Greetings friends! We are thrilled to bring you our latest issue, 27.03/04! This latest magazine is packed with plenty of heat, so prepare yourself for shared wisdom, knowledge, and insight from our many writers, young and old. We learn so much from you writers, from the new contributors to the OGs who step up and come from the heart. There is something for all of you who are holding this one-of-a-kind magazine. We want to encourage you, writers, to dive a bit deeper with the magazine and not only read your work and your friends, but also check out other counties, schools, and sections like the BWO writers in the back pages (the true OG’s). We all have something to offer, to bring to the table.
Before we go, what we are most impressed with is how many of you have your own personal page! Wow! Thank you for believing in yourself and for sharing with the world! Remember you published writers to share this info when you create your job resumes! You are published writers in a national publication and are being read by many inside and outside of the system from around the world.
All right, as always, we are blessed to have our dearest friend and colleague, OT, take this editorial note to the next level! The keyboard is yours, OT!
We welcome you readers back to another double dose edition of the one and only The Beat Within. This is the only magazine that keeps it one thousand with you readers, week in and week out. This is OT signing on from Managua, Nicaragua. First and foremost, let me go ahead and extend a warm embrace to all you readers and writers. By the time these words reach their destination hopefully you all are doing great physically mentally and spiritually.
What can I say? 2021 was filled with many challenges, obstacles and many lessons were learned not only by me, but I’d like to say everyone. The pandemic has brought on a new list of challenges that has affected everything from education, employment and even how and with who we decide to spend our leisure time.
Aside from all the problems, struggles, challenges, and adversity, it all came with an extra added layer of resilience. See, this world has been built upon challenge after challenge.
I’m going to share a personal story. Back in the year of I don’t know when, I will say 2006, I decided to do something kind of slick and creative. I started working for this moving company making some extra money on the side. I saved up my money that I hustled on the side, and working at The Beat, and I bought a work truck.
Once I bought that work truck, I had a friend of mine make me a whole bunch of flyers and I started my own moving service, called, 24 Hour Super Move. I didn’t know just how successful this business would be, but I did see the necessity for it at the time.
I did my homework against all other companies that I considered my competition. I would call other companies and get their rates to see how much they charged their customers. So, what I did, was create a system where I would just charge for the whole complete move. It was one full-service charge and wasn’t charging the customer by the hour. That would avoid, the customers trying to rush the workers, in return being more careful with the customer’s items and personal belongings, and that would ease the burden on the customer’s pockets by knowing exactly how much they had to pay me for moving their stuff (no hidden fees).
Needless to say, it worked! The business took off running. Many customers appreciated the flat fees I offered and would contract me for more than just one job. My phone was ringing all day non-stop.
Damn, I should’ve never said I worked 24 hours. I would get calls at midnight, 2am in the morning. I would do emergency moves from people who were getting evicted, and their landlord wanted them out of there. I remember helping some young women move from Sacramento all the way to Redwood City at like 2am in the morning. I would have jobs in Morgan Hill, Calistoga, Belmont, all kinds of places all over the Bay Area! I was Bay-Wide!
It was crazy. Business was booming, and the best thing about this was that I was able to employ all my homies and friends that were coming home from prison or jail, and I put instant and much needed cash in their pockets. I paid them $30 an hour plus tips, and the tips were always great! Can’t go wrong there!
At the time I was also still working at The Beat Within, but I was really fortunate that David gave me the green light to go ahead and do what I needed to do, as long as it didn’t interfere with my work. I had the blessing to pencil in jobs at all times of the day. I was able to show my PO that I was doing something constructive, and boy did he get off my ass!
I remember employing a lot of guys that I know would have a hard time finding employment because of the felonies on their records, sometimes I would even employ undocumented immigrants, and you know they needed the money. It was hard work. I remember having to answer calls all day. I had to learn how to use Excel to organize the work and make it a lot simpler for me.
It got to the point where I had to leave workers in the field while I had to go look at other potential jobs. That’s how busy I was. But to dedicate my time and energy to make this business successful, I also had to make a few sacrifices as well. At the time, before I decided to go legit, I was still selling everything I could get my hands on (illegally), and I had to make a big decision.
I was low-key tired of being a part of the problem and not part of the solution to the problems in the community. I made the decision to go completely legit, and it felt good! I was no longer worried about ducking and dodging the police. Now, the only thing I was worried about was getting parking tickets on my commercial license plate pick up work truck!
I was no longer nervous about the boys or the GT’s, even though the Gang-Task would always harass me every chance they’d get. The point of all of this is to show you all, that if you’re not afraid of doing something different, and if you dedicate your energy to creating something bigger than you ever imagined, you have to be willing to change some of your old habits.
I no longer had time to party or hang out with the homies, because I was too busy trying to get more jobs and keeping my employees with money in their pocket, oh and trust me I would get my coins too. I created many friendships through that business, and when people see how hard my team would work, people would refer me to their family, friends, and work colleagues as well.
None of that would’ve been possible if I kept focusing my energy on doing illegal activities. I had to change that habit for a better one, and it paid off! My business went strong for almost two years before the recession hit, and then it tanked. But that experience taught me a lot of myself. It showed me that I accomplish anything that I put my heart and soul into.
Think about it. I came from a third-world country, to creating a small company that employed people. I remember being in a position where I could help people put food on their table for their families. It felt great.
It’s good karma doing something like that and right now, I’m looking forward for my next business venture. But in the meantime, I want y’all to stop and think like a real entrepreneur and think about being a real difference maker. Be the biggest asset to you, your family and those around you.
Many of you already have some great thoughts and ideas and are currently taking some vocational skills classes and that’s great. Just don’t be afraid to go out on a limb and work hard to exploit your talents. Don’t let no one else do it for you. Do it yourself. Every time I do a Beat workshop and think about all you young men and women, incarcerated, I know I’m looking at the future businessmen, of businesswomen of America.
I know if I did it, you can too, and even better! So go get it! The only thing standing in your way is you! One love to everybody going through the struggle. OT is signing out! The Beat keeps going and going…
OT is always inspiring and from the heart. We are grateful for his stories, as he always gives hope to us readers. Thank you OT, for all you do. And thank you writers, artists and readers for what you share each week, as you work towards completing and accomplishing your goals. We are pulling for you. All right, enjoy this latest issue, these pages have plenty to offer. See you down the road, reach out anytime, we love hearing from you all.