From NYPD Detective to Luxury Powerhouse: Kelley Hardwick on Security, Entrepreneurship & Legacy

In this episode of Corey’s Corner, retired NYPD executive Corey Pegues sits down with Kelley Hardwick a retired NYPD Detective, attorney, and lifestyle security authority who has spent over 25 years mastering executive protection and high-level security strategy.

Now the Co-Owner and CEO of The IMAC Group, Kelley has successfully transitioned from public service to entrepreneurship, building a powerful brand at the intersection of security, luxury hospitality, and legacy. As the founder of Cigar Savoir Faire, she’s redefining upscale event experiences, while also expanding her influence through real estate investing and premium brands like YaVe Tequila.

Recently featured on BET’s Minding Our Own Black Business, Kelley shares insights on leadership, reinvention, women in power, and how to build something that lasts beyond success true legacy.

This is a conversation about discipline, vision, and elevating your life to the next level.

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:00

Once the kill, let it not get. I put that with the celebrate death instead of condemning it, Corey Pegheese. Not talking to Brooklyn.

SPEAKER_08 0:11

Pull up a seat. You're now on Corey's Corner, where right conversations matter. I'm your host, Corey Pegheese, and I always keep it right, not real. Today on Corey's Corner, we're joined by True Powerhouse, Kelly Hardwood, a retired NYPD detective and attorney with over 25 years of experience. Kelly has built an incredible career at the intersection of public safety, executive protection, and lifestyle security. As co-owner and CEO of the IMAC group, she leads with strategy, precision, and a deep understanding of high-level security operations. But she didn't stop there. Kelly is also the founder of Cigar Savoir Fair, an upscale mobile experience redefining luxury hospitality and an experimental branding. She's a real estate investor with a growing multi-state portfolio and overseas. And an investor in premium brand Yava Tequila. Continue to expand her footprint in the luxury space. Recently featured on BET's Minding Our Own Black Business, Kelly represents leadership, reinvention, and legacy. Welcome to Corey's Corner, sis.

SPEAKER_05 1:30

Thank you, Corey.

SPEAKER_08 1:31

I'm so happy to have you.

SPEAKER_05 1:32

I'm so happy to be here with you.

SPEAKER_08 1:34

It's been a long time. This episode of Corey's Corner is brought to you by Corrupt Mob MC. It's a brotherhood built on loyalty, respect, and community. More than a motorcycle club, Corrupt Mob represents unity, strength, and service both on and off the road. Respect them all. Corey's Corner wouldn't happen without Story to Tell Productions. They make the magic happen. Every great podcast needs a powerhouse behind the scenes. And for Corey's Corner, that powerhouse is story to tell productions. So if you're looking to start a podcast, please reach out. Let's get into it, sis.

SPEAKER_05 2:15

Here we go.

SPEAKER_08 2:16

Let's start from the beginning. Where are you from? Family dynamics?

SPEAKER_05 2:22

So born and raised in the Boogie Down Bronx. I am the child of two former NYPD officers. My mom was a sergeant in NYPD, and my father was a detective. They actually met on the job, fell in love, and had me.

SPEAKER_08 2:37

So take us back to the beginning. I think you kind of answered, but what first inspired you to pursue a career in law enforcement?

SPEAKER_05 2:44

If I'm to be honest, money. I was in college back in the 80s, and I have a degree in economics and business finance. And at the time, when I was looking for a job, NYPD was actually paying more than someone with a college degree. In my field, the money was there to be had, but you needed to get a master's. And after going straight through college, I um wanted to make some money. So I graduated from college in May and I went into the police academy, much to my father's chagrin in July.

SPEAKER_08 3:16

Ian Royce baby girl.

SPEAKER_05 3:17

Absolutely not. Absolutely not. He said I did not send you to college to be a cop.

SPEAKER_08 3:22

I quote. What was your journey like becoming both an NYPD detective and an attorney? So you were studying for attorney while you were on the job.

SPEAKER_05 3:31

Correct. So interestingly enough, and I think I might have shared the story a couple of times, while I was on the job, uh ended up on a foot chase. I was in shape back then. Quite the perp. He stopped. I beat all the cops that were running behind me. So he turned around and realized I was the only one that was there, punched me in the jaw.

SPEAKER_03 3:48

Uh-huh.

SPEAKER_05 3:49

Did not like the way that felt so much.

SPEAKER_06 3:51

Right.

SPEAKER_05 3:52

You know, guys caught up, but it got me to thinking, and I said, hey, there must be something else for me. So literally, I took a little vacation to visit a friend out in LA.

SPEAKER_06 4:01

Right.

SPEAKER_05 4:01

And as we were driving down the Pacific Coast Highway, I'm looking at all these beautiful houses. I'm looking at the Spanish-style fences, and I said, I get back, I'm going to take the LSAT. And whoever takes me, I'm going to law school.

SPEAKER_08 4:12

Right.

SPEAKER_05 4:13

So I put myself through law school while I was on the job.

SPEAKER_08 4:16

Oh, nice. Great. I was thinking about taking the LSAT, but I was like, well, what's the hire of a 50-year-old attorney after they do a whole career?

SPEAKER_05 4:26

Well, but you know the thing about being an attorney, you don't actually have to practice law. And it is a great degree to have because it teaches you how to think. Critical. It just changes your analytical thinking. And people want people that have a law degree and that can think like that. So I don't practice, you know, but it has gotten me into a lot of spaces and opened a lot of doors because of the way my mind is trained.

SPEAKER_08 4:47

Right. So you just said a defining moment when you was a cop. Can you share a moment from your time in the NYPD that shaped how you lead today or how you've led throughout your life?

SPEAKER_05 4:58

Oh, absolutely. You know, being former NYPD yourself, you have to follow the commander. Whether the commander is a sergeant, a lieutenant, a captain, and you can lead with integrity and you can lead compassionately. So I work for bosses that I didn't particularly care for. And I always put in the back of my head, should I become a boss or work for myself? I would always want to create a family type of situation. And you lead by example. So I would try not to ask anyone who worked with me, and I don't say for me, to do something that I wouldn't do. So if I got the team showing up at six o'clock in the morning, I don't roll in at noon.

