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Are You Networking Or Just Showing Up?

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We trade summer travel updates and get real about what major festivals look like when you are actually trying to build relationships and land brand work. From Cannes to Essence Fest, we share what surprised us, what felt worth it, and what we are leaving behind as we head deeper into Q3. 
• what Cannes is for creators and entrepreneurs versus pure spectators 
• why access is layered and meetings need to be set in advance 
• how networking happens socially in hotels and restaurants 
• why you need a clear offer and not just a desire for brand deals 
• hobbies as a practical tool for building real connections 
• why showing up everywhere can dilute your personal brand 
• Essence Fest recap including concerts, hosting, and being selective 
• how shrinking sponsorship budgets and the DEI pullback affect festivals 
• a New Orleans airport story about kindness and community 
Make sure you like, comment, subscribe, talk to us on SpeakPipe. Please like, comment, and also give our podcast a rating. 


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Summer Catch-Up And Travel Updates

SPEAKER_01

Hey, welcome back to another episode of Elevators Podcast. If you are listening, my name is Amanda Booz.

SPEAKER_00

I'm Crystal Vega, and it is officially summertime, y'all. That means Amanda is on her world tour of traveling.

SPEAKER_01

You mean Crystal Vega is on her world tour of traveling? Listen, the way that both of us have been on an airplane in the past two weeks is kind of crazy. But welcome to the summer, y'all. It's literally my favorite season next to spring because we're spring babies. So like it's spring, summer, and then like honestly, spring and like December are fighting for each other because I really love Christmas. So like it's like neck and neck. But I really do love summer, girl. We've been all over the globe, pimping all over the world. Where you been at?

SPEAKER_00

I know. Um can was great. I know. Okay, tell us more. My god, I will have so much to talk about. I'm really gonna dish the tea on can, y'all. So stay tuned for that because I have thoughts. And the internet is a liar. Um, but yeah, was at Can and then what else did I do? I feel like I did so much. I was there for like a week.

SPEAKER_01

So did you go to New York before Can? You went somewhere, I feel like.

SPEAKER_00

The Dominican Republic.

SPEAKER_01

Yes. Yes. You went to Dominic? I feel like I was doing something else. Yes, see, girl, everywhere.

SPEAKER_00

But yeah, how about you? What new country did you visit?

SPEAKER_01

Uh, since we last spoke, let's see, because you know, this is like our phone call, y'all. This is like me, me, us and you on a phone. Um, so my last couple of places I've been since we last had an episode was New York, New Jersey. I don't know. Did I tell you guys I went to the FIFA game? I think I did. So I went to FIFA, then after that, I had no idea I was going to France, but I ended up in France. So I went to France on the tail end of Cannes. And then I just got back literally like yesterday from New Orleans for Essence Festival, which I will dish the tea on Essence Fest too. So we got a lot of tea that we would like to dish on the show. So we will talk about all the things, but summer is in full swing, and hopefully you are ready for it.

SPEAKER_00

Guys, we are past half the quarter of the year, by the way. We are in Q3. That's right. It is getting real, okay?

SPEAKER_01

It is very real.

SPEAKER_00

Um, but okay, where should we start, girl? Let me start with Can.

SPEAKER_01

Yes. How is Can? And for those who are just tuning in, Can, I know you've probably seen it all over your social platform, whether it's TikTok, Instagram, wherever you get your

What Cannes Is And Why

SPEAKER_01

social news or news in general. Um, Can is a creative arts and I think marketing festival that happens in Nice, France, every summer. Um, it's been going on for quite some time, but I feel like Can has gotten so much more of like a spotlight as it relates to like festivals in this industry, in our media industry, because a lot more creators are going because that's where the brands go. So when it when we say that's where the brands go, these are like the top legal, top level executives, like the CMOs, the CEOs, like the COOs, like all the people or that that are the decision makers at the brands that you would want to work with are at Cam or need to be at Cam. If it needs to be. Right. Crystal can speak more to it because I've always wanted to go, but you actually were there. So tell us the tea on Cam.

