Josh Childress and Ryan Leslie at Success Conversations in Brooklyn, NY. Image: Jamel Martin.
A stylish crowd gathered this week at 74 Wythe on the corner of N. 12th St. and Wythe Avenue in Brooklyn, New York. From the venue’s rooftop overlooking the Manhattan skyline, a palpable excitement could be felt in the crowd as they took their seats to gather gems of wisdom from Josh Childress, the featured speaker for ‘Success Conversations with Ryan Leslie,’ powered by M&T Bank.
Childress, a basketball great who played for the Atlanta Hawks and Phoenix Suns, and Leslie, the singer, producer and entrepreneur who launched WealthPlan™ by Ryan Leslie, engaged in a mesmerizing conversation about wealth management and how to build your capital.
For those who don’t have the financial means to invest in a business, Childress suggested offering sweat equity, your skills and talent as your share of equity in a start-up. He also stressed the importance of having a mentor who can guide you and that it’s imperative to be a good mentee in return. “You get out what you put into it,” he shared with EBONY. “Showing up and being intentional about presenting yourself is critical to your success.”
Leslie spoke about the necessity of time management. “I’m a hyper, super organized time optimizer; I use Google Calendar. If 30 minutes have passed, and I don’t have an entry, I will record where that time went,” he shared. “Time is really our most valuable asset. Attend to your time the way you attend to your bank account.”
Guests enjoyed cocktails, wine, beer and delicious appetizers while DJs Zeke and Freedom spun tunes that honored hip hop’s 50th anniversary. EBONY served as a media partner for the event, which was produced by Fueled by Culture.