Dallas Business Podcast

37. Ivy Awino, Dallas Mavericks Arena DJ & In-Game Personality: Leading with Vision in Mind, Uniting People & An International Dream for Africa

 As an international DJ, Poizon Ivy has a love for diverse music, incorporating all genres into her sets and radio mixes. Born Ivy Awino in Nairobi, Kenya and raised in Dallas, Texas, Ivy mastered both the piano and cello before discovering her love for yet another instrument; turntables. 

In a few short years, Ivy rose in ranks, setting off the city’s largest concert stages at Milwaukee’s Marcus Amphitheater and the recognized “World’s Largest Music Festival,” Summerfest, opening for some of the most notorious names in music: Nas, Wiz Khalifa, Lupe Fiasco, B.o.B, J. Cole and Juicy J to name a few. She is now one of the most in-demand Midwest DJ talents, performing and hosting throughout the Midwest region.

 In 2016, she joined the Dallas Wings as their in arena DJ during the WNBA’s historical 20th anniversary season. As if that wasn’t enough, she became the Dallas Mavericks’ first female team DJ in franchise history, and is the 2nd female DJ in NBA league history to accomplish that feat.

Going from on air, to arenas, to clubs and main stages, DJ Poizon Ivy has lent her services to major brands and corporations including Atlantic Records, Red Bull, Adidas, and the Milwaukee Brewers. 

She’s spun for non-profit organizations and events: Skylar Diggins “Shoot 4 the Sky” Basketball Camp Tour, Snoop Dogg’s Youth Football League, and Obama for America.

When she’s not honing her skills, DJ Poizon Ivy is advocating for various causes and working with non-profit organizations that enable young women pursuing careers in music, young mothers, and organizations that aide health issues affecting young women. DJ Poizon Ivy’s personal vision includes branding herself as a curator of music, fashion, entertainment and all things female empowerment.

“When it’s all said and done, the only thing that should matter is how well you do the job; not your gender,” says DJ Poizon Ivy.

Dr. Michael J. Sorrell is the longest-serving President in the 151 - year history of Paul Quinn College. During his 15 years of leadership, Paul Quinn has become nationally celebrated for its ability to expand the boundaries of higher education to better serve the needs of under-resourced communities and their students. 

Included among Paul Quinn’s numerous accomplishments during President Sorrell’s tenure — improving graduation rates by more than 25%; reducing student loan debt by $30,0000; building the first new buildings on campus in 50 years; renovating every building on campus; creating the Urban Work College Model; winning the HBCU of the Year, HBCU Student Government Association of the Year, and HBCU Business Program of the Year awards; partnering with PepsiCo to transform the football field into the WE over Me Farm; and establishing all institutional fundraising records.

Dr. Sorrell is one of the most celebrated college presidents in America.  Among the honors that he has received are the following: the President George W. Bush Institute’s Trailblazer Citation; being named him one of the World’s 50 Greatest Leaders by Fortune Magazine; winning Education Dive’s Higher Education’s President of the Year award; being the only three-time recipient of the HBCU Male President of the Year Award; and having been listed by Time Magazine as one of the “31 People Changing the South”. However, his most prized honor is having been named Father of the Year in the City of Dallas.

https://paulquinn.edu/

Host, Earlina Green Hamilton

Jeremy Strick has been the Director of the Nasher Sculpture Center since March 2009. Mr. Strick oversees collections, exhibitions and operations at the 2.4-acre museum located in the heart of downtown Dallas’ Arts District.

Prior to the Nasher, Mr. Strick served as Director of The Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) in Los Angeles, California, for more than nine years. Throughout his tenure, MOCA received international acclaim for its exhibition program, which included such landmark shows as Martin Kippenberger: The Problem Perspective (2008); Marlene Dumas: Measuring Your Own Grave (2008); Andy Warhol Retrospective (2002); Willem de Kooning: Tracing the Figure (2002), among many others.

