Follow The Brand Podcast with Host Grant McGaugh

Black Media's $259 Billion Problem: High Engagement, Zero Ad Dollars

• Grant McGaugh CEO 5 STAR BDM • Season 2 • Episode 39

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A chance encounter with Black Enterprise founder Earl Graves forever changed 19-year-old Dexter Bridgeman's life. Standing in Graves' impressive Madison Avenue office, young Bridgeman declared, "One day I'm going to be a publisher." Fast forward to today, and Bridgman has built MIA Media Group into Florida's largest producer of Black-targeted content, reaching over one million readers and viewers weekly.

The spark that ignited his Florida media empire came in 2004 when he noticed something troubling in a Miami Herald feature on "South Florida's top realtors"—not a single Black face among the 50 professionals. Despite local journalists claiming they could "only think of one or two" potential subjects for a Black-focused publication, Bridgman launched his first "power issue" that November. Twenty-one years later, through economic downturns and a pandemic, his publications have never missed an issue.

Bridgeman's business philosophy centers on five timeless principles that have guided his success. First, pursue passion over profit—"don't chase the dollar" with ventures that don't genuinely excite you. Second, punctuality is non-negotiable—"if you're on time, you're late." Third, good manners serve as actual currency in business relationships. Fourth, the "likability factor" matters enormously—people prefer doing business with those they genuinely connect with. Finally, and perhaps most crucially in today's digital age, "guard your reputation jealously" as your name travels faster and farther than ever before.

As media consumption has transformed, so has Bridgeman's business model. He recently transitioned all publications to digital flip books, acknowledging that "the days of print newspapers and magazines—those days are over." He expresses concern that many Black businesses are falling behind in digital transformation, often being "the last ones to get the technology upgrade" due to financial constraints or knowledge gaps.

MIA Media Group's mission remains steadfast: to "educate, inform and editorialize the success and achievement of the Black South Florida community." Through publications like Legacy Magazine and recognition programs like "50 Most Powerful and Influential Black Business Leaders," Bridgman provides platforms that highlight accomplishments often overlooked by mainstream media. Visit miamediagrp.com to connect with this pioneering media visionary who continues to create visibility where it's needed most.

Thanks for tuning in to this episode of Follow The Brand! We hope you enjoyed learning about the latest marketing trends and strategies in Personal Branding, Business and Career Development, Financial Empowerment, Technology Innovation, and Executive Presence. To keep up with the latest insights and updates from us, be sure to follow us at 5starbdm.com. See you next time on Follow The Brand!

Speaker 1:

Hey, good morning, good day, good afternoon business owners, entrepreneurs, thought leaders and corporations, and welcome to the Black Business Network. My name is Grant McGaugh, ceo of Five Star BDM and host of the Follow Brand podcast and TV series, and I am your business moderator for this day on the Black Business Network. The Black Business Network is a 24-hour business network showcasing Black businesses, business owners, entrepreneurs and thought leaders worldwide, and we have speakers from North Carolina, london, singapore, africa, japan and cities all over the United States. The Black Business Network is a global community sharing its business knowledge to empower, inspire and educate businesses about business. And today we have Dexter A Bridgman.

Speaker 1:

He is the visionary founder and CEO of Miami or MIA Media Group LLC, the largest producer of Black-targeted editorial content in Florida, and since 2004, he has built a media empire that includes Legacy Magazine, or Legacy Miami, legacy South Florida and MIA Magazine, covering business, politics, culture and lifestyle across print, digital and broadcast platforms. His publications are official media partners for marquee events like Jazz in the Gardens, the American Black Film Festival and the Art of Black Miami, reaching over 1 million readers through partnerships with the Miami Herald and Sun Sentinel readers through partnerships with the Miami Herald and Sun Sentinel. Bridgman also holds six weekly television shows on CW Channel 39 and distributes a digital newsletter three times a week. A Hofstra graduate and proud Alpha Phi Alpha brother Dexter has earned honors from the NAACP and Miami-Dade Chamber of Commerce for his work empowering Florida's Black community through media, entrepreneurship and civic activity. I'd like to bring Dexter A Bridgman to the Black Business Network.

Speaker 2:

How are you doing today?

Speaker 1:

Hey.

Speaker 2:

Grant, good morning, I'm doing wonderful, my friend, good to see you.