SPEAKER_06 5:36

Right.

SPEAKER_05 5:36

Get there at six with them, set up. Now I may leave, but I let them know we're in it together. So I just feel like in the police department, I I did experience a few bosses that weren't particularly my cup of tea outside.

SPEAKER_08 5:49

Right. Without naming names. So how many years did you do?

SPEAKER_05 5:53

I did 15.

SPEAKER_08 5:55

And how how did that experience in law enforcement prepare you for the world of executive protection and security strategy?

SPEAKER_05 6:02

I always say the police department is a great foundation for everything. It is. Right? Because corporate America is a totally different animal. When you are a police officer, it feels like you're part of a brotherhood, right? So everybody watches everybody's back, everybody looks out for each other. It is not like that in corporate America. Everybody's trying to get the bag, and it's every man for himself. So I feel like coming from a place of like brotherhood and sisterhood, and then being spun into a place where it was like, oh, she did it. That would never happen on a job. But it was a rude awakening, but at the same time, because unfortunately, in a lot of circumstances with the police, there's an us in them mentality, which I don't condone, which there shouldn't be. It prepares you for going into a scenario in corporate America where everybody isn't your fan. You know, you come into a room and you think you got a squad, you're on your own. So it makes you better, really. You have to show up prepared.

SPEAKER_08 6:59

For those who might not understand it, what exactly is lifestyle security and why is it so important to them?

SPEAKER_05 7:08

So, with the clients that I've been fortunate enough to service, it's not just about executive protection. I think everybody sees the bodyguard. They see the big bulky guy in the black. Even when you go into an establishment, sometimes you see the guy with the black gloves on their hands. There are all different types of security. And lifestyle management really takes from soup to nuts the principal's life. For example, we vet nannies. We do the background checks to make sure that the makeup team that's coming into your space is uh clear, is not uh a fraud or or not an opportunist of say. If one of our principals is running a house in St. Bart's, we clear the house. We go to make sure there are no cameras, there are no courting devices in the house. So we take care of the children, we take care of the runs to the supermarket. It's so much more than just being at the door and keeping right and keeping people out.

SPEAKER_08 8:06

And I mean, you've had, or probably still on your roster, some very high-end clients that I know of that we won't talk about.

SPEAKER_05 8:13

From the NDA, we can't, but you listen to them, you watch them on TV, those kind of things.

SPEAKER_08 8:18

Oh, yeah, some very high-end. I know that you your company had the BET contract security. You did all the 106 in Park. All of 100. With wow wow and all of them, right? That's right. My daughters when they was young. I got them, you got them over there a couple of times.

SPEAKER_05 8:33

Yeah, the iMac group.

SPEAKER_08 8:35

You saw all of them grow.

SPEAKER_05 8:37

Yes, the iMac group has been around 25 plus years, thanks to my husband.

SPEAKER_08 8:42

It's funny because my husband I mentioned his name because you know he's I'm not mentioning his name. I don't want him to be like your court, he's way behind the scenes.

SPEAKER_05 8:53

He is uh truly the mastermind as well. But he I left the job before him.

SPEAKER_08 8:57

Right.

SPEAKER_05 8:57

And as you know, when you're active in law enforcement, you can't necessarily have a watch guard license. So he did start out with a different partner. And as a partner, I would listen to some of his Tales of Woe. So unbeknownst to him, I just went and took the test. I never told him.

SPEAKER_07 9:11

Right.

SPEAKER_05 9:11

I just took the test, I passed it, I put it in a box with a bow, I came home and said, Here, I'm your partner.

SPEAKER_06 9:17

Right.

SPEAKER_05 9:17

So I didn't realize that I was really going to become an active partner. I was just trying to do the wife thing, but it's been a good mix because we have expertise in different areas. But that whole 106 and park setup, everything, that was him.

SPEAKER_08 9:30

I love it. Shout out to my brother and my nieces. Can't forgive them. Now, you've been in over 25 years in security, as you said. How has the game changed over the last 25 years?

SPEAKER_05 9:42

Well, how has it changed? Well, I think some of the obstacles that existed 25 years ago are still there. But technology has changed the game because they're cyber stalking. You have people that can get an IP address, you can't identify who they are, they're harassing your clients, they're threatening them. It's it's scary. So you have to grow with times. You know what I mean? And so I think a security professional 25 years ago didn't have to have IT savvy and IT knowledge, and we're constantly on all the social media platforms and checking to see if threat assessments and things like that. That wasn't really prevalent back then, but it is.

SPEAKER_08 10:21

I know what question I want to ask that's not on here. Uh-uh. If IMAC had the security job for the Oscars when Chris Rock was hosting, would Will Smith have been able to get up on that stage? Absolutely not. And if he got up there and did what he did, would somebody from IMAC would have been up?

SPEAKER_05 10:41

I was just like, But I where is the security? I think once he got on the stage, what we don't do is interfere with production, right? So, as in anything, the egress and the access points are what most critical. Well, he walked right up. Well, that wouldn't have happened with the iMac room.

SPEAKER_08 10:58

That's what I'm saying. Y'all would have grabbed him because you know it wasn't set up for him to come up on the stage.

SPEAKER_05 11:02

Well, if you look at any old award shows, if you look at the BET Awards, if you look at the hip hop awards, had all of those shows. Right. We always had security at the foot of the stage facing the audience.

SPEAKER_06 11:16

Right.

SPEAKER_05 11:16

Not watching the show.

SPEAKER_06 11:17

Right.

SPEAKER_05 11:17

So there was no way that he would have got past us. Right. He would have got stopped. Uh-huh. Yeah.

SPEAKER_08 11:23

I wanted to ask that question.

SPEAKER_05 11:24

Sorry, Chris.

SPEAKER_08 11:25

Oh man, that's not my man Chris's like. I love Chris. He ain't do nothing. He's better than me. As co-owner of IMAC and CEO, what sets your approach to security apart from others in the industry?