Mr. Strick also served as a senior curator at the Art Institute of Chicago, and held curatorial posts at the Saint Louis Art Museum and the National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C. He pursued graduate studies in Fine Arts at Harvard University and received his Bachelor of Arts (History of Art) in 1977 from the University of California at Santa Cruz. Additionally, he has curated numerous exhibitions and has written and lectured extensively about modern and contemporary art.

www.nashersculpturecenter.org

Host, Earlina Green Hamilton

Froswa’ Booker-Drew, Ph.D., is a Network Weaver who believes relationships are the key to our personal, professional, and organizational growth.
She founded Soulstice Consultancy, LLC, providing DEI, leadership training, and capacity-building services. Formerly the Vice President of Community Affairs for the State Fair of Texas, Froswa’ was responsible for grantmaking, educational programming, and community initiatives. More than 70% of organizations funded were led by people of color.

She co-founded HERitage Giving Circle, one of the first Black women Giving Circles in the State of Texas, and co-founder of Power in Action-Dallas.

She hosts the podcast, The Tapestry, and is the author of 3 books for women, Fly Away, Ready for a Revolution: 30 Days to Jolt Your Life, and Rules of Engagement: Making Connections Last.

Her latest book, Empowering Charity, published by Baylor University Press, is currently in the top 100 of three categories on Amazon.

 drfroswabooker.com

Froswa' Amazon book store

Host, Earlina Green Hamilton

Daniel Maté is an multi-award-winning lyricist and composer for musical theatre. With his father physician and renowned addiction expert,     Gabor Maté, he is the co-author of the recently published The Myth of Normal: Trauma, Illness and Healing in a Toxic Culture, and the forthcoming Hello Again: A Fresh Start for Parents and Their Adult Children, based on the popular workshop of the same name. He hosts a YouTube program called Lyrics To Go, and runs Take A Walk With Daniel, the world's only "mental chiropractic" service. He lives in Brooklyn, NY.

danielmate.com 
walkwithdaniel.com

Amazon: The Myth of Normal : TRAUMA, ILLNESS & HEALING IN A TOXIC CULTURE

Host, Earlina Green Hamilton 

Commissioner Peirce and I discuss America’s economic inventive structure, regulatory framework around DeFi, and individual choice. 

Hester M. Peirce was appointed by President Donald J. Trump to the U.S. Securities and

Exchange Commission and was sworn in on January 11, 2018. Prior to joining the SEC, Commissioner Peirce conducted research on the regulation of financial markets at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University. She was a Senior Counsel on the

U.S. Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, where she advised Ranking Member Richard Shelby and other members of the Committee on securities issues.

Commissioner Peirce served as counsel to SEC Commissioner Paul S. Atkins. She also worked as a Staff Attorney in the SEC’s Division of Investment Management. Commissioner Peirce was an associate at Wilmer, Cutler & Pickering (now WilmerHale) and clerked for Judge Roger Andewelt on the Court of Federal Claims.

Commissioner Peirce earned her bachelor’s degree in Economics from Case Western Reserve University and her JD from Yale Law School.

https://www.sec.gov/news/speech/peirce-2021-10-08

https://www.econlib.org/library/Essays/hykKnw.html

Host, Earlina Green Hamilton 

Natalie Smolenski leads business development for Hyland’s blockchain-based content services solutions. She was the founding business development executive for Learning Machine, a Texas-based startup specializing in blockchain-anchored digital records, which exited to Hyland in 2020. As Chair of the Board of the Texas Blockchain Council, she works to advance public policy friendly to blockchain technology and the blockchain industry.

Natalie is a trained anthropologist whose independent research focuses on the intersections of identity, technology, and government. By bringing a scientific perspective to distributed digital technologies and social transformation, she helps audiences from all backgrounds understand how individuals connect to form communities and build the infrastructures of the future.

Natalie and I discuss the sound money use case captured by Bitcoin, value, and how to cultivate a society that knows how to think.

www.nataliesmolenski.com

valued.nataliesmolenski.com

Twitter: @NSmolenski

LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/nataliesmolenski

Host, Earlina Green Hamilton 

Temi Coker is an absolute force of creativity, depicting layers of his Nigerian culture with colors, patterns, dimensions, and textures. He doesn't just create art. He creates powerful experiences that move and challenge beauty standards. His work is a movement.

