Welcome to The Elfster Podcast, brought to you by Elfster, a gifting platform that strengthens social bonds by increasing acts of generosity. In each episode, we sit down with an expert to share stories about digital retail trends and talk about the future of e-commerce. Our host is Peter Imburg, the CEO and Founder of Elfster, who has dedicated his career to connecting communities, audiences and brands.
In this episode of the Elfster's Podcast we are joined by Greg Winston, Managing Partner at Winston Communications and author of "The First 7 Seconds" to share his perspective and what he's working on around diversity, education and giving. Learn more about Peter and Greg here:
Peter ImburgPeter Imburg:
Hello, this is Peter Imburg with the Elfster Podcast. I'm the founder and CEO of Elfster. And for each podcast episode, we're featuring different individuals with a passion for gift-giving, shopping and e-commerce and community. Today we have with us, I'm very excited to introduce Greg Winston. Greg is the founder of buydiverse.org, And really happy to have you here today, Greg. Welcome.
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Thank you. I am excited to be here.
Greg and I met a while back. He's had an interesting background that hopefully, we'll have a chance to explore a little bit today, but he has for many years, been on the speaking tour, he's a featured speaker going around, speaking with CEOs around North America, on topics of growing the business, managing the sales, getting the best out of your sales team and topics of that sort. So, I had the honor of seeing him speak and present to a group of CEOs here in the Bay Area. And that was quite an honor, and he's got quite an accomplished career in this field of management consulting and sales management. At the end of his presentation, he told us about something else. And I want to let Greg explain it. A book that he wrote and a project that he's taken on as a passion in recent years. So Greg, why don't you tell us about The First 7 Seconds? The book you've recently published.
Absolutely. The book is a by-product of a fear that I had. For years, I knew about police violence and people being killed at the hands of police officers. And I thought it was primarily a thing for males, but two years ago, a young lady in Texas was pulled over by an officer, her name was Sandra Bland. And Sandra had an altercation with the officer. She was arrested and they took her to jail. Well, she allegedly committed suicide while in custody. And Peter, that made me think, it's not just guys. This could happen to my daughter.
I had a friend who was on the police force. I asked him questions about how officers thought? What they looked at? What made them pull someone over? What got them excited? And from that, I went on to interview over 130 police officers. And the premise is if you understand how police officers think, you reduce your fear. So, any stop won't spiral out of control if you're calm. Furthermore, the idea is that if you think like a police officer, you'll probably never have an altercation. And in many cases you won't even get a ticket. So, that's where the book started. And out of that, I've befriended many police officers in the process. It changed my view of police officers.
How so? Do you want to tell us more about that?
Yeah. I think I was influenced by the media. And I thought the majority of police officers were bad people. After I started researching it, it was just a small percentage who didn't want to talk to me, who were mean to me. And I did some research, and part of the research show that there were over a million police officers in United States. Only 1% of those are what they call bad apples. Those are the people who we tend to see on the news. Interestingly, Peter, when you look at Breonna Taylor's death, if you look at Trayvon Martin, if you look at... If you take a broad sweep and look at most of the altercations with police officers, what you'll find is those police officers tend to have repeat offenses on their record. So, it supports the findings that most police officers are good people, most of them are. It's about 1% that keep churning the waters and the media jumps on that. And it explodes in the minds of individuals like you or me.
So, when the reader learns to think a little bit more like a police officer and hopefully, resulting in greater likelihood for their safety, especially people of color who tend to... We see unfortunately, more of that in the news, that certainly helps with that issue. You talked about with your daughter and trying to help your daughter be safe, but this connects into something bigger as well. Does it not? And can you talk about the broader context of this project you have? How the book fits in?