SPEAKER_05 11:39

I think we all try to staff ourselves with professionals and a certain level of expertise. But I think I know what has made IMAC so successful for such a long time is the family approach that we take. If everybody has a nickel in the dime, they care. They show up. You work for any boss and you think the boss is or your leader, however you want to call it, is not grateful for your contribution, you call in, right? You don't show up. But I think we have created such a sense of family that people know, team knows, well, if I don't show up or I don't carry my weight, it's gonna fall upon the next person. So we create an environment where we care about each other. And that's why I said if I got people showing up before the sun rises, I'm in the trail of signing them in with my staff. I don't have to be there. But I think it ignites a certain sense of loyalty and responsibility. Because when the sun goes down and they're signing out, I'm right there too. So I would check out the.

SPEAKER_08 12:37

So the security officer with the runny nose, he just gonna come into work because he knows.

SPEAKER_05 12:43

Well, we don't want this runny nose. We we we care about the team, so we don't want him getting everybody else sick. But we like that he tries.

SPEAKER_08 12:51

Now, we were talking about high-level security and protection. You handled a lot. Um, what does it take mentally and emotionally to operate in those high stake environments because you're responsible for the principal. And I know some of them could be a-hos too, but you kind of gotta like get over that and do your job, right?

SPEAKER_05 13:10

Well, you know, when you're a cop, if you're a proficient cop and you are in uniform and you're on the street and somebody's giving you grief, the mature police officer knows they don't know you. They're yelling at the uniform and the badge. Right. It's not you that they're upset with. You have to bring that same mentality to dealing with, you know, wealthy people, high net worth people, and celebrities that are used to being told yes all the time. Right. Because a lot of times security has to say no.

SPEAKER_07 13:42

Right.

SPEAKER_05 13:42

And so some people kick and fight, but you can't personalize it. Right. And you have to find a way to communicate that this is what's best for you. But I find oftentimes police officers sometimes make the worst security professionals. And I'll tell you why. In street, right? You are the final word. Right. In private security, the boss that pays the bill is the final word, and you don't have the same authority. So there's a transition that needs to be made. And you have to be selfless. You can't be about you, you know.

SPEAKER_08 14:12

It's about the principal and the safety of the I guess you have some nice training classes before you hire. Oh, when you hire them, you put them through.

SPEAKER_05 14:22

We call it the IMAC way, yeah. They all get the briefing for sure.

SPEAKER_08 14:26

Last security question. How do you balance safety with creating seamless luxury experiences for the clients?

SPEAKER_05 14:33

There's a lot of stuff that the clients don't see. That doesn't mean that it's not roughshod behind, but by the time they walk through, those things have been smoothed out. Yeah. I'm not gonna sit here and act like it's easy and I I think when the light goes on, it's time to go. As long as the client comes through and doesn't see, it doesn't matter how many times you gotta go through it to get it right. So just as long as they don't see it, okay. Yeah, easy enough.

SPEAKER_08 15:01

What inspired you to launch Cigar Savoie?

SPEAKER_05 15:05

Okay. So it's a couple of things. So as I said, I work with my husband in the security firm, and anybody who is married and also a business partner knows that that can be stressful. You know, you're together all the time. Um I've been smoking cigars since I was in my twenties. Um, not often, but I do enjoy a good stake. Working in the NBA and working so closely with all the athletes, I recognize that what they lack is personal space.

SPEAKER_06 15:35

Right.

SPEAKER_05 15:36

You know, the minute you're out with a player, people want to run up with a camera. I mean, I'm around them all the time. But if you think this is your only opportunity to get a photo or your only opportunity to get an autograph, people become relentless.

SPEAKER_03 15:50

Right.

SPEAKER_05 15:50

So having the need to look for a lane for myself, taking a passion that I had, which was smoking, and also understanding that cigar smokers are a little different than hookah smokers, you know what I mean, and marijuana smokers. It's a different kind of environment. And then coupling that with my experience for the need for privacy and upscale, you know, lifestyle offerings, I said, hey, this kind of encompasses everything. I can go and buy this lounge, it gives me a good excuse to like move away and channel my creative energies. I can create a private space and I can smoke.

SPEAKER_08 16:25

You kind of answered the second part on how did you identify the unique niche in luxury hospitality. Let's talk about savoir-faire. Let the people know there's your camera right there. Okay, what it is, because they don't know. Like this is a moving club.

SPEAKER_05 16:42

I always love when I say I have a mobile cigar lounge, and then the response is, where is it?

SPEAKER_08 16:49

Right.

SPEAKER_05 16:50

It's wherever you want it to be. We are a mobile two-story unit that is hired personally for special events. Whole idea is to create the feeling of a tr a traditional cigar lounge, but when you hire it, it is for your exclusive use, you obviously and your guest. And so we try to bring, we don't try, we succeed at bringing a premium experience, even if it's in your backyard.

SPEAKER_08 17:21

What what is she doing? Oh, well, how did you get the vehicle? Kind of locked up.

SPEAKER_05 17:27

I did, no, absolutely. So I was actually in Houston, Rockets were playing the Lakers, and I had met the gentleman that originally owned the lounge a couple of years prior. I actually had gone to do an NBA All-Star briefing in Houston when the All-Star was there, and was one of three black people in the room. I remember getting up and speaking and leaving. A couple of months later, or maybe a couple of years, I'm not sure. I was at Essence Fest in uh New Orleans, and I went into the cigar lounge that I normally go into on Canal Street.

SPEAKER_08 17:59

I know exactly what I said.

SPEAKER_05 18:01

Leoncio, right. So I sit down, and this gentleman is sitting across from me, and he says, I know you. And I'm I said, Okay, where are you from? He said, Texas. And I said, Okay. He said, Who do you work for? And I said, the NBA. He said, That's it. You spoke at a law enforcement briefing. I'm a Leo, which means law enforcement officer. He said, You spoke, and I was so proud of you, sis. There were only two other black people in the room, so that's why I remember you. So we start talking and we forged a fast friendship. Fast forward when I was in Houston for that Lakers Rockets game. Looked him up and um came out to where the lounge was. He was working in the parking lot of a restaurant. And in talking to him, he was like, you know, I think I'm really gonna have to let it go. And ironically, we are under a partial government shutdown now. There was a government shutdown then.

SPEAKER_07 18:50

Okay.