Speaker 1:

I am so proud of you. I'm going to just come out and say that right now. I am very, very proud of you. You know, I just went through your bio. I said 2004. This guy has been doing what we call doing what we're doing right now. For 21 years. You have been showcasing Black excellence, black professionals, black educators, in all kinds of different ways to get visibility. You featured me twice in a couple of different acknowledgements and recognitions and, man, I just wanted to put that out there right here, right now. Very proud of you. But I want you to tell us your origin story, dexter. How did you become this media mogul in South Florida?

Speaker 2:

Well, it goes back even further. It goes back some 40-something years. I have to give credit to the person that started it all for me. I have to give credit to the person that started it all for me. I had an opportunity to meet Earl Graves, the former founder and CEO of Black Enterprise Magazine, and I had an opportunity to tour his office when I was 19 years old on an office tour like a student type of summer program, years old, on an office tour like a student type of summer program. And when I walked into his office, I mean he had two floors on Madison Avenue and I don't know if you back in, but that would have to be 80, 1980. There weren't too many black people having offices on Madison Avenue, yet alone having two floors, two complete floors that belonged to his company. I was just so impressed. And his office was as big as my house and it had dollar signs on his office and he had a picture of just about every political and business leader, not just nationally but internationally. And at the end of the tour I looked up at him and I said, mr Graves, one day I'm going to be a publisher. You have convinced me that this is what I want to do and some 11 years later you know just serendipity, or you know just, you know one of these situations I happened to get an invitation to his 25 year anniversary and, um, uh, I was still in line to kiss his ring and to say hello, mr Graves.

Speaker 2:

I did it and he looked, they said so. When I told them the story, of course he didn't remember me. I mean you know, you know what I mean, you know. So, um, when I told him the story, he says well, are you a publisher, dexter today? I said yes, sir, I reached inside my and said show me what you got Reached inside my inside pocket, pulled it out. He started going through it and he said this is very good, very good. He said Clarence, ed, come on over here, meet Yomra and the Clarence and Eddie he's talking about is Clarence Smith and Ed Lewis, the founders, the CEO and the publisher of Essence magazine. He said join me. This is young bro over here. He's on his way up. Man, you can tell me I wasn't, I was in the highest cotton.

Speaker 2:

So I took that and I took that experience and I started a publishing company in New York and I did that for like nine years and I happened to venture down here in South Florida because my sister relocated and she then bought a home. She purchased a home and I was supposed to stay for the weekend. Grant, I'd never been to South Florida before. Man, I lost my mind, you know. First of all, when I was taking off, I was taking off in LaGuardia and it was two feet of snow and we were the last team out. So imagine not ever being in South Florida before, although I've been to the Caribbean and what have you but when I landed it was 84 degrees.

Speaker 2:

So I came from 30 to 28 degree weather, 25 degree weather. I had my parka on and everything, man, I was sweating. I got to my sister's car. She's like take all that off. Like I said, I was supposed to stay a weekend. I didn't stay for two weeks and you know, I started coming down just about every other weekend and she said listen, if you like it so much, why don't you move? And so you know, being an entrepreneur, I'm like, hey, you don't have to tell me twice. I said I'll be here in six months. Grant, I was here six months to the day.

Speaker 2:

May 4th 2004 was when I was six months to the day that I said I would be here and I started my publication. I didn't know what I wanted to do, grant. I was very successful in New York. I had some money and I was just going to take things easy. I was 42. I said you know a little retirement, whatever. I'll figure everything out later. I said you know a little retirement, whatever. I'll figure everything out later. But I saw a Miami Herald article and it said introducing South Florida's top realtors. Now, grant, when I came down here in 19 in 2004,. It was at the peak of the real estate industry. South Florida was still very affordable. And let me tell you something it didn't matter who I met. I could have met a doctor, a lawyer. I could have met you, I don't know. Do you sell real estate Grant?

