00:00
Speaker 1
Welcome to the Unfinished Business podcast. I’m your host, Eric Malvin, and this is a show where we talk with CEOs, visionaries, leaders, people who are out there changing the community, making the world a better place through their leadership and creativity. Because it doesn’t matter who you are or what you accomplish. You could be Cornel West, Denzel Washington, even Moses Michael Ngandu, his Excellency still has something out there. All those people have something out there that they want to accomplish. And so we explore those stories here on Unfinished Business with Eric Malfin, 

00:34
Speaker 2
Where. 

00:34
Speaker 3
People in tech connect to amplify human intelligence. Plus AI new shot goals that launch you high. Listen close and you’ll learn why. 

00:56
Speaker 1
Welcome back. First up, I want to thank the connection Thai sushi out here in Las Vegas for hosting us for today’s episode. So if you’re out here in Vegas and you’re looking for some good Thai food, come on down here. Today’s episode is brought to you by Pac biz outsourcing. At PAC Biz Outsourcing, we help software SaaS, companies, transportation companies with outsourced support 247 support and dispatching with remote team in the Philippines that are dedicated to your business, helping your business grow while improving support, scaling faster, and keeping costs in check. If you’ve ever thought about outsourcing or taking on a virtual assistant, visit pack-biz.com to learn more or shoot us an email info@pack-biz.com all right, today, I am super excited to introduce you guys to our next guest. 

01:43
Speaker 1
He is the founder and executive director of the Power of One foundation, where he spent the last 17 years leading initiatives focused on education, health and social services to empower communities. He’s built and managed impactful partnerships, fundraising campaigns, and strategic programs that continue to expand the foundation’s reach and influence. And in addition to his nonprofit leadership, Andre serves as the CEO of Sovereign Circle Group, or Sovereign Circle Global Group. As a special advisor supporting mining strategy initiatives in Africa. His work blends leadership, strategic development and a deep commitment to driving meaningful social change. Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome Andre Robertson. Thank you so much for being here, Andre. 

02:31
Speaker 2
Thank you. That was an amazing intro. Appreciate you for having me. 

02:35
Speaker 1
Yeah, absolutely. And I’m excited to. I’ve gotten to meet you a couple times now. 

02:39
Speaker 2
Yes, absolutely. 

02:39
Speaker 1
And just today, while were setting up for the show, hearing some more of the stuff you’re involved with, I’m like, all right, there’s a lot of stuff I get to talk to you. 

02:48
Speaker 2
About, so I feel blessed. 

02:51
Speaker 1
So I guess let’s start with introducing yourself. Tell the audience here who you are and what do you do. 

03:00
Speaker 2
Absolutely. So for me, I grew up taking care of the physically and mentally challenged. That’s what started my whole road of turning me into a servant that I didn’t think I was going to be, but grew up taking care of the physically, mentally challenged. When I got into sports and television, my family was like, you need to find a way to give back. You can’t just be out here, want to be a star, but not give nothing back to the community. And so that’s where we started Official no One Left behind, which was a nonprofit that concentrated on food insecurity. So through that foundation, we fed well over 15 million people. And then through that foundation is where I got the. The heartstring, the start Power of one. Because, yeah, you. 

03:49
Speaker 1
17 years ago. Is that. 

03:50
Speaker 2
Or how long ago was that? Power of One’s been started since 2019. It was my other foundation with my family that actually gave me the 18 years of nonprofit space and work that I’m doing. Right. Because it was through that led me to say, okay, I really want to broaden my horizons, and I want to do international work. My family wanted to stay just in that little area that they were at with where were making a great impact, right? So that’s where Power of One came. And I wrote a song called Power of One, and my mom was like, you have to do something with that. Not until you do something with that is something going to go straight in your life. And I didn’t listen to her for a long time. 

04:28
Speaker 2
And then finally, right before the pandemic, I was doing a lot of work in China and different things like that, and I saw the way the virus was happening over there, and I was like, oh, I hope this doesn’t come here. Then one day I was sitting down, and it was like God spoke to me and said, I need you to go get food for 7,000 people. And I was like. And I had a relationship with a food bank over 15 years, Orange County Food Bank. And I went down there and asked the CEO, Mark Lowry. I said, hey, can I have food for 7,000 people? He looked at me crazy, backed up, and he said, what do you need that food for? The country wasn’t shut down yet. We kind of knew it was here, but didn’t know. He gave me the food. 

05:10
Speaker 2
Next thing I knew, I had another partner where I had started a basketball program at a charter school. And so from me starting that basketball program, I Made a relationship with that school and they were like, oh, we’ll give you the gym. So I have all this food in a gym, preparing it and I get to maybe about like 3 o’ clock that night after picking up this food because I’m just going off of what my heart told me to do, right? Yeah. Yeah. 

05:37
Speaker 1
So like 48 hours ago, before this, you didn’t even think you’d be in this spot. 

05:41
Speaker 2
No. And then I get there about three something. I have all this food and I done did all this logistics and then I just started getting nervous. I’m like, is like common sense kicked in. Like, wait a minute, hold on. I have all this food. What if no one shows up? 

05:54
Speaker 1
Yeah. 