Yeah. There are... Let me start this way, Peter. I wrote the book a year ago and it had mild success. But when George Floyd was killed, all of a sudden, the book became very popular. In conjunction with that, I was asked to speak to a lot of companies. And they'd say things to me like, "Well, Greg, we don't know what to say to our employees. This topic has become uncomfortable. It's like, you don't talk about politics. You don't talk about sex. You don't talk about age." These are the things that people don't talk about in business. And now, one of those things is diversity and equality. And so, part of me wanted to do something about it, which brought me to you. I listened to what you were doing in terms of gift giving with Elfster, and I'm guilty of meditation. So, I meditated on it and I came up with this idea. And the idea is why can't I take Fortune 500 companies and minority companies and bring them together and use the same concept of gift giving beginning on Juneteenth.
So, what I'm in the process of doing now with buydiverse.org is to create a community that works together and they become diverse as a byproduct of working together. So, Fortune 500 companies will tell their employees who are of color about this platform. The people that I have on the platform that have businesses are of color. And that ability to buy products from minorities for minorities allows diversity. And it allows inclusion from Fortune 500 companies. So, that's the premise of it. And Peter, I want to tell you, I'm getting such positive input from people and companies. I had a meeting yesterday at 7:30 AM, and I'm talking with a guy in New York. And he's connected to a Hispanic organization and Asian organizations, and he wants to bring all of those to buydiverse.org. And that's what I'm talking about. I think that if we're able to work together, it allows us to step over the normal hurdles that we have when it comes to diversity.
And this is really going beyond just diversity, as a matter of representation and really creating an opportunity for these Fortune 500 companies to be allies to allow inclusion for diverse entrepreneurs and opportunities for their employees, opening doors for them to support these initiatives that are taking a next step beyond representation, safety, equality, but actually building and growing and supporting entrepreneurs.
Absolutely. And it brings with it a feel good element that allows people to be more comfortable and learn because on the platform, there are two things I found that minorities deal with. One is how to promote their business and make it work so that they can support their family. And two, is how to keep their kids alive during turbulent times. So, on the platform, I'm going to be teaching a lot of the stuff you heard me talk about in that meeting where we met. And also, I've written a new curriculum on diversity. And if you want Peter, I want to give you just a piece of it.
Sure. Please do. I'd love to.
So, here's what I found out about diversity. And part of it is my 30 years in corporate America coming from the background of the same people I'm trying to reach. There are many silver bullets, there's not one. And one of the silver bullets is listening. Important fact, did you know that many people who are in positions of power, block diversity because they don't listen. So, they're talking with someone who's a minority. And in a 20-minute conversation, over 46 times, they will not listen to that person physically or mentally.
So, they never hear what the person's saying. They never understand if it can help the company or help them. And because of that, there's a block on inclusion and it's a basic thing they do, they don't listen. That's one of the things. I have all these practices where I try and teach people, these are the things that are unseen by people who do not include. And I think the awareness of those will make for a more vibrant culture, because honestly, most people don't understand that they're excluding. And there's a fair number who do it on purpose, but in many cases, people don't even know it. So, that's part of the platform also.
Is that a part of what we hear called an implicit bias? Is that what you-
Yeah. That's it. And you know something Peter, when I look at that, one of the things I want to say is there are lots of companies I feel that should go through this curriculum that I've written on diversity. What are the things to say? What are things not to say? How are you excluding people without knowing it? And I just think an awareness of this makes the company better. I have a simple premise, and the premise is if you look at our history and look up the number of inventions that were done by minorities, that means that there was an intelligence there we need to capture. Their ancestors work for all these Fortune 500 companies. Is it possible that some of those people could have a terrific idea based on what they do everyday? I'm saying yeah, that's very likely, but if they're excluded, they never bring that idea into the fold and the company doesn't benefit. So, there's a real benefit for inclusion.
Absolutely. Okay. So buydiverse.org, that's the name of the new company and project that you're working on.
And we're building that right now. So, don't go rush out there and go, "Hey, there's nothing there yet." We're on the cutting edge right now.