SPEAKER_05 18:51

And so he was like, I'm not, you know, I'm I'm not able to keep up. And I said, Are you serious? I said, You want to sell it? He was like, Yeah, I think we're gonna have to sell it. I said, say less. I got back to New York. I said, Are you serious? I'm gonna wire you some earnest money. Right. And then we'll figure it out. Right. And so that's I was in the right place at the right time.

SPEAKER_08 19:13

Man, that's dope. Speaking of the NBA, so you were head of the NBA, WNBA?

SPEAKER_05 19:19

I was head of WNBA security, and I was responsible for 10 NBA teams. Right. Because you know, WNBA is a seasonal, a seasonal game. Right, right. So when the WNBA was down, I was in charge of 10 of the NBA teams. Right. Security force.

SPEAKER_08 19:33

Like some of your best friends are Tina Thompson.

SPEAKER_05 19:36

Oh, that's my girl. Yes.

SPEAKER_08 19:38

She killed O'Neill. Yes. Oh, Scotty Pippa, like you have like all of these NBA friends. Like all of these NBA friends. I love it.

SPEAKER_05 19:47

Yeah. When you are on the road with people for four to five weeks at a time, you know, and you're in Poland, or you're in the Czech Republic, or you're in Russia, and it's just you kind of get to know each other. And so I've been blessed enough to meet some really amazing people and be able to call them.

SPEAKER_08 20:04

She Kiel O'Neill really loves you. I've seen y'all interact. He really, really loves you. Um, good guy. So speaking of the NBA, let's talk about 2012. You were at the Olympics in Russia and London, traveling with the girls' team, right?

SPEAKER_05 20:20

Yeah, so you've you've got a couple of things. Uh so actually it was 2009 in Russia.

SPEAKER_08 20:26

2009.

SPEAKER_05 20:27

And we were training for the 2012 Olympics because you know, the Olympics are every four years, and immediately following an Olympic year, you go into training for the next Olympic group.

SPEAKER_07 20:38

Right.

SPEAKER_05 20:39

And uh it was 2009. I was the security in charge of the delegation because you're not the Olympic team until you get chosen. USA basketball has a pool of players. And as you practice, they try to make good fits who's gonna be the best, you know, forward, sent, whatever. And uh it was our first trip on the road to the 2012 Olympics, and that happened to take place in Russia. I think that's the incident that you are um referring to.

SPEAKER_08 21:06

So, and the reason I wanted to bring this up is because you had some unwanted sexual advances made towards you. Probably the greatest coach in college women's basketball history. He's probably gonna win the championship now. The head coach for the University of Connecticut, Gino Ari, I can't say his damn name. Ari Emma's alright. Ari Emma, I know. But the reason I wanted to put this out because you have millions and millions and millions of fans that adore him over this basketball and doesn't know this side that where you had he tried to, you know, give you some unwanted sexual advances. Correct. And we don't have to really go into them. And um he ended up while that was in Russia or Poland. It happened in Russia, yeah. You reported, they changed your assignment. Correct. This is good because it's all male chauvinistic shit. Correct. It is they change you have an executive over there, right? In charge of the delegation. They change your assignment and give you less responsibilities, and you're like, I I'm not dealing with this shit.

SPEAKER_05 22:12

Yeah. That was it was it was um it was an easy decision, but not an easy decision. My background is not basketball. I will say that working at the NBA was a dream job. I met a lot of amazing people. You mentioned some of the friends that I made, but my core is not basketball. So there are people who eat, breathe, sleep basketball. From the time they were little kids, they go from the dream of being a player to being a player, and then when their playing days are over, hoping to be a coach or be in the front office. So for me, my background was law and law enforcement. When the incident happened, I came back and reported it like I was supposed to. But let's remember, I was in Russia.

SPEAKER_06 22:57

Right.

SPEAKER_05 22:58

I wasn't in Brooklyn. Exactly right, and I was there on assignment to make sure that the delegation was safe. So in that moment, it really wasn't about me. It was about, I handled myself. You understand what I'm saying? But I had to make sure that the delegation was safe. I came back and I reported it to my direct report. Most importantly, I reported it to my office mate. So in real time, it was reported. It wasn't until I started getting job assignment changes that I realized that I was being retaliated against.

SPEAKER_08 23:29

Right. And um Because obviously he's very powerful.

SPEAKER_05 23:32

Right. I listen, state state championships. Right. Come on, you know how national championships. You know what that means. And executive or not, I'm still not.

SPEAKER_08 23:42

You were on his level.

SPEAKER_05 23:43

Yeah, correct. Exactly. Correct. But I had to make a decision. You know, I'm a mother of two girls. I have two daughters, and so I'm a role model to them. And for all the women that have gone that path, it is not easy. I just knew that I had a strong foundation. I had, you know, my mom and my dad, and they were like, listen, do what's right and do what's just. And wherever the ball lands, we got you. And a lot of women don't have that, they don't have that luxury. There are single moms, there are people that are footing all the bills for everything. And if they complain and they lose their job, how do they survive?

SPEAKER_08 24:18

I'm very proud of you. And there's gonna be somebody that watched this that might be dealing with those same issues and you might inspire them. And we're a week out of Women's Month. It's gonna be about a week out, but you are a woman amongst women. I want to let you know that. And I'm very proud that you took this step to do that because you know, being a cop, I've seen so much family members sexually assault. So for you to just get the strength to come out and speak against a giant. A giant.

SPEAKER_05 24:49

I appreciate that, Courtney.

SPEAKER_08 24:50

I really do. I love you, and I just wanted to get that out. It ended up getting thrown out because Well, let's not say that.

SPEAKER_05 24:56

Let's not say that.

SPEAKER_08 24:57

So it's it's funny when I'm doing research on this, I'm looking, and they specifically said, they never said he didn't do anything, they're just saying that it wasn't the jurisdiction, right? So no. In New In New York.

SPEAKER_05 25:09

So let me put on my legal hat, although I am not practicing. You know that you can plead no contests. That doesn't mean that there's no guilt there.

SPEAKER_06 25:19

Right.