SPEAKER_00

So with all that said, however, if you go there, first of all, your access pass needs an access pass. Period. Let's keep in mind I'm speaking from the perspective as an entrepreneur. So I'm going out there on behalf of my business, but also a content creator. So I have those two different perspectives. I think that unless you are in like ad sales or marketing, this might not be the most beneficial place for you to go unless you have already settled meetings and you know, have invitations to certain things prior to arriving. Because when you get there, you're not gonna get those things. People like to make it seem like, oh my God, you can meet this person, you can meet that person. And is it possible? Possibly, but there's also so much going on. It's very easy for that to not happen. So when I was there, sometimes I was on the ground like at all these activations, which were amazing. If you ask me, this was more for brands to activate and to like create more brand awareness. The activations were beautiful, great. There was light bites and food at every single activation. But as somebody who is going out there looking to, you know, get the next partnership. I felt like my access pass needed an access pass. So even at the highest access that I might have, there were so many things that were still closed off that was like, you had to have set a meeting with this brand. You had to have set a meeting with that brand. And like for me, next year, I'm like, that's where I want to be. I'm not going there to figure it out. And I think this year I was kind of there like figuring it out, feeling the landscape. But I wish that I was able to meet more one-on-one like brand faces. There were brands that were also activating there. And I was like, dang, you know, like I, you know, I would have, I would have loved to be at such and such dinner, like creator dinner, you know? But those things don't happen if you don't set them up in advance. I don't think that they just organically happen. People like to make it seem like, oh, you can meet with this person, you can meet with that person. It's like, mmm. You could also meet with that person virtually.

SPEAKER_01

Right. So that I'm glad you said that because that's the misconception about can that I'm also, I guess, now hearing from you as well. And I have heard like different things because I know people that have gone that have shared that as well. But it's good to know that if you're planning on going, that you should pre-plan that stuff in advance. And also, let's also state that can pass, like you can't go to France wanting to go to Cannes just to say that you went, because there are people that do do that. And I think it's to me, each to each his own. Um, but I will.

SPEAKER_00

I love the location. I mean, the destination, though. Outside of the festival week, I think the destination is beautiful. I think people should visit it like off this crazy festival um time because I've been there like separately from this festival, and I love it. Like, you know, the day parties, like all that stuff still very much exists, but you experience it a little better because there's not so many like American tours. Right.

SPEAKER_01

And what I was gonna say is the tickets to to actually attend the festival, we're talking thousands of dollars. Like, unless you get like a pass, like maybe six months a year before in advance, and they have like a specific like creator pass or something. But like the brands that are paying are like I'm talking like 5,000 plus, like for one person admission ticket to go to like all of the things.

SPEAKER_00

So And I will say that was worth it to me because I did see that the passes were giving access to a lot of other things, even though you don't need the passes because there's so many other different activations happening. Those those passes, yeah, are beneficial. So did you actually have access? I didn't. Okay. I didn't have one. Would I pay for one without knowing exactly what it gives me access to? Probably not. Because it's also like for me personally, you can only go to one so many like panels where you're picking up gems. Um, it was also really, really hot. It wasn't Miami hot, but it was hot enough where like if you were sweating through certain clothing, like you were gonna see it. Um It was hot. But yeah, I I do think I do No, I don't think so. I don't think it was that way.

SPEAKER_01

In France, we're fighting over air conditioning because it's not just because they ain't got none. I know.

SPEAKER_00

Not because it was that hot, it's because they don't have

Access Reality And Planning Ahead

SPEAKER_00

any in most places. Um, of course, love the restaurant atmosphere. I also think a lot of the socializing and the networking happens in more social spaces and not the activations. So it's at the restaurants and at all these other places where people are casually socializing, even though a lot of people were out there having lunch and dinner with their coworkers and stuff, which is silly to me because it's like child, you know them. I see what you're saying. Are you having dinner with them? Right. Yeah, you see the same people all the time. But a lot of the a lot of the actual networking and um connecting happens socially. And I also think for black and brown people, a lot of it happens through friends, which is great because you're not you're not meeting as many like people like cold.

unknown

Okay.

