Ever wonder how balancing parenting and business can lead to a fulfilling life? Join us on the Good Neighbor Podcast as we chat with Terrence Fulton, founder of Work Strive Grind, who reveals his captivating entrepreneurial journey. Learn about the genesis of his company's name, inspired by his wife's vision, and its transformation from a real estate holding company to an educational beacon for minorities. Terrence shares compelling insights into his ventures, Beauty Food Properties and Ziri's Place, tracing his path from high school dreams to leaving corporate life behind. Discover the simplicity of his choice between stock markets and real estate, and how he found his true calling in property investment.
In another engaging segment, Terrence opens up about the hurdles and motivations of balancing parenting with business ambitions. Hear firsthand about the vital role his supportive partner plays and the legacy they aspire to build for future generations. With a focus on mental peace and happiness over material success, the discussion sheds light on the importance of being honest with children and the necessity of owning up to mistakes. Terrence also provides valuable perspectives on parenting, particularly the unique challenges of being a step-parent and raising teenagers. Tune in to explore these personal and professional insights that resonate deeply with anyone pursuing a harmonious and meaningful life.
Ever wonder how balancing parenting and business can lead to a fulfilling life? Join us on the Good Neighbor Podcast as we chat with Terrence Fulton, founder of Work Strive Grind, who reveals his captivating entrepreneurial journey. Learn about the genesis of his company's name, inspired by his wife's vision, and its transformation from a real estate holding company to an educational beacon for minorities. Terrence shares compelling insights into his ventures, Beauty Food Properties and Ziri's Place, tracing his path from high school dreams to leaving corporate life behind. Discover the simplicity of his choice between stock markets and real estate, and how he found his true calling in property investment.
In another engaging segment, Terrence opens up about the hurdles and motivations of balancing parenting with business ambitions. Hear firsthand about the vital role his supportive partner plays and the legacy they aspire to build for future generations. With a focus on mental peace and happiness over material success, the discussion sheds light on the importance of being honest with children and the necessity of owning up to mistakes. Terrence also provides valuable perspectives on parenting, particularly the unique challenges of being a step-parent and raising teenagers. Tune in to explore these personal and professional insights that resonate deeply with anyone pursuing a harmonious and meaningful life.
This is the Good Neighbor Podcast, the place where local businesses and neighbors come together. Here's your host, Jeremy Wolf.
Speaker 2:
Hello, hello everyone, and welcome back to another episode of the Good Neighbor Podcast. I'm your host, jeremy Wolf, and our next guest was actually nominated by a past guest of the show, michael Cunniff, whom I had an amazing conversation with. He was a great guy and he thought kindly of our next guest and wanted me to connect with him and have him on. And you may ask what's in a name? Well, today we're going to find out. I'm here with Terrence Fulton, with WorkStrive Grind. We're going to find out what's in that name, brother. Thanks for joining us.
Speaker 3:
Thanks for having me, man. Thanks for having me, Jeremy. Yes, I can hear you.
Speaker 2:
All right, the pleasure is all ours and thanks, as always, to our listeners for tuning in to learn more about our great community and the lovely businesses that serve us. So, Terrence, why don't you start off by telling everybody a little bit about what you guys do over at WorkStrive? Grind Love the name. Man Love the name.
Speaker 3:
Oh, thank you so much. Workstrive Grind was started in 2014. The name came up. I can't take credit for the name. The name came up from the wife.
Speaker 2:
Most good things in my life come from my wife too, go ahead.
Speaker 3:
It started out as a real estate holding company. People thought it was like a fitness company because at the time I used to do a lot of cardio and stuff. But I just kind of took on the name, took on the meaning and it's pretty much what it says. When I asked her what made her come up with that name, she was like I just thought of everything. You were Like those words symbolize you. So it has a special meaning to me because of the way she viewed me at the time. Of course it views me now, but definitely at that particular time. So it's not really nothing else special about it. It was just supposed to be in a real estate holding company. I've now made it like the parent company of my other companies now. So it's like a holding of my other companies that I have.