05:55
Speaker 2
What if no one shows up? Yeah. Ended up about, I’d say probably like 5, 5:59 in the morning, this little car pulls up. Older lady, she shuts it off and parks and I’m like. And she’s like, oh. And I’m like, oh, see? See? See? Yeah. And then from there, man, ended up with a 10 mile line. Wow. From that 10 mile line, I got a call from the police department. We’re like, we’re going to shut you down. But they’re like, we’re going to partner with you. And that was the beginning. Through the pandemic for power of one that actually raised the profile, you know, got the key to the city, my name, nonprofit inducted into Congress. We fed 3 million people 2020 to 2021. 

06:45
Speaker 2
Me and my partner and we just went on a journey that I don’t know how we did it, but we did it. But it was very spiritual in nature to know that in a time of great need, you can see people come together and achieve something great together without knowing where the resources are coming from. But all the resources are provided for you. Right. So it kind of gave me a faith level that’s like, oh, okay, sure, we could do anything. 

07:21
Speaker 1
Yeah. 

07:21
Speaker 2
So it made me want to do more. And then that’s when I knew I’m like, oh wow. I was born to be a servant. So I can go do movies, music, all of this. But what I’m here to do, my purpose in life is to be a servant. So the more I master that, the more other things came together in my life. 

07:39
Speaker 1
And how have you seen that play out? Like as you’ve started to become like you’re. That’s become part of your identity now? Absolutely. As you’ve made that change, what’s happened now since then? 

07:54
Speaker 2
A lot has happened. Really. Number One. It’s like it matured me a lot, but then it opened up a lot of doors. Right. Because had I not fed these people, I wouldn’t. I wouldn’t be special advisor to the Secretary General of the continent of Africa right now, holding a major role. I probably wouldn’t have other business deals and transactions that are going on in my life, because there’s a level of trust there. Yeah, right. And so I’ve had people come into my life, offer me opportunities, whether it be in the film industry, to AI industry, to now the continent of Africa that have offered me roles and positions that give me the position of power to make more change in what I really want to do. 

08:45
Speaker 1
That’s incredible. Yeah. So that journey, now you. It sounds like the whole thing around giving back, I mean, you’re. Right away when you started seeing a success, your family didn’t let you get very far without reminding you need to start doing something about it. I’m guessing that it wasn’t like that was the first time you were told about this. Like, that’s probably been part of your upbringing, right? 

09:10
Speaker 2
It definitely was. My grandmother wanted me to be a preacher. She kept calling me her preacher. And I guess in a sense, this is my ministry. It’s just done in a different way because it fulfills my heart. And I love to. You know, it’s something about when you give, not expecting in return. Yeah, Right. And it’s the person that’s receiving it when they’re ex. When the gratitude that they show is something that you don’t expect, or you help someone and then you see them 10, 15 years later and they’re like, oh, wow, you helped our family do this, this, and this. And this is what I’m doing now, right? Yeah. You sit back and you’re just humbled. Right. You’re just like, wow. And so that’s what, you know, I see families that we’ve been helping for years. 

09:57
Speaker 2
And, you know, these were little kids, and now they’re adults doing amazing things. We have one family, the Morales family. They were part of a school where I was teaching kids how to do food distributions. Well, these kids at one time were like 4, 5, 13. Now they’re working in governmental offices and doing amazing things. But their heartstrings, they never forgot what they were doing when they were little. So I think when you make an impact and the whole thing is to pay it forward so that someone else wants to feel that way naturally, so they pay it forward for someone else. I think that’s when you’ve achieved something. 

10:34
Speaker 1
Well, I want to circle back to something. Then you said you were doing something about teaching kids how to do food distribution. I’ve never, I’ve heard about people getting kids to volunteer, but you’re like teaching people how to fish. You’re not feeding them, you’re teaching them how to go out and be many versions of you. 

10:52
Speaker 2
You know, it’s a funny thing when you’re in food insecurity, right. Or, or just when you want to help someone, period, you want to help them. And some, your first thing and natural inclination inside of your mind is to say, oh, let me give you all these resources, but not once do we look at it and be like, oh, let me teach you this first. We always want to give. And so I learned through giving, through working with kids because kids are so honest, you know, and then now the kids, this day, between technology and other things, they don’t really know the roots of what humanity is. Right. It’s overlooked. So that’s where I was like, okay, cool. Since I’m a basketball coach and I do a lot of things with youth kids, I’m like, okay, well, cool. 

11:35
Speaker 2
Let’s start a program where now you have to run a distribution because the person that you’re sitting next to may be really hungry. 

11:42
Speaker 1
Right. 

11:42
Speaker 2
We’re in a tier one district. Yeah. I go to school, I can eat, I can pay for my lunch, but my friend over here can’t pay for his lunch and he doesn’t even have meal vouchers. Yeah, right. So when I started going into classrooms and explaining that, then it was just a lot of at risk kids that wanted to come and be a part of this. And that’s what I love. It wasn’t the kids that were affluent, it was the at risk kids, which were the kids that needed to help. 

12:10
Speaker 1
Yeah. 

12:10
Speaker 2
So as soon as that came, I started out with maybe, what, 10 kids? I ended up with like 50 kids. And then what did that do? That brought their parents. So now I’m out doing a distribution where we’re distributing probably like enough food for a thousand families when it’s all ran by kids and their parents. Yeah. Right. So now you’re teaching them what, community engagement. You’re teaching them leadership and basic life understanding you can have, but there’s other people that don’t have. And you could be in that position just as well as you could be in this position, because this is what you’re working for. But what happens if you Never get there. Yeah, right. Do you still have a sense of happiness? Because people think, oh, just because you’re low income, you’re sad. 

12:58
Speaker 2
Low income families or families that are hard hit have some of the most love and are the most happiest. 

