Best of The Steve Harvey Morning Show

Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Michaela Merrick.

The visionary founder of Pretty Little Tacos, a Creole-Mexican street taco concept that has taken Atlanta by storm. Michaela shares her incredible journey of launching a thriving food business, overcoming obstacles, and building a brand rooted in resilience, passion, and family support.

She reveals how her background, family influence, and determination helped her navigate the challenges of the food industry, from securing the right permits to expanding into multiple locations, including her bold goal of bringing Pretty Little Tacos to gas stations across Atlanta. Michaela also opens up about the competitive nature of the food truck business, the importance of quality control, and how she ensures consistency while scaling her operations.

Whether you’re an aspiring entrepreneur, a foodie, or someone looking for motivation to pursue your dreams, this episode is packed with valuable insights on perseverance, business growth, and knowing your audience. Tune in to hear Michaela’s journey from concept to a successful, fast-growing brand—and how she continues to keep winning!

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Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Dr. Tre and Dr. Mac.  

They are both graduates of Howard; one is a she is a member of Alpha Omega Alpha Medical Honor Society, and the other is a leader in the research and development of innovative nutritional supplements and products.  They are joining forces to create a community dedicated to health literacy and holistic wellness that breaks the stigma and myths about sexual health and sexual satisfaction.  They created RAMP, Real, Authentic Media Physicians, promoting health literacy, holistic wellness, and sexual health education.

Dr. Tre is an alumnus of Howard University College of Medicine and a Residency at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. She has three decades of experience connecting the dots between mind, body, and soul in medicine. As a game changer, she drops knowledge, bold tips, and tools for shattering the myths and stigma surrounding sexual health. She is a member of Alpha Omega Alpha Medical honor Society. She and Dr. Mac are joining forces to create a community dedicated to health literacy and holistic wellness that breaks the stigma and myths about sexual health and sexual satisfaction.

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Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Dave Charest.

He is the Director of Small Business Success at Constant Contact which provides powerful tools to simplify and amplify digital marketing for businesses. Previously he was the Director of Content Marketing and also Senior Manager of Content and Social Media Marketing at the company. Dave is also a Speaker, Host, & Podcaster obsessed with helping small business owners find time for online marketing since 2006.

Company Description *Constant Contact delivers everything small businesses and nonprofits need to build, grow and succeed. With powerful online marketing tools, contact management and sales features, and innovative AI capabilities, Constant Contact makes it easy to attract the right people, engage more customers, close more deals and grow.

Talking Points/Questions *

Is there a spike in new small businesses? What’s driving it?
What is the current outlook for small businesses this new year?
What advice do you have for new entrepreneurs starting a business this year?
What is the best way to be successful with a limited budget and an uncertain economy?
What are the best marketing tools to generate and maintain customers?
What challenges will new entrepreneurs face this year that weren’t on the radar last year?
What’s new with Constant Contact - any new marketing recommendations that small businesses are embracing in AI or other areas?

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In 2017, two-time Emmy and three-time NAACP Image Award-winning television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald launched his podcast, Money Making Conversations Master Class.

In the second episode of the Keep Winning Information series, Rushion examines value proposition from a business owner's perspective. Rushion discusses how to maximize employee performance and find the right person for each role. He explains the negative impact of hiring bad employees on a business. He also addresses when it is necessary to terminate an underperforming employee. The episode also provides insights on making strategic hiring and management decisions.

The popular podcast shares career tips, marketing tips, and the “secrets to success” with its listening audience through interviews with successful celebrities, financial experts, entrepreneurs, and influencers. Each episode pierces through the noise of the digital era to offer clear and actionable insights. This is not about celebrating celebrities, entrepreneurs, and nonprofits, but about distilling the essence of success into tangible, achievable steps for the listener. The Money Making Conversations Master Class podcast builds on these connections. You’re not just following an individual, you’re becoming part of a community that celebrates success, embraces learning, and inspires action. It’s a community where the stories shared, the successes celebrated, and the knowledge imparted are designed to motivate you to lead with your gift, to navigate the path to your dreams, and to create your own success story, one inspired step at a time. Finally in 2024, STEM Atlanta Women honored Rushion McDonald by presenting him with their 2024 “Man of the Year” Award for his outstanding contributions to the advancement of women in STEM.