SPEAKER_00

Does that make sense? So you're not like just meeting somebody like randomly. It's typically like, oh, this is my friend, blah, blah, blah. And then you're like, oh, okay, cool. That's how you make relationships there. It's also kind of like a uh sort of like a a stamp of approval, so to speak. Like a rather than that. That's for a lack of better. Yeah, but like for a lack of better words, like, you know, like a like a cosign, like, oh, this is my friend, such, such meat, blah, blah, blah. And it's like, oh, okay, cool. Like, you know, that, you know, it's not really like I'm gonna walk up to the CMO of Adobe.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, no, I love that. No. Yeah, I've seen I've been seeing so many like dissertations and think pieces on Cannes. And I feel like a lot of the general consensus of the things I've been seeing is like it's not smart to not go to Cannes without a plan and also like having something to show. Um, and what I mean by that is like you're meeting all these high-level executives and people who are the decision makers at said companies that you would want to work with. And we're talking like, like Crystal mentioned Adobe, we're talking like um Unilever, PG, like, you know, just different companies, right? In all vast realms. You should like kind of have like whether it's a project or like a goal, like something to present. Like you can't just go there and just be like, hey, I'm a creator and I need some money and I want a brand deal. Like, what is it that you're offering the other company that's beneficial to them? Or like what type of tangible things do you have to provide like insight on what it what you do and why you would be an asset to like said company. So I think that that was that was a good thing because I'm like, you a lot, like like you said, you couldn't be having coffee and sit next to somebody and like you have to have something to have a conversation about, or some type of mutual thing that you guys have in interest or in common, which is why it's so important to have hobbies. It's so important to do because then you could start conversations of like, oh, this is my golf thing, or this is my paddleboarding thing, paddleboard or tennis, or whatever it is that you do that somebody else does, because that's an easy conversation starter. And I feel like a lot of people in our generation and our um and a lot of millennials lack hobbies. Cause like your resume's cute, but like what else do you do outside of that that makes you attractive to somebody else? Because people love people who they can relate to and love people who like aren't boring. You know what I mean?

SPEAKER_00

I don't know. Yeah. I also, you know, I two things. In terms of like socializing casually, I think you you brought up a great point in in terms of like meeting somebody over coffee, the hotel lobbies. That's where the money is moving. Also, also, people are moving money in their levels, which is very annoying, which is why I keep saying like your access pass needs an access pass because it's the brands working together, not so much opening doors for people in other levels. Got it. So, um, I mean, definitely an experience if you if this is your field and like this is of interest to you again. If it's not, if you're not like an entrepreneur or like in media sales or um a content creator, I don't think this is a space for you. Uh and I wouldn't force myself to dance at a party that has nothing to do with me. Because you can't dance at every party either.

SPEAKER_01

You can't. And I I love that you you say that because like we know all these events that happen all around the world, like especially specifically here in Miami, our boss and everything. I feel like can, I've joked about it is turning into like the art vasel of the world. Because it's like, if I'm an automotive, why am I at Can? You know what I mean? Like it's like if I'm doing something that's totally opposite of what this is about, why am I doing said thing? Is it just because I can say I went? Because you can go any other time.

SPEAKER_00

Which is why I said you should visit, but at a different at a different time, right? I also the last thing I'm gonna say is that boy, was there a stark difference in Cannes from like like during the festival versus after the festival? I don't know if you felt this, Amanda, but it was day and night to me. Like I didn't really see French people during the festival. I see just like a bunch of tourists, and then all of a sudden, the day after, because I stood like a couple hours after, and I went into the city and it was like these are the people panhandlers harassing you. And I was like, where was y'all at all week? It was very interesting to me because I had forgot that like France is very much like that. Um, but after I was like, did y'all get people off the street for the first half of the week? Like, what the heck just happened? It was like a completely different world.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, maybe they just know that that's like a a something that happens where they're just like they stay away until after the fact. But yeah, it was it was crazy. Something else I was gonna mention about can. Um, just not even just a can related things. I haven't physically gone yet. So I don't really, I don't want to speak on something I don't know. But just a lot of things I was seeing online is I don't know if you've seen the girl that went viral when she kind of shot her shot at at Oprah at the female quotient event. Did you see that? I didn't, but I heard about it. Yeah. So I don't know. That was another thing I was gonna say is like, did you see a lot of that? Like people just shooting their shot or just overhear things like that. Like, I don't know.