Speaker 2:
Yeah, okay, well, a little bit cryptic there. Like, what exactly do you do through these companies? Like, okay, you started off as a real estate holding company, so obviously you're in the real estate space. What do you do? Real estate investing? You buy and sell properties. Let's dig in a little bit deeper on what your companies are aimed to do and how they help various people.
Speaker 3:
When I first started in 2014,. It was about renovating properties, flipping houses and stuff like that. I ended up taking a life of its own and stuff like that. I ended up taking a life of its own. I ended up in the education space real estate education space where I was teaching minorities how to get into real estate and how to flip properties and how to build wealth through real estate investing, how to acquire, how to buy and hold, how to submit contracts things like that hire contractors, and then it then it birthed Beauty Food Properties, which is it's a play off my name, terrence Fulton.
Speaker 3:
You like you know first part of beauty T, terrence full F-U-L. Beauty Food Properties, which end up. I end up moving that company over to the real estate. I saw I ended up moving up Works Drive, grind and then I ended up launching Ziri's Place, which is an e-commerce, my daughter's online store, so it's the holding of those companies. And then after that, when I had rentals, when I had a few rentals, those rentals would be under Beauty Food Properties and while the holding company was work-style prime.
Speaker 2:
The true life of an entrepreneur, going back to 2014, when you started the holding company, did you have a background in real estate? What was your journey leading up to that? How did you ultimately, I guess, take that leap into this entrepreneurial space that you're in now?
Speaker 3:
I'm going to be honest with you. I've always been an entrepreneur. I just didn't know that word. You know, if you said that word to me in 2003, when I was in high school, or something like that, you know you were like, oh, you want to become an entrepreneur? I would have said something like that. You know you were like, oh, you don't want to become an entrepreneur. I would have said you're using these big-ass words, right? So I didn't know what that was.
Speaker 3:
It wasn't until I started educating myself when I realized, of course, the Bible of it all is rich dad, poor dad. And I thought I was like Robert Kiyosaki and I'm like, hold on, so he's from Hawaii, he lives in Vegas. And I'm like, hold on, so he's from Hawaii, he lives in Vegas. And I'm like he's like this 60, 70 year old man at the time I can't, I don't know his age and then I'm like, why he think just like me? But the way I thought I was the only one around me that thought like that. But because I was the only one that thought like that, I thought I was off my rocker and everybody else was right, if that makes sense. So, um, so when I started this journey.
Speaker 3:
Um, it was really about just having an out of uh corporate America, to be honest with you, but it wasn't all these options that people have now. It was only two ways that I knew. That was the stock market and that was real estate investing. Those are the only two. So since it was only two, it made it very simple it was A or B. So instead of looking at charts all day and graphs and past performances, I felt like it was like arithmetic to me.
Speaker 3:
It was a little bit challenging for me to understand it. So I said, well, real estate is something that I see is really addition. It's attraction. You know, maybe I can just go do this and I literally learned from YouTube and I went to like seminars, courses. I actually ended up buying into a company, buying into like a program where it would help accelerate me, um, and through that I was able to teach others how to do. That Called the hustlers workshop. I had it at the SLS brickle, um, for about three years. It was birthed in Starbucks. I had a packed out Starbucks and I moved it to the SLS Brickle in Miami and that's when I realized how big it was, because people would fly in from all across the country to come watch me speak and learn from me. But sometimes you can't see the picture when you're in a frame.
Speaker 2:
So is it safe to say that nowadays, kind of your focus is on taking the knowledge that you've acquired throughout your journey and helping to share with others and helping them grow their businesses and investing?
Speaker 1:
things like that.
Speaker 2:
Yeah, yes all right, what? What are some so? So what does that look like in terms of these, these workshops that you were doing to try to help people like how exactly do you help other people in that space?
Speaker 3:
Well, really it was just more so about educating them on real estate and coming up with strategies and tactics to acquire property with little capital. So it wasn't the traditional first time home buyers seminars. It had nothing to do with that. It had everything to do with seminars. It had nothing to do with that. It had everything to do with learning real estate through seeing real estate through an investor eyes, right, looking for the distressed properties. You know mailers, direct mail, bandit signs, cold calling. You know the really the rough and the grind. All the fun, all the fun stuff, yes, work strive, grind baby.
