Turning adversity into a favorable entrepreneurial outcome. Keri Laine interviews Tariq Price, CEO of Price Capital Investments and CEO of Mayweather Boxing + Fitness.

Thank you to Tariq for joining us in the INRoads Podcast.

Thanks for having me.

So, our purpose in connection point for this is to be able to take the story of who you are and how you got to realize some of the successes that you've realized, and really get to the core of what that took from a character and virtue perspective. And I think there's a lot of people out there that define success in a certain way. And I think to be able to know that there are certain parts and pieces of our personality and demeanor that bring us to that. And that's what we're really trying to figure out that—what are those inroads for you? So tell us a little bit about you. Let's start there.

Well, some of the inroads for me or about my life period, it took rock bottom.

Okay.

It took rock bottom for me. I want to start there.

Yeah.

Okay.

Absolutely.

It taught me how to endure. It taught me not to quit, and how to survive, and then later on how to thrive.

Okay.

Okay, so what I'm doing now is I'm uh, I don't really use the word I say multiple entrepreneur. I have, you know, few things going on now. But rock bottom have always gotten me there. I've always been an entrepreneur, since I was a kid. Like seven Jolly Ranchers for $1. Long stick. The Apple was the hardest seller.

Yeah.

And then, you know, I always remember when my dad got financially strong. We bought a house in Bridgeport, Michigan, and it had two cherry trees.

Okay.

So my dad always wanted to be an entrepreneur. He did 53 years in General Motors, the hardest working man I know. And but he will say, hey, go out and pick some of those cherries. We can go sell them. So, he always planted to see that.

No pun intended with the cherries.

Yes. You know.

Yeah.

And so we packed them up, and we sold them to a local fruit market. Jack's fruit market in Saginaw, Michigan, and that's where all this led to be.

Okay.

You know,

So give us a rundown of what you're doing right now today. And then I'm gonna tie it back to that cherry trees.

Okay, okay, so right now we're opening up several Mayweather boxing fitness boutique style studio. One in Tampa. We have one in St. Pete. And we have one that's being built in celebration, and we probably going to do about nine more.

Okay, okay.

Yeah. And then we're also in Michigan, we have we own Steps Ahead Learning Center.

Okay.

Two childcare centers there that's really doing really, really well. I'm into real estate, actually, my

wife is into, she's a licensed agent.

Okay.

And we are also commercial.

Okay.

So we buy flip sale.

Yeah.

I'm into funding. I got my mentorship going, I got a lot of mentorships going. And I have my investment company called price capital investments where I help celebrities, actors, and sports people, you know, once they retire that help them diversify their funds.

And you also have a philanthropic aspect of what you do.

Oh, yeah.

Yeah.

Yes, yes. Yeah.

Tell us about that.

So that part, it goes way back 15 years in ministry, and I have a outreach ministry where we feed the hungry. Every weekend still in Michigan, for the holidays, we give away, we have a semi-truck pull up. So, any holiday we do 20,000 to 30,000 pounds of food. So, we're always giving back.

That's amazing. So back to your cherry tree and tying it into that you started learning a sense and spirit of independently earning and selling and capitalizing on the resources that you had. And how do you bring that to people or, or places that need what you have to offer? And so where do you think that entrepreneurial spirit from that moment? What did you love most about it from childhood that carried you through to where you are?

Definitely, I will say my parents believe in that we could just start right there like that we could be or do anything. So, when they told us the idea, we're like, okay, we can make some money. Let's go, you know, I mean, so my brothers and I, we just get up there, get the ladder and we get to pick it up, you know, and I knew my dad wanted to be an entrepreneur. So he will say, "Hey, let's start this and let's do this." And he got off into anything that he could to get extra money.

Yeah.

So he got off into like, multi-level marketing.

Okay.

He like always tried and I always watched them and it didn't last. But he tried.

Yeah.

So I think now, you know, I'm the one my sister and I were the ones that picked up the baton and we became, you know, entrepreneurs.

You saw that try try try again attitude. So and then you said you thought, well, we can make money.

Yeah.

Money is there's a different definition that people assigned to money.

Yes, man.

So, and different motivators for it. So when it comes to that, what was inspiring about making money for you? What's the what's underneath that?

I will say, a broad freedom. It brought a sense of happiness. And the reason being is we didn't have a lot. We didn't travel a lot. So, our motivation for money was different.

Yeah.

And I wanted to travel. I wanted to pool you know, I, you know, I remember going to my parents friend's house and they had a pool. And I'm just sitting on the step like, I wish he would invite me to jump in the pool, you know, so I always had like, an hour I had. I have two homes, one in Michigan that has a pool.

Yeah.

And then I have one that has a pool here. I got, you know, my dream, you know, desire. So it was just those motivations of having more.

Yeah.

My dad came from a, you know, he was grew up, he grew up in the projects in Saginaw, Michigan, and General Motors helped us it helped us a lot, you know, overcome things.

And so, about overcoming. So, if we were on this journey, and we're driving, and you got a flat tire, or you get in an accident, or there's a roadblock, right, there's along the way, there's something that inevitably is a barrier. Tell me about one of the barriers that you've had to face that you've overcome, what was that like? What happened?

