90: I Won't Starve

when I became an adult. My senior high school, you know, caught my first adult chars drug charge, said in the county for a little while, miss my graduation, but I got accepted to college. So that helped me kind of get a slap on the wrist. And so you know, when we do we get a slap on the wrist, we do

it again. So I went all the way to South Carolina, and started mixing up again, but this time when no more slaps on the wrist, so it was like, you know, you fell in now and you're gonna be a felon for life.

convicted as a felon. Because of his challenge background, he was never able to get the corporate job his degree warranted even though he graduated with honors. In June 2021, almost 18 years to the date, J Haleem was pardoned by the state of South Carolina. Now with more than 20 years of experience as an entrepreneur, his 501 C3 organization I Won't Starve Academy provides education and training for entrepreneurs, and career development focused on creating

successful intrapreneurs. J and I cover a lot in this episode, we talk about his days in the streets to transitioning to successful word of entrepreneurship. We talked about going from a solopreneur to a business owner that's hired and built a team and a staff. We talk about his new journey as an author, we talk about his daughter and what she's doing right now at the age of 13, which is absolutely incredible. Listen, there are a lot of

things that happen to us. But it's not what happens to us that determines our future. It's what we do with what happens to us. This is a prime example of someone who lives one of the models of this show which is going from break down to break through a man J Haleem, what's going on. Welcome to The MINDSHIFT Podcast.

started hustling. You know, he wasn't hearing the rappers talking about using drugs back in those days, they were talking about being kingpins and stuff like that. So I tried to take that on. Still was a good kid, though. Always went to school never thought about dropping out. But how I got my money was in the street after school, and I'm caught up to me, went to juvie off three or four times that's enough. And, you know, finally got in trouble when I

became an adult. My senior high school you know, caught my first adult chars drug charge said in the county for a little while miss my graduation, but I got accepted to college so that helped me kind of get a slap on the wrist. And so you know what we do we get a slap on the wrist, we do it again. So I went all the way to South Carolina and started mixing up again, but this time when the more slaps on the wrist so it was like, you know you're a felon now and you're gonna be a felon for

life. So So they say, and I still was able to graduate college but I couldn't get a job. You know, even though I graduated with good grades, couldn't get a job. So I went into Entrepreneurship, I use the skill sets I use in the street and put them into business. And that worked out very well to the economy hit like we talked about back in 2008 2010. My wife lost her job. She worked on Capitol Hill for our presidents now. He was the Vice President Joe Biden's Chief of Staff was her

boss. And he let everybody go in the company with like, three weeks notice, with no sadness, no nothing. And so we had to do we had to do so I sold off pieces of my business, we moved back to the South who was living in DC at the time. And I came back to South Carolina, and again, I became a felon in South Carolina, that all came back to me again, and I started with the $8 an hour job because I still couldn't do anything no matter what I did. But at that point, I was like, you know, I went to a

TD Jakes conference. And he said, man, he bought a lion out on the stage, literally a full grown line. He said, The Lion been in this cage all his life, he dies. So why are we still keep them in a cage? He said, because we are afraid that his instinct is going to kick in, he gotta remember, he's alive. And he said, Somebody in here, know that there's in a place where you're not supposed to be you're way better than what you're

doing. And literally, I went to like 20 people and everybody came to me, I was crying big tears. And it was like You keep talking to you. And I left my job not too long after that, got to office and just ran with my photography business. And here I am. No years later, helping other people do what I did. That's been my work thus far. Just once I got on. I started helping other individuals do the same thing because I knew I wasn't the only one.

still stayed in school. And I still stayed focused on that. And then even though after you had a little trouble, you went back to college. Talk to me, if you can put yourself back in that seat for me and for our listening audience. Talk to me about what's going on in your head, like you're doing school, but you're still maybe still doing trouble. sit in that seat for me and just tell me what's going on your mind. Cuz I think it's interesting, right? Because we always talk about being

conditions our environment. And it takes a certain type of thinking process to break the chain of things that maybe were not our desire, but we got born into or we were environmentally culture by talk to me a little bit about your thinking process when you're going to school and college, but you're still getting in trouble or high school, whatever that time period look like.