Temi and I discuss the changing NFT landscape and the success he has had in the blockchain space in a short amount of time. We also discuss his Nigerian roots and the stories he enjoys bringing to life on the canvas.

www.temicoker.co

behance.net/cokerstudio

@temi.coker

Host, Earlina Green Hamilton 

Jimmy Song is a Bitcoin developer, educator, and entrepreneur. He's an open-source contributor to many different Bitcoin projects and is the author of Programming Bitcoin from O'Reilly, The Little Bitcoin Book, and Thank God for Bitcoin. Jimmy has been a lecturer at the University of Texas and an expert witness in legal cases involving Bitcoin. Jimmy writes a weekly newsletter, Bitcoin Tech Talk, and has a podcast, Bitcoin Fixes This.

Jimmy and I discuss the fiat money treadmill, why altcoins are a bad investment, the Bitcoin-powered church of the future, and Jimmy's latest book: Thank God For Bitcoin.

Host, Earlina Green Hamilton


https://twitter.com/jimmysong

https://jimmysong.substack.com

https://jimmysong.medium.com

https://programmingbitcoin.com

Merrick Porchéddu is the founder and CEO of Artist Uprising™, which bridges the gap between creatives and commerce. An experienced entrepreneur and graduate of Belmont University's College of Music Business, Porchéddu and her company connect artists to businesses and vice versa.

Merrick and I discuss pivoting from a technology app to a service-based business, NFTs, and the Impact of Organizing Dallas’ First Digital Art Event.

"Artists need money. Businesses need creativity. The relationship is a must, and we are here to be the handshake and the resource channel for the magic to happen for both sides," Porchéddu says.

 www.artistuprising.com

STUDIO: www.artistuprisingstudios.com

CREATIVE AGENCY: www.belmontcreative.co

Host, Earlina Green Hamilton 

Jeremy McKane is an Artist with a passion for the environment. His focus has been directed on Ocean issues for several years. He is an active Explorers Club Member and the CEO of OCN.ai, an autonomous network of marine robots that automate enforcement at sea.

He co-founded ULTRAMARINE: Ocean Action Summit on Sir Richard Branson's Necker Island. The mission is to protect 30% of The World's Ocean by 2030. This cannot be done by simply creating awareness. Tangible actions must be committed for a new regeneration process to start.

Jeremy and I discuss the use of the blockchain for Saving Our Seas, his passion for the ocean, NFT's, environmental accountability. 

"Every second breath of air we take in right now comes from the ocean. Why don't we do ourselves a favor and start making efforts to protect what little we have left? Because it's definitely worth it!" -- Jeremy McKane

Website: https://www.jeremymckane.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JeremyMcKane

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jeremymckane/

Host, Earlina Green Hamilton 

Boyd Clewis, is an internationally recognized cybersecurity expert, author, speaker, and is featured on Forbes, NBC, ABC, and CBS news. As the Vice President and Chief Information Security Officer at Baxter Clewis Consulting.  He is dedicated to helping businesses implement effective security and compliance programs. He is trusted by many of the largest Fortune 500 companies, in which he plays a major role in their compliance audits.  Boyd serves on the Texas-STEM Advisory Board for Castleberry ISD, advising on curriculum for their Cybersecurity education program. He also holds multiple certifications including, CISSP, CCSK, CISA and QSA.  

He is regularly praised for his innovative and creative presentations for some of the worlds' leading cybersecurity conferences, including the PCI Community Meeting, held in Europe.  Through his consulting work, Boyd discovered the need for more qualified individuals in the cybersecurity space, therefore, he has spent the  last 4 years training other cybersecurity specialists, through the Baxter Clewis Training Academy. 

Clewis and I discuss cyber security in a changing world, the professional certifications that pay, and how to add value to any organization.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/boydclewis/

Lee Bratcher is the President and Founder of the Texas Blockchain Council and a faculty member at DBU teaching international relations and blockchain courses. The Texas Blockchain Council is an industry association with more than 65 member companies that seeks to make Texas the jurisdiction of choice for blockchain innovation. He is also a Captain in the US Army reserves working as Tech Scout for the 75 the Innovation Command that supports Army Futures Command.