SPEAKER_05 25:19

I was a precursor to the Me Too movement. That's how long ago this happened. Yes, you were. Commissioner Stir, God rest his soul. He was he was a savvy business person, you know. And after I I had to file litigation, I I had to do it, right? Uh, and I did it while I was working there, which is a whole nother story. You know, walking into a room with ESPN on and the ticker across says, Security director Kelly Hardwick sues the NBA and Gina Oriema. You know, the composure you have to have is like, okay, gentlemen, I'm here. And so what are we discussing? You know, but we settled.

SPEAKER_06 25:58

Yeah.

SPEAKER_05 25:58

That's what we did. And a lot of times, you know, litigation settles.

SPEAKER_06 26:02

Of course.

SPEAKER_05 26:03

So that doesn't mean that it didn't happen. It doesn't mean that the person is not guilty. It means let us push forward.

SPEAKER_06 26:11

Right.

SPEAKER_05 26:12

And so, you know, honestly, my goal was to sit on the stand because I felt as though that is the only way that this behavior would be exposed. Unfortunately, during my journey, my father took ill unexpectedly and passed away.

SPEAKER_06 26:28

Right.

SPEAKER_05 26:29

And yeah. So my mom was there and they had called me to mediation, and I was adamant. No, I'm not settling. I want my time.

SPEAKER_07 26:37

Right.

SPEAKER_05 26:38

And I stepped out of the room and I called my mom. My mom said, What did your dad say?

SPEAKER_07 26:42

Right.

SPEAKER_05 26:42

And I said, My dad said that he wanted me to have peace before he closed his eyes. And she said, Well, he's gone and you still don't have peace. What I would like is for you to follow your father's wishes. And that was enough. So I came in and I settled, and my mom left me three months after that. She passed of a broken heart. But at least before she closed her eyes, she saw that I had peace and I had closure, as much closure as could be had in a situation like that. So yeah.

SPEAKER_08 27:11

Well, I love you, and for you to be so strong for all the women out there. Just make sure you follow her lead. It's very tough.

SPEAKER_05 27:19

Yeah.

SPEAKER_08 27:20

Going against a machine. NBA. It's a multi- multi-billion dollar company that you're going against. Well, you're also a real estate investor. Like, what else does she do? You're also a real estate investor. What drew you into that space and how are you building your portfolio strategically?

SPEAKER_05 27:38

Well, I had to find something to do with the money.

SPEAKER_08 27:41

Well, you ain't called your brother. Call your brother say, I heard you doing a podcast. Here's 50,000.

SPEAKER_05 27:47

Let's go. Honestly, you know, with the freedom that came with me leaving the NBA, I just wanted to do things that I enjoyed. And if I really had my brothers back in the day, I would have been a stylist. You know what I mean? I would have been a stylist. I would have been an interior decorator. We see the hermetic style. So I I think, you know, decorating and real estate investing and flipping allows me to use those talents and brings me joy. And some of the best deals come outside of New York.

SPEAKER_08 28:20

Listen, I've been to the castle. You definitely have an eye.

SPEAKER_05 28:24

Thank you, Corey.

SPEAKER_08 28:25

You definitely have an eye for decoration. That's not even talking about inside. Let's just talk about the outside. Before you even get inside, you go, nice, nice, thank you, Corey. So proud of you. So let's talk about Yahweh, tequila. What do you look for when deciding to align or invest with a brand?

SPEAKER_05 28:46

Well, in this instance, it was just so organic. I actually went to a um a fundraiser at the 4040 Club. And Joe Cruz, who is the creator and originator of Yave, was there. And the brand was there.

SPEAKER_06 29:02

Right.

SPEAKER_05 29:02

And I tasted it, and it was so smooth. And so I um ended up giving him a ride back to um to the Bronx and asked him where I could find it. And I started buying it myself and putting it in my suitcase. So that wherever I landed, I had, you know, the tequila of my choice. A lot of people don't like tequila. Either they had a bad situation in college, they woke up someplace they don't remember, or when they drink it, it's and they're making ugly faces. None of that here. It was so smooth, and his story was so genuine, you know. He's from Spanish Harlem. Um, the original brand, this is a blanco, but the original was a mango tequila, which there were none on the market at the time. I don't know if they even have any Al. But his grandmother's favorite was Mango. So just hearing his story and being in a position where I could invest and move the company forward, it was a no-brainer for me.

SPEAKER_08 29:56

So yeah I love it. Can't wait to toast it up. So now we're at the part of Corey's Corner where we have this little game called the Spitfly Round. You can say yes, no. You pick one of the answers. Try not to expand. It's a fun game. You ready? I'm gonna try. You got it. NYPD or entrepreneurship.

SPEAKER_05 30:26

Entrepreneurship.

SPEAKER_08 30:27

Executive protection or luxury hospitality.

SPEAKER_05 30:31

Luxury hospitality.

SPEAKER_08 30:32

One word that defines your leadership style.

SPEAKER_05 30:35

Compassionate?

SPEAKER_08 30:36

Biggest risk you've ever taken.

SPEAKER_05 30:39

To leave the police department.

SPEAKER_08 30:41

Cigar or cocktail?

SPEAKER_05 30:44

Oh, that's tough. Pass.

SPEAKER_08 30:45

You can say both.

SPEAKER_05 30:47

Both.

SPEAKER_08 30:47

Okay.

SPEAKER_05 30:48

They go together.

SPEAKER_08 30:49

Yes. Drink of choice with smoking.

SPEAKER_05 30:52

Yave.

SPEAKER_08 30:53

I was gonna you read I had said that. Early mornings or late nights?

SPEAKER_05 30:56

Early mornings.

SPEAKER_08 30:57

One habit that keeps you sharp.

SPEAKER_05 30:59

Exercise.

SPEAKER_08 31:01

Yeah, you always exercising too. Most important trait in a leader, discipline or vision?

SPEAKER_05 31:07

Discipline.

SPEAKER_08 31:08

Real estate or premium brands?

SPEAKER_05 31:11

That's tough. Do I have to pick one?

SPEAKER_08 31:13

Oh, you can say both.

SPEAKER_05 31:14

Both.

SPEAKER_08 31:15

One lesson law enforcement taught you that you still use today.

SPEAKER_05 31:19

Gather all the facts.

SPEAKER_08 31:20

Go-to mindset when things get tough.

SPEAKER_05 31:23

It's not about getting knocked down, it's what you do when you're on the ground.