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Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Michael Woodward.

Mr. Woodward began his interest in real estate renovations as a youth, working with his grandfather, father, and great-uncle doing handyman and maintenance services. He also studied architectural design in high school, taking first place at county and state-level housing design competitions. After graduation, he enrolled in the architectural design program at Miami-Dade Community college. He also purchased his first property and renovated it himself at just 20 years old. He then took his aspiration to become an architect to Florida A&M University in Tallahassee, Fl where he majored in Architecture and minored in African American Studies.

After much consideration, the future graduate of Florida A&M University decided to change his major from architecture; though, he never lost his passion for the real estate profession. He eventually graduated with undergraduate degrees in History, Geography, and Secondary Education. He was able to complete the triple degree in 3.5 years. He also has a Masters Degree in Applied Social Science with a concentration in African American History and an Add-on in Educational Leadership. This was completed while engaging in an 18year career in the education-al system and investing in real estate. Mr. Woodward is currently pursuing his PhD in History and Humanities at Clark-Atlanta University. He has completed all of his coursework and his comprehensive exams. The dissertation is all that remains between now and graduation.

Utilizing all of his prior knowledge and experience in real estate, Mr. Woodward was able to turn a hobby and part time residual income opportunity into an incorporated business. After 2 years of being incorporated, Michael decided to leave the education profession. Nine years later, Woodward Property Group (www.woodwardpropertygroup.com), a full service home improvement and property management company is still going strong. In addition to being a leader in the property management and renovation business, we are contractors for Lowes Stores under their kitchen a bathroom renovation program. We have 7 stores on the east side of Atlanta and we have an A+ Rating with the Better Business Bureau as well as multiple partnerships throughout the Atlanta Area.

He is also the founder and CEO of Alpha Educational Consultants, Inc. (www.aecga.com a company that was started in graduate school as a tutoring company for K-12 students and college students. To-date it has expanded to assist individuals in all areas of real estate such as purchasing, renovation, cost calculations and profit maximization.

Additionally, he is The Director of The LEAD Foundation (www.theleadfoundation.org), LEAD, standing for Leadership Education and Development is an organization designed to teach soft skills to middle and High school students such as leadership skills, interviewing skills, test taking skills, oratorical skills, etc. Under the foundation, students are able to learn financial planning, college preparation and selection, take college tours, and attend workshops on college campuses. Additionally, students earn college scholarships and laptop computers.

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Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Heather Younger.

A preeminent employee engagement and workplace culture consulting firm to Fortune 100 companies. Employee Fanatix conducts annual research on workplace culture, relying on employee voices for what is relevant now, to help companies redefine their culture strategy.

Heather R. Younger, J.D., CSP is the visionary Founder and CEO of Employee Fanatix, a preeminent employee engagement and workplace culture consulting firm to Fortune 100 companies. Employee Fanatix conducts annual research on workplace culture, relying on employee voices for what is relevant now, to help companies redefine their culture strategy. Heather has personally read over 30,000 employee surveys and facilitated over 100 employee focus groups, including her signature “Art of Active Listening Sessions.”

With over 25 years of successfully managing teams, she has worked in customer experience, sales, and large account management for multi-million dollar accounts and multiple industries such as tech, staffing, healthcare, professional services, the public sector, and the financial sector. She's a renowned keynote speaker, drawing insights from current data and putting into practice what she teaches in her Caring Leadership Transformation Model™.

Heather is an award-winning leader in the area of Employee Engagement as recognized by Inspiring Workplaces, is a LinkedIn Learning course partner, TEDX speaker, and the host of the Leadership With Heart podcast.

Her influence extends beyond consulting. Heather is also a three-time best-selling author with works including: The 7 Intuitive Laws of Employee Loyalty, The Art of Caring Leadership, and The Art of Active Listening. Her latest book, The Art of Self-Leadership.

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Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Ashley M. Fox.