Right. Yes. Putting this together with a combination of content, as well as a shopping and gift oriented opportunities to support people of color who are entrepreneurs, in this kind of two-sided marketplace of entrepreneurs and Fortune 500 companies with their employees and specifically people of color at those Fortune 500 companies.
Yes, absolutely. And you know something Peter, when I look at that, I feel really good about the effort that we're making here because it's never been done before. I've never seen this done before. And I personally will go to Fortune 500 companies and give speeches and implore them to join buydiverse, allowing their employees to see that their company's heart is in the right place, which I think will help morale at that company. And then, those people buying products will help the minority business, a great exchange that will happen, that helps everyone.
Absolutely. And here as a full disclosure, I got to say Greg, Elfster is going to play a part in doing this. You mentioned meditation, you found yourself inspired by our passion for generosity and increasing the opportunities for people to give with friends and families. Can you tell folks a little bit about how we're working together and why you thought Elfster was important to be a part of this?
Yes. The first thing I want to say is that I'm working with Elfster because of you, Peter. And people need to understand that I felt that we connected in a very mental way, but also a way that was very concerned about humanity. And I give you full credit for that. And I'm happy to have an association with you. What we plan to do is make buydiverse the little brother of Elfster, that we will pattern our gift giving in the same fashion that you do. In fact, I'm working right now with Peter's group on other elements of Elfster, customer service, for example, because we will mirror what you do.
The difference will be that our focus will be primarily minorities. And I'm really happy with the association because I believe that you are responding in a way that I hope other Fortune 500 companies do. You're not just talking, you're actually doing something about it. And in the end, I'm trying to build something that creates a better link to humanity. It's bigger than just the shopping. Otherwise, I wouldn't teach on the site. I wouldn't hold classes for their kids. It's bigger than business, but business is a byproduct of it.
Right. Absolutely. And that is the engine that can make it all possible at the same time.
Absolutely.
So, that is fantastic. I'm absolutely thrilled. And I know our entire team is that we can be a part of making this happen and it's really important to us, to be an ally for making progress with diverse people, diverse entrepreneurs. And when the opportunity presents itself, we're not going to miss a beat here. So, we're thrilled and honored that we can be a part of that. I'm looking forward to it.
Well, you know Peter, I wanted to tell you, we talked a little bit about this earlier. One of the reasons that I feel so focused on giving back is that my life mirrors a lot of the people that I'm talking about. I was once one of those kids who didn't have, who lived in projects, who was on welfare. And I remember my mom telling me not to be embarrassed. I was just so embarrassed to be on welfare. And she was saying, "We're not welfare, we're just using it until we get to a better place." And I remember her saying that.
And so, right now, I'm trying to help those same kids, those same families, and get to a better station in life. So, part of it is creating this platform that helps them to market better. And part of it is the training I give them that I've been doing with Fortune 500 companies. And part of it is the training that I'll give them that have to do with The First 7 Seconds and saving their child's life so that they can benefit later. And there's a turning point that happened with me, that I was a kid in Gary, Indiana. And I was getting in a lot of trouble.
Peter, do you know what the policy is? You know what policy is? You ever heard that term? The policy is what they call running numbers in Chicago years ago. And it was the ghetto's form of a lottery. So someone who had money, a big person would organize the policy, and they would take money from the neighborhood in terms of numbers. You put $5 on 07 or $10 on 98. And then, at the end of it, they would draw a number and that person would win the pool. And it became big doings. In fact, it was so big that part of Al Capone's gang went into Chicago to take over the policy there. It was a huge deal. And as a child, I ran numbers, which means that I would go and collect the money. So, the people who ran those operations employed kids, so the police wouldn't suspect them and stop them, that was the whole premise. but it put the kid in danger because people in the neighborhood knew who the runners were and they try and rob them. So, it was a very dangerous thing for someone who was nine years old.
Yeah. I'll say my goodness.