13:06
Speaker 1
We definitely got our priorities mixed here in the US because you look, they talk about the Philippines all the time too, like natural disaster after natural disaster. And it’s like everyone’s like, you guys are always so happy, even if, like you’re walking through a flood and it’s like your house got washed away and. But, you know, in the midst of all that, they’re. Filipinos are some of the most happiest people, even though they don’t have much. It’s just pretty crazy. We always think it’s backwards. 

13:30
Speaker 2
Right? 

13:31
Speaker 1
We have it backwards completely here. 

13:32
Speaker 2
Yeah, it’s like the cycle of life. Right. And some, I just think some communities understand it, like, just like you said, the Philippines, like getting hit that many times by typhoons, boom. But yeah, no, I’m out. 

13:44
Speaker 1
Yeah. 

13:46
Speaker 2
But this is the way of life. This is nature. This is, this is what God intended for it to be. So we adjust, we adapt. We adapt, but we don’t lose our integrity and our happiness for it. 

13:57
Speaker 1
Yeah, yeah. So now going back, what was the inspiration for you to think so globally? You know, your fan, like you came out of Orange county and, you know, that was your community. You grew up there, I’m guessing. 

14:10
Speaker 2
Yeah, yeah. I grew up right in Santana Santolino. You know, I got introduced to Mexico. When I got introduced to Mexico and I started going over there, helping in the US Is great because we do have poverty here. 

14:31
Speaker 1
Yeah. 

14:31
Speaker 2
But the poverty inside the US is not like in a country like the Philippines or Mexico or. Yes, right. So when I got over there, it’s like I had been helping in the US So long, it’s like, oh, wow. I really saw poverty from a different lens. Right. And then when I started going into Mexico, making a change, I just, I fell in love. I was like, you know what? This is what I want to do around the world. How many countries can we touch and do something positive? And so from going into there now, I’ve been in Mexico now eight years, sent resources from Tijuana all the way into Sinaloa, Send resources to El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras. 

15:13
Speaker 1
Yeah. 

15:14
Speaker 2
So I’m like, oh, wow. And now looking to send resources into Africa. So I’ve seen it mature and I’m like, expanded continents. Be careful what you ask for. Right. 

15:25
Speaker 1
That is true. 

15:26
Speaker 2
But I’m always about human evolutionary growth. Right. I learn from watching everyday life. So some people learn from books. I learn from doing and seeing and being a part of communities and learning different communities, you know? So to me, that’s just. It’s. That’s what gives me my global view. 

15:47
Speaker 1
Okay. Yeah. So from Mexico, now that’s a big jump to go from Mexico and Central America to Africa. Tell me about that. What happened there? 

15:58
Speaker 2
You know, that was. That was the. That was God aligning a mission that I didn’t even know, because as part of an inner circle and from that inner circle, what this gentleman does name is David Cheney. Introduces powerful people together to be able to engage. He had asked me to come into Texas, but I really didn’t want to go. I was in Utah working on a film, okay. And so they asked me to come to Texas. I’m like, nah, I’m good, good. But when the universe and God has something aligned for you, there’s nothing that you’re going to be able to do to change that factor. So I didn’t want to go. Kept just, boom. Finally they talked me into going, go get there. Still had all this chaos. Everything told me, book another ticket. Matter of fact, just go home. 

16:56
Speaker 2
So I get to the venue. There African delegates are sitting way over on the other side. And he had said, oh, I want to introduce you to these African delegates, and maybe there’s something that you guys should do together. Well, got there, got. Got done with the event, and I didn’t really meet anybody. So I said, okay, where did I leave? Utah. Coming. Like, what am I doing here? 

17:18
Speaker 1
Yeah. 

17:19
Speaker 2
In the middle of the thing, I’m sitting there like, I’m so tired. I just want to go to my room, go to sleep. Lamar Odom walks through the door. Oh, I’m cold. So I was like, oh, I got a sweater in the room, and it was this sweater. So I left, went back up to the room, and I’m sitting in the room, and I go sit on the balcony. I’m like, oh, I’m not going back downstairs. And I’m sitting there on the balcony just chilling. And. And it was like, God was like, what are you doing? Grab that sweater, go back downstairs, get downstairs, start talking to people. I reluctantly grabbed the sweater, went back downstairs. I go, I don’t want to interrupt anybody. So I throw the sweater at Lamar Odom. 

17:55
Speaker 2
It lands on the floor, and I’m like, oh, I didn’t, you know, sorry. I didn’t mean to. So I sit down, just that one act of kindness. You never know anything that you’re doing. Who’s watching it? Well, they were watching it afterwards, you know, there was nothing really happening. And so I was like, oh, you know what? If nothing happens in the morning, I’m just gonna buy me a plane ticket. I’m gonna go home. 

18:14
Speaker 1
Yeah. 

18:15
Speaker 2
Came out of the elevator and made a laugh. Getting ready to go get some breakfast. Made a leather lap. And then they’re the African delegates, and they’re like, oh, wait, you’re just exactly who we wanted to talk to. And I was like, me, for real. We ended up talking in the lobby for two hours, and they got to know me, but they were asking me all these questions and different things, and it wasn’t like they were asking, like they offered me anything. They were just wanting to get to know me. And not many people sit down with somebody to really get to know them. There’s always a motive, right? 

18:44
Speaker 1
Yeah, yeah. 

