Elijah Brown on Athletics, Influence & Building Enterprise Value

The Future of Southland Development — Transportation-Oriented Development, I-57 Growth & Regional Investment

Video Version: https://youtu.be/cBoUuWVzGdc [https://youtu.be/cBoUuWVzGdc] Panelists: Mayor Roudez, University Park | Architect Edward Peck  Series: The First Million is Always the Hardest — ACHIEVE Summit Series Bo Kemp moderates a sharp, forward-looking conversation with University Park Mayor Roudez and architect Edward Peck on what it will take to unlock the Southland's full potential. The panel covers the I-57 growth corridor and transportation-oriented development, strategies to ease the tax burden on residents and businesses, the data center opportunity or debacle, and a direct call to the Chicago Bears — as they search for a new home, the Southland is ready, willing, and built for it. Because the first million is always the hardest. But for the Southland — the breakthrough starts now.

Women Who Acquire: Confidence-to-Close Roadmap for Business Ownership

Video version: https://youtu.be/gORLRNZitgE [https://youtu.be/gORLRNZitgE] Series: The First Million is Always the Hardest — ACHIEVE Series Sponsored by the Women's Business Development Center In this ACHIEVE Series installment, host Bo Kemp moderates a candid, high-impact conversation with three women who didn't just dream about business ownership — they closed. Linda Peddle, July Franco, and Megan Wenstrup break down the real roadmap from confidence to closing, sharing the mindset shifts, deal mechanics, and hard-won lessons that got them across the finish line. This episode is a resource for any woman ready to stop waiting and start acquiring. Bo and the panelists explore: * Why acquisition is one of the most overlooked paths to wealth-building for women * The mental and strategic barriers that keep qualified buyers on the sidelines — and how to push past them * How to evaluate a business, structure a deal, and build the right team * What each panelist wishes she had known before day one This episode is sponsored by the Women's Business Development Center — championing women entrepreneurs at every stage of their journey. Because the first million is always the hardest. But for women who acquire — it starts with a decision.

Ramez Fakhoury on Self-Directed IRAs, Real Estate & Buying Businesses

Video Version: https://youtu.be/UC2UfHim0Qc [https://youtu.be/UC2UfHim0Qc] In this episode of The First Million is Always the Hardest, host Bo Kemp sits down with Ramez Farkhoury of the IRA Club for a practical conversation about how investors can use self-directed IRAs to build wealth beyond traditional stocks and mutual funds. Ramez breaks down how self-directed retirement accounts can give investors more control over where their capital goes — including opportunities in real estate, private lending, and business acquisitions. Bo and Ramez explore how everyday investors can think differently about retirement savings, not just as money sitting in an account, but as capital that can be directed toward ownership. The conversation focuses on two powerful uses of self-directed IRAs: investing in real estate and buying businesses. Ramez explains how investors can use these accounts to participate in rental properties, private deals, and acquisition opportunities while staying mindful of the rules, structure, and compliance requirements that come with retirement funds. This episode is about expanding the definition of investing, using retirement capital more strategically, and understanding how ownership can become a path to long-term wealth. Because the first million is always the hardest — and sometimes the capital to begin building it may already be sitting in your retirement account.

Catherine Okoroh on Lending, Real Estate Investing & Taking the First Step

Video Version: https://youtu.be/R6c5SWkrT-k [https://youtu.be/R6c5SWkrT-k] In this episode of The First Million is Always the Hardest, host Bo Kemp sits down with Catherine Okoroh of Advance Lending for a practical conversation about helping everyday people move from curiosity to action in real estate investing. Catherine brings both lending expertise and real-world storytelling to the conversation, breaking down the common barriers that keep people from getting started — fear, lack of information, credit concerns, down payment questions, and confusion about financing options. Through her work with Advance Lending, she helps aspiring investors understand how the right lending strategy can make ownership feel more accessible and achievable.   Bo and Catherine explore why real estate remains one of the most powerful paths to wealth building, especially when investors have the right guidance, preparation, and partners. Catherine’s stories show that investing is not only for insiders or people with perfect financial profiles — it is for people willing to learn the process, ask the right questions, and take disciplined steps toward ownership.   This episode is about practical solutions, smart financing, and turning real estate ambition into a real plan. Because the first million is not built by waiting on the sidelines. It starts with learning the game — and taking the first step.

Elijah Brown on Athletics, Influence & Building Enterprise Value

Video Version: https://youtu.be/kbzOgWwTHac [https://youtu.be/kbzOgWwTHac] Guest: Elijah Brown — Delaware State University Track & Field Athlete, Entrepreneur & Brand Builder In this episode of The First Million is Always the Hardest, host Bo Kemp sits down with Elijah Brown, a Delaware State University track and field athlete, entrepreneur, and brand builder, for a conversation about discipline, ambition, ownership, and the difference between chasing income and building enterprise value. Elijah’s story begins in West Orange, New Jersey — a place that shaped his grit, competitiveness, and self-starting mentality. As an 800-meter runner, he competes in one of the toughest events in track and field: a race that demands pain tolerance, pacing, strategy, and mental control. That same discipline now shows up in how he thinks about business. But Elijah is not just an athlete building a personal brand. He is already experimenting with entrepreneurship through ventures connected to moving, club promotions, and Star City Management. In the conversation, Bo and Elijah explore what those early businesses taught him about operations, customer service, attention, influence, and the challenge of turning hustle into something scalable. The heart of this episode is a bigger question: how does a young athlete move from being an influencer to becoming a true operator and future owner of a sellable company? Bo and Elijah discuss the difference between making money online and building a business that could one day be worth millions — one with systems, recurring revenue, brand assets, a team, and value beyond one person’s name. They also unpack what athletes and creators often misunderstand about wealth, and why influence only becomes powerful when it is converted into ownership. This episode is about New Jersey grit, athletic discipline, early entrepreneurship, and the leap from personal brand to real enterprise. Because the first million is always the hardest — and for Elijah Brown, the race is just getting started.