SPEAKER_08 31:28

Legacy or success?

SPEAKER_05 31:29

Legacy.

SPEAKER_08 31:31

Okay. Thank you for participating in Stify Every High.

SPEAKER_02 31:35

That was easier than I thought. It's a Simi Woman Chantel Jackson. Check out Corey's Corner on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts.

SPEAKER_08 31:42

Before we move forward, let me take you somewhere for a second. Everything on the show is about power, accountability, loyalty, and redemption. It's not just a conversation with me. I lived it, I earned it, I survived it. I've seen both sides of the system. I walked the streets, I won the back. Carry the way the decisions that change people's lives. That's why I wrote Once the Copy The Street, the Lord, Two Worlds, One Man. It's the raw, unfiltered truth about the journey from the corners of Queens, New York to the 12th floor and one police plaza, which is the headquarters for the New York City Police Department. The pressure, the politics, the purpose, the course. And the documentary, a cops and robber story. Basically pulls the curtain back and buttons up to the whole story about what's a copy and my life story. No headlines, no soundbikes, just a human story behind a uniform. Because behind every badge is a man, behind every rank is a story, and behind every story is a choice. Now we're from our sponsor.

SPEAKER_04 32:43

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SPEAKER_08 33:18

Okay, let's get back into it.

SPEAKER_04 33:21

I feel inspired.

SPEAKER_08 33:22

That's great. You've successfully transitioned from public service to entrepreneurship. What advice would you give to others looking to reinvent themselves? Because you've reinvented yourself like a roller coaster, like boom, boom. Like me, you know, I just love it. I just pivot. I'm like, uh grew up poor, pivot, sold drugs, pivot, went to the police department, pivot, wrote books, didn't move. Like, I'm just constantly moving. Right. And I look at you, sis. You're just like, all right, you know, I got something else to come.

SPEAKER_05 33:52

But let me ask you a question. All those pivot points, did you have it all figured out when you decided you were gonna fake left go right?

SPEAKER_08 33:59

No.

SPEAKER_05 34:00

And that is the counsel that I would give. You gotta believe in yourself, right? It starts with you. I went for the interview with the NBA, and so I'll go back. When I was on the job, you know, the NBA hires off-duty police officers for a variety of things. And when I got the shot to go into my first interview in corporate America, I was on the job and I was working the NBA draft. I met the head of human resources. He told me he thought he had a great job for me. And of course I said, yeah, yeah, yeah. But when I walked away from him, I hadn't had an interview in 15 years. Right. And even when I did, it wasn't for a high-level job in corporate America.

SPEAKER_06 34:41

Right.

SPEAKER_05 34:41

So I went to, I literally went to Barnes and Noble. I didn't buy a book, but I sat on the floor and I took out all these interview books to figure out the right things to say.

SPEAKER_06 34:50

Right.

SPEAKER_05 34:51

It worked. You know, seven interviews later, it worked. But once I landed the job, I had to figure out how to do it. Right. Because it was very different than what I had been doing. So I think if you're asking me for counsel and advice, it would be to invest in the confidence in yourself and figure it out. Because you can.

SPEAKER_08 35:09

Yes. Yeah, you can. Now being on BET's mining your own black business, that's kind of a big deal. What did that recognition mean to you and your journey?

SPEAKER_05 35:20

Oh wow.

SPEAKER_08 35:21

Well, before off camera, we were talking how it was almost a full full circle moment. Full circle moment.

SPEAKER_05 35:27

Yes, it absolutely was. Because as I shared earlier, IMAC group had serviced uh the BET Network, uh, all the shows, the award show in LA, the hip hop awards, all the honors, all of those shows we had done for over 20 years. And you know, times change, streaming, companies are sold. And unfortunately, when uh Paramount bought BET, we did not have our contract renewed. Um, obviously, we are still in the security space and we're still a successful company, but we had partnered with them for so long it was like losing a friend. Right. You know? Um so fast forward to August 2025, I had the cigar lounge out at the HBCU Classic. Have you been to the Classic? Okay, so you know what that parking lot looks like. And so you got to get out there very, very early to get a prime spot. But by the time the day is over, it's time to go. And it is a process to close down the lounge. So I just was starting to shut down the lounge, and Artie, who is the creator and host of Minding Our Own Black Business, came aboard and he looked around and he said, Wow, this is amazing. And he told me about his show and said, I want to take your number, I want to give you a call. I think you would be a great fit for my show. And I'm kind of like, Yeah, yeah, yeah. Lo and behold, two months later, he called me, told me that BET had picked up the show and wanted me to be the first installment. And I said, Wow, what a full circle moment, right? I had worked for BET all these years and now premiering in the first episode of this show, I was honored and I was humbled, and the blessings have continued to roll in from that moment. So just feeling really blessed. Yeah.

SPEAKER_08 37:11

I love it. Congratulations.

SPEAKER_05 37:13

Thank you.

SPEAKER_08 37:13

Now you're also a member of Alpha Kappa, Alpha Sorority Incorporated.

SPEAKER_05 37:18

Okay, I knew I was I was waiting for I was waiting in corporate.

SPEAKER_08 37:21

How has sisterhood and service influenced your leadership style?

SPEAKER_05 37:25

Well, it is in alignment with who I am. You know, our our motto is by merit and by service and service to all mankind. And so that is what we do. We live that. I live that. So we go out into the community and we service, you know, underserved communities and doing that lock and step and side by side with other, I wanted to say melanated sisters, but we come in all shapes, sizes, and colors. It is the personal constitution that, you know, the whole is bigger than just yourself. And so I have obviously brought that into. I've been a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Incorporated for 41 years.

SPEAKER_06 38:05

Wow.

SPEAKER_05 38:06

Yeah. So I've been able to transition those lessons that I learned, not only from my parents, but from the sisterhood into my business.

SPEAKER_08 38:15

Let me ask you, out of all these different reinventions or changing in your life, what was the hardest one? You did leaving the police department?

SPEAKER_05 38:27

I I think the hardest one um was leaving the NBA. To be honest with you, I was at the NBA for over a decade.

SPEAKER_06 38:34

Right.

SPEAKER_05 38:35

And if I'm to be honest, I didn't leave because I wanted to.