18:45
Speaker 2
There’s something you have that I want, but let me butter you up. But it was just a genuine conversation. Great conversation. They’re like, well, you know what? If we come to your part of town, would you host us? I’m like, okay, yeah, if you’re coming to this part. Down. Yeah. I didn’t believe them. Well, lo and behold, I’m sitting at home. They called me. Yeah, we’re here. 

19:05
Speaker 1
Oh, they didn’t call you in advance. They just showed up. 

19:09
Speaker 2
Best four days of my life. Genuinely spent time with African delegates, and I hadn’t had that much time with African delegates or African people. To really understand the African culture, the black culture, right. We just know it’s there. But to understand it from his perspective and the way that were talking, the way he got inside my mind, it was really cool. So he. They leave, they go home, and the next week, I get a letter email saying, you have been chosen to be the global lead for Africans For Africa, for the continent of Africa. 

19:46
Speaker 1
What? Was this email real? 

19:49
Speaker 2
So I hit him up. I said, you said. He said, we flew from Africa just to meet you. And I’m like, oh, that’s a deep statement. They’re like, no, God sent us there to meet you. And so I said, well, I’m just this little black boy from Santa Ana. I. I probably don’t got nothing that you need. I said, you know, you’re a secretary general. What do you. He said, no, it’s not always about what you can provide. Sometimes it’s about the person you are. And he said, I need your heart. He Said everything else you can learn, you know. And I’m like, okay. 

20:26
Speaker 2
So I took the position and one of the best decisions I could have made in my life because it’s broadened my horizons and opened up and put me in a position now to where everything I’ve wanted to do for my nonprofit is now obtainable without being subject to other people trying to tell me what to do. Because the one thing about the pandemic, when I tell you I said 3 million people, 2020 to 2021, the one question is how you do it? How did you do it? Because that takes money. Well, I was blessed with a million dollars. 2020-21. That was never a grant. I came home, my partner was standing there and she’s like crying. What are you crying for? It was a check for $250,000. Then got another check mail for 200,000, then got another check mail for 150,000. 

21:24
Speaker 2
Then the community started pouring in and watching the donation button just raise up to another 300,000. Watching it, man. So I’m like, okay, wow. That’s how that happened. Because I’ve always wanted to help people without restrictions. Yeah, right. The minute you start getting grants and this and that, you have a whole bible of things that you I can’t do to help someone. And then I have to do probably three, four books of paperwork. And then if I don’t do that paperwork, right, and that money’s not to a T now I’m probably going to get audited. And all I wanted to do was give you a box of food, man. 

22:00
Speaker 1
That’s crazy. You got to deal with all that. 

22:02
Speaker 2
So what I asked God to do was like, look, I want to help, but can you give me the money to where I could just do it? I don’t. I’m not bound by anything. That’s what I got. So now fast forward with Africa. Him fast forward. I’m there, I’m sitting there a couple of months, and then he makes me the special advisor to him. And I’m like. But my number one job is to bring innovative solutions to the continent of Africa. Under the mining, right. Most people don’t know is Africa is full of exotic miners. The exonal miners are the ones that are causing the problem in Africa. Why? Because they’re mining to live. So right now, within the next five years, if Africa’s water bodies are not addressed, there’s going to be a huge pandemic there. Because they’re all filled with mercury, right? 

22:55
Speaker 2
That’s where I come in. That’s where Power one comes in. And for me, I couldn’t do it without great partnerships like the Gallagher Group International. Elizabeth Gallagher, who’s been in my life for over seven years now, amazing people like that who open doors and pathways here in Vegas, said, oh, no, you’re gonna be my partner. Like, okay, cool. One, two years. No, a lifetime. Oh, hold up. Like, do you mean. She’s like, yes, I mean that. 

23:24
Speaker 1
She did say that. 

23:25
Speaker 2
Yeah. So it’s like. And it’s not like. And it’s done on the integrity of the work, who I am. And if you know Elizabeth, no one tells her no. And you’re just going to go with the program. Right. So she doesn’t choose people lightly. So I think it’s amazing people like that have mentored me in my life and different things that set me up for this position with the Secretary General. 

23:47
Speaker 1
One thing I wanted to ask you about that there’s a recurring theme that I’m hearing with all these stories that you’ve been sharing. And it’s the power of saying yes. The, like, not turning opportunities down. No matter. Or, or invites you. Like, you’re in the middle of a film shoot in Utah, you don’t have to go out to Texas, but you said yes. And then you get invited to be this, you know, represent Africa for this role. And you don’t have to say yes, but you continually saying yes over and over again. Where has that taken you in your life? 

24:27
Speaker 2
It’s taken me everywhere that I need to go. Because it’s really more than saying yes. It’s having faith to understand where your destiny lies. Yeah, right. If you don’t have the faith, then you’re not willing to step out. So you always miss a whole bunch of things. But for me, I’ve always been a risk taker, but now instead of being a risk taker, I’m a spiritual taker. Right. Because I understand that I’m being led now. I think, I think when you understand that you’re being led in life when. I guess that can sound corny to some people. Right? But there are people that live life for accolades and to go there and like, oh, I made myself this and that’s great. I think when you’re in the humanitarian lane, I think some people are led to do the things that they do. 

25:18
Speaker 2
Your Martin Luther King’s, they’re led. So they have to follow their spirit, which comes with a certain amount of faith. Right. 

25:26
Speaker 1
It comes from outside of you because. 