Speaker 2:

I did not Okay, you did not. You're one of the few people that didn't, probably Everybody. If I met the president of Burger King, he would say, hey, my name is John Smith, by the way. I met the president of Burger King, he would say, hey, my name is John Smith, by the way, I'm the president of Burger King and I sell real estate, oh yeah. So I'm like, how could that be one black person on that list of 50 people? So he had like 45 men that were either white or Hispanic and then they had, they had, they had three white women and like two Hispanic women. And I'm like, not one person, not one person, not one black person could make that list. So I said, you know what? This is what I'm going to do. And I went to some journalists and I told them that I'm going to start this publication that's going to feature black excellence and what have you. And they're like good luck, good luck, I can only think of one or two. And these are our Black journalists working for the Miami Herald, working for other entities, and I'm like, really, but I didn't look. I'm like you know well, that's your experience, they ain't going to be mine.

Speaker 2:

So in November I came out with my first issue and November of 2004,. I came out, my first issue, my first power issue, and here I am 21 years later. Never missed the issue, regardless of the situation, regardless of the crisis in 2008, regardless of COVID, regardless of what's happening now with the tariffs and, you know, businesses pulling back never missed an issue and we are doing very, very well. Beside all of that, because you know we have, you know I've worked very hard to put it's not just about me, grant. You know I was. You know, you know this. It's about the people that you surround yourself with building a good team. That's right.

Speaker 2:

So you know, today we are, we have three platforms print, digital, print television shows, where, you know, I don't wear this as a badge of honor. So we, you know, unfortunately we're the only one in Miami-Dade County that owns and produces shows that are on network television, shows that are black and, like I said, I don't wear it as a badge. We should have more people. I should not be the only one. You understand what I'm saying, yes. And then the third is that we have a strong digital presence as well. We have a strong digital presence as well. So we have three major platforms where we over a million people either read or view our platforms on a weekly basis.

Speaker 1:

And I can attest to all that. First, you are the essence of resilience and, like you said, 21 years not missing an issue the rain, sleet, snow. And I say that because he's from New York. He didn't see too much.

Speaker 1:

He's in a lot of rain, but not too much sleet and snow. But you know me myself. I came down in 1998. You know my father was here and, just like you, I used to call him on the phone. And then you know be in the middle of December and you know I'm shoveling snow and I say, hey dad, what are you doing? So you know I'm in my shorts, sitting down in the back. You know what I'm sick of this, that's my transition story Exactly.

Speaker 2:

I'm very mean to my friends. It's, like you know, January, February, March. I'm walking around with my sandals and, you know, short pants and whatever the case may be, and they're freezing their butts off in New York and I'm doing selfies and sending it to them.

Speaker 1:

Oh, yeah, yeah.

Speaker 1:

So this could be you right, right, come on down. But in all seriousness and I didn't realize, you started with the power edition I was just, you know, honored and you're top 50 power players in Miami. You have one for Miami, you have one for South. Congratulations, it just makes me feel good because that was my second time the first time it was in 2018, I was honored in your healthcare publication. Because of those recognitions, I also, like you were saying earlier, you know I surround myself in a network of good people, right, professional people that are mobily upward. They're doing things in the community and because I'm featured in that particular publication, I now am actually operating in that same network of your own. I've reached out to certain people, I've had conversations with them, we've done business together. This has been wonderful.

Speaker 1:

I wanted to tell this because when I became the president of the National Association of Health Services Executives for the South Florida world and I got with Dexter and said, dexter, this is what I'm doing, and Dexter said, hey, I think we could work together on something. And I said I want to do a newsletter, I want to do something, and Dexter said you know what? First of all, let's share some network information and I'm going to put you in touch with my editor who develops a newsletter, and if you think you can pull together enough content for a quarter you can then you know I'll go ahead and help you develop it. He did that for me and I'm telling you this because this is the origin story, the true origin story of Five Star BDM and the Follow the Brand podcast, because I started interviewing healthcare executives, going out there with my little cell phone, recording them, getting the audio, doing the transcript, getting his editor involved and developing Probably people will say you know a lot of organizations. They do a newsletter. I had a publication.

Speaker 2:

I said this is not a newsletter. You were one of the first to have a digital publication.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, you showed me that whole platform. Right, you did that. So I guess the question is, where are we now as a people when it comes to content creation, in your lens, in your eye, because you've been doing it so long and you know how? Now, even before 20 years ago, content creation is at the fingertips for a lot of people. Digital audio, print, you can do these things. You've got a large language model Express to us how important it is to be visible in the community.