SPEAKER_00

Didn't I actually didn't? I didn't see a lot of that. Um, and I'm indifferent about that style of self-promotion. But the silence, the silence. No, I agree.

SPEAKER_01

I no, I agree with you a thousand percent. I actually seen something that one of my girls said. Um, shout out to Nandi, you know Nandi too. Um she said it on threads the other day and I loved it. She was like, a lot of y'all or a lot of people in general, I don't want, I don't I don't want to say it specifically. I don't want to quote it, but like specific. But it was around the, it was around the space of like, we're in a generation where everybody is like kind of so thirsty to go to like events and to do certain things where it's like stop begging. You know what I mean? Like, there's a difference between like a better word. Yeah, and like you're begging. Like it's like, and and I think she was like, and threads

Networking Without Begging Or Forcing

SPEAKER_01

is not a good place because it kind of, it kind of like brings out the beggars of people. Like we, it still looks a certain way when you just look like you're trying to be somewhere when you're not. I'm not speaking on the Oprah thing, by the way. I'm just saying in general as it relates to shooting shots. But yeah, I I I I feel you on that. I'm like, when it's your time and when it's for you, it will happen divinely and genuinely, and you are gonna know without a shadow of the doubt that that was your moment and that's your time. But yeah, I seen that. And I thought, and kudos to her because Oprah's going to lunch with her. Hopefully, like there's a plan on what that is that she's trying to get out of that.

SPEAKER_00

What that looks like, yeah.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, but absolutely kudos to her. I do know that there are a lot of people who are, you know, have startups or start businesses and are uh at go to can and they come up on some money of people who are trying to invest and people who are looking to invest in like different companies and businesses and stuff like that.

SPEAKER_00

Allegedly, girl, because I I didn't see them. I didn't see them. I didn't see them.

SPEAKER_01

That's what I see on the internet. That's what I see.

SPEAKER_00

And you really can't believe the internet. And I think that's my consensus from this trip. You cannot bel believe everything you see on the internet, um, good and bad. And just don't dance at every party. Especially if it's not like your industry. If you don't even like reggae, why would you go to abashment? You know what I mean? Just to say you went.

SPEAKER_01

Who cares? No one's gonna care at the end of the day. At the end of the day, the day gotta end.

SPEAKER_00

So yeah. I also don't believe in like bullying your way into opportunities. Like and I and I think that people go into can with the uh assumption that like all conversations have to start with business. And it's like nobody's doing random business with you. Nobody's doing that at all. So if like that's your intention, good luck. You'll get an email though, and I think that's a great start. Like, and I think if that's your starting line, go for it. But don't go out there and expect them to come back with a 50k bag. It's just not gonna happen. But you could turn it into a 50k bag.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00

Emails and follow-ups.

SPEAKER_01

And it's the work you do when you're not in cam. It's the work you do at home. Yep. So that's good. I'm glad you had a good experience though.

SPEAKER_00

Did you anything? Okay, good. So you'd go again. You would go again. No, yeah, I wouldn't. I would. But expectations managed for sure.

SPEAKER_01

Okay. Love that. Love that. And it sounded like based based on what you're saying, you had a great time and a great experience, but you would pre-plan for this better in the sense of like setting up meetings and doing certain things before you even know you're booking the flight. Like, kind of like get that stuff in order first to make sure that like the trip is worth your while.

SPEAKER_00

Absolutely. Down to the reservations, girl. They're making them a month out. Girl, I heard they're booking places already, child.