25:28
Speaker 2
Yeah, because you’re Going into something blind. I don’t know what this outcome is. I know that if I’m over here to the left, and I want to be in this music industry, if I go meet so and so and so and so, and I have this much money and this person knows this, I could be a star. 

25:45
Speaker 1
Yeah. 

25:48
Speaker 2
It’s a truly unknown area, so you have to truly step out and say, okay, whether you’re spiritual, you’re not spiritual, whatever. Whatever is. There’s something inside of your soul that. That leads you, especially when it’s something that you’re meant to do. Like, you’re doing this podcast. You just didn’t end up doing this podcast. 

26:08
Speaker 1
True. 

26:09
Speaker 2
Right. There was something inside of your spirit that said, like, you know what? This may be good. And then from there, your. Your carnal nature, like, you start creating, and then you’re like, wait, hold on. Am I really supposed to do this podcast? But then you’re like, you know what? Yes, I am. And then now look at this wonderful space you’re in and the wonderful people that you’ve interviewed. And. 

26:27
Speaker 1
Yeah. And you know, it. As you’re saying, and I’m thinking it’s not about saying yes one time. It’s about saying yes over and over and over. And, like, every day, can you, like. Because you’re continually. And then I’m sure the. The dream, the vision is expanding, like, and it’s getting. Like, if I. When I met you a couple years ago, I remember you were telling me some crazy, like, goals, and I. I don’t know, like, I’m sure it’s possible, but now I’ve seen some of the steps you’ve taken to where, okay, no, this is gonna happen for this guy. Like, you’re gonna hit these goals. 

27:03
Speaker 2
It’s crazy. Yeah. I think, you know, we keep taking those footsteps forward, you know, I think as long as you’re willing to wake up, every day’s a new day. Yeah. It’s not about yesterday. Every day’s a new day. So I’m going toward the future that. I guess that’s all I can say. I want to get over there. 

27:23
Speaker 1
I love the optimism because there’s a lot of people right now that. I mean, the world is a. 

27:27
Speaker 2
It’s. 

27:27
Speaker 1
It’s a tough place. It’s a tough place, you know, and people are looking for hope out there, and they’re looking for inspiration. And so it’s great to see, you know, someone like you sharing some of your story, because it is true. That’s part of my motivation for this is we need more people out there sharing positive stories. Everything out there, you know, social media is all negative. Everything. You know, the headline, the negative headlines is what gets more shares. 

27:53
Speaker 2
Yeah. 

27:54
Speaker 1
And I’m sure that’s gotta frustrate you too. When you’re sharing positive things, you’re like, man, why can’t this get the number of shares that this stupid news store is getting? That. 

28:02
Speaker 2
Yeah. But you know what though? It doesn’t because there’s a. There, there is a shift happening. 

28:08
Speaker 1
Yeah. 

28:11
Speaker 2
Right now I’ve run into more good people over the last two months than I landed on bad people. And I. And man, the last five years of my life was a hurricane. I don’t wish it on anyone. I lost everything. That’s the thing. I’ve been doing all this giving and in the middle of all this giving, I lost everything. I lost everything. The people that I love, homes, house, I lost everything. People used me, I got drug in the dirt. I had to get up from that. All while giving. And my grandmother taught me something one time. Because one time, man, were. When the housing Crisis hit in 2008, my grandmother had amassed over what, 13 properties. Someone went in and falsified her identity and started just doing crazy stuff on her. So we started just losing things left and right. 

29:03
Speaker 2
In the middle of losing everything, were still doing food distribution. I remember were at a community center called Delhi Community and were doing about 2,2000 families a day, a week when we go and do our distributions. Well, there was a time, man, where I was trying to help my grandmother save these houses. And you know when you’re losing your house and you’re losing. You don’t. You’re not in a spirit to go help somebody else. Yeah, you’re worried about what you’re going to do because you’re about to be home with the very people you help. You’re no different than you’re. 

29:34
Speaker 1
I’m going to be on the. To you. 

29:37
Speaker 2
I was sitting there and I was frustrated one day and I didn’t want to go get this truck of food. I didn’t want this. My grandmother looked at me and I. It was the maddest I’ve ever seen her. And she looked at me and, and when she said this, it stuck with me. She said, wait a minute, wait a minute, hold up. Who are you? She said, who are you to stop doing God’s work, cuz you’re going through something. And I said, like we’re losing this. 

30:00
Speaker 1
We’re doing this. 

30:01
Speaker 2
She said, again, who are you to stop doing God’s work because you’re losing something? And, man, that stuck with me and it changed me that day. I was like, dang, okay, you’re right. She’s like, just because we’re losing this and this happened, don’t worry about none of that. God got us on this. You just keep doing that. Keep your eye there. This is all taken care of. 

30:24
Speaker 1
Yeah. 

30:27
Speaker 2
It didn’t say it was taken care of in an easy way, but ultimately it was taken care of. And I. And I didn’t understand it. I wasn’t mature enough to understand that. 

30:37
Speaker 1
How old were you when it happened? 

30:39
Speaker 2
Oh, man, I was like, I was 24. 

30:42
Speaker 1
24, okay. 

30:43
Speaker 2
Yeah. 

30:43
Speaker 1
It’s a good lesson to learn. 

30:45
Speaker 2
It was a great. 

30:46
Speaker 1
Pretty. Still pretty young to learn that lesson, though. 

30:48
Speaker 2
Yeah. It was just like, oh, okay. And then from there, man, I said, okay, I gotta just go, you know? And then when everything was okay, I was like, oh, I believe now. Like, I believe so, you know, from believing. That’s why I look at people and I’m like, no, don’t worry. Just, just stick it out. 

