, has never
heard of Bonks, and they try it
and they like it, they're gonna
keep coming back for more.
So, really consider it. - Yeah.
that it's all about scale and
quantity.
before I have those big
retailers
is gonna be really hard for me
to, you know, come close to
staying afloat.
In addition to that, is there
anything
that you're wanting me to really
focus on?
- I want you to get rid of some
more inventory.
- Okay. I'll get on that. That's
a good■ that's a good
challenge for me. - It's gonna
be great.
- Yeah.
[upbeat music plays]
■ I am playing with fire ■
- Hi. - Hi, gorge.
- How are you? I'm good. - How
are you?
One of Ashley's comments was
related to
and nursery kits at a more
accessible price point.
- Last time I saw you,
you were emotional. I was
emotional.
- It was a lot. - Yes, it was.
- Like a good "a lot."
You know what I mean? I
appreciate you
and I want you in our corner.
Right? What do you think?
- Well, you don't love the idea
of lowering the premium cost
and, like, taking the products
just, maybe,
- down a couple of notches so
that - No.
Luxury hospitality's on fire.
You know, if you can afford to
travel
with kids under the age of five,
it lends itself
to a certain socioeconomic
class.
It's aspirational, it's not
unattainable.
- Okay. - You can't start at
Walmart
and become Barney's.
- Look, Dominique, I do not
think that you don't have a
great idea here.
You're right. We should have
these essentials in hotels.
Whether they're luxury hotels or
not.
Like, it-it really should not
matter.
[dramatic music plays]
I understand where you're coming
from.
And I'm telling you this with
love.
- Yeah.
- You're killing your business.
■
■ I've been running ■
■ Running way too long ■
■ And I've been searching ■
■ But I'm still lost ■
■ My body's tired ■
■ I can't keep going on ■
■ I need to do something ■
■ To help me right my wrong ■
■ Facing these fears six feet
down ■
■ Sweat dripping off of my brow
■
■ My demons screaming so loud ■
■ But my angels drown out the
sound ■
■ Take me now ■
■ Show me how ■
■ Ashes to ashes, I'll rise out
of dust to dust ■
■ So take me now ■
■ Take me now, won't take me
down ■
■ Heaven forsake me ■
■ Make me strong ■
■ Take me now, take me now ■
■ Take me now, won't take me
down ■
■ Heaven forsake me ■
■ Make me strong ■
■ Take me now ■
■ Ready to be found ■
■ Gonna save me, make me strong
■
■ So take me now. ■