SPEAKER_01

I believe it. Yeah. So definitely if Can is on your list of things to do, I think it's a good like work thing to start your summer. If this is your field, like we said, and you're um and you have um reasons to be in France during that time. And it's a good way to start your Euro summer girl, because that's that's that that was a side of Europe I was on.

SPEAKER_00

Well, yeah. So tell me about that.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, so I I made it to Nice. That was, I think I came that Thursday after Cam. And basically, um You were there on Thursday? Yes, I so the thing is I didn't text you until Friday, and I should have texted you on Friday. I should have texted you on Thursday. I should have hit you on Thursday. Yeah. I should have definitely hit you on Thursday, so that's my bad. Like, girl, first of all, that travel will wear you out. Okay. So I was literally like kind of delusional after getting off the plane. So I got to Nice. I was there Thursday. That's so accurate. Yes, I was there Thursday during the day. And it's my first time, you know what I will say? This is my first time

Nice And Saint-Tropez Travel Breakdown

SPEAKER_01

in the south of France. Because I was like, I was in Capri, but they don't consider that the South of France, even though Italy is super close. Um that's OD, not the south of France. It's not the south of France. Okay, it's not the south of France. Um but it is a Euro sober though. It's a Euro sober though. That it is, that it is. So it was my first time traveling to Nice um through Paris, and then I went to Saint-Tropez, and it's always been on my list of places to go to. So Saint-Tropez was basically the the bulk of my trip where I was and did all the things, ate at all the restaurants. Um, and the restaurants, if you don't know, in Saint Tropez, it goes from dining to party, like in a split second. So hurry up, eat your food because honey, you jumping on tables and throwing that. They're gonna be on the table quickly. But I love the energy in France. I love how the food is in France and especially in Saint Tropez. Like, I just feel like, girl, I lost weight coming back here. Like, I'm like, are you telling me in France? Yes, I'm like, I had I I was I was indulging in all the things, food, had, you know, drinks. I'm like, you go spritz vibes. Um, but I juice, I feel like I was just, I'm I was much lighter coming back here. I don't know what it was.

SPEAKER_00

It definitely also just better quality stuff. Yes. Yes. The food quality, the serving sizes, I was like, ooh, this is kind of small. And I was like, am I just a fat American?

SPEAKER_01

No, I agree. I feel like I was ordering at the table and I was like, ooh, I hope I'm not ordering too much. But girl, yeah, the food serving size is small. Um, what else? The shopping is great. Love the shopping there. Um Did it live up to the hype?

SPEAKER_00

Is the question.

SPEAKER_01

I really think it did. Like, I think it's a very cute city. I feel like you you gotta know. I feel like Sancho, I will never, okay, here's what I will say. I will never fly from Miami to San Trope just to go to San Trope. I would have to come, I would have to be going to San Trope. And I had to come back quickly because I had to go to Essence. But I would have bounced around to Monaco. I would have spent a couple more days in Nice. I would have probably traveled to other places and seen a lot of like because I didn't get to see Monaco. I didn't go to Monte Carlo. Like I would have loved to do that. Although I hear it's not like So much to see. I still wanted to experience it. It's like a trifecta of the different things you can do in one trip. Yeah. But yeah, I think it's a place that I would go to again. Absolutely would go back to go. I gotta go to Shallona. I love Shallona, had a good time. But um I would go to Saint Trope in hopes of traveling throughout Europe and going to other places at the same time. I recommend it. 10 out of 10 recommend. It's beautiful.

SPEAKER_00

You know, I went there briefly and I didn't get to experience it the way I would have wanted to. So I would go back. I mean, I would go back every year, like separately from the festival. I absolutely love it there. I love the energy there. Um I didn't get to go to Monaco and I really want to go to Monaco. Um, but I would also only go over there if I'm doing multiple stops as well. You know what I was gonna say too? About this whole thing. So just talking about like Essence Canon, like being at all these events, like I feel like you cannot show your face at everything you were diluting your brand. If everybody knows you're gonna be at every event, agree.

