Meet Jamaal Rashad | Advisor & Consultant

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jamaal Rashad and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jamaal, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?

I’ve been an entrepreneur for as long as I can remember. Whether it was walking door to door to wash cars as a kid, building a sports tech platform to shift the power dynamic to college athletes in my early 20s, or starting a Los Angeles-based Physical Therapy business, I’ve always been good at identifying opportunities. However, the true thought process came from the time that was spent looking introspectively to understand who I truly was, becoming very familiar with my strengths and weaknesses, and getting clear on my purpose.

I knew that I could be successful using the same approach that I’ve always used in business; studying a lot and optimistically fighting through fear. After having some success and plenty of failures, I decided that I wanted to build a business that I could spend a lifetime conducting. I’d also dreamed of doing international business since I was a kid, so it was important for me to build something scalable that would take me all over the world. While listening to a podcast that was suggested by a friend, the narrator referenced “avoiding competition through authenticity” and a light bulb went off. I realized that nobody on the planet could be me more than me, and therefore, I needed to create a business that was an extension of who I was.

When reflecting on who I’d been my entire life, I realized that I’ve always strived to help people succeed. Sometimes it was through mentorship or a personal connection. Other times, it was showing up to support or help someone devise a detailed plan. I realized that I’d often played a “sherpa” type of role in the lives of many. Ultimately, I realized that I wanted to monetize my skill set of helping individuals get from “point A to point B” and I wanted to explore the best way possible.

I’d spent so much time in sports, sports tech, and healthcare that I leaned into these industries to start. However, I quickly received requests to assist in industries that I never anticipated such as commodities trading or film and television projects. I soon realized that I was addicted to the challenge and uncertainty that came with new industries. Furthermore, I grew confident once I realized that I possessed a skill set that was independent of being a subject matter expert. I knew how to absorb information and connect with people, understand where they were trying to go and assist with their efforts. Most importantly, I felt like my way of doing business could truly shape the world.

Whether you call it God or the Universe, I believe we all have a gift, but unfortunately, our society has not been constructed in a way that promotes identifying that gift, much less refining it. So, for me, the thought process behind starting my own business was magnifying and monetizing myself and who I am. I think we should all be looking to do the same.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.

My work is me. Unfortunately, what sets me apart from most is that I’m doing something that I TRULY love. The vast majority of people have not been fortunate enough to pursue what they love. Most of us finished high school and were either thrust into a job doing God knows what to make a living, or into a college environment that left us with debt and hopefully a degree in something that we wouldn’t regret.

That being said, I’ve always been a dreamer. Everything I’ve achieved in my life has come from envisioning what I want and then going for it. It definitely hasn’t been easy, but my faith and my foundation keep me going. Again, I reference our need to truly understand who we are. In life, we can pursue anything we want. However, everything is not for us. Once we can pair our strengths with something we love, the opportunities for success are endless.

Oddly enough, I’m most excited to see what’s next. To date, I’ve done business in sports, tech, wellness, film & TV, and the commodities sector. Although I’m continuously pushing myself to do business at a high level, I believe that we can live in a world where business can be encouraging, fun, respectful, and most importantly, positively impact the world. Business makes the world go around, and what better way to impact the world, than to impact the business that influences it?

I want people to know that you can be successful beyond your wildest dreams, by simply understanding who you are and learning how to put yourself in a position for success.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?

As a Los Angeles native, we operate differently. Additionally, my logical brain makes me want to take the time of year into consideration. However, if we’re pretending that it’s summer (my favorite time of year in LA), you need a good mix of chill and turn up, but the vibes are a must regardless. Being from LA and working in the sports and entertainment industry has come with its advantages.

First off, LA is about the people you’re with. The best day/night activity with the wrong group can make for a terrible night. So, make sure you find yourself a cool person or two to roll with. Second, LA is all about the house vibes. It’s too big and spread out to drive all over the place without somewhat of a plan. During the day you want to mix and match between a home pool and the beach (Manhattan or Malibu preferably). If you want to get out for some exercise, I’d hit some hikes (but not Runyon) or the Manhattan sand dunes, then grab a quick bite. We also have some amazing workout classes all across the city where you can connect with some awesome people.

For evening dinner vibes, I have two regular spots. If I’m in the valley and want amazing food, drinks, and live music, I head over to Verse in Toluca Lake. The owner is a world renowned music producer and considering his music studio is next door, they get visits from some of the best music artists imaginable (Bruno Mars, Sabrina Claudio, Anderson Paak, and many others). They have a great ambiance, and some of the best food in LA (Peruvian fusion). If I feel like going out after dinner, it doesn’t get much better than Delilahs in WeHo. Delilahs has been a staple in Hollywood and has a great mix of awesome food, great vibes, and a bit of privacy. The owner has been a great friend and has always taken care of both me and my clients over the years. If I want to try something different I’ll hit my favorite Italian restaurant, Pacé, in the valley or Elephante or Barrique on the west side.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?

The person who deserves the most credit in my story is my mom, Cathy Letizia. As a single mom, she ALWAYS showed up and taught me how to work with relentless passion. The next person is my cousin Wayne Simpson, who’s been the sole most influential male figure in my life. He taught me more about critical thinking and emotional intelligence than anyone. I also want to thank my partner Nick Younan, who’s one of the best and most well-rounded people I know. His dedication to his friends and family as well as his craft of hospitality is one of the most special things I’ve seen. I want to thank my partners Star Sage for her unwavering support, Mohammed Bility for his trust and dedication, and Chuck Walton for being an amazing human, truly pushing the culture forward, and making this opportunity possible. Lastly, I want to thank my Grandfather Dr. Otis Webster for not only for his DNA, but showing me that the most important thing we must do is improve the human condition.

Website: https://www.rashadgroup.co/

Instagram: @jrashad34

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamaal-rashad/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jamaal.rashad.1

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