Speaker 2:

Well, it is. But I'll tell you, there's content creators who are journalists, real journalists, who went to college and took journalism courses and so forth and became reporters and editors and what have you. And then there are content creators who have opinions, whether it's whether they have a written opinion or they have a broadcast opinion, and you know you have to give them their due because that is where the society is going. But at the same time, they don't play the same rules that I do. You know what I mean? I have to, as a, as a journalistic organization, an award winning journalistic organization, I have to play by rules that are set by guidelines. I have to play by rules that are set by guidelines. If you're Michael Smith or Michelle Jones and you're not a journalist, but you have an opinion and your opinions are popular, you can talk about, and it could be as wild and crazy or it could be very, very professionally done, and it could be a situation where you're addressing an audience with, I'm not saying, a lack of intellect, but Sometimes the content creators. They get ahead of themselves, unfortunately and I'm talking about just in the black space, in all spaces, sure, and just spew all sorts of things racism and everything, everything good, bad and indifferent. So, as I said, it's good and then it's good and it also has its drawbacks as well.

Speaker 2:

But you know, in my space, in terms of the world, it's changing and evolving, and what have you? You know, I just recently switched over, in December, from print to all my publications are now digital flip books. Guess what? The days of going to the newsstands if there's breaking news you used to run to the newsstands or run to the supermarket or grab a newspaper. Things are happening like this, so as soon as it happens it's on your phone, you get an alert or whatever the case may be. So the days of newspapers, print newspapers and printing magazines those days are over, over. When I started with the Miami Herald back in 2010, their circulation was in the 400,000s.

Speaker 2:

That's called the Sun Sentinel. Theirs was the same thing. Now the Miami Herald is putting out 10,000 copies, sun Sentinel is putting out 30,000 copies, but they've made a transition to digital. So that's not where their strength is. They keep those publications just because, and one day you're going to wake up and they'll say Miami Herald, sun Sentinel is no longer printing and this is the way of the future. A lot of major publishing companies throughout the country are all digital now.

Speaker 1:

This is a big deal and I hear what you're saying. I know growing up one of the biggest things. We have a hurled, especially in Miami, my hometown of Nebraska, and you would get the paper delivered to you every day. I remember being even in high school. On a Saturday night we would go and I would work part-time there and we would put out the Sunday paper. It was this thick, right, right, right. Or even looking at you know, the telephone book, every year you get this huge telephone book. Well, that's no longer so.

Speaker 1:

The business of media has pivoted and changed to a digital world. This is one of the reasons why I focus on personal branding from a business, a business development tool, because I'm trying to show people like you've got to be visible and understand how to utilize these digital tool sets that are at your disposal, because this is how people are going to become aware of you. Just like, if you have just just a brick and mortar building, right, well, it's going to be a lot easier for you to get a presence digitally than it is for somebody driving. Remember the day of the billboard? You're just driving down the road and you see the billboard. Some of that is still in play, but minuscule. I was blown away with what you just said. Miami Herald had a publication of 400,000 newspapers going out probably every day, every week, every day.

Speaker 2:

And that was 10,000? That's like that was 10 to 12,000, 10 to 15,000, somewhere in that neighborhood, because they realize it's. You know, I mean it's a dying industry. Print is dying and the only way you're going to survive. I mean, again, like they keep it. They keep it, you know, just because I mean there's some business reasons to keep it alive as well.

Speaker 2:

But you know they have made a complete dive, as most major publications in the United States and the world, to digital. And that's what I've done and I try to tell my I like to think of myself as I'm a little ahead of the curve in the world of black media, black-owned media, and I tell my associates all the time listen, you can't do business the way you did yesterday. You've got to transfer, you've got to have a digital presence. You've got to have a strong web presence. You've got to have a strong social media presence. You have to, especially if you're media. People expect that you're going to have something to say on social media or something that's to represent you on social media. And that's just the way the industry is and you know, with the advance of AI, that is also impacting our industry.

Speaker 1:

A hundred percent on that and I've seen it. And as far as morphing, changing the content creation of audio video, obviously, and text, how are people consuming information? And intelligence is super, super important. My question for you is now you've made the pivot. Are you seeing our Black businesses also making the pivot, or are they holding on to a blockbuster world in a Netflix society?

Speaker 2:

I'll say it like that Well, let me make sure I understand the question. Repeat again Make sure.

Speaker 1:

I'm going to say it like this Are our black businesses keeping up? Are they?