SPEAKER_01

Where's the exclusivity? And you all know how it is when you see certain people and you're like, hey, you here again. You at everything. Like you sit down somewhere, like you know how it is when you see somebody and you feel that way. So imagine the people that feel that way if you were doing it.

SPEAKER_00

I exactly. Yeah, I was just gonna say, if you feel that way, then you should probably look in the mirror too and be like, well, damn, am I outside just as much as

Stop Going Everywhere And Lock In

SPEAKER_00

this person? Because I'll be seeing them.

SPEAKER_01

Also, outside, I know Drake said outside is back to what it was. But is it really? Like, I I just I don't know. I beg to differ. You think it's back?

SPEAKER_00

No, I beg to differ. It's not, it's not what it was.

SPEAKER_01

Okay, that's what I'm saying. That's exactly what I'm saying. I'm saying outside is not what it used to be to me. So if I'm leaving my house in my comfortable pajamas and going somewhere, like out of the comfort of wherever I am, even if I'm traveling, like it needs to be worth my while. I need to know what the setup is. Like, there's specific things, like I don't want to wait in the line, I don't want to know what the situation's gonna be. Like, I like you know how you just have like your idea of how you want things to go? If it doesn't fit that standard, it's like, what's the point? Because I don't want to be disappointed. And no one should be disappointed, especially when you're spending your money. Or when somebody else is spending money. It don't matter.

SPEAKER_00

Like when you're young, you go outside, you don't care if you gotta wait outside for 10 minutes at the door. Like, we not that age anymore. We have certain requirements and standards when we go outside and when those things are not met. Yes. You just don't wanna do it. And and yeah, outside don't look like what it looked like in my 20s. And I'm very much okay with that. But I think that like between the idea of like not dancing at every party and like not diluting your brand and showing your face at every single thing, you don't gotta be at all these events. You really don't. Watch it online. Especially again if it's not in your industry.

SPEAKER_01

Yep. And if it's not the season for you, right? Because everybody has certain seasons. Like I I remember like just different years where I didn't travel, where I didn't travel at all and I stayed home the whole year or stayed within the US the whole year. You know what I mean? Like, and that's okay. Don't feel the pressure of like your peers going to all these things and feel like you aren't at um a certain level, or don't feel like you're not close to being at that level because you haven't experienced certain things. Because there's you could be making a lot more progress than the people that are actually in these spaces. So, like, never doubt yourself. Never doubt doubt yourself. And literally, so much could change in six months. Like Crystal said, we are literally halfway through the year. Lock in, sis. Lock in, lock in, lock in, lock in, lock in. There's no reason why you can't change your life in the next six months with just getting disciplined and locking in on the things that you need to do to be able to go to can and also save your money because year old summers ain't cheap. Nothing about Europe is cheap, honey. Not one thing. But I'm I'm so glad you had that experience. Speaking of like summer events, how was Essence? Essence, just came back from Essence. I really loved Essence. I'm not okay. Was it better than last year? Because that's what people want to know. Keep it a buck. Was it better than last year? To me, yes. However, I did not experience essence the same way I did last year. Last year, I was at every single thing. This year, I was not. I was very selective in the things that I wanted to do because also this was a work trip for me. It wasn't just fun. So it