Speaker 3:
But my audience was mostly young Black people, right, just because of the demographics. It wasn't until it took a life on its own when I started to see people that didn't look like me show up. Part of it was the SLS miracle, right, because it's now in a different community, but also, too, it was something that I was somebody that people could relate to because of the way I explained real estate. So I give you an example.
Speaker 3:
Let's say I'm in a room of men, right, and it's just all men, because it's the only way I could pull this off. I mean, obviously it was women there, but I'm saying, at times when it was only men in the room, I would correlate real estate to women, because men are usually into women and money. Typically, especially if you're a single guy, I would break down real estate the way I would break down speaking to a woman. I would break it down to the lowest common denominator, to where people can understand and get it. So the my saying is like it's actually easier to get a house on the contract than it is to get a woman's number yeah, how so simply because they're the person you're looking for.
Speaker 3:
Is a motivated seller right? They're looking for you to take on their problem. A woman really don't really need you. She got a lot of options here. You get what I mean. She has a ton of freaking options.
Speaker 2:
Speak for yourself, man.
Speaker 3:
Yeah, they all need me.
Speaker 2:
That's funny, that's good stuff.
Speaker 3:
It was a bunch of stuff I brought brought up, but I can't. I won't see it here, though, but it was you got free reign here.
Speaker 2:
This is, uh yeah, not necessarily a pg show. We try to keep it. Keep it light and friendly, but you know we go where we go where it might take us. So you mentioned that your, your wife, was responsible for the name. So, as with most of my guests and most people on this planet, family is usually pretty important for our journeys. It's usually the driving force behind what we do. I myself, I have a 10-year-old son, 12-year-old daughter. It's really, really everything to me. Tell us a little bit about your family. I have a 17-year-old son.
Speaker 3:
I have a four-year-old daughter, uh, the four-year-old daughters with, with, uh, my woman, that I'm, my wife, I'm with um, and I have a 20 year old daughter, stepdaughter, so it's her daughter, my son, and we have a child together, um, or whatever. Just you know, just so you can understand the dynamics, but but it's all daughter-sons here. But, yes, it's very important Really. She was somebody that motivated me to want to. I was already motivated, but it was just.
Speaker 3:
Especially, if you have a beautiful woman, you definitely want to make sure she's taken care of and you want to do the best that you can for her, and she will give you back that same energy. If you take care of her, she'll take care of you. So, and then, with family, who doesn't want to leave a legacy, you know, who doesn't want their family to experience a better life, even if it's a little bit better? You know, I think most of us on this planet are doing what we can to make a better life for our kids. Some people won't be rich, some people won't be wealthy, but I'm sure most people will be better off than they were growing up Usually. That's usually how it goes.
Speaker 2:
Yeah, not always the most important thing. That's one of the things I'm learning as I traverse through this magical journey of life being rich and wealthy and all that good stuff. I'd much rather just be at peace and happy and okay with what I have than to be completely stressed out, overwhelmed, miserable and then be showered with material things. So the older I get, I try to detach more and more from that and really focus on the present and, like any other human being, I slip up from time to time. I was with my daughter yesterday and I actually she's home for the summer. I gave her a little project to do. I had something for work to do and I had her do it and she wasn't doing it quite the way that I wanted it done and I felt like she was kind of doing a half-assed job on it.
Speaker 2:
She had never her mind into it or heart into it. And I got a little bit overwhelmed and frustrated and I didn't handle the situation very well with her and I got a little bit short and I took the project away. And I came to my senses a little while later and I realized that that interaction was no good and I went and talked to her and sat down with her, apologized for how I behaved and explained how I should have done things differently and how I'm going to fix the situation. So something like that would never have happened five, six, seven years ago. As I come into my own.
Speaker 3:
Spiritually, we didn't grow up like that at all, at least I didn't. Nah, because you want no apologizing to a child. That was mean and the parent was admitting they were wrong. That didn't happen, at least when they were wrong.
