A Women’s Touch
Throughout my whole life, I have always been a well mannered, soft spoken, laid back type of person. I guess that stems from having a Marine as a father where discipline is the forefront and “Yes sir, No sir” is the only response he wants to hear. Even speaking to my mother was hard. If she didn’t like something you said, she would just ignore you or walk away. I used to write her letters and put them under her pillow, and I never received a reply. To this day, my grandmother favorite line is “ Go to hell Bitch” when she don’t agree. Their way or no way is what has been taught to me and reflected, which created an emotionless child.
My old Twitter and Instagram name used to be @duckedoff_b after the song Ducked Off by Trill Fam.
“I ain't even in the mood homie get from round me, I got too much on my mind I don't need no company, You can hit me on my phone but I probably let it ring, On the real, tryin' to chill, tryna' do my own thing”
This was my whole mood throughout high school, staying out the way and just hustling selling my snacks at school and hooping. By the time I got to my freshman year of college, my introvert ways had begin to be more evident and I knew it was a different side of me I had to offer. I remember going to my best friend basketball games in college and during the introductions all you heard was...” STIXZ WILSON”. In the back of my head, I’m like y’all know that’s not her real name right? But everybody... literally everybody called her Stixz, that wasn’t family. Also, while working together on the first brand “First Testament”, our names were on the website and my full name “Brian Anderson” was on displayed embarrassingly. It sounds super childish but at the time, I wanted a cool nickname too. Randomly considering words that reflect me, I ironically chose something that’s the complete opposite of “ducked off” to BTheMogul. It was a few months later, when I actually started to find myself in leadership roles and the moniker or slogan “Be The Mogul” came about. Some how choosing this name made me step out my box and into the person I actually wanted to be. The common definition of mogul is “ an important, rich or powerful person, within business industries such as motion pictures, media or music”. At that point in time, I had no idea where that name would lead to, but I knew I wanted to have multiple businesses in different areas and travel every once in awhile.
In my life I have been blessed to have uncles, coaches, and older cousins to look up to and learn how to be a man. However, living with my mother and grandmother as Alpha women, they taught me very well how to talk to and respect women. It’s weird that as I got older, many of my mentors and closest friends were women who truly cared about my well-being, but also did not hold any cut cards when it came to being focused in life and making things happen. They are ALL extremely successful in their own right and I’m grateful for the shared space we have in each other’s life. Ironically, There was a very unique person who leveled me up for me to meet more women in my life to help me flourish.
Quick Story:
When I first got to Albright College, I arrived on campus a month early for football camp. Being on campus with all males for a month did not do me any justice. The first day of school, on my way to class, I caught a glance of the most beautiful women on campus! About 5’5, long natural curly haired mixed Spanish jawn from North Philly with the essence of Goddess. I knew I had to make my move! With no hesitation, this freshman went smack at the most wanted senior on campus and actually finessed his way in. She clearly had other plans, playing into my game, picking my brain figuring out what my plans were in life. At the time I was an accounting and finance dual-major, and on the spot she said “ you don't want to do that”. I don't know what it was, but it was like she read me like a book. The next few days of meeting (still thinking I had a chance) , we would take career personality profile quizzes to see what I was best suited for, and every role connected to something else other than numbers. As we discussed further options, she told me all these amazing mind blowing stories about her traveling the world to places I couldn’t even fathom. Living in Dubai, dating an African Prince, like no joke. At that point in time, she was 23 and already been to more than 25 countries! All I could think about is how this women from a neighborhood just as bad as mine finessed all these opportunities and it immediately inspired me.
After awhile, she gave me some advice to visit a few people on campus to help guide me to some new opportunities and I bluffed. About two days later, we linked up again and she asked me did I link with “such and such” and like a dummie I didn’t. She said, “cool well don’t talk to me ever again”. I was running behind her like Will in Fresh Prince, “Woe baby, what happened, what I do?” She went on to say, “ What’s the point? ... you don’t take yourself seriously, so why should I?” ... THAT SHIT HIT ME LIKE SOME RUNTS.
I went on to do my best Martin impression begging to Gina, and she gave me a second chance, but it didn’t come easy. I was a freshman, with a car, on the football team, I thought I was the shit. She humbled me real quick, but it was needed. Our relationship developed into a big sister/little brother situation, but I looked at her like an idol. Every week we were taking rides and I was picking her brain. I was like a dog on a leash and the more I showed her I was serious about learning and being a better me, she would give me more information, more connections. One of the connections was the guy who motivated me to take my first study abroad trip to Cyprus.
I 100% would not be who I am today without her in my life! She groomed me like a child and loved me like blood. She taught me how to look at life through the eyes of others and taught me the fundamentals to building a global mindset. Her dreams and wants are so much bigger than herself, and the impact she dreamed of making was astronomical. These ideas were so beyond my intellect and understanding, I was consumed with trying to learn more to keep up. On a Mogul scale from 1-10 she clearly was a 15 and I was a -5. She brought me up to pace, but it was always more work to do on my own. The level of motivation and accountability we had for each other in our relationship was something new for me, but set the standard for my relationships going forward.
I am truly blessed to have met someone of her caliber to teach and motivate me to be something I never imagined. That constant push everyday being around her, just elevated my mind to a whole new level. It’s something about being surrounded with greatness, that just makes you have to step your game up. If I’m not getting better, I feel like I'm getting washed and can’t hang. You have to surround yourself with people smarter than you, who do not think like you, and who won’t always agree with you. Those challenges to your everyday thinking can either cause a drastic change for the better, or your resilience to change can cause you to miss out on a blessing.