Essence Fest Review And Concert Highlights

SPEAKER_01

was a work trip. I had brands I was working with had deliverables, deliverables that I had to meet. I had to record content, shoot content. I had to be ready to host because I was hosting the carpet for black women, Essence, Black Women, Black Women and Music, which came back for the first time in like eight years. So I really just wanted to lock in on that because it was like, you know, the brand took a while to bring that back. And I wanted to make sure I am correctly representing the brand and the people that they were honoring. So yeah, I I enjoyed the concerts. Let me tell you. Cardi B, she gave a show. Love Cardi Damn. Okay. Um, she gave a show. I love like the first, the first, the first um concert was Lotto, Cardi, and Kaylani. Loved all of that. Um, like I feel like the concerts did their thing. One thing I have been seeing a lot of people saying, which I agree on, is a lot of people, just in general, always complain about how things used to be. It used to be like this, it used to be like that. Well, honey, like everything isn't gonna stay the same. Like, things change with new um with management, with yeah, with new personnel on the team. And also like we're evolving with the times. Like, Cardi Bree is like our age group, right? Like, we're not the kids anymore. Like, we're literally like, would you say middle age? Like we like, like we're like no wish. Not middle age. We're still young, but like we are the growing aunts. I'm closer to 40 than I am 21. And what I mean by that, hold on now. I am though. Speak for yourself. Crystal, you're not the growing aunties. You're not closer to 40 than you are 21.

SPEAKER_00

Who said? Counter. I count backwards, baby.

SPEAKER_01

So, because of that, like I feel like Essence did a great job. Shout out to Essence. I feel like Essence did a great job with bringing, you know, different demos together. As they had Patty LaBelle one night, they had Brandy and Monica, they had Cardi, they had, they had Normani. I feel like they touched the different age groups and who it is that they wanted to bring, on top of like um Tiana Taylor doing her thing with Auntie's and they brought the Super Lounge back, which is something that Essence has been trying to bring back as well. But one other thing that I want us to think about is in general, especially if you're a creator, brands are not spending money like that. Brands, DEI is not a thing, right? Like, they don't have to touch the multicultural. They don't have to feel like, you know, remember when we were all, they were all trying to throw money during, you know, when a lot of different things were going on as it relates to like race in our in our world where they were like, oh, we want to make sure we're not gonna be able to do that. Now they don't care. They're showing their true colors. So with that being said, Essence did not get a lot of sponsorships because of that. And I'm sure the festival felt an effect of that. Um, but they still continued, right? Like one monkey don't stop no show. Just because brands are not, you know, like a lot of these brands like Essence and all these major festivals and major things, they operate with ad sales. They need people to give them money to be able to put on these big events and shows that we know and love. And a lot of these brands are not giving money. So what are the brands doing? They're using their own money sometimes and putting on these brands still because they want to make sure that the people that support them 365 days of the year still get to enjoy these events that they know and love. And I think that is super important to think about when speaking on essence is knowing that their major brands that they would have activate every year through and through didn't activate this year.

SPEAKER_00

And what they showed their true colors. They still did for the community.

SPEAKER_01

They showed them. But I had a good time. New Orleans is a beautiful city. I love New Orleans. I love you gotta go. And honestly, I love the people and the food of New Orleans like more than anything. The food was amazing. I had,

Sponsorship Pullback And DEI Reality

SPEAKER_01

I ate really good. But I said this on threads and I will repeat it again. The people of New Orleans are really the joy of the city. When I was coming back from New Orleans, it was my fault, it was nobody else's fault. I got to the airport, right? I'm gonna tell you guys a little story. I got to the airport. I got there late. The night before I did not week turn it over.

SPEAKER_00

You have really turned over a new leaf. And I'm thoroughly proud of you.