Homelessness, I was kicked out the house, you know, bad attitude, teenage years, you know, and when I once I got kicked out the house, I had nowhere to go. I had a car that I bought, my dad helped me buy.

Yeah.

Wow.

And when I did get kicked out the house, will half my clothes are in a trunk. So I went to my grandmother's house, and I parked my car in front of her house. And you know, I went in crying whatever told her the whole deal. I said, "I'm gonna be living outside." She was like, "No, we got room for you." I'm like, "I don't want to live there. Because it was drug infested." My cousins were gangbangers and they were doing drugs and different people in and out that door of my grandmother's house. So I stayed outside. And I stayed there for maybe nine months, I was homeless. And one day I just woke up in that environment will try to suck you in. And it will try to tell you, you can be like these people. But I just remember my mom's voice saying use what you got. You know, I could cry right now. But she said that, and you just mentioned that earlier. Like, what do I have? I have nothing. But she said in by just remember, use what you got. So, in high school, I was a class clown. You know, I got along with anybody.

Yeah.

I had to use my personality. So, I just wouldn't got a job. So my first job was like Nike factory.

Okay. Okay.

So in I used to like shoes. I'm like, I need clothes. So let me go in here. Let me win this interview. I know I can smile. I can win it. So I went in one and I got hired. I worked hours, hours, hours. And then I think ShaRease and I we, I met ShaRease when I was 15 and 14.

Okay.

So we had my first daughter in school.

Oh, my goodness.

It was a lot happen. And I was working at the Nike factory. Let me back up. I went to go play ball.

Okay.

In college, I only stayed three months I quit the basketball team. Because ShaRease had the baby was having the baby. I came home started all over calf support and all that. So, but it was a job. It was a job. And then I got a better job. I always wanted more. I'm like, now I'm making money. Like what's next. And I did break later. And I know how to do bricks and driveways. I know how to do a lot. And I started working for landscaping and that and then I got a job at AT&T. I excel that a customer service and my life just got better.

Yeah.

Okay.

Deleana was two years old. That's my oldest daughter. And we've been married for 19 years now.

So all the varying things that you've gotten into and the diversification of work that you've seen, and you've thrived in any of it. I mean, you're talking manual labor, too. Yeah, you had this nice blend and mix of things that came across your way. And you were going to like great at all of them. And so they're that fortitude. So, if I think about in a car you're driving, you have a GPS, it is telling you where to go. We all have internal GPS. And that's a lot of your character and virtues that helped bring you forward to the place that you're meant to be.

Right.

So what characteristics of what traits? Do you think that you either learned or developed or strengthened through all of those experiences?

I think from my mom, her niceness, your attitude, definitely a trait hard work.

Yeah.

You know, I've seen that, you know, I've seen it demonstrated within my dad, I've seen how my mom treat people. So just blending all that together, then I'm hanging out with the boss.

Yeah.

Any company that I went to, and I was start getting mentored, whether they were mentored me or not, I was listening, I was learning. I was learning how to run a company, I was learning how to run a landscaping. I was learning how to do Microsoft, Excel sheets, you know, I was just learning how to run companies. And I ended up managing everyone that I ever worked at, including AT&T, I went from customer service there to maximum out there to Dow Chemical, customer service, their HR with no degree, you know, and it just was on and on and on.

Yeah.

So.

So in a way, you're getting reinforcement with every opportunity and every step that you take in the next direction. So if you were to picture driving a car at night, and you know, you're getting to a destination, and the car has its headlights on, and it's only you can only see 200 feet in front of you. You're dealing with ambiguity and just surrounding darkness.

Right?

How have you handled times of ambiguity or uncertainty or change?

I will say keep going.

Yeah.

Yeah. Because I rather, I tell people all the time, don't decide your future discovery. So whether it's dark weather is tough. Or you can't see past 200 feet. Just keep moving.

Yeah.

Get started. You know, and that's, that's my, just keep moving, keep moving. A lot of people and I've seen it in ministry, I've seen it. In business, they get stagnant because they're trying to find their purpose. So, what do you do when you try to find your purpose? You just move?

Yeah.

You don't know sometimes. I don't know sometimes. And I'm okay with that. As long as I tell people all the time, don't wait for the ship, the cruise ship to come to you, you swim to it. So, I'm just move, just keep moving, you will figure it out.

So, when you think of arriving, a lot of people define arriving to success differently and what success is. So, how do you define success?

I define success as family. I don't really think of arrival. My arrival is making sure I'm a good husband, a good father, and I'm good friend, my success is definitely my team at home. That's my team. And it helps me with my business team. It helps me with my friends. Because I believe like family is I know the strengths of my kids. I'm like the CEO, she's the VP, you know, and it's like, when I'm not there, she's running everything. And you know, it's just, that's my success in everything, taking care of seeing that they got a nice place to stay seeing that. My kids are excelling in life, not just financially. Shoot. Masen is doing great, right. Oh, no, have you been watching him? But he's doing great. So him moving to Florida.