Speaker 2:

making the pivot? Are they making the change? Got it? You know, unfortunately, from what I see, you know, and I, you know, I'm honoring and recognizing, I know a lot of the Black businesses and what have you in South Florida, and unfortunately, some of they're not, they're not and we're the last ones, usually unfortunately, to get to the point where we, you know, we're the last ones to get the upgrade, the technology upgrade. We're the last ones to, and sometimes it's financial, sometimes the lack of knowledge. I mean, you know, and I'll give you an example like this you know, if you go to a chamber meeting, um, and, and you know, if you go to a chamber meeting, they have grants and the type of grants they have are for like two thousand dollars. How to, how to start, how to, how to develop a media? I mean mean you develop your business plan, how to do this, how to do that. Well, you know, that's only for a certain certain type of business. You know what I mean.

Speaker 2:

If you've been in business for 10, 15 years. You've got to be. You've got to, you've got to have more advanced knowledge and more advanced type of information. But many of us are still. Many of us still don't have websites. Many of us don't do any marketing.

Speaker 2:

Many of us don't, you know, follow any kind. You know. I mean, look at the back in the, when we had the recession or the COVID, and you know people were applying for the federal grants, money that would go be in your pocket. All you need to do is show your income tax Right, then have the paperwork together, get that money, because they didn't file taxes. They don't know their. You know their profit and loss. How are you in business every day, grant, and you don't know that you're in the red Right, right, but you know and this is where we are unfortunately but you know, thanks to organizations like yours, that you know you're talking about it, you know you're giving an opportunity or you're talking and educating and informing our community on the importance of that type of thing. It's you know. I mean, I just don't understand. I don't get it. I don't understand how you don't.

Speaker 1:

I'm a piggyback on that and to your point and I've been doing this now for five plus years, just on the podcast itself and bringing talent to the table like yourself, to educate society, because we don't want that to be an excuse you should know, you have to know, right. I point to our educational system and I'll point the finger right at it, because we are on a monopoly board. This is what it is. You need to pass go, you need to collect $200. You need to accumulate property, you need to get a home, you need to get a business. You need to understand this every day, and twice on Sunday. However, if you look at our education system, it's really teaching you how to pass go.

Speaker 2:

That's it.

Speaker 1:

And if you only learn how to pass go and collect $200, that'll work in the beginning, until everybody else starts collecting property, start getting monopolies, start collaborating with other people, and all of a sudden, that same block like you mentioned something earlier around real estate right In Miami. I remember, coming to Miami, you could buy a really nice home for about $150,000. It was really nice. That exact same property, nothing changed at all. It's now $700,000, $800,000. Exactly, the block has changed you go around the block and collect your $200, you ain't buying much Right?

Speaker 2:

Not at all, not at all.

Speaker 1:

I say this when it comes to business and it comes to to the basic education that we are teaching our kids and I think we have to do this ourselves You've got to learn and understand the environment in which you are operating in, and it's changing constantly, so you can't say, oh yeah, well, I don't like that. It ain't about you liking it or not. This is how business is being conducted, that you can amplify yourself. So I can take Dexter and make 10 Dexters. Why do you think he has so many different media outlets? Because people consume information in different ways right, different ways, exactly.

Speaker 2:

Well said, and that's the truth.

Speaker 1:

So here's the question I had. Let's say, I want to go, I like Dexter and what he does and I'm going to be just like that person, like Earl Gray. I'm coming to your office. I see what you've done. I see what you've done, if I wanted to go and walk in your footsteps, what are like five things I really need to know right now that I probably wasn't aware of.

Speaker 2:

That's a really good question and you know, some of this is the basic questions. You know in terms of you know, doing your, doing your research. You know, you know, and when I say do your research in terms of finding out what's what's out there. But part of your research is don't chase the dollar, don't start a business that you're not passionate about, but just like, okay, you know what. I hear that being a starting construction company or starting a repair company, whatever is, I can make a lot of money doing that. But if you're not passionate about a grant, what's going to happen? You're going to, it's going to fail. It's going to fail because you know what I work and when I say this, I work seven days a week and it's not work grant, but it's not work.