Yeah. And she sent me to live with my grandfather. My grandfather was a farmer in Varner, Arkansas, and he was very successful. And it was the first time I had ever seen anyone who was successful, who created it on their own. And I know it doesn't sound like much, but to have a massive farm in the South, as a black man was a huge deal. Many black people didn't even own land in the South. And my grandfather had a huge farm. And so, within a couple of days I realized something was different. And I tried to model myself after him. And that was a turning point for me.
So, when I look at what I'm doing right now, I don't pull myself to think I'm going to reach every kid or every parent, but I'm going to hit a few. Those people who are going to say, "Oh, I'm going to try that thing he talked about." And if that works, then they'll come back for more. And my hope against all hope is that I'm able to turn some lives around, get them on the right track and create real friendships because I've helped them in the right way, because I have to tell you, my grandfather's dead and gone, but I talk about him like he's alive today. And it's because he helped me. In many ways, he saved my life. So, it is a huge deal to be a teacher. And that's how I see myself.
That's very inspiring. It's a chance to pay it forward, take what your grandfather did for you and hopefully spread that to many more people and with your platform and the ways you want to reach that, I see that happening. What's your view of the future? How are you going to make that impact happened and what's it going to be like when we get there?
Here's how I see it in the future. I think that we will grow at a faster rate than most people will predict. I have already planned to do live events with major minority groups, whether it's Hispanic councils or some form of Asian group or Black groups. And I'll go to those groups and I'll explain, and I'll showcase what I'm doing. And they will bring them to the platform. Word of mouth will also play a big part in it. And my media campaigns will also play a big part in it. And I think that continual repetition of that process will cause us to grow. You've heard me speak, you know how I am, I get excited, I get into it. And I believe that it's going to cause people to come to that platform, and whether they're there to sell a product or just learn and improve their lives or learn to help their child, all I need them to do is come and listen with an open mind and open heart. If I do that, I think the future will be bright.
And tell me about the importance, you mentioned that this would... you're targeting to release this on Juneteenth. Tell me more about that. And what's the importance of releasing on Juneteenth?
I think Juneteenth came into national promise when Donald Trump decided he was going to speak in Oklahoma and he picked the wrong date, he picked Juneteenth. And for people who don't know, that is the official emancipation of slaves. And that's what we recognize as the real date of our freedom. And we celebrate that day. So, what I want to do is announce and launch biodivers.org during that time. Now, we're going to be up and running before then, but I want to have a formal announcement then. And I believe the significance of that is tied to the same city where Trump wanted to speak. During that time, there was something called Black Wall Street that was occurring in Oklahoma. And it was a totally self-sufficient black neighborhood, black town. They had their own banks, they had their own hospitals, they had their own school, they had airplanes and all those people were black.
And I believe that the reason they were successful is that they bought from each other. And that money, a dollar would circulate up to 32 times within the community before it went outside. And what I'm trying to do is a very similar thing with all minorities. I'm saying, I want you to sell your products to other minorities. I want other minorities to support you. And I want you to grow. I believe that we are better if we learn from each other and grow, and that's the premise of it. So, that's where it all comes from.
All right. Thank you for tying those items together into the launch and explaining the future out. Again, the name of the site and service will be buydiverse.org. And Greg Winston is explaining his experience, background, why he started with The First 7 Seconds and his campaign to help other entrepreneurs, diverse entrepreneurs, people of color, and to help lift up kids and make sure that they have the information that they need and the inspiration for a bright future. Greg, I find you a fascinating person in so many ways. I love what you're doing with buydiverse.org. You're dynamo with respect to sales, sales management, a great keynote speaker all over North America, I know. Something else I find interesting about you that might be something is sports. You're a basketball player. You were a competitive basketball player.
I like the term “were”, I used to be. Yeah.
Okay.