Lee and I discuss the importance of property rights and the 20 trillion dollars worth of real estate owned by the world's poor, security on the blockchain, and a bipartisan blockchain future.

Texas Blockchain Summit:
https://texasblockchainsummit.org/

https://texasblockchaincouncil.org/

https://twitter.com/txblockchain1

Eddie Sanez is the owner of Kingdom Jiu-Jitsu. He has over 25 years of experience in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. He is the first individual in Texas to receive a Black Belt from World Champion Rafael Lovato Jr. He still actively competes in the IBJJF and recently had eight professional Black Belt matches with Fight to Win Promotions. Eddie opened his first martial arts school in 2009 and opened Kingdom Jiu-Jitsu with his wife, Christina Sanez, in 2014. Eddie is an Army Veteran and former Dallas Police Officer. He is also a former Defense Tactics Instructor for the Dallas Police Department and still actively trains military and law enforcement personnel in defensive tactics and personal protection.

Eddie and I discuss operating a fitness gym during a pandemic, what it means to have a vision and make it clear, and how the practice of Jiu-Jitsu became a calling for not just him but his wife.  

https://www.kingdomjj.com/home-page-1

https://www.instagram.com/kingdomjj/

Cooper Neill is an award-winning freelance photographer based in Dallas, Tx, covering everything from Presidential elections and immigration issues to cage fighting and Taylor Swift for editorial and commercial clients worldwide, including The New York Times, ESPN, Rolling Stone, Vice, and many more.

Neill and I discuss the personal and professional toll of capturing a pandemic, the nature of storytelling behind the lens, and the factors that make a great Instagram photo.

https://www.instagram.com/cooperneill/

https://www.cooperneill.com/

Originally recorded on March 18, 2021

Host, Earlina Green Hamilton

DiAnne S. Davis, MD, is a board-certified cosmetic dermatologist specializing in noninvasive facial rejuvenation, skin-of-color, hair loss, and cosmetic dermatologic surgery.

Dr. Davis completed her baccalaureate studies at Tuskegee University in Tuskegee, AL, graduating Summa Cum Laude with a degree in Biology. She obtained a Master’s of Science in Cell & Molecular Biology from Tulane University. She then received her medical degree from The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences in Washington, DC, along with the Walter F. Rosen Award for Outstanding Student in Dermatology.

Care Philosophy
Dr. Davis believes in a collaborative approach to helping her patients look and feel their best. Suffering from acne herself as an adult, Dr. Davis empathizes immensely with her patients and their overall self-esteem and quality of life when looking and feeling their best. Considering the medical and aesthetic goals her patients hope to achieve, Dr. Davis creates a comprehensive treatment plan utilizing advanced technology through the viewpoint of an artist (given her background as a classically trained ballet dancer).

https://northdallasderm.com/

https://www.instagram.com/drdiannedavis/

Originally recorded on March 10, 2021

Host, Earlina Green Hamilton 

Birdie is the first clean on-location beauty service that uses propriety app technology, curated looks, non-toxic products, and highly trained and vetted professionals to provide on-location beauty treatments. Birdie currently offers hair services, including blowouts, styling, cuts, and trims. It is available in the iOS app store and is flying in Dallas, Fort Worth, Austin, Houston, and Charleston, SC. Birdie is expanding both service offerings and service locations, with over 30 new metros on the horizon. Taking time off of work, being away from family, hiring a babysitter, fighting traffic, paying above industry prices, rearranging schedules, and sacrificing for your beauty routine is a thing of the past. Birdie is the future.

Elizabeth and I discuss what women could do with an extra hour in their day, advice she may or may not have taken from Mark Cuban, and Birdie's origins. 

Within her first six months at a Fortune 500 company, Elizabeth rose to the Top Three in the 3,000 salespersons organization, winning numerous awards for excellence in sales results throughout her tenure there. She created and evangelized a novel Partnering System, which was so successful it was recognized and promoted by the multi-billion dollar company's senior executives. They still use that system to this day.

Elizabeth has always had an entrepreneurial bug and co-founded Birdie, which launched in 2018, having since been recognized by SXSW, Vogue, Dallas Business Journal, D Magazine, and the recipient of several awards, including Best New Beauty Startup. Married to her High School sweetheart, has three children, is living in Dallas, TX. BA, Austin College, 2012. 