Speaker 2:

I enjoy it. This is who I am, this is my business, I'm passionate about it. I think about it every single day. But some people say, well, don't you need to decompress or take a breath? I do, I do, and part of that is I take a breath and I think about my business because you know what, like I said earlier, you can't do business the way you did yesterday or the day before, you know. So that's one.

Speaker 2:

Number two is if you're on time, you're late. That appointment is at nine o'clock and you walk in the door at nine o'clock, you're late. That appointment's at nine o'clock and you walk in the door at nine o'clock, you're late. I'm from New York man. It's a New York minute. It's a New York minute, new York second. You know what I mean. So be a half an hour early. I don't care who you are, I don't care if you're a student, I don't care if you're a professional who's been out there for 10, 15 years, or someone who's seasoned, been in business for 40 years. If you're on time, you are late.

Speaker 2:

And this is another one that you're not going to find in the books, but I took this from an experience when I was in camp, when I was eight, nine years old, I went to a boys' camp and it was all based on sports and what have you, and they were giving out awards and such and such, and the camp director said we're going to give this award. We've never done this award before, but this gentleman, this young man, has, is so mannerable and is so you know, I mean always. Thank you, thank you, please, this and that and the other. So the first award that we've ever given for manners is dexter bridgman, and I remember that and I took that to the rest of my life. Manners saying thank you is currency saying thank you. May I please? It's currency grant right yes, yes you know, being kind, it's currency.

Speaker 2:

I another one. You're not gonna hear the likability factor. People like doing business with people. They like don't be an asshole Excuse the expression, Don't be a jerk, you know. I mean you can say there are a lot of people who are successful who are jerks and and and you know, and people don't like them. They get that. Come up and trust me, they do. But the people that are likable and the people who do things always the right way and making sure that they take care of everything they're going to, they're always looked after. I have clients that will say to me you know, Dexter, we don't have much of a budget, but I'm a, I'm going to get, I'm going to, I'm going to get you more money. Yeah, that's what they do. Because why they like me? And why do they like me? Because I like them and I'm I'm kind and I'm considerate and I'm polite to everyone, Everyone, Not just my clients, everyone. Yeah, you understand what I'm saying. I like you. I like you too, man. That's why I'm here, I assume, right.

Speaker 2:

With cause without question, you're talking about manners as well.

Speaker 2:

Appreciation goes a long way, absolutely, absolutely. And you know, I mean, like I said, and you know the things about, you know, making sure that you, you know you do things the right way. I mean I'm, you know, from a business perspective, having morals and ethics are also incredibly important, incredibly important. You know. I tell people, you know, guard your reputation and your name jealously, jealously. You understand what I'm saying. I do Make sure that your name is always upheld. I mean, it's not a matter of doing this.

Speaker 1:

It's not about bragging. It's just about doing the right thing Guard your name and your reputation jealously. You couldn't say that. You got to say that twice. As someone who does personal branding, I understand exactly what you just said. The thing about when this digital age is that your reputation is going to travel lightning fast as before, because your reach went from this to this. Understanding that and how you're truly viewed by, especially your target audience, who do you want to truly influence, goes a long way, and people see everything, whether you realize that they might not voice everything, there's a lot of the things that are invisible. I always look at the um iceberg effect. Someone taught me this a while ago. You know so important because when you see an iceberg and you see the top of it, you're only seeing 30% of that little iceberg. 70% of that is underneath the water. So 70% of your reputation is something you aren't always aware of when it's part of your overall brand.

Speaker 2:

Yes, Well said, Well said. You're so right about that. And nowadays, man, you can't get away with anything. You can't get away with anything. I always told people, if I was ever going to be a crook or rob a bank, guess what? I'm the only one going to rob the bank. I'm not even my wife. I'm like, I'm not even telling you. So my point is is is that everything follows you. Today, Everything is on social media. You know, I mean Google. You know, Google, Some of that stuff. It could have happened 20 years ago. You can't get rid of it.

Speaker 2:

You can't get rid of it Make sure that everything that you do and none of us are perfect, I'm not saying that you've got to be a saint, but just make sure that you again be intentional, be conscious, understand where you're at and what you want to do.

Speaker 1:

I can't applaud you more than what you do now, because you give a voice to what I call the voiceless. You're giving people a platform that haven't had. Unfortunately, here it is 2025, and some of those same things still happen. When they come out with these Forbes lists and other big publications that come out with their list of people, you're like wow, you know I still question that a lot of times no one of color at all, right, right, at that level, like none. Do you think that's a matter of influence because they're not in their particular circle of you? Know, no, like and trust.