Speaker 2:
Yeah, I think it's important right yeah To to have honest conversations with your children and let them know that we make mistakes too, and it shows them that you could do better. It shows them to take responsibility when things don't go well. I often do that. If I, if I lose my temper or something goes not how, I let you know, I reflect on it and then sit down with them later. I think it's important stuff. So you you mentioned, did you say 20 year old daughter and 17 year old son yes, I get that right, okay, so you gotta give me, you gotta give me some, some tricks of the trade, some tips.
Speaker 2:
here I got, like I said, 12 year old daughter, 10 year old son. That's a similar spread Like what am I in store for as the kids move through up into high school and everything?
Speaker 3:
Well, yeah, for me I think that my son is more a little bit laid back. He has his moments as well, but he's pretty lazy going. My daughter, you know you have to navigate the teenage years. He started liking boys. Boys started liking them, at least you know. Have to navigate the teenage years. They start liking boys, boys start liking them. At least you know, at least you start noticing it, yeah, and then, um, I'm noticing you know having to navigate that.
Speaker 3:
And then you know, and and I'm not sure you know, um, remember, like I'm a step parent in a sense, right so, even I've been in her life since she was three, but I'm still a step parent. So it's still still that fine line for me that I still struggle with to this day about, like, what is to be said and what should I allow. You know, like, let go and let maybe the biological handle. You know what I mean. At least for me it's mental gymnastics in a sense. At least for me it's mental gymnastics in a sense. But to me that was more so the toughest part, because to me, like I told her one day, I was like nobody will ever be good enough for you, to me. You know what I mean, I want you to. You know I have my own expectations, but I have to allow. You know, the thing is, you have to allow them to live and make mistakes, and you try to catch it before they make mistakes or when you see it. It's kind of like our parents have been there and done that, but I have to allow it to go and transpire and then show up Like a first responder in a sense. You get what I mean you don't show up to the shootout, you have to wait until it's over and then you have to respond in a sense.
Speaker 3:
I hate to go drastic with it, but that was what came to my mind, in a sense. And my son, you know, same thing, helping him navigate, uh, um, you know, uh, liking girls, trying to figure out what's important to him. You know, um, what he wants to do with his life. Keep him on track, keep him disciplined, you know, and it's really the parenting with the son and daughter is a little bit different. I always tell people that, yeah, because I have to be a little bit tougher on him, you know, help him more accountable. I know my daughter accountable too, but you know he's going to be the man, he's going to be somebody's husband one day, you know. And I often tell him, like, look, man, as tough as it is. Man, people are results based, they don't care about excuses, so just try to get it done.
Speaker 2:
But also, try not to put a lot of pressure on him as well. Neither one of them actually. Yeah, we're often defined by our most difficult experiences in life, and not not in a bad way, right, I'm talking about the types of experiences that you go through where, in the moment, it seems like the end of the world, it seems like the walls are closing in, but with some perspective, many years later, looking back at it, you kind of pull and say you know, I'm grateful for having experienced that. Looking back throughout your journey, is there something that comes to mind, a life hardship, a challenge, something you struggled with along the way, that you look back at as either a defining moment or something that you've drawn inspiration from?
Speaker 3:
started this journey in 2014. I quit my job 2016. There's not a lot of things I would have did differently. I always did what was best for the moment. So one of those things when I was flipping properties, I got them for a hundred thousand. I sold it for 250. Now they probably 400, now, you know. So you look back at those moments like, damn, if I would have just held on for a few years. Yeah, but I often just checked myself. I needed the money at the time. I needed to get to the next property, you know. So I did what the situation called for.
Speaker 3:
Yep, also, you know, building the correct team around you. I always, I'm going to say I struggled with that. I'm pretty good with getting people on my team. The thing was, I used to always want to make people bosses.
Speaker 3:
I always wanted to empower people and I never really allowed people to just stay where they are, which can be challenging, because I want the best out of you, but sometimes their best is what they're actually giving you and sometimes they can either run people away or they want to branch off and do their own thing.