@birdie

@elizabethclinereza

Links:

Website-

https://www.bookabirdie.com/

Download the App-

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/birdie-in-home-beauty/id1391017881

Originally recorded on February 25, 2021

Host, Earlina Green Hamilton 

Frances Smith-Dean is the Executive Director of the Zan Wesley Holmes Jr Community Outreach Center. Frances is responsible for the creation of over 5000 jobs for low-income individuals during this pandemic. She is an adjunct professor of Mathematics at Richland College and owner of Financial Educator, LLC.

Frances and I discuss risk management planning for a Biden-Harris administration, resurgence, protest, and economic pain, cryptocurrency, and 2021 predictions.

In 2012, Frances was instrumental in establishing a foreign exchange trade business trip between the US-China Business Council, Southern University A & M of Baton Rouge, and The City of Baker Louisiana. Through her work, The City of Baker signed a Friendship City Agreement with China and the Southern University Agricultural Center signed a partnership agreement with Dr. Walter Chen, one of the most influential Chinese American Economist for the top 100 businesses in China.

Frances is a former registered investment advisor for Nationwide insurance where she managed over 1000 employees with the city of New Orleans, Regional Transit Authority, and seven other municipalities within the New Orleans River Region’s PublicEmployee Deferred Compensation plans.

Mentions:
Coinmarketcap.com

Originally recorded on January 22, 2021

Host, Earlina Green Hamilton 

Benjamin J. Vann is the Founder and CEO of Impact Ventures, a 501c3 startup accelerator with a mission to empower talented, yet under-resourced women and entrepreneurs of color to build generational wealth through inclusive entrepreneurship and integrated capital. Since 2017, Impact Ventures has partnered with some of the most notable Fortune 500 companies, national organizations, and global brands to serve over 2800 people, including 220 students through mentorship, events, workshops, themed hackathons, and 135 entrepreneurs through technical assistance, mentorship, and access to capital to raise $478,000+ and create 46 new jobs.

Vann and I discuss economic justice, black culture and innovation, and his diverse upbringing.  

Benjamin has received a number of awards and recognition by both regional and national media and news publications. He is a member of the SMU Hunt Institute of Engineering Inclusive Economies Consortium (IEC), a 2020 Boston Impact Initiative Fund Building Fellow and was named top 50 Future Innovators of DFW in 2020 Dallas Innovates Magazine. He is also a 2018 World Economic Forum Global Shaper Fellow, Partner at Dallas Social Venture Partners, 2016 Dana Juett Social Venture Resident, and 2015 Mayor’s Star Council Alumni. In 2019, he was nominated for Cosign Magazine’s Tech Innovator and Public Figure of the Year Award, as well as Entrepreneur of the Year Award in 2017. Awarded DFW Urban League Business of the Month, In 2016, he was featured in the 3rd and 4th edition of Who’s Who in Black Dallas Publication, In 2015, he awarded 40 under 40 Future Leaders in Dallas by i10 Magazine, named top 28 #BlackDFWMatters influencers, and featured on the cover of Be Great Magazine, Dallas Millennials Edition.

Run Time: 53 minutes

Original record date: January 21, 2021

Host, Earlina Green Hamilton 

Hannah is co-owner of 12.26, a Dallas-based contemporary art gallery, with her sister Hilary Fagadau. Before starting 12.26, Hannah spent three years on the development team at Dallas Contemporary. She holds a MA in Arts Administration from Columbia University.

After receiving a BFA in Studio Art from the University of Texas, Hilary Fagadau worked in art book publishing for Artbook D.A.P. in New York City. Most recently, she was the director of a contemporary art gallery in Los Angeles.

Hannah, Hilary, and I discuss running a new gallery during a pandemic, balancing the love of art and profitability, and what it means to be a woman in the art space.

12.26 was featured in Artsy, D Magazine, and  Dallas Morning News. 

https://www.gallery1226.com/

https://www.instagram.com/12.26_tx/

Run Time: 42 minutes

Original record date: February 19, 2021

Host, Earlina Green Hamilton