Peter, here's the deal. I grew up in Indiana. And in Indiana, it's the law. You have to play basketball. If you want to play football, you can go off football so that you can get in shape for basketball. Or if you want to run track, yeah, go ahead run track, so you can be fast, so you can use it in basketball, but you're going to play basketball. And I was fortunate enough to play ball. And in the middle of all of this, I told you that my mom moved me to Arkansas. When I got to Arkansas, I met a coach, who's a hall of fame coach in Little Rock, his name is Oliver Elders. His wife, Jocelyn Elders was the surgeon general for Bill Clinton. So, Oliver Elders took me under his wing because I played street ball. I know how to shake them and shoot, but I didn't understand the flow of the game.
And he told me, he'd teach me how to play basketball. And of course, I was offended. And he said, "If I teach you, what is the one thing you'd want from basketball?" And I said, "Well, I want everyone to cheer for me the way they cheer for Troy Brooks." And Troy Brooks was a senior and keep in mind, I'm a sophomore at the time coming in. And he said, "If you work out with me daily, I'll have people cheering for you within one year." And everyday I would work out with him and he'd show me the system, he taught me basketball. And what's interesting about that is that those, the by-product of all of that, my junior year, I received two scholarship offers. And that was the first time I even considered going to college. And it's all because of Oliver Elders.
And I have thanked him so many times because of that. Now, long story short, I wanted to go to Arkansas because I was close to my grandfather at this time now. And I wanted him to be able to get in his truck and drive over to see me play. And that became a big deal. And here's what I want to end this whole thing with basketball about. I learned a lot from basketball. It wasn't just that it got me into school. Recently, there was a film documentary done on ESPN and it talked about the Chicago Bulls. And I remember that time because during summer leagues, I met a guy who a lot of people don't know, there were two guys actually. One of them was Jerry Sloan who ended up coaching at Utah. And he had a partner that he ran with. Hold on a sec. His name's escaping me right now, it will come back to me.
But the two of them taught me how to play defense in the pro leagues as opposed to college. And it allowed me to have a tryout. Now here's what I'll say about the tryout. When I watched Michael Jordan on that clip from ESPN, I didn't see Michael Jordan clearly until I saw that film clip. What I learned from that film clip was that I performed below my potential. Michael Jordan performed at his potential. And the way that he did it was part mental and part physical, that he looked at the game as a constant competition. I looked at it as fun. It was fun for me to play. It was fun for me to beat someone or shoot over. Michael looked at it as a job. And when you hear people in the interview that talk about him and their fear of him, it's because of that.
And the one thing I'll say about learning from basketball is that it taught me to look at life differently and reach for more of my potential. And that's what I'm trying to do with kids, Peter. When I look at them, I know that when I see that kid, I'm looking at another Jordan, I'm looking at a Larry Bird. I'm looking at an Oprah Winfrey. I'm looking at real potential if I can get them to harness it. So, my entire focus, it's not basketball now. I tease people, I think, after I didn't make it for probably 10 years after that, I thought I still got a shot. I would sit around and think, "Well, if I just work on the knee, I got..." No, I'm done. So I understand that, but I understand there are kids out there that do have a shot. And it may not be in basketball, it may not be in music, but certainly it's something that they will gravitate toward and they can do well if they just have someone who can guide them a little bit. And that's what I'm trying to do.
Some life lessons from basketball. It was started that you just didn't want, you had to in Indiana, but that's actually pretty good take away. And letting, enabling, helping people to live up to their ultimate potential, whatever it might be.
Whatever It might be. Yeah.
Well, Greg. It's been fantastic chatting with you, and we're really excited to see your work with buydiverse.org coming out. And we're just energized by your passion for what you're doing and the wonderful goals you have for yourself and the great future you see for buydiverse.org. Thank you for meeting with us today.
I enjoyed it, Peter. Let's do it again. Let's do another one. I want to talk with you about the lessons I'm teaching, it'll make for a great podcast. I think people will benefit from it.
All right. Let's do it.
Okay.
Maybe around the big launch, Juneteenth.
Absolutely. Yeah.
All right. Let's do it.
Okay. Thanks again.
All right. Thanks.