SPEAKER_01

I'm I'm genuinely proud of you for that. I appreciate you saying that. And also, me being early makes a difference in my story, was what I'm saying to you guys. Packed the night before, I didn't even go out as late as I imagined. So I, you know, when you have so much time to pack, you organize and things that you don't even, it's not a rush packing. It's like an organized packing. So I was, I had my ID in my bag that I was going to the concert with. And instead of putting it, because I didn't I didn't carry an extra bag going to the airport, instead of putting it where it needed to go, I put my ID in my makeup bag. Right? So I get to the airport and I'm freaking out. It's late at night. It's late at night. Okay, it's late at night. I'm freaking out because I couldn't find my ID and I'm panicking. My Uber driver, clearly from New Orleans, loved her thick accent. Like she was just the sweetest woman ever. Pulled over, opened my suitcase to help me look for my ID. She's like, no. And she was, and she's a Lyft driver. She was accepting, uh, calls were coming in. She was declining. That's money. That's money she was declining to help me. Other people in other cities, Miami, they would have had me on the side of the street, like girl figuring out. She literally told me she would take me to my hotel to help me look for that ID. That woman was so sweet. I had a gift bag full of items from Essence. I literally already had plans on giving it to her. And I gave it to her and I was like, please let me know your Zell. I was Zel 2. She said, You don't need to Zellmy, baby. Just make sure if you need anything, call me. She gave her cell phone number, everything. That's where it starts. Then I get to the airport. I still don't have the ID. I was gonna get on my flight without the ID. Because you can do that. If you could do that. Like proof questions. The American Airlines flight attendant, um, not a flight attendant, but personnel that's at the desk. This man was like, take your time. You can open your suitcase right next to me. Don't worry. And then that's how I discovered it was in my makeup bag. So sweet. Was like, even if it's late, he's like, I'll let you take your big suitcase to the front and pass security to make sure it gets on the flight. This is somebody from American Airlines. So I say all that to say, wow, these New Orleans people are different. Okay. The the I thought these are my family members, the way they were so caring for me. Because I, if you ever lost your wallet, you know that feeling. Like it's not the best feeling ever. Like I almost wanted to cry in there for it not to be dramatic. Because I was like, I did everything right. And I just couldn't find it. Um but I just have to say they were just super sweet. And I honestly thank them for their their kindness. It doesn't, it doesn't, it doesn't do anything for you to not be kind to somebody. You don't know, like they literally made my entire day. I was like, I will come back to New Orleans for y'all because the sweetness

New Orleans Kindness Airport Story

SPEAKER_01

was just on another level. So yes, you have to go to New Orleans.

SPEAKER_00

I have to go, but Essence has never invited me. Okay. So I I I'm gonna I'm gonna I'm gonna call somebody over there. I don't know who, but I'm gonna start making some calls because I want to make some but I want to go with the reason, you know? Not just like randomly.

SPEAKER_01

We should go with Elevators Podcast. So we need to figure out how to work, make that work too.

SPEAKER_00

Let's speak that into existence for next year.

SPEAKER_01

Yes. If you would like to see us at Essence, please tap in the comments. Please send this to anyone that you know that may be at Essence, then let them know the girls need to be there because the women who are literally Essence women are who our podcast also was kind of created for. It's created for women who are just elevating. You guys know you guys have rocking with us for years now, like in all different levels of of your life. And I think that there's so much um that we could benefit from being there and also benefit um from having us there. So I think that that would be amazing. We gotta make it happen.

SPEAKER_00

I know next year, next year, 2027. Um, that sounds crazy. 2027 sounds crazy. I know. It sounds insane. But again, we are almost there. We are already in Q3. That said, um, we want to hear from you guys. What are you guys doing? Were you guys traveling this summer? Let us know in the comments. Make sure you like, comment, subscribe, talk to us on SpeakPipe. Um, but also we are going to be coming to you weekly for the for the rest of the summer, basically. So make sure y'all tune in, um, talk to us in the comments and let us know what you want to hear. I feel like at this point, as we go into Q4, I think we need to do some more financial conversations. Like, what are we doing? Like, what are we doing in our 30s, our mid-30s for the rest of the year with our money? Like, how are we making it flip? So on and so forth. So let us know what topics you guys want to hear from us.

SPEAKER_01

I agree. I think I have some ideas of some topics that you guys would be interested in too. So definitely hit us on SpeakPipe on our website. You all have our Instagram. I'm at Amanda Booze. This is um crystals is at Crystal Vega. We have our elevators at elevators. You can find us wherever you need to find us. And then also, more importantly, than just letting us know what you guys want us to talk about. Please like, comment, and also give our podcast a rating. That's how other people discover us. That's how we continue to grow as we are in this podcast based on our podcast journey. We appreciate you guys so much for tuning in each and every week or every other week. Whenever we air, you guys are there.

SPEAKER_00

Until next time. Bye.

SPEAKER_01

Right, bye guys.