situation. So and I played basketball, no, I was very good at basketball. So I wasn't ever worried about that. But my grandmother told me at 13 She couldn't work anymore. And she literally took full custody of 10 of her grandchildren. Now granted, I'm the oldest. So once she started taking custody of the rest of them, she was like, Well, I can't buy you the new clothes. And I'm from the New York area, you know, start from north, I'm right outside of the

city. Like we get fresh. You know, look at any kind of way. And so she like that, oh, you can't Bobby these clothes no more. So it's like I and my freshman year was hell with that. And so once I was able to get something, I was like, Look, let me get on and do what I do. But I was cool. I still went to school. You know, the girls was at school, my homeboys at school, you know, some of them had little side jobs or whatever, because I went to a

real good school. I went to his county school, I didn't go to my local school because I played ball. And so I still see kids, they had parents to parent homes, and stuff like that coming from different parts. So because Essex County that one of the most expensive counties in New Jersey, where I'm from, but North just happened to be in the middle of it. And that's like one of the worst cities in the state. Or if not back in those days, the worst city in the state. But the rest of the

places was very, very nice. You know, so they like i Well, I'm seeing these kids coming from different places, and I'm looking like crap, but I got 15 people in a three bedroom house. So So one bathroom is rough. You know, my bed was the couch, do all the high school. So I had to figure it out. So being there, never not wanting to go to school, but you know, how was that gonna make money? So it was very innocent. You know, I wasn't trying to hurt nobody. I never did hurt anybody like

that. It was just about how I made money. I was willing to hustle And then another thing I told somebody else the other day is that we do what we exposed to, you know, so I was exposed to that. Once I went to college, I started seeing other people with careers and other people, parents with careers that I can actually meet and talk to and get some other things in put into me and I was like, Okay, well, maybe I can try that.

Maybe I can try this. But at the time it was he was getting the house selling it to the people who's getting well, I came. So that's what it was.

taught business. I mean, everyday kickin it with him, and how that all the nice little girls, but I wouldn't learn how to do the typing and all that other stuff like that. I get to college, and I take business, I always tell them what you want to do. I'm like, this is management. This is management. And then when I went to school, I did exactly that when I

finally went to college. Um, so I already wanted to do it when I got to school, and I was selling bus tickets at home and selling clothes, bootleg Gucci bags and stuff like that. We'll go to New York, come back down to South Carolina sell all that stuff. Yeah, don't party. I mean, I was doing it all through school and everything. So I mean, entrepreneurship was in the veins. I just didn't do it the right way. I was doing something else.

major celebrities. I've worked with ice cube Tony rock Chrisette Michelle nephew, Tommy, you know, I was in an era with the black blog arrow back in 2009, 2010 with a lot of the world stars and stuff came. So I was in a real deep I was in the DC area, I will travel all over the country. And when I came to South Carolina with no celebrity See, that wasn't there. But I had this $2,000 camera and I needed some bread. dollars, right? So you gotta hustle. You know, I like look. Well, first

to keep it all the way funky. I sold the camera to my pastor at my church. And he gave it back to me, like two weeks later, and I'm like, yo, you want the money back? He's like, Nah, you good. I want you to use it and spiritually hit me. I said, you know, I'm gonna take this seriously. Because my man asked me to do that. I'll do that I do this other thing, right. And at that point, I was like, I'll do whatever you want me to do. My first real job was a funeral. Literally, I shot a funeral.

entrepreneurial prowess. I was like, Look, I went to a couple bridal bridal shows and it was waiting on photographers and brides so no supply and demand. And I can't do that. And you know, I looked at what everybody else was doing. And I say, You know what, I'm gonna go corporate. And I did a law firm the first time and I didn't have to roll on the ground and do all these extra special stuff. I went shot some people boom, boom, boom, I was done by lunchtime, Got a $1,000. I'm

like, Okay, this is work. And I just went did the census search. See how many people was in the area? I did a search for how many law firms in the area. And I started scouting the quadrants different parts of the city. And we just started painting the city, you know, with my flyers, going to these places, shaking hands and introducing myself to law firms do that I got into forensic doing case work for law firms. Then I started going into

government contracting. You know, I went and got with the government started working in the city, doing stuff with the city. Then I started doing stuff with most of the departments in the state and I shot, the mayor did his hand shots and after that it was a wrap.