Speaker 3:
So I was like I wonder how some of these companies keep people. 27 could either run people away or they want to branch off and do their own thing, you know. So I was like I wonder how some of these companies keep people 27 years, like you know, even though as an employee I always looked at why you haven't you moved up. But from a business perspective, I'm like that, that's, that'd be perfect to keep somebody right there comfortable. I don't know what the magic is I'm still trying to find that magic just to keep people where they are and keep them just motivated to come to work every day. You know, even if they don't do nothing extraordinary, just be consistent with the work to keep the doors open, you know, in a sense so, but you know, when people see their potential, you know, which I love as well, but that also comes with the unflourishing and having to step out on faith and do their own thing.
Speaker 2:
So it is empowering, but at the same time, I want you to grow my company as well, yeah man, amen, brother, what would be, I guess, one thing you'd like to leave our listeners with, whether it's about the business or just a piece of life wisdom, what comes to mind, maybe, maybe, again one thing to leave them with.
Speaker 3:
Don't let the struggles define you. When, when it gets really tough, you're not less than you know. You're not less than you still have to walk talk. You still got man. This is a process. You have to be very delusional. You have to be really hung up on yourself. Did you say delusional?
Speaker 2:
Yes, definitely, dude. 100% agree with that. Like anybody who's ever become great at anything started off by being delusional. If you're going to be the best at something, you're going to have people around you that say, oh, you're crazy, and they're going to try to put you down. You really have to have that, that, that almost delusional belief in yourself. And I think every everybody has within them the potential for greatness with something. And so many people live their whole lives without tapping in to that true potential, for whatever reason. Maybe they're afraid of getting criticized, maybe they're afraid of this or that. All this bullshit, all these walls we construct and you get in your own way and you don't make the fullest of your life. And that's easy, obviously. But if it was easy it wouldn't be beautiful.
Speaker 3:
It's part of the beauty. I would agree, I would agree, I would agree and get around people. That's where you want to be. You know, I think I did a great job of that by getting around people like Dukes Michael. You know how we met. You know, just being around high level people, high level individuals, and taking and learning from them.
Speaker 2:
Yep.
Speaker 3:
That's how you kind of fast track this process.
Speaker 2:
Yeah, absolutely 100% there. Anybody who's listening that would like to reach out and connect with you, maybe chat with you, learn a little bit more. How can they do that, brother?
Speaker 3:
Workstripe Grind on TikTok. Workstripe Grind on Instagram. It's Terrence Fulton on Facebook, because I made my Facebook way before I started. I think that's before I started my company. Yeah, it had to be. It's Terrence with an E, not an A. I always tell people two R's and an E, not R-R-R-A. Terrence Fulton on Facebook. But everything else is Worst Drive, brian. Usually I tell people just go over to Instagram, scroll all the way down, like dreads and gold teeth. I had 16 gold teeth eight to the top, eight to the bottom. You couldn't even see these whites and I had long dreads, man. So I definitely transformed my life. I transformed everything you know, my circle, my environment, everything. I was committed to this process and, whatever it fucking took, I was willing to do.
Speaker 2:
Yeah, I want to see that picture with the dreads and the gold teeth.
Speaker 3:
Oh man, it's amazing. It's amazing. Hold on, let me see, hold on, I have it here.
Speaker 2:
Yeah.
Speaker 3:
Yeah, where is it?
Speaker 2:
Oh, wow, yeah, Quite the transformation. Yeah, I'm going the other way, I'm growing my hair out and I'm looking to get some gold teeth. I still have them.
Speaker 3:
I still have the teeth. I don't wear them. I've been warming years, but that's how much I was committed to this process is you know I was willing to change any, any and everything about me.
Speaker 2:
Right on, man. I'm going to put a link in the description below to all your contact information, so if anybody would like to reach out, they can do so. Terrence, thanks for joining us man, this was fun. Thank you so much, man. Thank you, jeremy. Yeah, it's our pleasure. Thanks, as always, to our listeners for tuning in, and we will catch everyone on the next episode of the Good Neighbor Podcast.
Speaker 1:
Everyone, take care, have a wonderful day. Thanks for listening to the Good Neighbor Podcast Cooper City. To nominate your favorite local business to be featured on the show, go to GNPCooperCitycom. That's GNPCooperCitycom, or call 954-231-3170.