31:11
Speaker 1
I think too many times we worry about the outcome and then that stops us from taking action. 

31:16
Speaker 2
Yeah. 

31:17
Speaker 1
Taking that first step, which is the first of many steps you got to take to get that thing done. Like I said, it’s multiple series of. Yes. It’s not like, oh, one time, yeah, I’m gonna do this. It’s. You gotta. There’s a thousand different little steps to get to that point. So one other thing I was gonna ask you about. 

31:35
Speaker 2
So. 

31:37
Speaker 1
You did not obviously get into this nonprofit space. You know, you didn’t. There’s people that maybe have a background in it. They went to school for like something, you know, for their degree. Now, you do have an interesting background we didn’t talk about at all. But tell me about the like for people that are listening, because there’s people that are. They don’t have any experience running the business or running an organization. We don’t have to just say business. Maybe there’s a nonprofit they want to start and they’re like, I can’t do that. How do I get in his spot? He knows all these people, or he did this or that. 

32:12
Speaker 1
What do you say to people who are thinking about wanting to step up, whether it’s a business, whether it’s a non profit, something in their community, and they’re afraid, they’re Nervous about taking that first step. 

32:23
Speaker 2
Number one, I say hug the fear because it’s okay. That’s gonna make you do a better job because you’re not gonna just run wild and just do things. You’re not gonna just trust people. So that certain fear is actually good for you. I say if it’s something that you’re passionate about or it’s your dream, move forward, start it. And the one thing that you have to understand about a business is you can go fill the application out, get the business name, but you still, your business needs a license. What they say most businesses fail within the first three years. Right. So you got some work to do and be prepared to do that work. If you’re not prepared to do that work, then don’t open a business. Just go work for a business. 

33:09
Speaker 2
But if you’re willing to do that work and go with the ups and downs, all I can tell you is it levels out. It does, it levels out. And it levels out to your happiness, to what you can handle. Not necessarily saying that you become this Fortune 500 company. Everybody wishes some people have that dream and some people don’t. But for whatever it is that you’re dreaming about, what you’re reaching for, it does level out. 

33:33
Speaker 1
Yeah. 

33:34
Speaker 2
So believe in yourself now. 

33:38
Speaker 1
Leading to that, now you’re doing all the non profit space. But what led you to this? Like, what did you do in your career prior to this? 

33:44
Speaker 2
So I was in acting. So I’ve been in Notorious. I’ve done commercials with the late Kobe Bryant, Shaq, Chris rock, done over 150 episodes of days of our Lives. I was trying to be a star, man. You know, I was working like, let me be that superstar. I got the skill, everything. So I was doing that and then also doing music. I had done two albums under Warner Brothers and now I’m with Sony. Because I have always just loved creativity. I love acting, I love music. It just allows me to create different worlds. So I owned a record label, Beat Lounge Records. I had whole third floor. And so my mom ran it with me and my uncle ran. 

34:33
Speaker 1
Oh, family business. Family business. 

34:35
Speaker 2
So I was doing all your small run duplications. So before you had like disc makers who would do all these big runs? Well, I was that guy that would print you up 5 to like 50. So then I was doing printing work for like Interscope, all of them. So my life was all entertainment. I had my own recording studio. Then I was going up doing all these things in Hollywood. And then I wanted to know how films were Made. So then I got on the backside so I got a chance to be a part of films like Bad Boys, Ford versus Ferrari, Jumanji, you know, that type of things, to really understand and learn this industry, to start my production company. Because I was like, all right, cool. 

35:12
Speaker 2
I want to give back, but maybe if I can go over here and if I do become a star, then this money will give me the money so that I can keep doing that. So for me, it was entertainment. 

35:21
Speaker 1
But I love that the motivation wasn’t to be big and famous, have all this money is like, if I can get bigger, I can do more and give him back. 

35:29
Speaker 2
Yeah. 

35:30
Speaker 1
Which is amazing. Was that always like that from the beginning? 

35:33
Speaker 2
No, because I. I used to when I. Man, please. Okay, I’m going up to Hollywood. I got my name on the dressing room, everything. My grandmother’s telling me to go pick up some food so we can go feed some people. Oh, no. We fought for, like five years. We fought. 

35:46
Speaker 1
Yeah. 

35:47
Speaker 2
I was like, no, I’m going up to Hollywood. I know I gotta be here and do this. I gotta go to this audition. She’s like, no, you need to do this. So it was a. It was a back. It was a back and forth. But I. I see what God was doing. You know what I mean? He was keeping me in discipline and checking me because I’m up here with a dressing room, and every time I’m up here, hey, I’m a celebrity. Everything happens the way that I want him, you know? But ultimately I was like, oh, okay, dude, I really want to do that. 

36:15
Speaker 1
Yeah, well, and so you’ve lived that life and you got to be that. But for you, this is ultimately like where. Where you find the most passion, the most, you know? Yeah. 

36:25
Speaker 2
And now combine it all together because with. Through the nonprofit, we became one of your premier events. So we. We’re known for large scale and smart small scale events. I produced a Fiesta del Mariachi, so I had over 100 kids partnered with schools up there, putting them on a big stage. Right. So it allows me to use my creative talent in a different way, which I love. 

