The Marathon Continues. . .

Community over competition hits different when you are not just saying it, but living it. Being in business has taught me many lessons, but none greater than you are only as solid as your support system. There are many business leaders and gurus in the world who preach about how great they are, but one businessman was so great that you probably never paid much attention to his business at all - just his music. 

Nipsey Hussle was an artist that we tragically lost on March 31, 2019. Even though he is no longer with us, his legacy lives on in so many ways. If you listen to his music, especially his studio album "Victory Lap, you'll hear so many gems pertaining to business, like the importance of producing for yourself and being a part of every process so you know what's going on at all times. In watching his interviews, I discovered how truly deep his roots were in giving back to the community - not just financially. Growing up in LA, he would sell his mixtapes in a shopping center parking lot. Eventually he owned the building where his Marathon store would be in that same shopping center and he gave the community job opportunities. I'm not buying buildings yet, but I can plant some seed money in a small business to help their dreams become a reality like Nipsey did for so many others.

When I created the Marathon bar and fund, I wanted to honor the legacy of Nipsey Hussle by giving back to my small business community. When I started my business, I didn't have a lot of money, but I had a plan, determination and the support of amazing people who believed in my vision. I want to pay that forward and help someone else realize their vision.

Did you notice how simple the form is? I made it that way for a reason. The more simple the form, the more folks tend to overthink. Since I announced the fund, the most common question I get asked is if you have to be in business for a certain amount to time to apply. Here's my unsolicited advice: APPLY ANYWAY! Have the confidence to explain your vision so well that it doesn't matter if you just started your business 5 minutes ago. Don't shut yourself out of an opportunity because of uncertainty. With that being said, I'll leave you with some words of wisdom from the late Nipsey Hussle and the link to grab your very own Marathon bar so we can see the marathon continue:

Help us sell out the Marathon bar: https://www.motherlandessentials.com/collections/bar-soap/products/marathon