18, or 17, or 16. And, you know, and I didn't know what to do, but got straight A's in school, I'm like, at 14, I got shot. You know, my mother left me at 11. Everybody was strung out on drugs. I'm hustling, you know, I come home with no food to eat. So I'm hustling. I'm like, I got something to say. And then as I started, you know, seeing that more and more, I just really wanted to let my story be heard, you know, and that was the best thing I could have ever done.

But most importantly, when I got to a point, my first six figure year as a photographer was 2017. And I created our own star of the company at that time, it was because I saw there wasn't enough of us in the government space. And they were have these functions, because we went from just taking photos to film and everything for phase media. And so we're filming these major government functions, where they're telling you the game and how to get and we weren't there. And so I said, let me show my

people. And I went and struck a deal with the city. I said, Listen, if I can get more of these people, can we work together, so I didn't want function. And they came out. And I packed it out with African American contractors or potential contractors. And after that, we had to do a stroke. And I started striking those deals with other people. And so we will have this function twice a year, we'll pack it out with potential people, we work with over 600 businesses over the last four years.

now? Jay Helene look like, like, where are you going right now, because we're gonna get into your books. And the I won't starve Academy in just a moment. But like, where's your north star right now for the next couple of years,

on that now. And that's what I want to be because I want to have the free time again, I raised the entrepreneur and I'm trying to raise a second one. So my daughter, she has two books, she has an own nonprofit, she has own brand now. And you know, she's doing very, very well. So I'm looking forward to being available for her 1,000% You know, I work with artists and everything like that. And I told my wife this, I wasn't trying to speak it into existence, but it

just happened. I said if I ever manage another town is gonna be one of my kids. Wow. I love that I work way harder than the artist than they did for themselves. And so I always wanted to be in the entertainment space. But I found my own way outside of entertainment, which I'm happy with it but God knew best but I trying to do I was making a lot of money in my cleaning business, I would funnel that

into music and everything. And I was overworking and working harder than the artist I always told people I said if I ever become an artist myself I'm gonna show you and me being a photographer me being a writer you know I move just like this if I mean look I got merch this this all come from music. I learned this being in the music industry.

going this route. But I was trying to live someone else's life and not live my home. And I won't start was the time when I decided to just live for me. saying, Hey, man, you know, instead of me giving somebody the middle finger, I just say, I won't stop. That's right. That was the approach at first. But you know how they say, in the spirit, you know what you meant for evil guy use it for good, because that was really missing, I'm not gonna get your middle finger, but I'm gonna show you I

want to stop. So whenever I did, like amazing job, I will put down a hashtag, I will stop and I'm putting all the wording was letting you know, I want this to stick, right? Like you thought I wasn't gonna do it. I just made $7,000 In a day on this boom, right? Talking about him. He's just a photographer. No, I just shot the Amtrak train today, as just a photographer. It was everything. And then I had people saying and it was like, oh, man, you know, that's

inspiring me. And I'm like, That dark couldn't last the light came into it. So I just, you know, started making shirts and started just pushing it out for everybody. And it just became a, you know, a blessing to me and a blessing to other individuals. And that's what created the

company in 17. Later on, when I saw the need to create that type of avenue for individuals to get knowledge, wisdom and understanding about how to get higher when it comes to this government contracting, or just doing their business differently anyway, or just jumping out into a business. Now a lot of people are afraid. So you know, we wanted to create an avenue where people can safely come through and get the knowledge. Nobody told me