36:47
Speaker 1
Oh, yeah. And that’s. That’s the thing, you know, I think people a lot of times, they think, oh, this is the only thing I could do with this skill set. And I’m stuck in this career, stuck in this industry, when, no, there’s a million different directions you can go with that. Like, for me, I’m running a call center and. But that I’m doing A podcast. I actually also want to make film documentaries. I do photography, so you don’t have to limit yourself to anything. And again, going back to like where, you know, you had the acting thing, then you went into non profit, who knows? Like, I, I have been seeing the stuff you’ve been working in Orange county for a while now. You’re out here in Vegas. What’s the. 

37:25
Speaker 1
Some of the stuff you’re working on now, like coming up that people, like, maybe they’re. Is it all going to be in Vegas? You got stuff happen, like if people are listening and they. And maybe they’re living near where some of these events are happening. Like, where can they check it out? 

37:40
Speaker 2
So for Orange county, which is where we’re based, with the foundation, we are, we partnered with Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, which was awesome. So now we provide free books to kids 0 to 5. So we’re launching that program in Orange county right now. So it’ll be all of Orange county. And then hopefully soon we’ll bring it to Vegas. So we have the Dolly Parton Imagination Library so kids can sign up for free books. We’ll also have literacy events that’ll go with that so people can participate with that. We’re also running a clean water campaign for what we’re doing for the efforts in Africa to be able to go in there and clean the water, but then also bring education into there. 

38:22
Speaker 2
I’m also in Las Vegas in partnership with Gallagher Group International with City Impact and being able to expand City Impact’s work and dreams that they’re doing. So we’re looking to do a lot of events and different things that bring that support to City Impact and Power of One because we blend our forces on everything now that we’re opening a base here in Las Vegas as well. So those are the primary things that we’re working on that we feel that we would want people engaged. And then we have our, you know, our seasonal events, you know, for every holiday. 

38:57
Speaker 1
Yeah. So that’s a lot. You’re busy. Jeez. But what are you most excited about for this year? 

39:05
Speaker 2
For this year. You know what? For this year? Being the special advisor to the Secretary General. Because now I’m in the mineral business. Right. Raw materials, I should say. It’s been a new learning curve and I love learning new things and I love being in things that people feel are complicated. Right. Because it’s a complicated industry. But I’m actually about to do something that is the first of its kind in this world. And it’ll be something that will benefit the continent of Africa, but then it’ll also benefit the programs that we’re running. But it’s something that’s needed that I’m going to be leading the pathway on. And then we also. 

39:51
Speaker 2
Because I know you touch on the artificial intelligence side, there’s also another program that’s coming out on the marketing side where we have adopted into AI, into paid marketing advertisements where people are earning cryptocurrency by engaging with our marketing. 

40:12
Speaker 1
And so which helps the nonprofit get the word out. 

40:15
Speaker 2
Right. And helps everyday businesses get the word out because it’s worldwide instantaneously. So we have them all around the world. So just take a situation like Pokemon. Mm. Right. This will be Pokemon, except for marketing. So now we have kiosks all around the world that’ll be going out. So that way when people engage in scan and the deeper they go cryptocurrency. But it’s all managed by high intelligence AI. 

40:39
Speaker 1
Awesome. Are you. Since you mentioned AI and you know, some of what we like to talk about on the show here, what impact are you seeing in the nonprofit space with AI, Good or bad? 

40:51
Speaker 2
For me, it’s good because, I mean, I produce a lot of high profile events and different things and I have a marketing degree. So for me, AI has been really good on the marketing side. Right. When you use it as the right tool. So it’s made. It’s sped up a lot of things. On the executive side, it’s sped up a lot of things because I feel like I have a Jarvis now. Yeah. 

41:14
Speaker 1
Yep. 

41:15
Speaker 2
You know, so where I needed like five or ten people to like, do certain things, I don’t need them anymore, so. And then it allows me to keep my thoughts more private because I can work these things off before I hand tasks to other people. Which when you’re departmentalizing, you only want that department to have what it needs to hold. 

41:31
Speaker 1
Yeah. And I get it. You probably have. I know a lot of people like you. You probably have a hundred ideas a day and you need someone to bounce those off. And sometimes you’re like, this is not so good of an idea, but let me see this. 

41:41
Speaker 2
Yeah. So now you can flush it out in two seconds, have it and be like, all right, cool. Now I need a human element to it. I like put the human element to it. These are my raw feelings. Emotions. But here’s the basic body that I don’t have to spend nine hours thinking like, gosh, Doug. You know, So I feel that artificial intelligence has been a good addition in that sense. 

42:01
Speaker 1
Yeah. Yeah. Oh, that’s awesome. What. Thanks for sharing. That’s a really interesting way how you’re using it, so. Because I think a lot of people are not using it the right way. 

42:10
Speaker 2
They’re not. And I see from social media to this, that I see. I’m like, okay, just because it does, that doesn’t mean that you. 

42:18
Speaker 1
Yeah. 

42:18
Speaker 2
You know, but I think that you still have to have a. I think what artificial intelligence has done with AI, it has allowed people to step outside of their grounded reality and like, oh, my God, this bubble’s here. Let me jump completely in this bubble. But you still have to have a level of reality groundedness right here. 

42:37
Speaker 1
Yeah. 

42:37
Speaker 2
You can keep the mixture of it. Right. 

42:39
Speaker 1
Because you can get sucked in and it’ll create this fake reality around you. Right. 

42:44
Speaker 2
But just like. I mean, you’re. Your teaser for the show. 

42:48
Speaker 1
Yeah. 