SPEAKER_06 38:38

Right, right.

SPEAKER_05 38:38

You know, but it is not in my spirit to um hide. It is not in my spirit to go sit down in the corner someplace. You know, so I think the departure was sad because I didn't feel like I was controlling my own destiny.

SPEAKER_06 38:54

Right.

SPEAKER_05 38:54

But once I accepted the fact that it was time for me to move on, I just flourished. Yeah.

SPEAKER_08 39:01

I love it. Let's talk about these two beautiful young ladies that you brought into the world.

SPEAKER_05 39:07

The best things that I have ever done. Yes. I would love to. So I have two amazing daughters. My eldest, her name is Eva Mayat. She is a proud graduate of Howard University. She graduated.

SPEAKER_08 39:20

Is that the real H U? Because Hampton has something to say about her. I know. Well, I'm sure that she would feel differently. I'm sure that she would either I remember when she first went to Howard. Wow.

SPEAKER_05 39:31

Yeah, we've been knowing each other a long time, Corey.

SPEAKER_08 39:33

She's been going for a while.

SPEAKER_05 39:35

Yeah, so yeah, she uh she doubled up her classes and she graduated in three years, and I couldn't be more proud of her.

SPEAKER_08 39:42

She's in the entertainment space, right? Well, it's makeup.

SPEAKER_05 39:46

You could say that, but she is actually a political analyst. Her company is based in London, and she makes sure that the information that is being fed to black and brown communities is accurate. And she she does, she graduated with a poly sci degree. I'm still kind of riding her to go to law school, and I don't think because I I was out of college for 11 years before I went to law school. So I still think it's in the cards for her. But she has a hit show. I don't know if that's the right terminology, but she has a brand called Pretty Girl Politics. That's where you see the makeup come in. Oh so she has married her love for makeup artistry with her incredible brain.

SPEAKER_08 40:29

What can they show? Is it YouTube?

SPEAKER_05 40:30

Oh, well, she's on TikTok. I think she just started a YouTube channel, but it's called Pretty Girl Politics. And so she basically educates her contemporaries and anybody else that's willing to listen, you know, about the state of America, about the state of politics while she's doing the makeup. Yeah.

SPEAKER_08 40:45

Oh, that's dope. It's fine. You know, I I just see it. I see it.

SPEAKER_05 40:48

Well, she had to find a way to draw people in. You know what I mean? And so doing the makeup. She actually has a viral um TikTok. I think she's now at like seven million views.

SPEAKER_08 40:59

Right. Yeah.

SPEAKER_05 41:00

So um, yeah, she kind of lowered everybody in with her story.

SPEAKER_08 41:02

The president gave her a lot, she got a lot of stuff to talk about.

SPEAKER_05 41:05

Yeah, well, yeah, she's never short on content, that's for sure. She's never short on content. And then my youngest daughter, her name is Bliss Narr. She is a senior at Clark Atlanta, and I couldn't be more proud of her. She's a fashion designer. She's at Clark. Yeah, she's at Clark. So just got accepted to Clark. Oh, did he? Yeah, he's a couple of years. Amazing. All right, amazing. Yeah, so she has spent a semester in Milan. She has spent a set uh time in Paris and in London. And she's a dope, dope, dope soul. You know, she started her little clothing brand. And you know, I don't know why we always say that when someone starts a business, um, little, she started her own clothing brand when she was 16. So she has a streetwear line and has elevated from that. So I I I think as a parent, my proudest moments are watching them do what they enjoy. Yes, you know, like you asked me how I went into the police department, I said I'm a frustrated stylist, but the police department was paying more. So for me, I wanted to afford them the opportunity to wake up passionate every day about what they do. And so that's what they're doing.

SPEAKER_08 42:07

Well, listen, I'm so proud of them. You the family, period. You know where my heart stands with y'all. I love all of y'all. So when it's all said and done, what kind of legacy do you want Kelly Hardwick to leave behind for your family, the industry, your community?

SPEAKER_05 42:25

I I think when we think about legacy, I think it's easy to think about when uh when you're gone. And I I I like to think about legacy as about what you're doing when you're living. I try to live by example. I try to show my daughters that transparency and vulnerability is a superpower. I try to teach them to be empathetic and be compassionate and to lead that way. You know, it's not easy being an entrepreneur. There are no days off. You know what I mean? You are the marketing director, you are the operational crowd and the janitor. Yeah, you know, true story. I was hired by a Masonic Temple last summer to bring the lounge out for their cigar night. And um I'm talking with them and I'm telling them, you know, there's a lot that goes into renting a lounge. So I do a Google Maps search because being a double decker, I gotta make sure that electrical lines aren't interfering in trees and and and whatnot. And so they assured me, and I I looked at the Google Maps search and I saw all of these trees. So I took a drive down and I looked at the location and I said, if I can get the lounge right here, we'll be safe. But that meant that somebody needed to save the space. So there was a lot of coordination going on. Corey, I get down there, I go to open the top, which is the hit in the summertime of the lounge, and there are trees all the way. I can't open it. So, problem solver. Yes, you know what your sis did. She went home and got a cordless electric saw. And I'm up on the roof with the saw down because I Was booked, I had to make it happen. So I just think, you know, for them, for my legacy, I want it to be it can be done. Whatever it is, if you set your mind to it, it can be done. And if somebody tells you no and slams the door, go through the window. They slam the window, crawl up under the crevice of the door. But I don't take no for an answer. And I think when my kids were younger, they were like, Ma, like you're relentless. The lady said no. Why are we going back? And I'm like, because we're gonna ask until we find the person that says yes. That's right.

SPEAKER_08 44:29

Well, I love it. I love it. And I'm pretty sure you are definitely leaving a great legacy for your friends, family, and your community.

SPEAKER_05 44:38

Thank you. I hope so.

SPEAKER_08 44:39

Before you walked in, I was in wardrobe over there about to change, and you was like, Look, I brought you something, and you brought me this t-shirt, Cigars and Hip Hop.