Speaker 2:

Or what is that? Well, remember, I just gave the example of how I started my media company when I said you know you had this 50 people. You mean, tell me that no one could have been on that list. You mean, no one could be on that Forbes list. You understand what I'm saying? Yeah, other people could not be on that Forbes list or other lists.

Speaker 2:

You know, basically, and I always tell people to make sure you have a 30-second pitch, somebody says who are you? And ours is very simple we educate and inform and editorialize the success and the achievement of the black South Florida community. Real, plain and simple. You know what I mean. And I say that because of the fact that you know many awards are given through. You know companies give an employee of the year or this, that and the other. Many of our people who are well-deserving don't get those opportunities.

Speaker 2:

So you know, we try to make sure that we honor and recognize people in all aspects of professional professions, all aspects of professional, uh, the professional or professions. So you know you were recognized in the top, top uh, healthcare issue. We have we honor and recognize black educators. We have the 40 under 40, you know, you know the younger one. And then, of course, the. You know the, the gold standard. You know our, our, our, our is the, the, the where we honor and recognize the 50 most powerful and influential Black business leaders for the year, and I'm so happy when I'm in a room and someone's being honored or recognized and someone's getting ready to introduce them. Master of Ceremonies is saying and Grant McGaugh has been awarded Legacy Magazine 2025 Most Powerful and Influential Black Business Leader of the Year. In addition, he was awarded Legacy's Top Black Healthcare Professional back in 2018. Come on, man, you don't think that makes me feel good too? Yeah.

Speaker 1:

I feel as good as you do, man.

Speaker 2:

You don't think that makes me feel good too. Yeah, I feel as good as you do, Honestly, you know, and that gives me pleasure. And because you know this award and, by the way, this award comes from the community, yeah, Dexter Bridgman, and my team of my team, my editorial team that's doing this, these awards and this type of recognition you have to be nominated and you have to. You know, when part of the nomination process, someone has to write an essay of 100 words, 200 words, on why Grant McCaul should be considered. And we have a committee that you know that sits down and looks at everybody, and some people have been trying to get on the list forever In a joking. And some people have been trying to get on the list forever In a joking way. Some people have even tried to hey, they got to do what they got to do.

Speaker 1:

Dexter, we're coming to the end. I want you because this is important. How do they contact you? How do they say, hey, I'm interested in Dexter and his business? How do they contact?

Speaker 2:

you Real simple. You can contact me. You can email me at dab at miamediagrpcom. You can also go to my website, which has all my contact information, and that's real simple. That's probably the easiest way, because you're not going to remember the email address, but just go to my website at miamediagrpcom miamediagrpcom. And it has my contact information in terms of my phone number, my office phone number and my email, and I'm prompt with responding to all communication. And I'm prompt with responding to all communication.

Speaker 1:

I tell you I thank you so much for being with us on the Black Business Network. This has been wonderful. We will talk soon again. My friend Genius is common and I'll see you on the other side. Thank you. Well, that was wonderful, wonderful, wonderful, wonderful.

Speaker 1:

I want to remind everybody that the Black Business Expo's mission is to raise funds for our K-12 entrepreneurs. This expo is a fundraiser for students. You can go to wwwblackbusinessexpousacom to donate to the scholarship fund. You can use the Cash App that is on the screen below. That is $BBXUSA. Our goal is to give laptops and up to $5,000 to 10 students Students. You can register online at wwwBlackBusinessExpoUSAcom. Every dollar counts, so we want to remind you to donate to the Scholarship Fund. We want to thank our Black Business Expo USA sponsors for July 2025. We want to thank our Black Business Expo USA sponsors for July 2025. They include NC100, moody Capital Partners, suede Soul, five Star BDM Media, lotus, rocher, coaching and Training, carolina, virginia Minority Supplier Development Council, step Management, hello LLC, bhs and Associates, margie McLean Foundation Incorporated, genius is Common Earth Essentials, milani Shiny, global Executive, success Women's Success Institute, the Quality Coaching Company, Superwoman Business Services, creative Force Studios, lee Entertainment, artistic App Design. Black Business Expo USA and Genius is Common and I will see you on the other side.