42:48
Speaker 2
It starts off with you, AI, but it bounced over into reality. But it. The play on, it was so dope. I was like, oh, that’s fire. 

42:54
Speaker 1
That’s like, okay, you know, AI plus, hi. That’s our thing here, you know, because the AI can only take you so far. But I mean, at the end of the day, and especially you. You know, the creativity behind you and who you are, like, AI can’t create that. 

43:09
Speaker 2
No. Okay. It’s just like. But two days ago, right, they did the world premiere of the first AI movie. 440 minutes of full AI. Hey, I’m sitting in this theater and I’m watching this movie, and I’m like, wow, this is full AI and it was fully. I. You could tell. And you can see the blemishes in it as well as the corrections. And you’re like, okay, this is where we’re at right now. And I’m listening to the producer talk. He’s so proud of this thing and everything the whole night. And he actually did an amazing job with it because I know the limitations of AI yeah. So with the limitations of AI, he. 

43:47
Speaker 1
Put it to the limits. 

43:48
Speaker 2
Put it to the limits. And I was like, okay, kudos, like, because you’re the first to do it. But it kind of like, let me know, like, oh, okay, this is where we’re gonna advance to. So if you. We need to keep that human element. And I think people like us allow people to have that human element, you know, in a very scary landscape. 

44:11
Speaker 1
True. I mean, it’s. No matter what, you know, I. With all the technology out there, you know, more and more you hear about how some of the basic human needs are still so critical that we forget about, like, the human connection, Especially since COVID which is. 

44:27
Speaker 2
Right. 

44:27
Speaker 1
Exactly what helped start Power of One Foundation. Yes. That whole situation, you know, but yeah, it’s just. This is really fascinating how everything kind of full circle. Full circle. 

44:39
Speaker 2
Yeah. No, it is, man. And I kind of like it that way. Right. Because sometimes you don’t really think things are going to come full circle, but when it comes full circle, whether it’s a. You know, I don’t. I don’t want to say it’s good or bad. You just have a certain understanding. Right. And you translate it. 

44:57
Speaker 1
But you know that trust. Things will work out. You know, eventually they’ll work. Things will play itself out. And then I think that pushes you to go further than you ever were before because, you know, that’s something What’s. And I tell these people to people all the time, like, look, you’re nervous about starting something, or maybe it’s expanding your business to the next level, taking it to out of state or whatever it is. You going global instead of staying in the US but like everyone that’s running things out there, no one knows what they’re doing. We’re all figuring it out as we go. No one is an expert. And if you are, if anything, it might actually make you worse of a leader. If you are an expert. 

45:34
Speaker 2
I don’t. 

45:35
Speaker 1
I mean that some of the people running things out there are not really the experts. Yeah. 

45:39
Speaker 2
They were just creatives. 

45:41
Speaker 1
Yeah. 

45:42
Speaker 2
Right. 

45:43
Speaker 1
So. But. But I did want to ask. We. We’ll end with this here. So you’ve done already so much in your career and in nonprofit, and obviously there’s so much more that you’re going to do. But what’s some of the unfinished business that you have? What are. What are some of the big dreams that you still have yet to accomplish? 

46:01
Speaker 2
Man, I. Doing a world tour with my music. 

46:07
Speaker 1
Okay. 

46:09
Speaker 2
If that’s something like, I’ve. I’ve. I’ve put my music to the side and done a lot of business and a lot of different things. And then also on the filming side, I want to do a full feature film. Like, I just. I booked a leading role on a television series. That’s gonna be really good. Congrats for this year. Thank you. I just think this year I really want the arts to step forward. Right. The other stuff is there. It’s rooted, but there’s creativity in me that really needs to get out. I feel you before it leaves. And I’m like, oh, I Wish I would have did that. So, yeah, right now I just feel the season is the right foot. 

46:47
Speaker 1
Cool. Well, if for people that heard your story, now they want to follow your journey, where is the best place to follow you? 

46:54
Speaker 2
Absolutely. So from the foundation humanitarian side, you can go to power of one foundation, one spelled out.org for the mineral side, you can go to SCG Group Co to find out information. And for my social media handle, Andre Roberson777 on Instagram and Facebook. 

47:16
Speaker 1
All right, man, well, if there’s something that you guys heard here today that you’d like to get plugged into or help support, there’s pick. Take your pick. There’s a lot, absolutely lots of cool stuff that you mentioned. We’ll try to get links to everything in the show notes so that if you want to check out some of the stuff maybe happened in Orange county or in Vegas or Africa, you could get to it really easily. But, Andre, thank you so much for being here. I appreciate you sharing your story with everyone here. 

47:41
Speaker 2
Thank you for having me on your amazing podcast. And hey, you guys make sure that you support him on this podcast. And he’s doing some amazing things. Amen. So since the day we met, I know you had the call center. Now you’re doing the call podcast here. So I just wish you the best on your journeys, man. And anything you need from me, you know, I’m here. 

47:57
Speaker 1
All right. Awesome, Andre. Thank you so much, man. All right. 

48:06
Speaker 3
CEO’s and visionary shaping what’s to come Building more than profit Lifting everyone Every path’s unique, but it takes a choice to grow, set your goals and shape the way your future goes. Finish business where people in tech connect to amplify human intelligence Plus AI Moonshot goes that launch you high. Listen close and you’ll learn why. Subscribe look for Eric online and follow unfinished business on Spotify, Apple Podcast, YouTube, wherever you listen.