history of something. Right? And the question is, is what will you do I talk about the mind shift method, which is the facts of the facts, right? It doesn't mean you're happy with the facts, but the facts of the facts. The question now is the what am I do with the facts? Like, what's my new decision, like about where I'm going from here? And then you put together

a plan. And obviously, I can't imagine as a felon, I've got friends, where I've got stories where I understand what that does differently than for someone who doesn't have a felon. But the reality is, you have to come up with a new plan, like in your plan was to go be productive in the world. But then everybody's got a label. And they're like, ah, but he's a felon. Yeah. But you're like, hey, but I'm not that guy. No more, right? I'm not that guy

anymore. And I always tell people, like you can make a new decision and become somebody completely different in an instant, just like that. Right? It's all up to you. Listen, you got I won't starve Academy, tell me just a breakdown of what you're doing with folks in the academy.

a bigger scale. And so becoming a 501, c three was going to give me the opportunity to get the funds and the resources so that my people didn't have to pay to be a part of these situations. Because I always believe we always talk about oh, support black business support black business, but if I gave you $20, you can be clean I was neither one of us came up, and the other people get come up on us because we can spend money with them. And he never had to spend with

us. So my goal was creating an entity to where they funnel money into my entity and I give away the knowledge to my people for free.

need to work here. So just transforming their minds or saying oh, just because you come from this place, this is all you can have. This is all I can be. Or I've done all I'm gonna be able to do or this type of thing, then inspiring them with my story. Letting them know that I know exactly what you're going through. I probably went through more than you had and then exposing them. We only can do what was been put in front of

it. So a lot of times we don't expose somebody to something they'll never be able to do it so bringing them you know hey, let me bring some individuals out bring friends of mine. When I first started tie every week I would bring a different person because everybody want to be LeBron. Everybody want to be Tom Brady or you know Michael Vick or somebody like that, but I'm showing I'm like, I got a guy who on a funeral home right now you look just like us, you know millions of dollars. I got a guy

in construction. Looks just like us. I got a guy and cleaning business got 18 government contracts, you know millionaire, and oh, you want to act, he drives the car that that you're looking at the dope boy when he drives that car, but he could sleep well at night, you know, I'm saying, and I want to expose

them to other opportunities. I didn't have that I told you, all I saw was dope boys, if I can give them something other than that, and that's what we have to do as a community period, we got to stop being afraid to come back around our kids now you've and show our Mercedes and desperate to ride in. So they can see that it's not just a deep boy, it's a new way see, is a doctor, right? It's somebody else. That's nothing wrong with the car. But they think that that's the only way you can get

it by a rapper. And there's a lot of people that's not rappers. That's right and clean and living in a good house.

entrepreneurship. It's actually one of the things I help in my company help people break out of, which is to get a business. That is great. It's great that you started the business and left the employee world. But now you actually own a job. What was it like for you to figure out how to transition from just being the solopreneur, single operator owner operator business to start with the mindset of moving to a business that runs without you and eventually transitioning into full time

investment? Talk a little bit about that?

bit, like a year and a half. And he asked me to come run a million dollar contract for him. So I learned the ins and outs project manager that contract for a year. And I went off into my first six figure one when I left that he sold his business. And I went ahead and started my own commercial side. So I had to get people to work that. So coming back with the camera, it was the same thing I started seeing opening. So I was shooting overhead shots for this office. Okay, shooting a major

event for them. Next, you know, I'm like, Well, I see somebody with cameras filming it, too. So I'm like, All right, well, let's go invest in some more cameras, put some more bodies there. Now, we had a major function, we got four or five bodies with four or five cameras filming some people from running up and down. And it just grew from that place. But I always saw it. And I'm a student at a game to man, you know, I'm definitely a student a business.