SPEAKER_05 44:47

There you go. Let's talk about it. So, you know, always trying to reinvent and scale and elevate. I am coming out with a cigar culture t-shirt line and um a couple of other nice things, accessories that can allow you to take the Cigar Safe Warfare experience with you or gift it to someone else. So, yes, that's one of our feature t-shirts. I thought it very apropos. I've seen you enjoy a sticker too, and we know you know your way around hip hop. You know for that the right one for it.

SPEAKER_08 45:17

I love you, sister. Thank you for this. Oh man, I will cherish it. And it matched my camball. So it worked out perfectly. There you go. So is there anything that you want to share that we haven't discussed or talked about? Or you want to clear up anything?

SPEAKER_05 45:33

Uh no, I like to stay a bit of a mystery, a little bit, you know. I am an open book to a certain degree, you know, if you ask me the right questions. Right? There you go. There you go. I may have I may have a book in my I may have a book in me too. So we'll see.

SPEAKER_08 45:48

Do you know how I wrote this book? I went to a noble convention, you know, at breakout rooms. It was a convention, a class. It said it was that, you know, it said everyone has a book in them. You just said that. Yeah. But when you really think about it, no, honestly, you know, at our age, and you can have a big milestone birthday, big, big birthday. I'll be there in a couple of weeks, big birthday. Yes, yes. You always have a birthday party, like every few years.

SPEAKER_05 46:12

Well, we're supposed to celebrate. You gotta say, you know what I mean? Remember when we were growing up, and there would be the sofa with the plastic on it. Yes, and you're not, and then you had the good plates. Uh-huh. I hate that. Wear the clothes, sit on the couch, right? You know what I mean? Use the good plates and have a party. You gotta celebrate.

SPEAKER_08 46:30

Yeah, so everyone has a book in them. If you really, really drill it down and sit down and go, obviously, mine's is a memoir. So when I sat down, you know, I wrote this at 44. People don't do 44, they doing memoirs at 80. But um, even just the 44 years, sitting down, I was like, for example, you know my last name is Peggy's. My mother's last name is Cable, my father's last name is Sloan. For 40-something years, I didn't think about that until I wrote this book. And you know why my name is Peggy's? Because my mother's maiden name is Peggy's, and she was on welfare. So she couldn't change my name to my father to my father's name because you wouldn't be able to get the wealth. So when you sit down, now I'm just giving you a little piece that I figured out after 44 years, because I just knew I had my mother's maiden name, but didn't really understand why. Why?

SPEAKER_05 47:22

Yeah.

SPEAKER_08 47:23

So if you sat down, you're gonna be like, wow.

SPEAKER_05 47:26

I'm gonna I'm gonna say something to you. And I thought about this when I was coming here because I've never shared this with anybody.

SPEAKER_08 47:32

But being from Corey's Corner exclusive. Corey's Corner exclusive.

SPEAKER_05 47:36

So when I thought about having a book in me, which we all do, I thought about what would I share, what wouldn't I share? And I just had a a series of thoughts. Have you ever heard of the police commissioner's liaison unit? Yes.

SPEAKER_08 47:49

Dennis Jones was the first black liaison.

SPEAKER_05 47:54

Okay. Do you know what they did?

SPEAKER_08 47:57

No, I just know he had a black, he had a Spanish, he had an Asian, you know, he had all epidemics.

SPEAKER_05 48:02

I was in the police commissioner's liaison unit. You know what it really was?

SPEAKER_08 48:06

What?

SPEAKER_05 48:06

It was an extension of internal affairs.

SPEAKER_08 48:09

Really?

SPEAKER_05 48:09

Did you know that?

SPEAKER_08 48:10

No, I did not know that.

SPEAKER_05 48:11

So nobody likes internal affairs. Right. Nobody wants to talk to them.

SPEAKER_08 48:15

So they just.

SPEAKER_05 48:16

But if you're from the police commissioner's liaison unit and you come in and you say, I'm from the PC's office, everybody talks to you.

SPEAKER_08 48:24

Oh, everybody does.

SPEAKER_05 48:25

You got a category one car. Yes. You were assigned to the PC and you were able to go and talk to young recruits. Everybody. Young recruits who didn't have like my mom and my dad were both cops. So I had an idea. But if you are first in your family and you come in to the police department and you see corruption or you see things that you know are not supposed to happen, who do you tell?

SPEAKER_08 48:54

Right.

unknown 48:56

That might be in my book.

SPEAKER_08 48:57

Well, I love it. Bring it all. Put it all. Because I got part two coming out. Okay. Well, I'm waiting till I'm 80, though. You know, I wait.

SPEAKER_05 49:05

I think you got enough. I think you got, I think you got enough.

SPEAKER_08 49:07

I got a few to do a trifecta. Yeah. Well, I just finished writing a children's book called If I Was a Superhero. I made myself into a superhero. Yeah.

SPEAKER_05 49:16

Oh, that's dope. Yes. Well, you really are a superhero. All right.

SPEAKER_08 49:20

Thank you. I love you. Kelly, sis, this has been powerful. Your journey from law enforcement to leading in lifestyle security, luxury, hospitality, and entrepreneurship is a masterclass in discipline, reinvention, and vision. You've shown that protecting people isn't just about safety. It's about creating experiences, building brands, and leaving a legacy that lasts. We truly appreciate you. Thank you for pulling up on Corey's Corner. We appreciate your transparency, your leadership, and your blueprint you're leaving for the next generation, most importantly, your seeds. Especially women stepping into power, purpose, and ownership. We're definitely going to be watching everything that you continue to build. I love you. Adore you, and thank you for coming on, sis.

SPEAKER_05 50:08

Thank you so much, Corey.

SPEAKER_08 50:10

Well, listeners, if you found value in today's episodes, please like, subscribe, and share. This has been another episode of Corey's Corner. Until the next time, keep pushing, keep grinding, and always remember it's not about where you start, it's about where you finish. I'm Corey Paghese, and I always keep it right, not real.

SPEAKER_00 50:28

Peace. Special thanks to our executive producer, our engineers, and much respect to corrupt mob for making Corey's Corner possible.

SPEAKER_01 50:36

Wants a cap, let it knock, yeah. I for one thing we just celebrate redemption instead of condemning it. Corey Peghees, stop talking too, bruh. Jagged ass. Wants a cap. I used to hug the black with call to be.