The next generation to be able to be raised with the same things that are making you successful because they're being built in a real genuine authentic way.

Yeah.

So that's pretty nice to see. It reaffirms. Really proud. Yeah. So when you think about success, how do people get success wrong?

I believe in greed gets involved. That's just me. I'm it might not be the right answer. I believe when they hoard when they get greedy. That's a good question. But I will stick with those.

Yeah. Yeah.

I think that's when, you know, success to me is following that inner GPS. You know, doing what you see in here. And watching them manifest whatever that thing is. That's my definition of success.

And it's like staying if you're you mentioned the word listening, if you're staying in tune with yourself, and you're listening to your intuition. And it sounds like you were also really careful about who you had around you, and you got to be would not have around you, and being very crystal clear that there are certain people that will elevate you in certain situations that will stay. And isn't it that's what's interesting is that we think that whether it's peer pressure or bad habits or things or issues of middle school in high school, it's not. There are many times in corporate world or different other industries where you find that there are people that are just not aligned the same way and you can get lost in the political game of you know, getting involved in things that take you down the wrong path. Adults, and that could be a big derail or for sure.

I'm a big relationship guy. So I'm I'm hoping I'm doing a great Job modeling for my son.

Yeah.

And my my kids who you have around you is so important. That's even better than money to me.

Yeah.

I consider myself a people broker where I place people together, I'm nice to them, they trust me, I trust them. I do right by people, you know. So it's important if you want to go to the next level at the speed of lightning and make sure you have the right people around you because your life can go to, you know, where I'm at right now, I dreamed of this a long time ago, the things I've obtained, the companies I've bought---

Right.

Or started, you know, is this---

Going from living in your car to buy other people's companies, which then in turn what you do when you impact the community that way? You're helping those families?

Exactly.

Then you're helping their kids have better lives. Exactly. Yeah. Yeah. So, when you think about if you were in a car, and you are driving the car, and in the backseat, is that kid who was living in his car?

Yeah. What would you look back and tell him right now? Man, I'm proud of you for not giving up. Yeah.

What do you think he would tell you back?

Thanks. Yeah.

Yeah. If you were to be at the end of your journey, and you look back in the rearview, and you were to want to reflect and say I did this life, right. What do you hope to see?

Everyone happy, my family happy. My family. They're cheering me on. You know, that's important.

Yeah.

Yeah. I want to be the hero.

Yeah. With the sentiment of this conversation, and what we're hoping to inspire in others. And thank you, again, for being here. What was your hope? And what was your inspiring reason for joining us in the conversation?

I believe, if I can touch one person and tell them keep going, I did my job. And they got inspired by it. And it encouraged them to keep doing whatever they're doing right now.

Yeah.

That's payday for me.

Yeah. It's so funny. How can use terms like payday?

Yeah.

But it's payday intrinsically, for your tree currency. It's not just the currency of what's external. And that goes back to when studying people that are successful, so many of them do it from a genuine, authentic place that really has nothing to do with what an external success factors look like. And it's it's amazing to see the proportion of the momentum that can come from that and the sense of team and community and support that people will rally right to help you or whatever the initiative is become more successful.

Yes.

And the more that you're talking to people about this, the more it almost seems like that's the secret sauce. People go after success in ways that don't ever manifest unless it comes from that place within.

That's the magnet for me.

Yeah.

Like, you attract who you are. So, if you're rich in here,

Yeah.

You're gonna be rich out here.

Yeah.

If it's done with a authentic heart, like you just said, if it's done with, you know, a great heart and your motives are right.

Yeah.

And you just attract and you manifest what you see.

Yep.

You know, you're seeing is believing in you believe in a seeing, and you can attract all of that, like, your dreams, the right people will come in place. If you, you know, live from within and you're rich at heart.

I love that rich at heart. So what is next for you?

Next for me, is I need a vacation. So next for me is to make sure my son is excelling in sports really well. He's a great six six, he just played in Under Armour all American game. So, finding him a high school here.

Yeah.

That's what's next for me their education. You know, making sure ShaRease excel that you know, whatever it is you want to do next, you know, because we are officially Floridians now.

Yeah.

So we're, thank you so much. We're super happy. But what next for me is just taking care of my family, you know, and whatever. This leads me to. So it's like, I can't pick and choose it just leads me

It goes back to that inner GPS.

Inner GPS. I love it.

And helping yourself. Follow that so that you can get to the place? You're meant to be along the way.

Because I don't try to figure it out. I just go with the leading.

Yeah.

Yeah, yeah.

I love it. Well, thank you so much for being here with us. I appreciate your time, your insight is spot on. And I love the fact that you have so much of a story from where you came from, to where you are in the sense of giving back, supporting your family supporting the communities. I think all of that comes full circle back to the roots that you came from.

Yes.

And the pieces of that experience, how it stayed with you. And now think of how many people it impacts because of who you are. How many more people are reached in the world because of that journey. So,

Man, and again. That's payday for me.

Yeah, absolutely. Thank you again, Tariq.

Thank you so much for having me.