The transition, I understand the difference between intentional self employment, and really entrepreneurship, because a lot of people just don't want a job. But entrepreneurship is that's selfish in some ways. But entrepreneurship is selfless. When you entrepreneur, you're creating opportunities, not just for yourself or for others, you're saying you're willing to pay somebody else's rent, you really need to make sure that their family's eating just as well as yours, and sometimes

before yours. And so when we teach entrepreneurship, it's so cloudy. Now, when I was doing it, I was a part owner of a restaurant in 19. You know, so I was told in a black college that Oh, you shouldn't be doing that. I wish somebody was supporting me telling me we should be doing it. Because by now, he'll be a millionaire, or what have you. But they didn't do that. You had to hide your stuff, right? Because it wasn't cute to do it. Back in those days, we were

rebellious. But it's not entrepreneurship, if you just work for yourself, you know, you're self employed. And that's what a photographer is. So then when I wanted to create a business, I was telling people, I had to create other avenues that didn't include me. So when I shot, creating my art, and creating my online portals and things like that, I can't rent the hall. So now I put other people in position so that they can make money then we bring other cameras in, we're filming.

And you know, we're doing major projects, I can't do it all, you know, so that was that, but you're willing to be selfless enough to bring other people in and give them an opportunity. That's what entrepreneurship is, and actually understand that from doing it in practice, but also theoretically,

Right. And that's because other people are trying to put their tables together because our table, they're here waiting on us. They're counting on us to figure it out. So great, man. Let's talk about your books real quick. And we'll wrap up. What drove you to become an author?

all that stuff. I have merchandise I did, I started speaking. And everybody's like, where's the book? All you missing is the book, literally. And so, you know, we started doing the book, I will start, I didn't know what I was gonna name it. But I was gonna just do like for 8000-6 figures at that time, right. Okay. And so but this made sense to me, people here and other places that I missed. I won't stop even though I was starving. Don't know, me. So that's cool.

down. So I wrote, you won't starve in like 30 days literally put together this training manual. And this was my pivot, because people couldn't get me. So they got the book. We started, you know, moving and shaking with that. And I was doing my morning motivation. It's like a online thing. I was doing it every morning, I did it like 150 days straight. I didn't know how long I was going to be able to sustain it. So we put it in the book. And this was just

due to pandemic. I hated the advice people was getting people's giving the most crappy advice. The biggest thing I hated was throw 2020 away, right? And we all know as business people, you can't waste a good crisis. Right? So you know, the seeds I planted in 2020. Right? So I was like, No, don't do that. Don't do that. Don't tell nobody that No, no, no, this is the best time to rock and roll. I wanted to put that in the book so people can

see it. But then more importantly, the subtitle was consistent encouragement to a crisis. This is not our last crisis is not our first crisis. And so you know, business wise, I went through the 2008 thing. And here in 2015, we had 1000 year flood. We survived that business wise. So COVID came, I wasn't tripping business wise. I was worried about the health scenario, but this is why I'm like, this is just like something else. It could just add a different man.

you already lost. Right. So listen, Jay, man, I'm happy to have you back on the show. Man. We got to get ready to wrap up. But listen, I love to man. Listen, I appreciate your energy. I appreciate your walk in life. I appreciate what you're doing to not only better your life, we didn't have a chance to talk about your daughter but your daughter let's just get this in your daughter is also an author.

bullied. So he's creative way how they figured out how to help somebody who's in another school that's older in high school. They're middle schoolers get out of bullying. So she got about two more books that I know of coming out in this series, but she's rocking and rolling.

as a bad person. He just was doing some things that didn't get him where you want it to be. And he found better ways to go there. He started changing his mind what we call mind shift He shifted his mind. And when you shift your mind you change your behaviors. J, appreciate you, brother.

now. And that's what I realized that my life is that I had to establish me, I was cool with doing whatever somebody else put out there. There was a time I say I had to create my platform. And I feel confident I can go anywhere like Vegas, you know, anywhere else, and still be able to produce at a high level because of the platform that's been created. So I'm not worried about where I'm going. Nobody else should just keep building your platform.