Ashley M. Fox is the Founder & Chief Executive Officer of Empify, a leading fintech company dedicated to democratizing financial education. Fox is a former Wall Street analyst, a Howard University graduate, and an expert in her field as a Financial Education Specialist. Building upon her career managing portfolios for high-net-worth individuals, Fox founded Empify to empower the 99% that Wall Street overlooks with the tools to build generational wealth including investing courses, estate planning, retirement planning, and more. Fox has earned numerous accolades including her recognition as one of Black Enterprise’s 2024 40 Under 40 awardees. She was also named as a Black Woman Trailblazer for her groundbreaking work in financial education at the 2024 Hallmark Mahogany Honors. A frequent keynote speaker at international events, her story and expertise have been featured on prominent media outlets, including Jim Cramer’s “The Street,” Yahoo Finance, CNBC, Inc. Magazine, Afrotech, Business Insider, Fox News, ABC, Huffington Post, Glamour Magazine, and Forbes.

Company Description *
Empify, named by merging the words EMPower and modIFY, revolutionizes how users learn to build wealth. The company’s membership-based WealthBuilders Community app, widely referenced as the “Netflix of Finance,” simplifies financial concepts through its life-alternating programs and digital content designed to remove fear around investing. Since inception, Empify has equipped millions of individuals with the tools to build wealth and has enabled tens of thousands of adults and children to become first-time investors. Its educational programs have been implemented in hundreds of schools, prison systems, and organizations across the United States and over 20 countries including the School District of Philadelphia, the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business, US Bank, Essence, and Google. Underscoring its impact, Empify was ranked in the top 50 companies in the Financial Services category for Inc. Magazine’s 5000 Fast-Growing Companies list, securing an overall ranking of #652 in August 2024.

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In 2017, two-time Emmy and three-time NAACP Image Award-winning television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald launched his podcast, Money Making Conversations Master Class.

In the first episode of the Keep Winning Information series, Rushion explains the meaning of "value proposition." He discusses how employees can earn pay raises and job promotions by demonstrating their worth. He emphasizes the importance of justifying why you deserve a raise or promotion. Additionally, he shares strategies for adding value to yourself as an employee. Lastly, he introduces his P.L.A.N. method for achieving success.

The popular podcast shares career tips, marketing tips, and the “secrets to success” with its listening audience through interviews with successful celebrities, financial experts, entrepreneurs, and influencers. Each episode pierces through the noise of the digital era to offer clear and actionable insights. This is not about celebrating celebrities, entrepreneurs, and nonprofits, but about distilling the essence of success into tangible, achievable steps for the listener. The Money Making Conversations Master Class podcast builds on these connections. You’re not just following an individual, you’re becoming part of a community that celebrates success, embraces learning, and inspires action. It’s a community where the stories shared, the successes celebrated, and the knowledge imparted are designed to motivate you to lead with your gift, to navigate the path to your dreams, and to create your own success story, one inspired step at a time. Finally in 2024, STEM Atlanta Women honored Rushion McDonald by presenting him with their 2024 “Man of the Year” Award for his outstanding contributions to the advancement of women in STEM.

#BEST

#STRAW

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Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Dexter B. Jenkins. 

He is a Pastor, real estate entrepreneur, financial strategist, and host of Let’s Talk Real Estate. He is also the author of the newly published The Real Estate Wealth Creator Blueprint: Keys to Overcoming Fear, lack of Money, and Inexperience to Possess the Land. 

“The Real Estate Wealth Creator Blueprint by Dexter B. Jenkins isn’t your typical feel-good faith and finance book. It’s a wake-up call, plain and simple. For far too long, many believers have been trapped by misguided notions that faith and wealth don’t mix, or worse, that seeking financial success is somehow ‘unholy.’ Dexter blows that myth out of the water.

As a pastor and financial mentor, he challenges you to stop limiting God’s abundance with a middle-class mindset. Real estate is the tool, but your faith is the engine that drives wealth creation. This book forces you to confront your beliefs about money, faith, and God's will—and if you’re not ready for that, this book isn't for you. But if you’re tired of playing small and are ready to align your beliefs with action, The Real Estate Wealth Creator Blueprint is the no-nonsense guide that will take you there."

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